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    Americans budgeting for “nearcations” due to inflation

    With Americans searching for affordable travel alternatives this summer in the wake of inflation, new research shows “nearcations” and vehicle rentals may be the way to go — especially for those who are scaling back on vacation plans to stay closer to home and setting up a vacation budget in the wake of inflation and rising costs.
    The new research stems from Outdoorsy’s Vacation on a Budget study, conducted by OnePoll to get real time perspective on travel behaviors ahead of this summer. The survey found that 52% of travelers noted they turn to rental vehicles while on vacation in order to save money, with 9 in 10 prefering to rent something they can easily sleep or stay in, rather than book a hotel. And 49% prefer to rent something just as luxurious or economical as what they have at home.
    “While other vacation types have seen dramatic rises in cost over the past year in line with inflation, our average RV rental trip price has only gone up $5 over last year, representing a .28% increase,” said Jeff Cavins, co-founder and CEO of Outdoorsy, the leading global RV rental and outdoor travel marketplace. “Compare this to a 40% increase in hotel prices YoY, and you can see why we believe road trips are more insulated from inflation and also still a very affordable vacation option for those looking to keep their summer vacation plans intact.”
    Nearly six in 10 survey respondents (58%) said they plan to vacation closer to home this summer to beat out inflation and rising gas prices. For those who may have had to dip into their vacation budget just to make ends meet elsewhere (72%), a “nearcation” is the perfect option for a vacation that offers the feeling of a getaway without the blow to your wallet.
    Outdoorsy’s Vacation on a Budget survey also found that:ADVERTISEMENT >Over half of the 2,000 adults surveyed (56%) don’t believe they can afford a vacation this year because of inflation. But that’s not enough to stop them from trying, as 58% have been saving and setting aside more money to keep their vacation hopes afloat.
    Reaffirming the busy travel season that lies ahead, almost 70% said they’re still planning to hit the road this year despite possible budget woes.
    Half of the surveyed participants have a budget set up specifically for summer vacation, averaging $1,237. Four out of five of those with summer travel budgets in place said their plans were impacted by inflation.
    1 in 3 said they would rather scale back on vacation plans to fit a smaller budget than not to have a vacation at all. And 56% said they’ve been successful in planning a vacation around a smaller-than-usual budget.
    To save money, vacation-goers are planning to spend less on attractions (40%), lodging (40%), and clothing (39%).
    Some parts of vacations, however, can’t be given up. Respondents said going out to restaurants (30%), visiting free attractions (28%) and traveling by vehicle (28%) are “vital to have, no matter the budget.”
    There’s plenty to look forward to this vacation season and respondents say they’re most excited about travel this year because it will allow them to spend time with their families (57%), see new places (55%), make memories (55%), and get some much-needed time to themselves (52%).
    “Inflation is an ever-present variable in the travel consumer sector. Travel trends are typically reflected in people’s spending habits,” said Cavins. “With that said, inflation’s effect on RV travel will be minimal. For families, heading outdoors not only offers a more affordable alternative to other modes of travel, but time in nature can also be a more fun and educational experience. Nearby, local state parks are some of our country’s best hidden gems that offer neverending opportunities for adventure and wonder.”
    As Americans approach a “sold out summer,” Outdoorsy is the most reliable source for booking a dream getaway — whether that’s across the country or to a hidden gem closer to home — without having to factor in overpriced hotel rooms and frequent flight cancellations. With over 25,000 RVs available in 4,800 cities across the U.S., travelers have the chance to shift their travel plans to a more affordable option — an RV vacation — to enjoy unique travel experiences that foster quality time with loved ones and time to recharge in nature.
    Cavins continued: “RV vacations are great for consumers’ pocketbooks in the current financial climate as they represent a cost savings of up to 21-64% for a four-person travel party (RVIA), by removing unnecessary spending out of travel and allowing consumers to be at ease. Knowing they can go to the grocery store and purchase a week’s worth of food for their trip at the same price it would cost to take the whole family out for dinner one night is the type of cost-saving trade-off you experience with RV travel. Many families who are concerned about shifting gas prices don’t realise they can also get an RV delivered to a campsite or destination of their choice — easily creating their own low-cost, luxury hotel room under the stars.”

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    Resorts World Las Vegas launches ‘World of Difference’ charity campaign

    Resorts World Las Vegas unveiled plans for its ‘World of Difference’ community engagement efforts, partnering with 40 Southern Nevada-based non-profits for 2022. The resort’s partnerships span over several categories, including education empowerment, health and wellness, military and veteran services and more.
    This announcement comes after the property’s recent success granting two life-changing wishes from start to finish through Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada, as well as over 1,380 hours of team member volunteering in 2021. Since the start of 2022, Resorts World Las Vegas and its employees have actively engaged with their identified non-profit partners through volunteer efforts and support.
    “We undertook a great deal of research and visited many organizations to establish our core partnerships for 2022,” said Lori Calderon-Flahive, Executive Director of Community Engagement for Resorts World Las Vegas. “Our intent was to identify core charitable partners that allow for measurable impact and are passionate about uplifting our community. We look forward to working with them more in 2022 and getting our team members involved.”
    The ‘World of Difference’ campaign is focused on building long-term partnerships with core charitable organizations that align with Resorts World Las Vegas’s corporate values and offers opportunities for team members to have meaningful impacts on the community through volunteering. For 2022, Resorts World Las Vegas selected charitable partners whose efforts focus on serving and supporting seven areas of need within the Las Vegas Community. These areas of focus include: equality and safety education, education empowerment, health and wellness resources, service organizations for homelessness and those in need, military and veteran services, youth services and animal welfare.ADVERTISEMENTIn addition to these core charitable organizations, Resorts World Las Vegas is committed to actively engaging in efforts of social impact, diversity, equity and inclusion.

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    Bel Ombre in Mauritius is launched as benchmark for sustainable tourism

    Mauritian company Rogers Group launches ‘Bel Ombre’ in southwest Mauritius as a territorial brand and announces its intention to make it a mecca for ecotourism, highlighting local know-how and protecting its ecosystem. It will be a destination where people and nature thrive together; a resilient region that includes and values its community.
    During the recent launch event, which had as its guest of honour the Honourable Steven Obeegadoo, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Land Use Planning and Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Mauritius, the group shared its commitment to integrating green practices as a driver of its operations.

    At the launch event, Rogers’ Chief Executive Officer, Philippe Espitalier-Noël, shared the group’s ambition and vision to make Bel Ombre a benchmark for sustainable destinations, both in Mauritius and in the region. “More than the launch of a territorial brand, this is a commitment that reflects our ambition to make Bel Ombre the sustainable destination of reference in Mauritius and the Indian Ocean. Our ambition is immense, as is our conviction that there will be no tomorrow if we do not change our paradigms today,” he said.
    The territorial brand “Bel Ombre. Lamer. Later. Lavi” means Land. Sea. Life and is symbolic of its lush tropical scenery, the protected turquoise waters of the lagoon and a place where life is lived in harmony with nature, in this unspoilt area of Mauritius.ADVERTISEMENT
    Bel Ombre is known not only for its particularly well-preserved territory and heritage, but also for its rich history dating back to the 19th century. Through planned and harmonious development, Rogers and its partners have developed the area with a commitment to preserving and enhancing the beauty of this unique region.
    Hotels, restaurants, golf courses and villas have been carefully integrated into the landscape, coexisting with the omnipresent nature and sublimating the heritage of the former sugar estate. The Bel Ombre territory is based on an inclusive model that aims to pave the way for a circular economy, empowering the local community, creating jobs and building resilience.
    “Rogers is committed to participating in the transformation of the local tourism industry into an eco-industry, with Bel Ombre as a benchmark of the group’s ambitions for the transformation of this sector into one that is more sustainable and more inclusive. At a time when foreign visitors are rediscovering our country’s assets with new eyes, Bel Ombre has everything it takes to differentiate itself and position itself as a destination within the destination.” said the CEO of Rogers.

    The region has recently had confirmation of the Man and the Biosphere label from UNESCO making the region shine more than ever thanks to nature activities designed to raise awareness among Mauritians and tourists on the preservation of its biodiversity. It ensures that the Bel Ombre Territory, in the wild south, remains a preserved and protected environment.
    The Bel Ombre area offers a vast choice in terms of accommodation, gastronomic experiences and leisure activities, namely charming hotels with its Bed & Breakfast Kaz’Alala; luxury hotels with these Heritage Resorts establishments – Heritage Le Telfair, Heritage Awali and Heritage The Villas; leisure activities with the Bel Ombre Nature Reserve, the Heritage Golf Club, the Chamarel 7 Coloured Earth Geopark; ‘edutainment’ with the World of Seashells; wellness with the Seven Colours spas; gourmet restaurants such as Le Chamarel, Le Château de Bel Ombre and C Beach Club; the Villas Valriche real estate program; and the flavours of the terroir with Agrïa, all while staying true to its commitments on sustainability.
    The Bel Ombre Territory also aims to create a diverse and inclusive community by providing sustainable workplaces. In the long term, this unique development project in Mauritius is committed to creating a green economy and promoting ecotourism. Thierry Montocchio, CEO of Rogers Hospitality, shares the group’s ambitions for the transformation of this region of the island, centred around sustainable development. “Already, the commitment is made with Heritage Resorts whose hotels are actively working to achieve carbon neutrality for which the Rogers Group is committed by 2050. A commitment that has already begun to materialise with Rogers Hospitality’s ‘Now for Tomorrow’ sustainability program, and which contributes to preserving the jewels that adorn Bel Ombre’s crown.”

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    UNWTO Americas member to advance common goals

    The American Members of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have met to assess the current state of the sector and plan for its sustainable future. The 67th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas brought tourism leaders from across the region together in the leading destination of Punta del Este, Uruguay.
    Across two days, Tourism Ministers and other high-level representatives, including private sector leaders and delegates form international organisations reviewed UNWTO’s leadership of the sector over the past year, with Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili’s report focused on key international tourism trends and the Organisation’s key priorities for the region, including work around education and investments.
    High-level support of hosts
    The Regional Commission was inaugurated by the President of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou, who was joined Minister of Tourism and host of the gathering, Tabaré Viera, and by the country’s Minister of Foreign Relations, Francisco Bustillo. The meeting came just two weeks after Uruguay hosted a global UNESCO conference, reflecting the country’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and support for the mission and values of the United Nations, among which tourism for development is key.
    President Lacalle welcomed the UNWTO leadership, stating that tourism remains a key part of Uruguay’s state economic policy, and the Commission meeting “emphasised the importance of everyone working for the reactivation of tourism”, both in Uruguay and across the wider region.ADVERTISEMENTUNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Tourism has proven potential to inspire change and drive growth across the Americas and UNWTO’s Member States of the region are showing the way forward in building a tourism sector that works for everyone, with sustainability and inclusiveness at its heart.”
    Alongside the Commission Meeting, both met in private to further deepen the already-strong partnership between UNWTO and Uruguay, a key ally in the region and promoter of tourism for development across the Americas, including through high-level multilateral platforms and organisations.
    Minister Tabaré Viera underscored Uruguay’s commitment to restart tourism, reminding participants that this first major tourism gathering in Uruguay since the start of the pandemic, sent a clear message beyond the region itself. The Minister also announced that Uruguay will adhere to the UNWTO International Code for the Protection of Tourists, and so be among the first countries in the world to take firm steps to restore confidence in international travel, further emphasising Uruguay’s commitment to tourism and to keeping tourists safe and protected.
    Turning challenges into opportunitiesUNWTO Members addressed the key challenges facing tourism today and opportunities for recovery and growth. The debates among member states were complemented by special interventions, including the presentation the Tourism Promotion Hub for Latin America, Latina Tower, in New York City, and by the Latin American Development Bank (CAF).
    CAF, the leading investor in infrastructure across the region, addressed for the first time a UNWTO governing body, advancing the newly-established partnership between the Bank and UNWTO. Alongside this, a policy discussion on “Accelerating Recovery and Building Resilience”, benefitted from insights of leaders from across the region, 
    Generating trustWithin the framework of the Regional Commission, Members met for a seminar on the UNWTO International Code for the Protection of Tourists. The landmark legal code, designed to offer tourists more protection and so increase confidence in international travel, was adopted by Members at the UNWTO General Assembly in 2021. Two countries of the Americas, Ecuador and Paraguay have already made steps to incorporating it into national legislation, while Uruguay will initiate the corresponding process. UNWTO’s legal experts provided updates on the implementation and workings of the Code, with a focus on addressing existing gaps in the provision of assistance to tourists caught in emergency situations, drawing from lessons of the pandemic.
    Next StepsOn the side-lines of the Regional Commission meeting, Secretary-General Pololikashvili met with the Minister of Tourism of Brazil, Carlos Brito, and then separately with Minister of Tourism from Guatemala, Ms. Anayansy Rodríguez, to discuss their countries’ tourism sectors and opportunities to work more closely with UNWTO in the post-pandemic recovery phase.  To conclude, Members States voted to hold the 68th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas in Ecuador in the first half of 2023.

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    dnata opens advanced cool chain and bus maintenance facility

    dnata, a leading a global air and travel services provider, has announced significant expansion of its operations in Erbil, Iraq. The company opened a new, advanced cool chain facility and a bus maintenance facility for its state-of-the-art bussing fleets at Erbil International Airport (EBL), which together represent a total investment of US$ 3.5 million. dnata has also announced that it would invest an additional US$ 14 million and add a 16,000 m² cargo warehouse to its infrastructure in Iraq. The three new facilities will create up to 100 local jobs with dnata.
    dnata’s new cool chain facility is capable of processing 10,000 tons of perishables annually. It enables dnata’s cargo team to offer an uncompromised chilled and frozen storage and cool chain product to its airline customers at EBL, catering to product categories including fresh fruit, meat and pharmaceuticals. The facility was designed and built with flexibility and unique product handling requirements in mind, taking advantage of the latest cold storage technologies.
    The new bus maintenance facility was designed to maintain the fleet of eight passenger apron buses and over 10 transportation buses operated at EBL. It will ensure continuous improvements in the safe and productive maintenance of the airport’s bus fleet, supporting smooth transport operations across the airport for passengers, crew and staff.
    dnata’s new cargo warehouse, which is expected to open in 2023, will further significantly enhance the company’s cargo offering in Iraq.  It will be capable of processing 100,000 tonnes of cargo, with a special focus on pharma and other cool chain commodities, annually. The facility will be equipped with the latest technologies, including environmentally sustainable features such as water harvesting, low energy lighting and an all-electric forklift fleet.
    Furthermore, dnata has recently announced that it successfully implemented its advanced ‘OneCargo’ system, digitising processes and maximising efficiencies across its cargo operations in Iraq. OneCargo automates key business and operational functions, including safety and quality monitoring, reporting and ULD management, with an integrated, cloud-based platform. AI-driven tools and analytics provide enhanced visibility on sales and business performance, allowing customers to match real-time demand with available capacity for maximum profitability. In addition, OneCargo eliminates all redundancies and manual check sheets, substantially improving operational efficiency.ADVERTISEMENTdnata currently provides passenger, ground and cargo services to over 25 airlines in Erbil. In 2021, the company assisted over 1.2 million passengers and handled 8,200 flights and 20,000 tonnes of cargo in Iraq.
    Tom Alwyn-Jones, Managing Director of dnata Erbil, said: “Our latest investment in three new facilities will help us further expand and improve our operations in Erbil as demand for reliable and safe cargo services is on the rise across the region. I thank my colleagues for their hard work and our partners for their support and trust in our services. We continue to go the extra mile to consistently deliver superior quality and be the best in everything we do.”
    In recent years dnata has also made strategic investments in new cargo facilities in London and Manchester (UK), Karachi and Lahore (Pakistan), and additional cargo capacity and infrastructure in Brussels (Belgium), Sydney (Australia) and Toronto (Canada). In addition, the company has recently announced that it would invest over €200 million in its operations in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and operate one of the world’s largest and most advanced cargo facility, dnata Cargo City Amsterdam, at Schiphol Airport.
    As one of the world’s leading air services providers, dnata provides quality and reliable ground handling, cargo, catering and retail services at over 120 airports in 19 countries.
    dnata is nominated as World’s Leading Air Travel Service Provider 2021 by World Travel Awards.

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    UAE’s Ministry of Economy and International Cooperative Alliance to strengthen national cooperation

    The Ministry of Economy (MoE) and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), the largest global cooperative organization, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the structure of the UAE’s project aimed at strengthening the national cooperative sector. The partnership forms part of the Ministry’s strategy to improve the performance of the country’s cooperative sector and increase its contribution to the national economy. The MoU was signed by H.E. Abdullah Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, and Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director of the Alliance, on behalf of the ICA.
    H.E. Al Saleh said that the partnership will help raise the work environment in the country’s cooperative sector to new levels. He explained that under the framework of the MoU, joint actions will be taken along with the ICA to contribute to the development of flexible and proactive legislation that will further empower the cooperative model and regulate its governance. This in turn will enhance the readiness of the UAE’s cooperative work environment and increase its contribution to the growth of the country’s non-oil GDP. In addition, H.E. pointed out that this MoU serves the Ministry of Economy’s objectives and integrated strategy to achieve qualitative development in the cooperative sector to enable it to play a direct role in the diversification and competitiveness of the national economy.
    H.E added: “The cooperative sector plays a pivotal role in achieving the UAE’s sustainable economic and social development goals and is an important asset to the competitiveness and diversity of the national economy. In line with the wise leadership’s vision for the future and the principles and Projects of the 50, the UAE Government has adopted a new vision for this vital sector aimed at improving its performance in accordance with international best practices and enhancing its role in the country’s new economic model. The country has achieved regional leadership in developing the cooperative model and establishing a favorable environment and policies that drive its growth.”
    H.E. Al Saleh further noted that the UAE is one of the first countries in the region to allow the regulation and trading of cooperative shares in its financial markets, a move that enhances the leadership and competitiveness of the UAE cooperatives regionally and globally. It enables the activation and deepening of its role in providing economic sectors in the country and supporting its shareholders. “We continue our efforts today to complete the cooperative sector development strategy in order to enable the sector to take its rightful role as one of the drivers of diversity, sustainability, innovation, high productivity, and transition towards a future economy in the UAE,” he added.
    Meanwhile, Balasubramanian Iyer said: “Through this agreement, we aspire to provide the UAE’s cooperative sector with the highest international practices, following the footprints of leading examples from countries all over the world. Our strategy is to promote the development of the current cooperative system in the UAE, raise awareness, and encourage the participation of youth and women, and build capacities. This strategy is set to increase the contribution of cooperatives in supporting the country’s economy as it is an important focus area in achieving the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 and supports the country’s efforts to establish a diversified economic model.”ADVERTISEMENTThe Ministry of Economy aspires to set a first-of-its-kind comprehensive strategy to develop the cooperative sector in the UAE in the upcoming stage. This strategy includes training for the entities that supervise the cooperative sector and acquainting them with the latest international practices and methods. It is also set to launch a joint committee with the membership of cooperatives, as well as federal and local entities that supervise the sector, to oversee the implementation of the strategy, in collaboration with the Ministry. It is also set to promote joint efforts by the Ministry and its partners to promote the national cooperative sector. The development strategy is divided into three stages.
    Stage I
    Stage one includes the development of the UAE’s cooperative sector and assessing the current state of the sector. This will be conducted by establishing teams from the Ministry of Economy and the ICA to collaborate in developing the jurisdictional system of cooperatives as well as promoting the research and development activities. This stage will further include training workshops that are open to everyone as these focus on introducing the significance of the sector, its role in supporting the national economy, and exploring ways to establish more cooperatives in the UAE.
    Stage II
    The second stage is set to conduct comprehensive studies on the development of the cooperative sector, promote opportunities, identify challenges, and the means to diversify priority sectors in which the cooperatives practice their activities in collaboration with partners. Also, the second stage will oversee the development of an effective strategy to increase the sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP to five per cent by the year 2031.
    Stage III
    The third phase will focus on qualifying the people working in the cooperative sector, raising their awareness on the best practices followed globally. It will also focus on developing the human capacities of the local entities and departments in the UAE concerning policies, law enforcement, and monitoring the performance of cooperatives. This will be achieved through conducting training programs, launching initiatives, and business incubators to accelerate the growth of the next generation of cooperative entrepreneurs. Also, there will be developed training and academic curricula for students. These curricula aim to consolidate cooperative thinking that addresses cooperative principles and launch campaigns and awareness programs across the UAE to raise awareness about the cooperatives and their importance, in cooperation with the concerned local and federal government entities and the private sector. The partnership will last for 18 months.
    By the end of 2020, the number of cooperative societies in their various forms in the UAE reached nearly 42, including 20 consumer societies, 13 for fishermen, 7 societies in other fields, two cooperative unions, and 200 outlets and branches all over the country. The total value of the cooperative sector amounted to AED 3.1 billion, and its net profit amounted to more than AED 1 billion at the end of the same year, while the number of shareholders in cooperatives amounted to about 97,000 contributing members until the end of 2020.
    The International Cooperatives Alliance, which was established in 1895, is one of the oldest non-governmental organizations, and is the largest global cooperative organization that includes cooperative organizations from 112 countries. The International Cooperative Alliance operates in various economic sectors, most notably agriculture, banking, consumer services, fisheries, health services, housing, insurance, industry, and service industry. The Alliance aims to unite and represent cooperatives on an international scale, which are estimated to be nearly 3 million in numbers across the world. It also provides the necessary services for cooperatives and their members who exceed one billion. The Alliance also works with governments and global and regional organizations to offer legislative environments that support establishment and development cooperatives.

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    WTTC publishes report on digital travel post Covid

    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has published a new report on best practices and support for governments for the introduction of a ‘Digital Travel Portal’ to allow safe travel to reduce delays at airports.
    The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a lack of global coordination as governments introduced a constant patchwork of digital and paper requirements.
    WTTC is calling for alignment to build resilience and ensure there is a clear global system focused on an individual’s health status that does not bring international travel to a standstill, which throughout the pandemic caused serious economic damage.
    ‘Implementing a Digital Travel Portal’, created by WTTC and The Commons Project Foundation, is aimed at governments and builds on the previously released ‘Digital Solutions for Reviving International Travel’ report published in December 21’.
    The report gives a blueprint to governments on how to implement a Digital Travel Portal not only during COVID, but during any future health crises that threaten economies and global Travel & Tourism, by ensuring health checks are based on the individual, prior to travelling, to achieve a seamless journey.ADVERTISEMENTThe portal would enable travellers to electronically share, for instance, their digital COVID vaccination status, or any other required documentation, before they begin their journey.
    Once booked, travellers would simply visit the online portal managed by the destination, where their documentation would be uploaded, verifying in seconds their status.
    The data can also be combined with other standard security and visa requirements.
    The previous report provided eight recommendations and addressed the global challenge posed by ever-changing policies and processes, which are not only complex and unsustainable, but also further hinder the recovery of an already struggling sector.
    Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Over the past two years, governments reached for their own solutions to halt the pandemic by restricting travel, but the result was chaos. Chaos for the confused traveller and chaos for economies with the loss of 62 million jobs worldwide in 2020.
    “Today we publish a report that provides guidance on how to create a single digital travel solution that governments can adopt and join up at an international level.
    “If we ever face another pandemic, we must do a better job. People should be allowed to travel based on their individual health status by using a one-stop government digital platform before they start their journey.
    “Governments talk about resilience post COVID. By investing in this system now, governments and their economies will be better protected against any future pandemics.”
    Zhenya Lindgardt, CEO of The Commons Project Foundation, said: “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, now is the time for governments to ensure preparedness for whatever may come next.
    “The past two years have shown us that health will likely remain a core component of border crossing moving forward, and the implementation of digital portals for health status verification is a critical step toward building more resilience in the face of public health crises.
    “The Commons Project is proud to support WTTC in its effort to help countries lay this foundation for resuming safe travel and keeping borders open.”
    The report offers 12 recommendations as general best practice principles to be applied to the whole Digital Travel Portal: privacy by design and default, compliance with data protection and privacy laws, language capability, 24×7 communication, and legal path in case of disputes, amongst others.
    The report also provides five recommendations related to specific features and functionalities considered to be critical for an effective portal, providing health security and an efficient experience, such as traveller questionnaire, and government integration, amongst others.
    For countries still requiring COVID status checks of travellers, this report (along with the December report) provides best practice advice for collecting and analysing traveller health status information pre-travel and digitally connecting the output with travel operators, reducing traveller anxiety and burden at airports
    For countries that have removed COVID status checks, this report also provides a resilience and preparedness tool for the next pandemic, or other major incident, with best practice advice on how to efficiently collect and process digital health traveller information before their journey.
    Lastly, Digital Travel Portals could also be integrated with other government services, such as visa application processes, to provide an efficient digital one-stop-shop for governments and travellers.
    To read the report in full, please click here.

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    Trip.com group publishes its 2021 annual ESG report

    Trip.com Group has released its 2021 annual Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting stronger, more resilient sustainability practices across the business over the past year.
    The ESG report also outlines Trip.com Group’s roadmap for success in 2022, with a focus on greater opportunities to put sustainability into action, creating a more sustainable future for the global travel ecosystem.
    During the last year, the Group has joined the UN Global Compact, aligning its strategies and operations with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
    A founding partner of sustainable travel coalition, Travalyst, Trip.com Group works with leading travel peers to develop sustainable travel initiatives to bring industry-wide change. The Group has also continued to champion the fight against the illegal wildlife trade.
    This is in addition to pursuing its ‘3Rs’ strategy of reducing waste, reusing and recycling resources, as well as adopting green operations across the business.ADVERTISEMENTJane Sun, Trip.com Group CEO, said: “Our commitment to sustainability, social issues and creating a stronger, more resilient business made several important strides over the course of the last year.
    “As a crucial part of our Group mission, our newly-created ESG Committee plays a vital role in enabling the business to embrace innovative and effective corporate governance practices.
    “We are proud of the progress we have made in integrating these practices into our daily business operations to date.
    “We now look forward to continuing to build upon these achievements throughout 2022, and help to shape a more sustainable future for our society.”
    Other key 2021 ESG achievements for the Group include:
    ● Donating 680 oxygen concentrators, worth more than $330,000 to India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia to support the fight against COVID-19
    ● Donating more than 3,000 attraction passes and room nights through the ‘Pay It Forward’ campaign in Singapore, providing leisure and holiday opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds
    ● Investing almost $150 million empowering 100 vacation villages in rural destinations with the building of eight of ten planned country retreats as part of its Rural Revitalisation Plan
    ● Providing more than 2,800 professional development classes to staff through the Trip Growth Academy.
    Within the work environment, the Trip.com Group also reports significant ESG successes and enhancements to its operations, including:
    ● The roll out of a flexible hybrid work model enabling employees the choice of working remotely and supporting employee wellness
    ● Maintaining an equal workplace which is home to a 50% female workforce, 43% of which hold mid-level management positions and 30% at executive level.
    ● Awarded the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Award for providing a Gender-inclusive Workplace by UN Women China.
    Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups around the globe, and has over 20 years’ expertise in enhancing the experience of leisure and business travellers in China and around the world.
    Read Trip.com Group’s 2021 ESG report in full here.

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