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Expression of interests launched for new carrying-capacity studies for La Digue, Mahe and Praslin

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The Seychelles Ministry for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine have recently launched 2 expression of interests for carrying capacity studies to be undertaken on La Digue as well as Mahe and Praslin. The aim of the studies is to determine the current status of the islands and the acceptable amount of tourism development that can occur while still remaining sustainable, and assist the government in taking informed decisions on all future tourism development projects.

The Carrying-Capacity Study for La Digue dates back to 2013 and the results have led to the policy directive of setting a moratorium on the development of tourism accommodation establishments to 5 rooms per developer. This moratorium is supposed to be valid for a period of five years and the time has come to commission a new Carrying-Capacity Study.

Moreover, in 2018 the President announced that La Digue would be a model of sustainability as part of the National Vision 2033.  An eco-tourism strategy specific to the island for the next 15 years has been developed and the Carrying-Capacity Study on La Digue will aim to align with the established vision and provide recommendations to policy makers pertaining to future development on the island in view of assuring its sustainable development.

As for Mahe and Praslin, the Carrying-Capacity Study was commissioned in 2016 and set to be reviewed in 2020.  The results of the Carrying-Capacity Study has led to a number of policy directives and a set moratorium on the number of rooms that can be developed per promoter which is 20 rooms for Northern Mahe and 24 rooms per promoter for  the rest of Mahe and Praslin.

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The carrying-capacity analysis will determine the ability of the ecosystem of La Digue, Mahe and Praslin and the various segments thereof to withstand all impacts of additional tourism development activities. The studies will apply the perspectives of Physical carrying capacity, Ecological carrying capacity, Social carrying capacity and Economic carrying capacity in order to develop a balanced overall assessment.

Consultants interested to undertake the study have to submit their expression of interest to the Department of Tourism by Friday, April 26, 2019 by 1500 hours. Results of the two carrying capacity studies will determine whether or not to maintain the moratorium currently in place on La Digue, Mahe and Praslin.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Tourism stakeholders presented with Destination 2023

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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

Travel News | eTurboNews

Airbnb co-founder headed to Phillippines for travel summit

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“We are excited to be welcoming Mr. Nathan Blecharczyk to the PATA Annual Summit 2019. It is nearly impossible to talk about the travel and tourism industry without mentioning Airbnb and its impact on the sector,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is proud to announce that Airbnb co-founder, Chief Strategy Officer, and Chairman of Airbnb China, Nathan Blecharczyk has been confirmed to speak at the PATA Annual Summit 2019 (PAS 2019).  The event, hosted by the Department of Tourism, Philippines, will be taking place from May 9-12 at Radisson Blu Cebu in Cebu, Philippines.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our members and delegates to hear from a true innovator and gain deeper insights into how global travel is changing. As the industry grapples with large scale global and regional challenges, including climate change, overtourism, and social and economic inequality, we must have a greater understanding of the constantly evolving landscape in order for us to create a more responsible and sustainable travel and tourism industry,” Hardy added.

PAS 2019 is a 4-day event that brings together international thought leaders, industry shapers, and senior decision-makers who are professionally engaged with the Asia Pacific region.  The Summit programme embraces a dynamic one-day conference under the theme ‘Progress with a Purpose’, which will highlight the fundamental challenges, issues and opportunities of the travel and tourism industry and how together we can bring about actionable change for the better.

During the conference, Mr Blecharczyk will sit down with BBC World News Presenter, Rico Hizon, for an intimate one-on-one interview to discuss a wide range of topics ranging from innovative and technological advancements to sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Mr Blecharczyk plays a leading role in driving key strategic initiatives across the global business. Previously he oversaw the creation of Airbnb’s engineering, data science, and performance marketing teams. As a guest, Nathan has stayed in hundreds of homes using Airbnb and he is also a host in San Francisco, where he lives with his family.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Brand USA Board of Directors approves committee assignments

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On Wednesday, March 13, members of the Brand USA board of directors convened for a quarterly meeting in Washington, DC where they welcomed newly appointed and reappointed members and approved members to officiating positions and committees.

The confirmed committee assignments are as follows:

Finance Committee

Chair: Kyle Edmiston, deputy director/chief operations officer for Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau

Committee Members

• John Edman, director of Explore Minnesota
• Noel Irwin Hentschel, chairman and chief executive officer of AmericanTours International, LLC
• Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation
• Alice Norsworthy, chief marketing officer of Universal Parks & Resorts
• Barbara Richardson, chief of external relations of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro)

Conflict of Interest Committee

Chair: Tom O’Toole, senior fellow and clinical professor of marketing at the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University

Committee Members

• Andrew Greenfield, managing partner of the Washington, DC office of Fragomen
• Barbara Richardson

Audit Committee

Chair: Tom O’Toole

Committee Members

• Paul Brown, chief executive officer of Inspire Brands
• Noel Irwin Hentschel

Governance & Nominating Committee

Chair: Andrew Greenfield

Committee Members

• John Edman
• Mike Gallagher, co-chairman and co-founder of CityPASS

Marketing Committee

Chair: Alice Norsworthy

Committee Members

• Kristen Branscum, commissioner of Kentucky Department of Tourism
• Paul Brown
• Kyle Edmiston
• Mike Gallagher
• Noel Irwin Hentschel
• Tom O’Toole

Full recordings of the board meetings can be found here. For more information about the newly appointed members, please access the press announcement here. A complete list of the board of directors and their bios is available here. The next board meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 22, 2019.

Thank you to all staff, board members, partners, and stakeholders for their continued support.

Together, we are marketing the USA!

Travel News | eTurboNews

Chinese visitors to GCC will increase 81% by 2022 says ATM report

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The number of Chinese tourists travelling to the GCC is expected to increase 81% from 1.6 million in 2018 to 2.9 million in 2022, according to data published ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1 May 2019.

The latest research from Colliers International, in partnership with ATM 2019, reveals that the GCC countries currently attract just 1% of China’s total outbound market, however positive trends are expected over the coming years as 400 million Chinese tourists are expected to go abroad in 2030 – up from 154 million in 2018.

Looking at the economic drivers, China’s links with the GCC have strengthened in recent years due to the introduction of additional and direct airline routes; the strong growth of the Chinese economy and Chinese tourists’ increasing disposable income.

Keen to capitalise on this potential, figures from ATM 2018 show 25% of delegates, exhibitors and attendees were interested in doing business with China.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “China is set to account for a quarter of international tourism by 2030 – and owing to its many business and investment opportunities, as well as a new generation of leisure attractions and retail destinations, the GCC is set to capitalise on this growth with millions of Chinese tourists about to make their first international trip.

“Last year, the number of Chinese exhibitors participating at ATM almost doubled and this trend looks set to continue as we look ahead to ATM 2019.

“Over the years, sentiment at ATM has reflected the growth in Chinese tourists to the GCC and today we have seen more hotel and travel professionals than ever before eager to capitalise on the significant opportunities presented by the Chinese market.”

The Colliers data shows Saudi Arabia will experience the highest proportionate increase in arrivals from China, with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 33% between 2018 and 2022. Both the kingdom and China’s cultural and educational exchanges have been cited as one of the key elements driving this influx.

Looking at the remainder of the GCC, the UAE will follow with a forecasted CAGR of 13%, Oman at 12% and both Bahrain and Kuwait will steadily increase their Chinese visitor arrivals with a growth of 7%.

In the UAE, China is the fifth largest source market behind India, Saudi Arabia, the UK and Oman. Over the last 12 months, the UAE has stepped up its efforts to attract more Chinese visitors with Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) recently signing an agreement with Chinese internet giant Tencent to promote the emirate as a preferred destination for Chinese travellers.

Meanwhile, in Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait passport holders from the People’s Republic of China can now receive a thirty-day visa on arrival.

“It is interesting to note that just 7% of the total Chinese population possess a passport, compared to approximately 40% of Americans and 76% of British. The outbound Chinese market therefore represents a vast, untapped pool of affluent and adventurous travellers and the GCC is stepping up its efforts to ensure it remains a destination of choice,” Curtis added.

Over the last 10 years, airports in the Middle East and China have shown the fastest increase in hub connectivity worldwide with Emirates, Etihad, Saudia, Gulf Air, China Eastern and Air China all providing direct flights between the GCC and various destinations in China.

Emirates, the leading passenger service provider from the GCC to China, now offers 38 weekly flights between both destinations.

During 2018, China Eastern announced plans to launch three-times weekly direct flights between Shanghai and Dubai – further complementing the airline’s three existing flights between Shanghai and Dubai, which have a stopover in Kunming, the capital of China’s Yunnan province.

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.

ATM 2019 will build on the success of this year’s edition with a host of seminar sessions discussing the ongoing unprecedented digital disruption, and the emergence of innovative technologies that will fundamentally alter the way in which the hospitality industry operates in the region.

ENDS

 

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: http://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com/

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face to face through data and digital tools at over 500 events a year, in more than 30 countries, attracting more than seven million participants.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether it is global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have over 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.