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    Qatar Airways collaborates with GE Aviation and IATA to generate the leadership programme

    Qatar Airways and GE Aviation have joined forces to launch a customised training programme under the name ‘Leadership, Future and Culture’ (LFC). National Senior Managers of Qatar Airways attended this one-week course, which was designed for them to connect and enrich their leadership skills.
    The ‘Leadership, Future and Culture’ training programme was created to enable National participants to develop a better understanding of different ways to further evolve and shape the future of leadership in Qatar’s culture. Employees from other sectors and industries in the aviation field have also participated in this programme, which has benefitted Nationals in learning from other leaders and gain different perspectives. GE experts also displayed a number of ways to facilitate leadership skills through the emphasis of fostering teams by covering topics on Leading in 2025, Coaching as an Alternative Mode, Neuroscience of Success, and Storytelling.
    Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “The Al Darb Qatarisation programme continually provides unique opportunities for Nationals designed to elevate them to excellence and success. Within this framework, Qatar Airways strives to further support the community and gear up for the future. Through this special programme collaboration with GE Aviation, National Senior Managers acquired the necessary information to boost their leadership skills and reinforce their knowledge on perseverance and maintaining smart objectives, as well as helping them facilitate an efficient working environment within Qatar Airways”.
    Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Nationalisation and Special Projects, Ms. Nabeela Fakhri, said: “Qatar Airways has always sought to enhance its employees’ careers, by providing the best innovative training programmes to develop and further enrich their skills and abilities. By providing our National Senior Managers with this unique training programme, we are ensuring the progress and professional development of our National leaders, while asserting Qatar Airways leading position”.
    GE Aviation General Manager Sales Middle East, Mr. Main Canaan, said: “GE Aviation was proud to partner with Qatar Airways and GE Crotonville to deliver the (LFC) program. Crotonville was established in 1956 is believed to be the world’s first corporate university. Its mission is to inspire, develop and connect the leaders of today and tomorrow and as such, it represents the very epicentre of GE culture and learning. The Leadership, Future & Culture program was specially designed for selected strategic customers to replicate the type of learning experience GE leaders receive at the Crotonville campus. We were pleased to share GE’s approach to leadership development with Qatar Airways and look forward to continuing this leadership journey with future participants”.ADVERTISEMENTThe ‘Leadership, Future and Culture’ programme was held in Ossining, New York at Crotonville, in GE’s facilities and encompasses an interactive forum, providing Qatar Airways’ National leaders with instructions to resolving issues and ways to tackle tough challenges. All leaders were also given the opportunity to take part in innovative aviation courses administered by International Air Transport Association (IATA) to progress their knowledge and skills. The courses inspire the participants to step out of their comfort zones and delve deep into aviation industry knowledge.
    A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ at the 2021 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’. The airline continues to stand alone at the top of the industry having won the main prize for an unprecedented sixth time (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021).
    Qatar Airways also became the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by Skytrax. This follows the success of Hamad International Airport as the first airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating. These awards provide assurance to passengers across the world that the airline’s health and safety measures are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment.
    Qatar Airways currently flies to more than 150 destinations worldwide, connecting through its Doha hub, Hamad International Airport, currently named the ‘Best Airport in the World” by Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021.

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    British Airways companion vouchers opened up to solo travelers

    Travellers embarking on solo adventures around the world can now enjoy new benefits from their Companion Voucher, British Airways and American Express have announced.
    From today, Cardmembers who have earned a Companion Voucher since September 2021 on either the British Airways American Express® Credit Card or the British Airways American Express® Premium Plus Card can choose to redeem it when booking a solo trip, receiving a 50% discount on the Avios cost of the booking.
    This is an additional option for travellers offering added flexibility. Cardmembers can still choose to use the Companion Voucher to travel with a friend as they would have previously – receiving a second seat for a companion travelling on the same Reward Flight booking as them for no additional Avios.
    Companion Vouchers are awarded to travellers who hold either British Airways American Express Card and reach the required spend amount within their Cardmembership year. They can be redeemed on available British Airways Reward Flights, which don’t need to start in the UK, allowing Cardmembers to book either one journey for 50% of the Avios required, or take a second traveller on their journey – on the same flights and in the same cabins – for no additional Avios, plus paying taxes, fees and charges per person.
    In addition to this change, from today those booking British Airways Reward Flights using a Companion Voucher (either as a solo traveller or with a companion) will now have more control over their Avios spend. They will be able to choose from a variety of options regarding how many Avios to spend versus cash on each booking. This was previously fixed to just one Avios and cash option based on the route and cabin.ADVERTISEMENTBritish Airways American Express Credit Card Companion Vouchers can be redeemed in economy cabins, while British Airways American Express Premium Plus Card Companion Vouchers can be redeemed across all cabins. Extra availability in Club World (long-haul business class), exclusive to those using the Companion Voucher, was added last year to make redemptions even easier. This extra availability is for those using a Companion Voucher earned since September 2021 either as a solo traveller or travelling with a friend.
    Ian Romanis, Head of Retail and Customer Relationship Management at British Airways, said: “Solo travel is a popular option for our customers, which is reflected in the number of solo bookings we have seen. We’ve listened to our customers and we’ve introduced these exciting changes, understanding that flexibility is more important than ever to them.”
    Caroline Bouvet, Vice President at American Express, said: “Companion Vouchers are an incredibly valuable benefit for Cardmembers, so it’s exciting that we’ve been able to make it even easier for them to be used on flights. As people return to travel – looking to go away by themselves or with a friend – the British Airways American Express Cards are a great way to turn everyday spending in to travel rewards, and the only way to earn the much-valued Companion Voucher.”
    British Airways is considered the Europe’s Leading Airline 2021 by World Travel Awards.

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    Conference Leeds announces partnership with Mosaic Events

    Conference Leeds, the conferencing bureau for the city of Leeds, has announced a partnership with Professional Conference Organisers and Association Management Company, Mosaic Events.
    The partnership will further strengthen Leeds’ conferencing proposition and the city’s ability to offer unrivalled support to organisers who are hosting their events in the city. Mosaic Events is based in York and has over 20 years of event management experience. Having worked on a huge variety of events, they have the skills to meet any challenge or objective from delegate management, to full virtual and hybrid event logistics management.
    The partnership comes at a time which sees the conference and event sector go from strength to strength, as the city and its venues continue to work endlessly to ensure that organisers and their delegates experience exceptional in the city. As a result, the city has secured a number of conference successes for 2022 and beyond, including CHS Leeds which took place in May, The 8th International Conference on Concrete Repair, Concrete Technology and Durability, which returns to the city in June and the Pancreas society of Great Britain and Ireland Conference in November.
    On the partnership Sarah Bryne, Director at Mosaic Events said: “Leeds is a city that is thriving across many key sectors and has huge ambitions as a leading UK meeting and events destination. Working with the team at Conference Leeds, we are committed to helping organisers deliver events that are well attended, well received by delegates and are commercially successful.”
    Claire Heap, Head of Conference Leeds said: “Over the last 10 years Leeds has established itself as one of the UK’s leading conference destinations. The city has undergone a massive transformation and is rich with history and heritage. We are thrilled to partner with Mosaic Events. Their services and skills in the areas of event management and association management, as well as their knowledge of Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region, means they are perfectly placed to support event organisers choosing Leeds for their next conference.”ADVERTISEMENT

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    Hong Kong Tourism Board launches Arts in Hong Kong

    Hong Kong comes alive this summer as HKTB launches ARTS IN HONG KONG, a year-long campaign to showcase the city’s extraordinary and enduring appeal as an arts and cultural hub on a global stage.
    The ARTS IN HONG KONG campaign will support international events, in-depth community arts, cultural tours, interactive art tech experiences, art fairs, new openings and much more in celebration of the city’s incredible art scene. The programme launched in May, anchored by perennial stalwarts Art Basel and Christie’s Hong Kong Spring Auctions, plus a supporting cast of innovative new events and venues such as Palace Museum, which will open 2nd July 2022, as well as M+, French May and Art Central.
    HKTB Executive Director Mr Dane Cheng comments, “In-depth travel experiences have become a major global trend, and arts and culture are a key driver of this trend. The Hong Kong Tourism Board has organised an ‘Art Month’ promotion for the past nine years when international events were held in town to generate city-wide art vibes. As well as the staging of large-scale events, new world-class art landmarks such as M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum are also opening their doors, boosting Hong Kong’s allure as an arts and cultural travel destination. As the city’s arts scene becomes richer than ever, the HKTB will make ‘Arts in Hong Kong’ a year-round promotional platform to raise awareness of the city’s always-on, diverse experience of arts and culture, and establish Hong Kong as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.”
    Hong Kong is nominated as Asia’s Leading City Break Destination 2022, Asia’s Leading Festival & Event Destination 2022, Asia’s Leading Meetings & Conference Destination 2022 and Asia’s Leading Tourist Board 2022 by World Travel Awards.

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    World Travel & Tourism Council welcomes decision to remove testing for travellers

    Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “We welcome the decision by the Biden administration and CDC to lift the damaging testing requirement for travelers. It will provide much-needed relief to the embattled sector.
    “The long-term recovery of U.S. Travel & Tourism now looks positive, with our projections showing that a fully recovered sector will create more than six million new jobs over the next 10 years. But short term, the measure caused untold damage to an already devastated sector as international visitor spending has been so low over the past two years.”

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    USTOA makes statement on lift of US pre-departure Covid testing

    Terry Dale, president & CEO of the United States Tour Operators Association, released the following statement: “USTOA applauds the Administration’s announcement lifting its requirement for pre-departure COVID-19 testing. The pre-departure testing requirement for international air travelers has depressed a significant amount of travel to the U.S. and hasn’t provided any meaningful benefit to public health for some time. Removing the pre-departure testing requirement will incentivize vaccination, increase demand for international travel to and from the U.S., and better align passenger aviation entry requirements with those at U.S. land border points of entry and other major travel-trade partners abroad. USTOA remains committed to working with the Administration to ensure a safe, expeditious reopening of international travel.”
    Dale added that the long-awaited announcement is particularly timely as USTOA plans to bring a delegation of members to Washington, D.C., for its Annual Congressional Caucus on June 14 and 15.
    Representing nearly $19 billion in revenue, the member companies of U.S. Tour Operators Association provide tours, packages and custom arrangements that allow 9.8 million travelers annually unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value, and freedom to enjoy destinations and experiences across the entire globe. Each member company has met the travel industry’s highest standards, including participation in the USTOA’s Travelers Assistance Program, which protects consumer payments up to $1 million if the company goes out of business.  As a voice for the tour operator industry for 50 years, USTOA also provides education and assistance for consumers and travel agents.

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    Travel & Tourism set to inject over $2.6 billion into U.S. economy

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    Travel & Tourism set to inject over $2.6 billion into U.S. economy

    The latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, reveals that the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector is projected to contribute over $2.6 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) to the U.S. economy over the next decade.
    By 2032, the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector is expected to make up 9.2% of the entire U.S. economy based on an average annual growth rate of 3.9% – nearly double the anticipated 2% growth rate of the U.S. economy overall.
    According to the forecast, produced in partnership with Oxford Economics, between 2022 and 2032, jobs in the U.S. Travel & Tourism could grow at an average rate of 3.9% annually, representing a 47% increase from 2022 expected job levels.
    Whilst the global tourism body welcomes the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy, which aims to ensure the future growth of Travel & Tourism in the U.S. and create new jobs, WTTC says only immediate action now can secure the long-term recovery of the sector and create more than 6.3 million jobs over the next decade.
    For 2022, WTTC projects that the sector’s GDP contribution will grow by more than 42% versus 2021, reaching more than $1.8 billion by the end of this year and accounting for 7.6% of the entire U.S. economy.ADVERTISEMENTBy year-end, the global tourism body forecasts that employment in the sector could increase as much as 28%, reaching 13.5 million jobs nationwide, from a high of 16.8 million in 2019.
    INTERNATIONAL VISITOR SPEND MAY STALL U.S. SECTOR RECOVERY
    “The long-term recovery of the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector looks positive, bringing more than 6 million new jobs to the U.S. economy over the next 10 years,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO. “But the landscape is highly competitive, and the U.S. is losing out on international visitors.”
    Simpson continued: “Full recovery of Travel & Tourism relies on a significant rebound of international travel. While the new National Travel and Tourism Strategy is a step in the right direction, 2021 was another difficult year for U.S. economy and the millions of livelihoods who rely on it.
    “Many countries’ Travel & Tourism sector is bouncing back to pre-pandemic numbers next year, but the U.S. is not expected to recover until 2025.”
    Despite strong projected growth in employment and GDP contribution over the next 10 years, WTTC’s data indicates that pressure created by slow international traveler spending in the U.S. will continue to drive a significant performance gap in the sector’s recovery this year.
    At the current pace of the recovery, the U.S. international spending would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025, showcasing the urgency of opening borders to international travelers.
    In fact, international traveler spend to the U.S. remains far below pre-pandemic levels, resulting in a slower-than-expected recovery of international tourism revenue.
    In 2021, international visitor spending grew a modest 1.4%, reaching $40.3 billion but falling far short of 2019’s total of $190.9 billion.

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    ASTA: Travel advisors celebrate end of inbound testing rule

    American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) President & CEO Zane Kerby issues the following statement in response to reports that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will lift its requirement for travelers to test negative for COVID-19 before entering the U.S.:
    “We are thrilled to see the end of the CDC’s inbound testing rule, which has been standing in the way of our industry’s recovery for too long. Since the start of the year, ASTA has been engaged in a multi-layered advocacy campaign to get to this point, including direct lobbying of Congress and Administration officials, grassroots action and pressure through national and local media. We commend the Biden Administration for taking this long-overdue step and thank ASTA members across the country for their hard work in helping get this across the finish line. While plenty of challenges remain in terms of rebuilding the travel agency business, today is a great day.”
    Addressing the CDC’s inbound testing rule has long been ASTA’s top policy priority. The Society’s advocacy campaign on the issue featured over 100 Congressional meetings, nearly 4,000 grassroots emails to the Administration, over 7,400 letters to the editor through our grassroots portal, and multiple ASTA and coalition letters to Administration officials.

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