Eliana Willis

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    Domestic tourism to lead European recovery

    Uncertainty brought about by the Omicron variant of Covid-19 negatively impacted the travel and tourism sector in Europe at the end of 2021, hampering prospects for its recovery in the first quarter of 2022.
    Nonetheless, optimism remains as the European Travel Commission (ETC) predicts tourist arrivals to be 20 per cent below pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
    This is in spite of “numerous challenges” still facing the sector, the body said.
    The most recent edition of the European Tourism Trends & Prospects quarterly report from ETC continues to monitor the Covid-19 impact on the sector, examining how travel activity is rebounding as the world learns to live with the virus.
    Commenting following the publication of the report, Luís Araújo, ETC president, said: “From our report, it is clear to see the stifling impact of uncertainty brought about by Omicron. ADVERTISEMENT“ETC is optimistic that the European travel sector will overcome Omicron and the many other challenges present in 2022.
    “However, the sector’s resilience is contingent on the EU being proactive in the development of endemic strategies that will allow for the loosening of travel restrictions for intra-European and international travel alike.
    “As we learn to live with Covid-19, governments across Europe have to strike the right balance between managing health risks and facilitating mobility.”
    In 2021, strong vaccination coverage in Europe, the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate and the easing of travel restrictions, set fertile grounds for a tourism revival.
    However, the emergence of the Omicron variant at the year-end stunted this recovery as travel restrictions were reinstated to battle record-breaking infection rates.
    Tens of thousands of commercial flights throughout Europe were cancelled over the Christmas period due to staffing shortages.
    Although not as severe as when the pandemic originally took hold in 2020, airline losses totalled €18.5 billion in 2021 resulting in a staggering 1.4-1.5 billion fewer passengers than in 2019.
    While Omicron is expected to stifle recovery of Europe’s travel sector in the first quarter of 2022, the travel outlook for Europe as a whole remains positive.
    With the realisation that the new variant, although highly contagious, is far from the threat it was initially deemed to be, many travel restrictions in Europe are beginning to be relaxed.
    Driven by strong domestic and intra-European travel, the overall travel demand is projected to be 20 per cent below pre-pandemic levels in 2022.
    Whereas domestic travel is expected to exceed pre-pandemic peaks in 2022, international travel will be slower on the uptake and is not likely to fully recover until 2024.

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    Virgin Galactic begins selling tickets to space for first time

    Virgin Galactic has opened ticket sales to the public for the first time, providing an opportunity to purchase a trip to the edge of space.
    “At Virgin Galactic, we believe that space is transformational,” said Virgin Galactic chief executive, Michael Colglazier.
    “We plan to have our first 1,000 customers on board at the start of commercial service later this year, providing an incredibly strong foundation as we begin regular operations and scale our fleet.”
    Virgin Galactic spaceflight reservations also provide access to the Future Astronaut membership community – designed and curated to bring inspiration, excitement, and adventure from the time of ticket purchase to spaceflight and beyond.
    Members will enjoy access to money-can’t-buy experiences, events, trips and space-readiness activities while they await their spaceflight. ADVERTISEMENTThe spaceflight itself launches from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
    Starting with several days of spaceflight preparedness activities, future astronauts will stay with their guests at forthcoming custom accommodations.
    Guests will enjoy bespoke itineraries and world-class amenities during astronaut-specific training programs.
    During spaceflight, astronauts will experience a 90-minute journey including a signature air launch and Mach-3 boost to space.
    The spaceship gracefully flips while astronauts enjoy several minutes of out-of-seat weightlessness and breath-taking views of Earth from the 17 windows.
    Upon return from this transformational experience, astronauts will begin a meaningful journey to create positive impact with the perspective that can only come from seeing our beautiful planet from space.
    Spaceflight reservations are a total price of US$450,000.

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    VisitEngland seeks to boost domestic breaks ahead of summer

    VisitEngland has launched the next phase of its domestic Escape the Everyday campaign, to encourage short-breaks to English cities this spring and early summer.
    The £1 million programme is putting the spotlight on the quality destinations, visitor attractions and experiences on offer across England’s cities, to build back demand for domestic breaks and boost consumer confidence in taking trips.
    The campaign also aims to support cities, city attractions and regional gateways, hit hard by the lack of international visitors and their spending.
    VisitEngland director, Andrew Stokes, said: “With the weather warming up and spring in the air, now is a great time to connect with loved ones on a short break in England.
    “Whether you are looking to experience England’s rich history, stay at an eco-friendly retreat, or discover hidden foodie gems, our cities have attractions, tours and experiences to suit all interests. ADVERTISEMENT“Businesses are eager to see visitors and we want everyone to get involved, book a short-break to our cities and kick-start the tourism season.”
    The digital, partner-led campaign kicks-off this week and runs through to March 31st with content on LADbible, and its sister channel UNILAD, and Buzzfeed showcasing activities and experiences in English cities.
    The campaign will run across the partners’ digital channels, including Instagram and Facebook, with city-focused content ranging from short films.
    VisitEngland has estimated the loss in domestic tourism spending in England, in 2020 and 2021 combined, to be more than £77 billion.

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    WTTC: UK tourism on path to recovery in 2022

    New data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows the tourism sector in the UK is recovering.
    The industry is expected to make a £192 billion contribution to the economy this year, though this is still down by a fifth on pre-pandemic levels.
    The global tourism body forecasts a healthy recovery for the UK tourism sector if travel restrictions and “unnecessary” testing protocols remain off limits for the rest of the year.
    According to the latest research, it could also mean a net gain in jobs for the sector, with a rise of 1.7 per cent on pre-pandemic levels, resulting in some 4.3 million people being employed within tourism by the end of the year, 70,000 more than in 2019.
    This latest WTTC data will come as welcome news to the country’s battle-scarred tourism sector as it looks forward to travel returning.ADVERTISEMENTJulia Simpson, WTTC chief executive, said: “Travel to and from the UK is poised for a full recovery.
    “By the end of this year, we estimate its contribution to national economy could reach £192 billion.
    “While the UK was one of the worst hit in terms of the sector’s contribution to GDP, the future is looking positive.
    “But this will depend on the government keeping to its pledge to re-open UK Plc and not reintroducing the chaotic travel restrictions that actually had zero impact on the spread of the virus.”
    Last week, research from WTTC revealed that as the world began its recovery from pandemic, the sector’s contribution to both the global economy and employment could reach almost pre-pandemic levels this year.
    It forecasts that the global tourism’s contribution to the global economy could reach $8.6 trillion this year, just 6.4 per cent behind pre-pandemic levels.

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    ABTA celebrates as testing restrictions loosen

    ABTA says hundreds of thousands of people will be heading abroad this half term for winter sun and ski trips, as families look to make the most of the relaxation of travel rules.
    Members are reporting that Turkey, the Canary Islands, Egypt and Portugal are popular for short haul trips, while departures to Dubai, Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean have sold well for longer haul holidays.
    Ski resorts in France, Italy and Switzerland are also popular for those taking to the slopes this half term.
    A snapshot of some of the biggest airports shows 200,000 passengers are set to depart from Stansted between February 11-18, plus a further 186,000 from Gatwick, and 160,000 from Manchester, in addition to around 90,000 leaving from Luton, 55,000 from Bristol and 17,000 from East Midlands airport.
    According to Eurostar, more than 125,000 travellers are booked to travel between the UK and the continent during the school holiday.ADVERTISEMENTABTA says the removal of all tests for fully vaccinated adults and under-18s on return to the UK makes foreign travel much easier, including significant savings on the cost of tests.
    Graeme Buck, director of communications at ABTA, said: “Today’s changes to the travel rules are the start of a new chapter for the travel industry’s recovery.
    “Testing has been one of the biggest barriers to travel, so it’s hugely welcome that the process of travelling abroad is now much cheaper and easier for millions of UK holidaymakers.
    “It’s great to see so many families treating themselves to some quality time together this February half term and now that the UK’s restrictions have eased, we expect many more will feel confident to travel and will start to plan their summer break.
    “We expect to see increasing numbers of people turning to travel professionals to help them plan their trips, as they recognise their invaluable knowledge of the latest travel requirements and their expertise in finding the best holiday for them at a competitive price.”
    More Information
    As travel to the UK becomes much easier, other countries still have their own entry requirements and local measures to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
    ABTA is advising holidaymakers to regularly check the latest requirements for their destination.

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    Bookings return to 2019 levels at Travel Counsellors

    Travel Counsellors reports that after the first week of February, bookings show no signs of slowing down, and are now at the same levels as 2019. 
    January saw the company’s biggest booking month post-Covid-19 and was the second most successful month ever in its 27-year history, with new group bookings of over £71 million, beating the previous two months combined for both leisure and corporate travel.
    Furthermore, the business reported that 320 of its Travel Counsellor business owners celebrate their best ever sales month too.
    This comes as a recent customer survey by the independent company revealed over a quarter of all customers said they were planning to spend more on their holidays in 2022. 
    This is reflected in the latest figures, which show overall spend per booking increased by 13 per cent in January. ADVERTISEMENTSome 80 per cent of those questioned said they would be more likely to book their 2022 holiday through a travel advisor rather than online and 64 per cent of respondents said the most important factor when considering travel plans is to book with someone they trust.
    The company’s corporate travel sales are also showing a continued strong recovery, with nearly 90 per cent of UK Corporate bookings being for immediate travel in February and March, reflecting the growing demand in the small- and medium-sized space for a high touch, personalised travel service from clients.
    Top selling destinations continue to be for the UK and USA.
    Kirsten Hughes, managing director of Travel Counsellors, said: “We are now seeing a consistent recovery both in bookings and sales volumes for leisure and corporate travel.
    “This is further reinforced by the growing demand from consumers for trusted travel advice and reassurance coming out of the pandemic, highlighted in the feedback from the survey.
    “Additionally, customers are spending more, as many trade up their previous travel plans and look for premium end product with a premium service to match.”

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    TUI to boost holiday options from Glasgow Airport

    TUI UK has confirmed the expansion of its holiday programme for summer 2022 from Glasgow Airport with increased frequency of flying to over nine different destinations.
    The company will increase its frequency of flights to over nine destinations, with many destinations increased to three flights a week or more.
    Flights to customer favourites Antalya and Dalaman in Turkey will operate four times a week and flights to Mallorca four times a week.
    For customers looking to travel long haul, there will be two options available from Glasgow Airport – Cancun and Orlando Melbourne International, the new Florida gateway for TUI customers.
    Flights to Cancun will operate three times a week, increasing to four during peak summer holidays and flights to Florida will operate once weekly and once fortnightly, increasing to three flights a week during peak summer holidays.ADVERTISEMENTTo offer customers even more flexibility this year, TUI will increase flights to several destinations to offer ten- and 11-night holidays for customers travelling from Glasgow Airport.
    The number of flights to Malaga, Corfu, Paphos and Rhodes will be increased to twice a week for summer 2022.
    Richard Sofer, commercial and business development director at TUI, said: “As the airline with the largest regional airport network in the UK, we’re committed to offering our customers as much availability as possible to our great range of holidays.
    “We’re delighted to expand our summer 2022 programme from Glasgow with increased flying to several destinations, providing even more flight options for our customers.”

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    WTTC predicts US tourism resurgence this year

    The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has predicted the United States tourism sector will strongly rebound this year.
    Barring further impact from Covid-19, the sector could make a $2 trillion GDP contribution, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 6.2 per cent.
    News of the strong recovery follows steady gains in the sector during 2021 and signals the welcome comeback of one of the most important economic drivers after almost two years of upheaval.
    “Our latest forecast shows the recovery significantly picking up this year as infection rates subside and travellers continue benefitting from the protection offered by the vaccine and boosters,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC chief executive.
    “As travel restrictions ease and consumer confidence returns, we expect a welcome release of pent-up tourism demand. ADVERTISEMENT“That, together with what we hope will be a strong consumer-led economic recovery, creates a bullish outlook for the sector.”
    The WTTC is also predicting employment in the sector could also surpass pre-pandemic levels, reaching nearly 16.8 million jobs, above pre-pandemic levels by 200,000 jobs.
    “The good news is our outlook delivers a clear message: If the right conditions exist, the tourism sector can rebound to deliver economic and employment benefits we have not seen since before the pandemic,” said Simpson.
    “We encourage global leaders to consider the economic and employment benefits of boosting consumer confidence by allowing fully vaccinated travellers to move freely.”

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