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Bartlett Calls for Empathetic Leadership during COVID-19 Pandemic

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Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for global policymakers to implement a more empathetic leadership style, while also remaining cautiously optimistic about the future of the industry.

The Minister was speaking yesterday at the A World for Travel virtual international event, which focused on the recovery and the development of global travel and tourism activities.

“Empathetic leadership during this time cannot be sufficiently stressed. It allowed for greater understanding of the people on whose behalf I worked, greater connection with the structure of teams, as well as for my colleagues and other leaders. It is important too that, as leaders, we create space for others to demonstrate empathy towards us. These are trying times and togetherness for strength is useful,” said the Minister.

“A hallmark of leadership and highly relevant in times of crisis is the ability to remain cautiously optimistic – without spiralling into doom and gloom – is necessary in these times,” he added.

When asked about how governments help and what policies could support a quicker recovery of the sector, beyond the use of stimulus packages, the Minister noted that to ensure effective recovery post-pandemic, one has to re-imagine the product, service, market and responses.

“Having considered our market and our packages, the promotion of the destination will flow along similar thoughts. In this new normal, people are motivated to “live their best lives” and we must ensure that our partners and stakeholders have bought into the relevant plans to foster alignment and harmony in the implementation for success,” he said.

In addition, Minister Bartlett noted that COVID-19 has placed the spotlight on the marginalized in society and the sector. “In this regard, inclusion has been equally highlighted as a tool for emerging from this pandemic, possibly bent but not broken, Inclusiveness along all links in the chain – supply, marketing, delivery – will become indispensable, especially as we remain committed to the Sustainable Development Agenda,” he said.

The Minister was speaking on a panel moderated by Guillaume Thibault, Partner at leading international management consulting firm Oliver Wyman, discussing the topic “Leadership in the times of Covid-19”.

He was joined by Gloria Guevara, President  & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council; H.E. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State for Tourism, France, and Dr. Mario Hardy, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association

Other speakers at the event included Hon. Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General, United Nations World Tourism Organization; Rita Marques, Secretary of State for Tourism, Portugal and Ramzi Khoury, Head of News, ROYA TV.

More news about Jamaica

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MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

How Emirates is supporting and preserving biodiversity

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Taking its environmental responsibilities seriously and championing wildlife conservation across different corners of the planet, the Emirates Group is playing its part to support and preserve biodiversity.

The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve and Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in Australia both illustrate the Group’s long-standing focus on protecting fragile ecosystems and support for sustainable tourism in very different parts of the world.  Both conservation reserves protect valuable ecosystems and at the same time provide unique and sustainable experiences for visitors from around the world.

The Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

The Emirates Group funds the operations of the 225 square kilometre Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), an inland desert habitat that has been protected by government mandate since 2003. This is the largest piece of land that Dubai has dedicated to a single project and aims to preserve Dubai’s unique desert environment for future generations. The DDCR plays an important role in ecological research, actively collaborating with both local and international universities. The findings and results of the research studies help to enhance knowledge of the desert ecosystem, gather scientific data around rare and endangered desert species, monitor its balance and preserve its natural environment.

The reserve is also a focal point for conservation programmes aimed at restoring populations of some of the UAE’s wildlife, such as the Arabian gazelle, sand gazelle and Arabian oryx. Since their reintroduction into the DDCR, the antelope species have thrived, and their populations have significantly increased, triggering the process of looking into relocating some oryx and gazelle species to other protected areas within the region. Over 250 endangered Macqueen’s bustard (houbara) were also released this year with 25 of them fitted with tracking devices to monitor their movement and breeding progress.

In 2018, the DDCR was visited by more than 285,000 tourists, through Arabian Adventures, various Emirates partner tour operators, and the Al Maha Desert Resort. The DDCR offers low-impact desert experiences in addition to desert clean-up activities in coordination with Arabian Adventures. During 2018 the DDCR was accepted as a candidate for the IUCN Green List for Protected and Conserved Areas, a global standard for the world’s most effectively managed Protected Areas.

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley

Emirates has been supporting the protection of Australia’s extraordinary wildlife and plant life for over 10 years, through the conservation-based Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in New South Wales. The property was the first luxury resort in the world to receive an internationally-recognised carbon neutral certification from New Zealand based CarboNZero, undergoing a comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions assessment. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley also conducts regular research to identify opportunities and challenges for endangered species conservation. Efforts have also been underway to help restore vital vegetation and tree planting activities, which have helped to re-establish habitats for vital bird populations, essential for their long term survival.

Emirates and Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley jointly funded the development of the WomSAT app and website in collaboration the University of Western Sydney to help researchers identify opportunities for wombat conservation. Wombats are threatened by sarcoptic mange, an unpleasant and often fatal skin disease that afflicts Australia’s largest burrow builder. The tool is used to record wombat sightings and track population health to help treat wombats afflicted by sarcoptic mange. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is also spearheading a number of other conservation projects, such as the Wolgan River Restoration Project, an ongoing weed management programme, and supporting research projects with Western Sydney University.

United for Wildlife and The Buenos Aires Declaration

Since 2015, Emirates has continued its strong support for actions to stem the illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products, which is having devastating consequences for endangered animals and the environment in many parts of the world. In 2018, the Emirates Group also signed the Buenos Aires Declaration on Travel and Tourism and Illegal Wildlife Trade, an effort led by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) to reach a billion travellers with messages to fight the illegal wildlife trade and work with communities to develop sustainable tourism that provides livelihoods and protects wildlife. The WTTC and World Wildlife Fund are developing guidelines to eliminate illegal wildlife trafficking from the travel and tourism supply chains.

The Emirates Group has also adopted a zero-tolerance policy to wildlife trafficking and has set up training for its employees to identify and look out for warning signs of smuggled wildlife products during cargo transportation and screening. Emirates will not carry banned species, hunting trophies or any products associated with illegal wildlife activities.

Using its brand power to raise awareness around the illegal trafficking of endangered wildlife, Emirates emblazoned four of its A380s with special wildlife decals. Since then the aircraft have flown millions of kilometres across 48 cities in 29 countries on close to 6,000 flights taking this important message around the world and spurring conversation around wildlife preservation.

dnata Wildlife Conservation and Nature

dnata recently signed an MOU with the University of Pretoria in South Africa to support their research and rehabilitation projects. Under dnata4good, the partnership aims to safeguard wildlife and the environment by strengthening and enhancing research, veterinary training and awareness, increasing involvement through volunteer opportunities and ensuring needed measures are taken to care for injured animals and rehabilitate them to go back into the wild. The initiative will be partially driven by employee participation to protect fragile biodiversity in South Africa and to maintain balanced ecosystems.

Give a Ghaf

Emirates Group employees living in Meydan Heights (UAE) will be taking part in a Ghaf Tree planting event on 27 April in partnership with Goumbook. The event aims to raise awareness about the importance of conserving the living desert, with a specific focus on the Ghaf tree. The Ghaf is a drought tolerant, evergreen tree which can withstand harsh desert environments, and can be used for greening purposes whilst saving water.

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The next big thing in global tourism

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Enchanting tourist attractions, unique diplomatic stature and a thriving airliner have placed Ethiopia, Land of Origins, on top of the world when it comes to tourism growth.

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) annual review, the country saw the highest tourism growth in the world (48.6%), surpassing the global average growth rate of 3.9% and the African average of 5.6%. During the period, the sector supported 2.2 million jobs and contributed US$7.4 billion to Ethiopia’s economy, an increase of US$2.2bn on 2017.

The timeless charm of Ethiopia’s natural, cultural and historical tourist attractions has been driving an influx of tourists from far and wide. As the land where mankind, coffee and the Blue Nile trace their roots, Ethiopia has always been a fascinating destination for holidaymakers.

The country’s UNESCO-registered heritages including the majestic obelisks of Axum, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and the fortified historic town of Harar, among others, have always remained tourist magnets, drawing visitors in droves. And add to this the magnificent scenery and the unique wildlife riches, some of which are found in the country only.

As the Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing & Exhibitions (MICE) tourism blossoms around the world, Ethiopia is also uniquely positioned to reap the benefits, owing to its unique place in Africa’s diplomatic landscape. Ethiopia today the city stands among the top capitals in the world, hosting major regional and global conferences.

As the main hub of the Pan-African carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia also enjoys convenient air connectivity with multiple destinations in Africa and the rest of the world, making travel to the country easier than ever before. The connectivity options the airline offers to travelers has made Ethiopia ever more accessible to the whole world, and has facilitated the influx of tourists.

The airline’s catalyst role has never been more impactful, especially in promoting tourism, as alluded to by Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council concerning the exceptional growth of Ethiopia’s tourism. “Ethiopia’s Travel & Tourism boom was one of the great success stories of 2018. It has exceeded our sector’s global and regional comparisons to record the highest level of growth of any country in 2018”, Gloria Guevara notes. “This has been driven by the very strong performance of aviation in the country and the development of Addis Ababa as a dynamic and growing regional hub.” Africa’s largest carrier today spreads its wings to 120 destinations throughout the world, with half the destinations in Africa. Thanks to Addis Ababa’s strategic location at the center of the East-West lane and the ever-expanding service of Ethiopian Airlines, the city has emerged as the major gateway into Africa surpassing Dubai.

Besides its wide connectivity and multi-award winning signature services, the flag carrier’s cutting –edge technologies are adding a definite wow factor that is enabling the influx of tourists savor the beauty of the nation and designate the east Africa’s nation as a home away from home! Ethiopian Mobile App enables international travelers secure eVisa within 4 hours and elevates travelers to a high degree of personalization and end to end travel experience through mobile devices.

Global passengers can apply e-Visa and book their flights, pay online using credit or debit cards, mobile money, e- Wallet and bank transfer. They can also check-in and issue boarding pass as well as self-board. Passport and Ethiopian App suffice all the way to experience seamless travel to and from Ethiopia. The excellence of Ethiopian is also manifest in its hospitality and award winning service. The carrier has been certified by SKYTRAX as Four Star Global Airline.

As Ethiopia keeps leveraging its edge as a destination of choice for holidaymakers, and as Addis Ababa continues to augment its place as the diplomatic capital of Africa and the flourishing hub of Ethiopian Airlines, the sky will be the limit to its tourism growth in the years to come.

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Egypt Tourism Minister: Tourism is key to rapprochement and peace

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Egyptian Tourism Minister Rania al-Mashat and winner of IIPT Award said that Tourism and travel are the key to peaceful borders, cultural exchanges, bridge-building, communication, rapprochement and peace, especially in light of recent political and economic changes in the world.

World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) conducted a study revealing that the growth rate of the tourism sector in Egypt reached 16.5% in 2018.

In statements on the sidelines of her visit to Jordan for the World Economic Forum in the Middle East and North Africa, which was held from April 6 to 7, Mashat explained that this rate is higher than the average global growth of 3.9%, noting the remarkable development and improvement witnessed by the tourism industry.

The minister pointed out that her goal since taking on her role in tourism has been to change the stereotypical image of Egyptian tourism, a goal that has already begun to be achieved. The impact of these developments has been shown through the expressed appreciation of many international institutions and international reports for the developments and growth witnessed within the sector.

She pointed out that Egypt recently won the Global Champion Award in addition to positive reports published by several international agencies and media on tourism in Egypt.

She pointed out that Egyptian tourism now has a common vision and plan, which is being worked out by all parties related to the sector from government, Parliament, private sector groups, investors, etc., pointing out that the structural reform program launched by the Tourism Ministry for the development of the sector is the result of the consolidation of these visions and ideas.

The minister pointed the importance of cooperation and openness between peoples, adding that this comes within the framework of the new recreational plan for Egypt through the concept of People to People (p2p), which is based on the openness of the Egyptian people to other peoples.

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Saudi tourism sector worth over $70 billion in 2019

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Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector is expected to contribute $70.9 billion (SAR 263.1 billion) in total to the country’s GDP in 2019, according to data from the World Travel and Tourism Council, as exhibitors prepare to showcase what the Kingdom has to offer at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1 May 2019.

According to data from ATM’s research partner Colliers, international arrivals to Saudi Arabia are expected to increase 5.6% per year from 17.7 million in 2018 to 23.3 million in 2023. Religious tourism is expected to remain the bedrock of the sector over the next decade, with a goal of attracting 30 million pilgrims to the Kingdom by 2030, an increase of 11 million from the 19 million Hajj and Umrah pilgrims that visited the country in 2017.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “At ATM, we are witnessing this growth first hand with the total number of delegates arriving from Saudi Arabia increasing 42% between 2017 and 2018, while 33% of delegates, exhibitors and attendees were interested in doing business with the Kingdom.

“More relaxed access to visas, through online portals such as the ‘Sharek’ and the growth of the Umrah plus market – combining religious and leisure travel – are expected to be key drivers in the growth of international tourism in the Kingdom.”

Vision 2030 has set aside $64 billion to invest in culture, leisure and entertainment projects over the next decade, which will significantly add to the attractiveness of the country as a touristic destination, according to a recent report from real estate firm Savills.

The first phase of the Red Sea project, which is estimated to grow the kingdom’s GDP by US$5.86 billion (SAR22 billion) and will consist of an airport, marinas, up to 3,000 hotel rooms and various recreational activities, is expected to complete during 2022.

Additionally, last year Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced the development of Amaala, a new ultra-luxury tourism megaproject which is earmarked for completion in 2028. The development will add 2,500 hotel rooms – further boosting the accommodation offering for both domestic and international visitors alike.

“Saudi Arabia will see a vast expansion of its hotel and resort inventory during 2019, with over 9,000 keys of three, four and five-star international supply expected to enter the market despite major cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah experiencing an overall drop in ADR during 2018.

“While, this new supply will place additional competitive pressure on hotels performance across the country, the projected growth in visitor numbers in both the domestic and international markets is expected to boost occupancy levels throughout 2019,” added Curtis.

Looking ahead to ATM 2019, Saudi exhibitors, who will highlight what the Kingdom has to offer and the exciting developments in the pipeline, include The Red Sea Development Company, Saudia – Saudi Arabian Airlines, Makarem Hotels, AlfaOne Concierge – and of course the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage who will have a major presence too.

A focused seminar titled ‘Why Tourism is Saudi’s new ‘White Oil’ will take place on the Global Stage on Monday 29th April between 14.50 – 15:50.  The session will discuss Saudi Arabia’s tourism potential as the Kingdom undergoes a period of rapid economic diversification and forges ahead with its Vision 2030 blueprint.

The upbeat tourism forecast is also being driven, by domestic tourism with the number of local tourist trips inside Saudi Arabia exceeding 47 million in 2018. The latest research from Colliers forecasts this figure to increase 8% per year to 70.5 million by 2023.

“Plans are already afoot in Saudi, to achieve the projected increase in domestic visitors, with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 blueprint forecast to double the number of UNESCO heritage sites and increase household spending on cultural and entertainment activities inside the country from 2.9% to 6%.

“Meanwhile, the Quality of Life Vision Realisation Programme (VRP) and the General Entertainment Authority are both working to create new attractions and recreational activities within the country,” added Curtis.

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.

Brand new for this year’s show will be the launch of Arabian Travel Week, an umbrella brand comprising four co-located shows including ATM 2019, ILTM Arabia, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa – a new route development forum and new consumer-led event ATM Holiday Shopper. Arabian Travel Week will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 27 April – 1 May 2019.

For more news about ATM, please visit: https://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com/media-centre/Press-Releases/.

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: www.arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: NATHALIE VISELE, Director, Shamal Communications, Arjaan Office Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tel: +971 4 365 2711 | Mobile: +971 50 457 6525, E-mail: nathalie.visele@shamalcomms.com , Website: www.shamalcomms.com

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Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda: Top 10 improved world travel destinations

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Three Eastern African nations have emerged among the top ten fastest-growing destinations for tourism in the world.

The 2019 annual report compiled by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) shows that Ethiopia is the fastest-growing travel destination in the world with Rwanda in sixth place and Uganda holding a twelfth position on the list.

Ethiopia’s tourism sector grew by a staggering 48.6 percent in 2018, making up 9.4 percent of the economy and creating 2.2 million jobs. Over 8 percent of Ethiopia’s total workforce now works in tourism.

Rwanda also saw growth rates of 13.8 percent and Uganda 11.3 percent, with all 3 showing the pull of East Africa both in terms of its wildlife, history, and beaches, the Nation Media Group reported from Nairobi.

Kenya also saw a big growth in 2018  at 5.6 percent  which had created 1.46 million jobs and made up 8.8 percent of the total annual economy.

Kenya stands as the leading tourist hub in Eastern Africa, taking an advantage of its rich wildlife, historical sites, and beaches on the Indian Ocean coast and improved tourist services, mostly hotels and air transport facilities.

In its annual analysis quantifying the global economic and employment impact of travel and tourism in 185 countries and 25 regions, the World Travel and Tourism Council’s research reveals that the sector accounted for 10.4 percent of global GDP and 319 million jobs, or 10 percent of total employment in 2018.

It adds that travel and tourism’s growth in 2019 is expected “to remain resilient” despite a slowing global economy.

“Our forecasts point to a 3.6 percent expansion for travel and tourism, faster than an expected global economy growth of 2.9 percent in 2019,” the report says.

It adds that one in 5 of all new jobs were created by travel and tourism over the past 5 years showing the growing importance of the sector to the global economy.

Travel and tourism GDP grew by 5.6 percent in 2018, significantly above the African economic growth rate of 3.2 percent.

This places Africa as the second fastest-growing region in 2018, behind only Asia-Pacific.

Such growth is partly explained by North Africa’s rebound from security crises as well as the development and implementation of policies that stimulate travel promotion.

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WTTC Summit 2019 Seville: The Untold Story

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The World Travel and Tourism Council just finished their annual summit 2019 in the Spanish City of Seville.

A record number of delegates listened to presentations from top leaders in the largest industry in the world. All of this was live streamed except for the conversation everyone had waited for with former US President Barak Obama. Perhaps the $4,000.00 price tag for non-members required the organizer to shield the former president from public listeners.

eTN reached out to about 100 of the CEO’s, delegates and ministers that attended the 2-day event last week and everyone said the networking opportunities at WTTC summits to have top people meet with other top people is the real value here. Some delegates only attended the opening and the Obama session and met in the hallways, at side venues with business partners, fellow ministers.

Big business is done this way. It starts often with an exchange of ideas and can trickle down to billion-dollar transactions.

This is the place a CEO can have a cup of coffee with a fellow CEO from a competing company.

Former Seychelles Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine of Seychelles Alain St. Ange, who now leads his own consulting company met with Kenya Tourism Minister Najib Balala consolidating the working cooperation between the two tourism personalities.
St.Ange and Balala have been friends for a number of years and both men are seen as continent leaders in the field of tourism.  Alain told eTN about his exchange with the First Lady of Kenya who delivered her speech at the WTTC summit.
St.Ange said:  “Minister Najib Balala of Kenya and me are expected to meet again in Nairobi shortly to discuss tourism and the development of tourism in Africa.”
WTTC is a different event, an event of changemakers and networking hiding behind the facade of top-notch presentations and opportunity for every destination that is hosting such a high-level event.

 

 

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WTTC Global Summit: Next stop San Juan

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Discover Puerto Rico, the Island’s first-ever and new Destination Marketing Organization, today announced that island will serve as the host for the World Travel & Tourism Council 2020 Global Summit, following the formal announcement made by WTTC at today’s closing ceremony of the 2019 Summit in Seville, Spain. Representing the global private sector of travel & tourism, the Global Summit is regarded as the most important worldwide event in the sector, and gathers significant global business leaders, yearly.

“We’re honored to have been chosen as host destination for the upcoming World Travel and Tourism Council 2020 Global Summit. Puerto Rico is a place where rich culture and natural wonders lay the foundation for an immense bounty of one-of-a-kind experiences. We’re thriving as a destination of global importance and hosting this Summit will elevate even further our tourism offering, positively impacting the local economy. We look forward to welcoming the global tourism industry next year to discover all that Puerto Rico offers,” said Brad Dean, Chief Executive Officer of Discover Puerto Rico.

In Puerto Rico, the travel industry employs roughly 77,000 people, contributes 6.5% to the Island’s GDP and impacts a noteworthy 17 additional sectors of the economy. This, on the rise given the Island’s increasing popularity as a must-visit destination on a global scale, and validated given the selection by the WTTC, as the first U.S. Island territory to host the respected event.

“We are delighted to bring next year’s Global Summit to the beautiful tropical Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a welcoming and diverse destination that is attracting travelers from all over the world,” said Gloria Guevara Manzo, President and CEO of WTTC. “We’re particularly excited because the destination provides ease in traveling and doing business since Puerto Rico is a US territory yet has the allure of the Caribbean.”

The WTTC Global Summit will be held from April 21-23, 2020 at the District San Juan, a five-acre hospitality and entertainment district opening later this year. The complex is currently being designed and poised to be the most vibrant and popular setting for events, conventions and performances in the Caribbean.

Puerto Rico’s unique history and offerings set it apart as a global destination, including a fusion of Taino Indian, Spanish and African cultures, seen vividly in the food, music and architecture. Found on the Island is El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. forest system; three of the world’s five bioluminescence bays; and El Monstruo, the longest zip line in the Americas. Visit DiscoverPuertoRico.com for more information on the destination and its variety of offerings and lodging options.

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Global Champion Awards announced by WTTC

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The countries and leaders who have made a difference to increase the competitiveness of the Travel & Tourism sector within their countries have been recognized at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Champions Awards at the WTTC Global Summit in Seville this week.

The inaugural WTTC Global Champions Awards recognizes those countries from 185 around the world which have used policy initiatives to create the conditions to promote the long-term sustainable growth of our sector.

The categories of awards and the recipients are as follows:

Security & Seamless Travel Experience which recognizes leadership in transforming border security and the traveler experience through the use of technology and facial recognition systems – awarded to Kevin McAleenan, Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, USA.

Resilience which recognizes leadership by a country which has demonstrated success in recovery from adverse events – H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Tourism, Arab Republic of Egypt.

Social Impact which recognizes leadership in enabling gender equality and diversity; engaging local communities and making the sector more attractive for future generations – awarded to Hon. Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism & Wildlife in the Government of Kenya.

Destination Stewardship which recognizes leadership for work undertaken to overcome seasonality as a way of improving the year-round tourism experience – H.E. Elena Kountoura, Minister of Tourism, Government of Greece.

Crisis Preparedness, Management & Recovery which recognizes leadership in disaster preparedness and having effective response systems at both national and local levels – H.E. Keiichi Ishii, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Government of Japan.

Innovation and Technology recognizes leadership in innovation and the implementation of technology that meets the needs of tomorrow’s travelers and fosters sustainable tourism growth – awarded to H.E. Maria Reyes Maroto Illera, Minister of Tourism, Government of Spain.

The awards ceremony took place at the Gala Dinner of the WTTC Global Summit which was held in Seville, Spain, and hosted by Ayuntamiento of Seville, Turismo Andaluz and Turespana.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, commented: “The WTTC Global Champions Awards are designed to recognize those countries and individuals whose policies or initiatives have made a significant contribution to the creation of jobs in our sector in a range of different ways.

“Promoting the long-term sustainable growth of our sector is critical and the winners will help those countries and individuals whose actions have had the greatest impact.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

WTTC launches global taskforce on human trafficking

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The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has today announced the formation of a global taskforce to help prevent and combat human trafficking – an illicit activity that affects 30 million victims worldwide and relies on travel networks to operate.

The taskforce comprises WTTC members and sector associations to become the first global industry-wide initiative to assert zero tolerance and share best practice.

As an industry, human trafficking is worth $150 billion annually and contributes heavily to modern slavery in which 40 million people worldwide are entrapped. One-quarter of trafficking victims worldwide are children (or 5.5 million). Meanwhile, 19% of victims are trafficked for sexual purposes, which makes up 66% of the illicit income generated.

Human trafficking is present virtually everywhere, yet not all criminalize it in all its forms.

The WTTC taskforce has thus been established for the purposes of:

  1. PREVENTION: to increase industry and consumer awareness of human trafficking. It is proven the more we know the more can be prevented.
  2. PROTECTION: to train employees and travelers on how to identify and report suspected cases.
  3. ACTION: to encourage governments to enact legislation which recognizes human trafficking as a crime throughout the entire chain and develop resources and support needs such as national hotlines.
  4. SUPPORT: to provide assistance, employability training, and employment opportunities to survivors.

The founding members of the taskforce are Airbnb, Amex GBT, The Bicester Village Shopping Collection, Ctrip.com International, CWT, Emirates, Expedia Group, Hilton, JTB Corp., Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority, Marriott International, Silversea, Thomas Cook, and TUI.

On the formation of the taskforce, Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, commented: “Human trafficking is a devastating widespread and critical issue that unfortunately relies on Travel & Tourism networks to operate. As a sector, we must do everything in our power to help eradicate the problem so that people may move freely and safely across the globe, but never coerced.

“I am proud to today launch this vital taskforce comprised of the world’s most powerful travel leaders from across hotels, retails, airlines, cruise, technology, finance, and destination management, and are wholly committed to preventing trafficking, protecting victims, supporting survivors, and engaging with governments so that this pandemic ends once and for all.”

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