WTM Yearbook 2022

Tourism for sustainable growth

T R I P TO C R O S S R O A D S of

cultures and tastes. T R I P TO C R O S S R O A D S

emotions, adventures,

EXPLORE

THE WONDERS OF THE ISLAND

Book your expereince now discovershurooq.ae

alnoorisland

Tourism for sustainable growth

wtm yearbook 2022

AN OFFICIAL WTM LONDON PUBLICATION

PUBLISHED BY

GT Media ME Ltd

20-22 Wenlock Road London, N1 7GU

United Kingdom

P: +44 207 6085137

E: WTM@gtmediame.com www.gtmediame.com

CONTACTS

Publisher: Khaled Algaay

E-mail: kalgaay@gtmediame.com

Editorial Director: Gemma Greenwood

E-mail: gemma.greenwood@gtmediame.com

Director of Partnerships: Lucie Winter

E-mail: lucie.winter@gtmediame.com

Contributors: Harold Goodwin, Kathi Everden

DISCLAIMER

The WTM Yearbook is published by GT Media ME Limited under license from RX. The copyright in the design and content of the WTM Yearbook is owned by GT Media ME Limited, RX and its licensors. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, by any means - electronic, photocopying or otherwise - without the prior permission of RX. All Exhibitors entries have been supplied by the exhibiting companies and while great care has been taken to ensure that the details are correct, neither RX nor the publisher of the WTM Yearbook accepts responsibility for any error, omission or claims made in the WTM Yearbook or at the Event.

"World Travel Market London ("WTM")" is a registered trademark of RX.

GT Media ME Ltd strictly uses paper from responsible sources. For the last five years we have printed on paper certified by FSC International under licence number C013417. We also prioritise carbon-neutral logistics organisations for all courier services and bulk deliveries of our publications where possible.

Reshaping travel for the better

We are now 11 months into 2022 and the travel and tourism sector is looking in much better shape than it has done since the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020.

International tourist arrivals almost tripled to 474 million from January to July 2022, up 172% compared to the same period in 2021 (175 million), according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, which means the sector recovered to almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels.

International passenger air traffic bounced back too, up 234% during the same period, IATA data reveals.

While this is 45% down on 2019, recovery gained momentum in the summer, with July traffic returning to 70% of the pre-pandemic figure.

But it’s not been any easy ride, particularly in Europe, with geopolitical and economic challenges mounting and staff shortages at airports and in the hospitality sector continuing to take their toll. However, this perfect storm – disruption of an unprecedented scale in modern history – could prove the impetus the industry needs to rethink and reboot as it maps out its future.

At this moment in time, travel and tourism has the opportunity to be a force for good, driving change and improving lives.

We know that it is already a huge eco nomic contributor, accounting for at least 10% of GDP, but now we need to measure its impact in many other ways, ensuring

that it gives back to people and planet, enriching both.

In other words, regenerative tourism is the only way forward – transforming destinations into better places to live, work and visit, creating jobs and preserving history, culture and the environment.

The WTM London Yearbook 2022 shines a light on some of the strategies, projects and initiatives leading the way, from the world’s most sustainable destinations to trailblazers of responsible tourism, aviation and hospitality.

We look at the regions and sectors at the forefront of industry recovery and consider the priorities as we rebuild with resilience in mind.

From the possibilities of space travel, not only as a tourism generator, but to safeguard the future of humanity, to the views of industry figureheads on how we can reshape travel for the better, this publication captures a moment in time as we all deter-

Following a period of recalibration the industry has a unique opportunity to build a sustainable and responsible future

History in the making

The WTM London Yearbook 2022 looks back at the industry’s resolute recovery and shines a light on future growth and development, explains Juliette Losardo, Exhibition Director, World Travel Market London

We are living through a unique time; one that in future will be written about in history books. Over the past two years, the travel and tourism sector has lived its own story of highs and lows.

At this moment in time we can be confident that things are on the up, but allowing time for some reflection can deliver enormous value.

The WTM London Yearbook 2022 is dedicated to documenting the achievements, milestones, ambitions and motivations of the global travel and tourism community.

It is a point-in-time reference book that documents the progress of the past 12 months, while looking forward to the future – through the eyes of influential industry leaders – and is a must-read for major travel and tourism stakeholders around the globe.

As we look back at the tourism industry’s resolute recovery from the pandemic we also shine a light on future expansion and development.

We’ve tracked tourism’s progress in key destinations and feature exclusive interviews with tourism strategists and organisations involved in destination development – from airlines and hotels to investment bodies and developers.

Country reports show highlights from major tourism projects, infrastructure developments, innovations, sustainable initiatives and new market approaches.

We are also excited to feature case studies on the top 10 destinations pioneering the most robust responsible tourism agendas, written by WTM’s Responsible Tourism Advisor, Harold Goodwin.

A post-pandemic world has revealed exciting new opportunities, trends and innovations following a time when we have asked ourselves how we can rebuild differently to prepare ourselves for the future of travel and tourism.

Juliette Losardo Exhibition Director World Travel Market London

We are all custodians of nature

The effects of the pandemic have been devastating. However, our sector has an opportunity to pivot its growth and change for good its impact on the economy, communities, and our planet.

Over the next 10 years, the growth of travel and tourism is poised to outstrip the global economy.

And with it comes employment – 126 million new jobs will be created over the next decade. However, ineffective travel restrictions that still remain in some countries such as China (at time of press), continue to damage the sector.

But to achieve a full recovery, we also need people.

We must work harder to make travel and tourism an attractive choice for workers.

We have been witnesses to the impact of staff shortages, and we need to do a better job at attracting and retaining workers.

Travel and tourism has always been a sector by the people, for the people and we need to look after our communities. Governments and the private sector need to come together to provide the best opportunities for people looking for the great careers that the sector offers.

In order to drive travel and tourism, not only to its full recovery, but also to its best shape, it is imperative to shift the way our sector and destinations do business.

or the past two years we have stressed the challenges and losses global travel and tourism has gone through as one of the hardest-hit sectors in the world.Although COVID-19 had a devastating impact, decimating the global travel and tourism industry, this is not the first shock to bring chaos to destinations around the world, and their citizens.

The pandemic has taught us we can never be prepared enough, making it crucial for countries to develop adaptable sustainable plans that build long-term resilience.

We are facing a triple planetary crisis of climate, nature, and pollution.

Our carbon challenges are all different, whether you are a cruise line, a hotel, or an airline. So, for the first time ever, our sector has a single, clear roadmap to deliver net zero by 2050.

And today we want to show our support to businesses and destinations within the travel and tourism sector.

Human activity has resulted in a devastating loss of natural habitat and biodiversity, with one in four species now facing extinction, but travel and tourism is uniquely placed to make a real difference.

Around 80% of the sector is highly dependent on nature, so it is crucial we take an immediate and proactive role in advancing nature conservation.

The WTTC's latest report on ‘Nature Positive Travel & Tourism’ comes ahead of COP15 in December, when governments will be creating targets to protect habitats, species, and the natural environment, which in turn, reduces carbon.

Travel and tourism is on the front line. We are all custodians of nature.

the President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the

Simpson

is on the board of the London Chamber of Commerce.

is

global authority on the economic and social contribution of travel and tourism. Prior to joining the WTTC in August 2021, Julia spent 14 years in the aviation sector on the board of British Airways and Iberia and as Chief of Staff at International Airlines Group. Before joining British Airways, Julia was senior adviser to the British Prime Minister. She held a number of key positions in the UK government and public sector, including Director at the Home Office and Department for Education and Employment; Assistant Chief Executive at the London Borough of Camden; and Head of Communications at the Communication Workers Union. Julia

ABOUT

The travel and tourism sector has a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on people and planet, says Julia Simpson, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)

F

Tourism reimagined

Now is the time to rethink tourism, stresses Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)

The COVID-19 pandemic hit our societies and our economies hard. Moreover, it brought global travel to a near-complete standstill, thereby placing many millions of jobs and businesses in peril and affecting the most disadvantaged the hardest of all.

Now, UNWTO data shows that tourism’s restart is underway. And the return of major sector events like the World Travel Market demonstrates a strong determination to get back to business and look to the future with optimism. But with the historic health crisis still ongoing, and with the emergence of new and varied challenges, including heightened insecurity and war, as well as the mounting cost of living crisis, this must not be a return to ‘business as normal’.

Tourism can – and indeed must – play a central role in turning the noble principle of ‘leaving nobody behind’, into tangible action. Again, an upturn in tourist numbers gives us reason to be optimistic. But we do not have cause to be complacent.

As a global community, we are falling behind in our efforts to reach the climate action goals of the Paris Agreement. We are also behind in progress towards almost every single Sustainable Development Goal, most notably the vital goals of empowering all women and girls and reducing poverty.

Again, tourism can help get us back on track – but only if we acknowledge that we cannot simply revert to pre-pandemic models. If our sector is to realise its unique potential to deliver positive change, we must speed up and we must scale up.

RECOGNISING THE POWER OF BUSINESS

Businesses are the backbone of tourism and a vital ally for both governments and destinations in advancing the type and scale of change we need to see. On World Tourism

Day this year (September 27), UNWTO released a set of guidelines to the G20 Tourism Working Group, designed to support the world’s biggest economies make the most out of a revitalised tourism sector.

The guidelines are built on recognising that people – that is, communities, entrepreneurs and small enterprises – are the foundation of tourism and need to be empowered to make a difference.

Small businesses make up around 80% of our sector. In some places, including small island developing states and tourism-dependent destinations, this percentage can be even higher. They are best placed to deliver positive change, for example increasing sustainability or providing opportunities to youth, women or rural communities. Alongside these small enterprises, big businesses have a key role to play.

In signing up to the ambitious commitments of our Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, some of the biggest names of our sector have set down a marker for others to follow, demonstrating our sector’s willingness to act. But even the biggest businesses must be able to rely on an adequate policy

ABOUT

framework as well as a revitalised investment and financing landscape.

At World Travel Market 2022, our Ministers Summit calls on public sector leaders from all global regions to ‘Rethink Tourism’ at every level. Now is the time for big ideas to be embraced and properly backed. Businesses also need the right talent.

In recent months, we have seen tourism’s restart affected by shortages of key workers – in the European Union, for example, the number of people employed in the air transport sector has been at its lowest level for 14 years.

We need to make tourism jobs more attractive, with better conditions, more opportunities for development and greater security. At the same time, we need to make tourism more inclusive, to allow even more people to enjoy the benefits the sector can offer. Above all, we need to empower through jobs, education and training.

Over the past 18 months, the UNWTO has been working with BMZ, GIZ and UN Women on a pilot project that aims to put women’s empowerment and gender-equality ‘Centre Stage’ of the tourism restart. The direct training provided and concrete measures put in place by businesses and government are moving the sector towards a more equitable future in the four pilot countries, the results of which will be presented at World Travel Market 2022.

Our sector is a proven driver of gender equality, in many cases providing people with a first step towards economic independence and social empowerment. Now is the time to do more.

For businesses, for governments and for travellers themselves to ‘Rethink Tourism’ and the positive impact it can have as the world opens up again.

Zurab Pololikashvili has been Secretary-General of UNWTO since 2018. He was previously Georgia’s ambassador to Spain, Andorra, Algeria and Morocco and its permanent representative to the UNWTO up to December 2017. He has also served as Georgia’s minister of economic development and deputy foreign minister, among other posts, and has a background in the private sector in the financial and business sectors.

@pololikashvili unwto.org

A year in review 2021

- 2022

NOVEMBER

WTM LONDON RETURNS WITH A BANG

The travel industry marks the successful conclusion of WTM London 2021, which was staged in conjunction with travel tech event Travel Forward. Exhibitors from more than 100 countries attended the physical events, which together formed the biggest travel trade shows to take place after the pandemic. WTM London welcomed 36 new exhibitors in 2021, while 110 expert speakers took part in more than 50 sessions and debates over the three days of the physical shows. An estimated 4,000 buyers from more than 140 countries also attended the show in person.

OMICRON HALTS GLOBAL TOURISM RECOVERY

Omicron, a new highly infectious variant of COVID-19, spreads rapidly across the world, wreaking havoc on plans by many major Western destinations to ease travel restrictions in the lead-up to the Christmas holiday season. The variant, which was first identified in South Africa, leads to a temporary ban on flights from it and seven other African countries to markets including the UK and the US.

WTTC LAUNCHES NET ZERO ROADMAP

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) launches its Net Zero Roadmap for the global travel and tourism industry. The strategy, which was conceived in conjunction with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Accenture, provides guidelines for reducing the industry’s contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions from 8-10% of total outputs today to net zero by 2050. The roadmap outlines detailed decarbonisation strategies for five key industry sectors: accommodation, tour operators, aviation, cruise and tourism intermediaries.

DECEMBER

EUROPEAN TOURISM DOWN 77% ON 2019

Research from the European Travel Council (ETC) reveals tourism across the European Union was down 77% in 2021 compared to 2019, prior to the impact of COVID-19. The council confirms countries mostly dependent on long-haul source markets were worst effected, followed by island destinations. The ETC says it does not expect the continent’s tourism industry to fully recover to pre-pandemic volumes until 2024.

UK TRAVEL AND TOURISM FACES STAFFING CRUNCH

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts a major staffing shortage in the UK travel and tourism industry in 2022 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 200,000 travel and tourism jobs across the UK are predicted to remain unfilled by the end of 2021, with this crunch expected to severely constrain the pace of the industry’s recovery in 2022, according to WTTC. While the UK is singled out in the report, the challenge presented by staff shortages is a global phenomenon, with the WTTC revealing 62 million travel and tourism jobs were lost worldwide as a result of the pandemic.

OMICRON ‘A THREAT TO INDUSTRY RECOVERY’ SAYS IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) calls on national governments to remove COVID-19 travel bans for inbound travellers, calling the fresh restrictions introduced to tackle the Omicron variant a threat to the industry’s recovery. In a statement, IATA Director General Willie Walsh says: “Unfortunately, government responses to the emergence of the Omicron variant are putting at risk the global connectivity it has taken so long to rebuild.”

An estimated 4,000 buyers from more than 140 countries attend WTM 2021

Europe’s tourism sector continues to suffer

A year in review

JANUARY

MIDDLE EAST REPORTS BUMPER 2021 HOTEL RESULTS

The Middle East hotel industry reports the best year-end revenue per available room (RevPAR) of all global markets, according to STR data. Driven by the success of EXPO 2020 Dubai and rising regional travel volumes, RevPAR reaches 85.6% of the pre-pandemic comparable. By comparison, RevPAR in Asia and Europe was down 46% and 44.2% respectively compared to 2019. The Average Daily Rate (ADR) in the Middle East is also 99.7% of the pre-pandemic comparable, says STR, highlighting the strength of the region’s tourism recovery.

AIRLINES CANCEL US-BOUND FLIGHTS OVER 5G CONCERNS

Airlines including British Airways, Emirates, Air India cancel or change US-bound flights due to concerns over the deployment of 5G mobile phone technology near airports. The US aviation watchdog says 5G signals could interfere with radio altimeters, which measure how high a plane is in the sky and are a crucial piece of equipment for pilots, particularly when landing in bad weather.

GLOBAL HOTEL CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY DECLINES

Hotel construction activity across all major markets fell year on year (YoY) in December 2021, according to STR, with the exception of the Asia Pacific region, which reported a 6.5% rise YoY to 941,880 rooms under contract – the largest worldwide – spearheaded activity in China and Vietnam. The Middle East and Africa saw the largest YoY decline of -4.9%, followed by Europe (-3.5%) and the Americas (-1%).

FEBRUARY

AUSTRALIA REOPENS BORDERS AFTER TWO YEARS

Australia reopens its borders to vaccinated travellers on February 21, marking the end of one of the world’s longest border closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in March 2020. According to data from Tourism Research Australia, pandemic-related losses in the country’s tourism sector totalled AU$72 billion during this period, while international travel expenditure in Australia fell from $31.65 billion in the 2018-19 financial year to $0.92 billion in 2020-21. The country’s flag carrier, Qantas, suspended its regular international passenger operations throughout the pandemic, restricting its schedule to repatriation and freighter flights.

WTTC PREDICTS $8.6TN IN TOURISM REVENUES IN 2022

The travel and tourism sector’s contribution to the global economy could reach $8.6 trillion this year, just 6.4% down on pre-pandemic levels, according to the WTTC. In 2019, the sector generated nearly $9.2 trillion in revenues, with this figure falling 49.1% in 2020 to $4.7 trillion. Aided by easing travel restrictions and a successful vaccine rollout, WTTC predicts the massive rise in forecast revenues for 2022 will also drive employment opportunities in the sector, with 58 million jobs expected to be created this year.

WTM REVEALS DETAILS OF REVAMPED TECH EVENT

WTM London reveals details of its revamped travel and hospitality technology show, which will make its debut at WTM London 2022. Previously known as Travel Forward, the 2022 event has been rebranded WTM Travel Tech and will feature a range of innovations, including two theatres in the WTM Travel Tech zone – one to showcase new products and the other to host seminars, debates and presentations. The product showcase theatre will also offer exhibitors more options to present their new services and innovations to visitors.

Led by Dubai, the Middle East’s hotel sector reports strong gains in 2021 Australia reopens its borders to vaccinated travellers on February 21

MARCH

UAE MARKS CONCLUSION OF EXPO 2020 DUBAI

The curtains come down on EXPO 2020 Dubai on March 31, marking the end of one of the most successful iterations of the event in its 171-year history. More than 24 million people attended the six-month expo, making it the largest event ever staged in the Middle East, Africa and South Asian (MEASA) region. The event’s success also supercharged Dubai’s tourism-led post-pandemic recovery, with the city welcoming 3.97 million international visitors in the first quarter of 2022, up 312% year on year, while its average hotel occupancy rate reached 91.7% in March, the highest monthly figure since 2007.

UK DROPS COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS

The UK becomes one of the first major international travel destinations to remove all COVID-19 precautions for visitors to the country, as it aims to kickstart its tourism-led economic recovery. The relaxation of measures include removing the requirement for passenger locator forms for international arrivals, while unvaccinated passengers are no longer required to take Covid-19 pre-departure tests or two-day post-arrival tests.

TRAVEL AND TOURISM TO LEAD ME ECONOMIC GROWTH

The Middle East’s travel and tourism sector is expected to create nearly 3.6 million new jobs over the next decade, the WTTC’s Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals. It predicts the sector will add an average of 360,000 new jobs every year, helping to drive the region’s post-pandemic economic recovery, with its average annual growth set to outpace the overall economy for the next 10 years. According to the report, travel and tourism's GDP is forecast to grow at an average rate of 7.7% annually between 2022-2032, three times the 2.5% growth rate for region’s overall economy, to reach nearly US$ 540 billion (10.1% of the total economy).

APRIL

KSA COMMITS $1TRN TO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Saudi Arabia reveals it intends to invest $1 trillion over the next decade in its nascent tourism sector, as it bids to diversify its economy away from oil and gas and attract 100 million tourists a year by 2030. Plans include developing its Red Sea coastline with dozens of luxury resorts and leisure facilities; the development of the futuristic city NEOM and The Line; and the establishment of a new national airline and international airport in the capital, Riyadh.

THREE KEY MARKETS LEAD EURO HOTEL MARKET RECOVERY

The UK, Poland and Ireland are spearheading the post-pandemic recovery of the European hotel sector, reveals STR, with the three markets the only in the region to achieve occupancy indexes that are 80% or better of pre-pandemic levels, as of April 11. STR data shows the UK’s 28-day rolling occupancy rate is 87% of the comparable 2019 level, with the country’s index remaining consistently been above 80 since February 23. Poland (84.5) and Ireland (81.3) realised the next-highest occupancy indexes during the same time period.

RUSSIA SUSPENDED FROM UNWTO

Following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, members of the UNWTO General Assembly overwhelmingly vote to suspend Russia from the organisation. In a statement, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “UNWTO’s members have sent a clear message: Tourism is a pillar of peace and international friendship, and members of UNWTO must uphold these values or face consequences, with no exceptions… Russia’s actions are indefensible and contrary to the very principles of UNWTO and of international governance.”

More than 24 million people attend EXPO 2020 Dubai Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plans include constructing the 170km-long city, The Line

A year in review

QATAR NAMED ‘WORLD’S TOP TRENDING DESTINATION’

A report published by OTA Skyscanner reveals that Doha is the world’s top-trending destination as Qatar gears up to host the Middle East and Africa’s first FIFA World Cup in November. Traveller interest across all regions has surged over the past three years, according to Skyscanner, with Qatar ranking first among Skyscanner searches conducted in the Americas (up 262 positions since 2019), first in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA – up 172 positions) and fourth in Asia Pacific (up 169 positions). Qatar expects more than 1.5 million fans from across the world will visit the country for the world cup.

EASA DROPS MASK MANDATE FOR EUROPEAN FLIGHTS

As part of its updated Aviation Health Safety Protocol, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) removes its recommendation that masks are mandated on flights operating within European airspace. The updated guidance also acknowledges the need to move from an emergency situation to a more sustainable mode of managing COVID-19.

MORE EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS DROP RESTRICTIONS

On May 1, Croatia and Greece become the latest European holiday destinations to remove COVID-19 restrictions for all inbound arrivals as both countries gear up for the summer tourism season. The decision means visitors to both destinations no longer need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test on arrival. Israel also removes its own restrictions on May 21.

JUNE

LONDON’S HOTELIERS REPORT ALL-TIME RECORD PERFORMANCE

London’s hotel industry reports its highest monthly room rates on record in June, according to STR data. As per the findings, the city’s average daily rate (ADR) reaches £209, while Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) totals £173.60 on the back of a city-wide occupancy rate of 83.1%. According to STR, the absolute ADR and RevPAR levels are the highest for any month in STR’s London database, while the absolute occupancy level is the highest in London since July 2019.

IATA FORECASTS STRONG AIR INDUSTRY RECOVERY

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announces an upgrade to its outlook for the airline industry’s 2022 financial performance as the pace of recovery from the COVID-19 crisis improves. Industry losses are expected to reduce to -$9.7 billion (improved from the October 2021 forecast for an $11.6 billion loss) for a net loss margin of -1.2%. This represents a huge improvement from losses of $137.7 billion (-36.0% net margin) in 2020 and $42.1 billion (-8.3% net margin) in 2021.

US STRATEGY TO ATTRACT 90MN INTERNATIONAL VISITORS ANNUALLY

United States tourism officials welcome the introduction of a new national travel and tourism strategy that aims to remove red tape for international visitors and boost annual visitation to 90 million by 2027. The new plan has four main goals: to promote the US as a travel destination; facilitate travel to and within the country; develop tourism to support underserved communities; and boost the country’s sustainable tourism offering. In 2019, prior to the pandemic, almost 80 million international travellers visited the US, with this figure falling to 19.2 million in 2020 and 22.1 million in 2021, amid border closures and other measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.

Skyscanner names Doha as the world’s top-trending destination

London’s hotel sector reports its highest monthly room rates on record

TOURISM REVENUE BOOST FOR MEXICO

Between January and July, international tourists and visitors spent around US$16.5 billion in Mexico, up 65% compared to the same period in 2021 and an increase of 8.3% on 2019, says Mexico Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco. The revenue was derived from 36.8 million tourists and visitors, including international travellers, cruise passengers and day-trippers. Torruco says that just under 21.7 million global tourists visited Mexico during the seven-month period, up 25.5% compared to the same period last year but down 17.3% on 2019.

PORTUGAL DROPS COVID-19 ENTRY RESTRICTIONS

Portugal removes all COVID-19 entry restrictions for both vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors, as it bids to boost arrivals during the peak summer season. As of July 1, visitors are no longer required to show proof of vaccination or of a negative test result. Face masks do however remain mandatory on public transport and in taxis.

HEATHROW INTRODUCES PASSENGER CAP TO EASE STRAIN

London Heathrow Airport, the UK’s largest international hub, introduces passenger caps on inbound and outbound flights as it continues to deal with staff shortages in the wake of the pandemic. The decision to limit passenger numbers correlates to a cap on aircraft movements to between 1,100 and 1,200 flights per day for the remainder of the summer. Prior to the pandemic, Heathrow averaged 1,350 flights per day. The controversial decision earns the ire of Heathrow’s biggest airline partners, including Emirates, which pledges to ignore the cap before coming to a compromise with the airport’s operator.

NEW ZEALAND WELCOMES FIRST INTERNATIONAL VISITORS IN TWO YEARS

New Zealand’s borders fully re-open to visitors from around the world on August 1, marking the end of the world’s longest border closure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The popular destination first banned entry for foreign visitors in March 2020, reopening for New Zealand nationals in February 2022. While there are no quarantine requirements, arrivals still need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and must take two lateral flow tests after arriving.

250 INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS IN FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 2022

The UNWTO reveals that almost 250 million international arrivals were reported worldwide in the first five months of 2022, up from 77 million during the same period a year prior. Europe posted the largest YoY increase of 350%, followed by the Middle East (+157%) and Africa (+156%), despite both remaining 54% and 50% below 2019 levels respectively. International expenditure by tourists from France, Germany, Italy and the United States also reaches 70% to 85% of pre-pandemic levels, while spending from India, Saudi Arabia and Qatar has already exceeded 2019 levels.

DXB FORECASTS RETURN TO RECORD PASSENGER GROWTH IN 2023

Dubai International Airport (DXB), the world’s busiest airport by international passenger traffic, reveals it expects to passenger numbers to recover to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2023, six to 12 months ahead of schedule. Its predicted total for 2023 of 77.8 million passengers would mark a 25% increase on forecast passenger volumes for 2022, a year in which first-half volumes doubled year on year.

Heathrow introduces passenger caps on inbound and outbound flights

New Zealand reopens its borders to the world in August

A year in review

SEPTEMBER

TOURISM ICONS PAY MOVING TRIBUTES TO HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II

Some of the world’s most popular tourism destinations pay emotional tributes to HM Queen Elizabeth II, following her death on September 8. In Dubai, the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, lights up with the colours of the Union Jack and a portrait of Her Majesty, while in Sydney, the iconic Opera House projects an image of the British monarch onto the building’s main ‘sail’. Other iconic attractions paying tribute to the Queen include Paris’ Eiffel Tower, New York’s Times Square and Empire State Building, and Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer.

GCC HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY RECOVERY ACCELERATES

The GCC’s hotel and hospitality sectors are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels of activity in 2022, thanks to increased public and private sector investment and the popularity of major events including EXPO 2020 Dubai and the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, according to Alpen Capital’s new GCC Hospitality Industry Report. The firm predicts the region’s hospitality sector will register 74.8% year-on-year growth this year, while revenues will top US$26.3 billion. Long-term, it is forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6% up to 2026 to reach total revenues of $34 billion.

SAUDI ARABIA EXPANDS VISA OPTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS

As part of its bid to establish the kingdom as a major international tourism destination, Saudi Arabia relaxes entry protocols for visitors from the GCC and major Western markets. GCC residents can now apply for e-Visas online, while visitors from the UK, US, and EU are eligible for visas on arrival. Meanwhile, those with valid tourism or business visas from these markets can also apply for a visa on arrival, provided that they have already visited the issuing country.

OCTOBER

LUFTHANSA LAUNCHES FIRST DREAMLINER SERVICES

German flag carrier Lufthansa launches its first Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner services on October 19, with three daily flights between Frankfurt Airport and Munich International Airport. The airline, which took delivery of the aircraft on August 30, deploys the aircraft on this domestic route for crew familiarisation purposes, in preparation for international flights in November. Lufthansa also confirms it will revive its dormant A380 services in the summer of 2023.

JAPAN COMMITS TO SCRAP COVID LIMIT ON DAILY VISITOR ARRIVALS

Japan reveals it will remove existing restrictions on the number of international visitors to the country by the end of October, as it continues to wind back its COVID-19 precautions. At the height of the pandemic, Japanese authorities introduced a cap of 50,000 arrivals per day in a bid to limit the spread of the virus. Government officials also reveal they intend to remove other “barriers to foreign tourism” at the same time, without providing specifics of what this might entail.

DELEGATES DESCEND ON MARRAKECH FOR ABTA 2022 CONVENTION

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) 2022 Travel Convention takes place in Marrakech from October 10-12, marking the first time the conference has been staged overseas since the start of the pandemic. The conference, which was originally scheduled to be staged in the Moroccan city in 2020, features two days of business sessions in addition to networking events.

The late HM Queen Elizabeth II projected on Sydney’s Opera House Lufthansa’s Boeing B787-9 Dreamliner takes to the skies

NOVEMBER

SAUDI ARABIA PREPARES FOR RIA LAUNCH

Saudi Arabia prepares to launch its new US$30 billion national airline and second flag carrier, RIA Saudi Arabian Airlines. The airline, which plans to operate flights to more than 150 destinations worldwide, is based at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport. Its creation forms part of a $100 billion aviation push by the Saudi government’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is also investing billions in the country’s Red Sea tourism development project and NEOM, the kingdom’s ‘city of the future’.

WTM LONDON 2022 OPENS FOR BUSINESS

WTM London returns to its fully live, pre-pandemic format in 2022, with hundreds of destinations exhibiting and brands from across the globe showcasing their new products to buyers. Marking its official opening on November 7, the event’s conference programme is one of the largest yet, with more than 70 live events staged across four themed stages: the Future Stage, Sustainability Stage, Technology Stage and the Insights Stage. Responsible Tourism is high on the agenda, while Travel Tech – the event for cutting-edge technology for travel and hospitality, welcomes decisionmakers from across the globe.

FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 KICKS OFF IN QATAR

More than a decade in the planning, the first football world cup to be staged in the Middle East kicks off in the Qatari capital of Doha on November 20. More than 2.5 million fans from across the world have purchased tickets to World Cup matches, which are being staged at eight purpose-built stadiums located within a radius of just 75 km, making the event the most geographically compact instalment in the event’s 92-year history.

RIA will operate from Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport

Global tourism 2021

Source: UNWTO 415mn international tourist arrivals $1.9tn economic contribution

The industry outlook 2022

Source: WTTC $8.6tn predicted contribution to global economy -6.4% on $9.2 trillion in 2019

58mn new jobs to reach 330 million total +21.5% compared to 2020 and -1% on pre-pandemic levels

Global air travel 2021

Source: IATA

International passenger demand

-75.5% compared to 2019

Capacity (ASKs –available seat kilometres)

-65.3% compared to 2019

Load factor

Down 24 percentage points to 58%

Revenue passenger kilometres

-65.8% compared to 2020

-58.4% compared to 2019

Cruise travel rebound

Source: CLIA

Passenger volume expected to recover to 101% of 2019 levels by year-end 2022

And 12% above 2019 levels by 2026

60% of cruise-related businesses are hiring

272 ships in operation (CLIA members)

2,126 average passenger capacity

The great rebound

Despite mounting economic and geopolitical challenges threatening to thwart the recovery of travel and tourism, the first five months of 2022 witnessed a strong industry rebound.

According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism made an impressive comeback with almost 250 million international arrivals recorded during the period.

This compares to 77 million arrivals from January to May 2021 and means the sector has recovered almost half (46%) of pre-pandemic 2019 levels. “The recovery

of tourism has gathered pace in many parts of the world, weathering the challenges standing in its way,” says UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. At the same time, he also advises caution in view of the “economic headwinds and geopolitical challenges which could impact the sector in the remainder of 2022 and beyond”.

EUROPE AND AMERICAS LEAD RECOVERY

Europe welcomed more than four times as many international arrivals as in the first five months of 2021 (+350%), boosted by strong intra-regional demand and the removal of all travel restrictions in a growing number of countries.

The region saw particularly robust performance in April (+458%), reflecting a busy Easter period. In the Americas, arrivals more than doubled (+112%).

However, the strong rebound is measured against weak results in 2021 and arrivals remain overall 36% and 40% below 2019 levels in both regions, respectively.

The strong growth in the Middle East (+157%) and Africa (+156%) remained 54% and 50% below 2019 levels respec -

While tourism’s road to recovery is long, many destinations have accelerated their progress in 2022, driven by unleashed pent-up demand unbridled by escalating global challenges

San Juan in Puerto Rico, one destination where tourism arrivals have surpassed 2019 levels in 2022

tively, and Asia and the Pacific almost doubled arrivals (+94%), though numbers were 90% below 2019 as some borders remained closed to non-essential travel. Here, the recent easing of restrictions can be seen in improved results for April and May. Looking at subregions, several recovered to between 70% and 80% of their pre-pandemic levels according to the UNWTO, led by the Caribbean and Central America, followed by Southern Mediterranean, Western and Northern Europe. Many destinations even surpassed 2019 levels, including US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, the Republic of Moldova, Albania, Honduras and Puerto Rico.

TOURISM SPEND ON THE UP

Consistent with arrivals recovery, tourism spend rocketed out of major source markets. International expenditure by tourists from France, Germany, Italy and the United States was at 70% to 85% of pre-pandemic levels, while spending from India, Saudi Arabia and Qatar exceeded 2019 levels during the period.

In terms of international tourism receipts earned in destinations, a growing number of countries – the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Seychelles, Romania, North Macedonia, Saint Lucia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania, Pakistan, Sudan, Türkiye, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Mexico, Croatia and Portugal – have fully recovered their pre-pandemic levels.

THE YEAR-END OUTLOOK

Strong demand during the Northern

Tourism recovery 2022

(First five months of the year)

Global

250mn

International arrivals

Europe +350% Americas +

112% Middle East +157%

Africa +156%

Asia and the Pacific 94%

Destinations that surpassed 2019 levels:

US Virgin Islands

St. Maarten

The Republic of Moldova, Albania

Honduras

Puerto Rico

Source: UNWTO

Hemisphere summer season is expected to consolidate these positive results, particularly as more destinations ease or lift travel restrictions, says the UNWTO.

As of July 22, 62 destinations, 39 of which were in Europe, had no COVID-19 related restrictions in place and an increasing number of destinations in Asia had started to ease theirs.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the overall reduction in international air capacity in 2022 will be limited to 20% to 25% of seats offered by airlines as compared to 2019. Such resilience is also reflected in hotel occupancy rates.

Based on data from the industry benchmarking firm STR, global occupancy rates climbed to 66% in June 2022, up from 43% in January.

UNWTO’s forward-looking scenarios published in May 2022 point to international arrivals reaching 55% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022.

Results depend on evolving circumstances, mostly changing travel restrictions, ongoing inflation, including high energy prices, and overall economic conditions, the evolution of the war in Ukraine, as well as the health situation related to the pandemic.

More recent challenges such as staff shortages, severe airport congestion and flight delays and cancellations could also impact international tourism numbers. At the same time, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) indicates a global economic slowdown from 6.1% in 2021 to 3.2% in 2022 and then to 2.9% in 2023.

REGIONAL SCENARIOS

According to the UNWTO, scenarios by region show Europe and Americas recording the best tourism results in 2022, while Asia and the Pacific is a region expected to lag behind due to more restrictive travel policies.

International tourist arrivals in Europe could climb to 65% or 80% of 2019 levels in 2022, depending on various conditions, while in the Americas they could reach 63% to 76% of those levels.

In Africa and the Middle East, arrivals could reach about 50% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels, while in Asia and the Pacific they will remain at 30% of 2019 levels in the best-case scenario, due to stricter policies and restrictions.

International arrivals during the first five months of 2022 were up 350% year on year, according to the UNWTO

Winds of change

While the global airline industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, its pace of recovery has quickened, so much so that in June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced an upgrade to its outlook for the sector’s 2022 financial performance. Industry losses are expected to reduce to -$9.7 billion, improved from the October 2021 forecast for an $11.6 billion loss for a net loss margin of -1.2%.

This is a significant improvement from losses of $137.7 billion (-36% net margin) in 2020 and $42.1 billion (-8.3% net margin) in 2021.

Industry-wide, profitability in 2023 appears within reach with North America already expected to deliver an $8.8 billion profit in 2022, according to IATA. Efficiency gains and improving yields are helping airlines to reduce losses even with rising labour and fuel costs, the latter driven by a 40% increase in the world oil price and a widening crack spread this year.

IATA says there is strong pent-up demand, which, combined with the lifting of travel restrictions in most markets, low

unemployment in most countries, and expanded personal savings will see passenger numbers reach 83% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022.

Industry optimism is also evident in the expected net delivery of more than 1,200 aircraft in 2022.

“Airlines are resilient. People are flying in ever greater numbers,” says IATA Director General Willie Walsh.

“Losses will be cut to $9.7 billion this year and profitability is on the horizon for 2023. It is a time for optimism, even if there are still challenges on costs, particularly fuel, and some lingering restrictions in a few key markets,”

OUTLOOK DRIVERS

Revenues and costs: As COVID-19 restrictions ease and people return to travel, revenues are increasing and are expected to reach $782 billion in 2021, up 54.5% on 2021 and an encouraging 93.3% of 2019 levels. The number of flights operated in 2022 is expected to total 33.8 million, which is 86.9% of 2019 levels (38.9 million flights).

The challenge, says IATA, is to control costs, which are expected to rise to $796 billion, up 44% on 2021.

Fuel: At $192 billion, fuel is the industry’s largest cost item in 2022 (24% of overall costs, up from 19% in 2021). This is based on an expected average price for Brent crude of $101.2/barrel and $125.5 for jet kerosene. Airlines are expected to consume 321 billion litres of fuel in 2022 compared with the 359 billion litres consumed in 2019.

Labour: This is the second highest operational cost item for airlines. Direct employment in the sector is expected to reach 2.7 million, up 4.3% on 2021 as the industry rebuilds from the significant decline in activity in 2020. Employment is still, however, somewhat below the 2.93 million jobs in 2019 and is expected to remain below this level for some time.

The global macroeconomic backdrop: The forecast incorporates an assumption for solid global GDP growth of 3.4% in 2022, down from the strong 5.8% rebound last year. Inflation has risen and is expected to remain elevated throughout 2022, waning over the course of 2023. And, while nominal interest rates are rising, real interest rates are expected to remain low or negative for a sustained period.

The global airline sector is recovering faster than anticipated, buoyed by a bumper summer despite disruption in Europe

RISK FACTORS War in Ukraine

The impact of the war in Ukraine on aviation pales compared with the unfolding humanitarian tragedy. The outlook assumes that the war in Ukraine will not escalate beyond its borders. Among the many negative impacts of an escalation for aviation, rising fuel costs and a dampening demand due to lowered consumer sentiment would be paramount.

Passenger traffic

Combined, the Russian international market, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova accounted for 2.3% of global traffic in 2021. In addition, about 7% of international passenger traffic (RPK) would normally transit Russian airspace (2021 data), which is now closed to many operators, mostly on long-haul routes between Asia and Europe or North America. There are significantly higher costs for re-routing for those carriers affected.

COVID-19

The underlying demand for travel is strong says IATA but government responses to COVID-19 ignored World Health Organisation advice that border closures are not an effective means of controlling the spread of a virus. The outlook assumes that strong and growing population immunity to COVID-19 means there will not be a repeat of these policy mistakes. There is, however, downside risk should governments return to knee-jerk border-closing responses to future outbreaks.

China

China’s domestic market alone accounted for about 10% of global traffic in 2019. This outlook assumes a gradual easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the second half of 2022.

An earlier move away from China’s zero COVID policy would, of course, improve the outlook for the industry. A prolonged implementation of the COVID-19 policy will continue to depress the world’s second largest domestic market and wreak havoc with global supply chains.

REGIONAL ROUND UP 2022 NORTH AMERICA

$

8.8bn net profit

This is expected to continue to be the strongest performing region and the only one to return to profitability in 2022. Supported by the large US domestic market and the re-opening of international markets, including the North Atlantic, net profit is forecast to be $8.8 billion in 2022. Demand (RPKs) is expected to reach 95% of pre-crisis (2019) levels, and capacity 99.5%.

EUROPE

$3.9bn net loss

The Russia-Ukraine war will continue to disrupt travel patterns within Europe and between Europe and Asia Pacific. However, the war is not expected to derail the travel recovery, with the region edging closer to profitability in 2022, with a net loss of $3.9 billion forecast. Demand (RPKs) is expected to reach 82.7% of pre-crisis (2019) levels, and capacity 90%.

ASIA PACIFIC $8.9bn net loss

Strict and enduring travel restrictions (notably in China), along with an uneven vaccine rollout, have seen the region lag in the recovery to date. As the restrictions diminish, travel demand is expected to increase quickly. Net losses in 2022 are forecast to decline to $8.9 billion. Demand (RPKs) is expected to reach 73.7% of pre-crisis (2019) levels, and capacity 81.5%.

LATIN AMERICA

$

3.2bn net loss

Traffic volumes in Latin America recovered robustly in 2021, supported by domestic markets and relatively fewer travel restrictions in many countries. The financial outlook for some airlines, nevertheless, remains fragile and the region is expected to record a net loss of $3.2 billion this year. Demand (RPKs) is expected to reach 94.2% of pre-crisis (2019) levels, and capacity 93.2%.

MIDDLE EAST

$1.9bn net loss

This year’s re-opening of international routes and long-haul flights in particular will provide a welcome boost for many. Region-wide, net losses are expected to narrow to $1.9 billion in 2022, from a $4.7 billion loss last year. Demand (RPKs) is expected to reach 79.1% of pre-crisis (2019) levels, and capacity 80.5%.

AFRICA

$0.7bn net loss

Lower vaccination rates have dampened the region’s air travel recovery to date. However, some catching up is likely this year, which will contribute to an improved financial performance. Net losses are forecast to be $0.7 billion in 2022. Demand (RPKs) is expected to reach 72.0% of pre-crisis (2019) levels, and capacity 75.2%.

Source: IATA

The 10-year expectation for travel and tourism

The global travel and tourism sector is expected to create nearly 126 million new jobs within the next decade, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC’s) latest Economic Impact Report (EIR).

The bullish forecast indicates the industry will be a driving force of the global economic recovery, with GDP set to grow at an average rate of 5.8% annually between 2022 and 2032, outstripping the 2.7% growth rate for global economy to reach US$14.6 trillion (11.3% of the total global economy).

Optimistic about the near-term too, the report shows global travel and tourism GDP could reach pre-pandemic levels by 2023 – just 0.1% below 2019 levels.

The sector’s contribution to GDP is expected to grow a massive 43.7% to almost $8.4 trillion by the end of 2022, amounting to 8.5% of the total global economic GDP – just 13.3% behind 2019 levels. This will be matched by a boost in sector employment, which is expected to approach 2019 levels in 2023, at only 2.7% below.

“Over the next decade travel and

tourism will create 126 million new jobs worldwide. In fact, one in three of every new job created will be related to our sector,” says WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson.

“Looking to this year and the next, WTTC forecasts a brighter future with both GDP and employment set to reach pre-pandemic levels by next year.”

Before the pandemic, the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to GDP was 10.3% ($9.6 trillion) in 2019, falling to 5.3% (nearly $4.8 trillion) in 2020 when the pandemic was at its height, which represented a staggering 50% loss.

The sector saw a recovery of more than 18 million global travel and tourism jobs, representing a positive 6.7% rise in 2021, while its contribution to global GDP climbed an impressive 21.7% year on year, to reach more than $5.8 trillion.

The industry’s contribution to the global economy and employment would have been higher if it weren’t for the impact of the Omicron variant, which led to the recovery faltering around the world, with many countries reinstating severe travel restrictions..

Travel and tourism 2022-2032

126mn new jobs

5.8% average annual growth rate of GDP

Compared to 2.7% growth rate for the global economy

US$14.6tn GDP contribution

11.3% of the total global economy

Source: UNWTO

Up to 126 million new industry jobs will be created during the next decade, a World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) report reveals

Sea of change

2022 is a pivotal transition year for cruise, says industry body CLIA

The cruise sector has certainly met choppy waters since the pandemic hit as figures released by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reveal. Passenger embarkations plummeted some 81% from 29.7 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020; the number of cruise-supported jobs dropped 51% from 1.17 million to 576,000; and total economic contribution dipped 59% from $154 billion to 63.4 billion.

But cruise’s increasing popularity has not waned and CLIA’s 2022 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook report, published in January, found 80% of travellers who have cruise before say they will cruise again – the same percentage as before the pandemic.

From the industry re-starting in July 2020 to when the report was published, more than five million passengers had sailed, with 86 countries/ markets reopened, and the future is looking bright with CLIA hailing 2021 a “pivotal transition year for the industry”.

In the report’s baseline forecast, passenger volume is expected to recover and surpass 2019 levels by the end of

2023. In the upside forecast, passenger volume is expected to recover to 101% of 2019 levels a year earlier, by the end of 2022. In all three scenarios, passenger volume is projected to recover in excess of 12% above 2019 levels by the end of 2026.

CLIA research released a few months later in April also finds that intent to cruise is rebounding, with 63% of cruisers or potential cruisers indicating they are ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to cruise in the next two years.

At the same time, 69% of respondents that have never cruised said they are open to cruise, exceeding pre-pandemic levels.

Millennial cruisers are the most enthusiastic about taking another cruise, with 87% indicating they will take a cruise in the next few years, followed by Gen X at 85%.

With demand picking up, CLIA ocean-going member cruise lines continue to build and launch new products. In 2022, they are projected to debut 16 new cruise ships, including five LNG-powered vessels and nine expedition ships.

Cruise makes waves

Every 24 cruisers creates one full-time equivalent job

Cruisers spend an average of US$750 per passenger in port cities over the course of a typical seven-day cruise

6 in 10 people

who have taken a cruise say that they have returned to a destination that they first visited via cruise ship

Source: CLIA

Here to stay

The global accommodation market is recovering fast, reflected in strong revenue gains

The market size of the accommodation sector, measured by revenue, is projected to reach $903 billion by 2022, according to Skift. That’s approximately 95% of sector revenue in 2019 and indicates a full market recovery in 2023.

At regional level, the Americas is expected to contribute around 49%, about half of the total sector value, followed by Europe (25%), Asia Pacific (22%), the Middle East (3%) and Africa (2%) in 2022.

The fastest growing segment of accommodations globally has been short-term rentals (STRs).

The sector is estimated to have grown at a compounded growth rate (CAGR) of 10% between 2018 to 2022, while the hotels sector shows a negative CAGR (-1%) for the same time period.

However, STRs still represent a very small section of the accommodation industry, although the share of STRs in the sector has increased from 10% in 2018 to 14% in 2022.

Moving onto hotel prices, they fell 13.3% in 2020 from 2019 and a further 9.5% in 2021, however a recent report from CWT and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) expects them to pick up by 18.5% in 2022 followed by an 8.2% lift in 2023.

Hotel prices have already eclipsed 2019 levels in some areas such as Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and North America, says the report, and are expected do so globally by 2023.

Hotel rates have risen sharply in North America (22%) and are forecast to increase by 31.8% across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the result of an accelerated recovery, coupled with continued capacity constraints.

Increases in hotel rates were initially driven by strong leisure travel in 2021, but group travel for corporate meetings and events is improving and transient business travel is similarly gaining healthy pace, putting further pressure on average daily hotel rates, the report finds.

Unique stays and tiny homes

50%

The increase in nights booked at Airbnb’s ‘Unique Stay’ properties from 2019 to 2021

$1bn

The income earned by Airbnb ‘Unique Stay’ hosts in 2021

2.5mn nights Booked in ‘tiny homes’ in 2021

$195mn

earned by ‘tiny homes’ hosts in 2021

Source: Airbnb

RECOVERY

Recovery hotspots

Regions and destinations demonstrating robust tourism sector rebounds

Tourism sector resurgence is by no means uniform, varying from region to region and country to country. Here we take a glance at some of the recovery hotspots around the world

EUROPE LEADS SUMMER RECOVERY

Global air travel is set to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels this summer, according to the summer Travel Outlook Report 2022 produced by World Travel Market London (WTM) and analytics firm ForwardKeys.

The summer report revealed that enthusiasm to travel overseas has been so strong that a rise in air fares, combined with a reduction of flight schedules, has done relatively little to dampen demand.

For example, the average fare from the US to Europe climbed by more than 35% between January and May with no noticeable slowing in booking rates.

Europe witnessed the most significant tourism recovery this year, according to the report, recording an improvement of 16 percentage points, and as of summer 2022, was reporting the highest overall tourist arrival volumes.

The European region also illustrates the widespread trend of beach destinations recovering more quickly than their urban counterparts, according to ForwardKeys.

EUROPEAN DESTINATION HOTSPOTS

Top summer destination rebounders include Antalya, Turkey (+81% year on year) and Mykonos and Rhodes, (both +29%),

which is partly attributable to early reopening and the proactive communication of their countries.

Greece was among the first European nations to reopen to non-essential travel and has been clear and consistent in its messaging throughout the pandemic.

The report highlights that urban destinations with the best rates of recovery – Naples, Italy (+5%), Istanbul, (0%), Athens, Greece (-5%) and Lisbon, Portugal (-8%) – are gateways to nearby sun and beach resorts.

DOMESTIC DRIVES RECOVERY

The most recent edition of the European Tourism Trends & Prospects quarterly report from the European Travel Commission (ETC) predicts that European tourism will demonstrate resilience despite risks on multiple fronts.

The report monitors the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as current economic and geopolitical headwinds and anticipates that European tourism will continue recovering in 2022, albeit at a slower pace than previously hoped.

International tourist arrivals to Europe are forecast to be just 30% below 2019 volumes, supported by domestic and shorthaul travel. Domestic travel is projected to recover fully in 2022, while international travel is not expected to exceed 2019 levels until 2025.

The fastest rebounds based on data to February were reported by Serbia (-11%) and Turkey (-12%). Other destinations recovering at a faster pace based on data for February to March 2022 were Bulgaria (-18%), Austria (-33%), Spain and Monaco (both -34%), and Croatia (-37%).

“Over the course of the pandemic, the European tourism sector has become adept at dealing with uncertainties and challenges. The sector is steadily recovering from COVID-19

Mykonos is a leading European rebound destination this summer

EUROPE IN 2021

1.8bn nights

spent in EU tourism accommodation +27% versus 2020 -37% versus 2019

Greece, Spain and Croatia saw the biggest rises in visitors last year, with the number of nights spent at tourist accommodation jumping by more than 70%.

Latvia, Slovakia, Malta and Hungary were the worst hit, losing more than half of their bookings.

Denmark and the Netherlands were the least affected with drops of less than 20% in nights spend in tourist accommodation.

Source: Eurostat

and there is cause for optimism,” says the ETC President, Luís Araújo. “Nevertheless, European tourism will have to maintain this fortitude throughout the year as Europe continues to deal with the significant fallout from the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict.”

WESTERN EUROPE ON TOP

The report says the pandemic’s impact on travel is waning as COVID-19 vaccination programmes continue to be rolled out and countries scale-back visitor health protocols.

With destinations such as Spain, France and Italy removing the requirement for COVID testing prior to travel, conditional on vaccination status, Western Europe is forecast to be the best performing region globally this year, albeit 24% below 2019 levels.

US VISITORS TAKE THE LEAD

The United States remains among the best performers of all long-haul source markets.

Annual average growth from the US to Europe is expected to be 33.6% in the five-year period 2021 to 2026, with the fastest increase observed in Northern Europe (+41.5%).

In 2022, transatlantic travel between the US and Europe will be one of the key drivers of the European travel sector’s recovery, says the report.

On the flipside there have been no immediate signs of Chinese tourist arrivals returning to pre-pandemic levels.

At time of press, China, the world’s largest travel spender, continues to impose strict lockdowns and mandatory testing to suppress the spread of the virus.

More than 50% of reporting destinations saw declines of more than 90% in Chinese tourist arrivals compared to 2019, according to the report.

EUROPE

Travel and tourism contribution to GDP

2019

$2.141bn

2020 $1.133bn

2021

$1.45bn

2022-2032 growth rate

3.3%

compared to 1.5% regional economic growth

Source: WTTC

Urban destinations coming back strong include Istanbul

Urban destinations coming back strong include Istanbul

THE UK REMAINS A PRIORITY DESTINATION

Tourism is worth around £127 billion to the UK, contributing around 9% to GDP and accounting for 10% of all jobs.

It is the UK’s third largest service export, out-performing in trade other industries like automotive, digital and nuclear. Prepandemic, VisitBritain set out its ambitious five-year strategy for the sector (2020-2025), with a view to attracting 49 million visits by 2025, spending £35 billion.

Despite the pandemic effect, MIDAS research found tourism demand is back and “Britain remains a priority destination, even for those who have recently visited”, with its strengths including “diversity of history and modernity in one, easy-to-navigate place”.

The most recent inbound tourism estimates for the UK, based on the International Passenger Survey (IPS) data collected by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), was updated on August 11 and published by VisitBritain. IPS data for 2021 was revised upwards, recording 6.4 million visits, with these visitors spending £5.6 billion. This compares to an initial estimate of 6.2 million visits and £5.8 billion in spending.

VisitBritain has modelled an estimate of the full inbound tourism market in 2021, reporting 7.1 million visits, with these visitors spending £6.1 billion. This is a decline versus 2020, which saw 11.1 million visits and £6.2 billion spending, buoyed by domestic travel.

Looking ahead to the full-year 2022 and VisitBritain forecasts inbound visits to increase to 26.7 million and spending to £21.6 billion. These are 65% and 76% respectively of the visits and spend levels seen in 2019. This is an upgrade on the previous forecast, made in February, due to a stronger than expected start to the year.

The previous forecast was 21.1 million visits, and spending of £16.9 billion.

ONS data for the first four months (January to April) of the year reveals the UK received 5.9 million visits and inbound visitors spent £4.3 billion.“By year end we are forecasting inbound visits to be around 69% of 2019 levels and inbound spending around 78%,” says VisitBritain. “We expect spend per visit to remain higher than the pre-pandemic norm, due to longer average length of stay as well as inflation.”

THE UK INBOUND TRAVELLER PROFILE

Who’s been travelling to the UK in 2022? Research by travel trade association UKinbound found couples and empty nesters – adults whose children have left home – are the fastest returning international demographic to the UK, closely followed by families. The US market continues to recover the strongest, with more than one in three businesses seeing growth from this market.

The association, which represents more than 300 UK tourism businesses that service international tourists visiting the UK (inbound tourism), commissioned Qa Research to conduct its latest business barometer member survey in June/July 2022.

When businesses were asked about barriers to recovery for the remainder of the year, supply chain capacity was leading concern, followed by the recruitment and retention of staff.

The UK’s international competitiveness, alongside inflation and energy costs, were also flagged up.

However, 78% of UK tourism businesses said they were confident about the impending 12 months, compared to just 11% in April 2020.

THE OUTBOUND OUTLOOK

The UK outbound travel market is projected to reach US$175.2 billion by 2032, up from $76.7 billion in 2022, developing at a considerable CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period, according to Future Market Insights. In Europe, the UK is one of the top five spenders on outbound tourism, and this is regardless of the slowdown in economic growth, it says.

Relatively higher disposable per capita income is believed to be the driving force behind the United Kingdom’s outbound travel sector, with baby boomers – those

Empty nesters are the fastest returning international demographic to the UK

with ample leisure time and money to afford travel – the most significant segment.

“The market share of UK outbound travel sector has been dominated by baby boomers and this is primarily due to the recent alterations in pension annuities,” says Future Market Insights.

GlobalData predicts British outbound travel figures will reach 86.9 million by 2024, surpassing the 84.7 million recorded in 2019, despite the economic decline in Europe. GlobalData’s latest report, United Kingdom Source Tourism Insight, 2022

Update, notes the recovery in outbound tourism follows a weak 2020 and 2021 where impeded traveller confidence and strict COVID-19 measures saw the UK’s outbound tourism numbers shrink to a fraction of what they were in 2019.

Megan Cross, Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on international travel from the UK with the outbound tourism numbers witnessing a 78.2% year-on-year (YoY) decline from 84.7 million in 2019 to 18.5 million in 2020, before a further decline

in 2021 (-11.7% YoY) to a mere 16.3 million. With restrictions now eased, and confidence returning, projections for 2022 and beyond are much brighter.

“This recovery will be a great boost, as the UK is an important source market on the global stage.”

BUDGETS REASSESSED MEANS BUDGET TRAVEL IS UNLEASHED

With the cost of living rising at a rapid rate in the UK, holiday budgets will be reassessed, so budget-friendly travel will grow significantly, according to GlobalData.

A recent survey it conducted found 48% of British respondents identified ‘affordability’ as a main factor in deciding which destination to travel to for a holiday.

Cross continues: “The periods of high inflation will typically see severely dampened demand for international travel.

“However, as seen from multiple stories about queues at European airports, the demand is still intact. Many European travellers keen on keeping their holiday plans may simply cut the amount they spend on products and services both before and during their trips.

“For example, travellers who usually stay in midscale hotels may now lean towards budget forms of accommodation to keep the costs down. This will certainly play into the hands of companies that already target budget travellers.”

Spain remains the number one outbound destination for British tourists due to easy, direct travel routes between the two countries. Spain also offers British travellers a strong sun and beach destination with COVID-19-safe experiences.

The UK was consistently Spain’s largest inbound tourist demographic before the pandemic, but the scale of inbound tourism fell dramatically, from 18 million British tourists in 2019, to second largest (3.2 million) in 2020 and third largest (3.5 million) in 2021, amid the start of international travel recovery. With concerns and restrictions lessening, the influx of British tourists anticipated by Spain will provide a welcome boost to the recovery of its tourism industry, with 18.7 million British tourists expected by 2024.

Cross concludes: “The absence of British tourists during the pandemic impacted many countries, especially in Europe. Destinations that can cater to British travellers’ specific needs will see their recovery timelines shortened in the coming years.”

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST LEAD GLOBALLY

Africa and the Middle East are the regions on course to recover most strongly in 2022, with Q3 arrivals expected to reach 83% of 2019 levels, according to air booking trends data by ForwardKeys.

The positive summer travel outlook was attributed to many factors.

With Middle Eastern airports hubs for travel between Asia Pacific and Europe, they are benefitting from the revival of intercontinental travel, particularly driven by people returning to Asian countries to visit friends and relatives.

At Dubai International (DXB), the region’s busiest hub, a steady growth surge throughout the second quarter of 2022 propelled its half yearly traffic to 27.9 million passengers, just 1.2 million shy of the airport’s total annual traffic in 2021, according to figures released by operator Dubai Airports.

An even stronger second half is projected, with average monthly traffic expected to reach 5.6 million passengers, and the airport has already readjusted upwards its annual forecast for 2022 to 62.4 million passengers.

The travel and tourism sector in the UAE has bounced back with vigour,

achieving the third fastest growth in the Middle East region last year, according to the WTTC.

The sector recovered by 41.1% in 2021, supported by a 48.8% increase in revenues from international visitors, the global body reveals in its Travel and Tourism Economic Impact 2022 report.

“The re-scheduled Expo 2020, and international cricket events such as the Indian Premier League and the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup, were factors delivering a boost to the number of inbound arrivals from 11.3 million in 2020 to 12.9 million in 2021,” it says.

Tourism spending in the UAE reached $18.4 billion in 2021 compared to $40.7 billion in 2019, the study reveals. This improved its international ranking, with the emirate positioned eighth globally in

Egypt’s 2021 comeback was impressive

terms of visitor spending as compared to 10th in 2019.

Data from Knight Frank reveals the Middle East region will attract 100 million tourist arrivals delivering more than $270 billion in revenue contribution in 2022 and is on track to meet its target of 160 million arrivals by 2030.

“The region is going through a fascinating transformation in the hospitality sector, with more than 600,000 hotels rooms in the planning and development stage. This quantum of development, which has not been seen before in the Middle East or even globally, is set to change the shape of the region’s tourism industry in the years to come,” says Turab Saleem, Partner & Head of Hospitality, Tourism & Leisure –MENA at Knight Frank.

Airport hubs like DXB are benefitting from intercontinental travel’s revival

TOURISM TO DRIVE GDP GROWTH IN AFRICA

In Africa, the two countries that led summer travel recovery were Nigeria (+14%) and Ghana (+8%), according to ForwardKeys. While they are not on the traditional tourist map, they do have significant diasporas in Europe and North America.

The strong performance of these nations can be attributed to pent-up demand from expatriates to visit friends and relatives back home.

WTTC data reveals that Egypt, which has the largest travel and tourism sector in Africa, made an impressive comeback in 2021, with a year-on-year recovery of 29.3%, assisted by a 28.8% rebound in the number of international arrivals, which increased the revenues from foreign travellers by 36.4%.

These figures were released in the WTTC’s Travel and Tourism Economic Impact 2022 report, which reveals that in 2021, travel and tourism’s contribution to Africa’s total economy grew by 23.5%, increasing from $97 billion in 2020 to $119 billion.

This rate of recovery was faster than that of both the region’s economy (5.8%) and the world’s travel and tourism sector (21.7%).

This growth resulted in an improvement in travel and tourism’s share of economy GDP, which increased from 3.8% in 2020 to 4.4% in 2021. The growth was faster in North Africa (26.8%) than in Sub-Saharan Africa (21.7%).

The growth rate of spending by domestic travellers outpaced that of international travellers (39.4% vs 11.3%) and therefore, the share of international spending in the total internal travel and tourism spending for the region declined from 44% in 2019 to 28% in 2021.

The sector’s rejuvenation is estimated to gather pace with an estimated growth of 37.2% in 2022.

Over the next decade, it is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 7.6% – outstripping the national economy’s estimated growth rate by 5.7 percentage points.

In 2021, France was the biggest source market for Africa, accounting for 8% of all inbound arrivals. It was also the main non-African destination for travellers from the region.

AFRICA

DUBAI LEADS RECOVERY EFFORTS

Since the onset of the pandemic, Dubai has stood out as a global leader in tourism recovery.

It was one of the first major international destinations to safely reopen its borders in 2020 and with world-class health and safety measures in place, gave international leisure and business travellers the confidence to visit the city.

In 2021 the destination welcomed 7.28 million international overnight arrivals, up 32% year on year, with visitation accelerating towards the end of the year, aided by the influx of visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai, the biggest event staged to date in the MEASA region, which officially opened on October 1.

Billed as ‘the world’s greatest show’, Expo 2020 Dubai exceeded all expectations, turning the global spotlight on Dubai and showcasing its ability to safely stage the largest event to open anywhere in the world since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staged over 182 days from October 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, Expo 2020 recorded 24,102,967 visits, welcoming visitors from a total of 192 countries, making it the best attended world expo on record.

Expo 2020’s global popularity also paid major dividends for Dubai’s tourism stakeholders, particularly its fast-growing hotel sector, which reported some of its strongest results on record in 2021.

Dubai is establishing itself as the world’s most liveable city

More than 31.5 million hotel room nights were sold in Dubai in 2021 – the second-best result on record – marking a 53.7% rise compared to 2020.

Dubai’s overall performance was one of the best of any major destination worldwide last year, with the city responsible for almost 1% of all hotel room bookings.

The emirate has built on 2021 momentum this year, with overnight visitor numbers closing in on prepandemic levels to reach more than 7.12 million during the first six months of 2021, up 183% year on year (2.52 million during H1 2021) and not far off the 8.36 million reported in H1 2019.

These results were once again reflected in hotel sector performance, with average occupancy hitting 74% from January to June 2022, one of the world’s highest and compared to 62% in H1 2021.

Data from Knight Frank reveals that with 65,000 rooms under development in Dubai, tourism contribution is set to reach 15% of GDP by 2030, the highest in the region and among the highest globally, versus an international average of 9%.

DUBAI SUCCESS FACTORS

In addition to the Expo 2020 effect, combined with stringent health and safety standards and a high vaccination rate (more than 96% of the population), both of which supported the destination opening its international borders early, Dubai’s success factors contributing to noteworthy recovery are multi-faceted.

As part of its bid to boost tourism growth while establishing itself as the world’s most liveable city, government authorities expanded the portfolio of visitor and residency visa categories and programmes in 2021, making it simpler and easier for foreigners to visit, do business or build a life in the city.

The Golden Visa for entrepreneurs, investors and specialised talent, as well as the Retire in Dubai and Virtual Working programmes, have all enhanced Dubai’s appeal to new market sectors, while providing more flexibility and options for talent looking to work and reside in Dubai. These initiatives led to a significant increase in entry visas issued during 2021.

One of the more unexpected consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has been its positive impact

on accelerating growth in the UAE’s domestic tourism industry.

The UAE Strategy for Domestic Tourism, which launched in December 2020, aims to double domestic tourism revenues by 2030 and achieve a greater balance between domestic and international tourism.

In 2021, domestic travellers accounted for 51% of the 12.4 million hotel guest arrivals registered in Dubai, despite the overall increase in the number of international travellers who visited the city during this time.

To put this result into perspective, domestic travellers accounted for just 24% of the 17.5 million guest arrivals recorded in 2019, pre-pandemic.

What makes the 2021 result even more impressive is that domestic travellers accounted for 11 million of the 31.5 million hotel room nights sold last year, compared to just 7.1 million room nights in 2019 and 9.5 million in 2020.

RAS AL KHAIMAH PROVES RESILIENT

Another UAE recovery hotspot, Ras Al Khaimah – the country’s northernmost emirate and named the first ‘safe’ destination during the pandemic, as certified by both Bureau Veritas, the international leader in testing, inspection and certification and the WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) Safe Travels Stamp – reported visitor arrival numbers on par pre-pandemic footfall during the first six months of 2022.

The emirate welcomed more than 521,085 international and domestics visitors between January and June 2022, a up 21% compared to the same period in 2021 and a return to pre-pandemic figures from year-to-date June 2019.

The destination is on track to attract more than 1.11 million arrivals by the end of the year, according to Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), who says Ras Al Khaimah was one of the first tourism destinations in the region to recover from the pandemic, “thanks to the agility of our tourism community”.

RAKTDA’s recently announced ‘Balanced Tourism’ investment strategy, which focuses on what’s important for long-term resilience – diversification, community and sustainability – has been central to Ras Al Khaimah’s fast rebound, he adds, with the destination aiming to be a regional leader in

sustainable tourism by 2025. The authority recently unveiled a Tourism Business Accreditation Programme, providing a management framework to help individual businesses improve their sustainability efforts as a means of benchmarking their performance.

RAKTDA also launched the Destination Certification Programme.

This provides a firm basis for action on sustainable management, with the aim of obtaining the ‘Sustainable Tourism Destination’ certificate for Ras Al Khaimah as early as 2023. This certificate is internationally recognised.

BUILDING A DESTINATION

Improvement to tourism infrastructure has also contributed to a robust H1 performance, including the opening of several new hotels and resorts.

They include the Radisson Resort

“

The region is going through a fascinating transformation in the hospitality sector”

Ras Al Khaimah on Marjan Island, the InterContinental Mina Al Arab, the first InterContinental Hotels Group property in the emirate, and most recently, Mövenpick at Al Marjan Island, home to the largest floating water park in Ras Al Khaimah.

The emirate will increase its hotel keys by more than 50% in the coming year, adding another 4,617 rooms to the existing 8,000 keys.

The emirate also made the headlines in January when it signed a multibillion-dollar integrated resort development with Wynn Resorts. Scheduled to open in 2026, the multi-purpose project marks the largestof-its-kind foreign direct investment in Ras Al Khaimah.

The resort will be home to more than 1,000 rooms, shopping, meeting and convention facilities, spa, more than 10 restaurants and lounges, extensive entertainment choices, and a gaming

area – the first in the UAE. Known for the diversity of its tourism offering, Ras Al Khaimah has quickly become one of the most sought-after destinations in the Middle East and was recently included in Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2022.

The annual list, which features 50 mustvisit global destinations, highlighted Ras Al Khaimah for its adventure offerings and stunning, unique topography and geodiversity.

RAK continues to expand its adventure tourism attractions, which make the most of the emirate’s natural beauty, with Jebel Jais Sledder, the region’s longest toboggan ride, spanning more 1,840 exhilarating metres of hairpin curves and reaching speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour, the latest addition.

Jais Sledder has welcomed more than 54,000 visitors since opening in February.

With the ambition to further drive visitor numbers for the duration of 2022, the RAKTDA recently announced a series of strategic partnerships with airlines and leading tour operators to target emerging and growing source markets. This includes the introduction of new direct flight routes from major cities in Germany, including Frankfurt, Dusseldorf and Munich.

To further enhance connectivity, the emirate is on target to attract 50 cruise ship calls each season, and more 10,000 passengers within the next few years.

Rounding off its strategy to increase visitor numbers, Ras Al Khaimah is bolstering its business and leisure events calendar. The emirate was recently selected by the World Minifootball Federation (WMF) to stage its biennial international football competition, which will attract thousands of spectators and fans from around the globe.

RAK’s Marjan Island is a hospitality development focal point

$2,654bn

2020

$1,447bn

2021

$1,781bn

2022-2032 growth rate

THE US GETS BACK ON TRACK

When the US lifted COVID-19 testing requirements for all international travellers in June, it sparked the tourism market’s long-awaited rebound.

Data released on international flight booking trends by the WTTC and its partner, ForwardKeys, found inbound travellers were “returning in droves”, with bookings up 93% in the six-week period after the US government dropped the testing rule, compared to the same period the previous year.

Iconic American cities remain popular destinations for visitors to the US including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, and Orlando, according to ForwardKeys.

The top source markets for inbound international travel are Canada, Germany, France, and Brazil. Chile and Japan

also recently joined the top origination markets with inbound flight bookings increasing significantly in the four weeks after testing rules were lifted, by 28% and 8%, respectively.

Meanwhile, US outbound flight bookings have reached near prepandemic levels, falling just 5% short of 2019 bookings. International destinations such as Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the UK, and Italy top the list for US travellers looking to get away, while the Philippines is rising through the ranks as a preferred holiday hotspot.

According the WTTC economic modelling, the “strong rebound” of US travel and tourism could contribute almost $2 trillion to GDP in 2022, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 6.2%, with $1.87 trillion generated in 2019. Travel and tourism spend is forecast to top $1.1 trillion for the year, up 11.3% on 2019, with international traveller spending in the US growing $113 billion compared to 2020, reaching almost $155 billion,

RECORD ARRIVALS FOR THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

3.9%

compared to 2% regional economic growth

which is slightly below pre-pandemic levels (-14%).

Employment in the sector could also surpass 2019 figures by almost 200,000 jobs to reach nearly 16.8 million jobs in total, according to the WTTC

“Our latest forecast shows the recovery significantly picking up this year as infection rates subside and travellers continue benefitting from the protection offered by the vaccine and boosters,” says WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson. “As travel restrictions ease and consumer confidence returns, we expect a welcome release of pent-up travel and tourism demand. That, together with what we hope will be a strong consumerled economic recovery, creates a positive outlook for the sector.”

The Dominican Republic witnessed record arrival numbers for four consecutive months this year – April, May, June and July – the Dominican Republic Minister of Tourism David Collado recently advised the UNWTO.

Notably, arrivals in July were 24% higher than in 2019, putting the country on course for its best year on record, including sales taxes and income generation. This growth has been achieved despite the absence of visitors from Russia and Ukraine, two historically strong source markets for the Dominican Republic.

In recognition of its leading status as a resilient destination, the Dominican Republic was the focus of the first UNWTO Investment Guidelines publication, released at the start of 2022. Developed alongside the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic and the national Export and Investment Centre (PRODOMINICANA), the new guide provides key insights for investors, with the aim of boosting foreign direct investment in the Caribbean destination.

The Dominican Republic will also host the 118th session of the UNWTO Executive Council in the first quarter of 2023.

Iconic cities such as San Francisco remain popular

LONG-TERM GAINS FOR ASIA-PACIFIC

Asia Pacific was slower to recover than other regions in 2021, reporting a modest 16% year-on-year growth in travel and tourism GDP, mainly due to stringent travel restrictions in the region. The sector’s contribution to the total economy remained 52.2% below pre-pandemic levels, although domestic traveller spend did increase 30.6%, according to the WTTC.

In 2022, travel and tourism’s contribution to the overall economy is forecast to grow by 71% to reach nearly $ 2.7 trillion – supported by the return of international visitors and continued revitalisation of domestic spending as governments in the region rescind pandemic-related restrictions on travel.

Malaysia, Japan, and Australia are some of the countries that are anticipated to experience a large resurgence in the arrivals of international visitors. As such, the sector is estimated to return to 2019 level sby the end of 2023.

However, that could be jeopardised if large source markets such as China and Japan continue to impose restrictions to international travel.

The longer-term prospects are rosier, with travel and tourism GDP forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 8.5% from 2022 to 2032 period, outstripping the 4% growth rate for the regional economy.

This forecast is also higher than the 5.8% growth rate for the entire global travel and tourism sector.

CHINA IN LINE FOR GDP TOP SLOT

‘The’ country to watch, not only in Asia Pacific, but globally, is China, which is on track to become the world’s biggest travel and tourism market by 2032, up from second position in 2021, according to the WTTC.

Last year, the US retained top slot, as measured by the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP, but by 2032, the tables are forecast to turn.

In China, the sector’s contribution to GDP could reach $3.9 trillion by 2032,

up from $814.3 billion in 2021. This compares to the US, with a $1.27tn economic contribution in 2021, rising to $2.66 trillion by 2032.

In 2021, the US and China were followed by Germany, Japan, Italy, India, France, Mexico, the UK and Spain as the top 10 travel and tourism markets in terms of GDP contribution.

By 2032, while the top 10 countries on the list are forecast to remain the same, the order will change to China, the US, India, Germany, Japan, the UK, France, Mexico, Italy and Spain, the WTTC forecasts.

$3,294bn 2020

$1,359bn

2021

$1,576bn

2022-2032 growth rate

8.5% compared to 4% regional economic growth

China is on track to become the world’s biggest travel and tourism market by 2032

Australia is expected to experience a large resurgence in international arrivals

ASIA PACIFIC Travel and tourism contribution to GDP 2019

The UK

SPOTLIGHT ON… London

The city’s hotel industry reported its highest monthly room rates on record in June 2022

83.1% occupancy

£209 Average Daily Rate (ADR)

£173.60 Revenue per available room (RevPAR)

The absolute ADR and RevPAR levels were the highest for any month in STR’s London database. The absolute occupancy level was the highest in London since July 2019, but still came in 7.3% lower than the pre-pandemic comparable (June 2019).

Sources: VisitBritain, ONS, GlobalData, NATS, UK CAA, STR

2021 INBOUND ARRIVALS ESTIMATE 7.1mn

2021 INBOUND ARRIVALS FORECAST

26.7mn

65% of 2019 levels

OUTBOUND TRAVEL

86.9mn by 2024

Compared to 84.7mn in 2019

AIR TRAFFIC 2021

41% of 2019 figures 1.062mn flights

Compared to 2.5mn flights in 2019

Q1 2022 PASSENGERS 31.4mn on 292,764 flights -41% on Q1 2019

The tourism legacy of Queen Elizabeth II

As we come to terms with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, which ended her remarkable 70-year reign, we reflect on Her Majesty’s all-encompassing impact on everyday British life.

As the Head of State, she fulfilled a multitude of roles and touched the lives of us all, not only here in the United Kingdom, but around the world.

A beacon of peace and stability, the voice of reason, and a role model to global citizens, Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, was an icon in the true sense of the word.

The Queen also played a key role in driving revenue to the UK economy, with The British Monarchy considered one of the world’s most valuable brands, according to a 2017 report by Brand Finance.

It valued the Monarchy’s capital value at around £67.5 billion, with its tangible assets – the Crown Estate, the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall, and the Royal Collection,

The late Queen and the royal family contribute billions to the UK economy every year, with the tourism sector a major beneficiary

including the Crown Jewels – accounting for £25.5 billion. Its intangible value – benefits the Monarchy was expected to bring the UK economy over the years – accounted for the remaining £42 billion.

The report identified tourism as the sector that benefitted most from Monarchy-driven revenue, the report revealed.

“The appeal of pomp and circumstance set in living royal residences draws millions of tourists every year,” it says.

“We estimate that the overall uplift to the sector is a staggering £550 million, making the contribution to tourism the largest of the benefits generated by the Monarchy.”

In 2016, more than 2.7 million tourists visited Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and other key royal attractions.

Before the pandemic hit, tourism associated with the British Royal Family continued to grow steadily and income from ticket admissions to the Royal Estate reached the £50 million mark from 2019 to 2020, according to figures released by Statista.

An additional £20 million was earned in retail sales.

The Royal Estate refers to British royal residences including palaces, castles, and houses owned or occupied by the British Monarchy. Only a selection of the estates are open to the public and give access to the Royal Collection (works of art held by the King in right of the Crown and in trust for his successors and for the nation).

From 2021 to 2022, despite the impact of the pandemic, Windsor Castle and Frogmore House were the most visited Royal Estates, attracting around 426,000 paid visitors (April 2021 to March 2022).

The Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June this year gave the UK economy and another boost, with a survey by VisitEngland estimating a £1.2 billion impact as more than 5.3 million people planned an overnight break during the four-day weekend. Consumers were expected to spend £408 million during this period, with £281.5 million alone going on souvenirs, memorabilia and gifts, according to the Centre for Retail Research.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) says visitors from overseas were “pouring into the UK to join the celebrations”, citing data from partner ForwardKeys showing the number of tourists arriving from key overseas markets and leading Commonwealth countries, such as Singapore, Australia and

Canada, increased significantly in the run-up to the historic occasion.

POMP AND PAGEANTRY

These official Platinum Jubilee celebrations, watched by a global audience of hundreds of millions, threw the international spotlight on Britain’s renowned heritage, royal legacy and pomp and pageantry, elements of the country that VisitBritain says are key inbound tourism drivers.

Research conducted in March found this aspect of British life was the top motivator for international travellers keen to visit this year, followed by visiting its iconic attractions.

VisitBritain’s research also reveals that around 11 million inbound visits to the UK annually include a visit to a castle or historic house, with those visitors spending £9 billion in total on their trips (source: International Passenger Survey).

In 2019, pre-pandemic, the Tower of London was the most visited ‘paid for’ attraction in England with almost three million visitors, according to VisitEngland’s Annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions (2019).

Of course, The Queen’s funeral on September 19 was the ultimate display of Britain’s unrivalled pomp and pageantry, admired the world over.

Speaking a few days after, Patricia Yates, CEO of VisitBritain said: “The eyes of the world have been on Britain as millions of us have come together, including international visitors and hundreds of global leaders and dignitaries, to mourn, mark and celebrate the life and historic reign of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“The magnificent pomp and pageantry, set against the backdrop of some of our most iconic sites including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle, have been captured by the world’s media and watched by an estimated global audience of billions.

“We know there is huge pent-up demand for travel and our research shows that exploring Britain’s history and heritage is the top motivator for international travellers keen to visit this year.

“We are inspiring people to book a trip to come and see our world-renowned attractions, our culture, heritage and history for themselves and, as we look ahead to the Coronation of King Charles III (Saturday May 6, 2023), to be part of once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you can only have in Britain.”

The top 10 royal attractions

1. BUCKINGHAM PALACE

One of Britain’s most recognisable landmarks, Buckingham Palace was the office and official residence of the former Queen and now, the King.

2. KENSINGTON PALACE

Kensington Palace has been home to many royals including Queen Victoria, Diana Princess of Wales, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

3. WINDSOR CASTLE

One of the Queen’s favourite residences and the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, home to the magnificent State Apartments, St George’s Chapel (the burial ground of 10 monarchs) and the famous Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House.

4. WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Westminster Abbey is steeped in more than 1,000 years of history and has been the setting for the coronation of every English monarch since 1066. The abbey has seen 16 royal weddings and is also the place where Queen Elizabeth II was crowned.

5. HAMPTON COURT PALACE

The magnificent Hampton Court Palace in Richmond, London, was Henry VIII’s favourite royal residence.

6. SANDRINGHAM HOUSE & ESTATE

Sandringham House in Norfolk was one of the Queen’s favourite houses and was where she chose to spend Christmas with her family.

7. EDINBURGH CASTLE

Perched on top of an extinct volcano at the top of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle is the city’s most popular tourist attraction.

8. BALMORAL CASTLE & ESTATE

Purchased by Queen Victoria in 1848, Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire has been a private Scottish home of the British Royal Family ever since. The Queen stayed here most summers at the estate and it is where she spent her final days.

9. TOWER OF LONDON

One of the globe’s most famous fortresses, the Tower of London has seen service as a royal palace, prison, armoury and even a zoo. Today, it’s a World Heritage Site, home to the Crown Jewels.

10. PALACE OF HOLYROODHOUSE

No trip to Edinburgh would be complete without a visit to this palace, which was the Queen’s official residence in Scotland.

Source: VisitBritain

The Queen of travel

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited more than 100 countries globally during her lifetime; here we take a snapshot of some of her favourites

From Australia to South Africa, Brazil to Malta, the late Queen, arguably one of the world’s most travelled Monarchs, visited them all, and many more. Here are some of Her Majesty’s most-loved destinations, for work and for pleasure.

SOUTH AFRICA

Although the Queen was a globetrotter, she didn't take her first trip overseas until she was 20. Just before her engagement to Prince Philip, she visited South Africa with her family.

The two-month stay started in Cape Town and included 35 nights on the White Train, specifically for the royals, during which time the then Princess Elizabeth celebrated her 21st birthday.

According to Sarah Bradford’s book Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Our Times, the trip was “to have a profound and lifelong effect on her”.

KENYA

The Queen, aged just 25, visited Kenya ahead of the first lap of her Commonwealth tour with her husband Prince Philip in 1952. They were staying at game-viewing lodge, the Treetops Hotel, taking a break from royal duties. On February 5, they visited a watering hole to take cine footage of the elephants before returning to their room in the treetops. It was here that her life changed forever. The following day, February 6, she learned her father, George VI, had died, and that she was now Queen.

“[Malta] was always very special for me. I remember happy days here with Prince Philip when we were first married”

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 1926 - 2022

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II walked the grounds of Queen's Park in Toronto, Canada, on July 6, 2010

Cape Town

Kenya

MALTA

From 1949 to 1951, before she was Queen, Elizabeth lived in Malta where her husband, Prince Phillip, was stationed. They lived in a palatial villa outside the capital, Valetta, which had been gifted to them by Lord Louis Mountbatten. She visited the Mediterranean island more than six times as Queen. During her final visit in 2015, she toured the Grand Harbour in a Maltese fishing boat, waving to members of the British Royal Navy. At the time (2015), the Queen commented: “[Malta] was always very special for me. I remember happy days here with Prince Philip when we were first married.”

CANADA

The Queen was hosted by Canada 29 times – 22 were official visits and the other seven were to Toronto, so it’s safe to say it was one of her favourite countries. Her first trip was in 1951 as Princess Elizabeth when she visited Toronto in place of her father, George VI, who was unwell, and her last was in 2010, also to Toronto. Some of the activities she and her family enjoyed in Canada include trekking around the Northwest Territories and taking in the Nova Scotia landscapes. Her Majesty also cut the ribbon for the 15th Commonwealth Games held in British Columbia.

AUSTRALIA

The Queen travelled Down Under 16 times as Head of State. Her first visit was in February 1954 when she became the first reigning monarch to set foot on Australian soil. She arrived at Sydney’s Farm Cove on the Royal Yacht, the SS Gothic, and spent two months touring the country, taking in every state except for the Northern Territory. It is estimated as much as 75% of the population saw the Queen and Prince Philip during this tour. Her last visit was in 2011 for a gathering of Commonwealth leaders in Perth, which also saw her visit Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane.

BRAZIL

Queen Elizabeth became the first reigning British monarch to visit South America when she landed in Brazil in November 1968. She and the Duke of Edinburgh embarked on a week-long Royal Tour of the country and one of her most memorable travelling moments was when the couple drove in an opentop Rolls Royce past Copacabana Beach. The Queen also watched the football World Cup Final and awarded Pelé the winner’s trophy to uproarious crowds. In 2006, she said: “I have vivid and happy memories of my visit to Brazil with Prince Philip in 1968, especially the warmth and hospitality of the Brazilian people.”

A young Queen Elizabeth II when she lived in Malta between 1949 and 1951

The Queen visited Melbourne during her last visit to Australia

The Queen took multiple trips to Toronto

Copacabana Beach, Brazil

SPOTLIGHT ON… Berlin

Several of Europe’s largest hotel markets, led by Berlin, surpassed their 2019 levels in gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR), according to STR‘s July 2022 data. Berlin’s July GOPPAR reached $34.32, which was 183% of the pre-pandemic comparable. In June, the market reported GOPPAR at $98.21, which was 132% of the comparable 2019 level.

Paris posted a July GOPPAR of $312.64. That level was the market’s second highest this year behind June ($347.08). Other key markets, London and Amsterdam, reported GOPPAR that was 105% of the 2019 comparable, at $172.11 and $97.65, respectively.

Sources: UNWTO, IATA, STR

TOURISM ARRIVALS 2021 +19% versus 2020 -63% versus 2019

SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN EUROPE +57% versus 2020

CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE +18% versus 2020

AIRLINE SECTOR 2021

67.6% traffic decline versus 2019

AIRLINE SECTOR OUTLOOK

Total passenger numbers to/from/ within Europe are expected to reach 86%

of 2019 values in 2022, before making a full recovery in 2024 (105%).

Sources: UNWTO, WTTC, Mastercard, EBD

Europe

Boom time for Batumi

Blending ancient history, outstanding natural beauty, daring architecture, unique gastronomy and beautiful Black Sea beaches, it's no wonder Batumi, the ‘Pearl of the Black Sea’, was named ‘Europe’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination’ at the 2022 World Travel Awards

Georgia is one of the oldest countries in the world. Often referred to as the cradle of European civilisation, archaeological excavations have unearthed ancient human skulls dating back some 1.8 million years and for this reason, experts believe that Georgia is the birthplace of the first Europeans.

The country, situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is also home to several UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as a unique alphabet, culture and traditions that take visitors back in time, not to mention its 8,000 years of winemaking history.

Georgia’s tourism offering is incredibly diverse, accentuated by its stunning landscapes, which range from skyhigh mountains to unspoiled beaches.

These topographical highlights are all encapsulated in the Ajara region, nestled in the southeast of the country and known for its breathtaking nature, in particular its picturesque Black Sea coastline, as well as its lakes and mountains. These natural highlights have earned the region a reputation as an ecotourism hotspot, enhanced by authentic villages, cultural monuments, monasteries, unusual wines and unique cuisine.

Ajara is an ecotourism hotspot

Ajara’s pristine beaches are also a drawcard and include Batumi, Kvariati, Sarpi, Gonio, Tsikhisdziri, Mtsvane Kontskhi (the Green Cape) and Kobuleti, all of which are buzzing with tourists during the summer months.

The jewel in Ajara’s crown, however, is its eclectic capital, Batumi, known as the ‘Pearl of the Black Sea’.

Sitting at the easternmost point of Europe, with snowcapped mountains as its backdrop, it is a city of contrasts that is piquing global tourism interest.

Batumi, which is also the second largest city in Georgia, was recognised as ‘Europe’s Leading Emerging Tourism Destination’ at the 2022 World Travel Awards and named ‘Best European Hidden Gem’ 2022 by travel website

NEED TO KNOW

Getting there

Batumi International Airport is 7km from the centre of the city and direct flights operate from Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, and Azerbaijan. Other international carriers fly into Tbilisi and Kutaisi airports.

Visa requirements

The citizens of Georgia’s neighbouring countries, Eastern Europe and the European Union, as well as the USA, Canada and several other countries, do not require a visa to enter Georgia. Visit www.mfa.gov.ge

Getting around

Buses, minibuses and taxis are the best way to get around. To use the bus service, travellers must obtain a contactless ‘Batumi Card’, which is free of charge.

What to eat

Authentic Ajarian cuisine is influenced by Caucasian, Eastern European and Middle Eastern culinary traditions. Try Ajaruli Khachapuri – a soft bun with an egg baked into its middle, and then topped with gooey melted cheese. The bread is intended to resemble a boat sailing on a sea of cheese, with the egg representing the sun. The best way to eat it is to tear off a chunk of bread and dip it into the runny middle. Make sure you enjoy a traditional Ajarian cup of coffee too, which is prepared by placing a metal pot of finely ground coffee beans over some hot sand.

What to drink

Georgia is known as the birthplace of wine, so a visit to an Ajarian vineyard visit is a must. Wine is such an important part of Georgian culture that it has been accorded UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status.

What to photograph

Th sunset from the Batumi Pier.

European Best Destinations. The latter throws the spotlight on Batumi as a year-round destination.

“You will fall under the scent of cherry blossoms in MayJune; Batumi is a perfect destination in summer also for a trip combining city-break and beach, wellness and shopping. Autumn dresses the parks of Batumi and the nature of the Adjara Region in flamboyant colours," says the website. “With new hotels opening every day, Asian and European fusion restaurants, rooftop bars at the top of the most incredible buildings, independent shops, designers, stylists, and an exceptional nightlife, Batumi is much more than your Best Hidden Gems in Europe; it stands out as one of the best city breaks in Europe.”

The Batumi skyline

Ajara’s coastline

Batumi Pier

BATUMI TOP 10

1. ALPHABETIC TOWER

Located in Wonderland Park, this is one of the city’s quirkiest and most symbolic attractions, devoted to showcasing the Georgian alphabet, considered one of the oldest and most beautiful scripts still in used in the world today. This famous five-storey Alphabetic Tower, designed to replicate the structure of DNA, is 130 metres tall and is embedded with all 33 letters of the Georgian alphabet. It rotates 360 degrees every hour and features an information centre, restaurant and an observation deck.

2. ALI AND NINO STATUE ▶

This colossal, automated statue, located on the seashore of Batumi, tells the story of doomed lovers Ali and Nino, which was first told in the 1937 Austrian novel, Ali and Nino. Ali, an Azerbaijani Muslim, falls in love with Georgian princess, Nino, but sadly, Ali is killed in WWII. The story inspired Georgian artist Tamara Kvesitadze to create her monumental moving sculpture in 2010. The giant metal artwork comprises two somewhat transparent figures made of stacked segments. Each day at 7pm, the two figures slide towards each other, eventually merging as their segments pass between each other, never truly connecting.

3. UNESCO NATURAL HERITAGE SITES – NATIONAL PARKS OF AJARA

In 2021, four of Georgia’s National Parks were granted UNESCO World Natural Heritage status. Three of them are located in Ajara – Mtirala National Park; Kobuleti Protected Areas and Kintrishi Protected Area –with Batumi the gateway to all of them. Visit whc.unesco.org for more information.

4. BOTANICAL GARDEN

Discover the world’s rarest and most beautiful plants – around

5,000 of them – and more than 2,000 tree species in this 110-hectare-plus garden, located 9km north of Batumi on the slopes of Green Cape. Japanese Sakura, Canary date palm, cacti, bamboos, palm trees, magnolias and cypresses are among the garden’s inhabitants.

5. BATUMI BOULEVARD

Batumi’s most-visited attraction, this 7km seaside promenade has four historic alleys, a cycling path and more than 40,000 trees and plants, as well as beautiful colonnades in antique style. Its construction began in 1881 and initially was led by Prussian gardeners Resller and Rayer.

6. OLD BATUMI (BATUMI PIAZZA)

One of Batumi’s most-visited attractions, the Italian-style piazza square features a central mosaic spanning 106 sqm, considered the largest figurative marble mosaic in Europe. It is also home to luxury and boutique hotels, diverse restaurants, captivating architecture and a famous clock tower. Rated among the top things to do in Batumi, the plaza is an enjoyable destination at any time of day or night.

7.

EUROPE SQUARE – STATUE OF MEDEA

Batumi Europe Square’s unusual name reflects the desire of the Georgian people to follow in the footsteps of their Western neighbours. Yet, the attractions found in this lively square also creatively link the city to its colourful heritage from the distant and recent past. At its centre is the Medea Monument – a sculpture paying homage to the legend of Medea, the daughter of King Aeeta of Colchis, who fell in love with Jason, the leader of the Argonauts. After helping him to steal the Golden Fleece, they escaped together on the famous ship Argo. The Golden Fleece is now a symbol of the prosperity and glory of Georgia. Jumping ahead to more recent history, Batumi Europe Square features restaurants, shops and hotels and a dancing fountain where children can splash around on hot summer days.

8. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF AJARA

Opened in 1994, this is regarded as one of the finest archaeological museums in Georgia, exhibiting large collections of gold from the Ajara region. There are more than 23,000 artifacts spanning multiple eras, as well as a

photo archive, scientific library, ceramic workshop and a restoration laboratory where each exhibit is photographed and graphically restored. A permanent exhibition, which leads museum goers through each period of ancient Georgia, opened in 2007 and has been popular ever since. In 2014, the museum was remodelled and the exhibits updated.

9. GONIO CASTLE

Gonio Fortress near Batumi, also known as Gonio-Apsaros Fortress, is the oldest citadel in Georgia and dates back to the Roman Empire. Occupying 4.5 hectares near the city of Batumi in the Ajara Region, the castle is regarded as a rare and vital link to Georgia’s ancient past.

10. BIRDWATCHING

From the second half of August until the middle of October, more than a million birds fly along a narrow, 10km migration corridor in the sky to warmer countries. More than 35 different kinds of birds travel this route, some of which are rare predatory species. 2022 marked the 10th year these birds used Ajara as their migration corridor and so birdwatching is becoming a fast-growing tourism industry in the Black Sea region.

A CITY OF CONTRASTS

Batumi is a melting pot of cultures and religions, underpinned by a staggering 2,000 years of history, all reflected in its many attractions, from ancient sites to churches, and its famous belle époque old town, which has been restored to its original glory.

Many buildings date back to the 19th century when Batumi was an important port on the trading route from Europe to the Caspian Sea.

Meanwhile, the construction of new hotels and glistening towers is transforming its skyline into a scintillating mix of new and old. Furthermore, after the city became a ‘Porto Franco’ (free port), European architects designed unique

buildings with a distinct and daring architecture edge, which add to the city’s dynamism and tourism appeal. A symbol of modern Georgia, Batumi is one of the country’s key cultural hubs and plays host to many regional events, international artists, art exhibitions and global sports tournaments.

Batumi is distinguished by its nature too, with its Botanical Garden home to rare species, nurtured by its warm climate all-year around. Throw into the mix European-style squares and streets, old city cafés and hotels operated by world-class brands, and Batumi ticks all the right boxes for tourists seeking variety.

Unforgettable Batumi

Tinatin Zoidze, Chairperson, Department of Tourism and Resorts of Ajara, Georgia, reveals why Batumi, a modern and fast-expanding city, has earned a reputation as Europe’s leading emerging destination

Q: Georgia was one of the first European destinations to open to international visitors after the COVID-19 pandemic – how did this benefit the country's tourism industry?

The COVID-19 pandemic completely changed Georgia’s tourism sector approach. It gave us a chance to rethink tourism, with government institutions and the private sector working together to overcome challenges

The sustainable and responsible development of Georgia’s tourism industry underpins our growth strategy in the short- and long-term, including service and infrastructure improvement. Opening our borders to international visitors as pandemic restrictions were being lifted enabled the rapid recovery of our tourism sector.

We have also witnessed increased demand for more outdoor and nature-focused activities following the pandemic.

Q: How does Batumi meet the needs of travellers in a post-pandemic world?

coast of Europe, is successfully establishing itself as Europe’s leading emerging tourism and business destination.

A modern and cosmopolitan city with an upbeat vibe, Batumi promises an unforgettable tourism experience encompassing unparalleled culture, traditions, gastronomy, wine, beautiful nature, and a rare combination of mountains and the sea. It’s an all-year-round destination too, with every season offering a unique visitor experience.

Q: What stand-out experiences define your sustainable tourism offering?

increase in the number of international scientists and birdwatchers visiting the region.

Q: What’s new in Batumi?

We are currently working on several infrastructure projects that focus on sustainability and inclusivity while improving the city’s main infrastructure to meet international standards. Batumi is welcoming new hotels operated by global brands, rehabilitating historic sites, and implementing measures to protect the old city. Meanwhile, Batumi continues to expand, with several modern buildings and tall towers under construction, increasing the value of the real estate and bringing a new energy to the local market.

Batumi and Georgia meet all of the standards required for travellers to experience a safe and comfortable visit. With a diverse range of tourism products and services, every traveller is well catered to. Batumi, located on the easternmost Tinatin Zoidze

Georgia’s tourism strategy is underpinned by sustainable and responsible development. Our UNESCO World Natural Heritage national parks, located in Georgia and in the region of Ajara, as well as the country’s natural and cultural diversity, enable us to create unique tourism experiences. We have developed 25 tourist trails at these national parks and ecotourism development and its promotion is a priority for us. We are also becoming known as a birdwatching destination, with Ajara ranked the third most important bird-migrating corridor in the world. As a result, we have witnessed a significant

Furthermore, there is an ambitious project underway – Ambassadori Batumi Island –comprising twin peninsulas that are home to skyscrapers and new leisure facilities. Completing infrastructure projects and introducing blockchain and other new finance technologies will position Batumi as an international business hub at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.

Q: What's your message to this year’s WTM London audience?

WTM provides a platform for us all to exchange ideas and plan strategies and sustainable projects for tourism development globally. Tourism is the bridge between countries; it supports interconnectivity, advances resilience, and creates prosperity. It is a way of communication, so we should work together to make tourism more sustainable, inclusive, and safe, and to generate new ideas, combat inequality, and encourage youth participation and involvement in our sector.

Batumi is a vibrant and modern city

Cities for all seasons

Poland spoils travellers for choice with its diverse city break options and, despite the war in neighbouring Ukraine, remains a safe place to visit, explains Dorota

tourism receipts in Eastern Europe, World Data notes, with Krakow and Warsaw destination hotspots.

of the Polish National Tourist Office in London

Wojciechowska, Director

Poland is a tourism success story, with visitors from near and far attracted to its cities, national parks, lakes, museums and historic or UNESCO sites, to name a few.

Its growing popularity over the past few years is evident in visitor numbers more than doubling from 17.5 million in 2006 to 35.7 million in 2019, according to research by Statista.

In 2021, most tourists visiting Poland hailed from Europe, a result of travel patterns shifting during the pandemic, however, international tourist spend still reached US$8.4 billion dollars.

This figure translates to 1.2% of GDP and significantly, around 30% of all international

Following the outbreak of war in neighbouring Ukraine in March, Poland was perceived by some as a risky destination to visit, but as Dorota Wojciechowska, Director of the Polish National Tourist Office in London stesses, the country is unaffected by the conflict from a safety perspective.

“Poland is as safe as ever. Neighbouring Ukraine hasn’t changed that,” she says.

“Most of the cities that tourists visit are far from the border. For instance, the distance between Krakow and Kyiv is similar to the distance between London and Madrid.

“There are many reasons for travelling to Poland and the situation in Ukraine should be no reason to postpone or cancel your trip.”

Wojciechowska adds that since the war broke out, the Polish National Tourism Office has been working hard to get this message across to the travel trade and consumers, running several marketing and PR campaigns to show “how beautiful and safe Poland is”.

“We work closely with influencers and the media to reach as many people as we can and deliver them the information they are looking for,” she says.

“We also run online training for travel and tour operators where they can educate themselves about Poland and its

Dorota Wojciechowska

An allyear-round destination

Spring – the walking season

Spring is a wonderful time to visit Poland. The cities emerge from winter hibernation as temperatures become warmer. This is also often the time when our thoughts turn to travel and a fun city break. Compact cities like Lublin or Lodz, where everything is within walking distance, or at the most, a short bike ride away, are ideal for exploring in the glorious spring sunshine.

Autumn – the most Instagrammable season

Hidden gems

Dorota, as a local, tell us some secret places you love in your favourite Polish city?

“My heart is divided between two great cities: Warsaw and Krakow. The first one is my hometown, the place where my whole family has lived for generations. The second one I fell in love with many years ago and that love has never faded. There are lots of secret gems in both cities but for someone who loves eating like locals, I would suggest visiting the Zoliborz Breakfast Market in Warsaw . It takes place on weekends and the whole local community gathers together. When it comes to Krakow, going to the former Jewish Quarter – Kazimierz – would be my choice. This part of Krakow is absolutely fantastic. It looks and feels like a different city that has its own, unique way of life – slower and less crowded. It’s a bohemian part of Big Krakow, and you can see it from the first step you take into this magical world of art, cuisine and history.”

key tourist products.” Promoting city breaks is a priority and while Krakow and Warsaw are the better-known and more visited destinations, there are many hidden gems ready to be discovered too.

“Poland is made for city breaks, explains Wojciechowska. “Whether you’re looking for a weekend break or a more leisurely stay, the beauty of Poland is how easy it is to travel between cities by train or coach. Most of the popular cities are compact enough to explore them in one or two days.

“There are the old favourites like Krakow, Gdansk, Poznan, or Warsaw, as well as lesser-known cities with a fresh dynamism, new hotels and cutting-edge restaurants serving everything from regional to fusion cuisine, like Lublin, Lodz, or Sopot.”

She adds: “Some of Poland’s cities are filled with history and fabulous architecture; the others are hotspots for nightlife or foodies paradises. They are all quick to travel to from London with several daily flight connections operated by both national and low-cost carriers.”

For many, autumn is the ideal season for taking city breaks. Being technically a shoulder season, it’s often cheaper than summer, not to mention warm autumn colours that make the urban scenery so attractive, particularly in Warsaw and Wrocław where there are so many parks. This is one of the most Instagrammable seasons in Poland.

Summer – the city beach season

Summer is a perfect time to enjoy some beach fun on a city break. So, Sopot should be the choice. Sandy golden beaches dot Poland, and you can sunbathe on Sopot’s beach or stroll along the longest wooden pier in Europe. Although Krakow and Poznan are busy in the peak summer months, they have plenty to offer during this time too. The challenge is deciding what not to do: there are so many lovely streets, museums, squares, and restaurants to visit that a lifetime is hardly enough.

Winter – the magical season

I just can’t deny that Poland in winter is pure magic. The Christmas markets in Wroclaw, Krakow and Warsaw, the decorated streets, the snow in Zakopane – everything is just enchanting. During the winter months, Poland’s cities truly come to life and become extra special places to visit. For instance, Wroclaw with its famous Christmas markets or Warsaw with its twinkling streetlights, decorated buildings, and mulled wine. All of them are the perfect choice for a late city break.

Left: Warsaw Above: Krakow

Top: Krakow's Jewish Quarter

Above: Warsaw’s Chopin statue in autumn

A whistle-stop tour of Poland’s most visit-worthy cities

KRAKOW

Krakow Old Town needs no introduction. Made famous as one of the first ever urban UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it is a maze of cobbled lanes and alleys, wide streets with historic merchant houses lining the pavements, and –most importantly – sprawling squares where medieval churches and trading houses still loom above the flagstones. There’s nowhere that sums up the grand history and culture of Poland’s past better.

Parks pop up everywhere in the city, from the vast meadows of Blonia (where runners jog in the evening and rollerbladers weave past the crowds) to the statue-peppered lawns of Jordana (perfect for a spot of slacklining) and the famous Planty Park, packed with looming fir trees, winding paths, and oodles of people – it’s great for settling in with a coffee and watching the world go by.

Named the European Capital of Gastronomic Culture 2019, Krakow is a world-class culinary centre too, befriending both global trends and local cuisine – regional products make up the menu of Poland's only restaurant with a star from the famous Michelin guide. The main Market Square is surrounded by countless restaurants, cafés, patisseries and bars, where even the most demanding guests will find something to their liking.

POZNAN

Poznan is a home to The Enigma Cipher Centre, which opened last year and welcomes many visitors from the UK for obvious reasons. It presents the thrilling mystery of breaking the Enigma cipher by Polish mathematicians back in 1932. They shared their discoveries with the Allies, including Alan Turing's team, influencing the fate of the Second World War.

LUBLIN

Despite being one of the largest cities in the country, Lublin is a hidden gem. Entering the Old Town is like stepping back in time, with its cobbled narrow streets, winding lanes, beautiful corners, colourful facades and numerous cafés and restaurants. It’s also just one of three cities in Poland where trolleybuses remain in service. Lublin has also a long and interesting history as the first settlements were established here in the 6th century. The city gained importance in medieval times and in 1569, the Union of Poland, creating the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was signed here. The city is known for its cultural events, the most popular being the annual carnival showing the art of circus.

SOPOT

This charming coastal town is one of the most frequently visited Baltic resorts. It is known for its beautiful sandy beaches, but it is also a perfect place for walks with scenic views. It’s a foodie haven too, while its iconic pier is the longest wooden pier in Europe. Don’t miss the new ‘Goyki 3 Art Incubator’ – a place for young creators to work, meet, and learn.

WARSAW

Poland’s ever-growing vibrant capital is awash with attractions old and new. A summer favourite is the Vistula River Boulevards with its cafés, bars, and restaurants and a great place to walk or cycle by the river. At night, expect live concerts, film screenings and stand-up comedy nights while nearby is the Elektrownia Powisle – an extraordinary food hall that recently opened in the former electric powerplant.

Cultural attractions include the interactive Copernicus Science Centre, a temporary location of Museum of Modern Art (its permanent building is located in the square, which will soon become the city’s central park), while the lush rooftop gardens of Warsaw University Library promise sweeping views.

The Multimedia Fountain Park hosts light and sound shows on weekend nights, with plans to connect this area to the Praga district by a pedestrian and bike bridge over the river, providing quick access to the Old Town.

With its post-industrial architecture overlooked for many years, Norblin Factory has recently been transformed into a new city space with offices, shops, cafés and restaurants, a multicultural food hall, organic food market, boutique cinema and the Norblin Factory Museum, telling a story of one of the biggest industrial enterprises of the former Kingdom of Poland.

LODZ

Lodz is a city in transition and it does have some rough edges, but despite its unconventional nature, it has its own charm, with art, film, architecture and cuisine all part of its appeal. The pedestrianised Piotrkowska Street is the city’s beating heart, lined with remarkable buildings and cafés, bars and restaurants galore. Other noteworthy landmarks include the Izrael Poznanski Palace and Manufaktura featuring shops, cinemas and a cultural centre incorporating multiple museums. The city’s Neo-Industrial architecture is stunning, evident in the Planetarium EC1 just over the way from the as equally eye-catching Lodz Fabryczna train station. The gastronomic scene is both classic and modern, ranging from milk bars and traditional Polish eateries to sushi bars and restaurants serving inventive fusion cuisine.

Lublin Castle

Lodz Fabryczna train station

Poznan Old Town

Warsaw landscape

Sopot’s famous pier

Krakow’s famous Market Square

At the heart of life

At Rotana, we believe time well spent, is a life well lived. This enduring thought is at the heart of every experience we promise when you stay with us.

Our distinct collection of brands include Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana, Centro Hotels, Resorts and Hotel Apartments by Rotana, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana, Edge by Rotana and The Residences by Rotana.

Transform moments into memorable experiences as we present a selection of diverse destinations, ideal for every journey. To find out more, visit rotana.com

Treasured time. Our promise to you.

Ireland rolls out the green carpet

or holiday. The £13.5 million campaign reached an audience of more than 166 million people in 12 markets and revolved around creating a commitment to travel, by ‘pressing the Green Button’ –green being the universal colour of ‘go’ and instinctively connected with the island of Ireland.

Our recovery plans were well honed during the crisis; however, flexibility and agility continue to be essential in our work as we rebuild international tourism to the island of Ireland.

Q: What are the top destinations and attractions in Ireland, and why?

How has Ireland bounced back from the pandemic?

We expect that 2022 will finish with a higher volume of overseas visitors than forecast at the beginning of the year, due to strong pent-up demand, deferred bookings and restored air access to the island of Ireland. There has also been a lot of fantastic work from the teams across Tourism Ireland, which includes continuing our booking-focused ‘Green Button’ campaign, a dedicated Northern Ireland campaign in Great Britain and a strong programme of always-on activity across all channels. We have had a positive start to rebuilding and over the next few years will be working to restore visitor numbers.

Q: What strategies did you put in place to aid recovery and what were the results?

In 2020, Tourism Ireland established a framework for recovery. This was a three-phase plan to restart, rebuild and ultimately redesign demand. Until travel promotion resumed, Tourism Ireland’s focus was on creating the conditions to effectivity restart the industry and survive the crisis. Our activity at that time was all about highlighting the island of Ireland through effective social media and digital campaigns, supported by innovative publicity and travel trade activity.

Our global social campaign, designed to keep Ireland ‘top of mind’ with prospective international visitors until the time was right for them to visit, delivered 26 million engagements across Facebook and Instagram alone between April 2020 and June 2021.

Informed by our extensive and ongoing programme of COVID Tracker research, in September 2021, Tourism Ireland began rolling out our new global ‘Green Button’ campaign, to restart tourism and to encourage as many overseas holidaymakers as possible to book the island of Ireland for their next short break

We have fantastic UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They include Skellig Michael, a magnificent island monastery, located off the coast of County Kerry in the south-west. Brú na Bóinne is Ireland’s richest archaeological landscape and contains the largest collection of megalithic art in western Europe and among the most important Neolithic sites in the world.

The Giant's Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland and the dramatic sight has inspired legends of giants striding over the sea to Scotland.

One of our most iconic landmarks, Titanic Belfast, celebrated its 10th birthday this year. More than six million people from around the world have visited this fantastic attraction since it opened in 2012. And not forgetting the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, recently voted Europe’s Leading Beer Tour Experience at the World Travel Awards.

Of course, Ireland has fantastic sustainable experiences; you can stay in sustainable accommodation, eat food sourced from just down the road and enjoy a host of environmentally friendly activities, including walking, hiking, cycling, surfing, swimming, sailing and much more.

Q: What’s new in Ireland from a tourism perspective?

There has been huge investment in the tourism product across Ireland over the past few years. Beyond the Trees Avondale is an exciting new sustainable attraction in County Wicklow, about 45 minutes south of Dublin. This is a fully accessible, 1.2 km treetop walkway (the longest treetop walk in Ireland and the UK) and has wonderful views of Avondale’s diverse forests.

The luxurious Cashel Palace Hotel has re-opened following a major four-year restoration programme. It is an 18th-century former archbishop’s palace located in the centre of Cashel, County Tipperary, one of our important heritage towns. It is now a five-star Relais & Châteaux hotel.

From UNESCO sites, sustainable attractions and icons both natural and manmade, to breath-taking film set locations and the new Game of Thrones Studio Tour, there are more reasons than ever before to visit the island of Ireland, explains Niall Gibbons, CEO, Tourism Ireland

Niall Gibbons

The Gravity Bar on the seventh floor of the iconic Guinness Storehouse in Dublin has had a €20 million expansion and now has a 360-degree view that extends from the Dublin Mountains (to the south of the city) to Howth Head (in the north). The Gravity Bar is perhaps Dublin’s best-known viewing platform and it has now doubled in size.

Northern Ireland’s newest visitor attraction – the Game of Thrones Studio Tour – opened its doors this spring. It’s located in the Linen Mill Studios (the location where some of the Game of Thrones® was filmed), in Banbridge, about a 30-minute drive south of Belfast. It is a £40 million investment – a world-class attraction and very much a vote of confidence in the future of our industry. Twelve of the original sets used in the show are now here as well as weaponry, props, costumes and the famous Iron Throne!

Q: Ireland is featured in many TV programmes and films – what’s been the impact on tourism and how are you leveraging this?

TV and film are recognised as strong influencers on prospective visitors and we liaise closely with Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen to attract and facilitate film-making on the island of Ireland. We also try to take every opportunity to amplify the promotional opportunities of these films and TV programmes. Our Game of Thrones® campaigns from 2014 to 2019, created in partnership with HBO to showcase Northern Ireland around the world, were major successes. Our Star Wars campaigns were also extremely successful;

IN NUMBERS

£40mn

Investment in the Game of Thrones Studio Tour

£13.5mn

Ploughed into ‘Green Button’ recovery campaign

166mn

Audience reach of ‘Green Button’

€20mn

Spent on iconic Guinness Storehouse expansion

2022

Marks the 10th birthday of Titanic Belfast

80+ Partners on the Tourism Ireland stand at WTM London

The Giant’s Causeway lies at the foot of the basalt cliffs along the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland

Titanic Belfast celebrated its 10th birthday this year

UNESCO World Heritage Sites include Skellig Michael, a magnificent island monastery

following the launch of Star Wars The Force Awakens in December 2015, Tourism Ireland took every opportunity to leverage the huge global popularity of Star Wars. And again, in late 2017, we rolled out a major campaign to coincide with the release of episode VIII, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

We are particularly excited about The Banshees of Inisherin – the latest film from Academy Award and BAFTA winning director Martin McDonagh – which had remarkable success at the Venice Film Festival and went on release in cinemas in Great Britain at the end of October.

Filmed on beautiful Inis Mór (the largest of the three Aran Islands off the coast of County Galway) and Achill Island (County Mayo), the drama of the story is heightened by the spectacular west coast of Ireland setting. To coincide with the release of the film, we launched a new campaign, including a behind-thescenes film, produced by Tourism Ireland in conjunction with Searchlight Pictures, in

which director Martin McDonagh and actors Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan describe and praise the special locations chosen for filming.

Q: What are your target sources markets and how are you engaging them?

Our top four markets for overseas tourism are Great Britain, the United States, Germany and France (pre-COVID, they accounted for more than 70% of overseas tourism business). Promotional programmes are also rolled out in Northern and Southern Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.

We engage with potential visitors in those markets through a wide range of platforms, including on Ireland.com and through social media; at major international consumer and trade fairs; through familiarisation visits for influential travel agents, tour operators, as well as international travel and lifestyle journalists, influencers and bloggers; and through Tourism Ireland’s promotional material.

THE LOCAL WAY

“I spent time this summer in Brittas Bay in County Wicklow, south of Dublin, a 2.5-mile stretch of beautiful beach on the Irish Sea. I also recently enjoyed a weekend in Portmagee in County Kerry, a small picturesque fishing village in the South-West of Ireland.”

Niall Gibbons, CEO, Tourism Ireland

Q: With travellers increasingly valuing tourism destinations with an environmental and social conscience, how does Ireland stack up? Ireland is committed to sustainable tourism. Our philosophy is that any tourism development taking place in Ireland must be shown to enhance the lives of the local Irish population, as well as to help us to attract incoming visitors to the destination.

The development of our experience brands like the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Ireland’s Ancient East and Northern Ireland – Embrace a Giant Spirit are examples of how we are spreading the benefits of tourism.

These ensure that our visitors have truly authentic experiences, including opportunities to interact with local Irish people in our small towns and villages where the pace of life is undoubtedly different.

This approach also ensures that local economies in some of our most scenic, but most remote areas, can reap the benefits of our growing tourism industry.

Tourism Ireland is also working with tour operators and carriers to bring attractive travel offers to the market to encourage visitors to explore the regions of Ireland and to travel in the shoulder season and year-round.

Q: What’s your message to the WTM London audience this year?

Our message – and that of the entire tourism industry – is very simple: we continue to roll out the green carpet and welcome visitors from Great Britain and around the world to the island of Ireland in 2023.

We have more than 80 partners from across the island joining us on our stand at WTM – our biggest ever presence at the travel event – including Roe & Co Whiskey Distillery, Powerscourt House and Gardens and Causeway Coastal Route.

The Game of Thrones Studio tour

Beyond the Trees Avondale is a new sustainable attraction

Brittas Bay, County Wicklow

Tour Taiwan - Taiwan Tourism Bureau

Spain’s best-kept secret

Much more than a sun and beach destination, Murcia Region promises adventure, culture, gastronomy, golf, nature, wellness and, of course, wine, plus its sustainable travel credentials are impressive, explains Marcos Ortuño Soto, Regional Minister for the Presidency, Tourism, Culture and Sport

Murcia, a popular tourist region in south-eastern Spain, received more than five million tourists annually pre-pandemic. Of course, the outbreak of COVID-19 paralysed the industry, yet Murcia has shown resilience, attracting 3.2 million tourists in 2021, with the figure set to rise in 2022, perhaps even exceeding 2019 numbers, according to Marcos Ortuño Soto, Regional Minister for the Presidency, Tourism, Culture and Sport.

With off-the-beaten-track tourism growing in popularity, Murcia’s hotel alternatives –rural houses, apartments, campsites and hostels – have received more travellers than in previous years, and a record number of workers have returned to the region's tourism industry.

Air capacity has bounced back too, with domestic flight passenger numbers tripling from January to August 2022 versus the same period in 2019 (with 60,767 passengers compared to 21,429) while overseas passenger numbers are picking up nicely, with 590,858 international flights reported during the period.

And the cruise sector is flourishing, with 17 more ships arriving in Cartagena Port this year compared to 2019, totalling 105 ships at time of press.

“The Region of Murcia was the first Spanish region to implement a ‘Tourism Recovery Plan’ that included subsidies and direct aid for tourism companies and accommodation outlets, promotional activities, the creation of attractive tourism packages during the pandemic and communications/ PR campaigns,” explains the minister.

“The destination also promoted safe air corridors to prepare for the return of international tourism and implemented a marketing plan for national destinations from Murcia International Airport and for the United Kingdom [the destination's primary source market].”

Financial aid for the tourism and hospitality sector under this plan ('Reactiva') benefitted more than 9,000 companies with 50 million euros distributed in 2021.

“We [also] published a catalogue of unique experiences called 'Safe Moments', which included activities of all kinds that ensured maximum health safety for visitors,

Murcia’s coastline offers more than 200 beaches

Marcos Ortuño Soto

helping to stimulate tourism,” continues Mr Soto. “’Covid Insurance’ was launched for Spanish and foreign tourists visiting the region, which included coverage for health care expenses, extension of stay and travel to their places of origin.”

In addition, 'Bono Turístico (tourism incentive voucher) de la Región de Murcia' was activated to stimulate demand, as well as a similar scheme, 'Bono Turístico del Mar Menor', which has generated more than 5,000 bookings and 10,000 overnight stays year to date.

REGION OF MURCIA HIGHLIGHTS

Murcia is also a destination well suited to post-pandemic travel trends, given demand for holidays in the open air, away from overcrowding and close to nature, is at an all-time high.

“The Region of Murcia is perceived as an authentic, different destination, full of nuances and cultural richness where it is possible to enjoy a unique tourist experience,” says Mr Soto.

“This rich historical and artistic heritage coexists with a cutting-edge cultural agenda, best-in-class services and unique natural environments to discover, both coastal and inland.”

The Costa Cálida and its ‘Blue Tourism’ offerings are particularly noteworthy, he says – “a modality that reinvents traditional sun and beach tourism highlighting the region's 250 km of coastline and 200 beaches, water sports and diving centres, with some of the most spectacular seabeds in Europe and two protected marine reserves (Cabo de Palos-Islas Hormigas and Cabo Tiñoso)”.

“Blue tourism also includes the best gastronomy, nature and active tourism, sports, culture and festivals by the sea, thanks

to the all-year-round exceptional weather conditions that Murcia enjoys.

“As an alternative, the cities of Murcia, Lorca and Cartagena are the region’s great icons of regional culture and art.”

Caravaca de la Cruz is another iconic city, considered a meeting point for all Christianity and a centre of pilgrimage that is now preparing for the celebration of its Jubilee Year in 2024, an event that is expected to attract more than one million pilgrims from all over the world.

Gastronomy culture is a major selling point too, based on the Mediterranean diet and the combination of fresh products from the sea and produce from the citrus orchards in the countryside.

It’s so good that Murcia was nominated the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy (CEG) for two years running, in 2020 and 2021.

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM

The Tourism Institute of the Region of Murcia has drawn up a new Strategic Tourism Plan 2022/2032 designed to adapt to new tourism challenges such as security, sus-

What’s new in Murcia?

RECOVERY OF AIR CONNECTIVITY:

Murcia Region International Airport offered flights from and to 22 destinations this summer. This winter, flights are operating to 10 domestic cities in Spain, as well as international destinations such as the UK, Ireland, Belgium and Morocco.

EUROVELO 8 CYCLE TOURISM ROUTE:

This 217-km route connects Cádiz with Cyprus and comprises four stages along the Costa Cálida and will enhance the region’s reputation as one of Europe’s key cycling tourism destinations.

NEW GREENWAYS: The network of Greenways is growing annually and currently covers 170 km including the Northwest Greenway, the Campo de Cartagena Greenway, the Mazarrón Greenway, the El Hornillo jetty in Águilas, the Almendricos Greenway, the Cieza Chicharra Greenway and the Yecla Chicharra Greenway.

Gastro Experiences ‘1,001 Flavours’: Immersive gastronomic culture experiences blending regional and sustainable gastronomy and local highlights.

SUB SCUBA DIVING ROUTE: This initiative has been launched to encourage divers to get to know the five diving areas of the Costa Cálida, including its two protected marine reserves.

WINE BUS: Excursions to the wine tourism routes of Bullas, Jumilla and Yecla have resumed and will be active until December this year. Transport, insurance, guided tours, wine-tasting experiences and food and wine pairing is included.

Kite surfing at Playa del Rafal, Águilas

Gastronomic experiences at Murcia’s cathedral

"It’s difficult to select just one place to visit in the Region of Murcia, but if I had just one day I would choose Cartagena. I’d start with breakfast at dawn in the Roman Theatre, go for swim at a natural beach in the Calblanque Regional Park, have lunch in the charming fishing village of Cabo de Palos and climb to the summit of its lighthouse, one of the highest in Spain, to see the marvellous views of La Manga del Mar Menor and Mediterranean coastline. For the best sunset experience, I would sail around the islands of the Mar Menor on a yacht, finishing with dinner in the port of Cartagena, home to many top restaurants."

Marcos Ortuño Soto, Regional Minister for the Presidency, Tourism, Culture and Sport

tainability and competitiveness. The region has implemented a unique public-private partnership and has tripled the resources allocated to tourism compared to before the pandemic.

It has also implemented a Smart Office concept, with a commitment to enhancing digitalisation and tourism intelligence. Its sustainable tourism plans involve collaboration with the business sector and local administrations, focusing on development that is “responsible with the environment, the resident population and local resources”, says the minister.

“From an environmental, economic, social and cultural point of view, it seeks the promotion of a sustainable tourism model with the expansion of its Greenways Network, the creation of the Eurovelo 8 cycling route, Gastro Experiences promoting sustainable gastronomic tourism and the creation of a catalogue of Sensory Nature Tourism experiences, where slow tourism is promoted

with forest baths, yoga amongst horses, walking routes to connect with nature and activities to let yourself be carried away by the natural senses,” he explains.

Recent sustainable tourism triumphs include the Sierra Espuña Regional Park and its surroundings becoming the first protected natural area in the Region of Murcia to be endorsed by the European Charter for Sustainable Tourism (CETS).

The EUROPARC Federation grants this accreditation at European level to protected natural areas that have demonstrated their commitment to sustainable tourism.

Mr Soto says ‘The Territorial Plan for Sustainable Tourism in Destinations in the Region of Murcia’ will see around 21.2 million euros ploughed into the “green transition, digital transition and the competitiveness of destinations” every year.

“This is a coordinated process between the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, the Autonomous Community and local

authorities in which the different public and private stakeholders in the destination's tourism ecosystem will participate,” the minister explains.

In addition, The Institute of Tourism of the Region of Murcia participates in the design and development of the 'Integrated Sustainable Mobility Plan for the Mar Menor'. This project, the result of collaboration with the General Directorate of the Mar Menor, the General Directorate of Ports and Coasts and the UPCT, comprises the creation of the first 100% ecological, sustainable, integrated and intermodal mobility system in the Mar Menor and its surrounding area.

Its objectives are to promote its interconnection, sustainable tourism, environmental awareness and the enhancement of its natural and cultural heritage.

To this end, it proposes the articulation of six intermodal nautical stations equipped with solar catamarans and e-bikes.

Cycling tourism is gaining traction

The Roman Theatre, Cartagena

Lorca Castle – the Murcia region is a cultural hotspot

Postcards from around the world

Snapshots of destination moments in 2022

ALULA, SAUDI ARABIA

Maraya is a stunning piece of art set in the desert canyon of Ashar Valley, AlUla, Saudi Arabia. Designed to blend into the surrounding landscape, it rises from the sand like a mirage. The state-of-the-art structure is covered in 9,740 mirrored panels reflecting AlUla's beauty, making it the largest mirrored building in the world, according to Guinness World Records. Maraya, meaning mirror or reflection in Arabic, celebrates AlUla's significant role in history as a crossroads of cultures for centuries. The mirrors themselves are a contemporary canvas, reflecting the remarkable heritage of the area.

Credit: Omar Alnahdi

ONTARIO, CANADA

Life-size iconic Canadian tugboat, Theodore TOO, was listed on Airbnb this summer. The 65-foot tug with a friendly smile and famed big red cap welcomed a few lucky guests, hosted by Captain Noah at Theodore’s home port in Hamilton. Since moving from his home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Theodore TOO has become an instantly iconic attraction docked in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario. Built in Daysprings, Nova Scotia in 2000, the 65-foot tug now works as an ambassador to the marine industry and a guide to the Great Lakes.

Credit: Henry Shephard

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

The white sails of the iconic Sydney Opera House were lit up with an image of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September as Australians mourned her death. “The late Queen Elizabeth the Second played an important role to the people of Australia during her reign and the lighting of the Sydney Opera House is a fitting tribute on behalf of the people of Australia,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said it was a symbolic gesture as the Queen officially opened the Sydney Opera House in 1973. The late Queen visited Australia on 16 occasions. Her first trip was in 1954 and her last in 2011.

MOUNT EVEREST, NEPAL

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of World Heritage, the UNESCO headquarters in Paris exhibited a collection of paintings by globally renowned artist, Sacha Jafri, each inspired by Heritage Sites around the world. September’s Reconnecting Humanity Through the Heritage of our World exhibition included 12 artworks, ranging from Mount Everest in Nepal to the Taj Mahal in India to The Great Wall of China in Beijing. Each was painted on a piece of fuselage from a decommissioned Airbus A320-211 and displayed as a sculptural artwork suspended from the ceiling. The Mount Everest painting was first unveiled on Mount Everest (pictured) in April as part of Jafri’s roaming Art Maze Collection.

THE DARK NORTHERNHEDGES, IRELAND

The Dark Hedges is an avenue of beech trees along Bregagh Road between Armoy and Stranocum in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The trees form an atmospheric tunnel used as a location in HBO’s popular television series Game of Thrones. In 2018, the show played a part in attracting one in every six out-of-state visitors. That accounted for 350,000 visitors and more than £50 million for the local economy, according to Tourism Northern Ireland.

CITY OF EARTH

DUBAI, UAE

One of Dubai’s latest architectural marvels, the egg- shaped Museum of the Future (MOTF), opened its doors on February 25. Almost a decade in the making, it houses an array of interactive exhibitions and features a “living” laboratory designed to foster a spirit of collaborative innovation among the Arab world’s leading scientists, encouraging them to tackle future challenges and spur a new era of scientific discovery. The museum is targeting one million visitors annually.

Credit: Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism

NOONU ATOLL, THE MALDIVES

Soneva Jani in the Maldives has unveiled The Den, a 1,500 sqm,two-storey structure and playground designed for young guests packed with facilities and attractions.Highlights include two waterfalls,a 32-metre cross-pool zipline,pirate ship and skateboard ramp,a bowling alley,library and cinema,sensory play,kitchens for cooking lessons,and an upstairs hangout with roof deck for teens featuring a music room,telescope deck, games and a reflecting pond.

DORDRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS

Ecological artist Thijs Biersteker has created a five-metretall robotic plant, ‘Econario’, using biodiversity data from London’s Natural History Museum. A moving monument to the importance of the choices we make now for the future of our planet, Econario changes over time according to the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII) – a metric developed by the Natural History Museum measuring how much of a region’s natural biodiversity still persists. As the artwork switches between countries, it shows the biodiversity intactness in 2050 based on five different political scenarios we, as society, can choose today. For example, when the Netherlands chooses a sustainable scenario, the artwork grows towards its full five metres in length. ‘Econario’ premiered at Kunstkerk in The Netherlands this summer and will tour the world in coming years.

RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE

Cap: The Middle East’s longest toboggan ride, Jais Sledder, was launched atop the UAE’s tallest peak, Jebel Jais, in February. The mountain is putting Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates, on the adventure tourism map, with Jebel Jais already home to the world’s longest zipline, Jais Flight. Sitting comfortably on a low-slung track, Jais Sledder reaches speeds of up to 40 km per hour as it descends the Hajar mountain range, swerving through glorious panoramas with views of the spectacular terrains. The ride takes around eight minutes to cover 1,885 exhilarating metres of hairpin curves and undulating whirls.The fully controllable sleds are designed to seat two people comfortably

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Producers of the axed TV soap Neighbours joined forces with Tourism Australia to create an advert using scenes from the show, with a view to attracting UK viewers to head Down Under. Fans in Britain watched the one-off TV commercial, which spliced together scenes from the soap’s 37-year-history with Tourism Australia’s ‘Don’t Go Small, Go Australia’ ad, when the 90-minute show finale was broadcast on Channel 5 in July. According to Deloitte, 230,000 travellers worth AU$725 million visit Australia after watching movies and TV programmes made in the country, a trend it labels ‘set-jetting’.

MUSANDAM PENINSULA, OMAN

For the ultimate sea-hotel adventure, the recently refurbished Dhahab, meaning gold in Arabic, now offers one- or two-night voyages out of Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman. This traditional, hand-crafted Omani dhow, once used by traders on epic voyages across the high seas, now sets sail to the less-discovered side of Oman, exploring the dramatic coastline and fjords of Musandam (also known as the Norway of the Middle East). The beautifully designed 27.5-metre vessel features three bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms to accommodate up to six people. Experiences include scuba diving, star-gazing, water-skiing, yoga and cooking classes with the on-board private chef who prepares all guest meals.

KEEM BAY, IRELAND

Keem Bay on Achill Island in County Mayo, Ireland, has topped the list of best wild swimming spots in the UK. A survey conducted by UK-based reusable bottle company, Ocean Bottle, examined the water quality and Google ratings from more than 800 waterways in the UK and Ireland and found that the crystal-clear waters of the sheltered bay scored highest. Located on Ireland’s stunning Wild Atlantic Way, Keem is already considered to be one of Ireland’s top beaches. Last year, it came in at number 11 on the list of ‘The 50 Best Beaches in the World’ compiled by global travel site Big 7 Travel and was named one of Lonely Planet’s ‘Top 20 beaches in Europe’. Keem Bay is also the spectacular backdrop to a new film, The Banshees of Inisherin, which had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival September 4.

AT-TURAIF DISTRICT, DIR’IYAH, SAUDI ARABIA

The At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah, the first capital of the Saudi Dynasty, is located north-west of Riyadh, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in the 15th century, it bears witness to the Najdi architectural

style, which is specific to the centre of the Arabian Peninsula. In the 18th and the early 19th century, its regional political and religious role gained importance, and the citadel of at-Turaif became the centre of the temporal power of the House of Saud and the spread of the Islamic reform movement in Arabia, Salafiyya. The property includes the remains of many palaces and an urban ensemble built on the edge of the ad-Dir'iyah oasis. At-Turaif is a focal point of ambitious US$50.6 billion giga-project to re-establish Diriyah as the beating cultural heart of the kingdom, creating a tourism destination where heritage and history is respected, protected, and cultivated.

VENICE, ITALY

Surrealist photographer Minh T has used the exceptional backdrop of Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice for works displayed at the 59th international art exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia. Minh T, known under the pseudonym @thismintymoment, provides his artistic view of Venice’s authentic Cannaregio neighbourhood, inspired by the hotel. Situated in a historic building on the Cannaregio Canal, Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice, built in the 16th century, was the residence of the Nani family, who were engaged in the political, social, and cultural life of the city’s rich past. Guests at the Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice will be able to glimpse further into Minh T’s unique perspective and artistic process by following a photo walking route he created during his residency at the hotel, also available on the Radisson Collection Instagram channel as a complimentary guide. The eight photographs curated for Venice, including ‘The Suspended Moment’ pictured, will be on display at the hotel for the next six months.

SPACE, THE UNIVERSE

The first space hotel will soon be a reality, with Hilton announced the official hotel partner of Starlab, a free-flying commercial space station being built by space exploration firm Voyager. “Starlab will be more than just a destination, it will be an experience made infinitely more unique and artful with the Hilton team’s infusion of innovation, expertise and global reach,”

says Dylan Taylor, chairman and CEO, Voyager Space. “Voyager and Hilton are acutely focused on creating innovative solutions for the future of humanity and this partnership opens new doors to what is possible for comfort-focused space exploration and habitation.” Voyager and its operating company, Nanoracks, were awarded $160 million in NASA funding in 2021 for the Starlab space station, which is set to replace the Inter- national Space Station. Starlab is planned to have the capacity to continuously host up to four astronauts and will house the first science park in space. Voyager and Hilton will develop Space Hospitality crew headquarters aboard Starlab, including communal areas, hospitality suites and sleeping arrangements for the astronauts. Broadening out the concept to include tourism will be a longer-term focus.

Visit Al Balad

JEDDAH HISTORIC DISTRICT

JEDDAHALBALAD.SA

@JEDDAHALBALAD.SA

@JEDDAHALBALAD

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

"On the shores of the Red Sea, Jeddah Historic District is where old meets new. A vibrant blend of fascinating heritage and contemporary culture, this UNESCO World Heritage Centre has over 1,400 years of history, beautiful architecture and a thriving creative scene in the heart of Saudi Arabia."

Middle East

TOURISM ARRIVALS 2021 -24% versus 2020 -79% versus 2019

DUBAI OVERNIGHT VISITORS 2021

7.28mn +32% versus 2020

AIRLINE SECTOR 2021 -71.6%

plunge in annual passenger volumes versus 2019

Airline sector outlook Passenger numbers to/from/within the Middle East are expected to reach 81% of 2019 levels in 2022, 98% in 2024 and 105% in 2025

SPOTLIGHT ON… Dubai

Dubai’s hoteliers reported 31.5mn room nights sold in 2021 – the second highest result on record – up 53.7% compared to 2020. To put this figure into perspective, STR says Dubai sold as many room nights as London, Paris and Oslo combined, accounting for almost 1% of all hotel rooms sold worldwide last year.

Sources: UNWTO, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), IATA, STR

KEY INDICATORS FOR TOURISM

2022

5.3% contribution to GDP

836,000 new jobs created

62mn total visitation

32.5mn domestic visitation

29.5mn international visitation

2030

10%+ contribution to GDP

1mn new jobs created

100mn total visitation

45mn domestic visitation

55mn international visitation

Saudi opened to the world in September 2019 and through continued leadership and commitment, we have made incomparable progress toward realising our ambitious Vision

2030 tourism goals”

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and Chairman of the Board of Saudi Tourism Authority (STA)

Edge of the World, Saudi Arabia

(Source: STA)

The new kingdom

Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), explains the importance of tourism to the kingdom’s future economic growth

Q: For those unfamiliar with Vision 2030, please explain Saudi Arabia’s ‘grand plan’ for tourism.

To put it simply, Vision 2030 has identified tourism as a key long-term growth-driver for the Saudi economy. Tourism creates new jobs and drives economic activity, enhances our quality of life and promotes cultural exchange and understanding. To deliver on the Vision 2030 mandate, Saudi Arabia aims to attract 100 million visitors across all categories of travel, domestic and international, by 2030. That requires significant investment in infrastructure, des-

tination development, and training and awareness, which is already under way.

I’m delighted to say that our efforts, and the efforts of the entire Saudi government from the most senior levels, is generating results.

Saudi tourism emerged strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic and is, according to UNWTO data, the fastest growing tourism destination in the world in terms of

Hot air balloons fly over Mada'in Saleh near Al Ula, Saudi Arabia

I believe that Saudi Arabia truly is unparalleled”

Fahd Hamidaddin

inbound arrivals, increasing by 121% over a 2019 baseline.

The UNWTO also named Saudi Arabia as the most popular destination in the Middle East in 2022, attracting more than 18 million visitors this year.

It’s a great validation that Saudi Arabia has an attractive and compelling offer for international travellers.

Q: What are the key tourism projects under way in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that WTM readers should know about?

The giga-projects that are under way across the country obviously attract a lot of attention and are progressing fast.

AlUla, the world’s largest open-air museum is already welcoming visitors and hosting world-class events.

Diriyah will welcome its first visitors within the next 12 months and the Red Sea Development will open its first properties in early

2023, so for visitors seeking authentic Arabian heritage and pristine natural beauty, these will be important developments.

Riyadh is emerging as a major cosmopolitan destination, with outstanding dining, lifestyle and entertainment options – look at MDL Beast, for example, one of the largest electronic dance festivals in the world, which is held in Riyadh in December.

Jeddah is a stunning coastal destination, with a UNESCO World Heritage Site at its heart and a wealth of beach resorts and marine activities for visitors to enjoy.

People seeking a very different cultural experience might visit the highlands of Aseer or the northern reaches of the country around Taif. As a relatively new destination, Saudi Arabia has so much to offer.

The tourism sector has the full support of the leadership of Saudi Arabia and as a result this is a whole of government initiative, which is expanding consumer choice and creating

We are the authentic home of Arabia”

Al Balad, Jeddah

compelling commercial opportunities for the global tourism sector. To deliver on these and on future developments we are attracting global hotel chains, building partnerships with international tour operators and building the capabilities of our DMCs.

From top, clockwise: Adventure in AlUla, the world’s largest open-air musuem

Al Atheriya Heritage Village, Riyadh

MDL BEAST Festival, Riyadh

Q: Sporting and cultural events, as well as worldclass entertainment are also part of the tourism development plan – what events are putting Saudi Arabia on the tourism map and what it the strategy for growing this sector?

Sport, entertainment and tourism are inextricably linked. We have seen great success with the Saudi Arabian F1 Grand Prix staged in Jeddah, which is the fastest road race on the circuit, and with the Dakkar Rally as well as with boxing, eSports and MMA events, among others.

We are also expanding into other sporting disciplines. The LIV Golf tour, which features some of the world’s top players, is attracting a lot of attention and driving interest in golf as a sport among the Saudi population. And Trojena, in NEOM, recently won the competition to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games in Saudi Arabia.

I’ve already mentioned MDL Beast, which will return to Riyadh in December, but there

Qaisariah Souq, Al Ahsa

is a wide-ranging calendar of events on the entertainment front.

One standout example is Riyadh Seasons, which is a huge undertaking. Last year’s event had 13 separate venues each attracting more than 100,000 visitors per day.

For comparison, consider that the FIFA World Cup is typically held across 10 venues each attracting 30-40,000 spectators. So this really is the biggest lifestyle festival in the world. And we are replicating that success in Jeddah as well.

AlUla is also hosting a calendar of concerts, art installations and wellness events as part of the AlUla Moments celebration, which runs through to January next year. And there are more events, large and small, across the country. At STA we are working with our partners in other government agencies to create, promote and drive demand for events, positioning Saudi Arabia as a regional lifestyle and entertainment hub.

There is significant demand for these events among domestic audiences, which makes them very attractive to investors and partners. But they also attract visitors from around the region and globally who either come to the country for a specific event or schedule a trip to catch one or more of them.

Ultimately, sports and entertainment events bring people together and it is exciting to for us to welcome the world to experience our country and its dynamism for themselves.

Q: What progress has been made with Vision 2030 from a tourism perspective in 2022?

An area of focus for us has been ensuring Saudi Arabia is accessible and we have worked hard to bolster our readiness through accessibility and connectivity. Our friends at [flag carrier] Saudia are opening new

air routes to key markets, including direct connections from the US mainland. And we are also welcoming new airlines, like WizzAir, which launched its inaugural flight out of Dammam in September and now connects 20 European cities to Saudi Arabia.

We have invested heavily in training and development, welcoming more than 100,000 young Saudis into the tourism sector to build their careers and showcase the unparalleled hospitality of the Saudi people, which is so integral to our offer.

We are on track to deliver against our 2030 target of 100 million visitors and continue to receive the unequivocal support of our leadership and our industry partners.

The Tourism Development Fund is creating investment packages and incentives to attract investors into the sector, which is a key component in building out our offer and establishing growth opportunities for the global tourism sector.

And of course, we are working to develop our tourism offering with giga projects such as NEOM, Diriyah and Soudah.

Q: What key international markets are you attracting and why?

The Saudi e-visa platform has been an amazing success, issuing travel visas in a matter of minutes to passport holders from 49 countries around the world.

In addition, we are now able to provide visas on arrival to holders of valid US, UK and Schengen area visas, regardless of nationality. And we have just recently announced the extension of the e-visa programme to residents of the GCC.

This reflects the fact that Saudi Arabia has an offer that will appeal to travellers from around the world attracted to our mix of authentic Arabian heritage, unspoiled natural landscapes, modern urban lifestyles and the sheer diversity of the destination. In particular, we are seeing a lot of interest form Western Europe, China, India and North America, but our arrivals are truly global.

Q: What role does the international travel trade play in spreading the word about Saudi Arabia to global travellers and what progress has been made in this respect?

The international travel trade is hugely important to us. Our travel partners deliver services that no website or chatbot can match.

They are the custodians of big ideas, and the creators of memories. And we have been overwhelmed by the response we’ve received

We are on track to deliver against our 2030 target of 100 million visitors”

AlUla, on the road to Tabuk

from the trade. We’ve established close partnerships with some of the biggest travel operators in the world – Expedia, Tui, Trip. com and Virtuoso among others, but we’ve been engaging across every industry level.

Through our network of global offices, we’ve engaged and trained tens of thousands of travel agents and tour operators over the last year through training sessions, trade events, fam trips and roadshows. And we continue to identify new partners interested in adding the authentic home of Arabia to their portfolios.

Q: What’s the strategy for promoting Saudi Arabia to key global source markets?

At the heart it’s around three things – awareness, offer and accessibility. We’ve invested heavily in global awareness building through proactive marketing that has resulted in a significant increase in both awareness, education and interest in the destination.

And we’ve used new platforms and technologies like TikTok, which have proven very successful, and location-aware outdoor advertising, to deliver the right information to the right people at the right time.

Converting awareness into actual visitation comes down to developing products and packages that appeal to modern travellers and create commercial returns for our partners. We currently have offer more than 50 travel packages and we are adding more all the time. And we’re increasing accessibility both through our network of trade partnerships, the tourism visa programme and expanded connectivity.

Q: What’s your sustainable tourism development strategy and how does Saudi Arabia aim to set new global benchmarks in this respect?

I think Saudi Arabia is already setting new global standards in sustainable tourism. Just look at what the Red Sea is doing in regenerative tourism development and the work that AlUla and Diriyah are doing in archaeological preservation and protection. Saudi Arabia is demonstrating that a tourism sector can be built upon sustainable principles and we are delivering on our promises to build a leading destination framed around sustainability.

We are just getting started and we invite everyone to join us on our journey”

Rojal Village, Asir region: Saudi Arabia is demonstrating that a tourism sector can be built upon sustainable principles

The Red Sea Project is setting a global benchmark for regenerative tourism

IN NUMBERS 2022

2021

55.5m domestic visits

35% increase in non-religious inbound visitation

43% increase in domestic leisure tourism

37% increase in new DMCs entering the market

Ultimately, Saudi Arabia as a nation is aiming to generate 50% of our energy from renewable sources by 2030 and hitting net zero by 2060, so that will have a significant impact across the entire economy, not just tourism.

And we have a launched an initiative – the Royal Reserves programme – that will protect and restore more than 260,000 square kilometres of the country.

That’s more than 12 percent of the country and equivalent to the land area of New Zealand.

But sustainability goes much further than environmental protection. It cuts through community development, livelihood protection, cultural preservation and so much more. Ultimately, it’s about making our local communities part of our development plans so they have the opportunity to own their country as hosts.

Above and beyond the environmental imperative, which is critical, we need to ensure from a community perspective that tourism is not something that happens to them. It needs to be something that inspires them to stand up and be a part of shaping how the country is moving forward. That’s why we’re investing so heavily in training and development and in engaging with our communities

62mn visitors to date

47%

Of travellers came from international markets

80,000

Hotel rooms under contract

3.2% of the total global pipeline of 2.5 million hotel rooms

Saudi Arabia named fastest-growing tourism destination in G20

Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector has recorded a 121% increase in tourist arrivals compared to pre-pandemic (2019) times, according to the latest UNWTO Tourism Barometer, making the kingdom the fastest growing tourism destination in the G20.

“Recognition of Saudi Arabia’s achievements in the UNWTO Tourism Barometer is a key milestone in our extraordinary recovery and much of the success lies in our leadership’s multipronged approach to managing the pandemic and accelerating the sector’s pace of recovery,” commented Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, and chairman of the board of Saudi Tourism Authority.

to build a model of tourism that works for all – for travellers, for businesses, for communities and for the environment.

Q: What is your ultimate vision in terms of positioning Saudi Arabia as a global tourism destination – how would you like the world to envisage your destination?

Travel and the experience of discovering new places is a wonder that unites all of humanity.

It’s an experience that allows us to learn more about other cultures and more about ourselves. It enriches us, delights us and educates us about the wider world that we live in and the different societies that make up that world.

I believe that Saudi Arabia truly is unparalleled. We are the authentic home of Arabia, the birthplace of one of the richest and most historic global cultures and yet we are a culture that is, honestly, little understood outside the region.

If there is one thing that I would like people to see is that Saudi Arabia is a culturally rich and diverse destination, filled with natural wonder, populated by a warm and hospitable people and buzzing with the energy of youth.

Travel changes minds and changes hearts. And our hearts, and our arms, are open to the world.

“Saudi opened to the world in September 2019 and through continued leadership and commitment, we have made incomparable progress toward realising our ambitious Vision 2030 tourism goals. We are invested in a sustainable future for tourism, and today I am proud of Saudi’s position as the fastest growing tourism destination in the G20.”

According to the UNWTO Tourism Barometer, the global tourism sector saw international tourist arrivals almost triple from January to July 2022, marking a 172% YoY increase.

Q: What is your key message at WTM?

We want people to see that if you’re in tourism you have to be in Saudi Arabia.

We want them to know that we are ready to partner and support their activities in the kingdom. And we want them to believe, as we do, that Saudi Arabia is not only the most exciting new destination in the world today, but that the best is yet to come.

We are just getting started and we invite everyone to join us on our journey.

Saudi Arabia named fastest-growing tourism destination in G20

Diriyah: The City of Earth

Saudi Arabia’s cultural and heritage heartland is being transformed into the world’s greatest gathering place, explains the man delivering this vision, Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO, Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA)

The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) is the entity appointed to oversee the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s foremost historical and cultural site, Diriyah, the birthplace of the kingdom and the ancestral home of the House of Al Saud.

DGDA has a mandate to oversee a 190 sq km supervisory area and is currently transforming 14 square kilometres as part of its US$50.6 billion giga-project to re-establish Diriyah as the beating cultural heart of the kingdom, creating a leading tourism destination where heritage and history is respected, protected, and cultivated.

The heart of Diriyah and the 'Jewel of the Kingdom' is the UNESCO World Heritage Site, At-Turaif.

Pitched as a future tourism icon on par with the Colosseum in Rome and the Acropolis in Greece, it is where the kingdom and wider Arabian Peninsula’s story began.

The development is one of the most complex globally, with the intention of creating the world’s largest cultural and heritage destination and one of the greatest gathering places on earth, seamlessly integrating traditional Najdi architectural typologies alongside contemporary, luxury amenities across hotels, residences, offices, restaurants, retail and more.

In June 2018, HRH The Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, appointed world-renowned hospitality and tourism visionary, Jerry Inzerillo, as DGDA Group CEO, responsible for starting this remarkable new chapter in Diriyah’s history by creating an environment that enhances its historical, national and international presence.

During his five-decade career in the industry, Inzerillo has been a champion for the sector and its people, and fittingly, at Diriyah, community preservation, enhancement and

Diriyah is Saudi Arabia’s foremost historical and cultural destination

Jerry Inzerillo

enrichment underpins the entire project. When complete, the development will add SAR 27 billion (US$7.2 billion) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's GDP, attract more than 27 million visitors annually and employ more than 55,000 people. Here, Inzerillo provides an update on this special project: Diriyah: The City of Earth.

Q: What will ensure that Diriyah is defined as a bucket-list destination once completed?

Diriyah has always been recognised as a cultural focal point for Saudis and we aspire to develop it into a global gathering place by creating rich experiences that narrate the stories of the kingdom’s history to a new audience.

Set to become Saudi Arabia’s foremost historical, cultural and lifestyle destination, Diriyah is a place where culturally significant landmarks will be complemented by leading hospitality brands, fine-dining experiences and world-class retail offerings.

We are bringing to life a historic town recoginsed as a symbolic centre of inspiration for the generations of leaders

that have led the kingdom since the foundation of the First Saudi State in 1727. By inviting international travellers to experience this undiscovered historic site for the first time, we also hope to help the people of Diriyah achieve their goals and instil a sense of national pride.

Q: When will Diriyah be completed? We will soon mark two major milestones, not only for Diriyah, but the kingdom too.

We are preparing to permanently open our UNESCO World Heritage Site, At-Turaif, to the world, in tandem with the unveiling of our new dining district, Bujairi Terrace.

Ecological and sustainable since its inception, and hand-built from the earth and elements in Diriyah, At-Turaif is a

We are bringing to life a historic town recoginsed as a symbolic centre of inspiration”

Above: Diriyah's 14 sq km masterplan

Below: Diriyah Square will be home to a collection of more than 400 global luxury and lifestyle brands and local souqs offering world-class shopping

symbol of Saudi identity. Within the district lies an abundance of historical sites including Salwa Palace, the largest standing structure within Diriyah and known locally as ‘the ruling palace’.

The palace is one of a collection of structures in At-Turaif, simple in design, yet majestic and inspiring. It offers a glimpse into the daily lives of leaders centuries ago, along with the decisions that paved the way for the modern-day kingdom.

Also, opening any day now, Bujairi Terrace is a world-class, expertly curated dining experience, with venues promising international gastronomic excellence fused with contemporary regional and local flavours.

Q: Diriyah already plays host to sporting and cultural events – how do you intend to build on this momentum?

Events like Formula E are immensely important for us to achieve our goal of making Diriyah one of the most important gathering places in the world.

Fans of the sport come to Diriyah in droves to experience one of the world’s most electric motorsport events (pun intended), which lights up the night sky around At-Turaif.

Looking to the future, Diriyah has the scope and ambition to host other major events, be they cultural such as concerts and art festivals or other sporting fixtures.

Q: What hotel and hospitality concepts will Diriyah showcase?

DGDA has carefully curated a collection of 38 hospitality brands, with properties set to open over the next few years. Having

Above: Diriyah has signed some of the world’s leading hotel brands

Right: Bujairi Terrace will offer world-class dining experiences

completed the concept design, the first 16 announced brands are well into the final phases of their designs and DGDA looks forward to unveiling additional hotel operators for the remaining hotel portfolio as we progress with the development.

The hotel brands will be strategically located across two of DGDA’s masterplans – Diriyah and Wadi Safar.

Those signed to date include: Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel operated by Marriott International and the first slated to open; Address Hotels & Resorts; Baccarat Hotels & Resorts; The Gray, a Campbell Gray Hotel property; Capella Hotels and Resorts; Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; Park Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton; Raffles; and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.

In addition, French gastronomy brand Fauchon will launch its first Fauchon Hotel in the Middle East showcasing the Parisian “art de vivre” experience; Hilton will introduce its LXR Hotels & Resorts brand to Saudi Arabia for the first time with a Wadi Hanifah retreat; and Orient Express will make its Middle East debut.

To the west of Diriyah sits Wadi Safar, a destination steeped in heritage and rich cultural tradition, covering 60 square kilometres of unspoiled natural landscape.

BUJAIRI TERRACE

Set within historic Diriyah and offering sweeping views over Wadi Hanifah and At-Turaif, Bujairi Terrace will be Riyadh’s premiere dining destination, featuring a carefully selected mix of more than 20 F&B offerings ranging from international fine-dining options and Michelin-star restaurants to the best of regional and contemporary Saudi cuisine. Local Saudi culinary talent will be championed and celebrated.

This special location was once a gathering place for traders and travellers and DGDA will develop it into a modern cultural hub where the world’s finest experiences and visionary minds will combine. This unique and ever-evolving story is being shaped by a chorus of exceptional brands and voices, with hotel brands on board including Oberoi and Six Senses.

Q: What is the strategy for promoting Diriyah?

DGDA is currently operating a local-first strategy, which other global tourism destinations, such as the United States, have

AT-TURAIF

At-Turaif is a site of Outstanding Universal Value, gaining its UNESCO World Heritage Site title in 2010 due to its tangible and intangible cultural offering. This site of cultural significance will transcend national boundaries to teach present and future generations about Saudi Arabia’s heritage.

The mud-brick-built site boasts the remains of city walls, royal palaces, mosques, and buildings, which together formed the heart of the First Saudi State and the home of the Al Saud family.

Visitors will explore the ancient streetscapes and discover At-Turaif’s story through a range of state-of-the-art galleries, a choice of tours, activities, and experiences such as the amazing ‘Nuzul’ performances, which bring the past vividly to life through re-enactments.

THE LARGEST MUD-BRICK CITY IN THE WORLD

180million

mud bricks will be created using traditional methods for the development, which will make Diriyah the largest mud-brick city in the world once it is complete. Those mud bricks stacked end to end are longer than the Great Wall of China!

also implemented. We passionately believe Diriyah is for everyone – local and international – and we want Saudis and GCC residents to rediscover Saudi and then become our most loyal and vocal ambassadors.

With Riyadh's population of 7.2 million residents within proximity, the scope for us to build economic success via a ‘hyper-local’ first stage is exponential.

However, the introduction and consequent success of the tourism visa scheme in 2019 has revealed international tourism potential.

We know Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination represents the future of travel, and we believe Diriyah will offers travellers something that is truly unique.

Q: Responsible tourism is crucial to tourism development as part of Vision 2030; where does Diriyah fit in?

From the outset, DGDA has placed immense importance on maintaining the highest sustainability standards.

The authority is implementing its sustainability agenda through LEED and Mostadam accreditation and draws its inspiration from being a ’15-minute city’ – an urban planning model whereby residents can reach most daily necessities by walking or cycling.

DGDA’s smart cities and sustainability agenda impacts its full ecosystem across cultural heritage, water conservation, material impact reduction, climate change resilience, and energy efficiency.

Our vision for sustainability is to create a world-class, walkable destination for visitors and locals alike, renowned for being resilient to climate change; promoting cultural heritage; ensuring a thriving, vibrant and healthy community; providing a high quality of life; and promoting equity.

The use of locally sourced materials for the project also reduces the whole-life carbon emissions associated with the development, almost eliminating the transportation miles produced by material procurement and installation, while also supporting the local economy.

We are implementing unique Saudi cultural construction methods as we build our traditional Najdi buildings to meet the local climate needs.

For example, passive ventilation systems and small apertures facing the outside of the buildings keep people inside cool, thick walls maintain insulation, internal courtyards enhance cooling, and narrow streets contribute to shading for pedestrians outdoors.

DGDA surpasses environmental compliance on environmental and sustainability initiatives by embedding international best practices, innovative technologies, and sustainability certification targets across all of its projects.

Q: How are you integrating local people into the project?

We aim to be one of the best employers in the kingdom, aspiring to create a culture where everyone can contribute towards realising Vision 2030.

Saudi talent incubation is a key driver for us as a business and 85% of our employees are Saudi nationals, with 14% hailing from Diriyah.

Vision 2030 also sets out a pledge to increase female employment in the workforce from an average of 22% to 30%.

DGDA is proactively leading the charge on this, surpassing the goal with 36% of positions filled by Saudi women and 16% of those in managerial roles.

Q: What is your ultimate vision for Diriyah as a global tourism destination?

DGDA is unique; we are recreating one of the world’s most significant gathering places with a UNESCO World Heritage Site, At-Turaif, at its heart. We are respecting, preserving and honouring a significant heritage and past, but built in a way that promotes 21st century living.

In this respect, we have hand-picked our partners to ensure they align with our place-making objectives and our heritage preservation agenda, creating a visitor experience unlike anywhere else in the world. At DGDA, we like to say that there is only one Diriyah.

A journey through time

AlUla is a destination of extraordinary human and natural heritage, encompassing more than 200,000 years of unexplored human history.

Located in the beautiful deserts of the north-western region of the Saudi Arabia, around 650 miles north of Riyadh, AlUla is home to countless historic treasures, including the Nabatean city of Hegra – Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage site, the tombs of Dadan – the stone-built capital of the Dadanite and Lihyanite Kingdoms, and the ancient ruins of AlUla Old Town – a prominent pitstop for pilgrims in the 12th century.

Just as remarkable is AlUla’s growing status as hub for modern and contemporary culture, gastronomy and adventure, while AlUla Moments, the destination’s flagship events and festivals calendar, promises travellers unique experiences encompassing arts, culture, music, wellness, sports and much more.

The vast region that comprises AlUla covers nearly 8,700 square miles of mostly untamed desert (about the size of Wales), though the majority of sites are within 35 minutes of one another.

The ongoing development and enhancement of AlUla is crucial to the success of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 – the kingdom’s blueprint for socio-economic transformation as it diversifies from an oil-dominant to a multi-faceted economy, with tourism earmarked as a key growth sector.

One of Saudi’s landmark ‘giga projects’, AlUla is playing a vital role in transforming Saudi Arabia into a world-leading tourism destination. This is reflected in AlUla’s Journey Through Time Masterplan (JTT MP1) launched last year, which sets out a 15year programme to responsibly develop the core historical area of AlUla and is underpinned by a robust sustainability charter, with a focus on protection and preservation.

AlUla is an evolving destination that is nowhere near to reaching its full potential, yet unlike the other Saudi giga projects, it is open for business and thriving.

Here’s a round-up of AlUla ‘need to knows’.

HERITAGE

Hegra is Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprising more than 100 well-preserved tombs with elaborate facades cut out of the sandstone outcrops surrounding the walled urban settlement. Dadan is one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula.

Jabal Ikmah, often referred to as the ‘open-air Library’, offers insights to ancient beliefs, rituals and practices of every-day life.

AlUla Old Town is a 700-year-old heritage site that opened to visitors for the first time in early 2021, with the resorted market street now hosting several local retailers, cafés and restaurants. The town’s mudbrick ruins are currently in the process of being restored.

ARTS AND CULTURE

AlJadidah Village, adjacent to the recently re-invigorated AlUla Old Town, has been transformed into a pedestrian-only arts, culture and dining destination. The compact and walkable zone, meaning ‘new town’, is a must-visit precinct in AlUla featuring a year-round offering of art, curated attractions, galleries, entertainment, beauty, shopping and exciting new eateries.

GASTRONOMY

AlUla has emerged as a gastronomic hotspot with a plethora of new restaurants opening in the last year, including farmto-table concept Somewhere, set in the oasis, and well-known brands such as Annabel’s and Maraya Social. Muayada Square in AlJadidah Village is the place to enjoy a diverse range of dining experiences including Moon Shell, a vegan restaurant specialising in healthy brunch bowls and smoothies. In the village’s Oasis Square, Italian restaurant Circolo is a new and popular dining destination.

A guide to AlUla, an ancient desert destination with a bright tourism future

Far left: Visitors can explore Hegra in a vintage Land Rover

Top: AlUla is an adventure tourism hotspot

Left: Habitas AlUla

Below: Jabal Ikmah, often referred to as the ‘open-air Library’

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

The AlUla Moments events and festivals calendar for 2022-2023 was recently unveiled, with upcoming highlights including newcomer, the Ancient Kingdoms Festival (November 11-27), which celebrates 7,000 years of successive civilisations on the Arabian Peninsula, and, back for its fourth successive season, Winter at Tantora (December 21 to January 21), featuring intimate concerts with world-renowned musicians and events and activations spanning culture, heritage, gastronomy and more. For the latest events information, visit experiencealula.com

NATURE, OUTDOOR ATTRACTIONS AND ADVENTURE

AlUla is a hub for a wide selection of new experiences including those at its four core heritage sites, plus wellness and adventure activities like mountain biking, rock climbing, ziplining, hiking and more. Not-to-be-missed experiential highlights include stargazing and an AlUla helicopter tour Nature lovers can explore the Sharaan Nature Reserve where vintage 4x4 safaris comb the vast sandy canyons and wildflower carpeted valleys, home to ostriches, gazelles, indigenous bird species and ultimately, the endangered Arabian Leopard, which will be released back into this reserve following a successful breeding programme.

NEED TO KNOW WHERE TO STAY

There are multiple unique and boutique accommodation options in AlUla, including:

Habitas AlUla, combining luxury living and sustainability (no single-use plastics, a carbon offset scheme and composting facilities), is a five-star haven with 96 tentstyle rooms that sits in an ancient oasis in the Ashar Valley.

Banyan Tree AlUla, which opened in October, is a five-star resort located in the Ashar Valley, offering luxurious pool villas with one, two or three bedrooms, a Banyan Tree Spa and gourmet dining options.

Caravan by Habitas, a collection of American Airstream Recreational Vehicles arranged around a firepit amongst canyons and date palms, each with an ensuite bathroom, air-conditioning and outdoor deck.

Sahary AlUla Resort is a three-star property featuring 80 spacious rooms and suites in low-rise chalets, with in-room Arabic touches reminiscent of a Bedouin tent.

Shaden Resort is set underneath towering rock formations, which are lit up at night as a stunning backdrop to the 121 rooms and villas, some of which have private pools. There are four on-site restaurants.

HOW TO GET THERE

AlUla has its own newly renovated international airport and is easily accessible by air via domestic gateways Riyadh and Jeddah or internationally from Dubai and Cairo, with regular flights operated from all four destinations by carriers including British Airways, Saudia, flynas and Emirates. From the airport it is a 30-minute drive to most accommodation.

PACKAGE IT UP

With direct flights operating from both Cairo and Dubai to AlUla, a trip to this enthralling destination can easily be packaged as part of a twin or multiple centre trip to the Gulf or Middle East. More than 20 UK tour operators are already selling packages to AlUla, offering specialist holidays focusing on adventure, culture, nature, eco-tourism and more.

Saudi’s cruise ambitions make waves

Cruise Saudi is playing a pivotal role in unleashing the country’s untold cruise sector potential explains CEO Lars

Clasen

Q: What is Cruise Saudi’s role?

Cruise Saudi is the entity driving the development of a fully integrated world-class cruise industry in Saudi – an industry that didn’t exist before.

We are working with local and international partners, including government entities and ministries, to develop the infrastructure and port services required to attract cruise lines and to curate destination experiences and high-quality shore excursions for future travellers.

Cruise Saudi is also responsible for scaling cruise services, from marketing to Shorex coordination and vessel operations ensuring we build an offshore and onshore cruise ecosystem to reach our ultimate goal of positioning Saudi as a premier global cruise destination.

Q: How large is Saudi’s cruise market at present – and what is the growth potential?

Before Cruise Saudi was launched, more than 100 ships would sail past Saudi along the Red Sea every year, but none of them ever stopped in Saudi ports.

We recognised there was potential for a cruise industry in Saudi and so in 2020 we ran a trial season to test its viability.

It proved to be a huge success and the following year, we officially launched Cruise Saudi to establish and develop a

cruise market in Saudi for the first time. We anticipate the potential for significant cruise market growth in Saudi for several reasons.

Firstly, in just over a year, we have already witnessed strong demand for cruising in Saudi.

Since Cruise Saudi’s launch 18 months ago, we have welcomed more than 50,000 passengers, 20% of whom were international, represented by 80-plus nationalities.

Secondly, Saudi is an exciting new tourism destination that is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, offering numerous historical and cultural treasures. Given that 250 million people live within a three-hour flight of Saudi’s Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coastlines, it is well placed to capture cruise demand.

Lastly, Saudi is entering a relatively untapped cruise market in the Middle East.

According to CLIA’s 2019 industry report, the global cruise market is valued at US$154 billion, welcoming 30 million cruise passengers every year.

While countries in the Caribbean such as the Bahamas and Bermuda received 40% of total cruise passengers, the Middle East region received just 1.3% of these visits, which is indicative of a huge opportunity for growth.

Our goal is to welcome 1.3 million cruise passenger visits by 2035. This also supports Saudi’s socio-economic diversification strategy set out in Vision 2030, which has established tourism as an important growth sector for the country, with the aim of attracting 100 million tourist visits by 2030. The demand we have seen for cruising in Saudi thus far puts us in a prime position to contribute towards achieving this goal.

Lars Clasen

Q: What kind of ships are you targeting?

Our goal is to transform Saudi Arabia into a thriving cruise hub where a variety of ships operate that cater to the varied preferences of all travellers.

Throughout the summer and winter seasons in 2021/2022, we welcomed ships such as the family friendly MSC Bellissima, as well as the ultra-luxurious discovery yacht Scenic Eclipse.

We plan to continue welcoming a range of ships to give our passengers the choice to experience cruising in Saudi in different ways.

Q: What types of unique land and sea experiences can Saudi Arabia offer cruisers?

We are working with local partners and ships to curate itineraries that showcase Saudi’s extraordinary tourism offering encompassing history, adventure and culture.

Saudi has a unique past, shaped by its strong ties to Islam, its ancient trading history and its Bedouin roots.

It is home to six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, each of which are fascinating from a cultural and historical perspective, providing a window into centuries of human life.

Three of these sites are currently accessible via cruise and available for inclusion on cruise itineraries.

The first is AlBalad, the Hijazi-style old town and historic area of Jeddah.

Known for its role as the country’s trading port and the gateway to Makkah for Muslim pilgrims, today visitors can be transported back in time as they wander through the ancient streets and marvel at the stunning architecture of Jeddah’s UNESCO World Heritage site.

The second is Hegra in AlUla, Saudi’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It is the largest conserved archaeological site of the Nabataean civilisation south of Petra in Jordan.

Passengers can visit the incredible necropolis from the coastal access point of Yanbu port.

The third is the world’s largest oasis – AlAhsa Oasis. It comprises gardens, canals, springs, wells, and a drainage lake, as well as historical buildings, urban fabric and archaeological sites. Passengers can access this UNESCO World Heritage site via the port of Dammam.

Saudi is also home to pristine beaches and stunning islands along the Red Sea coast and the Arabian Gulf.

Our goal is to welcome 1.3 million cruise passenger visits by 2035”

Left: Jeddah’s coral reefs

Above: The unspoiled, rugged Red Sea coastline in Saudi Arabia

Right: MSC Bellissima operated Saudi itineraries in 2021 and 2022

Travellers can enjoy a variety of activities both in the water and offshore.

They can snorkel and dive, taking in the sights of the Red Sea’s spectacular coral reefs and exploring underwater shipwrecks, and they can also drive dune buggies and sandboard across the desert.

Cruise Saudi passengers can also experience local culinary culture onboard, as well as on land.

We have partnered with the Ministry of Culture’s Culinary Art Commission to bring authentic Saudi dishes aboard ships that visit Saudi Arabia, treating local guests to familiar favourites and giving international travellers an opportunity to explore new tastes and flavours.

Q: What exciting developments can we expect in 2023?

Our goal is to increase the number of international and local tourists experiencing the stunning Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf coastlines by welcoming new ships to Saudi Arabia. We are also looking to introduce more experiences for tourists by developing more ports and working with destination partners to curate a range of itineraries.

Over the last 18 months, we have equipped three ports with the required infrastructure – Jeddah Islamic Port, which is home to Saudi’s first cruise passenger terminal, as well as ports in Yanbu (on the Red Sea) and Dammam (on the Arabian Gulf). This has not only opened up new opportunities in global cruising, but helped to build a new bridge between Saudi and the rest of the world.

Over the coming months and years, we plan to continue expanding Saudi’s ports to benefit cruise lines and passengers.

Q: Building sustainable industries underpins Vision 2030 – where does the cruise sector fit in?

Cruise Saudi is developing Saudi’s cruise sector into a revenue-generator that contributes to the growth of the kingdom’s tourism industry. Our goals align with one of Vision 2030’s core tenets – to empower and enable the future generation – and we are planning for the long term by investing in the people who will go on to become the leaders of the industry.

We have developed training programmes with our partners to equip Saudi’s future workforce with the necessary skills required to maintain a high-quality cruise industry.

In partnership with the Ministry of Tourism

we have developed cruise-specific tour guide training programmes and we have also engaged international experts to provide Saudi students with practical training on board ships sailing in Saudi waters.

Looking ahead, we aim to create 50,000 jobs by 2035. This will include roles such as Saudi guest relations officers to assist with

Arabic translation onboard, call centre staff to book tickets, cruise terminal staff, as well as coach drivers, tour operators and guides to support excursions.

By ensuring a strong pipeline of talent, we can effectively plan for the long-term success of the cruise industry in Saudi in 2030 and beyond.

Right: AlBalad, Jeddah

Below: Hegra, Saudi’s first UNESCO site, in AlUla

DID YOU KNOW?

Contrary to popular opinion, Saudi is not all desert and the temperature is not 45-plus degrees Celsius all year round. The country is divided into 13 provinces, each with a unique culture, cuisine, and climate. There are cities where the temperature falls below zero in winter (some face the occasional snow as well) like Turaif, Hail, Tabuk in the north, Abha in the south and even Riyadh in the central region of the kingdom.

for our destinations to appear on the “mustsee” lists of all cruise enthusiasts. We see a bright future for Saudi’s cruising industry, and we are very excited to steer that journey.

Q: What is your message to the WTM London audience this year?

Saudi is a new and exciting destination on the global tourism stage. Its diverse offerings include deserts, seas, beaches, islands, sites, and landmarks, as well as a culture, history and heritage.

We are building new bridges and gateways to connect the country to the rest of the world and invite everyone to come and discover what Saudi is all about. At industry events like WTM, global players come together to discuss new trends, destinations, experiences and the future of the travel and tourism industry.

Q: What is your ultimate vision for positioning Saudi as a global cruise destination?

Cruise Saudi’s vision is to become a worldclass cruise port and cruise line operator, driving the development of destination

experiences to build a thriving cruise sector in Saudi.

Our goal is for Saudi to be recognised as a premier global cruising destination, echoing the region’s history as a maritime hub, and

We want to showcase Saudi’s potential as a regional cruise hub and explore a range of opportunities with potential partners.

As demand for international travel continues to pick up, we believe Saudi is the next destination for avid travellers and adventure enthusiasts to add to their bucket lists.

Above: Saudi’s landscape is diverse

Left: Saudi’s pristine waters are relatively unexplored

Jeddah Historic District comes of age

The revitalisation of Jeddah’s Historic District will create a global tourism destination where the old and the new perfectly collide

Jeddah is the second largest city in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Historic District, also known as Al Balad, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to 600 historic buildings, 36 mosques, 14 ribats and five souqs, Al Balad has significance locally as a thriving, multicultural hub, and, on an international scale, as an important tourism destination, which combines history and heritage with contemporary, creative excitement.

Founded more than 2,300 years ago,

From Top: Red Sea architectural tradition preserved Historic Jeddah is a thriving cosmopolitan hub Houses are intricately constructed from Red Sea coral

the city of Jeddah came into existence as a small fishing village. Its proximity to the Red Sea meant that Al Balad was soon established as an important hub for traders bringing their goods by boat. But not only traders; Jeddah Historic District firmly established itself as the gateway to Mecca for pilgrims making the journey by sea.

Jeddah Historic District’s important role as a hub for traders and pilgrims has shaped the area seen today. Known for its warm, generous hospitality, Al Balad’s culture is firmly rooted in its past.

Locals are proud of their heritage; ambitious and forward thinking individuals who are eager to share what makes the Historic District so special.

In September 2021, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, announced a project to “revitalise Historic Jeddah” as part of wider plans to regenerate the area to become a hub for thinkers, creatives, entrepreneurs and everyone in between.

The revitalisation project, being implemented by a dedicated entity, the Jeddah Historic District Programme, is designed with both locals and tourists in mind.

It aims to create an integrated environment in Historic Jeddah that has multiple natural components, including 5km of developed waterfronts, green spaces and open gardens covering 15% of the total area of Al Balad.

Alarbaeen lake park recently opened

Al Balad locals breaking fast during Ramadan in Al Shafi’i Mosque

Jeddah Historic District is where old meets new”

Its overarching aims are to preserve Al Balad’s history and heritage whilst creating a community which locals want to live in, and tourists want to visit.

The regeneration project is aligned to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s transformative Vision 2030 objectives.

Jeddah Historic District’s appeal is already vast. From its beautiful Hijazi architecture, characterised by coral stone and Roshans, three-sided wooden structures extending outside of the house façade, to its historic souqs, where merchants have been selling trinkets for years, Al Balad is steeped in authentic culture and design.

The culinary scene is a big part of Jeddah Historic District.

Many restaurants and cafés here have been operating for decades, being passed from one generation to the next. Its Red Sea location means that Al Balad is a melting pot of flavours, with restaurants representing different cultures and flavours combining for an authentic taste of a global cuisine.

Jeddah Historic District is also welcoming more contemporary events, such as the Red Sea International Film Festival, making it the destination in Saudi Arabia for arts and culture.

While the regeneration project is in full swing, the Jeddah Historic District Programme is focused on preserving Al Balad’s beautiful culture and hospitality.

It’s not the goal of the programme to create a new destination. Rather, it is to grow

DID YOU KNOW?

Jeddah takes its name from Jaddah, the Arabic word for Grandmother. The settlement dates back to 6th century BC and was originally established as a fishing village.

the area’s infrastructure whilst respecting its traditional identity and heritage.

In December 2022, Al Balad will unveil a new interactive visitor centre, an engaging and informative space to cater to anyone visiting. It will introduce and reconnect the public with the Jeddah Historic District.

Jeddah Historic District is where old meets new; a place for travellers from all over the world who are looking for a destination which is authentic, warm and welcoming. It’s firmly putting itself on the map as a must-visit destination for 2023 and beyond.

Jeddah's waterfront

Vibrant streets are steeped in history

Bait Thaker

2022

24mn

The number of visits to Expo 2020 Dubai

62.4mn

Projected passenger traffic at Dubai International (DXB) in 2022

38.41mn

UAE international tourism receipts in 2019 (+79.74% yoy)

$72bn

Travel and tourism contribution to UAE GDP by 2027 (12.4% of GDP)

7.28mn

Overnight visitors to Dubai in 2021 (+32% yoy)

The vision of His Highness

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the city of the future and the world’s best place to live, work and invest in has resulted in a resurgence of Dubai’s tourism sector. The growth in tourists reflects the

resilience and dynamism of the emirate’s economy”

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai

Sources: Expo 2020 Dubai, Dubai Airports, macrotrends. net, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, Dubai Economy & Tourism

Rotana picks up the pace

As UAE-based Rotana marks 30 years in the hospitality business, President and CEO Guy Hutchinson outlines its expansionist ambitions for the near future

In 1992, two visionary thinkers, Nasser Al Nowais and Selim El Zyr, partnered to launch Rotana, a UAE-based hotel company with genuine Arabian hospitality at its heart.

Its first property, Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, opened in 1993 and remains one of the UAE capital’s most well-loved hotels.

Over the past three decades, Rotana has flourished, and today, is one of the leading hotel management companies in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Türkiye region, operating 72 properties in 25 cities across 14 countries, with 50 more in the development pipeline that will expand its presence to 29 cities in 16 countries.

The company has masterminded six unique brands, including its newest edition, Edge by Rotana – a collection of independent properties that leverages the group’s extensive network – with two properties in operation – the Arabian Park Hotel and Damac Hills 2 Hotel.

Here, as Rotana marks its 30th anniversary, President and CEO Guy Hutchinson looks at how the company’s remarkable past is shaping its ongoing success and bright future.

Q: It has been 30 years since Rotana was established – when you look back, what have been the hospitality company’s milestones and achievements?

Rotana has achieved a number of milestones as it continues

its tenacious expansion across the region. Since opening its first hotel in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, in 1993, Rotana has grown its portfolio significantly and currently operates 72 hotels that serve more than six million guests every year.

Rotana has consistently been recognised for its unique understanding of the local culture combined with world-class hospitality standards.

Testament to its ongoing success, Rotana has been named the ‘Best Hotel Brand in the Middle East’ at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards for six consecutive years since 2017.

This prestigious awards ceremony also saw our revered Chairman, Nasser Al Nowais, recognised with the first-ofits-kind lifetime achievement award, acknowledging his leadership and influence, not only at Rotana, but in the UAE hospitality sector over the past three decades.

Rotana was also awarded ‘Best Business Hotel Brand in the Middle East’ at the Business Traveller UK Awards in 2018 and 2021 and the ‘Best Business Hotel Chain in the Middle East’ in 2019 and 2020.

Q: Where is Rotana heading over the next 30 years?

As the tourism sector continues to thrive, Rotana envisions opening 30 new hotels in the next five years thanks to a surge in investor interest and the launch of our conversion

Al Bandar Rotana, Dubai

Guy Hutchinson

Rotana envisions opening 30 new hotels in the next five years”

Al Jaddaf Rotana, Dubai

brand, Edge by Rotana, underpinning strong growth dynamics in the region.

Africa will be a strong focus; we have re-opened Johari Rotana in Tanzania and we have recently signed an initial pact for a five-star resort in the West African nation of Benin.

Next year, Rotana will make its foray into the Algerian market with the launch of Azure Rotana Resort & Spa in the port city of Oran, which is scheduled to open in Q2.

The GCC and wider MENAT region remains a core market as we keep growing our footprint in key destinations.

Our new hotel in Muscat's Al Mouj Development is due to open in the first quarter of next year. We have also signed for The Residences by Rotana to provide villa accommodation in the port city of Bodrum on Türkiye's southwest coast on the Aegean Sea.

Q: Following its May launch, what progress has been made with the roll out of the Edge by Rotana brand?

Edge by Rotana is a collection of independent properties that maintain their individuality while capitalising on access to Rotana’s extensive network and systems.

Through a four-pillared approach, Edge by Rotana ensures hotel performance remains at the forefront while maximising revenue and establishing loyalty.

We recently announced the openings of two new Edge by Rotana managed hotels in Dubai – Arabian Park and Damac Hills 2. The new properties add 623 keys to our growing portfolio and further diversify our offerings to respond to increasing demand in Dubai.

We have also signed an agreement for an Edge by Rotana

Beach Rotana Residences, Abu Dhbai

hotel in Istanbul. By 2027, we aim to operate around 30 Edge by Rotana properties in the region.

Q: Rotana has ramped up openings and signings this year – what are the hot markets and why?

Rotana has witnessed a tremendous year as we continue to cement our footprint in the region with new openings. Saudi Arabia is one of the most exciting and dynamic regions at the moment in terms of hospitality development.

The kingdom continues to move in line with its Vision 2030 to diversify the economy and boost areas in tech, start-ups and tourism, and we recently announced the opening of our first five-star hotel in Dammam, Dana Rayhaan by Rotana.

Internationally, we are accelerating the growth of our fivestar property portfolio with the recent opening of Slemani Rotana in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, and the relaunch of Johari Rotana in Tanzania, while in Doha, Qatar, we will open

two new properties – Bin Al Sheikh Residences by Rotana and Riviera Rayhaan by Rotana, adding 688 keys to our existing portfolio in the capital.

Q: Expo 2020 Dubai played a key role in boosting the hospitality market post-pandemic – how will the FIFA World Cup in Qatar capitalise on this momentum?

The four-week football mega-tournament in Qatar has been a catalyst of growth for the hospitality and travel sector in the region and our properties in both Doha and Dubai have reported strong bookings for the fourth quarter.

Our five-star properties in Doha's city centre are at full capacity, while the occupancy rate at the other Doha properties will hit the high 90s soon.

We are also preparing to open Bin Al Sheikh Residences by Rotana and Riviera Rayhaan by Rotana in November, just in time to meet the surge in demand from football enthusiasts.

The popular Saadiyat Rotana on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island

ROTANA FAST FACTS

Portfolio

72

operating properties (19,090 rooms) in 25 cities across 14 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Türkiye region

Pipeline

50

properties under development including 11,236 rooms in 29 cities across 16 countries

Brands

Rotana Hotels & Resorts

Centro Hotels by Rotana

Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts by Rotana

Arjaan Hotel Apartments by Rotana

The Residences by Rotana Edge by Rotana

Rotana Rewards

750,000

members of the award-winning loyalty programme across three tiers

The team

10,000

people from 96 countries proudly work at Rotana

Guests

6mn per year

Restaurants

250 across its property portfolio

Our Dubai hotels are recording significant demand for bookings in November and December, with occupancy expected to reach the mid to high 90s as dozens of daily shuttle flights between the emirate and Doha transport fans during the event.

Q: What other events and market trends is Rotana leveraging?

Egypt is one of the strongest development markets and Luxor Rotana, which will open by the end of 2023, is one of six new hotels we have planned for the country, with others we have pipelined due to open in New Cairo and the popular North Coast in 2024.

Regionally, the Middle East has successfully captured new markets and businesses with tremendous support from governments and airlines.

We have recently seen strong collaboration between industry peers and stakeholders to enhance domestic and international tourism.

Visitors from traditional markets like Saudi Arabia and the UK have rebounded strongly, while demand from existing markets like France has doubled.

Travellers from Latin America, including Brazil and Mexico, which are emerging markets for the Middle East region, are also contributing to Rotana's growth.

Q: In your home market, the UAE, building foodie destinations has become a focus – where does Rotana fit in?

Earlier this year, Rotana launched an interactive F&B platform, ‘Rotana at the Table’, that aims to create a community of engaged F&B enthusiasts and drive further awareness of the booming gastronomic scene in the UAE and wider region.

With a mission to bring customers closer to our team, the platform showcases our extensive F&B offerings and sheds light on the people behind them.

With sustainability embedded at the core of our operations, we aim to further amplify our ongoing efforts in sustainable dining, which includes sourcing only local products and ingredients. Rotana continues to grow its expansive portfolio, with 17 new F&B outlets projected to open in 2023, offering our guests and even greater range of innovative and unique dining experiences, coupled with exemplary service standards.

Q: What is the business outlook for 2023?

We are no longer talking about recovery. Our main focus for the coming year will be on growth and expansion, reinstating the strongest fundamentals in the industry, reinvesting in properties, and growing our portfolio.

With our new brand ‘Edge by Rotana’, we want to continue growing our franchise business. We are expecting a 15% to 20% year-on-year rise in revenue for 2023.

Backed by robust investor appetite in hospitality development, Rotana has already planned for seven property openings for 2023, though we strongly believe this figure could double by the end of next year amid continuing positive discussions with several stakeholders.

Q: What are your key messages to the WTM audience this year?

World Travel Market London is one of the most important gatherings for the global travel industry, bringing together peers and professionals to advance the conversation around the future of travel and explore opportunities to grow. This year, we look forward to spreading the word about our recent expansion in new markets and growing our footprint in the MENAT region and beyond.

We are very confident about the future of the hospitality industry, and we will continue building our success story with a mission to deliver “Treasured Time” to our guests across the world.

We are expecting a 15% to 20% year-on-year rise in revenue for 2023”

The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is redefining experiential travel as part of a long-term strategy committed to responsible tourism development, as Acting Chief Executive Officer, H.E Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, explains

Call of the wild

The 100-yearold Najd Al Meqsar Village

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is the driving force behind the transformation of Sharjah. Guided by the emirate’s traditions and inspired by innovation, it is committed to enhancing Sharjah’s appeal as a leading investment, tourism, and business destination in the UAE and the wider region.

An independent government entity, Shurooq facilitates partnerships and connects investors, corporations and entrepreneurs with well-matched opportunities.

“Shurooq chooses projects that help Sharjah grow in the best way possible and upholds the traditions of the emirate by leveraging its city’s rich cultural and architectural fabric to create world-class destinations and experiences that celebrate Sharjah’s rich heritage and biodiversity,” explains

H.E Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Shurooq’s Acting Chief Executive Officer.

“We work with a host of local and global partners and top international brands across hospitality, retail, real estate, leisure, tourism, culture, arts and education, to design and deliver destinations that are redefining experiential travel and leisure in our region.”

Here, Al Qaseer explains how Shurooq is forging its own unique path in establishing Sharjah as a tourism destination like no other, with eco-hospitality and environment-led projects at the fore.

Q: What are the headline projects that have put Sharjah on the map?

Sharjah is already on the map, thanks to its clear vision to offer authentic experiences unique to the emirate. We have gradually earned this status by developing several big-ticket projects across Sharjah, transforming areas like Al Majaz and Al Hira

beach in the main city as well as places like Khorfakkan and Kalba in the emirate’s eastern and central regions. Moreover, new Shurooq developments are further diversifying Sharjah’s leisure and tourism offerings to bolster the emirate’s appeal.

Committed to creating destinations that respect the environment, we have been revolutionising our region’s eco-hospitality landscape with a myriad of projects.

Three projects that highlight our thrust for innovation in the sector include Lux* Al Jabal Resort – a luxurious beach resort located on a spectacular terrain hill overlooking a beach in Khorfakkan; the Lux* Al Bridi Resort in the Al Dhaid region, set adjacent to Sharjah Safari Park – the largest wildlife reserve outside Africa, home to around 120 local and exotic species; and Nomad – a luxurious trailer resort experience that Shurooq has introduced to Sharjah.

The Serai Wing at Bait Khalid Bin Ibrahim – a pearl merchant’s 19thcentury family home in the Heart of Sharjah district, which Shurooq is converting into a luxurious 12key boutique hotel, is our latest endeavour in raising Sharjah’s profile as a leading destination in the region for heritage-inspired travel.

Last but not least, the Mysk Najd Al Meqsar Village Retreat, nestled in a rocky terrain in the picturesque city of Khorfakkan on Sharjah’s east coast, is another Shurooq headliner, which once complete, will offer luxurious heritage-style units that were once 13 historic old houses in the 100-year-old Najd Al Meqsar Village.

DID YOU KNOW?

Q: What visitor demographics do Shurooq’s tourism projects target?

The target visitor demographic for Shurooq’s projects is people of all age groups and from all possible backgrounds, because every project is inspired by Sharjah’s overarching vision of being a leading global city in which to live, work and visit.

Today, the emirate is a preferred destination for businesses and investors looking for a gateway to the UAE and GCC.

Our University City supports the education of 47,000-plus students, we are the sixth safest city in the world, and a vibrant home for innovation.

Shurooq’s role is to attract the right kind of investments for developing projects that turn the spotlight on the diverse nature of visitor experiences Sharjah is capable of offering. The emirate’s historic role and importance in the UAE’s and the region’s development means that the city is a haven for those looking for attractions steeped in

We have been revolutionising our region’s eco-hospitality landscape with a myriad of projects”

The Serai Wing at Bait Khalid Bin Ibrahim

The Arabian Gulf’s first airport was built in Sharjah and welcomed its first aircraft in 1932. Today, known as the Sharjah International Airport, it is one of the busiest airports in the Arab World. The next time you take a flight to Sharjah, remember you will soon be landing on turf that has played a formative role in shaping the region’s travel and tourism landscape as we see it today.

ECO-FRIENDLY UNITS AT LUX* AL JABAL RESORT A unique mountain hideout in Khorfakkan

'The ultimate eco-friendly adventure experience will soon be unveiled in Khorfakkan on the east coast of the UAE where LUX* Al Jabal Resort, an idyllic mountain hideout, is being developed by Shurooq.

Here, where the majestic mountains meet the sea, the five-star resort uses the natural terrain to its advantage in the construction of its landmark architecture. Located on the slopes of the spectacular Al Soueifa mountain and nestled within deep and dramatic gorges, LUX* Al Jabal Resort will span 260,000 square metres overlooking Khorfakkan’s picturesque bay.

Shurooq’s commitment to sustainability is evident in the eco-friendly cubeshaped accommodation imported from Finland. Made from a special variety of Finnish pine wood, it is validated by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), a global sustainable forestry initiative.

Scheduled for completion in 2023, LUX* Al Jabal Resort will comprise 45 eco-friendly one- and two-bedroom units including both simple and luxurious options, with 15 units equipped with a private swimming pool and a royal suite featuring a private garden and pool. It will also offer a kids’ play area, clifftop restaurant with mesmerising sunrise and sunset views, a reception hall on the sloping hills, a gym and a LUX* ME Spa.

history and culture. We also have the right mix of offerings for adventure lovers, as well as young visitors seeking educational value in their discoveries.

For tourists and residents who want to sit back and relax in nature’s lap, Shurooq’s eco-hospitality destinations all leverage Sharjah’s diverse landscapes – desert, mountains, and the sea – to offer unforgettable experiences.

Our entire range of world-class leisure, hospitality, retail, residential, cultural, educational and mixed-use destinations have something unique on offer for everyone.

Q: What steps are you taking to promote Shurooq’s projects globally?

This is our 17th consecutive participation in WTM London, the world’s premier event for showcasing the latest developments and the biggest achievements of the travel and tourism industry. We ensure that Shurooq is always in the right place at the right time to attract the right kind of investments in Sharjah. Every year we draw up a calendar of networking events globally and locally that are attended by the global community of investors and visionaries who are leading transformative change across cities worldwide. Our focus is to educate prospective businesses and investors on Sharjah’s appeal as a strategic investment destination for those looking to explore emerging markets. Shurooq has been investing heavily in developing large-scale destina-

tions around the emirate’s open deserts, mountains, beaches and natural reserves, which is quickly transforming Sharjah into an adventure and ecotourism hotspot, particularly in the rapidly-growing eastern and central regions.

Through our investments in these multi-million-dollar projects, Shurooq continues to generate tremendous opportunities in hospitality, leisure, entertainment, retail, and other travel-related investments.

Q: What makes Sharjah unique as an investment destination, particularly in the tourism sector? There are several factors that have contributed to shaping Sharjah as a leading investment destination across diverse sectors, including tourism.

With a steadily rising GDP, a highly diversified economy and a growing population of well-educated and ambitious young people, Sharjah is well placed for long-term investment returns and access to global markets and skilled talent.

The emirate is now becoming increasingly well-known for its pioneering sustainability initiatives, and with exceptional support provided by the government, lower costs compared to other trade and investment and hubs in the region, and a culture of innovation, the city is an ideal choice for investors seeking a safe, vibrant base in the Middle East. The bottom line is that Sharjah has the right mix to drive investments and businesses forward.

Q: What are your key messages to the WTM London audience this year?

Air traffic to Sharjah has outperformed previous years’ levels and the emirate is ripe with exciting new prospects for seekers of leisure and business alike. Shurooq is leading Sharjah’s transformation as a unique destination where businesses, life and the environment live in perfect harmony with each other. Through our eco-hospitality and ecotourism offerings, we are building a truly remarkable example of how sustainability can be at the heart of responsible commerce. This year we are curating a spectacular showcase for our WTM audiences with our latest luxury hospitality projects, namely, The Serai Wing at Bait Khalid Bin Ibrahim and the Najd Al Meqsar Retreat, displayed alongside latest entrants in our vast ecotourism collection – Lux* Al Jabal Resort , Lux* Al Bridi Resort, and Nomad. We welcome all WTM 2022 visitors to come explore the Shurooq exhibition at the Sharjah Pavillion led by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), at stand ME 150.

Q: How do your projects pioneer regeneration?

By building a diversified portfolio of tourism and leisure projects in Sharjah, Shurooq aims to highlight it emphasis on sustainable tourism development, promote responsible tourism, and underscore the potential of

LUX* AL BRIDI RESORT Curated experiences in the wild

ecotourism in conservation of natural and cultural heritage.

For more than a decade we have championed the creation of authentic experiences that respect the environment and promote sustainability. For example, our MYSK Moon Retreat glamping destination in the Mleiha desert region is part of the Travel Sustainable Programme.

This means we have taken significant steps to ensure stays are eco-friendly and sustainable. We use 100% renewable electricity throughout the property to offset some of its carbon footprint and fit out guest accommodations with water-efficient toilets and showers and waste recycling bins, plus most food is locally sourced and organic. At all properties developed under the

Sharjah Collection brand, which are operated and managed by Mysk by Shaza, Shurooq has reinforced its emphasis on site-responsive criteria to govern the design, architectural interventions and choice of materials in construction when re-imagining the existing structure.

Part of this collection, The Kingfisher Retreat opens the gateway to a unique world of conservation in one of the UAE’s most diverse ecosystems, Kalba.

The property’s 20 exceptionally designed luxurious tents are set up approximately 30 metres away from the shoreline to avoid deep dewatering and raised from the ground by almost one metre to preserve the flora and fauna.

Three layers of insulated roof minimises heat inside the tents while low lighting options are mindful of the sensitive wildlife that surrounds them.

Our latest projects being showcased here at WTM 2022, which once complete will be managed by leading global hotel operator, the LUX Collective, headquartered in Singapore, also benefit from Sharjah’s deep-rooted history and rich biodiversity whose protection and regeneration are guiding our vision and execution of them. We look forward to welcoming guests to these new close-to-nature experiences in the emirate, which will also create an opportunity for them to give back to people and the planet.

A luxury resort nestled inside a natural reserve is the best way to experience nature and wildlife, and Shurooq’s LUX* Al Bridi Resort, an upcoming five-star hospitality offering in Al Dhaid, Sharjah, is just the place to observe and photograph the 'Big Five of Africa' –the rhino, buffalo, elephant, lion, and leopard – in a natural, desert setting.

Occupying 784 hectares of the Sharjah Safari project, the largest wildlife safari in the world outside of Africa, LUX* Al Bridi Resort marks a new era of luxury living in the wild. A partnership with Sharjah’s Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) ensures the care and conservation of the wild species inhabiting the reserve.

The bottom line is that Sharjah has the right mix to drive investments and businesses forward”

The 35-key property, scheduled for a 2023 opening, will feature 21 one-bedroom, eight two-bedroom, and six three-bedrooms units, in addition to a gym, spa and pool, a restaurant, and a kids’ club.

70% rise in the number of people searching for sustainable travel options in 2021

61%

of travellers in 2021 said the pandemic made them want to travel more sustainably in the future

90% said they wanted to travel more sustainably in 2022

70%

were overwhelmed about starting the process of travelling sustainably

74% said sustainable travel is too costly

SPOTLIGHT ON… New Zealand

According to the WTTC, New Zealand is one of the great examples of regenerative tourism in action. Tourism New Zealand, the country’s official tourism body, invites all visitors to take the Tiaki promise. It’s a promise to care for New Zealand – to care for the people, the culture, the land, the sea, and nature. The pledge reads: “While travelling in New Zealand I will care for land, sea, and nature, treading lightly and leaving no trace; travel safely, showing care and consideration for all; respect culture, travelling with an open heart and mind.”

Sources: Google, Booking.com, Expedia.com, WTTC

“We have no alternative; we have to go green. We need to invest in making sure destinations are great places to live and not just great places to visit”

JULIA SIMPSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO, WORLD TRAVEL & TOURISM COUNCIL

Responsible Tourism

The rise and rise of responsible tourism

The Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations is now 20 years old. It emerged from a side event to the World Summit on Sustainable Development staged in 2002. The 1996 South African post-apartheid tourism strategy, still current, has Responsible Tourism at its core and work with the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) in the UK outbound industry had identified Responsible Tourism as an approach to which businesses could commit.

Recognising that the important issues vary depending on the location, we focused on the destinations where tourists, local communities, and tourism businesses interact, managed primarily by local government, protected area and cultural and religious site managers.

By 2002, it was already evident that sustainability and sustainable development are intrinsically difficult concepts to define. In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". The problem is that we rarely think about the needs of future generations, and if we do, we assume that there will be a magical technical fix, failing to recognise that our world is finite.

The impetus behind the Cape Town Declaration was as relevant in 2002 as it is today. The future is what we make it. Only by taking responsibility today will we ensure that our children can meet their own needs. Responsibility drives

The global travel industry has a vital role to play in promoting sustainability through responsible tourism, writes WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor Harold Goodwin

More destinations and tourism operators are embracing sustainability

sustainability. Some businesses and destinations have demonstrably taken responsibility and moved towards sustainability. Each year since 2004, the Responsible Tourism Awards have been presented at WTM London. The awards recognise businesses and destinations that have developed tried and tested solutions that are worthy of replication. These will be made more accessible through the Platform for Change on the Responsible Tourism Partnership website. There are now regional awards: Africa, India, Latin America, and a residual Rest of the World category. The regional Gold winners enter the Global Awards presented at WTM London, now in its second year.

WTM London adopted the Cape Town Declaration definition of Responsible Tourism in 2007 when it launched Responsible Tourism Day. The programme of presentations, panels and interviews has since grown and spread to WTM Africa and WTM Latin America. The London show is now recognised as the world's largest responsible tourism event. There is an international network of responsible tourism centres (IRTCs) with a presence in 15 countries – advocacy, research, training, campaigning and encouraging south-

south exchange. The Secretary General of the UN, António Guterres, argued in February last year that "with leadership, determination and commitment to future generations, I am convinced we can provide a healthy planet for all humanity to not just survive, but to thrive".

We need to take responsibility and make the changes we know are necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, counter climate change, prevent plastic waste from polluting our environment, counter biodiversity extinction and ensure that tourism is inclusive, benefits local communities and improves livelihoods. In short, ensuring that tourism enhances the liveability of a destination while making it a more appealing place to visit, in that order. Great places to live are ultimately great places to visit.

The trend towards delaying the implementation of changes designed to make our industry more sustainable leaves us facing increasingly complex challenges year on year. The longer we delay the more expensive, complex and disruptive the remedies will be. As US president Joe Biden pointed out at COP26, we are currently living in a critical decade. We must not delay longer. We are running out of time.

It is important that we recognise those companies and destinations spearheading responsible tourism through the Platform for Change. In the global and regional awards categories, we recognise businesses and destinations whose initiatives are making a real difference.

We also recognise those entrants whose ideas and initiatives have not yet been sufficiently tried and tested but are declared ‘ones to watch’. The judges hope that we shall see them again in a year or two.

Twenty years on, it is time to update the Cape Town Declaration. The first step toward this was the signing of a new Charter on Responsible Tourism on November 6, 2022 at Magna Carta Island, where we understand that King John signed the Magna Carta in 1215. The charter addresses travel to the destination for the first time, and the major issues: greenhouse gasses, plastic pollution, biodiversity extinction and inclusion.

Our ambition is to publish a compliance report recognising those who have taken responsibility for driving change and can demonstrate positive impact and with solutions worthy of replication. Our industry too often slips into greenwashing. We are good at creating labels intended to convince clients and partners that we are doing good.

Each year we plan here to report on those with data to demonstrate that they are making tourism better.

10 global leaders in responsible tourism

Responsible Tourism Advisor Harold Goodwin

girls; and transgender people. The company's goal is to increase the employment of ODIs. On March 31, 2022, 13% of the group’s employees were recognised as ODIs.

Lemon Tree Hotels, India

A mainstream hospitality company employing the differently abled and the marginalised

Lemon Tree Hotels operates 85 hotels housing more than 8,000 guestrooms in 52 destinations worldwide.

It is the largest hotel group operating in India’s mid-market segment and the country’s third largest operator overall. The company prides itself on being an equal opportunity employer encouraging job applications from the differently abled, believing they should have the same opportunities as others to realise their potential. Lemon Tree stands for more than 'just profit' – its goal is to be recognised as one of India’s most-trusted brands.

Since 2007, the firm has focused on recruiting 'Opportunity Deprived Indians' (ODIs), the differently abled and the marginalised. The firm recruits differently abled people with speech and hearing impediments, the orthopedically handicapped, people with autism, Down's syndrome, and acid attack survivors. Lemon Tree also employs the socially and economically marginalised, recruited from those living below the poverty line: widowed or destitute women; orphaned or abandoned

Lemon Tree began by employing the speech and hearing impaired in roles like kitchen stewarding and housekeeping, where direct guest interaction was minimal, developing standard operating procedures and training modules. The company then extended the initiative to guest contact areas like restaurants. Staff with Down's syndrome are being employed in coffee shops, and those with autism in housekeeping. As the company learns how to adapt their standard operating procedures and develops the necessary training modules, the approach is being rolled out across the company. Lemon Tree uses cards to introduce differently-abled employees to guests and numbered menus, making for positive engagement between host and guest. To ensure an inclusive workplace culture they have trained those staff who manage and work with the hearing and speech impaired in Indian Sign Language.

Over the last 15 years, Lemon Tree has developed a programme for inclusion with dedicated resources, undertaking sensitisation, mapping jobs, developing partnerships, training, monitoring and scaling up across the group.

The company reports enhanced employee satisfaction, engagement and pride, and "growing customer delight". Its ODI initiatives have enhanced the company's reputation and strengthened the Lemon Tree brand.

In the last 15 years, more than 3,000 ODIs have been trained and many companies from other sectors have engaged with the firm, wanting to learn from its experience.

Lemon Tree aims for ODIs to account for 30% of its workforce by 2026. It is building a base across all departments and roles and is bringing in more disability types and other marginalised people. Lemon Tree has not sought external funding for these initiatives. Management reports a range of challenges: constraints on the supply of potential ODI employees, inaccessible public transport, weak family support for employees and the cultural change required at Lemon Tree. Lemon Tree is also delivering on the environment with a 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 38% reduction in water consumption, and 15% green-certified buildings, with ambitious targets for 2026. Its ESG report provides detailed data on its ODI, learning and development and environmental performance.

The global travel industry has a vital role to play in promoting sustainability through responsible tourism, writes WTM

Lemon Tree prides itself on being an equal opportunity employer

Barcelona, Spain

A leader in responsible tourism management tackles the challenge of overtourism

prioritises residents’ concerns in developing an overriding tourism strategy.

The City Council's current strategic plan runs to 2025, with 10 programmes, 30 lines of action and close to 100 measures.

The programme is comprehensive, engaging most elements of the city’s administration, the private sector and Turisme de Barcelona, which markets the city and provides extensive and important tourism information for all visitors, including those with disabilities. The 10 strategic programmes are governance, knowledge, mobility, accommodation, managing the public realm, inclusive economic development, storytelling and welcoming tourists, using taxes and grants, planning and regulation to shape tourism to contribute to the city's sustainable development.

It takes a ‘whole of government’ approach – by engaging with residents and working in partnership with businesses it has achieved real, positive change.

Overtourism represents the antithesis of responsible tourism. It describes destinations where an excess number of visitors has impacted the liveability of the destination, or the appeal of its attractions. The Ramblas in Barcelona, the South Bank in London and St Mark's Square in Venice are all public realm, common property resources. Better supply and demand management can diminish the problems of overtourism, but there are fundamental physical and social limits. Barcelona has effectively managed its overtourism challenges by engaging the tourism sector and local communities and developing a cohesive strategy that provides an example for other destinations to follow.

Barcelona’s experience is valuable as others address the multiple challenges which arise as a consequence of allowing unmanaged and unsustainable growth, focusing on increasing arrivals rather than the visitor experience, yield and retained value.

Barcelona has sought, since 2004, to make tourist activities more sustainable, to increase the positive impacts of tourism in the city and to integrate visitors fostering coexistence. Barcelona aspires to treat visitors as temporary residents.

The city is working to ensure that there are no tourist ghettos and that tourism improves the quality of life and social cohesion for residents. Barcelona has recognised that sustainability and competitiveness must be used together to manage tourism. In Barcelona, the City and Tourism Council is an open, diverse citizen-participation body that

The strategic plan aspires to position the Catalonian capital as "a dynamic, welcoming, innovative and desirable destination on a metropolitan scale. Promotion tools, conceived as another management element, have to respond to these goals".

Barcelona has successfully rebalanced management and marketing in favour of achieving sustainability.

"Sustainability is a crucial element for Barcelona, a goal that also aims to guarantee the competitiveness of tourist activities, to avoid jeopardising the destination's future, to improve the quality of urban life and to manage the impact of tourist activity, ensuring social return and the territory's development.”

Barcelona’s famous Sagrada Familia remains a magnet for international tourists

Bordeaux is the 2022 European Capital of Smart Tourism

Bordeaux, France

One of the world’s most liveable cities, the European Capital of Smart Tourism demonstrates why it is also one of the great places to visit

In recent years, the city of Bordeaux has reinvented itself, seeking to inspire eco-travellers. It boldly declares its commitment to preserving its shared environments, asserting that sustainability permeates the city's tourism infrastructure. Unusually it presents its approach to sustainability as benefiting both today's travellers and the city’s children, asserting its commitment to sustainability. Bordeaux is the 2022 European Capital of Smart Tourism. The city's location in the heart of wine country was clearly important to its Smart Tourism recognition. The citation acknowledges Bordeaux as "the largest and oldest region in the world for fine wines that is home to 65 appellations, 7,000 winemakers, 300 wine dealerships and around 100 brokers, with an average production of five million hectolitres per year". Recognised as a gateway to south-west France, with diverse scenery, the citation notes the city is also "proudly eco-friendly and innovative – a pioneer for urban regeneration and fully committed to welcoming refugees".

Bordeaux is a great place to visit because it is a great place to live. It exemplifies responsible tourism. The city claims to have the largest organic bistro-dining hall in Europe. More than 65% of Bordeaux vineyards are environmentally certified and pesticide use is being reduced across the industry.

The city’s fully accessible tram network, with large sliding doors and step-free access, extends over 66km. Its river shuttle and buses are similarly accessible with reserved seating areas for wheelchair users.

A former military barracks has been repurposed as an urban farm with the largest

organic restaurant in France. This Darwin Ecosystem, located on Bordeaux's right bank, is a collective geared towards a green economy and one of the most popular visitor attractions in the city.

The Bordeaux Tourist and Congress Office seeks to achieve balance, generating a positive impact on the city’s inhabitants, visitors and the local environment, while delivering shared benefits. It has eight clear commitments:

1. Reducing waste.

2. Reducing the city’s carbon footprint and preserving natural resources.

3. Strengthen the promotion of an alternative tourist offer based on culture and nature activities in the metropolitan area, raising awareness of the preservation of their environment.

4. Promoting the professional integration of people living a long way from job opportunities. Developing accessibility to people with disabilities or in ‘precarious situations’.

5. Acting for a peaceful relationship between professionals, inhabitants and visitors. Ensuring that all live in harmony.

6. Promoting sectors of excellence and the consumption of local products.

7. Improving the Bordeaux Tourist and Congress office's performance on sustainability.

8. Increasing the sustainable skills of local tourism professionals.

Bordeaux Tourist and Congress Office’s responsible tourism roadmap is available online:

www.fr.calameo.com/read/005365752988738931087

www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/bordeaux-sustainable-destination www.smart-tourism-capital.ec.europa.eu/bordeaux-european-capital-smart-tourism-2022_en

Gorilla Highlands & Gorilla Highlands Experts, Africa

A new paradigm for wildlife travel –using tourism to benefit wildlife and local indigenous populations

Based in Rwanda, Gorilla Highlands is a transboundary tour operator working in Rwanda, western Uganda and eastern DR Congo. Gorillas are the big draw for the region, hence the branding. The ambition is to forge an identity for the region and to ensure that tourism benefits both local people and nature. The main draw to the Gorilla Highlands is, for most tourists, the endangered mountain gorilla. Gorilla Highlands also ensures that travellers and holidaymakers engage with the Batwa’s exceptional cultural heritage with respect.

The Batwa “pygmies” were highly skilled hunter-gatherers who roamed the rainforests, foraging and hunting small game with bows and trained dogs. They are now

excluded from the forests, which have been transformed into national parks and reserves. When the land was gazetted, and the local inhabitants were ejected from their land, they received no compensation.

They are now landless and poverty-stricken, lacking access to education and healthcare. The Gorilla Highland Initiative, which launched in 2011, was the predecessor of Gorilla Highlands Experts. It was established to use tourism as a tool for socioeconomic development, ensuring tourism revenues aided “the bottom-of-the-pyramid inhabitants of the region, in terms of both income and self-respect”.

Gorilla Highlands’ Batwa Today is the antithesis of Disneyfication – it is a nature walk and a community interaction with the Batwa of Rwamahano located on the edge of Echuya Forest Reserve. This experience is focused on the Batwa's present life rather than costume-based historical perfor-

mances. The Bakiga Museum represents a painstaking recreation of a traditional homestead built by local elder Festo Karwemera, to educate the youth of the Bakiga ethnic group about their cultural heritage. Gorilla Highlands added a backpacker hostel, a craft shop with an art gallery and a lounge restaurant to create economic value.

It also established three camping-based homestays in remote areas, supporting host families and a dozen cultural tours focused on hiking and dugout canoeing, featuring a craft maker, a traditional healer, dance troupes and others who previously received few or no visitors.

Gorilla Highlands Experts is the non-profit sister organisation of the tour operator Gorilla Highlands, which launched as Covid-19 struck and tourism revenues collapsed. The experts are a group of 20+ local specialists ranging from park rangers to ‘culinary masters’, providing information about the region through a pocket guide and a weekly podcast. They share an understanding that the wildlife can only thrive if the communities around national parks are doing well.

Gorilla Highland has received little or no external funding. It has demonstrated what can be achieved by creating a virtuous circle, and reinvesting money earned from tourism in product development to benefit local communities and create a richer experience for tourists. Discussing its ethos, the organisation says: “We live and breathe responsible tourism through everything we do and highlight the cultural heritage and fascinating history of central Africa. But most of all: we have proven that responsible tourism can provoke social change, shifting people from marginalised voices to co-creators, specialists and educators.”

The main draw to the Gorilla Highlands is, for most tourists, the endangered mountain gorilla

Kerala, India

predicted, looking for a rich ‘smorgasbord’ of experiences highlighting the nature and culture of the places they travel to and holiday in. They look for meaningful and memorable experiences in the places they visit.

Kerala’s initial priority was focusing on the main concerns of local communities: the exclusion of locals from benefitting from tourism and pollution impacting the region’s backwaters. Working in Kumarakom, and with the benefit of the pioneering work of Jose Dominic at Coconut Lagoon, one of the CGH Experience hotels, Rupesh Kumar was able to demonstrate that when tourism businesses, local communities and government worked together they could both improve the livelihoods of local communities and create great experiences for domestic and international visitors.

From the experiments in Kumarakom with village experiences and locally sourced food, craft and soft furnishings for hotels, came the Village Life Experiences and Producer Groups which evolved rapidly through field testing and product development.

Read more

www.keralatourism.org

www.keralatourism.org/responsible-tourism/

https://www.keralatourism.org/responsible-tourism/revenue-generated/33 www.keralatourism.org/responsible-tourism/rt-projects/34

www.barcelona-access.com/ACCESSIBLE/accessibilitat-home/

Kerala was amongst the first major destinations worldwide to experience overtourism, even before the term had been coined. In the early years of this century there was mounting concern in the communities in the backwaters of Kerala about the large numbers of tourists visiting the area and staying on houseboats or in new resort hotels. Local communities benefited little from the influx, and the situation led to friction between some tourists and residents.

Kerala was also among the first destinations to address the issues causing concern to communities and to engage them positively in tourism creating world-class experiences.

In 2008, Dr Venu V, then Tourism Secretary in Kerala, invited the Responsible Tourism Partnership to stage the Second Internation-

al Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations in Kerala. Some local residents demonstrated against the conference, fearing that responsible tourism would be used to exploit new areas of rural Kerala, while excluding local communities. More than 500 people attended the conference from Kerala and around the world, sharing what they knew about how to make tourism better for local communities, while protecting their cultural heritage and the environment.

Jost Krippendorf, writing in his seminal 1980s work, The Holidaymakers, predicted that leisure travellers would develop an increasing desire for self-actualisation while holidaying. In the book, he called for “rebellious tourists and rebellious locals”.

Today’s travellers are, as Krippendorf

Challenged by the then Minister of Tourism to prove that local communities were benefitting from the strategy, a whole village census was conducted in Kumarakom.

The evidence of livelihood benefits at the household level was overwhelming. In 2017, the Ministry of Tourism launched the Responsible Tourism Mission led by Rupesh Kumar.

The initiative has created a ‘smorgasbord’ of Village Life Experiences across the state offering visitors opportunities to engage respectfully with local communities, experience their culture and purchase their art and crafts.

Communities visited by tourists on Village Life Experience tours are recompensed for their time – tourists do not feel hassled to purchase, although many do.

The RT mission in Kerala has established 20,000 units with 109,000 beneficiaries and has given the local population an income of ₹38 crore from the tourism sector. Kerala has subsequently been recognised as one of the world’s three leading destinations for responsible tourism along with Barcelona and Madhya Pradesh.

Kerala is learning to balance the interests of locals with the demands of international visitors.

One of the world’s most popular destinations, Kerala is committed to reducing the impact of overtourism on its society

Madhya Pradesh, India

Another responsible tourism pioneer committed to respecting the interests of local communities

pertise, in working alongside communities to empower them, rather than telling them what to do. The government of Madhya Pradesh, communities and NGOs and the Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI) are all working together to ensure tourism meets the needs of communities, businesses and their guests, domestic and international tourists. Communities gain access to new economic opportunities, which encourages young people to stay in rural areas rather than moving away for work.

The RTM is working with local communities in rural areas to develop a diverse range of homestays to create new employment opportunities for locals, to develop tourism across the state and to develop a broader range of cultural and nature-based experiences for domestic and international tourists. Across six cultural zones, communities are actively involved in festivals, arts and crafts, cuisine, dance and music, games, costume and star gazing – enriching the tourist experience and building pride and confidence in village communities.

Madhya Pradesh is the second largest Indian state by area and the country’s fifth largest state by population with more than 72 million residents. The scheduled castes and tribes constitute a significant portion of the population of the state (15.6% and 21.1% respectively). Tourism is developing rapidly and the state’s diversity offers real opportunities for cultural and natural heritage itineraries. Perhaps best known internationally for Khajuraho, there is much more to enjoy here.

Building on the experience of the Responsible Tourism Mission (RTM) in Kerala, the Madhya Pradesh RTM has made remarkable and rapid progress.

The two initiatives are not in competition with each other, they are two very different states. One of the fundamental principles of responsible tourism is that governments, communities and businesses identify local issues, problems or challenges that can be addressed by the tourism industry. According to Madhya Pradesh RTM, “responsible tourism is about using tourism to make better places to live in and better places to visit”. The organisation’s objective is clearly asserted: “Empowering local communities through tourism”. Madhya Pradesh RTM is strong in rural development ex-

The Responsible Souvenir project supports local artists, particularly women and youth, helping them improve the design, production, marketing and packaging of their products to secure fairer returns. The RTM is also working with local communities to create ‘Clean Destinations’. In and around Panna National Park, the organisation is funded by Coca-Cola to work with 30 villages.

The Mission’s Humsafar (companionship) programme is raising awareness of the challenges faced by the differently abled and working to reduce and remove the barriers to their enjoyment of tourism.

The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has initiated a programme to make the state a safe destination for women travellers so that they can “enjoy their trips fearlessly and independently”. Working in 20 clusters and 50 destinations, 3,000 trainees have been identified. Personal safety, self-defence training and increasing the presence of women in the tourism workforce are all priorities.

Madhya Pradesh is one of India’s fastest-growing tourism destinations

Scotland, UK

Reducing carbon emissions while encouraging Responsible Travel

In November 2020, a year before COP26 in Glasgow, VisitScotland joined the Tourism Declares Initiative, whose mission is to implement Climate Action Plans to halve sector emissions by 2030. VisitScotland was the world's first national tourism organisation to sign the declaration, aiming to play a leading role in the development of Scotland as a globally recognised responsible destination. Climate emergency training has been provided to VisitScotland staff as well as those working in Scotland's tourism sector to better understand the impact of climate change and respond to the risks, opportunities and responsibilities that arise.

VisitScotland has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions and to support businesses in Scotland to do the same, emphasising a post-pandemic strategy balancing business survival with a sustainable and responsible recovery. VisitScotland's efforts

are aligned with the Scottish Government's targets to become net-zero by 2045 and reflect national tourism strategy Scotland Outlook 2030’s ambition for responsible growth. Scotland is hosting the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023 and is encouraging public transport and active travel in the lead up and during the event.

The Travel Foundation was appointed through the Scottish Government's Tourism Recovery Programme to work with Scotland's three economic development agencies and VisitScotland to deliver a Destination Net Zero programme that would outline how the four agencies could best support the industry transition to net zero carbon emissions. Through the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG), three projects were delivered:

• A pilot project in Glasgow, the Outer Hebrides and Inverness & Loch Ness to support

Read more www.visitscotland.org/news/2020/tourism-declares www.visitscotland.com/about/responsible-tourism

destinations to develop climate action plans;

• An initiative with major tour operator The Travel Corporation specifically targeting emissions from ground transport and food production in the sector;

• Support Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, VisitScotland and other stakeholders in the transition of the sector to net zero.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, large numbers of British holidaymakers, unable to fly abroad, stayed in Scotland. With Scotland's access rights, many visitors chose to visit rural areas and the sheer volumes led to challenges with wild camping, littering and other less responsible impacts. Reminding visitors from Scotland and further afield how to behave in the countryside, as in Cornwall, Wales and other European coastal and rural destinations, was and is of great importance.

VisitScotland encourages visitors to travel responsibly, giving advice about planning and enjoying a responsible trip. It distinguishes between sustainable and responsible tourism, describing sustainable tourism as holidaying in an eco, green and environmentally friendly way, and responsible tourism as considering the wider impacts of the trip on Scotland and the world. It points out that travellers can choose to travel responsibly, protecting the landscape, boosting local economies and providing funding for "new and innovative projects".

On its consumer website, VisitScotland suggests that people might consider visiting the country’s top tourist attractions outside of peak season, while recommending "hidden gems" in other locations. It encourages potential visitors to stay longer and travel by public transport, "take your time, savour the experiences, and be more flexible with your plans". It reminds visitors to consider more sustainable forms of transport, such as "… electric cars, frequent train services, buses, coaches and a wide network of cycle and footpaths". It encourages visitors to choose locally owned sustainable accommodation and support local communities by buying souvenirs from local shops, eating in local pubs, cafes and small restaurants and visiting local community museums and galleries. VisitScotland calls on visitors to respect the landscape and communities they visit, asking "everyone to tread lightly and consider how their behaviour impacts each other and Scotland".

A tourist takes in the view of the Royal Mile and the old town from Edinburgh Castle

Grootbos, South Africa

This luxury reserve aims to conserve a floral kingdom and benefit local communities

The Grootbos Private Nature Reserve is located in the Cape Floral Kingdom, in the Western Cape of South Africa. The Cape Floral Kingdom is one of six floral kingdoms, one of the world’s great centres of terrestrial biodiversity, with 70% of the plant species found nowhere else on Earth. The Cape is stunning when it blooms but for much of the year it is relatively dull. Many tourism entrepreneurs were sceptical when Michael Lutzeyer sold his business interests in Cape Town in 1994 and decided to develop a bed and breakfast on the fynbos slopes overlooking Walker Bay, a site for local visitors. The Lutzeyers have turned the reserve into a world leader in progressive luxury tourism, transforming the lives of the local communities and conserving 3,500 hectares of fynbos with its exceptional degree of biodiversity and endemism.

The reserve houses two luxurious lodges with 27 suites and two private villas offering stunning views over Walker Bay. “Nowhere else would you be able to enjoy one of the world’s most biodiverse landscapes, the changing colours in the southern sky and the occasional little buck that comes feeding

nearby,” the destination’s website proclaims. Grootbos offers a collection of curated experiences, some with other local operators, inspired by their pristine surroundings and with conservation and community at its core. The lodges have created employment for more than 100 local residents.

Grootbos employs skilled guides to help guests to appreciate the fynbos and the birds, insects, and animals that populate this floral kingdom.

The Grootbos Foundation has a dedicated conservation team of six, comprising of botanists, entomologists and other specialists, focusing on the floral diversity, but also monitoring birds, mammals and insects, and alien species management.

They have identified 898 plant species, seven of which are new to science through their ongoing fynbos survey (since 1997), and through faunal surveying. Employing motion sensor cameras, they have identified 17 Cape leopards and many other threatened species. The new Grootbos Florilegium is a unique collection of botanical illustrations, the result of a collaboration between local and international artists. The collection depicts rare

and endangered plant species and includes the insects (they have pinned 21,000 for their reference collection), pollinators and other creatures living with the plants of the fynbos. For visitors it brings the Cape Floral Kingdom alive. Grootbos’s Foundation was established in 2003 to conserve the critically endangered fynbos. Since then, its activities have extended beyond the natural environment to include the people living within it. The organisation says its primary focus is “the conservation of the Cape Floral Kingdom and the upliftment of the communities therein”.

By the end of March 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Grootbos had provided more than 300,000 meals to the local community, as well as masks and other vital PPE to children and school staff.

There are many community benefit initiatives based at Grootbos:

• Established in 2003, their Green Futures Indigenous Horticulture and Life Skills College provides QCTO-accredited training to 12 unemployed young adults each year.

• Eco-Tourism and Hospitality Training is a six-month grassroots programme based on the online hospitality and tourism training programme of Lobster Ink. Twelve local women complete 30 weeks of coursework with practical experience working in the Grootbos lodges. Computer skills, life skills, business acumen and a language component supplement this curriculum, helping build livelihoods.

• Grootbos’s Football Foundation, launched in 2008, runs football, netball, hockey and athletics training sessions in Gansbaai, Stanford and Hermanus, engaging around 2000 youths each week. A FIFA standard artificial soccer pitch (sponsored by the English Premier League) is also in regular use.

• Local teenage girls are invited to join an empowerment club that teaches life skills. Female coaches and volunteers become role models while the girls themselves become peer mentors.

Grootbos has understood that to conserve biodiversity the communities that live with it must benefit too, and it has taken responsibility, assisting them in achieving sustainable development.

A rainbow over Walker Bay photographed from Grootbos Private Nature Reserve

Spain is one of the world’s most water-stressed industrialised nations. Much of its land is classified as drylands, while its Mediterranean regions are defined as semi-arid. Spain attracts more than 50 million tourists a year, the majority in the summer when rainfall is low. Before the pandemic, the tourism industry accounted for 12.4% of Spain’s GDP and employed 13% of its total workforce. Spain's arid climate and landscapes attract sun, sand and sea tourists. It is estimated that an average Spaniard uses 127 litres of water per day, while the average tourist uses between 450 and 800 litres per day.

During the 2019 tourist season, the We Are Water Foundation worked with local operator Diamond Resorts to raise awareness about water conservation among clients and staff. The organisation worked with the firm’s sustainability ambassadors to train staff and

urging them to talk with guests about water usage, "encouraging them to make simple changes, such as reusing bath towels and limiting [unnecessary consumption], doing this not in an intrusive but in an exciting way for guests". Compared to the previous year, the initiative achieved 2 million litres of water savings by reducing consumption in some areas, among them the daily washing of towels and bedsheets.

Valencia's Sustainable Tourism Strategy for the city, launched in July 2020, is to achieve carbon-neutral tourism activity by 2025 with neutral water impact, making Valencia the world's leading tourist destination with zero environmental impact.

All the carbon emissions arising from tourism in Valencia in 2019 amounted to 1,286 million tons of CO2, of which 81% arose from transport to and from Valencia, by train, planes or cruise ships; but only

Valencia, Spain

0.92% resulted from the use of transport in the city.

In 2021, València became the first city in the world to measure the water footprint of tourist activity. The Global Omnium Company worked with the Visit València Foundation and València City Council, to calculate the consumption and pollution of freshwater that is derived, directly or indirectly, from the different components of tourist activity, from transport and accommodation to consumption in restaurants and leisure venues. It found that the total volume of water consumption derived from tourist activity in València in 2019 was 74.23 cubic hectometres, which means a water footprint of 0.315 cubic metres per tourist per day. The calculation included cruise passengers and day visitors.

Valencia is looking at water consumption across its economy. As VisitValencia points out, "calculating the water footprint is the first step in identifying opportunities for reducing water consumption and implementing the necessary measures for a more sustainable management of this resource. This will not only generate savings for the local economy, but will also contribute to the conservation of natural ecosystems, and visitors will be able to enjoy themselves in a sustainable, safe, and healthy destination."

A mere 16% of the total corresponds to water directly consumed by tourists, mainly in tourist accommodation, while 84% is indirect consumption associated with the production of goods and services, or food processing. This mainly includes the meals that visitors consume in the city's restaurants, the purchases they make in its shops and the maintenance of attractions and entertainment venues. On the other hand, the use of transport (both public transport and car rental), makes up only 0.10% of tourism's water footprint.

Read more

www.wearewater.org/en/-let-s-makea-deal-for-water-and-sustainability-apioneering-agreement_316306

www.visitvalencia.com/en/news-room/ valencia-becomes-first-city-worldmeasure-water-footprint-tourist-activity

www.visitvalencia.com/en/news-room/ valencia-becomes-first-city-world-verifyand-certify-carbon-footprint-its-tourist

Conserving water in one of the world’s most popular – and driest – tourism destinations

Valencia aims to become the world's leading tourist destination with zero environmental impact

Therme, Romania

Geothermal energy, recirculating water and wellbeing for all

sumption. At Therme Bucharest, water use is carefully monitored by AI technology to make real-time improvements in usage across the facility, whilst advanced filtration methods allow the pool water to be continuously recirculated. Because of this technology, 92% of the water used at Therme Bucharest is recycled.

Global wellbeing pioneer Therme Group is bringing accessible, sustainable tourism developments to cities worldwide. These landmark developments act both as a draw for environmentally conscious, international and domestic travellers and as a sustainable 'holiday-at-home' for locals.

Therme Group views wellbeing as intimately linked to community, culture and the natural world. As much as a fun and relaxing experience, its projects benefit mental and physical health, rejuvenating all who visit and making a positive economic and social impact in the regions they serve.

Therme offers a blended experience for all ages that includes water-based activities with fitness programming, attractions, wellbeing therapies, botanical gardens, art and culture, and food and nutrition. Together with its strategic partner, Thermen Gruppe Josef Wund, its affordable and inclusive Therme concept resorts welcome many millions of guests every year.

Therme is an inclusive, multi-generational space. Its flexible and affordable pricing structure ensures that it is financially accessible to people from all backgrounds, including family groups, young people and the elderly. Moreover, with different zones and a range of activities for all ages, a day at Therme offers something for the whole family. Its resorts offer daily wellness programmes, which include 'Aufguss' guided sauna sessions, massages and exercise classes, as well as indoor and outdoor pools, waterslides, fun activities for children and a wide range of din-

ing options. Throughout the year, its resorts also offer a busy schedule of events including live music and sporting competitions.

The Therme experience is based on research showing that access to green and blue space, physical activity, thermal bathing and associated therapies have a positive impact on a myriad of physical and mental conditions. These include conditions such as obesity, poor musculoskeletal health, stress and depression. In encouraging healthy, active lifestyles, Therme helps to drive positive behaviour change and build resilient communities.

Because of their scale, Therme Group resorts make a significant economic impact in the areas they operate. Therme Bucharest, the latest project in Therme Group's global development programme, welcomes more than 8,000 guests per day and is open 365 days a year. With a built area of 30,000 sqm and an outdoor area of 46,000 sqm, Therme Bucharest is one of Europe's largest wellbeing facilities and is a significant contributor to the local and national economy. Therme also generates thousands of jobs for local economies. Therme Manchester, the next resort to open, which at c. 80,000 sqm will be more than double the size of Therme Bucharest, is forecast to create 600-plus direct jobs and 60-plus indirect jobs.

All Therme resorts are a showcase for sustainable design and employ technology designed to reduce the consumption of natural resources. As a water-based attraction, one of the areas where Therme focuses its efforts on sustainability is reducing its water con-

Therme Bucharest also uses geothermal water extracted at a depth of more than 3,100m at very high temperatures (over 70°C). Using heat-exchange technology, the water can be used to heat resort buildings and pools, significantly reducing Therme Bucharest's overall energy needs. Due to its sustainability credentials, Therme Bucharest is the first facility of its kind globally to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-certified for sustainability. Through scale and technology, Therme delivers an extremely low-carbon product, with an average visit by net-zero transport producing less than one-sixtieth of the carbon pollution of a typical short-haul return flight. It is a sustainable alternative to some exclusive wellness retreats or luxury domestic options (e.g. home saunas) which are carbon intensive. Nevertheless, the group is continuously working to reduce its carbon footprint. Alongside geothermal where available, for its future locations, Therme Group is looking at various low-carbon technologies designed for specific environments.

As well as its current operational facilities, Therme has announced new locations in the UK (Manchester and Glasgow), Germany (Frankfurt) and Canada (Toronto), with further projects to be unveiled in cities worldwide including additional UK sites plus the USA and Asia Pacific. As it extends its global presence, it will look to help more communities live healthy, happy lives.

At Therme Bucharest, water use is carefully monitored by AI technology to make real-time improvements in usage

Nothing has changed, and everything has changed.

Twenty years ago, in Cape Town, we launched the first Responsible Tourism Declaration. The Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations became the foundation document of the Responsible Tourism movement.

We were in the ecotourism era – a tooloose term that was on the way to becoming discredited, but which, nevertheless, reflected a growing trend for brands, and even whole countries, to demonstrate they could meet the aspirations and concerns of their customers.

Concerns were growing – about air and water quality, emissions, single-use plastics and what becomes of them.

The academic literature around tourism was also growing. We understood more about the impact the industry has, creating new opportunities and jobs – and displacing some communities and disrupting others.

In 2022, all those things are still true – just a lot truer.

So, what's changed? First, climate change no longer seems like a theory or a distant prospect that need not concern us right now. Its effects are seen in every season in every land. But they are especially acute in places where sea levels, drought, increased precipitation, wildfires or snowfall are devastating homes and livelihoods. That includes millions of lives that rely on tourism.

Since the Cape Town Declaration was signed, many formerly underdeveloped or closed societies created disposable incomes and granted the freedom their people needed to travel.

Travelling was no longer the privilege of a relatively small club of rich countries. Tourism revenues and developments shot up.

Since tourism became an industry in the 19th century, and probably long before, places have always groaned and grumbled under the weight of visitor numbers. Now those numbers have become, in many local communities' eyes, unsupportable and indefensible. 'Overtourism' was suddenly an urgent problem.

In 2015, another charter was signed. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (the SDGs) set out 17 aspirations designed to grow global economies sustainably. These are also aspirations with a deadline: 2030. Some larger companies have aligned their strategies with the SDGs. The Responsible Tourism movement focuses on making tourism sustainable, contributing, where tourism can, to achieving the SDGs,

The 2022 Responsible Tourism Charter

Signed on Magna Carta Island on November 6, 2022, at an event sponsored by Therme

Foreword by Harold Goodwin, WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor

and recognising that sustainability requires businesses, destinations and travellers to take responsibility. Language is one of the big problems hampering movements dedicated to making the world a better, cleaner, fairer, more peaceful and prosperous place.

Words become overused, abused and worn thin. 'Sustainability' is one such example –applied equally to the ability of Planet Earth to sustain its lifeforms; and, say, the potential for a small manufacturing company to keep making annual profits.

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IS NOT THE SAME AS SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Responsibility requires that we say what we are doing to improve tourism – and that we are transparent about our performance.

Sustainability is an abstract noun and a vague target. Responsible Tourism requires that we design our business practices to make our companies, communities and destinations more resilient. It demands transparent reporting. Tourists, as consumers, expect to be able to make more sustainable choices –but often struggle to find them.

Airlines, cruise lines, coaches, accommodation providers, inbound and outbound tour operators, and service providers in destinations and attractions must decarbonise, create shared value, provide decent conditions of employment and socially inclusive experiences, and address biodiversity loss. Marketing

and media also have a responsibility.

Travel media, social media influencers and OTAs can play an important part in offering those choices and changing consumer expectations – and not be part of the global 'greenwashing' operation.

Our objective is to make effortless sustainability possible for leisure and business travellers, holidaymakers, pilgrims and those visiting friends and relatives.

Sustainable development is a goal for tourism too. It will only be achieved if and when we take responsibility.

The future will be what we make it. And that brings us to the new charter.

MAKING TOURISM BETTER

The ambition of Responsible Tourism is to 'make tourism better'. Our agenda has widened since Cape Town.

We now address issues that matter to local communities and tourists – for example, child protection and animal welfare.

The increasing focus on greenhouse gas Scope 3 emissions is a major cause for concern for tourism businesses, governments and communities in destinations.

While some destinations can look to grow domestic tourism or encourage fewer polluting forms of travel to the destination, many remain reliant on aviation and cruise lines. Carbon offsetting is intended to deal only with residual greenhouse gas emissions.

It should not be used to achieve net zero by 2050; even if it could, much of the CO2 emitted now will still contribute to global warming. We need the aviation and cruise sector, critical to the future of tourism, to move rapidly to new non-polluting fuels. The problem is not aviation or cruising; it is the dirty fuel they burn. We need to demand much more rapid change. Transparency and reporting is at the core of Responsible Tourism, we need to say how we are making tourism better, define our goals, and report transparently on the impacts of our efforts.

Certification may have a role to play. We need “certification plus”. We need transparent reporting on the environmental and socio-economic claims made by businesses. Where a business fails to meet the standards they claim, the consumer needs to be able to secure compensation for mis-selling. Only thus, will greenwashing be effectively countered.

We launched the Responsible Tourism Awards in 2004. Winning is a source of pride and extra revenue for the people participating. But more than that, the rigorous judging process identifies ways businesses and destinations have taken responsibility, alone or with others, to make tourism more sustainable. There are many different words used to claim that this or that form of tourism or transport is better – 'ecotourism', 'regenerative', and 'green', to name a few.

Only transparency about outcomes ena-

bles judgments to make about their value. Responsible Tourism was not envisaged as a consumer-facing label, although it has been very successful for operator Responsible Travel (responsibletravel.com). Actions speak louder than words, as Shakespeare reminds us, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Responsible Tourism is concerned with actions and results rather than the label adopted by the business or destination.

Responsible Tourism is a broad movement composed of everyone taking responsibility and making a demonstrable difference. We expect to see sharing and collaboration within the movement rather than competition. While there is a competitive advantage for first movers and leaders, our ambition is to exercise responsibility by helping others, sometimes our competitors, to become more sustainable.

TOGETHER WE CAN ACCELERATE CHANGE

There are now regional awards programmes for Africa, India, Latin America and the Rest of the World, each with the same core group of categories each year. The annual Global Award winners are selected from the Gold winners in each region. The Responsible Tourism Partnership oversees the awards processes and the panels of independent judges. The Responsible Tourism Awards and the Platform for Change are designed to enable sharing and accelerate change. We seek to

encourage practitioners through south-south exchanges to share experiences and practices in working with and empowering communities.

The 2002 Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations drew on the experience of outbound operators from the UK, international organisations, tourism businesses and destination governments. Today, it is a genuinely global movement. There have now been 15 regional conferences on Responsible Tourism, and knowledge about how, by taking responsibility, we can become more sustainable has been shared through the conferences, publications, Responsible Tourism News and the Responsible Tourism Partnership website.

The Responsible Tourism Partnership provides a series of Platforms for Change that curate tried and tested approaches to taking responsibility, sharing the wide variety of ways businesses and destinations have reduced negative and increased positive impacts; and how tourism benefits communities and their natural and cultural environment. This platform seeks to present as many proven solutions as possible to encourage adoption, adaptation and replication. Together, we can accelerate change. We take pride when others adopt our ideas, adapt and apply them elsewhere to make tourism better.

THE MARKET ADVANTAGE

Taking responsibility for making tourism more sustainable is not only the right thing to do; for businesses and destinations, it is a question of enlightened self-interest.

Local community support ensures a licence to operate and reduces risk. Purchasing locally can reduce costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Aside from the balance sheet, locally sourcing reflects and supports local livelihoods and culture.

There is a market advantage in providing authentic, guilt-free, and exceptional visitor experiences that generate repeats, referrals, and media interest. Contributing to maintaining and celebrating local natural and cultural heritage brings in new generations of travellers. Responsibility is essential to sustainable development. The next 20 years will see increasing evidence of our negative impact on the natural and human environment accelerate to the point that governments and policymakers can no longer afford to ignore it. How their tourism sectors respond will be crucial.

We will also see new solutions and technology that make travel cleaner, easier and yes, regenerative for individuals and communities. Let the charter to follow serve as a blueprint.

The 2022 Responsible Tourism Charter

RESPONSIBLE TOURISM:

» Recognises that greenhouse gas emissions, plastic waste and biodiversity extinction are global issues requiring local action.

» Sets goals, measures and reports efforts to minimise negative economic, environmental, and social impacts, including crowding and overtourism.

» Generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities by providing better employment conditions, developing shared value with local businesses to create more and better livelihoods and addressing the economic needs of the economically poor and marginalised.

» Involves local people in decisions that affect their communities, their lives and life chances.

» Makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world's diversity, lived cultures and cultural monuments.

» Addresses biodiversity loss and is naturepositive.

» Provides inclusive employment for the differently abled and people of diverse ethnicities, gender and sexual orientation.

» Provides more enjoyable experiences for all, through more meaningful connections with local people and a greater understanding of local history and culture and social and environmental issues.

» Offers culturally sensitive experiences engendering respect between tourists and hosts and building local pride and confidence.

Sustainability is an aspiration. It will only be realised if and when we take responsibility for making tourism sustainable. Responsibility drives sustainability. Responsible Tourism is about “making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit”. The diversity of our world makes travel worthwhile and generates tourism.

Few businesses or destinations can address all the issues on the Responsible Tourism agenda. We need to explain why we take responsibility for the things we choose to improve through tourism and the impact of our efforts.

sustainable tourism, creating better places for people to live in and for people to visit.

Recognising that sustainability is a journey and that we will need to do more when we can, we commit:

» to do what we can to make tourism better

» to explain why we focus on particular issues

» to explain what we are doing to address those issues

» to recognising that transparent and auditable reporting on the impact of our efforts is essential to demonstrating what is being achieved by those taking responsibility and moving our sector towards sustainability

We call upon countries, multilateral agencies, destinations and enterprises to develop locally relevant practical guidelines to these ends and to take the necessary action, reporting on the change achieved. We encourage planning authorities, tourism businesses, tourists and local communities to take responsibility for achieving

It is just over 20 years since the world’s first space tourist, US entrepreneur, Dennis Tito, blasted off on a Soyuz rocket headed for the international space station. It cost him tens of millions of dollars, he had to train for six months, learn to speak Russian and be able to undertake scientific experiments. For Tito, then 60 years old, it was the culmination of a dream he’d held since he was a young man.

One thing is for certain, Tito’s experience was not what anybody would call tourism. In order to do what he did, he had to become a professional astronaut. Twenty years later, the world really did change.

With a minimal amount of training, and just a basic medical, first Sir Richard Branson and his fellow team members, and then Jeff Bezos, and his crew, blasted into space on flights that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars rather than tens of millions. The era of space tourism, as any luxury travel company would understand, had finally begun.

Since then, Virgin Galactic has paused its operations in order to complete the construction of its first commercial spaceship while Jeff Bezos has started commercial flights. In the meantime, Elon Musk has started taking professional astronauts to the international space station and the sister company of Virgin Galactic, former Virgin Orbit, has started blasting satellites into space using a rocket slung under a 747 aircraft.

The whole economics of industrialising in space is undergoing a sea change of a magnitude not seen since humans went to the moon in the 1960s and most of the technologies, from modern computers to solar panels, were precisely developed by NASA to enable those momentous achievements 60 years ago.

The ability to use space in practical ways is going to be crucial to the survival of humanity and indeed, the ability to travel around the planet in space instead of the atmosphere is also going to be crucial.

With the human population not topping out until it reaches 10 billion, humanity simply cannot reach net zero without exploiting space for everything, from server farms to solar power and policing climate change, and that’s why space tourism will take off at the same time because wealthy individuals will help to fund these technologies of the

The final frontier

Will Whitehorn, Chair, Seraphim Space Investment Trust, discusses the future of space travel and tourism and its crucial role in the battle for a sustainable future

future, just as previous generations of pioneers helped the railways, steamships, and early aviation to develop.

It may be counterintuitive to think that space travel and even space tourism could help in the battle for a sustainable future, but many of the world’s leading scientists understand that taking industrial activities outside the atmosphere is one of the best ways to save our planet and that can only be done by developing technologies that make it cheaper and easier to do so.

I predict that within a decade, young space tourists will be up there watching artificially intelligent robots building giant solar power stations that will be cheaper to operate than nuclear power stations on planet Earth. They will provide us with unlimited power from the sun 365 days of the year and 24 hours a day.

Even today, in 2022, existing technologies such as GPS satellites and other agriculture and weather satellites have already enabled us to provide 20% more food than we were able to in the 1990s, saving a billion people from starvation – and we’ve barely touched the surface in terms of the ways in which we can use space to do good.

The other side of space tourism will be privately funded space exploration.

Elon Musk’s Space X is already developing a new generation of rocketry capable of taking private individuals to Mars, so it finally looks like the ambitions of humans to land on the Red Planet will be fulfilled.

Many will say why are we doing all this in space when we have so many problems on planet Earth.

The answer is that it is precisely because of the problems on planet Earth that we need to develop human civilisation in space. Space is infinite and the one thing we have all discovered in the last two decades is that Earth’s resources are not.

Will Whitehorn

Soudah takes sustainability to new heights

Saudi Arabia’s junipercovered mountain range with the kingdom’s highest peak will be transformed into a globally recognised sustainable destination by 2030, explains Srdan Susic,

Acting Chief Destination Stewardship Officer, Soudah Development

Located in the Aseer region in the southwest of Saudi Arabia, Soudah is home to juniper-covered mountains including the highest peak in the kingdom. Situated more than 3,000 metres above sea level, the destination maintains a cool temperature and verdant landscapes all year round.

The region is also distinguished by its unique cultural heritage and surrounding historic villages and for visitors, is the gateway to a diverse range of tourism experiences. Driving the sustainable development of Soudah is the Public Investment Fund (PIF) owned Soudah Development (SD), creating a luxury mountain destination offering immersive cultural experiences while celebrating the region’s natural landscape.

reduce carbon emissions, and combat pollution and land degradation and in line with this, the company has been conducting comprehensive environmental impact assessments to provide a unique window into the area’s natural surroundings, to identify risks, and map out measures to avoid or mitigate them.

Its environmental studies feed into its master planning, building, and operations and ensure sustainable development becomes the cornerstone of the ecotourism mountain destination that will eventually span more than 627 square kilometres. Here, Srdan Susic, Acting Chief Destination Stewardship Officer, Soudah Development, outlines the sustainability drive behind Soudah’s transformation.

Srdan Susic

More than 90% of Saudi Arabia’s forests are located in the Aseer region and protecting and restoring this ecosystem is a priority. Soudah Development is a proud supporter of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s pledge to boost tree planting,

Q: What sustainability principles are guiding the development of Soudah?

Soudah Development aspires to become a unique sustainable mountain destination on the highest peak of Saudi Arabia, providing

an offering of exclusive wellness and hospitality, outdoor adventure, sports and immersive cultural experiences.

Our vision for Soudah is to become a globally recognised sustainable destination by 2030: to preserve and restore natural ecosystems, retain and enhance economic and social benefits from tourism development and reduce/mitigate any undesirable impacts on our natural, historic, cultural or social environment.

Q: How do these align to Vision 2030?

Businesses related to tourism development are coalescing into ecosystems with underling purpose of reaching the goals of Vision 2030, and are becoming more interconnected, dynamic, and interdependent. Soudah Development is a part of this national trend, aligning its strategic actions with the goals of Vision 2030 – reaching net zero status by 2060, accelerating the energy transition, achieving sustainability goals, and driving a new wave of investment.

We are a key player in the historic process of shifting the Saudi economy to creatively and responsibly addressing the energy and climate challenges of today and build a sustainable future.

We strive to influence, motivate, and enable other key players in the Aseer region where Soudah is located, to join forces for building a sustainable future for our destination and the entire kingdom.

Q: What research has been undertaken that underpins development and preservation plans for Soudah?

Soudah Development Biodiversity and Ecological Baseline Assessment, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, Soudah Development Destination Sustainability Strategy and Indicators, Ecosystem Restoration and Flagship Species Reintroduction Feasibility Study, Assessment of Key Cultural Assets and their Significance under Soudah Development, Identification and Assessment of Architectural and Structural Characteristics of Key Tangible Heritage Sites in Soudah, Assessment Study of Key Archaeological Assets under Soudah Development, and Intangible Heritage Study for the Areas under Soudah Development.

Q: How will Soudah Developlement support Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s pledge to boost tree planting, reduce carbon emissions, and combat pollution and land degradation?

The natural forests cover less than 1% of the territory of Saudi Arabia and are located mainly in the Western mountainous area.

In Soudah and elsewhere in the region, native forests have been subjected to misuse, intensive grazing, severe felling and different other human activities.

Consequently, large areas of the forest soil have lost their properties such as availability of organic matter, profile depth and moisture holding capacity that help growing trees naturally from seeds. Hence, Soudah Development has committed to improving the forest cover of the area where it operates and restoring the present ecosystems, by planting one million trees in the area under its jurisdiction by 2030. This initiative contributes to Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) targets by planting one million trees and sequestering more than 25,000 tonnes of CO2 until 2031, which represents 0.01% of the target for planting trees under the SGI.

Q: What partnerships has Soudah Development forged to support its commitment to sustainability?

Soudah Development has established a functional working relationship and signed memoranda of understanding with the Ministry of Environment (MEWA) through its centres – the National Centre for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification (NCVC), National Centre for Environmental Compliance (NCEC), National Centre for Wildlife Development (NCWD), and National Centre for Waste Management (NCWM). Soudah Development has joined forces with the Saudi National Heritage Commission and the King Abdulaziz Foundation to identify and research our archaeological assets and to conduct an assessment of the local intangible cultural heritage.

In addition, Soudah Development is the only corporate member from the Gulf Cooperation Council region that has become a member of The Mountain Partnership

“Our vision for Soudah is to become a globally recognised sustainable destination by 2030”

Left: Soudah is located more than 3,000 metres above sea level

Above: Rijal Village in the Aseer region

– the United Nations voluntary alliance of partners dedicated to improving the lives of mountain peoples and protecting mountain environments around the world.

Soudah Development and its Destination Sustainability Strategy follow Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) principles, with indicators based on the Global Reporting Initiative’s framework. The GSTC is an independent and neutral organisation, that represents a diverse and global membership, including leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGOs, national and provincial governments, individuals, and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.

Q: What key initiatives is Soudah Development pursuing in the name of sustainability?

Soudah Development has taken sustainability to the core of its strategic planning processes to achieve operational excellence, but more importantly, to ensure the destination that is being built becomes future-proof and has a long and productive lifespan. Initiatives we started in this domain are related to ecosystem restoration and preservation of cultural landscapes.

Our ecosystem restoration efforts are focused on rewilding as an approach to nature conservation that aims to restore ecosystem processes and return degraded landscapes to ecologically dynamic healthy systems. It is based on the premise that nature can take care of itself. We are creating the right conditions for nature to do so by restoring vital processes like predation, regeneration and decomposition. We are aiming to have key ecosystem processes

restored in four priority areas in Soudah, improved habitat integrity and connectivity, restored biodiversity and abundance of native plant and animal species, while reducing human influence on the landscape.

As people lived in our area for centuries, Soudah Development is interested in preserving and enhancing its important cultural landscapes that represent combined works of nature and humankind, expressing a long and intimate relationship between our people and their natural environment.

Some of these in Soudah reflect specific techniques of land use that guarantee and sustain biological diversity such as cultivated terraces for growing crops on our lofty mountains, while others are associated in the minds of the communities with powerful beliefs and artistic and traditional customs.

Both embody a lasting and powerful relationship of people with nature.

Our goal in preserving our cultural landscapes is to reveal and sustain the great diversity of the interactions between people and their environment, to protect living traditional cultures and preserve the traces of those which have disappeared.

Q: How will Soudah Development protect and promote culture and heritage?

Soudah Development follows international practices to preserve, restore, and promote tangible and intangible cultural heritage

In addition to our commitment to study, analyse, and explore the potential of reviving cultural heritage in the area, we aim to comply with the relevant national legislation. We find it critical to identify and protect cultural heritage by implementing standard internationally practices for the protection, field-based study, and documentation of cultural heritage. Additionally, the company works to develop conservation codes, management plans, and safeguard strategies for the protection and restoration of heritage assets. These strategic management plans play an important role, not only in preserving heritage buildings, but also in fostering the sustainable development of the local community and the surrounding area, as well as safeguarding cultural heritage throughout the project’s life cycle.

Q: What benefits will it deliver to the community in terms of jobs, economic impact, legacy?

Soudah Development plans to deliver a significant amount of sustainable tourism infrastructure, including hotels, residential units, and unique commercial and entertainment attractions. We aim to develop Soudah and

Top: Protecting local wildlife is a priority

Right: A unique landscape in the region

part of Rijal Alma’a into an all-year-round destination for residents and visitors that will contribute an estimate of US$8 billion to KSA’s cumulative GDP by 2030.

Soudah Development partners and collaborates with the local community and private sector to build a robust and diverse network of year-long offerings across the hospitality, residential, commercial and entertainment sectors. It aims to attract more than two million visitors annually targeting the adventure seekers and culture travellers that are looking for unique experiences.

It is also forecasting to create 8,000 direct and indirect permanent jobs by 2030.

In the words of HE YAseer Al-Rumayyan, Governor for the Public Investment Fund:

“Our investment in the Aseer region reflects our confidence in the character of the location, which is a rich amalgamation of identity, heritage and experience. Through careful and considerate development, (Soudah Development) will provide yet another remarkable destination in the diverse and growing portfolio of Saudi Arabian experiences capturing the imagination of a broad range of investors and travellers.”

We hope to leave the legacy of transforming the region’s vast public areas into a diverse landscape that organically and

UN RECOGNITION

Soudah Development’s sustainability efforts received a powerful recognition in the 2022 UN Secretary General’s Report on sustainable mountain development. This globally significant report, raised at the UN General Assembly’s 77th session, states Soudah Development “aims to create a sustainable tourism destination in the Sarawat Mountains in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia. Soudah Development will reintroduce local endemic species through a cultural landscape approach, plant one million trees by 2030, increase the extent of protected areas, rehabilitate and rewild selected areas, reintroduce flagship species and implement solutions to stop the spread of invasive species.”

respectfully integrates yearlong adventure and culture tourism, while highlighting the region’s distinct culture, geography, and its verdant nature. Preserving the integrity of our natural ecosystems and restoring them for the benefit of our people and clients in the future, remains a priority and the development will follow a rigorous regulatory framework and urban planning codes.

Q: How does the project stack up against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Tourism is one of the driving forces of economic diversification and future growth in KSA and worldwide and has the potential

to contribute, directly or indirectly, to almost all of the SDGs. Soudah Development defines sustainable tourism as tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and our host communities. As a large-scale development project, we are focusing on promoting sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products, as highlighted in UN SDG target 12.b. which aims to “develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products”.

Q: How will the project set a benchmark for responsible tourism in Saudi Arabia? Soudah Development aims to become a globally recognised sustainable destination. Our primary strategic objective is to provide the company with sustainability criteria for application to both construction and operational phases of the development of our destination, based on the Global Sustainably Tourism Council’s four main criteria: sustainable management, socio-economic, cultural, and environmental impacts. We developed a system for benchmarking the development of the destination with other relevant national and international destinations and applied general GSTC indicators for tracking progress.

The chosen indicators, that could be broadly applied to similar projects in the kingdom regardless of their magnitude, offer powerful tools to ensure sustainability in tourism and destination management, as they are systematised, coherent, practical, and offer the potential to be efficiently measured and monitored. Our core criteria are related to sustainable management, socio-economic sustainability, cultural sustainability, and environmental sustainability.

Soudah Development’s Destination Sustainability Strategy, one of the first of its kind in KSA, provides guidelines for the company in enhancing its operational sustainability, serves as a basis for future certification for sustainability, and helps future consumers in identifying us as a sustainable tourism destination. It also offers government and private sector programmes a starting point for developing sustainable tourism requirements in our area and demonstrates sustainability leadership in the kingdom, inspiring others to act in a similar manner.

The rebalancing of tourism

Fiona Jeffery OBE, Founder & Chair, Just a Drop,

and the former chair of World Travel Market, explains why the industry must “put back into local communities and the environment” right now

For an industry that excels in choice, variety and endless options, our pathway to secure its future seems strategically relatively clear.

How we deliver that future encompasses many varying solutions, but the strategic principle should be singularly focused and constant.

If we want to be seen as a purposeful, effective and contributing to the future, we need to: recognise that the planet and the world’s communities are integral to our ‘product’; acknowledge that we need to protect these essential components of our ‘product’; and take the necessary steps to protect these components, otherwise we destroy our own business models.

I first said this 26 years ago when I was Exhibition Director of World Travel Market – so what has changed? Our knowledge has changed and the climate in which we operate has changed.

For the last 30 years our industry has ridden a wave of exponential growth, fuelled by the advent of the low-cost airlines and global communications.

The consequences of over-tourism, damaged environments, lost biodiversity, and the impact of acute water shortages (which will only get worse with climate change) have been well documented elsewhere.

What we should now recognise is the need to repackage travel, in a way that creates a rebalancing of ‘planet, people and profit’; and as industry professionals we need to take ownership and be accountable for this change.

For too long we have hidden behind the desire to fulfil people’s dreams as our raison d’etre, but if that activity causes unaccounted damage elsewhere then the business model is neither ethical, professional or sustainable. We need to acknowledge and accept the extractive nature of tourism when it comes to topics such as carbon emissions, water usage, waste disposal, and environmental impacts, and ensure that we always account for and put back into local communities and the environment, creating a re-balancing of tourism, which delivers a sustainable future for our industry, the planet and the world’s communities.

We need to be more transparent and honest with the consumer about the true cost of travel and educate consumers to be experience led not price led.

The solutions to this basic principle are as varied as the options available to holidaymakers now, from a fun campsite in Dorset to a luxury safari lodge in Kenya, with a range of options capable of accommodating all budgets and desires in between.

But in recognising our responsibilities to create the right quality experiences we do better justice to all – customer, community and planet – and we better serve our industry.

Holidays are not a right; they are a privilege – something we should value and save for as they come at a price.

It’s a price we need to be prepared to pay because, as consumers, we should understand that from the experience comes a range of positive outcomes – a wonderful holiday experience for the family, plus economic benefits for the local communities and essential protection of the planet for the generations that follow.

With every successful business there is a balance sheet, so start creating balanced tourism and create better futures for all.

Holidays are not a right; they are a privilege”

Arabian Travel Market makes Net Zero pledge

Arabian Travel Market, the sister show of World Travel Market London and the leading travel and tourism event for inbound and outbound tourism professionals in the Middle East, has announced that ‘Working Towards Net Zero’ will be its official theme for ATM 2023, which takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 1 to 4, 2023.

RX (Reed Exhibitions), the show’s organiser, will celebrate its 30th annual event by unveiling a dedicated sustainability pledge, not only to make ATM 2023 more sustainable, but to announce 30 long-term goals as the event works towards net zero in line with the RX Global pledge.

“If the UAE and the wider Middle East are to achieve their net zero ambitions, the travel and tourism industry will play a vital role, given its share of regional economic activity and of course its growth potential,” says Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market.

“With COP27 being held in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt this year and COP28 set to be staged in Dubai in 2023, it is essential that hotels, airlines, leisure resorts and all associated companies start to put their sustainability strategies in place.

“While unveiling our strategic path to net zero, ATM 2023 will also provide an ideal platform for industry players to engage with sustainability experts and their peers to address the challenges of achieving net zero.”

According to a recent World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) report, the travel and tourism sector accounts for between 8% and 11% of the world’s carbon emissions. It also revealed that 42% of the travel and tourism businesses analysed currently have publicly announced climate targets, 61% of travellers say they want to travel more sustainably in the future, and more than 80% of

8% to 11%

(Source: WTTC)

Show will unveil 30 long-term goals to celebrate its 30th annual event as it works towards net zero

travellers plan to prioritise sustainability in their travels in the coming year.

Furthermore, research by Skift and McKinsey has found that globally, more than 3,500 organisations across all industries have set emission-reduction targets, including airlines, hotels, restaurants, and those providing leisure and tourism services.

Air travel alone is predicted to account for between 12% and 27% of global emissions by 2050, and 40% of travellers globally say they are willing to pay at least 2% more for carbon-neutral flight tickets.

“Compounding the challenges of reaching net zero, travel activity is expected to soar by 85% from 2016 to 2030,” adds Curtis.

ATM 2023 will offer global travel trade professionals a vision of how the travel and tourism industry will look in the coming years by sharing new and insightful commentary from experts from around the world, creating significant business opportunities over the course of the four-day event.

Each year, ATM highlights specific aspects of travel that will be pivotal in determining the direction the industry will take moving forward.

The show will explore how innovative sustainable travel trends will evolve and identify strategies for growth within specific key vertical sectors.

The ATM 2023 conference programme is being specifically developed to address sustainability issues across the travel and tourism industry, with commentary from leaders representing a variety of sectors such as destinations, travel technology, airlines, cruise, hospitality, car rental and hotels.

ATM 2022 attracted more than 24,000 visitors and hosted 31,000-plus participants, including 1,600 exhibitors and attendees from 151 countries, across 10 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre.

It’s much more than ‘just a drop’

Just a Drop, WTM’s official charity, outlines some of the key initiatives it has spearheaded, improving the lives of more than 1.9 million people in 32 countries over the past two decades – and providing access to water is just the start

Founded in 1998 by Fiona Jeffery OBE, former World Travel Market Exhibition Director and ultimately Chairman, Just a Drop is the official charity of WTM – a partnership which has now been in place for 24 years.

Just a Drop is an effective charity, which through its programme of safe water, improved hygiene and better sanitation, transforms lives. Over the years we have reached more than 1.9 million people across 32 countries – quite an achievement – and in the past year we have made a massive impact.

UGANDA

In six countries we benefited 180,095 people with a variety of practical and sustainable solutions. Water is just the starting point, with our programme now including menstrual hygiene, food security, livelihoods, skills development, soap making and as we’ll see in Uganda, finance.

In Uganda, we’ve been working across villages in the north-east of the country, an area which is one of the neediest we’ve ever worked in.

In each village we’ve provided much-needed access to water, through the construction of bore-

Fiona Jeffery in Uganda

holes, close to where people live, so the community is healthier, as they no longer have to drink dirty water and importantly, no longer spend hours fetching it.

This frees up people’s time and we knew there was a real appetite to set up their own businesses and earn some money –so, in the past year, Just a Drop established an innovative income-generating loans scheme.

Our founder Fiona visited one of the villages, Anyangareng, in March, and she was blown away. The people were happy; their delight was palpable.

They had used the small loans provided to set up a variety of businesses, like selling fruit, and food, growing vegetables, running a restaurant and selling charcoal.

The money earned was being used to pay for their children to attend school and expand their businesses, a truly transformational difference to their lives.

KENYA

Across all of the countries we work in, Just a Drop achieves similar impact.

In Kenyan schools we provide large rainwater harvesting tanks, which are filled during the rainy season, providing enough safe water for the whole year.

Children are able to attend school more often and receive a better education.

This is complemented by comprehensive hygiene training, including menstrual hygiene training, ensuring girls stay in school.

CAMBODIA AND NICARAGUA

In Cambodia, we work in villages which are very close to the tourist areas of Siem Reap. We provide latrines and simple, ingenious devices called biosand filters, to households. Hundreds of these were installed last year and families now have access to safe water, in their home, all the time. We’re also active at a village level in Nicaragua, bringing safe water to people’s homes through piped water systems.

INDIA AND ZAMBIA

A great example of our work in India, was delivered at a school in Paravour, in Namil Nadu state. Can you imagine sending your children to a school without toilets?

We couldn’t, so a whole new sanitation block is now in place. The school is transformed, with 550 children learning in a healthy and hygienic environment.

To ensure the sustainability of our programme in Zambia, in the last year we

took the simple step of employing, what we call, A Man on a Bike – a mechanic who visits each of our boreholes to make sure they’re all working as they should. He even teaches villagers how to carry out minor repairs.

SDGS TICKED

Of course, sustainability is key for us. All of our work contributes to Goal 6 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and impacts a further 11 Goals. Access to water is never just about water, and our work reflects this.

Access to water requires climate action, it helps poverty alleviation, it supports empowering women and girls.

Our projects are community owned and led and are monitored for at least seven years after completion.

Thanks to tree planting projects in India and Kenya, we’re currently carbon neutral and we’re committed to measuring and reducing our carbon emissions year on year.

WTM AND PARTNER SUPPORT

We couldn’t achieve any of the above without the support of partners like WTM, which has now helped us to reach 42,915

From top: Sanitary items provided to schoolgirls in Uganda

Global Hand Washing Day 2022 at Ngunini Secondary School, Kenya

people, from Latin America to India and to its current project in Zambia, at Mutala Primary School, where we’re putting in latrines. Partnerships are extremely important to us and we like to think we’re good at them.

We have been shortlisted for many awards and recently we won the Corporate Social Responsibility Project of the Year at the Charity Times Awards with one of our partners. Overall, we’re proud of what we’ve achieved in the last year and through the years of the pandemic, where we saw how vital safe water was. Just a Drop is a hard-working resilient organisation, committed to helping people across the world and achieving great things.

If you’d like to get involved, please contact alice.mellar@justadrop.org and visit www.justadrop.org

Travel takes responsibility

As one of the most prominent villains in the eco wars of the 21st century, the travel sector has had to take responsibility for the introduction of best practice in every area to ensure its survival. From the inevitable demise of the once coveted designer toiletry miniatures of the upscale hotel to the wholesale recycling of food waste, soaps and grey water, there is an upswell of green measures sector-wide as it responds to environmental pressures and customer demand.

By Kathi Everden

While wholesale reduction of plastic use is a welcome feature of hospitality as it emerges from the shadow of the pandemic, perhaps more surprising is the inventive use of recycled plastic – think duvets and staff uniforms, the former pioneered at voco hotels while easyJet flies the flag for new crew uniforms made from recycled bottles.

The latter initiative has the potential to prevent 2.7 million plastic bottles from ending up in landfill or in the oceans during the next five years, an example of just how far innovative solutions can contribute to the massive problems confronting the environment.

Overall, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has estimated that the travel and tourism sector is responsible for between eight and 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions – and has launched a Net Zero Roadmap to provide concrete guidelines and recommendations for use within the industry, with a 2050 goal for net zero.

Among those organisations committed to this target are airlines, airport facility operators, cruise lines, hotel groups and resorts, although travel agencies and tour operators appear to be slower in starting their decarbonisation programmes. Even here, big operators such as Jet2, easyJet Holidays and TUI have committed to a 2050 net zero target.

Inevitably, given it has the most to lose, the aviation sector has made impressive steps to alleviate the destructive impact of its operations.

Delta, for instance, announced an investment of US$1 billion and a target to become the first carbon-neutral airline, using a mix of fuel economies and carbon offsets, including

projects in wetland restoration, grassland conservation, reforestation and marine and soil capture.

In Europe, Lufthansa has adopted a holistic approach in its strategy to cut net carbon emissions by 50% within eight years on the way to becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

As well as inducting 190 new aircraft into its fleet by 2030 – slashing carbon emissions by 30% compared with those aircraft they are replacing – the group is also investing in Sun-to-Liquid technology that uses concentrated sunlight to produce carbon-neutral kerosene as well as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) manufactured from biogenic waste materials and the use of AeroSHARK film on aircraft that optimises airflow and reduces fuel consumption. Compostable cutlery made from bamboo, elimination of single-use plastics and recycling of PET plastic bottles in conjunction with Fraport are among other measures already in place.

The airline is also extending its green agenda to the customer with the introduction of a new Green Fare that includes full compensation of CO2 emissions.

The latter is available on Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines, displayed as a fare option for both economy and

A mangrove tree will be planted for every Economy Space booking on Etihad Airways

business flights within Europe. At Etihad Airways, the UAE's national carrier, a mangrove tree will be planted for every booking of an Economy Space seat as part of the airline’s commitment to the environment – mangroves remove up to four times more carbon dioxide from the air than other tropical forests and the first Etihad Forest in Abu Dhabi will in future be joined by mangrove plantations in other parts of the world.

Passengers will receive confirmation of ‘their’ mangrove and, after registration, can visit the site online or in real time, and communicate with the chatbot-enabled tree.

As Environmental Airline of the Year 2022 in the annual Airlines Ratings awards, Etihad has also invested in partnerships with the major manufacturers as well as launching the Greenliner programme using its Boeing 787 Dreamliners as flying test-beds and the Sustainable50 A350-1000.

Low-cost airlines, too, are tapping into the move to sustainable aviation, with easyJet announcing a long-term commitment to zero carbon emission hydrogen aircraft, working in conjunction with Rolls-Royce, as well as supporting the Airbus ZEROe programme for carbon removal technology.

The airline has also introduced new crew uniforms, each made from 45 recycled plastic bottles.

NEW CRUISE CONTROLS

On the ocean waves travel is becoming greener as cruise lines look to expand recycling, energy efficient ship design, supply chain sustainability, reverse osmosis water filtration and waste to energy initiatives.

Royal Caribbean Group, for example, is introducing a fuel-cell hybrid ship design that eliminates emissions when docked in port, and the company (which includes Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea) has committed to a development strategy that ensures each new ship class is 20% more energy efficient than its predecessor.

Celebrity ships have solar panels and LED lighting as well as heat transfer windows to cut down on air-conditioning use, and the brand is introducing a water filtration system to enable the return to the sea of near pure waste water – while Silversea’s 728-passenger Silver Nova will be the first hybrid LNG powered luxury cruise ship when it takes to the seas next year, cutting carbon emissions by 40% compared to its sister ships, as well as featuring a micro gasification system that converts waste to thermal energy.

MSC Cruises, meanwhile, has converted

easyJet’s crew uniforms are made from recycled plastic bottles

WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY

While operators are stepping up their green game, ultimately the conscience and will of the public to adhere to more ethical travel will have the most impact. Here are a few stats:

40% of consumers in the UK, Germany and the US are willing to book a trip with a sustainable tour operator

36% are willing to pay a premium, but only 19% have done so

92% of travellers in Germany want measures to encourage more eco-friendly holidays from tour operators and policymakers

3 in 5 travellers are willing to pay additional fees for sustainable travel

71%

of travellers are willing to pay more to lower their carbon footprint, but only 33% would consider a premium between US$50 and US$250

40% of UK travellers are willing to pay more to travel with a company that demonstrates a good environmental record

an abandoned industrial facility in the Bahamas into a nature reserve in a Marine Protection Area that fosters coral growth and nurtures the sea turtle population.

Relative newcomer, Virgin Voyager, launched with ambitious green credentials ranging from a ban on single-use plastics and the notorious food-waste-generating ship’s buffet to the widespread use of tree-free disposable paper products such as bath tissue, napkins and paper cups; provision of reusable water bottles for all guests and six units to harness waste heat from the engines’ cooling water to power cabins and restaurants on board.

The cruise line has also recently joined forces with wastebased sustainable fuel providers to reduce its carbon emissions from fuel by 75% or more.

Overall, industry body CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) announced this year that members would work towards net-zero cruising by 2050, with elimination of carbon emissions in port by 2035 through the use of shoreside electricity.

ACCOMMODATING CHANGE

Cutting back on energy, recycling and local sourcing and elimination of plastics is increasingly mandatory for hotels small or large as green waves wash over the industry.

Rotana, for instance, has committed to the elimination of single-use plastic toiletries and implemented the latest laundry innovations to save energy and water, as well as sourcing foodstuffs from organic and home-grown farms and introducing solar energy into new hotels such as the Centro Mada Amman.

The company is now doing away with more than 17 million plastic toiletry bottles annually, which highlights the size of the potential savings across the entire hospitality industry.

Minor Hotels, with its Anantara and Avani brands, has committed to Green Growth 2050 certification, aiming for net zero with a

Sources: Global Consumer Survey by Statista, Expedia, Vacationer ABTA Holiday Habits research

Air-purifying plants fill the atrium at Bark, the restaurant at Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers

wholesale green strategy that ranges from recycled tree bark packaging for soaps and toiletries and a 140sq m rooftop garden at the Avani Luang Prabang Hotel in Laos to a hydroponic farm of 22,000 plants at the Avani Pattaya resort.

In addition, at Anantara’s Qasr Al Sarab resort in the UAE, biodegradable bottles are made from corn, solar power heats hot water saving 80% electricity use and all cardboard, soil, papers and soap is recycled.

The impact of the major brands is doubled up, with IHG’s recent collaboration with Unilever replacing bathroom miniatures with bulk amenities in more than 4,000 hotels worldwide. The group’s Journey to Tomorrow plan calls for newbuilds to be either zero carbon or extremely low-carbon in operations, and its green strategy also focuses on food waste reduction, water conservation and renewable energy.

The Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers, for example, has solar panels on its façade plus intelligent automatic lighting and a groundwater-based heating system for both winter warmth and summer cool. Its restaurant, Bark, serves organic and locally sourced Nordic cuisine in a stunning green atrium filled with air-purifying plants.

For newbuild properties, whether they are city hotels or tropical resorts, the opportunities for green purposing are significantly wider and arguably easier than for existing properties, and it is noticeable that much of the publicity surrounding major developments highlights sustainability.

In Saudi Arabia, where magic is being created in the desert landscape, the massive NEOM project, including the Trojena mountain resort, “harmonises nature with innovative technologies” in the pursuit of sustainability – a strategy also adapted by other giga projects in the kingdom. It’s also a priority for the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, which has announced Balanced Tourism, a vision to become the region’s most sustainable destination by 2025, moving beyond just using less plastic to adopting an all-inclusive approach that covers cultural conservation, sustainable development and attractions built with purpose.

SUSTAINABILITY – THE SIXTH SENSE?

Last year’s winner of the WTM Responsible Tourism Awards for reducing plastic waste, the Six Senses Laamu resort in the Maldives aims to become plastic free by the end of 2022 as part of its commitment to the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative.

The Etihad Dreamliner goes green

Virgin Voyages has set sail with a commitment to sustainability

Four responsible tourism gamechangers

Exodus Travels puts nature first

In an innovative move, adventure company Exodus Travels has committed to halving its carbon footprint by 2030 as well as rewilding 100 sqm of land per passenger, and to compensate for all trip and flight emissions. This Nature First policy has the goal of becoming Nature Net Positive by 2024, helping green restoration and regeneration starting in the Italian Apennines and the Adriatic coast in Croatia, supporting natural grazing, old-growth forests and wildlife such as the Balkan chamois, red deer, brown bear and lynx. The tour operator is also offering more rail options in response to a rise in demand for slow and responsible travel.

There’s more to NEOM’s NIMBUS than hot air NIMBUS, a luxury concept developed by a team from Cornell University featuring carbon-neutral hotel rooms was the winning project at this year’s Sustainable Hospitality Challenge. The hook – the rooms will be flown in carbon fibre pods underneath hot-air balloons, enabling travel to remote destinations in the sponsoring NEOM project in Saudi Arabia. Features include the use of bio-propane fuel, drone-assisted landing and a canopy eco design, all in the best possible taste. Development costs are estimated at US$350 million, with nightly room rates of $7,900.

Travellers rewarded for ‘going green’ in Palau

Following on from the Palau Pledge launched in 2017 under which international visitors were required to sign a pledge stamp in their passports promising to ‘tread lightly’ and ‘preserve and protect’ the islands, the Pacific nation has gone one step farther to encourage responsible tourism.

Ol’au Palau is a world-first initiative offering travellers exclusive experiences based on how they treat the environment and culture – not by how much they spend. Operated via a custom app, it awards points to those eating sustainably sourced local food or using reef-safe sunscreen, for example, with points then redeemable for experiences not usually accessible to visitors. These can be culture or nature-based, ranging from invitations to a first birth ceremony to secret cave pools, secluded fishing spots, unmarked hiking trails and sharing a meal with local elders.

New green leaf ratings for car rental

Widening consumer green options, price comparison site Skyscanner has expanded its green leaf icon to cover car rental, enabling travellers to compare electric and hybrid options at their chosen destination. The company’s Greener Choices programme flags up eco-friendly flight options, and the car rental green leaf was pioneered after new research indicated that nearly 40% of customers were thinking about hiring an electric or hybrid vehicle – data indicates that on average 78% of travellers selected a Greener Choice option if available in their flight search results.

Guests are sent packing tips requesting them to leave single-use plastic products at home and take any plastic waste home where it can be better recycled. Other schemes include reduction of food packaging, seawater desalination through ultraviolet purification and working with the local community to eliminate around seven million plastic water bottles annually.

The resort has also introduced a Sustainability Camp for guests young and old that highlights sustainable techniques and skillsets that can be taken home – including coconut oil and soap-making, crafts and an Alchemy Bar spa workshop to make beauty products.

Other sessions feature creativity with used items and practical gardening and cooking lessons centred around the island’s Leaf Garden.

Six Senses is also launching what is billed as the “world’s first energy-positive off-grid destination” when it opens Svart in Norway in 2024. Built on stilts above a fjord, the 94-room property will rely solely on solar energy for all its needs as well as powering an adjacent farm and fishery and feeding excess energy back into the local grid – it will also have its own waste management and recycling facilities and the

management team is looking to source all requirements from within a 20-mile radius.

HOTEL SUSTAINABILITY BASICS

The WTTC has launched a set of criteria for all hotels targeting responsible travel, providing even the smallest operators with a starting point on their sustainability journey. With the support of more than 50,000 hotels worldwide, it includes measures to reduce energy and water use and carbon emissions, plus practical strategies for linen reuse, green cleaning products, elimination of plastic stirrers, straws and single-use plastic bottles, and the introduction of bulk amenity dispensers. According to WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson, Hotel Sustainability Basics aims to ensure no hotel, however small, would get left behind in the drive to introduce these measures within three years.

“Sustainability is non-negotiable but not every small hotel has access to the science on how to make a difference – this gives everyone access to a global standard.”

Taking this farther, the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (representing some 40,000 properties, 30% of the global total) offers free tools and resources to assist in the greening of the sector, including the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI), the Hotel Water Measurement Initiative (HWMI) and the Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index.

Travellers to Palau are rewarded for ‘going green’

Sustainable ways to explore Ireland

restaurant with everything from Cheviot lamb and Longhorn beef to fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs picked daily from a vast walled garden or foraged from the extensive onsite woodlands.

SLOW CABINS

Slow Cabins®, focusing on low-impact stays at ‘secret’ locations, have arrived in Ireland. With guests booking blind on slowcabins.ie, this short-break-for-two concept, which originated in Belgium, encourages the off-grid ‘slow life’ and takes the planning and even the choosing of your destination out of the equation. The process means you book without knowing the exact location of your cabin, allowing Slow Cabins® to make all the arrangements for you.

BURREN ECOTOURISM NETWORK

Named one of 10 ‘Best Tourism Project’ winners in the new ‘Community’ category of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2021, Ireland’s Burren Ecotourism Network is an initiative that has brought a large group of local enterprises together to transform the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark into a global leader for sustainable tourism.

The Emerald Isle takes on new meaning as Ireland adds new sustainable experiences to help travellers reduce their impact

Ireland's commitment to sustainable tourism is evident in a raft of new products and initiatives, from low-impact activities and accommodation to award-winning projects that put the environment and communities first. Here we take a glance at some highlights.

THE INTERNATIONAL APPALACHIAN TRAIL

There’s nothing more sustainable than walking, and the famous International Appalachian Trail – one of the world’s largest trail networks spanning the USA, into Canada, Iceland, across to Ireland and beyond – has been upgraded to include a new Ulster-Ireland section. Covering 279 miles, the route takes walkers through wonderfully diverse landscapes; it begins on the west coast of County Donegal, starting at the spectacular cliffs of Slieve League, passes through the Sperrin Mountains into the rugged Causeway Coast and

across the magnificent Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland to finish at the port of Larne. There’s a new place to stay along the trail – the treetop lodges of Burrenmore Nest in Castlerock, County Londonderry. Perched on stilts and offering panoramic views, each lodge has an ensuite waterfall shower room, king-size beds, kitchenette, built-in home-cinema projector and private outdoor whirlpool bath.

KILLEAVY CASTLE ESTATE

For those who like to combine luxury with sustainability, Killeavy Castle Estate in County Armagh recently opened its doors. Named winner of the Luxury Castle Hotel (Europe) Award at the prestigious World Luxury Awards 2021, the hotel is renowned for its environmental consciousness and passion for sustainability, from saving water to zero plastic. Guests can even enjoy the sights and sounds of the estate’s working farm, which supplies its

The Burren in County Clare (pictured), on Ireland’s celebrated Wild Atlantic Way, is one of the largest limestone areas in Europe and is internationally renowned for its remarkable topography with moon-like landscape and unique plant life.

Caring for this special environment and co-existing with nature is at the heart the Burren Ecotourism Network.

All of the network’s enterprises subscribe to the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark ‘Code of Sustainable Practice’. This is an online platform that measures waste output, water consumption and energy usage and encourages each business to make reductions in these areas.

The code of practice is the only one of its kind in Ireland. As a result of the network’s efforts, three destinations in County Clare – Loop Head, the Burren Food Trail and the monastic site of Scattery Island – have been awarded European Destination of Excellence status for various aspects of sustainable tourism. A magnet for walkers, geologists, botanists, creatives, foodies, archaeologists and all those seeking a true taste of Ireland, the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark offers a range of sustainable holiday experiences.

The Burren in County Clare

Africa

TOURISM ARRIVALS 2021 +12% versus 2020 -74% versus 2019

TOP 7 MARKETS FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS 2021

South Africa 2.3mn

Tanzania 900,000

Ethiopia 500,000

Reunion 300,000

Eswatini 200,000

Seychelles 200,000

Mauritius 200,000

AIRLINE SECTOR 2021

65.2%

international traffic decline versus 2019

AIRLINE SECTOR OUTLOOK

Passenger numbers to/from/within Africa will reach 76%

of 2019 levels in 2022, surpassing pre-crisis levels in 2025 (101%).

SPOTLIGHT ON… SOUTH AFRICA

Tourism arrivals from January to May 2022 increased 480% year on year, while tourist accommodation income in May improved 61.6% compared to May 2021.

Sources: UNWTO, IATA, Statistics South Africa

All eyes on Africa

Resilient throughout the pandemic and now popular more than ever, thanks to its low-density, open-air offering with a responsible tourism focus, Africa is “one to watch” explains Chris Mears, Executive Director, The African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA®)

Q: How has the travel and tourism industry in East and Southern Africa where ATTA®’s Africa membership is predominantly based, performed in 2022?

East Africa has performed extremely well with properties and operators reporting strong occupancy figures, not only from deferred bookings, but new business coming in. Southern Africa has seen jumps in arrival numbers from key source markets after the lifting of testing and vaccination requirements. Unlike the UK, Europe and North America, Africa has not seen the same service level impacts (such as at airports) and it has been very much ‘open for business’.

Q: What demand trends have you notice?

During the pandemic, African tourism was largely supported by domestic travellers and some countries (Zambia and Kenya) did extremely well out of this.

For some time now, intra-African travel has been on the rise and with various tourism boards we have been trying to build on this, however, there are challenges around limited (but increasing) air access and the cost of this air access. From an international perspective, the US market has been key to Africa’s tourism recovery.

Once the world started opening up post pandemic, US citizens were largely able to travel with relatively few restrictions and were drawn to the space that Africa provides.

Q: Which African destinations have proven most and least resilient?

Much of the African tourism business is low density and open air, offering the opportunity to travel in a private group or to have exclusive access, so the entire destination is geared well to the post-pandemic travel environment. Africa suffers from the stigma that it is not equipped to deal with the challenges thrown at it, but that is not the case.

In terms of resilience, it has been key to communicate the message that countries are open for business and Kenya, for example, did this extremely well.

Countries that have picked up slower are those with lingering testing protocols, which are another hurdle for travellers to jump over.

Q: What have been the challenges and opportunities for the region’s tourism sector?

Perception is always a problem. However, I and many others felt that COVID-19 protocols and prevention measures were more robust in Africa than they were here in the UK. The major challenge was communicating this. Having said that, the attitude of many markets such as the US was that the COVID-19 risk was universal regardless of country or destination, and many of these travellers who have visited Africa since the pandemic have been converted into true Africaphiles.

That aside, air access is still hampering growth, but the situation is improving with

new connections being announced between South America and South Africa and regional connections around the continent continually increasing.

Without the proper airlift, we are unable to deliver the products to the consumer and support the many individuals in the African tourism supply chain.

Q: What are the prospects for 2023?

The optimist in me is hopeful we will have good year and outperform pre-pandemic levels, however, we have a new set of headwinds, especially the rising cost of living and energy prices and, from a UK perspective, the overall state of the economy and the value of the pound.

Outside of South Africa and Namibia, the majority of the tourism product in Africa operates on a US dollar basis so it has become more expensive almost overnight for the British traveller.

Despite this challenge, there is an appetite for bucket list and multi-generational travel and Africa taps into both of these well.

Talking to our members, the ‘forward book’ is largely looking healthy and consumers are beginning to revert to more traditional booking patterns, with last-minute business diminishing. While market conditions are challenging, many have come out of the pandemic leaner, more efficient and better set up to handle future roadblocks.

Q: What role is ATTA® playing in helping the industry rebuild?

Tourism is very people focused and so is ATTA®. We operate a very small full-time team and our priority is to give Africa and our members a voice. We continually look for the right opportunities to connect our supplier members to relevant buyers around the world and for the right information to be shared about African tourism.

We are delighted to be hosting our popular networking events again, which give our members the opportunity to join us on shared stands at various trade shows around the world. We recently launched our Code of Business Practice, which adds a marque of quality to the ATTA® logo and brand and gives consumers confidence to book with an ATTA® member, safe in the knowledge they are booking with a vetted and accountable operator.

We have also just signed a partnership with The Africa Hub, which is providing destination and sales training to all of our buyer members.

By working together we are able to build Africa’s profile and drive more tourism business to the continent.

Q: Responsible and regenerative tourism is front of mind as destinations rebuild – how will this put Africa at an advantage going forward?

Africa has long been at the forefront in this area, but not necessarily ‘shouted from the rooftops’ about it. Much of African tourism has been built on conservation, communities and collaboration with some destinations (such as Botswana and Rwanda) focusing on a high value, low impact tourism model.

The consumer wants to get under the surface of a destination and to see that their money is ending up in the country they are visiting and to give back more. We need to ensure this is communicated through the supply chain so travellers can make informed and responsible decisions.

Q: What stand-out responsible tourism examples can you provide from your membership?

One of our members, Matetsi Victoria Falls, is a leader in this field, employing a 100% local

Zimbabwean onsite team with 60% from the immediate province.

The property engages with local craftsmen and farmers for products and produce and is committed to local conservation, transforming wilderness areas from hunting grounds into conservation areas, manned by dedicated teams.

It also partners with a local non-profit organisation to support vulnerable communities to develop, implement and support sustainable projects focusing on livelihoods, health and education.

This is one of many wonderful initiatives running across the continent.

Q: What other USPs can be better leveraged to grow tourism responsibly?

Thanks to advances in technology, more safari properties are moving off grid and reducing their carbon dependence.

We are seeing many operators switching to electric boats or safari vehicles which, thanks to an abundance of sunlight, are charged fully off the grid, providing a sustainable, safari environment.

Q: Before the pandemic, Africa was billed as ‘the one to watch’ in terms of growth and development potential – where does it stand today?

Africa remains the one to watch. Early in the post-pandemic recovery, when other parts of the world remained closed to travellers, Africa was opening up and a new group of visitors chose to explore what was on offer, which gave us an advantage.

Some countries are almost back to receiving pre-pandemic tourism arrival numbers and this is still without the volume of travellers from China.

With early indications of travel restrictions easing to and from China, it is only a matter of time before arrivals start picking up again.

There has also been local and international investment in several African countries, further opening up the potential of the continent. Namibia recently introduced a digital nomad’ visa, enabling more people to come into the country to work remotely, stay for longer and spend in destination.

I hope to see more countries follow suit. Africa is very much open for business and ready to welcome arrivals.

Namibia, which recently introduced a digital nomad’ visa

TOURISM ARRIVALS 2021 -65% versus 2020 -94% versus 2019

AIRLINE SECTOR 2021

93.2% traffic decline versus 2019

AIRLINE SECTOR OUTLOOK

Traffic to/from/within Asia Pacific will only reach 68%

of 2019 levels in 2022, with 2019 levels recovered in 2025 (109%)

SPOTLIGHT ON…

China

GlobalData forecasts that China will welcome 43.4 million international arrivals in 2022, making it the most popular destination in Asia Pacific. According to GlobalData’s traveller demands and flows database, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are forecast to be the largest source markets for the destination this year.

Sources: UNWTO, IATA, GlobalData

“For many millions of people across Asia and the Pacific, tourism is an essential lifeline. Its return is vital and must be based around the pillars of inclusion and sustainability, for the benefit of all”

ZURAB POLOLIKASHVILI, SECRETARY GENERAL, UNWTO

Asia Pacific

Building back better

The Malaysian destination of Sarawak has seen a surge in tourism arrivals since reopening its borders on April 1, explains

Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh

Askor, CEO of Sarawak

Tourism Board

Q. How has Sarawak recovered from the impact of the pandemic?

Sarawak reopened its borders on April 1 2022 and since then we have seen a strong surge in visitor numbers.

In the period January-September 2022, 1,141,184 visitors arrived in Sarawak compared to 92,174 during the same time in 2021. With this steady growth, I am confident we will be able to surpass our target of 1.2 million tourists in 2022 and generate RM3.2 billion in tourism receipts.

Q. What key strategies did you put in place to aid recovery and what were the results?

We have employed a ‘build back better’ approach to ensure tourism will benefit future generations. We are also focusing on domestic tourism. The inaugural homegrown ‘Sia Sitok Sarawak’ campaign, which translates to ‘here’ and ‘there’ in Sarawak, was introduced to boost the local tourism industry during the pandemic.

Following the success of the first two initiatives, we extended the campaign to ‘Sia Sitok Accommodation’ to support the accommodation sector. We’ve rolled out the ‘Sia Sitok Sarawak’ tour campaign four times and the ‘Sia Sitok Accommodation’ has had three editions.

Q. What key trends have you noticed in terms of the behaviour and preferences of travellers to Sarawak? What’s in demand and why?

The rise of revenge travel and responsible tourism have been the biggest trends post-pandemic.

We have really experienced the rise of ‘revenge travel’ – people making up for lost time and holidays after the easing of travel restrictions. Consumers want to tick us off their bucket list and are making the most of their newfound freedom.

There is an increasing demand for sustainable and responsible tourism practices among visitors. Ecotourism hotspots

Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor

Downtown Kuching with the iconic Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building and the Darul Hana Bridge featured

like national parks, nature reserves, and beaches are among the most sought-after destinations.

Q. What are the top destinations and attractions in Sarawak and why?

Thanks to its rich multi-ethnic culture, diverse geography and impressive biodiversity, Sarawak is a haven for today’s tourists who prefer tailored experiences to suit their interests and passions.

Similarly, adventure lovers can enjoy thrill-seeking activities such as hiking, offroad cycling, deep-sea diving and caving, and passionate anglers can throw their reels for deep-sea fishing in Miri waters. We take pride in our five tourism pillars – Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festivals, or CANFF offerings.

Q. What’s new in Sarawak from a tourism perspective?

As part of our commitment to preserving historical and natural heritage for future generations, we recently opened the Borneo Cultures Museum, Malaysia’s largest museum and the second-largest museum in Southeast Asia.

The museum is a state-of-the-art repository boasting five levels of galleries and exhibition space and more than 1,000 artefacts representing Sarawak’s amazing and diverse culture.

Aside from that, we have also been restoring many of our historic fortresses such as Fort Alice in Sri Aman, Fort Emma in Kanowit, Fort Brooke in Julau, Fort Hose in Marudi and Fort Lili in Betong.

Q. What responsible tourism initiatives does Sarawak have in place?

We are positioning Sarawak as a world-leading ecotourism destination, working closely with tourism stakeholders to engage them in responsible tourism

practices in line with our post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 and the 3rd Sarawak Tourism Master Plan (STMP –2020 -2035) and Sarawak Sustainable Environment Blueprint.

Over the years, Sarawak has been actively championing its Community Based Tourism (CBT) initiatives by engaging with licensed and registered longhouses in rural areas run predominantly by women who advocate for sustainable tourism.

To date, the CBT initiatives have benefitted 11,799 households and 82,688 additional beneficiaries.

Through iconic events such as the Rainforest World Music Festival and Borneo Jazz Festival, Sarawak has leveraged digital platforms to promote its responsible tourism initiatives such as the ecoGreenPlanet Programme in collaboration with Sarawak Forestry Corporation, the proceeds of which have gone towards tree-planting activities held after the festivals.

Q. What is your key message at WTM?

As key tourism stakeholders, it is vital we play our part in ensuring the sustainability of our community and environment and achieve an equilibrium within the tourism ecosystem. Sustainable and responsible tourism should be developed as part of tourism’s daily practices, as well as a solid social and environmental strategy.

Travellers' lifestyles, perspectives, and behaviours have changed since the pandemic, and we need to fulfil their evolved needs against the backdrop of an everchanging world, while advocating responsible and sustainable tourism.

Above: Borneo Cultures Museum

Below: Kuching

Kuching.

10 reasons to visit SARAWAK

HEADLINE: 10 REASONS TO VISIT SARAWAK

Sarawak, the largest state in Malaysia, offers an alternative for those seeking humble authenticity far from the tourist-trap clichés

Sarawak is home to 31 ethnic groups who speak 45 dialects and each has their own unique stories, beliefs, traditions and cultures. No indigenous-living experience is more complete, authentic and fulfilling than spending a day with the local community at a longhouse. Enjoy the culinary delights of the different cultures, dance to traditional music played by master musicians on unique Sarawakian instruments, listen to the stories, folklore and legends of the respective ethnic groups and discover the meanings of tribal tattoos.

1

VISIT THE ORANGUTANS AT BATANG AI NATIONAL PARK

Batang Ai National Park is home to the Iban tribe who consider themselves the ancestral stewards of the park, but also of its most celebrated primate, the orangutan. The community works in partnership with local authorities to protect the primates and for the region’s long-term sustainability.

2

VISIT A CENTURIES-OLD LONGHOUSE

The Bario Highlands, the Land of One Hundred Handshakes, is home to the Kelabit community, the smallest ethnic group in Sarawak. A tour of the village will take visitors to the centuries-old longhouse, which has a unique kitchen with ancient timbers darkened by the constant smoke of generations of cooking fires. For the more adventurous, it’s possible to climb Sarawak’s highest mountain, Mount Murud (2,432m), a sandstone mountain which is sacred to the Kelabit people. Bario has an incredible array of organic food such as the famous Bario rice and pineapple. Each July, the internationally renowned Bario Food Festival – Pesta Nukenen – takes place

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN UNSPOILT NATURE

Nature is in abundance in Sarawak with many waterfalls in the southern and central regions. The side-by-side triple direct-drop Keluan waterfalls in Long San, also known as the Three Sisters, plunge into a beautiful basin surrounded by a secluded cavern and are perfect for a refreshing dip. The Western Julan waterfall is the highest in Sarawak with a 300m drop. A 7–8-hour trek and two hours of climbing leads to the top of the Usun Apau plateau, a vertical gain of 68 metres.

4

TOUR SARAWAK'S DOZENS OF NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES

Sarawak has more than 60 national parks and reserves, and 23 are accessible to public. Semenggoh Nature Reserve has a colony of semi-wild orangutans and is proof of the success of Sarawak’s efforts to safeguard and sustain the amazing biodiversity in the forests through initiatives to protect the flora and fauna. Mulu, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its 50-metre-high limestone pinnacles, is home to Deer Cave. At 2km-long, it is the world’s second largest cave and could fit 40 Boeing 747s inside.

5

TAKE A HIKE!

Take a hike in the Bengoh Range up to Kampung Sting high above the clouds. After a 20-minute boat ride across the Bengoh Dam, the trek passes the Kling and Susana waterfalls and across a bamboo bridge suspended by steel cables. Cycling offers a slower pace to witness Sarawak’s diverse wildlife, nature and culture up close.

6

VISIT THE OLDEST RECORDED HUMAN SETTLEMENT IN EAST MALAYSIA

The Niah Caves system in Niah National Park is an important prehistoric site where discoveries in 2017 suggest that human pre-history existed about 65,000 years ago making it the oldest recorded human settlement in east Malaysia. The national park features one of the world’s largest cave entrances, Palaeolithic and Neolithic burial sites and iron-age cave paintings.

7

EMBARK ON AN INCREDIBLE GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE

Kuching was recently included in UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN) list of 49 top gastronomic destinations. Fresh seafood is prevalent thanks to the state’s mighty rivers and lengthy coastline, with predominantly Chinese influences in the way it is cooked.

8

GET A TASTE OF THE WORLD-FAMOUS SARAWAK LAKSA

Sarawak Laksa, ranked the #1 dish in Asia by TasteAtlas and dubbed ‘Breakfast of the Gods’ by the late Anthony Bourdain, is one dish visitors shouldn’t miss. Comprising vermicelli rice noodles soaked in a spicy-sour shrimp-based broth made from more than 30 different herbs and spices and thickened with coconut milk, the laksa is topped with crunchy beansprouts, boiled prawns, shredded chicken, thin slices of omelette and a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

9

TRY AN ICONIC SWEET TREAT

Kueh lapis can be found all over Malaysia, but kek lapis, or layered cake, is a specifically Sarawakian treat. A sweet snack for all festive occasions, this iconic delicacy even featured in Season 10 of UK TV series The Great British Bake Off

10

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN LOCAL CULTURE

Sarawak hosts a number of major events each year, including the annual Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching. It returns on June 23-25, 2023 with daytime music workshops, cultural displays, craft displays, food stalls, and main-stage evening concerts. The Sarawak Regatta takes place in November and includes dragon boat races with international participants including the UK, Georgia, Cyprus, Italy, Iran, Bangladesh and the UAE.

Sarawak’s orangutan population is a huge tourist drawcard

The famous Sarawak Laksa

Niah Caves in Niah National Park

The ‘Heart of Asia’

Taiwan has reopened its borders and is ready to bring back tourism, says

Ms Yu-Ting Chiu, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau London office

Q: With Taiwan reopening to tourists on October 13, how easy is it to travel to the destination and what are the rules?

Visitors are no longer required to quarantine upon entry or take any PCR tests. Instead, they need to monitor their health for seven days after arriving.

The visa-exempt entry programme is also gradually being restored, where visitors from eligible countries can enter Taiwan without a visa for tourism or business purposes. The most up-to-date visa information can be found on the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (en.mofa.gov.tw).

Q: What key strategies are in place to aid Taiwan’s tourism industry recovery?

Taiwan is adopting several strategies to bring back tourism. The first is utilising multiple media channels to promote Taiwan's brand image and tourism. We actively collaborate with print and online media to introduce Taiwan through articles, blog posts, and advertisements. Social media is

also our focal point in reaching the targeted audiences and potential visitors.

Secondly, we strive to bring Taiwanese culture, traditions and beauty to the world by organising diverse and eye-catching activities and events, such as festivals, light shows, and performances.

Thirdly, we organise fam trips to invite agencies and media to visit Taiwan.

By experiencing the culture, exploring our nature and feeling the beauty of Taiwan, travel agents understand our product and are in a stronger position to promote packages to tourists. Finally, we work with local agencies to invite visitors to participate in in-depth or themed travel tours, re-introducing Taiwan by providing travellers with personal and authentic experiences.

Q: Traveller preferences have changed since the pandemic – how is Taiwan adapting? After staying at home for such a long time, travellers are now looking for refreshing, unique and exciting experiences.

Taiwan, having versatile cultures and environments, provides diversely themed trips, such as cycling, railway, water activities, and hiking trips, to welcome visitors with different interests and needs.

Q: What are the leading destinations and attractions in Taiwan and why?

Though small, Taiwan is a wonderland that encompasses many different cultures and sceneries. Big cities such as Taipei, Kaohsiung and Taichung are perfect for city goers.

To know more about Taiwanese history, traditions and indigenous cultures, towns like Hualien and Taitung are full of places that are worth discovering.

For nature lovers, Sun Moon Lake, Alishan, Taroko National Park and beaches around the coast are destinations that should not be missed.

Q: What’s new from a tourism perspective?

To welcome travellers from all over the world, Taiwan has been putting great effort

into making its tourism more accessible by establishing e-Visas and visa-exempt programmes, training multi-lingual tour guides, and adding more transport routes between popular destinations.

Fortunately, the flight frequencies from London to Taipei have increased since October.

There are also several new attractions open in Taiwan such as the Taipei Performing Arts Centre, which opened recently.

Next year we have the Taiwan Lantern Festival taking place, which will welcome tourists from all over the world.

Q: What tourism development strategy is Taiwan currently pursuing?

Besides our main markets, including Japan, Korea, Malaysia and other Asian countries, we are looking to venture further afield and to develop long-distance markets such as the US and Europe.

Situated close to China, Japan, Korea and many Southeast Asian countries, Taiwan is truly the ‘Heart of Asia’.

We aim to showcase our abundant natural resources and rich cultures by developing multiple themed travel routes and packages, promoting travelling for in-depth experiences in Taiwan.

As Taiwan has been rated one of the safest and most technology-developed countries, we are also targeting the backpacker

market. There are lots of young backpackers visiting Taiwan.

Business travel is another niche market, with many corporate travellers transferring in Taiwan, we can offer half-day or one-day customised tours for this sector.

Moreover, there are also niche and highend markets, such as bird-watching, cycling and luxury trips.

We will promote themed trips to attract specific tourists to visit Taiwan.

Q: With travellers more mindful of responsible tourism, how does Taiwan stand out and what pioneering sustainable initiatives or projects can you tell us about?

As part of Taiwan Tourism Policy White Paper 2020-2030, Taiwan is dedicated to following the UN’s SDGs, establishing Green Destinations, encouraging governmental and private sectors to follow the standards of Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and promoting the ‘Green Mark’ certificate for the tourism industry. Taiwan has been incorporating sustainable practices in tourism for a decade and we are determined to reduce carbon emissions and pollution.

For example, the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area (NEYC), as well as Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area, have been recognised in the ‘Top 100’ Green Destinations. In addition, NEYC received the Green Destinations Silver Award in 2018 and Green Destinations Gold Award in 2020.

The NEYC is a multi-purpose destination in north-eastern Taiwan offering green mountains, clear waters as well as cultural heritage sites and stretches more than 102 kilometres from Nanya, just east of Juifen, to Suao.

Recreational opportunities here include camping, rock climbing, hiking along a 200-year-old footpath and watersports, such as swimming, surfing, windsurfing, jet skiing, boating, snorkelling and scuba diving

Q: What’s your message to the WTM London audience this year?

If your customers are looking for a place that can offer modern city life, beautiful natural sceneries, fascinating cultures and delicious cuisines, Taiwan is what you should offer.

Imagine glancing at the city view from Taipei 101 while sipping bubble tea, cycling with the mountain on one side and the ocean on the other, or taking the train across a golden grain field and eating the famous Railway Bento. As we are reopening our borders, you can do these things without quarantine. Welcome to Taiwan!

Below left: Lotus pond dragons and tiger pagodas, Kaohsiung

Bottom: Slow tourism at Sun Moon Lake

Top: The Taipei skyline and its iconic skyscraper, Taipei 101

8 reasons to visit TAIWAN

DIVERSE NATURAL LANDSCAPE

For travellers who like to explore diverse landscapes, Taiwan is a great option. With the Tropic of Cancer cutting through the island, it is home to mountains, hills, plains, valleys, and stunning coastline, all of which can be explored in a short space of time. Highlights include the magnificent high mountains and deep canyons of Taroko; a ride on a mini mountain train to appreciate the sunrise and seas of clouds in Alishan; and a climb up Northeast Asia's highest peak, Yushan, where the view of the mountainous terrain changes with the seasons. Another must-visit is Yehliu Geopark, a landscape of honeycomb and mushroom rocks eroded by the sea. Well-known formations named for their shapes include the Queen’s Head and Dragon’s Head. For idyllic coastal views, the seaside cities of Hualien and Taitung will take you to “heaven on Earth”.

FOODIE PARADISE

You might have tried ‘bubble tea’ or ‘Xiao Long Bao’ (steamed bun), but you might not know they are from Taiwan. Food is the heart of the Taiwanese culture. It is said that on any street in Taiwan, if you walk three steps, there is a food shop, and the variety is huge. Highly recommended is the Taiwanese national dish, beef noodle soup, with its rich beef broth, tender meat and thick chewy noodles. And don’t forget to try some unique street dishes too – braised pork rice, oyster omelette, oyster vermicelli – found in most of the night markets. If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss out on trying the pineapple cake and the mango shaved ice, two dishes reflecting Taiwan’s status as the ‘Kingdom of the Fruit’.

EASY TRAVEL AND EXCELLENT TRANSPORT

Taiwan has a modern and efficient transportation system in place. In the major cities such as the capital, Taipei, getting from A to B could not be easier, thanks to its renowned metro system. You can use the Taipei Metro to travel to iconic sites including the Taipei 101 skyscraper, the Baroque-style Dadaocheng for afternoon tea, and the Tamsui River – the place to finish the day watching the sunset. Taiwan’s railways offer fast and cost-effective travel options, with the journey time from Taipei to the south capital city, Kaohsiung, just two hours by high-speed rail. Other tourism hotspots accessible by train

range from the Alishan Forest in central Taiwan to Duoliang Station in the east.

A RICH CULTURAL MELTING POT

Taiwan is home to a variety of cultures, including indigenous tribes, which has resulted in diverse architecture and cultural activities. There are 16 tribes remaining in Taiwan such as Amis, Atayal and Paiwan, some of which still preserve their tribal spirits. Amis Harvest Festival is one of the most well-known aboriginal events in Taiwan, held around July and August each year in Hualien and Taitung. It is a colourful celebration of life's abundance. If you are visiting northern Taiwan during the winter, don’t miss one of the grandest Pingxi Sky Lantern Festivals, celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar Chinese calendar, during the full moon. People write their wishes on the lantern and

Yushan

Below: Beef noodle soup

Above: Taiwan is easily explored by train

Right: Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

release them in the sky – a memorable experience. Besides the traditional festivals, LGBTQ events take place throughout the year and include Taiwan Pride, staged every October.

EASY TRAVEL, SAFE AND FRIENDLY

Taiwan is ranked first in the world for personal safety by expats, according to the Expat Insider 2022 study by InterNations, with 98% of those surveyed saying they felt safe in the destination. Taiwan was also ranked the second safety country globally in the 2020 Crime Index by Country 2020 survey. The Taiwanese people are known for being extremely friendly. There is even a saying that “the most beautiful scenery in Taiwan is the people”. Whether in big cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung or towns such as Taitung or Nantou, visitors can travel with peace of mind knowing that it is safe to explore on their own and even if they get lost, there will always be someone to offer help, with a smile.

A VACATION FOR ALL SEASONS –BEACHES AND HOT SPRINGS

Taiwan has a holiday hotspot for all seasons. In summer, visitors seeking beaches will find plenty all around the coast, from Fulong Beach in the north to Kenting Baishawan in the south, where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the sunshine with a glass of tropical cocktail in hand (or a bowl of shaved ice topped with juicy fruits if you don’t drink). During the winter, Taiwan offers multiple types of hot springs and bathhouses for a warm and comforting dip. There are saltwater hot springs, sulphur springs and even mud springs, all of which are great to experience.

ACTIVITIES AND ADVENTURE

It is hard to get bored in Taiwan, which is a haven for adventure activities. Sporty types can enjoy cycling in the city, along the coast or in the mountains, or try water sports such as scuba diving, snorkelling and surfing. Hiking and mountain climbing are a must in Taiwan,

with plenty of peaks and forests to explore across the island, all with magnificent views. Bird-watching is popular in Taiwan, while explorers can discover hidden waterfalls, trails and camping spots.

THE ISLAND THAT DOESN’T SLEEP – NIGHTLIFE

Taiwan is an island that does not sleep (or sleeps very late). There's always something to do at night in the cities. Plenty of night markets are there to help meet evening food cravings with mouth-watering Taiwanese cuisines. Late-night karaoke is one of the most popular activities among youngsters in Taiwan. Pubs and bars with different themes, vibes and music are open until late morning to grab a drink with friends. Last, but definitely not least, Taiwan has convenient stores, such as 7-11 and Family Mart, which are open 24/7, so visitors can buy snacks, drinks, or even novels in the middle of the night.

Taiwan is safe and friendly

Watersports on offer include surfing

Night markets are popular

Taiwan’s hot springs

SPOTLIGHT ON… South Australia

A quad bike tour around Kangaroo Island in South Australia was named the number one tourist experience in Australia in the 2022 Travellers' Choice 'Best of the Best' Things to Do Awards. The Aquascene Magnetic Island Discovery Tour, Margaret River Wine Adventure and one-hour jet ski safari on the Gold Coast were named the second-, third-, and fourth-best experiences respectively.

Australasia

AUSTRALIA

TOURIST ARRIVALS 2021

245,760 -99.6% versus 2019

TOURISM EXPENDITURE LOSSES

From March 2020 to the end of 2021, Australia lost AU$147bn

in domestic and international tourism expenditure

HOTEL REAL ESTATE GAINS

Australia’s hotel market kicked up a gear in 2021 with $2.87bn

worth of assets traded across 60 deals, representing more than 7,000 rooms, up 197.5% on 2020. This was well above the long-term average of AU$1.6bn and was the second highest year on record in terms of total volumes sold

NEW ZEALAND

TOURISM ARRIVALS

+83.5%

year-on-year in June 2022 to 94,651, the highest level since March 2020

TOURISM EXPENDITURE

NZ$25.1bn for the year to March 2021 -37.3% from the previous year

TOURISM’S DIRECT GDP CONTRIBUTION

NZ$8.5bn

or 2% for the year to March 2021 -47.5% (NZ$7.7bn) from the previous year

NZ$25.1BN FOR THE YEAR TO

Sources: CAPA, Deloitte, Colliers Hotels Investment Review Statistics New Zealand, TIA, TripAdvisor

Trends

GLOBAL ECOTOURISM $181.1bn in 2019 $333.8bn by 2027

GLOBAL WELLNESS TOURISM $720bn in 2019 $436bn in 2020 $1.1tn by 2023

GLOBAL SPORTS TOURISM $323.42bn in 2020 $1.8tn by 2030

GLOBAL CULINARY TOURISM $1,117bn in 2019 $1,797bn by 2027

HOT DESTINATION

Dubai was the best-rated destination globally in TripAdvisor’s 2022 Travellers’ Choice Awards. It was also ranked the world’s number one destination for city lovers and the number four destination for food lovers. The winners were determined based on the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings specific to each award subcategory from travellers on TripAdvisor for accommodations, restaurants, and things to do in destinations worldwide during the 12 months between November 1, 2020, and October 31, 2021.

SPOTLIGHT ON…

The ‘hound pound’

Pet-friendly tourism is on the up, spurred by the pandemic when more people than ever bought a pet. A recent poll found 27% of pet owners are planning one or two trips with their furry friends in the next year.

Source: GWI, Allied Market Research, ResearchandMarkets. com, TripAdvisor, Condor Ferries

Going, going … gone?

Assumptions of the enthusiasm of consumers to resume travel as soon as restrictions were raised, post pandemic, have been trialled and tested in the wake of aviation chaos and universal staff shortages in the hospitality sector this summer. But, expectations are still high that numbers will revert to 2019 levels next year, encouraged by a raft of trending demands for wellness, experiential, cruise, multi-generational travel, and more. By

Kathi Everden

It was never going to be instantaneous; reopening hotels and reviving airline routes amid patchy resumption of restriction-free travel meant that even by July, international seat capacity was still down by 37% globally, according to the UN World Travel Organisation (UNWTO), while hotel bookings, up to August, were down 66%.

The most badly affected region remains Asia, with China still out of the game (although Hong Kong was about to re-open at time of press) while those destinations that attract mass-market, short-haul travellers have been among the best performers – Turkey (-4%) and Spain (-12%) for Europe and Mexico for North America (-14%), and the Caribbean by August was down just 9% in terms of its hotel bookings.

But hope is on the horizon, with the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer revealing international tourist arrivals almost tripled in January to July 2022 to 474 million, up 172% compared to the same period in 2021 (175 million). This means the sector recovered almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels.

An estimated 207 million international arrivals were recorded in June and July 2022 combined, over twice the numbers seen in the same two months last year.

These months represent 44% of the total arrivals recorded in the first seven months of 2022. Europe welcomed 309 million of these arrivals, accounting for 65% of the total, a reflection of a bumper summer.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has remained bullish, issuing predictions based on its economic data that the sector will bounce back to pre-pandemic levels by 2023 in markets as diverse as Japan, Portugal, India, Italy, France, Germany and Canada.

WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson says 2022 booking data from travel and analytics company ForwardKeys has been a firm signal of the strong recovery of the global travel and tourism sector, with destinations such as the Costa Rica, Aruba, Dominican Republic and Jamaica leading the field, while Iceland was also in the top 10 and Greece, Egypt, Turkey, Spain and Portugal made the top 20 most resilient destination list.

Additionally, travel to the Asia-Pacific region showed impressive signs of improvement as destinations gradually reopened their borders to visitors, in line with customer demand – giving rise to expectations that a surge in business travel will boost global economic recovery.

According to the data for Q1 and Q2, triple-digit growth was recorded for inbound flight bookings around the world, although the caveat is that these numbers are comparable to 2021, rather than prior to the onset of pandemic. However, other encouraging trends include heightened demand for premium cabin classes in 2022, as well as stronger last-minute bookings.

Overall, WTTC predicts an annual average growth rate of 5.8% in the next decade, with receipts at US$9.6 trillion in 2023 – a return to pre-pandemic levels.

Bucket-list experiences remain in vogue

Sun, sea and sand sorts it

Euromonitor data released in August was cautiously optimistic about recovery and showed a few pointers for how the renewed demand will shake down going forward into next year and beyond. Its Travel 23 research revealed a growth rate of 88% for global inbound tourism spending in 2022 but cautioned that 2019 levels would not be attained until 2025 at the earliest.

It says the focus on domestic tourism has spurred growth in festivals and leisure events – up 50% this year, while short-term rentals were expected to return to peak levels in 2023, ahead of categories such as luxury hotels, duty-free and low-cost carriers.

The report stressed that despite immense pent-up consumer demand, supply was struggling to keep pace and warned that ever increasing costs due to soaring energy, food and other essentials worldwide could impact on future demand.

Growth in the top-income bracket alone would not be sufficient to sustain growth and recovery, but affluent travellers would continue to be of great interest to travel brands in the near term as the sector pivots to a quality tourism business model.

Positively, Euromonitor predicted a reversal from zero tourism to over-tourism would be unlikely as destinations increasingly adopted sustainable tourism strategies, encouraged by the strength of consumer demand for ‘green’ travel. However, the report highlighted that Mediterranean and Adriatic destinations were setting the pace for recovery driven by strong intraregional demand – a trend also seen in the Caribbean – perhaps indicative of the strength of the flop-and-drop model.

It’s the year of the GOAT – Greatest of All Trips

Scenes of airport terminals packed with passengers with nowhere to go as staff shortages decimated airline schedules this summer was, at least, evidence of the pulling power of travel – two years’ abstinence has shaped a universal urge to reconnect and reinforce travel as a global necessity.

From the industry side, meeting demand and expectations is no easy task with mammoth shortfalls in every area from baggage handlers to cabin crew, waiting staff and even car hire and restaurant outlets, as many failed to come back from pandemic bankruptcy. The good news is that the worldwide shutdown has not diminished appetites for travel, but rather sharpened expectations and ignited demand for more, different, sustainable and life-enhancing options.

Early predictions from an array of travel trend research deemed 2022 the Year of the GOAT (Greatest of All Trips), a new moniker for the good old fashioned bucket list.

According to the 2022 Global Travel Trends Report from American Express Travel, more than half of consumers interviewed across seven major markets wanted to book a once-in-a-lifetime vacation this year, a figure that rose to 67% for Millennials and 65% for Gen Z.

Destinations for those trips were Europe (35%), North America (15%), Asia (14%), Oceania (11%), South America (6%) and Africa (3%).

Other positive revelations included 86% of all age groups expecting to spend more or the same on travel in 2022 compared to a typical pre-pandemic year, while, interestingly, 81% of respondents claimed to wish to visit destinations where they could immerse

themselves in the local culture, with expenditure reinvested in the local communities.

In addition, the Amex survey identified demand for big family vacations; private luxury travel for small groups that can run to private jets, islands, yachts, villas and chefs, and a yearning for more cultural immersion, potentially boosting demand for tours and excursions. Meanwhile, the Horizons report by Skyscanner, produced in conjunction with the Digital Tourism Think Tank and CAPA, the centre for aviation, sheds a more prosaic light on consumer trends and demands for 2022 and onwards, with a strong emphasis on pricedriven travel decisions.

According to Skyscanner flights Vice President Hugh Aitken, low pricing was seen as the biggest incentive to book: “However, greater ticket flexibility and COVID-19 travel insurance are also top of mind, and there is also a focus on trust and service as part of the booking process,” he adds.

Of the major markets surveyed, Korea was the only one where low-price offers was not top of the wish list, but globally, inspirational imagery and personal recommendations, such as Instagram content, provided the next best incentive for travel – for those looking for that GOAT.

Conversely, research from TripAdvisor projects increased spending on bucket list trips, with more than 25% of those surveyed looking to ‘splurge’ on their dream destinations.

Globally, American and Australian travellers were the most likely to spend, while those in the UK, Japan and Italy had reduced budgets for 2022.

And, Expedia, in its 2022 Travel Trends Report conducted in conjunction with Northstar Research, concludes that the main driver for travel decisions will be quality, rather than quantity – whether related to mindfulness, sensation-seeking, culture immersion or quality accommodation/travel arrangements.

It’s the year of the GOAT – Greatest of All Trips

Sun, sea and sand products have come back strongly

TRAVEL’S NEW LEXICON

Like them or loathe them, a new glossary of travel terms has emerged

Blue-sky thinking

In 2022, many passengers were just grateful to board an aircraft rather than getting picky about the travel experience, but even despite the two-year pandemic hiatus, there’s plenty of optimism and forward-thinking in the industry.

IATA statistics for July 2022 show total traffic was up 58.8% on the previous year and is at 74.6% of precrisis levels – with international traffic having grown by 150% in a year. Additionally, load factors surpassed 75% in all regions, topping 90% in North America.

development has been boosted by an order for 15 of the jets from United Airlines, as well as interest from Japan Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

Mass transit systems, such as the Virgin Hyperloop, will see travel by pods at 600mph and are now envisaged for launch by 2026.

Trains, too, are having a resurgence, possibly bolstered by the lack of certainty in the postpandemic airline world.

Revenge travel: a new intense, postpandemic form of bucket-list travel as consumers break free from lockdowns, also known as GOAT (Greatest of All Trips).

Buddymoon: a chance to enjoy a flyand-flop trip with mates, also known as a ‘friendcation’.

Brocation: just like a Buddymoon, but for blokes only, and could include the good old MAMILS (middle aged men in Lycra).

Mullet travel: it's the new ‘bleisure’ –business at the front, party at the back – and it sums up our desire to mix business with pleasure or leisure.

Slow travel: a new way to explore the world, with an emphasis away from oversaturated tourist areas and finding off-thebeaten track locations where life is peaceful and slow.

Maxibreak: also known as the mini sabbatical, it’s longer than your average holiday and the chance to find a new vocation while on vacation, perhaps as part of the ‘great resignation’.

What’s in the bucket?

If people remain committed to travel, new options could include Virgin Galactic’s planned Q2 2023 launch of commercial space flights or the 21st century offspring of Concorde, with Boom Supersonic touting a 2029 launch for its 80-seat Overture jet.

This would cut flight time between New York and London to just 3.5 hours as early as 2029 and

Austrian Railways has this year invested in 33 new Nightjet trains with routes now including overnight services from Vienna to several European destinations, while similar initiatives are ongoing in Italy and Sweden.

On the high seas, the options just keep growing – literally. This month (November) sees the debut of Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas with a passenger capacity of 6,988 and including 10 restaurants, 20 bars and six pools.

In total, there are 73 new cruise vessels under construction, with 137,150 berths, according to Seatrade Cruise Review’s Cruise Ship Orderbook 2022-2028.

The sky is the limit for proactive operators catering to the proliferation of travel dreams, with Black Tomato’s Tom Marchant citing a surge in long-lead travel bookings for 2023 including New Zealand, Japan, the Maldives and Africa, for instance.

New city options on the map are Cairo, Lima and Ulan Batur, he said, as well as city pairs such as Rome and Venice.

For families, he suggested gladiator school in the Italian capital or film-making classes in Havana.

Abercrombie & Kent also endorses Egypt as a travel magnet, as well as Petra in Jordan and Israel. Product Development Vice President Stefanie Schmudde also highlighted the trend for private chartered aircraft for bucket-list journeys, as well as longer and more immersive itineraries for ‘slow’ travellers.

The 80-seat supersonic Overture jet

Havana, Cuba is a revenge travel favourite

Hot, hot, hot destinations

Aided by its Expo 2020 extravaganza and full government support for global marketing – as well as a user-friendly home airline in Emirates – Dubai has taken top spot in TripAdvisor’s Most Popular Destination poll, as well as best city destination. Meanwhile, the site’s Top 10 Trending Destinations in the World for 2022 are:

Majorca, Spain

Cairo, Egypt

Rhodes, Greece

Tulum, Mexico

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Ibiza, Spain

Natal, Brazil

Arusha, Tanzania

Goreme, Turkey

Santorini, Greece

One to watch: Saudi Arabia

The Wanderlust Hot List 2022: Editor’s top travel destinations, highlights Saudi Arabia as an emerging destination to visit, citing attractions such as the ancient ruins of AlUla, “a Nabatean wonder to rival Jordan’s Petra”, as well as its “plush new desert resorts” as just one of many drawcards. “By late 2022 the new Red Sea ‘mega city’ of Neom will debut its first hotels,” says Wanderlust. “This year also brings the reopening of At-Turaif, the birthplace of the kingdom; listed by UNESCO but long closed for renovation, it’s a marvel of mud-brick palaces, mosques and more that will help tell Saudi’s story. Finally, some wild experiences, from trekking to the Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn) to diving the Red Sea are now possible. There’s never been a better time to visit.”

Beyond the blue horizon

For a travel sector that was one of the first to be blindsided by COVID-19, cruise is back up and sailing into a potentially bright future.

According to recent research on consumer sentiment carried out by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), the perception of cruise holidays is now more positive than in 2019.

Surveying 4,000 travellers across markets in the US, Canada, Australia and Europe, 90% of those who had taken a cruise in the past six months said they intended to cruise again, while of those who had never cruised, 65% are open to cruising, a figure marginally up on that for 2019.

And, in a nod to destinations marketing to the cruise lines, CLIA reported that cruisers also benefitted the local tourism economy with 43% of those surveyed booking two or more nights in an embarkation port while 67% stayed at least one night after disembarkation, while 60% said they later returned to a city or country they first visited on a cruise.

Additional research has indicated potential for growth rocketing in what has been seen as an 'old age' travel pursuit, with up to 85% of millennial and Gen X cruisers keen to return to the waters.

Agents pushing the cruise option can be assured there is a product for every taste, from ultra-luxury (think Ritz-Carlton all at sea with two new uber luxury cruise ships)) to mega resorts (Royal Caribbean with its nearly 7,000-passenger Wonder of the Seas launched this month).

Dubai topped TripAdvisor’s Most Popular Destination poll

Cruise is back up and sailing

AlUla is a Nabatean wonder

What hotel guests want

New values and priorities

“Coming out of the pandemic, we’ve seen a reprioritisation of values, and spending time with loved ones is at the top of the list. The traditional family vacation has expanded to become multi-generational – across our hotels, we’re seeing demand for experiences that are educational and entertaining for all ages as families look to make new memories together.”

Reunions and reconnection

“As music festivals, sports and cultural events return, we’re seeing an uptick in customers booking trips for specific events or experiences. Reunion, reconnection and experiential travel have been driving forces behind the swell of bookings that we’re seeing this year.”

Pampered pooches

The pet-friendly travel trend that took off in 2021 continued in 2022, with airlines, hotels and tourism destinations opening their doors to our four-legged friends. A study by Condor Ferries conducted last year revealed 53% of travellers take holidays with their pets, and two million domestic animals board commercial flights each year, figures set to rise given the number of pets bought during the pandemic.

Global business aviation company VistaJet launched its VistaPet programme in 2019 following a 104% increase in the number of animals it had flown from 2017 to 2019. This growing trend saw VistaPet roll out enhanced crew training for pet health and care in September 2021. According to VistaJet Executive Vice President of Marketing and Innovation, Matteo Atti, rabbits are a recent new breed of pet flown by the company and while most animal passengers are dogs, the number of cats travelling spiked 357% from 2019 to 2020.

In the Gulf, UAE carrier Etihad Airways now allows passengers to bring cats and small dogs into the cabin for a fee, based on their cabin baggage allowance. Animals must be at least 16 weeks old and weigh no more than 8kg, including their carrier.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is taking it a step further by introducing Ras Al-K9, a pet-friendly programme running across 25 hotels, restaurants, festivals, outdoor parks and beaches in the northern emirate.

Hotel brands known for their pet-friendly policies and pampering include Fairmont, Langham Hotels & Resorts and Hilton brands Canopy by Hilton, Homewood Suites and Home2Suites by Hilton. Hilton booking data from 2021 reveals the “petfriendly” booking filter was the third most used search filter on Hilton.com.

At The Langham, Hong Kong, guests can bring their pet to the hotel for a supplement of HK$400 ($51) per pet per night, which includes The Langham’s signature pink pet food bowl, plush bed and a map of pet-friendly walking paths nearby. There’s a pet in-room dining menu too.

Chris Gabaldon, Senior Vice President Luxury Brands, Marriott International

Frank Passanante, Senior Vice President Global Head of Sales, Hilton

Cruise is back up and sailing

Projects

TOURISM

The GCC is a global tourism development hotspot

US$143bn

worth of leisure and hospitality projects planned and under construction

AIRPORTS

1,038 airport projects underway globally

Worth US$25mn

452 in execution

The US, India and Russia have the most airport projects

HOTEL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

By country (Q4 2021)

#1 the US with 4,814 #2 China with 3,693

HOTEL ROOMS UNDER CONTRACT

By region (as of June 2022) #1 Asia Pacific with 917,719

BY COUNTRY

#1 China with 308,062 #2 Vietnam with 31,161

SPOTLIGHT ON… NEOM

NEOM in north-west Saudi Arabia is the world’s most ambitious tourism project. Built on ancient land, enhanced by world-leading design, immersive digital experiences and seamless travel, it will challenge and shape the possibilities of global travel in the years to come. Nurturing the raw, untouched landscapes and spectacular coastal waters, this will be a new model for measurably regenerative tourism. From the revolutionary urban design of one flagship project THE LINE – with no pollution and no traffic – to the regenerated and rewilded natural wilderness, it is being billed as “a destination like no other”.

Sources: MEED Projects, Airport Technology, Statista, STR

Projects driving tourism’s recovery

These new and upcoming developments are accelerating the sector’s post-pandemic bounce back

MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA & SOUTH ASIA

DEIRA ISLANDS, DUBAI, UAE

The first phase of this massive waterfront development is now open, with several hotels and key developments launched in 2021 including Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai, Riu Dubai (pictured) and the 2,500 outlet Souk Al Marfa. Spread across four manmade islands in northern Dubai close to the Sharjah border, Deira Islands will eventually add 40 km of coastline to the emirate, including 21 km of prime beachfront real estate. Deira Islands will also play host to Dubai’s second-largest shopping mall, the $1.66 billion Deira Mall, as well as the Zombie Apocalypse Park (ZAP) entertainment zone, located in the Night Market district.

DUBAI CREEK HARBOUR, UAE

One of the many megaprojects currently under development in the UAE, Dubai Creek Harbour, will be home to the UAE’s tallest tower, the $1 billion Dubai Tower, when it is completed. The six million sqm development will be twice the size of Downtown Dubai and feature waterfront eco-resorts, a marina and yacht club, as well as vast commercial and retail space. Several components of the proejct have already been completed.

ABU DHABI MIDFIELD TERMINAL, ABU DHABI, UAE

Abu Dhabi International Airport’s long delayed but much anticipated $3 billion Midfield Terminal is scheduled to open before the end of 2022. The mega facility will span an area of 742,000 sqm and initially provide capacity for up to 30 million passengers annually.

THE LINE, SAUDI ARABIA

This revolutionary smart city will stretch a linear distance of 170km along the Red Sea coastline and comprise two mirrored buildings with an outdoor space between them. Estimated to cost up to US$1 trillion to develop, the city will be designed to house nine million permanent residents and will be powered by renewable energy. Despite the remarkable length of the structure, high-speed rail services will be designed to ferry passengers at speeds of up to 512km/h, meaning travelling from one of the city to the other will take around 20 minutes. The Line

QIDDIYA, SAUDI ARABIA

Located 40km from downtown Riyadh and being developed at a cost of $500 billion, Qiddiya is envisaged as the kingdom’s capital of entertainment, sports and the arts and at 334 sqkm, will be more than twice the size of Walt Disney World Orlando in Florida when completed. It will feature five zones: Resort Core, City Centre, Motion Zone, Eco Zone and Golf Community. The world’s largest Six Flags theme park covering 32 hectares will be located in the Resort Core, as well as hotels and other tourism attractions. Qiddiya is also being pitched as a potential location for an F1 Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia while renowned golfer and golf course designer, Jack Nicklaus, recently confirmed he is designing a championship course in Qiddiya, his first in Saudi Arabia.

ALULA, SAUDI ARABIA

Known for its natural beauty and archaeological diversity, this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is open, but with more development underway, aims to attract two million tourists annually by 2035. Located 300 km north of Medina, it is home to ancient ruins and stunning landscapes that bring to mind Jordan’s famed Wadi Rum. Ultimately, authorities plan for the area to become known as the world’s ‘largest living museum’ featuring galleries, museums and luxury eco-resorts housing a combined inventory of 9,000 guestrooms. Several low-rise tent-style properties have already opened, including Habitas AlUla, featuring 100 “experiential rooms” and Habitas’ signature “immersive programme”, which “celebrates AlUla’s heritage and local culture”. The hotly anticipated Banyan Tree AlUla (previously known as the Ashar Resort) opened last month, offering luxurious one-, two- and three-bedroom Pool Villas overlooking iconic AlUla landscapes.

THE ARABIAN HIGHLAND, SAUDI ARABIA

This recently announced US$50 billion mixed-use development located in Asir in the kingdom’s south-west extends 125km along the Red Sea coastline. The area will feature a range of internationally branded hotels and local cultural attractions, which government authorities hope will attract more than 10 million visitors to the region each year, boosting local economic development. The region’s main air hub, Abha International Airport, will be expanded to handle 10 million passengers per year.

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR

Lusail City is a futuristic sustainable city covering 38 sq km and featuring some 19 multi-purpose residential, mixed-use, entertainment and commercial districts. The city will have its own tram network to reduce carbon emissions, which will connect to the new Doha Metro. The centrepiece of the project is the iconic Katara Towers at Lusail Marina District, which will be occupied by two hotels – a six-star Raffles Doha and a five-star Fairmont Doha – due to open any day now. Nearby Qetaifan Island North will be home to Rixos Doha Qetaifan as well as a souq, beach club, theme park and water park. The theme park will feature The Icon Tower, the world’s tallest structure of its kind, standing 82 metres and promising visitors a memorable adrenaline rush. In addition, ADMARES Construction and Qetaifan Projects have joined forces to build 16 floating luxury hotels on the island.

THE JEDDAH CENTRAL PROJECT, SAUDI ARABIA

This $20 billion redesign of the waterfront area of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s largest Red Sea port city, will see a complete redevelopment. Overseen by master developer, the Jeddah Central Development Company (JCDC), it will include a new cruise terminal, an oceanarium, opera house and sports stadium, as well as more than 17,000 residential units, 2,700 hotel rooms, a marina, beaches and several parks covering about 40% of the project area. The waterfront redevelopment is being rolled out in three stages. The first will include the creation of one of the largest public beaches in Jeddah, with a pier, marina, park and playground alongside the promenade, and is scheduled for completion by 2027. Phase two will see the addition of parks, schools, mosques and a library, as well as a coral bay, and a smart technology-equipped museum. Completion is planned for 2030, beyond which the third phase will begin, involving the construction of hospitals and a new cultural district.

KHAZAEN ECONOMIC CITY, OMAN

Oman’s first giga project, Khazaen Economic City (KEC), will cover an area of 52 million sqm upon completion. In addition to ports and other economic infrastructure, KEC will feature hotels, commercial areas and entertainment zones. Located in Barka to the north of Muscat, it is the largest public-private partnership project currently underway in the Sultanate.

DELHI NOIDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, INDIA

Designed to alleviate congestion at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, this multi-billion-dollar air hub is being developed in a series of phases, with the first $700 million phase scheduled for completion in 2024. Initially, DNIA will accommodate 12 million passengers annually and cover an area of 1,334 hectares on the outskirts of the town of Jewar in Uttar Pradesh. The second phase will see a second terminal and runway built, increasing capacity to 30 million passengers a year.

NEW ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL, EGYPT

Located 45km east of Cairo, the New Administrative Capital is one of Africa’s largest infrastructure projects. Developed at a total cost exceeding $58 billion, the city is designed to be a hub for the Egyptian government and will house an estimated 6.5 million residents. Major hospitality, retail and leisure facilities are planned, while the city will be linked to Cairo by a 100km-long monorail, which is being developed at a cost of $4 billion.

KUWAIT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT EXPANSION, KUWAIT

The $1.4 billion expansion of Kuwait’s international air hub is designed to boost overall capacity to 25 million passengers by 2025. The airport’s new, state-of-the-art terminal, which is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of this year, will span four floors and will include 120 check-in desks, 30-51 aircraft contact stands, and an automated baggage handling facility capable of processing almost 3,000 luggage items an hour.

KUWAIT ENTERTAINMENT CITY, KUWAIT

Kuwait’s new mega tourism attraction, Kuwait Entertainment City, will replace an existing precinct by the same name, which has stood in the Al-Doha area since 1984. The new entertainment city will cover an area of 2,650 million sqm and will feature various themed areas, rides, and live entertainment venues.

KENYA STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY, KENYA

The Kenya Standard Gauge Railway represents the largest infrastructure project undertaken by Kenya since it declared independence in 1963. Designed to connect Kenya's main cities, construction of the first 300-mile section of the railway linking Mombasa and Kenya's capital, Nairobi, was completed in 2017, reducing travel times between the two major population hubs from 12 hours to four. Completed in 2019, phase two of the project connected Nairobi and Naivasha, one of Kenya’s most popular tourism hubs thanks to its vicinity to Hell's Gate National Park and Mount Longonot National Park. The $3.8 billion project is helping underpin the growth of the country’s booming tourism sector, providing an affordable alternative for locals and visitors travelling outside Nairobi.

NEW ALAMEIN CITY, EGYPT

This new city located on the north-west coast of Egypt will feature dozens of hotels, resorts and leisure attractions when it is completed in the late-2020s. One of the first major projects to be commissioned in the city is a residential and hospitality project comprising three residential towers, a commercial tower, and a hospitality tower, each ranging from 30-40 floors. The 40-floor hospitality tower will feature retail, leisure and dining services, and other amenities, with a total built up area of 215,000 sqm.

LONG THANH AIRPORT, VIETNAM

Vietnam’s most expensive infrastructure project, the long-awaited $16 billion Long Thanh Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, finally broke ground in October, seven years after it was initially mooted. The new airport, which will accommodate 100 million passengers annually, also represents one of the largest aviation infrastructure projects in Asia Pacific to date. It is designed to replace Ho Chi Minh City’s ageing Tan Son Nhat International Airport, which was built during the Vietnam War.

SIEM REAP TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLAN, CAMBODIA

Cambodia’s Siem Reap Tourism Development Masterplan 2021-2035 aims to turn this ancient province into one of Southeast Asia’s biggest tourism destinations. Home to World Heritage Site Angkor Archaeological Park, the province welcomed 2.2 million international visitors and generated $99 million in revenues in 2019. Under the plan, which calls for the development of new tourism infrastructure, the area will welcome five million international tourists and 10.9 million domestic tourists by 2035, creating some 940,000 jobs and generating about $5.9 billion in revenues.

INSPIRE INTEGRATED RESORT, SOUTH KOREA

Described as the ‘biggest tourist resort project’ currently under development in Northeast Asia, the multi-billion-dollar Inspire Integrated Resort is to be built in the Incheon Free Economic Zone near the city’s international airport. The first phase of the project will include a five-star hotel with more than 1,000 rooms, a 15,000-capacity concert hall, an indoor waterpark, shopping mall and casino. It is scheduled for completion next year (2023).

LIDO CITY, INDONESIA

Developed at a cost of $2 billion, Lido City will be situated about 60km south of Jakarta in western Java. Covering an area of 30 sq km, the precinct will house an “international standard” theme park similar to Universal Studios in Los Angeles, alongside an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Ernie Els. Other facilities will include film studios, a music and arts centre, hotels, villas and retail facilities. Developer MNC Group hopes to attract 10 million visitors a year to the theme park.

CHINA-LAOS RAILWAY, LAOS

This high-speed railway, which officially launched in December 2021, carried more than 6.7 million passengers in its first nine months of operations, providing a timely boost to Laos’ tourism industry, which has struggled for momentum in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The railway line, which ferries passengers between the two countries, also extends to Luang Prabang province in northern Laos, and reduces travel times between it and the Laos capital of Vientiane to just 2.2 hours, compared to seven hours by car.

WESTERN SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AUSTRALIA

One of Australia’s largest infrastructure projects, the US$3.6 billion Western Sydney International (WSI) Airport will reduce the burden on the city’s sole international airport, Kingsford Smith International, and underpin Sydney’s tourism growth strategy over the next 50 years. The airport, which is on track to open in 2026, will initially accommodate up to 10 million passengers annually, with this figure set to grow to 82 million by 2063, when a second runway will be in operation.

JURONG LAKE DISTRICT, SINGAPORE

This new multi-billion-dollar integrated tourism project is currently underway in the Jurong Lake District, Singapore’s largest business district outside the city centre. Located adjacent to the city’s new Science Centre and Singapore’s latest national garden, Jurong Lake Gardens, the district will feature hotels, retail and food & beverage outlets, entertainment offerings, and outdoor entertainment spaces for business and lifestyle events.

EUROPE

BODRUM TOURISM CITY, TURKEY

Turkish construction giant Agaoglu recently announced plans to build ‘Europe’s largest tourism city’ on the Bodrum peninsula in conjunction with unnamed Chinese investors. The 12 million sqm tourism and leisure precinct will house extensive facilities and amenities including luxury hotels and resorts, golf courses, and extensive spa and wellness facilities.

Described as ‘Cannes on the Bodrum’, the development will cost $2.5 billion to build.

STORNOWAY DEEPWATER TERMINAL, SCOTLAND

A new deep-water port currently under development in Stornoway in the Hebrides is set to transform the region’s tourism fortunes, enabling large cruise ships to dock at the island destination for the first time. The new terminal, which is scheduled for completion in May 2023, will accommodate vessels up to 1,180ft (360 metres) in length, providing a much-needed boost to the region’s nascent cruise sector. At present, small boats ferry cruise passengers to and from the island. The terminal will be the only deep-water berth on Scotland’s west coast north of Greenock, some 170 miles (270km) away.

LONDON RESORT, ENGLAND

Situated on the Swanscombe Peninsula in North Kent and covering an area of approximately 465 hectares, the London Resort has been designated a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) by the UK government, reflecting the proposed theme park’s sheer scale and construction budget of more than $4 billion. While the project has been beset by planning issues, complicated by the decision earlier this year to declare the nearby Tilbury Docks a freeport zone – the developer remains confident the mega resort, which it says will be three times larger than any other UK-based theme park, will open in 2025, with a second adjacent theme park scheduled to open in 2029.

THERME MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

Plans are advancing for the development of the UK’s first city-based wellbeing resort, Therme Manchester. The $290 million development, which will be located in Manchester’s Trafford City, is being built by global wellbeing specialist Therme Group. The 28-acre resort will feature expansive thermal pools, a wellbeing spa, an all-season urban ‘beach’, an onsite urban farm, botanical gardens and a waterpark with what the developer describes as the world’s first living waterslides. A snow room, multi-sensory showers and oxygen rooms will also feature.

JFK AIRPORT EXPANSION, USA

The $18 billion redevelopment of New York’s famous John F. Kennedy Airport got underway in September, with construction commencing on the $9.5 billion Terminal One. The 2.4-million-square-foot international terminal will be built in phases. The terminal’s arrival and departure halls and 14 new gates are set to open in 2026, with the final nine gates slated to be complete by 2030. The four-part upgrade at JFK also comprises the $3.9 billion development of a new Terminal Six; the $1.5 billion expansion of Terminal Four, scheduled for completion in 2023; and the $425 million expansion of Terminal Eight, which is also due to open in 2023.

FEHMARNBELT TUNNEL, DENMARK-GERMANY

Destined to become the world's longest immersed tunnel, this 18 kmlong combined road and rail tunnel linking Germany and Denmark will foster trade and tourism in Northern Europe. Recognised as one of the most ambitious ongoing projects in Europe, the tunnel will shorten the journey between the German and Danish coasts to just seven minutes by train and 10 minutes by car from the current travel time of one hour by ferry or a 160 km detour by car. Completion is scheduled for mid-2029.

AMERICAS

MAYA TRAIN, MEXICO

Spanning the Mexican states of Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Tabasco, Campeche and Chiapas, this new 1,525km rail line is being built at a cost of $6.4 billion and is designed to promote tourism development in the country’s Yucatan Peninsula. The massive infrastructure development is forecast to create a further 80,000 tourism-related jobs in the region, which is renowned for its natural beauty and is already well established as a hugely popular tourism destination, albeit with limited tourism infrastructure.

BRIGHTLINE WEST HIGH-SPEED RAIL, USA

This high-speed rail service being built at a cost of $8 billion will link downtown Los Angeles and Las Vegas for the first time, with ultra-modern, low-emission trains travelling the 260 miles between the cities at speeds of up to 180mph. The Las Vegas terminal will be located just off the famous Strip, which will no doubt provide a major boost to the city’s weekend tourism receipts.

PORT OF MIAMI TERMINAL, USA

Set to be the largest cruise terminal in the United States, the $350 million Port of Miami Terminal will include a four-storey, 490,000-square-foot main terminal building capable of accommodating up to 36,000 passengers a day, with berthing space for up to three ships at once. Currently under development and designed to accommodate MSC's largest and most environmentally advanced cruise ships, the project is due for completion in late 2023.

CUSCO AIRPORT, PERU

This new airport, which is being developed at a cost of $650 million, will provide a significant boost to one of Peru’s most popular but inaccessible tourism destinations. Cusco, the former capital of the Inca empire, is currently served by Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport, which has a capacity of just 2.3 million passengers a year, making it Peru’s second busiest air hub. However, it’s location in central Cusco means it cannot be expanded. The new greenfield airport will provide capacity for almost six million passengers annually.

PORT CABO ROJO CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Set to open towards the end of 2023, this new cruise port will help consolidate the Dominican Republic’s reputation as one of the Caribbean’s premier cruise destinations. The $126 million terminal will be capable of accommodating four cruise ships at any one time. Local attractions are also being planned to include shopping and entertainment facilities, a luxury spa, beach area, and a water park. Dominican authorities have also revealed plans to expand the existing Samana cruise port, with a view to accommodating the largest vessels operated by Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and Royal Caribbean.

NYA, COSTA RICA

Nya is currently being developed on a 900-hectare site near the town of Liberia on the Pacific coast in northwest Costa Rica. Developed at a cost of $1.2 billion, the precinct will incorporate a Marriott hotel and an artificial beach lagoon, alongside dozens of dining and leisure facilities. The site had previously been earmarked for a theme park to be built by US entertainment company Discovery. The $100 million first stage of the scheme will include four beachfront condominium towers along with a sports and wellbeing centre. The project is slated for completion in 2040.

North America

SPOTLIGHT ON… CANADA

Hotel ADRs reached the highest level since September 2019 in May 2022 at C$171.37 and RevPAR was the country’s highest since October 2019 at C$108.67. The following month (June 2022), Canada’s hotel performance was the highest of the pandemic era, with ADRs reaching an all-time-high of C$197.87

NORTH AMERICA

TOURISM ARRIVALS 2021 +17% versus 2020 -63% versus 2019

THE CARIBBEAN +63% versus 2020 -37% versus 2019

CENTRAL AMERICA +54% versus 2020 -56% versus 2019

AIRLINE SECTOR 2021

65.6% traffic decline versus 2019

AIRLINE SECTOR OUTLOOK

After a resilient 2021, traffic to/from/ within North America will continue to perform strongly in 2022 as the US domestic market returns to pre-crisis trends, and with ongoing improvements in international travel. In 2022, passenger numbers will reach 94% of 2019 levels, and full recovery is expected in 2023 (102%), ahead of other regions.

South America

SOUTH AMERICA

TOURISM ARRIVALS IN 2021

3.3mn

down from 35mn in 2019 $49.2bn in lost tourism spend over the two years

CENTRAL AMERICA

+54% spike in tourism arrivals in 2021 versus 2020

AIRLINE SECTOR 2021

66.9%

full-year traffic decline versus 2019

AIRLINE SECTOR OUTLOOK

Traffic to/from/within Latin America has been relatively resilient during the pandemic and is forecast to see a strong 2022, with limited travel restrictions and dynamic passenger flows within the region and to/from North America. 2019 passenger numbers are forecast to be surpassed in 2023 for Central America (102%), followed by South America in 2024 (103%) and the Caribbean in 2025 (101%).

SPOTLIGHT ON… São Paulo

The city led in recovery of gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) in June 2022, reaching US$42.78, which was 145.4% of the pre-pandemic comparable.

Rio posted a June GOPPAR of US$31.50, up 145% on the pre-pandemic comparable. Sources: GlobalData, UNWTO,

Discovering the ‘Land of Giants’

With British Airways launching direct flights to Guyana next year, a trip to this fledgling destination, home to nature in abundance, extraordinary wildlife, including giant animal species, and authentic sustainable tourism experiences, is within easy reach, explains Kamrul Baksh, Director, Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA)

Magnificent and virtually untouched, Guyana lies on South America’s northern coast.

It is home to nature’s riches: an exceptional array of birds and exceptional wildlife including large animal species – a population of jaguars, giant anteaters, giant otters, black caimans, anacondas and arapaimas – conserved rainforest and welcoming indigenous and multi-ethnic people with a fascinating story to tell.

Vibrant yet pristine, popular yet protected, thanks to its commitment to sustainable tourism practices that have be globally recognised, Guyana is a destination just waiting to be discovered.

In 2019, Guyana attracted 314,727 visitors, up 9.8% on 286,732 in 2018, with tourism the country’s second-largest export sector, contributing to 13,300 jobs and an estimated GY$69.9 billion to the local economy.

In 2021, due to the pandemic, visitor numbers reached 158,347, but this is projected to increased 38.5% to 219,223 in 2022

The majestic Kaieteur Falls

©David

Di Gregorio

as international travel resumes and Guyana’s tourism proposition appeals to travellers seeking ‘slow tourism’ and back-to-nature experiences.

“Given travellers' concerns, with vast open, pristine rainforests and savannahs, Guyana is positioned as one of the safest destinations,” explains Kamrul Baksh, Director, Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).

“Taking advantage of these unique qualities and fostering a country wide collaborative effort, the country has successfully bounced back from the pandemic and fully reopened its international borders, welcoming travellers once again.”

Before reopening, the GTA, in collaboration with the Government of Guyana and tourism stakeholders, implemented measures that prioritised health and safety, inspections, training and capacity building, ensuring communities and businesses had the relevant protocols and provisions in place with a focus on hygiene, sanitation, first aid and delivering a quality service.

With this campaign successfully rolled out, the GTA’s 20212022 agenda has been to launch 12 new tourism experiences in partnership with the private sector and tourism-focused communities.

“This move forms the basis of the GTA expanding its reach and diversifying the country’s tourism product offerings,”explains Baksh.

NEW GUYANESE EXPERIENCES

Guyana recently launched four new tourism experiences in recognition of World Tourism Day.

“Through Touring Guyana, the Mangrove Heritage Tour and the New Amsterdam Heritage Trail Tour will certainly attract history lovers seeking to incorporate softer adventure experiences into their itineraries,” says Baksh. “Azure Experiences, on the other hand, through its new offerings – The Kopinang Waterfall Tour and the Yoga Breakfast & Nature Walk Tour –adds a unique twist to adventure-based experiences.”

Earlier in September, the GTA launched the Bush Cow Eco Trails Experience in Nappi Village, and the Quarrie Waterfall Tour, in Region 9.

This follows the success of seven new tourism experiences introduced in November 2021 to coincide with Tourism Awareness Month, which ranged from culinary tours to the commissioning of new lodges and facilities.

“In addition to launching new products, seven new hotels will be constructed this year as the government’s plans for the hospitality sector advance,” explains Baksh.

“This will put the accommodation industry on stream to meet the expected 2,000-room demand by 2025. These hotels and three others under construction will feature more than 1,200 rooms across brands including Hyatt Place, Four Points Marriott, Best Western and Pasha Global.”

Air links are also improving. In 2022, Guyana welcomed Fly Allways, which operates direct flights between Guyana and Cuba, while British Airways will launch direct flights from London in 2023.

These services will provide ease of access to Guyana’s tourism key source markets, which include the UK, Benelux and North America.

“Travellers from these markets often visit Guyana for research or adventure and nature-based experiences and in some instances, they spend between two weeks and a month exploring the country’s diverse tourism offering,” says Baksh who anticipates that new airline providers will soon look at Guyana as another destination to add to their network to capitalise on growing demand.

SUSTAINABILITY FIRST

The Guyana Tourism Authority’s (GTA) mission is to develop and promote sustainable tourism in Guyana with a view to maximising local socio-economic and conservation outcomes and improving the traveller experience, and this ethos underpins all new developments.

“This has been proven repeatedly through the number of achievements that the GTA, and by extension, Guyana has

“

Mount Roraima

In addition to launching new products, seven new hotels will be constructed this year”

5 REASONS TO VISIT GUYANA

1. NATURE & WILDLIFE

Guyana boasts virgin rainforests, innumerable waterfalls, vast open spaces, mountain ranges, and extensive river systems, home to a density of biodiversity found nowhere else on the planet. The country is often referred to as ‘The Land of the Giants’ due to its population of jaguars, giant anteaters, giant otters, black caimans, anacondas and arapaimas.

2. ACTIVE EXPLORATION

Guyana’s diverse landscape will bring out the explorer in you. Travellers can experience river trips, nature hikes, sport fishing, wildlife spotting, the ranching lifestyle, and birding with indigenous people whose way of life is based on the long-term sustainable use of their ancestral lands.

3. CULTURE & HERITAGE

Guyana’s warm hospitality and history are embodied in its people and colonialstyle architecture. The cultural mix of its population spans indigenous people and those of African, East Indian, European, Portuguese and Chinese descent. These influences are depicted in yearly festivals and events throughout the country, and more so in the fusion of flavours that make the distinct taste of delicious Guyanese cuisine.

4. BIRD SPOTTING

Bird lovers, bring your checklist – Guyana has 910-plus bird species to tick off. Bird species from 79 families call Guyana’s rainforest canopies, coastal plains and golden savannahs their home. Bird watchers can explore many hotspot locations and trails suitable for sighting species, such as the magnificent harpy eagle, vibrant cock-of-the-rock, and the national bird, the hoatzin.

5. CONSERVATION & SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL

Due to its longstanding commitment to sustainable development, Guyana was recognised as the world’s #1 Eco-Tourism Destination and the Best in Sustainable Tourism in 2019.

celebrated throughout the years, positioning ‘Destination Guyana’ as a leading sustainable tourism destination worldwide,” says Baksh.

“Responsible tourism is a two-way street. A destination such as ours is responsible for maintaining the authenticity and integrity of our natural and cultural attractions.

“As such, our product development initiatives have been focused heavily on indigenous community tourism development.”

He notes that Guyana is one of the few countries where indigenous tourism is a primary offering and focal point.

“The host communities own the enterprises, resulting in all residents receiving economic benefits. What’s equally beneficial is that the host communities have an incentive to protect wildlife and preserve their traditional culture,” Baksh continues.

“The revenue flowing into these communities can slow practices that stress the environment, like deforestation (for timber and agriculture) and illegal wildlife hunting.

“These environmental benefits are supported by the strong incentives stemming from tourism, which actively supports the conservation of ecosystems and pivots community involvement in sustainable practices.

“More significantly, the social benefits of community tourism, through cultural activi-

ties, help foster the preservation of cultural heritage and increase community pride. Funds can pay for schools, housing, medical supplies and other elements, ultimately improving the community's quality of life and preventing out-migration.”

The GTA has also created and implemented a Green Events guideline catered specifically to event organisers to ensure that their events keep with national guidelines. These include energy efficiency, waste minimisation and control, and biodiversity conservation.

Baksh notes that sustainable tourism development also requires “fostering regional and international relationships”, which is why the GTA’s WTM London participation is crucial.

“This level of collaboration is a critical step in the right direction to enable a much more collaborative, diversified yet equally inclusive tourism sector,” he adds.

Having emerged from the pandemic and a period of immense uncertainty relatively unscathed, Guyana is now on the cusp of “significant transformation” Baksh adds.

The country is setting a new benchmark for tourism growth with a regenerative focus, giving back to people and the planet and responsibly developing a destination offering that few are yet to experience, which is why now is quite possibly the best time to visit.

©Zachary Johnston

The Rewa Eco Lodge

Hotels

2021 HOTEL MARKET LEADERS: MIAMI AND DUBAI

Both cities led the major global markets in hotel profit recovery for 2021. Miami’s gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) beat 2019 levels by 14 percentage points, while Dubai reached 95% of its pre-pandemic comparable.

HOTEL PIPELINE ACTIVITY (as of June 2022)

2,415,991 rooms under contract

REGIONAL PIPELINE BREAKDOWN (ROOMS)

520,859

in Europe, led by Germany (40,729) and the UK (28,612)

917,719

in Asia Pacific, led by China (308,062) and Vietnam (31,161)

237,636

in the Middle East & Africa, led by Saudi Arabia (37,654) and the UAE (31,671)

739,77

in the Americas, led by the US, Mexico (14,909) and Canada (7,232)

GLOBAL HOTEL SECTOR VALUE IN 2022

US$1tn

+47% versus 2021

SPOTLIGHT ON… Qatar

“Sports events, staycation demand, cruise business, travellers from GCC countries, exhibitions, food festivals, and other such events will drive the growth of Qatar’s hospitality sector in 2022 to unprecedented levels. The hotel market’s supply alone is set to exceed 44,000 rooms by the end of 2022, almost a 50% growth from the current supply of 30,000 rooms, offering opportunities unmatched by any other market in the world,” according to Hospitality Qatar.

Sources: STR, IBIS World, Hospitality Qatar

Miami Beach

Room for more

An update on the 2022 activity of the world’s major hotel groups

ACCOR

PERFORMANCE

Accor’s business rebounded significantly in H1 2022 after two years of major pandemic-related disruptions in the tourism and hospitality industry. In Q2 2022, activity recovered to levels close to, if not above 2019 levels in almost all geographies, according to the Paris-headquartered hospitality group.

The only laggards were China, impacted by travel restrictions as part of its strict enforcement of a ‘zero-Covid’ policy, and Southeast Asia, which is highly dependent on Chinese visitors.

During first-half 2022, Accor opened 85 hotels, representing 11,700 rooms, growing its portfolio by end-June 2022 to 777,945 rooms (5,300 hotels) and a pipeline of 212,000 rooms (1,215 hotels). For 2022, the group has reconfirmed its forecast of net unit growth in the network of around 3.5%.

HOT PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

Accor is expanding its luxury portfolio in Qatar with upcoming properties of note including Raffles Doha and Fairmont Doha, both residing in Katara Towers, one of the world’s architectural icons.

Raffles is a refined all-suite property with advanced in-room technology and special features enabling guests to personalise the temperature, entertainment, lighting, and even the scent. Raffles Butlers embody the brand’s service-driven heritage, anticipating needs and customising every aspect of the stay.

At Fairmont Doha, rooms and suites include outdoor terraces with awe-inspiring views of the Arabian Gulf and Doha skyline, while Fairmont Gold, the brand’s signature hotel-within-a-hotel lifestyle experience is taken to new heights with benefits including a dedicated lounge and pool.

Both properties feature exceptional dining, wellness and leisure experiences.

ONE TO WATCH

Having joined forces to launch the Palazzo Donà Giovannelli hotel project in Venice, Orient Express and Italian luxury hospitality specialist, Arsenale S.p.A. have come together to open the next Orient Express La Minerva Hotel in Rome, a prestigious address acquired by Arsenale in February 2022.

At the end of 2024, a new décor and interior inspired by the Roman domus and the riches of the ‘Eternal City’ will be revealed with a new touch of contemporary elegance.

Orient Express, Accor and Arsenale S.p.A, have entrusted the interior design and artistic direction of the hotel to architect and designer Hugo Toro.

RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY

In June, Accor introduced a training programme designed to increase employee awareness of sustainable development challenges and linked bonuses for top management to sustainable development performances. The launch of School For Change provides group employees with access to a content platform and a training path focused on the fundamentals of climate change. This aims to improve individuals’ understanding of the causes of climate change and its impact on biodiversity and communities, with this facilitating the sharing of solutions to create positive change at every level. The course forms part of the annual targets and bonuses of all headquarter employees, 90% of which will have completed this training by the end of 2022.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Accor was re-structured into two dedicated divisions on October 1. The ‘Economy, Midscale and Premium Division’, comprises the group’s ibis, Novotel, Mercure, Swissôtel, Mövenpick and Pullman and covers 4,816 hotels worldwide and 948 new properties in development.

This division is structured around four regional headquarters based in Paris, Sao Paulo, Singapore and Shanghai. Its strategy is to accelerate its development, particularly through franchises, the rejuvenation of its brands.

The Luxury and Lifestyle Division’ brings together Accor’s luxury brands, as well as the group’s lifestyle entity, Ennismore, and encompasses 488 hotels globally and 266 new properties in development. This division is structured by brand around four pillars: Raffles & Orient Express, Fairmont, Sofitel & MGallery, and Ennismore. It is committed to strengthening the identities of its iconic brands, investing in top talent, selecting the best locations and offering unique and innovative experiences.

PORTFOLIO

CURRENT:

777,945 keys

5,300 properties

PIPELINE: 212,000 keys

1,215 properties 40 brands

(Figures as of end-June 2022)

Katara Towers, home to Raffles Doha and Fairmont Doha

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL

serve, tech-enabled lobby food and beverage marketplace – Homebase Market; modern public spaces for work and play, a 24/7 guest laundry and a fitness centre with Peloton bikes. The Everhome Suites Corona represents the first of at least 10 Everhome Suites planned in Southern California. There were more than 30 Everhome hotels in the pipeline as of June 30, 2022.

ONE TO WATCH

Choice Hotels EMEA revealed the refresh concept for its Quality brand as part of its EMEA brand portfolio re-energisation strategy in October.

The refresh responds to research into the preferences of post-pandemic travellers in key EMEA markets, revealing that Quality guests seek hotels with the relaxed comforts of home, complemented by a warm and friendly service.

Corona PERFORMANCE

Choice Hotels’ reported “impressive quarterly (Q2 2022) results that outperformed the industry”, said President and CEO Patrick Pacious.

Q2 highlights include domestic RevPAR growth surpassing 2019 levels for 13 consecutive months through to June 30, 2022 (up 13% in Q2 2022 versus Q2 2019) and outperforming the total industry by 360 basis points.

PORTFOLIO

CURRENT: 650,000 keys

7,500 properties

PIPELINE: 68,000+ keys

22 brands

(Figures as of August 11, 2022)

Total revenues increased 32% to $368 million for second quarter 2022, compared to the same period of 2021 and net income increased 24% to $106.2 million.

Choice Hotels awarded 215 domestic franchise agreements year-to-date through June 30, 2022, an 8% increase compared to the same period of 2021 while applications received for new domestic franchise agreements increased by 24%. The company's total domestic pipeline of hotels awaiting conversion, under construction or approved for development and including master development agreements committing owners to future franchise development, as of June 30, 2022, reached 910 hotels, representing nearly 84,000 rooms.

HOT PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

The newest brand launched by Choice Hotels International, Everhome, celebrated the grand opening of its first hotel – the Everhome Suites Corona – on September 29. The milestone opening comes two years after Choice unveiled the Everhome brand – a new construction, midscale extended stay product uniquely designed for the way longer-staying guests live and work – and builds on the company's leadership in the extended-stay segment. The brand offers multiple room types featuring multi-functional furniture, fully equipped kitchens with dishwashers, and one-bedroom apartment-style suites with in-room washer and dryer. It features a self-

Reflecting research findings, Quality hotels in EMEA will transform into ‘Contemporary Habitats’ in great locations, characterised by modern design and facilities, high cleanliness standards and attentive touches, from design features to a fresh menu. Thoughtfully designed to attract guests who are creatures of comfort, hotel spaces will be warm and inviting, becoming the preferred place to relax, socialise, work or dine and brought to life by a caring team of service-driven Quality hosts.

Choice Hotels EMEA owners will begin transitioning to the refreshed brand and its hallmarks over the next two years.

RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY

Choice Hotels recently launched ‘Commitment to Green’, an initiative that signals its growing onus on how it contributes to a more sustainable future for our planet.

This initiative is focused on partnering with hotel owners on green initiatives while being mindful of their bottom line.

As part of the launch, it is piloting a cloud-based energy tracking dashboard for its hotels in partnership with Schneider Electric. This dashboard allows owners to automatically track energy, water and waste at the hotel level. It will also enable Choice Hotels to benchmark its system and help identify additional energy, water and waste reduction opportunities.

The ‘Commitment to Green’ initiative focuses on reducing franchisees’ operating costs while improving environmental impacts at each hotel.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Choice Hotels International recently acquired Radisson Hotels Americas for $675 million, adding nine brands representing more than 600 hotels and approximately 67,000 rooms in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean to its portfolio. The addition of the Radisson Hotels Americas’ upscale brands has increased the size of Choice’s global footprint in the upscale segment to approximately 80,000 upscale rooms. The acquisition builds upon Choice’s long-term, asset light strategy of growing the business in higher revenue segments and locations. Through the acquisition, Choice expands its regional representation in the Upper Midwest and West coast of the US, while growing its presence in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and other key Americas markets.

The Everhome Suites

PORTFOLIO:

CURRENT: 1.1mn keys

7,000 properties

PIPELINE: 413,000 keys

2,700 properties

18 brands

(As of Q2 2022)

PERFORMANCE

Hilton reported net income of $367 million for Q2 2022, exceeding the high end of guidance. System-wide comparable RevPAR increased 54.3% on a currency neutral basis compared to Q2 2021.

The group approved 23,400 new rooms for development during the period, bringing Hilton's development pipeline to 413,000 rooms as of June 30, 2022. At the same time, 14,400 rooms across 91 hotels were added to Hilton's system, achieving net unit growth of 13,300 rooms. Hilton said full-year 2022 system-wide comparable RevPAR was expected to increase between 37% and 43% on a currency neutral basis, compared to 2021 and full-year net income is projected to be between $1,146 million and $1,216 million.

“Given our strong results in the quarter, coupled with our confidence in continued recovery throughout the year, we are raising our full-year guidance, including our outlook for capital return,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hilton.

HOT PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah opened on Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah in September, featuring 608 rooms and suites and 10 culinary concepts, including Trader Vic’s, Barfly by Buddha Bar and Claw BBQ. There’s a private beach, a mile-long promenade, the eforea spa and the Pirates Kids Club.

ONE TO WATCH

The opening of Conrad Rabat Arzana this winter will mark the debut of Conrad Hotels & Resorts in Morocco. Located on the Atlantic coast, it will offer breathtaking ocean views from its elevated waterfront location. Features include 120 spacious guest rooms and suites, enjoy strolls in lush green gardens, two restaurants, a large spa and extensive meetings and events space.

Hilton also recently announced plans to open the first Waldorf Astoria in Morocco in 2025. Waldorf Astoria Tanger will feature 115 guest rooms and suites, five restaurants including

the signature Peacock Alley brand, and a luxury spa expected to be the largest holistic wellness destination in Morocco.

RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY

Hilton launched its 2030 goals four years ago as part of its ambitious ESG strategy, ‘Travel with Purpose’. In July 2022, after a strategic review of those goals, Hilton announced its updated environmental and social impact targets. They include strengthened greenhouse gas emissions goals — aiming to cut emissions intensity by 75% in its managed hotels and by 56% by 2030 in franchised hotels. Hilton also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the communities where it operates by announcing three updated social impact goals – to create five million learning and career growth opportunities for team members and communities, with a focus on underrepresented groups, by 2030; meaningfully impacting 20 million community members by 2030 through local support, disaster relief, economic opportunities and more; and promoting responsible, inclusive conduct across 100% of its value-chain operations.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, has made history as the first net-zero hotel in the United States. It utilises renewable solar power sources on site to generate the electricity needed for its common areas, restaurant, laundry, meeting rooms and 165 guest rooms and suites.

The all-electric hotel operates independent of fossil fuels, resulting in zero carbon emissions. It is also one of fewer than a dozen LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-certified hotels in the country. The green design improves guest comfort too. Triple-glazed windows provide ultra-efficient insulation to keep guestroom temperatures stable, while greatly reducing noise levels.

Built-in motorised sheer and blackout window shades provide a better night’s sleep. Guests and travellers on the go also have the convenience of 12 Tesla Superchargers or universal level-two chargers for their electric vehicles. In addition, on-site American restaurant and lounge BLDG (pronounced “building”) offers locally-sourced menu items served alongside biodynamic and organic wines. BLDG’s kitchen, as well as the hotel’s laundry room, run on electricity instead of natural gas.

Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah

PORTFOLIO

CURRENT:

1,150 properties

PIPELINE: 113,00 keys 550 properties 26 brands

(Figures as of end-June 2022)

PERFORMANCE

Hyatt Hotels Corporation reported a strong Q2 2022 with net income of $206 million compared to a net loss of $9 million in the second quarter of 2021. Comparable system-wide RevPAR increased 82% to $130.16 and all-inclusive Net Package RevPAR was $182.10 with an Average Daily Rate (ADR) of $255.30. System-wide Net Rooms Growth was 19% in Q2 and Hyatt’s pipeline of executed management or franchise contracts was approximately 113,000 rooms.

“Our second quarter results serve as clear evidence of the earnings power of Hyatt as we continue to transform our business. Total fee revenue exceeded $200 million and was 27% higher than any other quarter in the company’s history, driven by a record level of leisure transient revenue and rapidly improving group and business transient demand,” said Mark S. Hoplamazian, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation.

“Demand broadened both geographically and by segment, with RevPAR in most of our key geographies exceeding the same period in 2019. Our outlook remains optimistic.”

He said gross rooms expansion was strong in Q2 with 5,500 rooms (28 hotels) opening during the period.

HOT PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

Grand Hyatt Kuwait – the first Grand Hyatt hotel in the country – opened in September. The 302room luxury hotel is situated at 360 Mall – one of the nation’s most immersive luxury, leisure and lifestyle complexes. It is the second Hyatt

branded hotel in Kuwait, the sixth hotel under the Grand Hyatt brand in the Middle East, and the 29th Hyatt branded hotel in the region.

The hotel features four unique restaurants, a fitness centre, a premium spa and a variety of elegant event spaces.

ONE TO WATCH

The iconic Winston Hotel in South Africa’s capital will reopen as Park Hyatt Johannesburg in 2023 following an extensive refurbishment. It will mark the re-introduction of the Park Hyatt brand to South Africa.

The refurbishment will be overseen by Yabu Pushelberg, an award-winning global designer that has previously worked on hotels such as Park Hyatt New York, Park Hyatt Shenzhen, and Park Hyatt Bangkok.

The 30-room property will feature a restaurant with spacious dining room and an outdoor terrace, overlooking its swimming pool; an atmospheric bar with an open-air courtyard; and a stylish multi-purpose event space for conferences and meetings.

RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY

The company published its 2021 World of Care Highlights and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Report in July to demonstrate how Hyatt is advancing care for the planet, people and responsible business.

It reveals solid progress with the diversification of its workforce representation and outlines the Hyatt Hotels Foundation’s $500,000 donation to launch the ‘No Room for Trafficking Survivors Fund’ in collaboration with the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).

Hyatt has also received approval from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) on its 2030 science-based target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Hyatt’s targets include reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions, engaging key suppliers to set science-based targets by 2025, and decreasing additional scope 3 emissions.

An important ongoing focus will be on increasing the number of hotels that have on-site solar panels or are using 100% renewable electricity such as Hyatt Regency Amsterdam and Hyatt Regency Phoenix.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Hyatt has entered a joint venture with sustainable business solutions provider, Kiraku, to launch a collection of modern-style hot spring ryokans (Japanese-style inns) in Japan, targeting global travellers under the new hospitality brand ATONA. The brand will express the unique charm of each region’s architecture, design, cuisine, activities, and hospitality through the ryokan experience.

Centered around the onsen (hot spring), a treasured part of Japanese culture, the modern-style ryokans will be set amongst breathtaking landscapes, each offering new experiences in and beyond the ryokan that are special to its locale.

Park Hyatt Johannesburg

IHG HOTELS & RESORTS

PERFORMANCE

IHG reported H1 (year to June 30 2022) total gross revenue of $11.7 billion, up 48% on 2021 and 14% on the pre-pandemic 2019 performance for the same period.

PORTFOLIO:

CURRENT:

882,897 keys

6,028 properties

PIPELINE: 278,275 keys

1,858 properties 17 brands

(Figures as of end-June 2022)

Global RevPAR picked up 51% versus 2021 and by 10.5% versus 2019, with significant improvements in the Americas (Q2 RevPAR up 3.5% versus 2019) EMEAA (10.3%) and Greater China (48.9%).

H1 average daily rate increased 24% on 2021 and 4% on 2019, while occupancy nudged up 10 percentage points versus 2021 and 10 percentage points versus 2019. Gross system growth hit 4.4% year on year, while net growth was 3% (adjusted for Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza removals and the impact of exiting Russia, both in H1 2022).

The group opened 14,900 rooms across 96 hotels in H1, taking its global total to 883,000 rooms across 6,028 hotels, and signed 30,700 keys across 210 properties, growing its global pipeline to 278,000 rooms across 1,858 hotels, representing more than 30% of its system size.

HOT PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle Collection, opened its first resort hotel in Europe this year. The Kimpton Aysla Mallorca, located in Santa Ponsa, has 79 rooms designed by renowned local architect Guillermo Reynés, all situated around exuberant central Majorcan-style patios.

ONE TO WATCH

The voco brand will make its Japan debut in 2023 with the flagship voco Osaka Central. Featuring 191 rooms with high-quality touches and indulgent amenities, voco Osaka Central is conveniently located just a few minutes' walk from Yodoyabashi, Honmachi and Higobashi stations, the hotel will be close to unique shops and the lush greenery of Utsubo Park. Its facilities will include a restaurant, café, fitness gym and meeting rooms, while sustainability conscious guests will appreciate the hotel’s ‘tread light’ philosophy ranging from

biodegradable coffee cups to energy-saving aerated shower heads, and bulk bathroom amenities. The voco name, originating from Latin ‘to invite’, represents the brand’s thoughtful, unstuffy and charming nature, where guests always experience the brand’s charming touches, including a warm welcome, simple check-in, an arrival gift, lively social spaces, and rooms with thoughtful comforts like cosy bedding, luxury bathroom amenities and fast Wi-Fi.

RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY

IHG is collaborating with consumer goods company Unilever to replace bathroom miniatures with bulk amenities in more than 4,000 hotels. Unilever’s largest brand, Dove, will supply full-size hand wash, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion to IHG Essentials and Suites Collection hotels, including Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, avid hotels, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites. The roll out of full-size Unilever products across IHG’s mainstream brands, which account for around 80% of IHG’s portfolio, follows the recent launch of larger size bathroom amenities at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts properties. The switch to fullsize formats is expected to save at least 850 tonnes of plastic annually in IHG’s Americas region alone – the equivalent weight of five fully-grown blue whales or 70 double-decker London buses. In 2019, IHG became the first global hotel company to commit to all of its hotel brands removing bathroom miniatures in favour of larger-size amenities, a key step in its pledge to eliminate single-use items throughout the guest stay by 2030. All of IHG’s markets are now covered by bulk bathroom amenity contracts.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

In June, IHG celebrated 6,000 open hotels by unveiling the ‘6,000 Club’ – a collection of newly opened hotels from IHG’s iconic portfolio, showcasing the global reach of its 17 brands. New additions included Luxury & Lifestyle brands Six Senses, Regent and Vignette Collection; Premium brand, voco hotels; Essentials brand, avid hotels; and Suites brand, Atwell Suites. To thank guests, IHG reinvented its loyalty programme, IHG One Rewards, to offer members more choice, value and richer rewards – all powered by leading technology on a new mobile app. IHG also shared it was set to grow its portfolio by a further 30%, with more than 1,800 hotels already signed in its development pipeline.

Voco Osaka Central

MARRIOTT

PORTFOLIO

CURRENT: 1.5mn keys

8,100 properties

PIPELINE: 495,000 keys

2,942 properties 30 brands

(Figures as of end-June 2022)

PERFORMANCE

Marriott’s Q2 results were “outstanding” with worldwide RevPAR surpassing 2019 levels in June. Average daily rate was robust at 7% above 2019 levels, and worldwide occupancy reached 68%, explained Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano.

“Among customer segments, group RevPAR saw the most meaningful acceleration in the second quarter, down just 1% to 2019 in June, compared to down nearly 30% in the first quarter.

“We have not seen signs of leisure travel abating, with leisure room nights in the region more than 15% higher than second quarter 2019, and ADR meaningfully outpacing pre-pandemic levels. Europe also experienced notably strong RevPAR recovery, in large part due to the return of international visitors, with June RevPAR exceeding 2019,” he said.

On the development front, signing activity set a second quarter record of 23,000 rooms globally, nearly 30% of which were conversions from competitor brands.

The company added 97 properties (16,917 rooms) to its worldwide lodging portfolio during Q2, including nearly 4,400 rooms converted from competitor brands and approximately 9,200 rooms in international markets. Marriott’s reported operating income for the period was $950 million compared to $486 million in Q2 2021.

Net income reached $678 million compared to $422 million. Loyalty programme Marriott Bonvoy hit 169 million members by quarter’s end.

HOT PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic debuted as the world’s first Luxury Collection all-inclusive resort in September. The adults-only property features 324 suites across its 19 unique room categories, including oceanfront luxury villas, and private island suites.

The grandest accommodation is the Castle Island Suite, a 5,500-square-foot, two-level suite on a private island with a master bedroom, secondary bedroom, an expansive living room, full dining room, and three indoor plunge pools with floor-to-ceiling windows with Caribbean Sea views.

The resort also offers several restaurants, six pools and the Sanctuary Spa.

ONE TO WATCH

Slated to debut in 2023, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, will be part of the eagerly anticipated Red Sea Project, located off the west coast of Saudi Arabia. Nujuma will be the first property from the brand in the Middle East and joins an exclusive collection of only five Ritz-Carlton Reserves worldwide. It will be located in the Red Sea’s Blue Hole cluster of islands and feature 63 water and beach villas, a lavish spa, swimming pools, multiple culinary venues, a retail area and a conservation centre.

RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY

Marriott International says it is committed to helping to address some of the world’s most pressing social, environmental and economic issues. Its sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, guides its efforts, which include a commitment to set science-based emissions reduction targets, with a goal to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050. The group has many 2025 targets too – to reduce C02 intensity by 30% from a 2016 baseline; to source no less than 30% of its total electricity from renewable energy; and to create 250 adaptive reuse projects (breathing new life into older existing buildings rather than tearing them down and rebuilding them).Marriott has opened 184 adaptive reuse projects globally since 2016, according to the company’s 2021 sustainability report.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Following the transformation of three marque hotels in Tel Aviv, Dubai, and Istanbul, Marriott continued has continued to roll out the reinvention of Sheraton Hotels and Resorts in EMEA, unveiling five more revamps in June. The latest hotels to be redesigned are: Sheraton Amsterdam Airport, Netherlands; Sheraton Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Sheraton Frankfurt Airport, Germany; Sheraton Grand Krakow, Poland; and Sheraton Djibouti, Djibouti. Nearly 50 hotels globally, including four other properties in EMEA, are expected to unveil the brand’s refreshed look by year end.

Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic

RADISSON HOTEL GROUP

PERFORMANCE

PORTFOLIO:

CURRENT:

260,000 keys

1,700 properties

330 new signings in 2022

9 brands

Radisson Hotel Group continues to roll out its five-year transformation plan and with 330 planned signings in 2022, it will surpass the achievements of 2021, which was the most successful year ever in the company’s history in terms of signings (almost 200). By June, the group had signed and opened more than 100 properties in key countries such as Turkey, Greece, Madagascar, and China. In its lifestyle segment, it opened and signed Radisson Collection properties in Germany, Turkey, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Croatia, and Estonia, bringing its Radisson Collection portfolio to just under 50 hotels. Radisson Blu, the largest upper upscale brand in Europe, signed and opened several new hotels in key tourist destinations such as Barcelona, Mykonos, Madagascar, Jordan, Lanzarote, and Galle, bringing the total portfolio to 394 properties. The group’s affiliation brand, Radisson Individuals, made its debut in new markets such as Egypt and Turkey, and expanded its presence in the UK, Ghana, Poland, and Norway, bringing the brand’s total portfolio to more than 60 properties in operation and under development. In India, the group launched an exciting brand extension, Radisson Individuals Retreats, as part of its plan to double its footprint to 250 hotels in the country by 2025.

HOT PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

The luxury lifestyle Radisson Collection brand debuted in Croatia this year with the opening of Grand Hotel Brioni Pula, A Radisson Collection Hotel. This follows an extensive £30 million repositioning of the legendary Hotel Brioni, one of Croatia’s best-known hotels. Originally built in the 1970s, the property was one of the most prominent tourist havens in former Yugoslavia. In its heyday, with direct flights from the United States to Pula in the 70s, it was often a getaway for

many celebrities, including artists, film stars and politicians.

ONE TO WATCH

Radisson is targeting Poland for expansion, having recently debuted the Radisson Individuals brand with the opening of Andersia Hotel & Spa Poznan.

The group’s current Polish portfolio comprises 17 hotels in operation, with plans to grow this to 23 properties, representing more than 5,200 rooms in operation and under development. Andersia Hotel & Spa Poznan is a modern business hotel with 172 rooms and 1,800 sqm of multi-purpose conference space. Leisure facilities include a fitness centre and the Harmonia Wellness Club & Pool with a swimming pool, jacuzzi and a Finnish natural wood sauna.

RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY

Radisson Hotel Group recently received confirmation and validation of its near-term Science Based Targets (SBTs) aligned with its commitment to be Net-Zero by 2050. The authentication has been provided by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) a partnership between experts such as CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and the United Nations Global Compact, which drives ambitious climate action in business. It places Radisson Hotel Group amongst top companies in the world that align with the COP climate goals and set their carbon reduction targets according to science.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

Radisson Hotel Group (RHG) recently revealed its APAC Expansion Plan – a major initiative that will unleash the power of its diverse brands and partnerships to drive 400% growth across the Asia Pacific region by 2025. The group will add 1,700 hotels and resorts to its current portfolio of more than 400 properties in the next three years.

It will aim to achieve this through a combination of organic growth, mergers and acquisitions, master license agreements, and leases in key locations. Focused on five strategic growth markets, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand, the plan builds on existing initiatives to harness the vast potential of China as an important source of outbound business.

Grand Hotel Brioni Pula, a Radisson Collection Hotel

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS

pet-friendly and offers complimentary breakfast, includes a shared lobby, fitness centre, heated outdoor pool, bar, business centre and convenience store.

ONE TO WATCH

The flagship Wyndham Grand® brand is adding Greensboro’s award-winning Grandover Resort & Spa to its growing global portfolio. The transition to the hotel’s new brand affiliation is already underway, with full integration into Wyndham’s award-winning loyalty programme, Wyndham Rewards®, expected soon. Grandover Resort & Spa, a Wyndham Grand Hotel, will also become the newest hotel to join The Meetings Collection, Wyndham’s curated collection of hotels and resorts in leading meetings destinations across the US.

RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY

PORTFOLIO

CURRENT: 819,000 keys

9,000 hotels

PIPELINE: 208,000 keys

1,600 hotels 30 brands

(Figures as of end-June 2022)

PERFORMANCE

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest franchising company, experienced a strong Q2 2022 with global RevPAR growing 23% compared to Q2 2021 in constant currency. System-wide rooms grew 3% yearover-year, including 2% of growth in the US and 4% of growth internationally.

These increases included strong growth in both the higher RevPAR midscale and above segments in the US and the direct franchising business in China, which grew 7% and 12% respectively. The company is on track to achieve a retention rate above 95% and a net room growth outlook of 2% to 4% for the full year 2022.

Hotel franchising segment revenues grew 18% year-over-year to $335 million, primarily due to the global RevPAR increase and higher license and other fees.

Net income reached $92 million and adjusted net income hit $99 million. Domestic development signings increased 77%, including 22 new construction projects for the company’s new extended-stay brand, Project ECHO. Wyndham has raised its full-year 2022 outlook.

HOT PROPERTY OF THE YEAR

In June, the first La Quinta and Hawthorn Suites dual-branded hotel concept in Pflugerville, one of Texas’ fastest-growing suburbs, was unveiled.

This first-of-its-kind pairing targets guests seeking both extended-stay and leisure and business transient accommodations. It combines 103 rooms, with 73 featuring La Quinta’s award-winning Del Sol prototype guestroom and 30 with the Hawthorn Suites’ new room design, which includes a fully equipped kitchen. The property, which is

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report highlights several commitments and achievements. The company was recognised by DiversityInc for leading diversity practices for 2022 while Forbes named Wyndham one of The Best Employers for Diversity 2022. For the fourth consecutive year, the company received a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index measuring LGBTQ workplace equality.

It also unveiled its ‘Women Own the Room’ programme, the first-ever programme by a major hotel company specifically targeting women’s advancement in hotel ownership. Accelerating environmental protection efforts, the company recently announced that all hotels globally, as part of their brand standard compliance, will need to attain level 1 in the Wyndham Green Programme by April 2023.

This five-level certification programme that helps reduce a hotel’s environmental footprint, includes a proprietary environmental management tool that tracks data to help hotels improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, conserve water, and reduce waste while helping drive the owner’s bottom line.

Recognised as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2022 by Newsweek, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has committed to reducing absolute carbon emissions in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 15%, compared to the 2019 baseline, and achieving 100% renewable energy at corporate headquarters, and North American offices by 2025.

WHAT’S IN THE NEWS?

In March 2022, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts announced plans for a new extended-stay brand, operating under the working title ‘Project ECHO’. By September the company had signed 100 hotels under the brand, in locations across the US.

“An all new-construction, extended-stay brand developed with leading hotel developers hits the sweet spot with a design aimed to lower costs-to-build and operate, while still capturing the demand for long-term stays. This brand has become Wyndham’s fastest growing in the pipeline already accomplishing our goal of 100 signed by year-end and we expect to continue adding to that total,” said Chip Ohlsson, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Grandover Resort & Spa, a Wyndham Grand Hotel

Reshaping travel, together

Travelling ‘better’ takes priority

“Britain’s visitor economy is an industry usually worth £127 billion, supporting 3.1 million jobs and 200,000 smallto-medium sized businesses in every nation and region. Tourism is also a job creator with enormous social mobility. Our focus is to deliver tourism growth across Britain, building back visitor spending and supporting businesses. We also want more young people to consider a career in tourism, supporting the industry on its recruitment and retention programmes and working together on policy solutions to address the labour shortages we have in Britain, such as extending the Youth Mobility Scheme to Europe. We are committed to building resilient economic growth through a more sustainable, accessible, competitive industry.”

Patricia Yates, CEO, VisitBritain

Hotels have the power to spearhead positive industry change

“Hotels play a significant role in shaping the global travel and tourism industry. Aligned to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, our Journey to Tomorrow 2030 plan focuses on people, communities and the planet. As part of this ongoing work, we’re stepping up ambitious carbon reduction plans and have pledged to improve the lives of 30 million people through focusing on skills training, disaster response and food security.”

Keith Barr Chief Executive Officer, IHG Hotels & Resorts

Communication and collaboration will lead to success

“We cannot achieve anything without strong lines of communication between countries and leaders. We need to come together as one voice to define what our industry needs. This will ensure success and seamless travel for the international community.”

Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO, Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA)

Cruise is a gateway to authentic cultural immersion

“The travel and tourism industry connects the world by bringing together people from different cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities. We see cruising as an additional dimension and a gateway to such experiences. Saudi opened its doors to tourists only recently, but its unique cultural heritage, history and diversity make it one of the most exciting new destinations for tourists to explore.”

Lars Clasen, CEO, Cruise Saudi

Digital nomad numbers are on the rise

Industry figureheads from around the world give their views on the opportunities to reimagine travel in 2022 and beyond

Redefining short breaks to reduce travel impact

“The pandemic brought forward opportunities to reshape tourism for a better, greener future. While pre-pandemic short-haul air travel was easy, we know the impact these flights have on the environment. We believe redefining ‘short breaks’ will help. To encourage responsible travel, our cities can easily be explored on foot and our fantastic train network makes Poland very accessible.”

Dorota Wojciechowska, Director of the Polish National Tourist Office in London

Hotels can make better places to work, visit and live

“Hoteliers have a responsibility to make a positive impact on the communities where we work and live. At Choice Hotels International, we have significantly expanded our sustainability efforts in recent years, while working to reduce systematic barriers to hotel ownership among underrepresented groups.”

Megan Brumagim, Vice President, Environmental, Social and Governance, Choice Hotels

It’s time to rebalance planet, people and profit

“The industry needs to take ownership and repackage travel in a way that creates a rebalancing of ‘planet, people and profit’. For a sustainable and profitable future, we must recognise that with every successful business there is a balance sheet, so start developing balanced tourism and create better futures for all.”

Fiona Jeffery OBE, Founder & Chairman, Just A Drop

Urgent modernisation of the tourism ecosystem required

“Tourism is one of the main drivers of our economy, accounting for 11.4% of our GDP. The Region of Murcia has committed to sustainable tourism, promoting publicprivate sector partnerships, sustainability projects aimed at both public infrastructure and the business sector, and investment in digitisation and tourism intelligence.”

Marcos Ortuño Soto, Regional Minister for the Presidency, Tourism, Culture and Sport, Region of Murcia

Becoming more streamlined and customer focused is key

“The global travel and tourism sector has [emerged from the pandemic] more streamlined, and perhaps more customer focused. We have adapted and pivoted west, opening new routes to Asia, the Middle East and North America. We, and the travel and tourism sector, have shown increasing resilience in the face of further challenges as we evolve to a more sustainable future.”

Andrew Fish, General Manager UK, Ireland & Benelux, Finnair

Investment is crucial to shaping a more resilient future

“Historically, global economies have depended on tourism and travel for growth. Therefore, one cannot overemphasise the critical role of investments in shaping a better, more resilient future for the sector. To this end, Shurooq is attracting key investments towards the creation of both mega and boutique projects that are transforming Sharjah into a regional hub of authentic eco- and heritage-inspired experiences that also champion sustainability.”

H.E Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq).

Tourism must benefit communities and the environment

“Our sustainability strategy encourages visitors to explore all regions on the island of Ireland and to visit in the shoulder seasons, ensuring all areas benefit from tourism and visitation is spread throughout the year. Promoting community experiences, local food, public transport, and our growing range of eco-friendly experiences, will continue to be important.”

Niall Gibbons, CEO, Tourism Ireland

Working towards net zero is key

“The travel industry has an important responsibility to preserve the beautiful destinations in which we operate. At Hilton, we work to reduce our environmental impact through ‘Travel with Purpose’, our ESG strategy to drive responsible travel and tourism globally. We were the first major hotel company to establish science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement. We also recently announced plans to cut our carbon emissions intensity by 75% in our managed portfolio by 2030 as we work towards a net zero future.”

Simon Vincent, Executive Vice President and President, EMEA, Hilton

Flexibility is vital as consumer habits shift at pace

“Global events such as Expo 2020 Dubai, NBA Abu Dhabi Games 2022 and FIFA World Cup 2022 have tremendously influenced the tourism industry. With increased collaboration between public and private entities, multi-destination travel will continue to become a global trend. Consumer habits are everchanging and as demand evolves, hotels need to adjust their offerings to cater for a high level of flexibility.”

Guy Hutchinson, President & CEO, Rotana

The time for collaboration is now

“If there is one thing the pandemic taught us, it's that we must be prepared for change. Sustainable, responsible tourism is only possible through consistent, dedicated collaborative efforts between governments, tourism authorities, stakeholders and more importantly the people.”

Kamrul Baksh, Director, Guyana Tourism Authority

Travel spend must directly benefit communities

“Tourism was shut down due to COVID-19 and this could happen again and we need to work together to make sure that if it does, we are still able to come out the other side. An interconnected tourism product that supports communities is essential to the future of tourism.”

Chris Mears, Executive Director, the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA®)

High-end, low impact to protect the environment

“We used the pandemic as an opportunity to revise our sustainability strategy and manifest our responsible tourism agenda. We also looked intensively into the digital economy as a way forward and we now have a strong and fast-growing digital presence. We believe high-end experiences with a high yield and niche marketing will minimise the negative impact of tourism on the environment.”

Mdm Sharzede Datu Haji Salleh Askor, CEO, Sarawak Tourism Board

We must stand together to build a sustainable future

“No country stands alone in tourism. Our sector is a global network of mutually supportive interests that cuts across all areas of the economy. The pandemic dramatically revealed the weaknesses in the system and if we are to address those weaknesses and build a more robust, inclusive tourism sector for the future we must do so through partnership, collaboration and unity. Saudi has led on global initiatives at the intergovernmental level and beyond to build a model of tourism that supports every player in the ecosystem and we will continue to work toward a more sustainable future for the sector.”

Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board, Saudi Tourism Authority (STA)

Developing a sustainable vision for the tourism industry’s future

“In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a better time to implement a sustainable vision for the future across all tourism sectors. Increasing awareness of sustainable travel, promoting ecotourism, and developing new technology and digital solutions should be the priority. Batumi is a multicultural city surrounded by three UNESCO World Natural Heritage national parks. Choosing naturebased activities could lead to reducing overcrowding in urban areas, as well as ensuring more economic benefits for rural communities.”

Tinatin Zoidze, Chairperson,

Department of

Tourism and Resorts of Ajara, Georgia

The great outdoors is a traveller magnet

Soudah, Where Adventure Meets Tranquility