Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

The easing of travel restrictions across the APAC region has led to a clear increase in bookings, according to Trip.com data. Though the resurgence of the Asian travel and tourism sector will vary per market, encouraging signs of a rebound are starting to emerge, as restrictions are reduced and borders reopen across the region.
A recent report from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) projected that international visitor arrivals into Asia will grow by 100% between 2022 and 2023, as demand peaks before returning to more normal growth rates over time. The latest figures from Trip.com Group certainly support this projection. From April 1st to May 5th, total orders made on Trip.com in the APAC region grew 54% year-on-year, a significant increase on March’s figures (which show a 22% year-on-year increase).
By analysing the latest Trip.com Group figures, it’s clear that increased consumer confidence is gradually returning to the sector, with many Asian markets seeing a recent surge in bookings. For a more in-depth market analysis, see below.

Thailand: Bookings Increase Ahead of High SeasonADVERTISEMENTThailand continues to scrap more inbound travel restrictions. From May, the country no longer requires fully vaccinated international visitors to take a COVID-19 test before flying, or upon arrival.
As restrictions ease, bookings are increasing. For the month of April, overall bookings (including flights, accommodation, car rental and tickets/tours) were up 85% year-on-year on Trip.com’s Thailand site. Standalone flight bookings increased by 73% year-on-year, with accommodation bookings significantly up, at 130% year-on-year.
On Friday April 22, the day Thailand announced that COVID-19 tests from fully vaccinated inbound travellers would no longer be required, the number of Trip.com users viewing the country’s local hotels increased by 29% (compared to figures from the previous Friday), while domestic flight bookings on Trip.com grew by approximately 20%.
According to recent reports, the Tourism Authority of Thailand hopes to attract more than a million travellers per month during its upcoming high season, with visitors encouraged to self administer antigen tests during their stay rather than quarantine in a hotel. For April, inbound tourism to Thailand predominantly came from South Korea, Singapore, and Cambodia with a rise in customers from further afield expected in the coming months.

Hong Kong: Local Tours Resume
While Hong Kong recently experienced a fifth wave of the pandemic, this continued to recede in April, with many local tours resuming in the city and social distancing restrictions easing. Hong Kong’s residents eagerly await a return to normal life, with beaches and swimming pools reopening on May 5, and bars, nightclubs, karaoke rooms and cruises resuming operations on May 19.
Trip.com Group data supports encouraging signs of recovery in the market, with local accommodation bookings in April increasing by 6% year-on-year. Thanks to the further relaxation of travel restrictions – including social distancing policies and flight suspension rules – by the end of April, overall unique visitors and product orders on Trip.com (both domestic and international) were almost double the figures for February, when Hong Kong was heavily hit by COVID-19.
Additionally, in May, non-residents are able to enter Hong Kong for the first time in over two years, with inbound tourism expected to increase incrementally, in addition to a predicted rise in staycations.
The Hong Kong Government is also looking to encourage and boost local consumption generally, as well as in the travel sector, and issued a new round of consumption vouchers in April, which can be used to book with Trip.com.

South Korea: International Flights Leading the Recovery
South Korea reopened on April 1, with fully vaccinated travellers now able to enter and move freely within the country without any quarantine measures. Positively, outdoor mask mandates are also being lifted in May, with international flights projected to increase, too.
The country plans to resume around half the number of pre-pandemic flights by year-end. FlightGlobal reported 420 weekly international flights into the country in April, just under 9% of pre-pandemic levels.
Trip.com Group data also proves that flights are leading the recovery in the market, with a 383% year-on-year increase in flight booking in April and a further increase of 39% in the same period for March. The number of users viewing flight products since March 1 has also increased by almost 150% year-on-year.
As the country continues to ease its international travel restrictions, we’ve also seen demand for international travel booming on Trip.com’s Korean site. Outbound flights bookings tripled in April, compared to February; and overseas hotel bookings also grew, by 60% and 175% in March and April respectively, when compared to February.
In terms of overseas destinations, the most popular international flight routes from Korea were to Vietnam, the Philippines, the US, Thailand and Indonesia, with cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Hanoi, Bangkok and Da Nang ranking in the top five getaway destinations for Korean travellers.

Vietnam: A Strong Domestic Tourism Market Bolstered by International Flights
Vietnam fully reopened its borders to international travellers from March 15. As a result, the country has seen a substantial rebound in tourism, with international visitors to Vietnam in April reaching 101,400 arrivals, more than five times higher than the same period last year.
The appetite for domestic travel has also surged. Trip.com Group data shows that domestic hotel bookings in the country are up 247% year-on-year compared to 2021.
International flight bookings have also seen a marked increase thanks to the easing of restrictions, with 2022 figures showing a 265% uplift on figures from 2021. Though visitors must still obtain a negative COVID-19 test result before departure, a 15-day visa exemption is in place for arrivals from 13 key nations (including Japan, South Korea, France, Spain and the UK) which hopes to further stimulate recovery.
For 2022, the most popular flight routes into Vietnam come from South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia, according to Trip.com data.

Older
Amadeus: Travel companies plan fintech investment boom to capture rebound More

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals Turkey’s travel and tourism’s GDP is forecast to grow at an average rate of 5.5% annually over the next decade, more than twice the 2.5% growth rate of country’s overall economy.
The forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows by 2032, the sector’s contribution to the nations GDP could reach nearly TRY 1,036 billion (US$117 billion), representing 11% of the total economy.
The sector is also expected to create more than 716,000 new jobs over the next decade.
By the end of this year, the sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow 15.5% to nearly TRY 607 billion (US$68.5 billion), amounting to 8.3% of the nation’s economy, while employment in the sector is set to grow by 4% to reach more than 2.5 million jobs.
Latest flight booking data from WTTC’s knowledge partner ForwardKeys shows that over the key summer period this year, Turkey is set to be the fourth most popular European hot spots amongst sun-seeking travellers, who will be heading to city destinations such as Istanbul, and the beaches of Antalya, Bodrum, and Dalaman.ADVERTISEMENTThe data shows that flight bookings are already overtaking pre-pandemic levels with bookings from the UK up 101%.
Other source markets are also outperforming 2019, with bookings from the U.S., Canada, and Ireland up 57%, 28% and 18% respectively.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The future looks bright for Turkey’s travel and tourism sector with its contribution to GDP set to outpace the national economy for the next 10 years, creating almost three quarters of a million new jobs.
“Flight booking data from our partner ForwardKeys clearly shows that this popular destination is set to enjoy a bumper summer season.
“Before the pandemic, Turkey’s economy was highly reliant on international tourism, so its recovery is critical to both the economy and jobs.”
Turkey’s travel and tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 11% (TRY 693.3 billion or US$78.2 billion) in 2019, falling to just 5.1% (TRY 327.2 billion or US$36.9 billion) in 2020, which represented a painful 52.8% loss.
The sector also supported nearly 2.6 million jobs across the country, before suffering an 18% drop, falling to 2.1 million.
WTTC’s latest EIR report also reveals that 2021 saw the beginning of the recovery for the Turkish travel and tourism sector.
Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed 60.6% year on year, to reach TRY 525.5 billion (US$59.3 billion).
The sector also saw a recovery of almost 300,000 Travel & Tourism jobs, representing a 14% rise to reach more than 2.4 million.
The global tourism body says the sector’s contribution to the economy and employment could have been higher if it weren’t for the impact of the Omicron variant, which led to the recovery faltering around the world, with many countries reinstating severe travel restrictions.

Older
IATA calls for Asia-Pacific to relax border measures to aid aviation recovery

Newer
Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines unveil enhanced strategic partnership More

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 Organization 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 Organization 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.
La Organización continúa trabajando en colaboración con sus Miembros Afiliados para ofrecer herramientas que les permitan adaptarse a los nuevos desafíos planteados al sector y adoptar así un nuevo modelo de desarrollo turístico más respetuoso con el medio ambiente y las personas.ADVERTISEMENTThe Organization 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.

Older
Ryanair reports full year loss of €355m

Newer
Leisure travel is back on the agenda for Qatar Airways More

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has signed a strategic partnership with Trip.com Group, a leading global travel service provider, in an online ceremony at Arabian Travel Market. The partnership’s social and economic initiatives will encourage and entice visitors worldwide to visit Abu Dhabi, promoting the UAE capital as a top-tier travel destination in 13 markets across Asia and Europe, including in India, China, South Korea, Japan, USA, UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
The partnership marks the first time DCT Abu Dhabi has engaged Trip.com Group as a whole, rather than with its various singular entities, increasing consistent visibility across its five popular business and consumer global travel platforms. Over a period of 12 months, Trip.com Group’s primary focus is to achieve 57,000 room nights in Abu Dhabi through marketing on its five portfolio channels. These B2B and B2C subsidiaries include Trip.com, a global travel service provider with an extensive hotel and flight route network; Skyscanner, the world leader in global flight meta-search; Travix, a global OTA operating in 39 countries; Ctrip and MakeMyTrip.
HE Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi said “We are very pleased to announce our global agreement with Trip.com Group, a partnership that will share Abu Dhabi’s story with international visitors – beginning with the summer season and beyond. Through strategic partnerships such as this and our ever-expanding tourism and culture offering, we are further elevating Abu Dhabi as a top-of-mind destination, providing travellers around the world with diverse, immersive and enriching experiences to discover at their own pace.”
Jane Sun, Chief Executive Officer at Trip.com Group said “We are pleased to announce, Trip.com Group and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi continue to strengthen our cooperation through a new strategic partnership. Together, we will launch a series of promotional initiatives to market and develop Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry and promote and conserve its rich heritage and culture.”ADVERTISEMENTAs part of this landmark partnership, DCT Abu Dhabi and Trip.com Group will also introduce industry initiatives, including a talent development programme that will see staff members seconded across worldwide offices to expand their professional and industry experience. A second initiative will centre on increasing the awareness of Abu Dhabi’s sustainable tourism activities.
Abu Dhabi is considered the World’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination 2021 by voters at the World Travel Awards, while Trip.com was nominated as Asia’s Leading Online Travel Agency 2021.

Older
CHTA calls for Caribbean to staff up for travel surge

Newer
Emirates opens gateway to Jamaica and Caribbean More

As the tourism sector rebounds strongly from the near shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is calling on the region’s “bread and butter” industry to ramp up efforts to be adequately staffed to meet the impending surge of arrivals and continued growth.
Drawing attention to a recent statement from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) which predicts “a massive increase in global international inbound travel,” CHTA President Nicola Madden-Greig noted that the Caribbean’s tourism sector must do more to source and train its own people to meet the industry’s growing labor needs.
“The recent statement from WTTC and CHTA knowledge partner ForwardKeys points to strong demand in the months ahead for travel to ‘sun and sea’ destinations such as the Caribbean and Latin America, which are leading international inbound bookings,” said Madden-Greig, who added that “it is imperative for our members to be diligent in staffing their properties and enterprises with trained, qualified hospitality professionals.”
She also pointed to the need to re-energize the partnerships between schools, training institutions and the tourism industry put in place by many Caribbean jurisdictions in the past which played a critical role in creating employment and career opportunities for thousands of residents throughout the region.
WTTC’s latest tourism Economic Impact Report indicates that more than 126 million travel and tourism jobs will be created over the next decade. With one in every three new jobs created being in the travel and tourism space, opportunities will abound for job seekers and businesses seeking to fill those positions.ADVERTISEMENTThe CHTA leader acknowledged there remain some challenges within the region around the labor supply in the market, but she also believes the association’s networking opportunities, the on-the-ground public-private partnerships, and its Caribbean Tourism Job Bank can be useful tools in bridging the gap between supply and demand.
“Our tourism job bank is an excellent, free resource for both employers and job seekers,” stated Madden-Greig, who encouraged Caribbean residents in search of tourism-related positions to upload their resumes and credentials to the site where they can be reviewed by prospective employers looking for qualified applicants.
CHTA members, who receive free basic postings as part of their membership benefits, are also encouraged to post open positions to the Caribbean Tourism Job Bank.
Madden-Greig urged all National Hotel and Tourism Associations to continue partnering with local institutions to fast-track the training of prospective hospitality workers so they can take advantage of the increasing number of excellent career paths the industry offers.
“As an industry, we need to ensure that all stakeholders understand the tremendous economic benefits that can accrue from engagement with the hospitality sector. CHTA and our Tourism Job Bank can help, but more needs to be done to counter the misinformation that has created doubts about the stability and future of the industry that surfaced as a result of the pandemic,” she said.
CHTA continues to encourage young people in the region who are exploring career paths to strongly consider the tourism and hospitality industry as an option that allows one to develop highly competitive skills and affords opportunity to work throughout the region.
“The Caribbean tourism industry presents a world of possibilities for professional growth and development,” said Madden-Greig, noting that there are more than 1,000 job and career paths, with over one in five opportunities at the supervisory, management, or ownership levels.

Older
ATM 2022: sustainability priority for airlines More

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals Europe’s travel and tourism sector is expected to create up to eight million new jobs within the next decade.
The forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global travel and tourism private sector, also shows the sector will be a driving force behind
Europe’s economic recovery, following more than two years of suffering.
Over the next 10 years and with an average annual growth rate of 3.3%, the travel and tourism sector is expected to grow at twice the rate of the overall economy, which is forecasted to expand by just 1.5% annually.
The global tourism body’s latest report also reveals Europe’s travel and tourism’s GDP is forecast to grow by 31.4% to €1.73 trillion (US$ 1.9 trillion).ADVERTISEMENTJulia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Europe’s travel and tourism sector is in a strong recovery. It looks set to create up to eight million new jobs over the next 10 years.
“In terms of contribution to Europe’s economy and jobs, the sector will almost reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of next year as the sector’s recovery continues its momentum.
“The recovery in 2021 was slower than expected due to the impact of the Omicron and the uncoordinated response by European governments around border closures which failed to stop the spread of the virus, but did cause real and lasting damage to economies and livelihoods.”
WTTC’s EIR data for 2021 shows across Europe there was a 4.7% increase in the number of travel and tourism sector jobs accounting for just over 9% of all jobs, in marked contrast to the 12.5% fall the previous year.
The fastest growing region last year, it also saw the sector claw back its contribution to GDP with a 28% rise to account for 6.2% of Europe’s economy to €1.3 trillion (U.S.$1.45 trillion) up from 5.2% contribution (just over €1 trillion or U.S.$1.13 trillion in 2020).
Europe’s bounce back was in part driven by significant growth in key destination markets such as Greece, which saw a year-on-year growth of 75%, Turkey (61%), and Italy (59%). Greek National Tourism Organisation was named World’s Leading Tourist Board by World Travel Awards.
According to the latest data, more than 1.7 billion certificates have been issued by member states. This successful roll out has provided a much-needed boost to economies and saved millions of jobs.
However, in several other European countries, there was a much slower than expected recovery due to numerous failed attempts by governments to clamp down on the transmission of the Omicron variant, causing the regional economic recovery to falter.
The leaders of European travel are to meet for World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony 2022 at the Hilton Galatzo, Mallorca, Spain.

Older
Jamaica welcomes travel trade at ATM 2022

Newer
Dubai ranks No.1 globally in hotel occupancy in first quarter of 2022 with 82 per cent More

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals the travel and tourism sector in the Middle East is expected to create nearly 3.6 million new jobs over the next decade.
The forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which shows an average of 360,000 new jobs every year, also reveals the sector will lead the region’s economic recovery, with its average annual growth set to outpace the overall economy for the next 10 years.
According to the report,  travel and tourism’s GDP is forecasted to grow at an average rate of 7.7% annually between 2022-2032, three times the 2.5% growth rate for region’s overall economy, to reach nearly US$ 540 billion (10.1% of the total economy).
The sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow more than 36% to over US$ 256 billion by the end of 2022, amounting to 6.5% of the total economic GDP, while employment in the sector is set to grow by 8.7% this year to reach over six million jobs.
The global tourism body’s annual report also shows further optimism for the region’s travel and tourism GDP, which could almost reach pre-pandemic levels by 2023 – just 2.5% below 2019 levels.ADVERTISEMENTJulia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “After a very difficult couple of years, the future is looking brighter with travel and tourism expected to create 3.6 million new jobs across the Middle East over the next decade.
“Looking to this year and the next, the outlook is more positive with both GDP and employment set to almost reach pre-pandemic levels.
“The recovery of the sector in the Middle East last year was certainly slower than expected, due in part to the impact of the Omicron variant.”
Before the pandemic, the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 8.4% (U.S.$323.6 billion) in 2019, falling to just 4.5% (U.S.$162.6 billion) in 2020, which represented a staggering 49.8% loss.
The sector also supported 6.9 million jobs across the region in 2019.
WTTC’s latest EIR report also reveals that 2021 saw the beginning of the recovery for the region’s travel and tourism sector.
Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed 15.9% year on year, to reach US$188.5 billion.
The sector also saw a recovery of more than 390,000 travel and tourism jobs, representing a positive 7.6% rise to reach 5.6 million.
The sector’s contribution to the economy and employment could have been higher if it weren’t for the impact of the Omicron variant, which led to the recovery faltering around the world, with many countries reinstating severe travel restrictions.
Since the start of the pandemic, governments across the Middle East have shown total commitment to Travel & Tourism.
Saudi Arabia in particular, has shown great leadership throughout the crisis, pushing for greater regional and global coordination, and making a major investment in travel and tourism not only in the country but around the world. The global tourism body believes this support and commitment will speed up the recovery of a sector which is critical to economies and livelihoods around the world.

Older
Maldives and Qatar Airways sign MOU to raise inbound flights

Newer
ATM 2022: Arabic travellers eager for new travel experiences as global restrictions lift More

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Save the Children Dominican Republic have launched a new challenge to promote the development of educational ideas and experiences through the tourism sector in Central America and the Caribbean.
The challenge seeks innovative and technological proposals in ‘Early Stage’ development that offer new educational opportunities through the tourism sector. The challenge has two categories:
New technologies: People or startups that promote the use of technology to provide solutions to the tourism and education sector.
Local impact: People or startups that promote transformation and social improvement, and that belong to the tourism and education sector.
According to Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation, Zurab Pololikashvili, “tourism is a leading provider of opportunities for young people throughout Central America and the Caribbean, and innovation and new technologies can help us reach more young people, allowing them to benefit as tourism returns to the region.”
“For our organization, the launch of this challenge represents a unique opportunity to capitalize on the potential of the tourism sector in our country and the region, thus generating innovation in favor of childhood education with a high social impact,” says Juan Tomás Díaz, President Save the Children Dominicana.
Tourism for the SDGsProjects must be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations. Additionally, they must be framed in one (or several) of the following areas:ADVERTISEMENT >The management of destinations or the private management of solutions/products/services developed around and education as tourism and education products;
Seeking a balance between sustainable development and the profitability of the project, maximizing its positive impacts.
The connection with the market and the user experience in all phases of the journeyhe connection
Applications are open until 25 June, 2022. The winning projects will be selected based on several criteria, such as the degree of innovation, and its viability and sustainability. The winners will be invited to the Tourism Tech Adventure in the Dominican Republic that will take place in November 2022.
Tourism education for empowermentTourism is one of the largest sectors in the world, accounting for more than 4% of direct global GDP in 2019. In the Americas, the contribution of tourism to regional GDP fell from 3.4% to 1.6% during the pandemic. Central America and the Caribbean represent 4.8% of global international arrivals, and reflect the potential in all tourism sub-sectors, and their needs for good training and education.
After the effects of COVID-19, this sector is reinventing itself to achieve more responsible, innovative and accessible tourism. The pandemic has also disrupted education systems around the world, highlighting that digital learning must become an essential service available to all. This means that all children and young people have access to first-rate digital solutions that facilitate personalized learning and open the doors to a better future.
UNWTO supports digital education and innovation initiatives promoted by Startups and small and medium-sized enterprises, which will play a leading role in the revival of tourism in the coming years.

Older
Cabin Ops Safety Conference announces key topics

Newer
Abu Dhabi launches ‘Summer Pass’ to travellers to the UAE capital More