Trade News
CNN: Safety, Price & Reputation Top Global Traveler Concerns
May 21, 2013
Destination websites are the #1 source of travel information A global study of CNN consumers’ travel perceptions and behavioural trends has revealed that safety and security is of greater concern when choosing an international travel destination, than any other deciding factor – for more than two thirds of global respondents. 67% say ‘safety and security’ matters most 60% are ‘price’ driven 58% are driven by ‘reputation’ 55% say ‘knowledge and availability of information’ matters most 54% are driven by ‘diversity of things to do/amenities’ The survey asked global respondents from over 70 countries, recruited via CNN websites, to identify the key influencing factors in their decision making process, when deciding upon both leisure and business travel destinations. Didier Mormesse, Senior Vice President, Ad Sales Research, Development & Audience Insight at CNN International said, “Destination branding has become one of the most competitive aspects of today’s... Read More →
New & Different
Online ‘Chatter’ to Help Shape Thomas Cook Strategy
May 21, 2013
Thomas Cook is claiming a travel industry first with the launch of a bespoke 24/7 social media monitoring facility. The Thomas Cook Listening Lab will use a specially trained team to monitor online ‘chatter’ about the group’s 60+ global brands in over 180 languages. The team will identify social ‘brand champions’ and who the company should be interacting with to help increase sales. In addition, the facility will aid in crisis management, provide real time comparison of competitor brands and listen to all customer sentiment. Harriet Green, Thomas Cook Group chief executive, said: ‘We were the first major high street travel agency in the UK to offer online bookings, last year we had 310m visits to our websites, ThomasCook.com was labelled #5 travel/e-travel site in 2012 eDigital Research Best Site benchmark and just this month our new mobile website was said to ‘set the standard’ and received a ten out of ten by travel technology consultant Paul Richer. ‘As we expand our... Read More →
Trend Watch
Appetite for European Tourism is Expected to Remain Through 2013
May 21, 2013
Brussels – The European Travel Commission (ETC) is delighted to announce that the first quarterly report on European Tourism in 2013 – Trends & Prospects has just been published. International arrivals and nights to Europe for the first months of 2013 point to a slower, but continued growth for most of the reporting destinations. As 2012 was a strong year for tourism, Europe’s modest upward trend confirms the health of its tourism sector against overall economic turmoil. The modest upward trend in individual destinations is reinforced by key indicators from the aviation and accommodation industries. Air transport statistics indicate that tourism demand remains robust from long-haul markets, with travel on European routes growing at a slightly faster rate moving into 2013. Occupancy in European hotels has also been higher than a year earlier, with growth apparent in all sub-regions. For the remaining months of 2013, European destinations’ performance will largely depend... Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
A Uranium Mine in the Selous: 60 Million Tons of Radioactive Waste in Africa’s Last Great Wilderness?
May 21, 2013
Lake Manze, Selous Game Reserve. © Josef Friedhuber Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the travel industry has yet fully awakened to the massive changes that are likely to result to the environment and ecosystem in Tanzania and elsewhere in Africa due to the events described in this guest post from Friends of Serengeti. Please take a moment to read this article and pass along. Tanzania’s Ministry of Energy and Minerals has granted a license to mine uranium in the Selous Game Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of “outstanding universal value,” to a major international mining company. According to the website AllAfrica, the move will catapult Tanzania ahead of Canada as the world’s second largest uranium producer. Read the full story here. This comes after the decision last summer by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to allow Tanzania to alter the boundaries of the reserve in order to pave the way for uranium mining. Why the Selous Matters Covering... Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
Ancient Mayan Pyramid Bulldozed for Road Fill in Belize
May 20, 2013
Photo: Jules Vasquez / 7NewBelize.com Last week private contractors bulldozed a Mayan pyramid in Belize that dates back 2,300 years, in order to use the rubble as gravel for a new road. CNN reports that the land was privately owned and that archaeologists are asking for legal action to be taken against both the owner and the construction company. Jaime Awe, Director of the Institute of Archaeology stated that the ruination of the historical site was “one of the worse set of blows I have felt philosophically and professionally,” and added that Belize law dictates that “any willful destruction of an ancient site or monument has penalties of 10 years’ imprisonment or $10,000.” “We can’t salvage what has happened out here — it is an incredible display of ignorance.” Although pre-Hispanic ruins in the country are technically under government protection, an article in The Guardian states that such laws are rarely and weakly enforced, resulting... Read More →
Industry Partner News
PATA Carries Forward Pledge to the Complete Visitor Economy
May 20, 2013
UNTWO and private sector support goals of the ‘CVE’. Advancing the complete visitor economy to boost jobs and social development should also be consistent with environmental care. ‘”We need to tread likely as we develop,” said PATA CEO Martin Craigs. “We have a duty to energize and motivate and do as little harm as possible.” Bangkok – The PATA CEO Martin Craigs this week wrote to attendees and speakers of the PATA Annual Summit to pledge the association’s ongoing support for the complete visitor economy. The concept of the complete visitor economy was endorsed by private and public sector speakers including Taleb Rifai Secretary General of the UNWTO, which has entered into a strategic partnership with PATA to boost tourism’s profile in Asia Pacific. Mr Rifai told the PATA Summit in Bangkok on April 26: “We have before us a crucial, and maybe unique, opportunity to advance tourism’s contribution to a fairer... Read More →
Spotlight: Sustainability
The Conservation Alliance Announces 2013 Outstanding Partnership Awards
May 20, 2013
Assistant Editor’s Note: The following story is a re-print from SNEWS, and is published here with full permission from Verde Public Relations. Bend, OR – Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Outdoor Gear Exchange, and Patagonia have been selected as the winners of The Conservation Alliance Outstanding Partnership Award for 2013.The award recognizes member companies who go above and beyond in building relationships with Conservation Alliance grantees. All Conservation Alliance grantees from the past two years were invited to nominate member companies for recognition. Five grantees nominated seven different member companies. Each nomination described how the company engaged in a meaningful partnership to help the organization succeed in its conservation work. “The Outstanding Partnership Award brings to light the commitment our member have for the work of our grantees,” said John Sterling, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. “We are thrilled to celebrate the direct... Read More →
Spotlight: Destinations
U.S. Vacationers are Planning Ahead, Seeking Value Over Budget, and Leaving The Kids Behind
May 20, 2013
The fourth largest hotel and resort portfolio in the U.S., Destination Hotels & Resorts, predicts 2013 trends. Englewood, CO. – A new consumer survey focused on travel for the upcoming summer season unveils some surprising trends, from a renewed interest in planning ahead to a primary focus on value rather than strict budget considerations. Results from the March 2013 study conducted by Destination Hotels & Resorts (Destination), the nation’s fourth largest hospitality management company, also revealed that more than half of travelers are planning at least one trip without the kids. A snapshot of the survey’s ten key findings is below, full results and analysis can be found in Destination’s online media center. Travelers are learning the early bird gets the worm (and best rate). Bucking the post-recession boom of flash-sales and last-minute-deals, vacation planners are beginning to shop ahead again. Destination has seen the booking window among leisure... Read More →
Industry Partner News
IGLTA and ACTE Join ECPAT’s Fight Against The Sexual Exploitation of Children by Sign The Code
May 20, 2013
By Garth Reckers, ATTA’s Web Developer At the 2012 Adventure Travel World Summit, the Adventure Travel Trade Association became the first U.S. association to sign The Code. Now, the ATTA is thrilled to welcome two American travel organizations, The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, to the fight against child sex tourism and trafficking. The Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct, ECPAT’s initiative to prevent and bring awareness to the sexual exploitation of children, has over 1,200 signatories internationally. With the United Nations estimation that 1.2 million children are trafficked each year, gaining the support of two companies with a combined 55 years experience is a major step forward in ending this global epidemic. By signing the Code, IGLTA and ACTE agree to: Establish a policy and procedures against sexual exploitation of children. Train employees in children’s rights, the prevention of sexual... Read More →
Travel & Outdoor Gear
Gear Review Special: National Geographic ‘Gear of the Year’
May 2, 2013
Editor’s Note: We’re pleased to feature National Geographic’s Spring / Summer version of ‘Gear of the Year,’ published here with their permission. Spring is a time for renewal—for assessing your gear, making repairs, and deciding when to make the leap into trying something new. This season’s crop of newly minted outdoor toys and tools is filled with refinements—you won’t see a lot of revolutionary ideas (although there are a few), but, rather, a long list of improvements and clever tweaks that make these must-haves smarter, more comfortable, and easier to use. —Steve Casimiro Smith Optics Approach Sunglasses Photograph courtesy Smith Optics Hey, how about this—the Smith Optics Approach is a pair of women’s sunglasses that isn’t pink and doesn’t have daisies on it. In fact, it’s a pair of hardcore, interchangeable-lens sunglasses designed for running, cycling, and paddling—just downsized and redesigned to fit the smaller (but, as... Read More →
