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    China poised for tourism jobs bonanza

    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the travel and tourism sector in China is expected to create more than 30 million jobs over the next decade, representing a quarter of all new jobs globally.
    The forecast from WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) shows the sector will reach more than 107 million employed within the sector by 2032.
    According to the global tourism body’s latest data, travel and tourism’s GDP is expected to grow at an average of 9.7% over the next 10 years, more than twice the 4.4% growth rate of the national overall economy, making it one of the fastest growing countries.
    This growth will boost the sector to reach more than ¥25.2 trillion (13.7% of the total economy) by 2032.
    The report shows the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to China’s economy could also surpass pre-pandemic levels next year, when it is projected to rise almost 10% above 2019 levels.ADVERTISEMENTBy the end of 2023, the sector’s contribution to the national economy could reach more than ¥ 13 trillion, with a year-on-year growth of more than 32%.
    Employment within the sector could also exceed pre-pandemic levels, creating more than 766,000 additional jobs, to reach more than 83 million by the end of 2023.
    WTTC warns that this will only be achieved if China continues to facilitate both international and domestic travel.
    Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Over the next decade, the outlook is incredibly positive.
    “But in the short term, while much of the rest of the world and indeed the region is now open to travellers, travel to China remains off limits for many international travellers.
    “Domestic travel has provided and will continue to provide some relief to China’s economy, but at the moment, international travel spending is very low and is critical for the Chinese overall economy.
    “Although cutting the quarantine time for international travellers is a step in the right direction, it’s not enough to have any real positive impact.”
    In 2019, when travel and tourism was at its peak, international visitor spending in China reached nearly ¥951 billion (14% of total internal spending). However last year, as China kept its borders closed, the total spend was less than ¥91 billion (3%), missing out on nearly ¥862 billion every year.
    Before the pandemic, China’s travel and tourism total contribution to GDP was 11.6% (more than ¥11.9 trillion) in 2019, falling just to 4.3% (nearly ¥4.5 trillion) in 2020, representing a staggering 62.5% loss.
    The sector also supported more than 82 million jobs, before a complete halt to international travel which resulted in a loss of more than 12 million (15.2%), to reach just over 69 million in 2020.

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    Hudini and Incode Technologies enter strategic partnership

    Smart hospitality solutions provider, Hudini, and Incode Technologies, the industry-leader in identity verification and authentication for global enterprises, has announced their strategic partnership to transform hospitality guest experiences. The partnership with Incode will enable Hudini customers to deploy identity verification during the check-in and check-out processes through enhanced digital biometric technology. This association will automate these processes making it quick, seamless and at the convenience of the guest.
    The hospitality industry relies on its ability to connect people and the places they visit to create memorable experiences for its guests. In its revitalisation post-pandemic, the industry is realising the impact that technology can have on a guest’s stay, and the potential it holds to increase customer loyalty and create additional revenue. In fact, a recent study found that 76% of hotel executives are looking to introduce “a fully contactless experience” by 2025.
    Prince Thampi, Founder and CEO at Hudini said: “Hotel guests crave seamless experiences when they travel. Long check-in processes and complex payment procedures can ruin a guest’s stay. As a leader in biometric identity verification, Incode’s solution removes these challenges and helps to maximise the digital guest experience, without compromising on security or privacy. Through our partnership with Incode, we are excited to offer fully automated identity verification to our check-in and check-out features across our partner hotels.”
    Both organisations have realised the potential identity verification holds across the hospitality industry and share the ambition for its widespread adoption during hotel check-in and check-out. To further that vision, the partnership will include the following experiences:
    Transparent guest identification: In a matter of seconds, even before arrival, the industry’s only fully automated identity verification engine validates the identity of a guest. This allows guests to identify themselves at their convenience, triggering Hudini’s systems to match the profile and immediately introduce a magical, personalised experience upon arrival.ADVERTISEMENTAutomated digital ID creation: A digital profile of each guest is automatically created by Hudini from existing IDs and payment sources. This saves time and energy from filling out forms.
    Seamlessly integrated experience: Once onboarded, guests use their most unique attribute—their face —to fully manage their respective journey. From booking, accessing a digital key and ordering amenities and room service, the identity-centric journey translates into the industry’s most transparent experience; all while ensuring privacy and security.
    Contactless payments: Using biometrics, Hudini can enable guests to pay for any service across the property without the need for a physical payment card.
    “The hospitality industry is going through a period of modernisation, and it is important that hotels look to leverage best-in-class technology,” explained Ricardo Amper, CEO and Founder of Incode. “Together with Hudini’s proven track record of enabling digital transformation in the hospitality sector, we believe our solution can help brands to drastically enhance their guest experiences.”

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    Japan’s tourism to approach pre-pandemic levels next year

    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the travel and tourism sector in Japan will provide a significant boost to the nation’s economic recovery next year, with its GDP contribution set to reach near pre-pandemic levels.
    The forecast from WTTC’s Economic Impact Report (EIR) shows the sector’s contribution to Japan’s GDP could reach nearly ¥40 trillion by the end of 2023, just 2.2% below 2019 levels.
    The data also reveals employment will surpass pre-pandemic levels, recovering more than 23,000 jobs, to reach more than 5.8 million by the end of the year.
    Over the next decade, travel and tourism’s GDP is expected to grow at an average of 2.6% annually, more than three times the 0.7% growth rate for the country’s overall economy, to reach more than ¥46.7 trillion (7.8% of the total economy).
    The forecast also reveals the sector is expected to create nearly 683,000 jobs over the next decade, averaging more than 68,000 new jobs every year, to reach more than 6.2 million employed by the end of 2032.ADVERTISEMENTBy the end of this year, the report shows the sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow a staggering 60% to more than ¥36.2 trillion, amounting to 6.5% of the total economic GDP.
    While employment levels in the sector are expected to grow at a slower rate (1.9%), by the end of this year, more than 5.6 million will work in the sector.
    Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “After the pain suffered by Japan’s travel and tourism, the outlook for the future is much brighter.
    “Following two years of restrictions to mobility, which damaged the sector, there are reasons for optimism as the sector is finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
    “But there is still work to be done. Removing testing and facilitating international travel will further boost the sector’s growth and fast-track the recovery.”
    Before the pandemic, Japan’s Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 7.3% (¥40.8 trillion) in 2019, falling to just 3.5% (¥18.4 trillion) in 2020, which represented a shocking 54.8% loss.
    The sector also supported 5.8 million jobs in 2019, falling to just below 5.3 million in 2020, when the pandemic devastated the sector.
    The global tourism body’s latest EIR report also reveals that 2021 saw the beginning of the recovery for Japan’s travel and tourism sector.
    Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed 22.9% year on year, to reach ¥22.7 trillion.
    The sector also saw a recovery of more than 210,000 travel and tourism jobs, representing a positive rise of 4% to reach 5.5 million.
    The sector’s contribution to the economy and employment could have been higher if it weren’t for the impact of the Omicron variant, which led to the recovery faltering around the world, with many countries reinstating severe travel restrictions.

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    Record delegation of Middle East investors to visit Jamaica

    Efforts by Jamaica and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to facilitate cooperation and investment in tourism and other key areas have hit high gear as Jamaica is set to welcome its largest delegation of potential investors from the Middle East this week. This follows months of negotiations driven by Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett and his colleague Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill.
    While providing an update on the initiative, Minister Bartlett disclosed that on Friday (July 8), a delegation of over 70 private sector players and government officials from Saudi Arabia will arrive in Jamaica, adding that the group will include investors in various areas such as “logistics, agriculture, tourism and hospitality, infrastructure and real estate.”
    Mr. Bartlett explained that this will be the “largest and strongest group of investors to ever come to Jamaica from the Middle East” and he is “excited about the prospects of being able to show them the different investment options” in the corporate area, Montego Bay, and other parts of the island.
    He revealed also that Jamaica is working with the delegation to “establish the supplies logistics centre” in Jamaica, which will allow goods and services that are needed to drive tourism across the region to be produced by and exported from Jamaica.
    The visit is also expected to provide, among other things, well needed foreign direct investment (FDI) to help boost the Jamaican economy. He emphasised that investment will play a critical role in tourism’s recovery by providing the funds necessary to construct and upgrade projects essential to the development and growth of tourism capacity.ADVERTISEMENTMinister Bartlett outlined that the visit by the investors “follows a series of meetings which I had with the Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, during his visit to Jamaica last June. Also involved in those discussions, was my colleague Minister Aubyn Hill.”
    “Our visits to the Middle East in 2021 and earlier this year have allowed us to explore opportunities for FDI in our tourism sector as well as build on discussions initiated last June with Minister Al Khateeb,” he added.
    Meanwhile, the Tourism Minister also revealed that he will be leaving the island for the Dominican Republic today (July 5) to attend the “first ever Caribbean Saudi Arabia Summit.” Mr. Bartlett will meet with, among others, “the largest delegation of Saudi Arabian investors to ever visit the Caribbean.”
    The summit will facilitate dialogue on investment opportunities in the Caribbean and other areas of collaboration.
    The meeting comes amid efforts to finalise the implementation of a multi-destination tourism framework to encourage growth in the sector. Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Panama and Cuba have been key players in the negotiations.
    Once finalised this agreement will enable joint marketing arrangements between these countries, while also providing tourists with the option to enjoy multi-destination experiences during their vacations at attractive package prices. Mr. Bartlett said, “it will be a game changer in tourism diplomacy and economic convergences in the Caribbean region.”
    The Minister is scheduled to return to Jamaica on Thursday July 7, 2022.

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    GNTO introduces sustainable content hub

    The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), introduced its new sustainable content hub to the industry via two webinars, with panellists including some of the most senior figures in the responsible tourism industry. The webinars were aimed at inspiring and educating the UK travel trade and Greek stakeholders on their new, innovative green strategies and how they can work more closely with the GNTO.
    Hosted by Eleni Skarveli, Director of the GNTO, the webinars showcased the new sustainability content hub for the first time, which is set to launch on 5th October 2022. This will detail future green projects, sustainable initiatives, social sustainability and responsible holidays and act as an educational and inspiring platform for professionals and the trade.
    Eleni Skarveli comments; ‘As a country, Greece has always been green, as the way of life has been eating from the land and supporting the local community but we just haven’t tagged it as ‘sustainable’ until recently. As such, we have a good base to work from and have initiatives and an important strategy in the pipeline. We need the industry behind us to be able to offer visitors the greenest holiday options possible and to make Greece not only white and blue but also green. We hope the new hub shows how tourism businesses can adapt and transform to offer a more sustainable product.’
    A number of Greece’s current pioneering initiatives that are to be included on the hub were discussed such as the smart island of Astypalaia, the exemplary eco island of Tilos, which is paving the way for future eco islands and the animal welfare work at the Arcturos Bear Sanctuary.
    A core green project for Greece is The Rhodes Co-Lab, developed in partnership with TUI Group and the Region of South Aegean. The aim is to develop Rhodes into an international beacon for the sustainable development of holiday destinations. The Co-Lab will work with the local tourism industry and international partners to find concrete solutions and develop and implement them on Rhodes.ADVERTISEMENTDimitris Maziotis, Advisor to the Greek Minister of Tourism, explained; ‘For us, sustainability was the way of living before tourism existed and now it’s a way of life in tourism with three out of four hotel owners considering sustainable practises as key for business. We want to position ourselves on the world map as models of responsibility and we feel we are already doing this with our initiatives in destinations such as Astypalaia.’
    The focus from a government perspective in the new roadmap to sustainable tourism is all about reducing the environmental footprint, whether that’s through environmental energy, sustainable practices, infrastructure or transport.
    In the private sector, Sani/ Ikos Resorts and Metaxa Hospitality Group discussed the inspiring eco-initiatives that are already firmly established within their hotels. This includes reducing energy consumption, food waste management programmes, growing their own produce and making sure that sustainability isn’t just another pillar in the operation of the business but the focus throughout, from hotel construction to operations and guest experience.
    On the tour operator side, the GNTO is already working closely with Intrepid Travel and Responsible Travel on incorporating sustainable practises into their packages. Both operators already offer a number of sustainable holidays to Greece, with both agreeing that customer satisfaction is driven by the responsibility and sustainability of trips, which in turn leads to customers returning each year.
    The GNTO is encouraging of new tour operator partners as building a more sustainable tourism industry requires as many stakeholders as possible.
    The first webinar was aimed at the UK travel trade, moderated by Richard Hammond, founder of Green Traveller, and a panel consisting of Dimitris Maziotis, Counsellor to the Greek Minister of Tourism, Konstantinos Triantafillis of Metaxa Hospitality Group, Eleni Andreadis, ESG Executive Director of the Sani/ Ikos Group and Guest Speaker, Melvin Mak, TUI Group Head of Sustainable Business Transformation.
    The second webinar was aimed at Greek stakeholders and moderated by Susan Deer, Director of Industry Relations at ABTA. Panelists included Sonja Prvan, Contracting Manager at Intrepid Travel, Tim Williamson, Director at Responsible Travel and Carolyn Wincer, Commercial Director at Travelife as well as Guest Speaker Melvin Mak, TUI Group Head of Sustainable Business Transformation.

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    How the UK’s favourite holiday destinations have changed since 2019

    The UK’s favourite holiday destinations have changed a lot since 2019, the last time most of us flew off on holiday. Two years of travel restrictions, lockdowns, and traffic-light lists have seen people change the holiday habits of a lifetime.
    As the first half of the year comes to a close and the summer holidays begin, Holiday Extras, UK market leader in holiday extras such as airport parking, airport hotels, airport lounges and travel insurance, analysed 1.8m trips booked in the six months since the start of the year to see which destinations had seen the biggest increase in popularity – the new hot places to go this summer.
    Here’s a round-up of the top twenty fastest risers for the first six months of the year:

    Simon Hagger, Deputy CEO at Holiday Extras, commented,ADVERTISEMENT“With all the changes to travel over the last three years it’s inevitable that travel habits have gone through some changes too.
    “It’s great to see the world open back up, and people are reuniting with friends and family in Australia, or heading out for long-delayed bucket-list holidays to Egypt and the Caribbean.
    “People who flew in 2020 and 2021 found themselves exploring new places because their old favourites were closed, and this year they’re going back again – hence the incredible rise in popularity of Greece and Turkey as destinations, both of which stayed open almost all the way through the travel lockdowns. And of course for many people the cost of living crunch means finding cheaper options, so some of the new top picks – like Turkey and Albania – are amongst the cheapest destinations for a budget summer holiday this year.”

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    Consumer expert Alice Beer shares tips to save money on travel

    Wyndham Grand Mirabello Bay Crete
    Millions of British households are facing a cost-of-living crisis with day-to-day costs rising at rates that haven’t been seen since the 1970s. With high inflation levels and increasing demand, going on holiday this summer is also becoming more expensive for many.
    Despite the increasing cost-of-living, according to a new YouGov* research online survey commissioned by loyalty programme Wyndham Rewards, 38% of respondents are still willing to dip into their savings to be able to go on holiday this year, showing that a long-awaited post-lockdown break is more important than ever. 39% of respondents also expect to spend more on their holidays this year than pre-Covid. While Brits recognise that they find it difficult to set a realistic budget for their holidays and stick to it (32%, increasing to 43% for respondents aged 25-44), 38% of those who go on holiday said they prioritise work and family commitments, rather than spending time planning their trips within the budget.
    Alice Beer says: “With the cost-of-living skyrocketing, being money savvy has never been more important. Saving doesn’t have to be complicated. Often, we overlook small but very important things that can make the biggest difference when planning your holiday. There are many easy ways to keep the costs down and make sure you can enjoy that well deserved holiday:
    Book as far in advance as possible – Last minute bookings are not as cheap as they used to be.Put the trip cancellation date in your diary – Ensure you know the cancellation terms and put the date your trip can be cancelled by in your diary. Then if your plans change, or you find something better, you can change your booking.Browse destinations where you can get more for your money –The accommodation is only part of the cost, consider the price of meals, activities and treats when you get there. Destinations such as Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Germany offer great value. Savings can add up if you are part of a hotel loyalty scheme – You will be the first to hear about flash sales and can get great perks ranging from special ‘member rates’ to early check-ins, late check-outs and room upgrades.Collect loyalty points when staying in budget-friendly hotels – You can save these points towards a free stay in the future. Loyalty Programmes are global, so a staycation, trip to visit family, or a business trip can all help you earn points towards a fabulous holiday abroad.For group travel, look at branded residences or apart-hotels – These accommodation types provide the facilities and amenities of a hotel and the confidence of staying with a well-known brand. At the same time, they usually work out cheaper per person and give you the freedom that comes with larger accommodation and kitchen facilities, so you can save on eating out.Once you have found quotes online, book directly on the hotel website – Large booking sites often charge a commission on the price and the hotel can sometimes offer you a better rate when you book direct, some hotels also provide upgrades, free drinks or other service perks if you book directly through their website or mobile apps giving you more value for your money. Hotel brand websites will also show you rates across their different properties, so if your destination is flexible you can search for the best deal for your budget whilst staying with the brand you know and trust.”
    When it comes to saving on hotel bookings, the results of the survey paint a mixed picture. More than one third (34%) of Britons who go on holiday prefer to save on hotels and use the money for other activities, with almost 49% of all respondents browsing online price comparison tools or travel agents (20%) when asked their top two methods to find the best deals. However, only 37% check directly on hotels’ websites to find the best deals. What is more, while many respondents find loyalty perks like discounted room rates (55%) and free hotel stays (46%) attractive, but only 20% actively use hotel loyalty programmes and associated benefits.
    Julie White, Vice President Commercial, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Europe, Middle East, Eurasia and Africa EMEA, commented: “Despite a challenging economic climate, after two years of missed holidays people are eager to make their summer trip work. Our industry is resilient, and it is our priority to help people get the holidays they deserve. Loyalty schemes such as Wyndham Rewards can bring significant savings, especially if you use them over time. From exclusive members’ discounts, flexible cancellation policies, ability to use points for hotels, as well as many high-street brands, there are many easy ways to make the most out of your trips. Being savvy with your booking can make all the difference and we hope Alice’s tips will help travellers make the most of their holidays this summer and beyond.”
    Wyndham hotels around the world participate in Wyndham Rewards, the world’s most generous hotel rewards programme with thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. The award-winning programme gives more than 94 million members globally generous points earning and redemption options, including free nights at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally.

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    South Korea travel & tourism expected to create half a million jobs

    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed South Korea’s Travel & Tourism is expected to create nearly half a million jobs over the next decade.
    The forecast from WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR), which shows an average of nearly 49,000 new jobs every year, to reach nearly 1.8 million by 2032, also reveals the sector will outpace the overall economy for the next 10 years.
    According to the report, South Korea’s Travel & Tourism’s GDP is forecasted to grow at an average rate of 4.8% annually between 2022-2032, significantly outstripping the 1.8% growth rate of the national overall economy.
    This will boost the sector’s contribution to nearly ₩116.9 trillion, representing 4.6% of the total economy.
    In 2023, the forecast from the global tourism body shows the sector’s contribution to South Korea’s GDP could reach nearly ₩83.4 trillion, only 4.7% behind pre-pandemic levels.ADVERTISEMENTLooking to this year, the global tourism body predicts the sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow 30.6%, to reach nearly ₩73 trillion, amounting to 3.5% of the total economy, although employment levels in the sector are set to remain stagnant, to reach nearly 1.3 million.
    Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “After the devastating impact the pandemic caused to South Korea’s Travel & Tourism sector, the future looks bright for the economy.
    “We applaud the government for easing of travel restrictions, a move that will no doubt have a positive effect and recover millions of jobs.
    “However, pre-departure testing in no longer required in many countries around the world and we urge the government follow the lead and allow travellers to move freely once again.”
    Before the pandemic, South Korea’s Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 4.4% (₩87.5 trillion) in 2019, falling to just 2.7% (₩54.2 trillion) in 2020, which represented a shocking 38% loss.
    The sector also supported nearly 1.3 million jobs in 2019, falling to just over 1.2 million in 2020, when the pandemic devastated the sector.
    However, due to severe and highly disruptive travel restrictions, the global tourism body’s latest EIR report reveals that 2021 saw a sluggish the recovery for the country’s Travel & Tourism sector.
    Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed by a mere 3% year on year, to reach nearly ₩55.9 trillion.
    The sector also saw a recovery of just under 2,000 Travel & Tourism jobs, representing a positive rise of just 0.2% to more than 1.2 million.
    The sector’s contribution to the economy and employment could have been higher if it were not for the impact of the Omicron variant, which led to the recovery faltering around the world, with many countries reinstating severe travel

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