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Montréal-Trudeau Airport awarded prestigious 4-Star rating

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Montréal-Trudeau Airport (YUL) has for the first time been awarded a prestigious 4-Star rating under the Skytrax World Airport Star Rating program, joining the ranks of other major world airports. The results obtained from this ranking, considered a benchmark in the global airport industry, stem from an audit conducted last March.

This fourth star recognizes the major investments made in recent years to modernize the airport’s infrastructure and achieve the highest industry standards, as well as employee efforts to enhance the passenger experience day after day.

“In 2018, Aéroports de Montréal challenged itself to obtain a 4-Star Skytrax rating for the YUL site,” said Philippe Rainville, President and CEO of Aéroports de Montréal. “After pushing our limits and raising the bar to improve customer experience, we learned today that the challenge has been successfully met. ADM is extremely proud of the dedication and excellent work done by all employees at the airport and in the airport community.”

In the past year, many initiatives have been put in place to enhance the passenger experience and the fluidity of processes, as well as to optimize terminal maintenance. YUL now has a new team of ambassadors serving passengers, technology-based control and monitoring processes to ensure the cleanliness of facilities, self-service baggage check-in kiosks, and a fifth baggage carousel in the international zone.

The “World Airport Star Rating,” created in 2000, is recognized in the industry as a global benchmark for airport standards. Ratings range from 1 Star to the most prestigious 5-Star rating. Skytrax specializes in ranking international airline organizations and advises airlines and airports around the world on ways to improve the quality of service delivery and facility management.

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U.S. Travel honors its 2019 Travel Champions

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The U.S. Travel Association on Wednesday announced the recipients of the sixth annual Distinguished Travel Champion Award: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Sen. Rob Portman (D-OH), Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC) and Acting Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Manisha Singh
Each is being honored for his or her exceptional leadership in advancing and protecting policies that strengthen travel to and within the United States.

U.S. Travel will present the awards today at U.S. Travel’s Destination Capitol Hill—the travel and tourism industry’s premier legislative fly-in event dedicated to educating policymakers about the power of travel and showcasing the industry as one of America’s most vital economic sectors.

“We always say that travel is neither a red or blue issue,” said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow. “This year’s Distinguished Travel Champions have a deep understanding of travel’s contributions to the American economy, and have consistently reached across the aisle to advance sensible policies that grow travel, enhance security and trade, and keep our economy moving.

“Our winners’ dedication to securing Brand USA’s long-term reauthorization, overhauling America’s infrastructure systems, preserving our national parks, rebranding and expanding the Visa Waiver Program, and upholding our nation’s Open Skies aviation agreements strengthen travel’s role as job creator and economic engine.”

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)

Since entering Congress just two years ago, Cortez Masto has quickly become an advocate for the travel industry and a top congressional champion of Brand USA. Her tireless work and dedication to ensuring the reauthorization of Brand USA, a program crucial to the United States’ travel promotion and planning, is invaluable.

Said Cortez Masto: “I’m honored to receive the 2019 Distinguished Travel Champion Award. I say it all the time, Nevada is the gold standard for tourism and hospitality. We draw tourists to the Las Vegas Valley and from the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe to the scenic peaks of the Ruby Mountains. I’m so proud to support our $60 billion tourism economy and the jobs it supports in Nevada. As Senator, I’ll continue to fight for policies like Brand USA and those to increase efficient travel that strengthen our tourism industry for years to come.”

Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR)

DeFazio’s commitment to overhauling infrastructure systems within our country is crucial to increasing connectivity and facilitating travel growth across America. He has also undertaken laudable efforts to end the practice of diverting “9/11” security fees to other programs unrelated to air travel security.

DeFazio’s dedication to his home state’s $11.8 billion travel and tourism industry is commendable, as is his work to ensure local travel leaders have a voice in the state’s transportation planning.

Said DeFazio: “I am proud to be this year’s recipient of the U.S. Travel Association’s Distinguished Travel Champion Award. Travel and tourism promote economic prosperity, create jobs, and strengthen our national security through improved international relations. As Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am working hard to modernize our nation’s airports, increase federal investment in infrastructure, and ensure we remain on the cutting edge of innovation as it relates to transportation. All of these improvements will help encourage increased travel and tourism.”

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH):

Portman’s leadership on national parks issues, as well as many other important fiscal issues facing the country, is vital to the preservation of our public lands and the continued growth of the American economy.

Portman led efforts to pass the Restore Our Parks Act and to establish a dedicated source of funding for the $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog that will help ensure the viability of our parks for generations to come. Our national parks are some of the biggest draws for domestic and international travelers, and countless “gateway” communities across the country rely on well-maintained parks and robust visitation.

“It is an honor to receive the U.S. Travel Association’s 2019 Distinguished Travel Champion Award,” said Portman. “If we want our national parks to be here for generations of travelers to come we must address the nearly $12 billion backlog in long-delayed maintenance projects at the National Park Service. I’ve seen this maintenance backlog firsthand at national park sites in Ohio, and it underscores why we must pass my bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act to ensure that that the National Park Service has the resources to continue preserving American treasures. I look forward to working to get this legislation across the finish line.”

Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC):

Rice’s co-sponsorship of the JOLT Act and commitment to strengthening and expanding the Visa Waiver Program is crucial to enhancing U.S. security and economic competitiveness.

Rice’s efforts to support towns and cities in his district devastated by Hurricane Florence, including tourism-dependent communities such as Myrtle Beach, have been critical.

“I am honored to receive the U.S. Travel Association’s 2019 Distinguished Travel Champion Award,” said Rice. “I will continue to advocate for policies that will support American jobs, strengthen national security, and grow South Carolina’s tourism economy.”

Acting Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Manisha Singh:

Singh has undertaken crucial efforts to uphold our country’s vital Open Skies aviation agreements, increase financial transparency and protect the interests of all U.S. aviation stakeholders. She has worked hard to elevate the travel industry as an essential export and economic driver.

Said Singh: “I’m honored to receive U.S. Travel’s 2019 Distinguished Travel Champion Award. The U.S. State Department is pleased to support the U.S. travel industry and American jobs by negotiating and helping to enforce Open Skies aviation agreements that bring flights, travel, and business to the United States from around the world.”

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What is the discussion at the UNWTO / ICAO Ministerial Conference on Tourism and Air Transport?

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A Panel discussion is ongoing and a packed program are planned today for delegates in Sai Island, Cabo Verde attending the First UNWTO/ ICAO Ministerial Conference Tourism and Air Transport.

Air Transport and Tourism Policies: Regulatory convergence to maximize and balance their benefits

Air Transport and tourism depend heavily on each other and are essential engines of trade and economic growth for both developed and developing countries.

Despite the synergies, there can be conflicts between aviation and tourism policies due to the difficulties of States in balancing the interests of their airlines and the optimum development of their tourism industries. Separate sectorial policies result in a fundamental disconnect, which constitutes a severe deterrent towards the development of both sectors. How do we enhance policy coherence between the two sectors, harmonize the regulatory frameworks, and prevent separate sectoral policies? How can we strike a balance to maximize the overall benefits of tourism and air transport in the national economy?

What is the current status of Africa’s regulatory framework and what is its impact on tourism and air transport (the Lomé Declaration and the related Action plans both for Air Transport and for Tourism?

How can Africa benefit from and implement the joint UNWTO and ICAO Medellín Statement on Tourism and Air Transport for Development? How can the African Governments promote cooperation and compatible decision-making among transport and tourism authorities and other ministries in charge of related portfolios, including finance, economic planning, energy, environment and trade?

What are the challenges encountered by tourism stakeholders in reflecting tourism business interests in national and regional air transport policies?

Connectivity and Seamless Travel: Best practices to serve tourists and passengers

Aviation and tourism are a customer-focused economic sector.

While there is no single definition of air connectivity, it can be viewed as the ability of a network to move passengers involving the minimum of transit points, which makes the trip as short as possible with optimal passenger satisfaction at the minimum price possible. The realization of seamless travel can improve overall travel experience, which in turn fuels tourism demand.

With the recent launching of the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM), open skies over Africa may soon be a reality, building the necessary regulatory framework to increase international intra-Africa travel.

How do we optimize the flow of passenger traffic through the air transport system? How can we generate sufficient demand for direct air services between African sub-regions, especially between the East-West coasts?

How well do current air service agreements (ASAs) contribute to connectivity and what are the prospects of air transport liberalization? What constitute the bottlenecks and slowdowns of seamless travel in the air transport system? What regulatory schemes can be used or developed to assure essential air services to Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)?

What are the existing best practices and how could they be extended and adapted to other regions? What are the factors influencing airline choices for different market segments (the intercultural dimension)?

Funding and Financing for Development: Pragmatic measures to build a transparent, stable and predictable investment climate

Infrastructure deficiencies in the aviation and tourism sectors have long been an issue in Africa. While plans are in place to develop and modernize aviation infrastructure, relief is years away at best.

In the meantime, there will be lost opportunities for creating jobs and spurring economic growth. Another issue is the proliferation of taxes on tourism and air transport despite the fact that the industry recovers a vast majority of its own infrastructure costs through payments of user charges, rather than being financed through taxation.

Revenue raised by taxes can often be outweighed by the relinquished economic benefits as a result of dampened demand for air travel.

This Session will focus on

a) the creation of good governance and enabling the environment to build business confidence and encourage investments, and

b) the consolidation of planning and development efforts for aviation and tourism infrastructure in multi-modal and urban planning initiatives. What are the challenges of financing development projects related to the tourism and air transport sectors, particularly in LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS?

What are the success stories in financing tourism and air transport projects? How do consumers perceive taxes, charges, and others levies and how to ensure transparency of taxes and charges to passengers and tourists?

Why is the limited volume of international public finance and assistance for development currently available for aviation and tourism infrastructure projects?

Travel Facilitation: Advancing visa facilitation in supporting economic growth 

Travel facilitation aims at maximizing the efficiency of border clearance formalities while achieving and maintaining high-quality security and effective law enforcement. Allowing passengers/tourists to cross international borders safely and efficiently contributes significantly to stimulating demand, enhancing the competitiveness of States, creating jobs and fostering international understanding.

In spite of the great strides made in recent decades in facilitating tourist travel in Africa, there is still room for considerable progress. For example, electronic visa processes and delivery could make travel more accessible, convenient, and more efficient without a diminution of national security.

States should also look into increasing cooperation on bilateral, regional and international travel facilitation regimes. How can new technologies be used to make travel more accessible, convenient and efficient? How to define and implement policies which facilitate international travel and tourism while ensuring the security and integrity of traveler identification and border controls?

How well do e-passports, e-visas and other documentation deal with emergent threats to security? How could the African States learn from other effective best practices?

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