LONDON: The UK economy could lose a “staggering” £22bn this year as the tourism industry is hit by a massive drop in international travel as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, a global tourism body has warned. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) also said that London’s position as a hub for business and leisure travel was under threat. It comes after the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said the sector “desperately” needs more government help. It said on Tuesday that 39,000 jobs had already been lost or put at risk in the travel industry due to the…
Author: holidayweekly
By Shanaz Ramzi (Courtesy: The News International) As the convener for FPCCI’s Central Standing Committee on Tourism Development 2020, and an ardent advocate of promoting local tourism, I availed the opportunity recently to visit parts of our northern areas, particularly as my committee has been working diligently on presenting the government with working papers on how we can promote local tourism all across the country so that economy thrives, jobs are created and while we ensure our people have beautiful locales to visit, the environment is also protected and benefits from it. [huge_it_slider id=”569″] Can you then imagine my shock when…
BANGKOK: Hope is on the horizon for travelers wanting to spend their upcoming winter holidays in Thailand provided they’re willing to spend several weeks in the kingdom and only stick to designated areas. During a public forum held late last week, Thailand’s Minister of Tourism Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the country is aiming to allow foreign tourists to enter the country through a program dubbed “Safe and Sealed.” “I have asked the prime minister for approval to set October 1 as the date to allow tourists to enter,” he said. “I also have requested to use Phuket as a pilot model…
MADRID: Brittany Ferries has announced its newest ship, Galicia, is to take to the seas linking the UK with Spain. Weighing in at over 40,000 gross tonnes, the ship will be one of the largest ever to serve the company, and at 215 metres long she will be the longest. The vessel is currently nearing completion at the CMJL shipyard in Weihai, China. Sea trials have successfully taken place, and she will shortly embark on the 10,000-mile voyage to Europe. On arrival Galicia will undergo a period of crew training and dry-docking for finishing touches, before welcoming first passengers on…
GENEVA: International Air Transport Association (IATA) is appealing to all travellers to wear a face covering during a journey for the safety of all passengers and crew during the Covid-19 pandemic. Wearing face coverings is a key recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) guidance for safe operations during the pandemic, as developed jointly with the World Health Organisation and governments. IATA is emphasising the need for passengers to comply with the recommendation following recent reports of travellers refusing to wear a face covering during a flight. “This is a call for common sense and taking responsibility. “The vast…
MUSCAT: Oman Aviation Group is now a global member of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which supports the global private sector of travel & tourism and promotes awareness of issues and developments, a media report said. As global member represented by Group CEO Mustafa al Hinai, Oman Aviation Group now stands alongside over 200 thought leaders and visionaries from various industries around the world to share knowledge and best practices for one of the world’s largest economic sectors, reported Oman Observer. WTTC membership will allow Oman Aviation Group to contribute positively to key aviation issues and advocate for…
MANCHESTER: Karen Smart, Managing Director at Manchester Airport, said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have worked closely with our airlines and retailers to align our operations with demand and to deliver the best possible customer experience. “This has included introducing a number of new measures to keep passengers safe and give them the confidence to travel through Manchester Airport, in line with government guidance. “Having re-opened Terminals Two and Three in July, we have continued to monitor the travel patterns of our airlines and passengers, in order to adapt our operations accordingly. “With that in mind, we have taken the decision…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) will soon launch a ten-year road-map to invigorate tourism industry which has been striving during several decades, to ensure maximum utilization of its huge resources for sustained economic growth, poverty alleviation and reduced social inequalities. “Prime Minister Imran Khan has okayed National tourism strategy (2020-2030) in a recent meeting to harness the sector’s potential under a multi-pronged strategy,” said a senior officer of PTDC on Friday, August 21. The present government, after coming into the power, had assigned this task to PTDC to prepare a comprehensive strategy by engaging tourism experts of public and…
ISLAMABAD: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Thursday issued new SOPs for domestic and international flights effective from August 20 to August 31. The CAA director air transport issued notification of new SOPs which will apply equally to all chartered flights, including private jets. All the operational airport managers of the country are responsible for the implementation of the new SOPs in aircraft. The aircraft will be disinfected in accordance with the procedures prescribed by PCAA at each station before passenger boarding and disinfection standard shall also be mandatory prior to embarkation from a foreign airport for flight to Pakistan.…
WASHINGTON: The U.S. and China are stepping back from their sometimes-tense aviation standoff by allowing more flights between the two countries. The U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) ruled that Chinese carriers currently serving the U.S. can double their weekly flights from four to eight. This follows on the heels of the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) last week ruling that U.S. airlines now flying to China could double their weekly frequencies from two to four flights. With the backdrop of increasing trade and political tensions between the two superpowers, this small step toward normalization is welcome. United Airlines and Delta…