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    TAT strengthens presence in the Middle East

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is strengthening Thailand’s presence as the preferred tourist destination among Middle East travellers to drive interest in returning to Thailand in the post COVID-19 situation. This has come about through the recent participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2022, latest partnerships with Qatar Airways and Almosafer – one of the region’s top three largest online travel agents, and a number of marketing and promotional activities. 
    TAT led a Thai delegation that included 18 hotels, three hospitals, two travel agencies and one theme park to participate in the ATM 2022, held on 9-12 May, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Across the four-day event, the Thai delegation had on average 128 business appointments each, or over 3,000 sessions combined. This is expected to boost tourism from the Middle East market to Thailand, and generate about one billion Baht income for 2022.
    Mr. Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas, said, “The interest in returning to Thailand is on the rise, and this is certainly a sign that the market was recovering quickly after the COVID-19 situation. Thailand’s focus at the ATM 2022 was on doing business with the upper market segment, such as families, medical treatment groups, and the new sector of women travelling on their own for shopping, beauty treatments, and other such activities.”
    At the ATM 2022, TAT cooperated with Qatar Airways in launching a special sales promotion aimed at boosting travel to Thailand from mid-May to June 2022, among travellers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. The two parties were also in talks on partnering in a global campaign to encourage travellers from Europe attending the 2022 FIFA World Cup from 21 November-18 December to visit Thailand after the competition. A memorandum of cooperation on this is expected to be signed in October.ADVERTISEMENTMeanwhile at the ATM 2022, TAT introduced a tourist promotion campaign in cooperation with the Dubai Police Privilege Card or Esaad Card, a loyalty programme for government employees under the Dubai Police. Special discounts on goods and services at over 300 locations in Thailand – predominantly hotels, hospitals, spas, department stores, and tourist attractions – will be on offer to 240,000 Esaad cardholders.
    During the last week’s mission to the Middle East, TAT also took the opportunity to enhance its presence in the Saudi Arabia market through the signing of a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) with Almosafer, the largest online travel agency (OTA) in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as well as one of the top three largest OTAs in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
    The MOC signing ceremony on 15 May between TAT’s Mr. Chattan and Almosafer’s Executive Vice President Mr. Muzammil Ahussain was witnessed by H.E. Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports.
    The agreement between TAT and Almosafer is to boost tourism between Thailand and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The main goal is to promote and develop quality tourism experiences in Thailand for visitors from the GCC with a focus on key niche markets like sports tourism, luxury tourism, and health and wellness tourism. Thailand is a popular destination among GCC travellers, particularly those from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where it ranks in the top five and top nine international destinations, respectively. 
    The signing of the MOC between TAT and Almosafer comes after 9 March, 2022, when Saudi Arabia began to allow its nationals to once again visit Thailand. Almosafer said since then it had experienced a huge growth in interest for travel to Thailand from Saudi Arabia with searches for Thailand’s tourism information on its website up over 470% from January 2022, and up over 1,100% in the first two weeks of May when compared to the first quarter of 2022.
    Before the COVID-19 situation, more than 533,000 tourists from the Middle East visited Thailand each year, generating over 41.3 billion Baht in tourism revenue. Travellers from the Middle East are considered among the most high-spending groups with an average trip expenditure of 75,000 Baht per person. Normally travelling in a large group of family, they usually visit Thailand during July and August. From the region, the largest source markets to Thailand are the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar.
    Tourism Authority of Thailand is considered Asia’s Leading Cultural Destination 2021 by World Travel Awards.

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    UK’s tourism sector to create 700,000 jobs over next decade

    The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals the travel and tourism sector in the UK is expected to create nearly 700,000 new jobs over the next decade.
    The forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), shows an average of 70,000 new jobs will be created every year for the next 10 years.
    According to the report, the UK’s travel and tourism’s contribution to GDP is forecasted to grow at an average rate of 3% annually between 2022-2032.
    This is nearly twice the 1.7% growth rate of the overall economy and is set to reach more than £286 billion (10.1% of the total economy).
    By the end of 2022, the sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow nearly two thirds (62.7%) to nearly £214 billion, amounting to 8.9% of the total economic GDP.ADVERTISEMENTHowever, over this period, employment in the sector is set to grow by only 0.5%, to reach just over four million jobs.
    Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Over the long term the future looks bright for the revival of the UK travel and tourism sector, but in the short term, international visitor spend is so low it is hampering the country’s economic recovery.
    “After two years of economic damage to the sector, the UK government continues to take this sector for granted. There has been no focus or understanding of how critical travel and tourism is to the UK economy.
    “Smart countries are investing overseas to get visitors back. Travel and tourism can contribute 10% to the economy and yet it is not even discussed at senior levels. The UK will lose out to other European destinations if this isn’t addressed urgently.”
    In 2019 when travel and tourism was at its peak, international visitor spending in the UK reached a significant £36.4 billion. However last year, as the UK continued to struggle to attract visitors to its shores, the total spend was just £3.9 billion.
    Before the pandemic, the UK travel and tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 9.9% (£234.5 billion) in 2019, collapsing back to just 4.3% (£93.8 billion) in 2020, which represented a staggering 60% loss above the global impact of 50%.
    The latest EIR report also reveals that 2021 saw the slow beginning of the recovery for the UK’s travel and tourism sector.
    Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed 40.3% year on year, to reach more than £131 billion, still significantly below 2019 levels.
    The sector’s modest recovery was unlined by the creation of less than 16,000 new travel and tourism jobs, to reach 4.11 million, which is still some 170,000 jobs fewer than before the pandemic
    The sector’s contribution to the economy could have been higher if it weren’t for the impact of the Omicron variant, which led to the recovery faltering around the world, with many countries reinstating travel restrictions.

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    TAT and Thai AirAsia target Singaporean travellers

    The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is cooperating with Thai AirAsia in launching the “Amazing New Chapter: Rediscover Thailand Get ready to go to Thailand” campaign, which is aimed at millennials and young couples from Singapore.
    The campaign was official announced in Singapore today (11 May) by Mr. Tanes Petsuwan, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Asia and South Pacific, and Mr. Santisuk Klongchaiya, Thai AirAsia Chief Executive Officer, as well as TAT officials and Thai AirAsia executives. The event was presided over by H.E. Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Ambassador of Thailand to Singapore.
    Tanes Petsuwan, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing – Asia and South Pacific, said “With various factors supporting the return of tourism to Thailand, among them the relaxing of entry requirements to the kingdom, easing of travel restrictions in source markets worldwide and resumption of commercial flights, this is a great opportunity to stimulate travellers’ decision-making. This latest marketing campaign is expected to have a positive effect on the Thai tourism industry in the second half of this year.”
    Singapore is a key visitor source market for Thailand, and the “Amazing New Chapter: Rediscover Thailand Get ready to go to Thailand” campaign is among the various joint promotion marketing activities the TAT Singapore Office is working on. The campaign utilises Thai AirAsia’s Singapore-Don Mueang and Singapore-Phuket routes, and is for travel in May to July 2022. It is expected to see millennials and young couples taking up over 3,000 seats to Thailand.ADVERTISEMENTTAT Singapore Office is also organising a media fam trip to Thailand from 12-15 May, 2022, to promote the Singapore-Don Mueang route, new tourist attractions and activities, as well as tourism-related facilities and offers.
    Santisuk Klongchaiya, Thai AirAsia Chief Executive Officer, said, “Thai AirAsia has always received great support from the TAT, and we thank them very much for their cooperation. Thai AirAsia is ready to help stimulate tourism and travel to Thailand, and in addition to the existing Don Mueang and Phuket routes, we are considering adding a Singapore-Chiang Mai route.”
    Thai AirAsia currently operates a daily flight on the Singapore-Don Mueang route, and two weekly flights on the Singapore-Phuket route (on Tuesday and Saturday).
    For 2022, TAT expects Thailand to welcome 10 million foreign tourist arrivals, generating 625.8 billion Baht in tourism revenue. Of these, the number of arrivals from short-haul markets are expected to include 1.1 million arrivals from ASEAN, 200,000 arrivals from Australia and 450,000 arrivals from South Asia (India), with travels starting from April 2022 onwards.
    From 1-6 May, 2022, Thailand has recorded more than 85,000 foreign tourists – or about 15,000 travellers per day. Among these, Singapore was the third top market – after India and Malaysia and ahead of the United Kingdom and United States.

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    A global show with many micro-moments: IMEX in Frankfurt returns 31 May – 2 June

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    A global show with many micro-moments: IMEX in Frankfurt returns 31 May – 2 June

    With just two weeks until IMEX in Frankfurt, over 2,800 buyers from across the world – spanning agencies, corporates, independents and associations – are busy building their show schedules and making appointments to meet and do business with an international roster of suppliers for the first time in three years.
    Exhibitors from 90+ countries will be represented at the show, taking place 31 May – 2 June. This includes a large number of Asian destinations – Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong among others – as well as all the key European countries plus a strong presence from North & South America, including Canada, Brazil and Costa Rica.
    This year’s edition sees the largest ever African representation, including Rwanda, Tunisia, Uganda and South Africa, with Ethiopia using IMEX to launch its new convention bureau. Middle Eastern destinations also make a strong showing and include Dubai, Israel, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
    Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, explains: “The scale of this year’s show reflects how the events sector is truly back in business and starting to thrive again. Demand for face to face events has bounced back in a big way – there are three major tradeshows taking place concurrently at Messe Frankfurt alongside ours and this is the first time that’s happened in our 20 year history.
    “So much has changed over the past three years – for the world and for our industry,” continues Carina. “Our sector hasn’t stood still though, with continued investment in infrastructure, new products, business models and services. I therefore encourage all buyers to catch up through both 1-2-1 appointments and stand presentations with the global range of exhibitors to discover how destinations, venues and more have evolved. It’s important to make no assumptions right now. Everything has changed and therein lies the value of this year’s IMEX. It’s the ultimate living representation of our global market – an important snapshot in time.”ADVERTISEMENTIMEX in Frankfurt, at its core a global marketplace, has also evolved to reflect the current climate for planners. With many event professionals now facing challenges around budgets, resources, supply chains and recruitment, the show has been designed to include many micro-moments specifically tailored to support the individual as well as education and discussion designed for particular roles and responsibilities.
    IMEX is supporting specialists with dedicated learning for association, agency and corporate executives taking place the day before the show, on Monday 30 May. Exclusively Corporate is set to welcome experts from SAP, Bolt Financial and Siemens Healthineers (as well as a former Premier League Footballer and high performance coach) for case study-led education and peer-to-peer discussions.
    Agency planners can shape the focus of IMEX’s co-created Agency Directors Forum, choosing what best fits their needs from subjects including: growth opportunities; adapting to a changed event landscape; trends and technology impacting business strategy, and expectations of clients and employees around DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion).
    Separately, Association Focus will deliver learning and networking exclusively for association professionals of all levels. The collaborative programme offers insight, inspiration and real-world recommendations and resolutions to the challenges facing associations across the world today.
    Underpinning this series of tailored events is the show’s wider programme of free learning where all attendees can choose from 150+ educational events to create an individual programme of forward-thinking professional and personal development to suit their own needs. Tracks include: Trends & Future foresight; Professional Development and Upskilling; Creativity in Communication; Diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility; Innovation and Tech; and Purposeful Recovery.
    “We’re set to give the global business events community the value, connections and support that it needs right now. IMEX in Frankfurt is a show that’s international in scope, but with many smaller value-intensive moments blended in – from face to face business meetings, coffee catch ups, dedicated learning and discussions designed for different sectors of the industry. We’re really excited to see how the industry is building forwards again and look forward to welcoming our community back to IMEX in Frankfurt later this month,” concludes Carina.
    IMEX in Frankfurt takes place 31 May – 2 June 2022 – the business events community can register here. Registration is free. Carina and the team share more information about what to expect at the show here.
    www.imex-frankfurt.com

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    dnata invests $ 17 million in Erbil operations

    dnata 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.ADVERTISEMENTFurthermore, 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.
    dnata 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.
    dnata is nominated as World’s Leading Air Travel Service Provider 2021 by World Travel Awards.
    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.

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    UNWTO launches digital futures programme for SMEs

    Developed in collaboration with some of the world’s leading technology, finance and business companies as Mastercard the initiative is focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which make up 80% of all tourism businesses. UNWTO aims to reach at least 1 million tourism SMEs over the lifetime of the Programme, providing them with the foundational skills and knowledge needed to harness the power of new and emerging technologies.
    UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “Small businesses are the backbone of tourism. The Digital Futures Programme will help them to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and drive the sector forward, powered by innovation and new technology.”
    In order to provide SMEs with tailored guidance and and tools, the Programme is built on a Digital Readiness Diagnostic Tool that benchmarks SMEs across five key digital dimensions – Connectivity, Business Growth, E-Commerce, Big Data and Analytics, and Payments and Security. The launch event, held at IE Tower in Madrid, was attened by around 200 participants including the Ambassadors to Spain of UNWTO’s Member States, as well as invstement and promotion Agencies, and SMEs themselves.

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    APAC’s accelerated tourism recovery for April and beyond

    The easing of travel restrictions across the APAC region has led to a clear increase in bookings, according to Trip.com data. Though the resurgence of the Asian travel and tourism sector will vary per market, encouraging signs of a rebound are starting to emerge, as restrictions are reduced and borders reopen across the region.
    A recent report from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) projected that international visitor arrivals into Asia will grow by 100% between 2022 and 2023, as demand peaks before returning to more normal growth rates over time. The latest figures from Trip.com Group certainly support this projection. From April 1st to May 5th, total orders made on Trip.com in the APAC region grew 54% year-on-year, a significant increase on March’s figures (which show a 22% year-on-year increase).
    By analysing the latest Trip.com Group figures, it’s clear that increased consumer confidence is gradually returning to the sector, with many Asian markets seeing a recent surge in bookings. For a more in-depth market analysis, see below.

    Thailand: Bookings Increase Ahead of High SeasonADVERTISEMENTThailand continues to scrap more inbound travel restrictions. From May, the country no longer requires fully vaccinated international visitors to take a COVID-19 test before flying, or upon arrival.
    As restrictions ease, bookings are increasing. For the month of April, overall bookings (including flights, accommodation, car rental and tickets/tours) were up 85% year-on-year on Trip.com’s Thailand site. Standalone flight bookings increased by 73% year-on-year, with accommodation bookings significantly up, at 130% year-on-year.
    On Friday April 22, the day Thailand announced that COVID-19 tests from fully vaccinated inbound travellers would no longer be required, the number of Trip.com users viewing the country’s local hotels increased by 29% (compared to figures from the previous Friday), while domestic flight bookings on Trip.com grew by approximately 20%.
    According to recent reports, the Tourism Authority of Thailand hopes to attract more than a million travellers per month during its upcoming high season, with visitors encouraged to self administer antigen tests during their stay rather than quarantine in a hotel. For April, inbound tourism to Thailand predominantly came from South Korea, Singapore, and Cambodia with a rise in customers from further afield expected in the coming months.

    Hong Kong: Local Tours Resume
    While Hong Kong recently experienced a fifth wave of the pandemic, this continued to recede in April, with many local tours resuming in the city and social distancing restrictions easing. Hong Kong’s residents eagerly await a return to normal life, with beaches and swimming pools reopening on May 5, and bars, nightclubs, karaoke rooms and cruises resuming operations on May 19.
    Trip.com Group data supports encouraging signs of recovery in the market, with local accommodation bookings in April increasing by 6% year-on-year. Thanks to the further relaxation of travel restrictions – including social distancing policies and flight suspension rules – by the end of April, overall unique visitors and product orders on Trip.com (both domestic and international) were almost double the figures for February, when Hong Kong was heavily hit by COVID-19.
    Additionally, in May, non-residents are able to enter Hong Kong for the first time in over two years, with inbound tourism expected to increase incrementally, in addition to a predicted rise in staycations.
    The Hong Kong Government is also looking to encourage and boost local consumption generally, as well as in the travel sector, and issued a new round of consumption vouchers in April, which can be used to book with Trip.com.

    South Korea: International Flights Leading the Recovery
    South Korea reopened on April 1, with fully vaccinated travellers now able to enter and move freely within the country without any quarantine measures. Positively, outdoor mask mandates are also being lifted in May, with international flights projected to increase, too.
    The country plans to resume around half the number of pre-pandemic flights by year-end. FlightGlobal reported 420 weekly international flights into the country in April, just under 9% of pre-pandemic levels.
    Trip.com Group data also proves that flights are leading the recovery in the market, with a 383% year-on-year increase in flight booking in April and a further increase of 39% in the same period for March. The number of users viewing flight products since March 1 has also increased by almost 150% year-on-year.
    As the country continues to ease its international travel restrictions, we’ve also seen demand for international travel booming on Trip.com’s Korean site. Outbound flights bookings tripled in April, compared to February; and overseas hotel bookings also grew, by 60% and 175% in March and April respectively, when compared to February.
    In terms of overseas destinations, the most popular international flight routes from Korea were to Vietnam, the Philippines, the US, Thailand and Indonesia, with cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Hanoi, Bangkok and Da Nang ranking in the top five getaway destinations for Korean travellers.

    Vietnam: A Strong Domestic Tourism Market Bolstered by International Flights
    Vietnam fully reopened its borders to international travellers from March 15. As a result, the country has seen a substantial rebound in tourism, with international visitors to Vietnam in April reaching 101,400 arrivals, more than five times higher than the same period last year.
    The appetite for domestic travel has also surged. Trip.com Group data shows that domestic hotel bookings in the country are up 247% year-on-year compared to 2021.
    International flight bookings have also seen a marked increase thanks to the easing of restrictions, with 2022 figures showing a 265% uplift on figures from 2021. Though visitors must still obtain a negative COVID-19 test result before departure, a 15-day visa exemption is in place for arrivals from 13 key nations (including Japan, South Korea, France, Spain and the UK) which hopes to further stimulate recovery.
    For 2022, the most popular flight routes into Vietnam come from South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, according to Trip.com data.

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    Turkey’s travel sector to drive national economy

    The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals Turkey’s travel and tourism’s GDP is forecast to grow at an average rate of 5.5% annually over the next decade, more than twice the 2.5% growth rate of country’s overall economy.
    The forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows by 2032, the sector’s contribution to the nations GDP could reach nearly TRY 1,036 billion (US$117 billion), representing 11% of the total economy.
    The sector is also expected to create more than 716,000 new jobs over the next decade.
    By the end of this year, the sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow 15.5% to nearly TRY 607 billion (US$68.5 billion), amounting to 8.3% of the nation’s economy, while employment in the sector is set to grow by 4% to reach more than 2.5 million jobs.
    Latest flight booking data from WTTC’s knowledge partner ForwardKeys shows that over the key summer period this year, Turkey is set to be the fourth most popular European hot spots amongst sun-seeking travellers, who will be heading to city destinations such as Istanbul, and the beaches of Antalya, Bodrum, and Dalaman.ADVERTISEMENTThe data shows that flight bookings are already overtaking pre-pandemic levels with bookings from the UK up 101%.
    Other source markets are also outperforming 2019, with bookings from the U.S., Canada, and Ireland up 57%, 28% and 18% respectively.
    Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The future looks bright for Turkey’s travel and tourism sector with its contribution to GDP set to outpace the national economy for the next 10 years, creating almost three quarters of a million new jobs.
    “Flight booking data from our partner ForwardKeys clearly shows that this popular destination is set to enjoy a bumper summer season.
    “Before the pandemic, Turkey’s economy was highly reliant on international tourism, so its recovery is critical to both the economy and jobs.”
    Turkey’s travel and tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 11% (TRY 693.3 billion or US$78.2 billion) in 2019, falling to just 5.1% (TRY 327.2 billion or US$36.9 billion) in 2020, which represented a painful 52.8% loss.
    The sector also supported nearly 2.6 million jobs across the country, before suffering an 18% drop, falling to 2.1 million.
    WTTC’s latest EIR report also reveals that 2021 saw the beginning of the recovery for the Turkish travel and tourism sector.
    Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed 60.6% year on year, to reach TRY 525.5 billion (US$59.3 billion).
    The sector also saw a recovery of almost 300,000 Travel & Tourism jobs, representing a 14% rise to reach more than 2.4 million.
    The global tourism body says the sector’s contribution to the economy and employment could have been higher if it weren’t for the impact of the Omicron variant, which led to the recovery faltering around the world, with many countries reinstating severe travel restrictions.

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