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    Tourism statistics inform UN reports on sustainable development

    Launched at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which this year is held around the theme of ‘building back better’ from the pandemic, the UN reports draw on UNWTO’s statistical work to track tourism’s role in delivering meaningful progress for people and the planet. Specifically, the UN SG Progress report on SDGs with its statistical annex will serve as an input to the deliberations of the HLFP. Alongside this, the Sustainable Development Goals Extended Report is aimed at the wider public and provides an overview of all 17 Goals with infographics, including those illustrating the relevance of tourism.
    Prepared in collaboration with the entire UN Statistical System, the reports and their latest available data show that action is needed to accelerate the delivery on the SDGs and to step up national measurement efforts, including for the tourism sector.
    As demonstrated in section on SDG8 (‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’), tourism a major force of development was one of the most affected economic sectors by the COVID-19 Pandemic as global GDP from tourism nearly halved between 2019 and 2020, with wide-reaching consequences for jobs, local businesses and conservation efforts.
    On SDG12 (‘Responsible Production and Consumption’), UNWTO’s statistics serve to highlight the importance of national efforts to implement standardized tools like Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSAs) and the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). Both underpin the UNWTO-led Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) that assesses the social, economic and environmental impacts and dependencies of tourism—at national and sub-national levels -. These tools also underline the importance of multistakeholder collaboration which is fostered through the Sustainable Tourism Programme of the One Planet network.
    As countries build back better and aim to build more sustainable and resilient tourism, various policy frameworks have recognized the need for these measurement tools to guide their efforts and thus contribute to more evidence-based policymaking. Examples at the international and regional level are the UNWTO Recommendations for the Transition to a Green Travel and Tourism Economy and the AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism, both welcomed and endorsed by the G20, the European Parliament resolution on establishing a strategy for sustainable tourism, the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework, UNWTO General Assembly resolutions and UN Statistical Commission decisions.ADVERTISEMENT

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    Norwegian Cruise Line announces 100 ‘Giving Joy’ campaign winners More

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    WTTC launches new report on best practices for short-term rentals

    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a new ground-breaking report that outlines recommendations and best practices for jurisdictions to manage short-term rentals – a fast growing and important segment of the Travel & Tourism sector.
    The report, ’Best practices for short-term rentals’, developed by WTTC with the support of Airbnb, leading global platform for short-term rentals, draws from the experiences of cities around the world to offer easy-to-implement best practices for this type of accommodation, which has become a popular choice amongst travellers.
    According to the global tourism body, the Travel & Tourism sector’s ability to welcome travellers has increased due in part to the rising popularity of short-term rentals.
    The paper suggests short-term rentals have increased the number of accommodations available and helps the spread of visitors in a destination, expanding local community participation in tourism and offers a different and sometimes unique option to travellers.
    To help address the increased popularity of these accommodations, the report offers case studies from destinations such as Cape Town, Sydney, and Seattle, amongst others. It includes simple policy recommendations such as data sharing, registration, smart taxation, and long-term community investment approaches to benefit all Travel & Tourism stakeholders and can inform regulation.ADVERTISEMENTJulia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “As we begin to recover from the ravages of the pandemic, we must focus on building back better in each of our industries.
    “The best practices offered in this report will provide governments with key policy recommendations that will both promote tourism in their destinations while supporting those local communities.
    “We know travellers are ready to explore the world once again and their return will also help power the world’s much-needed economic recovery.”
    Guests are often drawn to short-term rentals for their flexibility and amenities they offer, such as kitchens, office spaces and gardens, and the ability to stay in locations outside of traditional tourist zones.
    According to a survey of guests who stayed in Airbnb listings in 2021, 20% indicated that if their choice of property were not an option, they would have changed their length of stay to ensure they were able to book their preferred property.
    Theo Yedinsky, Airbnb Global Policy Director, said: “Short-term rentals allows everyday people to take part in the tourism economy, and the income earned through hosting is helping many people navigate the impacts of inflation.
    “In fact, approximately 35% of Airbnb hosts globally say they host to help cover the rising cost of living. Additionally, short-term rentals help spread visitor spending through communities.
    “As travel returns, governments and tourism officials can partner with short-term rental platforms like Airbnb to develop fair, reasonable rules that strengthen destinations, and preserve these economic benefits for communities and local residents.”
    Carlos Mercado, Executive Director Puerto Rico Tourism Company, which commissioned the report said, “Throughout the pandemic, short term rentals provided a much-needed boost not only to our Travel & Tourism sector, but to our economy.
    “The revenue short term rentals generate is used to fund our marketing efforts which is critical to driving international visitors back to Puerto Rico.”
    According to the report, governments can consider adopting data sharing, registration, smart taxation, and long-term community investment plans to help ensure short-term rentals continue to benefit and support the destination’s community.
    The report analysed a number of popular destinations which have benefitted from implementing balanced rules to address short-term rentals.
    Furthermore, partnering with short term rentals platforms on digital registration and data-sharing agreements, supports compliance by short-term rental operators, while providing governments with insights to make decisions on how to manage the industry.
    Sydney, Australia has taken steps to regulate short-term rentals, including a digital registration system to achieve consistency across all stakeholders.
    Data sharing allows governments to keep track and manage short-term rental activities and helps inform data-driven policy decisions. To support this, Airbnb built its City Portal as a one-stop shop for relevant data governments might require.
    Cape Town, South Africa benefitted from this data to form decisions on tourism and housing policy during an affordable housing crisis in 2017.
    Governments can also benefit from the economic activity and tax short-term rentals generate for their destinations. In Puerto Rico, the increase in tax revenue has facilitated the funding of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company’s activities.
    Lastly, residents can benefit from the extra income earned through hosting. French authorities collaborated with Airbnb to ensure the regulatory framework for short-term rentals was simple and proportionate for casual hosts.

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    NYC & Company invites visitors to Staten Island More

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    NYC & Company invites visitors to Staten Island

    NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organisation and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City, invites locals and visitors alike to Staten Island Like a New Yorker as part of the organization’s Get Local NYC initiative. 
    Go by ferry or car and plan a day of shopping, dining and sightseeing, from museums and historic sites to parks, beaches and gardens. Kids will love the Staten Island Zoo and Children’s Museum. History buffs will want to see the Conference House, where Ben Franklin and John Adams tried to broker peace with the British in 1776. Baseball fans will want to catch a game with the FerryHawks while enjoying stupendous views of the Manhattan skyline across New York Harbor. Cool off with a treat from Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, pick up Italian pastries at Royal Crown Bakery, head to Lee’s Tavern for pizza and a beer, or try Sri Lankan food at New Asha. 
    Other unique points of interest on Staten Island include the Chinese Scholar’s Garden at Snug Harbor; the National Lighthouse Museum; the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art; and the home of pioneering photographer Alice Austen, a New York City LGBTQ+ historic site. Visitors can also see the farm where Frederick Law Olmsted experimented with landscaping before designing Central Park; the 19th-century African American community called Sandy Ground; and Historic Richmond Town, a village dating to the late 17th century. Admirers of the Catholic activist Dorothy Day, who devoted her life to serving the poor, can pay respects at her gravesite and explore the remnants of the bungalow beach community where she lived. 
    “Staten Island is home to an incredible variety of historical sites, attractions for families, cultural enclaves, and beautiful areas to enjoy nature, whether biking, birdwatching, or relaxing on a quiet beach,” said NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon. “In Staten Island, you can walk in the footsteps of Founding Father Ben Franklin and Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted, or try authentic Sri Lankan food for lunch and Italian prepared family style for dinner. From the Snug Harbor Cultural Center to the new Empire Outlets mall right by the ferry, Staten Island has something for all visitors.” 
    GETTING THERE AND GETTING AROUND ADVERTISEMENTTwo ferry services connect Manhattan and Staten Island. There’s a free ferry from the Whitehall Ferry Terminal in Lower Manhattan (take the R train to Whitehall, the 4 or 5 to Bowling Green, or the 1 to South Ferry), or take a NYC Ferry ($2.75) from either of two Manhattan departure points: Midtown West/Pier 79 (near West 39th Street) and Battery Park City (follow Vesey Street west to the river in Lower Manhattan). Both ferries dock at the St. George terminal on the Staten Island side. From there, it’s a short walk to the Empire Outlets mall, the St. George Theatre and the FerryHawks baseball stadium. 
    From the ferry terminal, visitors can catch buses to any number of attractions, pick up taxis or rideshares, or even hop on the Staten Island Railway, an aboveground train that runs from St. George on the island’s North Shore all the way to Tottenville on the South Shore. The same MetroCard used on subways and buses in NYC’s other boroughs works for buses and the railway on Staten Island. Contactless credit/debit cards and digital payments (like Apple Pay) are also accepted. 
    By car, visitors can reach Staten Island via one of four bridges: the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connecting the island to Brooklyn, or the Bayonne Bridge, Goethals Bridge or Outerbridge Crossing, which links the island to New Jersey. 
    Express buses run to Staten Island from Manhattan and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. 
    HOTELS
    Hotel options on Staten Island include the Fairfield Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn & Suites and the Hilton Garden Inn. 
    The Hilton, located on a 415-acre protected woodland, offers a 10-story tower with panoramic views; two ballrooms for special events; Lorenzo’s Restaurant & Cabaret, which has a Sunday jazz brunch, live music on Friday and Saturday nights and upscale Italian fare; and the indoor/outdoor venue Above, a rooftop nightclub and ballroom. 
    GREEN SPACE AND BEACHES
    Staten Island is blessed with 10,000 acres of parks and green spaces, plus miles of beaches, boardwalks and waterfront views. 
    Nearly a third of the island’s green space consists of forests, wetlands, lakes, ponds and hiking trails linked together in the Staten Island Greenbelt. Greenbelt locations include La Tourette Park Golf Course, the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge and bird sanctuary, Reed’s Basket Willow Swamp Park, Willowbrook Park and Greenbelt headquarters at the High Rock Environmental Center. 
    Staten Island is also home to several National Park Service sites within the Gateway National Recreation Area. They are Great Kills Park, which has a lifeguarded beach, hiking and biking trails, fishing areas, a marina and boat launch; Miller Field, a former military airfield with baseball, cricket, softball and soccer fields; and Fort Wadsworth, one of the oldest military installations in the nation, offering breathtaking views of New York Harbor. 
    The bike-friendly 2.5-mile Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk runs from Fort Wadsworth to Miller Field. The boardwalk provides access to two of the island’s most popular Atlantic Ocean beaches, South Beach (look for the fountain with six bronze dolphins) and Midland Beach. Amenities include a skate park, fishing pier and playgrounds. 
    NEIGHBORHOODS 
    Staten Island has more than 60 neighborhoods scattered across 60 square miles. It is more suburban than most of NYC, with the fewest residents of any of the five boroughs (population 500,000). It also has the highest percentage of people who own their own homes (66%) and the fewest tall buildings (20 stories is as high as it gets on Staten Island). 
    Here are details on some of the Island’s attractions, restaurants and places to shop, organised by location. 
    ST. GEORGE
    Take the ferry to St. George and enjoy views of the Manhattan skyline from the North Shore Waterfront Esplanade. Look for Postcards, a stirring memorial to the 275 Staten Islanders who perished on September 11, 2001. The National Lighthouse Museum is walking distance from the ferry, as is the ballpark where the minor-league FerryHawks baseball team plays. Go for the views as much as for the game, hot dogs and beer. Or choose from more than 70 types of beer at the Flagship Brewing Co., less than a mile away.
    Next to the ferry terminal is the City’s only outlet shopping mall, Empire Outlets. Stores include Nordstrom Rack, Patterns & Dots, Cotton On, Lids, Nike, Banana Republic, Gap, H&M, Old Navy, Parfum Europa, Samsonite, iOptics and Guess. The mall’s inviting outdoor spaces, fun food trucks and waterfront vistas make it a great place to spend the afternoon. Don’t miss Clinton Hall, an airy outdoor bar on an upper level with swings and games like Jenga and cornhole. On-site stores can validate parking passes for the mall’s indoor parking lot.
    The nearby St. George Theatre opened in 1929 as a grand movie-and-vaudeville house. It has been used as a location for movies like The School of Rock and TV shows like Gossip Girl. The theater has hosted everyone from Al Jolson to Jerry Seinfeld. Shows scheduled for 2022 included Melissa Etheridge and Paul Anka. 
    Dining options in the area include Pier 76 (go for the thin-crust pizza) and Enoteca Maria, which features real grandmothers’ cooking from their native cuisine on a rotating schedule. For those into classic comic books, Hypno-Tronic Comics is a must. 
    WEST NEW BRIGHTON, WEST BRIGHTON AND RANDALL MANOR
    The Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is about two miles north of the ferry terminal along the island’s North Shore in the West New Brighton neighborhood (20 minutes via the S40, S44 or S46 bus lines). Snug Harbor was founded in the 19th century as a retirement home for sailors; five of its original Greek Revival buildings are city landmarks. The complex includes a concert hall, the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, the Staten Island Museum, the Noble Maritime Collection and 14 themed gardens. Among the most popular attractions are the Chinese Scholar’s Garden and the Staten Island Children’s Museum.
    The Staten Island Zoo, about two miles from Snug Harbor, is home to Staten Island Chuck, a groundhog called upon every Groundhog Day to forecast whether spring will come early. The zoo’s collection also includes sheep, goats, leopards, lemurs, meerkats and sloths, but it’s best-known for its snakes, including one of the country’s most complete collections of rattlesnakes.
    Also nearby are Clove Lakes Park, Silver Lake Park, the Silver Lake Golf Course and the Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere, which hosts exhibitions, cooking classes, sunset yoga, festivals, live performances and more. Egger’s Ice Cream Parlor is a mile from the zoo on Forest Avenue, where it’s been serving up sweet treats since 1964. The legendary Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices has several locations, including the original on Port Richmond Avenue; be prepared to wait on a line stretching down the block. 
    ROSEBANK AND LITTLE SRI LANKA
    The Alice Austen House Museum is in the Rosebank neighborhood, about two and a half miles south of the ferry terminal (reachable via the S51, S78 and S76 bus lines or the Staten Island Railway). The museum documents the life and work of Alice Austen, a pioneering photographer and important figure in NYC’s LGBTQ+ history. She lived for 30 years with another woman, Gertrude Tate, and many of her photos portray intimacy between Victorian women. Her documentary-style images also captured immigrant life, nature and architecture in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Austen site is a charming Victorian Gothic cottage in a shorefront park near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge with sweeping views of Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. The museum hosts exhibitions of contemporary photography as well.
    Rosebank is also home to the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum, located in the 1840 house where telephone inventor Antonio Meucci gave refuge to the revolutionary Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi and his wife. Garibaldi returned to Italy in 1850 to head the military campaign that led to the unification of Italy. 
    Staten Island’s “Little Sri Lanka” community is clustered in two neighborhoods between the ferry terminal and the Austen House, Tompkinsville and Stapleton. Two dining spots, Lakruwana and New Asha, are routinely included on lists of New York foodie favorites. Lakruwana, a sit-down restaurant decorated with Buddhist-themed artwork, offers a popular weekend buffet. New Asha is a friendly hole in the wall; whatever the proprietor is dishing from hot trays is guaranteed to be delicious. Also in Tompkinsville is the Sri Lankan Art & Cultural Museum.
    FORT WADSWORTH AND THE SOUTH SHORE BEACHES
    Continuing south along the waterfront, headquarters for Staten Island’s Gateway National Recreation Area are about a mile from the Austen House (reachable via the S51 bus). The Gateway complex includes historic Fort Wadsworth. The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Boardwalk is adjacent to the park and runs for two miles along the shore, to South Beach and Midland Beach. The boardwalk ends at Miller Field. 
    ELTINGVILLE, ANNADALE, ROSSVILLE
    Head southwest along the waterfront for Great Kills Park, Great Kills Beach, and Wolfe’s Pond Park. This section of Staten Island is also where two of the island’s most famous residents once lived: Frederick Law Olmsted and Dorothy Day. 
    Olmsted acquired 130 acres of woods and farmland in 1848 in the Eltingville neighborhood, including a stone house that was built in 1685 on a bluff overlooking Raritan Bay. Olmsted called the property Tosomock Farm, and he lived there for seven years. He ran a farm and a nursery, and honed the landscaping skills he would later use to design Central Park. Visitors can still see some of the trees Olmsted planted nearly 175 years ago. Walk down to the water a short distance from the house for a peaceful view on a secluded beach. About a mile inland is the Italian restaurant Campania, one of several spots where Kim Kardashian dined with her then boyfriend Pete Davidson, a Staten Island native and former SNL cast member.
    A mile and a half from the Olmsted farm is a rugged but beautiful waterfront stretch that was once home to a bohemian bungalow colony called Spanish Camp. Its residents included the Catholic activist Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement and devoted her life to serving the poor. Day died in 1980, and her home and other cottages were torn down in 2001. Remnants of several bungalows can still be found by following the path to the beach from the Spanish Camp street sign. Visitors who want to pay their respects to Day can find her grave at Resurrection Cemetery. Her plain, flat tombstone (located in Section 1 diagonally across from the parking lot at 361 Sharrott Ave.) is decorated with a miniature American flag, flowers, small religious figures and the words “Deo Gratias,” Latin for thanks to God. 
    Another chapter of Staten Island history can be found two and a half miles north of the cemetery in the Rossville neighborhood. Here lies Sandy Ground, which calls itself the oldest continuously inhabited free Black settlement in the US. An African American man first purchased land here in the late 1820s and others settled here in the 1840s, moving in from Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay area. Rossville AME Zion Church was founded in 1850 and served as a stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. The original cemetery still exists with more than 30 marked graves. Historic homes include the Reverend Isaac Coleman and Rebecca Gray Coleman House, and the Baymen’s Cottages, which housed workers in the oyster trade. The Sandy Ground Historical Museum tells the community’s story. Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve is nearby.
    LIGHTHOUSE HILL
    A drive around Lighthouse Hill’s steep and winding roads offers a glimpse of some of Staten Island’s most interesting architecture. The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art was designed to resemble a Tibetan mountain monastery. Founded and designed by an American woman who was a Tibetan art collector, Jacques Marchais, the museum hosts meditations, performances and other events. Less than a mile away is The Crimson Beech, the only home in NYC designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (it is privately owned but can be glimpsed from the road). And yes, Lighthouse Hill has a lighthouse: the Staten Island Range Light, a whimsical red-topped octagonal structure built in 1912 that’s 90 feet tall and 145 feet above sea level. 
    RICHMOND TOWN
    Historic Richmond Town tells the story of 350 years of life on Staten Island. Richmond Town was the original county seat for Staten Island (which is also known as Richmond County). Its preserved sites include a courthouse, church, jail, tavern, cemetery and homes. Visitors can take guided tours, interact with costumed interpreters and see demonstrations of crafts and skills like blacksmithing. Programming includes concerts and festivals. Decker Farm, which dates to 1810 and is considered NYC’s oldest continuously working family farm, is a mile away. 
    Nearby Richmond Town are the Greenbelt Nature Center, High Rock Park and La Tourette Park. Just south of La Tourette in the Great Kills section is Atrium Stadium Cinemas, which hosted Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson for a screening of House of Gucci. North of La Tourette is the Staten Island Mall. 
    TOTTENVILLE
    Tottenville is located on Staten Island’s southwestern tip, as far from the ferry as any point on the island (but reachable via the Staten Island Railway). It’s worth the trek, especially for anyone interested in American history. 
    The Conference House, a grand stone manor house built in 1680, is the second-oldest building in New York City. It’s named for a peace conference held there on September 11, 1776, just a few months after the start of the Revolutionary War between England and the American colonies. Founding Fathers John Adams and Ben Franklin met with King George’s representative, Lord Richard Howe, but the Americans were only authorised to negotiate terms that included independence for the colonies, and the British would not concede that point. 
    The house is located in a stunning waterfront park with a pavilion and breathtaking views of Raritan Bay. The park includes three miles of shoreline and six miles of hiking trails, plus the Conference House Visitors Center and several other historic homes: the Rutan-Becket House, the Ward-Leven House and the Henry Hogg Biddle House. Do not miss Alice’s Garden at the Biddle House, a charming site dedicated to artisans of Tottenville’s Atlantic Terra Cotta Co. The company was one of the largest producers of architectural terra-cotta in the US, and it once operated a factory on Staten Island. The garden includes samples of its work. 
    Also in Tottenville: Staten Island’s favorite beer hall, Killmeyer’s Old Bavaria Inn, and the elegant Italian dining spot Angelina’s Ristorante, which has seen a surge in popularity since you-know-who stopped by—Kim Kardashian. 
    NYC & Company is considered North America’s Leading Business Travel Destination 2021 by voters at the World Travel Awards.

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    Boracay’s inclusion in TIME’s 50 World’s Greatest Places hailed More

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    PATA and GBTA to host APAC Travel Summit in Bangkok

    The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in partnership with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) will host their inaugural PATA & GBTA APAC Travel Summit at the new, state-of-the-art Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand from December 8-9, 2022.
    The joint event in Asia will address sustainability and best practices in the tourism, MICE, and corporate travel spheres. The two-day educational and tradeshow event, under the theme “Defining a Responsible, Sustainable Future for Business, Tourism and MICE,” will highlight the challenges and solutions for CO2 emissions, destination sustainability options, and procurement-oriented approaches in the context of the global and Asia-Pacific region’s pandemic recovery. Targeted attendees and sponsors are regional and global travel suppliers including top airlines, hotel and ground/car rental brands – as well as MICE and corporate travel decision-makers from the world’s largest travel companies and travel management companies.
    “We are delighted to be working with GBTA in bringing together both of our industry networks to share insights and discuss opportunities and best practices for the responsible and sustainable growth of the travel and tourism industry,” said PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. “At PATA, we support the industry recovery, pursuit of emerging travel opportunities and sustainable travel practices for the region. Therefore, I invite all of our members, partners and industry colleagues to join us and engage in this travel forum to reconnect, get informed and collaborate.”
    The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organisation, with a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents, GBTA’s members manage more than US$345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually.
    “The path to recovery for the global travel industry continues for both tourism and business travel. However, there’s also the opportunity and need to create a better, more sustainable way forward to serve the industry and the planet as well. We are pleased to join forces with PATA to bring to event attendees the important insights, learnings and discussions on what a sustainable future might look like and the actions that we can take in the region as well as across the globe to get there,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA.ADVERTISEMENT

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    One week left of Early Bird rates for ABTA’s 2022 Travel Convention

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    Delta Air Lines announces June quarter 2022 profit More

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    CWT to launch car rental and train booking capabilities on myCWT mobile and web channels

    CWT, the business-to-business-for-employees (B2B4E) travel management platform, has begun adding car rental and train booking capabilities to the mobile and web channels on its myCWT platform. The new features and functionality will progressively be rolled out in markets around the world this year, giving travelers more options to make and manage these reservations independently. To date, travelers have already been able to book car rental and train content by contacting a CWT travel counselor via phone, email, or messaging, or by using third-party online booking tools.
    These enhancements are one of the key outcomes of CWT’s $100 million investment in its myCWT travel management platform.
    “Delivering a truly omni-channel experience is an integral part of CWT’s commitment to simplifying business travel,” said John Pelant, Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer. “This means ensuring that travelers get the same content and experience no matter how they engage with CWT – whether it’s by contacting one of our expert travel counselors, or using a self-booking channel such as our app, web portal or a third-party online booking tool. These latest upgrades to our platform are a significant milestone in that direction. At the same time, the expansion of our train and rental car content will play an important role in supporting our customers’ sustainability objectives, which is now a top priority for most corporate travel programs.”
    Pedal to the metal: global roll-out of car rental bookings on myCWT mobile and web
    CWT has begun adding car rental content to myCWT mobile and web in key markets worldwide.ADVERTISEMENTTravelers will be able to book their rental car via the myCWT mobile app (on iOS and Android) and web portal. They will have access to their company’s corporate negotiated rates and preferred suppliers, and can easily search for pick-up and drop-off locations. Loyalty program details from car rental companies are being integrated as well. To help travelers make more sustainable choices at the time of booking, the mobile app and web portal will have indicators highlighting electric and hybrid car options. Carbon emission estimates will be added at a later date.
    On the fast-track: API connection with Trainline Partner Solutions will bring train content to myCWT mobile and web in key markets in Europe
    For over a decade, CWT has worked with Trainline Partner Solutions, the B2B arm of Europe’s leading independent rail and coach platform, to source UK train content. The two companies are broadening their partnership with an API integration into Trainline’s Platform One technology that will enable CWT to offer train booking and ticketing functionalities—including corporate negotiated fares and discounts, seat reservations and seat preferences—via its digital channels, starting with the myCWT mobile app.
    Liz Emmott, Global Distribution Director for Trainline Partner Solutions, commented, “We are delighted to extend our partnership with CWT and to provide a simple and seamless experience for rail travelers across CWT’s full platform. By cutting through the complexity in this way, more business travelers will get access to the rail content they want and will be able to choose a more sustainable way to travel.”
    This functionality will initially become available for travelers in the UK in July, and be expanded to other markets in Europe in the following months. CWT will also introduce point-of-booking carbon emission estimates for train travel later in the year.
    CWT is a Business-to-Business-for-Employees (B2B4E) travel management platform. Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people connected – anywhere, anytime, anyhow. Across six continents, we provide their employees with innovative technology and an efficient, safe and secure travel experience backed by our three core promises: to simplify corporate travel, to connect to unlock possibilities, and to move forward, together.

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    American Airlines publishes 2021 environmental, social and governance report

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    IATA: Premature return to pre-pandemic slot rules risks passenger disruption

    The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed concern that a premature return to pre-pandemic slot use rules in the EU this winter risks continuing disruption to passengers.
    The European Commission has announced it intends to return to the longstanding 80-20 slot use rule, which requires airlines to operate at least 80% of every planned slot sequence. Global slot rules are an effective system for managing access to and the use of scarce capacity at airports. The system has stood the test of time and while airlines are keen to restart services, the failure of several key airports to accommodate demand, coupled with increasing air traffic control delays, means a premature return to the 80-20 rule could lead to further passenger disruption.
    The evidence so far this summer has not been encouraging. Airports had the 2022 summer season schedules and final slot holdings in January and didn’t evaluate how to manage this in time. Airports declaring that full capacity is available and then requiring airlines to make cuts this summer shows the system is not ready for reviving “normal” slot use this winter season (which begins at end of October).
    “The chaos we have seen at certain airports this summer has occurred with a slot use threshold of 64%. We are worried that airports will not be ready in time to service an 80% threshold by the end of October. It is essential the Member States and Parliament adjust the Commission’s proposal to a realistic level and permit flexibility to the slot use rules. Airports are equal partners in the slot process, let them demonstrate their ability to declare and manage their capacity accurately and competently and then restore the slot use next summer,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

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    Five major tourism developments opening in Qatar before FIFA World Cup 2022

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    marhaba partners with Dubai’s Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital

    marhaba, part of dnata and one of the world‘s fastest growing passenger services providers, is launching new summer experiences across its global network of airport lounges.
    At its lounges at DXB’s Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, marhaba has partnered with Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital to offer an exclusive range of travel products with summer designs created by children aged between 5 and 11, with all profits going to the hospital. The special products include notebooks, bookmarks, and postcards.
    Steve Allen, CEO of dnata Group, commented: “marhaba’s airport services are soaring in popularity this summer as travellers seek a smooth journey to and from their destination of choice. As the brand continues to expand from Dubai, we’ve recently launched meet & greet services at five Australian airports and opened a new lounge in Zurich, Switzerland, in time for the peak travel season.
    “At dnata we are proud to support local community partners and our work with Al Jalila Hospital offers travellers the opportunity to purchase something unique this summer, in support of an important cause.”
    Dr Mohamed Al Awadhi, Chief Operating Officer, Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital, added: “Al Jalila Children’s is an inspiring, child-friendly world. We strive to create a stress-free environment where our young patients can participate in a range of activities regardless of their condition. We would like to thank dnata for providing our young patients a platform to express their artistic abilities and create an exclusive merchandise for marhaba which will be seen by people from all over the world.” ADVERTISEMENTPassengers accessing marhaba lounges in Singapore, Manila, Melbourne, Karachi, Geneva and Zürich can also expect a host of additional summer products, all locally-tailored, including new menu items, and unmissable giveaways, throughout a highly-anticipated season for international travel.
    In July marhaba will also launch a summer competition. Its global lounge customers will be provided with materials to design a postcard based on their ‘dream’ summer holiday destination. Completed designs will be displayed within local lounges as travel inspiration, and will also admit a passenger one entry to a travel-themed prize draw, including holidays in Dubai and Switzerland inclusive of five-star hotel stays, flights, and marhaba services.

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    Calls to reform National Park visitor reservation systems

    Nearly 400 travel industry organisations – including domestic and international organisations have sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and National Park Service Director Chuck Sams calling for reforms to the visitor reservation systems in the national parks.
    Specifically, reservation systems with short booking windows and inconsistent procedures are not workable for international travelers and international tour operators, many of whom plan travel a full year in advance. The letter proposes that reservations be allowed 10 to 12 months in advance, and that reservation systems are consistent across parks that implement them.
    While reservation systems are not appropriate at all national park sites, any action by the Interior Department to expand new reservation systems for parks should be preceded by engagement and discussion with national park constituencies, including gateway communities, tour operators, and those that provide transportation to and through parks.
    The reservation systems were largely implemented in the wake of record visitation that occurred at some of the country’s most popular national parks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Supporting international visitationOverseas travelers made up more than a third (35%) of the 327 million visitors to national parks in 2019 and are crucial to the economies of national park gateway communities. With international inbound travel spending not expected to recovery until 2025, it is crucial that the sector can continue—and accelerate—its recovery without impediments.ADVERTISEMENT“The national parks are some of the biggest draws for overseas visitors, but the short booking windows make it nearly impossible for visitors to plan their trips,” said U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes. “By extending the booking window to at least 10 months, we can ensure that the parks remain open and welcoming to overseas visitors while protecting our cherished wildlife, landscapes and natural resources.”

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