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      USA Basketball Showcase Abu Dhabi set for August

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      USA Basketball has announced an agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
      Under the terms of the deal, the United States will host three games in Abu Dhabi featuring the men’s national teams from the United States, Germany and Greece.
      The USA Basketball Showcase Abu Dhabi represents USA Basketball’s first men’s national team activity in the United Arab Emirates.
      In preparation for the 2023 FIBA Men’s World Cup, the United States men’s national team will host Greece and Germany on August 18th and 20th, respectively.
      Germany and Greece are set to play on August 19th.
      “USA Basketball is thrilled to work with DCT Abu Dhabi to bring the USA Basketball Showcase to Abu Dhabi.
      “This is the first time our Men’s national team will play in the UAE and we’re excited to engage with fans from across the globe, while also offering our players and coaches memorable on- and off-court experiences,” said Jim Tooley, chief executive of USA Basketball. ADVERTISEMENT“We are grateful to the national federations of Greece and Germany for their participation as we prepare for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, arguably the toughest international tournament in basketball.”
      Tickets will go on sale this spring, but fans can register for updates by clicking here. 
      Saleh Al Geziry, director general of Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “It’s set to be an unforgettable summer in Abu Dhabi and it’s an honour to host the first USA Basketball Showcase in the UAE.
      “We look forward to welcoming players and fans from the USA, Germany and Greece, to cheer on their national teams and to discover a wide range of experiences in Abu Dhabi that inspire, excite and restore.”
      Additional USA Basketball Showcase details, including team rosters, broadcast information and training camp dates, will be announced later.
      More Information
      The United States officially qualified for the 2023 FIBA World Cup last month.
      One of seven teams set to represent FIBA Americas in the 32-team field, the USA will play all its games in Manila as the tournament is set for August 25th to September 10th, in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.
      The World Cup draw is set for April 29th, in Manila.
      For more information, click here.
      The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of the culture and tourism sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions.
      Find out more on the official website.

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      READ NOW! Breaking Travel News ITB Berlin 2023 Special Edition – ISSUE 3 More

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      Miral Destinations presents key developments for award-winning destinations

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      Miral Destinations, the trusted one-stop trade and promotional partner for Saadiyat Island and Yas Island Abu Dhabi, is highlighting key developments presented by both award-winning destinations at ITB Berlin, taking place from March 7 – 9. The company presented key trade initiatives for 2023 at the exhibition, along with recent updates on Yas SeaWorld ® Research & Rescue, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi , which has recently opened its doors earlier in February this year.
      Liam Findlay, CEO of Miral Destinations said: “We are pleased to participate in yet another edition of ITB Berlin as we continue to provide our guests with best-in-class leisure, tourism and entertainment experiences. We recognize the critical role that travel professionals play in promoting and selling both Yas Island and Saadiyat Island and are committed to working closely with them to create unique and authentic experiences for their clients all over the globe. At this edition of ITB Berlin, we are showcasing a range of products and services designed specifically for travel partners. We look forward to engaging with industry partners and leaders to share ideas and best practices, to explore ways we can work together to reaffirm our commitment to the global tourism industry.”
      Abu Dhabi’s fascinating beach destination Saadiyat Island spans across the Arabian Gulf with its breathtaking views and glittering turquoise waters and is only a short drive away from Abu Dhabi’s downtown area. The island is home to tranquil and idyllic beaches and for the 11th consecutive year, Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi has been crowned as the “Middle East’s Leading Beach Destination” by the World Travel Awards, reaffirming its spot as the Middle East’s Best Beach destination.

      Standing as the Middle East’s leading and award-winning beach destination, Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi delights guests with inspiring beach experiences, guaranteed to take them on a transformative journey. Guests can expect captivating natural surroundings, pristine white sandy beaches, thriving wildlife and marine life, luxurious resorts, and a vibrant culture and entertainment scene.ADVERTISEMENTNeighboring premier and entertainment hub Yas Island is no stranger to success, with 2022 being a pivotal year for the destination. Yas Island offers year-round offers and packages for visitors from every continent, with the F1 Grand Prix race topping the list for racing fans in Germany and delighting thrill-seekers who flock from all over the world to be part of the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit, with this year’s highly anticipated event scheduled from November 24 – 26. The destination also offers a unique lineup of events and world-class performances at the Etihad Arena, which continue to entertain visitors of all ages and interest.
      Yas Island is set to expand its portfolio with the highly anticipated addition of SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, which is on track to open in 2023. The next-Marine-Life Theme Park, tells a captivating ‘One Ocean’ story that uncovers the interconnectivity between life on earth and our oceans, inspiring a deep commitment to conserving our planet. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is set to deliver fun, engaging, and immersive family-friendly experiences through eight uniquely themed realms inspiring entertainment, as well as unmatched dining and shopping experiences, all under one roof.
      Earlier in February, Miral Destinations had announced the opening of Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue, , the first-of-its-kind dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation and return center in the region, serving as an advanced marine science knowledge hub and a key contributor to marine life conservation in the region and beyond.
      Yas Island also offers visitors unique all-inclusive packages such as the ‘Stay & Play’ offering, which will soon include SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, offering travel agents the chance to purchase the packages from Miral Destinations’ booking portal or through their preferred travel partner.

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      Flight cancellations and schedule changes occurred with much shorter notice in 2022 than in 2019

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      Flight cancellations and schedule changes occurred with much shorter notice in 2022 than in 2019

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      Emilie Dumont, Managing Director of Digitrips
      Digitrips has revealed flight cancellations and schedule changes occurred much closer to departure in 2022 than in previous years, highlighting the severe impact of staff shortages and strikes on airlines and airports worldwide.
      The multi-product travel provider, which owns French B2B OTA MisterFly, found that passengers received an average of 39 days’ notice of changes or cancellations in 2022, compared to 54 days in 2019.
      Emilie Dumont, Managing Director of Digitrips, said: “Our figures from MisterFly revealed that the proportion of our travellers who experienced flight cancellations or changes prior to their departure date remained significantly higher in 2022 than pre-Covid – with 40% of our travellers affected, compared to just 25% in 2019.
      “But most importantly, changes and cancellations happened at much shorter notice than before the pandemic. In 2019, passengers were notified on average 54 days prior to departure that their flights had been changed or cancelled. In 2022, that average was just 39 days.
      “This year is likely to be even busier and, with staff shortages and strikes continuing to cause disruption worldwide, we expect the cancellations window to shrink even further. Therefore, the travel industry must act swiftly to adopt technology that can help minimise the impact of these disruptions on travellers. This could include implementing automated rebooking and refund tools, or even AI-powered customer service systems.”ADVERTISEMENT

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      ACTIVELY SHAPING CHANGE IN TOURISM

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      ACTIVELY SHAPING CHANGE IN TOURISM

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      The tourism industry is back and on course worldwide to reach pre-pandemic levels. On Tuesday at the ITB Berlin Convention, Harald Pechlaner, university professor of Tourism from Eichstätt, discussed the challenges currently facing the industry and how to deal with digitalisation, the skills shortage and a much talked-about trend, sustainability.Taking part in the event were Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Alessandra Priante, regional director, Europe, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Sören Hartmann, president of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW) and Dr. Eduardo Santander, executive director and CEO of the European Travel Commission (ETC).
      Sören Hartmann (BTW) was of the opinion that the industry’s recovery could not signify business as before. In future, the focus would be on creating values for destinations and travellers alike. It meant travellers would have to get used to paying more for their holidays, while benefiting from more interesting and insightful experiences at their destination. “We need to transform our thinking and sell our products above value, not above price”, Hartmann said.
      “This is not about returning to the past but about now and the future“, said Dr. Eduardo Santander of the ETC. He stressed that it was not about predicting but instead shaping the future. Europe had an important role to play as a coordinator, Santander said. The introduction of the Europe-wide COVID vaccine pass had shown that. It was necessary now to create a platform for more eco-friendlier action – with eco-friendlier aviation fuels, better waste management and a combined energy mix.
      According to Alessandra Priante of the UNWTO, one of the most important challenges now was to strengthen the basic workforce in tourism. “If we lose people we lose the heart and soul of our business“, Priante warned. That was why it was important to build trust among young people, to offer them training and to promote tourism as an industry with good career prospects.
      According to Julia Simpson of the WTTC, another key to making the industry more attractive was presenting tourism’s carbon footprint in rational rather than emotive terms. “Greenhouse gas emissions from using smartphones were the same as air travel worldwide”, Simpson said, adding that the tourism industry’s carbon emissions were at 8.1 per cent. She emphasised that the tourism industry had now succeeded in reducing its carbon footprint and decoupling growth from CO2 emissions. “In many places tourism is a kind of guardian of nature”, Simpson said.ADVERTISEMENT

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      CTO reports promising outlook for the region in 2023

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      Flight cancellations and schedule changes occurred with much shorter notice in 2022 than in 2019 More

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      CTO reports promising outlook for the region in 2023

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      CTO Chairman Kenneth Bryan (left) and Acting CTO Secretary General Neil Walters are pictured at today’s press conference in Barbados.
      Despite global pressures such as high inflation, the war in Ukraine, the ensuing energy crisis, and an impending economic recession, the outlook for Caribbean travel and tourism is favorable, according to the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)
      Delivering the region’s 2022 “Tourism Performance and Outlook Report” in Bridgetown today, Neil Walters, Acting Secretary General of the CTO, confirmed that the Caribbean had one of the quickest recovery rates globally in 2022, with 28.3 million registered tourist visits in 2022. This represents 88.6 percent of the visitors who arrived in 2019, which served as the baseline year for typical tourism activity before the pandemic.
      He reported that international travel is expected to contribute to the region’s substantial gains already registered thanks to the robust United States market, which continues to drive the region’s recovery.
      There was an estimated 28.1 percent increase in visitors coming from the U.S. market in 2022. At the end of the year, 14.6 million American tourists visited the region, 3.2 million more than the 11.4 million in 2021.
      Arrivals from the European market increased by 81 percent in 2022 when compared to 2021. The 5.2 million tourists from this market were almost double the 2.8 million in 2021. This represented 18.3 percent of all arrivals in 2022,ADVERTISEMENTDue to travel restrictions in early 2022, the Canadian market has recovered more slowly at 60 percent, while the lack of availability of intra-regional airlift has negatively impacted regional connectivity.
      “Nearly 90 percent of the region’s travel demand for 2019 has already been recovered,” reported Walters, with destinations such as Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands already surpassing their pre-pandemic levels.
      Caribbean destinations can expect this recovery to continue into 2023, albeit at a slower rate, Walters explained, predicting that growth will be uneven among the destinations, with additional countries and territories exceeding their 2019 levels.
      According to STR, the average daily rate at hotels increased by 21.7 percent to US$290.60 in 2022. The revenue per available room surged by 66.4 percent to $176.46, and the number of available rooms (up 4.4 percent) as well as room income (up 73.6 percent) increased. After two challenging years for the aviation industry, global air passenger traffic recovered significantly in 2022.
      It is estimated that visitors to the Caribbean region spent between $36.5 and $37.5 billion in 2022, an increase of 70 to 75 percent compared to 2021.
      It is expected that overall arrivals to the region will increase by between 10 and 15 percent when compared to 2022, with 31.2 to 32.6 million tourists visiting the region this year. The cruise industry is also anticipated to continue recovering and expanding to meet increasing demand, with 32 to 33 million cruise passenger visits expected – a five to 10 percent increase over the pre-COVID baseline figure.
      Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Council of Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism, Kenneth Bryan, who also serves as the Cayman Islands’ Minister of Tourism and Transport, summarized that in the face of the devastating blows delivered by the pandemic, “as a region, we have responded with hope, strength and the determination to prevail.”
      Minister Bryan reiterated that great strides have been made in Caribbean tourism, a clear indication that the sector is bouncing back, and hopes are high that the robust pace of recovery will continue into 2023 and beyond. “So although we have not yet surpassed 2019’s numbers across the board in every jurisdiction, the needle is certainly moving in the right direction,” he commented.
      The chairman envisioned 2023 as a period of growth and development for the CTO, and he and his team were laser-focused on growing the membership, including countries, territories as well as allied partners. “It is also my intention to strengthen the relationships with other organizations, such as the United Nations World Travel Organization, the World Travel and Tourism Council, and even the Central American Tourism Promotion Agency (CATA), to foster greater collaboration,” said Minister Bryan. Consideration is being given to the restructuring of the organization and reforming its strategic vision and direction for the next five years, which includes the appointment of a new Secretary-General, he confirmed.Minister Bryan announced the return of CTO’s Caribbean Week in New York, to be held in “The Big Apple,” from June 5 to 8 this year, and disclosed that his team was committed to addressing the nagging issue of air connectivity, a complex one that has been exacerbated by the reevaluation of airline business structures and the global pilot shortage. “It would be illogical for me to promise a solution to this issue during my tenure as chairman. But what I can and will commit to is getting the players around the table to forensically examine what we need to do as a unified region to improve this scenario and start the ball rolling towards the solution.”

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      Hyatt Hotels Corporation Sees Continued Growth in EAME Markets

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      Iberia’s revamped Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan focuses on promoting diverse talent

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      After the pandemic, Iberia redesigned and relaunched its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan with a new approach that covers gender, generational, cultural (nationalities), LGTBIQ+ and disability groups. The objective of this new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan is to achieve adequate management of the diverse talent that exists within the company, which enhances the commitment and feeling of belonging of the employees and promotes internal creativity and innovation to face organisational challenges.
      Regarding gender equality, the airline is developing internal and external initiatives to give visibility to its female talent and promote the presence of women at all levels and roles within the company.
      María Bello, Director of People Development and Diversity at Iberia, explained: “Companies must be a reflection of our society and be as diverse as possible. Through the new plan, we want to refocus DE&I initiatives and understand how diverse our company is, identify opportunities for improvement and break down barriers. To do this, we want to involve the entire organisation, rely on training and awareness programmes, set objectives, plan actions and review all our processes”.
      2025: 40% of women in positions of high responsibility
      38% of Iberia’s workforce is female; the majority of them are in the administrative team and among cabin crew and are still a minority in professions such as pilots, aeronautical engineers, and aircraft maintenance technicians.ADVERTISEMENTIn line with IAG, its parent company, Iberia is committed to increasing the percentage of women in management positions to 40% in the next two years. Between 2018 and 2022, the airline has gone from having 18% to 34% of women in the most senior positions.
      Raise awareness, develop and showcase female talent
      Iberia’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan promotes the presence of women in management positions and brings them closer to those professions in the aeronautical sector where they are still a minority, through a range of initiatives that revolve around three main pillars:
      1/ Internal awareness and training in a committed culture to diversity and through different actions:
      Carrying out “YoSInEtiquetas” workshops with employees from all areas to identify the framework for action.A community of Diversity Ambassadors for each of the diversity groups: gender, generational, cultural, LGTBIQ+ and people with disabilities.The incorporation of diversity into the internal brand values: “We are one and diverse”.Monitoring the use of inclusive language in all internal and external communications.2/ Processes related, above all, to professional development, inclusive HR policies and the Equality Plan:
      Equality Plan: Iberia has materialised the agreements with the airline´s social representation of the three employee groups (ground staff, pilots and cabin crew) and, currently, is working to update it according to the law.Inclusive HR policies:Implementation of the 50% requirement of CVs in its selection processes of external candidates, for profiles where there is enough representation of both genders in the labour market.Review from the gender perspective of various human resources processes such as attracting talent, leadership profile, evaluation, succession plan, climate survey, Training Plan and talent programmes.External competitiveness study to ensure that salaries in Iberia are in line with the market and that there is no gender pay gap.Female talent development and mentoring programme: Take the lead, to promote the professional career of women towards positions of greater responsibility.
      3/ External communication actions to make female talent visible and attract women to professions like pilot, engineer, and maintenance technician, where female presence is still very minor.
      Attracting and promoting technical careers among young women is the objective of Iberia’s “I want to be” programme, which allows girls between the ages of 16 and 18 to enjoy an “immersion” in the airline’s facilities and learn more about traditionally male professions in the aviation industry.In addition, Iberia supports different associations and events aimed at lending visibility to women:It is part of the “Ella vuelan alto” association, a project that seeks to promote female talent in the aviation industry, giving women a voice and making them more visible.It supports the 50&50 Gender Leadership consultancy project, whose objective is to advance equal rights and opportunitiesAnd it also participates in WoMen Now, a platform that gives a voice to extraordinary women.

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      easyJet customers raise over £300,000 to support UNICEF’s Türkiye and Syria earthquake appeal

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      easyJet customers have raised over £300,000 in three weeks to support UNICEF’s emergency appeal. Their donations have helped raise vital funds for the children and their families affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria.
      The emergency onboard collection by easyJet’s cabin crew has now been extended into March, providing millions more customers flying with easyJet across 36 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the opportunity to donate in any currency.
      Donations will go directly towards supporting UNICEF’s round-the-clock emergency response in the region. In Syria, UNICEF is mobilising supplies and services to support the urgent needs of children and families. In Türkiye, UNICEF has mobilised critical emergency supplies and ensured evacuation to safe spaces for children in affected areas.
      Michael Brown, Director of Cabin Services, commented:
      “I would like to thank all of our customers who have already donated, for their kindness and generosity in raising over £300,000, which will help UNICEF and their volunteers to continue providing a vital lifeline in the region for the children and families who have been affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. ADVERTISEMENT“This is, of course, all made possible by our fantastic crew, who day-in and day-out go the extra mile to raise money for UNICEF.  As the relief effort continues, we are pleased to have been able to extend the collections onboard into March so more customers can have the opportunity to donate.”
      Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive, UNICEF UK:
      “Through our partnership, UNICEF and easyJet remain committed to ensuring that the families affected by the recent earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria receive urgent support. By supporting UNICEF’s appeal, easyJet is helping to provide access to emergency supplies.”
      “Children face extra risks to their health without supplies of food and clean water and donations from easyJet and its generous customers will continue to support UNICEF’s work around the clock to protect the health and welfare of children and their families.”
      Over the last 10 years easyJet customers have raised more than £16m for UNICEF through on board collections, including more than £800,000 last year for children and their families impacted by the war in Ukraine, helping to protect millions of children around the world from disease and keep them safe during emergencies.

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      Manchester City players and Etihad Airways make dreams come true for young female players

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      Manchester City players and Etihad Airways make dreams come true for young female players

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      Ahead of International Women’s Day, Etihad uses the strength of its partnership with MCFC to champion inclusivityThe sky is the limit for four aspiring female footballers from the United Arab Emirates after an invitation from Manchester City Women turned into the trip of a lifetime thanks to Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier.
      For girls, Madiyah, 12, Meriel and Sura, both 11, and Zarah, 9, who all attend the City Football Schools in the UAE, mid-week coaching in Abu Dhabi typically ends with a tactical de-brief.
      But in a new heart-warming video released to celebrate International Women’s Day, the girls were thrilled to receive a personal message from England Lionesses, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp, and Australia’s Hayley Raso, in which they were invited to join them as Manchester City matchday mascots for the Women’s Super League fixture against Arsenal at the Academy Stadium on the Etihad Campus in Manchester.
      Unknown to the girls, Etihad Airways had booked the players, their parents and coaches onto an eight-hour flight that evening from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Manchester.
      As part of the experience, the young female players enjoyed behind-the-scenes access to Manchester City Women’s final training session before the match and were lucky enough to have photos and signatures with some of their role models from the club.ADVERTISEMENTGeorgia Bainbridge, City Football Schools Coach, said, “When we were told about the surprise and asked to put forward four girls, Madiyah, Meriel, Sura and Zarah immediately sprung to mind. They have demonstrated fantastic skills and potential, but their attitude to training is outstanding and something all the coaches at City Football Schools in the UAE really admire.
      “We want to continue to inspire our female players and promote women’s football as much as we can in the UAE which has been helped massively following the Women’s Euros and Chloe Kelly’s winning goal. She’s a player the girls admire and hope one day to emulate so having the chance to watch her and the rest of the team train before meeting them was incredible.”
      Before leading out the team as match day mascots in front of a sell-out crowd, the girls also toured the Etihad Stadium along with the home dressing room, where screams could be heard around Manchester as their personalised matchday shirts took pride of place.
      Amina Taher, Vice President Brand, Marketing and Sponsorships from Etihad Airways, said: “The UAE places a strong emphasis on elevating the role of women in society and as the national airline we are fully engaged with this mission. We’re proud to work with our long-standing partners City Football Group to champion the inclusion and empowerment of young women ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day.
      “It was an honour to fly Madiyah, Meriel, Sura and Zarah to Manchester to visit the Etihad Stadium and meet their Manchester City heroes.”

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      easyJet customers raise over £300,000 to support UNICEF’s Türkiye and Syria earthquake appeal More