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

 

The arrival of November marks the unofficial kickoff to the travel season, be it over Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas road trips to see family next month or perhaps a winter vacation down south.

But in the digital age, travelers face a few extra risks that we didn’t have to worry about before laptops, smartphones, tablets and other devices were included among typical travel gear. It’s worth it to make sure to avoid some unsafe behaviors, which could be exploited by criminals, to avoid putting yourself (and your data) in harm’s way.

Here’s some travel-related tech mistakes you might be making, and how to fix them.

Avoid posting pics to social media 

While it may be tempting to post vacation photos in the moment, remember these posts are also broadcasting the fact your home is vacant at that time (insert the “face palm” emoji).

Yes, there are countless stories of travelers returning to a cleaned-out home, because they posted holiday pics to Facebook or Instagram, and didn’t quite know whom all their online “friends” were. Even if you’ve got a closed social network – where you’re super-selective about whom can see your posts – a friend could always leave their feed open and others could see it (say, at work).

Instead, if you want to #travelbrag (a hashtag coined by Hotels.com), wait until you get back home. It can wait!

Don’t use public Wi-Fi hotspots

While airports and hotels offer free Wi-Fi, you’re putting your information at greater risk when using these public “hotspots.” Malicious types can more easily access your data on these than when you are on a private network. And you might think you’re joining a legitimate network, like “Miami Airport Wi-Fi” when in fact it’s a fake (“rogue”) network setup by someone nearby, who’s seeking to access travelers’ info.

Also, those who provide free Wi-Fi can (and often) collect and sell data about your browsing habits.

Another misconception: a public Wi-Fi hotspot is safe if there’s a password required, often given out by the establishment. It’s not much safer than not having a password if it’s freely given out to everyone indiscriminately.

If you can avoid them altogether, don’t use public Wi-Fi. Instead, consider your smartphone’s cellular connection by creating a personal hotspot. If you want to use free public Wi-Fi, at least use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to browse anonymously. A VPN – ExpressVPN ($99/year) is an example – is a service you connect to that protects your data from outsiders.

Otherwise, your online activity can be tracked by your service provider, the government, advertisers, and malicious types. And no, this isn’t the same as enabling your browser’s “Private” or “Incognito” mode, as that simply wipes your history and cookies when you close the browsing session (but what you’re doing while online can still be seen.

And once you’re on a Wi-Fi hotspot, refrain from inputting personal information, such as passwords and usernames. And of course, never conduct financial transactions, such as paying bills, shopping online, day trading or filing taxes.

Be smart with your smartphone 

All smartphones let you lock it with a PIN code, password, pattern or biometrics login (using a part of your body) to confirm it’s really you.

So long as you lock your device in some fashion, no one else can access your information should your device be lost or stolen. A thumbprint or face scan is most convenient, if your device offers it. 

The same advice could be applied to your laptop or tablet: require a password to use all your tech. That way, if it’s lost or stolen, no one can access your private information. 

Also, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to set up your device’s “Find My Phone” feature, so you can locate it on a map, if lost or stolen. If it’s stolen, never try to retrieve it yourself. Instead, work with the local authorities, just to err on the side of caution.

Use a smartphone case and screen protector, in case you drop your phone while traveling.

Some travelers choose not to have any important files with them on the road. Instead, they store everything in the cloud – such as OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox – and access what they need, virtually. Or you can use “remote desktop” software, such as Splashtop, to log into another PC, perhaps at home, and use it on your laptop while away, as if you were sitting in front of your home computer.

Don’t overdo it on data

Since it’s not recommended to use public Wi-Fi hotspots – at least not for more than, say, reading the news – be sure to have a healthy data plan if you’re using your smartphone while traveling.

But you can minimize the amount of data you use, in a few ways. For one, remember you can download a lot of content while you’re on your own private Wi-Fi network, before you leave home. Google Maps, for example, lets you download entire city maps to your phone to use offline should you expect to navigate around a new city.

The same goes for entertainment: Rather than having the kids eating up precious data while streaming Netflix or Amazon shows or movies in the backseat, you can download most (but not all) videos to your phone or tablet before you depart. Most music services such as Spotify let you do so, too.

 

If you’re using your phone outside of the U.S., remember you’ll incur roaming fees, so contact your carrier to inquire about the best travel plan they have, so you don’t come home to a surprise on your wireless bill. Those who travel overseas might consider renting or buying a local SIM card to put into the phone, as it’ll likely be cheaper than paying your carrier.

Here’s a few more travel tips to keep your data and devices safe and secure while you are on the road:

• It’s not recommended to use a communal/public PC in a hotel’s business center or airport lounge, as a cybercrook could secretly install software to capture your passwords. But if you do, at least remember to log out of your online activity (such as a webmail service or social media account) before you leave.
• Don’t use public printers at a hotel’s business center, especially if it’s sensitive financial or work documents, as those could be hacked, too. And what about that print job you don’t think worked? It might spit out those papers after you’ve left.
• Consider a “privacy shield” on your laptop to avoid over-the-should snoopers. Unless they’re directly in front of your screen, which is where you are, it will look blacked out, as if the display was turned off. You can buy one based on the laptop’s screen size, such as 13 or 15 inches.
• It’s incredibly important to back-up your phone’s important files – irreplaceable photos, videos, contacts, text conversations, and so on – just in case the device is lost, stolen, or damaged. You can back up files to your favorite cloud-based service or to your home computer using a USB drive or Wi-Fi/AirDrop. While you’re at it, keep a digital scan of your passport on this cloud drive, just in case this is stolen or lost, too, which could be helpful should you need to get a replacement.

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2019/11/02/travel-enhanced-technology-but-raises-some-safety-concerns/4114402002/

 

A hilarious quote from The Godfather (Part 1), “In Sicily, women are more dangerous than shotguns” got me thinking of something that’s equally dangerous; the vanity projects called African airlines.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 2019 report, while the global industry generated Sh685 per passenger in 2018, African carriers generated average losses of Sh109 for every passenger they flew.

While the global airline industry experienced another year (2018) of robust financial outcomes (IATA estimates that airlines generated a net post-tax profit of Sh3 trillion on EBIT margin of 5.8 percent), most African airlines fared poorly. What’s worse, 80 percent of air travel from or to Africa is still done by non-African carriers while African airlines cater to only 20 percent of the air traffic in the continent.

This got me wondering: Is the Sh45 billion ask akin to throwing good money after bad? Do investors believe things will be worse, the same, or somewhat better in the future? If one is leaning towards the same or better, then the airline stock equity upside potential appears highly attractive. But not too fast, the airline industry has plunged more than two-thirds since the beginning of the year.

First half 2019 performance has not been exciting – it posted a pretax loss of Sh8.56 billion, compared with a loss of Sh3. 99 billion in the same period last year. Besides, it faces the daily risks of labour issues, flight cancelations and high oil prices (jet fuel prices in the region are significantly higher than the global average).

Further, although the airline hedges a maximum of 41 percent of the current year’s projected fuel requirements via options, volatile jet fuel prices this year means its hedges are unlikely to have seen much benefit.

KQ also has to deal with fierce competition. Our neighbours (Ethiopian Airlines) are currently Africa’s largest in both revenue and profit. They have also managed to overtake Dubai as a conduit for long-haul passengers to Africa under its strategic expansion plans.

That said, KQ is not a vanity project. The “Pride of Africa” can still fly the friendly skies. Crucial factors such as the launch of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative, procurement of more efficient and cost-effective aircraft, launch of more strategic routes, normalisation of its labour issues and a focus on marketing could turnaround its fortunes. Indeed, these should drive returns and profitability.

Moreover, being a high-volume and a low-margin business, every penny counts. Focus on its “rationalisation” programme, deepening (and increasing) their regional partnerships – 41 percent of the airlines revenue in 2018 was realised from Africa – and non-interference from the government would be key to its future success.

This is one way the airline can increase return on capital, create value for its shareholders and reclaim its strategic position in African routes that are now being dominated by Turkish Airlines and Emirates.

To close, at the market level, long-term investors can still smile because the stock looks cheap and attractive at current prices despite the uncertainty. While it may be hard to make a case for adding shares to one’s portfolio right now, KQ is a compelling stock. No one doubts that it is still the “New Spirit of Africa”.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/analysis/ideas/Kenya-Airways-still-has-some-value-proposition/4259414-5355164-10btm9p/index.html

It’s no secret that technology is becoming an increasingly integral part of not only the travel industry, but humanity itself.

Add to that the rapidly evolving expectations of customers – immediacy, accuracy and personalisation are key to winning them over these days – and travel professionals well and truly have their hands full.

Identifying trends is key to staying ahead of the pack when it comes to the use of technology in travel. Here are five big ones you should be taking note of in 2020:

Biometrics

As government authorities and travel companies look for faster, more efficient and seamless ways of identifying and authenticating visitors, passengers and guests, expect to see biometrics to become a more commonly adopted approach.

While fingerprints and facial recognition are already widely used at airports across the world, airlines and hotels are also starting to implement these types of biometric technology to help speed up the check-in and check-out process, improve security and even authorise payments. 

It must be noted, however, that the gathering of customer data through biometrics brings with it privacy concerns around how the data is used and who can access it.

Smart rooms

An increasing number of hotels are cottoning on to the Internet of Things, and for good reason.

From enhancing the customer experience through greater personalisation and the ability to control rooms remotely, to improving sustainability and quickly identifying and responding to maintenance issues, the IoT is evolving hotels to better serve the needs and wants of tomorrow’s guests.

AI and VR

Artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) are already playing respective roles in the travel industry, but it’s the extent of their roles that will be interesting to watch.

Right now, travel companies are mostly using AI to sort through customer data to analyse business performance and manage their inventory, and to respond to customers faster with the creation of chatbots.

More and more hotels are utilising VR to showcase their offering online and increase bookings with things such as simulated hotel tours and interactive maps. VR is also set to be used for a customer’s entire travel search and booking experience, and with sustainability a major focus for all travel organisations, we could soon see the rise of virtual vacations.

Blockchain

Blockchain’s potential has been talked about for some time, but the power of this technology is finally starting to be realised within the travel industry.

Essentially, blockchain is a public ledger that allows information on transactions between parties to be stored and distributed across a decentralised, peer-to-peer network. Check out the below video for a more detailed explainer:

The most obvious and important benefit of blockchain for the travel industry is its ability to facilitate secure, traceable payments. However, this technology also has the ability to simplify customer loyalty schemes, track luggage movements and improve ID authentication methods.

Big data

If understanding and utilising big data is not already a priority for travel businesses, they may as well start digging their own grave.

Big data is simply a term used to describe huge sets of data that can’t be processed using traditional methods.

For those in the travel industry who make the most of big data, the rewards are game-changing. They can better understand their customers and target them more effectively, accurately predict future demand, enhance product pricing, and manage their reputation a lot more easily.

Source: https://www.travelweekly.com.au/article/5-tech-trends-keep-eye-2020/

Are you ready for your next adventure? It doesn’t matter whether you are traveling with family or friends; you have to equip yourself with important technology. For instance, traveling with kids may increase your stress: they can get lost in a crowded place; therefore, you will need a tracker to find their last location.

If you want to increase your convenience during a trip, here are some necessary tools to keep with you.

Smart Devices

Business and leisure travelers need a combination of tablets, laptops, and phones, based on the purpose of your travel. For instance, a business traveler needs a laptop to work. Moreover, you will need a tablet for entertainment in your room. If you are traveling for fun, feel free to carry your phone only for communication. Tablets are enjoyable to watch movies and read books.

Luggage Tracker

Traveling may be stressful, so you have to make your trip peaceful with a luggage tracker. Put it in your bag and track it with a simple app. It will send you a notification when your baggage comes within a designated area.

Wireless Charger

After using a bunch of apps, communication, and coordination, you have to recharge your smart devices. For this reason, you will need a wireless charger. A power bank can solve this problem anywhere. You can use it wirelessly without any wire.

Portable Streaming Device

If you want to turn your room into an entertainment center, you will need a streaming device. For instance, the Roku streaming stick is suitable for pleasure and business travelers. It will help you to access your favorite shows.

World Clock

For world travelers, a world clock is necessary. With this nifty device, you can view the time of almost 18 cities in the world. Moreover, get the advantage of a timer, temperature, and calendar. Feel free to choose from five languages, set your alarm with snooze function, and use it as a flashlight. You must have regular AAA batteries for this clock.

Off-Grid Communications

With an Off-Grid Mesh Network Mobile Device, you can stay connected with traveling companions. This device will be handy in the absence of a Wi-Fi or mobile network. You can connect it with the phone through Bluetooth.

Remember, it needs low-frequency waves (radio) to send messages to a similar device and then to phone. The range may vary between ½ mile and four miles. It becomes a capable device in areas where people are frequently using this device.

Travel Adapter Plug

For international travelers, the travel adapter plug is an important device. You will need this in the Middle East, South America, Central America, Asia, Russia, and Canada. Try to buy a user-friendly tool that you can plug easily into appliances.

Buy a device compatible with Android and iOS devices. This device will help you to charge almost three devices at once. A device with advanced features offers integrated safety shutters and fuse protection.

Source: https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/sponsored/best-travel-technology-must-have-for-every-traveler-sponsored/

 

The travel industry is booming. As of February 2019, it was the second-fastest growing sector in the world, ahead of healthcare, information technology and financial services. There are a number of reasons for this. Millennials are growing in purchasing power—by 2020 their spending in the US alone will total $1.4 trillion annually—and already they spend $5,000 more per year on holidays than any other generation. They also take around 35 days of holiday per year on average.

But the rise of budget airlines has also democratised travel: the Guardianreported in July that at one point in time, you could fly from London Stansted to Düsseldorf for just £7.99—less than a day’s commute in London. This marriage of lower-cost travel and higher-earning young people could only mean one thing: more city breaks, more beach holidays, and, more generally, more trips abroad.

Not every travel company is benefitting. Thomas Cook went into liquidation after failing to raise fresh funding. It’s a stark reminder of how digital is changing the playing field, and how there are some that have been left behind by a high street in transition.

Marketers are acutely aware of the power of digital in the travel world. In 2018, the revenue in the segment of online booking in travelling exceeded $92.5 million, and 41 percent of business and 60 percent of leisure travel arrangements are now made online. In a recent whitepaperwe came across some striking data about travel marketing: one study found that booking holiday accommodation—that’s just a room—involved an average of 45 different touch points over a 36-day period.

Through social listening, travel brands—airlines, hotels and more—can get real-time information about what customers are interested in and engaged with, and use that knowledge to make the products and services they offer them more personalised, and therefore more effective. One really good example of this is the @HiltonSuggests account on Twitter: it’s a concierge-like service that answers traveller questions and gives them ideas.

Marketers who are part of this social listening ecosystem have an opportunity to gain an understanding of market trends and get feedback that can inform their strategy. There’s also a crisis communications benefit: brands subjected to criticism can involve themselves in those conversations as they’re ongoing, investigate the allegations and address them. Consider the case of Alton Towers: after the tragic Smiler roller-coaster disaster, CEO Nick Varney very quickly involved himself, took responsibility and apologised wholeheartedly to those affected.

For some years now there’s been a lot of talk about the ‘mobile-first’ revolution, and this gives brands the ability to reach audiences in an entirely new, conversational way. There are chatbots, but these have never quite hit the mark. What we’re seeing in their place is what Silicon Valley calls ‘conversational commerce’: brands such as Burberry, Estée Lauder and Tommy Hilfiger using chat platforms to interact with their customers and offer a far more personal experience. This return to good old-fashioned customer service, only in digital form, has real promise for travel brands. Though its current users are big names, it seems especially well-suited to smaller, challenger brands, and any that want to have a more intimate relationship with their customers and potential customers.

Personalisation more generally is essential in the travel industry (after all, it’s the people that really make holidays special). 90% of travellers worldwide say that the standard travelling process is not enough any longer, and a personalised approach is viewed more as an expectation.That’s why influencers and micro-influencers—people who can speak on behalf of the brand—should be a major part of your strategy. And so too should SEO and voice search: you need to make sure your content is searchable by voice-activated devices, from Amazon’s Alexa to Siri.

Good travel marketing is not about churning out massive articles. It’s about drip-feeding useful and inspiring content to your audience. Where can you find the best sarnie in Soho? What’s the best underground music venue in New York? Creating these micro-moments should be at the heart of your approach to content.

But brands should also consider how they can take advantage of new forms of technology to make their content resonate with their target audience. Google, for instance, are about to bring out a new, augmented reality map, so brands should be asking themselves how they can take advantage. AR, as well as VR and forms of technology we can’t even imagine yet, will only become more enmeshed in our daily lives as we move forward. Brands should get into the habit of thinking about how they can make their work more interesting and accessible using modern tech.

Digital is a huge area, and imaginative marketers can constantly find new ways of taking advantage of the opportunities it presents to brands. There’s often scope for collaboration—we’ve partnered up with travel media market leaders INK—but there are also great ways to use AI and machine learning, and chances to make bite-sized, evocative video content that emotionally brings the holiday to the viewer.

Whatever digital brand strategy you use, what’s most important is to think of it holistically, as an integrated proposition. Lastly, you should always, always use social-listening to gain those valuable insights into what you’re doing, as well as to learn more about what your audience really wants.

Our Source: https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/2019/oct/07/how-digital-continues-influence-brand-strategy-travel-industry/

Cyber threats in Kenya more than doubled in the year to June, new data by the by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows, indicating hightened risk.

The National Cybersecurity Centre (NCC) detected 51.9 million threats for the 2018-2019 period, compared to the 22.1 million recorded in the 2017-2018 period

In the last quarter of the year alone, some 26.6 million cyber threats were picked compared to 11.3 million threats in the January-March period this year, the regulator said.

The CA said this increase mirrored a global trend.

“This increase in the number of cyber threat events detected is attributed to the global increase in malware including ransomware attacks during this period,” said CA in its latest report.

The trend highlights the growing threat that millions of internet users in Kenya face today as attackers become more aggressive and complex.

The number of advisories given by the NCC jumped 15.3 percent to 16,347 in the last quarter.

The most prevalent attack according to CA is malware which shot from 8.9 million in the first three months of 2019 to 21.1 million in the April-July period.

Cases of system vulnerability also more than doubled, making the case for organisations to invest more in cyber security and strengthen their infrastructure to avert losses.

Further, based on Africa Cyber Security Report- Kenya released early this year by Serianu, about 60 percent of local companies are short of cybersecurity professionals.

In the 2018-2019 period, the NCC detected about 47,913 system vulnerabilities, which was an increase from 13,319 in the third quarter to 28,597 in this quarter.

But even with cybercrime increase number, prosecution of culprits is still low with only seven percent of cases successfully prosecuted, Serianu said in the report.

In June, a host of government websites including National Youth Service (NYS) and Integrated Financial Management System (IFMIS) portals were hacked by an Indonesia hacker group, Kurd Electronic Team.

This was coming barely a few years after another Indonesian hacker group brought down 100 government websites.

The losses are not restricted to government platforms. E-commerce platform Jumia Kenya reveled recently that it lost at least Sh118 million in the last two years due to cyberfraud.

Banks and other financial institutions have recorded an increase in attacks. In late April over Sh11 million was stolen from four Barclays ATMs in the city.

Cybercrimes in 2018 cost Kenya Sh29.5 billion, according to the Serianu report. This was a 40 percent increase from Sh21 billion reported in 2017.

The cybersecurity firm further noted that Sh230 million was lost through personal computers. About Sh100 million was lost through emails, Sh70 million through fake cheques and Sh66 million in identity theft.

In 2017 and 2016, Kenya lost an estimated Sh21 billion ($210 million) and Sh17 billion ($170 million) to cybercrime respectively.

Malware attacks

Banks, insurance firms and saccos last year spent about Sh6.4 billion to beef up their cybersecurity. The government and other private companies including service providers invested Sh5.9 billion and Sh4.8 billion respectively.

Early this year, Russian cyber security firm Kaspersky Lab placed Kenya among the top 10 countries susceptible to mobile malware attacks.

According to the report, 29.7 percent of mobile users in Kenya were attacked by a malware including trojan-dropper, adware and risk tool.

A report by Microsoft in the past said that ransomware, a malicious software that blocks a user’s access to gadgets until a payment is made, would continue to be a popular method used by cyber criminals this year.

The CA noted in its latest report that ransomware attacks are on the rise, putting millions of mobile users who transact online at risk. According to the latest edition of Microsoft’s annual Security Intelligence Report (SIR), the country lost approximately Sh29.5 billion to cybercrime in 2018. These crimes include malware attacks, third party exposure and SIM swap.

Worryingly though, Kenya has only 1,700 skilled cybersecurity professionals against a growing demand.

“Kenyan companies are reluctant to develop the skillsets of their security team through frequent trainings and certifications. This is due to the fact that information security is still seen as an expense rather than a return on investment,” Microsoft said in its report.

An executive opinion survey published early this month by the World Economic Forum (WEF) showed that cyberattacks were among the biggest risks for business in Kenya.

However, the country has witnessed cyber vigilance particularly among financial institutions, where regulators released a number of guidelines such as the Sacco Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA) guidelines on cyber security and the Ministry of ICT’s Data Protection Bill-which is still under review.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/datahub/Focus-on-awareness–as-Kenya–threats-jump/3815418-5292602-4n0mhb/index.html