Global Travel News

YYZ AIR CANADA OUTAGE AND LAX BLACKOUT: Tough times at major airports

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An Air Canada IT issue Thursday afternoon caused problems with flights at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. In a tweet around 1:30 p.m., the airport said Air Canada was “experiencing an intranet outage” that was impacting functions including check-in, baggage delivery and gating.

The airport was advising customers to check-in online before leaving for the airport.

In an update just after 3 p.m., Air Canada said the IT issue had been resolved.

“We apologize for any delays and appreciate our customers’ patience,” the airline said in a tweet.

Twitter users lacked sympathy, one who seemingly has limited experience with airlines and airports around the world tweeted, “Worst airline and worst airport in the world.”

Sorry fella. Not even close.

Meanwhile at LAX …

Power was briefly knocked out at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday, leaving many passengers at one of the world’s busiest airports in the dark and halting security checks, authorities said.

The airport tweeted at around 2:30 p.m. PT that some terminals, along with traffic lights and other systems, may have lost power, although it said the airfield was operating normally.

The Transportation Security Administration stopped screening passengers in most terminals, the airport said, and it urged people to allow extra time for security checks.

The airport later tweeted that most terminals had lost electricity and added that some departing flights may have been affected because the jet bridges used to board passengers weren’t working.

The airport said most power was restored shortly after 3 p.m.

“Our crews were able to make switches in the field to reroute power to LAX and restore service,” the city Department of Water and Power tweeted.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many flights were affected but the LAX website showed that at least three dozen departing flights scheduled to take off during the outage period were delayed.

The cause of the outage wasn’t immediately clear.

According to Los Angeles World Airports, which operates LAX, it is the fourth-busiest airport in the world and second-busiest in the United States, based on number of passengers.

LAX blackout

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

QUILT MUSEUM A STITCH IN (MODERN) TIME

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Paducah, Kentucky’s National Quilt Museum is a stitch in time, but not the time you might expect. Dedicated to advancing the work of modern quilters, elaborate artifacts on display in the venue are not your grandmother’s blankets.

Indeed, the contemporary fibre arts museum displays works as the pieces of art they are, not merely couch or bed covers. And while some do follow American folk-art traditions, others depict modern sensibilities, including black civil rights statements.

Founded in 1991 in Paducah – a town of 20,000 halfway between St. Louis and Nashville – and one that embraces its self-proclaimed title of “Quilting Capital of the World” – the museum only collects and displays contemporary quilts created after 1980.

Like tapestries hanging in European stately houses or castles, many of the quilts tell stories or offer special messages (not unlike street art), such as one that declared: “Stop the war on women.”

Museum CEO Matt Collinsworth says social commentary in quilts is nothing new and that even traditional quilting could be “a little subversive.” Quilts made by slaves were known to include secret messages in the patterns.

As a rural art form, quilts were practical items for poor families, but also provided the only colour in austere homes, as well as providing a sense of artistry that otherwise would not have been possible.

It was during a handicraft revival in the 1960s that quilts moved “from bed to wall” and began to be seen as art. And in the 1990s, pictorial art began to be explored.

Matt Collinsworth, president of the National Quilt Museum

Such developments illustrate the advancement of quilting beyond its traditional roots, he notes, not least through changing techniques enabled by new technologies.

More than a million people have visited the museum since its inception, about 30,000 per year to see, on average, 100 to 200 pieces curated from a rotating collection of about 700 quilts. There are also travelling exhibitions, and related items like quilt jackets.

Collinsworth says the museum – considered one of the best small venues in the US – is certainly on the bucket list of many “quilt folk” but laughs that half of visitors are simply cultural travellers, many of them men who are dragged in by their wives, but who ultimately discover “this is very interesting!”

Plenty of Canadians visit the museum, Collinsworth adds, not least during the annual Quilt Festival, which sees the town’s population more than double in size as quilters from around the world descend on Western Kentucky every year at the end of April (Australia historically generates the most visitors outside the US.) In 2023 the festival will be held the April 26-29.

Collinsworth, who grew up watching his grandmother make quilts, says he could never have imagined that in later years he would preside over a museum dedicated to displaying “the best of the best” in contemporary quilting and celebrating its practitioners – artists who are “carrying the tradition forward.”

“The folk traditions are still there and that’s very important,” Collinsworth continues. “But there’s innovation in quilting… And that’s very exciting.”

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

EXPLORING MY TORONTO

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I have had a career as a travel writer for many years, yet, for no explicable reason, I have never written about my hometown. I was born, bred and educated in Toronto and I am justifiably proud of what is arguably the most vibrant multi-cultural metropolis in the world. Resulting from this merry melting pot of folks from all over the planet, Toronto offers up a smorgasbord of delights in its diversified ethnic neighbourhoods. You could start your day with a foamy cappuccino in Little Italy, head to one of our six Chinatown’s for dim sum and enjoy an authentic Indian vindaloo for dinner. There’s also a posh cosmopolitan side to Canada’s largest city where chic boutiques, Michelin-starred restaurants, luxurious hotels and spas will dazzle even the most demanding of patrons.

I have a game plan for travelling and how to make the most of your time and budget. I endorse the “save and splurge” approach to exploring a city because, unless you have an Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos bankroll, you need to pick and choose where to where to pinch pennies and where to indulge. So dear readers, here’s my insider’s guide on to enjoy my hometown.

THE “YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE” SPLURGE LIST

Toronto’s Grand Dame
When the Fairmont Royal York (100 Front St. W.) opened its doors in 1929 it was the finest hotel in the British Empire. It’s not the city’s most trendy hotel, but it’s certainly the Grand Dame. Enjoy cocktails at the Library Bar, renowned for the Birdbath martini made with QUILL vodka or gin specially crafted for bar, Cocchi extra dry vermouth, house orange bitters and fleur du sel.

A Taste of Paris
Toronto doesn’t really have a French neighbourhood, but Le Select Bistro (432 Wellington St. W) has been an institution since 1977 when it opened in its original location on Queen St. W. If you’ve got a craving for traditional Parisian bistro fare, such as French onion soup, coquilles St. Jacques, sole meuniere and more classics reserve either inside or on the patio.
www.leselectbistro.com

Sanctuary in the Sky
Soaring 31 stories above the St. Regis Toronto Hotel, the St. Regis Spa offers stellar pampering packages. Inspired by the gilded age of New York High Society, The 400 begins with a full body granita scrub, followed by a relaxing massage with a facial finale—two and a half hours of bliss. Relax with a glass of bubbles and chocolate truffles made by the hotel’s pastry chef.
www.stregistorontospa.com

Star-spangled Cuisine
Michelin-starred Don Alfonso 1890 was named the second-best Italian restaurant in the world — outside of Italy, of course — according to the 50 Top Italy list for 2023. Having had the pleasure of dining at the original family-run Da Alfonso 1890 on the Amalfi Coast, I wasn’t surprised when I heard of the Toronto kudo. The restaurant’s new location atop the Westin Harbour Castle hotel has terrific views of Lake Ontario and Toronto’s skyline but the food is why there are waiting lists.  You can order from the a la carte menu but why not splurge on the tasting menu with wine pairings?www.donalfonsotoronto.com

Slice & Dice at Eataly
Try your hand at making Neapolitan-style pizza in a wood-fired oven or rolling ravioli at La Scuola di Eataly (55 Bloor St. W.)  Eataly is a veritable emporium of Italian products, restaurants and the cooking classes.
www.eataly.ca

THE “CHEAP THRILLS” SAVE LIST

St. Lawrence Market

Market Days
Toronto boasts two fantastic markets: Kensington and St. Lawrence. Kensington, bordering on downtown Chinatown, is crammed with treasures. The Global Cheese store sells fromages from all over the world and is very generous with tasting samples, Jimmy’s Coffee serves up perfect javas, Dipped makes gourmet donuts with love and a lot of butter. From Chinese dim sum to Vietnamese pho to Mexican tacos to Jamaican patties—you can graze globally.

St.Lawrence Market, near Union Station, also offers a great variety of fish, meat, produce, cheese and baked goods. Foodies, such as the late Anthony Bourdain raved about the peameal bacon sandwiches at Carousel Bakery. The line-ups at Buster’s Sea Cove are worth the wait. The Market Gallery on the second floor displays changing exhibitions that reveal the cultural, physical, and social development of Toronto.

Wednesday Nights are Free at the AGO
The Art Gallery of Ontario (317 Dundas St. W.) offers free admission to its galleries every Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. The AGO Collection of more than 120,000 works of art ranges from cutting-edge contemporary art to significant works by Indigenous and Canadian artists and European masterpieces. Every Monday at 10 a.m., a limited number of free timed-entry General Admission tickets are released for the following Wednesday night. To book, you will need a valid email address. A maximum of four tickets can booked at one time.
www.tickets.ago.ca/events

Little India
Little India began in the early 1970s. Realizing that South Asian immigrants to Toronto missed their Bollywood films and music, an enterprising Gian Naaz opened The Naaz Theatre. It’s closed now but Little India, hailed as the largest South Asian marketplace in North America, is thriving. From Coxwell Avenue west for six blocks, both sides of Gerrard Street are choc-a-bloc with curry restaurants, sari, spice and tea shops, Bollywood music and an authentic Indian vibe. One of these days I’ll get to India, but in the meantime, when I need more curry leaves or a Bollywood fix, Little India is just a streetcar ride away.

Well-Heeled
The Bata Shoe Museum (327 Bloor St. W.) is unique. It’s newest exhibition, OBSESSED: How Shoes Became Objects of Desire explains society’s obsession with footwear. Highly coveted shoes in the collection represent how industrialization changed shoe consumption transforming footwear into status symbols. The museum has more than 15,000 shoes spanning 4,500 years including chestnut-crushing clogs from 19th century France, Manolo Blahnik’s stylish stilettos and Terry Fox’s running shoe. Thanks to the passion of its founder, Sonya Bata of the Bata Shoe Company, this award-winning museum houses a formidable collection of shoes that reflect climate, religious and cultural beliefs, the development of trades and how attitudes towards gender and social status changed through the ages. Think of expressions such as “well-heeled” or “put your best foot forward.”
www.batashoemuseum.ca

Vegetarian with a Mexican Twist
I am not a vegetarian, but I do love the plant-based dishes with served up at Rosalinda (133 Richmond St. W.) Their “chorizo” tamale is made with quinoa and tempeh.  The “chicharron” substitutes pork crackling with roasted taro flour, roasted flax seeds, wheat and garlic salt. Wash down your tacos and fritters with a flight of three different mezcals.
www.rosalindarestaurant.com

 

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

LISTENING IN: Myles to go

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Myles Goodwyn has sadly announced an end to touring due to health concerns with his final shows to come in March. It’s been a long road – over 50 years – for the April Wine frontman, who is the last man standing from the original lineup of the iconic Halifax band, which rivalled the likes of BTO, Rush and Triumph during its 1970s heyday.

With countless hit songs like “Just Between You and Me,” “Sign of the Gypsy Queen,” and “You Could Have Been a Lady,” I remember my buddies’ high school band belting out “Oowatanite” right along with “Stairway to Heaven” – the ultimate tribute.

But first was “Bad Side of the Moon” – an Elton John/Bernie Taupin song that April Wine recorded in 1972, giving life to a tune that never did rate for the more famous duo.

And of course, there was the legendary El Mocambo “smoke screen” concert in Toronto in 1977 when fans who went to see the band, and their “opening act” The Cockroaches, were treated to a surprise Rolling Stones rehearsal for the band’s upcoming tour instead at the iconic Spadina Ave. venue. The concerts resulted in live albums from both bands.

Over the years, April Wine sold more than 10 million albums worldwide and was conducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. We’ll remember Myles, who says he will stay active with the 2nd/3rd/4th gen band, just not onstage – but it won’t be the same.

Here’s a brilliant, seemless medley of “Coming’ Right Down On Top of Me” and “Rock ‘N Roll is a Vicious Game.”

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

BWH Hotel Group Aiden Begins 2023 by Doubling Size of Global Portfolio

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Best Western Hotels - BWH Hotel Group Aiden Begins 2023 by Doubling Size of Global Portfolio - TRAVELINDEX - TOP25HOTELS.comBangkok, Thailand, February 1, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / BWH Hotel Group is expanding its upscale, chic boutique brand, Aiden, as the brand is set to grow by over 200% in the years ahead with the portfolio doubling in 2023 alone. Highlights of the brand growth include the upcoming launch of Aiden in India and the launch of Aiden in Scandinavia, where 30 new hotels have been added to the portfolio, each of which offers groundbreaking hologram concierge service.

Aiden offers guests access to the pinnacle of boutique, resort and upscale lodging, and an experience as unique as the destination of each hotel. The brand currently boasts 19 hotels in key travel destinations around the world, such as Australia, France, Italy, South Korea and across the U.S in cities like Scottsdale, Arizona; Austin, Texas; and Berkley, California.

“There’s no denying that travelers today are seeking distinctive experiences that embody the character of their hotel’s destination, and that’s what Aiden is all about,” said Larry Cuculic, President and Chief Executive Officer. “This brand delivers on the evolving interests of today’s travelers, giving them a boutique experience from a trusted global hotel company. Developers are recognizing the traveler interest in Aiden as well – the brand is quickly becoming the boutique hotel of choice for the next generation of developers.”

“Each Aiden hotel is a personality specially crafted to provide travelers with a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Brad LeBlanc, Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “Through modern amenities and bold touches, Aiden reflects the flair and vibrancy of the world around us to deliver a reimagined travel experience. The brand has been a true success story for BWH Hotel Group, and we see a long runway ahead for Aiden.”

The projected growth includes the opening of 30 hotels in Scandinavia in partnership with CIC Hospitality, welcoming the Aiden brand to the region. Each of these 30 hotels will offer digital hologram concierge for check-in, check-out, and guest services. This groundbreaking technology marries innovation and superior guest service to bring a truly unique and modern experience.

The Scandinavian portfolio of Aiden hotels will be built in strategic locations, such as near universities, larger companies and event venues. Sustainability will be central to the Scandinavian Aiden portfolio with solar roofing and modular design driving environmental efficiencies at many of these hotels. The first hotel, Aiden by Best Western Herning, will open in February in the Danish city of Herning. This will be Denmark’s first modular built hotel and will offer 204 rooms, a gym with a sauna, conference rooms and inviting areas for socializing or working.

“We are excited about the remarkable growth we’re seeing in our global Aiden portfolio,” said Ron Pohl, President of International Operations. “There are many markets around the world that are ready for a hotel product like Aiden, and we are capitalizing on demand in key markets such as Scandinavia, India, Thailand and Australia. We look forward to continuing to bring this exceptional product to life in destinations across the globe.”

About BWH Hotel Group
BWH Hotel Group is a leading, global hospitality network comprised of three hotel companies, including WorldHotels™ Collection, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotel Group®. The global network boasts approximately 4,500 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*. With 19 brands across every chain scale segment, from economy to luxury, BWH Hotel Group suits the needs of developers and guests in every market.

*Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Meliá Hotels Named Most Sustainable Hotel Company in the World

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Meliá Hotels Named Most Sustainable Hotel Company in the World - TRAVELNEWSHUB.comPalma de Mallorca, Spain, February 1, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Meliá Hotels International, the leading hotel company in Spain, has achieved the highest rating in the global travel industry in the latest S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), an assessment of the performance in sustainability of companies in 2022.

S&P Global’s CSA is the world’s most comprehensive annual assessment of the sustainability performance of companies across all industries, focusing on economic, governance, social and environmental criteria, as well as on industry-specific criteria. Meliá has taken part since 2018, a year in which it was ranked third in the industry. From 2019 t0 2021 the company achieved the top position in the ranking in Spain and Europe, and second place globally.

As of this month, the new assessment places Meliá at the top of the industry ranking, with an overall score of 74 points out of 100. Of the three dimensions included in the analysis, Meliá obtained the highest score in the industry in the first two (Social, with 72 points, the same as obtained by Asset World Corporation, and Economic and Governance, with 81 points) and also leads the industry in criteria such as:

  • Risk and crisis management
  • Environmental reporting
  • Climate strategy
  • Social reporting
  • Human rights
  • Human capital development
  • Management of customer relationships

“In the current complex business environment, sustainability has become as one of the most important values for companies, and for Meliá, especially due to the family nature of our business, it is now a key factor in driving our transformation and responding to the demands and expectations of our customers, employees, shareholders and investors, hotel owners and society in general.” said Gabriel Escarrer, Executive Vice President and CEO of Meliá. “For all of them, we are proud to have once again achieved this recognition as the most sustainable hotel company in the world.”

The Spanish hotel group has been expanding its presence in Asia over recent years and is now one of the largest international hotel brands in Vietnam. Meliá properties throughout Asia have embraced core sustainability principles by reducing or entirely eliminating single-use plastics, implementing energy and water conservation measures, rolling out a broad range of CSR programs, creating a more circular food economy, and launching collaborative projects with local organisations.

About Meliá Hotels International
Founded in 1956 in Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International has a portfolio of more than 400 hotels (portfolio and pipeline), throughout more than 40 countries, and 10 brands: Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ME by Meliá, The Meliá Collection, Paradisus by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ZEL, INNSiDE by Meliá, Falcon’s Resorts by Meliá, Sol by Meliá and Affiliated by Meliá. The Group is one of the leading companies in resort hotels worldwide, while also leveraging its experience to consolidate the growing segment of the leisure-inspired urban market. Its commitment to responsible tourism has led the Group to become the most sustainable hotel company in the world, according to the last S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment. Meliá Hotels International is also included in the IBEX 35 Spanish stock market.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

OurAfrica.Travel Returns Underscoring the Collaborative Approach

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OurAfrica.Travel Returns Underscoring the Collaborative Approach - TOURISMAFRICA.org - TRAVELINDEXCape Town, South Africa,  February 1, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / OurAfrica.Travel returns this month, connecting eager buyers with exhibitors from across Africa and her Indian Ocean Islands.

Now in its 4th year this virtual B2B tradeshow provides a platform for those selling the African and Indian Ocean Islands, to connect, collaborate and plan for the year ahead from the convenience of your home or office.

Aimed at ensuring five successful days of connecting, the platform is open to both exhibitors and buyers from the 8th of February so they can maximise their time, networking and setting themselves up for success, prior to its’ official start date of the 20th February.

“Hosting a virtual show of this nature allows for complete flexibility for both exhibitors and buyers while focusing on the purpose of the show in its purest form – to allow trade partners to have dedicated business-to-business meetings in a convenient and controlled manner” says Allie Hunt, co-owner of OurAfrica.Travel.

“The importance of connection among travel-trade partners is another driving force of the show. We are blessed to have partners, without whose support the show would not be as successful, and we believe that it is in part due to these collaborations that the show has stood out since the start” says Storm Napier, co-owner of OurAfrica.Travel.

Kicking off the 2023 trade show season, OurAfrica.Travel remains a hallmark event on the travel trade calendar. The OurAfrica.Travel team are expecting an exceptional turnout of trade partners who want to start the year by strengthening relationships and sharing what’s trending in the tourism space across the continent and islands.

A sponsor of this year’s event is Wetu, a longtime believer that collaboration is what drives the travel industry. Leading with efficiency, Wetu has offered its support to the show since its inception – the two brands being very much aligned based on their belief that digital platforms remain an impactful and resourceful way for the travel industry to convert sales with up-to-date marketing material.

Wetu CEO, Paul de Waal, believes opportunities like OurAfrica.Travel that connect trade partners and colleagues are essential if we are to grow tourism.

“We belong to an industry that understands and thrives on collaboration. That connection has taken various forms over the past few years – returning somewhat to in-person connection, but still very much driven by digital connection due to its efficiency, cost and time saving attributes. We see Wetu as an enabler of that connection so partnering with a virtual show like OurAfrica.Travel is an instrumental way for us to deliver on that promise.”

Both Wetu and OurAfrica.Travel are also proud members of ATTA® the voice of African and Indian Ocean Islands Tourism, which supports businesses in Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Deborah Rothe Takes Over as Head of ITB Berlin

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Deborah Rothe Takes Over as Head of ITB Berlin - TRAVELINDEXBerlin, Germany, February 1, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Deborah Rothe follows in the footsteps of David Ruetz as exhibition director of ITB Berlin, the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. In December 2022, Ruetz became senior vice president of Travel + Logistics at Messe Berlin, in which role he oversees the ILA Berlin Airshow as well as the global ITB brand family, along with its strategic development.

As with immediate effect Deborah Rothe is taking over as exhibition director and project manager of ITB Berlin. The event will take place live in Berlin from 7 to 9 March 2023 as an exclusive B2B event. She replaces David Ruetz, who as head of ITB Berlin took over the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show in 2002. He was instrumental in building the global brand that is ITB and also contributed significantly to establishing ITB Asia in Singapore and ITB China in Shanghai. He also identified the potential of the Indian travel market and supported developing ITB India which, after two virtual editions, this year will for the first time be taking place as an in-person event in Mumbai and will further strengthen ITB’s position as a global marketplace for the travel industry.

Rothe has been employed at Messe Berlin since 2011 and joined ITB Berlin in 2014. From August 2019, as head of Business Development & Sales, her focus was on developing ITB Berlin and marketing exhibitor and visitor business for the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. She was also instrumental in driving the B2B networking event series TRVLX by ITB in European markets, which in future will continue to be an established part of the ITB portfolio.

“With Deborah Rothe, I am delighted to be appointing an experienced colleague for this important task at ITB Berlin. With her long years of experience at ITB Berlin, not only does she know the event extremely well, she also has in-depth industry knowledge”, said David Ruetz, senior vice president, Messe Berlin.

“As exhibitor director of the World’s Largest Tourism Trade Show, I look forward to the tasks and challenges ahead. Together with our global ITB brand family and ITB Berlin we provide an impetus for many areas of the travel and tourism industry. That is why new concepts, innovation and ongoing development are essential. I look forward to driving this effort with the team“, said Deborah Rothe, exhibition director, ITB Berlin.

About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2023 will take place from Tuesday, 7 March, to Thursday, 9 March, as a pure B2B event. Since 1966, ITB Berlin has been the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. The internationally renowned ITB Berlin Convention will take place parallel to the show and will be held live on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds – selected sessions will be streamed on ITBxplore. The ITB Berlin convention is the world’s largest travel industry event of its kind. In 2022 it took place as a virtual event on the brand’s website itb.com and registered 60,700 attendees from 125 countries who took part in more than 100 sessions featuring 223 speakers. In 2022, under the heading ’TRVLX by ITB’, ITB Berlin has planned a series of B2B networking events in European markets – the kick-off event took place in May in Georgia. Before the pandemic at ITB Berlin 2019, around 10,000 exhibitors from 181 countries displayed their products and services to some 160,000 visitors, including 113,500 trade visitors.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

China’s Outbound Tourism Is Beckoning. What’s Next?

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China’s Outbound Tourism Is Beckoning. What’s Next - TRAVELINDEXBrussels, Belgium, February 1, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Is China back in the international market? How soon and to what degree? What does the new era look like? How should we prepare for it? Where does the sustainability piece fit in the puzzle?

The recent “China Tourists 2023 Webinar” addressed these questions and more. Presented by TourismWebinar, the event attracted high-level speakers and attendees worldwide, including former UNWTO Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai and first WTTC President, Geoffrey Lipman.

Dr. Reza Soltani organized the event. Previously engaged in international conference business, Soltani founded Tourism Webinars based in Belgium during the pandemic and has since produced over 50 webinars and symposiums with a broad range of topics.

Industry expert, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt kicked off the webinar. He is the Founder and CEO of the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) based in Germany. Deeply involved in the Chinese tourism circle over a 45-year span, Arlt has seen China’s outbound tourism development from its infancy to its pinnacle and rock bottom.

Arlt gave a recount of China’s travel industry practices during the three-year pandemic. COTRI forecasts about 110 million outbound border crossings in 2023, and about 228 million in 2030; About 50% of the trips would be visiting Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan. Arlt laid out the changes and new trends in the industry and shared available resources/tools produced by COTRI.

Arlt and Gary Bowerman recently co-authored and published the book, China Outbound Tourism Handbook 2023: 88 Practical Ways to Prepare for the New Wave of Chinese Visitors. Bowerman is an Asia Travel Analyst for Phocuswright, Director of Check-in Asia, and Co-host for the South East Asia Travel Show podcast. He discussed more details of the book.

The 104-page book introduces the developmental drivers of the first 25 years of Chinese outbound tourism since 1997 and assesses the outlook up to 2030. It mainly focuses on 88 key themes that will influence the new wave of Chinese outbound travel, for example, Adventure Tourism, e-Payments, KOLs & KOCs, Metaverse and Mixed Reality, New Frugality, Patriotism and Winter Tourism. It includes citations from 48 countries/territories and 25 Chinese cities/provinces. With 264 practical tips, the book serves as “a practical handbook for applying insights into practice”. The book is now available on Amazon.

Other speakers at the Chinese Tourists 2023 Webinar included regional experts from Laos, Bhutan, Malaysia, etc. Shradha Shrestha with Nepal Tourism Board introduced the “Nepal Ready for China” initiative, which is an integrated G2G, B2B, B2C and C2C promotional approach.

Cathy Germier-Hamel, CEO of Destination Mekong, based in Cambodia, spoke on behalf of the seven countries/regions organization. She emphasized that destinations need to focus on value over volume, and quality over quantity. She shared that the Mekong region has been working on better offerings in adventure travel/ecotourism, cultural heritage tourism, community-based tourism, etc. to Chinese visitors.

China’s outbound tourism accounted for nearly 20% of global tourism spending in 2019, cited by Professor Haiyan Song of SHTM, HK Polytechnic University. He presented the analysis of China’s outbound travel to Asian countries/regions along with retail expenditures, and he brought attention to a joint research project with WTTC on global retail tourism to be released in several months.

Former Executive Director of IATA and current President of SUNx Malta Geoffrey Lipman, spoke strongly about sustainability while driving economic terms. As an Envoy for Sustainable Tourism Global Center and lead for the new Tourism Panel on Climate Change (TPCC), Lipman urged the travel industry to ensure that predicted growth is sustainable in the sense of fitting into the SDGs and supporting the Paris 1.5 degrees maximum warming scenario.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China recently announced the opening of pilot outbound group tours for Chinese nationals to 20 countries, starting Feb. 6. While savvy travelers and young wanderlusts would opt for FIT and semi-customized travel, group tours will continue to hold a healthy market share with niche markets, such as youth groups and senior groups (55 and plus, with 280 million in China.)

In addition, the Ministry released the week-long Spring Festival holidays (Jan. 21-27) travel data: Domestic travelers totaled 308 million, an increase of 23.1% from 2022 and at 88.6% of the 2019 level; Tourism spending totaled RMB 375.84 billion, 30% increase from 2022 and at 73.1% of 2019 level. In a way, these data partially reflect China’s outbound tourism dynamics.

(To view the full Chinese Tourists Webinar: https://tourismwebinar.com/china)

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Alain St.Ange Boards The World to Lecture as it Sails to Seychelles

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Alain St.Ange Boards The World to Lecture as it Sails to Seychelles - TRAVELINDEXMale, Maldives, February 1, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles former Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine who now heads his own ‘Saint Ange Tourism Consultancy’ this morning boarded the luxury Cruise Ship ‘THE WORLD’ at Patina Maldives and will be sailing on the ship back to Seychelles arriving in the afternoon of Sunday the 5th February.

Mr St.Ange was approached by the Destination Services at Head Office of ‘THE WORLD’ in the USA inviting him to lecture on the cruise ship as it sails in Seychelles.

When contacted by the press about his lecture and his 5 day stay on ‘THE WORLD’, Mr St.Ange explained that his role was to sell Seychelles as a tourism destination and to entice the passengers on board the ship to take excursions when the ship stops at Port Victoria in Mahe, in Praslin and La Digue. “Spelling out the key USPs of Seychelles and what not to be missed will be the base of my lecture as well as talking about the history of the islands” St.Ange said.

Former Minister St.Ange said that he was thankful to the PS for Tourism for the destination promotional posters, the History of Seychelles book and the promotional clips which he received.

“My time on the ship especially in one to one with passengers should go a long way to help with the Seychelles Tourism drive” said Alain St.Ange

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News