The Ethiopian government on Wednesday announced an updated travel advisory, which necessitates an African Union (AU) COVID-19 pass for entry and exit.

According to the updated travel advisory, all travelers exiting, entering or transiting via Ethiopia are required from June 7 to present a digital negative COVID-19 certificates at all ports of entry based on the AU’s Trusted Travel Platform and the UNDP-sponsored Global Haven Program.

In October 2020, the AU officially launched its Trusted Travel Platform as part of the overall Trusted Travel Initiative. The platform provides information on travel requirements at the departure and destination ports and access to a list of government-approved laboratories for COVID-19 testing in African countries.

It allows travelers to upload their COVID-19 test results online for easy verification by port health and travel officials and helps with the detection of forged certificates.

The ministry said paper certificates shall cease to be acceptable and only AU Trusted Travel (TT) or Global Haven COVID-19 test certificates shall be allowed for exit, transit and entry purposes starting from July 1.

The requirement for digital certificates has become necessary due to the alarming increase of fake health documents and rising incidents of forgery detected since the onset of the pandemic.

Travelers wishing to exit Ethiopia are also advised to visit an authorized laboratory to take a COVID-19 test and be issued with TT codes that can be verified by airlines and port health authorities across the continent, the ministry said.

The AU TT requirement applies to both categories of travelers — those traveling within Africa and those traveling from countries where there are labs integrated into the TT system.

The complementary Global Haven Platform supports travelers coming from outside Africa from places where labs have not currently integrated into the TT system, the ministry said.

The related enforcement will commence on June 7 and the deadline for full compliance is set for July 1.

As of Wednesday evening, Ethiopia registered a total of 272,036 COVID-19 cases and 4,178 deaths, according to the ministry.

Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous nation, has so far reported the largest number of COVID-19 cases in the East Africa region. It is among the African countries the hardest hit by COVID-19, following South Africa, Morocco and Tunisia, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Source: Xinhua

Ministers have moved to tighten Britain’s borders as new data suggests the Delta coronavirus variant is much more likely to cause serious illness and is circulating more rapidly within schools.

With England’s reopening on 21 June hanging in the balance, the government removed Portugal from the green list of countries and added seven more countries to the red list – moves that provoked fury within the travel industry and left many holidaymakers in limbo.

Portugal, including Madeira and the Azores, was the only mainstream tourist destination Britons could visit without having to quarantine. On Tuesday, these destinations will be moved to the amber list, requiring travellers to self-isolate for 10 days upon return.

Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said that as well as rising Covid test positivity rates in Portugal, a “difficult decision” hinged on worries about Covid variants, particularly a possible additional mutation of the Delta variant.

Data from Public Health England released on Thursday evening showed that the Delta variant, B.1.617.2, first detected in India, is dominant in the UK, now accounting for 75% of infections.

The data also indicated that the variant was significantly more likely to cause serious illness than the Alpha variant of Covid, which has been dominant across the UK since its detection in Kent in the autumn.

While the PHE team stressed that more research was needed, an analysis of 38,805 sequenced cases in England showed that the Delta variant carried 2.61 times the risk of hospitalisation within 14 days compared with the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) once demographic factors and vaccination status were taken into account.

Data from Scotland pointed to a more than twofold higher risk of hospitalisation for those infected with the Delta variant compared with the Alpha.

The new PHE data also revealed for the first time the spread of variants within schools and colleges in England. By the start of June, there had been 140 outbreaks of the Delta variant within educational settings, and since the end of April the figures showed 90 outbreaks of this variant within schools alone.

Responding to the PHE report, Prof Christina Pagel, director of UCL’s clinical operational research unit, said: “Every technical report seems to bring worse news. Added to increased transmissibility and some vaccine escape, we now have evidence that your chance of being hospitalised might be twice as high with the Delta variant than with the Alpha variant. This makes it harder for vaccines to weaken the link between cases and hospitalisations.

“The other new thing in this report is data on outbreak settings, and it is clear that schools are a major source of transmission and that outbreaks in primary and secondary schools have been growing a lot week on week.”

Shapps tied the decision about Portugal to fears that returning travellers could bring in more variants, further jeopardising the government’s timetable to end many of the remaining Covid social restrictions on 21 June. There is still no decision as to whether the planned reopening will happen then, or if restrictions might need to be extended allowing more people to be vaccinated. A decision is due by 14 June.

“We just don’t know the potential for that to be a vaccine-defeating mutation, and we don’t want to take the risk as we come up to 21 June and the review of the fourth stage of the unlock,” Shapps said in a TV interview.

He also highlighted what he called “a sort of Nepal mutation”. A mutation of the Delta variant, this is suspected of potentially being more resistant to vaccines, but is not under observation by PHE. It has been seen in numerous countries but only once in Nepal, which carries out very little genome sequencing for Covid.

As news leaked out about the green list decision hours before the official announcement, hundreds of millions of pounds were wiped off the value of tour operators and airlines, and there was significant anger.

Green-list destinations are in effect the only choice for holidays. The listing allows people to return to England without quarantining, although they must take a Covid-19 test before coming back and another within two days of arriving.

Aside from Portugal, Gibraltar and Israel, the initial 12-destination green list mainly comprised places – such as Australia, New Zealand, the Falkland Islands and Iceland – that did not allow entry to Britons.

Ahead of the three-weekly review of the list, there had been expectation that more tourism centres could be added, for example Spain’s Balearic islands and some Greek islands.

Johan Lundgren, EasyJet’s chief executive, said the decision “essentially cuts the UK off from the rest of the world”.

John Holland-Kaye, chief executive of Heathrow airport, said: “Ministers spent last month hailing the restart of international travel only to close it down three weeks later, all but guaranteeing another lost summer for the travel sector.”

Henry Smith, the Conservative MP whose Crawley constituency includes Gatwick, said he was “very concerned that [the government was] not being more ambitious” on travel. “I think we should be going in the other direction and liberalising the amount of countries on the green travel list. This decision really puts a question mark over a significant number of travel and aviation sector jobs – going forward, if they can’t manage to have something of a summer season, I think it’s going to lead to increased unemployment.”

Source: The Guardian

Huge numbers of Kenyans and many Nigerians depend on India to treat heart and kidney diseases. With travel restrictions to India, some ill Africans have been left stranded.

Imelda Wambua has chronic kidney failure and cannot afford the high cost of treatment in Kenya. Under normal circumstances, Wambua would quickly hop in a budget airliner and jet to India or have her medications delivered via express couriers. Now, none of that is possible.

“I was put on dialysis for about 18 months because my antibodies were too high. They needed to bring them down,” Wambua told DW. “I was advised to get a transplant,” she said. “The procedure that I needed, which is plasma exchange, cannot be done locally. So, going to India, at least, there was hope.”

Wambua’s hopes were dashed when Kenya and many other countries banned travel to India because of the rapidly rising figures in the country’s second wave of the COVID pandemic.

‘Beyond their management’

At its peak, India recorded about 400,000 new infections and 4,000 deaths per day. Although new figures indicate that its second wave is slowing down, many countries still ban travelers from India.

Kenyans are aghast as the pandemic claims many lives in a neighboring country across the Indian Ocean. Nigerians are watching the situation closely too.

“The doctors here would diagnose you with a particular disease, but when you go abroad, they will tell you something else,” Aminu Bello, who lives in Nigeria, told DW. Like Wambua, Bello is also unable to fly to India for treatment for a medical condition he did not want to disclose.

“I am sure many people have lost their lives because of such negligence. We have lost confidence in the system,” Bello added.

Many Nigerians as well as Kenyans go to India to treat “heart diseases, cancer, diseases of the kidney and diseases related to orthopedics and spine,” according to Nigerian surgeon Dr. Mohammed Jamil.

“This COVID pandemic that is affecting the Indian system makes it very difficult for patients to travel to India. So, they must seek alternatives in other countries like in Turkey and Egypt. Others go to Europe to countries like Britain and Germany or The United States of America,” Dr. Jamil told DW.

A continent and a sub-continent

India is among Africa’s largest trading partners by gross national income and is Kenya’s number one destination for medical tourists.

The weather on the Indian sub-continent is similar to that on the African continent. It’s the same for living conditions, where people spend more time outdoors than indoors. Aerosol experts say transmission of the coronavirus occurs more frequently indoors than outdoors — the main reason why the Northern Hemisphere has been affected more so than the South.

When COVID cases began surging in India, many wondered if Africa would be next. The African continent is yet to see a mass outbreak of the pandemic. Afraid of the much-hyped Indian COVID variant, many African countries immediately suspended flights to and from India in early March, leaving the continent’s many medical tourists in limbo.

According to Kenya’s Health Ministry, the vast majority of Kenyans who travel for medical treatment chose India. Other top destinations for medical checkups in Africa include: South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia and Mauritius.

The wait “has really drained us financially,” Wambua said.

Moses Langat had been on his way to India to treat a hole in his eardrum. “The doctor indicated that it was too late. He could only refer me to another hospital,” Langat told DW.

“The doctor wrote a referral to India, and that is when I realized that my condition was now beyond their management,” Langat said. Unable to fly to India, he uses crutches to walk because his inner ear infection makes him feel dizzy and unsteady. He had hoped for specialist treatment in India.

Cheaper in India than in Kenya

Most cases referred to India require specialist treatment either not available in Kenya or too expensive for middle-income earners. “There are certain conditions that cannot be treated [in Kenya],” Kenyan doctor Eugene Omar told DW.

“When we want to send you to India is when we know there is something you can get in the Indian system that you cannot get here or that system offers you a cost advantage,” Omar said.

For most patients, the cost of specialist care is far lower in India.

Initially, there was uproar after Kenya and some other countries decided to keep their borders to India open while the COVID situation was being monitored. A few weeks after flights were suspended, reality sank in quickly when patients took to social media platforms to vent their frustrations.

Invest in local medical infrastructure  

Nigeria is Africa’s richest country by Gross Domestic Product and the continent’s most populous nation. But it lacks basic services such as electricity, health facilities and healthcare systems. Aminu Bello wants the Nigerian government to now focus more on healthcare.

“If government doesn’t do anything about this and you have the means, you should go abroad for medical care,” said Bello

“The best alternative is to invest more in the public systems, so that we would have good hospitals with equipment,” said the Nigerian doctor Jamil. “The private sector should also invest, so we have good and equipped private hospitals.”  

Source: DW

The successful face-to-face gathering of more than 370 delegates ahead of Expo 2020’s opening in October shows the next World Expo is set to become one of Dubai’s greatest success stories – a global experience that will demonstrate the emirate’s confidence, safety and openness to all visitors and further boost its thriving leisure and business tourism industries.

Speaking after the two-day International Participants Meeting (IPM), which welcomed delegates from 173 of Expo’s 190-plus participating countries, Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai and His Excellency Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Director General of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority and member of the Expo 2020 Dubai Higher Committee praised Dubai’s confidence and vision and its unwavering commitment to host the next World Expo, with Expo and DTCM working closely to create an Expo that would excite and inspire visitors from all around the world.

Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, said: “Since the planning stages, we have worked hand-in-hand with DTCM to deliver an Expo that will attract visitors from across the planet and make Dubai and the UAE proud. As the world changed, we too have adapted, and thanks to our collaboration with DTCM, we have created an Expo that will delight and inspire explorers and entrepreneurs, children and grandparents, casual tourists and the curious who want to experience the future – now.”

His Excellency Al Marri said: “Since inception, Dubai has exemplified what it means to succeed against all odds, rising with dignity and determination to become an economic engine and a vibrant hub for travellers from all over the world. Setting new benchmarks is engrained in our ethos, and to this end, we see Expo 2020 Dubai as a global pivot given where we all are today.

“No one could have anticipated how COVID-19 would alter our realities so definitively, and yet, like the rest of the world, Dubai and Expo 2020 paused, reflected and persevered through unprecedented challenges, with our innate indomitable spirit, to re-emerge stronger and more optimistic for our collective future.”

Implementing a phased economic reopening, Dubai began welcoming tourists once again in July 2020 – when the city’s first in-person, post-lockdown event was held – and has since remained open to the world, reinforcing the renewed need for global business and leisure travel.

His Excellency added: “Dubai has successfully deployed its phased economic reopening that prioritised safety while minimising the impacts of the pandemic – an approach that sees us well-positioned to lead a post-pandemic recovery. As a thriving tourist destination and a global centre for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, we look forward to welcoming more of the world’s business and leisure travellers to Dubai over the coming months.

“The new Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Expo 2020 Dubai, which hosted its inaugural event at the recent meeting of Expo’s international participants, will be a signature venue during Expo 2020 and through its legacy, providing new-age connectivity and networking opportunities for a global audience, catalysing industry, business and markets and driving economic growth in our region and the world.”

Testament to Dubai’s future-focused strategies, Expo 2020 Dubai will galvanise the region’s thriving tourism and events industries, and DEC – a 45,000 sqm, state-of-the-art, multipurpose venue that is already 80 per cent booked for the duration of Expo – will play a fundamental role in attracting domestic, international and business travellers.

A significant symbol of Expo’s long-term business and tourism legacy, DEC is among the permanent buildings that will be retained after Expo 2020 closes its doors, forming part of District 2020, a new urban innovation ecosystem and model global community of the future.

Running from 1 October 2021 until 31 March 2022, Expo 2020 will coincide with the 50-year anniversary of the founding of the UAE, and highlight the country’s role as a global connecting hub for people, ideas and innovation. Visitors from across the globe are invited to join the making of a new world, as they discover life-changing innovations that will have a meaningful, positive impact on both people and planet.

Source: Focus on Travel News

The continent has also been urged to harmonise travel protocols.

African states should lift prohibitive travel restrictions among other measures, to help recovery of the aviation and tourism industries, five civil aviation bodies have advised.

This is in the wake of a struggling industry reeling from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic that threatens the future of key national airlines in the continent, among them Kenya Airways.

In a joint statement, the bodies together with the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), want governments to lift prohibitive travel restrictions in the form of quarantine measures.

This, it says, should apply to  fully vaccinated and negatively tested travellers, in the short term.

They said quarantines should be applicable only to passengers coming from areas with a very high incidence of the virus, and should be regularly reviewed in co-ordination with national and international health authorities.

The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC), Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), African Airlines Association (AFRAA), Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued the statement.

They advocate for the harmonisation of travel protocols, accessibility of Covid-19 testing facilities, reduction of high tests cost, expediting of the vaccine roll-out campaign in Africa and adoption of globally interoperable digital health passes.

“There is need for constant and sustained dialogue among African governments, civil aviation authorities, tourism and travel industry players, air transport associations and other key stakeholders, to implement harmonised and internationally adopted health and travel protocols,” the statement reads.

This, the sector players say, will bring back the necessary confidence for a safe, simple and seamless air travel “in the new normal.”

African States are encouraged to make available universal, accessible and affordable Covid-19 testing facilities to all air travelers, that is PCR or Rapid antigen tests.

Where possible, African States are also urged to consider alternative testing protocol for travel that uses the rapid diagnostic antigen test which is more cost-effective.

On vaccines, the aviation bodies say it is vital that the roll-out campaign in Africa is expedited equitably with the prime objective of achieving the herd immunity, or that level of vaccination which inhibits the ability of the virus to circulate in the population.

African countries are further encouraged to adopt any form of globally interoperable digital health pass or certificate, approved by the World Health Organization, that will seamlessly integrate into testing and travel processes of the different stakeholders of the air travel industry.

The aviation and tourism industry is among the worse hit by the pandemic, with Kenya loosing about Sh130.9 billion in potential tourism revenues alone.

Africa’s airlines posted a combined $2 billion (over Sh200 billion) loss in 2020.

”This year we expect only a slight improvement ($1.7  billion loss) as the struggle with Covid-19 continues,” IATA said in a recent statement.

Locally, Kenya Airways reported a net loss of Sh36.2 billion, the worst ever in the history of the airline, on account of Covid-19 disruptions that led to a sharp decline in passenger numbers.

National carriers have since been forced to seek governments bailouts with only a handful of African airlines securing $ 2.04 billion (Sh219.5 billion) in government aid, mostly disbursed through direct government loans, equity financing, and cash injections.

Source: The star

The Tourism Ministry has committed to unlocking the value of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events and Exhibitions (MICE) sector in Kenya’s rebound.

This comes as Tourism and Wildlife CS Najib Balala puts his weight behind the recently formed Kenya National Convention Bureau (KNCB), which is tasked with marketing Kenya as a MICE destination.

The ministry together with KNCB, led by its National Co-ordinator and CEO Jacinta Nzioka-Mbithi, have developed the ‘Meet in Kenya MICE Brand’ position as part of a broader strategy to diversify tourism industry into MICE.

This is meant to demonstrate what the country stands for, its suitability, facilities and qualities for hosting world class events.

According to the ministry, the meet in Kenya brand and messaging strategy will go a long way in differentiating Kenya’s business travel offer and value proposition in light of evolving traveler preferences, needs, and concerns.

It will also serve to reassure travellers on the safety of travel to Kenya by addressing their health concerns, raise awareness of the destination, including added safety measures and local government regulations and contribute to revive local economies supported by tourism.

“Whilst we cannot predict when this pandemic will end, nor when our industry will fully recover… we do know that great things happen when people come together!” Balala said during the unveiling of the KNCB logo in Nairobi.

He said his ministry through KNCB will continue to play a crucial role in industry level ecosystem collaboration, approaching the future in a clustered way that provides the platform to rethink networks, create new networks, and repackage the destination offering collectively.

“My ministry is committed to unlocking the value of the MICE sector in Kenya’s rebound. We foresee drastic changes in the meetings industry and KNCB will be on the forefront to provide leadership in expanding the economic benefits and impact of MICE post Covid-19,” Balala said.

MICE remains a key segment of the country’s tourism sector where it is estimated every international delegate spends at least Sh376,000 per conference trip of about three to six days.

KNCB has in place a road map for the growth of MICE business in the country, according to Nzioka, with the bureau targeting to position Kenya among the top 50 global MICE destinations and top three in Africa.

“Our vision is to position Kenya as Africa’s leading and authentic MICE destination by 2030,” Nzioka said.

As of 2019, Kenya was ranked 73 globally by the International Congress and Convention Association.

Expansion of MICE will be a boost to the tourism sector, noting that business travellers that participate in leisure activities are growing, with 49 per cent extending their trips to include leisure experiences.

Source: The Star

Kenya and Dubai-based Emirates airline are caught in a row over a push for additional flights into Nairobi, heightening risk of a fresh diplomatic tiff with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia claimed that the airline and the director-general of the aviation authority in Dubai had written to him “very offending” letters in a bid to arm-twist Kenya into allowing more flight frequencies by the Emirati carrier.

“We got a letter recently from the director general, Civil Aviation of Dubai and not one written by United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister. They told us not to fly aircraft that has capacity of more than 220 seats to Dubai but they fly into Kenya aircraft with more than 400 seats,” he told members of the Senate committee on Roads and Transportation on Wednesday.

“When we receive this kind of letters, they send a wrong message in terms of tactics the airline is using and shows that they do not respect Kenya,” the CS added.

The latest stand-off rekindles memories of a spat about a decade ago when Kenya and the UAE were caught in retaliatory travel restrictions for their citizens. The 2010 feud between these countries was triggered by an incident in which Kenyan immigration officials erroneously deported four members of Dubai’s royal family.

The four royals were detained for lacking proper entry visas in Mombasa, interrogated for hours before being returned to Dubai amid claims that they were terror suspects.

Dubai retaliated by imposing restrictions requiring all Kenyans entering the UAE to present proof of higher education in order to obtain a visa. This triggered fear of deportation among thousands of Kenyans working in the Gulf nation, prompting truce talks.

Mr Macharia said Emirates that does 14 weekly flights to Nairobi was seeking additional daily frequencies, a request that Kenya is opposed to because of the skewed advantage in favour of airlines from the Gulf region.

“When you add Etihad Airlines and Air Arabia, in total they have 28 weekly flight frequencies against Kenya Airways’ seven,” he said.

The CS said Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airlines and Air Arabia—all designated to fly from the UAE—currently have a combined weekly seat capacity of 15,400 against Kenya Airways’ 5,510.

“Giving them (Emirates) more flight capacity means they will get 90 percent of business between Nairobi and Dubai while KQ gets 10 percent. This is not tenable,” he said in response to questions filed by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.

Mr Macharia told legislators that the government had a special interest in KQ by virtue of a Sh75 billion loan guarantee to the airline and would protect it from any threats on its survival.

“However, much they (Emirates) lobby, as Cabinet Secretary for Transport, I will not approve additional seats or flights frequencies for the UAE airlines,” he said.

The CS said the government’s decision is also informed by the number of passengers which went down as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.

“Every airline is struggling. Giving Emirates additional frequencies will compound a difficult situation. We shall not agree even if they continue lobbying because this is not tenable,” Mr Macharia said.

He said Emirates Airlines benefits from substantial government subsidy and is, therefore, capable of selling out the seats in Nairobi-Dubai route at throw-away prices due to the subsidy.

He said only the national career, KQ, can protect Kenya’s national interests in terms of emergencies.

“When Covid-19 struck, we looked for airlines to evacuate our people but only KQ came in handy. We had to change configuration of two KQ planes 747 to help us ship in vaccines because no airline wanted to help us,” Mr Macharia said.

He said KQ, as Kenya Airways is known by its international code, is a corporate entity that impacts heavily on the country’s economy particularly in tourism and movement of horticultural products including flowers. “When it comes to protection, we can’t hesitate to protect KQ,” he said.

In February, KQ said it will need at least $500 million (Sh54.87 billion) in bailouts in the next nine months as it navigates the turbulent aviation sector following collapse in air travel demand amid Covid-19 economic fallout.

Source: Business Daily

Africa is an important and growing part of Qatar Airways’ network, but where could be next and how suited is the airline’s fleet? Qatar Airways’ Hendrik Du Preez, Vice-President for Africa, recently spoke to Routesonline about the airline’s development and opportunities across the vast continent.

Qatar Airways’ Africa network now comprises 26 destinations, analyzing OAG data indicates, up from 24 in 2019. Abuja, Accra, and Luanda were all added in 2020, while Abidjan is coming this June. Meanwhile, Cairo and Alexandria have resumed following the end of the blockade.

These additions have offset the loss of Gaborone, Marrakesh, Rabat, and Windhoek. Speaking to Routesonline, Du Preeze singled out both Gaborone and Windhoek –  each very tourist-driven – as likely to return next year.

Where could be next?

Resumptions are just one part of Qatar Airways‘ plan for Africa.

“We are definitely looking at other destinations in Africa as there is huge potential across the continent for new routes.”

The Democratic Republic of Congo, Somaliland, South Sudan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, were all mentioned by Du Preez as possible future destinations. And the capitals of these countries – Kinshasa, Hargeisa, Juba, Lusaka, and Harare – would make sense. Pre-COVID, Dubai had up to 13 weekly departures to Hargeisa, 11 by Emirates’ partner, flydubai.

Partners are crucial

Qatar Airways has often relied on partner airlines to reach parts of the continent that it did not serve, and they have been crucial to its development.

“We have an interline agreement with Air Côte d’Ivoire, which is important because we do not have that reach in West Africa. We have interlines with many of the airlines all over Africa.”

He said that negotiation is still ongoing with Rwandair, with data showing Qatar Airways has served Kigali since 2012. And South Africa’s Comair, a British Airways franchisee, may well become a partner too. South Africa is by far Qatar Airways’ number-one country in Africa this year, with Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg served.

A mixed fleet enables growth

Du Preez believes that Qatar Airways’ mixed fleet is crucial to its Africa development. This offers flexibility and the opportunity to right-size capacity to demand as passenger traffic picks up; after all, it can take a good while for a long-haul to develop.

It also enables the airline to start a new route – perhaps a secondary destination, of which “there are a many of them” – with a smaller aircraft and to build up over time

Qatar Airways uses eight aircraft types to Africa this year. In order of the number of flights, they are the B787-8, A350-900, A320, B777-300ER, A350-1000, B777-200LR, B787-9, and A319. The carrier used the A319 on just one route – to Seychelles – back in January.

Cargo focus

The carrier’s mixed fleet also enables a strong focus on cargo, where it makes sense, which can make a huge difference. As Du Preez said:

“Thanks to the belly hold of the B787s and A350s, a lot of the [trip] cost can be covered by the cargo and at the same time we are building up on the passenger side.” 

Source: Simple Flying

Expo 2020 Dubai was hailed a “beacon of hope” for international travel as plans to welcome the world to the UAE this year take shape.

The first Expo hosted in the Middle East is set to be the largest global gathering held during the coronavirus pandemic period after Tokyo Olympics organisers said overseas visitors would be barred.

Expo 2020 chiefs authorised more than 2,500 travel groups, airlines and cruise companies to sell tickets and include the world fair in their itinerary as they stay focused on their goal of 25 million visits during the six-month event.

The number of travel businesses involved is expected to grow to more than 3,500 by the end of the summer.

A cautious approach is being taken, however, in traditionally strong markets such as India because of coronavirus travel restrictions in case the bans remain in force when the event in Dubai opens in October.

A mobile app to help visitors plan their journey across the Dubai Expo site will be released this summer.

“We have observed the travel industry is actually seeing Expo as a beacon of hope for international travel because this is going to be the first global gathering in the pandemic era,” Sumathi Ramanathan, vice president of market strategy and sales for Expo 2020 Dubai, told The National.

“The Tokyo Olympics is going ahead without [overseas] spectators, and therefore the first global gathering that will happen in the world where you will actually have visitors will be Expo 2020.”

The Expo has signed thousands of agreements so airlines, cruise companies, tour operators and agents, including Saudi Arabia’s Al Tayyar and Al Fursan travel groups, can officially resell tickets.

There is strong interest from leisure and business visitors, with international airlines also taking note. Details of partnerships will be made public later.

Ticket prices will be revealed in mid-July and made available on the Expo website.

Expo to offer tailored travel packages

Three sets of visitors have been identified. The Expo is working with tour operators to include the event on the travel itinerary of tourists planning a holiday in the Emirates.

Stopover packages are being drawn up for passengers in transit.

A more detailed “Expo enthusiasts” journey is being prepared for visitors who plan to spend three to five days at the site.

Packages will include air tickets, and the tour operator will bundle it with a hotel stay, transport and an Expo ticket.

Expo organisers are working with tourism authorities in the UAE to gain insights into which markets are recovering.

“Given the fluidity of international travel, we decided to stick to 25 million visits and do everything that we possibly can to drive visitation,” Ms Ramanathan said.

“I think the prediction of which market is going to recover is actually a challenge. But what is not a challenge is our ability to work with a whole range of partners and [ticket] resellers to ensure that we are prepared.

“Being agile and flexible, and ready to go into markets as soon as they open up is one of our biggest strengths.”

All eyes on pandemic as Expo 2020 Dubai draws near

The priority markets are China, India, Russia, the US, UK, Germany and the Gulf.

Organisers have decided to hold off promotions in nations struggling to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s a watch-and-see approach,” Ms Ramanathan said.

“We need to be sensitive. We can’t just go in right now and do heavy marketing in some markets which are not ready for travel.”

Dubai’s decision to remain open to international visitors since July last year caught the industry’s attention.

There has been significant interest from Spain and Italy because both countries hosted expos.

Trade enquires from Portugal, France in Europe, Jordan and Egypt in the Middle East, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria in Africa took organisers by surprise.

There is also demand from Brazil, Argentina and Mexico.

Itineraries are being designed for visitors based on an understanding of how nationalities travel.

Group itineraries have been put together for Russian visitors who tend to travel as a group.

Family packages are being designed for Indians, and plans will suit older visitors from Germany.

“One of our biggest strengths comes in terms of being able to customise and tailor the journeys,” Ms Ramanathan said.

The Expo app will allow people to plan which of the 192 country sites and more than 100 food outlets they will visit.

“You can come in and say, ‘Okay, I want to visit these five countries, I want to watch these six performances, I want to try out these three cuisines, and the app will curate an itinerary for you,” she said.

“We have various opportunities for visitors depending on your passion, your interests or your group size.”

The app will help with navigation and additional information on the site.

Itineraries will be prepared for businesses from health and wellness, academics and sustainability experts to identify programmes related to their field.

Covid-19 provides unique challenges

Expo chiefs have informed about 200 participant nations their staff can have free vaccinations. There is no plan for vaccines to be offered to tourists.

People can buy tickets directly from the website or the mobile app from mid-July.

Tickets will also be available from authorised re-sellers such as airlines or tour operators.

Keeping in mind Covid-19 travel restrictions, people will have the flexibility to change their plans.

“The most important thing is making Expo accessible for everyone,” Ms Ramanathan said.

“In today’s challenging travel climate, we want to make it easy for everyone.”

Source: National News