Results from a recent survey conducted by global travel network Virtuoso highlight how some of the world’s most discerning travelers view sustainable tourism.

The results found that while travel rebounds in new and innovative ways, travelers remain ever conscious of their place and impact in the world, with more than 80% of respondents indicating that the pandemic has made them want to travel more responsibly in the future. This figure echoes identical findings from a survey conducted last year, proving that traveling sustainably continues to be a top priority for luxury travelers.

Assessing high-end travelers’ sentiment regarding purposeful travel, Virtuoso’s 2021 sustainability survey found that 78% believed it’s important to choose travel companies that have a strong sustainability policy, moving them to seek out companies committed to Virtuoso’s three pillars of sustainability: protecting the planet, supporting local economies and celebrating cultures.

In addition, 70% agreed that traveling sustainably enhances their vacation experience, and the overwhelming majority of respondents said they would be willing to visit a popular destination during off-peak seasons or opt for an alternative, less-touristed destination to help combat over-tourism.

This eagerness to explore the planet in a way that protects it for future generations has persevered throughout the pandemic, and its influence is present today.

In Virtuoso’s 2022 sustainability survey, affluent consumers reported that cost is less of a factor when planning to implement sustainable travel practices, but transparency is: 75% of travellers are willing to pay more to travel responsibly if they know how the funds are being used.

Travellers also expressed a strong desire for deeper knowledge and assistance with making more informed decisions around sustainable travel, with 40% of respondents saying they would be encouraged to travel more responsibly if they had guidance from a trusted source, such as a professional travel advisor, who could help them determine where to begin.

“The pandemic has led to an interesting phenomenon, taking sustainable travel from afterthought to forethought for travellers who are now searching for more meaning in their lives, their actions and ultimately with their spend,” said Vice-Chair and Sustainability Strategist Jessica Hall Upchurch.

“Travellers want to know that they, and their money, are making a difference. The pandemic disrupted the industry unlike anything before, but it also shifted priorities, resulting in a renewed commitment from travelers to safeguard the planet and each other. This conscious comeback will continue to transform the way we travel, and it reaffirms our belief that travel can be a force for good.”

The 2022 sustainability survey also revealed the ways in which travellers support sustainable tourism and the top destinations / trips associated with sustainable tourism:

Top 5 Ways Travellers Support Sustainable Tourism

1. Reduce food and plastic waste by bringing their own water bottle, carrying reusable bags, etc.
2. Support wildlife conservation
3. Travel during the off-season or to lesser-known destinations
4. Contribute to causes that benefit the destination and community they’re visiting
5. Support travel companies with a strong sustainability policy

Top 5 Trips/Destinations Travellers Associate with or Prioritise for Sustainable Tourism

1. Cultural tours (land-based)
2. River cruising
3. Heritage sites
4. African safaris and ocean cruising (tie)
5. Island destinations

Source: Luxury Travel Magazine

China recently started operations of international flights after a two-year ban due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as per the reports, there is no confirmation yet on the resumption of air services to India even after Beijing lifted the visa ban for Indian professionals and their families last month.

Reports state that China has also reduced the quarantine time to 7 days in designated hotels in the process of streamlining procedures for those arriving into the country, which is followed by 3-day isolation at home from the previous 2-day isolation for inbound travellers.

Reportedly, the said policy led to an increase in flight operations connecting China with other countries, especially the United States, along with the number of people travelling out of the country.

China has also made substantial adjustments since the COVID-19 pandemic, as consulates and embassies in 125 countries announced policies to streamline the process for those entering the Chinese mainland.

However, there have been no regular routes between India and China since November 2020, and no flights from both the countries have been notified yet.

As reported earlier, Beijing last month lifted a two-year visa ban for Indian professionals and their families working in various Chinese cities, but their travel to China remained a challenge as no flights between the two countries have started yet.

Meanwhile, China has permitted limited flight services to several countries in the neighbourhood, such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.

With regard to those Indian professionals and their families who began getting Chinese visas in India to return, they added that they are facing problems as there are no direct flights to China.

Source: Times Travel

Flying to Europe this year might sound as absurd as opting for premium gasoline. With prices this high, is it really the right time to splurge?

“As a result of labor shortages and all these things going on, travel is more expensive than it’s been in a while,” says travel journalist Oneika Raymond. “Flights are really expensive. Accommodation is really expensive. And revenge travel is a thing.”

Although travel prices continue to soar overall due to constrained supply and mounting demand, pockets of affordability remain.

Europe represents one of these pockets, where weakening currency exchange rates against the dollar and tepid demand have left prices relatively unscathed. In fact, flights within the U.S. have become so expensive this year that some international destinations, including many in Europe, offer a relative bargain.

“If you are willing to pay to fly domestically, check out international destinations,” suggests Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper, a travel booking app. “Because there is a good chance that there is a flight to somewhere else in the world for about the same price.”

Airfare Is Less Inflated In Europe

Domestic airfare was 30% higher at the end of May 2022 compared with May 2019, according to data from Hopper.

“Airfare this summer within the U.S. will cost $600 to $800,” says Berg. “At those prices you can get to Reykjavik, Iceland, or Dublin, Ireland.”

Indeed, flights from the U.S. to Europe were only up 13% at the end of May 2022 compared with the same period in 2019, according to Hopper. That trend squares with tourist demand, which remains below pre-pandemic levels: About 19% fewer U.S. travelers left for Europe in May 2022 compared with May 2019, before the pandemic, according to data from the International Trade Administration.

Put simply, prices and demand for flights to Europe are increasing, but not as quickly as they are elsewhere.

“Given how high domestic airfare is, you can get more bang for your buck with longer-haul destinations,” explains Berg.

The Dollar Is Strong

Although 2022 may go down as a bear market for everything from stocks to cryptocurrency, the U.S. dollar has gained ground on many foreign currencies. The dollar was 15% stronger against the euro in May 2022 compared with May 2021, according to data from the Federal Reserve.

“Today what we’re seeing is that a dollar can buy more euros than it has been able to essentially since the euro launched,” says Berg.

This means that anything purchased while traveling in countries that use the euro will be at a 15% discount, if currency exchange rates remain stable. U.S. travelers will enjoy this benefit on everything from food and lodging to events and transportation.

Of course, global inflationary pressures continue to drive up prices everywhere, including Europe. Annual consumer prices in Germany were up 7.9% in May, according to the Financial Times, just shy of the 8.6% increase in the U.S. Yet, while prices may remain elevated nearly everywhere, the relative strength of the dollar can help soften the blow.

Public Transportation Can Help You Save

Inflation has hit no aspect of travel more directly and dramatically than the cost of renting and operating a vehicle. Rental cars prices were up a budget-busting 69% in May 2022 compared with May 2019, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. And everybody knows how high gasoline prices have jumped.

These factors should make this the summer of public transportation for money-conscious travelers. Yet the U.S. offers few tourist destinations that can be explored by train.

Not so in Europe, where most popular cities offer safe, affordable and dependable transit. Cities such as Amsterdam, London and Copenhagen can be explored for only a few euros, which is equivalent to only a few U.S. dollars with favorable exchange rates.

Visiting national parks in the U.S. made sense in 2020 and 2021 for a host of reasons. But saving money in 2022 means skipping cars outright when possible.

Off The Beaten Path?

We are in strange times indeed when traveling to Europe represents an off-the-beaten-path, budget-friendly choice. Yet the facts speak for themselves. Airfare to Europe is rising less quickly than domestic tickets, and fewer travelers are visiting the continent. The dollar is strong, and the U.S. has dropped its testing requirement for arriving travelers, which made leaving the country a pain.

All this has combined to make Europe a good choice for travelers in an upside-down year. Riding the rails in Zurich could prove cheaper than renting a car in Cleveland.

Source: AP

Dubai hotels will continue to lead the ongoing robust recovery in the Middle East hotel sector in 2022 with occupancy levels as high as 77 per cent.

Hotels in Dubai Creek/Festival City and Dubai Marina/JBR areas will be the busiest with the highest occupancy rates, according to the Mena Hotel Forecast by Colliers.

“The impact of Expo 2020 has had a positive impact on all markets in the UAE, while the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is expected to result in overspill demand to the key transit hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi,” Colliers said in its latest report.

However, rising instability in key CIS source markets is expected to suppress demand, with the largest impacts expected in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, it said.

“Given the diversity of source markets for the UAE, additional hotel demand may be induced from alternative markets at a lower price positioning,” Colliers said in its report.

In Dubai, across almost 800 hotels, occupancy rates in Dubai have averaged 76 per cent throughout the first half of 2022. The achievement makes Dubai the world leader for hotel occupancies, head of New York, London, and Paris, according to the recent tourism data revealed by Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).

Dubai has welcomed 6.17 million international overnight visitors up to May 2022, a 197 per cent YoY increase. The 76 per cent occupancy figure was maintained from January to April 2022.

Hotels in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah also have recorded above 60 per cent occupancy

Dubai is building on the massive momentum generated by the hugely successful Expo 2020 to drive growth across all its tourism pillars from cultural to culinary experiences. “As we look ahead to the remainder of 2022 and beyond, we will harness the key elements that have ensured the industry’s steady growth year after year since we reopened to international visitors in 2020 – providing an unparalleled diverse destination offering that offers unique value and memorable experiences for our guests,” said Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of DET.

Christopher Lund, the executive director, Colliers, said most markets would have improved on their year-on-year performance in the second half of 2022. “However, increased geopolitical tension, a rising price of oil, and a significant increase in inflation have affected key inbound source markets for the region resulting in a slower than expected recovery. When factored with an increase in outbound travel from the region, this has reduced the rate of recovery in domestically oriented markets.”

“While ongoing monitoring of the Covid-19 pandemic by key touristic stakeholders continues to influence how markets recover, consumer confidence will be the principal determiner of growth. A transparent and consistent approach to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions to support further recovery and growth remains a key factor in improvement,” said Lund.

In the Middle East, the sharpest jump in occupancy was demonstrated by hotels in Makkah at 106 per cent and Madinah at 80 per cent due to the restart of the pilgrimage travel while negative occupancy growth was recorded by hotels in Sharm El-Shaikh and Alexandria, at 12 per cent and 7.0 per cent respectively.

“The Riyadh Season and growing consumer confidence has benefitted both the Riyadh and Jeddah markets. While positive indications on the return of pilgrim demand has improved the outlook for the Makkah and Madinah markets. The rising price of oil has historically led to increased corporate demand in Al Khobar/Dammam, however, an increase in outbound travel may reduce this impact,” said the report.

Cairo has maintained its rate of growth, however, leisure-oriented markets have experienced a marked reduction of demand stemming from increased competition in the region as well as travel uncertainty from the key CIS markets. The exception here is the Hurghada market which has maintained its levels of demand.

Doha has experienced a slight decrease in occupancy over H1 2022 compared to the previous year. However, Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 is expected to result in super-normal levels of demand for its duration in the final quarter of the year.

Source: Khaleej Times

Emirates and Air Canada have announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement that will create more options for customers when travelling on the carriers’ networks.

Emirates and Air Canada intend to establish a codeshare relationship later in 2022 to offer enhanced consumer travel choices for Air Canada customers to travel to the United Arab Emirates and to destinations beyond Dubai, and vice versa.

Customers will have opportunities to book connecting travel between both airlines’ networks with the ease of a single ticket, seamless connectivity at the carriers’ respective global hubs and baggage transfers to their final destinations.

President of Emirates Airline, Sir Tim Clark, described the pact as a significant partnership that would enable customers’ access to more destinations in Canada and the Americas, via the Toronto and U.S. gateways.

“It also opens up many new route combinations for travellers across Emirates’ and Air Canada’s extensive networks in the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

“We are pleased to partner with Air Canada, one of North America’s most established airlines and Canada’s flag carrier and we look forward to jointly progressing in various areas to provide even better customer flight choices and experiences.”

President and CEO of Air Canada, Michael Rousseau, added that they were very pleased to form a strategic partnership with Emirates, a highly respected flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates with a hub in the vibrant city of Dubai.

“This strategic agreement will create network synergies, and Air Canada customers will have additional, convenient options when travelling between Canada and the United Arab Emirates as well as destinations beyond Dubai. We look forward to introducing Air Canada codeshare service on key Emirates flights, as well as adding the EK code on select Air Canada flights, and welcoming Emirates customers on our services later this year.”

To further enhance the customer experience, the carriers will also establish reciprocal frequent flyer benefits and reciprocal lounge access for qualifying customers. Further details of the partnership and specific codeshare routes will be announced when finalised and will be subject to regulatory approvals and final documentation.

Source: The Guardian

An African airline lobby suggests urgent wider adoption of hop-and-pick services, seeing it as a solution to ailing carriers, and as a way to ease restrictive air travel on the continent.

This, and the expanded sharing of routes were among suggestions it wants African Union member states to implement and save operators from loss.

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA) agreed this week at the end of the African Aviation Laboratory in Nairobi. The lobby wants airlines based in Africa to fly more freely, without having to first return to their hubs. For example, they want an airline, say based in Nairobi, to ply a general route to South Africa by picking up passengers and dropping others at main airports without having to return to Nairobi for connection.

Airlines can also be allowed to fly into smaller cities of other countries without first having to land in the capitals. The lobby calls that ‘freedom flights.’ That, they argue, will allow convenience, ease cost of operations and eventually open up more skies for more people.

“We have received a number of requests from African and Europe airlines to fly direct to Mombasa and Nairobi,” Kenya Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said this week in Mombasa while inspecting state projects.

Six-point strategy

“We shall review them and give permits to boost tourism but as we do so, we are also pushing for Kenya Airways to be granted the same in different countries.”

This proposal is part of the six strategies they put forward in their declaration, mainly focusing on sharing key facilities as a means to cut cost, gain traffic in a new market, improving aircraft utilisation and providing efficient services.

AFRAA, in collaboration with the African Aviation Group, said AFRAA Secretary General, Abdérahmane Berthé, will work for the roadmap’s adoption at the next AU sitting to ensure sustainability of the air transport sector in Africa.

“The lab provides a constructive opportunity to share views and build transformative solutions necessary to address sustainability and competitiveness of Africa’s air transport. “AFRAA will continue to spearhead the Laboratory outcomes to ensure Africa achieves survival in the short-term and its sustainability in the long-term,” said Mr Berthé.

Implementation will take time as the process must first be adopted by the AU and then ratified by individual members. Aviation in Africa has suffered from high air ticket costs to long layovers at airports, making it cumbersome to connect between cities in parts of the continent. Some people often fly to another continent before returning to Africa as the connection may be faster.

The lobby also wants localised code-sharing so airlines can complete each other’s passenger trips on the same ticket. This already happens with some airlines outside Africa.

The conference also agreed to develop guidelines and economic regulatory framework for harmonising taxes, charges, and fees. And to achieve sustainability, there is need to reduce taxes on fuel and abolish Custom duties on spare parts and aircraft in line with relevant provisions of the ICAO Convention.

Efficiency

The Laboratory, a hybrid event of 150 participants from AFRAA, African airlines, airport authorities, ACI Africa, Civil Aviation Authorities, Air Navigation Service Providers, and independent industry experts among others called upon States, development partners, financial institutions and other stakeholders to support the implementation of the roadmap.

The association also pointed out the need to streamline and automate the flight permits acquisition processes across Civil Aviation Authorities to achieve competitive and affordable air travel to boost trade and tourism in Africa.

In the roadmap, which will be tabled for adoption by AU policy organs recommended need to boost flight operation efficiency in African airspace to attain productivity gains for airlines and air navigation service providers.

It is expected that African airlines revenue is expected to reduce by more than half as more countries ease travel restrictions by removing the requirement for testing on fully vaccinated passengers.

According to latest prediction of IATA, full year revenue loss for African airlines for 2022 is estimated at $4.1 billion, equivalent to 23.4 percent of the 2019 revenues.

Cost of pandemic

In 2021, African airlines cumulatively lost $8.6 billion in revenues due to the impact of the pandemic, representing 49.8 per cent of 2019.

IATA states by end of June, many states in Africa had eased travel restrictions by removing the requirement for testing on fully vaccinated passengers.

“With different countries among them Chinese having set out plans to ease Covid-19 restrictions in stages for a return to more normal life, the aviation sector is predicted to fully recover in 2024,” read part of the latest report by the association.

According to IATA, the global recovery rate is 98.8 percent compared with 97.9 percent in Africa.

In May 2022, African airlines’ capacity deployed reached 76.6 percent of 2019 capacity. Traffic recovery is now at 66.3 percent of 2019 pre-Covid level.

Domestic markets continue to remain dominant in both capacity and actual passenger carried. Domestic demand at 42.1 percent outperformed intra-Africa and intercontinental which remained subdued at 30.2 percent and 27.7 percent for intra-Africa and intercontinental respectively.

The percentage of international routes operated by African airlines is estimated to reach an impressive 92.2 percent in May 2022 compared with February 2020.

The intra-African passenger traffic recovery is estimated at 74 percent in May due to the easing of anti-Covid-19 restrictions in several African countries.

Generally, across Africa, passenger traffic volumes remain low because of the high ticket cost and travel apathy.

It is hoped that with the continued relaxation of lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions in many countries, traffic will increase as we approach the summer holiday peak season.

The aviation sector has also suffered blow in different sectors where average jet fuel price continues to rise globally, impacting on airlines operating costs.

Airline revenues remained low with many operators battling with cash-flow issues.

Source: The East African

Africa’s largest carrier Ethiopian Airlines is ready to revive its codeshare agreement with the recently privatized Air India. The airline has been quite robust with its network expansion in India over the years and profits from a significant number of connecting passengers from the country.

Codeshare resumption

Ethiopian Airlines is currently in talks with Air India to revive its codeshare agreement. The two airlines first signed the deal in 2011, but the agreement was suspended shortly before the pandemic due to operational difficulties. Now, with markets opening again after COVID, the African carrier feels the time is right to resume the relationship with AI.

Ethiopian’s Chief Commercial Officer Lemma Yadecha Gudeta told The Hindu Business Line that he met Air India officials at the recently held IATA Annual General Meeting in Doha and that they were positive about continuing the agreement. He added,

“We are holding discussions with officials of Air India and reviving the agreement will not be a problem. We have been partners for so long, and it is just a matter of readjusting the technical part of the Code Share.”

Other airlines are in the running, too

Air India isn’t the only Indian carrier Ethiopian has its eyes on. The airline wants to lure as many Indian passengers as possible for flight connections from its primary hub at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD).

The carrier is looking to create commercial partnerships with Indian low-cost carriers such as IndiGo and SpiceJet. Additionally, Ethiopian Airlines is also assessing the prospects of setting up its aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility in the country.

Around 90% of Ethiopian’s passengers traveling from India are transit passengers going further to the airlines’ African points, mainly to Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, and Zambia, among others. Its biggest destinations in India – Mumbai and Delhi – supply a steady flow of business and leisure passengers to the airline, and it wants to double down on that by having multiple codeshare options.

Focus on India

Ethiopian Airlines has had a long association with India. The airline recently celebrated 50 years of uninterrupted service to Mumbai, debuting its flights to the city in December 1961. Its flights to New Delhi began even before, in 1966, just 20 years after the carrier was founded.

The carrier offers passenger services to four Indian cities – Mumbai (2x daily), Delhi (10x weekly), Bengaluru (3x weekly), and Chennai (3x weekly). The service to Bengaluru was started just before the onset of the pandemic, and flights to Chennai began recently on July 2nd. In fact, Ethiopian’s Chennai flight is the first and currently only flight connecting the city directly with an African destination.

Ethiopian also operates cargo flights to India and deploys its freighter aircraft to Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad. The airline is next eyeing passenger services to Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, subject to permission from India’s Civil Aviation Ministry.

Source: Simple Flying

Dubai’s travel agencies are facing staffing issues as travel demand heads back into full growth, according to a top official with an industry grouping.

“During the pandemic, some staff went into other industries and that’s affecting the number of people available,” said Sumit Acharya, Vice-President of Dubai Travel and Tour Agents Group (DTTAG).

Instead of hiring fresh recruits and training them, agencies are on the lookout for more experienced candidates, who can “hit the ground running”. They are also being offered significant pay hikes, Acharya added.

This could lead to a sector-wide hike in salaries as employers look to lock down their best talent. An average travel agent in Dubai typically earns around Dh13,000 per month, with salaries ranging from Dh7,020-Dh19,600, according to Salaryexplorer.

“When an agency wins a contract, they need to ramp up hiring and they would rather get someone from another company who is ready and trained,” said Acharya.

Big steps to travel rebound

Last week, Dubai issued a resolution cancelling fees levied on airline agents and offices operating in Dubai. Acharya said the decision is a positive step but will only apply to General Sales Agencies (GSAs), who are airlines’ local sales representatives.

Acharya explained that unlike normal travel agencies that sell tickets for all airlines, GSAs act as an office for an airline in a particular location. “Each time the GSA opens a branch office they would have to pay additional fees– that’s what’s been referred to here.”

The travel industry official hopes that there is a review of the different fees paid by the broader sector related to licensing. “It’s a very positive development for GSAs and the industry has been talking about this to different parts of the government for some time – it’s very gratifying.”

Back to pre-Covid?

The long Eid weekend, followed by the summer break, could propel Dubai’s travel agents to pre-pandemic numbers. Acharya, citing numbers seen on IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) platform, said that Dubai’s travel agencies are 30 per cent below 2019 levels in terms of the number of transactions.

The ongoing disruptions in major North American and European hubs could cast a cloud over immediate recovery prospects. “There’s a fair bit of chaos and, in some cases, it can take two-and-a-half hours just to get done with the arrival processes, and that’s not a pleasant experience,” said Acharya.

Acharya believes the disruptions will have a big impact on passengers’ confidence in the aviation industry, especially since it has only been a few months since travel restrictions were relaxed in those markets.

Travel agencies still relevant

The massive flight delays and cancellations triggered by the pandemic had some industry sources thinking that customers would develop a stronger preference for direct airline bookings. But, that’s not been the case.

“During the pandemic, people figured out how easy it is to have a one-stop shop like a travel agency,” said Acharya. “Agencies can make whatever changes required by the consumers – getting through to airlines has been quite a challenge.”

High fuel

The pent-up travel demand, which has been driving international air traffic, may grind to a halt by the end of this year amid high fuel prices. But this is not a source of bother for Dubai’s travel agencies.

“The presence of a large expatriate population presents a certain compulsion for travel,” said Acharya. “There’s a lot of regional travel that’s going to grow compared to 2019.”

Source: Gulf News

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the South African Travel & Tourism’s GDP will drive the national economic recovery over the next decade.

The forecast from WTTC’s Economic Impact Report (EIR) shows the South African Travel & Tourism sector is forecasted to grow at an average rate of 7.6% annually over the next decade, significantly outstripping the 1.8% growth rate of the country’s overall economy.

By 2032, the sector’s contribution to GDP could reach more than ZAR 554.6 billion (7.4% of the total economy), injecting nearly ZAR 287 billion into the national economy.

The sector is also expected to create more than 800,000 jobs over the next decade, to reach more than 1.9 million by 2032.

Although the data reveals a bright future for South Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector, the recovery was seriously hampered after the detection and surge of the Omicron variant.

Many countries around the world placed severe and damaging restrictions on African countries, which caused even further damage to those economies and put thousands more livelihoods at risk.

By the end of this year, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow 37.2% year on year, to nearly ZAR 268 billion (4.3% of total economy).

Employment in the sector is set to grow by 3.8%% to reach more than 1.1 million jobs.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Although the future looks bright for the South African Travel & Tourism sector, the recovery this year will be slower than expected.”

“Knee-jerk travel restrictions imposed over South Africa and other African destinations were impulsive and unjustified. Instead of punishing, these countries should have been praised for discovering the variant early.”

“However, with GDP contribution and jobs on the rise, the long-term forecast looks very positive.”

In 2019, the South African Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to GDP as a share of total economy was 6.4% (ZAR 405.2 billion), falling to just 3.1% (ZAR 180 billion) in 2020, which represented a staggering 55.6% loss.

The sector also supported more than 1.5 million jobs across the country, before suffering a 29.9% drop, falling to just over one million.

WTTC’s latest EIR report also reveals that 2021 saw the beginning of the recovery for South Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector.

Last year, its contribution to GDP climbed 8.4% year on year, to reach just over ZAR 195 billion.

The sector also saw a recovery of 20,000 Travel & Tourism jobs, representing a 1.9% rise to reach almost nearly 1.1 million.

Source: Hospitalitynet

The federal government announced Wednesday all existing border restrictions to enter Canada will remain in place until at least Sept. 30. That means foreign travellers will still need to provide proof of being fully vaccinated to enter the country and unvaccinated Canadians or permanent residents will need to provide a molecular Covid-19 test taken prior to entering and quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. The government is also still requiring all travellers, regardless of citizenship, to upload their vaccine information and travel documents to the ArriveCan app. The restrictions were last extended on May 31.

In addition, the pause of mandatory random testing will continue at all airports until mid-July, for travellers who qualify as fully vaccinated. The pause was put in place on June 11, 2022, and is allowing airports to focus on streamlining their operations, while the Government of Canada moves forward with its planned move of COVID-19 testing for air travellers outside of airports to select test provider stores, pharmacies, or by virtual appointment. Mandatory random testing continues at land border points of entry, with no changes. Travellers who do not qualify as fully vaccinated, unless exempt, will continue to test on Day 1 and Day 8 of their 14-day quarantine.

Moving testing outside of airports will allow Canada to adjust to increased traveller volumes while still being able to monitor and quickly respond to new variants of concern, or changes to the epidemiological situation. Border testing is an important tool in Canada’s detection and surveillance of COVID-19 and has been essential in helping us slow the spread of the virus. Data from the testing program are used to understand the current level and trends of importation of COVID-19 into Canada. Border testing also allows for the detection and identification of new COVID-19 variants of concern that could pose a significant risk to the health and safety of Canadians. In addition, this data has and continues to inform the Government of Canada’s safe easing of border measures.

All travellers must continue to use ArriveCAN (free mobile app or website) to provide mandatory travel information within 72 hours before their arrival in Canada, and/or before boarding a cruise ship destined for Canada, with few exceptions. Additional efforts are being undertaken to enhance compliance with ArriveCAN, which is already over 95% for travellers arriving by land and air combined.
Quotes

“As we move into the next phase of our COVID-19 response, it is important to remember that the pandemic is not over. We must continue to do all that we can to keep ourselves and others safe from the virus. It is also important for individuals to remain up to date with the recommended vaccinations to ensure they are adequately protected against infection, transmission, and severe complications. As we have said all along, Canada’s border measures will remain flexible and adaptable, guided by science and prudence.” The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health

“Today’s announcement would not be possible without Canadians’ continued efforts to vaccinate themselves, wear their masks, and follow public health advice while travelling. Our Government’s commitment will always be to protect passengers, employees, and their communities from the impacts of COVID-19, while keeping our transportation system strong, efficient, and resilient for the long-term.”, The Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport

Source: Breaking Travel News