Destinations
Mixed Prospects For Summer 2021 Europe Travel
While Europe works to accelerate vaccination programs over the coming months, as well as controlling the spread of COVID-19, the expected easing of restrictions provides some hope for travel in summer 2021. That’s one of the messages in the European Travel Commission’s (ETC) quarterly report ‘European Tourism Trends & Prospects.’ The report outlines that despite vaccine hurdles in recent months, the inoculation programs are vital to enabling the restart of travel. And it states that this cause for optimism is backed-up by the significant amount of pent-up demand which...
Just What’s Needed, A Good Push
IATA is welcoming the agreement between G20 tourism ministers to support the safe restoration of mobility by following the G20 Rome Guidelines for the Future of Tourism. The airline industry association is urging G20 governments to quickly follow up their endorsement of the guidelines with actions, particularly the five-point agenda to safely restore mobility: Sharing information among industry and governments to inform policies and decisions to ensure safe mobility. Agreeing common international approaches to COVID-19 testing, vaccination, certification and information. ...
Holland America Sets A Course For Greece
Holland America Line is set to sail from Greece beginning in August. Working in close coordination with the government of Greece, Holland America confirmed that it has received approval to restart cruising from Piraeus (Athens) in August with four departures aboard Eurodam. Bookings for these cruises will open today (May 6). The line-up for sailings include: The Idyllic Greek Isles which departs Aug. 15 and Aug. 29, and featuring calls at Kotor, Montenegro, as well as the Greek isles of Kékira (Corfu), Thíra (Santorini) and Mykonos. “Ancient Wonders” departs Aug. 22...
Testing Costs Could Stall Recovery
According to IATA, the high costs of COVID-19 testing could put travel out of reach for individuals and families and the airline industry association is calling on governments to ensure that this doesn’t happen And IATA makes it clear that COVID-19 testing must be affordable – as well as timely, widely available and effective – in order to facilitate an efficient restart of international travel. In sampling the costs of PCR tests -- the test most frequently required by governments -- in 16 countries, IATA found wide variations by markets and within markets. The findings...
Finder.com Tracks Canadians’ Short-Term Travel Plans
According to Finder’s Global Travel Index, just 16% of Canadians – or an estimated 5 million people -- plan to do any travelling in the short term. The index also reports that while more Canadians plan to travel domestically than they do internationally, the numbers remain somewhat flat month-to-month. As well, Finder’s Global Travel Index also found that Canadians are most likely to travel domestically in May and plans in this month have risen with each iteration of the survey, with just 2.25% saying they planned to travel domestically in May in the February survey, rising...
Dominican Republic Reports Positive Recovery Numbers
The Dominican Republic is reporting positive data as international tourism to the Caribbean destination recovers. In March, the D.R. welcomed 263,857 non-resident foreign passengers, a 56% increase compared to February, and 3.4% over March 2020. Over 70% of those arrivals were American tourists, and more than 40% of travellers arrived through Punta Cana International Airport. As of March 28, 3,142 flights from 100 airlines from more than 40 countries have arrived in the country, a 39% increase compared to February. For the first time, in the last week of March, the flight...
Brokjans Joins VoX Team As GNTO Director In Canada
Anja Brokjans will be joining the VoX International team as Director for the German National Tourist Office (GNTO) effective immediately. Brokjans brings extensive experience in marketing, public relations, trade and communications to the position. Her previous experience includes a 20-year tenure as the spokesperson for one of the world’s largest trade show companies, Deutsche Messe, where she was responsible for developing and executing marketing plans for international events and companies. Commenting on her appointment, Brokjans said: “I am very excited to join VoX...
France Has A Reopening Plan
France is getting ready to re-open for international visitors from outside the European Union beginning June 9, 2021. International visitors would be required to present a health pass which would provide proof of vaccination, or a negative PCR test or a proof of their immunity (COVID-19 recovery certificate). The pass would be in the form of a QR code, in a paper or a digital format. In announcing the plans for reopening, it was also indicated that as the terms and conditions of the health pass are not yet known, Canadian tourists wishing to travel to France should check the...