LONDON: The Government has been told to urgently rethink its immigration policy to avoid a ‘catastrophic’ impact on the UK hospitality industry. Ministers announced proposals to move to a point-based system from January 2021, with most oversea workers also required to earn at least £25,600 to qualify for a visa. Only those who earn 70 points will be allowed to work in the UK, which means businesses such as hotels and restaurants will no longer be able to bring in unskilled labour from other European countries. The Government has told businesses they need to end their dependency on cheap foreign…
Author: holidayweekly
TOULOUSE-FRANCE: EgyptAir has taken delivery of its first of 15 A320neo Family aircraft, on lease from AerCap, becoming the first airline in Africa and Middle East to operate both the A320neo and A220, the most modern and fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft types. Alongside the A220, the A320neo will be an integral part of EgyptAir’s fleet modernization plan that will replace its existing ageing single aisle fleet. EgyptAir’s A320neo is powered by CFM Leap 1 engines and configured in a two-class cabin with 142 seats. This will include 16 business class seats offering a generous 48-inch seat pitch and an economy cabin…
BRUSSELS-BELGIUM: The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) today addressed the European Parliament in the context of several high-level meetings aimed at placing tourism high on European Union’s agenda. Europe is the world’s most visited regions and home to international tourism leaders such as France, Spain or Italy, as well as leading outbound markets, like Germany. To mark the start of the new mandate of the European Commission, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili was in Brussels for a series of high-level meetings. In a notable first, the head of the United Nations specialized agency for tourism met with Elisa Ferreira, the…
PARIS: French airports operator ADP, which operates Paris airports Roissy and Orly, has bought a 49% stake in India’s GMR Airports for $1.45 billion, ADP said on Thursday, February 20. GMR Airports has a portfolio of seven airports in three countries: India, the Philippines and Greece. ADP said the Delhi and Hyderabad airports in India and the Mactan-Cebu airport in the Philippines together handled a total of 102 million passengers in 2019. The four other airports, which had 22 million passengers in 2019, are either under development (Goa and Heraklion) or were recently won by GMR after a bidding process…
Written By Ch. Faisal Mahmood With the Grace of almighty Allah Pakistan’s tourism is full time on the path of revival. There is an influx of high-profile dignitaries who are mesmerized by the beautiful land scape of Pakistan. Last week Her Highness Princess Beatrice, a member of British royal family, and former prime ministers of Spain and Italy were in Pakistan for a ski trip. Their visit brought Pakistan once again in international limelight. Good for tourism Pakistan. Her Highness leads a ‘high level delegation’ on an adventurous heli-skiing trip and by doing this she endorsed Pakistan as the best…
WASHINGTON: Boeing said Tuesday that it found debris contaminating the fuel tanks of some 737 Max jets that it built in the past year but was unable to deliver to airline customers. A Boeing official said the debris was discovered in “several” planes but did not give a precise number. Boeing built about 400 undelivered Max jets before it temporarily halted production last month. The fuel tank debris was discovered during maintenance on parked planes, and Boeing said it immediately made corrections in its production system to prevent a recurrence. Those steps include more inspections before fuel tanks are sealed.…
MANAMA: Gulf Air, the national carrier of Bahrain, recently welcomed the chairman of the Association of Bahrain Travel and Tour Agents (ABTTA) Jehad Amin and members of the association to the airline’s headquarters in Muharraq. Guests from ABTTA met the airline’s executive management headed by its chief executive officer Krešimir Kučko as well as deputy chief executive officer Captain Waleed Al Alawi, chief commercial officer Vincent Coste and members of the commercial division at Gulf Air. Gulf Air’s team has presented its commercial strategy for the year 2020 and discussed ways of further strengthening the relationship and the two-way collaboration…
ISLAMABAD: PIA, The national carrier of Pakistan on Monday, February 24, with immediate effect suspended all flight operations to China and Japan till March 15 amid the coronavirus outbreak. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) took the decision as a precautionary measure as the ongoing virus outbreak has claimed more than 2,400 lives – mostly in China. The decision to resume flight operations or further extend the suspension would be taken after a week. “PIA flights to Beijing and Tokyo will not depart from today,” the PIA spokesperson said. “Travelers of these cities have been notified in advance.” ‘Proper planning’ to tackle…
PESHAWAR: The provincial government is taking solid steps to boost tourism and sports in every nook and corner of the province to attract domestic and foreign tourists and promote games at local level. This was stated by Secretary, Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums and Youth Affairs, Khushal Khan, in a meeting with officials during his visit to the Hazara Division. Visiting the scenic Hazara Division on the special directives of Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Chief Secretary Kazim Niaz, the secretary said that Tourism Department was busy taking tangible steps well before the peak season for promoting tourism and facilitating…
ISLAMABAD: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, February 17, termed the improved security situation of Pakistan as “absolutely remarkable”, noting that Islamabad, which looked like a “fortress” a few years back had now become a family station for the world body’s staff. His words can boost Pakistan’s tourism industry to any extent and will enhance the confidence of the international tourists to visit Pakistan best possible way. Guterres was responding to a question regarding “Pakistan’s journey from terrorism to tourism” after a seminar at Islamabad’s National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST). “We are witnessing the state becoming present,…