M&TatW e-Magazine MICE & TOURISM around the World the global monthly online magazine since 1997 vol. 23, issue 8, August 2020
Kangaroo Island, Australia UK’s The Events Industry Has Start Date JOHN DEWEY The American Philosopher What About Tourism? An Interview with…Mr. YOSHIKAZU TANAKA - OCTB, Osaka, Japan
MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine Volume 23, Issue 8, August 2020 edition – Online since 1997
Contents 7-9 Kangaroo Island, Australia 12 After 8 Years of CONVENE… 13 Registrations Now Open for AFRICA MICE FORUMS 14 Tokyo Business Events Team is Waiting to Welcome You! Tokyo, Japan
17-18 JOHN DEWEY The American Philosopher that Reformed Education 20 What About Tourism? Either It Will Be Transformed Or It Will Die 23 Confusing Border Rules That Puzzle Companies 25 Tourism in Europe Falls 26 Space Race To Mars 27 Countries Offer Incentive to Attract Visitors 29-33 An Interview with… Mr. Yoshikazu Tanaka, OCTB, Osaka, Japan 35 Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Airport to Open in 2022 36 Air New Zealand Renovate Domestic Lounge at Auckland Airport 38-41 Around The Corner - A Cultural Mile
BML International-UK
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Message from
Caroline-Artemis Welcome to the Summer edition of the e-magazine MICE & TOURISM around the World… It’s AUGUST! Traditionally a time for travel, holidays, relaxing, sea, sand and sunshine, good food and wine with friends and locals, discoveries and exploration, a time where many memories are made. It is still possible to have all that…just in your back garden, local park or down on a sandy beach! Summer is many things for many people and this year, many of us will not be having a ‘normal’ summer, but that does not mean you cannot enjoy Summer! So here’s some inspiration to get you Summer-ready for a wonderful ‘Stay-cation!’
‘If you are not barefoot, then you are overdressed for summer!’ ‘What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” John Steinbeck ‘Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.’ John Lubbock “A little bit of summer is what the whole year is all about.” – John Mayer “Friends, sun, sand, and sea, that sounds like a summer to me.”
Whatever you decide to do, make it count, make it special and make it a time to remember, just like many a summer past. Happy Holidays Caroline-Artemis Laspas co-founder & editor Sponsored by
BML International-UK www.bmlinternational.co.uk
TIME IS ITS FUTURE by Caroline-Artemis Laspas
Vivonne Bay, Kangoro Island, Australia
Australia’s Kangaroo Island is one of the world's great nature-based destinations. It is a unique place with pristine wilderness, unspoilt nature, authentic products, experiences and people. Kangaroo Island is home and protection to large wild populations of native Australian animals. The koalas are disease-free, the bees create the purest honey and it is home to one of Australia's rarest marsupials. This is an island with 509km of coastline, native rd bushland, wildlife, adventure & exploring. The 3 largest island off the coast of mainland Australia, Kangaroo Island is more than a day-trip destination; it covers an area of 4,416sq.kms, and is separated from the mainland by just 15kms of ocean. It is a tourism magnet, with luxury cliff-top lodges and a farming hub. With fertile lands and rich waters, Kangaroo Island produces some of Australia's finest foods and wines and is famous for its honey, seafood, eggs, olives and spirits. The scenery offers soaring cliffs, thick bushland, huge sand dunes, and quiet wetlands. With soft blue seas and white sand beaches, it truly is a destination to behold. It is not surprising that this island was known as Noah’s Ark for its unique ecology and bush land teeming with activity from insects, birds, reptiles and mammals. And then the fires came. And now there is silence. To get an idea of the scale of the devastation, approximately 48% of the island burnt and in some places right up to the sea. About 30% of the population of glossy black cockatoo, which is almost extinct on the mainland and numbered approx. 500 on the island is now extinct. 30-40% of the island’s kangaroo population is also dead as well as half of its 50,000 koalas. The fires moved so fast, little could be saved of animals or property. The island has been left with vast areas of blacked trees, smouldering earth and dead animal carcasses. This was an ecological disaster resulting in the need for help from the army to help dig huge trenches and bury thousands of animals. Kangeroo Island was an ancient pristine habitat; it was like stepping back in time. It is believed that several endangered species like the mouse-like marsupial the ‘dunnart’ and the glossy black cockatoo are lost forever. A quarter of the beehives of the pure breed of
Ligurian bees have been destroyed. Since the fires ended, there have been no sightings of the island’s native bee, the green carpenter. The Rosenberg’s goanna lizard and the short-beaked echidna which was listed as endangered in 2017 are thought to be extinct now. Running through the Flinders Chase National Park, is a long winding road, the devastation is plan to see. The deadly fires struck during the peak summer tourist season, just prior to COVID-19, when people flocked to the island to see the unique wildlife and landscapes. The island’s revenue was split evenly between tourism and agriculture; each worth about UK£94.5 million a year. With no tourists and inhabitants with no land to farm, there are worrying times ahead for the future of the island. Added to that the global health crisis. Recovery to the damaged region will be slow. It’s not just about the government promising additional funding; the animals that did survive have no vegetation to live on. It will take months and years for the bushland to regenerate and provide a sustainable habitat for survival, for the animals to repopulate and for the farmland to be workable again for farmers. However, all is not lost and this is the message Kangaroo Island wants the world to know; its arms are open; there is still plenty to see and enjoy on the island with most of the eastern coast remaining pristine, its waters clear and the seafood abundant.
M.I.C.E & Events News Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions & Venues
AFTER 8 YEARS OF CONVENE… In response to the new opportunities in amongst all of the challenges brought on by the current global situation, we have decided to end the CONVENE. The event won’t take place in 2021.
In the 8 years of its existence, CONVENE has established the Baltic Sea Region as a world-class meetings and events destination. It’s something we should all be proud of because the success of the event would not have been possible without the valuable contributions of all of you. We look forward to strengthening these partnerships through the new opportunities and initiatives we intend to pursue in the near future.
UK’s THE EVENTS INDUSTRY HAS START DATE 1st of OCTOBER 2020 The UK events industry will be able to open again in England from 1 October 2020. All events must still run in a COVID-Secure way. Of course this is subject to any further developments in the country’s standing with the virus.
THE HO CHI MINH CITY TOURISM FESTIVAL IN 2020 The 16th Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2020 took place from 16-19 July with 150 booths from over 40 businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and 30 provinces and cities nationwide. In the framework of the Closing Ceremony, the Department of Tourism and Saigon Tourism Corporation - One Member Limited Company (Saigontourist Group) also conducted the signing ceremony of a suitable agreement promoting tourism development in Ho Chi Minh City in the period of 2020 - 2025 with the following contents: coordinating the implementation of a number of contents in accordance with the tourism development strategy of Ho Chi Minh City until 2030; exchanging information on tourism development situation; developing tourism products; cooperation promoting tourism promotion and communication; developing tourism human resources and calling for investment in tourism development. This is one of the activities to enhance the promotion of tourism industry to recover and develop after the Covid-19 epidemic, thereby contributing to the sustainable development of tourism in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Tourism Festival focuses on domestic tourism. Businesses are supplemented by a website www.kichcaudulichtphcm.vn, and at st the same time, Ho Chi Minh launched the 1 tourism website www.dulichytetphcm.com in the country. The Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival offers professional activities associated with improving the quality of tourism services in the city. It also helps increase connectivity with other regions throughout the country with activities such as conferences to link Vietnam's tourism strength organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association and the Tourism Association of provinces and cities; seminar on introducing destinations to the Mekong Delta, Quang Ninh, Ha Giang and Vinh Phuc provinces; conference to introduce medical tourism products together with large-scale and professional art performances introducing culture and tourist destinations.
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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR AFRICA MICE FORUMS Registration is now open for the premier edition of Africa MICE Forums, a series of interactive high-end events designed to connect pre-qualified MICE buyers and local suppliers through fun and authentic experiences across different host destinations. Obinna Nwachuya, Convener of the AMF said “The goal is to propel MICE business across the continent in relatable ways that effectively spark ideas and foster real connections necessary to move minds and businesses forward.” Unlike other large gatherings, AMFs are intimate forums of about 40-60 participants with each event running for only two nights and one day; a short and effective stay for meeting, negotiating and building meaningful relationships with the best suppliers. AMF believes that the real magic of networking happens in small groups and facilitates this experience with thoughtfully designed oneon-one meetings, networking dinners, parties and activities that are unique and local to the host destination. Africa had been long due for dedicated events like the AMF considering its vast nature and diversity pool. Speaking further, the Managing Director, Cross River State Tourism Bureau, Utsu John Atsu expressed excitement at the prospect of co-hosting the event in Calabar and assured stakeholders involvement to ensure success and encourage repeat visits to the beautiful destination that is Cross River State. AFRICA MICE FORUMS invites both local and international MICE buyers including meetings and event planners, communication agencies, venue finding companies, corporates and International Associations interested in doing business in Africa to take advantage of its hosted buyer offerings to discover its diverse and rich host destinations. All hosted buyers at AMF are pre-qualified to participate based on the number and scale of events organised, budgets held and decision-making power.
CANCELLATION OF POSIDONIA 2020 It is with a great deal of regret the cancellation of Posidonia 2020, originally planned for June 2020 and subsequently postponed to October 2020.
The first forum will be co-hosted with the Cross River State Tourism Bureau at the Marina Resort Calabar, Nigeria from 29-31st October 2020.
Registration is still open both for Buyers and Suppliers at www.africamiceforums.com until 31st August 2020 This difficult decision has been reached following close consultation with many exhibitors and with the shipping community stakeholders, after assessing the current state of Covid-19 in countries around the world. The worrying increase of cases in certain jurisdictions and the inability to predict reliably where the pandemic will take us in the months ahead, compounds the uncertainty that now prevails, imposing upon us circumstances that are beyond our control. As our exhibitors and participants are now at the point of incurring substantial costs in the preparation of their participation at Posidonia, including travel commitments, adopting a ‘wait and see’ policy and then being forced to cancel Posidonia much closer to October is a risk we are not willing to take. We feel that our longstanding and close relationship with our exhibitors and participants, going back many years, leaves us no option but to take action now to ensure that you are not adversely affected. Furthermore the complexities of international travel which are constantly being re-evaluated as events develop, pose major challenges and practical restrictions to our international exhibitors and visitors, with the distinct possibility that many will not be able to visit Greece. Without them Posidonia would not be the same. One of the unique characteristics of Posidonia is the opportunities it provides to meet, interact and socialise in and around the exhibition and enjoy the hospitality, energy and fun that surround our event. We are concerned that this special environment that brings together the Greek and international shipping communities is in danger of being undermined due to Covid-19, thus not delivering the results that everyone expects and is looking forward to at Posidonia. We considered postponing the event to March or April 2021, as some of you have suggested, but decided against it. We feel that putting our exhibitors ‘on hold’ once again would not be viable or fair, given that there is no certainty on where we would be around next December or January when decisions for a spring 2021 event would again have to be taken. Instead, we are embarking on our preparations for the next Posidonia in June 2022 with optimism and the confidence that well before then we will have entered a world with Covid-19 under control.
AEV, AEO AND ESSA SECURE GO-DATE FOR EXHIBITIONS A combined group of members from the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the Association Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA), led by the associations, has launched the ‘All Secure Standard’, a risk assessment based framework of Covid-19 secure industry best practice and guidance for business events and consumer shows which take place in meetings, conferencing and exhibition centres. The Guidance has been approved by DCMS, and is specifically referenced in the ‘Working Safely during coronavirus (COVOD-19)’ web pages on https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/the-visitor-economy. Direct links are www.aeo.org.uk/covid-19, www.aev.org.uk/covid-19-aev, and www.essa.uk.com/covid19. AEO, AEV & ESSA remain committed to work with the government to get the events industry back to business, safely, securely, and in line with the reopening timetable.
TOKYO BUSINESS EVENTS TEAM IS WAITING TO WELCOME YOU! Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB) is looking forward to greeting all of you again soon! Tokyo is gradually adapting to the New Normal and preparing to welcome you back to Tokyo before long. In Japan, domestic movement across the borders of prefectures was permitted th once more from 19 June. Currently, events of up to 1,000 people may be held th while keeping numbers under 50% of venue capacity. From 10 July the volume will be raised to 5,000 people for events while still keeping under 50% of venue st capacity. Tourism activities are to be fully resumed on 1 August. As industries shift towards operating under the New Normal, major Japanese airlines have been making concrete steps towards making safe flights available to future visitors. This includes a requirement by All Nippon Airways for all passengers to wear face masks inside airports and aboard aircraft from June. Meantime, Japan Airlines will seat passengers one seat apart to maintain some measure of social distancing. Japan’s capital is waiting to welcome you back to a safer and cleaner environment than ever before. Tokyo has always prided itself on its exceptional cleanliness. Now we are challenging ourselves to raise the bar again. Business events-related associations, including Japan Convention Management Association, Japan Exhibition Association and Japan Hotel Association have established guidelines and recommendations for the industry. Meanwhile, some hotels in the capital have also been applying their own hygiene measures. TCVB, in close collaboration with the Tokyo business events stakeholders, has created Tokyo Updates Towards the New Normal portal on the Bureau’s site. There, you can find New Normal guidelines aimed at making Tokyo safe for international conferences and corporate events. This site also includes information on stakeholders’ initiatives and their messages. At TCVB, we are getting ready to support your event in a safe, secure and exciting Tokyo in these New Normal times. For more information, please visit: http://businesseventstokyo.org/newnormal/
EGA WORLDWIDE’S CLAUDIA GOLINELLI ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF ROMA & LAZIO CONVENTION BUREAU At the General Assembly of the Roma & Lazio Convention Bureau recently Mrs.Claudia Golinelli, Vice-President and Partner of Ega worldwide congresses & events was elected to the Board of Directors of the Roma & Lazio Convention Bureau as fiduciary and in charge of Federcongressi & Eventi, the Italian Federation of the Meeting Industry. The Roma and Lazio Convention Bureau was established in 2017 with a team of partners currently made up of 150 operators from the Meeting & Event Industry supported by culture and transport operators. International and prestigious congress centres such as the ‘Nuvola’, the Auditorium Parco della Musica, fairgrounds such as the Fiera di Roma, strategic players such as the Rome airport system, or transport operators such as Trenitalia, Alitalia, major sports operators, service providers, business and luxury oriented hotels, PCOs, DMCs and Incentive Houses of international size and experience, theatres, theme parks and technical service operators are part of the Convention Bureau Roma and Lazio. Ega worldwide congresses & events is highly specialised in international association conferences, institutional and governmental meetings and corporate as well as public events. Led by Claudia Maria Golinelli, full professor of event management at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Ega has offices in Rome, Milan and Basel. The partnership with the World PCO Alliance, the accreditation by IAPCO, the different ISO certifications (9001, 14001 and 20121), the memberships with ICCA and PCMA as well as the MedTech Europe Trusted Partner certification guarantee highest quality standards, reliability and efficiency.
Globtour Event is a Croatian tourist agency with 40 years of experience in tourism and the exclusive partner of the largest global travel management company CWT for more than 20 years. Specialised in meeting and events (PCO), corporate travel (TMC), destination management (DMC) and incentive travel, their employees provide the highest quality service to national and international clients in full acknowledgement of cultural diversity and social responsibility. They are creating contemporary and inventive tourism offer at the destination with their innovative approach to the development of new tourism products and an emphasis on indigenous values and cultural heritage. Thanks to their continued improvements in management of systems for quality and the environment Globtour Event ranks as a leading regional company. They hold certificate of standards ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 for the quality of services and sustainability. mice@globtour.hr / www.globtour-event.hr
STATEMENT FROM MR. MINORU ITO, NEW PRESIDENT OF CHIBA CONVENTION BUREAU AND INTERNATIONAL CENTER. “With the spread of the new coronavirus infection, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to all. To our medical care personnel who are fully dedicated and putting their lives at risk in fulfilling the duty of preserving human life against corona virus, I would like to express sincere respect and gratitude to all of you. Those event organisers and related parties who have prepared for years only to cancel or postpone due to the pandemic, let know that I am deeply moved by the situation and sincerely hope that the harsh situation will be over soon”. As for Chiba Convention Bureau, we will continue effort to promote Meeting Industry and advance Chiba’s strength as the next perfect business meeting destination in Japan. We look forward to continue working closely with you. SWTF - SHANGHAI WORLD TRAVEL FAIR, POSTPONED TO 2021 Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and continued restrictions on cross-border travel, SWTF organising committee has, decided after extensive discussions with all parties involved, that holding SWTF at a later time would be most suitable for all concerned. Therefore the 17th Shanghai World Travel Fair (SWTF), initially scheduled to take place from 30 July to 2 August 2020, is to be postponed to 2021. In the meantime, a series of SWTF online services will be launched to help enhance the communication between exhibitors and buyers, provide important content and knowledge sharing opportunities and assist the companies in finding new business opportunities after the pandemic.
JOHN DEWEY The American Philosopher that Reformed Education by Dimitri Laspas
John Dewey (1859-1952) was an American academic Philosopher and educator, and advocate of educational reform. He worked at the newly founded University of Chicago in 1894 where his interest in educational theory and the idea that the school was a central institution for a democratic society became a reality with the creation of the University Elementary School (the ‘Lab School’).
‘’Education is a social process; education is growth; education is not preparation for life but is life itself. ’’ Here it was believed that it is not just the student who learns, but rather the experience of students and teachers together that produces extra value for both. In 1919 he co-founded The New School for Social Research. The New School was a progressive, experimental school that emphasised the free exchange of intellectual ideas in the arts and social sciences. He is the founder of the philosophical movement known as ‘Pragmatism’, an approach that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application. Dewey’s philosophy, known as experimentalism, or instrumentalism, largely focused on human experience. His philosophy claimed that man behaved out of habit and that change often led to unpredicted outcomes. As man struggled to understand the results of change, he was forced to think creatively in order to resume control of his shifting environment.
‘’The self is not something readymade, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.’’ For Dewey, thought was the means through which man came to understand and connect with the world around him. A universal education was the key to teaching people how to abandon their habits and think creatively. In many countries, the modern educational system looks the way it does thanks to John Dewey. His approach to schooling was revolutionary for his time and proves to be fundamentally important for modern education to this day. A progressive education is an education that emphasises the on ‘learning by doing’. Therefore people learn best through a hands-on approach.
John Dewey believed that democracy is an ethical ideal and not just a political structure. He thought that a democracy was the best type of government, where participation rather than representation was the essence of democracy. Dewey believed democracy was ‘social intelligence.’ In a fully democratic society, people would treat each other with respect and would demonstrate a willingness to revise their views while maintaining a commitment to cooperative action and experimental inquiry.
‘’We only think when confronted with a problem.’’
’The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.’’ Dewey also had a controversial view on the role of women in society for his time. He believed that a woman’s place in society was determined by her environment rather than by biology. He thought that women are perceived based on their gender too much. This view began gender qualification to be removed. Over time the view of women changed, because the generalisations about women proved to be incorrect.
Tourism News Europe, Americas, Asia & Africa
WHAT ABOUT TOURISM? EITHER IT WILL BE TRANSFORMED OR IT WILL DIE Tourism is one of the most powerful ‘tools’ to transform societies and countries; in a way, tourism is the strongest form of soft politics and therefore many pass through the umbrella of tourism, without being noticed by the public, by the masses. Tourism does not only involve holidays, but involves geopolitics, strategies and cooperation, with the ministries of each country, from economy, taxation, health, transports, regulations and so on being involved in the sector.
Meteora, Thessalia, Greece
Over the past few years, many events have been happening under the radar; with narcissism, over consumption, slaves to social media – we must be seen to show everything we do. We are being prepared for a new era of tourism and travelling. From aviation to accommodation, businesses are shrinking or closing and many contracts and orders are being cancelled. Our lives are becoming more digitalised and we are pushed to do everything online from buying our shopping, booking a holiday, to organising an event – all with no human contact. Tourism is all about discovery in a world face to face. Many hospitality and MICE services are now digitalised. More restaurants offer a digital menu, so you do not need to speak to a waiter at all! If we look back, the life we live now was all planned and announced in major news outlets, but it was not necessarily headline news, but a small paragraph on the bottom left hand corner of the page! If it did make big headlines, then we were made busy with celebrity news or lighter issues of the day. Temple of Heaven, Beijing, China
Over the years, in several articles in MICE & TOURISM around the World, we covered closures, cancellations, reduction of products and services, etc. We also questioned the pressure that we would face from the fast growth of China and other Asian destinations. We questioned how ready Europe was and how it would cope with the influx of the Asian travellers (either Holidaymakers or Business travellers); how will the European airports cope with the added flights; how will the hospitality industries across Europe meet the needs of Chinese and the rest of Asians tourists. We saw £, $, €, ¥ signs in their eyes and did not think much about the logistics of catering for such a sudden and huge number of people from a totally different rich culture. Some European countries decided mass tourism was not for them as it disturbed their daily life and way of life. While others who knew they were offering ‘bucket list’ destinations opened their arms to the new source of tourists to what seemed an endless inbound tourism market. Suddenly major tourism organisations were seeing huge growth, enough to increase the contributions that tourism made to their nations GDP. However, there was no plan to balance this, no one thought of the impact and effect of putting all your eggs in one basket would have for the future.
Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar
In addition, Europe also saw a quick increase in the growth of Middle Classes in China, India and other nations which also increased the number of tourist arrivals. Tourism quickly became, for many nations globally an engine for their economic growth. The large emerging economies depend heavily on this sector, which represents around 10.4% of world GDP (according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). At its peak it generated more than UK£3.8 billion a day.
Fast forward and 6 months into the largest ’health’ crisis the world has seen, tourism has been one of the main industry’s from start to finish, to have been most effected by COVID -19 compared to any other sector. In order to keep afloat, the industry has turned to the digitalised world; but tourism is not about digitalisation, it is about discovering the world in person, meeting the world, the people, experiencing other cultures and exploring. The Mitad del Mundo, Quito, Equator
As for the MICE industry, promoting a digital event and conducting all meetings online does not encourage the supply industries that rely on it and the millions who work in those industries. Digitalisation will absorb no more than 15% of the human workforce of the MICE and leisure industries, but what will happen to the remaining employees, how will the institutions, organisations, governments support this huge gap? With rapid digitalisation, which is not going to go away, there is an urgent need to successfully combine both human and digital aspects together in order to save the tourism and MICE sector so it can continue to serve the leisure and business travellers. Otherwise we will see a huge negative social change. With the shrinking of the tourism and MICE sectors, employment in these areas will drop by up to 50% and many will reply on domestic and regional or intra-regional tourism with only about 15% being international tourism. With the new imposed health measures, travel restrictions, semi closed borders, wearing masks, etc, these will definitely have an effect and reduce travelling for several years. Therefore it is vital that the tourism sectors adapts and quickly. Many major companies are predicting that tourism and the international MICE industry will move forward very slowly until it recovers in about 2025. During this period the sector will totally transform, affecting millions of people across the globe. Tourism is one sector that can shape its future and push for the physical contact of the ‘real world’ not the digitalised version. The choice is ours, all members of this wonderful industry can make tourism real and tangible again and to not let it slip into the hands of the digitalised world. Tourism is all about humanity, a hand shake, a smell, the sensations, the tastes, an atmosphere – where will you get that in any form of digital programme or app. These are useful tools, but that is it.
CONFUSING BORDER RULES THAT PUZZLE COMPANIES Business leaders want to get the world economy back on track, but with various nations and borders still not open, when can ‘normality’ resume for international business, considering a 2nd wave is beginning to hit some countries. Health experts believe that restrictions on flights and other travel will be necessary for months in order to prevent new infections. But, businesses say that reopening borders quickly is vital to get the world economy back on track. The pressure is increasing, especially for countries that depend on tourists and foreign talent. There is now a web of travel regulations that is unclear and that will be imposed for a long time. The USA continues to block most visitors coming from Europe, Iran, Brazil, and China, and restricts non-essential travel across its land borders with Canada and Mexico. China, does not allow many foreigners to enter; neither Australia nor New Zealand. The nations of the European Union have begun to reopen to their neighbours and some countries outside the region. Saudi Arabia is allowing only Saudi citizens to attend hajj this year, threatening US$8 billion in revenue in that region. It is thought that almost US$5.5 trillion from the global economy and approx. 200 million travel-related jobs are at risk, from airline staff and travel agents right though to drivers and grocery and food stores that sell products to restaurants. Major exhibitions and congresses which rely on international participants flying in to attend events have been cancelled or postponed due to uncertainty over borders.
MEXICO LAUNCHES OPTIONAL HYGIENE SEAL FOR TOURIST DESTINATIONS The Ministry of Tourism, Sectur, from Mexico, announced the launch of the Clean Point Quality Seal V2020, a certification obtained by protocols in which other agencies such as the Ministry of Health and Labour and Social Welfare, STPS, participated to guarantee that the Industry businesses have a certain standard of hygienicsanitary quality to prevent Covid-19. The seal is aimed at the entire tourism supply chain; from hotels and restaurants to travel agencies and car rental companies, and is an update of the existing Punto Quality Seal. Clean that originated after the A (H1N1) pandemic in 2009, although it will not be mandatory. It will provide tourists, both nationals and foreigners, with an environment of safety and hygiene in hotels and the entire chain of services and employees throughout their stay. To obtain the seal, 44 effective hours of training and advice will be needed in the course of 2 months. It will be valid for 2 years.
IMPROVING ST.PAULS CATHEDRAL – LONDON London’s St. Pauls cathedral is undergoing a major external addition! In autumn 2020 all visitors, regardless of their accessibility needs, will be able to enter the Cathedral together for the 1st time. The ramp is an elegant and overdue addition to one of London’s most treasured buildings, wholly in keeping with the spirit of Wren’s design. It will transform the place by making the Cathedral easily accessible to many thousands of visitors every year for generations to come. ‘What is a building, if it cannot be entered’ Richard John The ramp will be built of the same Portland Stone used in Sir Christopher Wren’s rebuilding of St. Paul’s over 300 years ago. Coming from the Isle of Portland, in Dorset. Step-free access to the Cathedral is part of an on-going wider strategy to make St. Paul’s more accessible for everyone. The new ramp will be the most significant architectural addition to the Cathedral since 1711! To improve the experience, both audio and visual, to the Cathedral, an UK£8 million project is underway. This is for all visitors including those who are hard of hearing and/or visually impaired. In 2019, St. Paul’s held over 1500 services including daily sung evensong. All their services are free to attend.
THE PANDEMIC CHANGES THE LIVES OF THE RICH In a survey from Swiss bank UBS, its most wealthy investors expect permanent changes in the way they organise their finances and invest their money. Out of 3,750 wealthy respondents from 15 markets, 75% estimate that life will not be the same again, and will therefore adapt after the pandemic. The generation most affected is the ‘millennials’ (19802000). The long-term impact on their investments will be those operating in South America and the United States.
7 out of 10 plan to reduce travel to and from their office, as well as their travels; half plan to move closer to relatives. 46% would move to less populated areas - leaving the big cities. 88% said their immediate priority was to stay healthy.
Regarding managing their finances; 60% are concerned that due to illness they will burden their family financially; 58% question the nd need to work longer in order to compensate for losses to their pension. 56% are worried that in a 2 wave of the pandemic, they may not have enough savings; 54% worry they will not have enough money left for the next generation. 83% felt they need more guidance than their financial advisers usually have on their issues during a pandemic. The millennial generation are concerned they could have to work longer than planned to make up any losses. They are likely to have fewer savings. Plus they could also lose their job under the current circumstances. 1 in 3 has increased financial support to relatives and friends. 69% are keen on sustainable investments and 60% in charitable activities to support those affected by the coronavirus.
GREECE MORE BLUE BEACH FLAGS The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature has said that, out of a long list of 47 countries, Greece ranked 2nd this year at the Blue Flag programme awards. It has 497 beaches, 14 marinas and 6 tourist boats, giving Greece, 13% of the world awards. The nations main region of Halkidiki gained 94 flags. The International Committee presented the label to 3,895 beaches, 691 marinas and 82 tourist boats worldwide. The Blue Flag is a large-scale programme of environmental awareness and protection, which is implemented every year, in European countries and in other parts of the world, by the Foundation for Environmental Education. The Blue Flag is an international symbol of quality and is one of the best-known environmental labels worldwide. Mytilini / Lesvos, Greece
It has been awarded since 1987 to beaches and marinas, and since 2017 to vessels that meet the strict requirements of the programme for sustainable navigation tourism operators. Its goal is to make beaches, marinas and boats better and safer, while protecting the natural environment. The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature is the coordinator of the programme for Greece.
MONGOLIAN AND CHINESE BI-LATERAL DEALS INCLUDING TOURISM At the recent Mongolia-China Business Forum 36 business partners signed a UK£3.5 billion deal. The 2 nations cooperate in the fields of environment, mining, water supply, re-planning, trade, hotel, construction, meat and meat processing factories, railways, energy, banks, finance and tourism. In 2017 bilateral trade reached UK£5.12 billion; a 36% increase from 2016 and accounted for 63% of Mongolia's total foreign trade. Mongolia and China aim to see UK£7.65 billion trade turnover by 2020.
The national museum, Ulaan Battar, Mongolia
CUBA READY FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS Cuba is ready to welcome travellers from all over the world, because of the health protection it offers. From the beginning of July international bookings have resumed for hotels on the island's keys of Cayo Coco, Santa Maria, Cayo Cruz, and Cayo Largo del Sur. Many of the facilities reopened to serve overseas vacationers and airports are duly certified by the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Tourism. Every hotel has an in-house protection team composed of a doctor, nurse, and epidemiologist, and a system of protocols that protect both guests and workers. The island expects travellers from Russia to Cayo Coco and Santa Maria for the 2nd half of August. In 2019, Russia was the 3rd largest source of travellers to the island. Russia has already confirmed its list of countries to which its citizens can travel to which includes Cuba. Canada has been Cuba's 1st tourist source market, but quarantine requirements for people returning to the country are not expected to be lifted until September. The island hopes that many European nations will add Cuba to their safe travel lists as many tourists come from Europe to the island.
TOURISM IN EUROPE FALLS With borders reopening, hope that Europe’s tourism would see a quick revival, however, it seems to be crumbling just as quickly with Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Croatia among others seeing huge spikes in COVID-19 infection rates. The UK has placed Spain back on the blacklist and it has seen a halt in the final easing of lockdown measures as cases increase across the country. Many UK tour operators are asking their customers to come home now. Holidaymakers from Britain arriving back home from Spain now have to quarantine for 14-days. Norway ordered a 10-day quarantine for people returning from the entire Iberian peninsula, and France urged its citizens not to visit Spain’s Catalonia region. In Austria, the lakeside resort town of St. Wolfgang imposed shorter opening hours after an outbreak. Germany has testing stations are airports for those arriving back from various destinations. In Belgium COVID-19 cases are growing at an alarming rate amid a surge of infections in Antwerp. Greek authorities said they are likely to extend the mandatory use of masks at churches and shopping malls. In North Africa, Morocco banned most travel to and from some major cities including Tangier, Casablanca and Marrakech, all popular tourist destinations.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN’S WONDER OF THE SEAS - CONSTRUCTION SUSPENDED Royal Caribbean International has delayed the construction of the world’s largest cruise ship due to the health pandemic. It was set to sail from Shanghai in 2021 but has not given a new date for the 5,448-passenger ship to sail. The Oasis Class vessel would “introduce a new era of cruising” as the ”world's largest cruise ship”.
CRUISE & MARITIME VOYAGES PLACED INTO ADMINISTRATION IN GERMANY TransOcean Tours (CMV) has gone into administration in Germany. A similar situation faces Cruise & Maritime Voyages (owned by CMV) in the UK. All departures have been cancelled for CMV and TransOcean. Last minutes talks are underway. The company was due to take delivery of 2 Carnival Corp. ships in 2021 as P&O Australia's Pacific Aria and Pacific Dawn were set to transfer.
SPACE RACE TO MARS CHINA LANDING A ROVER ON MARS A Long March-5 rocket has taken off carrying the Tianwen-1 Mars probe from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China's Hainan Province. This marks China’s Mission to Mars. It was the 2nd flight to Mars recently following the United Arab Emirates first ever space exploration with an orbiter blasted off on a rocket from Japan. The USA aims to launch Perseverance, a Mars rover, from Cape Canaveral, Florida soon. China’s tandem spacecraft, with both an orbiter and a rover, will take 7 months to reach Mars. If all goes well, Tianwen-1, which menas ‘quest for heavenly truth’ will look for underground water and evidence ancient life. In 2011 a Chinese orbiter accompanying a Russian mission failed. This time China is going alone. Little is known of China’s space programme which has been developed rapidly. It’s 1st astronaut was Yang Liwei in 2003. Last year Chang’e-4 became the 1st spacecraft from any country to land on the far side of the moon. Landing on Mars is extremely difficult. The U.S. has successfully landed a spacecraft on Mars 8 times since 1976. NASA’s InSight and Curiosity rovers still operate today. 6 other spacecraft are exploring Mars from orbit: 3 American, 2 European and 1 from India. Tianwen-1 expects to orbit Mars in February 2021 and seek to land on Utopia Planitia in April/May 2021. The 240kg golf cart-sized, solar-powered rover will operate for about 3 months, and the orbiter for 2 years. This Mars-launching season occurs every 26 months when Earth and Mars are at their closest will see queues for take-off in the future.
UAE LAUNCHES 1ST SPACECRAFT TO MARS
The UAE successfully launched its 1st interplanetary mission from Japan recently which is heading for Mars. The UAE mission with ‘Amal’ meaning Hope will orbit Mars but not land. The car-sized probe will take 7 months to reach Mars and will the put itself into an elongated orbit around Mars, where it will analyse the atmosphere and climate throughout the course of each Martian day.
HAWAII DELAYS REOPENING TOURISM UNTIL SEPTEMBER Hawaii will not open to tourism for out-ofstate visitors until 1st September due to rising coronavirus cases rise in both the mainland and the Aloha State. The authorities are also waiting another month to waive a 14-day quarantine requirement for out-of-state visitors who test negative for COVID-19. It is anticipated cases will surge when Hawaiian public schools reopen in early August. Tourists arriving in Hawaii from out of state can be exempt from the 14-day quarantine rule if they test negative for COVID-19, with a valid nucleic acid amplification test from a CLIA-certified lab – no more than 72 hours before travel, prior to arrival. Travellers must show proof of the negative test at the airport. No commercial testing will be held at Hawaiian air hubs. If a visitor cannot provide proof of the negative test, they must remain in quarantine until their results are received. All Out of State travellers of all ages are subject to the pre-test rule, including children.
HONDURAS TOUR OPERATORS READY TO RESUME BUSINESS Tour operators in Honduras are ready to resume business under an unrestricted respect for biosecurity protocols, as announced by the National Chamber of Tourism of Honduras (Canaturh). Tourism is an important development factor of the country as well as a large component of the GDP. The Honduras tourism sector employs more than 200,000 people, so it is important to restart the sector. Already in several parts of the country, tour operators and sub-operators, hotels and restaurants who have established their biosafety protocols are ready to start receiving tourists. However, there are major limitations on the airlines and the number of seats that can be enabled. Barbados flag
COUNTRIES OFFER INCENTIVE TO ATTRACT VISITORS In a bid to attract tourist back several nations and destinations are offering huge incentives to travel to experience their tourism offering. With the world working from home these past few months, Barbados is set to launch a ‘12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp,’ which allows visitors from overseas to stay for an entire year and work remotely. Short term travel is complicated right now, but if you could work for a couple of months then go home for a couple of weeks and return to a remote Caribbean office – who could refuse! In the process, you are helping the Barbados economy and of course while you are there you will spend time exploring the island. Tourism makes up 40% of the country’s GDP. It typically sees 2.4 million travellers, spending UK£840 million. Beaches, resorts, restaurants and local businesses are virtually empty, but the 12-month stay proposal comes as flights are set to resume. The country’s 12-month welcome plan has yet to launch, with no set date announced yet. Cyprus has promised to cover the cost of any travellers who test positive for the virus while in the country, including a place to stay, food, medication and anything the person or their family might need. Italy and Greece are also offering discounted airfares to visitors in the hopes of attracting more tourists, and some destinations in Mexico are offering free hotel rooms and car rentals, as well as discounted attractions.
HOTEL THE MITSUI KYOTO TO OPEN IN NOVEMBER The Luxury Collection, part of Marriott International offers accommodation in many of the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. The Hotel Mitsui Kyoto aims to attract guests from Japan and overseas. It offers 161 guestrooms, including 22 suites, with an average area of over 50m2. The Spa area features a thermal spring and a private spa. Water is sourced from an onsite hot spring to provide guests with a unique onsen bathing experience.
www.bmlinternational.co.uk
An Interview with…
Mr. Yoshikazu Tanaka MICE Policy Director Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau-OCTB, Osaka, Japan 大阪 Ōsaka, lying at the heart of the south western of Japan, is the largest metropolitan area, the second largest city of Japan, once was the capital of Japan, is a city that is famous for its cuisine but also for its infrastructure to host small and large events. From simplicity to breath-taking and well managed with exceptional services and diversities 大阪 Ōsaka, is a destination that welcomes each visitor with a surprising warmness and joy and with so many other factors, the City of Osaka and its wider region provides foreign businesses with great opportunities to conduct business to their fullest potential. 大阪 Ōsaka boasts many natural resources with beautiful monuments and several rivers that runs through this big city, offering amazing sites. In addition, 大阪 Ōsaka, is concentrating its efforts on becoming even more environmentally aware by creating extensive greenery around the city, by developing its infrastructure for the modern years to come by maintaining its status as the second major gateway to Japan after Tokyo and the transportation and communication hub of the Kansai region, with convenient connections to Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe, the Inland Sea area, and Shikoku, which are all nearby and offer lots of attractions for entertainment, incentives and conferences. This interview took place in July with MICE & TOURISM around the World Magazine founder, Dimitri Laspas. He had the opportunity to conduct this interview with Mr. Yoshikazu Tanaka, MICE Policy Director for the Osaka Conventions & Tourism Bureau. Here we find out more about this diverse Asian nation and what the future holds for its tourism and M.I.C.E. industry. In terms of business, what have you found to be the hardest aspect of this global pandemic? The largest problem has been the heavy restrictions on face-to-face communication. Communicating with other people face-to-face is an innate desire in humans and the foundation of business activities, and so almost all business has come to a stop. The MICE and tourism industries, which thrive on face-to-face interaction, have especially endured great damage. However, we cannot simply just wait for this storm to pass. The World Health Organization has officially stated that coronavi rus may never go away, so it is clear that the fight against the coronavirus will be a long one. Accordingly, I believe that we must find and develop a way to wholeheartedly promote socio-economic activities. Can you provide us with an overview of Osaka’s tourism sector and its development in the MICE sector? Osaka’s tourism sector is extremely favourable. Osaka received over 12.3 million foreign travellers last year, the highest amoun t it had ever seen. Additionally, the total number of people staying in Osaka increased significantly by 112% from the year before compared to the national average of a stable 101%. Osaka is also seeing the largest growth across Japan in the MICE sector. Osaka has been successful in attracting high -profile MICE events such as last year’s G20 Osaka Summit, etc. Osaka is furthermore the host of the 2025 World Expo, and is currently a promising contender to become home to an integrated resort (composed of an exhibition hall, hotels, theatres, casinos, etc.) in 2027, bringing Osaka closer to its goal of becoming Japan’s Number One MICE Destination. How do you think the global economic crisis has affected leisure tourism and MICE in Osaka? It has definitely put the brakes on leisure tourism and MICE in Osaka. With the government’s entry restrictions into Japan, o verseas travellers coming to Osaka have completely vanished. Furthermore, sentiment for consumption on leisure and travel for people in Japan remains low. MICE events such as exhibitions and academic conferences as well have faced universal cancellations and postponements. But I do not believe that the recovery will come just by waiting. I believe in concentrating on what we all can do to bring about recovery. For example, we created the Guidelines for MICE Event Organizers for Infectious Disease Control in order to allow the MICE industry to restart. We have also dedicated to helping the organizers of the Kansai Hotel & Restaurant Show (July 29 -31), Japan’s first B2B trade fair after the lifting of the state of emergency, make it a success.
Okawa River, Osaka, Japan
What do you think the future holds for conference tourism in Osaka? Organizers must aggressively make use of online technology. Around 1995 when the Internet was beginning to take off, doubts r ose speculating that MICE events would disappear, much like today’s misgivings. But they did not disappear and exploded in popularity because the Internet made the events well known to people around the world. Online technology will continue to play a role in the future in increasing the value of real events. With this, I recommend two things. One is announcing both real and online attendance, which allows for new evaluation criteria for events. The other is increasing the satisfaction of real-world attendees, and letting the world know how much attendees are enjoying the event and the benefits of attending the event. We would like to collaborate with MICE organizers to create that same appealing content that can only be enjoyed in Osaka .
Imperial Hotel Osaka, Osaka, Japan
What has been the knock on effect for Osaka due to the postponement of the Olympic Games into 2021? The Tokyo Olympics are a national event, so naturally Osaka is also going to be affected. For example, Osaka’s hotels have been in a construction rush in the past few years in anticipation of the influx of foreign travellers coming to Japan for the Olympics. Even though these hotels have been completed, there continues to be no guests because of the coronavirus. However, we do not have time to be pessimistic. We believe that we have been given time to prepare an environment where we can welcome a huge number of travellers. We are working on developing new content for consumers whose sense of value has changed because of the coronavirus, and I am convinced that not just next year’s Olympics, but Osaka tourism thereafter will also greatly flourish. Osaka castle, Japan
Does OCTB have plans to spread its MICE business to other areas in the Kansai region? At the moment we do not have any definite plans, but that is a big possibility. The biggest reason is that Osaka is Western Japan’s largest city and is considered to play a role as the hub of Western Japan. Just looking at the transportation network, Osaka has Western Japan’s largest international airport, Western Japan’s largest domestic airport, Western Japan’s largest rail terminal and a bullet train station, granting exceptional access to every city in Japan. Looking ahead at the 2025 World Expo and the potential of an integrated resort (IR) opening in 2027, we have already started several collaborative projects with neighbouring local bodies. So, I am eager to start similar MICE projects in the near future, and for Osaka to be a model MICE destination for other cities in Japan. What makes Osaka different from the rest of the country? Osaka is a city that holds many greatly developed features as a tourism and MICE destination. Firstly, its people. Good-humoured and friendly, Osakans are overflowing with warmth and welcome for visitors. Secondly, the food! Osaka is well known as a city of food, and no matter what restaurant you go to you will not be disappointed and the average price is 3-5% cheaper than Tokyo, Kyoto, or Yokohama. In addition, there are many sightseeing spots both in the city, such as Osaka Castle, the No.1 spot for foreign travellers to see, as well as nature’s ocean and mountains just outside of the city. The whole of Osaka is like an amusement park that visitors will never tire of. Moreover, other famous tourist destinations like Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe can be reached in less than an hour. You will not find any other geographically-favoured city like this anywhere in the world.
Osaka City Central Public Hall, Japan
What initiatives will you put in place to attract more business tourism from Europe? MICE events are definitely the key. I would like to look into what Japanese industries European companies are interested in, and hold MICE events in that industry. At the same time, to make European travellers’ stay in Osaka more memorable and impressive, we would like to further develop Osaka’s tourism resources with the help of European staff. In particular, Europe has rich hi story and culture, so I think the largest attractor of Europeans to Osaka would be Osaka’s own history and culture. Many travellers tend to think that Japan’s history began Kyoto, but actually Osaka’s history is overwhelmingly longer than th at of Kyoto. I feel that the current coronavirus situation has given us time to make Osaka’s history and culture more appealing and accessible to people from outside Osaka. In the near future we plan to widely publicize this around the world.
From where does most of the Osaka MICE business come from? Considering the challenges of both the global economic and health crisis, is Osaka looking at targeting other markets from around the world to conduct business with or is the OCTB focusing on regional business for the time being? Most of Japan’s MICE attendees are Japanese. Accordingly, with the coronavirus and Japan’s current entry restrictions from overseas travellers, at the moment we are happy to be able to restart MICE events for domestic attende es. Afterwards, once the government has lifted entry restrictions into Japan, we would like to increase event attendees from over seas. At least within this year at the earliest, we are looking at increasing attendees from nearby countries such as China, Ko rea, and Taiwan in East Asia, Thailand and Singapore in Southeast Asia, and Oceania. As soon as next year, we hope to be able to have attendees from Europe and around the world. At any rate, I want to emphasize that ultimately the market Osaka is targeting is the entire world. I am determined to work to get Osaka to develop into Asia’s Number One Destination. Last but not least, do you believe that travelling between countries will be more tightly controlled on a permanent basis, not only in terms of health checks, but also in terms of numbers from each destination, ie quotas from each country? And is this a good thing? Based on past events, I can see that border measures are effective at controlling infectious disease spread. Rather, because more infectious diseases will continue to appear in the future, humanity should build new defences while the current pandemic is still in our memory. However, I want to return to the state of when globalization allowed more people to travel freely around the world. Whe n you travel, you can realize that there are people around the world who live their lives with completely different values. Knowing these differences nurtures a heart ready to accept them and make the world better. I would like to introduce the thinking of Kano Jigoro, the founder of judo: Jita-Kyoei (mutual prosperity.) (http://kodokanjudoinstitute.org/en/doctrine/word/jita-kyoei/) I believe that tourism and MICE will greatly contribute to realizing this aspiration.
Airline & Aviation News
SAUDI ARABIA’S RED SEA AIRPORT TO OPEN IN 2022 The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) the company developing one of the world's most ambitious tourism projects in Saudi Arabia, has agreed its largest value contract to date for the destination’s international airport scheduled to open in 2022. A joint venture between Saudi Arabian contractors Nesma & Partners Contracting Co. Ltd and Almabani General Contractors, will deliver the airport and both have a proved track record for such projects.
END OF AN ERA… END OF BRITISH AIRWAYS 747 JUMBO JET FLEET British Airways, the world's largest operator of Boeing's 747, is to retire its entire jumbo jet fleet with immediate effect due to the downturn in the travel industry caused by the health pandemic.
“It is unlikely our magnificent 'queen of the skies' will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again,” the company said in a statement. BA will operate more flights on modern, fuel-efficient aircraft such as its new A350s and 787s and these aircrafts will help to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050.
LAM-MOZAMBIQUE AIRLINES ANNOUNCES INTERLINE AGREEMENT WITH AIR FRANCE/KLM Mozambique Airlines (LAM) and the Air France/KLM group are to code-share. The two airlines share destinations such as Johannesburg in South Africa, Dar-Es-Salaam in Tanzania and Nairobi and Kenya, where interconnections without separate ticketing will be enabled. Air France/KLM tickets will be issued for any of LAM’s domestic destinations, and vice versa.
EMIRATES COVERS COVID-19 MEDICAL AND FUNERAL COSTS Emirates Airlines is the 1st airline to offer free Covid-19 insurance as it tries to get people flying again. Passengers will be covered for medical treatment, hotel quarantine, and even their funeral if they catch the coronavirus while travelling. The world's biggest long-haul carrier said the offer is valid for 31 days from the start of a passenger's journey and will be available immediately and run until the end of October. The coverage is free to all passengers on all routes and is automatic with no need to register. The insurance would cover medical expenses of up to UK£137,000. The cost of quarantine in a hotel for up to two weeks at UK£90 per day. In the event of a passenger's death due to Covid-19 the insurance cover will provide UK£1,349 towards the cost of their funeral.
BEIJING DAXING INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Beijing Daxing International Airport opened in September 2019 after and serves as north China’s commercial aviation hub. Taking just 4 years to build the new airport is located in Daxing, a suburb district south of the city and reduces congestion at the existing airport. It is expected to handle 72 million passengers by 2025 and up to 100 million passengers and 4 million tonnes of cargo upon further expansion. The new airport places Beijing alongside some of the most prominent cities in the world and is expected to become the busiest in the world beating Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The project included the construction of airline bases, an intercity railway, high-speed subway, highway and air traffic control tower. The airport has 4 civilian runways and 1 military runway. Beijing Daxing is the 1st airport in the world with double-deck departure and arrival platforms. There are many sustainable elements to the airport constructions including the AIR NEW ZEALAND 700,000m² passenger terminal building RENOVATE DOMESTIC LOUNGE AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT with a central building with 6 arms. The distance between the far end of the terminal to the centre is 600m. Beijing Daxing International Airport will use facial recognition for secure access to the airport and radio frequency identification devices for baggage tracking. The terminal also features inquiry robots.
Air New Zealand has opened its refurbished domestic lounge at Auckland Airport. It offers 375 seats. Air New Zealand General Manager Customer Relations, Liz Fraser said “We have redone the bar and barista station to provide more space for customers to enjoy a coffee or drink while taking in views of the runway”.
RYANAIR CLOSES BASE AFTER PILOTS REJECT PAY CUT Ryanair is to shut its base at Frankfurt Hahn airport after German pilots voted to reject pay cuts. Ryanair also said that its bases at Berlin Tegel and Dusseldorf airports were also at risk of closure by the end of the summer. Airlines have been struggling because of global travel restrictions aimed at halting the spread of the coronavirus. Ryanair's UK pilots and cabin crew recently voted to accept pay cuts to reduce job losses. Ryanair cabin crew agree to temporary pay cut to keep jobs. Ryanair announced in May it was set to cut 3,000 jobs across Europe.
BRITISH AIRWAYS CRISIS WORST IN ITS HISTORY
The landside terminal includes childcare facilities and a nursery, interactive pet hotels, hybrid online retail and dining places, and showrooms. It has 79 gates with air bridges that directly connect to the terminal. Beijing Daxing Airport incorporates energy-saving concepts allowing natural light into the building. Renewable energy accounts for more than 10% of the energy consumed by the airport. A solar farm is located on the roof of the car park building, hangars and cargo areas. A 100% rainwater collection facility caters for its energy and resource needs. The departure lounges open to 5 courtyards designed in ancient Chinesestyle, featuring silk, tea, porcelain, courtside and Chinese gardens. Finally but not least, the latest technology is implemented such as a passenger selfcheck-in facility, which will be available for 86% of the passengers and self-baggage check-in serving 76% of the passengers. While clean energy vehicles help reduces the airport’s carbon footprint.
IAG, owner of British Airways says the coronavirus pandemic has hit it unlike anything before. Managing Director Mr Willie Walsh said "These are extreme times. BA has lost more in a quarter than a record loss for a year." Mr Walsh said it will take until at least 2023 for passenger levels to recover. Passenger numbers dropped 98% in the April-June. BA employs approx. 45,000 staff, half of which are on furlough. Earlier in the year BA planned to cut 12,000 jobs; the airlin e now faces strike action by staff.
by Alejandro-Maria De Huelva
While touring London, make sure you take time to walk the ‘CULTURE MILE’. The mile covers the ancient heart of London’s working capital. The Culture Mile enables the discovery of inspiring events in unexpected places from Farringdon to Moorgate. Wander winding medieval streets, marvel at architectural wonders and experience incredible music, theatre and art all in one day.
Around the Corner is a series of 12 installations between Millennium Bridge and Barbican Station which animate and transform this area. The route incorporates several major attractions including the Millennium Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, Museum of London and the Barbican Centre and will help orientate the spaces around Culture Mile. Each installation acts as a way finding tool and sculptural attractor where people can be informed about Culture Mile and the area. The distance between each installation allows the pedestrian to be guided between the last and the next word long the route. It has been inspired by Virginia Woolf’s seminal novel Jacob’s Room, in which she wrote: “The strange thing about life is that though the nature of it must have been apparent to every one for hundreds of years, no one has left any adequate account of it. The streets of London have their map; but our passions are uncharted. What are you going to meet If you turn this corner?”
Virginia Woolf was considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors. Virginia Woolf - British author
The installations create a new emotional connection that allows the visitor to explore an otherwise overlooked thoroughfare and its cultural destinations. The font is inspired by the very first edition of the book in 1922, directly linking the installation back to the historical periods that inform each corner of the City. The installation will be located along the following route: What – Peter’s Hill Are – Carter Lane You – St Paul’s Churchyard Going – Paternoster Row To - Paternoster Row Meet – Canon Alley If – St Paul’s Plinth You – St Martin’s Le Grand Turn – Rotunda This – Rotunda Corner – Aldersgate St ? – Aldersgate St