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NEW YORK–()–Directional Aviation launches FXAIR as premium private jet charter provider. Brings consistency, predictability, premium aircraft to charter.
Russian billionaire buys world’s first private icebreaker
One of the top 50 richest Russians, banker Oleg Tinkov, wants to present what he calls a first private icebreaker to the public next year, before the €100 million vessel sets sail to the Antarctic among other destinations.
Founder and owner of Tinkoff Bank, worth $2.2 billion, is going to show off the SeaExplorer 77, the newest addition to his pet-project, La Dacha, at the major global yacht show in Monaco as early as 2020.
After the presentation, the superyacht will head to the gems of the Indian Ocean, the Seychelles and Madagascar, Russia’s scenic Kamchatka peninsula and Alaska, before challenging its reinforced icebreaker hull in Antarctica in late 2021 and the beginning of 2022.
“It is yachting, but a completely different one,” Tinkov explained. “It’s about exploring, but not about drinking martini and showing off in Saint-Tropez.”
The ‘icebreaker’ cost the billionaire more than €100 million (US$112 million). The banker wants to enjoy it himself for around 20 weeks per year and plans to lease it for the rest for €690,000 per week.
The entrepreneur says he was the first to order such a vessel. In fact, it is an expedition yacht, which can break ice up to 40 centimeters thick and maintain autonomy at sea for up to 40 days. The 77-meter vessel, offering luxury accommodation for up to 12 guests in addition to the crew, also features two helicopter hangars, a dive center and decompression chamber, and carries a submersible, two snow scooters and waverunners.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has already showed interest in the luxury sea adventure, and wants to have a three-week long charter, while a Russian businessmen from the Forbes list, whose name Tinkov did not reveal, wants to rent the boat for six months.
Top 10 sustainable places to stay around the world revealed
Travel is not just about seeing the wonders of the earth but understanding our impact upon it. With increasing frequency, people are looking to make the shift from “tourist” to “conscious traveler” by finding ways to maximize positive impacts on the locations they visit. Making thoughtful choices about how, when, and where you go on a vacation can make a significant difference. So, this Earth Day, travel experts analyzed over eight million traveler reviews from last year to find the key hot spots for eco-travelers.
Delving deep into sentiment, the global data showed the 10 best places to stay around the world, as reviewed by Expedia travelers. From boutiques with beehives and resorts with rainwater recycling, to grand urban retreats with solar cell power, many of these amazing places show that luxury and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.
Additionally, the experts highlighted the top countries with the best reviewed eco-conscious accommodations, with the USA topping the charts.
Top 10 eco-friendly stays
1.Sandos Caracol Eco Resort, Mexico
2.Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG, Paris, France
3.Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa, Singapore
4.Habitat Suites, Austin, Texas
5.Pakasai Resort, Krabi, Thailand
6.PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore
7.The Green House, Bournemouth, UK
8.Listel Hotel, Vancouver, Canada
9.Hotel Verde, Cape Town, South Africa
10.Sherwood Queenstown, Queenstown, New Zealand
Top 10 sustainable countries around the world
1.USA
2.Mexico
3.Canada
4.Australia
5.UK
6.Costa Rica
7.Thailand
8.New Zealand
9.France
10.Italy
Sustainable travel is the perfect opportunity to show Mother Earth and fellow inhabitants how much you care.
1. Sandos Caracol Eco Resort – Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Situated between dense jungle and the blue of the Mexican Caribbean coast, this Rainforest Alliance-certified destination is among the highest-rated by travellers for the multitude of positive impacts it offers.
•Extensive policies governing waste management, resource consumption and natural conservation
•Opportunities for guests to engage in ecologically sustainable practices: eco-tours, cruelty-free animal interactions and beach meditation
•A commitment to the community, reflected in celebrations of local indigenous culture, on-site markets that support local artisans, and local partnerships to improve area schools
2. Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG – Paris, France
Located five minutes by car from Charles de Gaulle airport, the Nomad Hotel Roissy CDG boasts Scandinavian-inspired design, tech-enabled customisable room layouts and a mission to “to reduce the ecological impact of these buildings to a minimum, at every stage of life, from design to operation”—making it the perfect accommodation for digital nomads with green leanings.
•Rigorous standards for creation/loss of heat and a low total annual energy consumption, supported by green (living) exterior cladding, solar panels, air handling units
•Proactive efforts to neutralize water impact through use of rainwater collectors
•Use of sustainable materials, including PEFC wood, carpets made from recycled fishing nets, recycled stone and glass shower units
3. Siloso Beach Resort, Sentosa – Singapore
Just off Singapore’s south coast lies Sentosa Island, a haven whose southwest coast is the home to the Siloso Beach Resort. Steps from the sandy beaches of the South China Sea, this award-winning eco-resort has taken special care to integrate the surrounding habitat into its design by prioritizing open spaces and preserving established natural features like mature trees and flowing springs. The result? A uniquely organic take on a luxurious beach resort experience.
•200 original trees preserved (and 450 planted) on-site; landscape pool fed by underground waters and built according to natural terrain formation
•72% of the resort is open-air—and activities including cycle tours, hikes and other eco-adventures
•Operations keep ecological impacts top-of-mind, emphasizing locally-sourced foods, limited use of plastics, and reduced energy consumption
4. Habitat Suites – Austin, TX, USA
Habitat Suites, a sustainable gem in the heart of Texas’ most progressive city, boasts a 30-year track record of forward-thinking environmental stewardship. Habitat Suites has been a charter member of the Green Hotels Association since 1991—and won an Austin Green Business Leader Gold Award in 2018.
•Widespread use of alternative energy, including solar panels, solar thermal and electric vehicle charging
•On-premises organic fruit and herb gardens; clean, local and organic food options
•Use of plant-based, zero harsh chemical detergents for cleaning; bio-safe guest shampoos and detergents; hypoallergenic suites that include live potted plants and windows that open for access to fresh air
5. Pakasai Resort – Krabi, Thailand
Spa treatments, boxing and cooking classes plus plenty of space for lounging by the pool—the Pakasai Resort delivers on everything you’d expect from a tropical Thai resort, then sweetens the deal with an impressive list of sustainability efforts. “Krabi’s Greenest Resort” was the first in the area to win an ASEAN Green Hotel Award (2014).
•Resource conservation efforts include rainwater capture and greywater recycling, energy efficient lighting, biogas production and reduction of plastic use
•Careful attention given to reducing carbon emissions through waste minimization program and collaboration with the local community and local organizations
•Guests are encouraged to make their stay even greener by joining the #GreeningPakasai campaign, which incentivizes visitors to make low-carbon choices around food, transportation, linen services and local activities
6. PARKROYAL on Pickering – Singapore
With 15,000 square metres of greenery and a cutting-edge design, the PARKROYAL is equally impressive in what it does and doesn’t do. This LEED-certified masterpiece saves 32.5 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of water annually and could power an estimated 680 households with the energy saved by its conservation efforts.
•Highly regulated resource consumption through employment of light, motion, and rain sensors
•Solar cells and rainwater collection mean zero-energy maintenance of the 15,000 m2 sky gardens
•Thoughtful construction processes reduced concrete (and associated waste and energy expenditure) use by more than 80%
7. The Green House – Bournemouth, UK
Equally suitable for weddings, self-care weekends and romantic getaways, every detail of this eco-hotel has been designed to help guests feel great while doing good. That ethos touches every facet of The Green House, from the building’s renewable energy production and Forest Stewardship certified, UK-crafted furnishings to the on-site restaurant’s adherence to local sourcing and high animal welfare standards—the company car even runs on bio-fuel from the kitchen’s old cooking oil!
•The use of earth-friendly cleaning products and efforts toward energy conservation
•Staff are trained in the ethos of sustainability and are encouraged to find new ways to improve the Green House’s efforts
•Environmental efforts extend to the exterior grounds, including bird and bat boxes (to provide a safe place for breeding) and rooftop beehives that produce honey
8. The Listel Hotel Vancouver – Vancouver, BC, Canada
The Listel Hotel dedicates itself to both environmental responsibility and the arts. The hotel provides a location to elevate local and international artists—including a gallery dedicated to First Nations artists from the Northwest Coast—while participating in the city of Vancouver’s “Corporate Climate Leader” program, setting an example for sustainable tourism efforts across the globe.
•Responsible food practices including membership in Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program and a commitment to offering local and sustainable food and wine
•Conservation efforts including 20 solar panels, a state-of-the-art heat capture program (reducing the hotel’s natural gas use by 30%) and water reduction and air quality programs
•Adherence to a 100% Zero Waste policy since August 2011
9. Hotel Verde – Cape Town, South Africa
“Sustainable by design, stylish by nature” is the modest motto of Cape Town’s Hotel Verde. The first hotel in Africa to offer 100% carbon-neutral accommodation and conferencing, the Cape Town Verde has earned an extensive list of international accolades (LEED Platinum certification and a 6-star rating from the Green Building Council of South Africa) for its extensive adherence to sustainable practices.
•Restoration of the surrounding wetlands now supports indigenous water-wise vegetation and a healthy population of Cape honeybees—as well as an ecotrail, outdoor gym, and eco-pool for visitor use, plus on-site edible food gardens and aquaponics
•Energy efficiencies include photovoltaic panels on the roof and north-facing facades, wind turbines, energy-generating gym equipment and geothermal heat
•Commitment to social responsibility through sustainable procurement practices, waste management and community involvement
10. Sherwood Queenstown – Queenstown, New Zealand
Sustainability and connection with nature are behind every detail you’ll encounter at the Sherwood Queenstown, a boutique hotel perched on three acres of alpine hillside overlooking Lake Wakatipu. The Sherwood operates based on the belief that “a simple respect for nature lies at the heart of any sustainable practice”. The hotel’s orchards and kitchen garden supply its award-winning restaurant; most rooms offer sweeping mountain or lake views, and all are outfitted with South Island wool blankets and locally-sourced beverages. Mornings start with optional yoga sessions, followed by hiking, mountain biking, skiing or snowboarding.
•A focus on materiality selection that integrates the building with the landscape, while employing upcycled fixtures, fittings and furnishings
•Conscious choices about energy generation—the Sherwood is one of the largest private solar installs in New Zealand and currently generates enough electricity to return surplus to the grid
•Selection of food, wine, beer, spirits, and other consumable products that are local, natural, healthy, ethical, seasonal and sustainable in their production and use
Boat Charter Policy private stakeholder consultative meeting
A consultative meeting with private sector stakeholders to discuss the revision of the tourism Boat Charter Policy was held on the 5th April 2019 at the International Conference Centre of Seychelles (ICCS).
The Meeting was chaired by the Principal Secretary for Tourism Mrs. Anne Lafortune and in attendance was the Director for Policy, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Mrs. Bernice Senaratne, Director for Standards and Monitoring, Mr. Louis Desnousse, relevant government agencies and boat charter operators.
The aim of the consultation meeting was to present and discuss the proposed amended Boat charter policy which dates back to 2008 in order to collect the views and recommendations of the private sector, mainly boat charter operators who will need to abide by this policy.
During the meeting, it was unanimously agreed that Boat Charter businesses should be reserved to Seychellois including all assets. The operators highlighted that by not allowing leasing of capital assets from foreigners, the charter businesses will remain free from foreign involvements. The Principal Secretary also assured the meeting that all 300 registered Boat Charter businesses are fully owned by Seychellois as per the Tourism Department’s records.
One of the main concerns raised by the Boat Charter Operators during the meeting was regarding the availability of qualified and skilled labour. According to the operators, graduates who qualify under ‘My first Job scheme’ do not have the required skills and training for the job. The Assistant Director of the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA), Captain Wilton Ernesta also present during the meeting explained that the Academy provides the necessary training for maritime based operations and as of this year they have adopted a new strategy to recruit and produce quality students as opposed to quantity by the year 2020.
The boat charter policy comprised of 11 policy statements which include ownership and investment in the charter business, Fleet size, Qualifications required, Conditions of Licence, Standards to be maintained, Environmental actions, Preservation of the Environment, Operators subjected to Integration policy , Information to be submitted to the relevant Authorities, Non-compliance and Emergency and Evacuation procedures.
The main recommendations submitted by the operators in the meeting were regarding the preservation of the environment statement, whereby they emphasized on the need for better infrastructure and facilities to support this policy. The example of introducing a black water pump out system for the disposal of waste was given in view that currently waste is being disposed in the sea. They will be unable to implement the policy requirements without the proper infrastructure in place. It was also recommended that a Boat charter association should be set up to facilitate dialogue and support the operators and the different activities of this sector.
The Tourism department will be taking into consideration all comments and issues raised during the meeting. The proposed draft will be amended and presented to the stakeholders in a follow up validation workshop.
Boat Charter Policy private stakeholder consultative meeting
A consultative meeting with private sector stakeholders to discuss the revision of the tourism Boat Charter Policy was held on the 5th April 2019 at the International Conference Centre of Seychelles (ICCS).
The Meeting was chaired by the Principal Secretary for Tourism Mrs. Anne Lafortune and in attendance was the Director for Policy, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Mrs. Bernice Senaratne, Director for Standards and Monitoring, Mr. Louis Desnousse, relevant government agencies and boat charter operators.
The aim of the consultation meeting was to present and discuss the proposed amended Boat charter policy which dates back to 2008 in order to collect the views and recommendations of the private sector, mainly boat charter operators who will need to abide by this policy.
During the meeting, it was unanimously agreed that Boat Charter businesses should be reserved to Seychellois including all assets. The operators highlighted that by not allowing leasing of capital assets from foreigners, the charter businesses will remain free from foreign involvements. The Principal Secretary also assured the meeting that all 300 registered Boat Charter businesses are fully owned by Seychellois as per the Tourism Department’s records.
One of the main concerns raised by the Boat Charter Operators during the meeting was regarding the availability of qualified and skilled labour. According to the operators, graduates who qualify under ‘My first Job scheme’ do not have the required skills and training for the job. The Assistant Director of the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA), Captain Wilton Ernesta also present during the meeting explained that the Academy provides the necessary training for maritime based operations and as of this year they have adopted a new strategy to recruit and produce quality students as opposed to quantity by the year 2020.
The boat charter policy comprised of 11 policy statements which include ownership and investment in the charter business, Fleet size, Qualifications required, Conditions of Licence, Standards to be maintained, Environmental actions, Preservation of the Environment, Operators subjected to Integration policy , Information to be submitted to the relevant Authorities, Non-compliance and Emergency and Evacuation procedures.
The main recommendations submitted by the operators in the meeting were regarding the preservation of the environment statement, whereby they emphasized on the need for better infrastructure and facilities to support this policy. The example of introducing a black water pump out system for the disposal of waste was given in view that currently waste is being disposed in the sea. They will be unable to implement the policy requirements without the proper infrastructure in place. It was also recommended that a Boat charter association should be set up to facilitate dialogue and support the operators and the different activities of this sector.
The Tourism department will be taking into consideration all comments and issues raised during the meeting. The proposed draft will be amended and presented to the stakeholders in a follow up validation workshop.
MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, stbnews@seychelles.travel www.seychelles.travel
Tourism stakeholders presented with Destination 2023
Following the consultative process to review and update the Tourism Master Plan 2012-2020 in May 2018, it was seen necessary that a concrete action plan to guide the Tourism sector be developed. Last Friday, at the STC Conference Room, the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr. Didier Dogley launched the validation workshop for Destination 2023, a tourism strategy which will guide the tourism sector for the next 5 years.
The aim of the validation workshop was to discuss, validate findings and present recommendations as well as provide clarifications, prior to finalising the strategy document. This strategy has been drafted following meetings conducted with more than 300 persons across both private and the public sector, including but not limited to, tour operators, hoteliers, restaurant owners, as well as boat and yacht charter operators during a period of 1 and a half year.
The workshop was also attended by the Principal Secretary for Tourism, Anne Lafortune, Principal Sectary for Finance, Damien Thesee, the Attorney General and representatives from both Public and private sector.
In his opening remarks, Minister Dogley said: “Destination 2023, is the strategic tool elaborated to galvanise our efforts towards a common national vision and strategic goals and provide us with clear and specific steps necessary to achieve our set objectives and targets. It is the blue print for our tourism industry for the next 5 years.”
The consultants commissioned for the Tourism Master Plan, Mrs. Daniella Larue of Valsen Consulting and Mr. Guy Morel presented the 8 priority areas that should be collectively achieved by 2023. This include Driving brand development, Investing in market penetration and development, Improving product diversification, Addressing Seychelles competitiveness as a Tourism Destination, Investing in local talent development and management, Increasing Investment in Sustainable Tourism Practices, Delivering key enabling factors and Increasing Capacity of Government Agencies to facilitate tourism.
The consultants were commended by the Trade and the Principal Secretary for Tourism in her closing remarks for presenting a clear guiding strategy that will act as a roadmap for the sector’s sustainable growth. Following its validation by the Trade, the Destination 2023 strategy will be submitted to the Government for final approval.Once approved, the Department of Tourism will develop detailed action plans with monitoring measures and ensure its implementation to meet the set goals and objectives of the strategy.
MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, stbnews@seychelles.travel www.seychelles.travel
Volaris: Passenger demand continues to be strong
Volaris, a low-cost airline serving Mexico, the United States and Central America, reported their preliminary year to date traffic results.
In March 2019, capacity measured by ASMs (Available Seat Miles) increased by 13.5% vs last year, with demand measured by RPMs (Revenue Passenger Miles) showing a strong increase of 16.7%. Volaris carried 1.8 M passengers in total (19.4% increase vs last year), with load factor increasing 2.3 pp to 86.6%.
During the month, Volaris started operations on ten domestic routes from key cities Mexico City, Chihuahua, Merida, Hermosillo and Tijuana; and launched an additional ten new domestic routes for sale linking existing cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Chihuahua, Monterrey, Durango and Queretaro, and two international routes: between Mexico Cityand El Salvador; and also, Guadalajara and El Salvador.
Volaris’ President and Chief Executive Officer, Enrique Beltranena, commenting on the results, said: “Passenger demand for Volaris continues to be strong. We carried a record number of passengers for the month of March this year, despite last year´s figures including Holy week which will be in April this year. In addition, our unit revenues continue to improve as a result of our new Plus fare launch.”
The following table summarizes Volaris traffic results for the month and year to date.
|
March |
March |
Variance |
March YTD 2019 |
March YTD 2018 |
Variance |
|
|
RPMs (in millions, scheduled & charter) |
||||||
|
Domestic |
1,234 |
1,037 |
19.0% |
3,386 |
2,902 |
16.7% |
|
International |
468 |
422 |
10.9% |
1,358 |
1,253 |
8.4% |
|
Total |
1,702 |
1,459 |
16.7% |
4,744 |
4,155 |
14.2% |
|
ASMs (in millions, scheduled & charter) |
||||||
|
Domestic |
1,381 |
1,190 |
16.0% |
3,971 |
3,446 |
15.2% |
|
International |
584 |
541 |
8.0% |
1,733 |
1,609 |
7.7% |
|
Total |
1,965 |
1,731 |
13.5% |
5,704 |
5,055 |
12.8% |
|
Load Factor (in %, scheduled) |
||||||
|
Domestic |
89.4% |
87.1% |
2.3 pp |
85.3% |
84.2% |
1.1 pp |
|
International |
80.1% |
78.2% |
1.9 pp |
78.6% |
77.9% |
0.7 pp |
|
Total |
86.6% |
84.3% |
2.3 pp |
83.2% |
82.2% |
1.0 pp |
|
Passengers (in thousands, scheduled & charter) |
||||||
|
Domestic |
1,469 |
1,212 |
21.2% |
4,004 |
3,383 |
18.4% |
|
International |
329 |
294 |
11.8% |
958 |
880 |
8.9% |
|
Total |
1,798 |
1,506 |
19.4% |
4,962 |
4,263 |
16.4% |
Middle East visitors to Egypt to increase 50% by 2022, ATM report reveals
Arrivals from the Middle East to Egypt are expected to increase 50% from 1.49 million in 2018 to 2.23 million in 2022 with visitors from Saudi Arabia driving this growth, according to data published ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2019, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1 May 2019.
While arrivals from Europe are expected to be the largest contributor on a regional basis, increasing from 6.2 million in 2018 to 9.1 million tourists in 2022, the latest research from Colliers International revealed arrivals from the Middle East will actually witness the highest Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) at 11%.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Over the last 12 months, Egypt’s tourism industry has witnessed healthy and steady growth, with arrivals up 14.5% from 8.3 million in 2017 to 9.5 million in 2018. Growth has been fuelled by the cheaper Egyptian Pound and government incentives for charter airlines operating international flights.
“Adding to this, we are witnessing this growth first hand at ATM with the total number of attendees coming from Egypt increasing 16% YoY.”
Taking advantage of this resurgence in tourists are some of Egypt’s most prominent tourism companies including Dana Tours, Nicolas Tours and Standard Tours who will exhibit at ATM 2019 – and of course the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Board who will have a major presence too.
Egypt tourism capital investment is estimated to reach US$ 4.2billion (EGP 75bn) in 2019, up 25 per cent on 2018, as the country strives to keep pace with an ongoing leisure travel boom and GDP growth.
The data from Colliers revealed that Egypt’s total tourism revenue will increase at a CAGR of 16.5% between 2018 and 2022 – outperforming the business segment. During 2017 and 2018, the leisure spend was US$ 13.79billion (EGP 239bn) and US$ 16.67billion (EGP 289bn) respectively, while business totaled US$ 1.93billion (EGP 33.5bn) and US$ 2.36billion (EGP 41bn) over the same period.
“The overall revenue generated by the leisure segment in 2018 represented 87% of total tourism spend and we expect this growth to continue as a series of new government and private sector attractions and investments are unveiled – including the development of new airports and new luxury hotel resorts in Red Sea destinations Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada,” Curtis said.
Egypt has a diverse range of source markets – decreasing the risk of being over-reliant on one specific market. Germany, Russia, the UK and Italy are Egypt’s top four source markets, with the first and last in top gear – both growing 29% in 2018 – and showing the highest CAGR growth of 11%.
The UK, which recorded just a 4% increase in arrivals between 2017 and 2018, has traditionally been a long-standing major source market for the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh. However, an ongoing ban on direct flights between the two destinations has stifled visitor numbers.
Curtis added: “It is hoped the recent resumption of Serbian flights to Sharm El Sheikh after a six-year absence and the introduction of Turkish Airlines’ daily flight from Moscow to the Red Sea via Istanbul, will kick-start direct flights between the UK and Egypt, and of course Russia and Egypt.”
ATM, considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, welcomed over 39,000 people to its 2018 event, showcasing the largest exhibition in the history of the show, with hotels comprising 20% of the floor area.
Brand new for this year’s show will be the launch of Arabian Travel Week, an umbrella brand comprising four co-located shows including ATM 2019, ILTM Arabia, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa – a new route development forum and new consumer-led event ATM Holiday Shopper. Arabian Travel Week will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 27 April – 1 May 2019.
About Arabian Travel Market (ATM)
Arabian Travel Market is the leading, international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2018 attracted almost 40,000 industry professionals, with representation from 141 countries over the four days. The 25th edition of ATM showcased over 2,500 exhibiting companies across 12 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre. Arabian Travel Market 2019 will take place in Dubai from Sunday, 28th April to Wednesday, 1st May 2019. To find out more, please visit: www.arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com.
About Arabian Travel Week
Arabian Travel Week is an umbrella brand comprising four co-located shows including Arabian Travel Market and ILTM Arabia as well as CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa – a new route development forum launching this year and ATM’s first ever consumer event – ATM Holiday Shopper. Providing a renewed focus for the Middle East’s travel and tourism sector – under one roof over the course of one week – the inaugural Arabian Travel Week will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre from Saturday 27th April – Wednesday 1st May 2019. For more information visit: arabiantravelweek.com
About CONNECT
CONNECT Route Development Forum delivers a total networking experience, bringing together airports, airlines and aviation suppliers in a format that offers formal one-to-one pre-arranged meetings, engaging industry seminars together with social opportunities to cement relationships with existing clients and engage with new ones. Created and organised by The Airport Agency-France, CONNECT is now in its 16th year and set to attract over 650 participants in June 2019 at its flagship event taking place in Cagliari, Sardinia. For more information, visit: www.connect-aviation.com
The inaugural CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa event will be the first and only networking forum in the Middle East. Ideally located in Dubai to address the booming aviation market of the Middle East, it will bring together the aviation and the tourism industry which are the backbone and catalyst to economic development. For more information, visit: www.connect-aviation.com/2019-meia/
About ATM Holiday Shopper
ATM Holiday Shopper is the brand-new travel event for consumers offering the very best travel and tourism discounts and deals plus the chance to learn about a range of emerging and unexplored destinations and activities from destinations around the world. The inaugural event will take place in Hall 1 of the Dubai World Trade Centre on Saturday, 27th April 2019 from 12:00 – 20:00. For more information, visit: www.atmholidayshopper.com
About ILTM Arabia
International Luxury Travel Market Arabia is an exclusive event for those looking to attract HNW travellers from the Middle East to their destination. Returning for its third year, ILTM will allow international luxury suppliers and key luxury buyers to connect via one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments and networking opportunities. ILTM will take place on Sunday 28th April and Monday 29th April 2019. For more information, visit: www.iltm.com/arabia/
British Airways Pilots thought Edinburg was in Germany and landed in the wrong city
Passengers at London City Airport today boarded British Airways flight BA3281 assuming they would fly to Duesseldorf, Germany but were surprised when landing they saw a sign: Welcome to Edinburg after landing at Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Edinburg was the busiest airport in Scotland in 2018, handling over 14.3 million passengers and an unexpected landing did not raise any eyebrows.
The plane used is a Saab 2000 twin-engined high-speed turboprop airliner. It is designed to carry 50–58 passengers and cruise at a speed of 665 km/h. Production took place in Linköping in southern Sweden. The Saab 2000 first flew in March 1992 and was certified in 1994
Welcome to Edinburgh was the message after landing, when in fact every passenger expected to get off in the German city by the Rhine river instead. The flight was operated by WDL Aviation. WDL Aviation GmbH & Co. KG is a German charter airline headquartered at Cologne Bonn Airport and flies also for British Airways.
British Airways is currently working with WDL to find out why it filed the wrong flight plan and flew to Edinburg without realizing.
“We have apologized to customers for this interruption to their journey and will be contacting them all individually,” BA said in a statement.
On its final flight on Sunday, the plane flew to Edinburgh and back so it seems that someone at WDL mistakenly repeated the same flight plan for the next day, according to BA.
When the crew arrived at London City airport on Monday it is thought that they saw Edinburgh on the flight plan from the day before and followed the old flight route.
The BA statement said: “At no time has the safety of passengers been compromised. We flew the passengers on the flight with number BA3271 to Düsseldorf after the involuntary stopover in Edinburgh,”
BA declined to say how many passengers were affected by the mistake.
The plane sat on the tarmac at Edinburgh for two-and-a-half hours, before flying onto Düsseldorf.
The toilets were blocked and they ran out of snacks.
For the passengers involved, will they get compensation for the delay? And ultimately – what does this do for trust in British Airways that such a mistake can be made?
CEO Pilar Laguana is fantastic news for Guam Tourism
Pilar Laguana, an international tourism veteran, is now in charge of the Guam Visitors Bureau. She thinks out of the box, she has a global mindset, and she is a prominent figure in the global travel and tourism industry.
The new president and CEO, Pilar Laguana, was appointed on February 15, 2018 to lead the most important industry in the U.S. territory – Guam. She took over from former GVB President and CEO Nathan Denight
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The GVB Board of Directors unanimously voted Pilar Laguana as the new head of the agency. Board members also confirmed her nomination for Bobby Alvarez to serve as her Vice President.
The board could have not made a better decision.
Previously Ms. Pilar Laguaña has been the Marketing Manager of Guam Visitors Bureau since May 1987. She managed to position Guam as a major global travel and tourism destination.
Pilar always reached out to global markets. Her recent effort to include LGBT travelers to visit Guam was the first for Guam and well received.
Her tourism career began in 1977 as the first candidate under the GVB Management Promotions Internship Program.
Over the years, Ms. Laguaña advanced through the ranks of Promotions Specialist for various markets until she was promoted to Deputy General Manager in 1982. Five years later, she opted to continue her career as the bureau’s marketing manager.
In her role as manager, Ms. Laguaña is responsible for the establishment, overall planning, development, implementation, coordination and supervision of all the bureau’s worldwide marketing and promotional activities.
As a team player with skilled organizational, managerial, analytical and supervisory skills, Ms. Laguaña played a key role in opening up the Korea market in the early 1980s and consistent growth of international markets including Japan, Taiwan, North America/Canada, Hong Kong, Philippines, Micronesia, Australia, Europe, and China.
Ms. Laguaña is an active member of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), which awarded her the prestigious PATA Award of Merit in 2009.
She is currently serving a second term as chairman of the National Tour Association’s (NTA) Leadership Team China Task Force. She also holds the longest tenure in the PATA Micronesia Chapter, in which she serves as the organization’s Marketing Committee Co-Chair.
She is a 2011 charter member of the Hawaii Pacific Export Council (also referred to as the District Export).
Ms. Laguaña has earned the Outstanding Young Woman of America award three times, and has been awarded several other honors including being named the Institute of Japanese Studies Awardee, receiving a Guam Legislation Resolution in recognition of her involvement in the research and production of the Jack DeMell Music & Legends of Guam, and being named a Governor of Guam Honorary Ambassador-at-Large.
Her past experience within the tourism industry includes work within the Travel Industry Association (TIA), terms on the editorial board of the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association (GHRA) and the GHRA Public Relations & Marketing Committee.
Ms. Laguaña acquired her high school and college education in Hawaii and also pursued her professional Japanese language and cultural training from The Tokyo School of Japanese Language – Institute for Research in Linguistic Culture, (Tokyo, Japan).