Category: Latest Travel News

Bangkok, Thailand, May 26, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Destination Group, Asia’s leading hospitality operator, today introduces ‘Big Boy’ – One of America’s most beloved burgers brands to Thailand as it’s available for delivery in Bangkok. Founded in 1936 and will celebrate its 84-anniversary this year with a continued focus of shared family experiences around food and supporting communities…

Source

Montreal, Canada. May 26, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have called on governments to ensure any new measures introduced for airports and airlines in the wake of COVID-19 are supported by scientific evidence and are consistent across the world.

The aviation sector has been brought to a standstill and a balanced and effective restart and recovery depends on collaboration among the key participants in the global aviation ecosystem.

ACI and IATA have jointly issued a paper laying out a pathway for restarting the aviation industry – Safely Restarting Aviation – ACI and IATA Joint Approach. Airlines and airports have cooperated to build a roadmap for resuming operations which reassures the travelling public that health and safety remain the overall priorities.

The joint approach proposes a layered approach of measures across the entire passenger journey to minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19 at airports and onboard aircraft, and to prevent aviation becoming a meaningful source of international re-infection. Such measures should be globally consistent and subject to continued review, improvement, and removal when no longer required, to ensure an even recovery.

ACI and IATA are both central members the COVID-19 Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) being led by the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). CART enables the collaboration – among governments and between governments and industry -that is vital to ensure the harmonization and consistency of measures that are essential to restoring air connectivity and passenger confidence in air travel.

“Airports and airlines have come together with ICAO and the wider aviation industry to address the biggest challenge ever faced by commercial aviation in restarting a global industry while continuing to halt the spread of COVID-19,” ACI World Director General Angela Gittens said. “There is currently no single measure that could mitigate all the risks of restarting air travel but we believe a globally-consistent, outcome-based approach represents the most effective way of balancing risk mitigation with the need to unlock economies and to enable travel.”

IATA’s Director General and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said, “Safety is always our top priority and that includes public health. Restoring air connectivity is vital to restarting the global economy and reconnecting people. Our layered approach of measures recommended by airports and airlines safeguard public health while offering a practical approach for a gradual restart of operations. It is important to remember that the risk of transmission on board is very low. And we are determined that aviation will not be a significant source of re-infection. We are working continuously with governments to ensure that any measures put in place are done so consistently and with scientific backing. That is key to restoring public confidence so the benefits of safely re-starting aviation can be realized.”

About IATA
– IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 290 airlines comprising 82% of global air traffic.
– Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world’s airports, was founded in 1991 with the objective of fostering cooperation among its member airports and other partners in world aviation, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, customer-centric and environmentally sustainable. As of January 2020, ACI serves 668 members, operating 1979 airports in 176 countries.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 25, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / One of the most eagerly awaited sessions during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) three-day ATM Virtual event that takes place from 1-3 June 2020, is undoubtedly The Virtual ATM China Tourism Forum.

The debate will take an in-depth look at the potential of the Chinese outbound leisure market now that China seems to have the viral outbreak under control and domestic tourism is growing once again. Many Middle East travel professionals will be looking for insight into the current state of the market and more importantly, how and when to start planning for inbound Chinese visitors.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director Middle East, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Travel and tourism professionals around the globe will not need reminding that the global industry has been hit badly by the effects of Covid-19 – but in China we are witnessing the green-shoots of recovery.

“The relatively swift rebound of domestic travel during the May Golden Week Holiday in China for example, underscores the bullish view of certain analysts regarding China’s integral role in leading the global tourism industry post Covid-19’s closed borders.

“Some hoteliers in China were reporting occupancy levels for the recent national holiday in excess of 45% with resort markets close to 70%, a significant improvement from the overall average of 30% occupancy, confirming leisure demand is robust.”

Specifically, The Virtual ATM China Tourism Forum will focus on the potential recovery of outbound travel and how Chinese travellers have been changing the way that they access information about foreign destinations and making contacts with local hotels, tour operators and ground handlers.

Moderated by Dr. Adam Wu, the panellists for this session, which takes place on day two (Tuesday 2nd June) at 11am to 12pm GST (8am to 9am BST), include Dr. Taleb Rifai, Chairman, International Institute of Peace for Tourism (IIPT) and former Secretary General of the UNWTO; H.E. Khalid Jasim al-Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority; Helen Shapovalova, Founder & Director, Pan Ukraine; Lisa Dinh, Tourism Director, VIA Outlets and Tony Ong, Chief Business Officer and Vice President of HCG International Travel Group, which has over 7000 local travel agents across China focusing on outbound travel.

The experts will share their opinion and experience on how to overcome the current crisis by identifying new buying patterns, new demand streams and innovative ways of reaching customers as well as of course enhancing existing partnerships.

“We have an impressive line-up of tourism experts and Dr. Wu’s credentials are exemplary. He is CEO of CBN Travel & Mice and World Travel Online, which is the leading outbound travel portal on the China Wide Web providing destination information in Chinese to the entire outbound travel trade and millions of Chinese travellers,” added Curtis.

With it being a live session, members of the online audience will also have a chance to ask questions, through a Q+A function at the end of the discussion. In addition, viewers will also have an opportunity to share and exchange thoughts and ideas, during a speed networking session, immediately following the panel debate.

Another highlight of ATM virtual, will be a series of hour-long speed networking sessions, between key buyers and exhibitors, will culminate in over 1,400 5-minute meetings that can then be extended into more in-depth meetings where a business need is identified.

“For exhibitors from this region, the dedicated networking event will also include one specifically targeting Chinese buyers,” said Curtis.

Over three days, ATM Virtual, will also feature a host of comprehensive webinars, live conference sessions, roundtables, speed networking events, one-to-one meetings, as well as facilitating new connections and offering a wide range of online business opportunities.

With up to four live high-level sessions each day, industry experts will address a range of topics including tourism strategies for the future, the hotel landscape in a post-COVID-19 world, and the resilience of the travel industry, as well as exploring emerging travel technology and sustainability trends, amongst other key topics.

Sessions on the first day of the virtual event include, amongst others, ‘Communicating and Building Confidence Now’ and ‘The Hotel landscape in a post-COVID-19 world’.

Day two will also include the sessions entitled, ‘Bouncing Back: Tourism Strategies for the Future’ and ‘Catapulting Resilience Through Technology and Analytics’. On day three, the event will conclude with the International Travel Investment Conference summit, ‘Restructuring to attract sustainable investment and customers in the new world order’.

Arabian Travel Market would like to thank the Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia and the Italian Tourist Board for their support of ATM Virtual as Gold Sponsors.

ATM Virtual takes place from Monday 1st to Wednesday 3rd June 2020. To register for the event please visit: atmvirtual.eventnetworking.com/register/

About Arabian Travel Market (ATM)
Arabian Travel Market (ATM), now on its 27th year, continues to be the focal point for the Middle East’s resilient and ever-changing travel and tourism landscape and prides itself on being the hub of all travel and tourism ideas – providing a platform to discuss insights on the ever-changing industry, share innovations and unlock endless business opportunities. While the live show has been postponed to 16-19 May 2021, ATM will keep the industry connected by running ATM Virtual from 1-3 June 2020 featuring webinars, live conference sessions, speed networking events, one-on-one meetings, plus so much more – keeping the conversations going and delivering new connections and business opportunities online.

About Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is a leading global events business. It combines face-to-face with data and digital tools to help customers learn about markets, source products and complete transactions at over 500 events in almost 30 countries across 43 industry sectors, attracting more than 7 million participants.

Our events, organized by 35 global offices, leverage industry expertise, large data sets and technology to enable our customers to generate billions of dollars of revenues for the economic development of local markets and national economies around the world. Reed Exhibitions is part of RELX, a global provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 20 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether it is global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, LGBTQ+ travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf and spa travel. We have over 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

Bangkok, Thailand, May 25, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO) as the secretariat of the Tourism Working Group of the six national tourism organizations of the Greater Mekong Subregion, and Destination Mekong, the public-private collaboration framework of the Lancang-Mekong Region, formally opens the call for application of the 2020 Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (MIST) program. Travel startups in the two categories, travel technology ventures and social impact ventures from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. For the first time, MIST also welcomes startups headquartered in the Yunnan Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in PR China. Its 2020 cohort will close to applications on July 15, 2020.

“The Greater Mekong Subregion’s government, tourism, and hospitality leaders have embraced MIST as a force for innovation, sustainability, and growth in the region,” said Jens Thraenhart, executive director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office. “Through this program, we have created the ideal mechanism for tourism innovators and travel startups to get paired with investors and industry mentors who can equip them to scale and thrive.”

Now in its 4th year, the MIST program has been one of the first tourism board globally pioneering its own travel startup program, integrating innovation and entrepreneurship with the travel and tourism ecosystem. Destination Mekong and the Mekong Business Initiative – with the backing of the Government of Australia, the Asian Development Bank, and the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office – launched MIST in 2016 to propel innovation in the rapidly growing tourism markets of the Greater Mekong Subregion. MIST aims to expedite tourism industry growth, create an ecosystem that inspires innovation, and promote sustainability in tourism. The MIST program is guided by an international advisory board made up of travel executives and investors in the travel and tourism industry.

In 2017 and 2018, the final pitching competitions were integrated into the Mekong Tourism Forums in Luang Prabang, Lao PDR and Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, respectively. In 2019, Destination Mekong partnered with the Travel Startups Asia Forum in Bangkok, to host the final MIST pitching competition, and inspired delegates with panels and keynotes including from former Minister of Sports and Tourism if Thailand, HE Mr Weerasak Kowsurat and Nok Air Founder Mr. Patee Sarasin. The successful MIST Mentorships Bootcamp was hosted at the offices of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in Bangkok, conducting workshops by investors, travel executives, and MIST alumni for MIST 2019 finalists. Winners of the travel technology category were invited to present at the MIST Forum at ITB Asia in Singapore, and winners of the social impact category will present at the next Mekong Tourism Forum.

The MIST Advisory Group recently met virtually to discuss that MIST 2020 will have a focus on resilience amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. One interesting innovation coming out of the Virtual MIST Advisory Board Meeting are virtual online MIST mentorship sessions for final startups with investors and MIST alumni. The final MIST pitching competition may also be held virtually, if a physical event is not possible end of 2020.

MIST 2020 nomination in the two categories, Travel Technology Ventures and Social Impact Ventures, are open, and can be submitted at no cost at: a/nomination-2/ until July 15, 2020.

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.org 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.

About Destination Mekong:
Destination Mekong was created in 2017 to promote the Mekong region, comprising of Cambodia, PR China (Provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam as a single tourism destination to stimulate responsible and sustainable development and investment, and drive inclusive growth. Endorsed by the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office and aligned with the mandate of the regional collaborative tourism framework of the six-member governments of the Greater Mekong Sub-region, Destination Mekong executes targeted projects and initiatives, including Mekong Moments, Mekong Mini Movie Festival, Mekong Innovative Startups in Tourism (MIST), Experience Mekong Collection, Mekong Heroes, and Mekong Trends, with feedback from the Mekong Tourism Advisory Group (MeTAG) and via public-private partnership investment structure, led by UNWTO Affiliate Member Chameleon Strategies.

Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles, May 23, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Alain St. Ange, broadly seen as Mr. Tourism in the Seychelles, looks back at a long and distinguished career in the industry, culminating over the last 12 years with appointments as Director of Tourism Marketing at the Seychelles Tourism Board, Chief Executive Officer at the Seychelles Tourism Board, Minister of Tourism and Culture and then Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine. St. Ange retired from his government position to run for Secretary General of UNWTO where with a stab in the back action his own government withdrew their support at the eve of the election, bringing his campaign to a sudden end. St. Ange sued the government over this misguided action and won his case, though appealed the level of damages awarded to him.

St. Ange now runs a global tourism consultancy and in that capacity remains a much sought after keynote speaker for global aviation and tourism events and has stated his intent to stand for President when the elections are called later this year.

He is the President of the “One Seychelles” Political Party and preparing for the party to contest the 2020 Presidential Elections and the following National Assembly Elections.

Alain St.Ange served in the island’s People’s Assembly in 1979 after winning the elections for the La Digue electoral constituency and again re-entered the National Assembly in 2002 after winning the elections for the Bel Air electoral constituency as an Opposition Candidate.

St. Ange shared with ATCNews some of his thoughts about how best a recovery for the archipelago’s tourism industry should be managed, given that prior to #COVID19 tourism was the biggest economic sector of the economy.

Writes St. Ange:

The world of tourism is suffering and many tourism destinations are searching for their own marketing juggernauth to guide the situation on hand.

Seychelles remains the idyllic mid-ocean group of islands blessed to be a year round tourism destination and is part of greater Africa and a founding member of the Vanilla Islands organization, which brings together Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, the Comoros and of course the Seychelles. Formed in 2012 and seen as a brainchild of St.Ange was he then elected as the First President of that regional organisation and he remains the only one who was elected to serve a second back-to-back mandate.

Tourism Ministers and Governments in many countries see the Seychelles as a destination which in a massive marketing juggernaut over the past decade began to punch way above her prior status. Many of the sitting tourism ministers in Africa and beyond in fact look at the Seychelles for inspiration and guidance, as they are working on their own recovery strategies.

Where did tourism in the islands come from?

Seychelles tourism started in earnest in 1972 with the opening of the island’s International Airport by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as the Seychelles remained a British Colony up to 1976. James Mancham, the founding father of the Seychelles is remembered as the charismatic personality who pushed the tourism agenda and was a passenger on the first BOAC Super VC10 flight on the 4th July 1971 that opened the Seychelles International Airport for commercial flights.

The tourism industry of Seychelles then recorded sustained growth up to the global financial crisis in 2008, when a drop in arrivals of nearly a quarter was anticipated before active countermeasures were devised as the archipelago’s private sector took over the lead role at the tourism board. That year ended with the loss of just a few hundred arrivals compared to the previous year, albeit at the expense of tariffs being discounted.

During the period between 2009 and 2019 did the Seychelles set new arrival records year after year, to a large extend triggered by the launch of the Seychelles International Carnival in 2011 which over the following couple of years then brought the global media spotlights on the islands and making it into one of the world’s most desired island tourism destinations.

Keeping close to the tourism industry’s key stakeholders but also the workers in the sector – many of whom have been laid off or sent on leave – gives St. Ange the insight needed to understand their concerns and needs of both staff and owners / operators, many of whom have been left bewildered by initial government announcement of a support package, only to be confused by different statements of line ministries tasked with the implementation.

St. Ange told ATCNews that he has the proven competence to bring tourism out of the doldrums and revive the industry and set it on a recovery course which will return the island’s global status while being recognized as a safe destination.

This applies in particular to the ban on cruise ships until the end of 2021, which many stakeholders involved in this kind of tourism operation have called misguided as far as the length of the ban was concerned.

First published at www.atcnews.org

Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles, May 22, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / After 9 weeks of battling tirelessly the deadly Covid-19 worldwide pandemic, Seychelles- the small island holiday destination in the Indian Ocean with a population of less than a hundred thousand inhabitants- is now Covid-19 Free.

The country, which reported a number of 11 cases in total, has announced the last infected patient tested negative for a continuous number of days and is now considered to be healed from the Covid-19 virus.

Speaking about the destination being free from Covid-19, the Minister for Tourism Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Minister Didier Dogley stated “As the situation around the world remains precarious, it is a blessing for our small nation to have been able to curb the spread of the Covid-19 on our shores. As a destination, this is a very big advantage for Seychelles; there is a lot of preparatory work here on the ground with our partners to make sure that Seychelles sends a strong message of being a safe destination,” said Minister Dogley.

He further mentioned that with the opening of the airport on June 1, 2020, Seychelles will be in a very strong position to market itself as a safe destination; something that most tourists will be yearning for after being confined to their homes for months.

Detailed travel guide on the paradise islands of the Seychelles, here…

Geneva, Switzerland, May 21, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The International Air Transport Association (IATA) revealed details of its proposed temporary layered approach to biosecurity for re-starting passenger flights amid the COVID-19 crisis.

IATA has published Biosecurity for Air Transport: A Roadmap for Restarting Aviation which outlines IATA’s proposal for a layering of temporary biosecurity measures. The Roadmap aims to provide the confidence that governments will need to enable the re-opening of borders to passenger travel; and the confidence that travelers will need to return to flying.

“There is no single measure that will reduce risk and enable a safe re-start of flying. But a layering measures that are globally implemented and mutually recognized by governments can achieve the needed outcome. This is the greatest crisis that aviation has ever faced. A layered approach has worked with safety and with security. It’s the way forward for biosecurity as well,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Highlights of the Roadmap include:

Pre-flight, IATA foresees the need for governments to collect passenger data in advance of travel, including health information, which should be accomplished using well-tested channels such as those used for eVisa or electronic travel authorization programs.

At the departure airport, IATA foresees several layers of protective measures:

•  Access to the terminal building should be restricted to airport / airline workers and travelers (with exceptions being made for those accompanying passengers with disabilities or unaccompanied minors)
• Temperature screening by trained government staff at entry points to the terminal building
• Physical distancing through all passenger processes, including queue management
• Use of face coverings for passengers and masks for staff in line with local regulations.
• Self-service options for check-in used by passengers as much as possible to reduce contact points and queues. This includes remote check-in (electronic / home printed boarding passes), automated bag drops (with home printed bag tags) and self-boarding.
• Boarding should be made as efficient as possible with re-designed gate areas, congestion-reducing boarding priorities, and hand luggage limitations.
• Cleaning and sanitization of high touch areas in line with local regulations. This includes wide availability of hand sanitizers.

In-flight, IATA foresees several layers of protective measures:

• Face coverings required for all passengers and non-surgical masks for crew
• Simplified cabin service and pre-packaged catering to reduce interaction between passengers and crew
• Reduced congregation of passengers in the cabin, for example by prohibiting queues for washrooms.
• Enhanced and more frequent deep cleaning of the cabin

At the arrival airport, IATA foresees several layers of protective measures:

• Temperature screening by trained government staff if required by authorities
• Automated procedures for customs and border control including use of mobile applications and biometric technologies (which have already proven tack record by some governments)
• Accelerated processing and baggage reclaim to enable social distancing by reducing congestion and queuing
• Health declarations and robust contact tracing are expected to be undertaken by governments to reduce the risk of imported chains of transmission

IATA stressed that these measures should be temporary, regularly reviewed, replaced when more efficient options are identified or removed should they become unnecessary. Specifically, IATA expressed hope in two areas which could be ‘game-changers’ in facilitating efficient travel until a vaccine is found:

COVID-19 testing: IATA supports testing when scalable, accurate and fast results are available. Testing at the start of the travel process would create a ‘sterile’ travel environment that would reassure travelers and governments.

Immunity passports: IATA would support the development of immunity passports to segregate no-risk travelers, at a time when these are backed by medical science and recognized by governments.

IATA reiterated its opposition to social distancing on board aircraft and quarantine measures on arrival:

• Quarantine measures are obviated by the combination of temperature checks and contract tracing. Temperature screening reduces the risk of symptomatic passengers from traveling, while health declarations and contact tracing after arrival reduce the risk of imported cases developing into local chains of transmission.
• Social distancing on board (leaving the middle seat open) is obviated by the wearing of face coverings by all on board on top of transmission reducing characteristics of the cabin (everybody is front facing, air flow is from ceiling to floor, seats provide a barrier to forward/aft transmission, and air filtration systems that operate to hospital operating theatre standards).

The mutual recognition of globally agreed measures is critical for the resumption of international travel. IATA is reaching out to governments with the Roadmap. This engagement is in support of the COVID-19 Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) which is tasked with developing the global standards needed for the safe re-start of aviation.

“The Roadmap is the industry’s high-level thinking on safely re-starting aviation. Timing is critical. Governments understand the importance of aviation to the social and economic recovery of their countries and many are planning a phased re-opening of borders in the coming months. We have a short time to reach agreement on the initial standards to support safely reconnecting the world and to firmly establish that global standards are essential to success. This will change as technology and medical science advances. The vital element is coordination. If we don’t take these first steps in a harmonized way, we will spend many painful years recovering ground that should not have been lost,” said de Juniac.

Cardamom Mountains, Trapeang Rung, Cambodia, May 20, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Tourism-dependent forest ranger patrols in Cambodia which are financed by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation and Cardamom Tented Camp are in danger since the Covid-19 tourism shutdown; an emergency Fundrazr page has been launched.

The collapse of tourism in Southeast Asia means wildlife and conservation in south west Cambodia may come to a halt in the next few weeks.

The temporary closure of Cardamom Tented Camp in Cambodia has meant that forest patrols by Wildlife Alliance rangers in Botum Sakor national park in southwest Cambodia may have to be suspended.

Click here for the latest updates and coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The rangers’ equipment, food and wages are provided in entirety by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) and Cardamom Tented Camp, which both depend on tourism for their income — and consequently have none due to the Covid-19 shutdown.

As of mid-May, all 14 rangers policing 18,000 hectares of evergreen lowland forest in the national park are still operating, relying on funds from GTAEF. However, these funds could run out as early as the end of May.

Until then, ranger foot patrols to seek out poachers and remove their hunting traps are still operational. But they would stop should GTAEF support fail and guests not return to Cardamom Tented Camp in the next months, which seems increasingly likely. This would leave the forest unprotected as rangers return to their home villages.

“We are extremely proud of the rangers’ efforts over the last six years. They have all-but stamped out bushmeat poaching, the illegal wildlife trade and land grabbing on the concession,” said John Roberts, Director of Elephants and Conservation at GTAEF.

“However, we see from the rampant forest clearance in surrounding areas that the rangers’ excellent work would almost immediately be reversed should patrolling stop in the next few weeks.”

GTAEF, which is based in northern Thailand, pays the lion’s share of the rangers’ wages in the Cambodia project.

“Unfortunately our foundation’s income is also largely derived from tourism which has stopped. So a FundRazr page is our last best hope for forest and wildlife protection in Botum Sakor for the next few months, until tourism picks up again,” said Roberts.

Forest rangers depend on ecotourism support

The last guest at Cardamom Tented Camp checked out on 30 March. The camp’s manager, Allan Michaud, who is still resident at the lodge, said that the rangers’ patrols were vital to stop illegal activities such as logging and hunting which is lethal for mammals such as pangolins, gibbons, deer and wild cats.

“Prior to the Covid shutdown, illegal hunting in Botum Sakor national park had declined by around 90% over the last five or so years,” said Michaud. “That is now at risk. The sooner we secure income for the ranger patrols the better the survival chances of wildlife and habitat,” he said.

Tourist visas, e-visas, visa on arrival and visa exemptions for Cambodia are all suspended.

To secure continued forest patrols a FundRazr page has been set up by GTAEF to mobilise emergency income for the rangers. GTAEF and Cardamom Tented Camp invite people to make a donation, large or small, with all funds guaranteed to go to financing the rangers’ income, materials and food so that they can continue wildlife protection patrols.

Cardamom Tented Camp will offer donors giving US$200 or more a free night on top of a two-night stay. Vouchers for the free night are valid until February 2022 and are transferable.

Four videos
Four short videos made before the Covid-19 crisis show the role of ecotourism at Cardamom Tented Camp and how it supports the forest rangers.

Since opening in late 2017, the camp has operated with the slogan, “Your Stay Keeps the Forest Standing” to show the direct link between income from guest stays and forest habitat protection through ranger patrols.

About GTAEF
The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation is a Thai registered not for profit originally set up in 2005 in cooperation with Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort. It is located in the far north of Thailand where Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet (The Golden Triangle). GTAEF strongly believes that in an ideal world all elephants would be wild. This is unfortunately not the case, so until we reach that point, GTAEF aims to assist captive elephants, improving their lives and welfare, while also taking part in conservation and wild elephant programs to ensure the survival of the wild herd.

About Cardamom Tented Camp
Cardamom Tented Camp is an ecolodge located in the foothills of the Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia. Offering nine well-appointed safari-style tents, the lodge aims to minimize the human footprint on the natural world and serve as a role model in promoting sustainable ecotourism practices within both the national park and Cambodia as a whole. Located on an 18,000-hectare (180 km2) concession, the lodge and its surroundings are home to pristine lowland and coastal habitats linking wildlife corridors to the Cardamom Mountains. Eco-friendly trekking and kayaking packages are available for adventure enthusiasts who are keen to be a part of real conservation work.

Cardamom Tented Camp is a three-way initiative between Minor Group, YAANA Ventures and Wildlife Alliance to ensure the land and its biodiversity does not fall into the hands of loggers, poachers and sand dredging operations.

About Cardamom Tented Camp operator YAANA Ventures
YAANA Ventures is an owner, partner and operator of entrepreneurial travel and hospitality ventures in Asia. YAANA Ventures distinguishes itself by sharing real experiences that are grounded in the cultural richness of Asia. The company is the champion of the triple bottom-line. It empowers its ventures with the values to nurture the people with whom it works.

London, United Kingdom, May 19, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), has welcomed a major new EU initiative which aims to help restart summer holidays across Europe in 2020 and beyond, and save millions of jobs in the Travel & Tourism sector.

The European Commission’s Tourism & Transport Package has been designed to ensure a coordinated approach at a European level, to ease restrictive measures and restore mobility.

The move by the European Commission is hoped to herald a phased restart of travel across Europe this summer, while ensuring the safety and health of travellers and those who work in the Travel & Tourism sector.

The initiative follows a similar drive by WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, which on Tuesday launched global ‘Safe Travel’ protocols for travel in the ‘new normal’.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO comments:

“We are delighted that the European Commission recognises the strategic importance of the Travel & Tourism sector, not only to the European economy, but also to boost jobs. Its initiative acknowledges the sector is in a critical situation, which needs a long-term pathway to recovery.

“WTTC has been in constant discussions with the European Commission and we encourage all member States to follow these important guidelines. Strong coordination and cooperation across Europe will avoid unilateral and fragmented measures which would only lead to confusion and disruption for travellers and businesses alike.

“We fully support the European Commission’s stance on quarantines and agree these should not be necessary if appropriate and effective containment measures are in place at departure and arrival points for flights, ferries, cruises, road and rail transport. We urge Member States to carefully reflect before deciding whether arrivals need to self-isolate as this would be a major deterrent to travel and put those countries at a competitive disadvantage. We call on governments to find alternative solutions rather than maintaining or introducing arrival quarantine measures, as part of post-pandemic travel restrictions. Once a traveller is tested and confirmed as safe to travel, further restrictions such as quarantines should not be necessary.

“Our research shows at least 6.4 million jobs will be impacted across the EU this year if a coordinated approach for the Travel & Tourism sector isn’t followed. By following these guidelines and supporting these protocols, we have a chance of saving these jobs and protecting the livelihoods of millions of people across the EU.

“We look forward to continuing to work with, and support the European Commission, specifically Commissioner Breton and his team, to create a more sustainable and innovative Travel & Tourism sector.”

Madrid, Spain, May 19, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Employers from across global tourism are taking the lead in supporting their workers and helping the communities in which they operate, research carried out into the sector’s response to COVID-19 has found.

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As the sector faces up to an unprecedented challenge, the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (a subsidiary of the World Tourism Organization) has analysed the steps being taken by businesses and trade associations to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. Studying the actions taken by Private Sector Commitment to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET) in 25 countries, the research revealed that, in spite of staff furloughs, employers across the sector are stepping up their support for workers and for communities.

Tourism ‘going beyond its responsibilities’

Committee Chairman Pascal Lamy touched base with the GCET Signatories to learn about the mitigation actions being championed by tourism companies and trade associations. Mr Lamy said: “It is evident that the sector’s engagement goes beyond symbolic CSR actions. The GCET signatories, although hit terribly hard by the crisis like their colleagues across the tourism sector, have shown that they indeed care for the societies they operate in while striving to keep their businesses afloat”.

Tourism administrations also need to communicate to the general public what the sector is doing for the society in these troublesome times

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili welcomed the initiative of the tourism sector while at the same time calling on governments to work with private employers to safeguard jobs and livelihoods. He said: “Governments should not abolish the resources already allocated to tourism in their budgets for 2020. Tourism administrations also need to communicate to the general public what the sector is doing for the society in these troublesome times.”

Solidarity with Tourism Workers and Communities

The survey found that many companies are providing 24-hour psychological help for their employees, while also maintaining medical insurance and facilitating platforms with motivational videos, medical updates and training. Many are also offering free lodging and food for stranded international staff and their families.

Monetary donations have been given to city councils, underprivileged families and rural communities, and food and supplies have been sent to frontline workers and vulnerable groups. Some businesses chambers are working with public, real estate, financial and legal entities to provide SMEs with funding and identify guarantors for those unable to receive a loan. Associations have engaged in local pandemic committees to flag up the most pressing issues and better articulate their support.

Hotels have donated thousands of gift nights to medical staff for their holidays and remained open for them and COVID19 patients whenever necessary. Guides offered virtual tours for voluntary contributions donated to hospitals, and transportation companies offered their channels to bring critical emergency equipment to save lives. Volunteer platforms also have been set up to create youth loans. Virtual solidarity groups gathered hundreds of travel agents with multiple jobs to exchange goods and support their livelihoods.