Category: Latest Travel News

Madrid, Spain, July 8, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Over the past month, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) was able to hold virtually meetings of its five Regional Commissions to share responses to the challenge of COVID-19 and their plans for the restart of tourism in the wake of the pandemic.

For the first time ever, the five regional bodies of Member States of the United Nations specialized agency, met virtually rather than in person. The annual series of meetings got underway with the Regional Commission for Africa, and this was followed by meetings of the Regional Commissions for the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific and finally the Middle East region. In all instances, representatives of Member States, including Ministers of Tourism, were joined UNWTO Affiliate Members, including leaders from across the private sector.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The meetings of the UNWTO Regional Commissions has shown the universal determination to restart tourism, and to do so with an emphasis on sustainability and on ensuring the benefits are shared as widely as possible. At the same time, the insights of UNWTO Member States from around the world make clear that, while some destinations are re-opening to tourists, this crisis is not yet over in many places, and that the tourism sector continues to require strong political and economic support if we are to safeguard livelihoods and protect whole economies in these challenging times.”

The meetings of the UNWTO Regional Commissions has shown the universal determination to restart tourism, and to do so with an emphasis on sustainability and on ensuring the benefits are shared as widely as possible.

In the final meeting of this round, the Regional Commission for the Middle East featured nine Ministers of Tourism, as well as representatives from the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, the Arab Tourism Organization, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic Development Board.

Chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the virtual meeting focused on ensuring all destinations are ready to welcome tourists back, with enhanced hygiene protocols in place so as to make tourists feel safe and confident. Discussions also centred on the important role innovation and digital transformation will play in the future of tourism across the Middle East region.

In all cases, UNWTO’s leadership used the occasion of the meetings of the Regional Commissions to share the practical and technical support made available to both governments and the private sector. The UNWTO Guidelines for Restarting Tourism provide a clear action plan for growing back stronger and better, and the Tourism Recovery Technical Assistance Package outlines the support available to all Member States, including assistance in devising new marketing strategies.

Bangkok, Thailand, July 6, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Bringing back premium Japanese dining experience to Bangkok’s downtown, Anantara Siam Bangkok invites the connoisseurs of fine Japanese gastronomy back to Shintaro. Reopening with a selection of rare dishes, sushi rolls and homemade noodles, Shintaro tempts with an authentic menu and an impressive beverage list.

Take your pick from the collection of traditional Japanese spirits on display and nurse a mixed drink while watching chefs at work. Perched at the counter, observe the sushi chefs as they slice delicate morsels for your premium sashimi platter and mould top grade rice before artfully placing the freshest seafood to create your favourite sushi dishes.

Experience exquisite Japanese cooking styles in Shintaro’s tatami style private dining room lit up in warm tones and clad in wood panels. Try the signature dishes: eye-catching red dragon rolls with spicy tuna, shrimp, eel, avocado, tempura batter and crispy shallots; uminosachi seafood salad with seaweed, vegetables and Shintaro soy dressing; or moreish gindara karamiyaki – pan-fried Atlantic black codfish served with spicy cream sauce.

Shintaro is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11.30 am – 2.00 pm for lunch and 5.00 pm – 9.30 pm for dinner. For more information and reservations, please call +66 2 126 8866

Montreal, Canada, July 6, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have today urged that costs related to public health measures aimed at mitigating the spread of communicable diseases should be borne by governments.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on the industry and broader economy has halted aviation at global level, leading to multi-billion losses in revenue and traffic.

As the industry begins to restart and plan for a long-term, sustained recovery, the health and safety of passengers and staff remains the foremost priority for airports and airlines. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), through the Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART), has resolved to partner with its Member States, international and regional organizations, and industry to address the challenges and to provide global guidance for a safe, secure and sustainable restart and recovery of the aviation sector. ICAO’s TakeOff guidance outlines a number of new measures for safeguarding public health, which are already being introduced by airports and airlines around the world.

To ensure their efficacy, these measures – which include health checks, sanitization and social distancing – will require implementation by the appropriate national authorities. ACI and IATA believe that existing roles and responsibilities of governments, airlines, airports and other operational stakeholders should be respected in implementing the response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Airlines and airport operators should be included in national discussions to assess the practicalities of implementing the solutions proposed by ICAO aimed at harmonization across jurisdictions.

There is a recognition that a patchwork of different frameworks risks confusing travelers, introducing inefficiencies and unnecessary additional compliance costs on passengers, airports and airlines. Indeed, the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations require governments to pay the costs of health measures.

“As airport and airline operations begin to slowly recover, the health and safety of passengers and staff is paramount and many new health measures are being considered by governments for implantation at airports,” ACI World Director Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. “As the industry navigates the complexities of restarting operations, ACI believes the cost of any health measures that are required should be borne by governments. ACI and IATA are aligned on this issue, as set out in the Safely Restarting Aviation — ACI and IATA Joint Approach which was our input to ICAO’s TakeOff guidance. This laid out that public funding of health measures should be ensured, including but not limited to infrastructure or operational changes needed for their implementation.”

IATA’s Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said: “The aviation industry wants to get the world moving again. We have successfully worked with ICAO and many governments worldwide to put in place standardized protocols that safeguard public health and give travelers the confidence to return to the skies. But the industry is still on the edge of a financial precipice. The extra costs of health measures mandated by governments must—as the WHO recommends—be borne by governments. That will enable the industry to focus scarce resources on reconnecting the world and boosting economic recovery.”

Bangkok, Thailand, July 7, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / by Mewati Sitaram – Charity begins at home and it is the motto of Lebua Group. On 3rd July, 2020, when the hotel announced its reopening post lockdown, it got completely sold out within no time. There was a phenomenal response from the guests. All four restaurants were completely booked in advance. The Lebua Dome has four globally acclaimed restaurants namely Mezzaluna, Chef’s Table, Sirocco and Breeze. The opening day set protocol was followed with enhanced safety and sanitation, along with the thoughtful and guest first service standards.

As the guest enjoyed the sumptuous meal, they were pleasantly surprised when the bill was presented. Instead of bill, the guests were requested to pay what they deemed fit for their meal, as the hotel would donate the entire earning of the evening to the charities in Thailand.

Indian hotelier Deepak Ohri created the The World’s First Vertical Destination epitomizing luxury at the Lebua in Bangkok. World’s Second Vertical Destination is Hudson’s Yard built in New York City.

Deepak Ohri, CEO of Lebua hotels and Resorts says “It was truly emotional to see that none of our patrons who came to dine with us paid less than the standard menu prices, but in fact they paid 30 percent more. Many of them were moved to tears by the intended gesture and promised to be back soon again, with some of them rebooking again to dine with us in the coming days”

Keeping the sombre mood in mind and to thank the Almighty, for the team who has stayed united together through this crisis. The Lebua management decided that all proceeds of the opening night be donated to 5 locally selected charities.

Ohri added “On 3rd July our food had a divine aroma—so precious, its price was beyond comparison. For our patrons, chose not to care for the bill but for our five chosen charities. They paid as they wished—with boundless love and generosity. And that, dear friends, is priceless! It was indeed heartening that all the restaurants were booked to full capacity on the opening night which overwhelmed and humbled the team leading to increased self-belief”.

Ohri further added “We were truly blessed by the rain God’s as the skies opened up in the evening. The downpour did not dampen anyone’s spirits- whether it was our guests or our teams… In fact it was an evening of positivity and blessings as we look forward to happy times again! Many guests sat under the umbrella and stayed till last to enjoy the downpour of the day”.

Who would’ve ever imagined that our very own Indian hotelier Deepak Ohri could have created the The World’s First Vertical Destination epitomizing luxury at the Lebua that too in Bangkok. Interestingly, Hudson’s Yard built at a cost of USD 28 billion dollars in New York City is the World’s Second Vertical Destination!!

It may be noted that when the Zodiac Grill Restaurant at Iconic Taj Mahal hotel was opened in Mumbai in 1989, for the first one month no bills were presented to guests. The guests were told by the chefs and service associates that we have put our heart and soul into preparing these dishes, you can pay as per your wish. And, surprisingly, all the guests paid much more than it’s pricing. The Zodiac Grill was a unique concept introduced in Mumbai which was going house full for a long period right from its inception day. There were no walk-in guests but booked through telephone. This information was shared to Mumbai Messenger Newspaper by then Culinary Director, Celebrity Grand Master Chef Satish Arora.

It must be noted that the Lebua group has decided to retain its staff throughout the crisis, and this move of them is well appreciated across the globe.

First published at MumbaiMessenger

Bangkok, Thailand, July 7, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office is announcing the 18 Finalists of the Experience Mekong Showcases 2020. 4,200 eligible votes determined three Experience Mekong Collection members from each of the six member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion for the next round of voting for this prestigious recognition. Now open for public vote until August 15th, the six Experience Mekong Showcases will be announced on August 25th, at the 2020 Destination Mekong Summit.

The 18 finalists – 3 from each of the 6 member countries of the Mekong Region are:

The Experience Mekong Collection was created three years ago to both recognize and encourage sustainable and responsible tourism development in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

In order to be appointed as member of the Experience Mekong Collection, all small travel businesses in the Mekong Region need to fulfill the following requirements:

1. Make a significant social impact to its community
2. Provide an authentically local experience positioning the GMS as a
responsible, inclusive, and experiential tourism destination.
3. Have an innovative concept and sustainable business model.

Members of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG) selected the 60 shortlisted Experience Mekong Collection (EMC) member businesses – ten from each of the six GMS member countries from the 350+ members of the Experience Mekong Collection.

“In recognizing the most innovative best practice businesses as the Experience Mekong Showcases, this sets several benchmarks to further improve travel experiences in the Greater Mekong Subregion. We hope this motivates other operators to become more involved and do their part for responsible tourism,” said HE Mr. Htay Aung, former Minister of Hotels and Tourism of Myanmar, and a member of the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG).

The 2018 Experience Mekong Collection Showcases included Phare Cambodian Circus (Cambodia), Longji Rice Terraces Guangxi (PR China), Ock Pop Tok (Lao PDR), Inle Heritage Place (Myanmar), Local Alike (Thailand), and Koto (Viet Nam). The 2019 Experience Mekong Collection included Soksabike (Cambodia), Linden Centre (PR China), Elephant Conservation Centre (Lao PDR), Hla Day (Myanmar), Sampran Riverside (Thailand), and Streets International (Viet Nam). Please see:

All members of the Experience Mekong Collection get exposure via channels of Mekong Tourism and Destination Mekong as well as the dedicated Experience Mekong Collection Facebook and Instagram accounts. Experience Mekong Collection members also have priority access to marketing campaigns and have their own dedicated online member-only community to connect with each other.

In order to help struggling members of the Experience Mekong Collection to survive these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, a support page has been created at to list businesses asking for donations or selling gift certificates.

About the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office
The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO), located in Bangkok, was set up with funding from the governments of the six Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) countries – Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The MTCO, which operates on annual financial contributions from each GMS country, acts as the secretariat for the GMS Tourism Working Group, comprising of senior officials of the six GMS countries’ National Tourism Organizations, to coordinate and facilitate sustainable tourism development of the GMS, and promotion of the Mekong region as a single travel and tourism destination, in collaboration with the public and private sectors. The MTCO manages its award-winning MekongTourism digital platform as a one-stop platform to promote responsible and sustainable tourism in the region, as well as the annual Mekong Tourism Forum, whose hosting is rotated among GMS countries.

London, United Kingdom, July 7, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), together with the world’s largest cruise company, Carnival Corporation Plc, will host the WTTC/Carnival Corporation Global Science Summit on COVID-19.

Set for July 23, this will be a virtual scientific summit focused on COVID-19 and the ‘new normal’.

Taking place from 14:00 hours to 17:30 GMT (10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. EDT) on Thursday, July 23, the summit, which is open to the public, will share the latest scientific knowledge and evidence-based best practices related to prevention, detection, treatment and mitigation of COVID-19.

The joint summit will see global tourism leaders, WTTC Members, government agencies, destination partners, trade and private businesses, share the very latest science and medical evidence that can be used to inform practical, adaptable and science-based solutions for mitigating and living with COVID-19.

The WTTC/Carnival Corporation Global Science Summit on COVID-19, is the latest initiative to continue building global understanding concerning COVID’s impact on society, including travel and tourism. The Summit will consider practices from the leading scientists and health experts for mitigating the spread of the virus.

This unique virtual Summit is hosted by WTTC, which represents the global Travel &Tourism private sector, and Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, and is free to attend.

Summit convenes global scientists and health experts at forefront of COVID-19 fight

The summit will bring together a robust lineup of world renowned medical, epidemiology and public health experts to explore and share the latest best practice on the science of COVID-19 and how best to address the many practical questions people have about the disease.

Speakers and panelists represent a diverse range of science, research, clinical, academic, policy and business backgrounds, including amongst others, members of Scientists to Stop Covid-19, who have volunteered to participate. For additional information on the program and panelists, see the registration site at CovidScienceSummit.com.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “I was excited when Arnold, on behalf of Carnival Corporation, approached me with this idea. This event will be a powerful platform for harnessing the best thinking from across all fields of knowledge in the public and private sectors. The science of this virus is rapidly evolving and these real-time insights will be invaluable in helping us determine evidence-based protection and mitigation measures to combat COVID-19. They will also help drive global alignment and collaboration on the frontiers of science and policy, which is critical to the survival of this important sector. 

 “COVID-19 has had a crushing global socio-economic impact and is threatening the jobs of millions of people whose very livelihoods depend upon a thriving Travel & Tourism sector for their survival.”

Summit will discuss practical approaches to living in a world with COVID-19

The event will feature a series of panels, each focusing on a critical area of science surrounding COVID-19 and will include best practices from different industry sectors and world regions to control and limit the spread of COVID-19. Panels will include a mix of science-based debates and discussions sharing the latest thinking on the following key topic areas:

• Epidemiology: Incubation and peak infectivity periods for SARS-CoV-2; disease progression from exposure to illness; and symptom variability among different individuals and groups.
• Transmission: How, when and where SARS-CoV-2 spreads; significance of environmental transmission; guidelines for mitigating spread
• Screening and Testing: Availability and accuracy of current testing methods; viable and cost effective ways to detect illness and effectiveness of screening using temperature and health questionnaires.
• Therapeutics: Status of vaccine development; available and approved SARS-CoV-2 treatment protocols; the role of cytokine storms; and profiles of COVID-19 recovery.
• Practical Risk Mitigation: Measures to mitigate the risks of social gatherings; balancing the benefits and risks of social gatherings; the role of testing, contact tracing, and managing the psychology of fear.

Arnold Donald, President & CEO of Carnival Corporation, is a member of the WTTC Executive Committee and its Vice Chair for North America. Carnival Corporation designed and is producing the Summit in close coordination with WTTC leadership.

“Our highest responsibility and top priorities are compliance, protecting the environment and the safety, health and well-being of our guests, our crew members and the people in the communities we visit,” said Donald. “Throughout the pause in our guest operations, we have been consulting and assembling the best minds in medical science, public health and infectious disease control. We are grateful to bring together a select group of science and medical experts who bring such relevant insight into Covid-19 for the public to hear. Hopefully, this Summit will be an efficient way for attendees to become more informed about COVID-19 in the space of just a few hours.”

Registration Details

To register for the Summit, please go to CovidScienceSummit.com. Global participants will be invited to submit questions in advance and during the online event. Members of the media are welcome to join for all or part of the sessions or connect with members and/or presenters.

Members of the media are welcome to join for all or part of the sessions or connect with members and/or presenters.

Evidence from WTTC’s Crisis Readiness report, which looked at 90 different types of crises, highlights the importance of public-private cooperation to ensure that smart policies and effective communities are in place to enable a more resilient travel and tourism sector.

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.

Rome, Italy, July 6, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has appointed two new Special Ambassadors as it leads the restart of the sector across Europe. On the occasion of a visit of the Secretary-General to Italy, the first official delegation to travel since the closure of borders in response to COVID-19, UNWTO has named renowned fashion designer Giorgio Armani and celebrated chef Gino Sorbillo its latest Special Ambassadors for Tourism.

In their new roles, both Special Ambassadors will draw on their status and influence promote the work of the United Nations specialized agency for responsible and sustainable tourism. As leaders in gastronomy and fashion, they represent two of Italy’s biggest economic sectors and two of the industries that contribute to making the country a global tourism leader. Since launching his own company in 1975, Giorgio Armani has become synonymous with Italian style. As a chef, Gino Sorbillo celebrates traditional Nepalese pizza and has opened award-winning restaurants around the world.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Italy is one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations. Each year, millions of people visit to enjoy its culture, its fashion and its gastronomy. In return, tourism supports livelihoods and local and regional economies and helps preserve this Italian culture. As UNWTO Special Ambassador for Tourism, Giorgio Armani can help amplify UNWTO’s key messages of the power of tourism to create opportunities and drive growth. As UNWTO Special Ambassador for Gastronomy Tourism, Gino Sorbillo will showcase the unique ability of gastronomy to preserve and promote heritage and give tourists a unique taste of the destinations they visit.”

Upon receiving the plaque, Mr Armani said: ‘I am genuinely pleased to have been honoured in this way by an organisation that believes that people should be encouraged to see the beauty of the globe in a respectful and responsible manner. It has been a sense of responsibility for our community that has helped my country through this terrible pandemic, and this too is what has driven me to play my small part in helping those engaged in the fight against the virus, and the fight against the economic challenges it has posed. A belief in community – the global community – and an appreciation of the humanity we all share are what will help us build a better future for ourselves and the generations to come, through being mindful of the important things in life, like the preciousness of the environment and our duty to protect it. It is therefore an honour to take up the role of Special Ambassador for Tourism.’

The appointments also strengthen UNWTO’s strong relationship with Italy, the first Member State to receive a visit from the organization’s leadership since destinations around the world introduced restrictions on travel in response to the pandemic. The UNWTO delegation led by the Secretary-General will visit Rome, Italy, Milan and Venice and work with both the national and city authorities to support tourism’s restart and ensure this goes hand-in-hand with wider economic and social recovery.

Madrid, Spain, July 4, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has strengthened its partnership with Telefónica, the Spanish multinational telecommunications company. As tourism restarts around the world, Telefonica deepens its collaboration with the United Nations specialized agency to advance market intelligence in order to accelerate the sector’s recovery from the impact of COVID-19.

As it guides the sector through the challenge posed by the pandemic, UNWTO has prioritized innovation as a key means of growing tourism back stronger and better. Additionally, with the global community now left with less than 10 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (“The Decade of Action”), UNWTO is also driving tourism’s movement towards sustainability. This collaboration with Telefónica, which builds on an existing partnership, is designed to use digital transformation to support sustainable recovery and future growth.

Data to help destinations

As UNWTO leads tourism’s restart, our partnership with Telefónica will allow us to provide Member States and the sector as a whole the tools they need to accelerate recovery, build trust by guaranteeing safety and promote sustainability

UNWTO and Telefónica will work together to promote the effective use of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence across the tourism sector. This will help destinations better understand tourist behaviour, allowing them to market their products more effectively. Management of data will also help destinations better manage tourist flows within the context of the new health and safety protocols being rolled out in response to COVID-19.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The digital transformation of tourism will allow the sector to grow back stronger from the standstill caused by COVID-19. As UNWTO leads tourism’s restart, our partnership with Telefónica will allow us to provide Member States and the sector as a whole the tools they need to accelerate recovery, build trust by guaranteeing safety and promote sustainability.”

Digital-led transformation

Miguel Llopis, Industry Lead of Public Sector in IoT and Big Data at Telefónica, added: “Tourism will return with force but the sector will have to face a structural transformation where new digital technologies, such as IoT and Big Data, will be a differential factor of competitive advantage.”

Telefónica and UNWTO have worked together to launch a series of visualization tools within the UNWTO Global Data Dashboard that allows for a better understanding of key performance indicators in tourism.

Also to mark the start of this new phases of collaboration, UNWTO joined Telefónica, Turismo de Portugal, the Tourism Authority of Buenos Aires and the Secretary of Tourism of Chile (SERNATUR) for a special virtual training session for destinations in the Americas. This focused on exploring how the use of Big Data can add value to the tourism sector and lead recovery.

Rome, Italy, July 3, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Against the backdrop of the re-opening of borders across Europe, a high-level delegation from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has arrived in Italy to begin a first official visit to a Member State since the COVID-19 pandemic brought international travel to a standstill.

The closure of tourism operations for several months has had a devastating effect for many businesses and millions of livelihoods across the world. To kickstart recovery, countries within the Schengen Zone (26 countries in Europe) are now reopening their borders to tourists.

Following an official invitation by Italy, the UNWTO Secretary-General started an official visit (1-4 July), and met the Minister of Culture, Cultural Heritage and Tourism Dario Franceschini, to learn more of the country’s plans for the steady and sustainable restart of a sector that is a leading employer and helps preserve the country’s unique cultural heritage.

UNWTO is leading the restart of tourism, and Italy has demonstrated its commitment to harnessing the power of the sector to drive wider societal recovery

Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Strong domestic leadership and a commitment to cooperating across borders are imperative for the responsible return of tourism and the many benefits it offers, both within the Schengen Zone and worldwide. UNWTO is leading the restart of tourism, and Italy has demonstrated its commitment to harnessing the power of the sector to drive wider societal recovery.”

Guiding tourism’s restart

Mr Pololikashvili commended the Italian Government on their efforts thus far and emphasized his continued support for making sure that all tourism related activities can gradually restart. He also presented the resources that UNWTO has developed to help guide tourism’s restart, including the Recommendations for Recovery, a roadmap for both governments and the private sector. Over the next four days of the visit, the Secretary-General will visit Rome, Milan and Venice, where he will get a close insight into how tourism sector and various destinations have been responding to the devastating impact of the COVID-19.

This is the first official trip undertaken by UNWTO since restrictions on travel were introduced in response to the pandemic. During the lockdown phase, the United Nations specialized agency has been working closely with its Member States and the private sector to mitigate the impact on jobs and economies while also preparing for tourism’s restart.

London, United Kingdom, July 3, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “For the best part of a week the UK government has delayed announcing which countries will be safe for British holidaymakers to fly to for what’s left of their summer holidays, resulting in frustration and confusion among travellers.

“While we understand the need to secure reciprocal travel agreements, the clock has been ticking. Each day we delay, more jobs in the Travel & Tourism sector will be lost or put at risk, both in the UK and overseas.

“We need to restore consumer confidence so that travellers and holidaymakers can book flights and holidays and be sure they will be able to travel when and where they want and enjoy a much-needed break away. We encourage the UK government to let consumers know where they stand without any further delay.”