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      Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre launches in Jordan

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      Jamaica minister of tourism and Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) co-founder, Edmund Bartlett, has arrived in Jordan to inaugurate a new location for the organisation.
      The new Global Tourism Resilience & Disaster Management Centre at the Middle East University will be referred to as the Taleb Rifai Centre.
      It will operate under the leadership of professor Salam Almahadin, president of the university. 
      Bartlett arrived earlier, accompanied by Kenya minister of tourism, Najib Balala.
      They were greeted in Amman by Jordan minister of tourism, Nayef Himiedi Al-Fayez.
      Minister Al-Fayez of Jordan, said: “We welcome the inception of the Taleb Rifai Centre here at the Middle East University.
      “We trust that this initiative will play a key role in delivering resilience, robustness and agility to the tourism industry which is one of the most important sectors in the Jordanian economy through its 13 per cent contribution to GDP.”
      The Jordan facility is the sixth such satellite centre to launch, followings the GTRCMC debut in Jamaica.
      Earlier this month, the GTRCMC successfully launched the Global Tourism Resilience Day during an event at Expo 2020 in Dubai. 
      The move was part of a multi-tier, international campaign to build resilience in the global travel industry through expansion of the Global Tourism Resilience & Disaster Management Centres.
      A book tourism resilience was also released, outlining best practice.
      The GTRCMC model works in partnership with an outstanding institution of higher learning, namely a well-situated university with departments covering management, research, innovation, civics, policy creation and international development. ADVERTISEMENTMiddle East University is an outstanding partner and will be the regional driver for further expansion in the Middle East and north Africa. 
      Opened in 2005, the university has around 5,000 students, and will through the Taleb Rifai Centre will seek to deliver an academically rigorous environment that will identify solutions.
      “We will seek funding to conduct research and develop policies in tourism resilience and crisis management, provide capacity building for the tourism sector and provide tool­kits and guidelines.
      “We will utilise its professional relations with other universities across the region and beyond to establish bilateral and multilateral projects and exchange programs,” explained Almahadin.
      Just days ago in Dubai, the GTRCMC signed and launched partnerships with Canadian and Bulgarian schools of higher learning. 
      In Toronto, George Brown College has seven academic centres and locations.
      It is located on the territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other indigenous peoples, and seeks to build connections between people who learn, work and live in the community.
      In Bulgaria, the 100-year-old University of National and World Economy – the oldest and largest school of economics in south-east Europe – was the selected partner.
      A new centre will be established under the tutelage of former tourism minister, Nikolina Angelkova.
      “The students at all these universities are critical to the program’s success in that it starts with research, understanding and developing the regional risk profile, recommending best practices to influence policy-making based on empirical data and other success-based programs,” Bartlett elaborated.
      “It’s a five-step program starting with the youth: research, evaluate, mitigate, respond and recover.”
      More Information
      The Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre, headquartered in Jamaica at the University of the West Indies (Mona campus), was the first academic resource centre dedicated to addressing crises and resilience for the travel industry of the region.
      The body assists destinations in preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that impact tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally.
      Since its inception in 2018, several satellite centres have been launched in Kenya, Canada, Jordan and Bulgaria.
      Others are in the process of inscription in Costa Rica, Nigeria, Spain, Greece and Ghana.
      Find out more on the official website.

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      IATA records uptick in passenger demand

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      The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data showing growing momentum in the recovery of air travel as restrictions are lifted.
      The body reported a sharp 11-percentage point increase for international tickets sold in recent weeks (in proportion to 2019 sales).
      In the period around February 8th, over a seven-day moving average, the number of tickets sold stood at 49 per cent of the same period in 2019.
      In the period around January 25th, again over a seven-day moving average, the number of tickets sold stood at 38 per cent of the same period in 2019.ADVERTISEMENTThe 11-percentage point improvement between the January and February periods is the fastest such increase for any two-week period since the crisis began.
      The jump in ticket sales comes as more governments announce a relaxation of Covid-19 border restrictions.
      “Momentum toward normalising traffic is growing.
      “Vaccinated travellers have the potential to travel much more extensively with fewer hassles than even a few weeks ago.
      “This is giving growing numbers of travellers the confidence to buy tickets.
      “And that is good news!
      “Now we need to further accelerate the removal of travel restrictions.
      “While recent progress is impressive, the world remains far from 2019 levels of connectivity.
      “Thirteen of the top 50 travel markets still do not provide easy access to all vaccinated travellers.
      “That includes major economies like China, Japan, Russia, Indonesia, and Italy,” said Willie Walsh, IATA director general.

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      Hornblower completes Journey Beyond acquisition

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      Hornblower has closed on the acquisition of leading experiential travel group, Journey Beyond.
      The Australian company will join a growing portfolio of travel experiences and further expand its global footprint in Australia with a presence in 111 countries and territories worldwide.
      “In our continued efforts to position Hornblower as a global leader in experiences and transportation, we are always exploring growth opportunities that will help expand our guest offerings and leverage our core capabilities of operating world-class customer experiences,” said Kevin Rabbitt, chief executive, Hornblower Group.
      “As two organisations with unmatched expertise in the experiential travel space, Journey Beyond aligns perfectly within our business strategy and core mission of creating amazing experiences for our guests.
      “We look forward to growing the rich and unmatched business operations the Journey Beyond team has built as the premiere experiential travel company in Australia.”
      Journey Beyond owns 13 Australian brands, operating in 60 destinations Australia-wide.  ADVERTISEMENT“We are thrilled to join the Hornblower global portfolio of renowned brands.  Journey Beyond and Hornblower share the same values and commitment towards what we do best – delivering one-of-a-kind guest experiences that create lasting memories,” said Chris Tallent, chief executive, Journey Beyond.
      “We look forward to this next venture and we are excited to see Journey Beyond thrive within Hornblower Group into 2022 and beyond.”
      With the completion of this acquisition, Journey Beyond will join Hornblower’s world-class offerings which include water-based experiences, land-based experiences, overnight cruises and experiences and ferry and transportation services across 111 countries and 125 cities.
      The acquisition will support Hornblower’s overall business strategy to grow its product offerings in some of the most vibrant travel and tourism markets in the world.

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      Domestic tourism to lead European recovery

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      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

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      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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