Organisations & Operators,

Trip.com Group has released its 2021 annual Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting stronger, more resilient sustainability practices across the business over the past year.
The ESG report also outlines Trip.com Group’s roadmap for success in 2022, with a focus on greater opportunities to put sustainability into action, creating a more sustainable future for the global travel ecosystem.
During the last year, the Group has joined the UN Global Compact, aligning its strategies and operations with UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
A founding partner of sustainable travel coalition, Travalyst, Trip.com Group works with leading travel peers to develop sustainable travel initiatives to bring industry-wide change. The Group has also continued to champion the fight against the illegal wildlife trade.
This is in addition to pursuing its ‘3Rs’ strategy of reducing waste, reusing and recycling resources, as well as adopting green operations across the business.ADVERTISEMENTJane Sun, Trip.com Group CEO, said: “Our commitment to sustainability, social issues and creating a stronger, more resilient business made several important strides over the course of the last year.
“As a crucial part of our Group mission, our newly-created ESG Committee plays a vital role in enabling the business to embrace innovative and effective corporate governance practices.
“We are proud of the progress we have made in integrating these practices into our daily business operations to date.
“We now look forward to continuing to build upon these achievements throughout 2022, and help to shape a more sustainable future for our society.”
Other key 2021 ESG achievements for the Group include:
● Donating 680 oxygen concentrators, worth more than $330,000 to India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia to support the fight against COVID-19
● Donating more than 3,000 attraction passes and room nights through the ‘Pay It Forward’ campaign in Singapore, providing leisure and holiday opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds
● Investing almost $150 million empowering 100 vacation villages in rural destinations with the building of eight of ten planned country retreats as part of its Rural Revitalisation Plan
● Providing more than 2,800 professional development classes to staff through the Trip Growth Academy.
Within the work environment, the Trip.com Group also reports significant ESG successes and enhancements to its operations, including:
● The roll out of a flexible hybrid work model enabling employees the choice of working remotely and supporting employee wellness
● Maintaining an equal workplace which is home to a 50% female workforce, 43% of which hold mid-level management positions and 30% at executive level.
● Awarded the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Award for providing a Gender-inclusive Workplace by UN Women China.
Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel groups around the globe, and has over 20 years’ expertise in enhancing the experience of leisure and business travellers in China and around the world.
Read Trip.com Group’s 2021 ESG report in full here.

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dnata has announced significant expansion of its operations in Erbil, Iraq. The company opened a new, advanced cool chain facility and a bus maintenance facility for its state-of-the-art bussing fleets at Erbil International Airport (EBL), which together represent a total investment of US$ 3.5 million.
dnata has also announced that it would invest an additional US$ 14 million and add a 16,000 m² cargo warehouse to its infrastructure in Iraq. The three new facilities will create up to 100 local jobs with dnata. 
dnata’s new cool chain facility is capable of processing 10,000 tons of perishables annually. It enables dnata’s cargo team to offer an uncompromised chilled and frozen storage and cool chain product to its airline customers at EBL, catering to product categories including fresh fruit, meat and pharmaceuticals. The facility was designed and built with flexibility and unique product handling requirements in mind, taking advantage of the latest cold storage technologies.
The new bus maintenance facility was designed to maintain the fleet of eight passenger apron buses and over 10 transportation buses operated at EBL. It will ensure continuous improvements in the safe and productive maintenance of the airport’s bus fleet, supporting smooth transport operations across the airport for passengers, crew and staff.
dnata’s new cargo warehouse, which is expected to open in 2023, will further significantly enhance the company’s cargo offering in Iraq.  It will be capable of processing 100,000 tonnes of cargo, with a special focus on pharma and other cool chain commodities, annually. The facility will be equipped with the latest technologies, including environmentally sustainable features such as water harvesting, low energy lighting and an all-electric forklift fleet.ADVERTISEMENTFurthermore, dnata has recently announced that it successfully implemented its advanced ‘OneCargo’ system, digitising processes and maximising efficiencies across its cargo operations in Iraq. OneCargo automates key business and operational functions, including safety and quality monitoring, reporting and ULD management, with an integrated, cloud-based platform. AI-driven tools and analytics provide enhanced visibility on sales and business performance, allowing customers to match real-time demand with available capacity for maximum profitability. In addition, OneCargo eliminates all redundancies and manual check sheets, substantially improving operational efficiency.
dnata currently provides passenger, ground and cargo services to over 25 airlines in Erbil. In 2021, the company assisted over 1.2 million passengers and handled 8,200 flights and 20,000 tonnes of cargo in Iraq.
Tom Alwyn-Jones, Managing Director of dnata Erbil, said: “Our latest investment in three new facilities will help us further expand and improve our operations in Erbil as demand for reliable and safe cargo services is on the rise across the region. I thank my colleagues for their hard work and our partners for their support and trust in our services. We continue to go the extra mile to consistently deliver superior quality and be the best in everything we do.”
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, the company has recently announced that it would invest over €200 million in its operations in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and operate one of the world’s largest and most advanced cargo facility, dnata Cargo City Amsterdam, at Schiphol Airport.
dnata is nominated as World’s Leading Air Travel Service Provider 2021 by World Travel Awards.
As one of the world’s leading air 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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Global travel platform Agoda has announced its partnership with Visa, the world leader in digital payments, to offer interest-free credit card installments across its booking platform. Agoda will be the first global Online Travel Agency (OTA) to offer this payment option with Visa in the Asia Pacific region.
These installments can now be exclusively enjoyed by HSBC Bank Malaysia credit card holders. In the coming years, Visa and Agoda will progressively roll out this offering regionwide to locations like Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines, each with respective issuing banks.
“As the world transitions from a pandemic to an endemic state, there is great demand for digital-first experiences to accommodate for changing consumer behaviours and purchasing patterns. At Agoda, we are always looking for innovative ways to help people gain more accessibility – using technology to simplify the search, booking and payment processes. We are happy to be working with a global leader like Visa to empower travellers who might have previously found it inconvenient to pay for their booking in one lump sum, to spread their purchases over multiple payments – allowing for greater flexibility and peace of mind.”, said Thi-Mai-Linh Bui, CFO, Agoda.
To enjoy this benefit, Visa card holders will simply need to enter their credit card details at the point of checkout. An instalment option will appear for eligible card holders. Following which, travellers can select their preferred instalment period via Agoda’s mobile app and website, with no additional charges or fees.
“The buy now, pay later trend is here to stay, so add instalments to the list of consumer expectations for speed, safety and convenience, even when they’re booking their holidays,” said Conor Lynch, Head of Consumer Solutions, Asia Pacific, Visa. “We’re excited for Agoda to join the growing list of businesses in Asia Pacific giving their customers the ability to pay in instalments. It’s particularly great to see instalment payments taking off in the travel industry at the same time people are getting their ‘revenge travel’ plans underway.’ADVERTISEMENT

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The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) welcomes the Autonomous City of Ceuta as an Affiliate Member to promote shared values and a common vision on sustainable tourism.
The Autonomous City of Ceuta joins the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to promote sustainable tourism and boost the competitiveness of the tourist destination. The incorporation of the company Servicios Turísticos de Ceuta to the organisation will be ratified during the 116th Session of the Executive Council of the UNWTO, to be held next on 7 and 8 June in Saudi Arabia.
On the occasion of its affiliation, the President of the Autonomous City of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, visited the UNWTO headquarters today to learn first-hand about the work of the organisation with its Affiliate Members. During his visit, they laid the foundations of a joint roadmap to, among other issues, enhance the aspects that can help the tourist destinations to advance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda.
Affiliate Members Department Director, Ion Vilcu, explained that the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on the industry has highlighted the need for tourism to transform itself into a more sustainable sector, while responding to the new tourists´ demands.
The UNWTO welcomes the decision of the authorities of the Autonomous City of Ceuta to join this international entity, which will allow the destination to develop joint projects related to the sector. ADVERTISEMENTThe organisation continues to work in collaboration with its Affiliate Members to provide tools that will enable them to adapt to the new challenges facing the sector and thus adopt a new model of tourism development that is more respectful of the environment and people.

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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has reported that three months after its launch, the “Meaningful Travel Campaign” – a collaboration between the TAT Stockholm Office and Thailand-registered social enterprise Socialgiver – has raised over 400,000 Baht and preserved 35,000 big trees in Thailand.
Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said “It is wonderful to see such great support being shown to the Meaningful Travel Campaign by Nordic and Baltic tourists visiting Thailand, and we thank them for this. The campaign is aimed at helping tourists support nature conservation and protect green spaces throughout the kingdom. This is in line with the TAT’s commitment towards more sustainable and more responsible tourism, and we hope to see more travellers joining the good work being done.”
Socialgiver is a non-profit organisation that partners with social and environmental projects from across Thailand and helps them raise funds for the work they do. Working with Socialgiver and TAT in the “Meaningful Travel Campaign” is the Big Trees Project – an environmental volunteer and advocacy group that works with communities, government agencies, and the private sector in promoting awareness and helping preserve green spaces in Bangkok and around Thailand.
Big Trees was founded in 2010 and brings the general public and organisations together in preserving public green spaces and the environment. It is working to build a strong cycle of tree care – from the nurturing of seedlings, to training and connecting arborists to care for large trees around Thailand – and at the same time to create jobs for the local people and raise awareness on the important role big trees play in nature.
With the “Meaningful Travel Campaign”, 50 percent of the revenue from Nordic and Baltic tourists booking hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other experiences in Thailand through the Socialgiver platform, goes to Big Trees. It offers them not only a fantastic holiday, but a meaningful one as well, as they will be giving back to the local communities and the environment.ADVERTISEMENT

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Travel booking platform GetYourGuide.com, has announced the results of a new survey aimed at uncovering what ‘unforgettable’ experiences mean to U.S. travelers in today’s world, which revealed consumers are in search of authentic experiences, avoiding tourist traps when planning itineraries and opting for domestic destinations in 2022. These trends are expected to play out widely as travel bookings are increasing: GetYourGuide’s U.S. booking volumes have more than doubled compared to pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.
“It’s great to see a renewed desire to discover new and different experiences through travel,” said Caroline Berger, Head of Brand, U.S. at GetYourGuide. “We’ve observed a sharp increase in our U.S. booking volumes as travelers are making up for time lost over the last few years—many of whom are more conscious than ever of avoiding the stereotypical tourist traps. As travelers become more discerning, we will be providing unforgettable experiences for them.”
The report’s results found common themes among those planning to travel and book experiences in 2022. Notable highlights include:
Travelers are going out of their way to avoid tourist trapsAs many seasoned travelers know, popular destinations can often include ‘tourist traps,’ identified by survey respondents as attractions lacking in authenticity – inaccurately claiming to be unique and exclusive – with inflated prices, long lines, and/or large crowds. These ‘traps’ may act as a barrier for travelers when creating their travel itineraries, leading some to change plans or avoid a destination altogether.
Two out of three (67%) travelers feel they have experienced tourist traps that led to inauthentic experiences
More than two-thirds of travelers (68%) say they’ve decided against visiting an attraction or excursion because they were concerned it was a tourist trap, while four out of ten travelers (41%) say they’ve avoided a destination altogether due to concerns of tourist traps
“Doing your research and booking with a trusted provider is essential for those looking to escape the tourist traps,” said Berger. “By visiting GetYourGuide.com or the GetYourGuide app, travelers not only have access to transparent pricing, flexible booking policies and real customer reviews – which have become table stakes to today’s traveler – they also get a fully curated experience, one that has been vetted by us.”ADVERTISEMENTTravelers are craving to explore new and unforgettable experiences in their own backyardOn average, U.S. travelers take around 3 ½ leisure trips per year, and this year, many (55%) Americans are planning to spend their time off within the U.S., opting for beach getaways (44%) and road trips (36%). Among those with 2022 travel plans:
Two-thirds of travelers say that experiencing new and different things (66%), as well as feeling recharged and relaxed (66%) are the main goals of their vacations
Most travelers plan to go sightseeing (42%) and partake in family-friendly activities (39%)
Travelers ranked favorable prices (54%), having a wide range of activities and experiences (34%) and avoiding big crowds (34%) as top priorities when booking travel experiences
The top priorities for travelers are having a sense of freedom (38%) and taking part in authentic experiences (37%)
Travelers are valuing the ‘who’ in addition to the ‘where’Whether it is enjoying a new city’s culinary scene, hiking the Grand Canyon or swimming with sharks, most travelers agree that it’s the people they travel with that contribute to making an experience ‘unforgettable.’ Among the open-text comments requested in the survey, respondents echoed the importance of family, friends and loved ones when creating lasting memories.
Close to two-thirds (58%) of travelers feel that creating beautiful memories with loved ones contribute to making a travel experience unforgettable, while four out of ten of travelers (38%) say that learning about the history of different sights and places also makes a trip unforgettable
‘Beautiful’ and ‘fun’ were the most mentioned words when asked to describe unforgettable experiences

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Tripadvisor has announced that Matt Goldberg has been named its Chief Executive Officer, succeeding co-founder and long-time CEO, Stephen Kaufer.
“We are excited to announce the appointment of Matt Goldberg to the role of CEO,” said Greg Maffei, Chairman of the Board at Tripadvisor. “Matt has proven leadership and experience in strategy and operations for more than 20 years across a number of leading media, advertising, and consumer-facing companies. We welcome him to the team and look forward to his expertise as he leads Tripadvisor in the next phase of its journey.”
“I could not be more enthusiastic about joining Tripadvisor, a company I have long admired, whose leadership and teams have built an amazing, globally recognised consumer brand with a unique spot in travel and digital media,” said Matt Goldberg, incoming CEO. “I’m incredibly excited to return to the travel sector to innovate within the industry and leverage the platform’s reach and community trust. I see a long runway ahead and many opportunities to create value for our travelers and partners.”
“After a comprehensive search, I believe that the Board has found a strong leader in Matt for our iconic brand,” said Steve Kaufer, CEO and co-founder, Tripadvisor. “Our employees, partners and travelers will be well served by Matt who is a strategist with experience in the travel, digital, media and retail industries. I look forward to supporting his success and watching him guide this business into an exciting future.”
Over his career, Goldberg has served in various leadership roles in the digital content, media and entertainment, and travel industries, and in both B2B and direct-to-consumer models at companies such as News Corp, Liberty Interactive Corp, Lonely Planet, and Dow Jones. Most recently, he served as Executive Vice President, North America and Global Operations at The Trade Desk. Goldberg is also Founding Director of Dataphilanthropy, a non-profit focused on building programs to apply data to better address and understand economic disparity. He holds a B.A. in English from Cornell University, an M.A. in International Relations from the University of Melbourne, and an M.B.A from Stanford University. Goldberg’s anticipated start date is July 1, 2022 and he will be based at the company’s Needham, MA headquarters.ADVERTISEMENTSteve Kaufer co-founded Tripadvisor in 2000 and last year announced his intention to leave his role as CEO.

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TUI’s summer season has officially started in Turkey with around 180,000 guests flying into Turkey in April and May. TUI has grown its capacity for this summer and will bring over 1.5 million guests to Turkey from its 13 source markets in 2022. Around one million them will be holidaying across the resorts of Antalya and around 500,000 in the resorts of Izmir, Bodrum and Dalaman.
Members of TUI’s Executive Committee met hundreds of Turkish hotel partners to discuss its plans to grow further its holiday programme across the destination for Summer 2023. It aims to bring significantly more customers to Turkey next summer, compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels. TUI is also looking to focus on developing its winter programme and extending the season in Turkey.
TUI also shared information on trends it is seeing amongst guests. It has seen guests upgrading their holiday, booking longer durations, room upgrades and activities as people have missed their breaks in the sun.
“Over 90% of TUI’s capacity to Turkey is a package holiday, so our hotel partners are guaranteed beneficiaries when one of our flights land,” said David Burling, CEO Markets & Airlines, TUI Group. “We work with a thousand hotel partners across Turkey, who are key to our holiday strategy. We are in Turkey to meet our hotel partners face-to-face to discuss growing our capacity further and want to work together to bring even more holidaymakers here in 2023.”
TUI has been operating holidays to Turkey for over 40 years and it offers over 12,000 flights to and from the destination from all its source markets – via its own TUI airlines or partner carriers.ADVERTISEMENT“We have seen strong demand for holidays to Turkey as customers are attracted by the mix of beaches and culture, as well as the great range of hotels and quality service. People want to travel after two years of pandemic, they are literally sitting on packed suitcases for spring and summer. Tourism will have a very good summer in 2022 and countries which were hit particularly hard by travel restrictions during the pandemic, will benefit from this. Things are looking very positive for hotels, for family businesses and for the many local partners who work with us to make guests’ holidays successful,” said Sebastian Ebel, TUI Group CFO, who joined the events held at the TUI BLUE SENSATORI Fethiye and at the Rixos Premium Belek.
TUI also used the opportunity to present TUI BLUE Palm Garden in Antalya with their TUI Global Hotel Award. The hotel won the category for Best Hotel – TUI Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland.
Based on customer feedback, the TUI Global Hotel Awards recognise hotels that have received outstandingly high satisfaction scores from TUI customers and have demonstrated their commitment to sustainability. The TUI Global Hotel Awards winners were announced a few weeks ago in a virtual ceremony, with local presentations happening to personally congratulate hotel partners.
Two other hotels were also congratulated at the event for achieving fantastic feedback from TUI customers. Concorde de Luxe Resort in Antalya and Kirman Sidera Hotel Luxury & Spa in Antalya were shortlisted in the Top 5 for some categories.
As a key destination to TUI’s growth strategy, TUI also named one of its newest aircraft Antalya. The official name-giving ceremony took place at Antalya airport at the beginning of the month, with World Champion gymnast, Ayşe Begüm Onbaşı selected as godmother of the aircraft.
www.tuigroup.com

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