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Mobility of the Future: Fraport and Volocopter

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Fraport AG and Volocopter GmbH are pioneering mobility ofthe future. Together, they are developing concepts for ground infrastructure and operations required for air taxi services at airports. This cooperation focuses on smooth passenger handling and efficient integration into the existing transport infrastructure. This will be examined using a so-called Volocopter Port. In the future, Volocopter Ports could link existing urban transportation junctions with one another and provide connections to and from Frankfurt Airport (FRA).

Fraport is a globally active airport manager with many years of expertise in airport operations – particularly in ground infrastructure, ground handling, and terminal and passenger services. Fraport can also leverage its extensive experience in unmanned flying. Via its FraDrones program, Fraport has already tested various scenarios for using drones for operational purposes. Volocopter has already proven that its electrically-powered vertical take-off multicopters meet the requirements of Urban Aerial Mobility in various test flights, most notably in Dubai. Based on drone technology, the Volocopter offers space for two people and is a suitable urban transport solution thanks to its quiet and zero-emissions flying. Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s most important aviation hub with more than 69.5 million passengers last year, offers the ideal conditions for this innovative partnership.


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Anke Giesen, Fraport AG’s executive board member for operations (COO), explained: “Autonomous flying will fundamentally change aviation in the years to come. We want to be the first airport in Europe to harness the potential of electric air taxis in partnership with pioneer Volocopter – for the benefit of our passengers and the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region. This partnership underscores Fraport AG’s role as a key driver of innovation in diverse fields.”

Florian Reuter, CEO of Volocopter GmbH, said: “Providing the ideal connection between the city center and the airport poses a huge challenge for the world’s major cities. Together with Fraport AG, we are excited to pioneer the implementation of an air taxi service at one of Europe’s most important airports. We will be tapping into Fraport’s wealth of experience to integrate the Volocopter Service safely and efficiently into the complex array of processes required at a major international airport.”

Guam achieves best Calendar Year with 1.55M visitors welcomed in 2018

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The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) is proud to announce that Guam welcomed 1.55 million visitors in 2018, the best Calendar Year in the island’s history.

December 2018 finished off the year strong by welcoming 146,104 visitors to our island shores. This represents a 3.7% growth over the previous year, making December 2018 the best month in our islands tourism history by beating the previous record of 145,817 visitors that was set in August 2018.

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This growth in arrivals is directly related to the overall increase in available seats to Guam. There were around 982 flights for the month of December 2018 with 197,228 seats available, a 5.68% increase when compared to the 186,634 seats reported in December 2017.

“We congratulate everyone in the tourism industry for pushing through 2018 with fantastic results and welcoming 1.55 million visitors to our island paradise,” said GVB President and CEO Nathan Denight. “We have much to look forward to in this new year as we grow and diversify in our source markets, share our Chamoru culture and work to welcome 1.6 million visitors in 2019.”

The Japan market’s recovery also continues, with Japan arrivals jumping 27.24% in December 2018 when compared to the previous year. Korea arrivals for the month decreased 8.9% due to the reduction in seats with airline carriers such as Korean Air and Jeju Air. However, Year-to-Date arrivals for Korea continues to show strong growth ending the year +9% vs. 2017.

Other markets that showed growth in December include Taiwan by 6.8%, the U.S. by 6.8%, Hong Kong by 17.1%, and the Russia Federation by 25.3%.

The success of the airline incentive program from GVB and the Guam International Airport Authority (GIAA) continues to attract more seats to Guam. In December, United added four more flights a week between Guam and Nagoya. T’way also began its Nagoya-Guam service on December 29 and will run through October 2019. More than 130,000 seats on 700 charter flights are scheduled for Calendar Year 2019.

December 2018 Preliminary Arrival Summary (click)

Aviation Ministers will be attending Global Investment in Aviation Summit GIAS2019

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The first edition of the Global Investment in Aviation Summit (GIAS 2019) will kick off in Dubai with the participation of the largest ever gathering of aviation ministers and heads of civil aviation authorities from around the world.

Taking place on January 28 & 29, 2019, GIAS 2019 will see the attendance of HE Eng. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy and Board Chairman of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Sheikh Salman Al Sabah, Chairman of Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and Eng. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunication, Abdul Hakim bin Mohammed Suleiman Al Tamimi, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Hadi Sirica, Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Blade Nzimande, South Africa’s Minister of Transport, Volodymyr Omelyan, Minister of Infrastructure in Ukraine, Monica Azuba Ntege, Uganda’s Minister of Works and Transport, Captain Sameh El Hefny, President of the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority, and Ricardo Fenelon Junior, Director General of Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency.and other decision makers will also attend the two-day aviation event.

His highness Engineer Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansori the minister of Economy and head of Board of Directors of UAE- GCAA stated “The summit coincides with the remarkable achievement of increasing the number of passengers through Dubai international airport to reach over one billion, as it was stated by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the state, Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai who expressed his delight over holding the event in Dubai to exchange experiences and information between international experts in aviation sector, as well as holding partnerships that would support investment in aviation. The Global Investment Aviation Summit in Dubai highlights UAE’s leading regional role in aviation sector which is a key pillar in enriching the national economy”.

The Minister of Economy and Chairman of the Board of Directors of GCAA confirmed that UAE concerns much with aviation field in terms of using the latest developments in modern technologies and specialized studies and the holding of many specialized events and active participation in local and international conferences, hoping to conclude agreements and deals that would increase the investment opportunities in aviation, stressing that the summit contributes to the promotion of the state’s efforts to attract investments in the aviation sector, to lineup with the state’s strategic position.

HE Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director General of GCAA, said: “The participation of aviation ministers and heads of air transport agencies and airline companies, as well as industry leaders and businessmen from all around the world, is a testament of the importance of GIAS. It also emphasizes the prestigious stature occupied by the UAE in the aviation industry, which is a key driver of economic growth in the country.”

He added: “The UAE’s aviation and air transport sector has made unique jumps during the past few years, where the state managed to reach milestones on a par with the leading countries in this sector, whether in terms of the number of flights taking off or landing every day at Emirati airports or the number of passengers.”

Highlighting the importance of the aviation sector, Al Suwaidi said: “The aviation sector has contributed significantly to cementing the UAE’s position as one of the leading countries that provide the highest quality air transport services, by harnessing the latest technologies and smart services in the aviation industry.”

The engagement of aviation ministers along with key industry leaders confirms the importance of GIAS, given the prestigious status occupied by the UAE in the airline industry regionally and globally.

The UAE is also ranked among top countries in the ease of doing business, in addition to its accumulated expertise in increasing the capacity of its international airports that achieved phenomenal growth rates in passenger traffic. All this has coupled with a massive expansion in its infrastructure and the fleets of its national carriers, use of the latest technological equipment and provision of quality of services, among others. 

The UAE is one of the leading countries in the world’s aviation and air transport sector, where aviation is one of the most prominent sectors that contribute to creating a sustainable economy, which ultimately leads to the country’s overall future sustainable development. The country seeks to become first globally in the airline service quality index after it achieved a unique shift in the size of its air transport infrastructure projects over the past few years.

The UAE focuses on the aviation sector, which contributes 15 per cent to the country’s GDP, and is expected to reach 20 per cent over the next few years. The national carriers are continuing their expansion in various foreign markets, thereby reinforcing the UAE’s position in the global air travel industry. Dubai has increased the capacity of its airports, in terms of the number of passengers and flights taking off and landing, in addition to its ongoing expansion plans to reach new destinations across the world.

GIAS 2019 will offer an ideal platform for ministers of aviation, airline companies and professionals in the air transport sector to keep them up-to-date with the latest developments on the airline industry, and allow them to gain insights into investment opportunities available in local, regional and global aviation markets

The event will focus on guiding investments towards six sectors, including aircraft maintenance, manufacturing and supply, aircraft engineering and technology, defense aviation, duty free markets and airline catering industry.

GCAA is the federal authority that manages and regulates the UAE’s airspace and the aviation sector in order to serve the public in a dynamic and thriving aviation environment.

eTurboNews is a proud media partner of this important event.

Source: http://www.gias.ae/  

 

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.