Holiday & Travel

Arrivals from the Middle East, North America and Africa will drive growth in Egypt’s tourism industry to 2021, according to the latest data published ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2018, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from April 22-25.

Between 2018 and 2021, arrivals from North America will increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.9% to 318,844. Factors contributing to this growth include the cheaper Egyptian Pound and government incentives for charter airlines carrying a certain number of passengers on international flights.

Over the same period, visitor numbers from Africa will increase by 3.8% CAGR to more than 300,901, while arrivals from the Middle East are predicted to increase by 3% CAGR to over 1.34 million. This is in contrast to a projected 1.6% CAGR in European visitors, who have traditionally been the key source market for Egypt with 5.2 million arrivals in 2017.

Egypt’s tourism industry has witnessed a strong 12 months, with total arrivals up 33.3% 2016-2017, according to data published by Colliers International.

Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM, said: “The tourism industry in Egypt recorded a strong performance in 2017, welcoming 7.2 million visitors, predominantly from Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC, after many years of muted growth. This is great news for the country and we expect this trend to continue in 2018 as a series of new attractions and investments are unveiled.”

Taking advantage of this resurgence in tourists are some of Egypt’s most exclusive resorts from Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor and Cairo, with the Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh, the Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo, and Mövenpick Resort Sharm El Sheikh just some of the operators set to exhibit at ATM 2018.

Other tourism companies such as Egypt’s Dana Tours, Egypt Express Travel, Royal Ambassador and DLC will also be present at this year’s show, and of course the Egyptian Tourism Authority will have a major presence too. Furthermore, figures from ATM 2017 show the number of delegates, exhibitors and attendees arriving from Egypt to participate in the show, increased 4% on the previous year.

In 2010, Egypt welcomed 14.7 million tourists however, the 2011 revolution saw that fall to 9.8 million the following year. The country’s once lucrative travel and tourism industry faced another setback in 2015 following the downing of a Russian plane in Sinai, killing all 224 people on board.

Russia, as well as Europe, have been a long-standing major source market for the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh, but a ban on direct flights to this destination stifled visitor numbers in 2016, with the total number of arrivals dipping to 5.4 million.

It is hoped the resumption of flights to Sharm El Sheikh from Europe will kick start the return of air transport between the UK and the Red Sea resort and also Russia and the Red Sea holiday destination.

Press added: “To win back the millions of tourists who used to arrive in the country each year, Egypt signed a three-year, US$66 million contract, with advertising agency J. Walter Thompson to create promotional campaigns for 27 source markets.

“In addition, Hilton’s Waldorf Astoria, Starwood’s St Regis and Swiss brand Mövenpick, are some of the names confirmed to operate the 52 new hotel projects currently under development.”

The expected resurgence in visitors from the North America, African countries and the Middle East will see both leisure and corporate travel in Egypt increase over the coming four years.

Supporting both segments, 2018 will see the government pursue a number of tourism investments including a new national museum and a series of new airports across the country.

The world's first non-stop flight from the UK to Australia, launches on Sunday 25th March from Heathrow Airport at 13.15, arriving in Perth at 13.00 the next day. Qantas, Australia's national carrier, will operate daily non-stop flights from London to Perth, using the brand-new Boeing 787-9. The 14,498-kilometre service is the first commercial service to directly link Australia with Europe.

With an enhanced cabin design, the Dreamliner also features turbulence dampening technology, improved air quality to reduce jetlag and 65 per cent larger windows to give passengers an increased sense of space. The B787-9 features Qantas' next-generation seating across Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class. What used to take four days and seven stops in 1947 now takes a single hop, with the service transporting snow-blasted Brits to Australia's sunniest city in just 17 hours.

The new flight is expected to deliver a tourism boost to Perth and Western Australia – one of 2018's must-visit destinations. The flights come at a time when Western Australia's sun kissed capital has never looked so appealing. Since 2012, 25 new or redeveloped hotels have opened in and around Perth. By 2020, a further 14 new or redeveloped hotels will come online – among the names still to come are The Westin, QT, Doubletree by Hilton and the Ritz-Carlton, which will be its first Australian property in 10 years Other developments, such as the glittering waterfront Elizabeth Quay development and several new bars, restaurants and new cultural and entertainment precincts, have flourished and transformed the city.

Paired with the growing urban sophistication is the amazing weather and flawless natural surrounds which Perth has always been known for. The city has 19 pristine city beaches, Kings Park (one of the largest urban parks in the world) and the Swan River which allows for kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding in the heart of the city. A short ferry from the city is Rottnest Island, home to miniature marsupial the quokka which has been named as the happiest animal on the planet. Then there's the Swan Valley, which is Western Australia's oldest wine region and the closest wine region to a capital city in Australia, just a 30-minute drive from the city centre. At more than 180 years old, its speciality premium wines include Chenin Blanc, Verdelho, Shiraz and fortifieds, with local grapes producing nearly 30 million bottles of wine a year – it's also home to breweries, distilleries, nougat, honey, chocolate, fresh produce and a wildlife park.

A survey shows a record high number of Chinese respondents—more than 60%—who plan to travel in-depth in 2018. “In-depth travels” is a term used by travel websites in China to describe the type of trips that involve more unconventional journeys beyond the typical tourist experience. For the very first time, Africa moved up to first place as the top in-depth travel destination Chinese travelers hope to visit in 2018, dethroning the ever-popular Japan and Australia. Among the destinations in Africa Chinese are most interested in Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, Namibia, Madagascar and Tanzania, according to Travelzoo’s website statistics.

Deal experts say the rapid growth in popularity in exotic destinations such as Morocco and Tunisia is largely due to relaxation of visa requirements for Chinese nationals. Chinese passport holders have been granted visa-free access to visit Morocco since June 2016and Tunisia since February 2017, and visa-on-arrival access to enter Tanzania and Egypt. There was a 378% year-over-year growth in Chinese arrivals in Morocco and 240% in Tunisia during the six months after the easing of visa requirements, which pushed Morocco to first place and Tunisia third as the destinations that enjoyed the greatest growth in Chinese visitors (source: ForwardKeys, October 2017).

Furthermore, the survey showed a 25% increase in the number of requests from  China who plan to take five or more overseas holidays in 2018. Statistics show the click-through rates of Morocco deals have increased 20% since the visa-free Morocco access was announced. Now that the major visa restrictions were lifted Chinese travelers are keen on Africa and their friends will follow. 2018 is about time that Africa took off and continued to grow in popularity throughout the year.

Beach holidays still top the activities Chinese travelers are interested in, followed by food and wine. Third place, however, was taken by historic attractions, rising from fifth spot last year. Cruises climbed to seventh place from tenth and photography tours appeared in the top 10 the first time. Otherwise, shopping dropped out of the top 10 activities for the first time and sightseeing also fell from ninth spot to last.

The days when Chinese tourists were entertained by merely sightseeing and shopping are long gone. The middle class in China are now seeking unforgettable experiences at their own pace when they travel. The destinations that offer rich culture and nature should expect many more Chinese visitors, so we’re confident in our prediction that 2018 will see Africa secure its place as the fastest-growing popular destination among avid Chinese travelers.”

Additionally, the survey revealed that the U.S.—one of the top five destinations of all time for Chinese travelers—fell from the third place to fifth this year while Japan and Australia remain number one and two. The U.K. retains the fourth spot, while no other Western European country made it into the top 10 this year.

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “Low Cost Airlines Market by Purpose, Destination and Distribution Channel: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2023,” the global low cost airlines market was valued at $117,726 million in 2016, and is projected to reach $207,816 million in 2023, registering a CAGR of 8.6% from 2017 to 2023.

Low cost airlines are passenger airlines, which offer travelling service tickets at relatively cheaper rate compared to other airlines (full service or traditional airline). Low cost airlines are also known as “no frills airlines,” “prizefighters,” “low-cost carriers (LCC),” “discount airlines,” and “budget airlines.” Some of the popular low cost airlines include Ryanair and EasyJet.

The growth of the market is attributed to the rise in economic activity, ease of travel, travel & tourism industry, urbanization, changes in lifestyle, consumers’ preference for low cost service along with non-stops, and frequent service, increase in purchasing power of middle class households especially in the developing regions, and high internet penetration coupled with e-literacy.

In 2016, the global scheduled airline passenger was estimated to be 3.8 billion, and around 28% of these passengers were carried by low cost airlines. However, the distribution/penetration of low cost airlines is equally distributed. For instance, in Latvia, Europe, around 80% of the passengers are flown by low-cost carriers, whereas, in Africa, nearly half of the countries have no low cost airline service.

In 2016, the leisure travel segment was the leading revenue contributor to the global market. However, the market is significantly expanding into the business travel segment, thus the business travel segment is expected to witness lucrative growth rate during the forecast period.

Twycross Zoo has successfully completed its second smooth Ele move, with Minbu, the Asian Elephant, packing her trunk and going to the seaside. Minbu is part of the all-female Elephant herd at the Leicestershire attraction that are being moved to Blackpool Zoo as part of an important breeding programme.

Mother and baby duo, Noorjahan and Esha, will be the last to arrive, joining Minbu, Tara and their new Ele friend, Kate.

A departure date for the elephants is yet to be confirmed, as it completely depends on when they are ready. However, experts at the Zoo say visitors can still see the adorable pair for a little while yet!

Jamaica Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett was today awarded Worldwide Tourism Minister of the Year by the prestigious Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) in Berlin, Germany.

“It is truly humbling to be recognized in this manner at such a major international event. I accept this award, not for myself but for the people of Jamaica – it is clear that we have made our mark on the globe. The world now knows that Jamaica can host the biggest conferences and that we have some of the best attractions and hotels. No matter the passion point of our visitor, we can deliver,” said the Minister.

During the ceremony, Jamaica also received the PATWA International Travel Award 2017 for Best Destination for Adventure Tourism.

PATWA is a professional organisation of travel writers, which was founded in 1998 and works with both the public and private sectors to support sustainable growth and improve the quality of travel and tourism. It adheres to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations (UN), and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). PATWA is an affiliate member of UNWTO.

Tomorrow, on 8 March, six all-female crews from Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Eurowings and Brussels Airlines will start their morning rounds to Berlin on time for the International Women’s Day. The jets are flown from Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, Vienna, Zurich and Brussels by two female pilots each.

In order to send out another signal on this day, the FlyingLab on flight LH440 from Frankfurt to Houston is under the command of a purely female crew – in the cabin, in the cockpit and also in front of the camera. The A380’s in-flight conference will not only focus on the various aspects of digital transformation, but will also highlight the achievements of women in a technology-dominated environment. A total of six speakers will talk about artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the future of work and mobility. The FlyingLab is the world’s only open innovation platform in the air. It consists of an on-board conference, which every passenger can follow on his or her own personal device and the opportunity to test the latest innovative products and services. The aim of this FlyingLab will be the South by Southwest (SXSW) – the world’s largest festival for interactive marketing, music and film that takes place annually in Austin, Texas.

„We have already been able to increase the number of female applicants at our pilot flying school by addressing applicants in a more targeted manner and by making it easier to combine family and work,” says Dr. Bettina Volkens, Member of the Executive Board for Human Resources and Legal Affairs of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. “15 percent of our junior pilots are currently female.”

As early as 1988, the first two women began their scheduled service at Lufthansa. In 2010, there was a premiere for the global airfreight industry: A freighter from Lufthansa Cargo took off with a purely female crew. Women in the cockpit are no longer rare. Approximately six percent of the Lufthansa Group’s pilots are female and their share has risen steadily over the past few years. Approximately 80 percent of the cabin crew are female. For the growing number of female pilots, Lufthansa has had the word “Kapitänin” (“Captain”) specially approved by the Gesellschaft für deutsche Sprache.

In addition to the cockpit, the Lufthansa Group also aims to increase the proportion of women in management positions. This is currently 15 percent. By 2021, the proportion of female executives at first management level is to be increased to 18 percent and at second management level to as much as 24 percent. „In order to meet these goals, we are preparing our best female junior executives for their future management responsibilities with our own one-year program,” says Volkens. At the same time, it is important to me to reduce unconscious bias when filling vacancies. A specially programmed video supports our hiring managers in selecting the right personnel for the right job.

A prominent Caribbean tourism leader is calling on the region's leaders to pay more attention to the need to protect and support women working in tourism, the region's biggest money earner.

Karolin Troubetzkoy, executive director of St. Lucia's storied Jade Mountain resort and its adjoining sister property, Anse Chastanet, said "Caribbean women are some of the most powerful and accomplished women in the global tourism and hospitality sectors, but there is still a need to ensure they can shine and advance without being compromised or limited."

Speaking on the occasion of International Women's Day, Troubetzkoy, who is also President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), suggested opening a dialogue to review with female leaders in the Caribbean tourism industry the sort of concerns that led to the formation of the "Me Too" and "Time's Up" movements in North America, which exposed egregious forms of sexual harassment and abuse in entertainment and other industries, but also highlighted other gender- and professional development-related issues.

"Our women are often at the frontlines of our tourism and hospitality industries because of the natural welcoming natures of our Caribbean people and we want to give them a forum to highlight issues, voice concerns, advance solutions and to ultimately ensure a safe and fair working environment," she stated.

"We should be looking at how best we can accelerate gender parity to help our women advance and unleash their limitless potential, to the benefit of ourselves, our industry and our countries and territories," Troubetzkoy continued.

"In addition to being an important industry for women to earn a living, tourism is also by far the leading bread earner for the Caribbean region, so protecting our women and allowing them to shine will also positively impact our valuable investments themselves," she declared.

"Women have done a lot of thinking about these issues for years, so it's time to hear their voices and to disseminate their recommendations much more widely. It's time to #PressforProgress," she concluded, referring to this year's International Women's Day theme.

Passengers and visitors traveling to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) with electric cars can do so with complete peace of mind. The airport’s first parking spaces with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations were created back in 2010.

Now, a further 16 parking spaces with a 3.7 kW supply have been installed. They are located in parking row No. 1406, on level 14, in the P2 parking structure at Terminal 1. More stations are to follow soon – including at Terminal 2.

Directions to “e-parking” at FRA are signposted and the parking spaces themselves are highlighted. What’s more: the electricity supplied is included upfront in the regular parking fee. When the battery is fully charged, the system stops charging automatically. Another plus point for the EV parking spaces is that their width was extended to a comfortable 2.5 meters during the recent refit.

It is currently not yet possible to pre-book EV parking spaces, therefore their availability cannot be guaranteed. Passengers and visitors can find details about other parking facilities at Frankfurt Airport and information on the wide range of services offered at FRA on the airport website, at the Service Shop and via the airport’s social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

The first Sky Dining evenings at British Airways i360 will take place on April 26 and May 24, 2018, offering a magical three-course meal in the sky with the sparkling lights of Brighton & Hove spread out like a carpet below.

The glass observation pod will be laid for fine dining and decked with romantic white lights. The elegant three-course meal will be served during three consecutive 25-minute pod flights – with starters during the first flight, main courses during the second flight and desserts and coffee during the final flight. There will be a break between each flight to use the facilities at ground level.

The delicious dishes include mackerel parfait with pea shoots and garlic crostini, seared chicken with fondant potato, spinach, glazed carrots and jus; and classic crème brulee or rich chocolate mousse pot.

As the evening unfolds, relax at your table over a glass of wine as the pod glides slowly from ground level to 450ft and back again, watching as the sky darkens, the sun sinks into the sea and the stars appear overhead.

Sky Dining is the ideal night out for romantics or those celebrating a landmark occasion. Customers will be contacted in advance and given the opportunity to book extras such as a bottle of Nyetimber English sparkling wine for their table, a bouquet of flowers or a birthday cake.

South African Tourism brought down a 60-member delegation for a 5-city roadshow to India, which successfully completed its Delhi-leg with back-to-back business meetings and networking with the travel trade in the city.

The 15th edition of the roadshow has been held in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Delhi and will be travelling to Ahmedabad after that.

Hanneli Slabber, Regional General Manager, Asia/Australasia/Middle East, South African Tourism, said, “The Indian market has not just grown considerably since our entry in 2005, demands of Indian travelers are in a constant and rapid state of evolution even today. This makes cross sharing of insights, trends and observations between our Indian and South African partners extremely crucial. We have had South African products being tailored to suit these specific needs as a testament of the value proposition we see in the market.”

Alpa Jani, Acting Hub-Head, Middle Easst/India/South East Asia, South African Tourism, said, “We have always recorded an outstanding response from the Indian travel trade and are eagerly looking forward to seeing the positive impact this Roadshow will have towards driving Indian traveler traffic to South Africa in 2018.”

Asia's largest airline, China Southern Airlines has launched a new route from the UK to China, with flights between London and Wuhan taking off in May 2018.

The new route will be the only non-stop flight operating from London to the Central Chinese city and will fly three times per week, from 30 May 2018 with fares from £377 return, including all taxes.

The historical city, which once consisted of three smaller cities – Hanyang, Hankou, and Wuchang – is the capital of the Hubei province and is the most settled city in Central China.

Divided by the Yangtze and Han rivers, the city was once a busy inland port, and today is spread across three main peninsulas, connected by bridges. Famous landmarks can be found in the city, including the Yellow Crane Tower (believed to have originally been built in 223AD, during the Three Kingdoms Period) and East Lake, a freshwater lake covering an area of 87sq km, of which 33sq km are water.

“Adding Wuhan to our portfolio marks another important step in making parts of China beyond just Beijing and Shanghai more accessible and attractive for UK travellers” says Nick Newman, Commercial Manager for China Southern Airlines, UK & Ireland. “The city is rich in history and therefore not only appeals to those with wanderlust but also serves as a strong commercial centre for business travellers”.

Based in Guangzhou, China Southern Airlines boasts the largest fleet, most developed route network, best safety record and largest passenger capacity of any airline in China, operating both the A380 and B787 (Dreamliner) aircraft. The new route, which will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, will use the Airbus 330-200.

She is 120 centimeters tall, with sparkling, round eyes and a pleasant voice: Starting today, “Josie Pepper” the robot will be answering questions for passengers in Terminal 2. Whether they need directions to their gate or want to stop at a certain restaurant or shop – Josie Pepper will look them in the eyes and give them a prompt answer.

With the rollout of Josie Pepper, Munich Airport and Lufthansa are breaking new ground: It is the first-ever test of a humanoid robot equipped with artificial intelligence at a German airport. For the next few weeks, Josie Pepper will welcome travelers to the non-public area of Terminal 2, which is jointly operated by Munich Airport and Lufthansa. In her initial deployment, Josie Pepper, who speaks English, will await passengers at the top of the ramp leading to the shuttle connecting the main terminal to the satellite building. This test phase will be used to show whether Josie Pepper is accepted by passengers.

Josie Pepper’s “brain” contains a high-performance processor with a WLAN internet access. This creates a connection to a cloud service where speech is processed, interpreted and linked to the airport data. What sets the system apart: When this robot type speaks, it does not just deliver pre-defined texts. With its ability to learn, it answers each question individually. Just like a “real” brain, the system gets steadily better at combining questions with the relevant information to provide more precise replies.

IBM Watson Internet of Things (IoT) cloud-based, artificial intelligence technologies are behind Josie Pepper’s capabilities. Pepper was developed by the French company SoftBank Robotics. The lady robot was given the name “Josie” by the staff of Munich Airport and Lufthansa when she arrived at the airport.

The latest figures from the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) indicate that a total of 76,173 visitors from the UK travelled to Costa Rica in 2017 – representing an increase of 6.7% on the previous year. This positive figure strengthens the position of the United Kingdom as Costa Rica's largest source market in Europe.

Germany (70,960), France (69,803) and Spain (69,782) follow the UK in 2017 visitor numbers to Costa Rica. The UK was also the biggest source market of visitors to Costa Rica in 2016 (71,392), one year after British Airways launched direct flights between London Gatwick and San José.

Rob Wilson, UK Representative of ICT, comments on the figures: “We are extremely pleased to see the continued growth of visitors from the UK to Costa Rica, helped greatly by the BA route. The green Central American country is truly making a space for those interested in unique wildlife and stunning landscapes. With these natural assets, we expect this growth to continue in the future.”

The Irish market also saw a good increase last year. A total of 4,321 Irish travellers visited Costa Rica in 2017, +8.6% compared to 2016. In total, Costa Rica welcomed 2,959,869 worldwide visitors in 2017, a 1.2% upsurge compared to 2016.

Bordered by the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica offers adventure, relaxation, exploration and wellness. From mountain ranges and rain forests to cloud forests and breath-taking beaches, Costa Rica's diversity of landscapes, climates and natural wonders provides visitors with unlimited experiences – including a great number of wellness activities in these pleasant settings.

THE 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards are now open to submissions from tourism destinations that want to wipe the floor with the competition.

After many years analysing tourism trends, the awards’ creators and owners, MyTravelresearch.com, aim to show tourism destinations that clean, creative, quirky public toilets go a long way to boosting a destination’s image and generating tourism dollars. People stop to spend a penny and end up spending more.

The 2018 awards will go to public toilets in the following categories: Best Economic Contributor, Best Location, Best Design, Quirkiest Toilet Experience, Best Accessible Toilet, Sanitation Progress (aimed at developing economy destinations that have made big steps in public toilet provision), and Overall Winner.

The 2018 awards were announced open 14 February at the Southern Highlands Welcome Centre in Mittagong, New South Wales -- the destination that won Best Economic Contributor in the inaugural awards last year.

Officially opening the 2018 awards, Carolyn Childs, co-founder of MyTravelResearch.com and the awards, told attendees: “More smart destinations around the world are waking up to the power of the loo as a promotional statement. There are brilliant examples around the world. We want to recognise the best of them for a job well done.”

Good Loos a Tourist Attraction in Their Own Right At the launch event, Manager Tourism & Events, Destination Southern Highlands, Steve Rosa, said: “It’s fair to say our loos have become a draw card in their own right since our win last year.”

Childs said the public loos at Destination Southern Highlands were indicative of the transformation destinations can make when they take pride in their public conveniences.

For example, the Southern Highlands Welcome Centre toilets were refurbished in late 2015 as part of a major overhaul of the centre. Today the toilets include a bright colour scheme, posters, audio reel, quirky fact stickers and free Wi-Fi. In recent weeks the centre added a bright mosaic entry wall to the loos.

Rosa told the audience that since the revamp of the centre’s “toilet experience” product sales at the welcome centre’s shop have increased by 20%. “The appeal of our toilets has allowed us to divert visitors into our information centre where we have been able to educate, motivate and sell them products. They also make hotel, restaurant and activity bookings there. It has given us an opportunity to disperse more visitors around the Southern Highlands and keep them longer.”

No Entry Cost for Toilet Tourism Awards The 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards are free to enter. Destinations or toilet owners simply fill out an online form here and submit it before the closing date of 1 May 2018. Winners will be announced 4 June 2018.

A judging panel drawn from the tourism and toilet provision sectors will be announced shortly.

The overall winner will receive a AU$2000 donation contributed to the World Toilet Organization for allocation to a sanitation project in a developing economy. The donation will be made in the name of the overall winner, who will also receive a copy of every MyTravelResearch.com research publication in 2018 (worth AU$8000), and access to tourism research events. Other category winners will receive the same, minus the donation to the World Toilet Organization.

“The 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards are up for grabs,” said Bronwyn White, co-founder of the awards. “Let’s see who will ascend the toilet tourism throne and wear the crown for a year.”