Coronavirus is the biggest disrupter since World War Two, upending the local hospitality industry to an extent that the sector might take 12 to 18 months to recover. 

Mwingirwa Kithure

The tourism industry has been the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg to Kenya’s economy, with the country relying heavily on the sector as a source of foreign exchange and employment.

The sector directly employs more than a million people, with an estimated two million depending on it indirectly.

Last year, the industry earned Sh163 billion and welcomed 2.05 million tourists.

Until the monster called coronavirus reared its ugly head, 2020 was expected to be the industry’s best. 

Arrivals were projected to surpass 2.5 million due to tourism marketing efforts  and countless international conferences lined  up to take place in the country throughout the year. 

When Meetings Events Conferences and Incentives (MICE) are the kingpin of a country’s tourism industry strategy, then it’s a boom business for all.

  Airlines, airports, taxi operators, hotels, restaurants, curio shops, museums, casinos, national parks, bars and even brothels reap.

But like a ghost from nowhere, Covid-19 struck hard starting February, stopping all  lofty dreams, with those big sum revenue projections now a pipe dream.

You can no longer sit down at your favourite restaurant and enjoy an exquisite gourmet because social distancing rules stipulates that you can only enjoy the delicacy as a take-away.  Your aerobics and Spa moments  must wait too.

Skeleton staff

In a few days, the usual busy and charming porter was all forlorn in lonely lobbies. Likewise, the receptionist became idle, sheepishly smiling at the empty lobby, punctuating her wry smile with an occasional yawn. 

Hotels are empty save for a skeleton staff working on rotational shifts. “The outbreak presents the tourism sector in Kenya and beyond with a major headache and a challenge that must be surmounted somehow,”  says Barnabas Wamoto, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport Hotel.

“The nosedive in tourism earnings this year means that there will be serious struggle in the hospitality industry for entities to stay afloat. Presently, institutions are implementing various fire-fighting strategies to mitigate the impact of Covid-19,”  he adds. 

Wamoto says some decisions being taken are painful, but necessary to guarantee organisational survival during this crisis, but what matters are concrete actions that hotels and the hospitality industry in general are taking to ensure they are ready when leisure and business travellers resumes.

Calls for resilience

He warns that even then, things will take long to return post 2020. “It will not be a nightfall fix. Tourists and international conferences will not return en-mass soon, since travel will not be a priority for most,” he adds. 

Roberto Simone, the Cluster General Manager of Villa Rosa Kempinski and Olare Mara Kempinski Camp, says Covid-19  is the biggest disrupter since World War Two and the Kenyan hospitality industry, just like in the rest of the world, has been hit hard and the effects will be felt for years to come.

“There is common industrial consensus  that the 2019 output level will not be reached any time soon.

Most likely, it will take 12 to 18 months,” Roberto observes, adding that the peripheral economies of many countries will take two to three years to recover. 

“Whilst  among economists,  there is consensus in predicting — for developed economies — a V or U shape demand recovery, driven by the household consumption, the effects on emerging, middle and poor countries will take additional time,” says Roberto.

The GM who is in his current position for almost a year now argues that the Kenyan hospitality industry has to be resilient, keep alive and protect the business ventures and prepare the new normal to come.

“Post-Covid-19, most likely, will present challenges as new consumers patterns emerge, with changes in priorities during the selection decision-making process,” says Roberto.

 He says we are witnessing the death of “proximity business” propelled by 20 years of globalisation for “distance matter”.

Hospitality units need to be prepared to a more accustomed home space potential consumer than pre-Covid-19 era.

This will change the approach in terms of service  delivery and put great pressure digital marketing teams.

The GM notes that globally, the pandemic will accelerate de-globalisation.  Most likely, the virus will also shape the world towards regional trade blocs, which will share same standards and policies.

Permanent behaviour change

“Should the above happen, then this will be the first catalysis that will affect in first instance, the aviation industry and consequently, the entire hospitality industry.

The concerning scenario is a serious call for Kenya hospitality industry to re-strategise its offers, look into more regional domestic feeder markets and as well, target new consumer patterns,” says Roberto. 

David Gachuru, General Manager at Sarova Panafric says the crisis is of unprecedented magnitude, but preaches hope and a rise from the doom. “Post-Covid-19 can better be looked at using a triangular approach: First, what will change permanently? Secondly what has changed, but will not be sustained and third, what further change can one influence?” says Gichuru. 

The career hotelier with over 20-year experience says people’s behaviour will change permanently.

“People will be afraid of hygiene and their health. So, hoteliers must learn how to stay hygienic no matter what,” he says.

The GM says going forward, social distance will be critical for a long time to come. Air travel will change drastically, with flying becoming expensive due to less seat capacity as social distance becomes the norm.

Regrettably as the cost of running business rises due to dwindling fortunes, Gachuru predicts that hotel staff numbers will fall.

Sales and marketing personnel will be forced to change strategy and be more digital savvy, otherwise they will be rendered irrelevant.

Gachuru expects that what will not change much is socialisation. With time, locals will resume their normal lives amid heightened caution and hotel occupancies will recover.

He foresees a bad patch for hotels before things brighten up. “Still, hotels will remain.

You don’t sell a cow because you have no skills to milk it. Simply, you hand over to the milkman and retain the cow! he advises. 

Source: https://www.pd.co.ke/news/time-to-plan-for-kenyas-tourism-industry-post-covid-19-pandemic-33934/

The Covid-19 outbreak has disrupted lives of citizens and businesses with activities moving online in adherence to stringement measures imposes by the State to curb spread of the virus.

For many Kenyans, a typical day now revolves around reading news on Twitter, buying groceries from Jumia, setting up education portal for children out of schools and linking up with workmates on Zoom video chat.

As the physical world is being decimated, the digital world is thriving, breathing life to technologies initially regarded casually.

A look at the Kenyan trend on the Google app store shows the latest top downloads include a mix of productivity, e-commerce and entertainment with apps like WhatsApp, Facebook, Zoom, Jumia, Viusasa, TikTok, houseparty, Instagram and Snapchat.

“Working from home has meant that my Skype account is no longer for catching up with friends, but a tool to get office work done,” said Ms Damaris Kimani who works as an administrative secretary for a Kenyan start-up.

She said meetings occasionally move to Zoom, Google Hangout or WebEx depending who is on the other end and for convenience purposes.

Google Hangout is a preferred video conferencing tool because it is free and its quality is reliable, she said.

Data from Google shows the daily usage of its enterprise video conferencing tool Hangouts Meet has soared following the coronavirus pandemic as workers look for ways of staying productive from home.

“Despite this growth the demand has been well within the bounds of our network’s ability,” said Google Cloud chief Thomas Kurian in a blog post after daily usage went up 25 times higher than it was in January.

In weeks after the coronavirus outbreak, Zoom has seen its stock skyrocket as investors bet that more people would use video conferencing tools.

Last week, the start-up said the number of customers paying $100,000 went up 86 percent to 641 for the quarter.

Socialising

As millions throng social media to keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues, the platforms are reporting a strain on their systems.

Data from internet and entertainment services gives clear indication of a country pushed online in the recent past.

Churches are turning to social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to bring services to members from the comfort of their homes.

Calls and messaging services on Instagram and Facebook have spiked by over 50 percent in Kenya and many countries across the globe.

In the days of dial up modems, when smartphones didn’t exist, or if they did, were owned by just a few individuals, often one device in the home could be on the internet at a time.

Modems come in varied speed connectivity ranging from 2G to 4G and help create a Wi-Fi hotspot for users of personal computers.

While there are universal modems in stores that are compatible to any line, the most common ones in the local market are from Safaricom, Airtel and Orange.

Their usage and demand has gone up in the recent weeks as more Kenyans opt to work from home and access education material online for their children.

Internet

“I had to remind myself how to use the modem after months of neglecting it now that my employer directed that I work from home,” said Mr Greg Ochieng, a Nairobi resident.

A portable 4G MiFi from Safaricom, Airtel or Telkom retails at around Sh8,000 on Jumia while a modem goes for about Sh2,000.

As working from home becomes the new normal, smartphones are becoming the window to the world.

For those without modems, mobile hotspots and tethering are becoming the in-thing in order to stay online.

Mobile hotspots and tethering are ways one can use their data as wireless internet service. Basically one connects their computer, tablet or any other device to the phone’s internet.

As online activities increase there is a surge in internet usage. This is giving Internet Service Providers (ISP) the headache keeping users happy with fast speeds.

ISPs are throttling bandwidths and certain services to accommodate the demand.

But as the digital world thrives and getting the work done tops users priority list, cybercriminals are working overtime to make a kill.

Microsoft Chief Security adviser for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Cyril Voisin noted that cybercriminals are opportunistic and will use topical issues as click baits to steal money or information from users.

“We have been tracking the number of domains that have been created around the Covid-19 and half of them are malicious. So far 103,000 domains have been created by fraudsters out of the theme of the pandemic,” he said.

Aside from ransomware, other threats that cybercriminals are using include phishing through emails and messaging applications.

The CEO fraud has also been on the rise. It basically entails someone pretending to be the boss of an organisation. The cybercriminals send email through a personal account directing the finance manager to wire some cash and that they will explain later because it is urgently needed.

To be safe, Mr Voisin advises small and medium enterprises to protect data with cloud backups, using antimalware, firewalls and secure networks like https, VPN, Wi-Fi.

They can also use anti-phishing technologies such as file/attachment and link inspection as well as protecting their identity with multifactorial authentication.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/datahub/Viral-pandemic-ushers–rebirth–of-tech-tools/3815418-5525112-yt2silz/index.html

Our country is facing the biggest fight in post-independence existence: the lives of its citizens are on the line, its economy is threatened, its culture and way of life is imperiled.

The novel coronavirus threatens to kill us, damage our health, destroy our economy and the very fabric of our families. It will rain pain and suffering upon our unprotected heads in the coming days, weeks and months.

However, nothing shapes and brings out character than adversity and suffering. Great generals do not distinguish themselves in peacetime. The iron in their backbone shines through the smoke, mud and cacophony of the battlefield.

 

The battle for our lives today will not be won by a powerful, privileged few. Every man, woman and child in this country must become that great general. And our weapons are not necessarily guns and bullets; our weapons are social discipline, sacrifice and caring for the welfare and safety of those around you.

Because we are relatively poor, our governments wasteful and our systems weak, “experts” have been predicting deaths on this continent in the millions. However, there must be reasons why we have survived on this continent for tens of thousands of years and outlived many other species.

To survive we must adapt as we have over the years.

The coronavirus pandemic that has so far infected 179 people in Kenya is changing the way we live, love, and express that love. Our expressions of greetings and farewell no longer make sense in this new world order. The handshake, that universal symbol of camaraderie and mutual understanding, has suddenly become absurd; the hug ludicrous; and walking around without a mask unreasonable. We have to adapt or perish.

However, the changes that Covid-19 is imposing on us at the physical level pale in comparison to the challenges that this disease continues to present to us as a people, and to our government, every day. In his speech to the nation on Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta noted that “never has our national interest been threatened to this extent before”.

Preparing Kenyans for a worst that is yet to come, the President looked back to how the events of the last one month have changed our routines. “Our families, our schools, our way of life, the way we worship, our economy, our businesses, our workers, every single Kenyan stands threatened by this invisible, relentless enemy that is Covid-19,” he said.

And that is the reason we all must stand up and be counted now. In this disease is an opportunity for us to change the outcomes for ourselves, our families, our communities and the nation at large. They say the greatest obstacle to being heroic is the doubt whether one may not be going to prove oneself a fool, that the truest heroism is to resist that doubt, and the profoundest wisdom to know when it ought to be resisted and when it is to be obeyed.

Yet, in the last few days we have seen varying degrees of obedience to guidelines on how to stop the spread of Covid-19; from instructions by the Ministry of Health to self-quarantine if one has a history of travel, to the announcement of a nightly curfew and incessant calls to wash our hands, keep social distance and wear masks. These simple guidelines are markers as to whether we are willing to gang up against this monster, or want to continue life as usual and allow it to decimate us.

Our greatest calling now is to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. Unlike other countries in the world facing the same challenges, we have the advantage of time to learn from the experiences of those who have walked this journey ahead of us. The safety guidelines issued by the government and the World Health Organisation are the products of expert research and observations on how the virus is spread, and, most importantly, how it is contained.

Just as we have triumphed over many other disasters, our spirit of togetherness, innovation and resilience is once again on display. In Mombasa, people are lining up to donate food to an emergency fund, in Kibera a young man named David Avido is making and distributing face masks free of charge, while in Kisumu a community organisation in Obunga slum is leading a massive sanitisation and sensitisation campaign. These, like many other people around the country who have hearkened to the call to fight Covid-19, are a breath of fresh air to what would otherwise be a very dreary existence. They have shown us that we all have a corner in this boxing ring, a chapter in this story of heroism and sacrifice.

As we strap our boots and fight this monster, we must be reminded of the shape and taste of this beloved country once we emerge on the other side. Like soldiers coming home from war, we are likely to be physically battered and emotionally drained. Our healthcare system, our economy, our education, our agriculture, our businesses and our human resource are already starting to feel the pinch, and, if projections are anything to go by, the worst is yet to come.

Poor and developing countries with fragile economies stand to face the biggest shock from this pandemic, and leaving anyone unprotected will only prolong the health crisis and harm economies more. And so, to paraphrase the WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ recent speech to the international community recently, all countries, companies and research institutions ought to find ways to support open data, open science and open collaboration so that all people can enjoy the benefits of science and research, now and in the future.

While business executives and political leaders will offer policy direction in the new Kenya, the millions of hardworking citizens out there in the streets, slums and villages, who are the untiring foot soldiers in this battle, will determine what trajectory we take. But history is on our side, and we believe that the same stoicism we have displayed before will be our saving grace.

In the middle of this sea of fortitude, however, are lessons that we must carry with a mixture of glee and shame. While it is heartening to see this reawakening of our national values and ethos, as pointed to us regularly by Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, this pandemic has given us a peep into the yawning gaps in our health care system.

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For instance, it is shocking that a country of about 50 million people has about 500 critical care beds, and even more shocking that, eight years since devolution, there are counties with multimillion-shilling governors’ mansions and not a single intensive care unit bed. This, we hope, will force a reorganization of our expenditure priorities in the short term and give our dream of universal health coverage the impetus it needs to take off. Our leaders, we hope, have realised that the world is such a small place, and that a sneeze in faraway Wuhan, China, can make their favourite hospital bed in London unavailable.

As the global economy teeters on the verge of a massive recession, governments around the world are announcing billion-dollar bailout programmes for the most hard-hit sectors. Locally, Kenya Airways, whose planes now sit on the tarmac at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, grounded by the pandemic, has already asked the government to save it from imminent death.

The International Monetary Fund warned on Monday that the global economic impacts of this pandemic will be worse than the global financial crisis of 2008-09, and that the economic damage is mounting across all countries, hot on the heels of the sharp rise in new infections and containment measures put in place by governments. In the last two weeks of March, for instance, almost 10 million people in the US applied for unemployment benefits. Such a sharp and staggering increase has never been seen before, “not even at the peak of the global financial crisis in 2009”, warned the IMF.

It appears, then, that Kenya needs to start having a conversation around bailouts. While President Kenyatta has given tax breaks to individual and corporate citizens, these might not be enough in the long term. Economists are projecting massive job losses as businesses scale down or completely shut down in the year, which, in the middle of a virulent pandemic, sounds like adding insult to injury.

This, once again, is the time for us to be truly Kenyan, to live the spirit of our founding fathers by uniting against this pandemic, and to breathe hope where there appears none. Together we can do it.

Source: https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2020/04/we-stand-with-kenyans/

 

For years, Malindi has had a throbbing nightlife, attracting tourists in droves. I had planned a trip months ago and amid the travel restrictions, my dilemma was whether to cancel it or dare and enjoy the beaches and restaurants alone. After careful consideration and planning, I decided to go.

Sunday, 2.50 pm

I arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and quickly proceed to check-in before the gate closes. You’d have expected me to be on time. Well, who hurries on a Sunday?
The airport staff are wearing masks and gloves. At the check-in counter, I sanitise my hands as I chit-chat with the ticketing staff. At the departure lounge, travellers are seated one metre apart; some with masks and gloves. It’s deadly quiet.

3.43 pm

We have a slight delay as the aircraft is sanitised. Finally, we board but not before we sanitise our hands at the entrance. The plane is hardly full so we’re able to maintain a respectable social distance.

5.05pm

We land at Malindi International Airport. At the arrival bay, we write down our names, contact details and destination. There’s one pen which we all have to use. I’m glad to have my own. I’m cleared after my temperature is checked. I sanitise my hands and head out to a tuktuk taking me to an Airbnb house I’d booked.
The driver is amused at my stories about Covid-19 in Nairobi. “Here there’s no Corona. You’ll probably be the one to bring it,” he tells me. We both laugh.

6.30pm

After settling in, I chat with my host, Bonita. The pandemic has affected her Airbnb business. Since January, she hasn’t got any bookings. Her long-term guest is the reason she has money for food and rent, she says.

7.45pm

I step out to buy water from a supermarket nearby. I wash my hands at the entrance and exit. In the queue, I stand at a designated point. It is hot and the supermarket cashiers are sweating behind their masks and gloves. Cash transactions are accepted.

Monday, 10.13 am

Time for the beach! On my way there, a police officer stops me enquiring where I’m going. I tell him. He’s slightly angry wondering if I’ve heard about the ban on public gatherings. I keep quiet.
After a stern warning, he lets me go. For the next three hours, the ocean is like a private swimming pool. With no one in sight, I enjoy the sand, sun and the sound of the crashing waves and the whooshing wind.

7.30pm

I’m craving Italian food. I go to a restaurant called Bar Bar Malindi. Unfortunately, only a takeaway is allowed. I head to another restaurant called The House. It’s closed, and so are many others. Covid-19 is beginning to me piss me off. I go back to the Airbnb and cook pasta.

Tuesday, 7. 51am

I wake up. After a hearty breakfast, I catch up on my reading. The quarantine will enable me to achieve my ‘20 books in 2020’ goal.

1.54 pm

I plan to go to Malindi Marine Park then to the luxurious Billionaire Resort, owned by Italian billionaire and ex-Formula One boss Flavio Briatore, for a late lunch. This time, the tuktuk driver has a mask and gloves on. Both are closed. However, I find a way to the beach and swim my frustration away. This time we’re five. The water is sparkling clean. Conversations with three beach boys and artisans bring to light the devastating effects of the travel ban.

4.44pm

I get to drink a decent cappuccino at Rosada Beach Bar as I watch a few of their guests basking in the sun.

6.30pm

In Malindi town, the streets are teeming with people. Outside every establishment is a handwashing station. Most restaurants are closed but street food vendors continue to thrive. I eat chips and ‘mkate wa mayai’. Unfortunately, the guy serving the food was also handling money. I quickly mumble a prayer over the food I’ve just consumed. To console myself, I count the number of times I’d washed my hands that day; 11.

Wednesday, 9.15 am

I intend on staying indoors so I start on a new Korean series.

5.15 pm

I leave the house to go eat ice-cream. At Nash Ice-cream Land, the attendant asks us to maintain social distance as health officials are monitoring food cafes. I now hate Covid-19 more!

Thursday, 11:44am

The plane touches down at JKIA. We’re led to the arrivals lounge where we fill a form indicating our contact details, flight number, and our destination if staying in Kenya for more than one hour. My temperature is checked by a health worker and for the fourth time today, I sanitise my hands.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/lifestyle/travel/Glimpse-of-Malindi-without-tourists/3815716-5512438-15307cl/index.html

 

 

Vital Vio CEO Colleen Costello discusses what more aviation stakeholders could do to guarantee the safety of their passengers and help flatten the curve of the ongoing Covid-19’s spread.

As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, claiming thousands of lives worldwide, the aviation industry is having to deal with increasingly restricted services and plummeting revenues amid economic uncertainty and travel bans. 

In these challenging times, industry bodies like the Airport Council International (ACI) and its regional divisions, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and more are working around the clock to support small and large aviation enterprises in their struggles. 

However, while most operations have been brought to a halt due to the closure of borders in several countries, many governments are still cooperating with national carriers to repatriate those who are stranded abroad, to allow essential travel to take place. 

With some flights still happening (albeit largely reduced) and airports still open, the health and safety of passengers and crew have never been more important. 

Colleen Costello, the CEO of Vital Vio – a US-based company that embeds LED technology into common household lights to continuously kill bacteria and other germs – shares her views on what aviation companies should and can do to guarantee the wellbeing of their customers and employees. 

Adele Berti: What are the main health and safety issues facing airline carriers and airports right now?

Colleen Costello: The current Covid-19 crisis has put everybody in difficult and uncertain times. In the airport space, the biggest challenges with germs across the board are that they’re invisible. That’s a really difficult challenge when you’re managing large spaces like in airports or tight spaces within an aircraft. Germs are invisible and they can live on surfaces for an extended period of time, as well as potentially replicate while they’re on the surfaces. 

I’m talking about germs broadly, but Covid-19 is a virus and you can’t see whether it’s on the surface or whether someone has it. From a health perspective, a big part of the challenge is how aggressive do airlines and airports need to be in either disinfecting, sanitising surfaces or testing people as they come throughout their facilities. 

So, it’s a challenging time for those airport stakeholders who work with a number of partners in the travel industry. There are also challenges associated with how you identify where the germs are living and how they’re being transmitted across people when you have crowded spaces. 

AB: How are aviation players working to protect their passengers and employees?

CC: Unfortunately, the reality of the war we have on germs is that there are no guarantees and that’s what makes a lot of these environments very challenging, but there are really basic things that do curb and break the transmission curve between people. From an airline and airport’s perspective, it’s really about clarity of communication to passengers and staff of the seriousness of the individual paths and behaviours which, if everybody is very vigilant, can be effective at keeping everybody safe for passengers, as well as the staff. 

A number of the airlines we work with are taking rather aggressive measures before and after the flight – whether it be through our technology or different chemical bombing solutions – in order to make sure that anything that could have landed in that environment is killed before people come on-board. I’ve seen a lot of airlines move very quickly overnight to try to get whatever technology was available.

AB: What can global airports do on their end?

CC: Airports tend to have large facilities and attract big groups of people from all over the world in one space. So, overall they’re not a great spot for health and wellness and there’s definitely more they can do to ensure that they are utilising new technologies and tools to provide more of the so-called ‘inhospitable environment’ for germs. 

There are many tools available that can enhance an airport’s cleanliness because there are a lot of challenges around keeping surfaces clean especially when you have many people walking throughout your facility. So there is definitely room for improvement in what relates to keeping those spaces clean and keeping the staff and guests throughout those places safe. 

AB: Should stakeholders start promoting the use of masks and gloves for personnel and travellers?

CC: Face masks are important for really medical personnel. We need to reserve them for medical personnel in the US as there is a shortage there. If you’re healthy and well, you know, a mask is not really the solution. In the event that you have symptoms whatsoever, the recommendation is to not be travelling. Unfortunately, in our recent “The Dirty Truth” survey – which we carried out before the Covid-19 issue spread out – one in five Americans admitted to still travelling when they’re sick, which is an absolute no-no. There’s no harm necessarily in gloves. 

I think it should be mostly about education and awareness of how these germs actually transmit. So, that’s where the airline carriers can play a strong role, by providing clarity of communication to their passengers and staff of exactly what’s going on and how they can all help in the fight against Covid-19.

AB: Can you expand on the findings of your survey?

CC: Unfortunately, the results were not great across the board. Two in five Americans admit to still travelling when they’re sick, putting themselves and those around them in danger. Covid-19 has made that a lot more in-focus with the severity of the virus. [In addition] 60% of respondents never wipe down surfaces that they touch while travelling, so they’re leaving germs on those surfaces, and one in four Americans don’t sanitise their phones while travelling, which is another opportunity to both spread and pick up germs. 

Source: https://www.airport-technology.com/features/coronavirus-aviation-industry/

 

Whether it is to revel in the Caribbean’s charming weather, to hike in Macau, shopping expeditions in France or to party in Ibiza, for young Kenyans with money, the world is their oyster.

With few or no family responsibilities, their money is largely spent on adventure. They travel the world solo or in groups, and some have even started travel groups, with target destinations every year.

So, what is it like to travel as a millennial? How do they balance their careers with their propensity for travel?

Mina Reeve, 28

Mina has been to the UK, Netherlands, Thailand, France, Spain and to the United Arab Emirates. She has also been to Zimbabwe and Zambia. Thailand, where she stayed for two weeks, stood out for her, especially the food.

 “Street food is cheap. Getting around with canoes and scooters was fun. The architecture is delightful,” she says.

Mina plans her travels in advance, sometimes six or seven months before.

“Flight tickets are affordable if you book in advance. This allows me to pay for the ticket in instalments. I also pick connecting flights because they are cheaper,” she says.

For accommodation, she relies on various websites including Booking.com and Airbnb.

“I normally pack one bag because I’ll return with more luggage after shopping,” says Mina, who’s also a member of a local millennials tour group.

“Water sports, skydiving, sightseeing and shopping make up my schedule. I’m very adventurous, so anything sporty or adrenalin-inducing excites me,” she adds.

Travelling doesn’t get in the way of her young career. As a teacher (she teaches sports and health science at Braeburn School), I capitalise on school holidays. I must do one international tour every year,” she says. “I like to stay in nice places. My type of activities cost a lot of money. Dining, partying and shopping are particularly very costly,” she says.

On a tour, Mina normally spends between Sh150,000 and Sh200,000.

‘‘It sounds like a lot of money, but these are months-long savings,” she says.

Mina travels to learn about different cultures, to meet new people and for new ideas. “I am an opportunist, so I like to engage people and to grow my networks. Travelling is also liberating,” she says. Any trouble while travelling so far? None that she can think of, she says.

“I’ve been called Latina, Arab, Indian, African, Caucasian and even Asian.I don’t take racist comments seriously.”

When she is not flying half the world for adventure, Mina likes to lose herself in Lamu, Malindi, Diani, Mombasa, Samburu, Amboseli or Ngare Ndare.

Dismissing the notion that travelling is an expensive affair, she argues that it boils down to early planning.

“When the trip costs a lot of money, compensate by making the most of your stay in that country,” she says.

Emmanuel Kinara, 29

Emmanuel has been to hiking expeditions in Oman and Georgia and has been to the last three editions of the World Cup in South Africa, Brazil and Russia.

The list of countries he has visited is nearly inexhaustible. He has visited Qatar, UAE, Iran and Lebanon. He has also been to Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Romania, Italy, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and the UK.

Visits to Brazil to watch the World Cup in 2014 and to Napoli in Italy that same year to attend a friend’s wedding are the most memorable tours for Emmanuel who work in Australia.

“I liked the relaxed atmosphere and weather. They have large open farmlands and vineyards. The food is also mind-blowing,” he says, adding that Brazil is pretty affordable.

Travelling to a country during a major sporting event is as convenient as it’s cheap. “Blending in is also easier because there are usually many travellers,’’ he says, adding that travelling to Norway to watch the Northern Lights is his ultimate travel goal.

So, how does he plan for his travels?

“I make sure I have my travel documents, credit cards and US dollars just in case some places don’t accept credit cards. Phone chargers and international SIM card with a portable Internet device are important. I’ll also pack a cap and a pair of sketchers that I can wear with anything,” he says.

For ease of check-in and checkout procedures and at airports, Emmanuel carries only one backpack.

Emmanuel travels in groups of mostly two to three people because some of the trips are work-related. Each trip lasts between three days and slightly over a week.

Now with a young family, Emmanuel says his travel frequency has reduced, with a cumulative two months of travel in a year. He has four trips lined up in 2020.

To Emmanuel, travelling affordably means taking advantage of travel miles and staff privileges for air tickets.

“I mostly book into backpacker hostels or share spaces through Airbnb or CouchSurfing. The advantage of these is that you get to enjoy local hospitality, food and the culture,” he says.

Instead of taking an insurance cover every time he has to travel, he gets an annual cover, which is cheaper.

“A yearly cover costs about Sh28,000 while an individual one goes for roughly Sh7,000. Air tickets sell for between Sh30,000 and Sh130,000. With the rebates though, I mostly pay an average of Sh15,000,” he says.

“I use TripAdvisor to filter out activities. This way, I’m able to join free guided tour groups,” he says, adding that he either walks or uses public means to move around.

On average, Emmanuel spends between Sh5,000) and Sh7,500) every day to cover food, bus fare and accommodation. “Europe is even cheaper because there are many options for backpackers,” he says.

Is travelling cheap? No, he disagrees, but argues that routine activities are even more expensive.

“People host parties nearly every weekend and spend a lot of money on drinks. These amounts would comfortably fit within a dream trip if saved for a few months in a year,” he says.

Lisette Gachanja, 29

Off the top of her head, Lisette says she has been to 15 countries. These include Mexico, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Ghana, South Korea, US and Australia.

By averaging five countries every year since 2017, she believes she’s inching closer to becoming a global citizen.

Before she embarks on a trip, Lisette researches about key attractions and fun activities before drafting her itinerary around them.

“I check for visa processes, flights and in-country travel. Checking weather patterns and currency rates is also critical for planning. Often I download apps to help with language, navigation, currency conversion and popular attractions,” she explains.

She considers herself a big planner, by drawing several mini-budgets to avoid incurring miscellaneous expenses.

“I have invested in a lot of gear to cushion me from having to buy new clothes, shoes and travel bags for every trip,” says Lisette, who travels alone and, whenever possible, with either her partner or family.

Whenever she’s out on a trip that will usually last between a week and one month, Lisette prefers to go off the beaten path by keeping off “predominantly tourist adventures” and instead finding culturally immersive activities, discovering hike paths and camping.

“I love indigenous things. Trying out local cuisine is a definite must. My priority is always to maximise on attractions that aren’t available back at home.”

Has globetrotting affected her career? It’s only fortified it, she says.

“I’m an adventure consultant, so merging work and play is, thankfully, my biggest privilege.”

To answer the question on how she raises money for her tours, Lisette employs a philosophy:

“Money spent on something always comes back to you. You, however, can’t reverse the clock. Time and memories made can’t be replaced.”

‘‘I‘m not a spendthrift, but as soon as I’ve ticked an item off my travel list, I start to plan my next adventure, within my budget and with a goal,’’ she says.

Destinations in her travel bucket list are Latin America and New Zealand. The lure? Indigenous tribes and breathtaking landscapes.

“I can’t wait to kayak in the Amazon River and to go caving in the remotest parts. Swimming with bioluminescent plankton is definitely something to look forward to,” she says.

Other than the thrill of visiting a foreign country, Lisette’s experiences have been largely uneventful.

Equally big on local tourism, she has arced the country from Lodwar to Namanga and from Malaba to Lamu.

“Every weekend finds me out and about. Whenever I can, I travel on weekdays too.”

For young women hoping to tour the world, Lisette proposes audacity, but within a rational plan.

“You can have a great time doing solo or partner travels,” she advises. “Research on affordable travel deals.Arrange and oversee your own travel plans because it’s cheaper this way than having someone do it for you. Have adventure!”

 

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/lifestyle/travel/Young-globetrotters/3815716-5478060-nuxkqv/index.html

 

For anyone who loves live entertainment, arts, culture, sport, comedy and lifestyle events, then Dubai is the place to visit.

Dubai Tourism released their 2020 calendar of events that will be taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The calendar is key for travel agents as they come up with promotions and packages that will ensure travellers get to enjoy all that Dubai has to offer.

The calendar has an average of 150 events listed and 35 new events added every week. The exhibitions include shows on leisure, sports and travel, trade, health care, science and technology and a whole wide range of topics that interest the public.

Do not miss out on this amazing experience, book your tickets with any KATA certified agent and enjoy travel, hassle free.

Booking your travel with a KATA agent assures you of a trusted travel partner who will take care of all your travel needs.

The majority of millennials find it more difficult to book with an online travel agency than to shop online for other products and services, according to a recent Travelport survey. The survey found that 59% of millennial respondents found OTAs harder to navigate than other online shopping.

That, coupled with some other findings — like that most travelers surveyed found complicated rules and terms and conditions around cancellations or changes frustrating — is good news for travel advisors.

“It’s an indication of the fact that, generally, you have a track of when complexity goes up in any purchase, the need for human intervention arises,” said Simon Ferguson, president and managing director of the Americas for Travelport.

Travel is no different, Ferguson said. The more complex the product, the more likely the purchaser wants to interact with a human prior to buying.

Take, for instance, cruising: Cruises are mostly still booked through advisors, because they are complex products, he said.

“Whenever we see the complexity go up, we see the need for human intervention coming in, and that means travel advisors are certainly getting involved,” Ferguson said.

He believes younger generations are finding it harder to book travel on OTAs compared to other online shopping experiences at least in part because they’re comparing it to purchases made on, for instance, Amazon.

Those are single, nonperishable goods. It’s not a complex purchase.

“Travel is a complex item, and it is just harder to display,” Ferguson said. “This is a challenge we have in our platform, displaying different types of rooms [and other differentiating factors].”

Ferguson posited that consumers, especially younger ones, are used to things like one-click ordering that just don’t exist in travel.

He also said he believes younger generations are generally more adventurous than the generations before them, preferring more complicated trips, also good news for advisors.

Travelport’s survey indicates that younger generations often turn to travel professionals for recommendations (50% of millennials, 25% of Generation Z and 20% of Generation X respondents indicated that’s the case).

The survey did include one statistic that seems inconsistent with the experience of many travel agencies and their client base: Only 8% of baby boomers said they always turn to travel professionals for recommendations.

Ferguson pointed out that the survey asked consumers specifically if they always turn to travel professionals; boomers might be more likely to do the same things repeatedly and already have favorite providers they turn to. Time is also likely a factor in that particular statistic, he said: Retired people, many of whom are boomers, have more time on their hands to research travel themselves.

Regardless, though, Ferguson said the numbers indicate travel advisors should feel more confident about going after a younger clientele, because they’re interested in working with travel professionals. To do that, he suggested thinking about the people an agency employs and looking for a younger demographic. He also encouraged agencies to consider bringing on interns that might have a future in the industry.

“There is this perception a little bit that the younger generation, the ‘silent travelers,’ as they’re called, they don’t want to talk to anyone,” Ferguson said. “They just want to do everything on their phones. Well, clearly, it’s not true.”

Source: https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Insights/Millennials-need-travel-advisors

Fitness holidays are fast catching on in Kenya as people inspired to test their endurance book trips with an exercise element. They travel to do boot camps, cycle in the wild, do yoga, triathlons or marathons.

Running holidays are among the most common, especially with establishment of groups like ‘The Medal hunters’ which plan weekend runs. Also, more Kenyans are taking up running to train for Majors, where they run six marathons across the world.

Jedidah Wairimu, an avid runner, always plans short touring excursions shortly after doing her half marathons.

“I just did Tigoni Half Marathon a few weeks ago, and I feel that the sight of the tea bushes as I ran was holiday enough for me,” says the businesswoman.

She started running to lose weight then the habit stuck. She then enrolled for Kilimanjaro Marathon which she participated in with a group of friends. She has several half marathons under her belt, with her most memorable one being The Big Falls Run.

 “I recently went for Victoria Falls Run in Zimbabwe with Bucketlist Adventures. After running the half marathon, we visited the falls and even toured neighbouring Botswana. I have also done the Rak, a half marathon in Dubai, Kigali Peace Marathon and other local races that help me tour Kenya. I was in Shompole in Magadi earlier in the year and in Iten just a few weeks ago,” says the mother-of-two.

Jedidah believes that anyone can run or take up their favourite activity and incorporate it into their life such that it does not feel like a burden.

“I am planning to run five half marathons this year starting with one in the Czech Republic and another in Portugal. I therefore have to plan to ensure that my business and my personal responsibilities as a wife and mother are not hurt but enriched by my fitness activities. I am hoping to see several tourist sites after the runs too,” she says.

As to anyone who would like to hop onto the trend, Jedidah advises that one should take it at their own pace. She is a firm believer that Rome was not built in a day, an adage that rings true in fitness.

Dance holidays are also becoming common. Jose Rogarow, known for his roga roga dance exercise moves, is a big advocate of fitness holidays. He is a rhumba instructor who organises holidays centred on dance and outdoor workouts. Sandra Nakweya never misses a rhumba retreat.

“I honestly love adventure and dancing so much. Marrying the two for me was a genius idea. I have gone to Sagana for the rhumba retreat, to Uganda and even to Mombasa. Each location feels different and brings with it its own scenery,” Sandra says.

“There is always an itinerary so you can pick which fitness activities to do or which ones to skip if you feel tuckered out from the previous session. You can then proceed to bungee jump or swim in the ocean if you so wish.”

Dan Odemba, a business man and rhumba enthusiast also recently hopped onto the fitness holiday bus.

 “I enjoy rhumba as it is fun and cardio and always manage to squeeze in time to do it at least twice a week. I therefore do not feel that holiday and fitness have to be two mutually exclusive. I went for a rhumba retreat last April to Kampala and in October to Arusha. I feel like fitness and going on holiday is not as arduous as people think it is and is quite enjoyable,” Dan says.

Monica Fauth, the founder of Lamu Yoga Festival, a weeklong fitness retreat says fitness and wellness is becoming a lifestyle.

“I feel like people should treat themselves with kindness. Wherever you are at on your fitness journey, celebrate it. If it is doing 10 minutes of yoga daily and indulging in your favourite delicacies, that is fine. Wellness is a journey. It is true that we are what we eat, but it all starts with recognising that and slowly working your way to where you envision yourself. Find what wellness means to you and nurture that,” Monica sagely advises.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/lifestyle/fitness/A-New-Wellness-Trend-/4258372-5407502-4xxgws/index.html

 

Using technology to create a better experience for travelers is at the heart of what we do at Amadeus. There is a virtuous circle – as the technology gets better, what we can do with it gets better, the travel experience improves.

The processes we strive to improve are end-to-end, starting at the inspiration stage, running through the search, book and pay phase while accompanying the traveler during the journey itself. 

Each touchpoint is an opportunity for technology leaders such as Amadeus to help improve the experience, to make each interaction better for the traveler every time, from the search result response times to biometric boarding and mobile check-out.

Our development roadmap is based around the traveler experience, but we also try to pre-empt travelers’ needs by observing technology and consumer trends across a number of regions and industries.

Today we are revealing our top ten travel trends for 2020. A footnote here is that there is a trend towards consumer and tech trends merging. Many consumer trends are powered by technology; many tech innovations are inspired by consumers.

You’ve got mail

Using AI and Machine Learning to communicate with customers

Airlines, hotels and travel agents need to be available 24/7 on whatever channel the customer wants to use at the time. Messaging apps from WhatsApp, Facebook and WeChat, among others, appeared from almost nowhere and now have billions of users  around the globe. 

Like many new technologies, messaging apps started off as a way for people to interact with each other. But now these apps offer a way for businesses to engage directly with consumers. Facebook told investors earlier this year that “we now have 10 billion messages being sent between people and businesses every month” . 

Increasingly, interactions between consumers and businesses are automated, powered by a chatbot. Chatbots in the airline industry started out as automated FAQ pages, a tool which could further increase the efficiency of customer service teams by training a chatbot to identify and answer the most obvious queries.

The chatbot landscape is changing, with chatbots now able to “learn” much more. Connecting the chatbot technology to internal data sources and layering in some machine learning means bots improve over time, learning more about how best to answer the queries it receives.

As a result, a chatbot which can answer FAQs is now entry-level. Many travel firms are now using bots for upselling and cross-selling. 

At Amadeus, we’ve worked with Malaysia Airlines on MHChat  – designed to make it easier for travelers to not only ask questions but also book tickets and pay directly through Facebook Messenger. 

Takeaway: “Bots are learning how to help customers book and manage travel.”

 

If it’s not online, it never happened

Social media influence when booking travel 

Travel photography has existed almost as long as photography itself. In its most recent specialist sale, Sotheby auction house included an original print taken in 1840 showing Notre-Dame in Paris. That print was taken only a year or so after photography was invented .

Today, smartphone cameras mean anyone can take and publish photographs while on a trip. Point, click, upload, share.

Specific photo-sharing platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest are home to billions of images. “#travel”  has been used nearly half a billion times on Instagram alone. 

As with chatbots, travel firms need to take an interest in these platforms because it is where their customers are. Instagram has some 500 million active daily users, 80% of whom follow at least one business . 

Pictures have always inspired travel, and many companies are now connecting their booking engine to an image, or using super-sophisticated targeting offered by the platforms to reach specific audiences who view specific images. These ad products will become more sophisticated over time as the platform owners look to monetize users.

Takeaway: “Photo platforms are not just about inspiration, they can drive conversion.”

 

Higher ground

Sustainability and conscious travel

Travel and aviation has a major consumer PR crisis to address in 2020 – fighting the perception that the industry is the bad guy of the climate crisis.

No-one in the industry is ignorant of our responsibilities to the planet, but travelers are not only questioning our response to the crisis but also factoring in sustainability when choosing how and with whom to travel.

Booking.com’s Sustainable Travel Report 2019 found that 55% of its global sample had become more concerned about the environmental impact of their trip during the previous twelve months.

This October, Swiss bank UBS found that one in five Western travelers admitted to flying less because of environmental concerns, notably but not exclusively the idea of “flight-shaming”. And like booking.com survey, UBS noted that travelers’ interest in such matters had intensified over the past few months.

The industry needs to pay attention to this because travelers are watching. Over tourism is central to the sustainability conversation. The industry has a role to play in supporting popular destinations’ attempts to limit visitor numbers while also making sure that travelers have a choice.

Takeaway: “Many customers think travel is bad for the planet. The industry needs to provide factual information about the impact of travel and find ways to travel without polluting”.

 

A million ways to pay

Fintech innovation and alternative payment methods

Travel is a big-ticket purchase, and consumers expect the payment process to be seamless, speedy and secure. With a selection of credit and/or debit cards in our physical wallet and apps such as PayPal comprising our digital wallet, travelers expect to be able to choose how to pay for their flights and hotels.

In-destination spend is a different matter – entrance to museums, taxi or subway fares, just one more Singapore Sling – tend to be smaller, spontaneous purchases. But here again consumer preferences are dictating how travel firms operate in-destination, particularly when those destinations attract an international audience. One reason behind Uber’s global expansion is that the app serves as a de facto digital wallet for transportation when users are away from home. Convenience rules the day.

Most international hotel chains have realized that Chinese guests making on-property purchases will want to use Alipay. However, there are more than 300 different ways for travelers to pay. The fintech – financial technology – sector is helping suppliers by offering payment gateways and easier access to the platforms travelers use.

Travel agents – whether they be retail, business or online agencies – have a role to play by helping travelers understand how payments work when they arrive at their destination. 

Takeaway: “If the guest can’t pay for the product and service on offer, there is no point offering it.”

 

Going solo

A rise in single travel

Being single has traditionally been seen as a temporary situation until the right person comes along, although that perception is changing and there is less stigma attached to being “self-partnered”. Having said that, marriage rates are declining and the singles population – those never married and those divorced – is growing in volume and as a percentage of the population. 

Asia is driving many consumer trends in travel, including this one. Agoda produced a dedicated Solo Travelers report for 2018  and found that Millennials and Generation Zers are the most likely to travel alone, while in the West, solo travel is more prevalent among Boomers and Generation Xers.

The UK is seeing a similar growth – ABTA found that in 2018  more than one in six people had taken a holiday on their own, a three-fold increase in only seven years. 

This year’s solo travel trend absorbs and expands upon the recent buzz around bleisure. Almost all business trips are solo trips, so when these trips are extended to factor in some leisure time then it becomes solo travel.

Skift found that business travel accounts for nearly half (47%) of all trips taken by women. Any travel firm looking to capture bleisure business needs to make sure it can attract solo female travelers as well as their male peers.

Takeaway: “Travel firms should provide for rather than discriminate against people travelling on their own.”

 

Machines can’t replace the human touch

Humanity is crucial to creating experiences

Technology cannot exist without human interactions – the most sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms are only as good as the data scientists who program them. Machine learning might lead us towards autonomous technology, but, even then there is a need for humans to define how and what the machine learns.

To be successful, a chatbot needs to know when the conversation should be transferred to a real agent. As chatbots move from service to selling, the hand-over protocols become business critical. Cart abandonment in travel is a current concern; bot abandonment could be coming soon.

Tech-augmented hospitality is how hotels are describing the interaction between guests, staff and technology on-property. Technology’s role needs to be seamless and travelers want a choice. Not everyone wants to check in with their smartphone, some guests enjoy getting advice from the concierge.

At Amadeus, we want tech to make travel better. The airport is a pain point for even the most frequent of travelers. Self-service check-in, biometric passports, facial recognition, pre-authorization and queue management are specific examples of how tech is starting to make things better for humans. 

Takeaway: “Technology’s prime directive is to make travel better.”

 

(Travel) Pillow talk

Voice assistants to transform travel in 2020

The accuracy rates for voice recognition and natural language processing have been at 95%-plus for a few years now. Today, consumer products such as Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Apple’s HomeHub, plus those offered specifically for China, have made talking to a computer a way of life for tens of millions of people. 

When these people travel, they expect the same. Amazon has developed Alexa for Hospitality, targeted at large hotel chains and vacation rentals. It “simplifies tasks for guests like playing music, ordering towels, controlling in-room temperature or lighting, finding local restaurants and attractions, calling, and even checking out” .   

Open systems, APIs and partnerships are the big tech trends allowing voice recognition to become operational within hotels, improving the guest experience but also opening up the chance for upsell, cross-selling and merchandising. Amadeus has an interest here – we work with companies like Volara which has developed proprietary software that integrates with natural language processing platforms to create a tool specifically for the hospitality industry.

Takeaway: “As voice-based digital interactions become commonplace in the home, travelers will expect the same from their providers.”

 

Super apps

Big potential to drive travel sales

The idea of a super-app for travel has been around for a while. We think this idea will rise to prominence over the next few years for two reasons – the open source/API/partnership landscape means it is possible to integrate all the feeds into a super-app and customers are warming to the idea.

When booking.com asked 12,500 travelers  from nearly 30 countries, 57% said they wanted “a single app for all their planning, booking and travel needs”. 

To some extent, the super-app already exists in APAC, where e-commerce and messaging businesses such as WeChat, Alipay and Meituan in China, Line in Japan and PayTM in India have built multi-purpose apps from which users can buy and pay for flights and hotels in the same place as ordering a takeaway meal, hailing a ride or buying a shirt.

Takeaway: “Travelers like the idea of a super-app, so the industry should start to think about how best to deliver this.”

 

Fairweather friends

Why old rules don’t apply to traveler loyalty

Travelers live in a multi-device, multi-channel world, where access to travel content is widespread and fragmented, where consolidation is rife and where value is more important than price. In this context, loyalty to a particular brand or destination, when there is so much choice only a click away – seems to belong to another age.

But tech can be used to encourage loyalty for today’s travelers. Even entry-level initiatives, such as making sure that customer data platforms are plugged in for repeat visitors, can create a loyal customer base, simply by letting them know what is on offer.

Incentivizing loyalty through rewards is a staple of the airline industry – the frequent flyer air mile collector mentality still exists. Airlines are using co-branded credit cards as a way to keep travelers and their non-travel spend within their sphere of influence, while online travel agencies are using variations on the “book ten nights get one free” for their reward programs.

Tech can also be used to personalize the end-to-end journey for the consumer. Giving travelers what they want is an effective way to encourage loyalty through repeat bookings. Personalization only works if the data can be captured, analyzed and actioned in a way that allows the right product for the right customer to be displayed at the same time.

Takeaway: “Loyalty is a hard ask, but retaining customers is better than trying to win new ones.”

 

Get real

VR will enhance travel experience dramatically in 2020

Virtual reality is another trend which is likely to move from the side-lines to center stage in the near future. Offline retail agents have been experimenting with Virtual Reality (VR) headsets in-store, using them as a promotional vehicle for resorts and destinations. 

Closer to home, Navitaire has worked on transactional VR , where users can virtually experience a destination and book a trip without having to remove the headset.

While this remains a niche use case for VR, other more mature ones are emerging. Enterprise grade VR technology – the software to produce it and the hardware to display it – is coming down in price, as most consumer tech does over time. This means that travel suppliers can start thinking about VR at scale.

VR has the potential to revolutionize the in-flight entertainment system – giving passengers another option once on board. Airlines such as Iberia, Singapore Airlines and SunExpress have run successful trials, allowing passengers to use the headsets to watch 3D movies or play games at 30,000 feet.

VR providers are also working on ways to include an advertising component to the headsets, allowing airlines to promote their own products or to open up this channel to third parties.

Takeaway: “VR headsets are coming soon to a cabin or lounge near you.”

Source: https://amadeus.com/en/insights/blog/the-top-trends-transforming-travel-in-2020?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=whatsapp&utm_source=im