ICAO Council President calls for innovation and solidarity at ATN Summer Aviation Forum

 

MONTREAL - Stressing that we are living through an important turning point for aviation today, the Council President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano, told the gathered aviation leaders at the Air Transport News (ATN) 2020 Summer Aviation Forum in Athens, Greece, that innovation and continued partnership will be critical to aviation’s greener and more sustainable recovery from COVID-19.

“COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on local and global air connectivity, and on the many countries and operators who made that connectivity possible,” Mr. Sciacchitano commented. “It has also tragically impacted the lives of the hundreds of millions of economically vulnerable men and women around the world, many of them people who depend on aviation and tourism for their very livelihoods.”

Referencing the UN policy brief on Transforming Tourism released earlier this week, the ICAO Council President noted its points on how the relationship between tourism, natural ecosystems, and the populations which maintain them is complex and symbiotic, and that UN Secretary General Guterres was apt in describing our ability to travel and share the world as a “wonder of the world” in and of itself.

“Given the importance of air travel to such fundamental collective aspirations, and to every individual’s quality of life, aviation leaders have a great responsibility upon them today as we confront the existential threats of this pandemic,” Sciacchitano said. 

“In the first place we have a duty to keep current passengers and crew protected from COVID-19 health risks through every stage of the air travel experience. Secondly, we need to keep commercial civil aviation viable from the most basic of economic standpoints. Thirdly, we must ensure that it restarts and recovers with due consideration of all associated safety, security, and other traditional aviation performance metrics. And lastly, we need to rebuild it on a solid foundation of sustainability – both in terms of the network’s ability to better withstand future pandemics, and its overall role in the social and environmental impacts of travel and tourism.”

The first and third of these priorities were why the ICAO Council produced its CART Report and Take-off Guidelines earlier this year. They were also the driver for the many other activities undertaken at the Secretariat level in ICAO, notably with respect to the special guidance, monitoring platforms, and resources it has made available while keeping supply chains and humanitarian corridors functioning.

Addressing the penultimate priorities in terms of how air transport ‘builds back better’ and more sustainably, Sciacchitano noted it will require “the vision and leadership of all us in this forum today, and a heavy reliance on innovation going forward.”

“Whether we are talking entirely new technologies, or new applications of existing technologies, solutions are now at hand to permit us to pre-screen passengers more extensively than ever before, for both health and security risks, and in a manner less disruptive than today. We are also presented with a reality whereby many older and more emissions-intensive aircraft are being pulled from the skies, and in significant numbers. This presents opportunities to assure a much greener post-COVID fleet, and in light of recent targets which were announced even the age of electric commercial aircraft could be upon us by the next decade.”

Sciacchitano also emphasized that most of the onus toward addressing these priorities and enabling innovation also falls to air transport operators, manufacturers and others, even as they now face incredible challenges to the fundamentals of their businesses and operations.

As the Council Task Force underscored in its CART Report, it is therefore of the utmost importance that all aviation stakeholders continue to show solidarity with one another, and to “work as one aviation team” toward our shared goal of safely and sustainably reconnecting the world,” he said.

“This is a time not only for great leadership, but also deeper collaboration, and I can think of no other sector more capable in those capacities than our own.”

The one-day event entitled Summer Aviation Forum: Recovery and the flightpath to new aviation was organized Dr. Kostas Iatrou, Director General of Hermes Air Transport Organisation and CEO of ATN - Air Transport News.

Tags: ATN Summer Aviation Forum, ICAO

Latvia can now gather up to 1,000 people indoors for events

 

On August 11, 2020, The Cabinet of Ministers decided to reduce certain restrictions on gatherings for catering service providers and organized events, including congresses and conferences.

From 17 August, up to 1,000 people will be able to gather indoors at the same time (instead of the current 500) to accommodate a wider range of people, with a maximum of 3,000 people outdoors. In order to simplify the application of this norm, restrictions on the number of people depending on the area of the premises – up to 1000 m2 and more are no longer divided. The minimum area limit per person (instead of 4 m2) has also been reduced to 3 m2.

At the same time, it is stipulated that service providers and event organizers, which may gather more than 500 people during the event or during the provision of the service, both indoors and outdoors, must develop an action plan to limit the spread of Covid-19, including human flow planning and other measures.

The Cabinet of Ministers also decided that as of August 17, the requirements of two meters of physical distance and not less than 3 m2 per person in the room do not apply to business tourism events in congress centres and conference halls and in the outdoor space related to these places. Please note that in these events not more than two persons who are not members of the same household and not more than four persons who are members of the same household may be seated next to each other. Between respectively, every two or four adjacent seats a distance of one meter shall be maintained or a protective barrier shall be provided. When leaving the seat, a person shall follow the provisions for the two-meter distancing.

If these events separate the flows of groups of persons not exceeding 300 people in each group and do not allow these groups of people to meet, the condition to ensure that no more than 50% of the total possible number of people allowed in the event location may be waived.

Tags: The Cabinet of Ministers,Latvia, congresses

Aqua Expeditions ceremonially unveils its newest vessel Aqua Nera

 

NEW YORK - Aqua Expeditions, a global leader in luxury small-ship expeditions, has added a brand-new vessel to its fleet. Setting a new standard for deluxe river expeditions on the Peruvian Amazon, Aqua Nera draws design inspiration from the river's mystical black water lagoons and bears the hallmarks of the contemporary style and generous interiors for which Aqua Expeditions is known.

Custom built in Vietnam (as was its sister vessel Aqua Mekong), the 20-suite river ship was designed by award-winning architects Noor Design, who crafted every space to combine refined elegance with an echo of drama. Currently docked in the Hai Minh Shipyard in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), "Aqua Nera was built to be unparalleled in the world of small-ship expeditions," says Aqua Expeditions founder and CEO, Francesco Galli Zugaro.

The Aqua Nera was constructed in the record time of under a year, and ceremonially launched with a solemn Buddhist blessing on July 29, 2020, an auspicious date in the Zodiac calendar. On August 31, 2020, the Aqua Nera will be hoisted aboard a specially configured ocean-going freighter for the 35-day, 9,250-mile voyage from Vietnam to the Brazilian port of Belém, at the mouth of the Amazon.

Once its crew takes possession in Brazil, they will embark on a modern-day 'Fitzcarraldo Odyssey,' a reference to the extraordinary feat faced by 19th-century Peruvian rubber baron Carlos Fitzcarrald. His real-life endeavor of transporting a disassembled steamship over the Isthmus of Fitzcarrald was famously translated on screen by German director Werner Herzog, winning him the 1982 Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival. From Belém, Aqua Nera will navigate the entire length of the Amazon: a 15-day, 1,500-mile upriver journey to its new home port, the Peruvian city of Iquitos.

Aqua Nera will make its maiden voyage in late 2020 and operate in tandem with the Aria Amazon, sailing guests into the depths of the Peruvian Amazon in luxurious comfort. Its expeditions will feature cuisine by Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, one of Peru's finest chefs, celebrated for creating refined cuisine from native Amazonian produce. Every day, expert naturalist guides will conduct small-group excursions that reward guests with up-close wildlife encounters in the world's most biodiverse rainforest.

Tags: Aqua Expeditions

Emirates set to return to Bangkok

Emirates has announced that it is all set to resume passenger services to Bangkok with daily flights starting from September 1. The resumption of flights to Bangkok will expand Emirates’ current network to 78 cities in September, offering travellers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific convenient connections via Dubai to the popular Thai destination.

Flights between Dubai and Bangkok will be operated with an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and seats would be offerd in first, business and economy class. Flight EK384 will depart Dubai daily at 01:50 and arrive in Bangkok at 11:30, while the return flight, EK385, will depart Bangkok at 03:25, and arrive in Dubai at 06:35, from the month of September.

Travellers arriving in Bangkok will be subject to certain requirements decided by the Thai authorities as certain restrictions are in place. Customers can also stop over or travel to Dubai as the city has re-opened for international business and leisure visitors. COVID-19 PCR tests have been made mandatory for all inbound and transit passengers arriving to Dubai (and the United Arab Emirates), including citizens, residents and tourists, irrespective of the country they are coming from to ensure safety of travellers, visitors, and the community.

Tags: Bangkok, Dubai, Emirates

Europe Shuttle reached 1900 experiences on Viator/TripAdvisor

 

Europe Shuttle is an Estonian based company which specializes in Worldwide Port & Airport Transfers and Chauffeur Services who bets on innovation and technology in order to improve the distribution and provision of their services, has reached 1900 experiences on Viator (a TripAdvisor company). The successful relationship between both companies started in 2015, when they signed an agreement to provide corporate Airport Transfers on TripAdvisor’s main destinations.

Then, the agreement was extended to the entire Europe Shuttle destinations in 97 countries in all types of vehicles, from sedans to minibuses. Always attentive to the trends and demands of each moment, Europe Shuttle offers proposals as exclusive as they are diverse. From chasing after any of the 150 Pokemon of the famous game launched in 2016 by car to contracting the reliable and enjoyable product “By Yourself Service”, which allows users to count with a local vehicle and driver to freely organize their itinerary.

With the incorporation of the technological investor Pablo Palma in 2019 into the company, together with founders Mariano Chiesa and Matias Alvarez Capitaine, decided to bet on an ambitious development of digital tools and focus on the commercialization and execution of the ground transportation services. In this way, and with a strong investment in innovation and technology, Europe Shuttle seeks to strengthen its ties both with the travel agency channels (b2b) and with clients directly (b2c).

Today more than ever and in the face of the requirements imposed by the new global context due to COVID, private transportation becomes imperative to ensure a healthy and safe trip. Therefore, the objective of Europe Shuttle is to be increasingly competitive by adding more tailored products and with greater value added to satisfy the most demanding passengers.

Tags: Europe Shuttle,Viator 

South Africa’s Women In Tourism Stand Behind #IAmTourism Campaign To Reopen Tourism

 

Share with your network! Some 2,500 women from all tourism backgrounds heeded the call this August to stand in solidarity with their sisters – an industry whose workforce comprises 70% women and has been ravaged by the effects of the lockdown.

The images gathered throughout the month of August during the #IAmtourism campaign to raise awareness about the important role of tourism in South Africa’s economy and the importance of tourism to the livelihoods of women, have been brought together in the image of a lioness, sending a strong message to Government that tourism women are ready and eager to get to work immediately. “Like lionesses, we are ferocious in our desire to work together and protect South Africa’s share of its international tourism market,’’ says campaign spokesperson Thembi Kunene-Msimang.

‘’As South Africa enters Tourism Month in September, we believe this is the perfect time to shine a lens through the #IAmTourism lobby on the incredible potential of the tourism sector to stimulate its recovery and ensuring inclusive economic growth and employment.”

This is especially since South Africa is preparing to announce its GDP Q2 numbers, which economists expect to be down by as much as 53%.

Standing proudly in solidarity with their sisters in South Africa’s tourism sector, the series of #IAmTourism women was so well received, not only by our domestic tourism sector, but also supporters of South Africa, it gained traction internationally.  South Africa can reopen its tourism sector safely, but it requires an enabling environment, which includes the reopening of international borders, an improved visa regime and air access, among others, to help fast-track our recovery from Covid19.

Women comprise 70% of South Africa’s tourism workforce and have been the worst affected by the shutdown that has left the tourism sector reeling since even before the lockdown was announced. This is the reason why for each day of August, South Africa is Travel Ready featured the story of one #IAmTourism woman from all sub-sectors of tourism, all backgrounds and all roles, giving a voice to the women in tourism whose voices have been lost in the COVID-19 lockdown.

With the opening of inter-provincial domestic leisure travel, there has been an encouraging spike in local demand for travel and this has provided the much-needed hope to the women in tourism. However, to safeguard tourism’s significant contribution to the economy and reignite South Africa’s economy, there is an urgent need to reopen international tourism, in a responsible and safe manner. 

“#IAmTourism women continue to support Government’s on-going efforts to balance the overriding objective of saving lives and preserving livelihoods and ask that our de-risked sector that has adopted stringent health and hygiene safety be recognised accordingly’’, explains Kunene-Msimang.

Thembi Kunene-Msimang

Share with your network! The post South Africa’s Women In Tourism Stand Behind #IAmTourism Campaign To Reopen Tourism appeared first on iAfrica.

Tags: #IAmTourism women, South Africa’s Women In Tourism

Women in Travel (CIC) announces Autumn partnership with WTM London

 

Women in Travel (CIC), the social enterprise dedicated to empowering women through employability and entrepreneurship in the travel industry, has announced it will partner with World Travel Market (WTM) London to host a series of webinars on race, allyship, risk and diversity in the travel industry.

BAME Women in Travel’s first virtual panel in partnership with WTM London, will be held on 10th September 2020 at 2pm BST and will focus on the concept of allyship as the driving force for diversity and inclusion in the travel and tourism industry. Sitting on the panel will be:

• Uwern Jong, Editor in Chief of Out There magazine
• Eulanda Osagiede, Founder of Hey! Dip Your Toes In
• Alex Temblador, Writer and Award-Winning Author
• Roberto Balasco, Direct Sales Manager for Celebrity Cruises
• Bex Shapiro, Senior Editorial Manager at Intrepid Travel

The panel will be hosted by Executive Director of BAME Women In Travel, Jamie-Lee Abtar, and will showcase industry insiders in order to get to the core of addressing racial equality as a social, moral and business issue through the lens of fostering allyship in the workplace. The panel will cover how employers can cultivate a sense of belonging for employees and will provide practical examples from the travel industry. The session will also be drawing on BAME Women in Travel’s work in assisting black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women in the travel and tourism industry to fulfil their economic and individual potential through customised training and mentoring.

Women in Travel will also host two virtual webinars during the first ever WTM Virtual event in November. The first session will see Women in Travel unpick the concept of risk by looking through the lens of diversity. The webinar led by Women in Travel Founder Alessandra Alonso, will focus on how the perception of risk is changing. During the webinar the expert panel of speakers will discuss the risk related to travel safety in light of COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement. The second virtual webinar hosted by BAME Women in Travel will uncover racial risk and during WTM Virtual, Women in Travel will also offer live mentoring sessions to foster support for women and help develop their entrepreneurial and employment goals and perspectives.

Women in Travel’s partnership with WTM London will also see Women in Travel publish content about the importance of allyship as the key driver of fostering inclusion in the travel industry on WTM ‘s Global Hub Blog, with the first post available to view here: https://bit.ly/3ljxU1q. Women in Travel’s blog posts will give readers insight into its downloadable tool kit on how to be a better ally, whilst also focusing on BAME Women in Travel’s virtual Masterclass series on allyship, recruitment and mentoring taking place on 30th September, 1st and 2nd October 2020 which can be signed up for here: bit.ly/BAMEWITMasterclasses. Those interested in reading Women in Travel’s blog posts in partnership with WTM London should visit: hub.wtm.com/wtm-blog/.

Speaking about BAME Women in Travel’s involvement with WTM London, Jamie-Lee Abtar, Executive Director, said: “Allyship is the driving force for encouraging diversity and inclusion in the travel and tourism industry, so working closely with WTM London to promote this offers a fantastic opportunity for BAME Women in Travel to publicly foster greater inclusion for the black, Asian, and minority ethnic community in this sector.”

Commenting on the partnership with WTM London, Alessandra Alonso, the Founder of Women in Travel (CIC) added: “Through teaming up with WTM London, a formidable travel industry ally, Women in Travel aims to empower women by educating both men and women across the industry of the importance of acting as an ally and promoting allyship in order to drive change, and to ensure that travel organisations attract, recruit, retain and develop BAME and diverse talent.”

Tags: Women in Travel (CIC)

Malaysia sees advance hotel bookings

 

The advance hotel bookings are on the rise for Malaysian hotels, even though international travel is off limits, as per latest report from travel technology leader eRevMax. The company has been tracking reservation trends for its connected properties since the beginning of the pandemic and is now witnessing reservation growth in various geographies worldwide.

Holding January 2020 as constant and computing the % change across the following months, this report reflects the reservation trends, based on data processed by eRevMax for its client hotels in Malaysia.

Malaysia – Positive Travel Sentiment

Malaysia closed its borders to international tourism in March, like the rest of the world. The South East Asian country, which was one of first to get hit by the coronavirus, started opening travel and tourism activities since June. It relaxed its lockdown measures and allowed interstate travel to resume and opening of various services including amusement and water parks, spa, and reflexology centres, among others. In July, Malaysia reopened its borders partially to medical tourists, and earlier this month, the country announced its travel bubble with Singapore.

The reopening announcement met with a surge in bookings. In July, the number of bookings processed by eRevMax, improved to 72% of January, and in August, it has reached almost 95% so far, showing extremely positive travel sentiment in Malaysia.

The resilience of the hospitality sector has never failed to amaze me. It is very reassuring to see this revival in demand amidst a pandemic situation. If we look at Malaysia, January is the peak tourist season while July-August is relatively low on tourism activity. Seeing reservations close to high season level is a testimony to people embracing travel again as witnessed from the sharp growth in advance booking numbers,” commented Udai Singh Solanki, Co-CEO & CTO, eRevMax.

eRevMax continues to provide seamless connectivity and business intelligence solutions to thousands of hotels worldwide. It is constantly monitoring booking data across geographies. The company plans to publish country reports for key markets to showcase relevant booking trends and traveller expectations for hotels to use and rebuild their distribution strategies.

Tags: Asia, Hotel, Malaysia

Qatar Airways resumes three-weekly flights to Mogadishu, Somalia

 

DOHA, QATAR - Qatar Airways announced the resumption of three-weekly flights to Mogadishu, Somalia from 06 September 2020. Service to the capital city of Somalia will be operated by an Airbus A320 featuring 12 seats in Business class and 120 seats in Economy class.

The award-winning airline will operate this service as a tagged flight to its existing operations to Djibouti which resumed last month. The resumption of three-weekly flights to Mogadishu, Somalia, will see Qatar Airways network in Africa expand to nine destinations. With the addition of Mogadishu, the airline will operate 40 weekly flights to the continent across nine destinations including Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Nairobi, Tunis and Zanzibar.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “We are delighted to resume flights to the capital of Somalia. Mogadishu is considered to be the most populous city in Somalia and with our flights, passengers will be able to enjoy Qatar Airways wide network via our home and hub, Hamad International Airport, which was recently voted the Best Airport in the Middle East. Passengers flying Qatar Airways will benefit from our extensive international network in Asia, Australia, Europe and the U.S. as we lead the way in keeping Africa connected to the world.

“Qatar Airways remains committed to providing global connectivity to markets across Africa through the launch of new destinations along with the rapid resumption of services suspended due to the pandemic. We look forward to welcoming our passengers back onboard to explore our growing network in Africa.”

Since the onset of the pandemic Qatar Airways’ network has never fallen below 30 destinations with continuous services to five continents, enabling the airline to accumulate unrivalled experience in carrying passengers safely and reliably. The national carrier of the State of Qatar has led the recovery of international air travel with the airline rebuilding its network to more than 550 weekly flights to over 85 destinations across six continents.

Qatar Airways operations are not dependent on any specific aircraft type. The airline’s variety of modern fuel-efficient aircraft has meant it can continue flying by offering the right capacity in each market. Due to COVID-19’s impact on travel demand, the airline has taken the decision to ground its fleet of Airbus A380s as it is not commercially or environmentally justifiable to operate such a large aircraft in the current market. The airline’s fleet of 49 Airbus A350 and 30 Boeing 787 are the ideal choice for the most strategically important long-haul routes to Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions.

Qatar Airways’ onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew include the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for cabin crew and a complimentary protective kit and disposable face shields for passengers. Business Class passengers on aircraft equipped with Qsuite can enjoy the enhanced privacy this award-winning business seat provides, including sliding privacy partitions and the option to use a ‘Do Not Disturb (DND)’ indicator. Qsuite is available on flights to more than 30 destinations including London, Paris, and Frankfurt.

To ensure travellers can plan their travel with peace of mind, the airline has extended its booking policies to offer even more choice to its passengers. The airline will allow unlimited date changes, and passengers can change their destination as often as they need if it is within 5,000 miles of the original destination. The airline will not charge any fare differences for travel completed before 31 December 2020, after which fare rules will apply. All tickets booked for travel up to 31 December 2020 will be valid for two years from the date of issuance.

Qatar Airways’ home and hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), has implemented stringent cleaning procedures and applied social distancing measures throughout its terminals. Passenger touchpoints are sanitized every 10-15 minutes and boarding gates and bus gate counters are cleaned after each flight. In addition, hand sanitizers are provided at immigration and security screening points. HIA was recently ranked “Third Best Airport in the World”, among 550 airports worldwide, by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020. HIA was also voted the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the sixth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fifth year in a row.

Mogadishu Flight Schedule*: Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday

• Doha (DOH) to Mogadishu (MGQ) via Djibouti (JIB) QR1459 departs: 03:40 arrives 12:00
• Mogadishu (MGQ) to Doha (DOH) via Djibouti (JIB) QR1460 departs: 13:30 arrives 22:10

*Flight timings may change

Tags:Qatar Airways 

Lombok tourism recovering slowly amidst uncertainties

 

Lombok tourism has reopened for tourists and resumed operations in four prime destinations. Lombok is however struggling hard to attract tourists in the present uncertain environment. The preferred recreational areas of Rinjani, Senggigi, Mandalika and the three Gili Islands (Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air) reopened for tourists on June 27.

Lalu Moh Faozal, head of the NTB Tourism Agency, stated that they are struggling to continue with tourism as a very low number of tourists are visiting owing to the travel restrictions. He added further that tourism is suffering under new-normal and returning to pre-covid phase, is now a distant dream all though several tourism activities have kicked off.

Fear of the virus infection spread is one of main apprehensions in the mind of people that is discouraging tourists from visiting the tourist spots after they reach the airport. Besides this, over a period due to the fear of virus spread, the three Gili islands were closed for tourists following the regulation issued by NTB Governor Zulkieflimansyah. The three small islets to the northwest of Lombok Island were among the most popular tourists destination in Indonesia. These are paradise for divers and snorkelers, the islets also offer a host of surprises to those who long for quiet shorelines, with numerous tourist huts offering an ocean view.

Mount Rinjani, the second-highest mountain in Indonesia, a preferred spot for all hikers is also closed since March 16. And, Senggigi and Mandalika, the main tourist strips on the island, remained closed since May.

Tags: Diving, Hiking, Lombok tourism, pandemic, snorekeling, Tourism, Tourism Indonesia, Travel Destination, West Nusa Tenggara

Tanzania Starts Strategic Partnerships To Revive Tourism

 

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is supporting the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) to revive the Tanzania tourism industry to spur other businesses, recover thousands of lost jobs, and generate revenue to the economy.

Wildlife tourism in Tanzania continues to grow with nearly 1.5 million tourists visiting the country annually, earning the country $2.5 billion – equivalent to nearly 17.6 per cent of GDP. This cements its position as the country’s leading foreign currency earner. Additionally, tourism provides 600,000 direct jobs to Tanzanians and over one million others earn an income.

Tags: Tanzania Association of Tour Operators Tanzania tourism

Cycas Hospitality announces five senior executive appointments

 

With Cycas Hospitality set to open its first two French properties this autumn, the hotel management company has appointed five regional experts across France and Germany in recent weeks to further accelerate its European growth.

German recruits

Last month Daniel Bowen joined Cycas’s Development and Acquisition team, becoming Development Director for the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Joining Cycas from Dorint Hotels & Resorts, Daniel brings ten years’ experience as a German hotel developer and previously helped Novum Hospitality expand its portfolio. Working with Cycas’s Chief Development Officer, Asli Kutlucan, Daniel’s will be responsible for growing the company’s presence across Germany - including strong secondary cities - through strategic partnerships and portfolio acquisitions.

Also based in Germany is Katrin Schöfer, the newest addition to Cycas’s expanding central finance team. As the company’s Senior Manager Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) and Business Intelligence, Katrin will maximise synergies between the development and finance departments, and help incorporate enhanced business intelligence into the company’s long-term plans. With experience across a number of leisure companies, including Lufthansa AirPlus, she joins the team from Penta Hotels, where she oversaw their global financial reporting processes.

French appointments

The French recruitment drive follows the appointment of Luc Vicherd as Regional General Manager earlier this year, with three new team members reporting directly into him from Hyatt’s first dual-branded property in mainland Europe.

Béatrice Puma joined Cycas in April as the company’s first Director of Sales for France, and will be a key part of the pre-opening team for the double-decker Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotel at Charles De Gaulle Airport. With over ten years’ hospitality experience, including six focused on the Charles de Gaulle and Roissy region, Béatrice is well placed to capitalise on the growing market for aparthotels around the airport, of which Hyatt House will be the first.

The French team is further strengthened by the appointment of Operations Directors for each of its two new Paris properties. Looking after Hyatt House Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport, Nicolas Dubas previously spent eight years working for Cycas’s first dual-branded hotel in London and graduated last December from the company’s in-house ‘Cyfari’ leadership development programme. Pierre Brochard, meanwhile has spent eight years working across Hyatt properties throughout Europe and the Middle East. He joins as Operations Director for the Hyatt Place from Hôtel du Louvre, where he has worked as Front Office Manager for the last two years.

Announcing the appointments, Matt Luscombe, CEO of Cycas Hospitality, said: “For Cycas to grow successfully across Europe, we need to attract the very best talent to support our ambitions. I’m excited to see what Daniel, Katrin, Béatrice, Nicolas and Pierre will achieve in their new roles.

“These five appointments demonstrate how important the French and German markets are for our business. I’m confident their combination of international experience and local knowledge will ensure we continue to be a preferred partner for investors and owners looking to enter new markets.”

Tags: Cycas Hospitality

El Palace Barcelona announces new activities ahead of reopening

 

El Palace Barcelona recently announced a series of culinary, wellness and leisure activities that is set to take place on the panoramic Rooftop Garden ahead of its reopening on September 1. The garden is a 1,500 m2 oasis inspired by the Barcelona of the twenties and its sumptuous gardens, and features more than fifty species of plants, fountains, pergolas and a swimming pool with panoramic views across Barcelona.

The latest Rooftop Garden Experiences includes an open-air garden cinema screening a selection of award-winning classics, Pilates and yoga classes and Vendimias, a gastronomic pop-up celebrating the annual wine grape harvest. Visitors and guests will be able to enjoy the mild weather and expansive views while enjoying a range of activities throughout the week, all of which has been organised with proper physical distancing and privacy in mind.

Executive Chef Daniel Padro has also created a new menu for the Rooftop Garden that will be available throughout the day, including a selection of seasonal tapas such as Coca Bread with Jamón Iberico and fresh tomatoes and Ceviche of the day with sweet potato, tiger milk and corn choclos featuring local ingredients accompanied by a fantastic selection of cocktails. Manager Friedrich von Schonburg said in a statement that authorities are looking forward to welcoming guests back to El Palace Barcelona’s iconic Rooftop Garden.

He mentioned that with over 100 years of history as one of the leading hotels in Barcelona, the company will continue to evolve while staying true to its heritage. He shared that the brand strives to always create new, seasonal, and innovative experiences that keeps local and international guests coming back. He shared that now more than ever, the hotel wants guests to feel reassured that they will not only be safe staying with El Palace but will also have a memorable and culturally rich experience.

Tags: Barcelona,El Palace Barcelona

Quito Airport obtains the Airport Health Accreditation

 

QUITO - Quito International Airport obtained the Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) granted by the Airports Council International (ACI). The ACI Airport Health Accreditation is based on the recommendations of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to establish common sanitary measures and is aligned with the best practices of ACI, as well as with the safety protocol of aviation developed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

According to ACI, the objective of this accreditation is to demonstrate to passengers, airport employees, strategic partners and authorities the actions that the certified airport has taken to prioritize health and safety.

“Quiport has worked diligently in the development of protocols and sanitary prevention measures for the Quito International Airport, and when we learned about the ACI accreditation program, we immediately applied. We believe that it is essential to enact sanitary measures common to the industry to guarantee the safety of our passengers, airport personnel and the society as a whole”, commented Andrew O’Brian, President and CEO of Quiport.

Accreditation is voluntary. The first step is for the airport operator to submit a detailed questionnaire that covers all aspects of the sanitary measures applied at the airport, collecting supporting material as evidence of the measures taken, such as operating procedures, forms, photographs and videos.

ACI then evaluates all the information provided and if it meets the parameters of the program, the airport obtains the accreditation, which will be valid for one year. During this period, airports are required to perform periodic self-assessments and quality controls, leading to a cycle of continuous improvement as situations change and requirements evolve.

Luis Felipe de Oliveira, General Director of ACI World, when announcing the accreditation for Quito, extended a special congratulation to the Quito International Airport team.

“After reviewing the evidence presented through our evaluation process, Quito International Airport has shown that it is providing a safe airport experience for all travelers
which is in line with the recommended health measures established in the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines, as well as ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force Recommendations, along with industry best practices”, expressed Luis Felipe de Oliveira.

Furthermore, the principal executive of Corporacion Quiport considered that “by obtaining the Airport Health Accreditation we are sending the correct message: not only are we prepared to resume operations, but we are also committed to permanently evaluating our processes and prevention measures to improve them, always based on the recommendations of the bodies that regulate air transport. Our commitment is permanently aligned with health and safety”.

Aspects evaluated in the program include cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing (when feasible and practical), protection of airport personnel, physical distribution, communication with passengers, and passenger facilities.

All passenger areas and processes are considered, including access ways to the terminal, check-in areas, security control, boarding gates, lounges, retail stores, food and beverage outlets, boarding bridges, escalators and elevators, immigration control areas and facilities (in collaboration with authorities), baggage drop-off area and departure from the arrivals area.

Tags: Quito International Airport  Airports Council International  International Civil Aviation Organization

Wine and Dine Now Also Available Virtually

 

Hong Kong is a city of wining and dining and is one of the most popular events in the City of Light, and this year it is going virtual.

Organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), the “Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival” will get not only a virtual taste but also a global format. With the festival, just a device away, imagine the excitement of clinking wine glasses with someone halfway around the world or learning a new way to prepare a delectable dish from a top chef – all from the comfort of your own favorite chair.

In today’s world, meeting someone for a glass of wine via Zoom is natural. Human beings are so adaptable, and in reality, the virtual world expands our universe that much farther. From Hong Kong to New York City to Monte Carlo to Saint Petersburg to South Africa, the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival will be sure to tickle our taste buds and our worldly desire to travel. And this year, because the event is online, it really will be possible to meet people from all around the globe!

Explaining this strategic move, HKTB Chairman Dr. Y. K. Pang said: “The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival has been one of the most popular events among locals and tourists alike since its inception over a decade ago. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak this year, we hope people can continue to enjoy Hong Kong’s unique dining culture while providing business opportunities for the local F&B sector amidst this challenging economic climate. Organizing the Festival virtually allows us to achieve both objectives without compromising public health and safety.”

Although in a different format, the Festival will still be delivering virtual versions of a line-up of programs equally exciting as in the real-life editions, featuring world-class food and drinks. So even if you live in Timbuktu, this year, you can take part in the annual Festival from wherever you are.

Dr. Pang added: “The virtual Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival will strive to recreate the festive joie de vivre atmosphere the event is famous for by offering access to an exclusive wine and gourmet experiences curated by experts on the subject. Taking advantage of the virtual format, the event will be extended from the usual four days to several weeks so that more people can take part regardless of time and geographical constraints.”

To preserve as much original flavor of the physical event as possible, the HKTB is building an online hub where most of the Festival programs will take place. A variety of wine merchants will be providing special discounts and products tailored for the Festival which participants can browse and purchase in a virtual exhibition space. Meanwhile, renowned wine and food critics, chefs, and wine experts will be invited to speak on wine-pairing and culinary topics in virtual workshops and classes.

The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival was launched in 2009 after Hong Kong and Bordeaux signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Wine-related Business. The large-scale outdoor event quickly became the talk of the town and was dubbed one of the world’s top 10 international food and wine festivals by Forbes Traveler.

Dates and details of the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival will be forthcoming from the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Bon Appetite!

Tags: Hong Kong Tourism Board  Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival

Tourists on TUI flight from Greece to Wales bring Coronavirus to Britain

 

It was a wonderful holiday in Zante, Greece for a planeload of vacationers from Cardiff, Wales. Zakynthos is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea and a well-known summer resort. The harbor city of Zakynthos is the capital and major hub, centered around waterfront Solomos Square. Popular beaches like Agios Nikolaos, Alykanas, and Tsilivi offer swimming and water sports. Accessed by boat, Navagio beach is the site of a famed 1980 shipwreck resting in a sandy cove framed by cliffs.

TUI Flight 6215 from Zante to Cardiff, the capital of Wales had 7 confirmed COVID-19 cases after this flight on August 25. The entire flight of passengers has been forced to self-isolate after seven people on the flight tested positive for coronavirus.

Everyone who was on the flight is now being ordered to self-isolate at home – reports Wales Online.

Passengers will be contacted shortly but, meanwhile, they must self-isolate at home as they may become infectious even without developing symptoms. Anyone with symptoms should book a test without delay is the official message.

Tags: Zakynthos the Greek island, TUI

Property owners repurpose available stock for short-term accommodation rentals

 

CAPE TOWN – Short-term accommodation rentals are approaching pre-pandemic levels, according to a study spanning 15 urban and 12 regional markets around the world by STR, a global market data analytics company for the hospitality industry, and AirDNA, a global provider of vacation rental data and analytics. In the short-term accommodation category, which covers apartments of two bedrooms or more, including serviced units in the aparthotels sector, revenue per available room (RevPAR) was down just 4.5% from the same time last year. For the hotel category, which includes studios and one-bedroom apartments, RevPAR was down much more, at 64.8% from last year.

“We’ve never received as many enquiries from property developers and private investors wanting to know how they can re-equip their unsold residential properties for aparthotel running, as we’re getting now,” says Rael Phillips, co-owner and director of Totalstay. The Cape Town-based aparthotel operator which reached 89.13% occupancy last month for its Latitude Aparthotel in Seapoint, is home to a collection of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas in Seapoint, Camps Bay and the Cape Town CBD, with its largest clients being Berman Brothers, Elemental, Mason Developments and 12Cape. It combines the best-practice of top hotels, with the flexibility and freedom of DIY travel.

In the months leading up to the pandemic, the accommodation industry had reached unprecedented levels of success, with annualised global hotel occupancy exceeding 66% for a record 58 consecutive months, and the US short-term rental peak-season occupancy rate growing at 2.3% annually, reaching a record high of 58.6% in 2019 from 52.6% in 2015. But, according to the study, the introduction of global travel restrictions hit hotels hard, due mainly to drastic cuts in demand in business and group-oriented travel.

The short-term rentals industry, by comparison, had just wrapped up a half-decade of nearly 300% total revenue growth prior to the pandemic, driven by travellers seeking more affordable and unique experiences. Despite growth dipping slightly in 2019, the industry remained strong. And even though performance indicators plummeted during the time of the global lockdown regulations as a result of Covid-19, the fall compared to hotels wasn’t as severe, according to the study.

“Aparthotels have shown decade-long growth because they offer far more value for money than conventional hotel accommodation,” says Phillips. It’s this steady growth, along with typical factors of an aparthotel product like greater living space, more amenities, better locations, and now enhanced social distancing and sanitisation, that may suggest why property developers and investors are seeing how the aparthotel market will offer more sustainable return on their spend.

Mason Developments, a Cape Town-based developer of high-end luxury apartments blocks including Bradwell Row, The Bradwell and The Belair in Vredehoek, and The Glengariff in Seapoint, contracted Totalstay to repurpose available stock to take advantage of this trend last year. Says Alistair Capon, commercial director at Mason Developments, about what made Totalstay the right partner for this project, “What worked for us was the access and visibility into Totalstay’s property-management system, to allow us to view bookings and anticipate rental returns in real time – a key requirement for any developer, I think.”

The Mason Developments aparthotel offering was launched over Christmas 2019 and early into the new year, and Capon says that their initial sales and revenue numbers were on track but that Covid-19 obviously negatively impacted on numbers and targets. Totalstay’s client-supplier interface, NEURO, which connects its property-management system to other cloud-based services, including internal and external management reporting, has allowed clients like Mason Developments to adapt and make quick decisions about the running of their aparthotel assets, based on business intelligence and data insights, as well as revenue management. In this way, Totalstay has managed to adapt, Capon says, by the company’s “accepting medium-term flexi rentals with slightly lower returns, as opposed to trying to push high returns generated by short-let or one- or two-night stays”.

With the market being as competitive as it is, the only way for Mason Development’s aparthotel product to differentiate itself is on price and perceived value for money – a key factor for the aparthotel industry and product – and Capon believes that with a superior product and a competitively priced offer, Mason Developments will in time attract the bookings they’re after and the business travel market relationships they need. 

Phillips agrees, suggesting too that a proven and experienced centralised aparthotel management infrastructure really makes the difference between how successfully a property investor is able to yield rewards and what the end result is. “When choosing an operator, investors shouldn’t overlook crucial aspects like a solid, well-run infrastructure that provides access to the best knowledge and resources; their ability to hire, train and retain excellent staff; the backing of an established, reputable aparthotel operator brand; and a flexible pricing model.”

Equally, a degree of patience and some calculated risk-taking are needed to take advantage of the aparthotel market. “The material impact the pandemic has had has much to do with the rands and cents that travellers now have available,” says Rael Phillips. “People are wanting more value for their money, as well as safer facilities.”

As the STR and AirDNA study suggests, short-term rentals offer full-service amenities that allow for longer-term stays and became more popular as families looked for spaces to which to retreat. Resultingly, the average length of stay increased by 58% during the crisis.

Tags: STR,  AirDNA

Reservations now open for Crystal Esprit Voyages in 2023 through early 2024

 

MIAMI – Travelers now have more than three full years of choices to look forward to aboard boutique yacht Crystal Esprit, as Crystal Yacht Cruises opens reservations for the yacht’s 2023 and early 2024 itineraries. On the roster of predominantly schedule-friendly six-, seven- and eight-night voyages are idyllic islands, chic rivieras and ancient civilizations found in the Seychelles, Greece, France, Italy, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Croatia and more, with itineraries designed to offer immersive experiences in each region. Guests can reserve their 2023 Crystal Esprit voyage with no money down, as Crystal Confidence 2.0 offers a 90-day deposit window, extended final payments and relaxed cancellation schedules for all voyages on all Crystal brand experiences through 2023.

From January 2023 through March 2024, the 62-guest, all-suite, butler-serviced yacht – named the 2019 Best Small-Ship Cruise Line by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler – will sail 58 enriching itineraries that will entice history buffs, underwater adventurers, foodies and cultural savants alike, including:

April – October 2023
Greek Isles & Corinth Canal – Visiting shores of ancient archaeological wonders and contemporary holiday havens alike, with highlights including Athens; Ionian Sea gems Parga and Lefkada; passage of the Corinth Canal; Cycladic isles of Delos, Mykonos and Santorini; and hidden, out-of-the-way spots like Patmos, Paros and Crete.

Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast & the Adriatic – Offering a blend of deep history in Sibenik, Dubrovnik, Split and Trogir, where archaeological and UNESCO sites abound, the outdoor treasures and pursuits found in Kotor, Montenegro, along the peninsula of Piran, Slovenia and Venetian influences in Vis and Hvar and more.

Italian Riviera – Featuring calls in locales of legendary beauty like the dramatic cliffs of Positano, the chic island of Capri, lovely island of Elba and the hilltop vistas in Taormina, as well as the boot-tip gem of Otranto, Eternal City of Rome, Riviera spots Portofino and Porto Venere (for Cinque Terre) and the world’s marble capital of Marina da Carrara, which also offers access to the chic beaches and shops if Forte dei Marmi.

French Riviera – Highlighting the chic harbors fancied by elite travelers for decades, calling in Nice, St-Tropez, Cannes and Corsica, with an overnight in Monte Carlo and a visit to charming Le Lavandou. A new itinerary combines the Côte d’Azur and Italian Riviera for a stunning early summer escape.

April, November and December 2023
Holy Land and Middle East – Exploring the ancient civilizations and multi-spirituality of Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Cyprus, with new seven-night routes roundtrip from Eilat, longer itineraries and multiple overnights including Ashdod, Eilat, Aqaba, Cairo (Suez) and Larnaca and visits to Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh, Safaga and Hurghada. Guests can trace historical paths to the Pink City of Petra and Wadi Rum via Aqaba, Jerusalem and Bethlehem and the pyramids and temples of Egypt, while stops along the Red Sea Riviera afford access to excellent sites for diving, snorkeling and off-road desert adventures. The Holiday itinerary spends overnights in Ashdod and Aqaba, allowing guests to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas exploring Jerusalem and a New Year’s Eve celebration in Wadi Rum.

January – March 2023 & 2024
Seychelles Islands – Nineteen identical itineraries (total for 2023 and 2024) sailing roundtrip  from Mahé/Eden, focused on the tropics and natural treasures of the archipelago, from the unspoiled beaches of powdery sand, UNESCO-protected wildlife reserves and crystal blue waters surrounding Praslin, Cousin Island, La Passe, Laraie Bay, Aride Island and Mahé/Victoria.

Several of the itineraries maximize the distinct features of Crystal Esprit, including the yacht’s private marina, fully outfitted for complimentary use of water skis, wake and paddle boards, kayaks, jet skis and snorkel gear, and deep-water adventures up to 1,000 feet in the private submersible for an additional charge. The all-suite yacht offers Crystal’s signature acclaimed standard of luxury and service with private butler service for every suite; fresh, farm-to-table cuisine and an array of open-seating dining venues.

The safety of guests and crew members is Crystal’s number one priority and the fleet will resume service only when the company’s expert team and global health and government authorities indicate that it is safe to do so. Crystal has suspended all voyages across its fleet for the remainder of 2020, and introduced Crystal Clean+ – the initial set of health and safety protocols to be implemented when the company resumes service. Crystal Clean+ is considered the 2.0 version of Crystal’s already stringent protocols. The policies were developed with the latest data available from health experts and will be updated as new information and guidelines become available.

Tags: Crystal Esprit, Crystal Yacht Cruises