Destinations
Dominican Republic Unveils Tourism Recovery Plan
The Dominican Republic’s president, Luis Abinader Corona unveiled details of a set of initiatives to address the tourism industry’s challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ensure that the country is a safe travel destination. The Plan for the Responsible Recovery of Tourism in response to COVID-19, led by President Abinader, will protect the health, welfare and safety of tourists as well as promote a sustainable recovery of the tourism sector. Said Abinader: “Our goal is to minimize the effects of the pandemic and facilitate a responsible recovery that prioritizes...
Hawaii Delays Start Of Pre-Testing Program
Hawai‘i governor David Ige has issued a new statewide order delaying the start of the pre travel testing program to October 1st due to the spike in cases. Beginning October 1, individuals looking to avoid the 14-day quarantine are required to get a valid COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to their trip and provide proof of a negative result as part of Hawai’i’s Pre-Travel Testing Program. If visitors fail to meet the requirements of the Pre-Travel Testing Program, they will be placed in a mandatory 14- day quarantine until a negative test is received. The FDA-approved...
Proceed With Caution
COVID-19 continues to challenge the travel industry, as countries seek to find the balance between welcoming visitors back in a safe way and keeping instances of the virus low in their respective destinations. While economies rely heavily on tourism, many countries have shown that reopening too quickly can be detrimental to the health of a nation. In a follow-up to last week’s cover story, Travel Courier addresses the issue of responsible travel and tourism from the perspective of destinations. Hear from tourism representatives for Jordan, The Bahamas, Belize, Saint Lucia,...
Full Recovery For Domestic Air Travel In China
ForwardKeys is predicting that domestic air travel in China, which has been recovering progressively in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, will reach a full recovery by the start of September. In the second week of August, domestic arrivals at Chinese airports reached 86% of 2019 levels and bookings (issued air tickets) hit 98%, with most being for travel in mid to late August. The travel data analytics company’s forecast of a full recovery is based on four factors. First, the pandemic is now under control. Second, domestic aviation seat capacity is set to grow by 5.7% in...
Monograms Expands Its Vacation Offerings
Monograms has unveiled plans to expand its all-in-one vacations packages to new seasons and cities in 2021. For the first time, travellers can enjoy the seamless vacation planning only Monograms provides – including the on-site services of a Local Host, hand-selected accommodations in the heart of destinations and customizable sightseeing – in the “off season” with savings of up to 40 percent. Further, the company has added New Orleans, Nashville, San Francisco and San Diego to its global vacation portfolio. Stéphanie Bishop, managing director of the Globus family of...
Virtual Wining & Dining With Hong Kong
The annual Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival is going virtual for the first time due to the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Explaining this strategic move, Hong Kong Tourist Board Chairman Dr YK Pang said: “The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival has been one of the most popular events among locals and tourists alike since its inception over a decade ago. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak this year, we hope people can continue to enjoy Hong Kong’s unique dining culture while providing business opportunities for the local F&B sector amidst this challenging economic...
Cuba Welcomes Tourists Back … In Its Own Way
Cuba says the non-mainstream manner in which it re-entered international tourism should reassure potential visitors who may be uneasy about travel these days as the coronavirus pandemic continues, reports Ian Stalker in this week’s issue of Canadian Travel Press. July 1 saw the reopening of a cluster of islands off Cuba's north coast that to date have been coronavirus-free and are only home to those working in the travel industry, with those islands having been uninhabited before being developed for tourism. The reopening of the islands followed what the Cuba Tourist Board calls a...
Meet Your New Competition
In conversation with Canadian Travel Press, Forrester’s chief business technology officer & head of FeedbackNow, Steve Peltzman makes it clear that “the pandemic will have a long-term effect, and the customer balance between convenience and safety will shift forever as a result.” Peltzman pointed out that real competition is no longer just other forms of travel and hospitality but rather the desire to not travel at all. He explained that Forrester’s research shows about four in 10 US adults feel comfortable stepping into an aircraft, hotel lobby, or restaurant only after...