Destinations
ITAC Gets Needed Marketing Funds
Through its partnership with Destination Canada, the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) has received $1.95 million for their sales and marketing recovery budget. Since 2015, Destination Canada and ITAC have exchanged knowledge, expertise and market intelligence; facilitated, educated and consulted together on product readiness. As well, Destination Canada has assisted ITAC in connecting travel trade to export-ready products through available programs while cooperating in marketing programs in countries of mutual interest. Minister of Economic Development and Official...
TravelWebcast Week: How To Package And Sell Canada
In a post-COVID-19 travel market, everyone is taking a closer look at how the Canadian industry can package and sell Canada. What are suppliers doing to attract domestic travellers? What are the opportunities for agents to sell Canada? Join us today at 1PM EST for a free TravelWebcast, Look Local: a new perspective on packaging and selling Canada, part of the popular #TravelWebcastWeek series, as we attempt to answer these questions and more. Charlotte Bell, President & CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Canada sits down with Baxter Media Executive Editor, Bob Mowat about...
HKTB Unveils ‘Open House Hong Kong’
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) hosted an online forum entitled “Beyond COVID-19: Global Tourism’s New Normal” – the first event of its kind focusing on the post-pandemic tourism prospects for Hong Kong, Mainland, Asia, and the world. More than 4,000 tourism industry representatives registered for the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s (HKTB) Beyond COVID-19 Global Tourism’s New Normal online forum which focused on the post-pandemic prospects for Hong Kong, Mainland China, Asia and the world. The event featured global industry leaders sharing insights into the effects of the...
A Pause For Understanding
Keith Campbell, Marketing Manager -- Canada & Golf, VISITSCOTLAND After the UK entered lockdown on March 23, Keith Campbell, Market Manager – Canada & Golf for VisitScotland, says the organization decided to pause all destination marketing to focus on understanding the impact of the coronavirus. This included cancelling its biggest travel trade exhibition, VisitScotland Expo, for which they were due to host buyers from across the globe. “We recently published a phased market recovery strategy to help reopen Scotland to visitors and like most countries will be focusing on...
Looking Beyond The Pretty Pictures
Travel is far from being down for the count. In fact, prominent figures in the travel industry told a Tuesday Baxter Media webinar that they remain upbeat about their industry's future, despite the heavy toll coronavirus has taken on it during the past few months. "I'm very optimistic about the future," Jamaican tourism minister Edmund Bartlett told the webinar, the first of three Baxter Media is holding this week during its #TravelWebcastWeek event. Bartlett's Jamaica reopened to tourists just over a week ago, with 6,000 people arriving on the island since June 15. Half were...
Europe Leads, As Travel Restrictions Easing: UNWTO
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reports that restrictions on travel -- introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic -- are slowly being eased, allowing tourism to restart in a growing number of destinations. In its latest research, the UNWTO found that 22% of all destinations worldwide -48 destinations -- have started to ease restrictions, with Europe leading the way. At the same time, the UNWTO’s research found that 65% of all destinations worldwide -- 141 destinations -- continue to have their borders completely closed to international tourism. UNWTO...
Spain Unveils Responsible Tourism Seal
The Spanish Secretary of State for Tourism has created a "Responsible Tourism" seal for establishments that follow guidelines for reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the tourism sector, with the developed by the Secretary of State for Tourism, and are the only ones approved by the Ministry of Health. To obtain the seal the establishment must show its commitment to follow the guidelines. The seal is personal and non-transferable and must be renewed every year. Secretary of State for Tourism Isabel Oliver said, “offering trust and safety is crucial at this time to attract both...
Let’s Talk About Racism In The Travel Industry
Shalene Dudley can list off too many examples of the times she’s experienced racial discrimination while travelling — like being completely ignored in the check-in line for priority seating for flights or having to provide additional ID to prove her business platinum AMEX truly belongs to her. “A DMC representative in Cancun that I pre-arranged my transfer with, refused to believe that my final destination was the luxury five-star I showed him documentation for. I waited for over an hour until they received a phone confirmation. Even after this, he insisted that I must be a...