Category: Latest Travel News

Bangkok, Thailand, May 8, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the election of two new government members to the PATA Executive Board.

Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Maldives and Ms Noredah Othman, General Manager, Sabah Tourism Board, Malaysia were both elected for a two-year term beginning April 29, 2021.

On the new Executive Board members, PATA Chair Soon-Hwa Wong said, “I am delighted to welcome Dr. Abdulla Mausoom and Ms Noredah Othman to the Executive Board. Their proven track record and background will make them a great asset to PATA and our members.”

Dr. Abdulla Mausoom has been the Minister of Tourism, Republic of Maldives since August 6, 2020. Born to the island of Kelaa, Maldives, Dr. Mausoom started his tourism industry career in 1985, as an admirative officer at the Department of Tourism. He holds a Doctorate Degree on sustainable tourism development, conferred by the School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham, UK. His thesis was on interdependency and the relationship between the government and the private sector and their changing roles in the development of enclave micro island tourism. He spent over 10 years abroad for higher education in England, Northern Ireland, Germany and Malaysia.

In his political affiliations, Dr. Mausoom was the Secretary General of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) in 2008 and was a Member of the Maldives Parliament representing the Kelaa Constituency from 2009 to 2014. He joined the Jumhooree Party (JP) in 2014 and was elected the Vice President of the party, a post he has held since the start of his diplomatic career in 2019.

Dr. Mausoom had served as Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation and Minister of Environment, Energy and Water. Before joining the Cabinet in 2008, he was the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Dr. Mausoom also served as a Member of Tourism Promotion Advisory Council; Member of College Council of Maldives College of Higher Education; Non-executive Board Member at two of the main Public Companies of the country, Maldives Transport & Construction Company (MTCC) and State Trading Organization (STO). From 2018 to 2019, he served as Board Member of Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI), and Council Member for 4 years at the Council of Villa College of Maldives. As the General Manager Dr. Mausoom also managed, Sun Island Resort and Spa for four years from 2013.

>From February 2019 to August 2020 Dr. Mausoom served in the diplomatic corps of Maldives. He was the High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives to the Republic of Singapore and Non-Resident High Commissioner to New Zealand and Designated Non-Resident High Commissioner to Australia.

With 30 years’ experience in Sabah Tourism, Ms. Noredah Othman is the longest-serving officer with Sabah Tourism Board. She is responsible for marketing and promotion of the destination.

Ms. Othman has held various positions since October 1990 and served as Deputy General Manager (Support Services) from 2016. Prior to that, she was the Senior Marketing Manager for the UK, Europe, Australia and the USA markets from 2011 to 2015. She was the Marketing Manager for the UK, Europe and Australia from 2005-2010.

Ms. Othman, a mother of three children, completed her education in Singapore, started her career as tourist assistant with the Sabah Tourism Promotion Corporation (STPC), the forerunner of STB, in 1990. Between 1991 and 2005, she held the position of assistant public affairs officer and later as communications manager. Ms. Othman was awarded the PATA Foundation’s scholarship for Executive Development for Tourism (EDIT) Programme in 2015.

Dr. Mausoom and Ms. Othman will join the other Executive Board members including Soon-Hwa Wong, Chair, PATA and CEO, AsiaChina Pte., Ltd., Singapore; Hai Ho, Vice Chair, PATA and CEO – Triip Pte. Ltd., Singapore; Suman Pandey, Secretary/Treasurer PATA and President – Explore Himalaya Travel and Adventure, Nepal; Andrew Jones FIH. CHA, Guardian – Sanctuary Resorts, Hong Kong SAR; Oliver Martin, Partner – Twenty31 Consulting Inc., Canada; Peter Semone, Founder and President – Destination Human Capital Limited, Timor Leste; Dr. Fanny Vong, President – Macao Institute for Tourism Studies (IFTM), Macao, China; Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director – Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Macao, China and Supawan Teerarat, Senior VP, Strategic Business Development & Innovation – Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Thailand.

The new Executive Board members were ratified at the PATA Annual General Meeting held online on April 29, 2021.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its more than 650 member organisations, including 82 government, state and city tourism bodies, 14 international airlines and airports, 71 hospitality organisations and 75 educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing and London.

Madrid, Spain, May 8, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that proposals by AENA to increase user charges at the 46 airports it operates across Spain could damage Spain’s economic and employment recovery from COVID-19.

The proposals presented to the DGAC for approval include a request to increase charges by 5.5% over five years. They would also open the door for AENA to recover its lost revenues due to the COVID-19 crisis, for services which were never operated, or which airlines couldn’t access.

“The whole aviation industry is in crisis. Everybody needs to reduce costs and improve efficiency to repair the financial damage of COVID-19. Having analyzed AENA’s situation, airlines believe that AENA could reduce its charges by 4%. So proposing to pass the burden of financial recovery on to customers with a 5.5% increase is nothing short of irresponsible. The DGAC should immediately reject the request and instruct AENA to work with the airlines on a mutually agreed recovery plan,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Pre-pandemic, AENA declared EUR 2.59 billion of dividends over the 2017-19 period, and it has several options to cover its losses. “AENA can easily finance short-term losses without increasing costs to its customers. It has an excellent credit rating to access financing. Its shareholders have been well-rewarded and must now share some of the pain. And, like the rest of the industry, it must look at operational efficiencies to lower costs, which are by no measure the cheapest in Europe,” said Walsh.

A healthy air transport sector—with all parties focused on reducing costs—will be critical in recovering from the devastating impact that COVID-19 has had on the tourism and transport sector:

• Passenger demand plummeted by 76% in 2020 and is not expected to fully recover until 2024
• The number of destinations with direct links to Spain fell from 1,800 (2019) to 234 (2020)
• More than 1.1 million Spanish jobs have been lost or put at risk and over EUR 60 billion of GDP has been lost
• The contribution of travel and tourism to Spain’s economy fell from 12% to 4%.

“An early recovery in travel and tourism is vital for Spain’s economic success. But higher costs will delay a tourism rebound and keep jobs at risk. AENA should keep in mind the long-term interests of both its shareholders and the country. And both are better served with cost-efficient airport infrastructure. The Spanish government is actively looking to open borders and restart air travel. AENA needs to contribute to that effort, not erect a short-sighted and self-interested roadblock,” said Walsh.

Madrid, Spain, May 7, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization, in keeping with its firm commitment to democratizing online education; IE University, with more than 20 years’ experience in online training, and Sommet Education, global leader in higher education in hotel management and culinary arts are partnering to accelerate on-line education in the Hospitality sector. The worldwide group thus becomes Academic Partner of the Tourism Online Academy, incorporating courses on various expertise of tourism management and hospitality. The first course available from Sommet Education will be “Excellence in Spa Operations”, and new courses focused on hotel management will be included in the following months.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

The support of private academic institutions is essential to guarantee the development of accessible and quality education for all

The Tourism Online Academy, a virtual platform launched by the UNWTO and IE University in 2019, has already attracted around 10.000 registered users. Throughout 2021, more prestigious universities from around the world are set to join this platform.

In the words of the Secretary-General of the UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili, “the support of private academic institutions is essential to guarantee the development of accessible and quality education for all”.

Sommet Education is also part of the UNWTO’s Online Education Committee, made up of 19 members from both the public and private sectors, which was created in the framework of the 112th session of the Executive Council held in Georgia in September 2020. Co-chaired by Member States Portugal and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the committee’s main objective is to provide the Secretary-General and the Executive Council with advice and recommendations on education, which has been established as one of the fundamental priorities of the Organization.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

Sommet Education thus reaffirms its support to the UNWTO after the successful joint launch of the Hospitality Challenge in June 2020. More than 600 applications were received from all regions of the world. Sommet Education provided 30 scholarships covering the expenses of different higher education programs in its world-renowned institutions, aiming at supporting and promoting the projects and capabilities of the selected professionals, start-ups, and entrepreneurs. Among the winners, the three most innovative business projects will additionally receive seed funding to support their initial development. These projects will be funded by Eurazeo, a leading global investment group whose portfolio of companies includes Sommet Education, thus offering the winning projects even greater chances of success. “Innovation, entrepreneurship and education are the fundamental pillars on which to build the recovery of the tourism industry. Sommet Education has proven to be an essential partner for our Organization” said Natalia Bayona, Director of Innovation, Education and Investments at UNWTO.

“We welcome Sommet Education as part of the “Tourism Online Academy”. Together with Sommet Education who is joining this initiative, we will fulfil the mission of the platform which is to provide high quality online education to develop talent and strengthen the tourism industry’s contribution to sustainability” highlighted Juan José Güemes, Chairman of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center at IE University.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

“Lifelong learning and constant building of one’s skillset is now an imperative and will definitely contribute to the rebound of the Hospitality industry. I am happy and proud that Sommet Education and its partners will enable more people to access to relevant content so they can further develop their competencies”said Benoît-Etienne Domenget, Sommet Education CEO.

London, United Kingdom, May 7, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, and faculty and scientists of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, today release two vital case studies on Sustainability Leadership by The Travel Corporation (TTC) and Intrepid Travel.

WTTC and Harvard researchers aim to support and highlight Travel & Tourism companies leading the way, as they work to build the business case for sustainability in the sector.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

This collaboration has encouraged the sharing of best practices and has supported sustainability as a core strategic priority to ensure the viability of the sector and the co-creation of thriving sustainable societies.

WTTC and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health have a long history of collaboration, working towards a more sustainable future for Travel & Tourism. Together, their work can help raise awareness, shift mindsets, and enact systemic change.

Similarly, The Travel Corporation and Intrepid Travel have a mutual understanding that sustainability is a shared challenge and have championed sustainability for many years. The two believe it is best addressed through cooperation and support of one another’s efforts to address the topic.

The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) case study focusses on the group’s efforts to ‘make travel matter’ and explores the way in which TTC has linked their sustainability strategy, as well as travel experiences directly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

It champions sustainable travel through the setting of measurable goals, and ensures they are achieved through an integrated business function approach.

The strategy aims to close any potential gaps in the expression of sustainability across the group, ensuring the efforts to achieve its goals are fully engrained in the way TTC brands operate and how the group supports this through its non-profit foundation, TreadRight, which the group funds entirely from its own profits.

Intrepid Travel’s case study showcases its status as the world’s largest certified travel B Corporation (B Corp).

Intrepid’s certified B Corp status entailed external, independent assessment of its interactions with its workers, customers, community and the environment. The B Corp status is not specific for the travel sector, rather it brings Intrepid alongside global organisations across all sectors, including leading brands such as Patagonia and Ben & Jerry’s, and is an example in the sector.

These case studies are designed to help other Travel & Tourism businesses further develop their own sustainability endeavors drawing on these best practices.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: “We are delighted to be working with the Harvard Chan School – one of the most important academic institutions in the world.

“We are thrilled to be involved in one of the few case studies on sustainability undertaken in the Travel & Tourism sector. We hope this work will help usher in a new era within the sector – one in which both the public and private sector work together to ensure social and environmental responsibility. 

“The devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted that companies that integrated sustainability and transparency into their business operations prior to COVID-19 have put an even stronger focus on it during the pandemic.  It has become clear that there is a direct link between sustainability and resiliency.

“Sustainability is now a growing business priority, with businesses expected to decarbonise and adapt for the future. The COVID-19 crisis has elevated the need for action on sustainability issues. The climate crisis is a risk that no business can afford to disregard, so we must continue to drive this message forward in our sector.”

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

Dr. Wendy Purcell, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and lead researcher for the cases said: “This is an important collaboration where sustainability, public health and business come together to advance research-led practice in the Travel & Tourism sector. Given the importance of the Travel & Tourism sector for people, planet and shared prosperity academic inquiry in the field is central to inclusive and sustainable growth.”

Professor Jack Spengler, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health said: “We value our long-term collaboration with WTTC. These important case studies draw attention to mature sustainability leadership in Travel & Tourism and share lessons to help accelerate change in the sector.”

Brett Tollman, TTC Chief Executive said: “I have a deep respect for Intrepid’ s long -standing efforts to integrate sustainability into their business and believe that our collaboration with one another on the matter is indicative of the fact that we will achieve much more as a sector, than as potential competitors, when it comes to truly addressing our industry’s footprint.”

James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel said: “Sustainability is not a competitive advantage. It is a collective challenge that requires a collaborative approach. Simply put, our industry does not exist without thriving communities and a healthy planet, and we all have role to play in influencing a more equitable future. We are proud to stand alongside TTC to help advance the sustainability agenda and create positive change within the travel industry.”

Vienna, Austria, May 6, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The City of Vienna is providing the Vienna Tourist Board and its Vienna Convention Bureau with an additional €4 million to support national and international organisers of meetings held in the city, from 1 May 2021 to 31 December 2023, paving the way for the sector’s growth offering up to €60,000 of funding per event.

Significantly, for the first time the Vienna Meeting Fund 2021-2023 will extend funding to corporate conferences and hybrid events, in addition to its continual support of national and international organisers of association congresses. The unique inclusion of hybrid events demonstrates the Vienna Tourist Board’s dynamic and agile response to the current needs of the meeting industry.

Vienna is an industry leading meetings destination and both congresses and corporate events are of central importance to the city’s tourism industry. The meetings sector is a driving force for the internationalisation of Vienna and a trigger for local value and economic creation. Meeting Destination Vienna is therefore key to the city’s recovery and tourism restart.

Christian Woronka, Director of the Vienna Convention Bureau commented “We are thrilled to launch the Vienna Meeting Fund 2021-2023 to welcome, and fund even more events in Vienna by international organisers, as well as expand our support for the first time to include corporate events and hybrid meetings. Vienna remains one of the world’s leading meeting destinations, even in challenging times. The funding programme is an important support for the industry that provides a perspective for the future and at the same time underlines the importance of the meetings industry. After all, Vienna as a meeting destination and Vienna’s role as a city of international meetings, play an important role in Vienna’s strategic development. Our novel approach demonstrates our continued commitment to the recovery of the meetings sector, and we look forward to welcoming fund applications”.

What is subsidised? 

Funding is provided exclusively for business events that strengthen Vienna as a location for business and innovation, which take place in Vienna in the period from 1 May 2021 to 31 December 2023. This includes (association) congresses, association meetings, as well as corporate meetings: company events and conferences. Pure corporate evening events as well as exhibitions, trade fairs and cultural or sporting events are excluded. Variable costs directly incurred in the course of holding an event are eligible for funding.

What funding opportunities are available? 

The new funding measure comprises three modules. In order to apply for funding, the basic requirements of funding module 1 must be met:

• Module 1: The event takes place in a Viennese location against payment, includes at least 50 participants present on site and has a minimum duration of four hours

• Module 2: If the congress or corporate event also generates overnight stays, funding module 2 can also be applied for. In this case, the number of overnight stays in Viennese accommodation establishments must amount to at least 10% (2021), 30% (2022) or 50% (2023) of the total number of participants on site

• Module 3: If costs are demonstrably incurred for the continuous implementation of the event as a hybrid meeting, the requirement for funding module 3 is met

The maximum funding amount per event corresponds to the actual costs paid or, if the requirements of all three funding modules are met, amounts to €60,000. The maximum funding amounts per module depend on the number of participants.

Who is eligible to apply? 

Both national and international organisers can apply for the Vienna Meeting Fund 2021-2023. The prerequisite is that they plan and hold (or have held) a meeting in Vienna and bear the economic risk and thus all costs for this event. Agencies are eligible to apply if they act as organisers themselves or can be shown to be working on behalf of the organiser.

Applications for funding can be submitted online for the first time, from now until 3 December 2023 or until the funds are exhausted. The “first-come, first-served” principle applies.

After submission, the Vienna Convention Bureau will check the application and organisers will be notified in writing of the preliminary funding amount. The actual funding decision and funding amount will be determined after the event has been held, when all information and documents have been submitted and checked. Payment will be made by the Vienna Tourist Board.

ABOUT THE VIENNA CONVENTION BUREAU
The Vienna Convention Bureau in the Vienna Tourist Board acquires congresses, corporate meetings and incentives worldwide. Founded in 1969, it is supported by the City of Vienna and the Vienna Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, around 5,500 congresses and meetings in Vienna generated 1.6 million overnight stays and added value of 950 million euros. According to recent rankings by the International Congress and Convention Association ICCA (6th place) and the Union of International Associations UIA (5th place), Vienna is one of the top meeting destinations worldwide.

PRACTICAL TIPS FROM THE VIENNA CONVENTION BUREAU
Organisers planning a meeting in Vienna receive active support from the Vienna Convention Bureau. It provides comprehensive advice, from practical tips on the necessary security and hygiene concepts to hybrid events.

 

Houston, Texas, United States, May 6, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / SpaceFund venture capital firm announced today that it is spinning off a new aerospace strategic consulting company to serve growing government, corporate, and investment industry demand for advice and informed diligence. The new firm, SpaceFund Intelligence (SFI) builds on the skills and team already assembled by the rapidly growing SpaceFund venture capital firm, while adding high level players to its roster of top-flight experts. The new team includes engineering, biomedical, geo-political, and policy experts as well as former high ranking US military and government leaders.

• For a better understanding of Space and to join the economic and industrial development of space – MadeInSpace.com

SFI is led by SpaceFund Senior Managing Partner, Meagan Crawford, SpaceFund founder Rick Tumlinson, who is known as one of the founders of the space revolution sweeping the aerospace industry, and Dr. Lamont Colucci, Full Professor of Politics and Government at Ripon College and Senior Fellow in National Security Affairs for the American Foreign Policy Council and advisor to the U.S. Space Force. SpaceFund venture capital’s Junior Partner, Andrew Granatstein, leads SFIs operational and analytical team, having assembled and managed the now well-known SpaceFund Reality Rating (SFR) databases, which have become an industry standard research source.

“Consulting for SpaceFund Intelligence while acting as Managing Partner of SpaceFund allows me to translate my day by day, up to the minute knowledge of space business into advice and support for our clients at SFI, while also bringing the SFI team’s expertise to bear on SpaceFund’s own diligence,” explained Meagan Crawford. “This arrangement makes sure that everyone wins, improving SpaceFund’s ability to deploy capital efficiently, while also ensuring that industry and government can keep their finger on the pulse of this rapidly developing industry.”

The SFI military and strategic team includes stellar and respected names such as R. James Woolsey, former Secretary of the Navy and head of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Ambassador Henry F. Cooper, former head of the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative.

“I am excited to be part of such a high-level and leading-edge team,” said Woolsey. “I feel that my depth of knowledge of how the military and intelligence community work, and my overall experiential base in the Pentagon’s leadership is a perfect fit, giving SFI both depth and breadth when it comes to the needs of government and industry clientele.”

Other team members include Dr. Jim Logan, former Chief of Flight Medicine / Chief of Medical Operations at NASA, China and Asia space and technology expert Dr. Namrata Goswami, Dr. Shawna Pandya, physician and VP of Immersive Medicine at Luxsonic Technologies, Dr. Gabriele Rizzo, former cabinet member and advisor to the Italian Minister of Defence, Dr. Peter Pry, Executive Director of the Task Force on Homeland Security, and former Air Force Lt. General Steve Kwast of Genesis Systems.

• For a better understanding of Space and to join the economic and industrial development of space – MadeInSpace.com

According to SFI, this team is growing weekly, and will include an even broader depth and breadth of expertise as time goes on. While focused on space, related areas such as cyber, robotics, artificial intelligence, and geopolitics will help the company provide a one stop shop for institutions and companies seeking a broadly integrated view of the future.

Concluded Rick Tumlinson: “SpaceFund Intelligence, with its position alongside SpaceFund, is in a unique position to access both the listed team member’s insights and experience but can also reach out and tap our vast and growing network of entrepreneurial and foundational space leaders. It is a space renaissance dream team.”

Aix-en-Provence, France, May 6, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Camille Chevalier has become a Sustainable Golf Champion – partnering with the non-profit GEO Foundation to help support the group’s mission to advance sustainability in and through golf. 2017 Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year partners with GEO Foundation to help raise awareness and encourage action across the sport.

The move follows in the footsteps of nine-time Solheim Cup player Suzann Pettersen and represents another significant step forward in building a community of credible champions across the sector.

• Discover the World’s Best Golf Courses – Top 25 Golf Courses.

As part of this network, Camille will work closely with GEO Foundation to promote and celebrate the positive impacts golf has on nature and people, as well as encouraging further action on key issues such as pollution prevention; resource efficiency and climate change.

In addition, all activities will be closely aligned to The Ladies European Tour sustainability initiative –  “Celebrating the Green, presented by Dow”, which was launched last year and aims to showcase environmental, climate and community action across women’s golf and celebrate sustainable activities stemming from players, tournaments, venues and partners.

“I have always had a special relationship with nature and the outdoors – one of the main reasons I have loved golf is because it takes place in beautiful environments,” said Camille, who won the Hero Women’s Indian Open in her first season on the Ladies European Tour. “My interest naturally evolved towards the preservation and protection of nature as I grew up during a period of increasing awareness of the impacts of climate change, plastic pollution, biodiversity loss and the need to live more sustainably.

“As a golfer, I used to practice a lot at Le Golf National and became particularly interested in the course preparation and maintenance, learning a lot about turf and agronomy from passionate people. Now on Tour I am always looking at the different ways of managing the course environment.

“Golf courses can play a key role in creation and preservation of local ecosystems. Biodiversity is very rich throughout a golf course environment and can flourish in areas subjected to very little or no maintenance. This way, local species can develop and blossom naturally.

“And it is important golfers look around them when they play. They can marvel at landscapes and wildlife that can be found on the course – to be amazed is already a first form of action to protect the ecosystem. By keeping this close contact with nature we become aware of its need for protection.

“I am excited about working with the GEO Foundation, exploring how I can live, work and play more sustainably and help celebrate all the good things that are happening in golf for nature and people.”

Camille joins a growing community of Sustainable Golf Champions across the sport, a group which also includes course and club managers, and association leaders who are making real and measurable contributions to sustainable golf. As well as promoting the positive activities throughout golf, as a Sustainable Golf Champion Camille is committed to becoming a “Climate Neutral” golfer. To do so she is calculating all unavoidable travel emissions each year relating to her playing schedule, and offsetting those in the most credible and impactful way using an approach developed by GEO in direct partnership with The Gold Standard.

Jonathan Smith, Executive Director, GEO Foundation, said: “Athletes have the power to draw wide attention to really important issues as well as inspire change. We are very excited about the energy, passion and commitment that Camille will bring to driving sustainability in and through the sport.  We hope that more professional players with follow her own and Suzann’s lead, and step forward as champions for sustainable golf.”

• Discover the World’s Best Golf Courses – Top 25 Golf Courses.

Emma Allerton, Commercial Director at the Ladies European Tour added “As an organisation, the LET is also seeking to demonstrate leadership in sustainability and climate action through our ‘Celebrating the Green’ initiative, and this will also give Camille a wonderful platform to help raise awareness of some of the issues and the solutions throughout golf and inspire her fans around the world. Sustainability needs a big team effort, and we welcome others across the LET community to join and take action.”

About Camille Chevalier
Camille Chevalier is from Aix en Provence, France and turned pro in January 2017 at the age of 23. After earning a degree from Indiana University in the US, Camille earned full status through the 2016 Qualifying School to play on the Ladies European Tour. During her first season she secured her maiden professional win at the Hero Women’s Indian Open, finished 10th of the Order of Merit, and became the 2017 Rookie of the Year. The following season she competed on both the Symetra Tour and the Ladies European Tour during which she made cut made in her first Major, the Evian Championship and gained a top 10 in the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open and in 2019 came close to adding to previous win with a third place finish at La Reserva de Sotogrande Invitational. She will be embarking on her fifth season on the LET in 2021, starting her campaign with the Investec South African Women’s Open in May.

About GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf
GEO Foundation is the international not-for-profit dedicated to advancing sustainability in and through golf. Its goal is to work collaboratively to help the sport embrace environmental and social issues and become widely acclaimed for its role in fostering nature, conserving resources, building healthy communities and taking climate action. In addition to its strategic support through partnerships with associations, GEO assures the OnCourse® programmes for grassroots golf facilities, new developments and tournaments, each of which can lead to the internationally accredited, endorsed and independently verified GEO Certified® label.

About LET ‘Celebrating the Green, presented by Dow’
Championing environmental, climate and community action across women’s golf.
Celebrating the Green, the LET’s sustainability initiative, aims to recognise and promote great environmental work being achieved through the Ladies European Tour community. The initiative aims to celebrate and support the successful sustainability activities stemming from our wonderful players, partners, tournaments and venues, whilst inspiring and encouraging others to become involved and engage in sustainability and climate action, addressing some of the most important issues of our time.

Rome, Italy, May 5, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO has served as tourism’s global voice as the Tourism Ministers of the G20 nations met to devise a way forward for an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable recovery for the sector.

Upon assuming Presidency of the G20, Italy has drawn on UNWTO data to highlight the impact the pandemic has had on tourist numbers globally and how this translates into lost jobs and revenues, as well as lost opportunities for social development.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

Addressing the meeting, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, stressed the continued need for coordination at the very highest level, in order to advance “common, harmonized criteria for the easing of travel restrictions, and for increased investment in systems that support safe travel, including testing on departure and on arrival.”

Common, harmonized criteria for the easing of travel restrictions, and for increased investment in systems that support safe travel, including testing on departure and on arrival

With the crisis far from over, the Secretary-General welcomed the G20 Rome Guidelines for the Future of Tourism and called for “schemes aimed at supporting the survival of tourism jobs and businesses to be sustained and, wherever possible, expanded, especially as millions of livelihoods continue to be at risk”.

Italy’s Minister of Tourism, Massimo Garavaglia, outlined the G20’s priorities, including safe mobility, supporting tourism jobs and businesses, building resilience against future shocks, and advancing the green transformation of the sector. Furthermore, the Tourism Ministers recalled that the current crisis represents an opportunity to rethink and restart tourism, with an emphasis on guiding the sector towards greater sustainability.

Rethinking tourism

In addition to ensuring the safe restart of international travel and supporting jobs and businesses, the G20 Tourism Ministers committed to taking action in driving the digital transformation of the sector, with particular reference to ensuring everyone has fair access to the opportunities that will come from greater innovation, and in promoting more investment in green tourism infrastructure.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

The new UNWTO Recommendations for the Transition to a Green Travel and Tourism Economy, developed in partnership with the G20 Tourism Working Group, were identified as a key resource for advancing progress in the policy area of “Green Transformation” of the world’s leading economies. The Recommendations present the main lines of action and showcase frontrunning initiatives of tourism businesses and destinations leading the way in achieving greater sustainability while also outlining steps that can help tourism recover from the worst crisis in its history safely and responsibly.

UNWTO will continue to work with the Italian G20 Presidency as well as the previous and forthcoming presidencies, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia, in advancing the contribution of tourism to the G20 objectives.

Rome, Italy, May 5, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) gave an opening keynote speech at the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting today, as Ministers gathered to discuss the G20 Rome Guidelines for the Future of Tourism.

WTTC shared that this unprecedented crisis has had a devastating impact on the sector and that clear rules and a protocol to restart international mobility will be crucial to its sustainable and long-term recovery.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

WTTC urged that action was needed now to save millions of jobs throughout the sector which depend on the immediate resumption of international travel, and that there will not be a sustainable and resilient future, unless we can recover from this crisis.

Gloria Guevara said: “The guidelines address the importance of sustainability, safe mobility and how we collectively manage future crises while maintaining our resilience and focusing on the digital transition to enable a more seamless travel experience. These priorities are aligned with those of the private sector.

“However, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are not out of the crisis yet, and urgent action is needed now to save the 62 million jobs lost globally last year, with many millions more still at risk.

“During this important meeting, WTTC highlighted the devasting impact COVID-19 has had on our sector, with its contribution to global GDP dropping a staggering 49.1% last year, compared to the overall global economy which dropped by just 3.7%. Furthermore, this incredibly important sector suffered a loss of almost US$4.5 trillion.

“We need clear rules and agreements amongst countries to safely restore international mobility, which will in turn enable the return of safe international travel and bring back millions of jobs. It will also protect a sector which will be instrumental in powering the global economic recovery.

“The private sector remains committed to working with the public sector to ensure a swift recovery, which has been significantly boosted by the vaccine rollout. However, there is still much work to be done with many parts of the world still suffering from the pandemic.

“WTTC’s recent Global Summit in Cancun has proven that international travel can safely resume with a combination of vaccines, comprehensive and cost-effective testing, enhanced health and hygiene measures and mandatory mask wearing.”

WTTC thanked Italy, G20 Chair for their leadership and for including the private sector in this important platform and also acknowledged Saudi Arabia who held the G20 Presidency in 2020 and recognised the importance of working with the private sector in tourism in the declaration.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Updates here.

WTTC also recognised the Ministers of Argentina, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, the UK, the US, and the EU, for their strong partnership with the private sector and particularly with WTTC.

Bangkok, May 5, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / During its 70th Annual General Meeting held online on Thursday, April 29, 2021, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) presented PATA Life Membership to Scott Supernaw in recognition for his contribution to the responsible development of travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region.

PATA Life Membership is the Association’s highest honour, conferred upon an individual who has devoted at least 10 years of exceptional voluntary service to PATA and the tourism industry. Representatives of PATA member organisations are nominated by their peers to receive PATA Life Membership.

Upon receiving the award, Mr Supernaw said, “For those that commit to active roles and leverage the networks at PATA events, the business rewards are there. However, for me equally rewarding are the friends and colleagues that my wife Chris and I have had the pleasure of meeting, travelling with and being associated with over the past 40+ years.”

“I am truly honoured by this Life Membership Award and to become associated with notable honourees and friends, to many to name. It is indeed humbling and has indeed been fun,” he added.

Scott Supernaw has extensive experience in global marketing and business development from well-established brands in the travel industry. The companies he has worked with include Trans World Airlines, where he is credited with starting their successful Getaway Tour brand; General Mills Inc., where he led the acquisition of Olson Travel and Travelworld, Ltd; Olson-Travelworld Ltd., as President and CEO; and Tauck Inc. where, as Managing Director-International, he led their expansion into the international tour and cruise market.

He is a founding member and past two-term Chairman of the United States Tour Operators Association. Scott is also a past member of the Executive Committee of the PATA and past Chairman of the Executive Board, in addition to being the past Chairman of the PATA Foundation. Furthermore, he has served on the advisory boards of the French, Swiss and Israeli government tourism boards. In the early 1980’s he was one of seven U.S. tour operators invited by the Chinese Government (CITS) to consult and work with them in the development of their long-haul, inbound tour business. He is a former member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Young Presidents Association and holds a BA and MBA from Michigan State University. He also completed six years as an officer in the U.S. Army. Mr. Supernaw currently sits on the Board of Directors for Horizons at Sacred Heart University, a non-profit organization to help the under-privileged obtain a better education.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its more than 650 member organisations, including 82 government, state and city tourism bodies, 14 international airlines and airports, 71 hospitality organisations and 75 educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing and London.