For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

Where press releases are breaking news

Driving intra-African connectivity and cooperation through Alliance and partnership

by

The African Tourism Board is currently working hard to build partnerships within the aviation industry. “Seeing Africa as one destination is perfect for any airlines wanting to partner with us”, said Juergen Steinmetz, Interim Chairman of  ATB.

When speaking to eTN, Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy echoed the importance of the Airline Industry for the African Continent and said: “I am most impressed by what the African Tourism Board has achieved in this very short time! I am delighted to support it.” Mr. Vijay Poonoosamy is  Mauritius native currently working as a director for the Singapore QI Group, and a former VP for Etihad Airways.

At the recently concluded 8th Annual Aviation Stakeholder Convention of the African Airline Association (AFRAA) Vijay Poonoosamy said when he moderated the session in Mauritius:

Africa with a population of 1.3 billion or 16.6% of the world’s population accounts for less than 4% of the world’s air transport passengers.

African air transport thus only supports around 6.9 million jobs and $80 billion in economic activity whereas globally air transport supports 65.5 million jobs and $ 2.7 trillion in economic activity.

The many barriers to the growth of African air transport include weak infrastructure, low living standards, high ticket prices, poor connectivity, high costs, poor competitiveness, visa restrictions for both Africans and non-Africans and the lack of national understanding of the significant multiplier effect of air transport.

At the AFRAA  AGA  last November, IATA DG & CEO,  Alexandre de Juniac, stated that:

“The global average profit per passenger is $7.80. But airlines in Africa, on average, lose $1.55 for every passenger carried.”

He also pointed out that:

“Fares within Africa are relatively high but Africa to the rest of the world fares are relatively low, compared to other markets of a similar sector length.  The problem is not so much high fares by international standards, but that living standards are so low on average, so buying a typical return ticket from Africa will cost almost 7 weeks of national income per person.  It costs less than 1 week’s national income per person in Europe or North America.”

Moreover, Africans require a visa for an average of 55% of the countries on our continent and only 14 out of 54 African countries currently offer visas upon arrival to African nationals.

However, Africa is at the cusp of its renaissance but whether African Air Transport will be part of this renaissance or not is up to African airlines and their stakeholders.

By 2050, Africa’s population is expected to be 2.5 billion or 26.6% of the World’s population.

According to IATA, Africa’s passenger numbers are set to double by 2035 and triple in the next 20 years with a growth of 5.4% per annum whilst the global average is expected to be less than 5% per annum over these periods.

Whether these formidable international opportunities are going to be mostly seized by non-African airlines and whether these formidable intra-African opportunities are going to be mostly missed will depend on the willingness and ability of African airlines to work and win together with the help of their Stakeholders.

To help us explore how to enhance intra-African connectivity and cooperation between African Airlines we are delighted to have as panelists

  • Raja Indradev Buton, Chief Operating Officer – Air Mauritius
  • Aaron Munetsi, Director of Government Legal & industry Affairs – AFRAA
  • Dominique Dumas, Vice President Sales EMEA-ATR
  • Mr Jean-Paul Boutibou, Vice President Sales, Middle East, Africa and Indian Ocean – Bombardier
  • Mr Hussein Dabbas, General Manager Special Projects Middle East & Africa – Embraer

A panel which reflects African aviation’s challenge with gender balance!

Win-win cooperation between African Airlines will allow for significant cost reductions through the elimination of wasteful redundancies and the leveraging of economies of scale and help drive revenues through strategic synergies.

The areas concerned are endless and include procurement, jet fuel, fleet management, spare parts and maintenance, engines, IT, Catering, training, IFEs, lounges, loyalty programs, ground handing and Treasury management.

Africa’s take off is linked to the take-off of African air transport, including African Airlines and intra-African connectivity, all of which are, in turn, linked to the willingness and ability of African airlines and their stakeholders to come together and deliver calibrated win-win solutions through smart co-opetition or cooperative competition sooner rather than later.

Founded in 2018, the African Tourism Board is an association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from, and within the African region. For more information and how to join, visit africantourismboard.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

TravelMarketingNetwork

954 Lexington Ave. #1037

New York, NY 10021 USA

PH: (+1) 718-374-6816

marketing@travelmarketingnetwork.com   

Zimbabwe Tourism invites African Tourism Board leaders to a fact-finding mission

by

African Tourism Board leaders were invited to Zimbabwe for a fact-finding mission and were afforded participation in a discussion with the Zimbabwe Minister of Tourism, Priscah Mupfumira.

This discussion took place yesterday with Ms. Likukuma Rita, acting Chief Executive of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority; African Tourism Board VP Cuthbert Ncube; and ATB CEO Doris Woerfel at the Indaba travel industry show in Durban, South Africa.

Zimbabwe has a rich history of untapped tourism products like the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, and the ruins of Great Zimbabwe – the capital of the Queen of Sheba, according to an age-old legend. They are a unique testimony to the Bantu civilization of the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries.

Likukuma Rita was passionate to work with the African Tourism Board on the Transfrontier Conservation Projects and other important developments close to Zimbabwe Tourism development.

The African Tourism Board VP voiced his excitement to closely work with Zimbabwe. He said, “The African Tourism Board is looking forward for Zimbabwe to officially join our board.”

Founded in 2018, the African Tourism Board is an association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from, and within the African region. For more information and how to join, visit africantourismboard.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

TravelMarketingNetwork

954 Lexington Ave. #1037

New York, NY 10021 USA

PH: (+1) 718-374-6816

marketing@travelmarketingnetwork.com   

Personalize and remove friction for customers, Gulf travel companies told

by

Gulf-based travel and hospitality companies that use disruptive technologies to boost personalization and remove friction for customers are likely to become future market leaders, according to experts speaking at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019.

In a panel discussion titled ‘The Big Picture – Who Will Sell Travel Best in the Future?’, which took place on ATM’s Global Stage, representatives from Booking.com, Sabre Corporation, Google, Facebook and Emirates explored the potential benefits and pitfalls of technology implementation in the Gulf’s tourism sector.

While innovations such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and personalisation technology have the potential to boost efficiency across the industry, panellists emphasised that operators should always consider how new applications are likely to impact the customer experience.

Fouad Talaat, Regional Manager of Partner Services – MEA, Booking.com, said: “Some of us think we’re in an era of disruption but I think we’ve passed that already. I think we’re in an era of powerful customers.

“We think of ourselves as a customer-first AI company. This means that the application of any new technology is done to enhance the experience for our customers. We don’t experiment with emerging technologies for the sake of it. If an innovation doesn’t take friction away, we don’t invest in it.”

Airports and airlines increased investments in information technology (IT) from 5.6 per cent in 2017 to 7.5 per cent in 2018, accounting for an overall investment of USD 30 billion. By implementing IoT technology to optimise flight itineraries, the industry could save the same amount in fuel savings alone over the next 15 years, according to research conducted by Colliers on behalf of ATM 2019.

In addition to efficiency savings, panellists noted that the GCC’s tourism industry must identify areas in which disruptive technologies can be implemented to ensure a seamless customer experience.

Terry Kane, Head of Travel, Auto, Telco and Financial Services – Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, Facebook, said: “In travel today, there is still an enormous amount of friction at every step of the journey and mobile solutions can help to remove a lot of this. Expectations are constantly changing. The moment a company solves a friction-related problem, customers’ expectations are reset.

“For example, if I want the most personal experience possible, it’s probably going to be through WhatsApp or Facebook. We should be able to reserve flights, get our boarding passes and book accommodation through WhatsApp or Facebook directly […] These platforms should be your personal concierge for multiple things in life, and travel is certainly one of those areas.”

The comprehensive implementation of personalisation technology could also lead to significant benefits for the Middle East’s hotel industry, according to Colliers, increasing revenues by more than 10 per cent and reducing costs by more than 15 per cent.

Ben Vinod, Senior VP and Chief Scientist, Sabre Corporation, said: “We live in an AI, machine learning-driven landscape, so a key focus for our sector is intelligent retailing. Consumers want to see content that is relevant for them; they don’t want to see generic information. This is something that will change over the next couple of years.

“One example is that you don’t always have to show the lowest price on your website. You may want to show the best price based on the customer’s preferences. Segmentation is important because it allows you to deliver relevant content to a portion of the population. We also see a need for one-to-one personalisation. We want to be able to give you a tailored response that is meaningful to you – as a segment of one.”

Running until Wednesday, 1 May, ATM 2019 will see more than 2,500 exhibitors showcase their products and services at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Viewed by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) tourism sector, last year’s edition of ATM welcomed 39,000 people, representing the largest exhibition in the history of the show.

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

CarTrawler appoints new head of North America operations

by

CarTrawler has appointed travel industry veteran Charlie Coniglio as senior vice president, North America.

Mr. Coniglio comes to CarTrawler from Green Torino LLC, a boutique travel consultancy he founded in 2016. Through Green Torino, Charlie has worked with the CarTrawler team for the previous three years and has been crucial to CarTrawler’s success in the North American market. Mr. Coniglio brings more than 20 years’ experience in the car rental industry through his roles as VP at Hertz and, prior to that, VP & senior marketing officer at Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.

“Charlie is placed perfectly for this role as he brings a wealth of experience that will be fundamental to our growth. In this new role he will be responsible for leading our New York team to ensure the successful delivery of our strategy,” said CarTrawler CEO Cormac Barry. “The opening of our New York office is testament to CarTrawler’s remarkable achievements over the last 12 months, following the launch of our partnership with Alaska Airlines. Supporting both our new and existing partners from within their home markets will ensure continued success in North America.”

Commenting on his new appointment, CarTrawler SVP Charlie Coniglio said, “I am very excited to lead the expansion of CarTrawler with the opening of our New York offices. Our B2B focus aligns perfectly with the North American Market, and we see great opportunities ahead. CarTrawler has an exceptional product, supported by an inspiring team of people. I am looking forward to being instrumental in CarTrawler’s future growth.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

United Airlines appoints new VP

by

United Airlines today announced Michael Leskinen has been named vice president of Corporate Development and Investor Relations. Leskinen currently serves as managing director of Investor Relations. In his expanded role Leskinen will also lead United’s strategic investment activities including United’s investment activity in partner airlines.

“Mike’s experience as an investor and knowledge of the industry, along with his success in building strong shareholder relationships, make him the right executive to also lead our corporate development efforts,” said Executive Vice President and CFO Gerry Laderman.

“We have demonstrated that United is on the right path with our strategic plan and have just begun to realize United’s full potential. As we look to the future, we will continue to make disciplined investments that further our competitive advantages. Mike’s background makes him uniquely qualified to weigh those investments against the intrinsic value in our own shares,” said President Scott Kirby.

Leskinen joined United in January 2018 and in that time has played a vital role in improving the company’s relationship with shareholders. Prior to joining United, Leskinen was an executive director at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, where he led the firm’s investment efforts in aerospace, defense, and airlines.

Leskinen received his bachelor’s degree in finance from Arizona State University and his M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Leskinen will report to Laderman. Leskinen and his wife live in Chicago and have three daughters.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Castle Resorts & Hotels names John Rasmussen new VP of Marketing

by

Castle Resorts & Hotels has named Jon Rasmussen as vice president of marketing, where he will be responsible for spearheading the development and implementation of all marketing initiatives for one of Hawaii’s largest hotel and resort management companies.

Rasmussen brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing, advertising, promotions, public relations and account management to his position at Castle. He most recently served as director of marketing and advertising at Becker Communications, where he provided strategic marketing planning, budgeting and implementation; brand development; creative services; and media planning for a range of clients. He also spent 14 years as general manager and creative director for the in-house marketing and advertising division of Cutter Management Co., garnering numerous awards for advertising excellence for the automotive retailer during that time. He previously held positions with MM&M Advertising, Chaminade University and Ogilvy & Mather Hawaii, where he was part of the award-winning creative team servicing the Hawaiian Airlines, Polynesian Cultural Center and HVCB accounts

Rasmussen graduated from the University of Washington with bachelor’s degrees in English and communications/advertising. He has been actively involved with Special Olympics Hawaii since 1993, and is a past longtime board member of the Hawaii Advertising Federation.

Travel News | eTurboNews