APRIL 2021
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FLYING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF COVID How Qatar Airways has continued its operations into Australia despite the challenges and complexities of a global pandemic
Whether you sail from Sydney or Brisbane, 2022-2023 is the time to pencil in an unforgettable escape to the destinations you’ve been dreaming of. The adventure begins October 2022.
4
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IN SOUTH PACIFIC LARGE SHIP LINE Cruise Critic Australia Cruisers’ Choice Destination Awards
CONSECUTIVE
YEARS
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CRUISE LINE FOR
ACTIVITIES
AFTA National Travel Industry Awards
Cruise Passenger Awards
EPIC NEW ZEALAND
SUNSHINE STATE SUN-SOAKER
SOUTH PACIFIC SUNRISERS
SAPPHIRE COAST SPARKLER
12 NIGHTS • DEPARTS 23 DEC 2022
9 NIGHTS • DEPARTS 21 FEB 2023
8 NIGHTS • DEPARTS 1 NOV 2022
5 NIGHTS • DEPARTS 26 FEB 2023
SAIL FROM SYDNE Y
SAIL FROM BRISBANE
SAIL FROM BRISBANE
SAIL FROM SYDNE Y AUSTR ALIA
NEW ZEALAND
Sydney
Bay of Islands Auckland Tauranga
Willis Island Port Douglas Cairns Airlie Beach
Port Vila Mystery Island
Napier
Nouméa
AUSTR ALIA
Christchurch Milford, Doubtful, Dusky Sound
VA N U AT U
Brisbane
Dunedin
NEW CALEDONIA
Brisbane AUSTR ALIA
Sydney Eden
AUSTR ALIA
Sydney
OVATION OF THE SE AS
Royal Caribbean
R ADIANCE OF THE SE AS
QUANTUM OF THE SE AS
Visit your local travel advisor
QUANTUM OF THE SE AS
1800 754 500
Health and safety protocols, guest conduct rules, and regional travel restrictions vary by ship and destination, and are subject to change without notice. Due to evolving health protocols, imagery and messaging may not accurately reflect onboard and destination experiences, offerings, features, or itineraries.
PLUS INTRODUCING ALULA, A NEW DESTINATION FULL OF RICH HERITAGE, ARTS AND CULTURE, NATURE AND ADVENTURE
CONTENTS
08
Intimate Experiences • Exotic Destinations
COVER STORY 08 Flying under the weight of COVID Qatar Airways has found itself right at the epicentre of Australia’s fight against the spread of coronavirus, negotiating the maze of everchanging restrictions as it maintained the country’s aviation links with the rest of the world over the last 12 months. Bruce Piper investigates the challenges it has faced.
MONTHLY 02 State of the industry 06 Issues and trends 14 Cruise 20 Last word
COLUMNS 02 From the publisher 06 AFTA View 15 CLIA View
FEATURES 16 AlUla
15 Super Yacht Infinity Pool
Owner’s Suite
It’s not very often that you get the chance to be one of the first people to travel to a brand new destination, let alone one that is as beautiful as AlUla, writes Sarah Beyer.
22
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Reflections Restaurant
COMING 2022
This month’s contributors
ADRIATIC COAST • RED SEA • MEDITERRANEAN In 2022, Emerald Cruises brand new, innovative super yacht, Emerald Azzurra, will welcome her first guests to Europe. With just 100 guests on board, this stylish and luxurious yacht has been custom-designed to allow unique access to the fascinating ports and harbours only small yachts can reach.
Inaugural season now available for booking via Expressbook. Order your brochure through TIFs or view online now.
Joel Katz, Darren Rudd Top image: Qatar Airways’ cabin crew wear PPE suits onboard flights operating into Australia during the pandemic ©Qatar Airways Bottom right image: Hegra in AlUla ©ExperienceAlUla / Jonathan Irish
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travelBulletin APRIL 2021
1
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
From the publisher Bruce Piper
IN BRIEF
2
IT’S possible I may have spoken just a little too soon when in last month’s travelBulletin I prognosticated an earlier than anticipated end to the pandemic! As everyone in the industry will testify, it’s been a tough few weeks since then and on some days it’s no wonder that many of us are feeling down. Feelings of frustration have been exacerbated by stupid moves by some political leaders – most recently in the Northern Territory and Queensland where bureaucratic bungling has betrayed just how little officials realise the impact their decisions have on the public. A blanket ruling by the NT’s Chief Medical Officer laying out principles for a resumption of cruising in Territory waters by all accounts completely blindsided operators in advanced stages of preparation for the upcoming Kimberley cruise season, limiting ships to a maximum of just 100 on board including all crew and passengers. The decision, which ran counter to multiple earlier assurances, struck a blow at the confidence of the industry and I must confess to having been personally rocked at yet another knock-back for the
AFTA CEO departs abruptly DARREN Rudd has resigned as CEO of the Australian Federation of Travel Agents just nine months after taking the role, with the departure leaving many in the industry wondering “where to now?” for the travel agent representative organisation. The move, announced just before Easter, became effective immediately, with no explanation
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
struggling cruise sector. That was followed a few days later by an outbreak in Queensland, where Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk predictably shut down Greater Brisbane in a snap three-day lockdown. This decision was unfortunately necessary – because the Qld Government appears to have no firm system for contact tracing in place, and thus when an infection occurs they have to use a hammer to crack a walnut. And as many of our readers have noted, the outbreak – via an unvaccinated doctor working in a COVID-19 ward! – appears to have been eminently avoidable. In other states such as NSW it’s impossible to even go to the hardware store without using a Government-supplied app to check in and out. Why on earth can’t we have a national system of contact tracing? Why are we relying on clearly challenged State health departments to manage the vaccine rollout? As PM Scott Morrison has noted multiple times over the last year, we are in a COVID-19 emergency. It’s about time he started acting like it and wielded some strong leadership to get us out of this situation.
except to say it was for “personal reasons”. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect storm for AFTA, with Rudd’s disappearance coinciding exquisitely with the end of the JobKeeper wage supplement, right in the midst of negotiations over a new $130 million grant program and the annual renewal period for AFTA membership. Many members may be reluctant to stump up their annual dues which are of course necessary to keep the
Federation’s doors open – not to mention that after more than a year of COVID-19 border closures the overall viability of the industry is facing an existential threat. Rudd said he was “incredibly proud of what we have achieved together at AFTA,” including securing $258 million in tailored Federal support as well as ensuring the plight of agents was “understood at every level of Government”. His tenure also saw the strictures imposed by COVID-19 lead to a significant downsizing of the organisation and the loss of long-time experienced staff. Tom Manwaring, the indefatigable AFTA Chairman and head of Express Travel Group, will take over as Interim Executive Chair, while “all Directors have been and will continue to be active in engaging with Government at all levels to maximise support for our members,” AFTA said in a statement announcing Rudd’s departure.
Viva axes flights HELLOWORLD Travel’s Viva Holidays wholesale division has announced it will no longer sell flights effective from 1 May, with Executive Director Cinzia Burnes saying that with a myriad of rule changes, schedule changes, condition changes and “other changes writ large by the airlines over the last six months, the manual processes involved have become beyond time consuming and the double handling of flight issues between wholesale and retail has become unsustainable”.
LIVN THE FROZEN DREAM
“
The manual processes involved [in air bookings associated with wholesale] have become beyond timeconsuming, and the double handling of flight issues between wholesale and retail has become unsustainable
”
Cinzia Burnes, Executive Director Helloworld Travel Limited
TRAVEL agents and other third party resellers will be able to offer musical and theatre product to their clients under a new partnership between Livn Group and TIX, which is sharing its content via the B2B channel through Livn’s Open Connectivity Hub. To celebrate the launch, Frozen the Musical by Disney Theatrical Productions is now available to Livn distribution partners, travel agents and the travel industry. Sheila Moloney from TIX is pictured at a Sydney performance of the show with Mark Rizzuto of Livn and James Roberston, Disney Theatrical Group.
Burnes noted that many of the wholesaler’s industry partners already book and issue flights via Helloworld’s in-house Air Tickets platform, promising that wholesale fares would be loaded onto that system for agents to use in conjunction with land bookings. She also highlighted significant ongoing systems development, with the current Tango agent booking platform to be replaced before the end of the year and no air bookings integrated in the new system. “The reality is that our strength and experience as a wholesaler is in the land arrangements and
this is where we should be spending our consultants’ time...they should be dedicated to assist you in crafting the perfect holiday for your clients whether on land or water.” Burnes said.
“QantasKeeper” grants slammed THE travel and tourism sector has been up in arms over the Federal Government’s controversial $1.2 billion tourism recovery funding package, which has been widely seen as benefiting airlines rather than providing stimulus for the overall sector. Continues over page
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
3
STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
Rex Canberra plans
”
John Sharp, Deputy Chairman, Rex
MAIN DOMESTIC ROUTES
VISITOR ARRIVALS
Top 10 domestic city pairs, January 2021
City pair
Passengers Passengers % change YE Jan 20 YE Jan 21 (000) (000)
Melbourne-Sydney Brisbane-Sydney Brisbane-Melbourne Brisbane-Cairns Adelaide-Melbourne Brisbane-Townsville Adelaide-Sydney Gold Coast-Melbourne Melbourne-Perth Hobart-Melbourne ALL CITY PAIRS
9,171.6 4,825.5 3,620.9 1,301.3 2,538.6 1,022.9 1,872.4 2,112.4 2,114.1 1,672.4 61,416.0
1,540.4 944.1 715.9 692.9 486.2 480.3 446.7 443.2 378.6 373.9 15,997.4
RESIDENT RETURNS
Top 10 destinations, January 2021
-83.2 -80.4 -80.2 -46.8 -80.8 -53.0 -76.1 -79.0 -82.1 -77.6 -74.0
Country of residence
Original
New Zealand USA United Kingdom Vanuatu China Singapore India Hong Kong France Philippines ALL VISITOR ARRIVALS
1,580 890 740 440 380 350 300 240 170 150 7,990
Top 10 destinations, January 2021
% change - original Jan 20/ Jan 21 -98.4 -98.7 -99.0 -71.6 -99.8 -98.2 -98.8 -99.1 -98.7 -98.3 -99.0
Source: ABS
Country of stay
Original
New Zealand India United Kingdom USA China Singapore Papua New Guinea Hong Kong Pakistan Indonesia ALL RETURNS
1,820 960 930 810 680 460 420 420 300 250 11,350
% change - original Jan 20/ Jan 21 -99.1 -98.9 -98.9 -99.3 -99.1 -99.1 -93.6 -97.7 -96.8 -99.8 -99.2
Source: ABS
Source: BITRE
-84 .7 -72 % .7 %
DOMESTIC AIR MARKET January 2021
Jan 20 5.10m 6.05bn 7.37bn 82.0 50.2
Growth Year end Year end Jan 20 Jan 21 % 1.65m -67.6 61.42m 16.00m 2.03bn -66.5 71.54bn 18.28bn 3.38bn -54.1 88.30bn 28.87bn 59.9 -22.1* 81.0 63.3 25.9 -48.5 635.3 258.2
-8 8
Growth % -74.0 -74.5 -67.3 -17.7* -59.4
*Percentage points difference
.5 %
%
Total pax carried Revenue pax km (RPK) Available seat kms (ASK) Load factor (%) Aircraft trips (000)
Jan 21
7.8
AN INVESTIGATION by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission into activities booking portal Website Travel has fizzled out, after it emerged that parent company Adventium had repaid $6.5 million in withheld payments to about 350 local tour operators mostly based in Queensland. The probe was launched in April 2020, when Adventium announced that the COVID19 pandemic was forcing it to hold back payments, in some cases for almost a year, to operators which had already provided travel services to consumers. The ACCC noted that Adventium had also taken steps to avoid a similar situation occurring in the future, by ensuring that funds obtained from travel agents for payment to tour operators are held separately.
DATA ROOM
-8
REGIONAL Express has highlighted its $150 million “war chest” as it goes head to head with Qantas on the popular Sydney-Canberra route – which has been monopolised by QF since the pullout of Virgin Australia when it went into voluntary administration a year ago. Rex Deputy Chairman, John Sharp, announced the SYDCBR services would launch with a bang, with initial frequencies of seven flights a day. “Rex’s affordable fares will greatly stimulate more business and leisure traffic between Sydney and the national capital as the industry continues to recover,” he said, noting that Qantas was routinely charging close to $1,000 one-way for the short sector.
“
Rex’s affordable fares will greatly stimulate more business and leisure traffic between Sydney and the national capital as the industry continues to recover
ACCC vs Adventium
-87.8%
In fact when the announcement was made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan – in a Qantas hangar no less – QF CEO Alan Joyce effusively noted that “it ticks all the boxes for us”. As well as funding halfprice airfares to a number of regional destinations – some of which, such as Broome, have no accommodation available – the package also provided “aviation support” which effectively means stood-down airline workers will continue to receive a weekly payment equivalent to the now-removed JobKeeper scheme for the wider economy. Meanwhile QF’s Chief Customer Officer, Stephanie Tully, has confirmed that although the airline is confident that the planned 31 October resumption of international flying is
achievable, the carrier is unlikely to reinstate routes where inbound passengers are required to quarantine.
-85.7%
Continues from previous page
-8 9.2 %
Source: BITRE
-8 6
.0 %
-85.0% -85.7%
INTERNATIONAL AIR MARKET SHARE Share of passengers carried – January 2021
INTERNATIONAL AIR ROUTES
Qatar Airways, 14.1%
HEADLINES
Top 10 city pairs, year end January 2021
Others, 25.0%
City pair
01 Mar 02 Mar 02 Mar 04 Mar 05 Mar 08 Mar 09 Mar 10 Mar 11 Mar 11 Mar
4
Five year QF/AA renewal Scenic plots May 2021 Kimberley Eclipse Human biosecurity order extended TA chief quarantine push Zacharias gets five plus years HLO relents on wage cuts AFTA confirms restructure APT refund concession Tourism Minister promises another $128m Intrepid “strategic partnership” investment
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
12 Mar 12 Mar 17 Mar 18 Mar 18 Mar 22 Mar 23 Mar 23 Mar 24 Mar 24 Mar
Tehan promises “adjustments” Austrade details grant changes Shorten urges pay support NZ bubble could be here by mid-Apr QF CEO scores JobKeeper cash from govt NCL Globus and Club Med team up Helloworld wholesale axes flights NRMA buys Tasmanian tourism assets Celebrity adds flights Rex announces SYD-CBR flights
Singapore Airlines, 14.1%
China Eastern Airlines, 3.2% Cathay Pacific Airways, 3.4% SriLankan Airlines, 3.9%
Air New Zealand, 12.7%
United Airlines, 4.2% Etihad Airways, 4.3% China Southern Airlines, 6.1%
Emirates, 9.0% Source: BITRE
Auckland-Sydney Singapore-Sydney Auckland-Melbourne Singapore-Melbourne Doha-Sydney Singapore-Perth Auckland-Brisbane Los-Angeles-Sydney Dubai-Sydney Singapore-Brisbane Top 10 City Pairs Other City Pairs ALL CITY PAIRS
Passengers YE Jan 20 1,597,351 1,549,707 1,251,794 1,629,901 515,222 1,145,192 956,340 910,332 762,664 970,074 11,288,577 31,300,857 42,589,434
Passengers YE Jan 21 238,901 189,518 178,804 176,075 140,461 139,304 133,972 130,466 116,945 111,463 1,555,909 3,659,716 5,215,625
% of total % change 21/20 4.6 -85.0 3.6 -87.8 3.4 -85.7 3.4 -89.2 2.7 -72.7 2.7 -87.8 2.6 -86.0 2.5 -85.7 2.2 -84.7 2.1 -88.5 29.8 -86.2 70.2 -88.3 100.0 -87.8
Source: BITRE
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
5
ISSUES & TRENDS
AFTA VIEW Tom Manwaring, Interim CEO Australian Federation of Travel Agents
All brands offer a range of destinations around the globe, such as Italy.
ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL ON INDUSTRY REBOOT THREE of Australia’s key industry suppliers have banded together for a series of roadshows across the country, with the aim of helping leave the travails of 2020 firmly in the rear view mirror. Norwegian Cruise Line, Club Med and the Globus Family of Brands believe now is the time to “press CTRL+ALT+DELETE” on the last 12 months, with a total of 17 joint Reboot, Regroup, Reconnect 2021 events set to take place in six states from this month. The trio told travelBulletin their mission for 2020 was to be the ultimate support to their trade partners, and going forward they hope to “continue to lead the charge and innovate to meet the ever-changing market demands”. With the changing industry landscape there’s also a strong aspiration to work with anyone who is continuing to engage from the trade, with the three-way push claiming to offer a combined depth of product covering all target markets, global destinations and multiple experiences. It’s all about confidence too, with all three brands boasting a strong financial pedigree which should provide reassurance both to clients and their travel agents. The in-person events are now open for registrations, with sessions planned in the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra, Albury, Doncaster, Mornington, Geelong, Hobart, Adelaide, Bunbury and Perth. Spaces are limited to one spot per agency – for more information and to register CLICK HERE. 6
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
IN WHAT has been a difficult month in a difficult year for so many, there have been some bright spots. The addition of $130 million in round two of the COVID-19 Consumer Travel Support program to bring the total of tailored support to $258 million for travel agents, businesses and wholesalers was very welcome. This month also saw a commitment from the Tasmanian Government of $1 million in support for travel agents. What was more good news and a win for common sense was the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) setting aside an earlier order that a Sydney travel agent pay $15,500 to a couple whose South American holiday was cancelled due to COVID. This follows a similar decision by a differently constituted NCAT appeal panel that another travel agent had to refund $2,336 for flights cancelled due to COVID. Both cases hinged on the terms and conditions and reinforced the role of the travel agent as an agent for suppliers. In the case of the South American trip, the agent’s T&Cs said it “is not itself a transport, tour, event or accommodation provider. It acts only as an agent for those service providers.” In the flights case, the return airfares to India were booked with Malaysia Airlines. The T&Cs in that contract “acknowledged that the appellant was acting as agent for the carrier”. The appeal panel found that in both cases the agent’s duties were to propose and arrange travel-related services. “That being the case, we do not consider that there is any basis on the available evidence for Make sure that the respondents to claim your T&Cs are or recover against the appellant compensation appropriately for a breach of the detailed and that statutory guarantees they are accepted... under the Australian Consumer Law,” the appeal panel said. There are two important take-aways here. Firstly, make sure that your T&Cs are appropriately detailed and that they are accepted. Secondly, if you have a decision go against you, appeal.
“ ”
ACCC MAKES EXAMPLE OF APT TRAVEL GROUP THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) last month concluded an investigation into the COVID-19 practices of APT, TravelMarvel, Botanica and TravelGlo, after ongoing discussions over the company’s practice of deducting marketing and overhead costs from refunds. The ACCC said it had been concerned that the company had been taking greater amounts than it was entitled to under its terms and conditions, amounting to 15% of the booking price. “The ACCC considered that APT was not entitled to deduct these marketing and overhead costs as they were incurred before the booking was
made and they would have been incurred regardless of whether a booking was made,” said ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court. Chris Hall, CEO of parent company Australian Pacific Holdings Pty Ltd, said the business had reached a “mutually agreed position” with the ACCC, despite having a different interpretation of the T&Cs. Under the pact, the fixed marketing and overhead charges have been replaced by a one-off $400 per passenger administration fee, while charges for third party costs will continue to be deducted from refunds. Hall noted that
the company was also continuing to offer a fully transferrable Future Holiday Credit of 100% of the value of what had been paid.
The ACCC said APT had been withholding more money than it should from refunds.
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FLYING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF COVID Qatar Airways has found itself right at the epicentre of Australia’s fight against the spread of coronavirus, negotiating the maze of ever-changing restrictions as it maintained the country’s aviation links with the rest of the world over the last 12 months. The carrier has continued its operations despite the incredible complexities forced by the closure of international borders and hotel quarantine limitations, putting its local team on the front lines of repatriation efforts. What has been behind this stellar effort? Bruce Piper investigates.
T
HOMAS Scruby became Qatar Airways’ Vice President of Sales for Pacific and North Asia in May 2020, with exquisite timing putting him in the eye of the hurricane for an airline which has continued to show its unique approach right through the pandemic. Scruby has responsibility right across the region, but is based in Melbourne where the local team has been
8
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
forced to pivot from its focus on sales and marketing into what is practically a humanitarian role - because airlines have effectively been given the onerous responsibility of deciding who can fly into Australia. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive human toll, particularly on the widely travelled Australian community where millions of our citizens originally came from overseas. Aussies’
propensity to travel and work abroad also saw many living abroad when COVID-19 hit, and while most were happy to initially stay put, clearly the longevity of the outbreak has seen that change and as has been widely publicised, tens of thousands really want to come home. In many cases the motivation is simply a desire to see family, but in others there have been some truly tragic situations where airline
staff have been put in the position of having to choose who can travel and who can’t. The reason, of course, has been our very successful hotel quarantine systems which have in most cases managed to catch COVID-19 cases at the border. But the limited spaces within quarantine have consequently led to massive restrictions on just how many people can enter the country
each week – and that in turn has meant most inbound flights are only about 10% full. In the case of Qatar Airways and other airlines which have persisted with their local operations, these practically empty aircraft have continued coming to Australia despite minimal yields and fixed operational costs – putting these carriers into stark contrast with other competitors which during the pandemic’s first year
simply put up the white flag and ceased operating their Australian services.
BECOMING NUMBER ONE QATAR Airways’ dogged determination to continue operating saw it take the somewhat dubious honour of being far and away the largest international carrier operating in Australian skies in the early days of the pandemic.
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
9
COVER Official figures from the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics confirm the airline’s local market share surged from about 3% pre-pandemic to a whopping 44.5% a year ago. By contrast the grounding of the Qantas international fleet saw its former number one status drop to a tiny fraction of its previous capacity, despite operating a number of Australian Governmentbacked repatriation charter flights. In fact, Qatar Airways clearly saw the thousands of Australians stranded abroad as an opportunity to serve the community and build its profile, adding 28 weekly flights in April 2020 on top of its normally scheduled 21 services to bring people home. With a massive global network the repatriations worked in both directions, and QR took thousands of foreigners out of Australia back to their own countries too. In an all-toorare example of sense from our
Government regulators, permission was also granted for Qatar Airways to temporarily commence operations into Brisbane after years of having its capacity to Australia limited to daily flights to three capital cities – Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Since those early days of the crisis other airlines have also responded, with the most recent figures showing Qatar Airways still at the top with a 14.1% market share in January 2021, equal to that of Singapore Airlines. Air New Zealand was in third place with 12.7%, followed by Emirates at 9%, China Southern Airlines with 6.1%, Etihad Airways with 4.3% and then United Airlines at 4.2%. And while QR has been a front runner throughout the pandemic, all of these carriers are to be commended for continuing operations under the heavy constraints imposed by the Government’s flight caps.
PUTTING A CAP ON IT HOW on earth can an airline operate successful commercial flights when they are limited to just 35 paying passengers? The answer of course is that these services are marginally viable at best. The Board of Airline Representatives of Australia (BARA) last month released a report noting that “strong departure passenger and freight volumes have been critical to supporting the commercial viability of international flights”. Operating costs have spiralled, with no concessions provided on air navigation fees charged by Airservices Australia which are based on aircraft weight and distance travelled. State Governments have enforced quarantine for crew in hotels – of course charging the airlines for the privilege – and in some cases these pilots and flight attendants have been forced to subsist on the contents of vending machines
International Air Market Share
Share of passengers carried – January 2021 Qatar Airways, 14.1% Others, 25.0%
Singapore Airlines, 14.1%
China Eastern Airlines, 3.2% Cathay Pacific Airways, 3.4% SriLankan Airlines, 3.9%
Air New Zealand, 12.7%
United Airlines, 4.2% Etihad Airways, 4.3% China Southern Airlines, 6.1%
Emirates, 9.0%
“
[Hotel quarantine] implementation, however, at times leads to what can be best described as chaotic outcomes for airlines, passengers and staff involved in hotel quarantine... unfortunately the list of operational challenges experienced is not dissipating despite requirements being in place for many months
Hotel quarantine has been a hugely effective piece of the puzzle in keeping Australians safe from COVID-19, but the cap on the number of places has made operating flights into Australia difficult.
”
Barry Abrams, Executive Director, Board of Airline Representatives of Australia
because the official quarantine programs have not made allowances for these temporary residents. “Airlines understand the importance of Australia’s system of hotel quarantine and infection controls in mitigating the risk of COVID-19,” BARA Executive Director Barry Abrams wrote. “Their implementation, however, at times leads to what can be best described as chaotic outcomes for airlines, passengers and staff involved in hotel quarantine... unfortunately the list of operational challenges experienced is not dissipating despite requirements being in place for many months”. A particular issue for the airlines has been the seeming inability for Governments to give little if any notice of changes. Qatar Airways is not alone in experiencing these
challenges, but it’s believed that one example saw a QR flight waiting on the tarmac to depart its originating airport while Prime Minister Scott Morrison delivered the outcome of a National Cabinet meeting. The crew on the plane needed to know whether they would be required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, meaning additional airline staff might have needed to be on board in order for the return flight to operate. The recent snap lockdowns have also caused ongoing complexity and concerns – including the early February shutdown of the entire state of Victoria which saw Premier Daniel Andrews also summarily block permission for inbound passengers. Airlines still had outbound passengers and cargo to carry, meaning they were forced
Source: BITRE 10
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
11
COVER to operate empty aircraft into Melbourne for some weeks. An untold story of this ongoing situation is also the simple fact that there are no limits on outbound passenger numbers. Australians need to get permission to leave the country, but this is commonly granted in the case of extended overseas stays or compassionate reasons, with 105,028 exemptions handed out to outbound travellers by the Federal Government between 25 March and 31 December 2020. While travellers must understand the difficulties of returning, in many cases eventually they will want to come back meaning the backlog of people trying to get onto inbound flights is everincreasing under the current Government hotel quarantine cap policy.
THE HUMAN COST - AND THE HUMAN BENEFITS SCRUBY’S team at Qatar Airways have experienced joy and sorrow throughout the pandemic. With massive demand for inbound seats, the carrier’s Australian flights are booked solid for months, albeit subject to the very limited number of passengers which can be carried on each service. So that means when faced with a pleading, desperate person in need, the staff are faced with the awful dilemma of “how can I accommodate this customer?” There is no latitude available from the Government, which appears to have
12
travelBulletin APRIL 2021
abrogated responsibility for these tough choices to the airlines. But despite these challenges there have been some highlights – including the joyful, unexpected involvement of the Qatar Airways team with families and their children born to foreign surrogate mothers. Over the last year the QR team have flown more than 100 Australian families to meet newborns abroad and then returned them safely to Australia. Scruby told travelBulletin of the fresh mindset within his organisation, which is 100% focused on supporting the travel trade and customers. “We get daily contact from embassies, Government agencies, random people on LinkedIn asking for help, and our attitude is always ‘how can we assist’,” he said. The carrier’s flexible refund and rebooking policies have been widely applauded, extending ticket validity for 760 days with simple procedures contrasted to the complex month-bymonth changes introduced by some other airlines.
PLAYING THE LONG GAME THE Qatar Airways approach has certainly given it some bragging rights. In recent days the carrier noted OAG figures which confirmed it was now the largest airline in the world in terms of capacity. With its pedal firmly to the metal, QR continues to renew links across its global network, with a newly published Northern Summer schedule confirming more than 1,200
weekly flights to over 400 destinations across the globe. Travel is beginning to come back, and Australia and NZ are becoming significant outliers in terms of a slow recovery compared to the rest of the world where vaccine rollouts and government policies of suppression rather than elimination of COVID-19 are prompting more relaxed border policies. The permission for Qatar Airways to operate to Brisbane has also been a key achievement, and the carrier is proud of its persistence in repatriating Queenslanders when other carriers have pulled out of the market. Prepandemic any increase to the 21 weekly services to three Australian cities on Qatar Airways flights had been repeatedly knocked back, and the carrier clearly hopes a more pragmatic approach will apply going forward. For now, permission to continue QR Brisbane operations has been granted through until the end of October, and “we hope to continue that beyond then,” Scruby told travelBulletin. Scruby is firmly convinced of the importance of aviation in the Australian recovery from COVID-19. So many sectors of the local economy rely on a robust flight sector – such as commerce, freight, the international student market and foreign labour. And that’s not to mention the massive pent-up demand from tourists. When the pandemic ends “the world is going to want to come here,” he said. “We are standing by to make it happen”.
“
[When the pandemic ends] the world is going to want to come [to Australia] and we are standing by to make it happen
”
Thomas Scruby, Vice President of Sales for Pacific and North Asia, Qatar Airways
Images clockwise from top: On Qatar Airways’ flights attendants wear PPE suits and passengers are provided with a face mask, gloves and hand sanitiser. Qatar Airways has united a number of families with their newborns carried by foreign surrogate mothers, particularly from Tbilisi in Georgia (pictured), Kiev in the Ukraine, the US and Canada. When Melbourne stopped taking international arrivals in early February, Qatar Airways was forced to operate empty flights into Australia because it still had cargo and outbound passengers to carry. Thomas Scruby, Qatar Airways’ Vice President of Sales for Pacific and North Asia.
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CRUISE
UNITED KINGDOM CRUISE RESTART GOES GANGBUSTERS IN EARLY March, the United Kingdom’s Minister for Aviation & Maritime Robert Courts gave the okay for domestic cruises to begin from 17 May. The announcement was made to a group of Members of Parliament at a virtual meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Maritime and Ports Group, but the news did not stay among those few for long. Courts said the move would help the cruise industry restore confidence and demonstrate the robustness of their protocols for passengers and crews - and restore confidence it did. P&O Cruises UK almost immediately buoyed belief when it announced it would commence staycation cruises to nowhere, having just days before dealt the blow of another cancellation of its international voyages. The cruise line’s week-long trips will sail around British waters, leaving from Southampton – a port that will now prove to be far busier than anyone thought it might be just days prior. However, only a small number of lucky Britons will be able to sail – those who have received a coronavirus vaccination, with a minimum of seven days required following the second dose’s administration. A little over a week later, the United Kingdom’s leading cruise line was joined by Cunard Line and Viking, with Queen Elizabeth and Viking Venus to join P&O’s Britannia and Iona in Southern England. Cunard’s voyages will sail roundtrip from Southampton between July and October, and comprise of
Flights by Celebrity takes off AUSTRALIAN travel advisors will be able to book a traveller’s complete holiday with Celebrity Cruises, with the launch of Flights by Celebrity. The program gives advisors the assurance selected flights will meet specific cruise departure and arrival times, and also offers the flexibility to choose preferred airlines, as well as guaranteeing the lowest fares possible.
Kimberley on the cards?
British Isles scenic cruising and a range of special Sun Voyages, which will chase down that shining celestial body that so often avoids the United Kingdom. Viking will restart with three special eight-day sailings departing round-trip from Portsmouth exploring England’s shores on board the cruise line’s newest ocean ship which is also the first to have a full scale PCR laboratory on board and is set to be delivered later this month. Less than a week later, and the trio of cruise lines had two more join their ranks – MSC Cruises and Princess Cruises. Similar to the others, MSC committed to a series of “short breaks and week-long cruises round the British Isles”, but, unlike P&O, will not require any of its guests to be vaccinated, with the
Italian cruise line content with its Copyright © Free Vector Maps.com current protocols, now in place for almost nine months. “Our hope is to offer every type of holidaymaker the chance to escape this summer – from grandparents to teens and even the smallest of passengers,” said MSC Managing Director UK & Ireland Antonio Paradiso, in what could be viewed as a dig at P&O. Princess has also joined the list of cruise lines planning a British restart with its Summer Seacations – a series of short breaks and week-long itineraries aboard Regal Princess and Sky Princess. Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International were the most recent to flock to the seas of Britain by the time of publication, but by the time you’re reading this, there will have likely been one or two more.
AN AUSTRALIAN Kimberley season in 2021 was looking increasingly likely at the beginning of this month, with a raft of operators including Aurora Expeditions, APT, Scenic, Ponant and Silversea all putting itineraries for the region on sale. Unfortunately those cruises look to be in jeopardy, with the Northern Territory Government implementing new restrictions including a ban on ships carrying more than 100 people, including passengers and crew, and no more than two vessels allowed in Territory waters at a time.
Royal restart in the Caribbean ROYAL Caribbean Group (RCG) has confirmed the recommencement of operations in the Caribbean in June, with both Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International to both offer seven-day sailings to fully vaccinated guests. RCI’s Adventure of the Seas will offer itineraries from the Bahamas and Mexico, while the revolutionised Celebrity Millennium will homeport from St. Maarten.
CLIA VIEW
Joel Katz, Managing Director CLIA Australasia
NOW IS THE TIME FOR A PATH FORWARD IN RECENT days CLIA has launched a major new campaign in the United States, urging the Biden administration to replace current cruise restrictions with a workable pathway towards resumption. Echoing the messaging of CLIA in Australasia, the Ready Set Sail campaign calls on America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to lift its Conditional Sailing Order (CSO) and allow for the planning of a phased resumption of cruise operations from US ports. The time has come to move forward, not just in the US but also here Australia and New Zealand. Cruise lines have achieved an enormous amount in the past year and the health measures they have developed in response to COVID-19 are among the most comprehensive of any industry in the world. With these extensive new health protocols in place – and given low levels of COVID-19 in Australia and New Zealand – our governments need to make headway towards a
carefully controlled and phased reintroduction of domestic cruising in this region. This would initially involve restricted cruises within Australia and New Zealand for local residents only. Within these bubbles, no passengers or crew would be able to board without a negative COVID-19 test, and no passengers would be able to visit any destination they wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit by land. Such domestic models have been operating successfully in other countries including Taiwan and Singapore since the latter part of last year. With our industry’s extensive health measures now in place, governments in Australia and New Zealand need to commit to a pathway forward so our industry can plan for its revival. CLIA continues to lobby hard, but we need your support. Please visit www.WeAreCruise.org for information and resources to help raise our voice and ensure political leaders understand the size and importance of our cruise community.
HEADLINES MARCH 2021 01 Mar 10 Mar 17 Mar 19 Mar
Aurora to sail in Australia after 30 years New Emerald branding Cunard and Viking to restart in the UK Royal Caribbean unveils Aus 2022/23
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ALULA
ALULA
ARABIA’S HIDDEN TREASURE Clockwise from far left (all images ©ExperienceAlUla unless specified): Hegra is Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and features over 100 tombs carved into the sandstone rock ©Jonathan Irish Jabal Ikmah is sometimes referred to as the ‘openair library’ for its hundreds of rock inscriptions. Visit Dadan which was occupied in the 1st millenium BCE. AlUla’s Old Town is a maze of mud brick buildings dating from the 12th century.
It’s not very often that you get the chance to be one of the first people to travel to a brand new destination, let alone one that is as beautiful as AlUla, writes Sarah Beyer.
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LULA is a city in the north west of Saudi Arabia and for the first time is open to travellers, revealing 200,000 years of human history to discover. Tourism is at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision to create a thriving economy through diversification, and the Kingdom is encouraging travellers to come and visit. AlUla is one of the first destinations to be opened up, and travellers to the city can discover
an ancient landscape where time has stood still. The heritage and culture of this destination is fascinating, and visitors to the city will be warmly welcomed by the people, the elders, the rawi (Arabic storytellers) and tour guides.
HERITAGE ALULA was once at the crossroads of the Silk Road and the Incense Route. Recent archaeological investigations have revealed 3,000 years of continuous habitation in
the city, meaning there is a rich history for travellers to discover. One of the most well-known sites of AlUla is Hegra, which is also Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hegra is an ancient city once part of the Nabataean Kingdom which ruled this region for around two hundred years from 100 BCE to 106 CE. The civilisation’s name may be familiar to travellers, as the Nabataeans were also the people who lived at the more widely-known Petra in Jordan. Hegra was an important trading post and
travellers can visit over 100 well preserved tombs in the city, each with elaborate facades cut into sandstone outcrops. Go further back in time when you visit Dadan, which was one of the most developed 1st millennium BCE cities in the Arabian Peninsula. Nearby to Dadan, the site of Jabal Ikmah is sometimes referred to as ‘the open-air library’ for its centuries-old rock inscriptions which give insight into the beliefs, rituals and practices of the inhabitants who once lived there.
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ALULA Another heritage highlight of AlUla is the city’s Old Town. Dating to around 12th century, the Old Town features old mud brick buildings and a labyrinth of streets which continued to be lived in until as recently as 40 years ago. Today you can stroll along Incense Road, lined with fruit and produce market stalls, as well as arts and crafts, fashion and souvenirs, or else join a tour with a rawi and discover the connection the residents of AlUla have with the Old Town.
NATURE AS WELL as incredible history, AlUla is a place with stunning natural landscapes. The oasis runs like a river though the centre of town, with 20km of palm trees and local farms with citrus and fruit trees where you can visit and enjoy a long leisurely lunch of local produce. The desert surrounds of the city are also full of natural wonders. Rock formations like Elephant Rock, Face Rock and Dancing Rocks are a photographer’s dream. You can book a walking, cycling or horseback riding tour to best appreciate these canyons and mountains.
Clockwise from top left (all images ©Experience AlUla): Maraya is the largest mirrored building in the world and is a multi-purpose conference and entertainment venue.
ALULA From left (all images ©Experience AlUla): Get an aerial view of AlUla’s spectacular landscape with a hot air balloon ride.
Those looking for a wildlife encounter should visit Sharaan Reserve where you might spot an ostrich, ibex or gazelle, and you can learn about conservation efforts to restore native gazelles and the Arabian leopard to their natural habitat. At night head to Al Gharameel for a spot of stargazing, a must-do humbling experience, and hear from the locals about the importance of the constellations to daily life over the years and up until today.
AlUla is located in the north west of Saudi Arabia, historically a stop on the Incense Route.
ARTS AND CULTURE ALULA plays host to both natural and man-made art on a monumental scale. One of the major art attractions of the city is Maraya, an architectural spectacle with over 9,000m2 of mirrors covering the exterior walls of a cube-shaped structure which reflects the desert scenery. Artwork by international artists is placed throughout the landscape showcasing the rock formations with stunning results. As well as modern art, AlUla has a rich heritage of traditional arts and crafts which travellers can get an insight into in the Old Town at the handicraft pavilion.
ADVENTURE ALULA’S heritage doesn’t mean you can’t experience the city in a modern way, with plenty of adventure activities which interact with the backdrop of the area’s landscape. Travellers of all fitness levels can hike and bike around various sites, and vintage car transfers between attractions is a great novelty. Getting an aerial view of AlUla is a fantastic way to experience the city and visitors
Spot a gazelle in Sharaan Reserve. Take in the scents of dates, oranges and mint as you explore the Oasis. Catch incredible views of the Milky Way and constellations when you star-gaze at Al Gharameel.
JOURNEY THROUGH TIME experiencealula.com
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can head to the skies in a vintage aircraft or helicopter, or even a hot air balloon in season.
TRAVELLING THERE ALULA’S International Airport is a short flight (only 1.5 hours) from Riyadh or Jeddah which are serviced by many airlines flying from Australia. If you’ve had enough of flying once you get to the Middle East, you can road trip from Petra in Jordan in 6 hours, from Jeddah in 7
hours and Riyadh in 10 hours. When it comes to accommodation, there are a range of options available in AlUla from self-catered RV resorts to ecohotels and luxury desert suites, with more coming online between this year and 2023. Visit experiencealula.com for more information. For trade enquiries email alula@ walshegroup.com or CLICK HERE to register for further updates.
LAST WORD
DOT TO DOT IN NEED of some therapeutic mindless activity? Try our dot to dot. There’s 159 dots to join which will reveal a picture when you complete them in order. When you come to a dot that is actually a star, stop drawing your line and start at the next number. If you want to increase your relaxation, why not colour in the picture after you’ve connected the dots?
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