For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

Where press releases are breaking news

Club Travel Corp. welcomes former Travelex head honcho

by

Kananelo Makhetha will assume the role of Club Travel Corporate Chief Executive on April 1, 2019 based at Club Travel Corporate’s Johannesburg office.

Makhetha is a seasoned travel and tourism leader with broad executive experience in private, governmental, and industry bodies.

“We are delighted to welcome Kananelo as CEO of Club Travel Corporate,” said Wally Gaynor, Managing Director of the Club Travel Group. “Club Travel Corporate has experienced phenomenal growth in a relatively short amount of time and Kananelo will help steer the division towards our target of 15% share in the South African corporate travel market, in the next five years. Kananelo is known for his driven, fair and honest leadership style; as such he is ideally fitted to the Club Travel DNA.”

Kananelo is an accomplished leader who brings more than twenty years of executive management experience in travel and tourism, most recently as Chief Executive Officer of Travelex Africa where he oversaw the leadership and management of operations in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa since 2014. Prior to joining Travelex, he was Managing Director of BCDTravel from 1996 to 2014 where he was responsible for the strategic direction of the company.

In addition to his roles in the private sector, Kananelo was a member of the South African government’s ministerial task group for tourism sector transformation (2002), a past president of ASATA (1998 – 2001), and a past board member of South African Tourism.

“Club Travel Corporate is a world-class company on an important mission to bring high quality and affordable travel management services to South African businesses. I’m excited to be joining one of the most decorated and innovative brands in African corporate travel management,” said Kananelo Makhetha.

Travel News | eTurboNews

St. Maarten Heineken Regatta raises over $40,000 for local foundations

by

Organizers of the St Maarten Heineken Regatta are pleased to announce that a total of $41,900 was raised during the event for local foundations. The raffle was used to drive the event’s “Green” initiatives benefiting sustainability efforts for the island and various projects from local foundations.

The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and Heineken worked in collaboration with the Rotary Club of St Maarten, Rotary St Maarten-Mid Isle, and Motorworld, by selling raffle tickets to raise funds for a Beach Cleaning vehicle, an initiative launched last year by the Rotary.

Motorworld joined as a new presenting sponsor for the 39thSt Maarten Heineken Regatta, making a fully-loaded Hyundai Creta available to be raffled. During the week of the Regatta this car, in addition to a selection of other popular brands, were on display in the Regatta Village showcasing the wide variety of cars available for sale on the island. The display was encouraging people to purchase raffle tickets and have a chance to win the new Hyundai Creta, in support of the island’s various environmental projects.

“We are proud to be partners in this great joint-initiative by the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, St Maarten Heineken Regatta and Heineken corporate. Working together, we have successfully organized another memorable and enjoyable St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. We congratulate The Rotary clubs and everyone for their involvement and of course the winner, Mr. Soons. With the current promotions on the New 2019 Hyundai Creta, everyone can be a winner. Visit our showroom and our dedicated Sales Team can work out a great deal for you!” mentioned Tariq Amjad, Managing Director, Motorworld Group of Companies.

“The car raffle was a tremendous addition to the Regatta and this is a wonderful prize to take home. It will be a pleasure to drive the Hyundai Creta.” says winner Mr. Soons.

Rotary Club of St. Maarten’s President John Caputo says: “The Island is now one step closer to having a proper beach cleaning machine and this car raffle fundraiser almost gets us there. The Rotary Clubs of St. Maarten are working diligently to help make St. Maarten a better place to live or visit and we certainly thank all those who purchased a ticket in support of this endeavor. Even if you didn’t win the car, you have helped ensure that our beaches will remain pristine for decades to come,” said John Caputo, the President of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten.”
President of the Rotary Club St. Maarten-Mid Isle, Denise Antrobus adds: “On behalf of the Rotary Club of St. Maarten-Mid Isle, I would like to congratulate Mr. Soons on winning the car raffle. A big thank you goes to Motorworld who sponsored the Hyundai Creta for this raffle. It was wonderful to work with this partnership of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta and the Rotary Club of St. Maarten, I look forward to seeing the beach cleaner in use on St. Maarten.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Cyclone Idai: What the African Tourism Board is doing?

by

“The situation is terrible,” Jamie LeSueur of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Tuesday in a press statement. “The scale of devastation is enormous. It seems that 90 percent of the area [in Beira] is completely destroyed.

This is the result of Cyclone Idai, a devastating storm that caused more than 1000 death, severe flooding in Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mozambique early this week.

Catastrophic damage occurred in and around Beira in southern Mozambique. The African Tourism Board today endorsed the Global Giving project of dedicated local organization in the disaster region to assist the local population and visitors with relief.

African Tourism Board teamed up with GlobalGiving, a U.S. based local nonprofit partners supporting their local established relief agencies in Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. GlobalGiving with the support of the newsy established African Tourism Board is responding to survivors’ immediate needs.

The projects below, as part of GlobalGiving’s Cyclone Idai Relief Fund, will provide emergency funding to locally driven relief efforts, providing food, medicine, and other essential supplies to help people impacted by the storm.

Projects responding to Cyclone Idai

Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi
Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi
by ActionAid USA
Cyclone Idai just hit Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, causing widespread destruction, flooding, and displacement. Local ActionAid offices and community partners are coordinating immediate relief, including supplies like food, fuel, hygiene kits, and school books.
CYCLONE IDAI- MOZAMBIQUE
CYCLONE IDAI- MOZAMBIQUE
by Afrilanthropy
The Cyclone Idai began as a tropical depression in the Mozambique channel on 4 March, dropping heavy rain over Mozambique and Malawi before heading back eastward in the direction of Beira, by which time it had become a cyclone. This in known as the worst weather-related disaster to hit the southern hemisphere, and the UN says more than 2 million people have been affected whereas 1 000 people may be at risk of death. The Storm-surge floods of up to six metres have caused widespread devastation.
Cyclone Idai Emergency Response
Cyclone Idai Emergency Response
by IsraAID
IsraAID will deploy an Emergency Response Team to Mozambique following the devastation of Cyclone Idai. IsraAID’s team will distribute relief supplies, deliver Psychological First Aid & psychosocial support, restore access to safe water & assess further needs.
Cyclone Idai damage in Zimbabwe
Cyclone Idai damage in Zimbabwe
by Kidzcan Children’s Cancer Relief
The Damage from Cyclone IDAI in Zimbabwe Summary The violent Cyclone Idai has been and is now dissipating but it has left a trail of destruction and devastation. People all over the Province of Manicaland Zimbabwe have suffered heavy losses, in terms of property, livestock, homesteads including human life and are now struggling to recover and rebuild. This project aims to assist the reconstruction and rehabilitation of a village that has been devastated by the cyclone.
Cyclone and Flood Recovery in Malawi
Cyclone and Flood Recovery in Malawi
by Partners In Health (PIH)
Catastrophic rains and floods caused by Cyclone Idai killed at least 50 and displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Malawi. Partners In Health is working to rebuild homes, deploy mobile clinics, and ensure families are safe, housed, and fed in the rural Neno district–where we have worked in partnership with the government providing high-quality health care since 2007.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Bots, A.I, wearables and VR to create billion-dollar savings in the tourism industry

by

The impact of disruptive technologies on the tourism industry is set to create multi-billion dollar savings through the use of IoT, robotics, artificial intelligence (A.I), Virtual Reality (VR) and wearable technology 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 in addition to vast cost savings, the customer experience is set to be more streamlined with travel set to become better, smoother and more personalised with travel bookings on VR platforms, AI chatbots guiding customers through the booking process and IOT providing internet based inter-connectivity between everyday devices.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Technology, and the use of technology, is evolving every day. The tourism industry is at the very forefront of tech innovation with companies investing huge sums of money to improve the customer journey and experience.

“Airports and airlines accounted for US$30 billion of investment in IT in 2018, however this will be offset by the implementation of technology that will see fuel savings alone top US$30 billion in the next 15 years.

“We’ve seen incredible developments in recent years, SITA, the multinational tech company to the air transport industry for example, is using robots to check travelers onto flights and to transport their luggage, while, although in the infancy stage, robots have been used in some hotels to welcome guests and show them to their room.”

ATM 2019 has adopted cutting-edge technology and innovation as its main theme and this will be integrated across all show verticals and activities, including focused seminar sessions.

Running throughout the event, professionals from across the industry spectrum will discuss 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.

Discussing the defining evolutions of hospitality technology, the Travel Tech Show will return to ATM 2019 with 45 dedicated international exhibitors and an influential agenda of discussion and debate in the Travel Tech Theatre – sponsored by Sabre Corporation.

Launching this year will be the inaugural Arabian Travel Week, an umbrella brand which comprises four co-located shows: ATM 2019; CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa – a new route development forum, ILTM Arabia and new consumer-led event – ATM Holiday Shopper.

Curtis said: “The success of both ATM and ILTM Arabia has provided us with the platform to not only introduce two new events for 2019 – but to create a travel week which encompasses the Middle East’s inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism and luxury travel as well as providing a dedicated networking forum, CONNECT  Middle East India & Africa 2019 for the region’s top airline specialists, aviation authorities, tourism boards, airports and tour operators.”

Another debutant this year is the Arabia China Tourism Forum at ATM which takes place on the Global Stage on Sunday 28th April. With China set to account for a quarter of international tourism by 2030, an expert panel will discuss how destinations around the world can capitalise on this growth. The forum will also include a 30-minute networking session with over 80 Chinese buyers.

Once again, we are delighted to be working with our partners UNWTO and welcoming back the UNWTO Ministers Summit which will also take place on the Global Stage on Sunday 28th April.

Other Global Stage highlights will include a focused seminar on Saudi Arabia’s tourism potential, the Global Halal Tourism Summit and the debut ATM Hotel Industry Summit which will host various expert panels to debate and provide an insight on the latest hotel developments and innovative digital infrastructure shaping the future of the hospitality sector.

Following a successful launch last year, the second edition of ATM Student Conference – ‘Career in Travel’ will return on the final day of ATM. This programme allows students and graduates to listen to a range of guest speakers and travel industry leaders. It will also help provide a greater understanding of the industry and potential career paths.

As well as the ultra-innovative Travel Tech Show at ATM, other features returning to the show repertoire this year include the Digital Influencers and Buyers’ Speed Networking Events which will feature 20 Chinese buyers for the first time, the ATM Best Stand Awards and the Travel Agents Academy.

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.

For more information on Arabian Travel Market 2019, please log on to:  https://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com/.

 

Travel News | eTurboNews

The pulse of Brexit Britain captured by Martin Parr

by

With Britain deeply divided over Brexit, an exhibition by one of the country’s best-known and celebrated photographers, Martin Parr, vividly captures images which help one to understand what makes the country tick. New and previously-unseen photographs revealing Parr’s unique take on the social climate in the aftermath of the EU referendum, have gone on public display for the first time in a major new exhibition of his works at the National Portrait Gallery, London.

“Only Human: Martin Parr” brings together some of the photographer’s best-known works with the focus on one of his favorite subjects – people. Featuring portraits of people from around the world, the exhibition examines national identity today, both in the UK and abroad, with Parr’s characteristically-wry observations of Britishness.

Although best known for his images of ordinary people, Parr has also photographed celebrities throughout his career. For the first time, “Only Human: Martin Parr” reveals a selection of portraits of renowned personalities, most of which have never been exhibited before, including British fashion legends Vivienne Westwood and Paul Smith, contemporary artists Tracey Emin and Grayson Perry, and world-renowned football player Pelé.

 

Parr is modest and refreshingly self-deprecating. He does not judge his subjects, letting the photos speak for themselves. His works record the way the British look at themselves before and after the Brexit debate and at other moments of change. At the press preview, Parr explained that his intention was to examine identity and reflect what the British think of themselves and how others see them.

 

The exhibition charts Parr’s changing interests and perspectives as he grows older. As well as Britain in the time of Brexit, the exhibition focuses on the British abroad including photographs of British Army camps overseas, and Parr’s long-term study of the British “Establishment” including recent photographs taken at Christ’s Hospital school in Sussex, Oxford, and Cambridge Universities and the City of London, revealing the obscure rituals and ceremonies of British life.

 

Some of his new works explore the quirks of leisure activities today, a subject Parr has explored since the 1980s. Parr photographs trips to the beach, tennis tournaments – from Wimbledon to the US Open – and a day at the races, to reveal the eccentricities of everyday life. These images take the visitor on a color-saturated journey through places where public and private worlds intersect.

Other photographs capture the infectious joy of dancing, an everyday activity enjoyed by people across the globe. There are photos of men stripping off their shirts along with their inhibitions in hot and sweaty dance clubs and others taken at more formal balls in Oxford and Cambridge.

 

“Only Human: Martin Parr” also features the unforgettable self-portraits Parr has made throughout his career. For over thirty years, Parr has visited studio photographers, street photographers, and photo booths across the globe to have his portrait taken. The resulting Autoportraits raise questions about portraiture and the business of portrait photography, showcasing a range of fascinating and often humorous settings employed by professional portraitists. Works on display include his Photo Escultura, a group of shrine-like carved photo-sculptures, based on Parr’s likeness and commissioned from the last remaining traditional maker in Mexico City, which have never been exhibited in the UK before.

The exhibition also includes a pop-up café inspired by Martin Parr’s iconic food photography and the traditional British “caff.” Visitors can purchase a selection of Great British tea-time treats and beverages such as a “nice cup of tea” and a slice of Battenberg, or an exclusive “Only Human” beer created in collaboration with British craft brewery Lost and Grounded Brewers, Bristol, during the Gallery’s Friday Lates (18.00-21.00).

Dr. Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, London, said: “We are delighted to be able to display so many new works by one of Britain’s most widely-celebrated photographers in this major new exhibition. Martin Parr’s witty, surprising, and ingenious photographs not only reveal the eccentricities of modern life with affection and insight, they also change the way we look at ourselves, and the way we consider our relationship to the wider world. ‘Only Human’ contributes to an ongoing debate about what it means to be British in an international context and reflects on the shared cultural and social history that defines the United Kingdom during a moment of change.”

Philip Prodger, curator of “Only Human: Martin Parr” says: “Provocative, surprising, and ultimately uplifting, Martin Parr explores the great issues of our time with sensitivity, compassion, and a sense of fun. This is an exhibition that will make you think and leave you with a smile on your face.”

Martin Parr has been able to build his lifelong interest in people-watching into a successful and lucrative professional career. He loves all things British, embracing its diversity but admits to being a Remoaner and finding some extreme attitudes difficult to accept. He observed ruefully, you have to have a sense of mischief or you’ll end up crying. Parr said: “I am very excited to have the opportunity to show my work at such a prestigious gallery. One of the main themes is British identity, and given March 2019 is when we are supposedly leaving the European Union, the timing could not be better.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

“Plan For Our Kids” and “African Earth Lung” to launch at WTM Africa

by

eTN Publisher Juergen Steinmetz talks to Professor Geoffrey Lipman Co-Founder of SUNx – STRONG Universal Network, about the development of “Plan For Our Kids” and the signature “African Earth Lung” to be launched during WTM Africa.

Steinmetz  

Hey Geoffrey, I wanted to get an update from SUNx for  WTM Africa

Lipman

Hi Thomas, we’re just rolling out “Plan for Our Kids” (PFOK)  launched at WTTC’s COP 24 event in Poland at the end of last year. Its goal is to create 100,000 STRONG Climate Champions by 2030 across all UN States. It’s a low cost, CSR linked program, with lifetime learning, from school through graduation into corporate training programs, and it will support Climate Friendly Travel ~ measured to manage: green to grow & 2050 proof to innovate. It will provide cloud connected online education, analytics and a heavy emphasis on innovation, to spread best practice around the system.

Steinmetz

Why is this different from what other organizations like WTTC or UNWTO do ?

Lipman

It’s complementary to all the excellent SDG related sustainability initiatives, of industry and government organizations – across the mobility, hospitality, technology spectrum.  PFOK is just totally focused on responding to eXistential Climate Change. Because if we don’t fix that, all the other stuff won’t matter. So, it targets the next generation of decision makers. And we are appealing to companies and communities who connect with them for the strategic engagement and financing support to make it happen. Industry leaders, financial services, technology innovators all have a massive stake in the future. SUNx is just a catalyst.

Steinmetz 

Why the next generation……… What about now?

Lipman

Climate change is a multi-generational issue. The last generation defined it: This generation recognized it. The next generation will be in the middle of it. They don’t have the institutional baggage and they will have the mindset to implement solutions.

But we have to start now – that’s the climate scientists’ message: that’s the economists’ message and that’s the Greta Thunberg message.

I kind of like the Titanic analogy.  At the end of the day we have to avoid the iceberg and if we do that the ship sails on, life carries on and evolves. But the ship takes a long time to change course – in the case of the Paris Agreement 5 years from 2015 inception to 2020 coming into force. 2030 to ramp up and integrate with the SDG’s And 2050 to stabilize at liveable weather conditions.

Steinmetz

OK why 100,000 STRONG Champions– or did you pull the number out of the air.

Lipman

Well it’s a significant target of educated thought leaders – even for a global  movement – but it’s basically the equivalent of 500 for every UN State. Even for a small island that’s not huge. For a big State we know it will spawn more. And we have a decade to put them in place. They’ll be the Greta Thunberg support system for our sector – helping ensure that Paris targets are met. What’s exciting is that we will be able to provide them with dynamic lifetime learning from our web portal, focused good practice from across the global climate resilience spectrum and a capacity to spread innovation on a real time basis.

Steinmetz    How Will you Finance such an Ambitious Program

Lipman

Visionary Corporate Sponsors from the Travel & Tourism sector and supporting industries, as well as far thinking public sector sources; will take it to scale, country by country. We have a Sponsor and Impact Investor program, as well as a country initiative that costs just 5000 Euro. And we operate as an NGO with low costs and high focus.

We’ve been fortunate to find our first Anchor Sponsor, of 12 we are seeking worldwide for 2019/2020 – and we are grateful to Robin Ingle for his willingness to step up to the plate so quickly. Our plan calls for one from each sub-sector – Transport: Hospitality: Travel Services: from each of 3 regions. Americas: Europe / Middle East/ Africa: Asia/Pacific. As well as one leader per UN State.

Our signature African Earth Lung will of course  require a much bigger Alliance, with much greater finance. But frankly it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to do something that can have such clear global and local significance. I  saw it before at Rio 92 when Maurice Strong mobilized so much for the planet and a focus on the Amazon. We think this is our chance to help the world and the Congo Basin.

Steinmetz Will you ever stop this kind of corporate campaigning

Lipman

I doubt it.  I worked for IATA for the first 20 years of my career – a wonderful organization that instilled a sense of purpose –  its first Director General told a journalist when he was in his 90’s, that his days began by crawling out of bed to get the Times Newspaper from the doormat. He turned to the obituary column and if he wasn’t there, he got dressed & carried on with life. I’m kind of from that school of thought.

For more information on SUNx, please visit: https://www.thesunprogram.com/

3 min Video About SUNx

 

Travel News | eTurboNews

Things first-time travelers to Jordan should know

by

Award-winning Canadian novelist, Colin McAdam, once said, “The best advice I heard before going to Jordan was ‘don’t read anything about it’.” It is indeed true because however much you do your research nothing will prepare you for the overwhelming beauty of this country. Jordan is proud of its rich culture and heritage, warm and welcoming to its tourists, offering them an experience of a lifetime. It is so magnificent that you will need multiple Jordan vacations to get a feel of this land, its culture, lip smacking food, and everything else that it has to offer. Here are some tips for first-time travelers to Jordan which can make their trip a little smoother.

Dress appropriately

Jordan is a Middle Eastern country and contrary to popular notion, it is not a hot desert all year round and to be honest, weather can be quite fickle. Even light snow is not uncommon in the colder northern parts of the country. Therefore, watch out for the weather predictions around your time of visit and pack your clothes accordingly. Certain religious places might require you to dress conservatively, and it is a good thing to be respectful of the culture. Therefore, irrespective of gender, try to carry a few conservatives, clothes covering your legs, chest and arms, to wear when you visit religious spots. Always carry a scarf on you to drape around yourself in case you are required to cover up. Although it is a popular tourist spot and thus, there are no dress codes or restrictions at large, it is a smart idea to be respectful and ditch your skimpy outfits.

Vegetarian options are limited

Food here in Jordan is simply mind blowing and you will fall totally in love with the rich delectable, lip smacking cuisine here. It is a paradise for food lovers, and you are bound to go back home with a few extra kilos. But if you are a vegetarian or vegan you might find your options slightly limited as the entire country is absolutely in love with its various forms, kinds and preparations of meat. Most popular dishes in Jordan are made with some form of animal product or other which is why you have to do a little bit of research to find items which do not contain any form of animal product else you might end up with a seemingly vegetarian dish and it comes out to contain meat.

Try to avoid rush hours

Rush hours in Jordan are mostly during the office hours but traffic jams reach their peak around 2-5pm. Although the yellow cabs of Jordan are super affordable, you might like to avoid taking a cab during these hours in order to avoid higher fares and being stuck. Sometimes taxi drivers are also hesitant or they even tell you honestly that it is better to avoid a certain area due to the jams. If possible, plan your travel accordingly and try to avoid longer distance travel during this time and instead opt for walking around.

Be careful about the water you drink

The weather here, especially around summer can present you with sweltering heat and intense perspiration which demands you to stay hydrated, more so during your sightseeing around Petra, Wadi Rum and other hotter places. You cannot drink water straight out of a tap as tap water here is not potable water and has to be filtered to be drinkable. Avoid drinking water from a source you are unsure of. It is advisable to rely only on packaged drinking water to save yourself from stomach upsets. When you go for sightseeing make sure you carry your own bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated. If you feel dehydrated, opt for ORS for quick re-hydration.

Jordan is a beautiful country steeped in a beautifully ancient culture, where the modern life is growing rapidly, coexisting with the ancient, so that the past in not wiped out by the future. The people are friendly, helpful and kind enough to help you around with directions or guidance so feel free to ask around. It is also quite safe, making it perfect for solo and family vacation alike.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Sexually assaulted by hotel staff? TripAdvisor tells woman leave a review

by

TripAdvisor is the largest travel site in the world, with 456 million people visiting the site every month to search for accommodation and other hospitality sites ranked according user reviews.

Two women alleged they were raped by staff employed by businesses currently promoted on TripAdvisor and said the company is failing its “duty to public safety” in the way it handles such complaints. They said they fear others are at risk without information about prior alleged incidents being made visible on the business page. These hotels are continuing to be promoted on TripAdvisor.

One woman said she was raped by a tour guide whose business was being promoted on the TripAdvisor. After contacting the hotel where he worked and reporting him to the police, she wanted to warn other tourists.

TripAdvisor’s response was to tell her to leave a first person review detailing her sexual assault on the website.

“I was in disbelief. Am I seriously being asked to recall the humiliating details of my own sexual assault? Was this global company pushing me to relive my trauma on their forum for everyone to see and comment, or worse of all for the perpetrator who is still out there, to respond to me, troll me?,” she said. “It left me feeling shattered, hopeless and alone.”

TripAdvisor told her that they do not remove a business from their site if a staff member was accused of sexual assault or rape, even temporarily to conduct an internal review. The company then shared 5 links with her of reviews detailing sexual assault and rape, allegedly committed by staff at different hotels, as examples of how she might write her own review.

In one review that TripAdvisor shared with her in an email dated November 2018, an 18-year-old woman said she had her drink spiked and was raped at a resort in Jamaica. She claimed the hotel hired lawyers to mount a case against her, even after undergoing a rape test at a local hospital.

The resort currently has a 4.5-star rating out of 5. There is no flag on the hotel’s TripAdvisor page to suggest any such attack has ever occurred. The only way to know would be to scroll through and read more than 5,000 reviews.

TripAdvisor ranks hotels based on the star rating given by users, but individual reviews are presented chronologically on listing page for the hotel. A review which detailed allegations of sexual assault could easily be overtaken by more recent reviews and be harder to find.

There are 40 examples of reviews describing sexual assault, rape, and groping committed by staff members of highly-rated hotels and other travel businesses on TripAdvisor. In only 14 of those cases, the hotel or travel business – such as tour guides – had replied to the review, with just one review indicating whether disciplinary action had been taken against the staff member in question.

TripAdvisor left this woman’s review as pending, because she did not write it as a first person account and it remains unpublished. She told the company she did not want to publish “first hand experiences” in fear of being contacted and identified by people whose attention she did not want to attract, including the alleged perpetrator. TripAdvisor suggested she created a burner account under an anonymous name to leave the review.

TripAdvisor has previously attempted to grapple with complaints of sexual assault. In November 2017, it said it would add a warning tags to hotels where “health, discrimination, and safety” issues have been reported – but would not explicitly say what the business has been flagged for. The decision came after the company deleted a review detailing a rape case in a hotel in Mexico because the language used breached its guidelines.

The amount of time a badge remains on a business listing is determined on a case-by-case basis, but the company uses a period of 3 months as a guideline for re-evaluation. TripAdvisor said there are currently 4 flags up on business listing pages. None of the flagged hotels or travel businesses have any warning on the business page of prior allegations made about staff.

Complainants believe a red flag on a business for 3 months to evaluate the ongoing safety of the listing is not enough, especially when little to no action is taken against the alleged attackers still employed at hotels and businesses.

Another woman, Christine, 44, from Toronto, Canada, alleged she was raped in a hotel in the Caribbean while on holiday with her family. She said the process of leaving the complaint of sexual assault as a review was futile as reviews were routinely “buried” by other reviews, making it difficult for users to find.

She added that the reviews detailing sexual assault attacks should not be lumped alongside other 1-star reviews complaining about “bed sheets.”

“They definitely should have a different kind of review system, for these types of incidences so they’re not buried in with everyone’s reviews about you know, the quality of the towels or the sheets. Especially if it’s a safety issue, particularly for women.”

Christine decided to go public with her story because, she says, “TripAdvisor has a major platform and really they have a duty for public safety, because it is a big problem. I’m not overstating it when I say it’s widespread.

“Many women contacted me and said this has happened to them, too, by a different staff member at another hotel. And we need to be aware of it.”

TripAdvisor said while the company was unsure if the reviews complaining of rape would have an impact on a business, it believed reviews were “very helpful” to travelers to inform them about where to stay or visit.

TripAdvisor added it had a team of hundreds of people working on content moderation focused on “maintaining the integrity” of the site, and that thousands of reviews on the website described health and safety issues, including sexual assault and other crimes.

The company said it took into account a number of issues before giving a business a flag, including whether a staff member of a business listed was implicated in the review complaint. The company adds a flag to listings where there are media reports of the issue or when a first-hand review is not “readily accessible.”

It said its notifications are not confirmation of the events but were there to “encourage consumers to do additional research outside of TripAdvisor” of the safety of the businesses. However, the company claimed most businesses that had received a flag had taken steps to address the issue that caused the media coverage.

In a statement to the Guardian, TripAdvisor said: “It is terrible that some travelers endure serious issues such as assault or rape, and we hope our platform can be used by them to help warn and protect others. It is important that reviewers follow our publishing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of our reviews, and when these reviews are not readily available and news reports exist that detail recent and pervasive health and safety matters, TripAdvisor’s notification process helps alert travelers about potential issues at a location.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Oman Air climbs to first place in one of Heathrow’s greenest years yet

by

Oman Air has landed first place in the latest Heathrow “Fly Quiet and Green” league table, due to its use of ‘Continuous Decent Approach’ which helps to reduce fuel burn and minimise noise by arriving aircraft. This achievement builds on the strides made in the previous quarter (Q3) which saw Oman Air leaping up 26 spots after phasing out their older aircraft and replacing them with the ultra-quiet and green 787 Dreamliners. Oman Air’s drastic improvement shows the impact technology can have on an airline’s environmental performance and the importance of the “Fly Quiet and Green” league – the UK’s first in advocating sustainable action.

The latest Heathrow “Fly Quiet and Green” league table publishes the top 50 busiest airlines at Heathrow on seven noise and emission metrics from October to December 2018. The results show Heathrow airlines have a clear commitment to modernising their fleet and working to adopt techniques which will help to reduce the airport’s impact on local communities. In addition to this public ranking, Heathrow encourages new technology through environmental pricing incentives, which reduce landing charges for airlines operating their greenest and quietest aircraft at our airport. The top environmental performers such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A350s now make up over a tenth of planes at Heathrow.

Other airlines at the top of the League rankings included British Airways (short haul fleet), which jumped up to second place due to its improved punctuality benefitting both local communities and passengers alike. SAS placed third, moving up three places in the latest table due to the introduction of A320 neos to their fleet. Icelandair earns most improved airline, jumping an astounding 40 places to take the 11th spot. The airline has worked to improve its use of Continuous Decent Approach, whilst sticking more closely to the designated flight paths set for pilots, which assists the provision of predictable respite for local communities.

This news comes shortly after the conclusion of Heathrow’s eight-week Airspace and Future Operations consultation during which local residents were given the opportunity to share their views on the airport’s future airspace design – both for the existing two runways and as part of the proposed expansion. Heathrow’s consultation is part of a nationwide move to modernise the country’s airspace for the first time since the 1960s, potentially boosting punctuality for passengers by reducing the need for routine stacking as well as providing guaranteed respite for the airport’s local communities and reducing airplane emissions.

Matt Gorman, Heathrow’s Director of Sustainability, said:

“As we prepare to expand our airport, we’re working with airlines to encourage fierce competition for the top spot of the ‘Fly Quiet and Green’ league table and it’s brilliant to see more airlines vying for pole position. As airlines modernise their fleets, we’ll also be engaging with local communities to modernise the UK’s airspace, enabling aircraft to more efficiently use the skies around us, increasing punctuality whilst reducing emissions and noise in future.”

Abdul Aziz Al Raisi, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Air said:

“We follow Heathrow’s Quiet and Green league table very closely and it is indeed gratifying to see Oman Air rank first for the fourth quarter of 2018. Moving to the quieter, more efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner has had a positive impact and shows our commitment to operating the most environmentally friendly aircraft across our growing international network. This is indeed a proud moment to see our efforts recognised by one of the world’s leading airports.”

Travel News | eTurboNews