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    ABTA Travel Matters speaker line up revealed

    ABTA has unveiled the line-up of expert speakers for its annual Travel Matters conference on Wednesday 22 June, which brings together leaders from across the travel industry to debate the biggest political and policy issues facing the travel sector.
    Delivering this year’s keynote speech and sharing crucial insight and anecdotes into the inner workings of Westminster is former Minister Amber Rudd, who served as Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
    Also offering a window on to Westminster is Nikki da Costa, an influential commentator on politics, legislation and parliament who served as Director of Legislative Affairs at No 10 Downing Street under both Theresa May and Boris Johnson. da Costa will be advising travel businesses on how to prepare for the run up to the next general election, while also offering her perspective on how the travel industry can forge a strong working relationship with the UK Government and opposition moving forward.
    Additional speakers, whose insights will be driven by this year’s theme, ‘An Agenda for Recovery and Renewal’, include:
    Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive, ABTA
    Karen Dee, Chief Executive, Airport Operators Association
    Simon McNamara, UK & Ireland Country Manager, International Air Transport Association (IATA)
    Alistair Rowland, Chairman, ABTA
    Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive, Airlines UK
    Martin Alcock, Director, Travel Trade Consultancy
    Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs, ABTA
    Giles Hawke, CEO, Cosmos
    Brian Young, Managing Director, EMEA, G Adventures
    Prue Stone, Group Head of Sustainability, Hotelplan
    Susan Deer, Director of Industry Relations, ABTA
    Andy Janes, Group Director of Operations, Intertek
    Moderator: LBC’s Tom Swarbrick
    This year’s Travel Matters conference comes exactly one year on from the Travel Day of Action on Wednesday 23 June 2021, so offers the industry a timely opportunity to reflect on what lessons can be learnt from the pandemic, as well as exploring how travel business leaders can effectively manage the shifting landscape and what the industry needs from its future relationship with the UK Government to ensure its long-term success.ADVERTISEMENTLuke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at ABTA – The Travel Association, said:
    “As the travel industry continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic, there are many critical challenges ahead, including rebuilding consumer confidence, attracting talent back to the industry and withstanding geopolitical turbulence. Constructive and regular engagement between industry and Government will be required to successfully tackle these challenges, and I’m looking forward to hearing industry leaders and political experts outline their views on the way ahead for travel at ABTA’s Travel Matters conference on 22 June.”
    Global, the Media & Entertainment Group, is the media partner for the event.

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    Travel advisors speak out on inbound testing ahead of Senate hearing

    American Society of Travel Advisors, President and CEO, Zane Kerby
    American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) President and CEO Zane Kerby issues the following statement in advance of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation subcommittee hearing on “Reviving Conventions & Tourism Through International Travel”:
    “As Senators gather to discuss ways to restore international travel, we want to highlight the number one barrier to our industry’s recovery – the inbound testing order. This order has little to no impact on COVID rates at home, while the economic damage it causes grows by the day. Determined travelers have and will find a way around ill-conceived systems, and the costs to citizens and those visiting the United States far outweigh the benefits. It’s time for the U.S. to match our closest trading partners on this front, start managing the virus and let travel-reliant businesses recover from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    “The November 2021 shortening of the testing window from 72 hours to one day prior has only exacerbated these challenges. In fact, according to a recent survey of ASTA members, 83 percent of trip cancelations are occurring because of the U.S. COVID-19 testing requirement. At present, this is the number one cause for client trip cancelations according to travel advisors.
    “A growing number of countries, including the United States’ biggest trading partners and outbound travel markers, have recently moved in the direction of removing the pre-departure test requirement for the fully vaccinated, including the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, and Australia. Exempting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens from the order is a way to appropriately strike that balance consistent with the Administration’s stated desire for ‘an air travel policy that relies primarily on vaccination to advance the safe resumption of international air travel to the United States.’”

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    Turning point for tourism: UNWTO executive council looks beyond recovery

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    Turning point for tourism: UNWTO executive council looks beyond recovery

    The Executive Council of UNWTO has met to advance the recovery of tourism around shared goals and a common vision for the sector.
    Held for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the 116th session was the largest meeting of the Executive Council since the start of the pandemic, with more than 200 participants and 32 countries represented. Members noted that the meeting came at a pivotal point for the sector as it learns from the lessons of the pandemic while at the same time looking ahead to a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future.
    Advancing priorities in challenging times“We have faced up to a triple crisis: an ongoing pandemic, a climate emergency and now the return of war in Europe,” UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said. He stressed that “tourism is united and determined like never before, and UNWTO is guiding it forward, with inclusivity and sustainability at the very heart of all our work”.
    In his report to Members on achievements since the previous Council meeting six months ago, the Secretary-General illustrated how UNWTO is seizing tourism’s unprecedented relevance, including within the United Nations, in national recovery and growth plans and within the wider public and media conversation.ADVERTISEMENTTourism’s restartUNWTO laid out its plans to keep advancing the priorities around fostering sustainability, promoting tourism jobs and education, growing tourism investments and accelerating its digital transformation.

    The Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and host of the Executive Council, Ahmed Al Khateeb, said: “Tourism’s restart in many countries around the world offers a unique chance to rethink tourism governance, communications and beyond. We have an incredible opportunity to set a new way forward, to create a strong future for the global tourism sector, and we must embrace it.”
    The recognition of tourism’s importance was further echoed by the Minister of Tourism and Leisure of Cote d’Ivoire, also serving as Executive Council Chair, Siandou Fofana, who noted that “tourism is united to face future challenges”, while stressing the importance of cohesion in planning and policymaking as the sector recovers to drive wider social and economic recovery.

    Members agreed to hold the 117th session of the UNWTO Executive Council in Morocco, in the second half of this year. With two countries offering to host the 118th session, Members voted in favour of the Dominican Republic holding the first Council of 2023.
    Onto Riyadh, emerging tourism hubMembers of the Executive Council were provided with an update on the work of the UNWTO Regional Office for the Middle East, opened in the capital of Saudi Arabia in May 2021. The office in Riyadh is set to emerge as both a regional and global hub for the sector, with a special focus on tourism education and tourism and rural development, exemplified by the first major project to come out of the office, Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO.
    From Jeddah, the UNWTO leadership will visit Riyadh to formally welcome personnel.

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    Trip.com launches integrated carbon emissions solution

    Trip.com, the global travel platform, has partnered with climate-tech company CHOOOSE to offer travellers the option to calculate and offset their flight’s CO2 emissions by supporting impactful climate solutions around the world.
    Customers booking on Trip.com will now be presented with the opportunity to address their flight’s CO2 emissions during the booking journey. For a small cost, travellers’ offsets will support projects that either reduce, capture, or avoid CO2 emissions in an amount equivalent to the flight’s calculated emissions.
    The CHOOOSE solution is integrated directly into the Trip.com platform, enabling customers to seamlessly address their CO2 emissions as part of the customer experience.
    Jane Sun, Chief Executive Officer at Trip.com Group, said: “As part of our mission to lead the global transformation to modern and more environmentally-responsible travel, we have partnered with CHOOOSE to contribute towards highly effective CO2-mitigating projects around the world. This makes it easier and simpler for Trip.com users to offset their flight’s CO2 emissions during checkout on our platform and travel more responsibly.”
    Andreas Slettvoll, Chief Executive Officer at CHOOOSE, said: “We see an increasing demand from individuals and companies around the world wanting to understand the CO2 emissions from their travel and to address these emissions through solutions like carbon removals, offsets and sustainable aviation fuel. That’s why we are thrilled to team up with Trip.com to offer integrated climate options as a seamless part of their booking process, making climate action more accessible for people worldwide.”ADVERTISEMENTTrip.com and CHOOOSE calculate CO2 emissions based on factors such as a flight’s distance, capacity and flying time, in accordance with the latest industry guidelines. This calculation helps to inform the cost to offset the journey, as well as guide which itineraries may be producing the least amount of CO2 per passenger.
    Trip.com and CHOOOSE have selected a range of high-impact CO2 mitigation projects around the world that either reduce, remove, or avoid CO2 emissions. The projects are carefully vetted by carbon professionals and certified to the most comprehensive standards such as the Gold Standard, a leading international carbon protocol. This ensures that the projects create the highest possible carbon impact and a real benefit to local communities, so travellers know their contributions make a difference.
    The introduction of this new carbon solution aligns with the goal of Trip.com Group, Trip.com’s parent company, to encourage travellers to consider the environmental impact of travel and to offer options for Trip.com users to travel more responsibly.

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    Saudi Arabia invests in training tourism’s next generation

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    Saudi Arabia invests in training tourism’s next generation

    Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism has launched a new programme to equip 100,000 young Saudis with the key hospitality skills needed to pursue careers in the kingdom’s flourishing tourism industry.​​​
    Launched by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Saudi Arabia at the 116th session of the World Tourism Organization’s Executive Council in Jeddah, ‘Tourism Trailblazers’ will provide in-depth global experience to the tourism industry’s future leaders.
    The programme aims to train 100,000 Saudis as the ministry’s continous efforts after the launch of a new human capital development strategy in the Kingdom’s burgeoning tourism industry, which aims to attract more Saudi nationals to the sector.
    His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Saudi Arabia, said: “It is vital that we invest in our youth now. Creating a skilled workforce with the talent and ambition to support and drive the tourism sector regionally and globally is key to realising Vision 2030. This program demonstrates our commitment to empowering young people by providing them with right skills, support and opportunities to shape the future of the tourism industry.”ADVERTISEMENTAccording to His Excellency, the programme has three main objectives that aim to nurture, develop and support talent in the industry. It seeks to spread a culture of professionalism, help nascent professionals gain the knowledge and qualifications needed to break into the industry, and support their success through refinement of their skills. The program will help trainees to secure jobs within the sector, including seasonal, part-time, or full-time opportunities across the Kingdom.
    He further stressed that this and other initiatives are geared towards delivering on the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030 targets, including the creation of one million new jobs in tourism by 2030.
    He also added that the highly specialized programs will empower scholarship trainees by equipping them with the skills and qualifications required to confidently enter the labor market.​
    Mohammed Bushnag, Deputy Minister, Human Capital said: “A financial investment of this size shows our determination to equip our youth with the tools they need to suceed. Tourism attractivness ration have increased 75% among Saudi young male and female. Supporting the dreams of our Tourism Trailblazers and enabling their continued education at the best global schools, is vital as we continue to emerge as a global player in the sector.”
    Participants in the programme are set to benefit from training scholarships at leading global institutions in France, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Australia, and Italy. Applications will be accepted not only from fresh graduates, but also from Saudis who already work within the industry and those who aspire to start a career in the tourism, hospitality, culinary, service, and sales fields.​

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    Influential speakers revealed for WTTC Sustainability & Investment Summit

    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) unveils its speakers for the upcoming Sustainability and Investment Summit in Puerto Rico, including environmental activist and filmmaker, Alexandra Cousteau, and 41st Treasurer of the U.S., Rosario Marin.
    Taking place on June 14 in the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the event will bring together world leaders in the field to analyse the challenges facing the sector.
    Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau, is a sustainability and environmental activist with the unique ability to inspire audiences on the weighty issues of policy, politics and call to action advocating for the importance of restoration and sustainable management of water sources.
    As Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency, Marin was tasked with greening California through defining standards, improving waste management and supporting hospitality sustainability.
    At this one-day event, WTTC, which represents the global private Travel & Tourism sector, will endorse the sector’s commitment to preserve the planet, its biodiversity and reduce climate change. It will focus on building resilience in Travel & Tourism through investment, sustainable growth and the development of communities.ADVERTISEMENTAlso taking to the stage at the Sustainability and Investment Summit will be Tourism Ministers from around the Caribbean and other destinations, including Argentina, Barbados, U.S. and Bahamas, amongst others.
    Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “We are delighted to have such influential speakers at our summit in Puerto Rico.
    “It is an honour to have Alexandra Cousteau and Rosario Marin addressing delegates, where they will be able to share how sustainability has shaped their work and share lessons learnt on how to bring about sustainable change.
    “Puerto Rico is a strategic destination for the Caribbean region. This event will serve as a platform to discuss investment in sustainable tourism.”
    Other notable speakers set to address the Sustainability and Investment Summit will be Arnold Donald, President & CEO Carnival Corporation and Chairman at WTTC; Senator Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Barbados, Jennifer Aguinaga, Deputy Director for Policy & Planning, U.S. Department of Commerce; Nicola Madden Craig, Manager Caribbean Hotels Tourism Association; Carlos Mercado, Executive Director Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Frank Rainieri, Chairman & Founder Grupo Puntacana;, José Ricardo Botelho, Chief Executive Officer at ALTA; Megan Morikawa, Director of Global Sustainability Office, Iberostar; and Rick Sasso, Chairman, MSC Cruises USA, amongst others.
    To attend this live event or join thousands around the world virtually, please click here.

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    ITB Berlin and Statista: how environmental awareness is influencing travel behaviour

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    ITB Berlin and Statista: how environmental awareness is influencing travel behaviour

    Globally, the world’s travel industry contributes around ten per cent of GNP, but worldwide it is also responsible for about five per cent of CO2 emissions – The majority of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by transport – Climate change is creating eco-awareness but not dampening people’s desire to travel – Travellers want to avoid flying, but are still planning trips abroad – Policymakers are called upon to support research and investment in green transport.
    According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the tourism and travel industry accounts for around ten per cent of global GNP, seven per cent of global exports and more than ten per cent of jobs. The industry is large – and also has a noticeable impact on the environment. Globally, tourism accounts for around 5 per cent of CO2 emissions.
    A 2020 eco-awareness survey by the German Environmental Agency found that for 65 per cent of Germans environmental and climate protection is a very important issue. Over 77 per cent of those polled see human activity as being the main cause of climate change. According to the Global Consumer Survey (GCS) by Statista, which worldwide polled up to 60,000 people per country in over 55 countries, climate change has an influence on the travel behaviour of 65 per cent of all tourists in Germany.
    Consumers are aware of the transport problemAccording to the UNEP, transport is responsible for three-quarters of global CO2 emissions resulting from tourism. Air transport (40 per cent) and car use (32 per cent) account for the majority of these CO2 emissions. Train and bus transport is responsible for only a small share (three per cent). In Germany in 2019 (the base year in order to exclude pandemic effects), a domestic flight with an average passenger load emitted 214 g of greenhouse gases per passenger km – almost 40 per cent more than a car (154 g per passenger km at a load factor of 1.4 persons/car) and almost 638 per cent more than a long-distance train journey (29 g per passenger km).
    The current Statista survey now shows that German travellers are indeed aware of the environmental impact of their individual transport. In response to whether they would change their travel behaviour because of climate change, the most frequent answer given was “avoiding (long-haul) flights“.ADVERTISEMENTClimate change has little effect on people’s desire to travel – trips abroad remain in high demandHowever, deciding not to travel at all for reasons to do with sustainability is rare. Of the German interviewees planning not to travel in 2022, only six per cent gave protecting the environment as their reason. Accordingly, the threat posed by climate change is not generally affecting people’s desire to travel, but potentially influencing how they go on holiday.
    Despite 24 per cent of German travellers interviewed by the GCS saying environmental reasons had recently motivated them to change their foreign travel plans, in 2022 these trips are still in high demand. 70 per cent of Germans planning a trip this year want to (also) cross international borders. Only later will we discover whether people have actually changed their travel behaviour as indicated and actually refrain in numbers from (long-haul) flights and long-distance trips.
    Sustainable tour operators are a possible solutionHowever, in the case of both domestic and foreign trips the following applies: sustainable travel is feasible. A general assessment of package tours, all-inclusive hotels or budget travel is not possible. In addition to the type of transport, there are other aspects which influence how sustainable a trip is and which are of interest to tourists. Thus, for 48 per cent of German travellers avoiding waste is important on their holidays, for example. For 40 per cent, saving resources such as energy and water is important, and 39 per cent would like local staff to be fairly paid. Rika Jean-François, CSR commissioner for ITB Berlin: “Every step towards sustainability counts. Even an all-inclusive resort can be run responsibly and sustainably if it has a proper waste and water management system, uses renewable energy and offers local produce, and if the employees are from the region – however, the management must support these measures. Nowadays, customers no longer have a binary choice between ‘low-cost’ and ’ethically correct’ travel, as more and more operators are including sustainability in their product portfolio without raising prices. This is an investment in the future. Beyond that, independent certification is no less important, as it offers operators and customers orientation and helps to prevent greenwashing. Sustainability must become part of a general mindset, including towards our travel behaviour. If I take a local trip by train I am reducing my carbon footprint. If I fly, will I stay longer at my destination instead of indulging in short trips? We all have to ask ourselves if we really need to jet somewhere to go shopping. I hope that soon this will no longer be hip and believe we will see this lifestyle changing in the near future.”
    Sustainable tour operators offer many types of eco-friendly travel. They include companies such as Forum Anders Reisen, Gebeco and Intrepid Travel. According to the GCS findings, the potential exists in all the markets that were specifically examined (Germany, UK, USA). More than 40 per cent of those polled were willing to book a trip with a sustainable tour operator, and around 36 per cent were even willing to pay a premium for booking with one. However, in the past two years only 19 per cent of respondents had done so. Here too, time will tell whether travellers actually abide by their resolutions. Contradictions between one’s expectations or convictions and actual behaviour are not a new phenomenon, especially where protecting the environment is concerned. However, what is clear too is that travellers are not only aware of their individual behaviour, but also see the travel industry as having an obligation to provide attractive sustainable travel options.
    Policymakers and tour operators must actIn the GCS, 92 per cent of travellers in Germany demand that policymakers and tour operators introduce measures for more eco-friendly holidays. For travellers in the US and UK, certification of eco-friendly resorts and providing information on a trip’s carbon footprint are a big factor. In Germany, banning private planes tops the list of measures (28 per cent, first place), compared with 19 per cent (fourth place) in the UK and 11 per cent (ninth place) in the United States. Tourists in all countries are unanimous that above all there needs to be more research (combined: 23 %) and investment (combined: 24 %) in eco-friendlier transport options.

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    Eve and Falcon Aviation Services announce partnership

    In April 2022, a subsidiary of Eve Holding, Inc. (“Eve” or the “Company”) and Falcon Aviation Services (“Falcon”), a leading Business Aviation Services operator in the Middle East and Africa region, signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for up to 35 electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft. With deliveries expected to start in 2026, the partnership will introduce the first eVTOL touristic flights from the Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai. Eve and Falcon will work together with the local stakeholders and authorities to support developing the Urban Air Mobility (“UAM”) ecosystem for the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”).
    Captain Ramandeep Oberoi, Chief Operating Officer of Falcon, said: “We are ecstatic to partner with Eve and be the first operator of eVTOL in Dubai & the MENA region. The launch of this concept fully aligns with the Smart Dubai vision and will contribute to positioning Dubai as a global leader in sustainable Urban Air Mobility transportation. Falcon is actively engaged in Urban Air Mobility emergence and committed to delivering an effective and sustainable new urban transportation mode and providing the community with better and faster solutions. We are particularly proud to take a new step in the UAE, in a project that will be revolutionary for sustainable urban mobility.”
    “We are thrilled about partnering with Falcon and having the immense opportunity to enable the future urban mobility in the United Arab Emirates and launch eVTOL flights in Dubai. This is a massive challenge for both companies, which will help to position Dubai as a leader in the urban air mobility market. Eve’s global experience, which spans different regions across the globe, will surely benefit the achievement of this project,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve.
    This collaboration reinforces Eve’s commitment and efforts to safely enable the global UAM ecosystem by providing an agnostic and holistic portfolio of solutions.

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