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      IATA calls for rapid reopening of global aviation

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      The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged governments to use the commitments reached at the ICAO High Level Conference on Covid-19 (HLCC) to make real progress towards restoring global air connectivity.
      States attending the event declared their commitment to 14 measures which, if acted upon, would enable airlines to meet the demands of consumers worldwide for a revival of air travel.
      In particular, two commitments need the most urgent action by governments.
      The first sees governments commit to promoting “a harmonized and inclusive approach to facilitate safe international air travel”, while the second refers to the roll-out of ICAO guidelines on harmonising risk assessment.
      “Government-imposed restrictions continue to stop a revival of international travel. ADVERTISEMENT“It remains 70 per cent down on pre-crisis levels.
      “The ICAO HLCC commitments show that governments understand what is needed to re-start global connectivity.
      “The task now is implementation,” said Willie Walsh, IATA director general.
      “Some governments have already started.
      “The imminent opening of the US market to vaccinated travellers will be a big step forward.
      “But we cannot let the output of this meeting remain as words on paper.
      “The airline industry, 88 million livelihoods, 3.5 per cent of global GDP and billions of travellers are counting on governments to deliver on the risk-managed reopening of international travel to which they have committed,” Walsh added.

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      Inghams unveils plans for winter ski season

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      Inghams has shared a sneak peek of its winter programme for 2021/22, Elevate Your Winter.
      Highlights include fully-renovated chalets, new premium hotels and apartments, flexible booking policies and a new Covid-19 online hub, complete with a unique ski resort requirements section.
      The programme was presented at the Inghams Winter Launch event in London this week, attended by trade partners, resorts and media, where the chief executive revealed that Inghams is on track for a strong recovery this winter.
      The talking point of the evening was Inghams new Covid-19 online hub, an interactive resource for consumers, which went live this week and was presented for the first time during the launch event.
      The hub provides information on the rules and restrictions in place across the countries Inghams operate in, from destination entry requirements to what to expect in resort. ADVERTISEMENTAnswers to how to get a lift pass, where face coverings on ski lifts are needed, if anything is required to enter bars and restaurants, what test centres are available in which resorts, and more, can all be found on Inghams’ bespoke Covid-19 hub.
      The hub also includes details on Inghams’ flexible booking policies, discounts for UK test suppliers and Inghams’ In Safe Hands promise, which provides comprehensive financial protection for consumers booking with the operator.
      New for this winter is Inghams’ ‘No fee from us’ booking policy, allowing customers to move their holiday up until 28-days before departure without fees, providing customers with even greater flexibility.
      Commenting on the strong performance and winter outlook, Joe Ponte, chief executive of Inghams, said: “We’re delighted to see such strong booking numbers as we head into winter, and what’s even more encouraging is that 63 per cent of our direct customers are new to the Inghams brand, so it’s great to see that the work we have done during the pandemic has paid off.
      “We want to make the return to skiing as safe and simple for our customers as possible, which is why we’ve launched the Covid-19 Online Hub and continue to upkeep our In Safe Hands promise.”
      He added: “We hope that these resources along with the incredible chalets, hotels and apartments we have on offer this year will welcome customers back to the mountains feeling reassured and ready to ski, which is what we’ve all been waiting for.”
      New accommodation features for the Inghams 2021/22 season include a number of renovated or new chalets, hotels and apartments.
      At the launch, which took place in the atmospheric Après bar, London, and was hosted by snow sports competition commentator, Tim Warwood, Inghams provided a sneak peek of its ‘Elevate Your Winter’ campaign which launches week.
      The campaign highlights Inghams’ plans to help people get back on the mountains and make this winter bigger and better than any before.

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      Tui seeks to reposition with Europe-wide brand campaign

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      Tui has launched its first major campaign since appointing creative agency Leo Burnett London.
      The work will relaunch the brand with a fresh brand identity for the post-pandemic world against a backdrop of travel restrictions easing across Europe.
      The Europe-wide campaign and platform, entitled ‘Live Happy,’ showcases the breadth of the Tui offer.
      The campaign kicks off with a 60-second film, produced by Forever and directed by Kinga Burza, which will premiere during Coronation Street on ITV.
      It takes viewers on a journey through a world of TUI experiences, from beach trips to exploring far flung islands by canoe and day trips around a Moroccan souk.ADVERTISEMENTWith this fresh and colourful take on what a new world of travel and holiday experiences can look like, TUI is looking to attract broader audiences who look for authentic local experiences on holiday, without alienating important package holiday buyers.
      The platform is designed to be a long-term campaign that will run for years, repositioning TUI as a modern, progressive travel company and demonstrating that TUI has the expertise, range and scale to create the perfect travel moment for anyone and everyone.
      Katie McAlister, chief marketing officer, Tui, said: “It was important for us to show that TUI helps to create much more than beach and sun holidays – with us you can ski, spa, explore cities, and everything else in between.
      “In the past people may have believed Tui didn’t have the type of holiday they wanted to experience and Leo Burnett has helped bring to life our perspective on travel: that holidays are so much more than “just a holiday”.
      “Ultimately, they enrich our lives for years to come – and it was this diversity of experience that we wanted to come across in the campaign.”

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      Voters select Latin America World Travel Awards winners

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      World Travel Awards – the leading authority that recognises and rewards excellence in travel and tourism – has unveiled its Latin America 2021 winners.
      Winners include Argentina, which claimed ‘South America’s Leading Destination’.
      Chile – with its dazzling array of natural wonders – was voted ‘South America’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination’.
      Peru enjoyed a strong showing, picking up ‘South America’s Leading Culinary Destination,’ ‘South America’s Leading Cultural Destination’ and ‘South America’s Leading Tourist Board’ (PromPeru), while the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu was crowned ‘South America’s Leading Tourist Attraction’.
      The rise of Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo was recognised with victory as ‘South America’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination’.
      Guayaquil, Ecuador won ‘South America’s Leading City Break Destination’ and Santiago de Cali, Colombia was named ‘South America’s Leading Cultural City Destination’.
      The incredible biodiversity of Costa Rica was acknowledged with the title for ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Destination’.
      Mexico also celebrated with a raft of destination awards including Cancún (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Beach Destination’); Cozumel (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Island Destination’); and Mazatlán (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading City Destination’), with its tropical neoclassical architecture and paradise beach.
      In the hospitality sector, Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena won ‘South America’s Leading Hotel’.
      Wyndham Guayaquil emerged as ‘South America’s Leading City Hotel’ and Wyndham Quito Airport as ‘South America’s Leading Airport Hotel’. ADVERTISEMENTGrand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancun picked up ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Hotel’ and Gaia Hotel & Reserve, Costa Rica was voted ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Green Hotel’.
      ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort’ went to Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa & Nature Park.
      In the newcomer categories, Brazilian flair and indigenous style helped Six Senses Botanique to victory as ‘South America’s Leading New Hotel,’ with ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading New Hotel’ going to Dreams Vista Cancun Golf & Spa Resort.
      In the aviation sector, LATAM was named ‘South America’s Leading Airline’, while Aeromexico scooped ‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Airline’.
      The results follow a year-long search for the world’s top travel, tourism and hospitality brands.
      Votes were cast by travel industry professionals and the public, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named as the winner.
      Graham Cooke, founder, World Travel Awards, said: “Our winners represent the very best of Latin America’s travel and hospitality sectors and my congratulations to each of them.
      “They are all playing starring roles in spearheading the travel and tourism recovery.”
      Other winners include Explora (‘South America’s Leading Expedition Company’); Grand Fiesta Americana Hotels & Resorts (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Hotel Brand’); and Avis (‘Mexico & Central America’s Leading Car Rental Company’).
      More Information
      World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.
      Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.
      Each year, World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognize and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.
      For more information about World Travel Awards visit the official website, or find a full list from of Latin Americas winners here.
      Image: Hector Ramon Perez/Unsplash

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      CAA unveils Heathrow price control proposals

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      The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published a consultation on its initial proposals for the next price control at Heathrow Airport.
      This will ultimately set the maximum charges the airport operator can charge its airline customers for using the airport for the next five years.
      The CAA said it recognises that there is still significant uncertainty in the shape of the aviation industry’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
      These proposals will deliver affordable charges for consumers and allow the airport to continue to invest in service quality, while also supporting consumer demand as the industry recovers.
      The package of measures set out in the consultation include a five-year control period, which will allow the airport to smooth charges for consumers and provide investors with medium-term certainty.
      The control period will come into force in summer 2022.
      The potential range of airport charges per passenger will be from £24.50 to £34.40, an increase from £22 per passenger in 2020.
      The CAA will work closely with Heathrow, airlines and other stakeholders to narrow this range over the next few months.ADVERTISEMENTCommenting on the initial proposals, Richard Moriarty, chief executive at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “While international air travel is still recovering, setting a price control for Heathrow Airport against the backdrop of so much uncertainty means we have had to adapt our approach.
      “Our principal objective is to further the interests of consumers while recognising the challenges the industry has faced throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
      “These initial proposals seek to protect consumers against unfair charges, and will allow Heathrow to continue to appropriately invest in keeping the airport resilient, efficient and one that provides a good experience for passengers.
      The CAA said there would be no additional adjustment to Heathrow’s regulatory asset base to account for losses caused by the pandemic on top of the £300 million the CAA allowed earlier this year in response to a request for an adjustment of £2.3 billion last year.
      “We look forward to working with all stakeholders as we refine this package of measures in the coming months, before setting out our final proposals next year.”
      Heathrow Airport had requested the CAA increase the cap on its charges per passenger to between £32 and £43.
      The proposals drew a furious response to Shai Weiss, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic.
      He said: “Today’s initial proposals from the Civil Aviation Authority fail to protect the British consumer, paving the way for Heathrow Airport to introduce unacceptable charges, just as international travel resumes at scale.
      “The world’s most expensive airport risks becoming over 50 per cent more expensive, as Heathrow and its owners seek to recoup their pandemic losses and secure hundreds of millions in dividends to shareholders.
      “It is concerning that the regulator has failed in its first opportunity to step in, and together with industry partners, we will oppose these proposals in the strongest terms to protect passengers.”
      He added: “Abusing its unique position as the UK’s only hub airport, Heathrow’s proposed increase of charges will hurt the UK’s economic recovery and unfairly hit the pockets of families and businesses around the nation.
      “No other airport in the world is proposing increases on this scale and by becoming unaffordable, competing EU hubs and airlines will benefit.”

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      CMA launches court action against Teletext Holidays

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      The Competition & Markets Authority has launched court action against Teletext Holidays over inadequate progress on refunds to package holiday customers.
      In May, the government body announced that Truly Holdings, the company that operates Teletext Holidays, and its sister company, the travel operator Alpharooms.com, had signed undertakings committing to refund package holiday customers for holidays cancelled during the pandemic.
      After reviewing Truly Holdings’s final report on progress with repayments, the CMA wrote to Truly Holdings on September 16th stating it would take the company to court unless it took urgent action to improve how it handles refunds to package holiday customers.
      The CMA does not consider that Truly Holdings has done enough to provide refunds to package holiday customers with outstanding claims, including recent cancellations, or to make sure that it pays all future refunds that are due within the 14 days required by law.
      The CMA has therefore filed proceedings requesting a court order that outstanding refunds be immediately repaid and that, going forward, customers who are entitled to a refund are repaid within 14 days.
      The CMA will also be asking the court to order that Truly Holdings puts in place appropriate processes to ensure it complies with the law in the future.
      As the CMA considers that Truly Holdings is in breach of the law and that harm to consumers is ongoing, it is seeking that the claim be expedited, so that the case can be heard more quickly.ADVERTISEMENTHowever, it is for the court to determine a date for the hearing.
      Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA, said: “Companies must abide by consumer protection law and treat their customers fairly.
      “After engaging with Teletext Holidays extensively, we are now requesting a court order to make sure that the company immediately pays back the money it still owes to customers and refunds people within 14 days, going forward.”
      Rory Boland, Which? Travel editor, said more needs to be done to tackle errant companies.
      He added: “It’s unacceptable that Teletext Holidays has not yet paid all outstanding refunds for cancelled holidays and is still failing to comply with the 14-day period required by law, so the Competition & Markets Authority is right to start court action.
      “Teletext is just one of many holiday providers that have attempted to shirk their legal responsibilities to refund customers for cancelled trips, highlighting the need for industry-wide reform.
      “The government must ensure there are better protections for holidaymakers’ money, while the Civil Aviation Authority and Competition & Markets Authority must be given stronger powers to take action against companies that break consumer law – including the ability to impose fines if necessary.”

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      Sandals chief to join World Travel & Tourism Council leadership

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      Sandals Resorts executive chairman, Adam Stewart, has been formally invited to join the executive committee of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
      The induction represents the actionable change and strides forward made by Stewart throughout his time in the industry.
      “I am honoured to join the executive committee of an organisation I have so respected since the start of my career,” said Stewart.
      “This leadership team is passionately focused on the efforts of the travel and tourism sector, and I am eager to contribute.
      “Together, we will continue to promote an industry that is more sustainable and inclusive than it was yesterday, reminding our neighbouring industries and international governments that travel is an essential necessity to life.”ADVERTISEMENTThe World Travel & Tourism Council represents the global tourism private sector.
      Members include 200 chief executives, chairs and presidents of the leading tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries.
      Julia Simpson, chief executive of the WTTC, said: “Adam brings with him a wealth of experience having worked so closely with his late father to build what is now, one of the most recognised brands in our industry.
      “The entire WTTC family and I look forward to working with Adam in his new role.”
      A voluntary organisation, WTTC leadership sets the example, offering their valuable time and resources to move global activity forward in this ever-changing world. Industry leaders invited to join the executive committee stand as catalysts for fundamental change and awareness, promoting safe and enriching travel.
      More Information
      Sandals is considered the World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company by voters at the World Travel Awards.

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      WTTC blames UK government for slow tourism recovery

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      The World Travel & Tourism Council has argued the year-on-year recovery in the UK may only claw back a third, while international travel spending continues to plummet.
      Latest research from the body shows the recovery has been severely delayed by the lack of spending from international visitors.
      WTTC blames strict travel restrictions, such as the destructive ‘traffic light’ system, for wreaking havoc on the sector.
      Now, despite its highly successful vaccine rollout, the UK is set to record further losses in inbound visitor spending than the previous year, during which international travel ground to an almost complete standstill.
      At the current rate of recovery, WTTC research shows the UK sector’s contribution to the nation’s economy could rise year on year by just under a third (32 per cent) in 2021, broadly in line with the global average of 31 per cent.ADVERTISEMENTHowever, research conducted by the global tourism body goes on to show the increase has been primarily spurred on by the recent boom in domestic travel, with domestic spending growth set to experience a year-on-year rise of 49 per cent in 2021.
      While this surge in domestic travel has provided a much-needed boost, it will not be enough to achieve a full economic recovery and save millions of jobs still under threat.
      The research reveals that international spending is predicted to plunge by nearly half on 2020 figures – one of the worst years on record for the tourism sector – making the UK one of the worst performing countries in the world.
      While other countries, such as China and the United States, are set to see a rise in inbound international travel spending this year, the UK lags behind and continues to record significant losses.
      Severe travel restrictions, ever-changing policies, and barriers to travel to the UK, such as the current requirement for visitors to take an expensive day two PCR test after arriving in the country, have had their toll.
      Julia Simpson, WTTC chief executive, said: “WTTC research shows that while the global tourism sector is beginning to recover, the UK continues to suffer big losses due to continuing travel restrictions that are tougher than the rest of Europe.
      “Despite government announcements the UK still has a red list, costly PCR tests and a requirement for day two tests which simply put people off travel.
      “Just as the world opens up the UK has more requirements for the double vaccinated than our neighbours.”

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