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    IATA urges Canadian government to lift COVID-19 travel restrictions

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is once again calling on the Canadian Government to urgently discontinue the current COVID-19 related travel restrictions. These are now out of step with the global trend of lifting travel restrictions and are partly responsible for the ongoing delays and disruption affecting air travelers across Canada.
    “Canada has become a total outlier in managing COVID-19 and travel. While governments across the globe are rolling back restrictions, the Government of Canada is reinstating them. The Government should follow the lead of its peers, including, for example, Australia. While that country had some of the toughest travel restrictions during the height of the pandemic, it has now lifted these, including the vaccination requirement. Rather than following this example and enabling travel and tourism to recover, those in power in Canada believe that throwing more red tape at the pandemic is the way forward,” said Peter Cerda, IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Americas.
    Hence, IATA is calling on the Government of Canada to quickly address the following issues:
    Remove random testing of international arriving passengersIf, as announced, random testing is reinstated from 19 July 2022, then travelers will be forced to either go to a designated testing center or administer a self-test after arrival. In case of a positive test result, travelers must isolate for 10 days, which is twice as long as the average isolation period recommend by any provincial or territorial health authority in Canada and once again singles out travelers as compared to the rest of the population.
    End the vaccination requirement for international travelThe vaccination mandate for international travel to Canada is in essence obsolete, as only the basic immunisation and no booster shots are required to be considered fully vaccinated. In addition, the proof of vaccination is no longer used in everyday life in Canada. Ending this travel-related mandate would remove the need for the manual and time-intensive documentation check at flight origins outside Canada and during immigration upon arrival.ADVERTISEMENTUse ArriveCAN solely as an entry tool for customsThe removal of the vaccination mandate would also allow ArriveCAN to be used solely for customs and immigration purposes and not for capturing and validating COVID-19 related health and vaccination information. This is what is slowing down border processing. In addition, airlines are now being asked to provide a list of passengers who have not completed ArriveCAN not later than one hour after the departure of an international flight to Canada. This is tying up critical staff at a time when resources are already stretched to the limit.
    Ending Mask MandatesMask mandates at airports and on aircraft need to be withdrawn, especially since they are no longer in place in most public settings in Canada, including public transport and sporting venues.“After more than two-years of onerous COVID-19 restrictions people want to be able to travel again, as we can clearly see from the current level of demand. Ramping up the entire value chain has come with some challenges. Maintaining outdated COVID-19 restrictions contributes to the delays passengers are experiencing at major Canadian international gateways. Governments need to ensure that travel restrictions are designed to address today’s environment, not the environment of the previous two years. Now is the time for the Government of Canada to join its counterparts around the world and remove unnecessary and outdated measures,” said Cerda.

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    Singapore expecting 4-6 million international visitor arrivals in 2022

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    Singapore expecting 4-6 million international visitor arrivals in 2022

    The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has announced its forecast for international visitor arrivals (IVA), following the city’s reopening of the borders under the Vaccinated Travel Framework launched on 1 April 2022. With global travel picking up pace, Singapore expects to receive between 4 and 6 million visitors in 2022.
    In the first half of 2022, Singapore clocked 1.5 million visitor arrivals, nearly 12 times more compared to the same period in 2021 (119,000). Tourism receipts (TR) reached an estimated S$1.3 billion in the first quarter of the year. While IVA and TR remain a fraction of Singapore’s pre-pandemic numbers, STB remains of the view that tourism flows will recover to pre-COVID levels by the mid-2020s.
    Mr Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board said, “The encouraging growth in visitor arrivals and tourism receipts signals strong pent-up demand, and underscore Singapore’s continued appeal as a vibrant and attractive destination for leisure and business travellers. While the pandemic is certainly not over yet, we are confident that Singapore’s very rich calendar of events, as well as new and refreshed tourism offerings, will continue to attract visitors for the rest of 2022 and beyond.”
    International Visitor Arrivals (IVA)
    Indonesia (282,000), India (219,000), Malaysia (139,000), Australia (125,000) and Philippines (81,000) were Singapore’s top five international visitor-generating markets, accounting for 56 per cent of total IVA from January to June 2022.ADVERTISEMENTIndonesia (+268,000, +1996%), India (+204,000, +1344%) and Malaysia (+132,000, +2000%), registered the largest absolute year-on-year growth.
    Notably, the average length of stay for visitors more than doubled in the first half of 2022 – approximately 7.1 days compared to 3.4 days in 2019.
    Tourism Receipts (TR)
    TR in the first quarter of 2022 reached $1.3 billion, a 213% year-on-year increase over the same period last year.
    TR By Markets
    Excluding expenditure on Sightseeing Entertainment & Gaming (SEG), Indonesia, India and China were the top three TR-generating markets in Q1 2022, contributing 32 per cent of TR (excluding SEG). Among the top 10 TR markets, Indonesia (+$95 million, +187%), and India (+$97 million, +376%) registered the highest year-on-year absolute growth in TR (excluding SEG).
    TR By Major Components
    Growth was recorded across all major components, with Shopping (373%) and Accommodation (344%) recording the highest year-on-year growth.
    Looking Ahead
    Tourism flows will face some headwinds for the rest of the year because of the volatile global political and economic environment, as well as the evolving health situation.
    STB will continue to monitor the situation closely and calibrate its forecast and plans accordingly. We remain cautiously optimistic and anticipate a strong performance from key source markets this year, given a strong pipeline of events such as the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022 and the Bloomberg New Economy Forum. New and rejuvenated offerings like Hell’s Museum at Haw Par Villa, the Museum of Ice Cream, SkyHelix Sentosa, and the “Avatar: The Experience” at Gardens by the Bay later this year, are also set to attract more visitors.
    STB will continue to develop the tourism sector with new offerings and refreshed concepts to strengthen Singapore’s appeal as an attractive destination. This includes growing our capabilities in the emerging areas of wellness and sustainability.
    For example, STB held the inaugural Wellness Festival Singapore in June, with a 10-day line-up of over 100 activities and experiences to promote holistic well-being. In October, Singapore will be the first Southeast Asian country to host the Tour de France Singapore Criterium, a premier sporting event that aligns with Singapore’s sustainability goals, as well as our ambition to be an urban wellness haven. Sail Grand Prix (SailGP), the first climate positive sports and entertainment property, will also make its Asian debut in Singapore in 2023.
    Singapore Tourism Board is nominated as Asia’s Leading City Break Destination 2022, Asia’s Leading Destination 2022, Asia’s Leading Festival & Event Destination 2022, Asia’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination 2022 and Asia’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination 2022 by World Travel Awards.

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    Heathrow Airport and Emirates release joint statement

    The President of Emirates Airline and the CEO of Heathrow Airport held a constructive meeting this morning. Emirates agreed the airline was ready and willing to work with the airport to remediate the situation over the next 2 weeks, to keep demand and capacity in balance and provide passengers with a smooth and reliable journey through Heathrow this summer.
    Emirates has capped further sales on its flights out of Heathrow until mid-August to assist Heathrow in its resource ramp up, and is working to adjust capacity.
    In the meantime, Emirates flights from Heathrow operate as scheduled and ticketed passengers may travel as booked.

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    Trip.com and Singapore Tourism Board strengthen collaboration

    Building on the three-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2020, Trip.com Group and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) are deepening their collaboration across key markets including Thailand, South Korea and Hong Kong, while expanding their partnership to include new markets Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia.
    Trip.com Group Chief Marketing Officer Sun Bo met STB’s Assistant Chief Executive for International Group Juliana Kua in Singapore last month, during which both discussed various topics, including enhancing the areas of collaboration under the three-year MOU signed in late 2020.
    The reopening of borders in the region in recent months has led to a strong growth in Singapore’s international arrivals – with 418,310 visitors in May, up from 295,100 in April. With pent-up demand being one of the main drivers of the travel recovery, Trip.com Group will deepen its collaboration with STB to promote Singapore to travellers from key markets through a series of initiatives, including marketing campaigns, public relations activities, KOLs’ reviews and promotions through Trip.com Group’s brands including Trip.com and Ctrip.
    Mr Sun Bo said: “The past two years have been challenging for the tourism industry across Asia, but we are deeply encouraged and appreciative of Singapore’s support for local tourism businesses. These include the launch of the SingapoRediscovers Vouchers campaign which Trip.com was part of, as well as the timely announcements relating to the reopening of borders such as the previous Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme and the current Vaccinated Travel Framework.
    “Trip.com Group is excited to deepen our strong relationship and collaboration with STB to further facilitate and promote travel to Singapore. This is a beautiful country which offers different unique experiences for various groups of tourists, and Trip.com Group will launch specific campaigns and initiatives in the coming months across the key markets where there exist a strong demand for travel. Based on the recent growths in visitors’ arrivals to Singapore, there is reason to be optimistic that inbound arrivals will rebound to pre-pandemic levels, and Trip.com Group is committed to supporting STB in every way possible.”ADVERTISEMENTMs Juliana Kua, Assistant Chief Executive (International Group) STB, said: “We have worked closely with Trip.com Group especially over the last two years during the pandemic to maintain Singapore’s mindshare amongst regional travellers. With the resumption of travel, we are delighted to deepen our partnership with Trip.com Group, which has a growing network of services, users and data. We will tap on these to showcase Singapore’s refreshed destination offerings, and encourage travellers to reimagine travel to Singapore as part of our SingapoReimagine global marketing campaign.”
    Strengthening Connections within Asia
    Leveraging Trip.com Group’s fast-growing global network as a leading international online travel services provider, and its ability to draw insights on traveller behaviour and needs from its large user base, both parties will work together on a series of marketing campaigns in several Southeast Asian markets, as well as South Korea and Hong Kong in the coming months.
    Among various initiatives, Trip.com Group and STB will also curate and deliver engaging content via Trip.com’s app and website to showcase the Singapore destination story and to position the city-state as a safe and compelling destination of choice for travelers.
    Going forward, Trip.com Group and STB will also continue to identify and launch targeted programmes to promote and position Singapore as an ideal destination for various activities, including as a sanctuary for sustainability, haven for urban wellness, paradise of evolving flavours and world of possibilities for travellers to experience Singapore in new and unexpected ways.
    Consumers in the various markets can also look forward to attractive travel promotions. These will be rolled out in phases after taking into consideration the respective market’s readiness to travel and prevailing travel policies.
    For a start, joint campaigns to promote Singapore as an attractive travel destination will be launched in South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines over the next one week, including attractive deals and collaborations with travel KOLs such as travel_bellauri and im0gil from South Korea and CHAILAIBACKPACKER from Thailand who will share their insights and recommendations on exciting and unexpected itineraries that visitors can experience in Singapore.
    Mr Sun Bo said: “Singapore has always been known as a food and shopping paradise, and that’s not a surprise given the wide range of retail offerings and tasty dishes such as Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa and Chili Crab, among others. Yet, Singapore also offers new and unique experiences such as wellness and nature activities. In addition, many tourism businesses in Singapore had refreshed their offerings and introduced new ones during the past two years. Trip.com Group looks forward to working closely with STB and our local partners to present the beauty of Singapore and its uniquely local experiences to the global community in the coming months.”
    Trip.com is nominated as Asia’s Leading Online Travel Agency 2021, while Singapore Tourism Board is nominated as Asia’s Leading City Break Destination 2022, Asia’s Leading Destination 2022, Asia’s Leading Festival & Event Destination 2022, Asia’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination 2022 and Asia’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination 2022 by World Travel Awards.

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    Airlines leaving half a billion pounds on the table new data reveals

    Airlines are overlooking half a billion pounds in untapped ancillary revenue from travellers desperate for assurance they’ll actually board their flight, according to new research by tech company Zamna.
    The independent market research, which polled over 2,000 UK consumers, found that three in four (76 per cent) are willing to pay their airline an additional fee on top of their ticket price for a complete travel documentation check against destination regulations, before arriving at the airport.
    So concerned about arriving at the airport with the correct travel documentation – such as a passport check against border rules, destination entry forms, VISA, proof of vaccination and health certificates – survey respondents were, on average, willing to pay £5.32 for preflight peace of mind.  This equates to at least £510 million of secondary revenue ready and waiting for airlines savvy enough to adopt a solution amidst extreme levels of disruption still hitting airports and travellers across the world.
    What’s more, while £5.32 was the average amount flyers were happy to pay for a pre-flight travel documentation check, 35 per cent of consumers were in fact willing to pay up to £10 for the assurance of such a service.
    Aside from making a cash injection and a much-needed boost to the financial recovery of airlines, the survey also highlighted that 64 per cent of respondents believed airlines should be doing more to help them ensure their flight-related paperwork is in order before leaving home for the airport, while only 16 per cent believed the responsibility lies with the passengers alone.ADVERTISEMENTWorries about the correct documentation topped the list of traveller concerns, rating higher than staff shortages, reports of airport chaos in the media, and fears that the airline could go bust, while significantly more people wanted airlines to provide a document check over a full refund if they can’t board their flight.
    “With the industry struggling to sustain losses of £9.54 billion now is the perfect time to highlight as much as half a billion pounds in potential revenue to airlines – and that’s just in the UK alone,” comments Irra Ariella Khi, CEO of Zamna.  “Aside from the financial gains, a huge portion of the pain felt by airlines and travellers alike can also be eased with simple, available tech improvements that digitise document handling in advance. However, much of the new tech being introduced by airlines and airline groups is just not working; the need for more equipment and behavioural changes generated by the solutions causes pain for all, whether that’s downloading a new app, having to print a document or present a QR code. The passport is the only globally recognised identity document and we have been travelling on it for decades; it should be, and is, the only thing one needs to travel with total confidence if the tech is right.”
    For airlines to access additional new revenue of this scale, warns Khi, any improvements implemented must also be ubiquitous to all travel-related tech platforms such as global distribution systems (GDS), passenger service systems (PSS), and customer relationship management (CRM) rather than proprietary. “It’s so important that new technology solutions in this field are industry-wide, affect all airlines positively, and are inclusive of passengers – avoiding costly and limiting vendor locks, and instead serving a global price-sensitive, Covid-exhausted audience. It must also allow airlines to be prepared for whatever is thrown at them with evolving markets, ever-updating regulations, and changing customer requirements,” she explains.
    In addition to yielding greater profit margins through the implementation of ubiquitous tech-powered solutions, the right technology creates the chance for airlines to improve operational efficiencies, not to mention the prospect of reducing the risk of heavy regulatory fines resulting from providing incorrect passenger data to governments. Coupled with fine avoidance, technologies now exist to alleviate some of the airline staff resourcing issues that have caused airport congestion. Slow and labour intensive check-in processes can be accelerated or completely by-passed by removing many of the manual checking procedures required at the airport itself. This means that long and slow-moving queues of UK travellers and the increased need for airline staff that we have all seen of late, would be a thing of the past with the adoption of the available solutions.
    “We’re entering a new era of travel and airlines need to get on board,” adds Khi. “Tech that supports the bottom line, while assuring passengers and reducing pressure on airline staff is the key to airlines securing recovery.”

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    Philippines DOT urges Bicol LGUs to create ‘tourist cops’ More

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    Philippines DOT urges Bicol LGUs to create ‘tourist cops’

    Department of Tourism 5 (Bicol) Director Herbie Aguas (Photo courtesy of Rommel Añonuevo Natanauan)
    The Department of Tourism (DOT) Philippines is encouraging local government units (LGUs) in Bicol with top destination sites to create their Tourist-Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOPCOP) to hasten the tourism industry’s recovery from the pandemic.
    In an interview on Thursday, Herbie Aguas, DOT 5 (Bicol) director, said the creation of tourist cops is needed to assure foreign and domestic visitors that it is safe and more fun to visit the different attractions in the region.
    “The TOPCOP will provide added security operations for local tourists and establishments and respond to tourist-related security and safety issues. The travel and experience of tourists in certain areas will be safer with the TOPCOP strictly enforcing health protocols and guidelines,” Aguas said.
    He also said with the opening of tourist destinations in the region, there is a need to assure the visitors that they are safe amid the health crisis.
    “If the tourists feel safe, they will keep on coming back. Uulit at babalik and babalik pa sila (they will keep on returning),” Aguas said, noting the rise in the region’s tourist arrivals since the country began to open up the tourism industry in February.ADVERTISEMENTHe said the DOT would train police personnel on the basic principles of tourist safety and the Filipino brand of service.
    The modules also include lessons on tourism awareness, values, and character.
    “(The) DOT will train them how to interact with tourists, they must also be familiar with the culture, tradition, and character of the place,” he added.
    In Naga City, Arts, Culture, and Tourism Officer Alec Francis Santos recently surveyed the top concern of tourists when choosing a destination and they found out it is safety and security.
    As a direct response to that concern, they launched early this week a tourist police unit with 21 personnel.
    “By having a dedicated police unit for Naga’s tourism industry, the city can expect a safer environment for both foreign and local visitors. This is crucial since tourism is one of Naga’s economic pillars and is responsible for generating much-needed jobs and livelihood,” Santos said in a separate interview.
    He said the creation of TOPCOP by the LGU’s Arts, Culture, and Tourism Office is in collaboration with the Office of the City Director.
    “The LGU Naga, in partnership with the Philippine National Police, is planning to conduct more training for PNP personnel who wish to join the TOPCOP,” Santos added.
    Aguas said the city government of Naga is on the right track when it decided to have the TOPCOP, such as in Calaguas Island in the municipality of Vinzons, Camarines Norte and in Donsol, Sorsogon, which takes pride in its “butanding” or whale shark interaction and festival.
    “The idea of conducting training for (the) tourist police will provide us a prepared venue where we can arrange an ideal benchmarking with regards to the adoption of the TOPCOP program by other LGUs,” he said.

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    ASTA announces big changes to Global Convention in 2023

    The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is pleased to announce their partnership with Discover Puerto Rico to host the 2023 ASTA Global Convention (AGC) in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino and the Puerto Rico Convention Center, May 2-4, 2023. As a result of member feedback over the years, ASTA has decided to change the dates of AGC from late August to early May.
    “We’re thrilled to partner with our friends at Discover Puerto Rico for the 2023 ASTA Global Convention. Puerto Rico has been a longstanding partner of ASTA. Brad, Ed, and the entire Discover Puerto Rico team have gone above and beyond to support the travel advisor community,” said Zane Kerby, President, and CEO of ASTA. “By hosting the Global Convention, Discover Puerto Rico is committing significant resources to support travel advisors who want to learn, or become certified, in selling Puerto Rico. As a frequent visitor to the island, I know first-hand the variety of unique cultural experiences that await ASTA Convention attendees. ASTA is excited to extend this immersive learning opportunity to our members.”
    With a year-round warm climate, Puerto Rico offers visitors a unique and authentic Caribbean experience. From Old San Juan with the cobblestone streets, colorful buildings, historic fortresses, and Spanish colonial architecture to the Island’s sandy beaches, impressive rainforest, and bioluminescent bays, Puerto Rico has for decades captured the attention and imagination of locals and visitors alike. Attendees will have access to the best of Puerto Rico’s rich history and culture through an offering of unique customised tours that will highlight the destination’s exceptional food, pristine beaches, majestic mountains, relaxing backdrops, and active adventure – all packed into one Caribbean paradise.
    Travel advisors can expect all the same fantastic features they’ve come to love and expect at the ASTA Global Convention, such a robust trade show and education program, and a soon-to-be announced Puerto Rican keynote that you won’t want to miss. In addition to the sightseeing tours to local landmarks, AGC 2023 will also include options for extended Pre/Post Educational Journeys around Puerto Rico.
    Special Promotion:ADVERTISEMENTAll travel professionals who register for this year’s AGC in San Francisco, August 24-26, 2022, by August 5th will receive $100 off their registration for ASTA Global Convention in Puerto Rico, May 2-4, 2023, in addition to receiving early access to all sightseeing tours. Registrants must be registered for the 2022 AGC in San Francisco by August 5th to receive early access to sightseeing tours and the $100 savings for AGC 2023 in Puerto Rico.
    “We are delighted to partner with ASTA to host their 2023 Global Convention. Travel advisors are at the core of our industry, and these days, in which we are imagining and creating new paths to reignite and reshape travel, we want to be facilitators of the process and support our great partners. In Puerto Rico, you will find not only an excellent place for meetings and conventions, but you will also find an authentic and unique Caribbean experience that will enrich the educational and networking process, as well as provide inspiration for future endeavors within our industry,” said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico.
    Save the date for ASTA Global Convention in Puerto Rico, May 2-3, 2023.

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