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    ABTA: Travel must get in early with new leadership

    With the parliamentary term over and MPs back in their constituencies, we now know that either former chancellor Rishi Sunak or foreign secretary Liz Truss will soon be the UK’s next prime minister.
    The Conservative Party leadership election, brought about by the resignation of Boris Johnson on 7 July, is due to run throughout the summer – with national television debates and local party hustings taking place across the country. The contest could reach a sudden conclusion if one candidate decides to pull out, as occurred in the 2016 leadership election between Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom, but failing that eventuality, we expect the winner and new PM to be announced on 5 September.
    ABTA obviously doesn’t get a vote and will remain neutral, as is appropriate for a politically impartial organisation. But we will be putting forward the industry’s priorities to both candidates, making clear the issues the travel industry needs government to grasp. These include future resilience planning and recovery from Covid-19, managing cost of living impacts, the need to reconsider labour mobility arrangements between the UK and EU, and the importance of ensuring better coordination across government in relation to international travel policy.
    On the latter point, ABTA welcomed the recent formation of a new aviation council, which formed part of the government’s strategic framework to deliver for the sector over the next decade. The council is due to bring together representatives from leading travel businesses and their main trade bodies, including ABTA, with government ministers and officials right across Whitehall. Crucially, the council will include participation from Number 10 and HM Treasury, which is something that has been called for by the entire aviation and travel eco-system as a learning from the pandemic.
    With the change of administration taking place, we will be delivering our message that improving the quality of engagement between industry and government is critically important – and that this group has the potential to make a worthwhile contribution.ADVERTISEMENTWe are also continuing to call for a minister to be given specific responsibility for overseeing the cross-government approach to international travel policy, especially in times of crisis. Due to the disruption being seen at airports and with airlines, travel has been high on the media and political agenda in recent weeks. The impact on travellers has been covered frequently by media and referenced by several politicians in parliament, including during the business, energy and industrial strategy (Beis) committee evidence session held on 14 June.
    ABTA has been focused on ensuring accuracy and perspective in media coverage, making clear what consumers can expect in terms of their rights if they suffer delays or cancellations, but also seeking to remind audiences that most people are getting away successfully without significant issues.
    We’ve also sought to bring a similar balance in our political engagement. Following the Beis hearing, we followed up with the, chair Darren Jones MP, to ensure members understood the perspective of intermediaries, including travel agents, tour operators and TMCs, and the value travel experts bring in terms of offering consumer advice and reassurance.
    We’ve also held recent meetings with the tourism and aviation ministers, respectively, and continue to engage with the Future of Aviation all-party parliamentary group to spread similar messages to MPs and peers across parliament.
    Getting in earlyAlongside our political engagement, much of ABTA’s advocacy work on a day to day basis happens with officials as they seek to carry forward instructions given by ministers. For example, last week the Department for Transport published its Aviation Passenger Charter which ABTA, along with other industry representatives and consumer bodies, had been considering over recent weeks.
    Experts from ABTA attended several workshops as the content took shape, and this is an excellent example of the detailed engagement that is often under way behind the scenes. We are also engaging regularly with the teams responsible for Atol reform and the Package Travel Regulations to provide evidence around what is happening across the industry and to inform future policy development. This side of our work never stops and will continue throughout the summer.
    Over the weeks ahead, my team will also be busy refreshing our briefings for newly appointed ministers. ABTA will be seeking to get in early to ensure individuals given responsibility for the policies that matter to travel understand our views.
    Additionally, we have some new research due for publication in September on the value of our sector, and the prize that is on offer in terms of recovery and future growth. There will be more information on this, including how members and the wider sector can help us promote the importance of travel to your own MPs, in the autumn.
    Whoever emerges victorious from the race to be PM, ABTA will – to borrow the phrase used by one of the candidates – hit the ground running.
    Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs, ABTA

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    Destination Canada announces return of Innovate Canada

    Destination Canada is pleased to announce the return of Innovate Canada, a Destination Canada signature business event that highlights the groundbreaking work taking place across Canada’s leading innovation sectors to attract aligned international business events. Running from July 25-28 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Innovate Canada 2022 will give international delegates the opportunity to explore Canada’s blue economy and global leadership in ocean sciences, including the people and facilities behind some of the most transformative sustainable technologies and solutions for ocean restoration and marine health.
    “Bounded by three oceans and home to the largest coastline in the world, it should be no surprise that Canada has a rich history of innovation and global leadership in the ocean’s sciences sector,” says Virginie De Visscher, Senior Director of Business Development, Economic Sectors, Destination Canada Business Events. “After a two-year hiatus, we are thrilled to bring the Innovate Canada program to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The city has a global reputation as a centre of ocean excellence and is home to some of the most exclusive facilities, advanced post-secondary institutions and renowned ocean research and training centres. Combine this leadership with the warmth of Newfoundland and Labrador hospitality, and there’s little wonder why global organisations in ocean sciences continually choose to host their events in St. John’s.”
    In addition to educational site visits to disruptive startups and established businesses across St. John’s ocean science related industries, the Innovate Canada program will take delegates on curated tours of:
    The National Research Council’s Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Centre for research being conducted in the Ice Tank, one of the globe’s largest facilities of its kind; the Offshore Engineering Basin, one of the most advanced indoor model ocean facilities in the world; and the Tow Tank, which simulates marine conditions to evaluate the performance of marine systems.The Marine Institute of Memorial University to experience the most advanced marine simulation technology, pilot underwater vehicles in the Underwater Exploration Lab, and discover the newest technologies being applied to the global fisheries industries in support of sustainable aquatic resources.“From ocean technology, aquaculture and fisheries, ocean defense, marine bio-products, marine renewable energy, shipbuilding, and marine transportation, St. John’s is changing the way business in the ocean economy is conducted,” says Cathy Hogan, Executive Director at OceansAdvance, Newfoundland and Labrador’s ocean technology cluster organisation. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Destination Canada through the Innovate Canada program, to put local leading innovators, cutting edge innovations and world class oceans research facilities on the global stage and show delegates why St. John’s is an incredibly distinct and unique location to host ocean-related business events.”
    Aligned with Destination Canada’s national meeting strategy, Innovate Canada aims to drive regional economic growth and compel global organisations to host their business events in Canada.ADVERTISEMENT“When conference-goers meet in Canada’s innovation hubs, they can tap into the country’s brain trust, connect with some of the brightest minds and thought leaders, preview made-in-Canada solutions to the world’s greatest challenges and explore the Canadian innovations that are creating a more sustainable world,” adds Chantal Sturk-Nadeau, Executive Director, Business Events, Destination Canada. “When this intellectual capital is combined with our vibrant urban centres and unique natural landscapes, it provides a thriving ecosystem for business events that foster creativity, collaboration and ultimately, leave a lasting impact. We can’t wait to provide a look at just that.”
    Innovate Canada rotates destinations and industry sectors each year and will return in May 2023 to share the brilliant minds and transformative work being done across Waterloo, Ontario’s advanced manufacturing sector including automotive, aerospace, food processing, cutting-edge robotics and automation innovation. Aligned with Destination Canada’s new Canadian Business Events Sustainability Strategy, Innovate Canada 2023 will, for the first time, be carbon neutral.

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    WTTC: 412,000 travel & tourism jobs across the U.S. will remain unfilled

    A new analysis by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism business sector, estimates 412,000 Travel & Tourism jobs in the U.S. will remain unfilled this year, putting in serious jeopardy the recovery of the sector. 
    According to WTTC’s data, one in 18 jobs remained vacant during the first half of 2022, highlighting a talent crunch that has plagued the sector since early 2021. An estimated 321,000 Travel & Tourism positions went unfilled in the January – June 2022 timeframe (a 5.4% shortage), and worker shortages are expected to persist into 3Q, peaking at 412,000 sector job vacancies (a 7% shortfall).
    During 2020, employment in the sector dropped by 35.9% in the U.S. at its lowest point. As global Travel & Tourism began recovering in 2021, the U.S. saw a 12.4% hike in the number of jobs directly supported by the sector, adding a welcome 480,000 jobs back into the market.
    Despite the positive growth in 2021, sightseeing transportation, accommodation and recreation are experiencing the most serious labor shortage impact this year. Employers in the accommodation industry in particular could struggle to find suitable candidates for nearly one in seven hotel and resort job postings.
    “As the U.S. pushes full steam ahead toward a solid recovery for Travel & Tourism, a lack of qualified, available talent remains a major concern for the sector,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO. “This is especially true given the sudden spike in international visitors following the removal of COVID tests for inbound travelers.”ADVERTISEMENTMEASURES TO BOOST EMPLOYMENT GROWTHAccording to WTTC, the outlook could be more positive later this year and into 2023 if government officials and the public sector work together to increase the availability of eligible workers while adapting sector career opportunities to better appeal to top talent.
    “There is huge potential to increase the number of available workers in the U.S. by fostering greater labor mobility within the U.S. and across its borders,” said Simpson. “Stringent visa allocations are affecting many industries which ultimately impacts the wealth and growth prospects for the US.  We urge officials to consider measures that make visas and work permits more easily accessible.”
    According to the report, the United States Census Bureau data indicates that between 2016 and 2020, international migration to the U.S. plunged from around 1.05 million people to just 477,000.
    Some of the key measures identified in the report for both governments and the private sector to address the talent gap are:
    •  Facilitate labor mobility across international borders, with more favorable visa policies •  Enable flexible and remote working where feasible – allowing part time or contractor-based opportunities, where possible•  Ensure decent work and competitive employee benefits and compensation packages•  Attract talent by improving the perception of jobs and promoting viable career paths with growth opportunities•  Develop and support a skilled workforce through comprehensive educational programs, as well as upskilling and reskilling current talent•  Adopt innovative technological and digital solutions to alleviate pressure on staff, improve daily operations and an enhanced customer experience
    By adopting the right measures to support Travel & Tourism employment growth, the sector can surpass pre-pandemic levels and successfully meet consumer demand across the industry.

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    Trip.com features in the top 10 most downloaded OTA apps global rankings

    Trip.com, the global travel service provider, has been named the 10th most downloaded OTA app globally in the first half of 2022 by leading app analysis firm Apptopia. The announcement comes as Trip.com continues to expand worldwide with its all-in-one app-first offering.
    The success seen in download numbers is guided by Trip.com’s app-first strategy. By applying a balanced mix of approaches learned through experimentation and best practices, Trip.com app installs from marketing channels grew steadily to a total of 6.2 million downloads. In H1 2022, Trip.com app downloads saw double-digit growth compared to H2 2021, reflecting the success of this strategy and increased consumer desire for travel.
    Through full utilisation of the trustworthy products and attractive deals presented on Trip.com, new downloads were gained across a variety of app marketing channels. In tandem, a web-to-app strategy also showed great potential in constantly attracting new app users.
    Feng Han, Marketing Director at Trip.com, said: “This year, we have experienced an energised, organic recovery of the travel industry. Leveraging this trend, our teams have adopted a targeted and data-oriented approach in each market to encourage users to download the Trip.com app. We are delighted to see our young brand reach the top 10 most downloaded OTA apps globally for the first time ever. We will continue to work to share the convenience and top-class services available on Trip.com with an ever-growing audience.”
    On top of the platform’s extensive range of products, the Trip.com app gives users a more unique and comprehensive browsing and booking experience. Currently available in 24 languages in 39 countries and regions worldwide, the app gives users easier booking management capabilities, direct access to reliable customer support and exclusive app-only deals.ADVERTISEMENTTrip.com’s breakthrough in Apptopia’s global app download rankings correlates to increased traveller demand as the industry continues to recover following the outbreak of covid. This year, Trip.com’s European sites saw an average monthly growth in traffic of around 10% between April and July. In Asia, countries and regions that have relaxed their travel restrictions have seen an impressive market performance, particularly those in Southeast Asia. Overall in the APAC region, bookings on Trip.com increased by 21% in May and by a further 7.8% in June.
    As demand increases, users turn to platforms with a comprehensive offering that goes beyond a solely product offering. In turn, Trip.com has looked to grow the engaging travel content hosted on the platform. In the first quarter of this year, daily average content traffic on Trip.com increased by 80% YoY, whilst the content engagement rate on Trip.com grew by 115% YoY.
    A key benefit to using the Trip.com app is the ease in which users can access Trip.com’s best-in-class customer support. Trip.com global customer support is available in 19 languages delivered by a dedicated international customer support team. In the first half of 2022, over 95% of calls made to Trip.com Group customer service were picked up within 20 seconds, 99% of chats were responded to within 20 seconds and 92% of incidents were dealt with in a timely manner. In addition to this, of all incoming enquires, 88% of incidents were resolved on the first attempt. App users can book and travel reassured in the knowledge that Trip.com customer support is only a click on their phone away.

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    ABTA shares ‘super six’ tips for families as summer getaway begins

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    ABTA shares ‘super six’ tips for families as summer getaway begins

    ABTA – The Travel Association has issued its top tips for families travelling abroad during the summer holidays, with this weekend marking the start of the summer break for the majority of schools in England and Wales.
    According to ABTA’s latest research, three in four (75%) families are set to be travelling overseas this summer, with almost half planning to enjoy a beach break (47%), a third opting for an all-inclusive holiday (33%) and one in five jetting off on a city break (19%).
    With many heading overseas for the first time in three years, ABTA has the following ‘super six’ tips to help their journeys go as smoothly as possible:
    1. Make sure you’ve checked the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for your destination before you travel (gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice).2. Plan your journey to the airport, train station or ferry port in advance and allow extra time for traffic, planned road closures or engineering works.3. Arrive at the earliest time advised by your airline or transport provider (arriving earlier than this may add to queues at the terminal).4. Make sure you’re ready to present your passports and any COVID-related documents you need at check-in. You also have the option to check-in online which may save you time.5. Prepare your hand luggage for security by placing large electrical items like laptops and tablets in the trays provided alongside any liquids you’re taking – these need to be 100ml or less and placed inside a 20cm x 20cm plastic bag.6. Take off items of clothing like coats, jackets and belts when passing through security and put any items in your pockets into the trays provided.
    More tips and advice on travel can be found at www.abta.com/getreadyfortravel.ADVERTISEMENTGraeme Buck, Director of Communications at ABTA – The Travel Association said:
    “The school summer holidays are usually the busiest time of year for travel, so planning ahead is the best way to make the start of your holiday as stress-free as possible. Holidaymakers can help keep queues to a minimum by arriving at the airport at the time advised by their airline, having their travel documents ready for check-in and carefully preparing their hand luggage for security.”

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    Gatwick launches official new mascot

    Passengers travelling through Gatwick this summer will be able to take advantage of a number of special offers, competitions and seasonal drink choices, as part of the airport’s new campaign – ‘Explore Like Never Before’.
    The campaign, which officially launched this week, includes special offers on World Duty Free products, such as up to 50% off selected spirits, and savings on this season’s top fragrances with the Reserve & Collect service.
    Wetherspoons, in both the North and South Terminals, are selling a special guest ale – ‘Summer Sun’ – a pale, hoppy beer produced by Twickenham Brewery, while Juniper & Co. in the North Terminal has launched a range of five summer cocktails exclusive to Gatwick, including a non-alcoholic option.
    As passengers await their flight, they will also be able to enjoy in-terminal activities, including a tombola with a range of prizes to be won, or grab a pre-holiday photo in one of Gatwick’s giant deckchairs.
    Families may even get to meet the airport’s new mascot, Gary Gatwick, who made his first public appearances in the terminals yesterday.ADVERTISEMENTAirlines are getting in on the summer fun too, with Wizz Air running a competition with a chance to win a £500 flight voucher, while passengers can also win a family bundle which includes sun care from Boots, WHSmith children’s toys and books, Shake Shack and Wagamama vouchers and Gatwick shopping vouchers.
    Nick Williams, Head of Retail Operations, Gatwick Airport said: “With a busy summer holiday period expected – the first since 2019 with unrestricted travel – it’s fantastic that so many of our retailers and restaurants at Gatwick are able to help our passengers celebrate, with some great offers and exclusive products available.
    “We know there have been some challenges with travel recently and while our teams are working incredibly hard to ensure passengers get away on their holidays with ease, we are excited that once people reach the departure lounge, we have plenty here to help families relax and get their holidays off to a great start.”
    Earlier this month, Gatwick announced the opening of two new LEGO stores (North and South Terminals) and a Kidstop pop-up (North Terminal), as well as the return of Itsu and Ted Baker in the South Terminal.
    For those not flying over the summer, there will be further opportunities to meet Gary Gatwick and take a photograph in one of the giant deckchairs, with Gatwick sponsoring Crawley Pride, taking place at Goffs Park between 19 – 21 August.

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    IATA release statement on Dublin Airport charges

    “We welcome the Irish Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) decision to push back on Dublin Airport’s proposed outrageous average 68% price increase. But even under the regulator’s revised proposal, the average price cap is still some 11% above 2022 levels. With strong demand for air travel now back, IATA is predicting traffic to and from Ireland to recover in 2023, well ahead of CAR’s prediction, which could allow for the charges increase to be cut further over the period to 2026.
    There is also no excuse for a repeat of the delays seen at Dublin airport this summer. It is now critical that Dublin Airport accelerate delivery of urgent Pier and stand capacity infrastructure within its Capital Investment Programme. If the airport is unable to service demand because it has not prepared properly, the CAR must ensure the airport is not rewarded for its failures. We will provide more information to the CAR on these and other matters ahead of the final determination.” – Willie Walsh, IATA Director General.

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    Alpine and Accor partner for French Grand Prix

    BWT Alpine F1 Team is delighted to announce a partnership with ALL- Accor Live Limitless, for its home race, the French Grand Prix.
    Accor is one of the world’s leading hospitality companies with over 5,300 hotels in 110 countries and across more than 40 hotel brands including Fairmont, Sofitel, Pullman, Novotel, Mercure and ibis. ALL is Accor’s lifestyle loyalty program that provides meaningful experiences and rewards for its millions of engaged members around the world.
    This initial partnership will enable both companies to explore multiple opportunities for potential collaboration within the world of Formula One and beyond, including design services, hospitality programming and travel management.
    Both parties will also explore sustainable technologies to reduce their respective carbon footprints and environmental impact. Alpine has recently taken strides to reduce emissions by implementing high performance electric technology in its road car range. Inspired by the cutting-edge innovation seen in Alpine F1 Team’s powertrain, all Alpine cars will be fully electric by 2025. Alpine can now also benefit from Accor’s leadership and expertise in sustainable travel initiatives, as it works closely with the FIA and F1 to reduce its environmental impact when travelling the globe throughout the F1 Calendar.

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