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    Paradise Found: The Best 5 Beaches in Saint Lucia

    When it comes to the Caribbean’s breathtaking beauty, few destinations can rival the enchanting island of Saint Lucia. With its lush rainforests, towering mountains, and pristine beaches, this tropical gem is a haven for travelers seeking sun, sand, and serenity. For those who dream of lounging on soft, powdery shores with turquoise waters lapping at their feet, Saint Lucia delivers an array of picture-perfect beaches. Here are the best five beaches on this captivating island:
    Reduit Beach:Nestled in Rodney Bay, Reduit Beach is one of Saint Lucia’s most popular and accessible beaches. Boasting a long stretch of golden sand, this family-friendly destination is perfect for sunbathing, beach games, and swimming. The calm, shallow waters provide a safe environment for children to splash around, while water sports enthusiasts can enjoy jet skiing and paddleboarding. After a day of fun in the sun, visitors can explore the nearby dining and shopping options, adding a lively touch to this paradisiacal beach experience.
    Anse Chastanet Beach:For a more secluded and intimate beach encounter, Anse Chastanet is the place to be. Located near Soufrière, this beach offers a serene escape surrounded by lush greenery and the iconic Pitons—two volcanic peaks that form Saint Lucia’s striking landscape. Snorkeling and diving are highly recommended here, as the crystal-clear waters teem with colorful marine life and stunning coral reefs. Anse Chastanet Beach is also home to a luxurious resort of the same name, where visitors can indulge in fine dining and spa treatments with an idyllic ocean backdrop.
    Sugar Beach:Also located in Soufrière, Sugar Beach, known locally as Jalousie Beach, exudes luxury and exclusivity. Flanked by lush hillsides and framed by the majestic Pitons, this crescent-shaped beach is a visual delight. Accessible only by boat or through the exclusive Sugar Beach Resort, the beach maintains an unspoiled allure, offering visitors a sense of tranquility and privacy. The resort offers upscale amenities and water sports, making it an excellent choice for couples seeking a romantic escape.
    Pigeon Island National Park:Combining history and natural beauty, Pigeon Island National Park is a unique beach experience. Located near Rodney Bay, this beach is surrounded by historical landmarks and ruins, providing a fascinating glimpse into Saint Lucia’s past. Visitors can explore the well-preserved military ruins, hike to Fort Rodney for panoramic views of the island, and then relax on the beach’s golden sands. Pigeon Island National Park is an excellent destination for history buffs and nature enthusiasts alike.ADVERTISEMENTMarigot Bay:Often referred to as the most beautiful bay in the Caribbean, Marigot Bay offers a picturesque and serene setting. Surrounded by lush hills and mangroves, the bay’s turquoise waters provide a tranquil oasis for travelers seeking a laid-back beach experience. The bay is an ideal spot for sailing and yachting, with a marina that welcomes visitors from all over the world. Along the shores, visitors will find boutique shops, upscale resorts, and charming restaurants, creating a refined atmosphere to savor every moment.
    Saint Lucia’s beaches offer a diverse range of experiences for travelers seeking different types of paradise. Whether you prefer a lively family-friendly environment, secluded luxury, historical insights, or a serene natural escape, the island’s beaches have something special for everyone. With its warm hospitality and breathtaking vistas, Saint Lucia is undoubtedly a beach lover’s dream come true. So, pack your swimsuit, sunscreen, and a sense of adventure—paradise awaits on the shores of Saint Lucia.
    The magical island of Saint Lucia will host the World Travel Awards Caribbean & The Americas Gala Ceremony 2023 on 26 August 2023. The leading travel industry figureheads from across the region will attend the red-carpet reception at Sandals Grande St. Lucian.
    Graham Cooke, Founder, World Travel Awards, says: “I am honoured to unveil Saint Lucia as the host of our Caribbean & Americas Gala Ceremony 2023, in this our landmark 30th anniversary. Saint Lucia is helping to spearhead the recovery of travel and tourism in the Caribbean, and I am delighted this captivating island will form a crucial part of our anniversary tour.”He adds: “World Travel Awards has maintained its position as the industry leader for the past 30 years, consistently proving its value as the global benchmark for recognising excellence in travel and tourism. I look forward to joining the most senior travel industry figureheads from across the Caribbean and The Americas for what promises to be a fabulous event, acknowledging those organisations spearheading the growth of the region’s travel and tourism sector.”

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    DER Touristik and Lufthansa Group Partner to Expand Sustainable Aviation Fuel Usage in Tourism

    In order to meet the challenges in the area of climate and environmental protection, DER Touristik and the Lufthansa Group are expanding their cooperation: As part of a strategic partnership, DER Touristik is the first major tour operator to purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from the Lufthansa Group. This consists of biogenic residues such as used cooking oils and reduces CO₂ emissions by around 80 percent compared to conventional kerosene. With the SAF it has purchased, DER Touristik will offer its guests more climate-friendly air travel using SAF at no extra charge. The costs for the SAF are covered by the tour operator.
    Specifically, DER Touristik uses the SAF purchased from the Lufthansa Group to improve the carbon footprint of selected products. These tours will be presented in the DERTOUR Magalog – a mixture of magazine and catalog – to be published in September 2023 with the title “Conscious Travel”. For example, an SAF share of 20 percent will be fed into the flight system for the Lufthansa flights of the 2024 round trips presented in the Magalog. This will reduce the passenger’s individual flight-related CO₂ emissions. These round trips include two individual DERTOUR trips to Ireland, where guests travel locally by public transportation, as well as five guided small-group trips to Albena on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, Menorca, Andalusia, Madeira, and Lisbon and Porto. By the end of 2024, selected Lufthansa Group flights booked in addition to one of the sustainably certified hotels in the new DERTOUR Magalog will also feed 20 percent SAF into the flight system at DER Touristik’s expense. In addition, REWE Reisen in Germany and Billa Reisen in Austria will each put together two more sustainable vacation offers with Lufthansa Group flights in Europe in the fall of 2023.
    As part of the strategic partnership between DER Touristik and the Lufthansa Group, various other measures are also planned that will sensitize vacationers and travel agency experts to the topic of SAF and make it tangible for them, including an expert study trip to Ireland for travel agencies. Last spring, the Lufthansa Group and DER Touristik had already jointly launched more sustainable travel offers in an initial test run.
    A crucial key to more sustainable flying
    “We are very pleased to have DER Touristik as a cooperation partner at our side who is committed to the sustainable transformation of the travel industry, who is breaking new ground together with us and who is sensitizing its customers to forward-looking travel offers,” says Frank Naeve, Senior Vice President Global Markets & Stations Lufthansa Group. “With our airlines, we want to connect people, cultures and economies in the most sustainable way possible, reduce the environmental impact of flying and use required resources as efficiently as possible. The use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel is a crucial key to more sustainable flying in this regard.”ADVERTISEMENT“Our goal is to make tourism more climate-friendly and reduce emissions from vacation travel. A key lever in this is flying,” explains Dr. Ingo Burmester, CEO DER Touristik Central Europe. “At the same time, we are investing in the shift toward a lower-emission airline industry with our commitment. As a tour operator and flight broker, we see it as our responsibility to get involved in this area. As an industry, we can only achieve change by joining forces and standing shoulder to shoulder with long-standing, trustworthy partners such as the Lufthansa Group.”
    The Lufthansa Group has set itself ambitious climate protection goals and aims to achieve a neutral CO₂ balance by 2050. Already by 2030, the Lufthansa Group wants to halve its net CO₂ emissions compared to 2019 through reduction and compensation measures. The reduction target until 2030 was validated by the independent Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in August 2022. The Lufthansa Group was the first airline group in Europe with a science-based CO₂ reduction target in line with the goals of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. For effective climate protection, the Lufthansa Group is focusing in particular on accelerated fleet modernization, the use of SAF, the continuous optimization of flight operations, and offers for its private travelers and corporate customers to make a flight or the transport of cargo more sustainable. In addition, the Lufthansa Group has been actively supporting global climate and weather research for many years.

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    IATA Announces Inaugural World Safety and Operations Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam to Drive Safer and

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    IATA Announces Inaugural World Safety and Operations Conference in Hanoi, Vietnam to Drive Safer and

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that the inaugural World Safety and Operations Conference (WSOC) will take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, 19-21 September 2023 under the theme “Leadership in Action: Driving Safer and More Efficient Operations.” Vietnam Airlines will be the host airline. The event brings together the previous Cabin Ops Safety Conference, the IATA Safety Conference and the Emergency Response Planning and Aircraft Recovery Forums.
    “Borders are open, airports are busy, and flights are full. As we rebuild airline networks and balance sheets, it is vital that all aviation stakeholders maintain the same strong commitment to safe operations that we exercised during the pandemic years. The WSOC is the forum to discuss and debate today’s challenges and opportunities to keep the industry on a trajectory of improving safety and more efficient operations,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
    “Safety is aviation’s highest priority and is the cornerstone of all Vietnam Airlines’ operations and practices. We are excited to be the host airline for this important inaugural conference, bringing together cutting-edge leaders, regulators and a larger global community to address key topics relating to safety and infrastructure to ensure stronger safety operations in the wider industry,” said Le Hong Ha, President and CEO, Vietnam Airlines, who will participate in the WSOC Opening Plenary leadership panel, along with Walsh. Philippine Airlines President and COO Stanley K. Ng will also join the conversation.
    Session tracks will address Safety, Cabin Operations, Flight Operations and Emergency Response Planning and Aircraft Recovery.
    Among topics to be covered are:ADVERTISEMENTRisk-Based IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA)Safety leadership and the IATA Safety Leadership CharterRunway safetyRegional aircraft operationsLearnings from recent accidents and incidentsCabin crew training and wellbeingUnruly passengersDigital transformation of aircraft flight and technical operationsPerformance based trainingSafe integration of airspace new entrants, technology and proceduresAircraft recovery and crisis communications

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    Addressing North American Air Traffic Control Shortcomings

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    Addressing North American Air Traffic Control Shortcomings

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released the following statement by its Director General, Willie Walsh, on the performance of the United States and Canadian air traffic control (ATC) organizations.
    “Over the past 12-18 months airlines have responded to the very strong post-pandemic travel demand by adding tens of thousands of employees to their workforces. US passenger airline employment is now at its highest level in over two decades, for example. In contrast, ATC staff shortages in North America continue to produce unacceptable delays and disruptions for the traveling public on both sides of the border.
    United States“The recent report by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of the Inspector General makes clear that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has allowed the controller workforce to shrink to the point where it is challenged to maintain continuity of operations at the country’s most critical air traffic control facilities. In fact, 77% of these vital facilities are staffed below the Agency’s 85% threshold. The situations in New York Terminal Radar Approach Control and Miami Tower are extreme at 54% and 66%, respectively.
    “Earlier this year, airlines reduced their schedules by up to 10% at New York area airports at the request of the FAA which had acknowledged that it could not accommodate the current level of operations there with the existing controller workforce.
    “Poor ATC performance comes on top of the FAA and DOT requiring airlines to invest over $630 million to upgrade or replace fully certified onboard avionics equipment on thousands of aircraft to mitigate the risks of 5G rollout near airports. This is unique to the US. The 5G rollout in other parts of the world has not required anything like this of airlines.ADVERTISEMENT“This double whammy of poor planning is exceptionally disappointing. While the administration has well developed plans for new passenger rights regulations to penalize airlines for delays even if the root causes are beyond the industry’s control, a fix for controller shortages that would actually reduce delays is far too long in coming. As a first step, it is long past time for the appointment of a permanent FAA Administrator equipped to show strong leadership in devising a plan to rapidly rebuild the controller workforce.”
    Canada“Recent press reports highlight how NAV Canada, the Canadian air navigation services provider (ANSP), is also letting down airlines and the traveling public, with hundreds of flights cancelled owing to controller shortages.
    “This comes as the Canadian Government is revising passenger rights legislation, solely placing the burden of care and compensation on airlines, irrespective of the root cause of disruptions and delays.
    “We agree with the Government that shared accountability is needed across the entire value chain, something that cannot be achieved by singling out airlines. Instead of focusing on bureaucratic and punitive legislation, the Government needs to urgently address the shortfalls in those sections of the aviation ecosystem which it controls. Asking airlines to negotiate performance agreements with monopoly service providers reflects a lack of understanding of the industry and will not improve the overall travel experience,” said Walsh.
    Bottom Line“Ottawa and Washington, DC need to take ownership of the issues under their direct control and lead in resolving them. Appointing a permanent FAA Administrator would be a first and major step in urgently addressing the US aviation/air traffic control infrastructure constraints, which are hindering airlines from delivering the service travelers expect. Furthermore, refraining from doubling down on costly and poorly thought-out air travel consumer rights regulations in both countries, would free up resources across the entire value chain, in order to enhance the customer experience,” said Walsh.

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    ADVANCING AMPHIBIOUS AIRLIFT

    The islands of The Bahamas is advancing plans to accelerate and revolutionize the robust return of Amphibious Seaplanes Airlift.
    According to Dr. Kenneth Romer, Bahamas Director of Aviation and Deputy Director General of Tourism, “Amphibious air services is a prominent component of the recently launched National Aviation Strategic Plan, as we seek to diversify and innovate stopover air arrivals to and within our major islands and cays to position The Bahamas as a luxury cachet that cannot be matched by any other destination in our region”.On July 12, 2023, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort on Paradise Island, hosted a Coco Bahamas Seaplane landing on the property, bringing in a group of leading luxury travel advisors and influential media partners for a special familiarization trip to mark the country’s 50th Independence Celebrations.
    On hand to mark the occasion, were regulators from The Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas, Law Enforcement Officers along with Tourism, Aviation and Hospitality Executives.
    “As we promote The Islands of The Bahamas as an extended-stay, multi-destination travel experience, seaplanes afford visitors ease of access to more destination offerings throughout our picturesque archipelago, while delivering the best way to lower the total cost of air transportation per mile flown”, said Dr. Romer.
    Piloting the seaplane landing at The Ocean Club, were two young Bahamian pilots, Kyle Glenn Fernander and Brandon Fernander.ADVERTISEMENT

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    Wego and Azerbaijan Tourism Board helps travelers to plan the perfect holiday

    Wego, the largest online travel marketplace in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), invites travelers to discover Azerbaijan in all seasons. The two companies will join forces for a new campaign aiming to showcase Azerbaijan’s incredible attractions to MENA travelers. Building on the successful previous partnership, this collaboration will leverage Wego’s extensive reach and innovative marketing strategies to showcase Azerbaijan’s rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and warm hospitality.
    In Azerbaijan, both summer and winter offer a wide range of exciting activities for each type of traveler.
    Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, MENA and India, Wego, said: “As we renew our partnership with Azerbaijan Tourism Board, we aim to inspire and guide travelers to explore the wonders of Azerbaijan and create a seamless and inspiring travel experience. We recorded over 830,000 searches globally to Azerbaijan this year and we are expecting to see an increase in the searches towards the summer.”
    During the summer months, the country’s beautiful coastal areas become a haven for beach lovers. Travelers can indulge in water sports such as jet skiing and parasailing. Additionally, the picturesque mountainous regions of Azerbaijan, such as the Greater Caucasus range, provide fantastic opportunities for hiking, trekking, and exploring scenic trails that lead to breathtaking vistas and hidden waterfalls.
    Florian Sengstschmid, CEO, Azerbaijan Tourism Board, said: “In winter, Azerbaijan transforms into a winter wonderland, providing excellent opportunities for winter sports enthusiasts. The country has premier ski resorts and offer world-class skiing and snowboarding facilities with a range of slopes suitable for beginners to advanced skiers. Additionally, the picturesque village of Gabala, located in the Tufandag Mountains, offers a charming winter retreat with opportunities for skiing, snowboarding, and even enjoying horse-drawn sleigh rides through snowy landscapes.”ADVERTISEMENT

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    New Whisky Year Zero Commemoration to Mark 200th Anniversary

    The Argyll and Isles Tourism Cooperative has launched a new Whisky Year Zero commemoration to mark the 200th anniversary of the 1823 Excise Act, which was published on 18 July 1823The act, which sanctioned the distilling of whisky in return for a licence fee, played a key role in shaping Argyll and the Isles as Scotland’s Whisky Coast – an area which encompasses four of Scotland’s recognised whisky regions – Campbeltown, Islay, Highlands (Oban and Loch Lomond) and Islands (Jura and Tobermory).
    Recognising the significance of the year, particularly to Argyll’s one-time ‘Whisky Capital of the World’, Whisky Year Zero celebrates the destination’s distinct whisky heritage by showcasing the wide range of sites, festivals and experiences whisky lovers can experience in Argyll and the Isles from July 2023 to June 2024. This includes brand new distillery openings, such as the reopening of the historic Port Ellen Distillery on Islay, more than 35 years after it was closed and almost 200 years since it first opened in 1824 as one of the first distilleries to be licensed after the 1823 Excise Act.
    The commemoration is today being welcomed by leading historians and whisky aficionados, including Pro Vice Principal at the University of Glasgow Bradley Professor Murray Pittock; Master of the Quaich (the whisky industry’s highest accolade) author Dr Nick Morgan; fellow Master of the Quaich acclaimed whisky writer Charles MacLean; and founder of World Whisky Day consultant Blair Bowman.
    Launching the commemoration Cathy Craig, CEO of the Argyll and Isles Tourism Cooperative said: “We’re delighted to launch Whisky Year Zero to celebrate the rich whisky, or uisge beatha, heritage that has shaped communities and culture throughout Argyll and the Isles.
    “Known as Scotland’s Whisky Coast due the high volume of world-class distilleries dotted along our coastline, there are so many ways in which visitors to the area can learn more about our significant whisky history and why our destination, with its abundance of fertile landscapes, produces some of Scotland’s finest food and drink.”ADVERTISEMENTExplaining the importance of the commemoration, Professor Murray Pittock, Bradley Professor and Pro Vice Principal at the University of Glasgow said: “Understanding our past gives us confidence in our ability to shape the future, so it is vital that we continue to remember key historical moments. Commemorations like Argyll & the Isles’ Whisky Year Zero, that take the time to bring history to life, can play a central role in addressing this.”

    Throughout Whisky Year Zero, Glen Scotia, one of three distilleries remaining in Campbeltown, is offering immersive whisky experiences that take visitors behind the scenes and back in time, to discover more the history of their whisky, including how the Excise Act led to their hometown town being proclaimed the one-time Whisky Capital of the World.
    Hannah Young, Visitor Centre Manager at Glen Scotia said: “Our historical distillery still maintains much of its original design dating from the 1830s, including our Dunnage Warehouse, so our celebrated heritage and history still influence the award-winning whisky produced here. The 1823 Excise Act played a key role in our formation and those who come on one of our distillery tours can learn all about the impact it made on our town.”
    Explaining the significance of the act on Argyll and the Isles, renowned Whisky Writer and Master of the Quaich Charles Maclean said: “The 1823 Excise Act laid the foundations for the Scotch whisky industry by fixing the method of Scotch whisky distillation as we know it today. The Argyll and Isles Tourism Cooperative is to be congratulated for celebrating this significant piece of legislation, which made it possible for Campbeltown to become ‘the world whisky capital’ in the late 19th Century and for Islay to become the world’s leading pilgrimage destination for whisky lovers today. Before the Act, distilling in the region was mainly illicit; today it is burgeoning.”
    Professor Pittock added: “The 1823 Excise or Wash Act led to a boom in the whisky industry. Local businesspeople and landowners saw vast opportunities in the market, and in Campbeltown developments supported by the Duke of Argyll saw the creation of some 30 distilleries in a town of around three thousand people – it was certainly, as it proclaimed, ‘the Whisky Capital of the World’ in per capita terms at least.”
    Reinforcing the scale of industry growth at that time, Dr Nick Morgan, Master of the Quaich, whisky aficionado and author of the book Everything You Need to Know About Whisky (but are too afraid to ask) said: “In 1821 there were eleven licensed distilleries in Argyll producing around 40,000 gallons of whisky a year. Only one, owned by John Beith, was in Campbeltown. By 1826, three years after the passing of the 1823 Excise Act, there were thirty-four distilleries in Argyll producing some two-hundred thousand gallons a year.”
    Though there are less distilleries than there once was in the area, whisky and now gin production is still a significant industry across Argyll and the Isles, as Whisky Year Zero highlights.
    The commemoration showcases 14 world-class whisky distilleries, a myriad of whisky experiences, festivals and distillery openings across the destination.
    Welcoming the celebration and explaining why Argyll and the Isles is such an important whisky destination, whisky enthusiast, founder of World Whisky Day and author of The Pocket Guide to Whisky, Blair Bowman said: “Uniquely for a Scottish destination, Argyll and the Isles encompasses four of Scotland’s recognised whisky regions, earning it the title of Scotland’s Whisky Coast. During Whisky Year Zero, I would encourage all visitors to celebrate by going on a distillery-hoping journey of discovery across Argyll and the Isles to explore the real impact Scotland’s iconic uisge beatha or ‘water of life’ has had on culture and communities in the area, and what makes each of the whisky regions different.
    “There is also something quite extraordinary about drinking a whisky in the same places where the whisky was made. It really enhances the experience. Each whisky is very unique, their flavours tell an important part of history too.

    “Whisky is quite literally known in Scottish Gaelic as the Water of Life, uisge beatha, which is very apt. There is something magical about each and every sip. When you pick up a glass from Argyll and the Isles, you’re not just picking up a drink, you’re picking up a story of Scottish life too. It tells you story of history, a story of culture and a story of craftmanship – from the farmers producing barley to the unique distillation processes.”
    Emma Clark AITC Vice Chair, official Argyll & the Isles Food & Drink Ambassador and owner of Glenegedale Guesthouse on Islay (where they serve food platters on top of a reclaimed whisky barrel and even give guests the opportunity to enjoy local whisky in their porridge) agreed: “With our rich fertile lands and world-leading producers, we make and supply some of the very best food and drink, including whisky, right here in Argyll and the Isles. Whisky Year Zero provides the perfect excuse for visitors to go on a culinary journey of discovery to responsibly enjoy our sensational local produce, our unique land and waters, tantalising food trails, world class distilleries and vast amount of award-winning eateries to suit all tastes.”
    To find out more about Whisky Year Zero visit: wildaboutargyll.co.uk/whisky-year-zero

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    Global Travel and Tourism Partnership doubles e-Learning engagement

    The Global Travel and Tourism Partnership (GTTP), together with global technology partners, Equator Global and Travel Uni, has dramatically grown its global reach and ability to deliver learning and education over the past 4 years.
    In 2019 GTTP taught around 400,000 students. In the past year alone over 750,000 students aged between 16 and 19 have received free travel educational courses. The partnership has enabled GTTP to reach many new audiences by using Equator Global’s e-Learning technology. It has significantly boosted reach to rural communities in regions such as the Caribbean, Africa and Asia including India, with Nepal being the latest country to receive access to the platform.
    Commenting on the contribution made by Equator Global and Travel Uni, Anne Lotter, Global Director, GTTP said: “Ian Dockreay and the team have worked tirelessly to provide the technological infrastructure and worldwide distribution to bring our courses to even the most inaccessible places on earth. Communities far and wide have benefited from our greatly enhanced ability to deliver our life-changing knowledge and we and our global partners are delighted by how this has transformed the organisation.”

    The course content ranges from information on why to consider the industry for future careers through to the importance of providing responsible and sustainable travel experiences for travellers.
    Ian Dockreay, Chief Executive of Equator Global and Travel Uni said of the partnership: “This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Travel Uni, and working in partnership with GTTP in recent years has added so much to our broader educational remit for the travel industry. It allows us to contribute so much to the students’ whole journey, from reaching them when they are considering travel as a career option, through providing them with further education advice and contacts, to their choosing which area of the industry they can and would like to seek employment in. Travel Uni has delivered free e-Learning to many hundreds of thousands of travel agents and other tourism professionals over the last 20 years and this partnership programme is all about contributing to the future generations of our industry.”
    GTTP’s educational programme has never been more important. Tourism and hospitality remain a key economic pillar for governments throughout the world and providing qualified students to fill the recruitment gaps that are becoming evident right across the globe, is both essential and urgent.
    Dockreay added: “We should be very concerned that the UK government is set to drop travel and tourism from the national curriculum at the level 3 stage. To lose the awareness and inspiration that our industry provides such wide-ranging prospects for so many young people, when they begin considering career options, is not in the economic interests of this country’’.

    In contrast, 3,500 schools and educational establishments and over 4,500 teachers and educators now benefit from the real-time online delivery of the e-Learning provided by the GTTP Portal, across 16 regional offices spread across the world.
    Travel is, after all, one of the biggest contributors towards employment and economic growth in the world and by harnessing the power of collaboration, GTTP and Equator Global along with Travel Uni can together deliver tangible results in this crucial and diverse service industry.
    To date, GTTP has educated more than 3 million students worldwide in travel and tourism.  In the past year alone more than 700,000 students have benefitted from the programme, more than 3,500 schools have taught the programme and over 4,600 teachers have been trained to deliver the partnership’s courses to young students aged 16-19 years old.
    Industry Partners include: Amadeus, American Express GBT, Marriott, The Travel Corporation, IHG and WTTC.

    Equator Global is the largest travel trade training and engagement company specialising in creating bespoke marketing and training portals for destinations, hotel groups, cruise companies, attractions, airlines and the full range of travel suppliers. Over 60 clients include ABTA, Switzerland, Egypt, Thailand, New York, Italy, Korea, Sandals Resorts, Jumeirah Group and many others.
    Travel Uni, a wholly owned subsidiary, is the biggest global community of frontline sales staff and management in travel agents, tour operators, OTAs, home working networks. Numbering over 320,000 members, with over 100,000 in the UK/I alone the company provides trade marketing, engagement, and training and in over 70 countries. Members primarily book holiday and leisure trips with over 70% booking luxury trips and over 60% booking cruises. The platform includes over 80 training courses and over 200 webinars entirely free to the user.

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