Hundreds of passengers from South Africa were being held at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on Friday after the Netherlands imposed new travel restrictions amid concerns over an aggressive mutation of the novel coronavirus.

The European Union and other major destinations, including the United States and Canada, have moved to block flights from African countries following the discovery of the Omicron variant, echoing previous emergency responses that triggered a global freeze on travel.

Two flights from South Africa, one from Cape Town and one from Johannesburg, landed Friday late morning local time at Schiphol, an airport spokesman said. The passengers had to remain on board the flight while a separate, secure location in the airport was being located and are waiting to be tested, he said.

The spokesman estimated the two flights were carrying between 400 and 600 passengers between them. Given the large number of travelers involved, “it will take time to test everyone,” he said.

The new strain has so far been detected in South Africa, Botswana, and in two travelers quarantining in Hong Kong. A case has also been reported in Belgium.

European Union states have agreed to introduce temporary restrictions on all travel into the EU from southern Africa over the new coronavirus variant, the bloc said Friday. The countries concerned are Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, EU Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden will restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi starting Monday, administration officials told CNN.

Biden told the press he had “decided we’re going to be cautious” about the variant. “We don’t know a lot about the variant except that it is a big concern and seems to spread rapidly,” he said.

Canada will be “banning the entry of foreign nationals… that have traveled through southern Africa in the last 14 days,” due to the Omicron variant, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told a press conference on Friday.

Anyone who has traveled through southern Africa in the last 14 days should get a Covid-19 test and quarantine until they get a negative test result, said Duclos. The countries include South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Eswatini, he said.

“Canadians and permanent residents and those with a right of entry into Canada will be tested on arrival, [and] they will quarantine until they get the result of a negative test,” according to Duclos.

The United Kingdom, Japan, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan are also among those imposing restrictions on flights and travelers from southern African nations in light of the new variant.

The World Health Organization announced Friday it had designated the newly identified variant, B.1.1.529, as a variant of concern, named Omicron.

While only dozens of cases have been identified so far, news of the variant, which has around double the amount of mutations as the Delta variant, is already sparking fears around the world.

On Friday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned against travel bans, stressing such restrictions are “not a long-term solution” when it comes to managing coronavirus variants.

“Governments are responding to the risks of the new coronavirus variant in emergency mode causing fear among the traveling public. As quickly as possible we must use the experience of the last two years to move to a coordinated data-driven approach that finds safe alternatives to border closures and quarantine,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh in a statement.

Tourism fears

The cascade of closures began late Thursday as the UK announced it would be temporarily suspending flights from South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini, with Health Secretary Sajid Javid describing the variant as the “worst ever” strain of the virus.

The move prompted the South African government to issue a statement describing the UK’s decision as “rushed,” and expressed concern about the damage it would cause to “both the tourism industries and businesses of both countries.”

In the hours since, Japan has tightened border controls for travelers from the same six countries, bringing in a 10-day quarantine beginning 12 a.m. November 27.

Meanwhile, Germany planned to declare South Africa a “virus variant area” from Friday night, which will mean airlines may only enter from the country to repatriate German citizens.

Fellow EU nations Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Malta have all announced imminent entry bans to all travelers who’ve entered South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini in the past two weeks.

KLM said passengers will only be allowed on flights from South Africa to the Netherlands if they comply with the entry restrictions imposed by the Dutch government.

The entry ban does not apply to people with Dutch passports, EU citizens, Schengen Area residents, medical emergency staff, airline staff and people traveling under exceptional circumstances, such as family emergencies.

French Health Minister Olivier Véran said the “rapid” circulation of the variant in South Africa “means that it’s probably contagious or very contagious,” justifying France’s precautionary stance.

After Belgium reported one person recently arrived from Egypt had tested positive for B.1.1.529, France said it was “reinforcing” control at its border with Belgium.

Singapore has opted to ban all non-residents from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe from entering, while nationals and permanent residents returning from any of these countries will be required to serve a 10-day stay home notice (SHN). Malaysia and the Philippines have taken similar steps.

Dubai will restrict travelers originating from or transiting from the same seven African countries starting Monday until further notice, Emirates airline said, citing Dubai’s Covid-19 Command and Control Center.

Outbound passenger flights from Dubai to the countries listed are permitted, however, the Emirates statement said.

Saudi Arabia on Friday announced a temporary suspension of flights to and from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini, and urged both citizens and residents to avoid travel to the region until further notice.

Meanwhile, Jordan has announced any Jordanians arriving from several countries including South Africa will have to go into government quarantine for 14 days, according to a report Friday by Jordanian public broadcaster Al Mamlaka TV.

Non-Jordanians traveling from South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini and Botswana will only be allowed entry if they spend 14 days outside those countries in a third country, Al Mamlaka TV said, citing the country’s Interior Ministry. The new measures will go into effect Sunday.

Turkey has issued a travel ban from five African countries — Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe — as of Friday night, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Twitter.

The developments have led to speculation that strict curbs on travel brought in at the start of the pandemic could be on their way back.

The trade group representing major US airlines said it has “many unanswered questions” about the Biden administration’s travel restrictions.

“We remain in communication with the US government as specifics remain unknown at this time and there are many unanswered questions,” Airlines for America spokesman Carter Yang said. “Amid this rapidly evolving situation, it is critical that US government decisions regarding international travel restrictions and requirements be rooted in science.”

Delta Air Lines said it will not stop service to and from South Africa. United Airlines said it will not scale back its service to Johannesburg and will restart its route to Cape Town next week as planned.

Source: CNN Travel

Air Tanzania has announced plans to launch direct flights to Nairobi, Bujumbura and Lubumbashi in November this year.

The airline says it will operate two daily flights from Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam to Nairobi, with effect from 26th November 2021.

The airline will then start flying to Burundi starting from 8th November 8, in addition to operating three flights a week to Ndola in Zambia and the eastern DR Congo city of Lubumbashi, respectively, starting 18th November 2021.

Air Tanzania is the flag carrier airline of Tanzania, based in Dar es Salaam with its hub at Julius Nyerere International Airport. It currently operates 12 domestic routes, namely Zanzibar, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Geita, Bukoba, Kigoma, Mpanda, Mbeya, Tabora, Dodoma, and Songea.

Internationally, the airline flies to Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Comoros, India, and China.

The airline recently acquired two Airbus A220-300 aircraft with a capacity of 132 passengers and take-off weight of 68.9 tonnes, raising its fleet of A220s to four, and boosting its plan to introduce more international routes.

The Tanzanian government has ordered four new planes to boost its national carrier’s capability in Africa and abroad.

On Tuesday, at the 2021 Dubai Airshow, Boeing and Tanzania announced an order of a 787-8 Dreamliner, a 767-300 Freighter and two 737 MAX jets.

The airplanes, valued at more than $726 million at list prices, will be operated by Air Tanzania.

The planes will help expand service from the country to new markets across Africa, Asia and Europe.

“Our flagship 787 Dreamliner is popular with our passengers, providing unrivalled in-flight comfort and ultra-efficiency for our long-haul growth,” said Air Tanzania CEO Ladislaus Matindi.

Mr Matindi said the introduction of the 737 MAX and 767 Freighter will give Air Tanzania exceptional capability and flexibility to meet passenger and cargo demand within Africa and beyond.

Based in Dar es Salaam, the carrier will expand its current fleet of 787s, leveraging the new 737s for its regional network and the 767 Freighter to capitalise on Africa’s burgeoning cargo demand.

Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales & Marketing, Ihssane Mounir, said the procurement of the four airplanes will boost air travel for the Tanzanian national carrier.

“Africa is the third fastest-growing region worldwide for air travel, and Air Tanzania is well-positioned to increase connectivity and expand tourism throughout Tanzania. We are honoured that Air Tanzania has chosen Boeing for its fleet modernisation programme by adding an additional 787 and introducing the 737 MAX and the 767 Freighter into its expanding network,” Mr Mounir said.

Boeing’s 2021 Commercial Market Outlook forecasts that, by 2040, Africa’s airlines will require 1,030 new airplanes valued at $160 billion and aftermarket services such as manufacturing and repair worth $235 billion, supporting growth in air travel and economies across the continent.

Boeing’s heritage in Africa began more than 75 years ago, with more than 60 airline customers operating as many as 500 Boeing airplanes.

Boeing has an office in Johannesburg, South Africa, in addition to field service representatives supporting commercial customers across the continent.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries.

As a top US exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future and living the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.

Source: The East African

The global aviation industry is showing signs of recovery as more countries open their borders with an increase in the rate of vaccinations, giving hope to the sector that was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.

International Air Travel Association (IATA) says the sector recorded an 18 percent growth in September when compared with the previous month, coming as good news to the sector.

Major economies across the world including the US, India, China and a host of European countries have opened up their borders to tourists.

Last month, the US announced that it had started allowing fully vaccinated tourists following months of restriction, with India following suit this week.

“Air travel picked up in September, after a slight deterioration in the previous month,” said IATA.

“Vaccination rates have been rising around the world, albeit slowly. Nearly half of the global population has received at least one vaccine dose as of October, but large differences remain across advanced and emerging markets,” the agency added.

The latest developments in key demand drivers and travel bookings indicate that air travel recovery will continue, although any significant improvement looks unlikely before the year-end, according to IATA.

According to Kenya’s Ministry of Health, a total of 5,997,816 vaccines had so far been administered across the country as of Sunday. Of these, 3,887,459 are partially vaccinated while those fully vaccinated are 2,110,357.

The relaxation of Covid-19 protocols has seen Kenya Airways ramp up its frequencies to a number of countries in the last couple of weeks.

For instance, the airline has increased flights to Ethiopia from four to seven a week, DRC from five previously to eight, Dare salaam and Entebbe from 14 to 16.

“All this (increase in frequencies) is occasioned by demand increase due to relaxation of travel restrictions by many countries,” said KQ.

The national carrier has so far resumed flights to India and UK with increased frequencies to London after Kenya was removed from the red list, which had barred travellers from Kenya to go to Britain.

The government announced last week that Kenya’s aviation market had picked up by 90 percent as the sector is recording a steady growth in air travel following the effects of Covid-19 that slowed down the industry.

Principal Secretary for Transport Joseph Njoroge said the sector is now recording an improvement in traffic and the aviation industry has begun the process of recovery.

“In Kenya our domestic market is vibrant and we are at 90 percent compared to the levels in 2019. International traffic has also picked up to 71 percent,” said Mr Njoroge.

Freight business, however, has been growing faster than the passenger segment of aviation due to high demand for cargo with Africa recording the highest growth globally in September.

Data from IATA indicates that Africa recorded a 34.6 percent growth in the review period to mark a ninth consecutive increment on month to month.

The volumes, according to IATA, are 20 percent above the pre-crisis 2019 levels but have been trending sideways for the past six months.

All the regions across the world saw their cargo volumes increase, an indicator that the aviation sector is now more dependent on cargo in the wake of dwindling number of passengers seeking air travel.

Source: Business Daily

During the first week of October, when the Taliban takeover of the country and the ensuing chaos were still fresh in the minds of Expo 2020 Dubai visitors, the Afghanistan pavilion found itself in a conspicuous position despite being closed.

However, the unit has been open since then, thanks in part to the support of the host government. It is the same story for the pavilions of Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and the Bahamas.

On display inside the Afghanistan pavilion, located in the Sustainability District, is an impressive collection of carpets, precious stones, daggers, antique jewelry and traditional attire — totems of a country with a diverse cultural heritage, the result of being a crossroads of many civilizations and empires for centuries.

The collection belongs to Omar Rahimy, who fled Afghanistan in 1978 at the urging of his father to escape the turmoil that followed the communist takeover. When Rahimy left for Austria, he took items from his father’s antiques shop in Kabul, which have now found their way to the expo pavilion.

The opening of the Afghanistan pavilion was the result of efforts by the UAE government, coupled with the commitment and dedication of Rahimy himself, sources told Arab News.

While the host government provided generous support, Rahimy went out of his way to prevent the pavilion falling victim to the vagaries of Afghanistan’s politics.

The rationale behind underwriting the construction and maintenance of pavilions of states in the grip of severe economic or governance crisis is to avoid any country going unrepresented at Expo 2020 Dubai, the latest iteration of a global event that aims to educate the public, share innovation, promote progress and foster cooperation.

It is part of the expo’s mission to make sure all the world’s 192 countries (as designated by the UN) are present in Dubai through their own specially designed pavilion.

As a result, Expo 2020 Dubai can justifiably claim to be the first ever World Expo in which all nations are represented and where no participating entity is at a disadvantage in terms of opportunity and economic possibility.

Like Afghanistan, Lebanon’s inclusion is a remarkable feat given the political, economic and social challenges the country faces, which run from power outages, fuel shortages and civil unrest to the collapse of the central banking system

Inside the Lebanon pavilion, located in the Opportunity District, are showpieces of the country’s rich creative scene, including artworks, design objects, crafts, fashion and food.

“Our pavilion space and its construction took place thanks to a generous grant from the UAE to Lebanon,” Mohammed Abu Haider, Lebanon’s director general at the Ministry of Economy, said.

“It wasn’t a surprise to us because the UAE has always stood by Lebanon and its people through good and bad times. We are truly thankful, especially since without this grant Lebanon would have been unrepresented at the world’s largest expo.”

The pavilion provides a platform for Lebanon’s manufacturers and dealers to network as well as explore new avenues of trade and cooperation.

“Being situated in the Opportunities District of the expo allows Lebanon to meet other cultures, visions and success stories in order to tap into every available opportunity that can benefit the Lebanese economy and the Lebanese people,” Abu Haider said.

Syria’s pavilion is another case in point. Located in the Sustainability District, the structure pays homage to the country’s heritage as the cradle of some of the world’s earliest known alphabets and musical notation, alongside contemporary arts and designs under the theme “We will rise together.”

The UAE paid for the entire pavilion.

“Syria has been going through a crisis since the civil war started in 2011,” Hala Khayat, adviser to the Syrian pavilion, said.

“Participating in Expo 2020 Dubai was a dream that, as a nation, we did not originally think possible because we had internal issues to solve. However, thanks to the generosity of the UAE that paid for the pavilion, we were lucky to open a new chapter to show the best of Syria to the world.”

Through its pledge of “one nation, one pavilion,” the UAE made available architectural and design guidance to make sure that every country is represented.

Often at global events, participation is dependent on a nation’s economic means and cultural influence. Those that come up short tend to get relegated to the sidelines or excluded altogether.

“At the Milan Expo in 2015, I remember how most African countries were placed in a large hall with no distinct features,” Ahmed Al-Enezi, senior manager for arts and culture at Expo 2020, said.

“It’s an incredible feat that the UAE has allowed for every country to be represented no matter what economic hardship and conflicts they are undergoing.”

Expo 2020’s mission is to offer a global platform for “cross-pollination” between cultures, Maha Al-Gargawi, an Expo 2020 Dubai spokesperson, said.

“There are 192 countries participating which not only makes this the most international World Expo, but the most inclusive,” she said.

It is not just the UAE’s Middle Eastern and Central Asian neighbors who have benefited from grants and support. Take the Bahamas, an archipelago and country on the northwestern edge of the West Indies.

Although the Bahamas is well known for its luxury tourism and offshore-banking industries, its economy is grappling with an unprecedented crisis wrought by a combination of natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Bahamas originally started as a self-build participant in Expo 2020 Dubai to construct a 15,000 sq ft pavilion in conjunction with architectural students from the University of the Bahamas,” Tony S. Joudi, the Bahamian ambassador to the UAE and Qatar, said.

“But since the time of that commitment, a major hurricane hit the Bahamas and caused severe devastation to our economy’s infrastructure and left thousands of people dead with many others homeless.

“This was followed in 2020 by the COVID pandemic which didn’t spare the Bahamas and thus caused another major setback in the health system, adding a further dent to the economy and devastating the lives of the Bahamian people.”

Located in the Sustainability District, the pavilion’s message is tied to Expo 2020 Dubai’s collective vision of working in harmony with the environment to live more sustainably.

“The UAE has been extremely supportive, generous, and passionate about our cause and helped the Bahamas in many ways … granting all the rights and privileges given to any friend in need,” said Joudi.

Al-Gargawi, the Expo 2020 Dubai spokesperson, put it this way: “Every country has a voice, and every country has an equal standing here. It’s the first time in World Expo history that countries are not segregated by their economy or their geography. It’s one nation for one pavilion unit.

“This stems from the vision of the leaders of the UAE who believe that the city of Dubai and the UAE is a platform for the whole world and that is what Expo 2020 tried to do.”

Source: Arab News

Global aircraft manufacturers secured deals, touted new freighters, reconnected with customers and expressed optimism about the future at the Dubai Airshow that ended on Thursday amid signs of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic that has hammered the aviation industry.

The world’s first major aerospace exhibition in two years since the onset of the pandemic concluded after a week in which dozens of multibillion-dollar commercial and military deals were signed, while aviation industry players emphasised their efforts at addressing climate change concerns.

The National provides a round-up of the biennial event’s highlights.

Airbus received orders and commitments for 408 aircraft, comprising 269 firm orders and 139 provisional orders, covering the range of its commercial aircraft families, including a first commitment for the new A350 freighter version.

The manufacturer, based in Toulouse, France, bagged a major order for narrow-body jets from private equity company Indigo Partners. The group’s airlines placed a firm order for 255 A321 Neo family aircraft, valued at $32 billion at 2018 list prices, although customer discounts are customary. The order includes 102 planes for Europe’s Wizz Air (75 A321 Neos and 27 A321XLRs), 91 A321 Neo aircraft for US-based Frontier, 39 A321 Neos for Volaris and 23 aircraft for JetSMART (21 A321 Neo and two A321XLRs).

The European plane maker also won a debut commitment for seven A350 freighter jets from US leasing company Air Lease Corp, as the global air cargo market booms.

The letter of intent for the 111 jets included 25 A220-300s, 55 A321 Neos, 20 A321XLRs, four A330 Neo wide-bodies and seven A350 freighters. The order will be finalised in coming months, Airbus said, without providing a deal value.

Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways placed an order for 28 A321 Neos and the option for five more jets in a deal worth $3.4bn at list prices, while Nigeria’s Ibom Air became a new Airbus customer with a firm order for 10 A220s.

On the third day of the air show, US rival Boeing scored an order for 72 737 Max jets valued at nearly $9bn at list prices. Smaller deals included an order by Air Tanzania for the 787-8 Dreamliner, a 767-300 freighter and two 737 Maxs. Emirates ordered two 777 freighters. Sky One FZE announced a sales agreement for three 777-300 planes.

Best things to see

Boeing’s mammoth 777X, the world’s biggest passenger jet, dominated the skyline of the air show’s static display, looming large with its signature wings and a queue of visitors waiting to see the interior. The international debut of the long-delayed aircraft came as customer Emirates and Boeing held discussions at the event about the timeframe to deliver the aircraft.

Russia displayed a prototype of its new fifth-generation warplane, the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate, for the first time outside the country.

State-owned Rostec revealed a perfume to commemorate the Checkmate’s international debut in a YouTube video.

“Checkmate is a fifth-generation fragrance for masters of the game,” the video says, revealing the Checkmate aircraft against the outline of a black knight chess piece. A full-size bottle appears through the rotating metal engine blades, a gift box unfolds into a black-and-white chessboard to highlight the slogan ‘Turn the Chessboard’.

Russia presented the Checkmate as a cost-efficient fighter jet with flight speeds of Mach 1.8 and a range of 2,800 to 2,900 kilometres.

Military spending

The UAE’s Ministry of Defence announced 22 deals worth Dh22.5bn during the first four days of the air show, awarded to local and international companies, according to its official Twitter account.

Abu Dhabi-based defence conglomerate Edge, whose exhibitor stand was among the biggest at the site, signed a slew of deals during the event. The latest included an agreement with weapons maker Israel Aerospace Industries to jointly develop advanced unmanned surface vessels for military and commercial use.

Airbus sold two additional Airbus A330 multi role tanker transports to the UAE Air Force and Air Defence, and secured a new export order for two A400M new generation airlifters from the Indonesian Ministry of Defence.

Emirates

The Dubai-based airline had a busy week at the air show. It signed an agreement with GE Aviation committing to develop a programme under which an Emirates Boeing 777-300ER powered by GE90 engines will conduct a test flight using 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel by the end of 2022. The collaboration is expected to show how widebody commercial aircraft using jet fuel made from alternative sources can lower lifecycle CO2 emissions, it said.

Emirates SkyCargo announced that it will introduce two new Boeing 777 freighters into its fleet in 2022, and signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries for the conversion of four Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft into full freighters, starting in early 2023.

The airline said at the air show that it will retrofit 105 of its Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft with its Premium Economy cabin. The entire 18-month retrofit programme, starting in 2022, will take place in its home base in Dubai.

During the show, Emirates was engaged in positive talks with Boeing regarding the delivery time and supply chain for the 777X programme, said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman and chief executive of Emirates airline and group.

When asked if state-owned Emirates could be among the 10 government entities that Dubai plans to list on its bourse, Sheikh Ahmed said: “We have successful businesses within the group that can be [listed].”

Etihad Airways

Sustainability was top of the agenda for the Abu Dhabi-based carrier at the show. Etihad Airways, which has been focused on its fleet of GEnX-powered Boeing 787’s under its Greenliner sustainability programme, will now include the Rolls-Royce XWB-powered Airbus A350 fleet. The first of Etihad’s A350s, launched at the air show as the “Sustainability50”, marks the airline’s commitment to the 2050 target of net-zero carbon emissions.

Aviation outlook for the Middle East

Middle East airlines will require 3,020 new passenger and freight aircraft deliveries by 2040, according to the 2021 Airbus Global Market Forecast launched at the show. This will bring the total fleet to 3,210 from a 2019 fleet baseline of 1,300 aircraft.

Airbus forecasts that air traffic in the Middle East will achieve full recovery to 2019 levels between late 2022 and mid 2024.

Source: The National News

With the tourism and hospitality sector witnessing signs of a positive recovery worldwide, the recently concluded World Tourism Forum (WTF) International Festival held in Andermatt, Switzerland, sought to bring together distinguished stakeholders of the industry to deliberate and discuss on a wide range of topics relevant to building upon this momentum.

With a theme of ‘Moving Forward’, the event’s many sessions focused on innovation, sustainability, and the role of start-ups in helping the sector work around its traditional business model.

The Tourism Executive Roundtable held on the last day of the event, saw Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited; Adam Sacks, President of Tourism Economics; Christine Demen Meier, Managing Director of Les Roches and Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director of Twenty14 Holdings, engage in a constructive dialogue on the sector’s main challenges and opportunities.

The roundtable threw light on the need for the tourism and hospitality sector to innovate for the future, and Adeeb Ahamed, who was recently appointed to the WTF’s Advisory Board, pointed out the need for various stakeholders of the industry, right from asset owners, to operators, travel agents and other crucial links of the travel supply chain, to find common ground in adopting technology-led innovation, at a faster pace. He also mentioned how innovative practices have helped provide better returns in other sectors, and how such practices can be beneficial for the hospitality sector as well.

Puneet expressed hope that the sector could find the right answers in challenging its basic business model if it was to position itself more responsibly in matters of climate change and sustainability.

Christine meanwhile, spoke of the need for the industry to position itself responsibly in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint.

The discussion also revolved on the importance of recovering from the crisis and better handling of the industry’s resource crunch, especially skilled human resources, to ensure the sector seems as prospective to investors as future talents and job aspirants.

Founded in 2008, World Tourism Forum is the world’s most coveted tourism platform where international top-level decision makers from industry, government, academia, and finance collaborate with the next generation on future challenges.

The next gathering of WTF will be held in New Delhi, India in December.

Source: Gulf News

Brexit risks the very future of the outbound travel industry by depriving young people of opportunities to make their way in travel, and the sector of a new generation of talent, it has been warned. 

The industry’s concerns were shared at a session of the UK Trade and Business Commission on Thursday (18 November), at which industry leaders renewed their plea to the UK government to agree a new Youth Mobility Visa arrangement with Britain’s European neighbours now the provisions enshrined in the EU Posted Workers Directive no longer apply to young Brits looking to work overseas.

Other worries, said Best for Britain, include higher holiday prices and an increase in costly red tape.

Charles Owen, managing director of European Pubs Limited and director of Seasonal Businesses in Travel (Sbit), a campaign group representing around 200 outbound travel and tourism firms, said that his business had previously hired 95% of its employees from the UK for summer and winter seasons.

This, though, has dropped “substantially” since Brexit, said Owen, owing to the additional risk, cost and administration required to give young people from the UK the same opportunities to work overseas they were previously afforded under the directive.

The commission, in a submission from Best for Britain, heard this would result in a loss of competitiveness and market share, and contribute to a “skills drain” across an industry that can ill-afford to lose more talent following the Covid downturn.

Additionally, it was told the lack of an agreement with the EU would result in a “huge loss of opportunities, training and experience for young UK citizens”, many of whom it is widely accepted typically go on to have lengthy careers in the travel and tourism sector, and become future travel leaders.

Beyond a loss of talent, other consequences, the commission heard, include a loss of capacity and competitiveness owing to reduced economies of scape and negotiating power, which Best for Britain said increase costs and ultimately push up prices for UK holidaymakers.

’Ministers Must Listen’

“When people talk about labour shortages, they usually think about empty shelves in the UK,” said Owen. “But the outbound tourist industry has been severely impacted by these new barriers to hiring UK workers in European resorts, and this could lead to less choice and higher costs for UK holidaymakers.

“Not only will this dent our GDP, but it severely reduces opportunities for young people, for employment, experience and skills training. The government must make changes to the EU-UK trade deal to address this.”

Labour MP Paul Blomfield, who chaired the hearing of the commission, added: “While the government is falling over itself to offer emergency visas to address domestic labour shortages created by their Brexit deal, they are neglecting the interests of British workers who want to take up jobs in other European countries.

“An estimated 25,000 British workers used to work across the EU each year, largely young workers who played an important role. Ministers must listen to industry experts, and offer workable changes to the problems they caused for the tourism sector and those working in it.”

Source: TTG Media

The travel industry has reached a turning point.

As thousands of scientists, government officials and business leaders met in Glasgow over the past two weeks for the pivotal United Nations climate conference, hundreds of members of the trillion-dollar tourism industry came together and made the first commitment toward a shared road map to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030 and reach “net zero” by 2050.

More than 300 global travel stakeholders, including tour operators, tourism boards and hotel chains, have signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, requiring them to submit a concrete and transparent plan within 12 months. While the details have yet to be put forward, the companies and countries that signed on, from Germany railway company Deutsche Bahn AG to the country of Panama, will be expected to disclose their carbon emissions and offer clear strategies for how to reduce them. The process is being spearheaded by the U.N. World Tourism Organization and the World Travel & Tourism Council, two industry bodies that have previously sparred on climate matters.

“This is undoubtedly the biggest climate commitment our industry has come together for,” said Jeremy Smith, the co-founder of Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, an initiative that supports climate action and provided the framework for the Glasgow Declaration.

“Our initiative launched two years ago because the industry had no collective plan, and we did well getting over 400 tourism organizations on board without funding,” he said. “But the Glasgow Declaration builds on our work. It’s the coming together of major players in our sector and it’s owned by everyone who has signed it, establishing collective responsibility.”

The travel industry is a large contributor to global carbon emissions, with a footprint estimated between 8 and 11 percent of total greenhouse gases, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council, or W.T.T.C. Aviation alone represents around 17 percent of total travel carbon emissions. Each year, a growing number of destinations and communities heavily dependent on tourism — countries like Thailand, India and Madagascar — are hit hard by the impacts of climate change, in the form of rising sea levels, drought, wildfires, deforestation and biodiversity loss.

The pandemic spotlighted the adverse impact of industry growth and overtourism on Venice, Bali and other popular destinations, forcing some places to take stock and pivot toward more sustainable and environmentally friendly business models. Yet with most operators and destinations reeling from the industry shutdown last year, it is unclear how many of those plans will be prioritized over the need for fast recovery.

“We need a cultural change and we need to move beyond the traditional growth-oriented mind-sets to see a more sustainable, responsible and climate-neutral tourism ecosystem,” said Patrick Child, deputy director general of environment at the European Commission.

 ‘A lot of apathy’

The declaration has four main targets: measurement, requiring companies to disclose all travel- and tourism-related emissions; decarbonization, by setting targets aligned with climate science; regeneration, to restore and protect natural ecosystems; and collaboration, to ensure best practices are shared and financing is available to follow through.

A recent analysis by the W.T.T.C. of 250 travel businesses found that only 42 percent had publicly announced climate targets and many of them were not based on the latest science. The council last week published a road map for different industries within travel, providing concrete guidance on how to reach “net zero” targets by 2050.

“There has been a lot of apathy, with some people not quite sure about what they need to do and how to do it, or some thinking they are not significant enough, and that’s why it’s really important for larger organizations to show the way,” said Darrell Wade, the co-founder and chairman of Intrepid Travel, the only global tour company with a climate target verified by the Science Based Targets initiative, which promotes best practices in emissions reductions in line with climate science.

Joining Deutsche Bahn and Panama in signing the Glasgow Declaration are big companies like Accor, Skyscanner, The Travel Corporation and Iberostar Group, as well as countries that are already affected by climate change, including Norway and Barbados. Signatories hope that more destinations will participate in the coming weeks.

Throughout his experience in the Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency initiative, Mr. Smith found it easier to get smaller, more agile companies and smaller countries involved. When it came to larger companies, there were more barriers and obstacles, he said.

“When you reach a destination, or even a city, it becomes even harder because there are multiple different players with different interests at the scale of a country,” he said. “It takes time.”

Panama, one of only three carbon-negative countries in the world (meaning that it absorbs more carbon emissions than it emits), has taken a lead role in establishing initiatives for economic growth in tourism, which also benefit and preserve local communities and resources.

“Our main plan for our sustainable tourism market is to empower local communities, particularly Indigenous people, so that they can generate an income through tourism that allows them to preserve their ancestral way of life, allowing them to sustainably manage their natural resources like forests and coral reefs,” said Ivan Eskildsen, Panama’s tourism minister.

He pointed to an example of a trail that was built in a national park that was designed to involve local communities in the active management of the area. “Over 30 percent of our land and sea are preserved national parks, so it’s humanly impossible to supervise all these areas,” he said. “The community can benefit economically from these areas and will also be prone to stay and take care of it instead of only coming there for short-term income.”

Visit Scotland, that country’s national tourism organization, which helped draft the declaration, has also taken a lead role. The organization has reduced its own carbon emission by 74 percent since 2008, and more than 850 local businesses have been given green tourism awards for their sustainability efforts.

Challenges persist

While the Glasgow Declaration has garnered great momentum and established common objectives, challenges lie ahead, especially when it comes to setting a global standard for reporting emissions figures for such a wide range of sectors within the industry, from tour operators to destinations, and airlines to cruise ships.

Signatories are expected to hold each other accountable and set common standards throughout international supply chains. Once action plans have been submitted within the next year, a reporting framework will be necessary. Anyone who fails to submit a road map within that time frame will be removed from the declaration.

“It is really important to bring value chains together,” said Catherine Dolton, the chief sustainability officer at IHG Hotels and Resorts. “Hotel developers, hotel owners, investors, franchisees, as well as the operators, are all impacting sustainability at different stages of the hotel life cycle.”

Visibly absent from the list of signatories were members of the cruise industry. The sector made a separate pledge to pursue carbon-neutral cruising by 2050 and reduce emissions 40 percent by 2030 in an annual environmental report, published last week by the industry trade group, Cruise Line International Association. While the report makes detailed commitments to reducing the cruise industry’s carbon footprint using new technology and alternative fuels, it does not address other environmental issues such as discharge of waste.

“Despite technical advances and some surveillance programs, cruising remains a major source of air, water (fresh and marine) and land pollution affecting fragile habitats, areas and species, and a potential source of physical and mental human health risks,” according to a recent report by the Marine Pollution Bulletin Journal.

Though there was some disappointment about the limited participation of some industries in the pledge, the overall sentiment was one of optimism and a belief that the declaration would lead to real change and less “greenwashing,” a term used to describe companies that try to portray themselves as more environmentally minded than they actually are.

“I’ve long been quite pessimistic about travel and tourism’s approach toward climate change,” said Mr. Wade of Intrepid Travel, which recently published a tool kit, available online, to help travel businesses measure and reduce their carbon emissions. “But now I’m really very optimistic because there is broad-level support from the industry to actually reduce emissions, and it’s the first time I’ve seen real concrete commitments from industry and governments.”

Source: New York Times

The Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2021) will see Durban host key figures from the world of trade, including entrepreneurs, financiers, governments and regulators, on one platform to deliberate on trade acceleration and investment throughout the African continent.

Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, IATF2021 is being held at Durban International Convention Centre, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

IATF2021 is expected to attract over 10,000 attendees from across Africa with US$40 billion of trade and investment deals set to be concluded at the event, meaning the conference offers unrivalled business and commercial networking opportunities and will boost intra-African trade and investment.

Attendees will be able to see 1,100 exhibitors showcasing their goods and services, while Business-to-Business and Business-to-Government exchanges provide opportunities for further deals, business matchmaking and networking.

Speakers at the conference are from some of the highest tiers of business and government in Africa, with unparalleled commercial and government insight into economic opportunities and threats in Africa.

Some of this year’s speakers from the world of politics and government include Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Ambassador Albert M. Muchanga, African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry; and Dr Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Many of the continent’s most influential business luminaries in attendance include Prof. Benedict O. Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Afreximbank and co-convener of IATF2021; Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Industry Limited, this year’s main sponsor; Ahmed Elsewedy, president and CEO of Elsewedy Electric; Akin Dada, Group Executive, Corporate and Investment Bank, Ecobank Group, and many more.

This year’s IATF conference will also be taking a deep dive into a number of thematic areas, with additional networking and conference facilities in each of the following vertical areas:

The IATF Youth Start-Up programme will highlight the support needed for youth-owned start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses to thrive, including capacity development, mentoring, access to finance, supportive infrastructure, government policy and market linkages.

The Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) will provide a platform for Africa’s creative and cultural sectors to connect with policymakers, prominent investors, and thought leaders in the creative sector.

The IATF Automotive Show will showcase Africa’s dynamic automotive sector, encouraging the continent’s car and car equipment manufacturers, assemblers, and component suppliers to exhibit their products and find out more about other businesses and market opportunities.

Source: Ghanaian Times