Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

Quark Expeditions, the global leader in polar adventures, has kicked off the new year by launching a robust Escape Sale with polar voyages reduced by up to 45%—plus a variety of guest benefits.“We’re very excited about our recently-launched Escape Sale as it enables a cross-section of travelers to take advantage of deep savings that match their travel tastes,” said Thomas Lennartz, Vice-president of Sales for Quark Expeditions. “The special offers—and perks—in our Escape Sale appeal to solo travelers, couples and groups.”Lennartz emphasized that the itineraries featured in the Escape Sale include some of the more popular voyages within Quark Expeditions’ portfolio. “For instance, guests can enjoy incredible savings on some of the more active trips in the Arctic such as our Greenland Adventure: Explore by Land, Sea and Air itinerary, as well as shorter voyages such as Antarctic Express: Fly the Drake,” said Lennartz. “In addition, we’re also waiving the single supplement on multiple voyages 2023 voyages.”
“We know from past promotions that a large number of travelers will appreciate the free transfer package offered on select Arctic 2023 voyages. This includes charter flights, hotel and ground transportation (between airport and hotel), as well as hotel accommodation,” said Lennartz. “Polar travelers place high value on these extras. Factor in the additional 10% savings when guests pay in full, and our Escape Sale is even more appealing to travelers who’ve long wanted to explore the Arctic or Antarctic with the best expedition team in the Polar Regions.”
Highlights of the Escape Sale (January 4 to April 3, 2023):
Savings up to 45%No single supplement on multiple voyagesFree transportation between airport and hotel, as well as overnight hotel accommodation on select Arctic 2023 voyagesAn additional 10% savings when guests pay in full at time of booking.Departures featured in Quark Expeditions’ Escape Sale include:
Three Arctic Islands: Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland (Southbound). Departure: August 26, 2023ADVERTISEMENTSpitsbergen Explorer: Wildlife Capital of the Arctic. Departure: June 4 and 22, 2023
Canada and Greenland. Departure: September 11, 2023
Northwest Passage: In the Footsteps of Franklin. Departure: July 30, 2023For full list of eligible departures, visit Quark Expeditions’ Escape Sale

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LOVE ON THE LEDGE More

Huawei and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have selected Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Natural Park in Barcelona Province for a new Tech4Nature project to study how tourism impacts the park’s ecosystem, notably the Bonelli’s eagle.The park has seen a clear increase in visitors since the pandemic, reflecting a growing trend of leisure and tourism in periurban natural and protected spaces. As a result, park managers have observed changes in the behavioral patterns of the Bonelli’s eagle, which nests in the park and is listed as vulnerable in the Spanish Red Book of Birds.
Scheduled for launch in February 2023, the project will see Huawei and partners developing and deploying a tech-based solution comprising cameras, GPS receivers, and a cloud platform that will serve as the computing and storage infrastructure. Forming an alert-detection system, the solution will observe and monitor the mobility of the eagle and determine the factors that disturb its reproductive success – human disturbance to breeding areas has already been identified as a major threat to the eagle.
The data collected will be sent to the cloud platform for analysis by AI, which will help guide conservation decisions, support park managers in responding quickly and effectively to potential environmental risks, and educate the public on conservation.
“The project will help us to have more information to manage and regulate public use,” said Ángel Miño, director of the Natural Park under Barcelona Provincial Council. “It will also bring biodiversity conservation closer to the general public, as videos and other dissemination materials are planned. In collaboration with Huawei and IUCN, the project allows us to make a qualitative leap by incorporating new technologies to the monitoring and conservation of species.”
To boost research and biodiversity protection outcomes, Miño emphasized that expanding public-private partnerships to include universities and the business world is a key facet of the park’s management strategy and essential for success, a viewpoint shared by other project’s partners. ADVERTISEMENT“Collaboration between public institutions and the private sector is increasingly necessary to determine success in the face of complex environmental challenges,” said Antonio Troya, Director of the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation. “We have the opportunity to take advantage of technological innovations and incorporate them into conservation measures for our ecosystems. This project exemplifies how cooperation and mainstreaming are the way forward to halt biodiversity loss.”
Running under the IUCN-Huawei Tech4Nature partnership in line with the IUCN Green List and Huawei’s TECH4ALL initiative, the park managers – Barcelona Provincial Council – will launch the project in the park in early 2023. The technical solution will be developed by Huawei in collaboration with the University of Girona during 2023 and 2024.
The Tech4Nature partnership, which aims to develop technology-based conservation solutions for 300 protected areas over three years and measure project efficacy against the IUCN Green List, combines IUCN’s nature conservation experience and Huawei’s expertise in developing cutting-edge digital technologies.
“This project is the first of its kind that we are launching in Spain, after dozens of successful experiences of developing solutions to protect different species and natural spaces in countries around the world using advanced technologies such as cloud, AI, and connectivity,” said Eric Li, CEO of Huawei Spain. “The role of the technology industry in meeting this challenge is key, but only through collaboration with strategic and committed partners can the objectives be achieved in a real way.”
As well as ensuring that Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Natural Park can balance biodiversity protection with enjoyment for all, it is hoped that this model can be perfected and replicated in other protected areas of Spain.

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Explore the Flavors of the Maldives and Sri Lanka with New Cookbook from Chef Lal Fonseka

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SEABOURN ANNOUNCES “THE SUITE LIFE EVENT,” OFFERING SAVINGS OF UP TO 25% More

Sea turtles cover extraordinary distances as they journey between their nesting and feeding grounds and migrate to warmer waters for the winter. Together with Turkish NGO Dekamer, the TUI Care Foundation is tracking the journey of two sea turtles across the Mediterranean Sea with a GPS transmitter in order to receive vital information about their feeding sites and migration routes, which helps to safeguard their habitats.
Both turtles were rescued from injury and rehabilitated by TUI Care Foundation’s partner Dekamer in Turkey. Tuba is a Loggerhead sea turtle and was released back into the sea in 2019 and Talay, a Green sea turtle, in 2021.
As part of the TUI Turtle Aid programme the turtles are tracked via GPS satellite transmitter as they journey between their nesting and feeding grounds and migrate to warmer waters for the winter. So far, Tuba has swum an incredible distance of 18,000 km and is now relaxing in the South Adriatic, having visited Greece, Malta, Italy, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro and Croatia over the last three years! Talay has swum considerably less – over 500 km over the last 18 months and is spending the winter holiday season in the southern Aegean.The progress of the turtles as they meander through the Mediterranean Sea on their maritime journey can be seen on the website of TUI Care Foundation here.
The sea turtle tracking is part of TUI Care Foundation’s TUI Turtle Aid programme, which protects endangered and vulnerable sea turtles, especially around nesting beaches. By working with local NGOs and beachfront tourism businesses, it also creates turtle friendly beaches and engages tourists by teaching them about turtles and how to protect them. Since its establishment the TUI Turtle Aid programme has contributed to the protection of over 2 million sea turtles.

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“Several countries are introducing COVID-19 testing and other measures for travellers from China, even though the virus is already circulating widely within their borders. It is extremely disappointing to see this knee-jerk reinstatement of measures that have proven ineffective over the last three years.Research undertaken around the arrival of the Omicron variant concluded that putting barriers in the way of travel made no difference to the peak spread of infections. At most, restrictions delayed that peak by a few days. If a new variant emerges in any part of the world, the same situation would be expected.
That’s why governments should listen to the advice of experts, including the WHO, that advise against travel restrictions. We have the tools to manage COVID-19 without resorting to ineffective measures that cut off international connectivity, damage economies and destroy jobs. Governments must base their decisions on ‘science facts’ rather than ‘science politics’.
While China has significantly eased border measures, I urge the Chinese government to remove the need for pre-departure COVID-19 testing for those traveling to China.”Willie WalshIATA Director General

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dnata Breaks Ground on New 20,000 sq m Cargo Warehouse at Erbil International Airport

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Luxury travel company The North introduces the ultimate Arctic exploration, The Arctic Horizon, taking place July 16 to August 4, 2024
Thoughtfully curated by the luxury hospitality industry veterans of HL Adventures and led by the Arctic’s foremost experts and guides, The North’s bespoke, three-week itinerary for the Arctic Horizon will cover seven wonders spanning the Arctic Circle. An intimate group of just 50 like-minded adventurers will explore the edge of the world to destinations normally beyond our boundaries. Together they will take in vast landscapes, view majestic wildlife and partake in rare, authentic experiences with local indigenous communities.
“As a lifelong explorer of the Arctic, my vision is to make the last frontier accessible to a select few who share my passion and respect for these rarely experienced, untouched regions,” said Founder Jón Olafur Magnussen. “What I am sure will be a life-changing adventure for our guests is the culmination of my life’s work. I am confident our team’s meticulous eye for detail will ensure an unrivalled level of service throughout these most extraordinary destinations.”
Typically holding well over 300 passengers, a fully customized Boeing 757-200 has been privately chartered from Icelandair and refitted with 50 lie-flat seats for a more relaxing and restful environment. A personal chef will prepare destination-inspired dishes, while accommodating dietary preferences, requests and restrictions. A dedicated concierge team and on-board hosts will attend to guests’ every wish and desire. Explorers will receive personalized iPads, detailing the day’s schedule, offering an in-flight entertainment system and showcasing a gallery of photos provided each day by The North’s professional photography team.
Armed with more than two decades of destination management experience, the leaders behind this all-new, once-in-a-lifetime adventure have called upon their elite partners to bring together the finest experiences of each destination. This journey to the last great frontier often only exists in the wildest imaginations of even the most adventurous travelers, but through the expertise and experience of The North’s hand-selected partners, The Arctic Horizon will bring this dream to fruition, without compromising on comfort or service.ADVERTISEMENTItinerary:Day 1 – Reykjavik, IcelandDays 2 – 3 – Ilulissat, GreenlandDays 4 – 6 – Sonora, CanadaDays 7 – 10 – Anchorage, AlaskaChampagne Toast Over the North PoleDays 11 – 14 – Longyearbyen, SvalbardDay 15 – 17 – Alta, NorwayDay 18 – 21 – Reykjavik, Iceland
The trip will conclude with a festive farewell gala dinner at the Arctic Explorers’ Club’s expedition lodge and luxury camp. Founded in 2015, this members-only group of explorers, travelers and friends are a collective of like-minded individuals who have a lifelong interest in the Arctic. In addition to supporting a foundation to educate children around the world about the Arctic, the Club serves as an opportunity for guests to continue their journey together and to create new opportunities each year to further develop knowledge and understanding and explore this world beyond the horizon.
The price of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure is 187,000 USD per person (based on double occupancy; 10 percent supplement applicable for solo travelers). This all-encompassing journey includes travel by privately chartered air, first-class accommodations, all meals, all ground transportation, an extensive selection of excursions and activities, special events and private access, as well as all gratuities.
For more information, visit https://thenorth.is/arctic-horizon or contact your travel advisor.

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Best Sale Ever is On—Princess Cruises Kicks Off Savings for 2023 in a Big Way

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GOL discloses preliminary traffic figures for December 2022 More

As the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to evolve, the Government of Canada has taken a prudent and measured approach to adjusting border measures to protect the health and safety of Canadians. In response to the surge of COVID-19 in the People’s Republic of China and given the limited epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data available on these cases, the Government of Canada intends to put in place certain temporary health measures for air travellers entering Canada from China.
As of 12:01 a.m. EST on January 5, all air travellers who are two years of age and older, arriving on flights originating from the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong or Macao, will need to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 test result, taken no more than two days before their departure, to the airline prior to boarding. The test could be either a negative molecular (such as a PCR test), or a negative antigen test that has documentation to show that it has been monitored by a telehealth service or an accredited laboratory or testing provider. Passengers who tested positive more than 10 days before their departure flight, but no more than 90 days, can provide the airline with documentation of their prior positive, in place of a negative test result.
These planned health measures will apply to air travellers, regardless of nationality and vaccination status. They are temporary measures, in place for 30 days, that will be reassessed as more data and evidence becomes available. Airlines must receive the negative COVID-19 test result, or documentation of a positive test result taken within the prior 10-90 days, before the traveller boards the plane, otherwise the traveller will be denied boarding.
Further, when arriving at Primary Inspection Kiosks and eGates, or when making a customs declaration using the optional Advance CBSA Declaration prior to arriving at airports in Canada, travellers will be asked if they have travelled to the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong or Macao in the last 10 days. If they have, Canada Border Services Agency Officers will provide them with additional public health information on transmission of COVID-19, personal protective measures and what to do if they develop symptoms of COVID-19. This applies to air travellers only, not to those arriving by land.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is putting in place a pilot project on wastewater testing from aircrafts with Vancouver International Airport, and expanding the existing project with Toronto Pearson International Airport, to assess the COVID-19 prevalence from various regions of the world. The samples are then sequenced to monitor for novel variants of concern.ADVERTISEMENTThe Government of Canada has a strong monitoring program in place with the provinces and territories to identify COVID-19 variants in Canada, including the Omicron variant of concern and its sub-lineages, most notably through a robust genomic sequencing network and through the monitoring of wastewater in Canadian communities. Positive test samples for genomic sequencing are obtained from domestic provincial, territorial and federal molecular tests from a wide variety of sources to test for emerging variants.
While not mandatory, all travellers are strongly recommended to wear well-constructed and well-fitted masks during their travel on planes and in airports, or other crowded indoor settings. Individuals are reminded that they should not travel if they have symptoms of COVID-19. If travellers become sick while travelling, and are still sick when they arrive in Canada, they should inform a flight attendant or a border services officer upon arrival.
The Government of Canada continues to work with international partners to enhance sequencing capacity and closely monitors the global epidemiology of COVID-19 and emerging novel variants of concern.
Source: https://www.canada.ca

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Carnival President Christine Duffy & Chief Culinary Officer Emeril Lagasse Light New Year’s Eve Ball

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CHINA OPENS UP TO INTERNATIONAL TOURISM FROM JANUARY 2023 More

Nationals from Gulf countries accounted for over 872,000 overnight stays, thus becoming among the most significant markets for Germany in the first nine months of this year.According to the figures provided by the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), Germany experienced a total of 180 per cent surge in overnight stays from nationals from Gulf countries in the first three quarters of this year, in comparison to the same period last year, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Last year, the number of GCC nationals travelling to Germany was 311,000, showing significant growth. However, the figures stood well below pre-pandemic levels, marking a decrease of 34.5 per cent.
In this regard, the German National Tourist Office, the regional office of GNTB, Yamina Sofo, stressed that the country continues to see a strong traction from nationals from GCC countries.
“Our goal at the moment is to continue to attract visitors from the region and aim to reach the numbers we welcomed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen a striking performance this year when compared to 2021, demonstrating that our diverse campaigns and offerings are attractive, and effectively reaching the audience,” Sofo pointed out in this regard.
According to a report provided by Zawya, the Asian source market registered over 2.9 million overnight stays for a period between January until September this year, thus indicating a surge of 283 per cent compared to the figures of the same period last year. At the same time, this upsurge shows that passengers are eager to travel even more than usual.ADVERTISEMENTRecently, the GNTB presented a campaign in order to bring to the country a large number of international visitors, thus helping the country’s tourism industry recover from the damages caused by the travel bans and other restrictions imposed to stop the further spread of COVID-19 and its new variants.
Following the easing of the COVID-related restrictions, authorities in Germany have noted a significant improvement in the country’s travel and tourism sector.
The figures provided previously by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) showed that in October this year, a 2.7 per cent increase was marked in the number of overnight stays registered in Germany, compared to the figures of the same period last year.
Still, despite the notable increase, the figures continue to remain below pre-pandemic levels before the spread of the virus.
In addition, the data provided by the Federal Statistical Office also show that a total of 17.5 million overnight stays in German establishments were registered in December 2021, which shows that a significant increase was marked compared to 2020’s figures.
Source: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

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Tourism Revenues in Greece Reached €1.5 Billion During October More

The Greek Minister of Tourism, Vasilis Kikilias, has revealed that last October tourism revenues reached €1.5 billion, thus exceeding October 2019 by 3.3 per centAccording to Minister Kikilias, this is a result of the increase in arrivals from important markets with which strategic agreements were made this year, including +69.2 per cent from Great Britain, +10.6 per cent from Germany, and + six per cent from France, compared to October 2019, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
At the same time, arrivals from other countries also increased to impressive levels, with +12.3 per cent from the United States, +28.1 per cent from France, and +83.2 per cent from the United Kingdom as a whole.
“These performances in the month of October prove de facto that the lengthening of the tourist season has become a reality, and they mean multiple revenues not only for the branded islands, but also for the less popular mainland destinations, Athens and Thessaloniki,” he pointed out in this regard.
In addition, he also emphasised that the surplus of three billion euros, which will be allocated this year, will be distributed to vulnerable groups, families, and people in need, adding that Greece has proven how much it tries to support society. During the pandemic, the country allocated €44 billion in different forms to its citizens,  €10 billion of which was for energy.
At the end of last month, the Minister of Tourism revealed that by the end of 2022, Greece’s income from travel would exceed the 2021 budget by three billion euros.ADVERTISEMENTMeanwhile, he noted that in October, Fraport’s airports recorded an increase of +14.9 per cent compared to October 2019. As a result, there was also an increase in the turnover in accommodation and hotels, respectively by 22.1 per cent and 19.8 per cent in the third quarter of this year.
As Kikilias explains, even the occupancy rate in the travel destination accommodations has experienced very high growth, thus reaching 100 per cent.
Moreover, the Minister of Tourism said that €100 million would be allocated from the program titled “Save-Operate” in order to support the owners of small hotels and accommodations in mountain destinations that are most affected by the energy crisis. He also confirmed that the contribution to “Tourism for all” will continue until the end of January 2023.
Noting that Greece is considered one of the main tourist brands around the world, the Greek authorities have announced that this year the income from tourism has already exceeded €18 billion.
Source: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

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US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION HAILS STEPS TOWARDS LOWERING VISA WAITS

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Germany Sees 180% Increase in Number of Visitors from Gulf States More