Organisations & Operators,

ABTA – The Travel Association has welcomed the CAA’s update on ATOL reform and request for information from the industry.ABTA says that it is right the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has provided its latest thinking, and that businesses will be invited to share views before firm proposals are developed, particularly as the first-stage consultation occurred at the height of COVID-related disruption within the industry.
ABTA will be responding to the CAA and has put in place plans to engage with members and the wider industry to inform its response.
As part of its process ABTA will be reconvening its focus groups on financial protection, which include representatives from the travel industry and the main financial services sectors, including banks, merchant acquirers, bond obligors and financial failure insurance providers.
The ABTA-led groups originally met in the summer to exchange views on current financial protection arrangements and the existing proposed options under the CAA’s ATOL Reform consultation. The groups also gave consideration to areas of duplication and/or overlap that could be removed or streamlined by changes to the ATOL scheme and/or longer-term revisions to the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs) which are currently under a separate review by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA – The Travel Association said:ADVERTISEMENT“We’re pleased to see the CAA publish this update on ATOL reform. It has been much-anticipated and today’s development is the next step in reaching clarity about future regulations and requirements.
“We’ll be consulting with our members to get their insight, and also bringing together representatives from the wider financial protection landscape in February. We’d really encourage members to engage with our process so that we can provide an informed and constructive response to influence the CAA’s decisions.”

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L/R: Alden Zecha (son), Cathy Bakey (daughter-in-law, Alden’s wife), Jennifer Chun (PATA Hawaii Chapter Chair), Alison Zecha (daughter), Avery Zecha (grandson, Alison’s son), Blossom Hoffman (ex-wife)
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce that Alwin Zecha, founder of the Pacific Leisure Group, has been inducted into the PATA Gallery of Legends. The Gallery of Legends Award is a special honor bestowed once every few years to recipients who were true pioneers in the travel and tourism industry in the Asia Pacific region. A ceremony was held today on Jan. 5, 2023 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport where Zecha’s plaque was mounted joining the other honorees on the north side of the open-air walkway to the E Gates. Attendees included PATA Hawaii’s chair and board members and Zecha’s family. PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera’s remarks were delivered through PATA Hawaii Chair, Jennifer Chun.
Zecha was a pioneer who contributed greatly towards the growth of tourism in the Asia Pacific region. He was well respected by the industry for his extraordinary contributions and was unanimously voted by PATA’s Honors Committee to be included into the Gallery of Legends. Zecha was the founder and executive chairman of the Pacific Leisure Group, a leading destination management company with offices in 38 countries worldwide. During his illustrious career, he also served as a board member and Chairman for numerous other organizations.
He first joined PATA in 1961 and had been actively involved with the association through positions on the board and at the committee level. He was elected PATA president for two consecutive terms in 1985 and 1986 and played a major role in the decision to relocate PATA headquarters from San Francisco to Bangkok in 1998.
Founded in 1951, PATA is a nonprofit, membership-based association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.  The association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research, and innovative events to its member organizations, which include government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organizations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of Young Tourism Professional (YTP) members across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally.
ADVERTISEMENTThe PATA Hawaii Chapter conducts events featuring quality speakers and industry professionals providing relevant, actionable and timely information relating to Hawaii’s visitor industry. In addition, there are networking and educational opportunities for members to engage in relationships that could enhance jobs and careers. PATA Hawaii is also committed to supporting the future generation of Hawaii’s visitor industry leaders by sponsoring its annual Student Forum providing college students with opportunities to hear from and network with industry experts. For more information, visit patahawaii.org.

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As the experts in the over-50s market, Saga Holidays asked nearly 3,000 of its customers how they expected to travel in 2023.Fantastic experiences, solo escapes, multiple holidays a year, a huge range of destinations and some stark gender differences are set to feature. This group is also well insulated against the cost-of-living crisis and they plan to invest well in their holidays with trusted brands.
Most of those surveyed (66 per cent) said they were planning to take between two and four holidays in 2023. A huge 25 per cent also said they plan to take five or more trips in 2023. And they are forward planning with nearly six in ten (57 per cent) already having booked a trip for 2023 and a third (34 per cent) having secured more than one holiday.
Cost of living
The majority (55 per cent) of respondents said that the cost-of-living crisis has not affected their holiday plans. In fact, 14 per cent are planning to spend more than £5,000 per person on their main holiday for 2023.
They do expect real value for that money though, which is a focus for Saga Holidays as evidenced through its new ‘Tailor-Made Travel by Saga’ holidays, which enable travellers to build their perfect, personalised itinerary with the help of the expert in-house team. Saga and its sister company Titan Travel also offer touring holidays to hundreds of destinations with exciting experiences and flexible options included as standard; and Saga Cruises offers all-inclusive ocean and river itineraries in beautiful, boutique ships built especially for its customers.ADVERTISEMENTDestinations and activities
In a multiple-choice question, an average of 61 per cent said they’ll definitely take a UK holiday in 2023, while 31 per cent of over-50s are planning a touring holiday, and 30 per cent are looking forward to an ocean cruise.
In terms of when they travel, the over-50s take full advantage of off-peak periods with September, May and June featuring as the top three months to get away, while December, November and August are the least likely.
Beach holidays are most popular with 50-to-59-year-olds with 44 per cent planning a relaxing break in the sun. This group is also most likely to want to spend time holidaying with family, whereas 20 per cent of those aged 70 and above want to meet new people.
Top long-haul destinations for 2023 are the USA, Canada and Australia, and short-haul favourites will be France, Mainland Spain and Italy, but many are also keen to visit destinations such as Japan, South Africa, Costa Rica, India, the Galapagos, Mongolia, South Korea, the Antarctic, Namibia and Botswana.
When they get to their destination, 47 per cent said the opportunity to learn about local culture, see a natural phenomenon and visit places of historical and archaeological interest was important. But, within those stats, women are keener to explore than men (51 per cent versus 43 per cent). They are also significantly more likely to take a solo trip with 29 per cent saying they plan to travel alone as opposed to just 12 per cent of men.
Top considerations
Other key considerations for over-50s travelling include the ease of transfer and getting around the destination (46 per cent), as well as the climate (45 per cent). Activities such as wine tasting (23 per cent) and music events (22 per cent) proved more popular than intense physical endeavours, and 43 per cent want flexibility on holiday, saying they like to have a mix of things organised in advance, as well as some downtime to fill as they choose.
John Constable, CEO of Saga Travel Group, said:
“Our Saga 2023 travel trends research shows some real differences in how our experienced customers want to travel. And yet, people over 50 often get banded together as one group in a way society doesn’t do with any other ages. Recognising customers as individuals with different ambitions and travel plans means offering choice, flexibility and a host of incredible experiences, be that on a personalised safari of Botswana, a rail journey across the Rockies, a tour of the Golden Triangle, or a cruise around the Caribbean.”

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ABTA has announced its events schedule for the first half of 2023 with a range of varied and high-quality conferences and training days designed to keep the travel industry up to date and develop skills and knowledge within the sector.The programme will provide insights and advice from key specialists and leaders in their fields, helping travel businesses continue their recovery from the pandemic and respond to emerging changes and challenges. With recruitment and retention an ongoing challenge for the industry, ABTA’s training events are there to upskill new or existing staff and offer a great way for travel companies to show how they are investing in the development of their staff. 
ABTA events are open to the whole travel industry with reduced rates available for ABTA Members and Partners. ABTA is also offering a 10% discount on all event bookings made before 3 February 2023 – those wishing to attend can use the code JANUARY23 when booking to get the discount.*
The new programme includes a mix of in-depth conferences and training days that will take place in the first half of the year, including:
Conferences
Travel Finance Conference – 1 & 2 March Delivering Sustainable Travel Conference – 15 March Travel Law Seminar – 10 & 11 May Travel Marketing Conference – 17 & 18 May Travel Matters – 14 June ABTA is continuing to respond the feedback and needs of Members by offering more training and development courses within the new programme, including: ADVERTISEMENTA Beginners Guide to Travel Law – 8 February Accessible Travel and Tourism – 22 FebruaryAdvanced Digital Marketing Training – 9 MarchAn Essential Guide to the Package Travel Regulations (Manchester) – 20 AprilCarbon Literacy for Travel and Tourism – 26 AprilCelebrating its 25th year, ABTA’s annual flagship two-day Travel Law Seminar returns on 10 & 11 May, with a complete update on the changing landscape of travel regulations.
ABTA also offers a range of free events, training and resources including its monthly video conference call, where Members can put their questions to ABTA experts and leaders, and the regional business meetings. ABTA’s Knowledge Zone provides free e-learning across a range of topics and numerous guidance documents and resources can be found in ABTA’s Member Zone.
ABTA’s Head of Events, Eve Coburn, said:
“In the ever-changing landscape of travel, there has been a huge demand for learning and development as the industry continues to evolve and emerge from the pandemic. We have taken on board the feedback from Members, and this year, we have introduced a diverse schedule with a mix of events and training sessions designed to develop and upskill travel professionals in this new era of travel.”   
Further detail on the events, plus registration and rates can be found at abta.com/events.

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In 2022, 22.6 million passengers passed through Zurich Airport. Compared to last year, this corresponds to more than a doubling; in 2021, 10.2 million passengers were counted. Compared to 2019, passenger numbers are at 72%.After a first quarter that was still marked by the pandemic, passenger traffic at Zurich Airport recovered significantly over the course of the year. In the first half of the year, passenger numbers rose within as short period of time from 15,000 in some cases to up to 90,000 travelers on peak days. Although the total number of passengers is thus still below the figures for 2019, it exceeds the forecasts made at the beginning of the year.
The number of air traffic movements was 216,584 in 2022, an increase of 63% compared to 2021 and 79% compared to 2019. A total of 422,153 tons of cargo were handled at Zurich Airport in 2022. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 7% and compared to 2019, a decrease of 7%.
Key traffic figures December 2022
In December 2022, 1,904,409 passengers passed through Zurich Airport, corresponding to an increase of 80% compared to last year. Passenger levels are 82% of those reached in December 2019.  The number of local passengers was 1,289,918. Transfer passengers amounted to 32%, equal to 609,554 passengers.
Year on year, air traffic movements increased by 26% to 17,581 take offs or landings. A monthly comparison shows that air traffic movements are at 87% of the 2019 level. The average passenger per movement figure increased to 126 (+34% vs. previous year). The average seat load factor was at 77% (+20 percentage points vs. previous year).A total of 34’087 tons of freight were transported at Zurich Airport during the month of December. This led to a decrease of 9% in freight volume compared to last year. Compared to December 2019, freight volume decreased by 11%.ADVERTISEMENT

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Digital transformation continues to be a top priority for TUI Group. Due to this special importance, CEO Sebastian Ebel had already assumed overall responsibility for IT on the Executive Board as of 1 October 2022.As of 1 January 2023, the vacant CIO position at Group level will be filled by Pieter Jordaan – with a direct reporting line to Sebastian Ebel. As Chief Information Officer (CIO), Pieter Jordaan will lead the IT Leadership Team and be responsible for the implementation of the strategic priorities in IT: the expansion of dynamic production, new products like Accommodation Only and Flight Only, the expansion of the TUI App, as well as the further roll-out of TRIPS in the Western Region.
As a South African native, Pieter has worked successfully for TUI for more than eight years. In the past three years, he has led the technological development and harmonisation of numerous Group platforms as Group Chief Technology Officer. In addition, he modernised the IT infrastructure of the company and was responsible for the successful implementation of its cloud strategy. Prior to TUI, he worked for several IT consultancies in the UK.
“I am delighted that Pieter Jordaan joins us as CIO from our TUI IT leadership team. He will drive the close integration with TUI’s operational areas to enable a fast and efficient implementation of our ambitious digitalisation strategy,” says Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI Group.

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dnata, a leading global air and travel services provider, has broken ground on its new, 20,000 m2 cargo warehouse which will add significant expansion to its operations at Erbil International Airport (EBL). The facility represents an investment of US$ 14 million and will create up to 50 additional, direct jobs with dnata in Iraq.
The foundation stone for the cargo warehouse, which is scheduled for completion in September 2024, was recently revealed by dnata’s Senior Vice President for UAE and Iraq Airport Operations, Jaffar Dawood.
“We are delighted to expand our operations in response to the growing demand for our reliable and safe cargo services in Erbil,” said Jaffar. “Our new facility will incorporate cutting-edge technologies and the latest carbon reduction initiatives in design and operation, ensuring the highest level of operational and environmental efficiency for our customers. We stay committed to the Iraqi aviation industry and continue to invest in our operations to contribute to the development of Erbil as a regional cargo hub.”
dnata’s newest cargo facility will be capable of processing 100,000 tonnes of cargo annually, including perishables, pharmaceuticals and dangerous goods. dnata will also implement its advanced ‘OneCargo’ system within the facility, digitising processes and maximising efficiencies across its cargo operations in Iraq.
The facility will be equipped with the latest technologies, including thermal insulation to reduce the building’s environmental impact by maintaining low CO2 manufacturing emissions and operating costs. Additional, environmentally sustainable features include a water harvesting system, which recycles condensed water, low energy skylighting, and an all-electric forklift fleet.ADVERTISEMENTdnata’s latest expansion follows the opening of a new, advanced cool chain facility and a bus maintenance facility in 2022 at EBL. The company currently provides ground handling and cargo services to over 25 airlines with a team of over 400 aviation professionals.
In recent years, dnata has also made strategic investments in new cargo facilities in London and Manchester (UK), Karachi and Lahore (Pakistan), and additional cargo capacity and infrastructure in Brussels (Belgium), Sydney (Australia) and Toronto (Canada). In addition, last January the company announced an investment of over €200 million in one of the world’s largest and most advanced cargo facility, dnata Cargo City Amsterdam, at Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands.
As one of the world’s leading air and services providers, dnata provides quality and reliable ground handling, cargo, catering and retail services at over 120 airports in 19 countries.

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Boeing today announced that Dr. Brendan Nelson AO will take over as president of Boeing International (BI) and lead the company’s international strategy and corporate operations.The former Australian diplomat and government minister will succeed Sir Michael Arthur when he retires from Boeing in early 2023 after five decades of service in the public and private sectors, including the past four years at the helm of Boeing International.
Nelson, the second non-U.S. citizen to lead the organization, will report to Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun and join the company’s executive council. The Australian citizen has been president of Boeing Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific since February 2020. He will move to London to take up his new role, effective Jan. 12, 2023.
“Brendan brings to his new position vast experience in government and diplomacy, industry and non-profit associations, that will serve us well as we continue to grow as a global company while navigating the dynamics of the geopolitical environment,” said Calhoun.
Since joining Boeing in 2014, Arthur and Boeing International have worked to expand the company’s global business in recent years. Boeing now has customers in 150 countries and a worldwide supply chain of 20,000 suppliers and partners. The company operates in 65 different countries, including major operations in Australia, India, the Middle East and United Kingdom, and employs more than 25,000 people outside of the United States who are engaged in design, development, manufacturing, services and support.
“On behalf of our global team, I want to sincerely thank Sir Michael for his tremendous contributions, his tireless service to our customers, employees and industry over the past eight years,” added Calhoun.ADVERTISEMENTNelson will oversee 20 regional offices in key global markets. His responsibilities will include developing the company’s growth and productivity initiatives outside the United States, forming new business and industrial partnerships, overseeing international affairs, enhancing Boeing’s local presence and providing global functional support.
When he served as Australian Minister of Defence, Nelson oversaw deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, East Timor and the Solomon Islands. He later served as Australia’s ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union and NATO for three years. Nelson is a long-time and passionate advocate of veterans’ affairs and prior to joining Boeing in 2020, Nelson was the director of the Australian War Memorial for seven years.
Maria Fernandez PSM will succeed Nelson as president of Boeing Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific effective Dec. 20, 2022. She will be the senior company leader in the Oceania region and board chair of Boeing Australia Holdings. In this role, Fernandez will coordinate Boeing Australia activities, lead government relations and direct the implementation of the company’s strategy to expand its local presence and grow the business.
“Maria has had a distinguished career with more than 20 years of leadership experience in the Australian national security sector and was the first woman to lead an Australian intelligence agency. She has the ideal background for this position,” said Nelson.
Fernandez has held senior executive positions in Australia’s departments of Home Affairs, Defence, Immigration and Border Protection, and Education. Prior to joining Boeing, she ran a consultancy that provided strategic advisory and independent assurance services to Australian government agencies.

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