Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

Nearly 400 travel industry organisations – including domestic and international organisations have sent a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and National Park Service Director Chuck Sams calling for reforms to the visitor reservation systems in the national parks.
Specifically, reservation systems with short booking windows and inconsistent procedures are not workable for international travelers and international tour operators, many of whom plan travel a full year in advance. The letter proposes that reservations be allowed 10 to 12 months in advance, and that reservation systems are consistent across parks that implement them.
While reservation systems are not appropriate at all national park sites, any action by the Interior Department to expand new reservation systems for parks should be preceded by engagement and discussion with national park constituencies, including gateway communities, tour operators, and those that provide transportation to and through parks.
The reservation systems were largely implemented in the wake of record visitation that occurred at some of the country’s most popular national parks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supporting international visitationOverseas travelers made up more than a third (35%) of the 327 million visitors to national parks in 2019 and are crucial to the economies of national park gateway communities. With international inbound travel spending not expected to recovery until 2025, it is crucial that the sector can continue—and accelerate—its recovery without impediments.ADVERTISEMENT“The national parks are some of the biggest draws for overseas visitors, but the short booking windows make it nearly impossible for visitors to plan their trips,” said U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes. “By extending the booking window to at least 10 months, we can ensure that the parks remain open and welcoming to overseas visitors while protecting our cherished wildlife, landscapes and natural resources.”

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The U.S. Travel Association has unveiled a weeklong preview of its popular Daily Getaways program, the annual initiative to stimulate travel across America. Officially launching on July 18, the sale will feature exclusive deals from 10 major travel brands – including Accor Hotels, BWH Hotel Group, Choice Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International, Universal Orlando Resort, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts – offering discounts up to 50% off loyalty points, theme park tickets, vacation packages and hotel stays.
Deals and special offers available through Daily Getaways can help reduce costs for travel experiences.
According to STR, the national Average Daily Rate (ADR) for the week ending June 25 was 17% higher than 2019 levels, making discounted loyalty points and hotel stays a smart purchase. Deals and reward programs are more important than ever to many travelers. Destination Analysts reports that more than half of American travelers (52%) believe travel reward programs are an important aspect of their leisure travel planning.
“This year’s Daily Getaways arrives at a time when domestic leisure travel in the U.S. is surpassing pre-pandemic levels. With so many Americans looking to book trips amid rising costs and record inflation, Daily Getaways provides travelers with exclusive offers to make future travel plans more affordable,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of U.S. Travel Association. “U.S. Travel, together with our industry partners, is proud to present this promotion to spur increased travel within the United States and continue to aid the recovery of the travel and tourism industry.”
Leisure travel continues to be a high budget priority for American travelers. In June, 62% of travelers said leisure travel was a “high” or “extremely high” budgetary item. However, many travelers are holding off on making plans until the last minute. Amadeus reports that the majority of hotel bookings (55%) are still being made less than a week prior to travel. With deals in Daily Getaways carrying at least a year-long expiration and many programs offering points that never expire (with an active account), travelers are able to secure a travel deal now, to use later.ADVERTISEMENTAvailable DealsSince its inception in 2010, Daily Getaways has offered travelers access to deals from top travel brands in a one-stop, once-a-year marketplace, with deep discounts on points from top loyalty programs being among the fastest sellers.
The following is a breakdown of how travelers can view and buy the deals:
Deals Preview: Starting July 11, U.S. Travel begins previewing the Daily Getaways deals online, allowing travelers to sign up for reminders when the deals go live.
Daily Deals: A limited number of offers will be available for online purchase each weekday beginning Monday, July 18, 2022, at 1 p.m. EDT until August 12, or until supplies last.
Deals Platform: To preview and later purchase the deals, consumers can visit DailyGetaways.com. Travelers can also sign up for daily alerts to be reminded of deals that interest them before limited quantities sell out.
Travelers can look forward to the following travel opportunities from Daily Getaways: More

The music promoter Pino Sagliocco has been unveiled as the newest UNWTO Special Ambassador, joining a growing list of illustrious figures using their influence and celebrity to promote the power of tourism. In his new role, Mr Sagliocco will join Giorgio Armani, Lionel Messi and other leading figures from the worlds of business, sport, gastronomy and culture in championing tourism as a pillar of sustainable development and of opportunity for all.
Mr Sagliocco, who is President of the Live Nation Group in Spain, was given the honor by UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili at a special ceremony held at the MOM Culinary Institute in Madrid. The Secretary-General praised the new UNWTO Ambassador for his tireless work promoting musicians from all over the world, and for his support of UNWTO, as illustrated by his presence at the 112th session of its Executive Council in Tbilisi, Georgia, in 2020.
“Music and tourism are both powerful vehicles for bringing people together, to celebrate culture and to peace and understanding,” Secretary-General Pololikashvili noted. “UNWTO is proud to welcome Pino Sagliocco into our growing family of Ambassadors and l look forward to working closely with him to grow sustainable tourism, both in Spain and worldwide.”
Over the course of his stellar career, Mr Sagliocco has worked with some of the world’s biggest artists, among them Prince, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and many more. His continued enthusiasm for music as a natural partner to travel has helped make him a strong ally of UNWTO’s mission, as recognised by his new status as Special Ambassador. With musical tourism emerging as one of the major new trends for the sector, Mr Sagliocco’s long history as an innovator will help maximise its positive impacts, both economically and socially. Famously, he gave the world the merging of two different musical styles for the opening song of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics by Montserrat Caballè y Freddy Mercury, and he has continued to innovate and break boundaries.

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Research by GlobalData has revealed that international travel to South America plummeted from 35 million visitors in 2019 to a mere 3.3 million in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – meaning that the region missed out on around $49.2 billion in tourism spend over the two years. The leading data and analytics company notes that, following these disastrous few years, 2022 has seen a rather sudden return of international visitors, and the country should return to just over the levels it reached in 2019 by 2024.
GlobalData’s latest report, ‘South America Destination Tourism Insight Report, 2022 Update’, reveals international tourism will recover to 35.5 million visitors by 2024, with tourism expected to bring in $32.9 billion in the same year While the COVID-19 restrictions have now been largely removed or relaxed, the country still faces significant obstacles in the form of unstable political climates, lack of destination marketing, accessibility, and affordable air connectivity.
Hannah Free, Travel and Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “South America has seen huge shifts in visitor numbers in 2022, with the region already showing clear signs of recovery. The effect has been particularly great in this region, as it was typically slower to remove travel restrictions than countries in the Middle East and Europe. Hotels, airports and tourist destinations may struggle with the sudden influx of demand as has been seen in some parts of Europe.”
Despite COVID-19 restrictions persisting in 2021, Colombia saw growth in international tourism numbers—in part thanks to the Disney movie Encanto, which shone a light on the country’s natural and cultural highlights. International arrivals to Colombia increased by 11% year-on-year (YoY), overtaking Brazil and Argentina to become the most visited South American destination in 2021.
Meanwhile, Guyana was the only other South American country to experience growth in international arrivals in 2021, as tourism numbers increased by 16.4% YoY. Guyana’s geographic location, coupled with its historical connection to the Caribbean, makes it an ideal place for cruise, beach, adventure, cultural and nature tourism. However, Guyana’s tourism potential is hindered by weak brand identity, inconsistency in marketing and promotional investments, and the relatively low quality of connectivity to the country, meaning that flights are often costly. ADVERTISEMENTFree adds: “South America’s regional tourism performance is also held back by poor infrastructure. International arrivals to South America are disproportionally low due to underdeveloped air transport infrastructure, as well as a lack of low-cost airline options, which undermines accessibility. However, GlobalData’s Construction Projects Database shows that there are 59 airport infrastructure projects that are active across South America, which will be key to facilitating tourism growth.”

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Emirates honours Eid Al Adha celebrations with dedicated menu More

With a four-day public holiday starting on 8 July, now is your perfect chance to explore Dubai’s newest wow factor.
Hard to miss, the Museum of the Future is in the heart of Dubai’s Future District, offering entertainment, education and a glimpse into the future for you and your whole family.
Here is a list of five things you can do at the Museum of the Future over Eid al-Adha.
1. Take a ride to space
What better Eid staycation than a trip to a space station? ADVERTISEMENTBlast off in the Falcon Space Capsule to the Orbital Space Station (OSS) Hope on an odyssey of exploration. Get a good feel of humanity’s home in outer space and become part of our community. Onboard OSS Hope, you can learn more about what life could like on a huge space station in the year 2071.
The journey doesn’t stop there!
Continue your voyage as you return back to Earth, where you can escape to a rainforest in the heart of Dubai.
2. Reconnect with yourself
Eid is a chance to pause and reflect on ourselves. The museum’s Al Waha experience is an opportunity for you to explore yourself and indulge in a world that simulates all your senses. You can embark on a journey centred around health and wellbeing. Al Waha features a new world of therapies. You can explore feeling therapy, connection therapy, and grounding therapy to refresh and restore the natural balance from within.
If you’re looking to take a piece of the experience home with you, you can even create your own personal perfume, based on your unique personality.
A scent from the future, that you’ll never forget.
3. Make memories in the Future
Described as the most beautiful building on earth, it’s no wonder that the Museum of the Future has become a favourite spot to snap selfies.
Get up close and personal with Dubai’s most impressive architectural marvel on the museum’s observation deck.
Another place you’re sure to remember is the Library, a spectacular DNA library of some 2,400 species on display from floor to ceiling.
While at the museum, don’t forget to treat yourself to a coffee from the future, served by our robot barista. As well as making memories, you can take them away with you.
You can buy mementos from the museum’s retail shop, which will take you back to the museum’s inspirational and immersive experiences anytime you like!.
4. Get hands-on with tomorrow’s tech
The Tomorrow Today exhibition is not to be missed. Get up close and personal with the products and prototypes set to shape the future of waste management, environment, food security, agriculture, and city planning. You can experience all this against the backdrop of the museum’s spectacular interior, where flying robots float and glide from up above.
5. Edutainment for the family
The museum’s Future Heroes zone is the ultimate learning experience for kids.
Designed for children under the age of 10, Future Heroes encourages young minds to make new discoveries about themselves and the world around them. The floor includes a range of educational and fun activities centred on several future-proof skills including curiosity, creativity, confidence, communication, and collaboration.
The activities encourage children to engage in critical thinking while allowing their imaginations to soar.
Future Heroes offers a combination of open-ended play and focused challenges that require problem solving and collaboration. It borrows the best aspects of video games and applies them to a physical environment.

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The third in a series of interactive #DubaiDestinations summer guides titled ‘Staycations and Playcations’ has been issued. Developed by Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, the guide lists the top-rated getaways in the emirate ranging from luxury hotels and beachfront resorts to recreation destinations and water parks.
The guide forms part the latest phase of the #DubaiDestinations campaign, which invites local and international audiences to enjoy an epic summer in Dubai. The campaign encourages residents and travellers to discover the city’s diverse leisure, dining, adventure and family-friendly activities that make Dubai a one-of-a-kind summer destination.
Shaima Al Suwaidi, Director of Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office, said: “The third in our series of interactive guides, which forms part of the latest phase of the #DubaiDestinations campaign, is designed to help families plan their leisure time during the summer. The “Staycations and Playcations’ guide lists destinations that residents, seeking to enjoy a break within the emirate, can visit during the Eid Al Adha holiday and the rest of the summer. The campaign is being implemented by Brand Dubai in cooperation with a range of stakeholders and the creative media community.”
The guide lists some of Dubai’s exceptional luxury resorts as well as premium resorts with a range of attractions for children. Those seeking fun-filled waterworlds to enjoy with family and friends can visit the many waterparks listed in the guide. The guide also lists other major recreational destinations in the emirate.
The start of the #DubaiDestinations summer campaign last week was marked by the release of the first two interactive #DubaiDestinations summer guides. The first guide lists 115 indoor destinations for children while the second guide features 40 exciting summer camps. Available in both English and Arabic, all the guides released so far can be accessed on Brand Dubai’s digital platforms including its website www.branddubai.ae and its Instagram account @branddubai.ADVERTISEMENTThe #DubaiDestinations campaign is being rolled out over digital, broadcast, print and outdoor media to ensure it reaches large sections of local and international audiences. Key partners in the #DubaiDestinations campaign include: the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai; Dubai Municipality; the Roads and Transport Authority; the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; Dubai Sports Council; Dubai Ladies Club; Emaar; Dubai Holding; Nakheel Properties; Majid Al Futtaim Group; and Merex Investment Office.

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The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the travel and tourism sector in China is expected to create more than 30 million jobs over the next decade, representing a quarter of all new jobs globally.
The forecast from WTTC’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) shows the sector will reach more than 107 million employed within the sector by 2032.
According to the global tourism body’s latest data, travel and tourism’s GDP is expected to grow at an average of 9.7% over the next 10 years, more than twice the 4.4% growth rate of the national overall economy, making it one of the fastest growing countries.
This growth will boost the sector to reach more than ¥25.2 trillion (13.7% of the total economy) by 2032.
The report shows the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to China’s economy could also surpass pre-pandemic levels next year, when it is projected to rise almost 10% above 2019 levels.ADVERTISEMENTBy the end of 2023, the sector’s contribution to the national economy could reach more than ¥ 13 trillion, with a year-on-year growth of more than 32%.
Employment within the sector could also exceed pre-pandemic levels, creating more than 766,000 additional jobs, to reach more than 83 million by the end of 2023.
WTTC warns that this will only be achieved if China continues to facilitate both international and domestic travel.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Over the next decade, the outlook is incredibly positive.
“But in the short term, while much of the rest of the world and indeed the region is now open to travellers, travel to China remains off limits for many international travellers.
“Domestic travel has provided and will continue to provide some relief to China’s economy, but at the moment, international travel spending is very low and is critical for the Chinese overall economy.
“Although cutting the quarantine time for international travellers is a step in the right direction, it’s not enough to have any real positive impact.”
In 2019, when travel and tourism was at its peak, international visitor spending in China reached nearly ¥951 billion (14% of total internal spending). However last year, as China kept its borders closed, the total spend was less than ¥91 billion (3%), missing out on nearly ¥862 billion every year.
Before the pandemic, China’s travel and tourism total contribution to GDP was 11.6% (more than ¥11.9 trillion) in 2019, falling just to 4.3% (nearly ¥4.5 trillion) in 2020, representing a staggering 62.5% loss.
The sector also supported more than 82 million jobs, before a complete halt to international travel which resulted in a loss of more than 12 million (15.2%), to reach just over 69 million in 2020.

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