A scaled model of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ aircraft of the future just took flight for the first time in a milestone event for the Dutch flag carrier’s push for more efficient and environmentally responsible aircraft.

Engineers got their first look at what might one day by the new flagship of KLM’s fleet in late August when the futuristic-looking Flying-V demonstrator successfully took to the skies above Germany. The remote-controlled flight was the culmination of two-year’s work of engineers from KLM and the Delft University of Technology, also known as TU Delft.

The Flying-V differs from conventional aircraft as the fuselage and wings are merged to form one giant flying wing. New long-range aircraft from Airbus and Boeing focus on efficiency through the use of composites and fuel-efficient engines, but flying wing aircraft take efficiency to the next level with a radically new aerodynamically friendly fuselage design that enables longer ranges and better fuel performance.

Researchers say the design will reduce fuel consumption by 20% from today’s most advanced aircraft such as the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, both of which are currently employed by Air France-KLM, parent company to the Dutch carrier and one of the largest airline groups in Europe.

KLM first announced its investment in designing the craft in conjunction with TU Delft in June 2019 at the International Air Transport Association’s annual general meeting in Seoul, South Korea.

A scaled model of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ Flying-V aircraft.

Airlines and aircraft manufacturers are looking beyond today’s conventional aircraft into the designs of the future with the flying wing design gaining traction. Industry trends call for smaller and more efficient aircraft in contrast to the golden age of aviation that demanded larger aircraft like the four-engine Boeing 747 that was once required for non-stop long-range travel .

KLM says the Flying-V would have the same wingspan as an Airbus A350 aircraft , which would allow it to utilize existing airport gates and taxiways, a problem Boeing engineers had to solve with the new folding wing-equipped 777X . And despite being able to carry roughly the same number of passengers, the Flying-V will be able to fly farther than the A350 with the same fuel load.

Passenger cabins would likely be split between the two legs of the V-shape fuselage design while turbofan engines powering the wing would rest on top of the fuselage instead of below the wing, a rare but proven design.

KLM and TU Delft engineers and researchers headed to an airbase in neighboring Germany for the first flight where the scaled model was manned by a drone pilot directing the aircraft via remote control.

“It’s been two years of intense stressful work to reach this moment,” Malcolm Brown, TU Delft’s chief engineer for the Flying-V testing program, said in a video of the event . “And then, to have it confirmed that it flies, all of that hard work, it was worth putting in all of the hours making sure everything’s correct and built properly, built accurately, and it pays off.”

Though not a full-size prototype, the scaled model proves that the aircraft is aerodynamically sound and can fly as designed. It’s now up to the two companies to build the full-size prototype that can hold passengers and people, an investment potentially calling for billions in research and development.

European aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus revealed its flying wing demonstrator in February at the Singapore Airshow 2020 , signaling its interest in the “blended wing” design type as a potential direction for its commercial aircraft lineup. Interior renderings show parallel passenger cabins that take advantage of the aircraft’s width to house additional passengers

The US military has its own flying wing, a stealth bomber known as the B-2 Spirit that’s been serving the Air Force since 1993, according to Military.com . Designed for speed, stealth, and range, the B-2 Spirit can fly up to 6,000 nautical miles, according to the US Air Force , without stopping thanks to its aerodynamically friendly design that commercial airlines hope to one day take advantage of, though flying passengers instead of munitions.

KLM hasn’t given a timeline as to when the Flying-V can be expected, but normal aircraft development can last around 10 years from the drawing board to certification.

Source: https://africa.businessinsider.com/transportation/a-prototype-of-klm-royal-dutch-airlines-futuristic-looking-flying-wing-aircraft-just/9xdw1vm

As the industry is building its way towards recovery, how can we address some of the negative impacts we have seen in recent years and rethink more sustainable ways to travel?

In 2018, the travel industry accounted for about 8% of the world’s carbon footprint, air traffic alone for 2%. The United Nations urged the travel sector to halve its combined carbon emissions by 2035. People’s footprint when traveling can also lead to a range of negative impacts, from over-crowded places to tension with local communities, who in general do not benefit as much from spending made locally. However, with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel has come to a near halt.

As the industry is building its way towards recovery, how can we address some of the negative impacts we have seen in recent years and rethink the way we travel to be more sustainable and responsible, thus having a positive environmental and social impact?

The new, sustainability-aware travelers

Travelers are increasingly concerned about the impact they could have even as traditional tourism and travel models are becoming increasingly unsustainable. To fully grasp this concept, travellers need to understand the A-Z of Sustainable tourism.

According to Booking.com’s 2018 Sustainable Traveler Report, travelers think they should act now to make sustainable travel choices. 68% would like the money they spend on holiday to go back to the local community, and 67% are willing to spend more to minimize the environmental impact of their travel. 

The same survey found that almost one third of travelers weren’t aware that hotel properties can use eco-labels, while a similar proportion think travel companies should offer more sustainable travel options. The lack of relevant, reliable and transparent information emerged as a key problem for these sustainability-aware travelers when they try to book vacations.

This year’s global pandemic has reinforced this mindset even more. A survey from Publicis Sapient performed in April 2020, found out that 58% of people are thinking even more about the environment and sustainability than before the crisis. 

However, it’s hard to make sure that traveler’s intentions match their actual behavior. An article from TNMT published in February 2020 relays that while 78% of air travelers said they would like to see sustainable options when booking flights, only 1% actually paid to offset the carbon impact of their trips. 

Amadeus is exploring ways to develop the sustainable travel landscape 

Over the past months, Amadeus has been interviewing environmental and social-conscious travelers to identify key pain points and needs. The first findings show that leisure travelers who have a high or medium sensitivity to environmental and social issues are influenced in their travel choices by issues such as pollution, conservation of biodiversity, landscapes and ecosystems as well as local purchasing.

In addition, thanks to an Amadeus survey run with participation from over 400 travelers from 4 different markets (UK, USA, France and Germany), Amadeus has evaluated the top criteria travelers want to see when booking travel products. The most important one is the willingness of the local population to welcome and host tourists. Indeed, if travelers feel welcome at their destination, they subsequently feel they have a positive impact on the local communities and ecosystems. Putting locals first seems to be the most common traveler definition of sustainable and responsible travel.

In this direction, Amadeus has interviewed some eco-friendly operators, who are specialized in sourcing travel products directly from locals, to define how to leverage this existing product catalog in our own ecosystem.

Another example of criteria that is being evaluated is flight carbon emissions. Guiding travelers to greener flights by giving them the option to compare emissions is one way to empower them to decrease their travel and tourism footprint. According to our first online test campaigns, it seems that travelers’ appetite for greener flights is real. Yet, further experiments need to be run before conclusions can be made. In parallel, some investigation is being done to see whether travel agents, airlines, hotels and other travel players would be interested in adding environmental and social impact features in their products.

There are already hundreds of sustainable and locally focused initiatives, startups and programs across the travel industry. In addition, some travel agents already offer tours that are eco-friendly and benefit local communities. By learning from them and working with like-minded partners and customers, Amadeus can leverage the knowledge across this sustainable travel ecosystem and complement it with recent findings.

Source: https://amadeus.com/en/insights/blog/how-can-we-make-travel-more-sustainable

By Gabrielle Sabatier;

Intrapreneur, Research Innovation and Ecosystem, Amadeus

With hygiene a top concern for consumers considering travel, Berlin-based travel technology company GIATA is now offering a self-assessment tool that hotels can use to evaluate their cleaning procedures against global standards. Those that meet the criteria can use a “staysafe” label in their descriptions on sales channels.

The app is a collaborative effort of GIATA, independent testing and certification provider Tuv Sud and digital hygiene management company Flowtify.

GIATA’s hotel clients can receive a custom self-assessment checklist based on their property’s hygiene-related services and facilities — such as whether they have a restaurant, a pool, etc.

Developed by Tuv Sud, the assessment includes relevant hotel industry hygiene criteria and requirements from the World Health Organization, the World Travel and Tourism Council and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Those that meet the criteria can display the “staysafe” label for 30 days, at which time the assessment must be redone. GIATA publishes the label through its 21,500 sales channels in 74 countries, including Kayak, Tripadvisor, TUI, Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport and more.

“When those making bookings see that hygiene is the top priority in this hotel, they will choose this accommodation rather than another hotel,” says Jana Friedel, business development for hotel products at GIATA.

“Hoteliers who regularly conduct and externally communicate these checks have a clear competitive edge.”

Source: https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/New-app-automates-hotel-hygiene-assessment-and-marketing

 

The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought almost all travel to a grinding halt. The only event in my life that comes close to this shock is the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. that grounded flights worldwide.

While the economic impact on the travel industry will be significant, there’s also a silver lining. Rarely in the history of business has an entire sector had the opportunity to press pause and strategize on what comes next. At trivago, my colleagues and I have been investing our time and resources into exploring what travel will look like beyond the pandemic and how we can serve the changing needs of travelers and empower people to get more out of life.

The travel industry will have to navigate many challenges, both logistical and psychological, to get people excited about traveling again. Travelers will have heightened anxiety around taking trips depending on infection rates and new outbreaks. They also will want more flexibility with options for refunds, cancellations, etc.

On the plus side, I’m sensing pent-up demand for travel. People want to leave their homes and expand their horizons. So how can technology help people get excited about the prospect of traveling again while also offering increased safety and flexibility? I see the following four dimensions as critical in the coming months.

1. Suggesting new regional destinations that spark interest

Technology that enables people to search and book local travel will fulfill two consumer needs coming out of the lockdown: the desire to travel closer to home to control risks and the need for less expensive travel while the economy recovers.

It may take a long time for travelers to gravitate back toward crowded airports and tourist sites. Forty percent of air passengers will wait at least six months before regularly flying again, according to an April survey by the IATA.

Instead, I foresee they will look to less-trafficked regional destinations they can reach by car, bus or train. This crisis offers an opportunity for metasearch platforms powered by artificial intelligence to curate these types of trips to unusual places. For example, a couple living in Sacramento might avoid San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and opt for visiting small wineries in California’s Gold Country. They’ll need help creating a driving itinerary and finding the right accommodations in the vast Sierra Nevada Mountains.

2. Increasing flexibility and helping consumers understand all the options

It will be more important than ever for travel technology companies to consider how they’re offering consumers increased flexibility and peace of mind when booking. So many travelers have either lost money or have had difficulty obtaining refunds from canceled travel plans in 2020. Think about the thousands of travelers affected by the postponement of the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, for instance.

This peace of mind will rise from increased transparency on booking platforms about cancellation policies, refund processes and trip insurance options. It will be critical to explain how their travel problems will be solved in the event of COVID-19 outbreaks and new restrictions on movement. Travelers also will want to quickly understand payment terms when comparing accommodations. For example, is a deposit or full prepayment required, or can the consumer simply pay at the hotel when they check out?

3. Helping consumers prioritize mental and psychological comfort

Comfort and safety will take on varying meanings coming out of the pandemic depending upon who you ask. While some travelers may crave open space after being stuck inside, while others may opt for quieter, more secluded destinations and accommodations.

Now that social distancing has become a second-nature behavior in many public places, what will the concept look like at big hotel chains? Recently, Hilton announced that it is partnering with Lysol and the Mayo Clinic to help with its hotel cleanliness plan for when its properties are fully back in business. Some travelers are likely to view large hotel chains as more hygienic and will rely on the professional cleaning and consistent policies for peace of mind. We will also see more hotel chains enter the hybrid accommodations space, offering homelike experiences within their hotels that help guarantee more privacy and consistent hygiene.

Other travelers may prefer to mitigate their risks by renting alternative accommodations. Although a consumer may not know who was in an apartment before them, at least they can control almost everything about the space and the environment — particularly hygiene — while staying there. Airbnb recently shared plans to roll out a cleaning protocol program, including a mandatory 72-hour buffer between guest stays.

Either way, booking technologies can support post-pandemic preferences by developing ways to lead customers to trips with their top priorities considered. Digital platforms can help users to understand the standards of cleanliness and privacy between different properties. This may come in the form of a search filter, targeted advertising or even a quiz to determine the right type of stay based on personal concerns.

4. New data and tools that support the traveler journey

Knowledge is power, and knowledge will be key for people looking to book trips once the lockdown is lifted. It will be important for consumers to know where to find not only reliable data regarding virus cases, but also answers to logistical questions: What places are open? Where is it safe? What is accessible? These questions are complex and fast-changing, presenting the need for simplification for consumers searching for safe adventures.

There is a significant opportunity for booking platforms to support consumers finding reliable, current information regarding which regions are open and offering attractions for travelers.

It may take the form of a heat map where consumers can see infection rate information, health policies for different areas, and how accessible certain cities are via plane, train and other forms of transport.

While these solutions will not come overnight, travel restrictions will eventually be lifted, and there will be a desire to travel again. Technology and technologists will not have all the answers, but they do have the ability to empower an industry getting back on its feet.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/06/10/four-ways-technology-can-empower-travel/#752224e4656d

 

 

A design that reconfigures airplane cabins with double-decker lie-flat seats in premium economy is being touted as a possible solution for fliers looking for more protection from the spread of Covid-19.

Zephyr Seat is the vision of designer Jeffrey O’Neill, who reckons the isolation from fellow passengers that his creation will offer could be a game changer in the wake of the pandemic.

“We believe that new types of travelers will require privacy or will want to pay extra for that as much as they would pay for the ability to sleep,” O’Neill, the founder and CEO of start-up Zephyr Aerospace, tells CNN Travel.

With Zephyr Seat, airlines could provide double-decker seating in a 2-4-2 configuration which, O’Neill says, would allow the majority of global airlines to maintain the same seating density as offered by their existing premium economy cabins.

O’Neill was inspired by a sleepless flight between New York to Singapore a few years ago, on board what was then the world’s longest commercial flight.

Seated in premium economy, O’Neill realized halfway through the super long-haul journey that he wasn’t going to get any shut eye.

“I’m on probably the best rated airline in the world, and I’m getting wonderful service and the food is edible, but I can’t sleep,” he recalls. “This is really uncomfortable. Why is it so difficult to find an affordable way to lie flat on a flight that’s 19 hours?”

Real estate on an airplane is expensive — and airlines usually don’t want to sacrifice space.
But O’Neill found himself remembering a long-distance bus journey he’d made on a trip through Argentina. The bus utilized bunk beds, and he’d slept far better than on his ostensibly more luxurious air journey to Singapore. It occurred to him that maybe that was the solution.

This was two years ago, and O’Neill says his idea’s since graduated from a back of a napkin drawing, he dreamed up with his design partner, to a life-size mockup, which he says proves its feasibility. Zephyr’s double-decker concept utilizes the space that exists between a standard seat and an overhead bin.

“We basically retrofitted a whole other seat on top of another,” explains O’Neill. “So it’s essentially two levels, it’s not as tall off the ground as people might imagine, it’s only four and a half feet off the ground from the entry point to the lower seat to the upper seat.”

The result, O’Neill says, is more passenger leg room without the airline being forced to sacrifice space or reduce passenger headcount.The idea’s still in its infancy, although O’Neill says he’s identified an engineering partner — and he’s been in conversation with four major airlines, including US carrier Delta, although there are no firm commitments right now.

He presented the idea to airline executives at the 2019 Airline Interiors Expo at Hamburg, Germany — and said got some valuable feedback on how to make the seat a feasible option for the mid-range aviation market.
The next stage would be passing the product through the required safety tests, which could be a three-year process.

New aviation opportunities
Of course, a question mark currently hangs over aviation’s future, with no one quite knowing what air travel is going to look like over the next few months, let alone years. There will likely be a greater demand for on board social distancing, from both passengers and airlines — recent flights have proven that current inflight set ups make this tricky.

O’Neill reckons that the new aviation landscape fits with his vision for Zephyr Seat.The increased privacy the seat would offer, he says, could reassure travelers demanding on board social distancing. That said, the concept, like other ideas in the pipeline, doesn’t totally solve the issue of being in close proximity on aircraft and the potential Covid risk.

O’Neill also points towards a future where there could likely be fewer scheduled flights and those that are operating could be busier and more expensive — something we’re already seeing happen.
“The price for a business class or first class seat is going to be out of range for probably about 85% of all travelers, which means a more affordable option might become a reality or a consideration for a lot of those people,” he says.

 

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/zephyr-seat-double-decker-airplane/index.html

As airlines, airports and their air transport sector partners continue to plot the industry’s recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, a focus on innovation, and investment in technologies such as touchless biometrics, self-service, automation, and mobile devices and apps, will have a crucial role to play. 

 

These are some of the key insights of a new report jointly released today by Fast Future, Future Travel Experience (FTE), and the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX).

  

‘The Impacts of Covid-19 on Innovation and Digital Transformation in Air Transport’ report, which is the second instalment of the Air Transport 2035 series, explores how air transport industry stakeholders see the coronavirus pandemic affecting their current priorities and future strategies for innovation and digital transformation. The study draws on a combination of a global air transport industry survey, desk research, expert interviews, and the inputs of expert contributors and participants at industry webinars held on May 13 and May 20.

 

Investing in innovation and digital transformation

 

A global survey conducted as part of the report found that 63.7 per cent of respondents expect the Covid-19 crisis to accelerate innovation and digital transformation projects within their organisation, 19.2 per cent expect their organisation to continue with their pre-coronavirus plans, and only 17.1 per cent expect innovation and digital transformation projects to be delayed.

 

More than three-quarters of respondents (77.4 per cent) expect to see increased adoption of “touchless” biometrics to verify passenger identity, 74.8 per cent anticipate greater use of self-service and automation for passenger processing, and 69.2 per cent expect to see technology used to identify passengers displaying Covid-19 symptoms.

 

Increased use of mobile devices and apps to assist or control the passenger journey (67.1 per cent), and use of technology to identify staff displaying coronavirus symptoms (58.6 er cent), also feature highly on the priority list. At the other end of the scale, despite a number of trials being announced, globally only 27.4 per cent of respondents anticipate the use of robots for customer service tasks.

 

A new-look in-flight experience

 

Looking at the impact that Covid-19 will have in the aircraft cabin, cleanliness and sanitisation are highest on the list of priority actions, with 87.7 per cent of survey respondents undertaking, or expecting to see, increased efforts to clean and sanitise the cabin. A further 69 per cent expect to see increased availability of crew personal protective equipment (PPE), while 65.3 per cent anticipate increased passenger communication regarding cleaning/sanitisation measures. A further 59.4% expect enhanced crew training in handling passengers showing Covid-19 symptoms. The majority of respondents also expect to see increased availability of passenger PPE (56.2 per cent), and new forms of catering and service delivery to minimise passenger-crew engagement (53.9 per cent).

 

The importance of collaboration

 

The report also reveals that 84.6 per cent believe Covid-19 will lead to increased collaboration between industry stakeholders. The research highlights vital areas in which collaboration should be embraced to support the industry’s recovery. In addition to greater collaboration between internal departments to speed up issue response and routine processes, participants believe airlines, airports, and governments should work more closely together for the good of the sector. For instance, airlines and airports are encouraged to enhance real time data sharing and to create direct support links for each aircraft with destination medical teams to update in real time on possible on-board infections. Furthermore, the air transport industry is encouraged to work with governments to enable the exchange of passenger symptom and infection status information with their consent.

 

Daniel Coleman, Founder and CEO, Future Travel Experience, said: “This report makes it very clear that close collaboration, technology and digital transformation will play a crucial role in the air transport industry’s recovery from the Covid-19 shock. Investment in digital transformation and innovation is high on the list of priorities for the majority of airlines, airports and their partners, who now have an opportunity to embrace critical technologies to realise near-term efficiencies as well as future-proof their businesses for the long-term. The global survey conducted as part of this report found that almost 50% of organisations have increased their innovation and digital transformation budgets in light of Covid-19, and a further 25 per cent have left their budgets untouched. This adds further weight to the theory that the role of innovation and technology is more important now than ever before.”

 

Rohit Talwar, CEO of Fast Future and lead author of the report, commented: “The air transport industry has experienced unprecedented turbulence in the last few months, with severe revenue impacts as 80 per cent or more of flights have been grounded around the world. The challenge now is to encourage passengers to return to the skies by demonstrating how clean, safe, and consistent the flight experience is across the globe. What’s really encouraging is that the study shows very clearly that the industry sees investment in innovation and digital transformation as a route out of turbulence. Such investments provide a means of tackling the social distancing and safety challenges, improving efficiency, and providing a platform for growth through enhanced services and offerings.”

 

“The findings show that the crisis has driven many to accelerate their innovation and digital transformation initiatives. Ideas that were once considered speculative, or ‘nice to have’, are moving to the top of the agenda. We are far too early in the transition from crisis to recovery to know exactly what will work. What is clear is that it will require a willingness to pursue rapid and focused innovation and technology experiments, to consider ideas that were previously deemed unthinkable, and a commitment to expand our horizons and learn fast,” he said. – TradeArabia News Service

Source: http://www.ttnworldwide.com/Article/306758/Investments-in-technology-to-propel-aviation-sectors-recovery

 

 

Consumer confidence in the air travel industry has taken a dramatic hit due to Covid-19. For international travel to resume, the need for internationally recognized standards that are safe for both passengers and staff is crucial.

Heathrow Airport is the first airport in the UK to begin the trial of health screening initiatives such as facial recognition thermal screening technology (to track body temperature), UV sanitation (to sanitize security trays) and contact-free security screening equipment (to reduce close contact). If testing at Heathrow Airport proves successful, similar procedures will be rolled out across the remaining UK airports, offering a glimpse in to what travel may look like in the future.

For the prospect of international travel to be deliberated, there is a crucial need for common international screening standards to be recognized worldwide.

For air travel to resume, reassurance must be guaranteed

Over 50% of global international travel trips have been cancelled or changed due to travel restrictions, according to GlobalData’s latest Covid-19 consumer survey. As the impact on travel plans is stark, this highlights that pent-up demand is likely to have occurred during lockdown periods, creating a surge in international travel when restrictions are lifted.

Although, the same survey also found that 49% of the population are still extremely concerned about the global outbreak of Covid-19. It is unknown how much the ‘fear factor’ will impact the confidence of travelers to venture to outbound destinations.

Consumer confidence will return but it is clear that there is still a long, winding road ahead. For travel to resume, health standards of airlines must be standardized across the board.

Common international standards need to be set

Most countries around the world were testing inbound travelers once arriving in their destination before the pandemic reached its peak. However, these measures have not been standardized and the need for collaboration between countries is vital for future travel.

CEO of Heathrow Airport, John Holland Kaye, announced that governments should be taking the lead in agreeing a common international standard in the approach to health and safety in airports. The priority should be to minimize the transmission of Covid-19 across borders. The technological developments currently being trialed at Heathrow could soon offer a global solution.

The airline industry has suffered greatly due to Covid-19 related impacts and has encountered dramatic losses. Q1 financial results for airlines have illustrated a substantial hit due to tumultuous decline in demand. The sooner health standards are reestablished; the sooner confidence in travelers can be restored, meaning that airlines and airports can begin to recover.

Source: https://www.airport-technology.com/comment/air-travel-standards-future-covid-19/

 

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