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  • Israel in major tourism drive

    Israel is in the course of a serious tourism drive, expecting to draw 10 million tourists over a higher ten years. This target was outlined by Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu on the Second Jerusalem International Tourism Summit going down on the International Convention Center in Jerusalem.

    The two day event, that will conclude today, has attracted leaders of the travel and tourism industry, was discussing the newest groundbreaking technologies and trends.

    This year, a different emphasis was put on urban tourism, in addition to innovative technologies on the earth of tourism and travel.

    Global leaders, academics and experts within the field of hospitality was conducting panels discussing a variety of issues affecting the tourism industry.

    Israel have been leveraged as a Start-Up Nation and Jerusalem as a frontrunner of technology.

    “We have doubled the variety of tourists within the previous couple of years from 1.5 million to a few million per year and we have to double this number again and continue its growth. Our goal is to achieve 10 million tourists a year in a decade.”, explained the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu today on the Summit.

    The Second Jerusalem International Tourism Summit of 2013 is initiated by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Tourism, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority in cooperation with the Hebrew University and the Jerusalem International Convention Center.

    Netanyahu stated that “The Israeli economy leads the OECD in growth, creation of recent jobs, and coffee unemployment. Israel is in economic position to handle the challenges ahead. There’s great potential in multiplying the choice of tourists arriving to Israel, with the intention to generate additional jobs.”

    Netanyahu addressed the tourist industry leaders stating “The least the govt can do isn’t very moving into your way. Step one we took upon ourselves is to approve the open sky agreement. We remove the section within the annual budget that was going to elevate the VAT. We’re committed to tourism, and committed to protecting it.”

    Netanyahu added “Jerusalem is an outstanding city, town of King David and King Solomon, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were all here and billions of visitors can relate to that. A city that blends the past into the long run. We wish to combine the long run with the colourful past.  As a way to accomplish that we want basic items – we’re currently building 5,000 rooms and hotels in Jerusalem and Israel.”

    Minister of Economy, Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs, Naftali Bennett, said “We have a completely unique government. Our goal is to teach this incredible asset – Jerusalem. And we’re talking business. Three million tourists out of a thousand million potential is quiet low. We will do far more.”

    Bennett observed the choice made by the Commission for equality within the burden, stating “We have a novel government; we now have started to focus inward and solve real problems we will tackle. We now have just signed an agreement adding 10,000 Haredis into the workplace. Every day we’re making history. Our best task is to chop through various problems that experience hunted us, especially through bureaucracy and over-regulations. Within the upcoming years, we will be able to sense a big change within the economy since we will be able to ease on regulations. We’re already doing so today and you have got not seen anything yet.”

    Bennett: “Each time I arrive to Jerusalem from my house in Ra’anana, I miss a heartbeat. In Sha’ar HaGai, beneath the mountains, i am getting that special feeling. Today on my way i’ve thought to myself that our heritage and our past are our best advantages. Due to Mayor Nir Barkat’s initiative, we see a whole bunch research and development, advanced Sciences and overflow of arts, music, and culture.”

    Key themes have emerged on the Second Jerusalem International Tourism Summit during the last two days. The forum will draw to an in depth later today.

    Panel topics have included: “Planning Models for Urban Tourism,” “Tourism as a device for Urban Economic Development,” “The Smartphone Revolution and the Impact on Users and executives of Urban Tourism,” “New Transportation Paradigms and the way forward for Urban Tourism,” “Follow the Asian Success Story,” “Intangible Heritage and concrete Tourism Development, Sport and concrete Tourism,” and “Hotel Development in Historic Cities.”

    Yesterday Sheldon Adelson received an honorary award for his efforts to modify the face of tourism all over the world. The business magnet was praised for his contribution to travel and tourism on the second Jerusalem International Tourism Summit 2013 happening today.

    Adelson’s career spans greater than six decades and includes the creation of over 50 different companies, including the Las Vegas Sands Corporation and the COMDEX tradeshow for the pc industry.

    The Las Vegas Sands Corporation has become the leading global developer of destination properties that feature premium accommodations, world-class gaming and entertainment, convention and exhibition facilities.

  • News: Emirates and Qantas inaugurate partnership

    Emirates and Qantas have marked the official start in their historic partnership, with the primary Qantas flights departing from Sydney and Melbourne to London via the international hub of Dubai.

    The partnership marks a brand new era for Qantas and Emirates, and for global aviation, because the two carriers collaborate to deliver the only network, lounges, frequent flyer benefits and travel experiences.

    “The strength of this partnership stems from the very fact the Emirates and Qantas brands are a good match. Emirates customers using a Qantas lounge or taking a Qantas flight will experience a degree of service this is on par with what they expect from Emirates,” said Tim Clark, president, Emirates Airline. 

    “Our two airlines offer the biggest joint fleet of Airbus A380s and passengers may be welcomed through Concourse A, the world’s first, purpose built A380 concourse, at Dubai International Airport, that’s the geographical centrepiece of the partnership,” added Clark.

    “A major benefit is the variety of goods we’re offering frequent flyers. Customers of either airline can leverage a lot of their privileges after they fly at the joint network, including earning points, redeeming flights and accessing lounges.”

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    Qantas chief executive, Alan Joyce, said the partnership would make long haul travel more seamless – and faster – for millions of Australians.

    “From today, our customers from Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney have one-stop access to 65 destinations inside the Middle East, North Africa, the united kingdom and Europe via the joint Qantas and Emirates network.

    “By travelling through Dubai, Qantas customers can connect with the extensive Emirates network into Europe and the united kingdom and fly on to their destination,” said Joyce.

    “Before today, the Qantas network offered five one-stop codeshare destinations into Europe and the united kingdom with our partners. From today, we provide access to 32 destinations in Europe at the combined Qantas and Emirates network.

    “The new network will cut average journey times by greater than two hours from Melbourne and Sydney to the end 10 destinations in Europe,” added Joyce.

    Combined the 2 airlines will offer 98 flights per week between Australia and Dubai.

    Customers have already responded very strongly to the partnership, with over 212,086 sectors booked thus far at the joint network.

    Qantas has seen a six-fold increase in bookings to Europe at the joint network inside the first nine weeks of sales in comparison to an identical period last year.

    The collection of Emirates customers booked to travel on Qantas’ domestic network is nearly seven times higher than under Qantas’ previous partnership arrangement inside the same nine week period.

    More information at the deal are available here.

  • Choice Hotels moves to new headquarters

    Choice Hotels International is completing its move to its new global headquarters at 1 Choice Hotels Circle in Rockville, Maryland at Rockville Town Square.

    The company’s greater than 400 headquarter employees will begin work here on April 8, 2013.

    This move is solely 13 miles from the alternative Hotels current headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.

    However, it represents a sea of change for the lodging giant which franchises hotel brands which have become household names world wide, including Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality and Econo Lodge in addition to newer upscale brands Cambria Suites and Ascend Hotel Collection.

    That change is reflected inside the new workplace which offers a layout designed to encourage collaboration and creativity.

    Open work areas, high technology and connectivity, and several other non-conventional meeting spaces were conceived at the undeniable fact that great ideas come from everywhere, not only behind a desk or around a table.

  • News: US Department of Transportation fines Alitalia for inaccurate information

    The Usa Department of Transportation has fined the Italian air carrier Alitalia $125,000 for providing inaccurate information on its website regarding its policy on compensation to passengers on delayed and cancelled flights.

    While Alitalia’s website displayed a replica of the carrier’s General Conditions of Carriage as required by department rules, and specifically adopted rules required by the ecu Union regarding compensation for delayed and cancelled flights, the carrier claimed a right to refuse such compensation, citing provisions in its tariff that exempted travel from the usa from the terms of the GCC.

    The consent order finds that the inconsistent statements of policy inside the tariff and the GCC were an unfair and deceptive trade practice in violation of U . s . law.

    The order directs the carrier to revise its tariff and GCC to mirror the carrier’s actual policy regarding compensation in cases of delayed or cancelled flights to or from america and orders the carrier to cease and desist from further violations of the law prohibiting airlines from accomplishing unfair and deceptive practices.

    Following a complaint from two Alitalia passengers whose flights were cancelled, the Department’s Aviation Enforcement Office investigated the carrier’s refusal to pay cash compensation to the passengers.

  • L. a. unveils new tourism industry plans

    2012 was a record breaking year for L. a. with 41.4 million visitors and at a contemporary Tourism Week breakfast held Inside the city a brand new vision for town was unveiled. President and CEO of the l. a. Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism) Ernest Wooden Junior shared a brand new annual visitation goal of fifty million visitors to La by 2020.

    LA Tourism estimates that a rise to 50 million in total visitation will generate a rise of $14 billion in economic impact for L. a., for a complete of $44.5 billion; usher in $238 million in hotel tax revenue to the town; and add 68,000 new jobs to the l. a. region’s workforce for a complete of 392,000 jobs supported by the tourism industry in 2020.

    Last year, the l. a. tourist industry broke every record within the book – total visitation, total domestic visitors, total international visitors, and annual hotel occupancy. The destination is on pace to set another total visitation record in 2013 of 42 million visitors.

    “After reaching a record 41.4 million visitors last year, we’re prepared to arrive new heights and we’re now setting our sights at the 50 million visitors milestone,” Wooden said.

    Francine Sheridan, Director for Europe and Middle East for LA Tourism based in London said “We are very excited to be practicing this goal. With the tremendous product offerings in LA, coupled with the healthy quantity of direct air service to LAX from London plus our marketing initiatives, we predict to grow more UK visitors to LA.”

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