Category: Holidays

  • International visitors spend $14.4 billion in January 2013

    Spending by international visitors to the usa in January 2013 outpaced January 2012 levels by nearly 11 percent, in accordance with data recently released by the International Trade Administration (ITA). International visitors spent an estimated $14.4 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the us in the course of the month.

    “Record-setting growth within the travel and tourism industry continues to contribute to the strength of our nation’s economy,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez. “International travel and tourism represents our country’s largest services export, and in 2012, record spending inside the United states of america by international travelers contributed to $2.2 trillion in overall U.S. exports – the top level in our country’s history. But there’s more work to do. For this reason we’re working everyday to implement the National Travel and Tourism Solution to attract more visitors to our shores and support the nearly eight million Americans employed on this critical industry.”

    Purchases of travel and tourism-related goods and services by international visitors traveling within the U.s.a. totaled $10.9 billion during January, a rise of greater than 10 percent compared to last year. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation within the Country, and other items incidental to foreign travel. Fares received by U.S. carriers (and U.S. vessel operators) from international visitors also increased by greater than 11 percent to $3.5 billion for the month, a rise of $355 million when put next to January 2012. Overall, the usa enjoyed a positive balance of trade for the month of January within the travel and tourism sector, with a surplus of $4.6 billion.

    The January international travel and tourism spending data builds at the strong report recently released by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of commercial Analysis (BEA), which showed that for, employment inside the travel and tourism industries increased 2.2 percent in 2012 after increasing 1.8 percent in 2011. Overall, tourism and tourism-related industries supported 7.7 million jobs in 2012, a rise of two.1 percent when put next to the former year. About 5.5 million (71 percent) of those positions were direct tourism jobs — jobs where workers produce goods and services sold on to visitors — while 2.2 million (29 percent) were indirect tourism-related jobs — jobs where workers produce goods and services used to supply what visitors purchase.

    Increasing U.S. travel and tourism can not come on the expense of national security. The President’s plan for commonsense immigration reform incorporates a selection of proposals to support his commitment to increasing U.S. travel and tourism while maintaining our nation’s security. Specifically, the President’s immigration proposal reforms the Visa Waiver Program to bolster law enforcement cooperation while facilitating more efficient trade and tourism to the us, securely streamlines visa and foreign visitor processing, facilitates public-private partnerships aimed toward increasing investment in foreign visitor processing, and strengthens and improves infrastructure at ports of entry.

  • Florida – A Holiday Suited for the Whole Family

    Florida can often be labelled a ‘magical place’ and not just because it is home to Disney land; there are plenty of attractions that the whole family can enjoy.

    Children are obviously going to have Disney World at the top of their list, but there is also the Harry Potter theme park, Sea World, and Universal Studios among others. These attractions obviously don’t come cheap, but if you have a lot of time to spend, and you’ve saved up enough money, they can be ideal attractions for the children.

    It is important that adults have something to do too, and the beautiful beaches in Florida as well as the Miami city life, make for perfect areas to relax and explore. To go on adventures like no other, there are also plenty of wildlife parks to choose from.

    For the more sophisticated travellers, there is also a wide range of art galleries, exhibitions and museums, while nightclubs are provided for the younger groups (who aren’t too young). Florida is a city that can quite literally cater for all types of people, so for if your family is stuck on choosing a destination, choose Florida, it certainly won’t let you down.

  • China’s new national tourism strategy set to extend outbound tourism

    The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020)’, recently issued by the govt of China, sets the bottom for the redefinition of tourism development and management inside the country, including a sturdy support for outbound tourism in addition to a focal point on a better distribution of the industrial, socio-cultural and environmental benefits of tourism.

    The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020), issued by the State Council of China, makes a speciality of promoting the taking of paid annual leave days and boosting the healthy development of the tourism sector in China, particularly by ensuring the coordination of various sectors.

    Where previously cultural norms have stopped many in China from taking an annual leave, the description, which enhances existing Regulations for Paid Annual Leave for workers, encourages government agencies, social organizations, enterprises and public institutions to advertise using leave days, giving moreover Chinese workers more freedom and suppleness at the issue of where and when to travel.

    “The successful implementation of the hot Chinese national tourism strategy would definitely impulse both domestic and outbound tourism in China and we particularly welcome the verdict to advertise travelling at different times of the year” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. “This document calls on a lot of sectors to strategically consider their actions in view of the advance of tourism; it’s another proof that China fully understands that sustainable tourism growth requires cross-cutting policies at a countrywide level”, he added.

    The Outline, advocated for a very long time by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), comes four years after the tourism sector in China was acknowledged as a ‘pillar’ industry of recent services and among the many major social and economic sectors at the government´s agenda.

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  • Tourism Australia report back to help guide future tourism distribution strategy

    The findings of a comprehensive review of ways Australian tourism product is shipped internationally had been published by Tourism Australia and its state and territory tourism partners.

    The “Distribution 2020: Situational Analysis” report provides industry with an outline of current distribution approaches and potential models for the longer term across Australia’s key holiday markets.

    Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said the report, compiled with the aid of PricewaterhouseCoopers, was portion of the continued Tourism 2020 work as Australian industry looks to double the worth of overnight tourism to A$140 billion by 2020.

    “It’s a partnership with the states and territories that appears at how persons are planning and booking holidays globally and the way we will influence this for Australia’s benefit.

    “Global tourism is amongst essentially the mostsome of the most competitive and fastest changing industries, heavily influenced by advances in technology and changes in consumer behaviour. We recognise this fact and that’s on the heart of this review to make certain we’re doing our job within the top of the line and effective way possible,” Mr McEvoy said.

    The project involved extensive consumer research and interviews with greater than 60 travel agents, wholesalers, inbound tour operators, online agents and direct sellers.

    One of the most important industry bodies to have provided input for the report was the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC).

    ATEC’s Manager Director, Felicia Mariani, said the project and the following report could be a good tool in assisting the industry to navigate the complex world of distribution in today’s tourism landscape.

    “The report shows that to be effective in today’s world of product distribution, operators need to be engaged with and connected across all of the touch points that buyers use in booking their holiday,” she said.

    Mr McEvoy said that the review has further reinforced the advantages of governments and industry working closely together and speaking with “one voice” when promoting Australia and Australian tourism product to the area.

    “Industry feedback has indicated a robust desire for all levels of presidency to work more collaboratively on the subject of international distribution, that’s certainly something we’re very focused upon,” Mr McEvoy said.

    Some of any other key insights from the report include:

    Clear trend towards increasing digitalisation of the patron purchase cycle with greater planning, booking and sharing happening online;
    Traditional distribution channels remain important. In mature markets the extent of internet use for planning and booking seem to have reached a plateau;
    46% of holiday travellers to Australia are booking some aspect in their trip online sooner than arrival, 54% through traditional channels;
    Price, complexity and level of familiarity are barriers to online booking, though consumers desire to do more online. Consumers are actually using a much broader range of sources

    “The report confirms that the foremost elements of the distribution strategy for Australian tourism product are in place. But whilst, there are opportunities to perform a little things better, including monitoring future ‘game changing’ technologies,” Mr McEvoy said.

    In response to the report, Tourism Australia and its State and Territory tourism partners are actually engaged on an integrated plan of trade activities for Australia’s key international markets. This will likely include a review of existing distribution activities, including trade events and missions, to searching for potential efficiencies and higher value for industry.

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  • Bad weather is excellent news for holiday companies

    The travel experts at Directline Holidays (www.directline-holidays.co.uk) report telephone booking enquiries are up 15% and online searches are 30% previous to forecasts for Directline Holidays in line with an identical time frame last year.

    Maria Whiteman, CEO of Directline Holidays said: “This time last year we were enjoying a heat wave. This week we’ve seen the bookies slashing the chances on bets for a White Easter so it’s unsurprising such a lot of British holidaymakers are searhing for solace and booking a sun trip to peer forward to.”

    Whiteman added: “Britain’s bad weather has created a flood of passengers desirous to fly to sun soaked destinations akin to Egypt, Cape Verde, Balearics.”

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