MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine vol. 25, issue 2, February 2022
Double Birthday Celebrations for ROYAL MONARCH OLYMPIC DREAMS Set for Gold in China CIVIL AVIATION Full Recovery No Sooner Than 2024 THE GREEKS in London Theatre: SIX GLOBAL TOURISM is Below Pre-‘Health Crisis’ Levels
online since 1997
MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine Volume 25, Issue 2, February 2022 edition – Online since 1997
Contents 5 Message from the Editor 7-8 Double Birthday Celebrations for ROYAL MONARCH 11 Smooth Organisation and Digital Experiences at the of 40th ATF 12 MOSCOW RUSSIA to Host the II Global Forum on Tourism and Economic Development
7-8 Royal Monarch
14 1st Live Mice Industry Event of 2022 in EUROPE Budapest, Hungary 13 VISIT FLORIDA Announces Official TRAVEL FAIR for 2023 15 ITB Berlin 2022 CANCELLED 16 OLYMPIC DREAMS set for Gold in CHINA 17 CONVENTA Moving To Summer in Hybrid Format Once Again 20-22 THE GREEKS in London
16 Olympic Dreams Villages
26 CIVIL AVIATION Full Recovery no Sooner than 2024 26 UK HYDROGEN Start-up EAG Creates Own Fuel-Cell Spinoff 27 European Shares Rise With TRAVEL SECTOR OPTIMISTIC 29 ‘GHOST’ FLIGHTS Fill The Sky 31-32 Theatre: SIX 36 GLOBAL TOURISM is Below Pre-‘Health Crisis’ Levels 38 Painter ALEKOS FASIANOS Passed Away 39 ECUADOR Seeks Half as Many Tourists as Before the Health Crisis
20-22 The Greeks in London
40 GREEK TOURISM Challenges for 2022
Message from
Caroline-Artemis Welcome to the February edition!! We have all got through the first month of the year and life seems to be edging towards a more positive post pandemic era! That is not to say ‘prepandemic’! London is still quiet despite the end of all restrictions and face coverings a personal choice. Like many cities, the true effect of the lockdowns and the shift from life as a global norm to a more local way of survival is clear to see. It will take time for us to all find our feet again and adapt to a new era of social life. Many of London’s top streets, like Regent’s Street and Bond Street have many shops closed for good and offices for let, which is sad to see, but equally, there are new and different shops opening in their place. It’s still early days and London is not the only city seeing the changes.
The global recovery depends and relies on all nations re-opening borders and ending restrictions so the wheels of all industries can turn properly again. As these small steps to a big recovery get underway, it has been fantastic to enjoy London and its stunning architecture without huge crowds. It has also been good to see many theatres packed with people and restaurants getting busier. As the saying goes… ‘A journey of 1,000 miles begins with 1 step’ Enjoy this edition!
Caroline-Artemis Laspas co-founder & editor
DOUBLE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR ROYAL MONARCH by Caroline-Artemis Laspas
This June, the United Kingdom’s Monarch, HM Queen Elizabeth II not only celebrates Platinum Jubliee, but also her ‘official’ birthday. The Queen was born on 21st April 1926 in Mayfair, London. However, her official birthday is celebrated on the 2nd Saturday of June with a traditional parade called the ‘Trooping the Colour’. It sees all the Queen’s horses and military regiments march before her in her honour. This is followed by a low-flying ariel display by the RAF (Royal Air Force) over Buckingham Palace, with HM on the balcony with other members of her family.
So, why does The Queen have two birthdays? This tradition, like so many in British traditions dates back a long way. It was during the reign of King George II in 1748, where the King’s actual birthday fell during late autumn, when the weather was not ideal for parades or big public celebrations. He decided to wait for the public celebration of his birthday to be in the Summer when the weather was better. It was therefore decided to coincide it with the Trooping the Colour parade, which had been mainly a military affair before that. It is a spectacular parade full of pomp and ceremony with over 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians involved. The Trooping the Colour parade has marked the official birthday of the British monarch for over 260 years. The Queen’s father, King George VI used to mark his official birthday on the 2nd Thursday of June and HM The Queen did the same until it was changed in 1959. HM The Queen’s actual birthday is marked across London with a 41-gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21-gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London. Lots of members of the public waving flags and wearing Union Jacks normally fill the Mall outside Buckingham Palace to watch the Trooping the Colour parade. On the day, a big parade starts at the Queen's official residence - Buckingham Palace before moving along the Mall to Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall, near to Downing Street, and then back again. Then it's traditional for the royal family to travel down the Mall as part of the ceremony, and gather on Buckingham Palace's balcony to greet well-wishers and watch the flypast by the RAF.
www.bmlinternational.co.uk
M.I.C.E & Events News Meetings, Incentives, Conferences , Exhibitions, Venues & Events
SMOOTH ORGANISATION AND DIGITAL EXPERIENCES AT THE OF 40TH ASEAN TOURISM FORUM (ATF) HELD IN SIHANOUKVILLE, CAMBODIA ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2022, the annual event which involves all tourism industry sectors of 10 member nations of ASEAN: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam was attended by over 600 excellencies, ministers and tourism leaders of ASEAN Member States, leaders of the World Tourism Organisation and ASEAN Tourism Association, and international guests. Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia graced the opening ceremony and presided at the ribbon cutting of ATF 2022, which took place from 16-20 January 2022. The event highlighted that Cambodia is poised to recover its tourism sector amidst the long-drawn pandemic.
As one of the first in-person tourism events in Asia, and in line with the current trend of complementing physi cal events with a digital experience, National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) who were unable to have a physical presence at ATF 2022 were provided with the opportunity to present to both local and international members of the media. In their destination upd ates, ASEAN shared their plans to revitalise their tourism sectors through the safe re-opening of their countries, and a myriad of promotional activities. The Organisers have also provided delegates with a digital platform to organise additional business appointments with industry colleagues who are not able be physically present at TRAVEX, the annual ASEAN leisure travel trade fair showcasing the latest Southeast Asia travel experiences.
WTM LATIN AMERICA CONFIRMS ITS FACE-TO-FACE EDITION IN BRAZIL WTM Latin America 2022 will take place face to face from 5-7 April 2022, at the Expo Center Norte in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The event will bring together 500 exhibitors and some 8,000 unique visitors who will come from more than 40 countries. WTM Latin America is the 3rd major post-pandemic face-to-face event in RX Global's portfolio of travel and tourism events in the world and will take place after the Dubai and London editions are held. Under the theme ‘The Magic is Back’, the 2022 edition of WTM Latin America will mark what signal the reopening of the calendar of events for tourism in Brazil.
Paris regularly plays host to major international sporting fixtures, including Euro 2016, the World Handball Championships and the French Ice Hockey Cup, the Ryder Cup, the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the NBA Paris Game and the Rugby World Cup 2023. This outstanding track record comes to a head in 2024 when the capital welcomes the world’s greatest sporting event: the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Besides its economic impact and international appeal, this leading event will provide a major boost to actors in the Paris region and to business tourism, while shedding light on the city’s hospitality sector and its commitment to more sustainable tourism. This is why Paris City Council and the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, supported by Paris 2024, are launching ‘bienVenue 2024’, an innovative platform for businesses, committees, federations, official sponsors, media outlets and other international actors.
Paris bienVenue 2024 AN INNOVATIVE PLATFORM FOR PROFESSIONALS
The free-to-access ‘bienVenue 2024’ platform will make it easier for professionals to interact and connect with outstanding venues. Theatres, museums, foundations, outdoor spaces, sporting venues and leading hotels and restaurants will offer visitors a unique experience and the opportunity to discover the capital’s extraordinary heritage during the Games. Selected Paris City Council venues will also be available for hire for the first time, exclusively on ‘bienVenue 2024’.
MOSCOW, RUSSIA TO HOST THE II GLOBAL FORUM ON TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Russian capital will see experts from around the world attend face-to-face sessions, round tables and panel discussions to look at recovery strategies for the tourism industry. In addition, the development of regional travel trends, the role of tourism in the economy, digitisation and innovation in tourism will also be addressed. With growing trends in gastronomic and sustainable tourism to be a part of the forum, an online broadcast will also be available for those unable to travel to Moscow.
Moscow, Russia
The Russian capital is a global metropolis that successfully competes with other world capitals, a recognised business, financial, cultural and intellectual centre, ideal for holding business events. Participants in the forum will have excellent networking opportunities. Moscow currently offers more than 30 specialised conv ention and exhibition centres and more than 150 modern conference rooms. It is one of the 40 best destinations in Europe for holding congresses in the ranking of the ICCA.
MESSE MÜNCHEN ACQUIRES
ASIA CLIMATE FORUM AND CONFIRMS IN-PERSON EVENT FOR 2022 Messe München’s subsidiary for Southeast Asia – MMI Asia Pte. Ltd. has acquired ownership and operation of the Asia Climate Forum (ACF) starting with the 2022 edition taking place alongside the CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESG) from 18-20 April at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, Singapore. Asia Climate Forum is Southeast Asia’s leading platform for weather forecasting, meteorological and hydrometeorological equipment, flood prevention and mitigation, and air quality control and management. Through 3 distinct exhibitions, InterMET, InterFLOOD and InterAIR, Asia Climate Forum has provided a focal point for the industry in Asia since the first edition in 2014. Asia Climate Forum will add to Messe München’s portfolio of events in the environmental sector globally, including IFAT, the world’s leading Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Waste and Raw Materials Management and the IE Expo series in China. The 2022 edition co-located with the CESG will also run concurrently with the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW). MMI will provide also have a dedicated online platform for overseas attendees and exhibitors looking to attend the ACF exhibition, with guidance on entry requirements to Singapore.
BIT MILAN 2022 BRINGS THE WORLD TO MILAN-ITALY IN 3 DAYS BIT Milan will offer business opportunities across 3 areas of the exhibition, Leisure, BeTech and MICE Village, where the operators will meet the main buyers from all over the world. BIT Milan – The International Tourism Exchange, will take place in person at Fiera Milano City, from 13-15 February 2022. In addition, during these still uncertain times, anticipating trends and translating them into commercial terms can be found in the extensive conference programme on offer. BIT Milan 2022 will host high profile buyers from Europe (41%), Russia and CIS countries (20%) and North America (15%). From Central and South America, the Middle East and Africa to Milan, representing all major categories, BIT Milan will offer a tour of the world in just 3 days!
VISIT FLORIDA ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL
TRAVEL FAIR FOR 2023 Visit Florida is to host the ‘Florida Huddle 2023’ from 2-4 February 2023, at The Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Promoted as the Official Travel Fair of the Sunshine State, it will showcase the best of Florida to national and international tour operators, wholesalers and the media, with one-on-one appointments, educational sessions and networking.
POSTPONED
DESTINATION MONTAGNES - GRAND SKI 2022 In order to bring together French professionals and international tour operators under the best possible conditions, Atout France and its partners on the Destination Montagnes - Grand Ski steering committee have decided to postpone the Destination Montagnes - Grand Ski trade show. Destination Montagnes - Grand Ski 2022 was initially planned for 25-26 January. The delay will allow maximum economic benefits of the event, by bringing the attendance of international tour operators; particularly those from the UK, who represent the biggest foreign clientele for skiing in France. Destination Montagnes - Grand Ski 2022 will therefore be held on 1-2 March 2022 in The Rencontres de Destination Montagnes Grand Ski, a day-long conference in advance of the show, will be rescheduled at a later date.
1ST LIVE MICE INDUSTRY EVENT OF 2022 IN EUROPE Budapest, Hungary 27 Feb.-1 March 2022
Following the long-awaited comeback announced at the outstanding MCE South Europe 2021 event in the Algarve in October 2021, Europe Congress is hugely excited to organise MCE Central and Eastern Europe 2022, the 1st international MICE business forum of the year!
Host city of this fantastic workshop will be Budapest, where the event was previously held in 2013. Budapest is famous for its magnificent architecture, and breath-taking views, but also for being easily accessible. Being perfectly situated in the heart of Europe, with plentiful airport connections and proximity to many European capital cities, one can hardly imagine a better meeting point for such a great industry event. This boutique event, taking place at the beautifully renovated Radisson Blu Beke, will welcome around 130 participants, half of which are international event planners. These participating hosted buyers have been screened and selected based on their interest in organizing a large number of events within the Central and Eastern European region. The suppliers form the other half of the participants. They represent Central & Eastern European hotels, chains, DMC's, congress centres, and convention bureaus, all very keen to use the synergy provided from the event to find new business. The prescheduled B2B meetings represent the heart of the event and provide the perfect environment for conclusive business matchmaking. The B2B meetings are accomplished by a surplus of networking opportunities - coffee breaks, luncheons, and evening programmes, including dinners at fabulous venues. The amazing Museum of Fine Arts, where culture and gastronomy will intertwine, and the greenest restaurant of Budapest, the cosy urban jungle, and feel-good hub, Twenty-six proudly host both dinner evenings. Europe Congress is eager to deliver what they are best at - excellent MICE workshops. Once again, buyers and suppliers are meeting in a way that is proven to be most efficient and satisfying pre-scheduled B2B meetings according to a match-made agenda all participants will receive prior the event. Experienced and passionate leaders in the industry – Special Effects and Dynamic Tours DMC, both of which Europe Congress is proud to call partners of the event, are sharing the excitement. Special Effects, which have been active in the global events industry for nearly 40 years, will be providing safe, exciting, and sustainable audio-visual solutions to the event. In cooperation with Europe Congress and the Budapest Convention Bureau, Dynamic Tours DMC is providing two exquisite tours, open for all participants – Highlights of Budapest and Culinary Budapest Tour. Highlights of Budapest tour includes visiting the magical Széchenyi Thermal Bath, Opera House, and Castle District. Accompanied by welcome drinks, a surprise performance, and folklore dances, this tour promises to deliver the best of Budapest. A majestic Danube River cruise with Hungarian delicacies accompanied by live Jazz, wine tasting, Michelin star street food, strudel time and much more are featured in the Culinary Budapest Tour.
MALAYSIA TO HOST COLOPROCTOLOGY AND STOMA CARE CONFERENCE IN 2025 Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is to help the Malaysian Society of Colorectal Surgeons (MSCRS) host the 20th Congress of Asia Pacific Federation of Coloproctology & 14th Asian Society of Stoma Rehabilitation Congress in March 2025. This win significantly shows Malaysia’s drive to successfully secure bids, further escalating Malaysia’s position as a top business events hub in Asia, particularly in the field of medical and health congresses. MyCEB truly hopes that the congress will be able to create a focal point that attracts all the major stakeholders, promote the advancement of medical science, and create a lasting legacy for the medical community. Looking ahead, Malaysia will continue to maintain its momentum in charting new direction and capturing the demand of the business event industry.
25th BMT SET TO RELAUNCH
ITALIAN TOURISM Since its humble beginnings in 1997, the BMT 2022 celebrates the big milestone of 25 editions! Historically held in March, the 2021 edition of the fair took place in a limited form on June. Year after year, BMT has brought thousands of tour operators from all over the world to Naples, contributing to the promotion of the Italian regions, in particular Campania, tracing the routes of tourism and outlining what will be the theme of the celebration of the 25th edition, the re-launch of incoming tourism. Taking place from 18-20 March 2022, the successful talk show trailed in 2021 on the new frontiers of tourism and territorial marketing will return to become an integral part of the programme: a convention in which exhibitors get a 15-minute spotlight to tell the own news and communication strategies. Another major issue that will be addressed at BMT is that of the various needs of the brokerage market and the new dimensions of hospitality spaces.
Asia Amusement & Attraction Expo - AAA 2022 10-12 May 2022 Guangdong, China China’s amusement & tourism trade show will again take place at China Import & Export Fair Complex in Guangdong! Overcoming all obstacles from the pandemic, the 2022 event promises to bring together attractions, amusement parks, water parks, play centres, etc.
ITB Berlin 2022 CANCELLED The in-person edition of ITB Berlin 2022 will not take place as originally planned due to the ongoing coronavirus situation. The tightened travel restrictions and limits imposed on the numbers that can take part in large events has led to Messe Berlin to take this step. The live streamed convention and Digital Business Day as well as the new regional travel events during the year, will still offer the industry a wide range of fascinating content and new business opportunities in 2022. In March 2023 ITB Berlin will be back again with an in-person event. ITB Berlin 2023 will open on 8 March and in accordance with the wishes of all market players will take place on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds.
OLYMPIC DREAMS SET FOR GOLD IN CHINA This month sees the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games take place in China. The capital of the People’s Republic of China is officially the 1st city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. As athletes from around the world gather to achieve human greatness in their fields, the People’s Republic of China hosts the world for a spectacular feast of stunning settings for the games. Against the backdrop of the health crisis, China has brought the winter athletic teams to China to prove that against the health crisis and political instability that united we are stronger together than apart. The Beijing Olympic 2022 emblem combines traditional and modern elements of Chinese culture, as well as features the passion and vitality of winter sports. Inspired by 冬, the Chinese character for ‘winter’, the emblem resembles a skater at the top and a skier at the bottom. The flowing ribbon-like motif between them symbolises the host country’s rolling mountains, Olympic venues, ski pistes and skating rinks. It also points to the fact that the Games will coincide with the Chinese New Year. The use of blue in the emblem represents dreams, the future and the purity of ice and snow, while red and yellow – the colours of China’s national flag – symbolise passion, youth and vitality.
The slogan ‘Together for a Shared Future’ is the official motto of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. The motto represents the power of the Games to overcome global challenges as a community, with a shared future for hum ankind. The words reflect the necessity for the world to work together towards a better tomorrow, especially given the difficulties f aced throughout the ‘’health crisis’’. ‘Together for a Shared Future’ demonstrates unity and a collective effort, symbolising the core values and vision of the Olympic Movement, and the goal of pursuing world unity, peace and progress. It was selected from 79 motto proposals from Chinese universities. This Olympics sees 2 new and unlikely nations take to the winter games stage for the 1st time; the Caribbean island nation of Haiti and the desert kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Haiti’s Richardson Viano competes in the men’s giant slalom event, while Saudi Arabia’s Fayik Abdi will become Saudi Arabia’s first Winter Olympian when he competes in the Alpine skiing. Saudi Arabia will also be the 1st Gulf nation to ever appear at a Winter Olympics.
Conventa Moving To Summer In Hybrid Format Once Again Hybrid Conventa will once more take place in the summer, from 24 - 25 August 2022
Since the start of the pandemic, Conventa has followed a detailed protocol for responsible event realisation that enables the project to comply with ever-changing epidemiological circumstances. In line with the protocol, the organisers of Conventa had set 10 January 2022 as the date for deciding whether or not to carry out the event. However, given the unfavourable epidemiological situation, they have concluded that organising the event in the winter term will be impossible. Thus, the event will take place in conjunction with the Conventa Crossover conference for the second year in a row. CONVENTA WEEK will take place from 24 to 27 August in live or hybrid form, depending on coronavirus restrictions. One of the organisers’ promises is to execute the event safely. With their agility and flexibility, they succeeded both in 2020 and 2021. Conventa is among the handful of business events in the meetings industry that has not been halted by the corona crisis . Gorazd Čad, the co-founder of Conventa, emphasised: “Conventa is entirely adapted to the hybrid future. We could have executed the event digitally in the original term. However, after discussing with partners, exhibitors and hosted buyers, the message was clear. Everyone wants a live event, where they can experience genuine human contact, and we will enable them to do so in August.” Among the organisers’ key responsibilities is complying with necessary safety restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hence, the organisers acquired the Safe and Healthy Meetings & Events certificate, which evolved in 2021 based on prior experiences. The updated roadmap includes numerous restrictions, including attendee testing, hygienic measures and upholding the Conventabubble. The organisers are planning several additional activities that will take place in an online or hybrid version alongside the m ain event. January already brings a new series of Conventa Trend Bars. Further information is available at: https://conventa.si/conventatrend-bar/. In February, the gala ceremony of the MEETINGS STAR awards is set to take place. The best destinations, congress hotels, conference centres and influencers will be announced on Tuesday, 22 February 2022, at 17.00. “Once a year, we have the opportunity to meet in person in Ljubljana at the festival of the regional congress industry. We will do everything in our power to keep it that way regardless of the impediments. Above all, we desire to meet in person, as persona l contact is priceless,” explained Miha Kovačič, co-founder of Conventa.
Meet the Bidder is taking place on 16th March 2022 in Warsaw, Poland. It gives the opportunity mainly for DMC, hotels, convention bureaus from all over the world to develop relations on the Polish travel market. WHY POLAND? 1. The Polish economy is definitely recovering from the pandemic downturn. In 2021 the Polish GDP was around 5.7% in real terms. 2. Polish travel market in 2020 Polish residents made a total of 53 million tourist trips (one person could have made several trips). The number of outbound trips of Polish residents amounted to 6.6 million, and most of these trips (5.5 million) were trips of 5 days or longer. /Statistics Poland GUS/. 3. Refreshed Polish outgoing MICE and Luxury market Polish travel sector is recovering after the pandemic brake down. It is noticeable that many agencies are hiring staff. Travel managers are professionals with creative minds, aiming to satisfy the needs of the most demanding corporate clients and VIP looking for incentives, for luxury travel destinations and new attraction in offers. They are good partners eager to look for valuable suppliers all over the world. Travel industry connections enable us to provide you with the best insight into the Polish MICE market. Meet the Bidder is basing on the Buyer’s choice to have fruitful B2B meetings giving real business opportunity for Exhibitors. Meet The Bidder events constitute a one-day forum as effective as a week-long sales call trip!
16th March 2022 Warsaw, Poland
For more details visit:
https://www.meetthebidder.com/files/2022-03_Meet_the_Bidder_SPRING_Edition_AN.pdf If you have never been to Warsaw – come and see the Capitol of Poland! If you have been before – look at changes!
THE GREEKS IN LONDON by Dimitri Laspas
London’s Science Museum is hosting a special exhibition entitled
‘Ancient Greeks: Science & Wisdom’. It is undeniable that the ancient Greeks gave us an in-depth understanding of so many subjects from astronomy, philosophy, mathematics, theatre, music and medicine, etc, the list is indeed considerable. This special exhibition focuses on key areas of ancient Greek Science and the wisdom behind them: Intellectual Inspiration, Perilous Seas, Animal Worlds, The Mathematical Body, Harmonious Music and Starry Cosmos. What adds to any dedicated exhibition is the unique artefacts on display. They are glimpses into history and expand our understanding of life at the time. One truly amazing piece and my favourite, is the first you see; a Gold Headdr ess featuring the face of Athena, Goddess of wisdom, which dates back to approx. 240-100BC. The workmanship in this is astounding. Any notion that the ancient Greeks were not an advanced civilisation is totally ridiculous, but as we know there are thousands of other known artefacts that take your breath away for their intricacy, design and skill and workmanship. As the world’s greatest sea farers, the Greeks travelled far and wide on ships they designed and built which is still the basis of shipbuilding today. They traded with other regions and spread their knowledge of our world and culture. Of course not every ship reached its destination and there are countless shipwrecks on the seabed across the Mediterranean.
One of the most famous finds is off the coast of the Island of Antikythera in the Aegean Sea, where hundreds of treasures wer e found, including the world’s oldest known geared mechanism, The Antikythera Mechanism . Also found was the statue on display at the exhibition of Hermes, protector of merchants and travellers. This dates back to 100–50 BC. Still clearly visible as the human form, only the head has been protected by sediment while the rest of the statue has been eroded by the sea.
In the Animal World section, beautiful plates dating back to 370–300 BCE are decorated with detailed marine life. Aristotle spent time observing animals as he was curious to know how they survived, reproduced and died. He then categorised them based on their physical characteristics and habitats. The Greeks were fascinated by the human form and their aim in life was to achieve its perfection. This is shown time and again in their statues. They believed that everything in the universe was based on maths, and this was also in terms of the perfect human body and its proportions. Based on a ratio calculated from the dimensions of the smallest joint of the little finger; multiplying the length of the finger would give the length of the hands, which was then multiplied to provide the length of the forearms, and so on all over the body.
On display is the perfectly formed sculpture of an athlete preparing for a competition dating about 125–175 CE.
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Greeks have always loved music. Their basis for creating musical instruments is still used today. In the Harmonious Music section is a rare and beautifully preserved pair of wind pipes called Aulos, dating from 332–395CE. Music is based on maths and these pipes demonstrate how maths dictates how the instrument creates different pitched sounds when played.
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The sky at night and beyond was also a science that fascinated the Greeks. They were experts in mapping the stars, the movement of the sun and moon and were able to predict astronomical events. In this section of the exhibition on display is a Byzantine sundial-calendar dated 400–600 CE.
It is the 2nd oldest known geared mechanical calendar in the world; the first being the famous Antikythera Mechanism previously mentioned. This artefact shows the fine precision on craftsmanship at the time, let alone the science behind reading the stars millennia ago. Also on display is a silver celestial globe from 200– 100 BCE. There are only 3 left in the world. It clearly shows all 48 known constellations at the time that are shown by mythical figures, to make it easier to remember the relative position in the sky. Clearly visible are the 3 parallel circles representing the Equator and the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The Greek thrived in the pursuit of knowledge. They questioned the world around them and investigated and debated life. These values are still at the core of humanity, just as they were for the ancient Greeks. So, if you are in London, take time to see this fascinating exhibition with stunning artefacts that definitely make you think about the world around us.
This year sees MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine celebrate its silver anniversary - 25 years in publication. We began with just 25 paper copies sent out to clients by post informing them of events and news from around the World. As technology advanced, so did we and soon we became an online publication in 1997. We have expanded and adapted over time and today we are one of the more unusual e-magazines serving the ever changing world of travel, tourism & MICE and all the sectors within. Always offering you a new perspective or an interesting feature, you can be sure we will be here for many more years to come. Thank you to all our readers for their continued support over the years. THE MICE & TOURISM around the World e-Magazine Team
All Travel Transports News
CIVIL AVIATION FULL RECOVERY NO SOONER THAN 2024 IATA forecast passenger growth will continue to be slower than expected with a better recovery of civil aviation in 2024, a year later than previously predicted. Short haul will be the fastest to grow, but not until late 2022 and into 2023. Coronavirus containment is clearly impossible and it is now a case of living with it and coping with outbreaks. As more of the world gets vaccinated, the picture will improve, but it makes recovery slow. Around 40% of global air travel markets are still limiting travel. Added to this, corporate travel has been reduced drastically for many companies as they re-assess their business and adapt with more videoconferencing options. In general there is still weak consumer confidence with the risk of quarantine if the virus is caught, job security issues and sudden reinstated travel restrictions. With such uncertainty, many see little point in leisure travel abroad as the health safety conditions still require masks during flights, testing, offering stress not relazation! Overall, passenger numbers for 2021 are expected to rise 62% but that is 30% down on 2019 figures. It is therefore not surprising that domestic markets are surging as people play it safe
or very short haul.
UK HYDROGEN STARTUP EAG CREATES OWN FUEL-CELL SPINOFF The Hydrogen Hybrid Electric Propulsion Systems startup business set up in December 2021, in partnership with the University of Nottingham, called Electric Aviation Group continues with building technologies for its planned zero-emissions 90-seat hydrogen hybrid-electric regional airliner, the H2ERA. Electric Aviation Group has now set up a spin-off; the development of megawatt-class hydrogen fuel cell systems. Called Smart Megawatt Stack Fuel Cell Systems (SMS), they were created due to the need for such power in order to develop the H2ERA. Rather than wait for the technology to be available, they created it location in the UK. Although the MW-sized fuel cell stacks envisaged by the company’s initial focus is on aviation.
themselves!SMS is now looking for a production SMS will be suitable for a range of transport applications,
PILOTLESS PLANES In the 1950’s a plane’s cockpit would see 5 people: 2 pilots, a radio operator, a navigator and a flight engineer. As time and technologies have advanced, today cockpits only have 2 people in them; the pilot and co-pilot. As technology advances further the cockpit could soon only have one person – the pilot! Indeed, this has been the case for many years on smaller planes or military aircraft. This has all been possible due to automated systems like computers. In addition, other operations are now carried out on the ground via remote assistance. As this becomes more normal, the pilot would have a co-pilot or a ‘super-dispatcher’ located on the ground. They would be able to take safe control of the plane if anything happened to the pilot.
KENYA UPWARDLY MOBILE Embraer, in a joint project with Kenya Airways is to build a new UAM system in in Kenya. This is another step forward in Africa’s fast developing field of next-generation aviation. With limited good surface infrastructure, the use drones and unmanned vehicles are ideal for use across many parts of the continent and now several new projects are looking at not just transporting packages but people too. Kenya Airways has also teamed up with UK based Skyports to launch a drone delivery service in the country.
SKY EXPRESS AND CONDOR AIRLINES CO-OPERATION
The co-operation between Sky Express and Condor Airlines further provides the ability to book a single ticket on the network of both airlines. Condor, based in Frankfurt Airport, connects the 7 largest airports in Germany, Zurich in Switzerland, and soon Vienna in Austria with around 90 destinations in Europe, Africa and North America.
SKY Express operates in important European countries and 34 Greek destinations In addition, the agreements SKY express has with American Airlines, Air Serbia, Qatar Airways, Air France, KLM, Middle East Airlines and Cyprus Airways add to the offering for passengers.
BENIN NEW AIRPORT
The new international airport in Benin will be constructed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). It will consist of a passenger terminal for 1.6 million passengers annually, and a cargo terminal able to handle 12,000 tonnes of freigh t each year. In addition a new expressway will connect the airport to the Route des Pêches, a regional development project along the Atlantic coast in southern Benin, connecting Cotonou to Ouidah, with a corridor linking Togo to the Nigerian border.
KUWAIT RESUMES FLIGHTS WITH 9 AFRICAN COUNTRIES Kuwait is resuming commercial flights with 9 African countries after stopping flights due to the health crisis. The 9 countries are South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zambia, and Malawi. All preventive coronavirus measures must still be strictly observed. In addition, quarantine measures for vaccinated arrivals for Kuwait have been eased, meaning that fully vaccinated arrivals can avoid the 7-day quarantine if they have undergone a negative PCR test upon entering the country.
EUROPEAN SHARES RISE WITH TRAVEL SECTOR OPTIMISTIC European stocks have gained ground with travel and tourism showing a growing recovery. This was supported by news that Ryanair was optimistic about a recovery this year, as its shares rose by 4%. Despite the good news, with high inflation, investment remains low and with the energy crisis the markets remain unstable.
INDIA SUSPENDS INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TILL 28 FEBRUARY 2022 India has extended the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India until 28 February 2022. Bubble flights will not be affected.
FLIGHTS RESUME TO US AFTER 5G CONCERNS Flights to and from the United States have resumed after being suspended due to concerns about interference from 5G networks. The go ahead was for certain aircraft only including the Boeing 777 wide-body aircraft, which are used by many airlines. A permanent solution needs to be found for all flights so they can safely fly close to 5G frequencies.
‘GHOST’ FLIGHTS FILL THE SKY In order to maintain their time slots at many airports, some airlines have had to resort to making ‘ghost flights’ with no or just a few passengers on-board. Demand for travel is still limited, plus emissions used for empty planes are not eco-friendly! The need for airlines to use their time slots was suspended due to the lockdown in 2020 but many EU airports are still imposing the ‘use it or lose it’ rule with airlines being forced to use 50% of their slots at airports with that percentage to rise to 80% in the summer. Many airlines are still not flying at anywhere near full capacity and demand is still slow to pick up. Airlines have so far been required to make an extra 18,000 unnecessary flights in the winter, just to secure their take-off and landing rights. The aviation industry is responsible for 14% of total emissions from transport; the 2nd most environmentally harmful, after road transport.
AIRASIA RESUMES PHNOM PENH - KUALA LUMPUR FLIGHT AirAsia has re-launched its inaugural flight to Phnom Penh. The Cambodian city has always been a popular leisure destination for AirAsia prior to the health crisis. Following the announcement, remand was high for international leisure travel. Air Asia expects a strong rebound as international restrictions continue to ease. Fully vaccinated travellers from Malaysia who wish to travel to Cambodia must meet the requirements set by the Cambodian Government prior to purchasing their flights and upon arrival.
ROYAL JORDANIAN NEW ‘FLY HIGH’ CORPORATE TRAVEL PROGRAMME As part of its turnaround plan, Royal Jordanian has launched an innovative and dynamic corporate programme called ‘Fly High’. The programme targets different corporate sizes: large, medium and small enterprises, non-profitable organisations and family businesses, both in Jordan and abroad. Its offer is simple, efficient and budget-friendly aimed to fit different business travel requirements. Fly High has 2 programmes: Tiara, which is designed to offer fare discounts to companies that already have organised travel programmes and travel budgets, while also being able to keep their preferred travel management company, and Lionize, which offers benefits such as extra luggage, flexibility in changing the ticket booking date, more flexible ticket refund policy, and more. Furthermore, Corporate Card holders can use the lounges and business-class checkin counters around the world.
WI-FI ON-BOARD WITH AEGEAN AIRLINES Aegean Airlines now offers Wi-Fi on-board! Passengers can now be constantly connected to the internet when flying on one of the equipped AIRBUS neo aircraft. The wi-fi will be high speed for surfing, streaming, checking emails, staying in touch, and keeping track on the latest updates news. In addition, passengers will have access to the new entertainment platform to enjoy series, documentaries, children's programmes, music and games for everyone! Wi-Fi on-board is being installed across our neo fleet and soon more and more aircraft will be connected!
www.miceandtourismaroundtheworld.com
SIX… …THE QUEENS ARE IN TOWN! by AE Doddy
For a fab night out packed with ‘girl power’, dazzling sequinned Tudor frocks, and humour for extra measure, then this is a show not to be missed! SIX is a different kind of show successfully hitting the West End right now. Running straight through from start to finish with no interval, the musical is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of England’s King Henry VIII presented as a pop concert – what is there not to like! King Henry VIII was a character in himself, a very over the top charact er and extravagant in everything he did. He loved to eat and entertain. You probably last recall him during a primary school history lesson! Like most of us in English school, you would have been quite bored hearing about life in Tudor times …but this West End version of the story from the point of view of Henry’s 6 wives is far from boring! Most British school children learn the following rhyme to help them remember the fate of each wife:
“Divorced, Beheaded, Died: Divorced, Beheaded, Survived”
In order, Henry’s wives were Catherine of Aragon (divorced), Anne Boleyn (beheaded), Jane Seymour (died), Anne of Cleves (divorced), Catherine Howard (beheaded), Katherine Parr (survived!). King Henry VIII created the Church of England in order to make the law of divorce legal. That was the only way he could marry this 2nd wife Anne Boleyn, by divorcing Catherine of Aragon.
Life in Tudor England was hard and you had to be tough and lucky to survive, especially with ‘off with his head’ a s a common solution to a problem. Six offers a simple stage design and a fabulous 4 piece band on stage, which makes a refreshing change. So, for one night, sit back and enjoy the Tudor Queens turn into Pop Princesses!
Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom
TOURISM News
GLOBAL TOURISM IS BELOW PRE-‘HEALTH CRISIS’ LEVELS The date for recovery keeps getting put back as tourism is not predicted to recover until mid-2024 – mid-2025. Although there are bookings, consumer confidence is still not pushing bookings up rapidly which is resulting in this new prediction. Increased vaccination rates and the easing of travel restrictions have helped but not enough. The southern Mediterranean region in Europe, Central America and the Caribbean saw the largest increases in tourist arrivals in 2020, but remain at 54%, 56% and 37% respectively of the 2019 indicators. Meanwhile, the number of tourists in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region continued to decline in 2021, reaching 79% and 94% below pre-pandemic levels, respectively, as many tourist destinations remain closed to non-essentials travel.
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS DO NOT WORK The World Tourism Organization has welcomed the call by the World Health Organization-WHO for travel restrictions to be lifted or eased. Referring to the various global responses to the outbreak of Covid-19, the WHO has reiterated that travel restrictions are not effective in preventing international spread. In line with the UNWTO's repeated warning against the use of blanket restrictions, the 10th meeting of the WHO International Health Regulations Emergency Committee expressed concern that such measures could cause economic and social harm. The Committee noted that measures applied to international travellers, such as screening, isolation, quarantines and vaccinations, should be based on 'risk assessments and avoid placing the financial burden on international travellers. When it comes to stopping the spread of new variants of the virus, widespread travel restrictions are simply counterproductive.
NOBU HOSPITALITY OPEN FIRST HOTEL IN GREECE Nobu Hospitality, the global lifestyle brand founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro, and Meir Teper, is to open its 1st hotel in Greece this spring. The Nobu Hotel and Restaurant Santorini will be the 26th hotel around the world and 10th hotel in Europe, with properties in Rome, San Sebastián, and Hamburg in development. The boutique hotel offers a signature Nobu Restaurant, fullservice spa, fitness facility, dual-level infinity pool, and 5 luxurious pool villas, and offers panoramic views of both the Caldera and Aegean Sea from its unique cliff top location in Imerovigli.
FROM TURKEY TO TURKIYE, THE NEW OFFICIAL NAME
Turkish authorities have changed the spelling of its own name, becoming 'Turkiye'. The change is intended to 'represent and express the culture, civilization and values of the Turkish nation in the best way'. The country's tourism website had already adopted the reformulation.
LAOS EASES RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN TOURISM Laos is slowly reopening its borders to fully vaccinated international travellers. The country has been closed for 18 months due to the pandemic and left the economy in a bad way. The initial list of 17 nations eligible to visit Laos includes China, which in 2019 accounted for more than 20% of foreign visitors. This has now been extended to include 3 other ASEAN countries (Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines) and 9 more in Europe. The entry permit comes with a condition: eligible visitors must pre-book authorised group tours in Vientiane, Vang Vieng or Luang Prabang, where 70% of the local population has been vaccinated.
ITALY REQUESTS ESPRESSO TO BE ADDED TO UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LIST
Italy has requested for its ‘national’ drink of espresso to be included in UNESCO's list of ‘intangible cultural heritage’. Italian espresso is more than just a drink; it is integral to the national identity and an expression of its sociability that distinguishes us in the world. The history of the coffee culture in Italy: Espresso quickly became an integral part of Italian culture after its creation in Turin in the late 19th century. Drinking espresso creates a good occasion for a meeting, a conversation about politics or even football, for complaints or gossip or just an excuse to talk about anything. I t is drank across the entire nation. The Italian Espresso Institute aims to preserve and promote authentic espresso; a market worth over UK£3.35 billion euros a year, with more than 90% of Italians drinking one cup daily, usually served in a porcelain cup! The institute has strict regulations for creating the perfect espresso, that include the use of certified coffee blends, certified equipment and even licensed staff.
KAMPOT TOURISM INTERNATIONAL TOURISM PORT ALMOST COMPLETE Construction on the Cambodian Kampot International Tourism Port, in Teuk Chhou district about 6km west of Kampot town has reached 90% completion. It expects to be completed by the end of March 2022. The quay is part of a tourism infrastructure development project for sustainable growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) that would be an important international port that connects Kampot on the southern coast of Cambodia to the world. Kampot had always been lacking in the area of waterway passenger transport, but once the new quay is up and running, more tourists would consider the port as an entry point into the province, helping to boost a diverse range of attractive tourist destinations and wide choice of accommodation.
MOROCCO REOPENS BORDERS AND AIRSPACE Tangier, Morocco
Morocco has announced it is reopening its borders and resuming flights to and from the North African country after a closure of nearly two months.
PAINTER ALEKOS FASIANOS PASSED AWAY The Greek painter, Alekos Fasianos died last month, aged 87. He was born in Athens in 1935. He studied violin at the Athens Conservatory and painting at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1955-1960). Shortly after his first solo exhibition in Athens (1960), he went to Paris on a scholarship from the French government. There he attended lithography classes at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (1962-64). Eventually he settled more permanently in the French capital, where he lived for 35 years, maintaining a close and regular relationship with Greece. He presented his work in more than 70 solo exhibitions in Greece and in many European cities. He has participated repeatedly in group exhibitions and international events in Greece and other parts of the world. In 1999 he was awarded by the Academy of Athens and in 2010 he was honoured by the French government with the Legion d’Honneur (Officier des Lettres et des Arts) medal. The French state also recently awarded him the post of Commander of the Order of Letters and Arts (Commandeur de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres). Only 20 medals are awarded each year by France. Among them we will find international personalities in the arts, from Meryl Streep and David Bowie to Bob Dylan, Anis Kapoor, William Kentridge.
ALEKOS FASIANOS MUSEUM ... A LIGHTHOUSE OF CULTURE IN THE CENTER OF ATHENS A museum honouring the great painter Alekos Fasianos will open in the autumn of 2022 in the centre of Athens creating a wonderful cultural oasis for visitors. It will host works by the artist, from all his artistic periods, including paintings, lithographs, ceramics and tapestries as well as unique exhibitions and educational programmes.
CHINESE NEW YEAR – THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
A UNIQUE HOTEL WITH A UNIQUE VIEW!
To celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Tiger, a hotel in China is offering a suite with windows looking directly into the White Tiger enclosure! Sendi Tribe Treehouse Hotel, located inside the Nantong Forest Safari Park, in Jiangsu province, eastern China, has built the rooms around the tiger’s enclosure, so guests can see and learn more about the white tiger during their stay. The Hotel offers 4 ‘Year of the Tiger rooms’. Other themed attractions around China include a restaurant where guests can see the big cat while eating their meal or at a hotel in Harbin town was built around a polar bear enclosure.
THAILAND OPEN FOR 4 REGIONS As Thailand gradually reopens its borders, it does so in 4 popular regions only; Krabi, Phang Nga, Koh Samui and Phuket. The new tourist programme in operation means that visitors wishing to go to these areas do not need to be placed in mandatory quarantine, as long as they stay for at least one week. Throughout the rest of Thailand, foreign visitors are required to isolate. The special tourist programme has been successful to date with 350,000 tourists during the last two months of 2021. Thailand was used to 40 million tourists in 2019 with revenues of UK£44 billion! Thailand no longer runs the ‘Test and Go’ programme and international tourists can still enter Thailand through the ‘Sandbox’ programme, which allows travellers access to some places in the country after spending at least 7 days within a ‘Sandbox’ destination. The destinations are: Phuket, the islands of Ko Samui, Ko Tao and Ko Phangan. Thailand also plans to introduce a tourist tax entry fee of UK£.6.60. Bangkok, Thailand
ECUADOR SEEKS HALF AS MANY TOURISTS AS BEFORE THE HEALTH CRISIS Ecuador aims to bring 800,000 tourists in 2022, half that the number achieved in 2019, with a more ambitious goal of 2 million by 2025. Ecuador saw 600,000 foreign visitors in 2021 compared to 450,000 in 2020. In 2019 it welcomed 1.5 million foreign arrivals. In order to achieve these figures, Ecuador plans to take part in the most important global tourism fairs, in addition to working to promote legislation that seeks to provide financial breathing space to tourism companies.
PHILIPPINES OPENS TO THE VACCINATED From mid-February, the Philippines will open to vaccinated leisure visitors, who do not require a visa, as long as their passports are valid for at least 6 months at the time of arrival, and they have return tickets to their country or next destination. Visitors must also present a recognised vaccination certificate In addition, fully vaccinated Filipinos who return from abroad will no longer be required to quarantine, as long as they present a negative result of an RT-PCR test performed 48 hours prior to their arrival from the point of origin. This also applies to tourists who present a negative result of an RT-PCR test carried out 48 hours before their arrival. Davao island, Philippines
GREEK TOURISM 3
CHALLENGES FOR 2022 With tourism being the biggest industry for Greece, the prospect of a better tourism season in 2022 is much needed. However the road to recovery will be slow and that is without any other health variants or political instability, etc. getting in the way.
Therefore the aim is to start the season as early as possible and with that comes 3 challenges: -The first priority is the protection of natural resources and the environment, aspects inextricably linked to the tourism product and an advantage for decades that can be sustainable. This will be at the core of the national tourism policy. -The second priority is the strengthening of infrastructure in tourist destinations; public roads, ports and other infrastructure but also private, especially in the areas of hospitality and transport. A key goal remains the energy upgrade of accommodation and the strengthening of the green transport fleet. -The third priority is strengthening human resources employed in tourism.
Meteora, Thessalia, Greece
