25 SEPTEMBER 2017 ISSUE 63
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25 SEPTEMBER 2017 ISSUE 63
05 GENERAL
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CYPRUS TOURISM MAINTAINS GROWTH
TUI CONTINUES TO THRIVE
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08 Accommodation 20 Travel Channels 22 Who’s Moved
EUROPEAN HUBS ACHIEVED HIGHEST TRAFFIC IN A DECADE
MARKET UPDATE
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H1 Confirmed Air France-KLM’s Stable Position
TRAVEL TRADE PUBLICATIONS MANAGING EDITOR Mary Kammitsi mary@traveltradeweekly.travel SENIOR JOURNALIST Ellen Petty JOURNALISTS Maria Sabova Panayiotis Karanicholas Anna Spyrou CONTRIBUTOR Dominique Christou DESIGN & LAYOUT Elena Stylianou WEB & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Savvas Kammitsis DIRECTORS Andreas Constantinides Mary Kammitsi HEADQUARTERS T.T.W. Travel Trade Weekly LTD P.O. Box 25255, Nicosia 1308 Cyprus Tel: +357 22 021607, Fax: +357 22 103670
Air France-KLM group has announced performance figures for the first half of this year (H1), which was marked with robust traffic, a 1.4 percentage point improvement in load factor to 86.3 percent, and operating results of EUR353 million, an increase of EUR135 million compared to H1 2016.
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WEBSITE www.traveltradeeurope.travel
uring the period under review, the group collectively transported 47.15 million passengers, a 6.5 percent year-on-year rise. Jean-Marc Janaillac, board of directors, Air France-KLM, commented on the results, “In a context of solid traffic growth and enhanced unit revenue trend, Air France-KLM delivered improved operating income and operating free cash flow. Over the period, the group continued to execute on its strategic priorities of growing revenues and improve competitiveness.”
EMAILS info@traveltradeweekly.travel sales@traveltradeweekly.travel editorial@traveltradeweekly.travel WORLDWIDE REPRESENTATIVES Representative for North, South & Central America, and the Caribbean: Neil Strickland GlobeTM Tel: +19542969515 neil@globetm.com
Record RevPAR for UK Hotels
Representative for Indian subcontinent: Faredoon Kuka RMA Media Tel: +912229253735 kuka@rmamedia.com Representative for UK & Ireland and Scandinavia: David Simpson Simpson Media Tel: +447900885456 david@simpson-media.com
London
EXCHANGE RATES
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US (USD)
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1.16
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Yen
In July, hotels across the UK reported record RevPAR levels of GBP105.28 (EUR114.39), up 4.4 percent year-on-year, which enabled them to maintain a strong period of top and bottom line growth, as revealed by Hotstats.
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arking another record for full-service hotels in the country, occupancy reached 85.3 percent, a climb of 0.2 percentage points over July 2016. Gross operating profit per available room also rose, increasing 3.8 percent. Nevertheless, falling non-rooms revenues, including a 1.4 percent drop in food and beverage as well as a four percent decline in conference and banqueting on a per available room basis, resulted in a small three percent growth in total RevPAR.
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEWS
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TUI Continues to Thrive In the third quarter of its 2016-2017 fiscal year, TUI Group reported strong performance, with turnover up 16.4 percent year-on-year to EUR4.94 billion.
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oreover, underlying earnings before interest, taxes, and amortisation climbed 18.7 percent to EUR191 million. Including foreign exchange translation and the timing impact of Easter, this figure rose to EUR221.6 million, a growth of 37.7 percent. Looking ahead, Fritz Joussen, CEO, TUI Group said, “2016-2017 will be another good year for TUI Group. We are delivering growth and reiterating our guidance. We expect turnover growth of more than three percent, our underlying operating result is expected to grow by at least 10 percent in the full year.”
Costa Cruises Simplifies Booking Process
A&K Presents Different View of Greece
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25 SEPTEMBER 2017
Costa Deliziosa
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rom April 01, 2018, Costa Cruises’ new pricing system will come into effect, aiming to make the booking experience easier for its customers. The fare structure is designed with a range of budgets in mind and comprises four categories including basic, total comfort classic, total comfort premium and deluxe. Commenting on the new system, Scott Knutson, vice president, sales and marketing, North America, Costa Cruises, explained, “With the variety in our new rate levels, Costa provides standard packages for those who are budget conscious, as well as rates for those who would like to treat themselves to some extra privileges.”
ollowing the success of its luxury expedition cruising, Abercrombie & Kent (A&K) has expanded its offerings to the Greek islands, with the inaugural cruise aboard exclusively chartered luxury mega-yacht La Laperouse scheduled to set sail on October 10 – 19, 2018. The Greek Isles voyage gives guests an opportunity to explore off-the-beaten-track destinations, including the islands of Symi, Delos and Syros, alongside enhanced luxury services, such as newly launched onboard concierge and access to invitation-only places. The cultural journey also focusses on passengers’ individual interests with the possibility to select from up to three shore excursions each day, while the company’s team and local guides will provide in-depth information on the destinations.
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NEWS Slovenia’s Tourism Continues to Grow
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Inbound Tourism to Malta Soared
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lovenia has enjoyed rising popularity among travellers, with visitor statistics for the first half of this year confirming a positive trend, as the destination saw almost five million overnight stays, a 12 percent climb over the same period in 2016. June itself saw 487,000 arrivals, up 27 percent over June 2016, that contributed over 1.2 million overnight bookings, a 27 percent year-on-year increase. During the month under review, 57 percent of travellers stayed at hotels, followed by campsites and private accommodation, which were chosen by 18 percent and six percent of tourists, respectively. Meanwhile, the destination attracted 139,000 visitors from Germany, its top source market in June, followed by Austria, Italy and the UK.
Malta
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ccording to Maltese National Statistics Office, inbound tourism in June concluded the first half of this year with success by welcoming 232,193 visitors, a 19.4 percent surge over the same month in 2016. During the month under review a substantial rise in business visitors was recorded, up 47.9 percent over 2016, followed by a jump in first time and independent travellers, up 20.2 percent and 19.9 percent, respectively. In terms of source markets, Italian tourists demonstrated the highest climb with extra 32,239 visitors compared to June 2016. Overall, between January and June, Malta saw a significant improvement in performance with the number of inbound tourists hitting double-digit year-on-year growth of 19.3 percent, with a total of 990,182 travellers.
Belarus Invests in China Friendly Accommodation
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Belarus
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n a bid to attract new source markets to the city, Minsk’s tourism stakeholders have begun to implement the China Friendly standard in their properties. Hotels in the capital are working to further improve the quality of their services for Chinese visitors, including the translation of the resorts’ websites and brochures, hiring staff able to speak the language as well as providing free access to international Chinese television channels. Commenting on the initiative, Yuri Natychko, head, household and hotel services, Minsk City Hall, emphasised, “So far in Belarus there are no companies authorised to certify hotels for compliance with the standards of the China Friendly project. Russia has such companies. I think that Belarus will also have such companies soon.”
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
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NEWS
Cyprus Tourism Maintains Growth In July, Cyprus welcomed 531,030 tourist arrivals, a year-on-year increase of 10.1 percent according to Passengers Survey.
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his brings the total number of visitors during the first seven months of the year to 1,994,236, a record for the period and an increase of 14.8 percent compared to January – July 2016. In July, the biggest growing markets were Israel, Germany, and Sweden, with increases of 82.6 percent, 69.5 percent and 17.3 percent, respectively. As the country’s largest source market, accounting for 33.3 percent of arrivals during the month, the number of travellers from the UK rose six percent. However, a 3.6 percent drop in arrivals from Russia was observed.
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NEWS
www.traveltradeeurope.travel
Northern Ireland Expects over 60,000 Chinese Visitors
MUSA Partnered With VisitScotland
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ourism Ireland has reported the ongoing success of initiatives aimed at taking a larger share of the lucrative Chinese market, demonstrated in 2016 when 60,000 Chinese tourists visited Northern Ireland, a large share of which travelled by ferry to Belfast. The popularity of sailings from Cairnryan in Scotland is attributed to joint sales missions of Irish tourism authority and Stena Line in China. Additionally, the British-Irish visa scheme enabling Chinese tourists to visit both the UK and Ireland on a single entry visa is also considered a significant travel incentive. David Boyce, head, Asia, Middle East, UK inbound, Tourism Ireland, elaborated, “Tourism Ireland is working hard to win a greater share of that [Chinese] business for Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland.”
The Museum of the University of St Andrews
Ireland
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he Museum of the University of St Andrews (MUSA), has recently partnered with VisitScotland, becoming part of the national tourism agency’s impressive network of Visitor Information Partners (VIP) committed to providing local information to visitors. Launched in May 2016, the programme ties in with the national tourism organisation’s global Spirit of Scotland campaign and harnesses the local knowledge, warmth and enthusiasm of partners across the country. MUSA is joined by 67 other businesses in the region such as the Scottish Deer Centre and Sandford Country Cottages. Manuela Calchini, regional director, VisitScotland, highlighted, “[…] The VIP programme celebrates and supports tourism providers as they act as local ambassadors and help provide information, assistance and advice on all there is to see and do here […].”
Rainbow Tours Launches Global Wildlife Holidays
UNWTO to Manage Overtourism
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elebrating its 20th anniversary, tour operator Rainbow Tours has expanded operations beyond its traditional destinations in Africa and Latin America with the introduction of new itineraries in India, Borneo, Sri Lanka and Canada. Focussed on safari and wildlife, the move comes to reposition the company globally as a dedicated tour operator in this segment. Aside from group tours in selected destinations, the company designs tailor-made vacations meeting the requirements of individual travellers. Jennifer Atkinson, CEO, ITC Travel Group, elaborated, “Our expertise stretches beyond Africa and Latin America, so it is a natural progression for Rainbow Tours to introduce new destinations where clients can encounter amazing wildlife such as polar bears, orang-utans, tigers, whales and more.”
t the upcoming World Travel Market (WTM) London, which will be held on November 06 – 08, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and WTM Ministers’ Summit will focus on the phenomenon of overtourism and the impact it has on tourists, destinations and local residents. Moreover, the summit will feature discussions on how managing the growth of visitors to many popular destinations is critical for both hosts and visitors. Participants will look at how tourism growth and sustainability can coexist while exploring solutions to address the challenge. Simon Press, senior director, WTM, emphasised, “The so called overtourism is the key issue in the industry at the moment, so it is right that ministers and senior private sector leaders debate the topic […].”
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEWS ACCOMMODATION
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Best H1 on Record for UK Hotels In the first half of the year (H1), hotels in the UK reported the highest occupancy, average daily rate (ADR) and RevPAR for any H1 on record, according to STR.
D Four Seasons Megève to Pamper Skiers
Greece to Welcome First Four Season Resort
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head of this year’s winter season, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is preparing to introduce Four Seasons Hotel Megève in France, slated to open in time to welcome ski enthusiasts. As a modern version of the mountain chalet, the six-storey slope side resort boasts 55 guestrooms, alongside extensive recreational facilities for families and groups. Among these, visitors will be able to experience Michelinstar restaurant Le 1920, along with extra four dining outlets with fireside settings and mountain views. To relax after outdoor activities, guests can also take an advantage of spa, fitness centre, year-round indoor and outdoor pool and other recreational options.
our Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Astir Palace Vouliagmeni have recently unveiled plans to launch the first Four Seasons-branded hotel in Greece on the Astir Palace peninsula. Following extensive upgrades to the existing premises, the new address will debut in 2018 as Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens and will feature approximately 300 rooms, suites and luxury bungalows, along with spa and recreational facilities. In preparation for the resort’s rebirth, more than EUR100 million is being invested into the refurbishing existing facilities. “As one of Europe’s most popular travel destinations, Greece has long been an area of interest for Four Seasons and we are pleased to mark our entry into this important market in partnership with Astir Palace Vouliagmeni,” revealed, J. Allen Smith, CEO, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
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uring the period under review, occupancy rose 1.7 percent to reach 75.1 percent, while ADR soared 4.7 percent to GBP89.33 (EUR99.33). Meanwhile, RevPAR reached GBP67.12 (EUR74.63), a year-on-year jump of 6.5 percent. The positive performance is primarily attributed to the devaluation of the local currency following the Brexit vote, which has bolstered tourism to the country. As revealed by VisitBritain, total arrivals to the UK increased nine percent during the period January – May and visitor spending surged 14 percent.
IHG Welcomes Ljubljana to its Portfolio
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nterContinental Hotels & Resorts (IHG) has opened the doors of InterContinental Ljubljana, taking advantage of the Slovenian capital’s rising status as an Eastern European tourism hotspot. Located in a modern 20-storey building, the 165-key luxury property features contemporary interior design reflecting Slovenian authenticity, which extends to its dining concept supervised by Michelin-star chef Alfredo Russo. The hotel also offers a bar, a patisserie, a spa with an outdoor swimming pool, alongside a fitness centre, spacious club lounge and meeting facilities. Tom Rowntree, vice president, brand management, luxury and boutique brands, Europe, IHG, commented, “Slovenia is a country of rich diversity, fusing multiple European influences in its food, culture, design and landscape – InterContinental Ljubljana brings this together in one very sophisticated and stylish offering.”
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEWS ACCOMMODATION
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Prague to Welcome W Hotels Brand
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Prague
Hotels Worldwide has announced the launch of W Prague in 2020, marking the brand’s debut in the Czech Republic. Located on Wenceslas Square, the new hotel will be a renovation of the former Grand Europa Hotel, a radical art nouveau style property originally opened in 1905. Restored historical elements of the former address will set the stage for W Prague’s bold and vibrant design and the two buildings will be fully connected to create 154 guestrooms and suites. The company has also revealed plans to add new propertys in Madrid and Portugal’s Algarve in 2019 as well as an address in Scotland in 2021.
IntercityHotel to Launch Future Flagship Address
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eutsche Hospitality has announced IntercityHotel Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof Süd, set to become the brand’s largest address when it opens for business in 2019. Located within close proximity to Frankfurt Main Station, the 400-key mid-range property will provide strategic train and bus links and easy accessibility to Frankfurt Trade Fair and Frankfurt Airport. Joachim Marusczyk, managing director, IntercityHotel, commented, “The successful development of our brand began precisely 30 years ago with the founding of IntercityHotel. The very first IntercityHotel opened at Frankfurt’s main train station. We are proud that we will soon be able to launch our future flagship hotel on this highly attractive site.”
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
Staybridge Suites to Arrive in Warsaw
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nterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) launched its first Staybridge Suites-branded address in Poland with signing of Staybridge Suites Warsaw Ursynów, scheduled to open in 2019. Operating under franchise agreement with WIK Capital and benefitting from close proximity to Warsaw Airport, the 190key hotel is set to introduce the brand’s community feel to the Polish capital. With public areas for socialising and work spaces including a 24-hour business centre, the property aims at providing guests a home-like comfort. Miguel Martins, director, development, Poland, IHG, commented, “As Warsaw becomes a tourism and business hub within Eastern Europe, it makes perfect sense to develop Poland’s first Staybridge Suites here.”
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NEWS AIRPORTS
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BSCA Welcomed Almost 800,000 Flyers in July
Brussels South Charleroi Airport
Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA) celebrated a historic record in terms of monthly passenger traffic, with 799,827 travellers passing through its doors in July, an 11 percent jump over the same month in 2016.
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he positive performance is attributed to satisfactory occupancy rates during the month under review, which soared one percent over 2016 to reach 91 percent. Recent developments at the hub also contributed to the success, such as addition of Air Corsica and Belavia Belarusian Airlines, as well as the expansion of TUI fly’s fleet. Jean-Jacques Cloquet, CEO, BSCA, commented, “Every day, some 30,000 passengers travel through our airport, and every day, our employees and partners are committed to doing an amazing job […].”
Flights Resume from Vilnius Airport
Vilnius Airport
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ollowing the completion of its EUR19 million upgrade project, Vilnius Airport reopened its doors in August after a 35 day hiatus. Along with a renewed runway, the renovations focussed on replacing old pavements, reinforcing foundations, installing new drainage and rainwater collection systems, and reconstructing the hub’s lighting control system. Final restoration works, which will not affect passengers, will continue until autumn. Commenting on the revamp, Monika Počikovskytė, chief specialist, Lithuania State Department of Tourism, revealed, “This not only demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investing in our tourism industry, but also demonstrates the rise in visitor numbers we have experienced over the past few years, showing that Lithuania is the destination to visit this year and beyond.”
Busy July at Zurich Airport
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urich Airport handled 2,983,582 million passengers in July, marking a 4.5 percent year-on-year increase. Among these, the hub served 2,181,371 local travellers, up 4.1 percent, while 796,832 transfer passengers passed through its doors, a 5.6 percent climb over the same month in 2016. The month under review also saw a 1.2 percent decline in traffic movements versus July 2016, while average seat load factor generated a modest 1.3 percentage point growth to 82.9 percent. The freight unit marked the most notable progress, surging 17.7 percent year-on-year, with 38,308 tonnes of transported cargo.
Edinburgh Airport Faces Expansion
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dinburgh Airport has launched the first phase of its five-year development programme with start of works on the extension of its terminal building to support its target to handle 16.5 million passengers by 2021. The GBP80 million (EUR103.6 million) project is a part of total GBP220 million (EUR284.9 million) investment plan to sustain the gateway’s growth and maintain its operational standards, which will also enable the extension of immigration facilities and baggage hall, new retail and dining outlets along with six new gates, among other upgrades. Gordon Dewar, CEO, Edinburgh Airport, emphasised, “As Scotland’s gateway to the world, it is vital that we have first class infrastructure and we will continue to invest in that […].”
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEWS AIRPORTS
Liverpool Airport to Impress with Revamped Premises
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European Hubs Achieved Highest Traffic in a Decade
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ravellers passing through Liverpool John Lennon Airport are now able to enjoy improved customer experience following the completion of the latest phase of the hub’s development works. Responding to passenger feedback, the gateway invested almost GBP3 million (EUR3.33 million) to enhance its premises. Among the major upgrades, a number of new retail brands, shops and dining outlets have been added, while the 2,000m² departure lounge has also been refurbished. Lucy O’Shaughnessy, commercial director, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, commented, “Previous investments in a number of passenger facilities at the airport have seen our customer satisfaction levels reach an all-time high. We believe these latest improvements have created a real ‘wow factor’ for passengers […].”
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
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n the first half of the year (H1), passenger traffic at European airports rose nine percent year-on-year, as revealed by Airports Council International (ACI) Europe. European Union (EU) countries achieved an average growth of 8.7 percent, while non-EU destinations saw a 9.9 percent increase in passenger traffic compared to H1 2016. Cargo also soared during the period January – June, with an 8.7 percent surge in freight traffic, while aircraft movements jumped 3.7 percent. Olivier Jankovec, director general, ACI Europe, enthused, “For Europe’s airports, this is by far the best first half-year traffic performance in more than 10 years.” Jankovec added that while the outlook for the remainder of the year is very positive, many airports face uncertainty due to Brexit.
Gatwick Airport Plans for Further Growth
Vienna Airport and Salzburg to be Connected by Rail
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Gatwick Airport
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ver the next five years, Gatwick Airport will invest GBP1.15 billion (EUR1.49 billion) to improve efficiency while also maintaining passenger satisfaction as the hub expands, with GBP240 million (EUR266.28 million) planned for 2017-2018. The construction works include reconfiguring stands to facilitate a changing aircraft mix, building a new hangar in partnership with Boeing, extending Pier 6 to increase pier service levels well beyond its 95 percent target, while also adding a new domestic arrivals facility in South Terminal. Raymond Melee, construction director, Gatwick Airport, highlighted, “As we plan to grow towards 50 million passengers per annum, we will focus on efficiency and service so that our passengers continue to receive the airport experience they expect, in the most sustainable manner possible.”
ustrian Airlines and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) are strengthening their cooperation programme AIRail with the launch of a new service between Salzburg Central Railway Station and Vienna International Airport, enabling passengers to benefit from three daily high-speed train links. Enhancing travel convenience for passengers, the new service is set to complement the carrier’s six daily flights on the Salzburg – Vienna route. “The innovative intermodal transport concept, the combination of railway and flight connections with our partner, the ÖBB, is very well received by our customers. […] Due to the new AIRail connection between Salzburg and Vienna, we can fill the time gap in our daily offering,” explained Andreas Otto, chief commercial officer, Austrian Airlines.
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEWS AIR
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Aviation Industry Invests in IT According to SITA’s 2017 Air Transport IT Trends Insights report, airlines and airports across the world will spend nearly USD33 billion (EUR27.52 billion) this year on technology, focussing on cyber security and cloud services as well as on the provision of extra self-service options to passengers.
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lya Gutlin, president, air travel solutions, SITA, explained, “The air transport industry is going through a digital transformation and focussing its attention on protecting the business and passengers. […] Cyber-attacks are a very real threat in the highly interwoven air transport industry so building solid defenses is essential. Cloud services provide important efficiencies which play a key role in keeping costs down. Investments in self-service improve passenger satisfaction as they welcome the independence and efficiencies it delivers.”
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iming to enhance passenger comfort, Etihad Airways has deployed a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its daily Abu Dhabi – Amsterdam itinerary. Marking the start of a year-round service to the Netherlands, the new aircraft boasts the carrier’s next generation business and economy class cabins with ultra-modern features, while meeting fuel-efficiency targets. Peter Baumgartner, CEO, Etihad Airways, explained, “The decision to upgrade our daily Amsterdam service to the 787 Dreamliner aircraft reflects the importance of the Netherlands market. We received great customer feedback when we first flew the aircraft to the Dutch capital last summer, and I am very pleased that more travellers will now be able to enjoy the superior levels of comfort and technology it offers, year-round.”
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British Airways Introduced Premium Transfer Drive
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o ensure that passengers at risk of missing their connection are able to catch their onward flight, British Airways has recently introduced Premium Transfer Drive at Heathrow Airport. Through the new system, the airline’s team will seek customers at risk, and provide an airside car to transfer them quickly between flights. Carolina Martinoli, director, brand and customer experience, British Airways, explained, “Missing a connection is one of the most stressful situations a customer can experience, so helping them through that journey and keeping them informed is critical. The new premium transfer service will enable us to identify customers who are at risk of missing their onward flight, and proactively arrange to collect them by car, whisking them directly to their next flight […].”
British Airways’ Premiun Transfer Drive
Etihad Launches New Aircraft to Amsterdam
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEWS AIR
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UIA to Link Kyiv with Eilat
Norwegian Aviation Entities Seek Sustainable Solutions
Eilat
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s part of its winter programme, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) has announced its latest route from Kyiv’s Boryspil International Airport to Ovda International Airport in Eilat, scheduled to commence on October 30. The nonstop service to the Israeli city will be operated twice weekly with two-class Boeing 737-800 aircraft. While noting the popularity of the Israeli destination among Ukrainian leisure and business travellers, Evgeniya Satska, corporate press secretary, UIA, also revealed, “We decided to enhance our network in Israel and optimise logistics for those planning to visit Eilat. […] Our colleagues from Ovda International Airport offered UIA competitive and economically feasible flight and passenger handling fees. The latter empowers us to offer passengers appealing bargains.”
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upporting Norwegian aviation stakeholders’ vision to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Rambøll Group’s latest report showed that 30 percent of aviation fuel used across the country’s airports could be replaced by sustainable biofuels by 2030. The study further suggests that in order to achieve this target, alternative financial sources for biofuel’s production must be obtained through public funding. Dag Falk-Petersen, CEO, Avinor, commented, “All the parties involved in Norwegian aviation must share responsibility to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is extremely good news that it will be possible to achieve a 30 percent cut in emissions thanks to large-scale investments in sustainable biofuels. The increase in production would also create new businesses and jobs in Norway.”
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n the first six months of the year, Aeroflot recorded a revenue increase of RUB234.86 billion (EUR3.38 billion), a year-on-year increase of 4.9 percent. During the period under review, the airline served 23 million passengers, an increase of 16.6 percent, while load factor rose two percentage points to 80.6 percent. Capacity jumped 18.8 percent on international routes and 11.9 percent on domestic itineraries. Shamil Kurmashov, deputy CEO, commerce and finance, Aeroflot, expanded, “This growth is driven by increasing demand for air transportation, and respective need for additional passenger capacity.”
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
Aeroflot
Aeroflot Continues to Soar
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LOT to Connect Warsaw and Berlin
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iming to offer better connections between Poland and Germany, LOT Polish Airlines announced the launch of a Warsaw – Berlin route, effective from December 04. The schedule will be operated twice daily on weekdays and once a day on weekend, with plans to increase frequency in the 2018 summer season to three daily flights. Adrian Kubicki, director, corporate communications, LOT Polish Airlines, highlighted, “Passengers who travel from Berlin will have access to an extensive and attractive network of connections to the most important destinations in the world. Thanks to its growth, LOT currently flies to more than 70 destinations and we are convinced that many inhabitants of the German capital city and neighbouring areas will wish to take advantage of that.”
Brussels Airlines Celebrates African Presence
Icelandair to Launch 19th North American Link
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celandair has announced Ohio as its newest North American gateway, with a nonstop service between the Cleveland hub and Keflavik scheduled to take off in May 2018. Four weekly flights between the destinations are expected to provide a fresh alternative to passengers travelling to Iceland and beyond, with the option to connect to multiple locations in Europe through the carrier’s Icelandic hub. “We are happy to be the first carrier to provide service to Europe in eight years. This addition also strengthens our route network and bridges Europe and Cleveland together by providing direct service to Iceland in addition to quick and convenient connections to 30 destinations in Europe,” said Birkir Holm Gudnason, CEO, Icelandair.
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Ohio
Africa
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his summer marks the 15th anniversary of Brussels Airlines’ services to Africa, during which the carrier transported some 8.2 million passengers on its network of 17 subSaharan destinations. Since the launch of the first flight to Kinshasa in 2002, the carrier has enhanced the frequencies to the continent currently offering 82 weekly services operated with seven aircrafts. To successful operate the African schedules, the carrier deploys about 140 onboard crew members daily, while the services also enable direct employment of some 400 staff members across its African hubs. Pursuing its corporate social responsibility strategy in the region, the dedicated b.foundation for Africa supports health-related causes, while Bike for Africa initiative organises mountain bike fundraising tour rides.
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEWS AIR
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S7 Airlines to Land in Murmansk
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7 Airlines has launched new domestic service from Moscow’s Domodedovo International Airport to Murmansk Airport. Commenting on the route, which is being operated with an Airbus A319 aircraft, Igor Veretennikov, director, commerce, S7 Airlines, enthused, “A lot of people dream of seeing the northern lights. We are pleased to offer our passengers the way for their dreams to come true by taking direct flights of S7 Airlines to Murmansk, the real jewel of the Russian North.” The carrier is a member of the S7 Group of companies, which collectively transported over 13.1 million passengers in 2016.
Murmansk
Ellinair Boosts Athens – Thessaloniki Service
British Airways Partnered Loganair
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n response to high travel demand, Ellinair has expanded its Athens – Thessaloniki schedule with additional morning flights on Mondays and Wednesdays. The carrier also plans to gradually increase its weekly flight frequencies on further domestic itineraries, which will enhance its current network of 30 domestic and international destinations operated with its scheduled and charter services. Originally established to offer convenient travel for Russian and Ukrainian customers of Mouzenidis Group, the carrier started serving the first scheduled domestic routes to frequent Greek destinations in 2015.
ritish Airways has signed a new codeshare agreement with Scottish airline Loganair. The partnership offers new travel options to customers connecting via Inverness Airport and Manchester Airport, together with links between British Airways’ global network and Loganair’s extensive services across Scotland. Rishi Kapoor, head, alliances, British Airways, stated, “We believe the new codeshare agreement will bring enormous benefits to the Highlands and islands, significantly boosting the region’s economy by extending the global reach of the area’s businesses and communities through British Airways’ world-wide network with flights serving more than 200 destinations from Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport and London City Airport.”
25 SEPTEMBER 2017
NEWS AIR
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LOT Polish Takes Off to Gothenburg
Edelweiss to Enhance Summer 2018 Portfolio
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OT Polish Airlines has launched new direct services from Warsaw to Gothenburg, strengthening the carrier’s presence in Scandinavia. Demonstrating the airline’s expansion and marking its 40th new link since 2016, the schedule is being operated in collaboration with Estonian flag carrier Nordica. Passengers can enjoy the itinerary every day except for Sundays, on board a Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft. Capitalising on Sweden’s fast growing economy and the growth of passenger traffic, the service enables seamless connections for travellers from the western part of Sweden to other key destinations in Central and Western Europe from the Warsaw hub, noted Adrian Kubicki, director, corporate communications, LOT Polish Airlines.
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wiss leisure travel airline Edelweiss has announced plans to upgrade its route network by more than 20 percent in summer 2018. The strategic step will bring 11 new services to its portfolio, increasing the total amount of holiday destinations on offer from 51 to 62. The carrier’s North American long-haul itineraries will be boosted with new services to Orlando, Denver and Cuba’s Varadero. Furthermore, the short- and medium-haul network will welcome new schedules to the Eastern Mediterranean region, Tunisia, Croatia, Spain and Scotland. In collaboration with Kontiki, flyers will also be able to benefit from new full-charter service to northern Norwegian island Spitsbergen as a part of the revamped summer programme.
Mumbai
Brussels Airlines Increases Service to Mumbai
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n response to high demand from passengers since the launch of the route on March 30, Brussels Airlines has unveiled plans to increase its frequency between Brussels Airport and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport from five to six weekly flights, from October 29. Since the initiation of the schedule, the airline has served over 37,000 passengers on its flights to and from the metropolis. With Belgium hailed as one of the most important European trading partners for India, and the South Asian country being the second most important export destination outside the European Union for Belgium, the additional itinerary is expected to further strengthen the links between the two countries.
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
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Ryanair’s Erasmus Booking Platform Goes Live
Robin Kiely, head of communications, Ryanair, cente, with Erasmus students
Dutch Airports are Turning Fully Green
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n the fourth year of its Always Getting Better programme, Ryanair has launched a dedicated booking platform in partnership with Erasmus Student Network (ESN), providing members with perks such as discounted fares and free baggage allowance. The initiative enables Erasmus students to move more easily across Europe thanks to weekly offers and tailored in-flight offers on the Ryanair mobile app. João Pinto, president, ESN, enthused, “This cooperation is a game-changer for young people with wanderlust who want to discover Europe during their exchange abroad. We look forward to seeing all those students benefiting from discounts and special offers to make their experience not only affordable, but also more enjoyable.”
The Netherlands
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neco Group and Royal Schiphol Group have signed a milestone agreement which will see the Dutch airport company’s business units run exclusively on sustainable energy from January 01, 2018. As a result of the partnership, gateways in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven and Lelystad, which collectively require as much energy as 60,000 households, will be powered by newly built Dutch wind farms. The partners are exploring more options for utilising the alternative energy, with the current project also set to increase the range of sustainable power sources in the country. Jos Nijhuis, CEO, Royal Schiphol Group' said, “For our new energy contract, we wanted nothing but sustainable power generated in the Netherlands. After all, one thing is certain: aviation can and must be made more sustainable.”
Poland Invests in Young Athletes
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iming to develop the skills of promising young athletes, Poland’s Ministry of Sport and Tourism and Polish National Foundation (PNF) have collaboratively launched team100. The programme will provide financial support to athletes aged 18 – 23 who, in addition to training under the auspices of their respective sports associations, will receive additional individual funding. A sum of PLN4 million (EUR932,800) is to be provided each year by PFN, with each sportsperson receiving around PLN40,000 (EUR9,328) annually. “We want to test the effectiveness of this model which eliminates redundant intermediaries in the distribution of sponsorship funds and teaches young athletes to effectively invest in their careers,” stated Witold Bańka, sport and tourism minister, Poland.
Tourism Ireland Celebrates Rugby Season
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ourism Ireland kicked off its Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign with an event in Washington, D.C., in support of the US team who travelled to Ireland for the finals in Belfast on August 22 – 26. Aimed at leveraging the tourism benefits of the games and enhancing its commitment to North America, the organisation invited travellers to take advantage of the occasion and experience the country’s enthusiasm for the sport. Speaking ahead of the event, Alison Metcalfe, head, North America, Tourism Ireland, elaborated, “Tourism Ireland is encouraging rugby fans and potential visitors in the US and other rugby-loving countries to come and join in the electric atmosphere of Dublin and Belfast’s great sporting arenas and explore these beautiful cities as they enjoy the games.”
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TRAVEL CHANNELS
All-Women eXXpedition Team Educates on Pollution Helsinki Airport Attains Carbon-Neutral Status
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elsinki Airport has achieved a zero carbon footprint, recognised with an international Airport Carbon Accreditation certificate, making the hub as the 34th fully carbon-neutral airport in the world. Following long-term efforts of Finavia’s climate programme, the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions has been made possible by using renewable biodiesel fuel for the hub’s buses and vehicles, among other measures. In order to continue reducing its carbon footprint, the hub is currently installing solar panels, set to become the largest airport solar power plant in the Nordic region, as revealed by Mikko Viinikainen, director, sustainable development, Finavia. He added, “Finavia is committed to working hard to ensure that our airports will not increase their carbon dioxide emissions in 2020.”
Round Britain 2017 eXXpedition’s team
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he all-female eXXpedition team stopped at London’s St. Katharine Docks as a part of their Round Britain 2017 sailing trip, which is focussed on collecting data related to water pollution. Before continuing their voyage around the British Isles, the crew members delivered educational talks at the quay on August 31 – September 01. During their travels, the group has been monitoring plastics and toxins as they navigate, while collecting data, footage and findings to add to the worldwide database of such pollutants in the ocean. The team has also been engaging with locals, tourists, media, politicians, and other stakeholders in order to spread awareness about the situation as well as encourage lifestyle and societal changes which are crucial for achieving a sustainable environment.
Climate Plays Key Role in Expats’ Destination Choice
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ased on the insights of more than 14,000 expats from over 191 countries, InterNations annual Expat Insider survey revealed that the weather plays a crucial role for expats when choosing a destination. Almost seven out of 10 respondents reported the climate was a factor to consider before moving abroad, making it of equal importance as the cost of living. Malta, Costa Rica, and Cyprus ranked as the top destinations for sun lovers while the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands are among the list of countries to avoid when on the search for the sun. The survey also showed that while Cyprus, Greece, Portugal, and Brazil are considered great for relaxing in the sun, they are among the 10 worst countries for working abroad.
e easyJet to Nurture Female Engineers 25 SEPTEMBER 2017
asyJet has set a target to fill half the places of this year’s Aeronautical Engineering Apprenticeship intake with women, to help balance the aviation engineering sector which is dominated by male experts. The carrier aims at increasing its own figures of female professionals within its engineering department, which currently stands at just five percent. Through a two-year training course, 14 apprentices will be taken on board, joining the 230 engineers that maintain the airline’s fleet of 270 Airbus aircraft. Aidan Kearney, head, maintenance operations, easyJet, “A career as an aeronautical engineer is interesting and rewarding and we want more women to bring their skills to the profession.“
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WHO’S MOVED / TRAVEL TALK
ANDREAS WEINGARTNER has taken on the role of director of sales at bmi regional where he will be an integral part of the commercial leadership team and responsible for sales across the carrier’s network. He joins from Brussels Airlines, where he most recently served as general manager for Central Europe, the Baltics, the Balkans, Russia, Armenia and offline sales. Weingartner not only has exceptional contacts and knowledge of the European aviation industry, but an excellent sales acumen which will support the airline’s growth.
ANDREAS WEINGARTNER
MICHEL COTTRAY
MICHEL COTTRAY has been named as the new general manager of Steigenberger Wiltcher’s in Brussels. Cottray has gained vast experience at international hotel brands such as InterContinental Hotel Group, Le Méridien, and The Luxury Collection in a variety of countries across the world, including Germany, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Thailand, among others. He began his career at Jean Drouant Hotel Academy in Paris and took on his first general manager position in 1998 in Australia. Cottray’s extensive leadership skills will enrich the Belgium flagship hotel, and he ensures comfort for its target business travellers.
www.traveltradeeurope.travel
Weingartner has excellent sales acumen
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The excitement really is building around the opening of the Queensferry Crossing “The excitement really is building around the opening of this magnificent feat of engineering – the Queensferry Crossing. We are delighted that a date has now been announced. Scotland will become the world’s first destination to have three bridges spanning three centuries in one stunning location. The Forth Bridges are already icons of Scotland, recognised worldwide for their importance, and the addition of the Queensferry Crossing consolidates this global appeal. [...] The opening event is set to be a once-in-ageneration spectacular – good luck to all those who enter the ballot to walk the bridge!”
MANAGING DIRECTOR, IFEMA – FERIA DE MADRID
EDUARDO LÓPEZ-PUERTAS
CEO, VISITSCOTLAND
MALCOLM ROUGHEAD
Cottray will ensure high levels of comfort
Driving actions that provide value
“The continuity of the collaboration [between IFEMA – Feria de Madrid, FITUR and Instituto Tecnológico Hotelero (ITH)] is linked to the institution’s goals, which aim to improve FITUR’s positioning by driving actions that provide value for its exhibitors and visitors. Thanks to ITH’s broad and highly qualified experience, these goals take the form of reinforcing the offering of knowledge content, which is a cross-sectional tool for reaching out to all tourism sectors.”
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NEWS & EVENTS EVENTS IFTM TOP RESA Paris, France September 26 – 29 www.iftm.fr More than 31,000 trade visitors are expected to attend the multi-target event with dedicated programmes for the leisure, business and MICE sectors.
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Be-La-Rus Camp Concluded with Success
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n July 27 — 30 around 500 – 600 young people attended Be-La-Rus, an international summer camp held in Verkhnedvinsk This year’s edition was powered by Russia with the motto 25 years together towards the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students. Removing borders between young people of Belarus, Latvia and Russia, the camp aimed to further cultivate and strengthen contacts between youth organisations of the three countries. Ahead of the event, Viktoria Mennanova, secretary, central committee, BRSM Youth Union, revealed, “This is the place where friends meet and new joint ideas and projects are conceived. The organisers always try to bring some interesting things, but friendship still remains the core of the camp.”
Science Fiction Fans to Descend on Ireland in 2019
OUTDOORACTIVE CONFERENCE Immenstadt, Germany September 26 – 28 conference.outdooractive.com Outdooractive is Europe’s largest platform of all outdoor enthusiasts, picking up on cutting-edge trends in the field of digitisation of outdoor tourism.
UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL MARKET (UITM) Kiev, Ukraine October 04 —06 www.ukraine-itm.com. During the exhibition representatives of the tourist business will be able to get information about know-how of international and domestic companies.
The Convention Centre Dublin
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he Convention Centre Dublin will host 77th edition of The World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) on August 15 – 19, 2019. Dublin 2019 – An Irish Worldcon expects to welcome over 5,000 science fiction fans during the five-day event, which is set to feature Hugo Awards, the Masquerade, panels, talks, workshops, films and autograph sessions, among other highlights. Referring to the fact that the city won the vast majority of votes during the bidding process, James Bacon, chairman, Dublin 2019, elaborated, “Voting is a vital part of the process so 12000 votes is a great endorsement […]. It is absolutely magnificent to be able to say we are bringing the Worldcon to Ireland and we cannot wait now for 2019.”
St Andrews Secured Photography Festival Funding
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t Andrews Photography Festival has been awarded GBP5,500 (EUR6,098) through The National Funding Programme to enhance the month-long event’s country-wide profile. Taking place in September, the occasion celebrating Scottish photographers is among 14 forthcoming events to benefit from a share of GBP145,000 (EUR160,780) in the latest awards round of the initiative run by VisitScotland’s wing, EventScotland. The programme aims at supporting events in multiple cities in a bid to drive domestic tourism, enhance the country’s media profile and drive profit to local communities. Manuela Calchini, regional director, VisitScotland, elaborated, “With an outstanding programme of events to celebrate the nation’s photographers, it is sure to be an exciting and visually stunning September in the home of Scottish photography.”
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