Destinations
Travel Advisors Are All-Stars
In the Agents’ Choice 2020 Readership Survey, the value of using a travel agent is showcased in the issue’s feature story. In the wake of travel bans, restrictions, cancellations and last-minute re-booking needs brought on by the pandemic, it became apparent that those who used travel advisors were better off than those who decided to go it alone. “I have never been told so many times how absolutely lost they would have been without a travel agent to find alternate flights home, cancel their trips for refunds or credits and take care of everything. I was able to assist all my...
Building The Future
Brand USA has launched the Brand USA Global Marketplace -- a one-stop shop that allows U.S. travel partners to interact with international audiences. A custom-built, always-on, virtual platform, the Brand USA Global Marketplace provides access to a diverse range of U.S. destinations, attractions, and points of interest for the international travel industry. The digital platform -- a reimagined version of traditional trade shows and industry events -- solves the need for the U.S. travel community to engage with the global tourism industry while international travel is limited due to...
Disappointed & Deeply Concerned
U.S. travel industry leaders were expressing “disappointment” at the breakdown in COVID-19 relief funding discussions and urging the White House and Congress to get back to the table and conclude a deal. Expressing “deep concern” and pointing to the havoc that the global pandemic has wreaked on the business travel industry, the Global Business Travel Association’s (GBTA) interim executive director, Dave Hilfman said that: “With hundreds of thousands of jobs hanging in the balance, the business travel sector and the American economy need help now, not a month from...
A Call For Change
In an open letter to travel suppliers, the ACTA COVID-19 Travel Agency Leaders Advisory Committee calls for “a holistic review of the systemic practices and policies that are currently in place between travel agencies and travel suppliers.” The travel industry is going through an unprecedented crisis due to the global pandemic and it will be affected adversely for much longer than other industries. Tour operators, cruise lines, airlines, hoteliers, car rental companies and travel agencies have seen their business more or less come to a halt, the letter states. It...
Trinidad, Tobago Extend, Expand Industry Help
Trinidad and Tobago has extended and expanded the Trinidad and Tobago Tourism Accommodation Upgrade Project (TAUP) for a period of three (3) years from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2023. This tourism incentive was developed to assist Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism accommodation property owners/operators to upgrade their facilities to a first-class level that is expected to meet and/or exceed the Trinidad and Tobago standard requirements for tourist accommodation. The resulting improvement in room stock quality is expected to enhance the overall competitiveness of the destination’s...
How We Tread Right
The Travel Corporation (TTC) has redoubled its commitment to sustainable and regenerative tourism with the launch of How We Tread Right (HWTR). HWTR is a new 5-year sustainability strategy that includes 11 goals designed to advance TTC’s efforts to address climate change, overtourism and animal welfare. The strategy outlines initiatives to strengthen efforts that address sustainable food production, responsible consumption, and diversity and inclusion. A core component of the strategy is the launch of Make Travel Matter (MTM) Experiences, which have been identified using an...
Bahamas Is Ready To Welcome Visitors
While the Bahamas is still set to reopen its tourism sector on Oct. 15, it’s advising that until Oct. 31, all incoming visitors must “Vacation in Place” for 14 days or the duration of stay, whichever is shorter, which means limiting the vacation experience to the grounds and amenities of a traveller’s hotel or accommodations. Beginning Nov. 1, The Bahamas will remove the mandatory “Vacation in Place” requirement for all visitors, returning citizens and residents thereby, enabling everyone to move about and explore the destination beyond the confines of their hotel or other...
CTO, Partners Gearing Up For Recovery Forum
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) is teaming up with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Euromonitor International, the Travel Foundation, and the University of the West Indies to present the Caribbean Tourism Recovery Forum on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15, 2020. The virtual event will focus on planning and management of the recovery process for the Caribbean. Neil Walters, the CTO’s acting secretary general, said: “From the onset of COVID-19, the CTO has sought expertise to assist our members with immediate, short-term and long-term recovery planning as they navigate the path...