Category: Latest Travel News

New York City, New York, USA, October 17, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / An overwhelming majority of US and Canadian travelers (99 percent) are eager to travel again, with 70 percent stating that they plan to take a holiday in 2021, according to a Travel Leaders Group survey of nearly 3,000 frequent travelers. The survey was conducted in September in conjunction with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector.

Results indicate that 45 percent of respondents have already made plans or are starting to make finite plans for their next holiday, while 54 percent say they are dreaming of when they can travel again.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Press Releases here.

“These are really strong numbers. The fact that 99 percent of travelers surveyed said they are planning a trip or looking forward to the time they can travel again indicates that as concerns about COVID-19 are addressed, leisure travelers will lead the recovery,” said John Lovell, President of Travel Leaders Group.

In the survey, 23 percent of respondents said they plan to travel by the end of 2020, 70 percent said they will travel in 2021 with just 18 percent saying they will resume traveling in 2022.

“Consumer uncertainty about the risk of exposure or concerns about being quarantined is a core problem,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO. “With rapid testing to replace quarantine requirements, enhanced contact tracing and industry-wide standards by sector that can be clearly communicated to the public, we can help alleviate many of those concerns.”

The willingness of Americans to travel can be seen in the slow, but steady, increase in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) daily screening numbers, which fell below 90,000 a day in April and are now approaching 1 million a day at peak periods. In 2019, TSA daily traveler counts averaged between 2.3 and 2.7 million passengers a day.

More than half of travelers surveyed say they are concerned about the risk of being infected when traveling on a plane or cruise ship, getting stuck while away from home or being quarantined on a cruise ship or at a hotel. A lesser number named concerns about them or a family member contracting the virus while traveling, worries about getting a refund if the trip is cancelled, and concerns about family members with higher risk health conditions

A majority of survey respondents said the following health and safety initiatives at airports, aboard aircraft and at resorts will make a big difference in their decision to travel in the future: mandatory masks, social distancing, enhanced cleaning, temperature checks and access to sanitizing gel. For resorts, contact-free services and customizable room cleaning were also cited.

“Our industry needs to do more to inform potential travelers about all of the health and safety protocols that have been implemented across the industry and continue to standardize those protocols to restore consumer confidence in travel,” said Lovell. “Airlines, airports and cruise lines have made major strides in the health and hygiene measures they have taken in close consultation with the world’s leading medical experts. We need to share that story with the traveling public.”

Nearly 60 percent of respondents said the requirement of a negative PCR test prior to arrival in a destination would make no difference or would be viewed as a positive, while about 40 percent said such a requirement would be a deterrent. Those concerns can be addressed with rapid testing, Lovell said. “We believe the widespread availability of rapid testing will result in greater acceptance of pre-trip testing and encourage more people to travel,” he stated.

Modes of Travel & Destinations

Most of those surveyed who said they plan to take a holiday said they will fly to their next holiday destination (47 percent), 21 percent will drive, 17 percent said they plan to take an ocean cruise, with 5 percent opting for a river cruise.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Press Releases here.

“We continue to see strong interest in domestic travel, beach destinations and less crowded destinations in both the US and Canada, while the popularity of Europe across the board is encouraging,” said Stephen McGillivray, Chief Marketing Officer for Travel Leaders Group.

Europe (38 percent), the Caribbean (34 percent) and Mexico (15 percent) are the top-ranked international destinations of interest, followed by Canada (for US travelers), Central and South America, Australia, Africa and Asia.

For US travelers, uncrowded, outdoor and beach experiences topped the list of desired domestic destinations, with National Parks, Florida, Hawaii, Alaska, California and “anywhere uncrowded” high on the list while traditionally popular sites, such as New York and Nevada, scored lower.

For Canadians, British Columbia, Atlantic Canada, Alberta, Ontario, “anywhere uncrowded” and National Parks led the list.

The survey results are validated by Travel Leaders Group’s online inquiries. Online leads declined in late March, reaching a low point on April 12 then peaking on June 14. Following a second outbreak of COVID-19 in some areas, leads dropped again and are now on the upswing, up 88 percent from the low in April, McGillivray said.

Close-in booking windows are a trend among online shoppers. The majority of consumers reaching out online want to travel by the year’s end 2020, followed by January/February 2021, spring and summer. Milestone birthdays, anniversaries and honeymoons are popular reasons to travel. Camper vans and home and villa rentals are in high demand.

Many come seeking the expert advice of a travel advisor. Here’s a sampling of the inquiries:

• “Where can I go without self-quarantine?”
• “I need to get out of here, where can I go?”
• “I’ve never used a travel agent before…”
• “I NEED a travel agent.”
• “I am an avid cruiser always booked direct but need a travel agent to help me book them now.”

“Booking with a travel advisor is the best possible strategy to navigate the new world of travel,” McGillivray said. “They can provide all the facts you need to know about destinations, requirements, how to protect your purchase, and best of all, they provide peace of mind.”

Nassau, Bahamas, October 16, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Peru, Bahamas and Puerto Rico are the latest destinations to use the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp, launched earlier this year by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, recently announced that in just three short months, 100 destinations are now using its ‘Safe Travels’ stamp, with the Philippines becoming the official 100th destination.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Press Releases here.

The stamp, which was developed to help restore confidence in travellers and aims to revive an ailing Travel & Tourism sector, is now also being used by many more major holiday destinations such as Paraguay, Gambia, Zambia, Guatemala and El Salvador.

The stamp enables travellers to recognise destinations around the world which have adopted standardised global health and hygiene protocols – so they can experience ‘Safe Travels’.

This landmark move by WTTC also received the backing of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The launch of global protocols to recover the Travel & Tourism sector have been embraced by over 200 CEO’s, including some of the world’s major tourism groups.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Our Safe Travels stamp continues to go from strength to strength and we are delighted with its success so far. More than 120 destinations now proudly use the stamp, all of which are working together to help rebuild consumer confidence worldwide. 

“As the stamp continues to grow in popularity, travellers will more easily be able to recognise the destinations worldwide which have adopted these important global protocols, encouraging the return of ‘Safe Travels’ around the world. 

“The success of the stamp shows its importance not only to countries and destinations, but also to travellers and the 330 million people around the world who work in and depend on a thriving the Travel & Tourism sector.”

Carla Campos, Puerto Rico Tourism Company’s (Government of Puerto Rico) Executive Director said: “Puerto Rico was one of the first destinations in the Western Hemisphere to design and implement an industry-specific safety and health program for the entire destination with the creation of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company Gold Star Health and Safety Seal Certification back on May 4. Today, we are proud to join WTTC’s Safe Travels global protocols and stamp program. 

“Operating guides and certification programs such as these are vital for the reopening of the travel and tourism sector at both a global and regional level, as well as an important recognition that will place Puerto Rico in a highly competitive position as the travel and tourism market reopens. As a destination, we acknowledged early on that consumers will consider the destinations best prepared to provide them with the necessary measures and resources to protect their health and our destination-wide program was developed using the most rigorous standards, best practice cases, as well as guides and recommendations from the agencies and organizations that specialize on the subject. 

“Ensuring collective participation and compliance of the recommended protocols, both by companies and customers, will be key in facilitating the safe restart of leisure and business travelling”.

Hamat NK Bah, Honourable Minister of Tourism and Culture, the Gambia said: “As destinations all over the world are gradually reopening their tourism sectors, the Gambia, the smiling coast of Africa is at the forefront of these efforts. Tourism plays a pivotal role in the economic growth of the Gambia, and as we strive to recover from the devastating impacts COVID-19 has on our economy, tourism is integral in this process.  

“We are delighted to be part of the WTTC Safe Travel stamp and protocols and therefore committed to protecting the health and safety of all players in the travel and tourism sector.”

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Press Releases here.

Felix S. Chaila, Zambia Tourism Agency CEO said: “Tourism is very important for Zambia, especially its contribution to revenue generation, job creation and poverty reduction among many other benefits to be accrued from the sector. As Zambia begins its road to tourism recovery, we are pleased to be associated with the WTTC’s Safe Travels global protocols. 

“We are committed to meeting COVID-19 safety requirements that promote restarting tourism without inhibiting our tourism business sector.  In this light, we have put in place simple and practical safety protocols for the tourism sector with the intention to enhance the visitor experience as they create their travel memories during this difficult time. The Safe Travels stamp will give travel consumers the confidence to travel to our destination.

“We pledge to remain compliant with the safety measures, in partnership with the private sector, to ensure both the hosts and travellers are safe and subsequently restore the tourism sector to where it was before the pandemic brought it to a halt.”

Morena Valdez, Minister of Tourism of El Salvador said: “In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Tourism of El Salvador led the development of eight biosecurity protocols for the entire Tourism Industry and the Safe Travels stamp recognises the work of our Government and gives a message of confidence to all travellers who decide to come again or visit our country for the first time.

“Together with our National Seal for the Verification of Biosafety Protocols in Tourism, the WTTC Safe Travels stamp supports El Salvador’s commitment to offer a tourist operation in line with the expectations of the new normal.

“Tourism is the industry that allows us to move around the world and we are focused on offering visitors the best destination experience, but above all, safe. I invite you to cross borders and discover that El Salvador is an ideal place to visit, establish tourist operations, do business and live.”

The widespread adoption of the stamp demonstrates that WTTC and all its Members from around the world have the safety and hygiene of travellers as their top priority.

The protocols follow guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as considering best practices from WTTC’s members.

Evidence from WTTC’s Crisis Readiness report, which looked at 90 different types of crises in the last 20 years, highlights the importance of public-private cooperation and the implementation of standardised protocols.

WTTC has been at the forefront of leading the private sector in the drive to rebuild global consumer confidence and encourage the return of Safe Travels.

According to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, during 2019, Travel & Tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million total), making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.

Victoria,Mahé, Seychelles, October 16, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The Presidential Debates were a momentous step forward for our fragile democracy. My only regret was that there were no questions pertaining directly to human rights which were put to the candidates. With key groups of people and the vulnerable members of society being traditionally overlooked and oppressed by Government, it is a pity that history repeated itself in these debates. When will they be given a voice? Particularly when traditionally overlooked by the media and key political parties and figures.

Moreover, while some candidates used their final two minutes during the debate to appeal directly to voters, one particular politician preferred to reveal his true nature by making a personal attack instead of justifying why the public should put their trust in him yet again. The trouble with targeting members of a third force who have bravely chosen to stand up to do what is right, and not what is easy, and to seek to undo all the wrongs of Government (whether it be by the Legislative or Executive branch of Government), you are only serving to keep the corrosive and toxic “ek nou, pa ek nou” culture on life support. Aspiring leaders who attack those who are breathing life into a weak democracy end up only undermining their own integrity and public confidence in their leadership. They also reveal to the public that they need a firm lesson in humility. They would do well to remain humble and to never forget where they came from.

One Seychelles is fiercely proud of the team they have assembled in a short span of time. We don’t all have the free time and funds to host “mini elections” within each district prior to nominations, after all. We are able to work and excel with what we have, and not hide behind a shopping list of excuses. It is recalled that the same leaders who once cried hoarse for a balanced Assembly are now arrogantly claiming that the only way they can do their work competently is if they have total control over two branches of Government. We alone recognize the necessity of having a balanced National Assembly. Leave “total control” over most/all branches of Government back in the past (during the one-party era) where it belongs.

One Seychelles was created for a reason. The movement has amassed significant public support for a reason, and we have become a true force to be reckoned with for a reason. The reason is that a growing proportion of the population is dissatisfied with the duopoly that has been a constant feature in local politics for too long; these veteran politicians had a real opportunity to prove their dedication to the people and their worth as viable leaders of the Nation over the course of the past four years, and many believe that they have failed in these respects. We would not be here today if the call for a new force in politics had not existed. People desperately want a change, but they want the RIGHT kind of change.

With both green and red camps making the election pitch for “national unity”, despite all their recent actions contradicting the notion, they seem to have lost sight of the fact that voters no longer trust politicians whose actions do not match their words.

Change cannot happen when we use the same outdated recipe and sub-standard ingredients we have been relying upon for 30-odd years. The only way to progress as a Nation is to embrace change, real change. Some boast about offering change, but their manifestos are eerily similar to that of the ruling party. Old ideologies and old policies cannot push the Nation forwards; we will only keep going backwards.

Everyone in the debate last night agreed that politics should be removed from Ministries. One Seychelles remains the only political party realistically capable of doing this, for we have not amassed years and years’ worth of promises to deliver upon and favors to return. We proposed a technocrat-led Government from the get-go, one comprising skilled and capable Seychellois, who were selected irrespective of their political affiliation. They are waiting and ready to hit the ground running on 25th October. They alone are capable of putting National interest ahead of political and personal interests.

Those who claim to want to lower the cost of living, why didn’t they? COVID-19 aggravated the situation but poverty existed long before the pandemic crippled our economy. It existed when both Mr. Ramkalawan and Mr. Faure had control over their respective branches of Government. And though Mr. Ramkalawan is loathe to admit it, he was neck-deep in Government for the past four years. He refuses to let the public realise that the Legislature (ie the National Assembly) is the branch of Government that directly governs the Country because it REGULATES. If we want to know what things will look like under LDS, we have already had an avant gout.

We need to move forward. We cannot sacrifice our own beliefs to cater to politicians who are determinedly pushing agendas that no longer meet the needs of the masses (treating drug traffickers as victims, for one). One Seychelles will end the cycle of Government (whether it be the National Assembly or the Executive) catering to the needs and interests of the wealthy, powerful and the privileged over ordinary citizens. Don’t sign up for more of the same. If you did, you would get no different to what you always have.

Brussels, Belgium, October 15, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has led a high-level delegation to Brussels for a series of meetings aimed at ensuring tourism remains at the top of the political agenda of the European Institutions.

As UNWTO guides the global restart of tourism, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili has been working closely with European leaders to ensure the sector receives the political and financial support needed to protect livelihoods and safeguard businesses. During his visit to Brussels, Mr. Pololikashvili urged the leaders of the European institutions to transform the ambitious plans for the recovery into reality by coordinating a package of response measures that will allow for tourism to return and to drive the recovery of the EU economy.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

At the same time, the UNWTO leadership stressed the importance of supporting and growing domestic tourism. According to Mr Pololikashvili, domestic tourism has immense potential, including for the recovery and development of rural communities. However, for this potential to be realized, governments and the European Institutions need to provide greater direction and stronger leadership.

Tourism is a central pillar of European economies, a leading employer and a source of opportunity for many millions of people across the continent

The UNWTO delegation met with Mr. Margaritis Schinas, Vice President of the European Commission, Mr. Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, with the office of Mr. David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament and key representatives of the European Council. On the back of the meetings, it was confirmed that the issue of easing travel restrictions will be on the agenda at the next meeting of the European Council, highlighting the importance and timeliness of UNWTO’s interventions.

High-level leadership essential

Secretary-General Pololikashvili said: “Tourism is a central pillar of European economies, a leading employer and a source of opportunity for many millions of people across the continent. The leaders of the European Institutions have signaled their commitment to supporting tourism at this challenging time. High-level leadership and unprecedented levels of cooperation between the Institutions, governments and businesses will be needed to translate good intentions into firm actions and so help tourism lead the continent’s recovery from crisis.”

Secretary-General Pololikashvili congratulated European leaders for their role in opening the borders of EU Member States before the end of the summer season. This gave some much needed impetus to travel and tourism and saw a promising upturn in international tourist arrivals in several European markets.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

Coordination only way to restart tourism

UNWTO calls on governments to avoid acting unilaterally and closing borders as this has proven not to be effective in controlling the spread of the virus. It is vital that the focus shifts from limiting travel to ensuring safe travel by putting in place measures like widely accessible, fast testing at departure. Such measures will protect the health of travellers as well as tourism- and travel-related workers, while at the same time fostering trust and boosting confidence.

Tourism contributes 10% of total GDP for the European Union and supports more than 2.4 million businesses. The sector is on track for a fall of between 60% and 90% in bookings compared to similar periods in previous years. The estimated revenue loss this year for hotels and restaurants, tour operators, long distance rail and for cruises and airlines is from 85% to 90%. As a result of this pandemic, 6 million people may lose their jobs.

This visit to Brussels comes on the back of the European Tourism Convention, during which Mr. Pololikashvili stressed the importance of supporting and promoting green investments in tourism so as to drive sustainable recovery from the present crisis.

London, United Kingdom, October 14, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The Travel Association, ABTA,  has published a new report which sets out how the devastating impact of the global pandemic has brought into relief the value of tourism to holidaymakers, the UK and destinations.

Entitled: ‘Tourism for Good – A Roadmap for Rebuilding Travel and Tourism’, the report explains how it is imperative to purposefully rebuild a more responsible and resilient tourism industry that benefits all those involved – and provides a framework for collaborative action to build better places to live in and better places to visit.

There is clear consumer demand for the industry to embrace sustainability on its path to recovery, with new figures revealing that more than half of people (52%) believe that the travel industry should open in a greener way. Consumers have been increasingly keen to know that their holidays benefit the people and places they visit, with research from 2020 revealing that half (49%) consider the sustainability credentials of their holiday provider to be important or essential when choosing which company to book with, compared to only a fifth back in 2011.

Central to the report is the belief that travel and tourism is a powerful force for good; being both physically and mentally restorative for holidaymakers while also generating significant economic, employment and social benefits in the UK and around the world. It also acknowledges the challenges that the sector faces, including the need to accelerate decarbonisation and to ensure that tourism generates greater benefits for destinations and local communities.

The report emphasises the huge value and contribution of UK outbound tourism, both domestically and internationally, in terms of job creation, livelihood opportunities, social benefits for local communities, support and funding for nature and wildlife conservation and cultural heritage protection. New research from CEBR shows that the aggregate global GVA (gross value added) of UK outbound tourism is estimated at $81.4 billion and supports 2.7 million jobs, while in the UK it generates £37 billion (1.8% of GDP) in aggregate economic impact and 526,000 full-time equivalent jobs. For certain destinations – The Maldives, Jamaica, Cyprus, Malta, Mauritius, Greece, Spain and Portugal – which rely heavily on tourism already, UK holidaymakers alone make a marked contribution of more than 1% of national GDP.

The report also acknowledges the challenges faced by the sector, and, through case studies and examples, outlines how the industry is taking steps to address its biggest issues by decarbonising, cutting waste and water consumption, ensuring that local people benefit from tourism, respecting human rights and managing animal welfare. Due to the global nature of these challenges, the report highlights that there is more to be done, with the best outcomes being achieved through a concerted worldwide approach and a willingness to share and learn across the industry.

Underpinned by a series of nine core principles, the ‘Tourism for Good’ report sets out a roadmap to guide ABTA’s commitment to working with its Members, their suppliers, destination authorities, travellers and the wider travel industry. It also calls on the UK Government to support tourism’s contribution to economic development and employment, deliver the necessary policies to encourage transport providers to transition to greener technologies, and to help consumers to transition to low-carbon transport.

In order to accurately track the progress being made, ABTA has launched a sustainability indicator survey for its Members to complete which will establish a baseline of how the travel and tourism industry is currently embracing sustainability. The findings will be used to identify the areas where progress is being made and the areas that require more focus.

Clare Jenkinson, Head of Sustainability at ABTA – The Travel Association said:
“Building on ABTA’s longstanding work on sustainability, the ‘Tourism for Good’ report is designed to act as a strategic framework to guide our activities as the industry reopens and evolves. The core principles include, for example, the need for tourism to be sustainable and resilient against future shocks, for policies and actions to be designed in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and the urgent need to accelerate decarbonisation. We commit to measuring the progress that is being made and identifying the areas where more work needs to be done.”

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA – The Travel Association said:
“Tourism’s unexpected standstill has given us a unique opportunity to reflect on the type of industry we want to rebuild, fit for the challenges we face and a contributor to the global good. I believe the future prosperity of the industry depends on putting sustainability at the heart of our recovery. This report therefore underlines ABTA’s commitment to working with our Members, the wider travel industry, and the UK Government to create a more sustainable industry that allows everyone a share in its success.”

Note:
The findings are from research with nationally representative sample of 2,000 consumers using an online research methodology and related to holiday booking habits in the 12 months to July 2020. Fieldwork was conducted in the last two weeks of August 2020 and was conducted by The Nursery Research and Planning.

About ABTA:
ABTA has been a trusted travel brand for 70 years. Our purpose is to help our Members to grow their businesses successfully and sustainably, and to help their customers travel with confidence.

The ABTA brand stands for support, protection and expertise. This means consumers have confidence in ABTA and a strong trust in ABTA Members. These qualities are core to us as they ensure that holidaymakers remain confident in the holiday products that they buy from our Members.

We help our Members and their customers navigate through today’s changing travel landscape by raising standards in the industry; offering schemes of financial protection; providing an independent complaints resolution service should something go wrong; giving guidance on issues from sustainability to health and safety and by presenting a united voice to government to ensure the industry and the public get a fair deal.

ABTA has more than 4,300 travel brands in Membership, providing a wide range of leisure and business travel services, with a combined annual UK turnover of £39 billion. For more details about what we do, what being an ABTA Member means and how we help the British public travel with confidence visit www.abta.com.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 13, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Ethiopian Airlines Group is pleased to announce that it will cover the medical insurance including repatriation, evacuation and quarantine costs related to COVID-19 as of 01st of October 2020 until 31st of March 2021. The coverage is applicable on all Ethiopian’s international flights booked with the airline’s tickets.

The global cover dubbed Sheba Comfort is part of the airline’s extra security measures to protect passengers and ensure that they travel with peace of mind.

The Sheba Comfort insurance scheme, introduced in collaboration with AXA Partners and Awash Insurance Company, is valid for 92 days for round trip and 31 days for one-way trip.

Valletta, Malta, October 12, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / SUNx Malta goes live with its two practical programs to support company and community Climate Friendly Travel strategic transformation – linking our sector to the UN SDG 2030 and Paris 1.5 2050 frameworks.

First Climate Friendly Travel Diploma begins this week, with 36 young activists from 29 small island and developing states on scholarships from the Minister of Tourism of Malta Julia Farrugia Portelli and an inaugural global Susanne Becken scholarship. The course will be online with guest lectures from 25 leading thinkers on Climate and Sustainability, from inside and outside the Travel & Tourism sector.

Second we have received first registrant on new Climate Friendly Travel Registry linked to the UNFCCC Climate Action Portal – Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) from British Columbia in Canada. Together with our Registrar Dr Hans Friederich (formerly DG INBAR and senior IUCN executive) and Support Manager Rose Mukogo (formerly Board Zimparks) we will be working with TOTA to help develop their own 2050 Climate Neutral and Sustainability plan, and to engage their 4000 stakeholders in the Registry. We will also be reaching out to industry and government organizations for SDG 17 Partnersbips to bring their members on board together.

A key part of tbe Registry is our growing list of SUNxMalta SDG 17 partners with a powerful visibility linkage with Sustainable First which we believe will be attractive for Registrants.

Finally we will start to work with our SDG17 partner WTTC to engage their members and the industry in the context of their great G20 recovery Plan’s Sustainability window and UN Secretary General’s call for a Climate Friendly rebound for the sector.

On a personal note I shall be approaching my old colleagues in UNWTO and IATA for their participation in this crusade against the existential Climate Crisis.

We have about 10 years to get on track with the rest of the world if we start now, with bold but realistic ambitions

Prof Geoffrey Lipman
President SUNx Malta

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 10, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Tourism Ministers of the G20 nations have committed to stepping up their efforts to place sustainability and inclusion at the heart of tourism recovery and future growth. The implementation of the World Tourism Organization AlUla Framework for Inclusive Community Development Through Tourism, presented on the occasion of the Ministerial Meeting, was welcomed by the G20 Tourism Ministers as a tool for achieving a fairer and more inclusive sector.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

Under the leadership of the 2020 G20 Saudi Presidency, UNWTO and the G20 Tourism Working Group developed the AlUla Framework to further advance the contribution of the sector as an effective means towards fairer growth and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Framework provides specific recommendations and tools to support both governments as well as all other key stakeholders in the tourism sector – including regional and local governments, the private sector, industry associations, civil society, communities and tourists – fostering a truly holistic and integrated approach to inclusive community development through tourism.

G20 nations can set the example

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “As we join forces to restart tourism, we must live up to our responsibility to ensure that tourism’s benefits are shared by all. I congratulate the Saudi Presidency for placing inclusive community development through tourism at the heart of the G20 Agenda and I invite G20 countries to follow this vision and embrace tourism as an effective means for inclusion and sustainability.”

As we join forces to restart tourism, we must live up to our responsibility to ensure that tourism’s benefits are shared by all

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Tourism and Chair of the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting welcomed the AlUla Framework saying, “On behalf of the G20 Tourism Ministers, I commend the Tourism Working Group and the UNWTO for this initiative. The AlUla Framework – named after Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO world heritage site – demonstrates how the tourism sector can promote inclusive community development by highlighting practical examples and case studies that governments can emulate to protect local culture and the environment, while empowering local communities, especially women and young people. The Framework is a vital tool to be used as we work together to rebuild the tourism sector to be more sustainable, resilient and inclusive.

Placing tourism at the heart of development policies

Calling for a model of tourism development based on Public-Private-Community (PPC) partnerships, the Framework includes a set of concrete programmes and initiatives based around four pillars of action – empowerment, safeguarding, prosperity and collaboration.  It further defines the key areas of measurement for the impact of tourism in the communities in line with the Measuring Sustainable Tourism Initiative, led by UNWTO.

Among the G20 Guidelines for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism endorsed at the meeting, is the importance of placing tourism at the heart of development policies at international, national and local level. The Guidelines further stress the importance of human capital development, inclusive labor markets, adequate social protection, and innovation and entrepreneurship as key contributors to travel and tourism as a human-centered sector, as well as to advancing women’s empowerment and to create decent jobs for all.

Note:
The Framework was developed by UNWTO and the G20 Tourism Working Group in collaboration with the IE Center for the Governance of Change and the academic contribution of the University of Surrey.  The Framework includes the contributions of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), World Bank Group and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, October 10, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / In a historic first, G20 Tourism Ministers hosted more than 45 CEOs and Members of WTTC, who presented their plan to save the embattled Travel & Tourism sector and 100m jobs globally.

During their G20 Chairmanship of the Tourism Track, Saudi Arabia requested the collaboration of the global travel and tourism sector on developing insights to help accelerate the global recovery. As a result, the WTTC presented a plan which aims to restart international Travel & Tourism and recover 100 million jobs globally.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Press Releases here.

The private sector event was opened by HE Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism and Chair of the G20 Tourism Track and WTTC President & CEO, Gloria Guevara to set the scene.

This was followed by a keynote from Chris Nassetta, President & CEO of Hilton and WTTC Chair and contributions from CEOs and Ministers representing all regions of the world, including Argentina, UK, UAE, Singapore and Spain, who joined the private sector with a unified voice to agree that through joint collaboration, the recovery of Travel & Tourism can be accelerated.

The CEOs used the historic forum to outline what they believe could be a game changing new 24-point plan that would save the struggling sector.

According to WTTC’s economic modelling, around 100 million jobs could be saved through strong international collaboration, eliminating travel barriers and an international testing protocol at departure, amongst others.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “This historic meeting provided the best platform to establish public and private collaboration which will lead to rebuilding a sector which has been devastated by the pandemic.

“On behalf of WTTC and the private sector globally, I would like to thank and recognise the Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia for his leadership, as well as the G20 Tourism Ministers for their collaboration to recover millions of jobs and livelihoods through the resumption of international travel in a safe and effective way.

“The nature of this meeting cannot be underestimated; it is the first time so many Travel & Tourism CEOs and leaders have been invited to sit in the same forum as G20 Tourism Ministers to establish a tangible plan to save the Travel & Tourism sector.

“This plan will have far reaching consequences; it will bring real and genuine benefits to the industry as a whole – from aviation to tour operators, taxis to hotels and beyond.

“We are also delighted that the Seamless Traveller Journey, which has been a strategic priority for WTTC, and will further enable a safe return to international travel, has been warmly embraced by the participants at today’s historic meeting.”

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Tourism and Chair of the G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting welcomed the initiative saying, “On behalf of the G20 Tourism Ministers, I commend the World Travel & Tourism Council and the global travel and tourism sector for their efforts to put people first during the global pandemic, by collaborating at the industry-level and with the public sector to put in place concrete actions that will protect millions of jobs and livelihoods, while ensuring that the sector is more resilient to crises in the future.”

Among the CEOs from the global private sector invited by Saudi Arabia were, Arnold Donald, Carnival Corporation; Keith Barr, InterContinental Hotels Group; Alex Cruz, British Airways; Jerry Inzerillo, DGDA; Kurt Ekert, Carlson Wagonlit Travel; Greg O’Hara, Certares; Paul Griffiths, Dubai Airports; Puneet Chatwal, Indian Hotel Company; Tadashi Fujita, Japan Airlines; Gabriel Escarrer, Melia; Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises; Jane Sun, Trip-com; Friedrich Joussen, TUI; Federico J. González, Radisson Hotel Group; Manfredi Lefebvre, Abercrombie & Kent; Alex Zozaya, Apple Leisure Group; Jeff Rutledge, American International Group; Adnan Kazim, Emirates Group; Darrell Wade, Intrepid; Brett Tollman, The Travel Corporation; Ariane Gorin, Expedia; Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt; Vivian Zhou, Jin Jang Int. Group; Johny Zakhem, Accor; Heike Birlenbach, Deutsche Lufthansa AG; Ayhan Bektaş, OTI Holding; Geoffrey J.W. Kent, Abercrombie & Kent; Gustavo Lipovich, Aerolineas Argentinas; Leonel Andrade, CVC; Jack Kumada, JTB; Roberto Alvo, LATAM Airlines Group; Vikram Oberoi, The Oberoi Group; Craig Smith, Marriott; Shirley Tan, Rajawali Property Group; Budi Tirtawisata, Panorama Tours; Gibran Chapur, Palace Hotels; Bander Al-Mohanna, Flynas; Nicholas Naples, Amaala; Ali Al-Rakban, Aqalat; Dr Mansoor Al-Mansoor, Riyadh Airport; Amr AlMadani, Royal Commission Al Ula; Nabeel Al-Jama, Aramco; Andrew McEvoy, NEOM; John Pagano, The Red Sea Development Company; Ibrahim Alkoshy, Saudia; Abdullah Al Dawood, Seera Group; Talal Bin Ibrahim Al Maiman, Kingdom Holding; Fettah Tamince, Rixos; Hussain Sajwani, DAMAC; Tran Doan-a The Duy, Vietravel; Joseph Birori, Primate Safaries.

Alexandre de Juniac, Director General, IATA, Fang Liu, Secretary General, ICAO, were also added their voice to testing being the solution to eliminate quarantines. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of UNWTO also contributed to the debate.

Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO said, “It is critical that governments and industry work together to safely re-open borders with systematic COVID-19 testing. Some 46 million jobs are at risk. The historic participation of industry in this G20 Summit is a good start to the government-industry partnership that will be needed to revive the travel and tourism economy on which 10% of global GDP depends.”

Dr. Fang Liu, Secretary General of ICAO said, “Governments and industry have been working hard through ICAO to develop and align effective pandemic COVID-19 responses in air transport, and to reconnect the world of travel and tourism. Hundreds of millions of people and businesses all over the world are depending on these efforts, and this WTTC event provided an invaluable opportunity to underscore these points to G20 private and public sector leaders.”

At the request of Saudi Arabia, WTTC presented the recovery plan which includes twelve points for the private sector and twelve for the public sector, focusing on measures to reactivate international travel.

The unprecedented plan was pulled together with input from WTTC Members and covered a wide range of initiatives which hinged on securing international coordination to re-establish effective operations and resume international travel, including the implementation of an international testing regime at departure to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Chris Nassetta, WTTC Chairman and Hilton President and CEO said, “WTTC’s private sector action plan is hugely important in supporting the recovery of the sector and bringing back 100 million travel and tourism jobs globally.”

“It will take significant collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure a full recovery and rebuild traveler confidence, which is why today’s G20 meeting was so important. I’m encouraged by the progress we’re seeing around the world and look forward to the continued collective efforts to support our stakeholders and promote the incredible impact our industry creates for communities globally.”

Alex Cruz, Chairman and Chief Executive of British Airways said: “Be in no doubt; Covid-19 has led to the worst crisis in the history of commercial global aviation. To ensure the industry’s survival we are calling for a common global approach to testing and the creation of regional air corridors so that we can get more flights back in the air, and the global economy moving, as soon as possible. Governments must act fast and work together before it’s too late.”

Keith Barr, CEO, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG): “The travel and tourism industry plays a critical role in the global economy and in communities all over the world. The pace and strength at which a recovery can be supported is therefore of great importance. Collaboration between government and industry is absolutely key to this and I am incredibly encouraged by the level of partnership and commitment we’ve seen at this historic G20 meeting.”

Arnold Donald, President & CEO of Carnival Corporation and North American Vice-Chair said, “It was an honour to have the opportunity to speak at this important event. The travel and tourism sector has been a major driver in global economic growth over the last 5 years and it is imperative that we all work together to restart international travel in a safe and efficient manner.”

Federico J González, CEO of Radisson Hospitality said “We cannot underestimate the power of the public and private sector coming together to support each other and helping rebuild the hospitality industry. We recognised this importance earlier this year, and played a leading role in the development of the World Travel and Tourism (WTTC)’s “Safe Travels” protocols, a global hospitality framework for a safe return to business. Today, more so than ever, we need to make sure that the travel industry, public sector, and private sector have a common global understanding and plan in place to ensure and protect the safety of travellers, partners, and team members while our industry continues to recover, rebuild, and reopen its doors.”

Gabriel Escarrer, Executive-Chairman and CEO of Meliá Hotels International said, “At this crossroads in history for the global travel industry, when it is more important than ever that we all think and act together, countries must agree on common criteria and indicators to allow the tourism flows, whilst ensuring the maximum level of health security.”

“Within the WTTC we are all aligned and speak with one voice, ready to move forward together towards the reopening of borders as the first step in the sustainable recovery of travel.”

Jane Sun, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Trip Group said, “Travel is a resilient industry, and a fundamental part of so many of our lives. I am delighted that everyone is coming together to not only discuss about the industry but to also share our passion for travel. The current trends we’ve observed in the China market are encouraging, and we are confident that coupled with the guarantees, measures and innovations we’ve introduced, we’ll continue to see promising growth and new heights for the industry in the near future.”

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports said, “This loss of mobility has devastated the travel and tourism sector worldwide. Governments across the globe are looking to the aviation industry for a solution that minimises the risk of infection whilst getting the world’s people – and its economies – moving again.

“There are three essential steps required to create this outcome. A common testing procedure that is quick, accurate and easy to administer, a unified approach to testing, isolation and protection protocol and the establishment of bilateral agreements between countries, agreeing to adopt these measures. We need to act now to make travel safe again.”

Greg O’Hara, Founder and Managing Partner of Certares “In the midst of one of the greatest challenges that our global economy and society has ever faced, I’m heartened that governments around the world are taking a particular interest in our sector. Our sector is uniquely important to both economic productivity and personal wellbeing and we are suffering disproportionately.

“There are many data points thus far that should serve to encourage people to return to life and travel as we knew it. We need global governments’ assistance to re-install traveler confidence by communicating information clearly and objectively.”

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman MSC Cruises said, “This meeting presented a unique opportunity to share our collective experiences and knowledge about how we can work together to restart Tourism in a safe and healthy manner. I hope that the data and learnings from the restarting of our cruise operations that I shared can help achieve harmonisation across the broader Sector.”

Jerry Inzerillo, Diriyah Gate Development Authority CEO, said, “Tourism has become one of the world’s most important economic contributors, creating one in 10 jobs globally.

“We have a huge and privileged responsibility as tourism industry stakeholders to come together and collaborate during a time of such important need – for we are stronger as a united voice, and industry job recovery will be aided more quickly with an approach that is both consistent and united internationally.

“Being part of this historic event, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosts the G20 Presidency for the first time, has been a true honour, and we look forward to spearheading continued public-private sector partnerships to ensure an accelerated recovery and a fast and safe resumption of international travel.

“I’d like to profoundly thank both HRH The Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the Minister of Tourism His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, for their constant, consistent leadership, and for providing the resources to promote Saudi Arabia and global tourism. Thank you to Gloria Guevara and WTTC for this extraordinary initiative and for the opportunity to be part of the 100 million jobs recovery plan.”

Tadashi Fujita, Representative Director, Executive President of Japan Airlines said, “I am deeply grateful to have attended such an influential conference and have the opportunity to work together towards the global recovery post-COVID. What is required of us now is to provide a safe and secure travel experience and to realize a society in which travelers and residents can coexist with peace of mind. I would like to make an effort to realise these high ambitions together as a team.”

Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group said, “Coordinated and consistent measures advocated by the WTTC and in line with ICAO’s recommendations are essential for customer trust as well as the reactivation and recovery of aviation and tourism in South America. We will continue to collaborate with governments and industry partners to promote safe, easy to understand and affordable protocols that will help restore customer confidence and reactivate a sector that supports millions of jobs in the region.”

Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, MD and CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited (Taj) said, “It was an honour to be part of the historic G20 Tourism Meeting. In India, travel and hospitality contributes 9.3 per cent to the overall Indian GDP and accounts for over 8 per cent of India’s total employment. It is therefore imperative to come together and focus on the revival of the sector across the globe with optimism, hope and unity in solidarity of the industry. “
WTTC has been at the forefront of leading the private sector in the drive to rebuild global consumer confidence and encourage the return of Safe Travels.

According to WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, shows how the Travel & Tourism sector will be critical to the recovery. It revealed that during 2019, Travel & Tourism was responsible for one in 10 jobs (330 million in total), making a 10.3% contribution to global GDP and generating one in four of all new jobs.

It is also one of the most diverse sectors in the world, employing people of all socio-economic levels, regardless of gender or ethnicity, employing 54% women and 30% young people.

View the plan.

Geneva, Switzerland, October 9, 2020 / AIRLINEHUB / The International Air Transport Association (IATA) demonstrated the low incidence of inflight COVID-19 transmission with an updated tally of published cases. Since the start of 2020 there have been 44 cases of COVID-19 reported in which transmission is thought to have been associated with a flight journey (inclusive of confirmed, probable and potential cases). Over the same period some 1.2 billion passengers have travelled.

“The risk of a passenger contracting COVID-19 while onboard appears very low. With only 44 identified potential cases of flight-related transmission among 1.2 billion travelers, that’s one case for every 27 million travelers. We recognize that this may be an underestimate but even if 90% of the cases were un-reported, it would be one case for every 2.7 million travelers. We think these figures are extremely reassuring.  Furthermore, the vast majority of published cases occurred before the wearing of face coverings inflight became widespread,” said Dr. David Powell, IATA’s Medical Advisor.

New insight into why the numbers are so low has come from the joint publication by Airbus, Boeing and Embraer of separate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) research conducted by each manufacturer in their aircraft. While methodologies differed slightly, each detailed simulation confirmed that aircraft airflow systems do control the movement of particles in the cabin, limiting the spread of viruses. Data from the simulations yielded similar results:

• Aircraft airflow systems, High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters, the natural barrier of the seatback, the downward flow of air, and high rates of air exchange efficiently reduce the risk of disease transmission on board in normal times.
• The addition of mask-wearing amid pandemic concerns adds a further and significant extra layer of protection, which makes being seated in close proximity in an aircraft cabin safer than most other indoor environments.

Data Collection

IATA’s data collection, and the results of the separate simulations, align with the low numbers reported in a recently published peer-reviewed study by Freedman and Wilder-Smith in the Journal of Travel Medicine. Although there is no way to establish an exact tally of possible flight-associated cases, IATA’s outreach to airlines and public health authorities combined with a thorough review of available literature has not yielded any indication that onboard transmission is in any way common or widespread. Further, the Freedman/Wilder-Smith study points to the efficacy of mask-wearing in further reducing risk.

Layered Approach of Preventive Measures

Mask-wearing on board was recommended by IATA in June and is a common requirement on most airlines since the subsequent publication and implementation of the Takeoff Guidance by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This guidance adds multiple layers of protection on top of the airflow systems which already ensure a safe cabin environment with very low risks of inflight transmission of disease.

“ICAO’s comprehensive guidance for safe air travel amid the COVID-19 crisis relies on multiple layers of protection, which involve the airports as well as the aircraft. Mask-wearing is one of the most visible. But managed queuing, contactless processing, reduced movement in the cabin, and simplified onboard services are among the multiple measures the aviation industry is taking to keep flying safe. And this is on top of the fact that airflow systems are designed to avoid the spread of disease with high air flow rates and air exchange rates, and highly effective filtration of any recycled air,” said Powell.

Aircraft design characteristics add a further layer of protection contributing to the low incidence of inflight transmission. These include:

• Limited face-to-face interactions as passengers face forward and move about very little
• The effect of the seat-back acting as a physical barrier to air movement from one row to another
• The minimization of forward-aft flow of air, with a segmented flow design which is directed generally downward from ceiling to floor
• The high rate of fresh air coming into the cabin. Air is exchanged 20-30 times per hour on board most aircraft, which compares very favorably with the average office space (average 2-3 times per hour) or schools (average 10-15 times per hour).
• The use of HEPA filters which have more than 99.9% bacteria/virus removal efficiency rate ensuring that the air supply entering the cabin is not a pathway for introducing microbes.

Manufacturer Studies

The interaction of those design factors in creating a uniquely low-risk environment had been intuitively understood but not previously modelled prior to the CFD simulations by the three major manufacturers in each of their aircraft cabins. The following are highlights from the manufacturers’ research:

Airbus
Airbus used CFD to create a highly accurate simulation of the air in an A320 cabin, to see how droplets resulting from a cough move within the cabin airflow. The simulation calculated parameters such as air speed, direction and temperature at 50 million points in the cabin, up to 1,000 times per second.

Airbus then used the same tools to model a non-aircraft environment, with several individuals keeping six feet (1.8 meters) distance between them. The result was that potential exposure was lower when seated side by side on a plane than when staying six feet apart in an environment such as an office, classroom or grocery store.

“After multiple, highly-detailed simulations using the most accurate scientific methods available, we have concrete data which reveals the aircraft cabin offers a much safer environment than indoor public spaces,” said Bruno Fargeon, Airbus Engineering and the leader of the Airbus Keep Trust in Air Travel Initiative. “The way that air circulates, is filtered and replaced on airplanes creates an absolutely unique environment in which you have just as much protection being seated side-by-side as you would standing six feet apart on the ground.”

Boeing
Using CFD, Boeing researchers tracked how particles from coughing and breathing move around the airplane cabin. Various scenarios were studied including the coughing passenger with and without a mask, the coughing passenger located in various seats including the middle seat, and different variations of passengers’ individual overhead air vents (known as gaspers) on and off.

“This modeling determined the number of cough particles that entered the breathing space of the other passengers”, said Dan Freeman, the chief engineer for Boeing’s Confident Travel Initiative.  “We then compared a similar scenario in other environments, such as an office conference room. Based on the airborne particle count, passengers sitting next to one another on an airplane is the same as standing more than seven feet (or two meters) apart in a typical building environment.”

Embraer
Using CFD, cabin air flow and droplet dispersion models validated in full-scale cabin environment testing, Embraer analyzed the cabin environment considering a coughing passenger in several different seats and air flow conditions in our different aircraft to measure these variables and their effect. The research Embraer completed shows that risk of onboard transmission is extremely low, and the actual data on in-flight transmissions that may have occurred, supports these findings.

Luis Carlos Affonso, Senior Vice-President of Engineering, Technology and Strategy, Embraer, said, “The human need to travel, to connect, and to see our loved ones has not disappeared. In fact, at times like this, we need our families and friends even more. Our message today is that because of the technology and procedures in place, you can fly safely – all the research demonstrates this.  In fact, the cabin of a commercial aircraft is one of the safer spaces available anywhere during this pandemic.”

Safety is Always the Top Priority

This research effort demonstrates the cooperation and dedication to safety of all involved in air transport and provides evidence that cabin air is safe.

Aviation earns its reputation on safety with each and every flight. This is not different for flying in the time of COVID-19. A recent IATA study found that 86% of recent travelers felt that the industry’s COVID-19 measures were keeping them safe and were well-implemented.

“There is no single silver-bullet measure that will enable us to live and travel safely in the age of COVID-19. But the combination of measures that are being put in place is reassuring travelers the world over that COVID-19 has not defeated their freedom to fly. Nothing is completely risk-free. But with just 44 published cases of potential inflight COVID-19 transmission among 1.2 billion travelers, the risk of contracting the virus on board appears to be in the same category as being struck by lightning,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“The detailed computational fluid dynamics research of the aircraft manufacturers demonstrates that combining the aircraft’s existing design features with mask-wearing creates a low-risk environment for COVID-19 transmission. As always, airlines, manufacturers and every entity involved in aviation will be guided by science and global best practices to keep flying safe for passengers and crew,” said de Juniac.