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Hamad International Airport (DOH) was presented with the ‘Large-Format Digital Canvases’ award at the Digital Signage Awards for its digital ribbon that wraps the ORCHARD, the airport’s indoor tropical garden. Hosted at Esferic Events Centre in Barcelona, the global Digital Signage Awards is an annual international search for excellence and innovation across projects, creativity, products and services. The project was submitted by multimedia studio Moment Factory who was tasked with enhancing the ORCHARD with a creative multimedia ecosystem.
Unveiled in November 2022, part of Phase A of Hamad International Airport’s expansion plan, the 6,000 square-meter ORCHARD is home to trees, plants and shrubs sourced from sustainable forests from around the world. The ribbon display is a notable feature of the ORCHARD, that compliments the lush greenery and 10,000 square-meters of multi-dimensional retail and F&B space offering, adding to the visual ecosystem.
Key features of the Digital Ribbon Display at the ORCHARD:
The state-of-the-art digital ribbon installation is approximately 1.2 kilometers, spanning across two storeys, tailored to enhance the ambiance of the tropical garden with bespoke visuals.The intricate visuals created in collaboration with Moment Factory are projected through high resolution display with over 169 million pixels of animation.The visual displays of the ribbon consist of multiple themes including a luxe botanical elements, flora and fauna, Qatar Sands of time and a Mirage, embodying the culture and heritage of the state of Qatar.The display comes to life every hour creating an immersive experience for passengersThe ORCHARD is located in the North Plaza, and is connected to the South Plaza, where the famous Lamp/Bear resides, and can be accessed via the Passenger Train – travel time between both stations in 90 seconds, or can be reached by travelators, buggies or walking.
Winning the accolade is testament to Hamad International Airport’s investment in creating a memorable experience for passengers by introducing an open gallery experience through a collection on one-of-a-kind art installations and incorporating digital art to elevate the airport journey.ADVERTISEMENT

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Hovertravel launches romantic experience for Valentines
For anyone planning something different for Valentine’s, Hovertravel has announced a new, romantic-themed experience for couples for Sunday 18th February.Loretta Lale, Head of Commercial at Hovertravel, explains: “In a first for Hovertravel, we are offering a unique opportunity for couples to celebrate in our hovercraft environment. Research indicates that people who enjoy Valentine’s Day are looking for different events and we have added elements to our classic VIP experience to make a special occasion. This event is part of our all new for 2024 Showcase range of themed experiences.“
On arrival, guests will be welcomed into a champagne and chocolates reception in the Solent Views suite at Hovertravel’s terminal in Ryde. 
Offering exceptional views over the hover pad with the ability to watch arriving and departing hovercraft from an elevated balcony, this viewpoint also reveals a sweeping vista of the Solent.
Following a meet and greet with one of Hovertravel’s pilots, guests will then board a hovercraft for a 20 minute hovercraft experience including 360 degree turns, deflating the skirt and a demonstration of the unique manoeuvrability of a hovercraft accompanied by expert commentary from the pilot.ADVERTISEMENTLoretta adds: “There are also plenty of opportunities to capture loved-up selfies for your memories and obviously we would welcome anyone who might wish to be the first ever wedding proposal on a hovercraft!”
For more details and bookings please visit: https://www.hovertravel.co.uk/Valentines
£75 per adult (16+), £35 per child (5-15yrs), £5 infant (0-4yrs)

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The race to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has begun! Fans can head to Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi for a racing-themed experience in this year’s Fanzone. From November 20 to 26, guests can enjoy the ultimate race build up while watching highlights of the 2023 season ahead of the live broadcast of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Lucky guests will have the opportunity to meet Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz during his visit to the park on November 22.
Adding to the excitement, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will be hosting a variety of entertaining activities including a live DJ, break dancers, themed merchandise, designated chill-out sections with large LED screens and more!
Formula One enthusiasts can look forward to an exhibit of The Ferrari SF-23 racing car designed and constructed by Scuderia Ferrari and driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in Grand Prix races. Guests can also snap photos in front of a racing themed Fanzone backdrop to commemorate their visit. At the heart of the Fanzone, Ferrari fans can expect the first touring exhibition showcasing the Formula One Driver Racing Kits as seen on Antonio Giovinazzi who won at the 24 hours of Le Mans race in June 2023, Kimi Räikkönen throughout his races in 2018 and Leclerc and Sainz in the 2023 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, amongst others.
Gear up for a thrilling week of activities as family and friends come together at the heart of the world’s leading theme park, all in anticipation of the year’s most exciting event.ADVERTISEMENTFerrari World was voted World’s Leading Theme Park 2022 at last year’s World Travel Awards and in addition, Yas Island collected the award for World’s Leading Theme Park Destination 2022.

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A new sustainability report presented at the Phocuswright Conference has revealed a considerable gap between what people say and what they do when it comes to green travel.
The results were presented by Madeline List, Phocuswright senior research analyst, and shone a light on the preferences of thousands of travellers from across the US and Europe.
In the US and EU, around half of the respondents said they were more likely to choose transport based on carbon footprint rather than convenience. 
But, when asked why they chose certain transport options during recent travels, a much smaller number cited environmental factors as a reason.
Respondents said they were more likely to choose a hotel for its sustainability credentials than price. 
But of those that had booked, only 6-13 per cent said environmental reasons were among their top five considerations.
“People are more likely to follow through on what they say if they will directly feel the burn from not doing so,” said List. 
“For example, around half would rather stay somewhere less famous and less crowded – and many people actually follow through on this, as they are more directly affected by not doing so.  ADVERTISEMENT“With environmental decisions, people care, but they do not directly feel the consequences of not following through on sustainable choices.
“Likewise, travellers want their money to benefit the communities they visit. 
“But when asked if they ever checked to see if what they bought was locally sourced, only one-in-four said they did. 
“Emotionally, people care, but they’re not taking the practical steps needed make those decisions.”
Travelers find sustainability confusing
Do travellers know what it actually means to travel sustainably? 
The majority of respondents said that they find the standards for environmentally conscious travel confusing – and the ones that are sustainability-orientated already are the ones that are more confused than the people that don’t care. 
Some 19-26 per cent also believe that they don’t travel frequently enough to have a significant impact on the environment. 
Event those that take two trips a year don’t think they have much of an impact, but they are a sizeable part of travel.
Travelers were split over who should take responsibility for sustainability – many believe it’s the role of government, whereas others think it’s travel providers, destination organisations, or travellers themselves.
Travelers think it should be the responsibility of destination organizations to keep tourism money within the local community, which would explain why they’re not asking where their money goes after they spend it.
Some 36-47 per cent of travellers also think sustainable travel options are more expensive. 
And the more someone think about sustainability at home, the more likely they are to believe it presents more expensive travel options. 
Some ten-15 per cent more was the accepted premium people said they would pay for greener travel.
“I don’t think this belief-behaviour gap is coming from a bad place,” said List. 
“They want to believe that they will make the right decision, but it’s important [for travel providers] to understand that this is not always the reality.” 
List finished by giving her practical suggestions for the travel industry: 

Increase sustainable options – make them more available and viable to begin with – they have to be appealing to travellers as a whole, and shouldn’t just be about sustainability.
Green options need to be easy to find and prominent.
Show that sustainable is accessible and affordable – push sustainable options at various price points.
Help travellers understand that sustainability goes beyond the environment – it extends to many other areas too.
Educate, educate, educate – inspire travellers to aspire for collective change; speak to the why not just the what, build understanding from the ground up.

More Information
More than 1,300 attendees are currently at The Phocuswright Conference, which is taking place this week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Find out more here.

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Phocuswright, the leading global travel industry research authority and producer of the annual Phocuswright Conference, has urged the hospitality industry to rethink the traditional property management systems (PMS).
Hoteliers are urged to adopt AI to harness real-time data and transform hotel operations.
The Phocuswright Conference, which takes place in Fort Lauderdale from November 13-16, is themed ‘You, Me & the Machine,’ will explore the massive possibilities for AI in the travel space. 
One major focus area at the event is hospitality. 
Entrepreneur Richard Valtr will take one of the main sessions on the Centre Stage to talk about how artificial intelligence is redefining the hotel PMS.
“The post-pandemic travel industry is on the cusp of unprecedented change due to rapidly advancing AI, meaning the hotel industry faces new challenges and opportunities,” said Gene Ko, director of marketing and communications at Phocuswright.  ADVERTISEMENT“Hotel operators today have unparalleled access to real-time and forecast data. 
“However, they need the ability to translate it into actionable insights that can be applied to everyday operations. 
“The traditional PMS – which is used to informing operating decisions based on historic data – is no longer fit for the challenge. 
“It must be redefined to enable hotels to survive and thrive in this new era of travel.”
Attendees at The Phocuswright Conference will hear about Valtr’s start-up Mews, a technology company that is using artificial intelligence to rethink hotels’ physical spaces, services and guest experiences. 
Its future-focused PMS is now powering more than 3,500 of the world’s best hospitality brands.
“The PMS needs to bring operational, labour and revenue data together,” continued Ko. 
“When every aspect of the system is connected, leadership can look at the operation holistically, they can respond to the precise situations that unfold each day – and a new kind of decision making can happen.”
The Phocuswright Conference
The Phocuswright Conference ignites solutions and collaboration whenever cutting-edge innovation demands a rethink of our products, services and processes. 
For more information, click here.
Chris O’Toole

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Phocuswright research projects $1.4 trillion in global travel gross bookings in 2023, just four per cent below 2019 levels.
The United States travel market grew to $422 billion in 2022, becoming the first major travel market globally to surpass its 2019 size.
In Europe, travel is well on its way to recovery and normalization in 2023, as Europeans broadly remain eager to travel and continue to prioritize spending on leisure trips, even while facing some economic challenges and shifting their travel shopping and booking activities.ADVERTISEMENTIn APAC, pent-up demand swept in a travel spike.
In China, a dynamic domestic market and a reviving outbound sector will propel total gross bookings of $185 billion in 2024.
Latin America’s travel market experienced a second year of strong double-digit growth in 2022, as gross bookings climbed 37 per cent.
The Middle East travel region grew by 95 per cent year-over-year, partly supported by new players entering this still-developing market.
Travel companies find themselves in an exceptional period, building a competitive edge through innovations in the next game-changing travel technologies.
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More Information
The research was released ahead of the Phocuswright Conference, taking place this week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The event offers the brightest mix of attendees, speakers and partners, all of whom will work together toward for a better future for travel.
Find out more on the official website.

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The inaugural Qatar Tourism Awards, developed in partnership with UNWTO, focused on three principal categories: Service Excellence, Cultural Experiences and Smart Solutions. At the awards ceremony, Qatar Tourism Awards also announced a surprise category, the Community Contribution Award, to recognise individual community members who have gone above and beyond to display hospitality and provide exemplary services to visitors.
The winners were announced at a ceremony that took place at Raffles Doha, attended by Basmah Al-Mayman, Regional Director for the Middle East at UNTWO and His Excellency Saad Bin Ali Al Kharji, Chairman of Qatar Tourism. The winners reflected the broad and diverse nature of the tourism sector, including destinations, experiences, hotels and hospitality establishments. They also recognized those leading the way in building a more innovative and sustainable tourism, in line with UNWTO’s key priorities for the sector.
The full list of all the winners can be found on the Qatar Tourism Awards website.  https://www.qatartourism.com/en/qatar-tourism-awards

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A priority for global tourismAccording to data analysed by UNWTO, the majority of the global tourism workforce are young people, many of them without further training or qualifications. At the same time, existing tourism education centres and programmes prioritise hospitality, with UNWTO aiming to fill the gaps and deliver courses and other trainings to allow students to gain knowledge of every part of the diverse sector. Opening the Forum, UNWTO Executive Director Natalia Bayona made clear the opportunities and challenges: Tourism is the top employer of youth: over 50% of its workers aged 25 years old or less1 , while around 882,000 tourism jobs2 per year will require vocational training by 2030.
Ministers of Tourism from Andorra, Bahrain, Guatemala, the Philippines and Zambia brought their expert insights to a high-level Debate on Policies to Foster Innovation & Education for Current and Future Generations. Challenges highlighted included the high turnover of tourism staff in comparison to other economic sectors and the lack of tourism as a subject in schools in most education systems. The discussion explored opportunities for shaping new policies, effective instruments, and global partnerships to support inclusive and sustainable tourism development while addressing the skill gap and creating value-added jobs.
UNWTO presents the Education Toolkit for the incorporation of tourism as a subject in high schoolsWithin the Education Forum, UNWTO presented the Education Toolkit, a guide of recommendations for helping all actors involved on education in the introduction of tourism as a subject of the secondary school curricula with the ultimate goal of attracting and cultivating the right talent for the tourism sector.
The UNWTO Education Toolkit offers an overview of the current status of high schools and vocational education training worldwide, it also gives recommendations derived from the contributions of UNWTO member states, non-member states and academic partners and it also presents successful case studies of integrating tourism education and training in public and private schools. In addition, it includes a comprehensive overview of the benefits, with specialized curricula provided by UNWTO’s academic partners: the Cambridge Assessment International Education, American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), and the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).
Also at the Forum, participants were given an overview of the recently inaugurated Tourism Academy in Samarkand in collaboration with UNWTO, a key outcome of the country’s strong partnership with UNWTO.ADVERTISEMENTUNWTO – HSLU Bachelor of Science in International Sustainable TourismDuring Bayona’s keynote speech, she also presented the flexible three-year BSc in International Sustainable Tourism that UNWTO and the Swiss public university of Lucerne for Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) have developed to empower the future-oriented transformation of the entire tourism sector. This unique initiative will be the first time that UNWTO has been actively involved in an undergraduate programme, with modules that include a variety of UN-related topics, such as UN Diplomacy & Tourism and Global UNWTO Missions & Initiatives, and deliberately embeds the UN’s values and global goals throughout the courses. The first cohort of the programme will commence in fall 2024 with a first year in Madrid, followed by a remote year and a third last year in Switzerland.
Ulysses Prize for Tourism EducationIn a fitting culmination to the Global Education Forum, Dr. Bao Jigang was honoured with the prestigious Ulysses Prize, a testament to his remarkable contributions to the field of tourism. Awarded as the 16th laureate of this esteemed accolade bestowed by UNWTO for outstanding achievements in the creation and dissemination of knowledge within the realm of tourism, Dr. Bao’s illustrious career stands as a shining example of his invaluable impact. Throughout his distinguished academic journey, he has played a pivotal role in catalysing the growth of domestic tourism, in his homely of the People´s Republic of China, elevating its scale and significance as a premier global tourism destination.

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