MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine the global monthly online magazine
since 1997
vol. 24, issue 6, June 2021
ROOM 225 Your New ‘Home Office’! CHINA New Life To Ancient Villages Through Tourism UAE CITIZENS to Follow 3 Stages when Travelling Abroad Six ABERDEEN ARTISTS Commissioned to Make New Works … HOTEL INDUSTRY IN BURMA Facing a whisper of a Chance for Survival ANOTHER BLOW for European Airlines … What’s in a PAINTING?
MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine Volume 24, Issue 6, June 2021 edition – Online since 1997
Contents 11 UNITED KINGDOM, Set Priorities … 12 A Cruise Ship LIKE NO OTHER 13 France EIFFEL TOWER Opens 14 CHINA New Life To Ancient Villages Through Tourism
8 Room 225
15 GOULANDRIS B&E FOUNDATION Opens Again … 16 UAE CITIZENS to Follow 3 Stages when Travelling Abroad 18-19 Six ABERDEEN ARTISTS Commissioned to Make New Works… 20-22 HOTEL INDUSTRY IN BURMA Facing a whisper of a Chance for… 24 ECUATORIANA AIRLINES Ready to… 25 ANOTHER BLOW for European Airlines…
20 Burma
27-32 What’s in a PAINTING? 35 IBTM WIRED Launches Global Knowledge Programme 37 POSIDONIA Sea Tourism Forum Digital 2021 38 ICCA Reinvents Annual Association Meetings Statistics Report 41-43 BUSINESS EVENTS PERTH Secures Australia’s Leading… Photo cover page: Ishigaki island, Okinawa, Japan © M&TatW
28 Painting
Message from
Caroline-Artemis The middle of 2021 is here already! Welcome to the June edition of MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine After a year and half of no tourism, there is a glimmer of hope as some nations are allowing travel to take place for holidays, albeit with some restrictions and conditions! Obviously tourism relies on tourists and when you do not have them, you have to resort of other means of attraction. Over the past year and half, technology in the form of Virtual reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has really begun to open up the world from our living rooms! It has also helped keep the dream of travel alive, by taking people on tours , from flying over the Grand Canyon, to touring the Louvre in Paris, to walking down a local street in an Asian capital…. All in one day! Technology is now even more the future of travel. Already technology was making our planning of travel easier. We were already booking flights online doing self -check-in at airports, etc. Many destinations had introduced apps to help you get round town, offering maps, places of interest, restaurants, discounts etc. Now, we have to adapt to more apps. This time it’s for confirming our health status (i.e. vaccination), before we go anywhere and once at our destination can track our whereabouts. Many hotels have booking facilities via the ‘smart’ TV in rooms, from booking spa treatments, to dining reservations.
Region of Molise, Italy
While tourism utilises the benefits of technology well, it is also at risk of causing greater unemployment; its ability to do so much automatically means less staff are needed across the sector, apps replace guides; smart TV’s replace reception staff, online tickets replace travel agents and self-check-in replaces airline staff. It’s a fine line and one we must tread carefully – at the end of the day, for the best ever holiday cannot beat a real person as a guide telling their local stories and their own experiences and advice – no app is worth that, and neither can a VR and/or AR replace travelling to the real life destination! Happy Reading wherever you are! Caroline-Artemis Laspas co-founder & editor MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine
ROOM 225 YOUR NEW ‘HOME OFFICE’! by Dimitri Laspas
With many companies adapting permanently to working from home, for many that presents a challenge if it is to become a more permanent thing! When getting peace and privacy in your home is not that easy, especially if children are home too and you need frequent zoom meetings, you need a place to think, focus and work. We all managed to juggle PC’s on the dining tables (or the end of the bed), sharing the sofa for zoom meetings, pets demanding attention while on conference calls, and frozen screens due to slow internet. In the beginning, it was a novelty, but as time went on, businesses needed to keep going and stress levels at home began to rise! Now, we have all got used to working from home, having solved many of the challenges faced in the first lockdown, and as a result new opportunities are appearing to meet the growing demand for a quiet place to conduct business. With the hotel industry suffering greatly from months of being closed, and in order to make some revenue, many have turned their guest rooms into remote Covid-safe private offices. You can rent a room for a day, a week or longer. The idea is simple; you book a hotel room for a day but not overnight and you can use the room to work in with peace and quiet. There are luxury office rooms and budget rooms out there and many offer refreshments and lunch as well as unlimited wi-fi. Some also offer after work drinks! Research by several hotel groups found that workers were less productive while working at home because of distractions. However, others have found that not having to commute has not only saved them money but most importantly time and they have achieved far more in the business day than before the pandemic. As time goes on, a comfortable balance will be met between physical office days and working from home days. Office hours will be more flexible, it will be seen as normal to work half the week at home and technology incorporated into offices, will mean attendance via zoom meetings will be seen as the new norm too. What number is your ‘Hotel-Office’?
TOURISM News Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe
Fontana di Trevi, Rome, Italy
UNITED KINGDOM SET PRIORITIES FOR RECOVERING AND REBUILDING TOURISM AND BOOSTING DOMESTIC TOURISM FOR 2021
VisitBritain met with top tourism industry leaders at its annual event recently to set out the priorities to support the ind ustry in its recovery and rebuilding. The hybrid event looked at helping the recovery of national and international tourism, stimulating demand and supporting the rebuilding of a more resilient, sustainable and accessible industry. Forecasts from VisitBritain show a slow recovery, with spending on domestic tourism this year estimated at UK£51.4 billion, just over half of the UK£91.6 billion in 2019. In 2020 alone the national tourism sector lost about two -thirds of its value, representing a loss of UK£58 billion for the economy. The forecast for inbound tourism spending in the UK this year is UK£6.2bn, down from a quarter of UK£28.4 billion in 2019. Tourism represents UK£127 billion to the economy; the industry is the UK's 3rd largest service export, employing more than 3.1 million people. The pandemic saw visitor spending fall by 78% in 2020 compared to 2019, and national spending by 63%, resulting in an estimated loss to the economy of UK£285 million a day from tourism. Tourism is a fundamental industry for the UK that generates employment and economic growth and reinforces the country’s place on the world stage.
WORLD TOURISM ORGANISATION OPENS 1ST REGIONAL OFFICE IN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA The United Nations’ World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has launched its firstever regional office in the Middle East in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh. The new office will act as a hub for the UNWTO to coordinate with the region’s 13 member states on various tourism projects, products and initiatives. Saudi Arabia has also recently donated UK£70.62 million to the World Bank’s tourism fund.
GREECE OPENS BORDERS FOR TOURISTS BUT TOURISM NOT THE SAME Foreign arrivals to Greece will not need to quarantine, but not all nations are allowed to visit Greece, like Russia and some Asian countries. The country has cancelled all previously introduced restrictions. Residents are allowed to move between regions and visit museums.
LOSSES IN 2020 RESULT IN TUI SELLING SHARE OF RUI HOTELS TUI lost UK£20 million in 2020. The TUI Group had secured a loan of UK£1.55 billion from the German government with the condition that repayment would be in the Summer of 2022 along with the suggestion that TUI sell all or part of its 49% stake in the Spanish hotel chain RUI Hotels & Resorts.
TUI is trying to limit its long-standing partnership with RUI in a bid to meet the conditions of the German loan. The RIU family has now decided to take over TUI's share in the previous joint real estate portfolio. TUI is now able to focus on its holiday operations In order to keep its title as Europe’s largest tour operator.
A CRUISE SHIP LIKE NO OTHER Norwegian Prima is the newest of the cruise lines fleet. Designed to offer first-class service as well as maximum open-air space of any ship in the fleet, The Prima represents a new class of ship that will raise all expectations. Sailing from summer 2022, Norwegian Prima will explore the Caribbean, Bermuda or Iceland and Northern Europe. From Orlando to the western Caribbean on Norwegian Prima and experience paradise from ship to shore. With itineraries of 5, 7 and 9 days between December 2022 and March 2023, there are vacations that adapt to most schedules. Immerse yourself in relaxation, exhilaration and everything in between with stops in Cozumel, Georgetown, Ocho Rios and Great Stirrup Cay, our private island exclusively for Norwegian guests.
CENTARA GRAND HUA HIN CELEBRATES 10 YEARS SUCCESS WITH TRIPADVISOR’S PRESTIGIOUS TRAVELERS’ CHOICE AWARD Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin recently won the 2021 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best award for hotels, for the 11th consecutive year. The latest Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best winners are decided based on the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings from global travellers posted on TripAdvisor for the whole of 2020. An elegant sanctuary with old-world charm, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin began as The Railway Hotel back in the early 1920s. When the railway line from Hua Hin to Padang Besar in Malaysia was built, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin opened its doors and transformed the sleeping fishing village of Hua Hin into a stylish seaside escape. Gleaming with colonial accents, the beautifully preserved hotel is one of the most famous heritage hotels in Asia. In addition to its prime town centre location ideal for exploring and shopping, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin also offers excellent recreational facilities and services, including 4 swimming pools, 2 tennis courts, kids club, putting greens, a snooker room and many more all guaranteeing a perfect destination for travellers of all ages. Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin joins 35 other Centara hotels and resorts that also received the 2021 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best award for hotels, representing an overwhelming 90% majority of Centara’s entire portfolio and reaffirming its reputation as Thailand’s leading hotel operator.
ENGLAND’S HISTORIC CITIES CONTRIBUTE £8 BILLION TO VISITOR ECONOMY! Figures from England’s Historic Cities, a partnership that brings together England’s premier heritage locations to maximise the potential of their visitor economies, show a total of UK£8 billion was generated by tourism and leisure businesses from the heritage cities within the partnership in 2019 an increase of over 25% from 2018. Overall visitor numbers increased by 12.4% from the previous year to 118 million, supporting the equivalent of nearly 83,000 full time jobs in the sector, and over 11 million visitors stayed in England’s Historic cities as part of a holiday or short break generating a total economic impact of UK£2.31 billion – an increase of 12.8% from 2018. Melanie Sensicle, chair of England’s Historic Cities said: “Whilst this data was obtained pre-pandemic and the upward positive trends obviously did not continue into 2020, the figures show the phenomenal potential of our heritage destinations and highlight the significant value of their contribution to the visitor economy and as well as the capacity they have to increase regional spread of visitors. This summer we are launching our new cross-marketing plan which will see the cities promoting each other to the domestic consumer for the first time. We want to encourage people to visit our cities safely and believe that collaborate marketing can contribute to the recovery of our businesses in 2021.”
FRANCE EIFFEL TOWER OPENS 16TH JULY 2021 One of Paris’ top attractions, the Eiffel th Tower, will reopen to the public on 16 July operating with a capacity limited to 10,000 visits per day. st
Ticket sales begin on 1 June online as well th as at the monument's ticket offices from 16 July. Capacity prior to covid was 25,000 visits per day.
www.bmlinternational.co.uk
CHINA NEW LIFE TO ANCIENT VILLAGES THROUGH TOURISM
Hongcun Village in Yixian County, Anhui province, is been seeing tourism development grow due to its stunning original architecture and village layout. Tangyue village, Huangshan's Shexian County, is famous for its 7 well-preserved ancient arches located along an old road at the centre of the village. The Tangyue Memorial Archway is listed as a key national cultural protection unit and is the largest and best-preserved arch complex in the province. The development of an agriculture leisure park features an agricultural science and technology museum, a greenhouse of tropical plants and other fruit and vegetables, offer visitors a handson experience. Before the ‘health crisis’ outbreak, daily visitors to Huangshan Mountain, (Yellow Mountain) reached just 50,000, equivalent to half the entire number of visits in 1979. Since the beginning of tourism development, when locals developed the attraction ‘Emerald Valley’ due to the green tinge to the water in the streams and lakes resembling emeralds, Huangshan's tourism sector has grown rapidly, benefiting the local population. Approx. 74 million visited Huangshan in 2019 foreign visitor numbers reached 2.87 million.
KUDA VILLINGILI OPENING SOON IN THE MALDIVES Kuda Villingili is preparing its international opening with some impressive gourmet dining options, an idyllic beachfront spa, an azure, spacious 150m pool, encircled by stylish sunbeds, cabanas and bars and worldclass facilities. A luxury island retreat in the Maldivian archipelago is a 5* property located in the North Male Atoll, Kuda Villingili is the Maldives redefined; a unique, experience-driven concept with the resort’s interiors authentically blending with the natural beauty that surrounds the island.
GOULANDRIS B&E FOUNDATION OPENS AGAIN WITH A RENEWED PRESENTATION OF ITS COLLECTION
The Vassilis & Elizas Goulandris Foundation in Athens, Greece has opened its doors again to visitors, observing all ‘’health crisis’’ restrictions. It opens with a new selection of 58 exhibits aimed at highlighting the eclecticism and quality of the collection. The first floor, the “Classics of Modern Art” are exhibited, as well as a selection of 18th-century French furniture and decorative items from France and China. The audience will thus be able to wander again among the favourite works of El Greco, Paul Cézanne, Auguste Rodin, Camille Claudel, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Henri de Toulouse Lautrec, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque , Joan Miró, Pierre Bonnard, Fernand Léger, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee and Jean Hélion. The second floor, dedicated to ‘Glances at the 19th and 20th century’ and works on paper, is renewed by about 30%. The well-known Jackson Pollock, Francis Bacon, Alberto Giacometti, Max Ernst and Roy Lichtenstein will now be adjacent to a renewed selection of works by Picasso, Braque, Miró, Hélion, as well as Marc Chagall, Jean Fautrier, César, Robertaine Rich, Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Henri Michaux, Claude Lalanne, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Fernando Botero, Nicholas Krushenick and Igor Mitoraj.
ALASKA SUCCESSFUL IN BID FOR CRUISE SECTOR RETURN The US has agreed to allow foreign-flag cruise ships a temporary waiver to operate in Alaska without a foreign stop. It is seen as an opportunity to help the tourism industry of Southeast Alaska. The legislation waives the Passenger Vessel Services Act for as long as the Canada' cruise ban is in place (currently, through February 2022). This would allow foreign-flag ships to transport passengers between Washington state and Alaska.
UAE CITIZENS TO FOLLOW 3 STAGES WHEN TRAVELLING ABROAD The UAE (United Arab Emirates) Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) has issued a set of COVID-19 related guidelines for Emirati passengers who intend to travel for their summer holidays. 1. Before travelling Prior to traveling abroad passengers are required to comply with the necessary COVID-19 precautionary measures. Abu Dhabi, UAE
Passengers should also check the airline’s guidelines, as well as the entry rules and regulations of their final destination, and complete any required forms or paperwork prior to departure. All citizens travelling abroad must hold a paper-based negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate from an officially recognised testing centre. Customers must hold a negative certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. In the event that the person suffers from a high temperature or displays symptoms of respiratory diseases, he will be isolated and evaluated by the health centre at the airport. If the passenger is suspected to have contracted the coronavirus, he will then be transferred to health authorities in the emirate. 2. What to do abroad UAE passengers should monitor their health daily and be aware for COVID-19 symptoms. If such symptoms appear travellers are required to immediately consult a doctor. In the event that an Emirati tourist has tested positive for COVID -19, they are required to visit the nearest emergency centre as soon as possible, while maintaining a social distance and contact the UAE mission of that country. 3. Rules for UAE arrivals The regulations for returning passengers are similar to those when initially flying out, and include the use of face masks, social distancing, and not displaying any COVID-19 related symptoms. If a passenger shows any kind of symptoms, they will be isolated and evaluated by health authorities at the airport. Further conditions may exist, depending on whether passengers arrived from medium or high risk countries. Landing in Dubai If you are a citizen of the UAE, and coming through Dubai’s airport, you are exempt from the PCR test prior to departure, regardless of the country you are coming from. However, you will be tested on arrival in Dubai. On arrival to Dubai International Airport, UAE Nationals must download and register on the COVID -19 DXB Smart App. Some countries require travellers leaving the UAE to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate on the return journey, according to the latest update published on the website of Dubai Airports. This test must be carried out no more than 72 hour s before the scheduled return flight time. Landing in Abu Dhabi Passengers are required to take a PCR test no more than 72 hours before the flight, undergo a thermal screening and another COVID-19 PCR test on arrival at Abu Dhabi airport.
TOURIST CORRIDOR ON COSTA RICA & NICARAGUA BORDER La Cruz bay, Costa Rica
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute is going to turn the border canton of La Cruz, in the province of Guanacaste, North Pacific, into an attractive tourist corridor for national, European and binational tourism with Nicaragua. La Cruz now offers great tourist attractions, with on-going tourism investments that aim to help create hundreds of jobs, as well as opportunities for social progress through rural tourism and community tourism. Nicaragua, in turn sees that tourism is linked to the improvement of the quality of life of the towns and through tourism it can assist the flow of visitors between towns to continue bringing progress to other communities. Within the new tourist corridor visitors will be able to experience bird, whale and dolphin watching, diving, snorkelling and see first-hand, the life of local fishermen.
UK HOLIDAY MAKERS TRAVELLING TO ‘AMBER’ COUNTRIES RISK INVALID INSURANCE UK Holidaymakers travelling to the current list of ‘Amber’ category countries could have to pay for all medical bill s etc. England's amber list currently includes popular destinations like France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Under the amber code, the government advice is for people to not travel to these countries. The UK Foreign Office advises ‘against all non-essential travel’ to amber list countries. This means that your travel insurance will most likely be invalid should you fall ill, have an accident or incur costs related to sudden changes due to the never ending ‘’health crisis’’. Travel insurance is invalidated when the government advice is against travel; it is based on the Foreign Office advice not if the destination is on a green, amber and red list. Basically, if you decide to travel despite the official advice, most travel insurers will not cover you, even if you took out a special Covid insurance. On 17th May, the UK government opened the travel door, held it open, but basically told you not to walk through it!
OMAN TOURISM SECTOR FELL BY 75% IN Q1 OF 2020 Saija village, Oman
Oman’s tourism sector dropped by 75% in the first quarter of 2020 due to the fall in the number of visitors and hotel guests. Tourism revenue for 2020 fell by 63% compared to 2019. The recovery plan for the tourism sector sees the establishment of visitor centres in the sites registered in the World Heritage List, private museums, the provision of museum displays in all castles and forts and beach tourism. The recovery plan also aims at nurturing domestic tourism and includes cultural, geological and adventure tourism. Tourism will provide employment to Omanis who are renowned through ages for their hospitality. There are 142,000 workers in the heritage and tourism sectors, of which only 15,000 are Omanis. There is now a real opportunity to create jobs for Omanis in these important sectors to provide 7,000 direct and indirect jobs.
NEW RESTRICTIONS FOR FOREIGN TRAVELLERS TO GUATEMALA
The Atitlán volcano and lake, Guatemala
With the new variant of the coronavirus, Guatemala is to limit entry into the country by foreigners who have been in Brazil, the UK, Northern Ireland and South Africa, in the 14 days prior to their arrival. North and South Africa, exceptions are all those people who reliably certify having been vaccinated completely against Covid-19.
DARWIN’S GALAPAGOS ISLANDS ARCH COLLAPES The famous ‘Darwin’s Arch’ located on the islands protected as a UNESCO World Hertiage Site, has collapsed due to natural erosion. The rock formation was considered a top dive site and tourist attraction of the islands, named after the English biologist Charles Darwin. The Galapagos Islands, is made up of 234 islands, inlets and rocks and is renowned globally for its unique diversity of plants and wildlife. It is from here that Darwin was inspired for his theory of evolution.
GREECE TO USE COVID-19 TRAVEL CERTIFICATE ’SAVE’ SUMMER Due to be launched in July, the (European Union) EU’s digital Health Travel Passport will see Greece welcome its use before the launch to attract foreign travellers in a bid to save its summer tourism season following two negative summer seasons due to the pandemic. More than a dozen EU countries, including France and Spain, have agreed to test the system before a launch on 1st July. The certificate shows if a person has received the vaccine, had a recent negative test or had immunity based on recovery. The free certificate will take the form of a QR code on a smartphone or paper, letting authorities determine the status of a visitor based on records in their home EU country. th
Tourism in Greece represents a 5 of its economy and saw just 7 million tourists and UK£3.44 billion in revenues in 2020, down from a record 33 million visitors and UK£15.45 billion in revenues in 2019. It expects tourist arrivals to reach half the levels welcomed in 2019.
SIX ABERDEEN ARTISTS COMMISSIONED TO MAKE NEW WORKS FOR ABERDEEN ART GALLERY Sailing, Greece
Six local creative practitioners have been awarded commissions to create new works for Aberdeen Art Gallery’s collection. The commissions celebrate Aberdeen Art Gallery’s success as a joint winner of Art Fund Museum of the Year 2020.
The 2020 prize money of UK£200,000 was split equally between the 5 joint winners. Aberdeen Art Gallery’s share is supporting a series of small-scale ‘micro-commissions’, open to creative practitioners of any discipline living in AB postcode areas. This includes visual artists, craft-makers, musicians, writers, sound artists, poets and filmmakers. In a year when protesters made their voices heard around the world, particularly in support of the Black Lives Matter movement against racial injustice, the micro-commissions are an example of how Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums is addressing lack of representation and diversity in its collection. As the name suggests, micro-commissions are for small-scale work, produced quickly in response to the collection, creating new works that relate to existing objects and themes or that highlight gaps within the collection. Proposals were invited that sa y
something about an artist’s lived experience in Aberdeen, addressing themes that might include social justice, climate change, identity, diversity, well-being, migration and diversity. There were over 50 submissions in this second round of awards. Two projects will e ach receive UK£3,000 and four projects that will each receive UK£850. Councillor Marie Boulton, Aberdeen City Council’s culture spokesperson, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome a second group of creatives into the micro-commissions programme which has been made possible by Aberdeen Art Gallery’s Art Fund Museum of the Year prize money. “With over 50 excellent applications, the breadth and diversity of the creative sector in Aberdeen made the role of the selec tion panel even harder in Round 2. “We are all really looking forward to seeing the next projects develop and offer new perspectives on the historic collection. With themes ranging from self-identity to climate change and neuro-diversity, to our sense of place in Aberdeen, the commissioned artists will explore the collection and the buildings in creative and inspiring ways. “Public engagement is an important element of these commissions and we hope that, Covid -19 restrictions permitting, there will be an opportunity to share the work created through a programme of talks, events, performances, workshops and displays.” The selected creative practitioners / projects are: Lynne Hocking-Mennie (UK£850) Lynne is a handweaver and scientist who combines ancestry research, genetic data and material explorations to create handwoven textile objects that explore heritage, connection to place and identity. Much of her work explores her family's connection to the weaving trade in north-east Scotland over at least seven generations. Lynne will create work embedded in ancestral weaving practices that supports exploration of the interconnected relationships between class, means of production and global-local consumption of woven fabrics created in Scotland.
Lynne Hocking-Mennie
Juliet Macleod (UK£3,000) Juliet Macleod makes contemporary wheelthrown porcelain inspired by the sea. This commission will enable her to make a piece addressing how climate change is affecting our coasts as coastal communities make up 41% of the total Scottish population. Macleod plans to use abstract mark making, brushwork and colours that are in response to sea-related works in the Gallery collection – those of Frances Walker and Joan Eardley in particular. Juliet Macleod
Joshua Macpherson (UK£850) Joshua Macpherson is a painter and illustrator working out of Fraserburgh. Perception, memory, and shared narratives are common themes of his work. His micro-commission project will reflect on the worker of the North Sea fishing industry, many of whom have been offering their labour to this community while isolated from their homes and families. Joshua Macpherson
Kimberley Petrie (UK£850) Kimberley Petrie is a writer and spoken word artist from Aberdeen. She is absolutely thrilled to be one of the recipients of an Aberdeen Art Gallery microcommission, saying that the Gallery has always had a special place in her heart since her Grandma took her there as a child. She will create three new pieces in response to her favourite artwork, ‘Flood in the Highlands’ by Edwin Landseer. Kimberley Petrie
Florence Reekie (UK£3,000) Florence Reekie is a self-taught realist painter who is inspired by societal relationships with clothing and fabric. Reekie will use the micro-commission opportunity to discover more about Aberdeen’s rich history in textiles. Using the AAGM collection to research the subject further, she will also develop ideas around fashion pollution, garment workers and throw-away culture.
Florence Reekie
Joe Stollery
Joe Stollery (UK£850) Joe Stollery is a composer currently studying for a PhD in Music at the University of Aberdeen. His project for the Art Gallery will be to take a certain number of exhibits and create short musical interpretations of them for a small chamber group. The project acts not only as a means to express the composer’s general interest in engaging with other artistic media, but also aims to highlight and reflect upon his day-to-day experiences as a high-functioning autist.
Hotel Industry in Burma Facing a whisper of a Chance for Survival By KJ
Photos courtesy of KJ Bagan, Myanmar/(Burma)
As the world knows, the deep impact of covid-19 on the hotel industry all over the world was a harsh reality. Myanmar/(Burma) had to face it too, and the industry was paralysed for many months. Some hotel staff became unemployed. Some became street vendors, carpenters, and casual hard labourers. And most hotel businesses continued to bleed red ink, with losses both financial and human resources, right from the beginning in March 2020.
Nearly a year after that, the February coup took place in Burma. The major political situation pushed the hotel industry into the dark and it is now at death’s door. The market for hotels is nothing but a nightmare for hoteliers or hotel management in the country. A new law for guests has been applied by the junta. The privacy for the people who stay at a hotel could be broken at anytime whenever the junta wants, especially for foreigners but not Russian and Chinese guests. The citizens of Burma, most of them, oppose the junta and as such have become the targeted people and/or the suspects for the current revolution. The banking sector is currently losing people’s trust, and a lot of cash withdrawals are taking place across the country, but with limits. It is ridiculously hard to use your credit or debit card when you travel, only cash is the preferred payment accepted by everyone and everywhere. Some hotel suppliers do not accept a bank remittance for business deals, only cash. The petrol price is going up like a rocket which will not easily go down again. A new minister of the Hotels and Tourism Ministry was appointed by junta, however most of hoteliers do not think he is reliable for the industry; he is not the fixer but only the controller. The majority of the members of the hotel association do not have willingness to meet him or attend any meeting called by him.
The country is in chaos and the related sectors like hotels are disorganised and in the dark. The Burmese hotel industry which is being crippled by covid-19 has completely broken down with zero chance for survival. According to the statistics of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism, in 2019 by there were 1,984 hotels in Burma. Now they are facing the ghost of a future and will not survive with the current situation in the country.
www.bmlinternational.co.uk
Aviation, Airlines, Transportation & Travel News
JAPANESE REGIONAL CARRIERS MERGE Two Japanese regional carriers are to merge operations in 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the aviation industry. Hokkaido based Air Do and Solaseed Air, based in Miyazaki expects to be one company by October 2022. The merger would allow for both companies to ‘recover the financial base at an early stage, survive the new business environment, provide more added value to customers, and achieve sustainable growth, further deepen the business alliances and cooperative relationships between the two companies.’ The two companies aim to reduce costs by standardising operations and sharing knowledge to “promote efforts to increase profits by co-creating new value”. As the first step, a joint website will launch a campaign starting in July under the name of “Let’s travel the whole country with two wings”.
BRITISH AIRWAYS BRING EARLIER START OF GIBRALTAR FLIGHT BA’s route from London City Airport to Gibraltar will begin on 11 June instead of the 25 June. This is due to the British territory being on the UK’s Green Travel list for summer vacations and therefore demand is expected to be higher. It is a new route for the airline.
ECUATORIANA AIRLINES READY TO TAKE TO THE SKIES The new Ecuadorian airline company has launched its plans and image featuring a hummingbird that seeks to convey the ‘wealth, diversity and positive aspects of the country’. It expects to begin operations from October 2021 operating 2 simultaneous flights from Quito to Guayaquil and back. For Eduardo Delgado, president of Ecuatoriana Airlines, ‘this investment is made in a time of crisis because there is an opportunity and because the country requires support for its economic reactivation. 85% of our airports do not have a single commercial flight and we need to be united and connected. ' The company's other domestic routes will also include Cuenca, Loja, Manta and Galapagos and will then incorporate regional and international routes.
AIR FRANCE FLIES BACK TO HELSINKI After not flying to Helsinki in Finland for over 20 years, Air France has resumed non-stop flights to the Finnish capital since stopping flights in 2001, a codeshare with Finnair from Paris Charles de Gaulle connected the two countries. Now Air France returns from 6 July 2021 with a new year-round direct route. Initially operating 4 times per week using 143-seat Airbus A319s, before increasing to daily from 19 July. Once the route becomes daily the SkyTeam alliance member will provide approx. 2,000 two-way weekly seats between Paris and Helsinki, giving a total between the two destinations to around 4,050 seats. This compares with 14,000 weekly seats offered by Finnair and Norwegian in July 2019.
AMERICAN AIRLINESNEW ROUTES FROM MIAMI TO SPAIN American is to add two additional flights from Madrid to New York from mid-June. The carrier currently operates daily flights to Barcelona and Madrid.All passengers have to have full vaccination proof. Spain opened its borders to fully vaccinated travellers this month. When the US opens its borders, American Airlines will be ready to connect leisure passengers in the US with Spain.
TURKISH AIRLINES BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO EUROPEAN AIR TRAFFIC Turkish Airlines has continued to maintain its reign in Europe with 729 daily flights. Turkish Airlines was followed by Air France with 467 flights, Lufthansa with 386 flights, Ryanair with 349 and Widerøe with 368 flights.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES BIGGEST ANNUAL NET LOSS Singapore's national airline has seen its biggest annual net loss of UK£1.7 billion due to the pandemic. Revenue dropped by over 76% to UK£2.03 billion from nearly UK£8.5 billion. It said that the past 12 months were the "toughest year in its history". Cargo revenues helped the drop in passenger business with many vaccine flights across the Asia Pacific region.
WIZZ AIR TO OPERATE 9 NEW ROUTES FROM CARDIFF-WALES Hungarian low cost airline, Wizz Air, will be opening a base at Cardiff Airport in south Wales and will offer ‘ultra-low fares’ to 9 popular holiday destinations throughout the summer and autumn. From 17 June flights will operate to Larnaca- Cyprus, Corfu and Crete - Greece, Faro - Portugal, Alicante, Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, and Tenerife – Spain. From October flights will begin to Sharm el-Sheikh - Egypt. Wizz Air is also to operate from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport from July this year with 32 new services to 19 countries.
ANOTHER BLOW FOR EUROPEAN AIRLINES AND AS CARBON ALLOWANCE PRICES RISE It is not enough that travel has been next to nothing for the past year and a half, but now airlines face a sharp rise in the cost of polluting in Europe. The EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS), means airlines which are carbon intensive must buy the tradable credits to cover the amount they pollute under parallel emissions systems in both the UK and the EU. The UK system ‘nascent’ trades higher than the EU at over £50 a tonne. The schemes only cover emissions on flights in Europe and the UK and so low-cost carriers like Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air will have a big bill to pay as they mainly fly in this area. Annually, airlines get a set amount of free credits, and must then purchase the remainder to cover the rest of their emissions. PreCovid, the airlines receive free credits to cover around half of their emissions. As governments push for greater zero carbon targets, so the cost of carbon keeps rising. Anticipating this, some airlines are hedging credits, as they do with fuel in a bid to keep their carbon expenses as low as possible. Both the EU and UK are planning to reduce the total number of allowances and the amount of free credits over the coming years, making the carbon purchase even more expensive. Eventually, airlines will begin to pass on these costs to passengers, however at the moment they are just trying to get people back in the skies and to do so, offer cheap prices.
ALASKA AIRLINES AND AIRSPACE INTELLIGENCE PARTNERSHIP Alaska Airlines and Airspace Intelligence have joined forces in a long term contract for the use of Flyways AI™, an industrychanging platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to assist dispatchers in making flight operations more efficient and sustainable by enhancing routes and improving the certainty and flow of airline traffic. Alaska is the first airline worldwide to adopt the technology. "Flyways AI has transformed how Alaska Airlines approaches route planning and optimisation, enabling our highly skilled dispatchers to work even smarter to deliver the safest and most efficient routes to our pilots, saving time and carbon emissions, mitigating congestion and creating a better experience for our guests," said Diana Birkett Rakow, vice president of public affairs and sustainability for Alaska Airlines. "Airspace Intelligence is a true partner in implementing Flyways to deliver results in Alaska's operating environment for innovation, safety and sustainability." Current airline computer systems cannot compile all of the various information and evolving conditions into one unified source or map. They cannot take into consideration other flight traffic, give limited insights into future conditions, and are without predictive capabilities.
SUNWING TO FLY TO CUBA This winter will see the Canadian travel giant Sunwing relaunch flights to vacation destinations in Cuba. Sunwing will operate from Windsor International Airport, Ontario, for the 2021-2022 winter season. It will offer a weekly service to the popular Cuban destinations of Varadero and Cayo Santa María. Flights will begin in December 2021 and operate until mid-April 2022.
PAKISTAN TO LAUNCH NEW AIRLINE ‘NORTH AIR’ TO BOOST TOURISM In a bid to promote Pakistan as a global tourism destination, a new private airline ‘North Air’ will soon begin operations initially to and from Islamabad, Skardu, Chitral, Gilgit, and Gwadar - covering major tourist attractions. The new airline hopes to enhance air connectivity to drive tourism and economic growth in the scenic Gilgit Baltistan region which attracts approx. 2 million tourists. Locals in the area hope the new flight will bring new revenue to the region.
S7 AIRLINES TRANSPORTED OVER 4.91 PASSENGERS IN 5 MONTHS S7 Airlines has announced their performance for April 2021. In April the airline transported 1,348,856 passengers, almost matching pre-pandemic figures (1,362,397 in April 2019). Of that, 1,276,195 passengers used domestic flights in Russia, a rise of 25% than for the same period in 2019. Since the start of 2021, S7 Airlines has transported 4,913,651 passengers. Domestic tourism makes up the majority of the flights. The airline is shortly starting its summer flights with new southbound regional flights. The new flights by S7 Airlines include direct flights from Irkutsk to Krasnodar. This summer, S7 Airlines will operate flights to 130 destinations, with priority to flights to Crimea and Krasnodar Krai, the top destinations for family holidays. For the first time, direct flights to the Black Sea will operate to Simferopol, Anapa and Sochi which will be available from the cities of Lipetsk, Ivanovo, Pskov and Kurgan. Flights from Moscow to Gelendzhik will increase to 3 times a day, and the flights from Irkutsk to Sochi and Simferopol will double operations.
HAWAIIAN AIRLINES & EMPIRE AIRLINES
CEASE COOPERATION
Due to the devastating effects of the pandemic, Hawaiian Airlines is stopping its Ohana turboprop operation. Ohana used four ATR 42s for passenger flights between Honolulu and nearby islands, Molokai and Lanai, as well as to Kapalua on the NW coast of Maui. It also operated four ATR 72s for freight services within the state. The aircraft are owned by Hawaiian but operated on its behalf by Empire Airlines. Hawaiian has lent some ground support equipment to Mokulele Airlines, as it still offers a service between Honolulu and Molokai and Lanai.
ALASKA AIRLINES NEW FLIGHTS TO BELIZE Alaska Airlines will begin a new route to Belize from mid-November 20201. Operating as a seasonal route, it will run 4 times a week between Los Angeles and Belize City, and twice weekly between Seattle and Belize City. Increased air services are imperative to the success of Belize's tourism, so the new West Coast connections offer a convenient getaway. th
Belize will be the 4 country Alaska flies to from its West Coast hubs, joining Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. Alaska is a member of the oneworld global alliance.
VIVA AIR RELAUNCHED Peruvian low-cost airline Viva Air has renewed its brand with a name change to ‘Viva’, with a boomerang logo in yellow. The slogan is ‘Fly more!’ The airlines aim is for ‘all travellers to fly more, paying less; not only to the usual destinations, nationally and internationally, but also to new routes and connections that will be added throughout 2021. The new routes are part of the transformation that will benefit countries such as Peru, Colombia and all Latin America.
WHAT’S IN A PAINTING? by Caroline-Artemis Laspas
Courtesy of Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation
All over the world, national art galleries and historic institutions attract thousands of visitors for many reasons; the architecture, who lived there, the furnishings and of course some places are lucky enough to have a world renowned piece of artwork which draws thousands of visitors. Here we look at some of the world’s most famous paintings that draw tourists and art enthusiasts alike to stand and marvel at the creativity before them.
The Last Supper
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci The Last Supper was started in approx. 1495–96. It is a large mural depicting Jesus’s last supper with his disciples. It can be seen in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy. There is not much left of the original painting as so much restoration has been required as the damp from the walls has eaten away at the paint over the centuries. It is still possible to visit the original in its restored state, but it is still fragile and visitors can only stay for 15 minutes. Château du Clos Lucé is a small 15th-century palace in the Loire town Amboise. It was home to Leonardo da Vinci at the end of his life and is now a museum on the life and work of the great painter.
The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci Approximately 10 million people a year have visited The Louvre, in Paris, to see this most famous painting. It was painted between 1503-1506. Over time it has been a must discussed topic as to who the lady sitter was, as well as the mystery of her smile!
The Sistine Chapel by Michaelangelo An estimated 5 million visitor a year go to the Vatican to look up in awe and silence at this masterpiece. The chapel was built in 1479 but the ceiling was not painted until between 1508 and 1512. It is part of the amazing Vatican tour on offer to tourists visiting Rome. The chapel is still used as a gathering place for cardinals of the Catholic Church to elect a new pope. Michelagelo’s home was Casa Buonarroti in Florence. It is now a museum dedicated to him and his works of art, many of which are on display. The Mona Lisa
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Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer Over 1.5 million people a year go to see this painting by the Dutchman Johannes Vermeer's. It is by far his most famous painting and was painted around 1665. It is often called the 'Dutch Mona Lisa and can be seen in the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Holland. The Sistine Chapel
The Girl with a Pearl earing
Vermeer came from the famous town of Delft – famous for its blue and white china. He lived above the Mechelen Inn in the heart of Delft until he got married and moved in with his wife and mother-in-law, who lived across the market square.
The Starry Night by Vince van Gogh Seen by 3 million visitors a year, the Starry Night was painted in 1889 during van Gogh’s stay at the asylum of Saint-Paul-deMausole near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The Starry Night's home is at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Van Gogh moved around a lot! You can visit The Yellow House on Place Lamartine in Arles (southern France) or in London (87 Hackford Road); the Van Gogh House which has been restored, not only to celebrate the house’s remarkable legacy but also hosts artists as well as offer tours, exhibitions and events. The Starry Night
The Fighting Temeraire by J. M. W. Turner The Fighting Temeraire has painted in 1838 and is typical of the British painter’s artwork. Its home is the National Gallery in London, but is currently not on display. The Temeraire helped England to victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 against France’s Napoleon.
The Fighting Temeraire
Located in West London is Sandycombe Lodge, home to J. M. W. Turner, who had it built in 1813 as a retreat from the bustle of London’s art world. His good friend, Sir John Soane helped design this small interesting building which has recently been restored and visitors can now see many of Turner’s lesser known pieces and drawings. Don’t forget to also make a visit to the John Soane Museum in London’s Lincoln-in-Fields. This classic Georgian house is an amazing and unexpected museum! The Scream
The Scream by Edvard Munch ‘The Scream’ was painted in 1893 and attracts approx. half a million visitors to see it each year. The painting is a radical and timeless expression of human fear. In 1910, it was donated to the Oslo National Gallery (it will be back on display there when the gallery re-opens in 2022). Munch’s house in Åsgårdstrand, Norway is now a museum. Everything has been retained as it was when the artist lived there. He painted many of his masterpieces in Åsgårdstrand, most of which are now on display in major international art galleries.
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The Four Arts Cycle, by Alphonse Mucha This museum located in Prague, Czech Republic is dedicated to the life and work of the world-acclaimed Czech Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha (1860 - 1939). His unique style is instantly recognisable and most of his most well-known works can be seen here. ‘The Four Arts’ cycle, highlights each of the arts against a background related to a time of the day; morning for Dance, midday for Painting, evening for Poetry and night for Music. The lady in many of his paintings was the famous French actress Sarah Bernhardt.
Sailor Sitting at the Table by Giannis Tsarouchis This Greek painter is famous for his portraits of Greek sailors and soldiers and is well known for his Greek modern art. The Sailor Sitting at Table was painted in 1980. He lived for a time in the Greek port of Piraeus which influenced his work greatly. You can see this piece and other key paintings by Tsarouchis at the Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation Gallery in Athens. His house and workshop is in the north suburb of Athens, Maroussi. He lived on the ground floor and the 1st floor was his workshop. He started the Tsarouchis Foundation and used the 1st floor and terrace room for exhibitions of his and other artists works. The building is still home to the Foundation and is open to the public displaying 40 copies of Yannis Tsarouchis' works, his personal items and over 60 photos. One of the Four Arts Cycle
The Caryatids, The Daughters of Athens
The Sailor and the Table
So, not only can you see these masterpieces around the world, but experience the lives of the real artists behind them by visiting their homes.
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M.I.C.E & Events News Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions & Venues
IBTM WIRED LAUNCHES GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE PROGRAMME Programme focuses on tools for post-pandemic recovery First details of the Knowledge Programme for IBTM Wired have been released, with over 30 topical education sessions and four high-profile keynote speakers confirmed for the event's duration from 28 June to 1 July 2021. IBTM Wired has partnered with leading international industry associations, visionaries and thought leaders to create a truly global four-day education programme. Each day will focus on a different region of the world, providing a packed schedule of live and on-demand education sessions open to both Hosted Buyers and visitors. From hybrid events and sustainability to women in leadership, technology, safety and trends, each day will provide valuable learning experiences, inspirational ideas and the sharing of best practices giving professionals the key tools they need for the next chapter in meetings and events. Keynote speakers include Stephen Attenborough, who leads commercial activity for Virgin Galactic, part of Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group; Monique Morrow, Senior Distinguished Architect for Emerging Technologies at Syniverse Technologies and President and CoFounder of the Humanized Internet; CNN contributor and Atlanta radio host, Aaron Paxton Arnold; and rocket scientist turned awardwinning professor, number one bestselling author and internationally acclaimed speaker Ozan Varol. Event Manager Michael Jones said: "IBTM's well-respected Knowledge Programme will form a central part of IBTM Wired. We know from our research and from talking to our partners and clients that our industry is hungry for opportunities to continue learning, even if they cannot attend an event in person. Our fresh and diverse line-up of speakers for IBTM Wired will help attendees thrive postpandemic, providing them with inspiration, tools and tangible learnings that they can take away and apply to their businesses." The majority of sessions will be live to facilitate audience interaction and engagement, with a facility to ask questions to speakers in real-time. The event platform, built by Sector Global, will be open 24 hours a day for the event's duration so that the global community can tailor their schedule to their time zone. IBTM Wired will unite professionals from across the world for four days of one-to-one business meetings, networking sessions and a programme of live and on-demand education sessions curated by sector, skillset, and geographic location. The event is a permanent addition to IBTM's global portfolio of B2B events and intelligence for the meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry. Registration for the event is now open, with a 20% Early Bird discount bringing the price to $159 for a limited time only** To register please see: www.ibtmwired.com/en-gb.html *Regular price for Visitors is $199 USD
**Registration fee for Hosted Buyers is $5 USD
CELTIC MANOR PILOT EVENT NOT POSSIBLE UNDER PROPOSED RESTRICTIONS IN WALES Following a pilot event held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales to see if the event sector could safely return, it proved not possible under current restrictions. Under Welsh Government restrictions the measures proposed for the industry including strict health and safety measures make events almost impossible. At the trial event, attendees had to carry out a COVID19 lateral flow test on arrival, (they had already secured a negative PCR test in the days prior). Three separate colour groups were assigned to manage delegate flow, and mask wearing was required when not seated for sessions. The issues arose when the requirement to observe 2m social distancing at the event was needed. It proved that meaningful business events would not be possible to sustain under that measure. Celtic Manor’s Caernarfon Suite can hold over 1,000 people theatre-style in the two-thirds division of the room being utilised for the trial event. The 2m distancing configuration meant it was almost full with the maximum capacity audience of 100 people. Events in England operate under different rules. The reopening of the events sector in Wales is far more cautious making confidence and advance bookings difficult. Several prestigious events have been cancelled in Wales and moved to venues in England where capacity is greater. Public Health Wales officials were present to observe the trial event and provide feedback to Welsh Government. Survey responses will also be gathered from attendees to shape the business events reopening strategy in Wales.
DUBAI’S PREMIER EVENTS HELP PROMOTE GROWTH Since July 2020, Dubai has opened its borders to international in a bid to show its resilience in the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so it has also attempted to place itself as a regional tourism and economic hotspot. Dubai opened up after receiving the ‘Safe Travels Stamp’ from the World Travel and Tourism Council, validating the measures undertaken by the emirate to ensure the safety of inbound travellers. Gradually industry-specific events returned with the adoption of Covid safe practices and held under stringent precautionary measures instituted by relevant authorities. At the end of 2020 Dubai hosted the region’s biggest in-person technology event, as it continued to cautiously allow live in person events. The Dubai Airshow will take place this year bringing together experts and participants from commercial and business aviation, defence and military, aircraft interiors and air traffic management, etc. The 2019 edition of the event saw 84,043 trade visitors, 1,200 exhibitors, and over UK£38.5 billion in signed orders. The 2021 edition will focus on emerging technologies, startups and future transport and sustainability. As time goes on the importance of in-person events are valued even more by all involved and rated far higher than digital events. Research shows that visitors chose live events for many reasons, like the quality of networking and educational content to fi nding new suppliers and conducting business. For exhibitors, in-person events saw them gain a greater ROI (return on investment) and brand representation.
POSIDONIA SEA TOURISM FORUM DIGITAL 2021 SET THE STAGE FOR THE REBIRTH OF CRUISE TOURISM IN POST-PANDEMIC EUROPE Europe’s biggest cruise companies have already deployed 18 vessels in the East Med and other European destinations and plan to ramp up their operations with 28 ships in June and 50 in July, before reaching this summer’s maximum target of 60 operational cruise ships in August. More than half of these vessels will be deployed in Greek waters. 40 cruise ships are expected to operate in Greek waters and 45 ports have their own contingency plans developed to facilitate cruise ships without affecting the experience of passengers, crews or the local communities. Greece has successfully developed a tourism product capable of offering a sense of trust as a safe destination that is fully prepared to weather the consequences of the pandemic. Already, more than 200,000 passengers have taken a cruise safely since the end of last summer, and this year the East Med shows the way with an early start which may help Greece become a permanent country of embarkation. But uncertainty as to when cruise operations can recommence at a viable level to sustain the industry is one of those challenges. Many cruise lines are offering limited itineraries as not all destinations are open to tourism yet, like Asia and America. This has the benefit of more people opting for European cruises of which many sail from Greek waters. Over-tourism is definitely a thing of the past but equally we don’t want too many ships at the same time in the same ports. Islands need to have a plan on the number of ships they can accept at the same time. And port operators need to have the infrastructure to accept bigger ships. All cruise lines have invested heavily in ensuring better grade air filtration and new on-board protocols such as one way systems etc, the opportunity has been to build back better, in a staggered and responsible way in the post-Covid world. The standardisation and uniformity of protocols across the industry is also necessary to avoid confusion for passengers and different countries sailed to on each cruise. Although necessary to begin sailing again, the pace to normality may be very slow as cruise lines ensure they protect themselves against the risk of Covid-19. If all goes well, pre-covid levels of cruise passengers could be seen by late 2022-2023 With a programme of thought-provoking panel discussions and 21 exhibitors showcasing their offering on the interactive and engaging digital platform, PSTF 2021 was the first cruise industry event to gather the key decision makers of the sector since the mid-May resumption of cruising in the East Med.
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ICCA REINVENTS ANNUAL ASSOCIATION MEETINGS STATISTICS REPORT The international association meetings industry has changed how it does business over the past year and as a result, the Research Department of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has now reinvented how it assesses and presents the 2020 ICCA Statistics Report on the association meetings market. This latest report reflects the changing needs of the industry. It provides a more accurate representation of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on association meetings globally. In addition, it acts as an enhanced tool for guiding the industry out of the health crisis and into new stronger future. The 2020 ICCA Statistics Report consists of meetings that were intended to take place in 2020 and indicates what became of the meetings. The report includes analysis on the economic impact of meetings in 2020 compared to 2019, revenue loss, and several additional key parameters. New categories have been added to represent the full spectrum of solutions that event planners implemented in 2020; such as virtual and hybrid meetings, postponement, cancellation, and relocation. Key findings include: • While 44% of meetings were postponed in 2020, the vast majority of those meetings remained loyal to the original destination. • Virtual and hybrid meetings have helped associations attract bigger audiences in 2020, compared to face-to-face meetings in previous years. • Analysis of the economic impact of COVID-19 (total expenditure 2019 vs. 2020) indicates the industry’s strong desire to return to face-to-face meetings. However, in the future, meetings are likely to include elements and best practices from virtual and hybrid events.
KOBE WATERFRONT TO GET NEW ARENA Kobe city will construct a new 10,000 capacity arena as part of a larger revitalisation plan for the Kobe waterfront area. Due for completion at the end of 2024, the arena will be predominantly used for professional sporting events, concerts and international conferences. It will be one of the largest in the Kansai region, which includes Osaka and Kyoto. The arena will also include several indoor and outdoor dining facilities, an event space (max 3,000 capacity) and a park and recreation area. Other plans for the revitalisation of the waterfront include a theatrical aquarium, chocolate museum and a classic car museum, scheduled to open autumn 2021. The iconic Kobe Port Tower will be renovated in 2023 with new viewing platforms and dining facilities. A cable car will also feature by 2025 and will connect the popular shopping and dining district of Harborland with the waterfront area. The cable car will offer spectacular views of the harbour, city and surrounding mountains.
ANATO 2021 TOURIST SHOWCASE, SET TO RESTART TOURISM INDUSTRY IN COLOMBIA The ANATO Tourist Showcase will be held from 16-18 June in Bogotá, Colombia. More than 7,700 professionals from the sector per day have registered for the event that will be joined by 700 companies between exhibitors and co-exhibitors to give a sample of tourism products and services adapted to the new reality of the travel market. This will be the first big face-to-face tourism event in Colombia and Latin America in 2021, allowing for the sector to re-establish its relationships and commercial alliances. “The recovery of tourism should be a priority and therefore the Association has joined all its efforts to carry out this event. The paralysis in the travel industry has not only affected tourism but also other sectors that depend on it and therefore we must work to move it forward together” said Paula Cortés Calle, executive president of ANATO. And he added: “This year we will have a special version and the travel industry players have shown their interest and confidence to continue being part of our event. For this reason, we have prepared ourselves to provide a place that complies with all the necessary biosecurity measures so that both exhibitors and professional visitors can start or reactivate businesses.
OFFICIAL TOKYO OLYMPICS PARTNER, CALLS FOR CANCELLATION OF GAMES Japan's Asahi Shimbun, who is one of the official partners of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, has called for the Summer Games to be cancelled due to the risks to public safety and strains on the medical system from the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the Japanese public are opposed to holding the Games this summer, due to tens of thousands of athletes and officials arriving in the country, that has remained closed to foreigners since last year and where the vaccination programme has been slow to proceed. It is already struggling with a 4th wave of infections across the country. The question to totally cancel the games has been talked about since its postponement back in 2020. After s uch huge investment from partners, sponsors, hotel expansions, etc, the question is how and who will reimbursement all those companies. As the mo nths go by, it appears that this ‘health crisis’ is a never ending story with many nations having dug themselve s into such a huge hole, they have no way to climb out. The forthcoming boomerang facing economies and societies is just around the corner and time will tell for how long the ‘crisis’ will go on for.
FITUR 2021 SPAIN'S TOURISM MINISTER: 'WE'RE READY TO WELCOME BACK TOURISTS' Spain's tourism minister Reyes Maroto has said that Spain is ready to welcome back tourists and host large-scale face-to-face events. At the opening of FITUR for a face-to-face event that saw over 50,000 attend the 3 day trade fair, by far the biggest public gathering to take place in Spain since the pandemic, and the biggest test of the country's ability to hold large face-to-face events safely. "The decision to run this event is not just about tourism," she said. "It's that we can now begin to be here. The idea is to show that Spain is a tourist destination with all the safety measures needed for an expo like this where there is no problem to hold face to face event like this." There are more than 5,000 delegates at the event plus exhibitors from more than 60 countries – although this is a huge reduction from last year's event which saw 165 nations represented. With reduced capacity, all attendees also have to pass an antigen COVID-19 test 24 hours before they arrive. Over the past year, Spain's tourism industry saw 70 million less international tourists plus 92 million less trips from Spanish citizens, resulting in losses exceeding UK£86.22 million compared to 2019. As vaccination programmes move faster forward around the globe, many tourism-dependent economies are keen to attract visitors and now is the time. We have to learn to live with Covid-19.
HONDURAS PRESENT AT FITUR A Honduran delegation attended the recent edition of FITUR recently, headed by the Minister of Tourism. The presentation aimed to maintain, strengthen and expand the air connectivity that Honduras has with Spain. In addition the aim was to keep Honduras in the minds of European wholesale tour operators that have always been interested in the country.
REGENERATING THE ADVENTURE INDUSTRY AT THE HYBRID PATA ADVENTURE TRAVEL CONFERENCE AND MART 2021 The Hybrid PATA Adventure Travel Conference and Mart 2021 took place recently through both on-ground, in Clark, Philippines, and online formats. The two-day niche event attracted 582 delegates from 53 destinations in attendance including international delegates comprising 56% of the total. With both travel mart and conference elements, the B2B trade mart welcomed 67 seller organisations from 13 destinations and 65 buyer organisations from 28 source markets. The event, which was organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) in partnership with Platinum Sponsor, the Philippine Department of Tourism, brought together international experts at the forefront of the adventure travel industry to explore the nuances, trends and dynamics of one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors.
Over the two days, delegates heard from a diverse line-up of speakers under the theme ‘Re-Generation for the Adventure Industry’. The innovators and pioneers, who are shaping the emerging landscape of the adventure travel industry, examined various topics that covered ‘The Re-Generation Opportunity", "Delivering what the next generation of adventure travellers want", "Recalibrating Tourism’s Standards", "Can local cuisine drive travel recovery?", "Ensuring a more equal recovery", "The future of online experiences", "Putting our communities first", and "Resiliency is the new sustainability".
The conference was opened by Soon Hwa Wong, Chair of PATA, and Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat of the Philippines Department of Tourism. “In a span of a few months, the pandemic radically transformed the operating landscape of the global MICE industry. Despite the challenges, we are thankful for the opportunity to partner with PATA in organizing this travel mart and conference in a hybrid format as we continue to pursue a safe reopening of the Philippines’ tourism destinations. We acknowledge the commitment and continual support of PATA for the industry’s fast and effective recovery through the various technical assistance, information sharing and capacity development activities they have rolled out,” commented the Minister. Other confirmed speakers for the event included Benito C. Bengzon, Jr., Undersecretary, Philippine Department of Tourism; Carmen Roberts, The Travel Show Presenter, BBC World News; Natasha Martin, Adventure Tourism Expert; Dan Sandoval, Co-Founder, Perspective China; Deeya Bajaj, Director of Operations and Business Development, Snow Leopard Adventures; Jessica Yew, Co-founder & Director, Sticky Rice Travel; Bob Zozobrado, Chairman, PATA Philippines Chapter; Erik Wolf, Founder & Executive Director, The World Food Travel Association; Leila Calnan, Sustainable Tourism Expert, Chemonics International; Sarah Mathews, Group Head of Destination Marketing APAC, Tripadvisor; Jeremy Sampson, CEO, The Travel Foundation; Graham Harper, Special Advisor for Sustainability & Social Responsibility, PATA; Ann Dumaliang, Managing Trustee, Masungi Georeserve Foundation; Andreas Hofmann, Project Manager, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ); Dr. Trevor Girard, Director of Standards & Accreditation, Hotel Resilient; Jessie F. McComb, Tourism Specialist, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Dr. Mario Hardy, former CEO, PATA and Liz Ortiguera, CEO, PATA. “I would like to sincerely thank all our delegates and speakers for joining us to discuss, analyse and share their various ideas in planning, building and promoting a responsible travel and tourism industry, particularly as we look toward the restart of travel post COVID-19,” said Dr. Hardy. “As the last official PATA event for me as the CEO, I would also like to thank the Philippines Department or Tourism for the valuable support not only for this event but during my entire time in office. I would also like to thank our various sponsors, partners, PATA members and staff who all worked hard to organise this highly successful event. It has truly been an honour to be able to work with you all.”
BUSINESS EVENTS PERTH SECURES AUSTRALIA’S LEADING BIOTECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA IN 2022 Business Events Perth has secured Australia’s largest life sciences conference, AusBiotech, to come to Western Australia in 2022. Business Events Perth chief executive Gareth Martin said AusBiotech 2022 is expected to attract over 1000 delegates to Perth, as well as bring new commercial opportunities to Western Australia’s thriving biotechnology industry. “Western Australia’s life science industry is one of the fastest growing in Australia, with the total economic contribution estimated to be UK£ 16.22 billion last year,” Mr Martin said. “The AusBiotech conference and Australia’s leading life sciences investment event will be held in our thriving state is an important opportunity to showcase Western Australia’s significant expertise in the biotech and life sciences sector, not only to the rest of Australia, but also to the world.”
AusBiotech will be held in Perth in October 2022 and is expected to attract researchers, developers, start-ups, investors, innovators, universities, and corporates from all over Australia and around the world. Running in conjunction with the conference is the leading Australia Biotech Invest & Partnering event, which will provide opportunities for local companies and professional service providers to connect with key stakeholders and investors. There are currently around 40 biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and more than 50 medtech and digital health companies based in Western Australia, along with 22 research institutions and almost 65 services and support organisations. “Business events, like conferences, act as a front door for trade and investment, and AusBiotech creates a platform for current and future biotech leaders to pitch their new products to potential investors, creating new opportunities and collaborations, sup porting local jobs.”
Lorraine Chiroiu, CEO, AusBiotech said, “AusBiotech is thrilled to be partnering with Business Events Perth and the WA Government to bring two of Australia’s premier life science events to Perth in 2022, for the first time in more than 15 years. The mature sector continues to flourish and deliver social and economic benefits to the country, and these platforms offer critical opportunities for industry to engage with each other and with potential investors and partners. “Business Events Perth is focusing on securing tradeshows and events aligned to defined State strategic priorities, demonstrating sector capabilities that drive innovation, foster trade, productivity, global competitiveness, and job diversification in Western Australia. “The annual AusBiotech conference is an exciting opportunity for our medical and life sciences community to showcase its competitive advantages, build networks and secure new partnerships,” Science Minister Roger Cook said. “This conference will bring together national and international biotech leaders and stakeholders, attracting speakers from around the globe and showcasing more than 100 companies.” Tourism Minister David Templeman said he couldn’t wait to welcome international delegations back to Perth and show what the city, and our local life sciences sectors have to offer to the world. “With a rapidly growing life sciences industry, there has never been a better time for WA to host AusBiotech conference in 2022,” Minister Templeman said. Business Events Perth partnered with the Western Australian Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the City of Perth to secure the event.
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