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  • WTTC president Scowsill requires British Schengen entrance

    The UK should adopt the Schengen System to make sure it stops missing out on vital tourists, in accordance with World Travel & Tourism Council president David Scowsill.

    The comments come as prime minister David Cameron promised to loosen visa bureaucracy for visitors from India.

    Scowsill explained: “It is sweet to listen to David Cameron is vowing to sit back visa rules to permit more Indians to travel to Britain for work and study.

    “Anything which permits people to travel more easily can only be a terrific thing, socially and economically, for the united kingdom.

    “But it really is only 1 small step.

    “The restrictive visa policies in place inside the UK are making the rustic uncompetitive and the united kingdom government now should loosen visa bureaucracy for other emerging markets like China.”

    Travel generates 2.3 million jobs and contributes over $100 billion to the united kingdom economy annually and reforms in visa facilitation have the aptitude to create many additional jobs within the UK, in accordance with the WTTC.

    “China’s economy is growing faster than some other,” continued Scowsill.

    “Yet, the united kingdom is currently losing out on thousands of Chinese tourists to our nearby neighbours because Chinese tourists face higher fees and feature to finish an extended application form than in the event that they wish to visit most other countries in Europe.

    “Chinese outbound travellers totalled 84 million last year and the united kingdom receives just a small fraction of them

    “It’s time for Britain to become component to the Schengen system that gives Chinese visitors the possibility to go to 26 countries in Europe on a single visa.”

    Research by the WTTC reveals visa facilitation has historically increased international tourist arrivals of affected markets by five to twenty-five per cent, following the implementation of policy changes.

    “Cameron’s promise to loosen visa bureaucracy in India is all well and good, but when he really desires to make a difference to Britain’s economy and create jobs, he must fundamentally reform visa policies for booming economies like China too,” concluded Scowsill.

  • Starwood relocates global headquarters to Dubai

    Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. today announced the start of a month-long relocation of its global headquarters from Stamford, CT to Dubai.  From now until April 5th, Starwood President & CEO Frits van Paasschen and the company’s top executives will conduct day-to-day business from Dubai, an increasingly important global destination and travel hub.  Following the company’s successful relocation to China in June 2011, this second leadership move reflects Starwood’s innovative management method to cultivating a more global culture by understanding, appreciating and leveraging different societal perspectives and approaches to business and hospitality. 

    “With 80 percent of Starwood’s pipeline coming from rapidly growing markets, it truly is simply unattainable to guide a very global business from a boardroom in Connecticut,” said van Paasschen.  “Rising wealth and ever greater global connectivity are making a once-in-a-lifetime growth opportunity for our business – by fueling new demand, changing travel patterns, and fully new travel markets.  Dubai epitomizes this changing face of travel, and we predict this relocation will deepen our relations with partners, associates and customers.  Just as with our one-month relocation to China in 2011, our time in-market will spark new ideas so one can fortify our position because the most global high-end hotel company.”

    During the process the relocation, greater than 200 Starwood executives and GMs from the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America will travel to Dubai because the company runs day-to-day operations almost 7,000 miles and a nine-hour time zone clear of its usual HQ outside Ny city.  The team will meet with associates, customers, owners and prospective developers inside the UAE and likewise make the most of Dubai’s location for business travel to destinations including Mumbai, Addis Ababa, Jeddah, Dushanbe and Kuwait.

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  • Playlists: ITB Berlin 2013

    Breaking Travel News catches up with key tourism decision makers from worldwide at the convention floor at ITB Berlin 2013.

  • WTTC calls on cruise industry to unite

    “The cruise industry must play its part in fighting visa bureaucracy and deterring more taxation,” in keeping with World Travel & Tourism Council president David Scowsill.

    Speaking on the Cruise Shipping Miami Conference, Scowsill complimented the cruise sector for creating a vital and rapidly growing contribution to the worldwide tourism industry but called on it to return in conjunction with other sectors of the industry to talk with “one voice”.

    He often known as at the industry to make sure visa processing and taxes, which support growth, remain high at the agenda when discussing policy with governments around the globe.

    Scowsill explained: “Visa processes are needed which might be transparent, economical and streamlined to enable travellers to head all over quickly, efficiently and with minimum hassle.

    “The cruise sector is calling to open up new markets including China, where a growing middle class is expressing a want to cruise and notice the arena.

    “Lengthy and intricate visa processes for potential Chinese, Russian and Indian passengers will hamper that growth.”

    WTTC recently undertook a joint study with United Nations World Tourism Organisation to ascertain the industrial value and job creation potential of improvements in visa procedures and policies.

    The research showed that improvements within G20 countries could generate as much as 112 million additional tourists, increase tourism receipts by as much as US$ 206 billion and add five million jobs over three years.

    The findings were tabled on the meeting of the G20 ministers of tourism on the WTTC meeting in Mexico last May and the declaration from that meeting was submitted to the G20 Leaders.

    It was the 1st time tourism were included within the G20 World Leaders’ Declaration.

    Scowsill added: “Leaders are starting to get the message but Governments ought to know how much revenue they’re missing out on by not having progressive visa policies.”

    He went directly to congratulate the cruise industry on being the fastest-growing sector of tourism.

    CLIA industry outlooks forecasts 20.9 million passengers will take a cruise in 2013 – a rise of three.3 per cent on passenger numbers in 2012.

    The worldwide cruise marketplace for 2013 is estimated to be worth US$36 billion – up 4.8 per cent on last year.

    Total worldwide cruise capacity in 2013 could be around 439,000 passengers – a rise of 3 per cent on 2012.

  • News: Delta expands service at La

    Delta Air Lines increases service at La International Airport with daily year-round and seasonal service to fourteen destinations, including eight new markets. The extra service adds 12 percent more daily seats available in the market.

    The new and expanded L. a. service between the subsequent cities (start dates) includes:
    *  New daily service to Nashville and 3 daily flights to Seattle (April 8)
    *  New intra-West service to 2 markets: San Jose, Calif. with four daily flights (July 1) and Spokane, Wash. with one daily flight (June 10)
    *  New summer seasonal service to 3 markets: Boston will operate daily (June 10), Anchorage, Alaska will operate 3 times weekly Friday-Sunday (June 21) and Bozeman, Mont. will operate Saturday only service (June 22)
    *  New Central America service to San Jose, Costa Rica (July 1)
    *  Expanding current intra-West service with one additional flight to Oakland, Calif., Phoenix and Sacramento, Calif. for a complete of 5 (June 10)
    *  Service to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico increases frequency from Saturday only to daily (July 1) and one additional Saturday flight would be added to Guadalajara, Mexico (July 6)
    *  Expanding service to New Orleans with one additional flight for a complete of 3 daily (Sept. 4)
    *  Full flat-bed seating in BusinessElite on four of the seven flights to Ny-JFK this summer
    *  Upgrading Las Vegas aircraft to 6 daily mainline flights in June

    “Los Angeles boasts a powerful domestic revenue market and we’re committed to building a network that supports customer demand both locally and all over the world,” said Bob Cortelyou Delta ‘s senior vp – Network Planning. “Our new service, combined with our domestic and international partners, positions Delta to be L. a.’ preferred carrier.”

    By summer, Delta will operate 118 peak-day departures to 40 nonstop destinations, including Sydney and Tokyo, from La. All Los Angeles service offers customers the choice of top notch, Economy Comfort or economy seating, together with in-flight Wi-Fi.

    Customers flying from L. a. also take advantage of Delta’s agreements with domestic partner Alaska Airlines and key international carriers, including WestJet and Virgin Australia, in addition to Sky Team partners Air France/KLM, Alitalia, Korean Air, Aeromexico, China Airlines China Eastern, China Southern and Aeroflot.

    In 2012, Alaska Airlines relocated to La International Airport’s Terminal 6 as portion of a Delta co-location strategic partnership. Customers of both airlines take advantage of shorter connecting times between Delta’s operation at Terminal 5 and six while creating more international, transcontinental and West Coast travel options.

    Additionally, Delta expects to start codesharing on flights between L. a. and London-Heathrow airport with partner Virgin Atlantic Airways later this year.

    Los Angeles is currently one of many Delta facilities undergoing significant renovations to study-in and arrival areas in addition to jet bridges to enhance the airline’s operational performance and overall customer experience.

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