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Allegiant Airlines’ ancillary revenue initiatives among most innovative in the world

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Allegiant is based in Las Vegas, but it has never relied upon the notion of “luck” as part of its business strategy. The airline was born in 1997 and immediately challenged all the rules of how to start an airline.


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Allegiant maintains its industry leading margins by distancing itself from competitors, and by being very different from everyone else. This distinctive style includes innovative ways to generate ancillary revenue:

• Allegiant’s Sunseeker Resort development in Florida is projected to contribute ancillary revenue in excess of $6 per passenger on a systemwide basis.

• The carrier’s new family entertainment centers allow it to build deeper customer relationships and capture more leisure spending within Allegiant’s network of smaller cities.

• More than $16 per passenger is generated by baggage revenue policies, which include fees for large carry-on bags, and allow those without large carry-on bags to board first.

• The Allegiant World Mastercard provides a free inflight beer or wine for cardholders and is expected to generate annual earnings (EBITDA) of $50 million by 2020.

• The installment payment option (pay monthly) yields online shopping carts nearly 300% larger than those paid in full.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Mandarin Oriental opens first hotel in Beijing

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Hongkong Land today announced the completion of its prestigious WF CENTRAL premium lifestyle retail destination, located in the capital city’s historic Wangfujing area, with the opening of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing. Executives from Hongkong Land and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group celebrated the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new hotel, Mandarin Oriental’s first hotel in Beijing.

Seamlessly connected with WF CENTRAL, the hotel features 73 rooms and suites which are among the largest in Beijing. The rooms are designed with a contemporary residential style combined with subtle traditional Chinese elements, an array of luxury amenities and expansive, spa-like bathrooms. Many rooms have superb views towards the Forbidden City. The hotel is also home to stylish restaurants and bars, including the signature Mandarin Grill + Bar, casual dining restaurant Cafe Zi, and the sleek, sophisticated MO Bar — all of which have direct access to an expansive rooftop garden terrace.

Those seeking rejuvenation in the heart of the city may visit The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing, which offers a range of curated wellness and beauty treatments as well as a 25-metre indoor lap pool with natural light and a comprehensive gym.

“Since its opening in May 2018, WF CENTRAL has been playing a crucial role in the redevelopment of the historic Wangfujing area of Beijing into one of the city’s premium lifestyle retail destinations,” said Mr Raymond Chow, Executive Director of Hongkong Land. “The opening of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing, completes our work and exemplifies this strategy, as we are bringing Mandarin Oriental’s legendary hospitality together with a compelling mix of retail and dining, all nestled within one of the world’s most important and historic cities.”

Mr Richard Baker, Chief Relationship Officer, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, said, “Mandarin Oriental is delighted to partner with Hongkong Land in the creation of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing. This is our third successful collaboration and we are immensely proud to be part of WF CENTRAL, Beijing’s preeminent lifestyle retail destination. We look forward to introducing the Group’s legendary hospitality to China’s capital and to welcoming guests through our doors.”

WF CENTRAL, Hongkong Land’s flagship development in Beijing, is a US$1.2 billion retail-led project designed to be the city’s premier shopping and lifestyle destination. It is also expected to be a major contributor to the transformation of Beijing’s historic Wangfujing area into a hub for retail, dining and business. The complex has a total gross floor area of more than 150,000 sq. m., including 43,000 sq. m. of retail space that hosts an exciting, diverse mix of tenants according to five core categories: “Luxury”, “Fashion”, “World-class Gastronomy”, “Lifestyle & Wellness” and “Art & Culture”.

Travel News | eTurboNews

WTTC: South Africa Africa’s largest Travel & Tourism economy in 2018

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Travel & Tourism in South Africa contributed 1.5 million jobs and ZAR425.8 billion to the economy in 2018, making it the largest tourism economy in Africa, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) annual review of the economic impact and social importance of the sector released today.

For over 25 years, WTTC, which represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, has compared the Travel & Tourism sector across 185 countries. The 2018 research shows that the South Africa Travel & Tourism sector:

• Contributed ZAR425.8 billion to the country’s economy – the largest of any country in Africa. This represents 8.6% of all economic activity in South Africa

• Generated 1.5 million jobs, or 9.2% of total employment

• Was primarily driven by leisure travelers: 64% of the travel economy was generated by leisure visitors and 36% from business travelers

• Is roughly balanced between international and domestic travel: 44% of the tourism spend came from international travelers and 56% from domestic travel

Commenting on the numbers, Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO said: “Travel & Tourism contributes more to the South Africa economy than in any other African country. In total our sector contributes ZAR425.8 billion and 1.5 million jobs which makes it a formidable part of the economy.

“South Africa has long grasped the potential of Travel & Tourism to drive economic growth, create jobs and promote social development and I would like to acknowledge the leadership of Minister of Tourism, H.E. Derek Hanekom. That is why we welcome President Ramaphosa’s ambition to double the number of people directly employed in T&T in South Africa.

“Looking to the future, I believe that Travel & Tourism is South Africa’s greatest resource and the country’s strategy for expansion which priorities regional integration, environment sustainability and putting the community at the heart of decisions will make for a successful combination.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Pierre Dominique Prümm joins Fraport Executive Board

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Pierre Dominique Prümm joins Fraport Executive Board

In its meeting today (Thursday, March 14), Fraport AG’s supervisory board appointed Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm to the company’s executive board, effective July 2019. Prümm will take over board responsibility for Fraport’s “Airside and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security” strategic business unit and the “Corporate Infrastructure Management” service unit.

Fraport AG’s supervisory board chairman Karlheinz Weimar welcomed the addition of Dr. Prümm to the executive board: “The global aviation industry will continue to undergo profound changes in the coming years. This will also bring multiple and significant challenges to Fraport AG as well as other industry players. Therefore, it is essential that we expand and strengthen our company’s executive board to meet the growing challenges and responsibilities.”

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Weimar also referred to the construction of Frankfurt Airport’s new Terminal 3, which is now fully underway, pointing out that “this project will entail strong changes in the existing traffic and terminal utilization structures. This means that we will not only have to optimally market the new Terminal 3, we will also have to redesign and upgrade our existing terminals – and we will have to do this while serving more passengers than ever before and while maintaining during regular operations.”

Therefore, the allocation of Prümm’s respective board responsibilities is a logical consequence of the challenges ahead, explained Weimar: “We need to align the management of our construction measures even closer to the demands and requirements of the market and our customers. We are confident that Dr. Prümm has the right expertise and know-how for this significant task.”

The Fraport Group is committed to further growth, both at its Frankfurt Airport home base and internationally. In the long and medium term, the Group intends to grow the share of revenue gained from its worldwide activities to 50 percent. Weimar added: “Our international activities, which remain under the responsibility of CEO Dr. Schulte, will play an increasingly important role for Fraport’s business.” In addition to the “Global Investment and Management” unit, Schulte’s board responsibilities will continue to include the “Airport Expansion South” unit, as well as the “Corporate Development, Environment and Sustainability” and “Corporate Communications” units.

Because digital transformation has become a decisive factor in all business segments, expertise in this area will be bundled in a new “Digitization and Innovation Management” department. The new organizational unit will be under the responsibility of executive board member Anke Giesen, who will also serve as Fraport’s Executive Director Retail & Real Estate. Giesen will continue to have board responsibility for Fraport’s “Retail and Properties” unit, as well as the “HR Top Executives” and “Legal Affairs and Compliance” units. Furthermore, the “Information and Telecommunications” unit has been newly assigned to her.

Executive board member Michael Müller, who is also Fraport’s Executive Director Labor Relations, will be assigned board responsibility for the new “Cargo and Logistics Management” unit. Three other units continue reporting directly to Müller: “Ground Services”, “Human Resources” and “Internal Auditing”.

Fraport’s Executive Director Controlling and Finance (CFO), Dr. Matthias Zieschang, will have board responsibilities for the following units: “Integrated Facility Management”, “Central Purchasing and Construction Contracts”, “Controlling”, “Finance and Investor Relations”, and “Accounting”.

Alexander Laukenmann will assume Dr. Prümm’s responsibilities as Senior Executive Vice President of the “Airside and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security” unit. Previously holding the position of General Manager at Hamburg Airport, Laukenmann is returning to Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport, where he was employed in various positions from 2000 to 2016.

Supervisory board chairman Karlheinz Weimar concluded: “I am convinced that Fraport’s new executive team is excellently prepared to meet the challenges facing us in the future. The entire supervisory board wishes the executive board and the company’s management team success in ensuring a prosperous future for the Fraport Group and its employees.”

A short biography of Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm

Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm, who is 45, joined Fraport on June 1, 2006, as head of the “Corporate Strategy” division within the former “Marketing, Corporate Strategy and Committees” department. On January 1, 2007, this function was integrated into the new “Corporate Strategy” unit, reporting directly to Fraport’s executive board chairman.

Following a major reshuffle of the company’s executive structure on October 1, 2010, the “Corporate Strategy” unit became part of the new “Corporate Development” unit headed by Prümm as Senior Vice President. On October 1, 2012, Prümm became Senior Executive Vice President of the “Airside and Terminal Operations, Corporate Safety and Security” unit, before advancing to the position of Fraport AG’s General Manager Aviation on April 1, 2018.

Prümm holds a Doctorate in Economics, as well as university degrees in business administration and political sciences. Before joining Fraport AG, he was a member of the managing board of Flughafen Hannover-Langenhangen GmbH, the company that runs Hanover Airport. Prior to this, Prümm held managerial positions at Start Amadeus GmbH and Kienbaum Management Consultants GmbH.

WTTC: Greek tourism sector growing over three times faster than wider economy

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In 2018, the Greek Travel & Tourism sector grew at a rate of 6.9% – over three and a half times the pace of its wider national economy, which grew by 2.0%.

The sector represents 20.6% of Greek GDP compared to the global average of 10.4%. This means that one in every five Euros spent in Greece last year came from the Travel & Tourism sector, worth €37.5bn (USD $44.6bn).

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Meanwhile, one quarter of all employment in Greece is based in Travel & Tourism – equivalent to 988.6k jobs. In 2019, this figure is forecast to surpass one million for the first time since WTTC records began.

Even at the height of economic performance before the financial crisis, Greece still employed less people in Travel & Tourism than they did in 2018 (934.5k in 2006), indicating that not only has the sector economy recovered but it is now outperforming its previous peaks.

The same is true for GDP contribution, which has never before amounted to 20% of total GDP.

These figures come from the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) annual review of the economic impact and social importance of the sector. The research, conducted for almost 30 years by WTTC, which represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, shows that in 2018 the Greek sector:

• Outpaced the EU’s regional Travel & Tourism growth rate of 2.4%. Both the EU and Greece’s wider economies grew at a rate of 2.0%, but the Greek travel sector leapt ahead of regional averages.

• Benefitted from €18.5bn international visitor spend, representing 27.9% of total exports.

• Two-thirds of inbound Greek travel spend came from international visitors (66%), and one-third from domestic travel (34%).

• Was driven by leisure spending, which comprised 94% of tourist spend compared to 6% for business.

WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara remarked, “We are hugely impressed by the Greek growth rate, and the government strategies that have spurred it on. Travel & Tourism has had a huge role to play in driving Greek economic recovery, and is a chief employer of people. Greece is an exemplary case study of how valuable an asset Travel & Tourism can be when the government prioritises the sector.”

The Minister of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic, Elena Kountoura remarked: “Our long-term tourism strategy that we implement since 2015 led to outstanding results in Greece’s tourism growth, and supported profoundly the Greek economy in the most difficult years of the crisis. We achieved our target in creating thousands of new jobs, new business activity, new sources of income, and in mobilizing new tourism investments.

With our growth plan for the next day, we intend to maintain Greece’s strong momentum in  tourism and maximize its benefits for the local communities across Greece, acknowledging tourism’s immense value as  a major driving force for employment,  economic and social prosperity.”

About the World Travel & Tourism Council

WTTC is the body which represents the Travel & Tourism private sector globally. Members consist of CEOs of the world’s Travel & Tourism companies, destinations, and industry organisations engaging with Travel & Tourism.

WTTC has a history of 25 years of research to quantify the economic impact of the sector in 185 countries. Travel & Tourism is a key driver for investment and economic growth globally. The sector contributes US$8.8 trillion or 10.4% of global GDP, and accounts for 319 million jobs or one in ten of all jobs on the planet.

For over 25 years, WTTC has been the voice of this industry globally. Members are the Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world’s leading, private sector Travel & Tourism businesses, who bring specialist knowledge to guide government policy and decision-making and raise awareness of the importance of the secto