Eliana Willis

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Makati Medical Center (MMC) Foundation has launched the Hospital-in-a-Bike project, which seeks to boost tourist safety in three tourism sites in Metro Manila.
The Emergency Response (ER) bikes will be deployed in the areas of Intramuros, Luneta Park, and Paco Park—which was recently designated as a National Cultural Treasure on its 200th year anniversary. In celebration of MMC Hospital’s 53rd anniversary, these ER Bikes were also donated by The MMC Wellness Center and the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines.
Two of the sites namely Luneta Park and Paco Park are being managed by the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), while Intramuros is being overseen by the Intramuros Administration (IA). Both NPDC and IA are attached agencies of the DOT.
The bikes, which are designed for cycle responders, were developed using custom-built mountain bikes fitted with appropriate lights and sirens. The bikes are lightweight and include a strengthened back wheel and stronger spokes, water bottles and pannier bags which contain assorted medical supplies and equipment for first responders.
Spearheaded by the MMC Foundation, the Hospital-in-a-Bike Project aims to distribute a total of 100 ER bikes among public sector partners around the Philippines, and will be pre-positioned in chosen strategic pilot areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.ADVERTISEMENTTourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat shared her satisfaction with the latest development, citing its positive impact in promoting safe tourism in the three sites.
In her speech at the turnover ceremony held at the Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Puyat thanked the MMC and PLDT-Smart for their relentless support to the DOT’s initiatives, particularly in medical and wellness tourism.
“I hope the partnership of the DOT with PLDT-Smart and Makati Med will continue. They have installed free internet in Intramuros, upgraded the Ciriaco Tirol Hospital in Boracay, helped in vaccinating tourism workers in Siargao, and provided health security during the Philippines’ hosting of the WTTC Summit, where our delegates experienced world-class healthcare and hospitality. Together, we showed that when the government and private sector work together, great things can happen,” Puyat quipped during the turnover ceremony.
Present during the turnover were officials of MMC and PLDT-Smart led by Marge M. Barro, Executive Director of MMC Foundation, and Esther O. Santos, President of PLDT-Smart Foundation.Key officials of the DOT, including Intramuros Administrator Atty. Guiller B. Asido, Medical and Wellness Tourism Director Dr. Paulo Benito S. Tugbang, NPDC Deputy Executive Director Jezreel Gaius A. Apelar, among others, also joined the tourism chief in the activity.
Early in 2020, Puyat has partnered with PLDT-Smart in providing emergency satellite (SAT) phones to regional tourism offices. Likewise, the existing partnership of the DOT and MMC Foundation ensured the necessary upgrade of the Ciriaco S. Tirol Hospital in Boracay Island.

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US Secretary Raimondo announces new strategy to revitalise nation’s travel and tourism More

Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo has announced a new national travel and tourism strategy that focuses federal government efforts to support the U.S. travel and tourism industry and sets an ambitious five-year goal of attracting 90 million international visitors to the United States each year. It is estimated these visitors would spend $279 billion annually—expenditures that will support job creation in communities across the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia.
The Tourism Policy Council, a federal interagency council created by Congress, was charged by Secretary Raimondo with creating the strategy to focus U.S. government efforts in support of the travel and tourism sector which has been deeply and disproportionally affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategy follows a four-point approach to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint, create safe and secure checkpoints, and bolster travel and tourism in underserved and underrepresented communities across the country.
Specifically, the strategy aims to: promote the United States as a premier travel destination, including broadening marketing efforts to encourage visitation to underserved and underrepresented communities; facilitate safe and efficient travel to and within the United States and its territories; ensure diverse and accessible tourism experiences with a focus on showcasing the nation’s federal lands and waters while also protecting them for future generations; and foster resilient and sustainable travel and tourism with goals to reduce the sectors’ contributions to climate change while rebuilding sectors that protect natural resources, support the tourism economy and ensure equitable development. Read the strategy and the fact sheet.
“Across all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, communities are safely welcoming back visitors. From the crown jewels of our national parks and forests, to the historic and diverse sites that tell the story of our people and culture, the United States offers destinations for international travelers like no other,” said Secretary Raimondo. “The impact of COVID-19 has taken a toll on our national and local economies, but it also has presented us with a unique opportunity to mold a more inclusive, equitable, sustainable and resilient travel and tourism industry than ever before. Our new strategy leverages the best of what the U.S. public and private sectors offer, which will promote jobs, recover lost revenues, and inspire unforgettable experiences.”
The travel and tourism sector has historically been a critical force in economic growth and employment in the United States. When non-U.S. residents purchase goods and services while in the United States, it counts as export income for the U.S. economy.ADVERTISEMENTIn 2020, the Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office reported that the decline in travel and tourism to and within the United States accounted for 56% of the decline in U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), and travel exports dropped 65% in 2020 when compared to 2019, or pre-pandemic levels.
However, throughout 2021, as the Biden-Harris Administration implemented a robust vaccine rollout and effective travel policies centered around health and safety, along with lifting travel restrictions when it was safe to do so, monthly overseas arrivals to the United States increased from roughly 775,000 in October 2021 to more than 2 million in April 2022. As a result, international travel to the United States has generated a trade surplus in each of the past five months indicating a positive trend toward recovery even as international travel remains below pre-pandemic levels.

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dnata announces US$100 million investment in green operations More

As Jamaica pursues its Vision 2030 development plan to transform its economy, the island’s government continues to develop and seek innovative investments that can accelerate economic and social growth.
These investment projects will not only provide economic rewards, but will also be sustainable, create new avenues for development in communities, towns, and cities, and will lead to significant improvement in Jamaica’s overall business environment.
Jamaica’s Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator the Honourable Aubyn Hill, noted that the government has expended significant resources to foster an enabling environment for economic growth. “Our long term goal is for investment products and partnerships that are sustainable, that will energise our economy and drive positive change at all levels of society,” the Minister underscored.
“We consider innovative investments to be all about sustainability, transformation and expansion,” explained Norman Naar, Vice President of Sales and Promotions at Jamaica’s investment and export promotions agency, JAMPRO. “These investments will help to protect our environment, meet the challenge of climate change, and create employment opportunities across the society. They will make Jamaica more competitive and strengthen connections between investors and suppliers.”
Ultimately, the goal is to encourage and facilitate the development of products and services that will enhance the lives of the island’s population. These products and services will also use technology to advance sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and others.ADVERTISEMENTInnovative investment projects already underway – with more to come
There are a number of innovative and sustainable investment projects already underway within the Jamaican economy.
In the energy sector, there are three significant solar and wind energy projects generating 115MW kWh in renewable energy; approximately 14 percent of energy generation. Renewable energy is a significant part of Jamaica’s Integrated Resource Plan, which aims to achieve 30 percent of electricity generation from renewables by 2030.
These projects include the 20-megawatt (MW) Content Solar Ltd. solar energy electricity generation plant owned by WRB Energy Company; the Wigton windfarm with a 20.7 MW plant and an 18 MW extension facility, the largest wind energy facility in the English-speaking Caribbean; and Jamaica’s largest photovoltaic power plant, the 51 MWp (megawatts-peak) Paradise Park solar farm, one of the cheapest producers of energy in the country.
In manufacturing, the government has highlighted the island’s “clean beauty” sector as an area of focus, where investors would partner with local manufacturers of beauty products that use ethically sourced ingredients like local castor oil. Helping these local companies increase production and find additional markets will increase employment in the communities from which they source their workers and boost the manufacturing industry.
Another area of focus in manufacturing is the transformation of plants like bamboo to create raw materials and value-added products. The Bamboo Bioproducts (BBP) project, for example, will be the world’s first fully integrated bamboo pulp mill, using a sustainable agro-ecological-industrial model. Locally grown bamboo acquired from company-owned lands and managed farms across the island will be used to manufacture bamboo pulp, which will be exported to global markets.
In tourism, there are opportunities to create wellness and eco-tourism projects that will protect Jamaica’s environment, while building on the country’s strong brand as a destination for visitors.
With regards to agriculture, Naar revealed, “We are seeking innovative investments in agribusiness that can improve the sector’s resilience, profitability, and output. In the leveraging of technology in agriculture, we look to reduce risk of theft, improve consistency and significantly increase yield or scale of production. Therefore, we have a major drive to increase the use of agriculture tech or Agtech as it is also known.”
This includes the creation of projects that have Agtech elements like controlled environment agriculture, automation of commercial greenhouses, and precision farming. Climate smart agriculture and climate-resilient crops are also needed.
Investment in medicinal plants and the cannabis industry will provide the opportunity to boost medical research and will lead to the development of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.
Priority Investment Project initiative will facilitate more investments
To increase the level of these innovative investments that are sustainable, and to create economic benefits and local business and community involvement, the government has launched the Priority Investment Project Initiative as part of Jamaica’s National Investment Policy.
The initiative prioritises projects that will have high performance in areas like economic impact, innovation, linkages, investment in internationally competitive industries, and developmental impact on the local economy. Once a project meets the required standards and is approved by Jamaica’s Cabinet, the investors will receive non-fiscal benefits to assist in overcoming challenges they may face with the venture.
Regarding the initiative, Minister Hill said, “We are serious about fostering investments that bring innovation to the Jamaican economy, and that includes working with investors as partners in achieving their goals. This priority investment initiative will help us to give these projects even more support; at the same time, it helps to ensure that we meet our Vision 2030 objectives through projects that will provide a major boost to our economy and society.”
Jamaica is considered as the World’s Leading Family Destination by World Travel Awards.

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“It is ridiculous that the Government is trying to pass the buck to the travel industry”, claims AITO
Chris Rowles, AITO Chairman announces:  “We’ve had enough.  The Government is playing the blame game, and trying to pass the buck to the wider travel industry.
“But everyone in travel, including AITO specialist tour operators and AITO specialist travel agents, has suffered hugely during the two long years of Covid.  This has been caused largely by three key linked factors.
“The current airport issues are, in the main part, firstly due to the Government’s stop/start policy in relation to overseas travel and, secondly, due to its total lack of sector-specific support for the travel industry over the past two years.
“The third key factor is Government’s total lack of understanding of the travel industry, despite our huge efforts to get these key messages through to the five government bodies to which the travel industry reports.”ADVERTISEMENTOther important areas for which Government must take responsibility include, AITO claims:
Airlines being instructed by Government to return to 70% capacity by now, ie summer 2022, from pretty much a standing start.  This means that they have to sell the capacity created or risk failing.The very long security-check process for airport staff.  It took far too long for the Government to agree that new recruits could be trained during the security-checking process to save time. This is finally now in place, but airports are so far behind that they can’t easily make up for the lost time.
Skilled overseas workers being denied relevant visas despite a huge shortage of supply in respect of a wide range of travel-related occupations.  Travel leaders asked Government to consider this option only last week; the request was turned down by Government.
In addition to the key points above, the travel industry is also faced with the following issues that hinder recovery:
(a) Airport and airline workers suffering from Covid sickness and not being able to work, causing increased flight cancellations, longer security checks and baggage handling problems at the airport. 
(b) Travellers being urged by the CAA to use their ATOL-protected deferred holiday vouchers before the end of September or to risk losing their financial protection, causing a huge rush to book, evidently without any consideration by the CAA of the knock-on impact caused at airports already under stress.
(c)  The relatively unattractive job market in travel – experienced workers across all roles who were made redundant by the travel and airline industries in the 24-month period of zero financial income have, of course, now mostly found new roles in different sectors, and are unwilling to return to a high-pressure, relatively lowly-paid industry with long and unsocial working hours and often poor working conditions.
(d) Brexit forced large numbers of EU workers in the travel industry to return to Europe, causing massive shortages in the travel workforce. 
Says Chris Rowles:  “Government, please hold up your hands and acknowledge your major part in the airport chaos that reigns at present.”
“Consumers are, quite rightly, protesting about changes and cancellations to their holiday flights, but the issues need to be clearly explained.  Tour operators and travel agents have, unfortunately, no influence whatsoever over airlines (easyJet and British Airways, for example) and their schedules.  That said, we are working extremely hard to amend arrangements and to keep our clients informed.  We answer our phones and we email our customers (unlike the airlines), and are doing our utmost to help clients in a difficult scenario which is absolutely not of our making.”

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IATA: Ground handling makes progress towards standardisation

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