Dubai Tourism launches autism awareness course for hotels

Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism has launched the ‘Autism and Sensory Awareness’ course within the Dubai Way training platform.

The training course builds upon the ‘Inclusive Service’ training and ‘Dubai Way’ courses.

Many of Dubai’s hotels and attractions are now well underway in auditing their facilities, and staff can take the prerequisite training within the Dubai Way platform, promised DCT.

Dubai Tourism vision for inclusivity

Essa Bin Hadher, general manager of Dubai College of Tourism, commented: “At Dubai College of Tourism, we are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive destination for all travellers to Dubai. With the launch of our new ‘Autism and Sensory Awareness’ course, we are taking an important step towards achieving our goal of becoming a certified autism destination.

“By equipping our tourist-facing workforce with the knowledge and tools to better serve visitors with autism, we are ensuring that all travellers to Dubai have a positive and enjoyable experience. We are delighted to be launching this course in time for World Autism Awareness Day, as we continue to showcase Dubai as an inclusive destination.”

The autism and sensory awareness training course ensures that staff take a knowledge assessment, are provided an autism overview, understand autism identification, common needs, autism perspectives, sensory awareness, and basic safety protocols. The course then goes on to explain the nuances of travelling with autism, attraction to water and animals, and specific lessons for each traveller interaction, including hotels, attractions, and transportation.

Source: Hotelier

African Aviation Has Now Recovered To 93% Of Pre-COVID Levels

IATA’s data shows that global air travel has recovered by 85%, while Africa has recovered by about 97%

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has revealed that the African aviation industry has recovered to 93% of the level seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is right to focus on the development of the African market.

IATA says that the industry at large is making significant progress and recovering from the effects of the pandemic. After a difficult period (2020-2022), a return to profitability is expected for the global airline industry in 2023. Airlines may start to post small net profits this year, and passenger numbers may return to pre-pandemic levels.

Post-pandemic recovery by region

The situation in Africa is a lot better than the industry overall. However, a lot of the activity is on the international market. Domestic travel is 20%, while international air travel contributes 80%. Cargo demands in Africa significantly exceeded figures in 2020. Passenger figures in most regions have also surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

The positive recovery is not the same across the entire continent. Some regions in Africa are recovering much faster than others. Some regions started to bounce back in 2022, while some are expected to make gains this year, and the rest will be expected to recover over the next two years. The chart below shows the distribution.

The market in full is expected to recover in 2024. We can see that Southern Africa is significantly lagging compared to other regions. Recovery in Central/Western Africa is expected to exceed 2019 figures this year. Air travel in Eastern and Northern Africa might fully return this year and exceed 2019 levels by 2024.

Connectivity around the world

Worldwide, domestic travel has recovered significantly compared to international travel. Indeed, travel restrictions eased domestically far before internationally, allowing traffic to kick off earlier. The other reason is the slow reopening of Asia, but IATA was pleased to say that China has reopened since January.

The entire industry is expected to return to profitability this year. Domestic travel in many countries effectively returns to where we were in 2019, while cargo figures exceed pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic did not significantly affect cargo operations, as airlines transported relief and essential goods worldwide, even increasing freight capacity.

Overall the industry is at 85% recovery, and passengers should expect more connectivity in the following months. As of 2019, North America, Europe, and the Middle East contributed the most to air travel when weighed against population density. The chart below shows pre-pandemic travel for different continents.

We can see that connectivity in Africa is very low. Although it contributes to 18% of the world’s population, the continent contributes 2.1% of global air travel. This is because air connectivity in Africa is minimal. IATA Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East said;

“Another challenge facing aviation in Africa that is familiar to everybody here is a lack of connectivity. Travel in Africa is a challenge. Distances that shouldn’t take a few hours can take days simply because the connectivity does not exist. For example, the route between Kigali and Luanda, which currently takes anywhere between nine and 20 hours, would take three hours on a direct flight.”

Africa also faces the challenge of the high cost of operations. The cost of jet fuel is significantly higher than in other markets. The inefficiency of connecting flights also leads to high operating costs. These issues must be addressed before the continent sees a sustainable aviation industry.

Source: Simple Flying

Aviation Industry Efforts Continue To Promote Intra-Africa Travel

The African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) is continuing its efforts to implement the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), which could hold the key to a golden age of aviation development in Africa.

In an interview with AviaDev, AFCAC Secretary General (SG) Adefunke Adeyemi gave us an insight into developments from the last six months and the commission’s progress in executing SAATM. The commission is also spearheading the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) liberalization.

Adeyemi has been making great efforts to ensure that AFCAC is more visible and that stakeholders understand its role in developing civil aviation in Africa.

The African Civil Aviation Commission

Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, AFCAC is a specialist agency of the African Union (AU) to develop and regulate civil aviation in Africa. It is also the executing agency for SAATM and AfCFTA, which are critical incentives for developing aviation, routes, trade, and economic activities.

AfCFTA’s objective is to eliminate trade barriers across the continent, and if executed properly, it would make Africa the largest trading block in the world. The civil aviation commission’s role is to ensure it is implemented correctly and that more cities are connected by air, allowing people to fly across multiple destinations.

Additionally, it ensures safety, security, and environmental protection for sustainability in African aviation. The commission is a small secretariat with a vast portfolio of programs to execute, therefore, it has to engage with partners and other states. Adeyemi said in the interview;

“We are operating in various domains and engaging not just our member states but also the entire universe ecosystem of aviation to really bring that about. We have clear targets that we’re trying to achieve and reach. So in the first few months of assuming office, it was really important for us to say that, first of all, AFCAC is here for our member states, but also to engage with our partners because we cannot do it alone.”

Engaging with different partners, states, and regions around the world is a strategic decision to cement relationships quickly. It will also help AFCAC get the visibility it needs to achieve all its objectives in its member states and the rest of the aviation community.

Source: Simple Flying

Egypt introduces new entry visa facilities to boost tourism

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Ahmed Issa unveiled a new package of facilities related to issuing tourist visas, according to a statement by the ministry on March 27th.

In a press conference, Issa revealed that these facilities included allowing Chinese tourists to obtain an emergency entry visa (visa upon arrival) from Egyptian airports, as well as allowing Indian tourists who hold resident visa from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to obtain an emergency entry visa.

This is in addition to facilities granted to holders of a valid entry visa that was previously used in the US, the UK, Schengen Area, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Australia, he added.

The minister also pointed out that Turkish tourists are now allowed to obtain an emergency entry visa from Egyptian airports without being restricted to a specific age.

Furthermore, Algerian and Moroccan tourists arriving in tourist groups can also get visa upon arrival.

Iranian tourists arriving directly to South Sinai through a tourism agency are allowed to obtain their visas upon arrival.

The new tourist visas facilities also enable Iraqi tourists to obtain an emergency entry visa at Egyptian airports provided they hold a valid entry visa that was used before in the US, the UK, Schengen Area, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, and Australia.

Tourists aged between 16 and 60+ can obtain an electronic visa through the E-Visa platform.

Additionally, Issa said that a new multi-entry visa, valid for 5 years, at a value of $700, will be introduced soon.

In January and February, tourist arrivals to Egypt grew significantly by 30% year on year (YoY), he remarked.

During the press conference, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Mostafa Waziri announced that Egypt will inaugurate the Graeco Roman Museum in Alexandria within the next few weeks, after a 17-year hiatus.

Source: Zawya

Uganda Airlines Restarts Direct Kigali Flights

Uganda Airlines restarting direct flights to Rwanda gives Simple Flying the opportunity to review Uganda Airlines’ progress.

Africa’s Uganda Airlines is restarting direct flights to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. The two countries are excited at the possibility of boosting connectivity and trade, especially as Uganda Airlines was reborn in 2023.

Restarting flights a vehicle of diplomacy

According to the Ugandan news website NewVision, the flights are intended to be a means of patching up relations between the neighboring countries of Rwanda and Uganda. After difficult times starting in 2018 until 2022, when the border was reopened – Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs hailed the progress towards healing.

“We are brothers and sisters. Indeed, there have been some difficulties but with the consensus reached by our leaders, progress has been made in normalizing relations. I am confident that through joint efforts, our excellent relations will continue to flourish in the years ahead.”

Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta also voiced similar sentiments. It’s worth noting that RwandAir already offers flights between the two nations.

But troubles are present for Uganda Airlines

Earlier this week, according to the Ugandan independent daily newspaper the Daily Monitor, the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) Tribunal canceled a fuel and in-flight services supply contract. The PPDA found that Uganda Airlines needed to tender the contract fairly. Being the previous contract has expired, Uganda Airlines intends to promptly reopen the contract for bids.

This is part of the ongoing corruption investigation into operations at Entebbe. Bribery, extortion, and document tampering – including with passports are all being exposed. Since 2020, no less than 26 Entebbe Airport workers have been relieved of duties as a result.

Nonetheless, Uganda Airlines has ambitions

Nonetheless, Uganda Airlines has ambitious plans for its future. For instance, Airbus and Boeing are both pitching their fleets ahead of a future aircraft order. Uganda Airlines already ordered two Airbus A330-800 aircraft. There is also the distinct possibility that Embraer’s E190-E2 and E195-E2 aircraft may also be ordered as they offer double the capacity of Uganda Airlines’ current CRJ900s and efficient performance. Nonetheless, for an airline with only six planes – four CRJ900 and two Airbus A330neo jets – this is a significant event.

Uganda Airlines is also making plans to connect directly to London, United Kingdom. However, for the connection to happen, Entebbe Airport must meet international standards of facility and operations.

Overall, Uganda Airlines is increasingly making intra-Africa connections. One of them is to Johannesburg, South Africa to meet growing demand. The flights are now five times a week. Another connection is to Nigeria, starting last November as the first flight to West Africa.

Source: Simple Flying

Plane lease end to save KQ Sh4bn

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) plans to terminate the lease for two of its Boeing 777-300 aircraft in a move set to see it save between $25 million (Sh3.3 billion) to $30 million (Sh3.9 billion).

KQ chief executive Allan Kilavuka told the Business Daily that the airline is terminating the agreement for the two planes as they do not fit into their current network plan.

The lease for the two aircrafts that carry about 400 passengers and were flying Europe and Middle East routes was initially set to end in 2026.

“The 777 at the moment does not fit into our network plans and we are working to terminate the lease of the two aircraft. So the process of termination has begun and negotiations are ongoing. One is pretty much complete,” said Mr Kilavuka.

Mr Kilavuka said the savings of up to Sh3.9 billion will be after deducting the termination penalties bearing in mind that the deal was to lapse in three years’ time.

KQ had leased the two planes from an undisclosed firm and then subleased them to Turkish Airlines after scaling down large crafts from its fleet.

The airline will first have to receive the planes from the Turkish Airline before returning them to the owner and save itself from costs such as leasing fees and expenses of servicing idle planes.

The termination of the current lease for the two Boeing 777-300 comes after KQ ended another agreement with Congo Airways, the national flag carrier of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after six months.

The two airlines had entered a two-year deal in early 2021 where KQ was meant to lease two of its Embraer E190 aircraft to Congo for their cargo codeshare partnership.

The deal was meant to see KQ save over 100 million annually on maintenance costs and earn additional revenue from hiring them.

The Kenyan Government has been pushing for a restructuring of the airline on the back of a multi-billion-shilling bailout plan where the struggling carrier is required to reduce its network and operate a leaner fleet.

KQ has focused on restructuring its fleet, including selling aircraft and sub-leasing to other airlines in an attempt to return to profitability.

The airline had a fleet of 42 aircraft, either owned or on lease, according to data from its annual report in the year ended December 2021.

Source: Business Daily

UAE is rooting for the revival of medical travel

The country has been at the forefront of creating a reliable ecosystem favourable for medical travel to thrive again.

In light of the pandemic, the healthcare sector, like any other industry, had to reassess its priorities and make constant adjustments to suit the shifting patterns. Among the difficulties it faced was the complete shutdown of medical travel due to travel restrictions and patients’ fear of hospital visits.

Fortunately, as we slowly emerge from the pandemic, medical travel is again gaining traction. In the UAE, important decisions taken in the early days to curtail the virus and the effective preventive measures put in place have catalysed the comeback. The country has been at the forefront of creating a reliable ecosystem favourable for medical travel to thrive again.

Recent research has found that the global medical tourism industry is estimated between US$35 to US$55 billion, with 12-14 million travellers taking medical trips each year for treatments including cosmetic surgery, reproductive health, dental and orthopaedic, amongst others. Reportedly, the growth rates for medical travel remain stable between 7-9 per cent, with the wellness tourism market expected to grow much faster at 20 per cent per annum.

The Asia-Pacific’s medical tourism industry is expected to grow at the highest rate., boasting advanced healthcare infrastructure and a skilled workforce to cater to international patients. Furthermore, the rise in the number of international health insurance providers is another factor that has contributed significantly to the growth of the global medical tourism industry.

Spotlight on the UAE

The UAE is expected to witness the fastest growth in the Middle East, supported by mandatory insurance in Dubai, expanding medical travel, increasing population and medical inflation. The country’s medical travel industry is expected to reach US$53.5 billion by 2028, with Dubai having a majority share of the medical travel market. The influx of international patients is expected to grow by 20 per cent from 2022.

The country is renowned for offering state-of-the-art services in plastic surgery, orthopaedics and sports medicine, ophthalmology, preventative healthcare, dental surgery, wellness, dermatology, and aesthetic procedures, among others.

The UAE’s decision to make private hospitals COVID-19-free was one of the several factors instrumental in bringing about this much-needed change. Compared to other preferred medical tourism destinations, a clear difference can be seen between the UAE’s approach to handling the pandemic, which has given the country a unique advantage. The structured approach that the government took made it a leading example for the rest of the world.

Furthermore, these measures have been crucial in building confidence among international patients. Moreover, major global airlines have returned to business as usual, while the hospitality industry is continuing to implement stringent hygiene control.

Also, most shopping malls, F&B outlets and entertainment industries are back in full swing, creating a much-needed tourism ecosystem. All these factors are boosting medical travel and creating an environment conducive to industry growth.

Looking at the Northern Emirates, last year, RAK Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah won two prestigious awards from World Medical Council (WMC) at WMC Excellence Awards 2022 in Dubai. Bagging the ‘Medical Tourism Hospital of The Year’ award, the healthcare institution was recognised for its commendable efforts in promoting UAE as a medical tourism destination across the globe and establishing the hospital as a preferred medical tourism destination.

At RAK Hospital, we have always worked in line with the UAE’s vision. With a department exclusively dedicated to foreign patients, we have created a vast network that ensures a complete, holistic and satisfying experience for patients from start to finish, both in terms of a welcoming environment and world-class treatment. Over the years, RAK Hospital has represented UAE on international platforms to generate medical travel into the country successfully. Moreover, it has also gained a reputation for successfully handling critical emergency surgical cases flown into the country, further cementing UAE on the medical travel map. In fact, we witnessed an increasing number of medical tourists and inquiries at RAK Hospital last month.

Regulatory initiatives

A collaborative approach across private and public healthcare providers and the UAE government is increasing, which is expected to drive better health outcomes and ensure the sustainability of the health ecosystem. Regulatory authorities and governments are working towards increasing access to accurate real-time health information and services for better planning of healthcare infrastructure and workforce and increasing better health outcomes.

For instance, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has launched the “Dubai Health Experience” as the world’s first medical tourism portal to boost medical travel. The Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DoH) and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has also launched the Abu Dhabi Medical Tourism e-portal. These portals allow visitors to book medical procedures and take advantage of discounted airfares, visas, medical insurance, hotel stays, leisure activities and more.

Leveraging telemedicine

As a result of the increasing adoption of “connected care”, technological advances have changed from the traditional asset-heavy hospital-related developments to pioneering medtech devices; to new sector niches, such as digital health, including its subcategories mobile health, wearable devices, telehealth and telemedicine, and personalised medicine.

The emergence of telemedicine as an essential communication tool has been a further boon for the medical travel industry. With the world shifting to virtual platforms due to the tough travel restrictions, telemedicine emerged as one of the most important means to establish regular contact between patients and healthcare professionals.

There are two primary areas of telemedicine:

  • Teleconsultation enables patients (alone or accompanied by healthcare professionals) to consult a doctor remotely by means of technological tools.
  • Telemonitoring enables a medical professional to interpret data collected in the patient’s living environment remotely and in real time.

I have always strongly felt that most medical tourists could opt for telemedicine for the first few initial consultations and procedures. To achieve this, we offer free teleconsultation to familiarise medical tourists with this route. At RAK hospital, our doctors actively engage with telemedicine patients worldwide and offer them best-in-class consultations, further cementing confidence in the tool. With immense growth opportunities available, telemedicine is already on the path to becoming a profit-making prospect.

Source: Omnia Health

Nairobi-Coast air tickets for Easter increase to Sh24,000

Air tickets from Nairobi to coastal towns have increased to highs of Sh24,000 one-way ahead of Easter festivities as some flights are sold out, marking one of the steepest rises in the last three years.

The high airfare charges are a result of high demand as people plan to troop to the Coast for the holiday.

Passengers travelling to Mombasa and Ukunda on Good Friday will pay Sh24,776 on Safarilink from as low as Sh8,200 they would have paid this week on some of the flights to the coastal towns.

The airline’s chief executive Alex Avedi said the destination is one of the leading tourist destinations in the country.

“The Kenya coast has always been booming ever since the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a lot of domestic travel which has continued post the pandemic and, as you know, there is a general recovery in the sector,” said Mr Avedi on Wednesday.

Airlines charge lower fares when they make early bookings compared to making their reservation at the last moment.

Airlines such as Skyward Express have recorded full bookings from March 31 to April 8 on the Nairobi-Malindi route.

The carrier is charging up to Sh18,200 on April 5 one-way to Diani from Wilson Airport in Nairobi.

Full Safarilink and Jambojet bookings mean other airlines will be the option for passengers travelling to the coast around Easter.

Jambojet is sold out on the eve of Good Friday as well as on Good Friday on routes such as Ukunda.

The carrier is, however, charging Sh17,700 one-way from Nairobi to Ukunda on April 8, up from around Sh9,200 when demand is low.

Source: Business Daily

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The Massive Tech Developments Poised To Shake Up Travel In 2023

The influence of artificial intelligence, the need for businesses of all sizes to protect against hackers and why travel must hone its TikTok content were among topics explored at the 2023 TTI Travel Tech Summit. 

Experts gathered in London this week to assess the year’s key technology issues and debate how the industry can capitalise on shifting trends – and where it is lagging behind other sectors.

Here are four tech developments poised to shake-up travel in 2023. 

’AI Has Potential Across Every Aspect Of Travel’

Artificial intelligence – providing it is used in the right context – has the potential to help travel businesses across every part of the industry. 

That was the message from Travel Ledger founder Roberto De Re, who predicted AI will be able to transform the customer experience journey – offering differentiated product information and client services – meaning travel brands could do away with “rigid” bots. 

“It would cost a fortune to pay human beings to create unique content for every distributor, so AI has a real application in that space,” he said.

’Big Or Small – You’re Equally At Risk’

 No matter how small your company is – you still must take steps to protect yourself from online hackers and against cybercrime. 

Darren Gale, vice-president of IronNet Cyber Security, said digital attacks were getting “more sophisticated” and travel companies needed to focus on employee education as well as defensive tools.

“I can guarantee travel is being focussed on by these threats because of the industry’s data sets and their desirability, as well as the transaction volumes associated with holiday bookings,” Gale warned. 

Time Is Ticking – So Up Your Tiktok Game

 We all know the growing influence of TikTok but just how impactful is it to certain demographics when planning their travel?

According to Yona Fredericks-Elekima, founder of online travel agency the Take Off Club, 60% of the app’s users are Gen Z [those born from the late-1990s to early 2010s] and they are being influenced to book through companies displaying their favourite content.

 “People will be asking ‘Where did you book? Where can I find this holiday?” Fredericks-Elekima told delegates. “They want to be able to go on these holidays.”

 Although, she stressed the industry should not have a one-size-fits-all approach to its social channels, and urged brands to “find what works for you”.

 ’Don’t Be Afraid To Integrate Payments’

 The tourism and hospitality sectors are “still very far behind” when it comes to integrated payment solutions, according to Planet’s senior VP for the UK, Ireland and North America Steven Dow. 

“Businesses don’t move quickly because they’re nervous… there’s the whole GDPR finance compliance, the data security, it’s all very stressful,” he told delegates. 

Dow urged travel firms to boost their integrated payment services in a bid to streamline processes and improve customer experience.

He explained it could be the difference between a customer having to queue at a hotel reception for their room key and them having all the information already on their credit card.

Source: TTG