Trade News
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council Seeks Input on Global Criteria for Sustainable Destinations
May 2, 2012
Interested Parties from Emerging and Developed Destinations Encouraged to Comment Portland, OR - The Global Sustainable Tourism Council announces the release of its new Destination Criteria. Through a consultancy led by Sustainable Travel International (STI), the GSTC is soliciting input and comments from all travel and tourism stakeholders on this exciting project, ensuring diverse feedback is collected as the project evolves. The GSTC is also requesting support in reaching out to other parties which might be interested in participating. The Destination Criteria are a set of guiding principles and performance indicators designed to lead destination managers, communities, and businesses on a path to sustainability: maximizing social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits while minimizing negative impacts. The Destination Criteria complement the existing GSTC Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators, which have become a worldwide standard for tourism sustainability. “While many... Read More →
Must Read/View
Special Needs/Accessible Travel Segment Now a Mainstream Market; Travel Professionals With Accessible Travel Training Have Advantage
May 2, 2012
Accessible Travel is the Fastest-Growing Segment in Travel as Baby Boomers Retire, Number of Individuals with Special Needs Increase Dania Beach, FL – As the Baby Boomer generation has started to retire and will continue to over the next 20 years, and the number of individuals with special needs continues to increase, the accessible travel segment is taking the travel industry by storm and will only continue to grow. In fact, it is the fastest-growing segment in the travel industry. This once-considered niche market is now very much mainstream. Therefore, it is more important than ever for travel professionals to have the knowledge, skills, and communication abilities to tap into the accessible market. Twenty percent (63 million) of Americans have a disability, and approximately 10 million aged 15 and older use a walking aid such as a cane or walker. This group may include many “slow walker” individuals who don’t consider themselves disabled, but who could benefit... Read More →
Spotlight: Destinations
Egypt Poised to Make Full Tourism Recovery in 2012 According to Tourism Minister
May 1, 2012
The tide appears to be turning for Egypt’s tourism industry after political events associated with last year’s ‘Arab Spring’ caused a drop of approximately one third of tourist arrivals and revenues (source: Washington Post). According to the Egyptian Tourist Authority, as quoted in Business Intelligence Middle East, inbound tourism has increased by 32 percent in the first quarter of 2012 compared to 2011. A Washington Post article cited the Egyptian Tourism Minister, Mounir Abdel-Nour, projecting that Egypt will attract 14.5 million travelers this year, a number very close to their 2010 (pre-political uprising) 14.7 million tourist level. “We are confident that the future will be much better than the past,” Abdel-Nour said. “It is not difficult to explain this in an environment where democracy prevails, and where there’s more transparency, less corruption.” … Abdel-Nour said the tourism industry is “doing everything in the book” to woo visitors... Read More →
By the Numbers
Boomers Surpass Gen-Y Smartphone Users, Driving Leisure Travel Market
May 1, 2012
While smartphone ownership amongst business users remains static, the rise in use amongst leisure travellers will be sure to make hoteliers sit up and take note. New figures from leading research consultants BDRC Continental reveal that 61% of leisure travellers own smartphones in 2012, up from 36% and 47% in 2010 and 2011 respectively. And it is the Baby Boomers who are leading the pack, with the growth of ownership in that segment now being double that of Generation Y. That is according to the latest findings from the British Hotel Guest Survey, the key source of information for brand performance and customer insight in the hotels sector, which reveals just a 2 point increase in smartphone ownership among business users in 2012, following a surge from 58% to 73% in 2010-11. Delving deeper into travellers’ engagement with hotels via smartphones, BDRC Continental’s dedicated Hotels, Meetings and Hospitality division discovered that searching for hotel contact details and locations via... Read More →
Industry Partner News
Amadeus and Expedia Sign Multi-Year Agreement in North America
May 1, 2012
Partnership strengthens Amadeus’ footprint in U.S. and Canada Madrid, Spain - Amadeus, a leading travel technology provider and transaction processor for the global travel and tourism industry, and Expedia, Inc., the world’s largest online travel company, today announced they have signed a multi-year content and technology agreement for North America. The agreement provides Expedia with Amadeus’ fare search technologies for air travel among other products, as well as access to global travel supplier content through the Amadeus system. Expedia, Inc. is the largest travel enterprise in the world in terms of air volumes, offering airfare search and reservation capabilities to travellers in over 25 countries through its portfolio of international brands that provide full service and corporate travel offerings, including Expedia®, Egencia® and Hotwire®. Expedia’s proprietary Best Fare Search airfare shopping technology combined with Amadeus’ airline connectivity and robust functionality... Read More →
Industry Partner News
2012 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards Winners Unveiled
April 23, 2012
Three companies and one destination, from four continents, have been recognised for their best practices in sustainable tourism at this year’s WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The 2012 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards winners hail from South America, North America, Europe, and Asia. These diverse set of winners and emerged as victors over 150 entries from more than 60 countries. For all the latest photos and footage form the Awards ceremony please check www.wttc.org. Community Benefit Award – Saunders Hotel Group, USA This local family-owned hotel group has been a leader in sustainable tourism practices as far back as the early 1980s, when they converted an old police building in Boston, Massachusetts into an historic hotel and worked with local community partners to build affordable housing in the same area. Through initiatives that are driven and supported by all levels of their staff, the group supports dozens of local charity and non-profit groups with a combination of financial... Read More →
By the Numbers
U.S. Commerce Department Forecasts Growth in International Travel to the United States Through 2016
April 23, 2012
Commerce Also Launches Online Resource for International Visitors and Industry, Following President Obama’s January 2012 Executive Order to Increase Travel to U.S. Los Angeles, CA – U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson today announced that the United States can expect 4-5 percent average annual growth in tourism over the next five years, and that 65.4 million foreign travelers are projected to visit the United States in 2012 alone. The Spring 2012 Travel and Tourism Forecast, released semi-annually by the U.S. Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration (ITA), predicts continued strong growth through 2016 following two consecutive visitor volume records set in 2010 and 2011. Bryson announced the Forecast at the U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow annual event in Los Angeles, which draws more than 5,000 people from 70 countries from the travel and tourism industry. “Growth in travel and tourism – which impacts nearly every state and community across America... Read More →
Industry Partner News
National Geographic’s ‘Digital Nomad’ Andrew Evans Embarks on 2-City Tour of South Africa
April 20, 2012
Washington, D.C. – Andrew Evans, National Geographic Traveler magazine’s “Digital Nomad,” has embarked on a South African adventure to explore Durban and Cape Town. For the next three weeks, Evans will tweet, blog, vlog and “Instagram” his travels on NationalGeographic.com’s Digital Nomad blog, his Twitter feed @WheresAndrew and his Where’s Andrew Facebook page. “I am thrilled to be exploring urban Africa, especially these two vibrant global cities of Durban and Cape Town,” Evans said. “No place on Earth has so many centuries of global culture packed into such rare and beautiful coastlines.” Evans will be filming a documentary for the National Geographic Channel along the way, focusing on the broad multiculturalism in both cities. As part of the documentary, he will interview some of South Africa’s young and aspiring leaders, including Nelson Mandela’s grandson Kweku Mandela and architect Luyanda Mpahlwa.... Read More →
Spotlight: Destinations
International and Tourism Spending in United States Shows Continued Growth
April 19, 2012
Visitors Spent a Record $10.1 Billion in February Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that international visitors spent an estimated $13.3 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of February—nearly $1.6 billion more, or a 14 percent increase from spending in February 2011. Year to date, U.S. travel and tourism exports have grown more than 11 percent in 2012. “Today’s data is yet further evidence that the United States remains one of the top destinations for international visitors from around the world,” said Commerce Under Secretary for International Trade Francisco Sánchez. “We have seen long-term growth in both arrivals and spending and hope to continue that trend with the focus provided by the Obama Administration on this growing sector. That is why we are making it even easier to visit America’s most amazing places and working hard to tell folks about what an amazing place America is... Read More →
New & Different
Celebrity Shay Mitchell’s ATTA-Supported Ireland Adventure Generates 28+ Million Impressions
April 17, 2012
Generating Massive Digital Footprints…and Worthy New Narratives By Chris Doyle, Editor, Nicole Petrak, Assistant Editor, AdventureTravelNews.com Mitchell kayaking in Ireland. Adventure tourism can benefit directly from the extraordinary influence that today’s celebrities bring to the world of social media, many of whom have literally millions of followers. In its foray with Hollywood in March 2012, the ATTA learned just how quickly the celebrity world spins: In less than a month, Pretty Little Liars’ young actress, Shay Mitchell’s adventure in Ireland generated 28+ million impressions. And, that’s just the first phase of the effort. Destinations hosting film production crews is not new to tourism. It is widely believed throughout the history of film that movie locations, along with stars in them, can significantly influence travelers’ destination interests. Prime examples being Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings filmed in New Zealand, or the legendary classic, Lawrence... Read More →
