Destinations
Caribbean Needs New Funding Sources
A new study found that additional sources of funding must be established to help Caribbean tourism withstand future crises. In its recommendations, the new report on the effects of COVID-19 on national destination management and marketing organizations in member countries of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and their early responses to the global pandemic, conducted by the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies (GW IITS) and the CTO. It found that COVID-19 affected the financial health of the tourism organizations, with nearly of all of...
Let’s Get Uncomfortable About Racism
Canadian travel professionals are invited to join a virtual event -- “Let’s Get Uncomfortable: Confronting Anti-Black Racism in Canada’s Travel Industry” – set to take place tomorrow (July 7) from 5:00 p.m to 7:00 p.m. ET. With conversations about systemic, anti-Black racism dominating headlines and political discussions, companies are being urged to confront and correct internal biases. The travel industry is among those being taken to task for its lack of diversity, with calls to commit to anti-racist practices from various media outlets and to demonstrate “true...
Brave New World
COVID-19 dealt the travel industry a blow with unimaginable consequences. Although the ripple effect was felt worldwide, as recovery gets underway, Travel Courier talks to a panel of industry leaders to find out what changes can be implemented now to ensure tourism can be a force for good across travellers, wildlife, the environment and local communities. In the aftermath of the pandemic, the travel industry, which is collectively responsible for 10% of the world’s jobs and contributes trillions to global GDP, came to a grinding halt resulting in unprecedented challenges and...
Agents Choice Is Back … For A Limited Time
Just in case you missed it, Baxter Media is re-opening the 21st edition of the Agents' Choice Readership Survey, Canada's original and most authoritative travel industry survey. If you didn’t get a chance to vote in the Spring, we’re giving agents an extra two weeks to complete the survey. Vote for your favourite destinations, suppliers, brands and services in 40+ categories. We are still offering voters the chance to win one of five fantastic prizes: A delightful discovery through the sights, sounds, and tastes of ‘the big easy’ on Collette’s six-day Spotlight to New...
PV Reports On Its Reopening Progress
The first visitors to arrive in Puerto Vallarta since the reopening of its hotels and beaches in late June found not only a "renowned tourism offering intact but also a destination engrossed in health and safety protocols to meet the realities of a world of Covid-19," tourism authorities say. Local officials put the entire city of Puerto Vallarta under quarantine starting in early March. It has since undergone a multi-phase reopening process led by local officials following state, federal and international protocols. The process ultimately contributed to the State of Jalisco obtaining...
Turn On The Tap … Just A Bit
According to new research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), even a modest increase of just one million more international arrivals into Europe could generate an extra $0.48 billion in GDP. The WTTC observes that this would provide a massive and much-needed economic boost for EU economies struggling to survive following the imposition of travel restrictions to combat the spread of coronavirus. It point out that many governments are evaluating reciprocal ‘travel corridors, including the UK government and those in Europe which are under immense pressure, to enable...
A Realistic Framework
With the destination continuing to open up for travel from many European countries yet not for all international markets, Ina Rodin, Director North America for Croatia National Tourist Office, says its promotional efforts are twofold. Currently, the campaign “The Vacation You Deserve is Closer Than You Think” is being run across markets such as Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland, which have easy access to the destination, while a user-generated content campaign is being run across social media for long-haul destinations under the slogan “Enjoy the View from...
London Falling
According to new research by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and ForwardKeys, London has fallen to the bottom of the top 10 most booked European cities, as border restrictions and UK quarantine regulations choked travel. During the first half of June last year, as the holiday season was in full swing, London was the most heavily booked city in Europe for any date of arrival, followed by Paris and Rome. However, travel restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the quarantine rules imposed by the UK government, the capital has slumped to the...