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  • News: WTTC warns Brazil must work to enhance tourism performance

    Brazil cannot rely upon the FIFA 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games to stimulate international visitors World Travel & Tourism Council president David Scowsill has warned in a panoramic speech at the issue.

    Scowsill explained: “Tourism is creating a major contribution to that exciting economic growth, but there remains much to be done with infrastructure build and marketing the rustic to international markets.

    “This is a dynamic time for Brazil – exports are booming in a single of the fastest growing major economies on the planet.

    “Economic reforms have given the rustic new international recognition and influence.

    Scowsill was speaking at PANROTAS in Sao Paolo.

    Tourism made a complete contribution to Brazil’s GDP in 2012 of 402 billion reals, which was nine per cent of the – greater than that of the chemicals manufacturing industry which stands at seven per cent and the mining sector which contributes 6.7 per cent.

    In terms of direct contribution to GDP, tourism is sort of twice the scale of the automotive manufacturing sector in Brazil, supporting eight million direct, indirect and induced jobs in 2012.

    Brazil ranks second in Latin America when it comes to the flow of international tourists, however the domestic market represents the majority of the industry, accounting for over 50 million trips annually.

    Mexico is prior to Brazil, attracting 22 million visitors per year, in comparison to Brazil’s 5.2 million.

    France receives 76.8 million visitors a year and the united states 60 million.

    Brazilians’ spending on trips abroad rose by 50 per cent in 2010 and 30 per cent in 2011.

    Scowsill continued: “Brazilians are profiting from the stronger Real to travel, that is excellent news for the tourism industry elsewhere, but not excellent news for Brazil.

    “Some 5.2 million international tourism arrivals each year is low for a rustic the scale of Brazil which has loads to provide visitors when it comes to natural diversity – from rainforests, World Heritage sites, and eco-tourism, to beaches, adventure travel, history, culture and town experiences.

    “The World Cup in 2014 and Olympics in 2016 might be four week bursts of intensity when it comes to overseas visitors, but can’t be relied upon to be the only drivers of international visitor growth someday.

    “The Brazilian tourism industry has to behave and speak as one voice to inform the remainder of the realm about this glorious country and everything it has to supply and put it firmly at the international tourist map.”

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  • Jumeirah dims down for Earth Hour

    On Saturday 23th March 2013 at 20:30, Jumeirah Group joined the area in celebrating the once a year global ‘Earth Hour’ with its luxury properties world wide dimming their lights for an hour.

    In Dubai, Burj Al Arab extinguished all non-essential lights. Jumeriah Zabeel Saray turned off all exterior lights, in addition to dimming lights in its restaurants, lounges, meeting rooms, spa areas and the lobby. Jumeirah Emirates Towers turned off its cold cathode lights within the lower and upper atrium balcony in addition to lights at the ramps, facade and the fins on both the hotel and office towers. Madinat Jumeirah including Al Qasr, Dar Al Masyaf and Mina Al Salam also took part by switching off all of the external and internal non-essential lighting for one hour; and Jumeirah Living World Trade Centre ensured that every one computers, non-essential lights and water features were switched off, as well as the external lights. Jumeirah Beach Hotel turned off exterior lights, conference center lights, tennis court area flood lamps, roof top flag focusing lights, flood lights and the lights within the hotel atrium.

    In Abu Dhabi, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers turned off all external lighting leaving the building beautifully silhouetted against the moonlit night. And in London Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel showed support by turning off all external lights, dimming lights within the lobby, developing candles in all public areas and serving guests dinner by candlelight.

    In the Maldives, Jumeirah Vittaveli and Jumeirah Dhevanafushi served their guests candlelit dinners and organized yoga and other activities by candlelight. And in Shanghai Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel extinguished the entire exterior LED lighting at the building and invited guests to replace off their room lights – which most of them chose to do.

    Pera Palace Hotel, Jumeirah in Istanbul switched off its exterior lights; while Jumeirah Port Soller in Mallorca, Spain, ensured that every one non-essential lighting was either off or dimmed, including the façade of the hotel. Jumeirah Port Soller, a LEED certified hotel which opened in April 2013, was designed to be energy efficient. The complete Jumeirah restaurant outlets also took part in Earth Hour.

    Earth Hour originally started in Sydney on 31st March 2007, when 2.2 million people and a pair of,100 businesses turned off their lights for one hour. Many major cities, inspired by the collective effort, have since joined Earth Hour, making this an international movement. In 2008, Dubai became the primary city within the Middle East to participate within the event and Jumeirah was an active participant ever since. All Earth Hour events are designed with guest safety in mind and that allows you to reminding people to offer protection to the surroundings for future generations.

  • News: Thomas Cook North America first to move following review

    Thomas Cook has confirmed it’s going to sell its North American travel business to Red Label Vacations in a deal worth £3.4 million.

    The business includes the tour operator Sunquest and the 60-branch My Travel retail chain in Canada.

    However, the organisation is deeply within the red, having made a lack of almost £40m last year.

    The sale includes Thomas Cook Canada and Thomas Cook USA, which might be together often called Thomas Cook North America (TCNA).

    Thomas Cook group head of communications, Jenny Peters, said: “Canada is an excessively competitive market with quite significant over capacity.

    “It has not been a core portion of our business for your time.”

    TCNA also owns ABC Corporate Services and D-FW Travel Arrangements within the Usa.

    Proceeds from the sale may be used to minimize the borrowings at Thomas Cook.

    Group chief executive Harriet Green said: “As we continue to drive the transformation of the Thomas Cook Group i’m pleased to have reached agreement to divest our North American business, enabling us to highlight our core segments and future growth.

    “The combination of TCNA’s product portfolio and Red Tag’s online presence form a beautiful proposition for Canadian customers and we want the team every success at some point.”

    The sale of its North America business is the primary to be completed since Green announced her strategic review of the corporate last week.

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  • Gay and lesbian travellers a driver within the international tourism industry

    US Gay and lesbian hotel guests spend a mean 57 per cent more on their travels than their heterosexual counterparts. That’s the results of the most recent survey by Community Marketing Inc., a partner of ITB Berlin. Rika Jean-Francois, ITB Berlin’s CSR officer and member of the board of the International Gay & Travel Association (IGLTA) presented the findings on the ITB Berlin Convention and on the recently held strategy conference of Wien Tourismus in Vienna. Late last year, in a survey conducted within the USA by Community Marketing Inc., 5,700 interviewees were asked about their travel habits. Per the survey, it isn’t only hotels but entire destinations that get pleasure from LGBT travellers (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender).

    Sunshine and relaxation the foremost reasons for holidaying
    According to the survey, 40 per cent of gays and shut to a similar variety of lesbians within the USA said a destination’s degree of gay-friendliness was the principle factor influencing their number of destination. As regarded holiday needs 67 per cent of gays and 66 per cent of lesbian travellers said warm weather was their first requirement, followed by cultural attractions, beaches and cuisine. Greater than 50 per cent of the respondents said certainly one of their main holiday interests was relaxation. For 35 per cent of gays the second one-most vital aspect was visiting family and friends, while for 32 per cent of lesbian couples it was spending time with their partners. 33 per cent of gay and 30 per cent of lesbian respondents said the situation of a hotel significantly influenced their selection of destination. For 30 per cent of both groups the second one-most vital aspect was the pricetag.

    LGBT travellers are comfortable using the web. When looking for travel information 59 per cent of lesbian and 54 per cent of gay travellers inside the US said they trusted the recommendations of friends and families, and then they preferred travel websites. 41 per cent of gay and 36 per cent of lesbian travellers said they responded to advertising that targeted LGBT audiences.

    Commitment to LGBT travellers
    Over decades, as a part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) concept, ITB Berlin has committed itself to supporting human rights in tourism, including tolerance and variety, and for instance is a committed member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA). Exhibitors representing the LBGT market first took part within the world’s largest travel trade extravaganza in 2003. For the last three years lectures and discussions in this subject in addition to on LGBT travel topics was happening on the ITB Berlin Convention.

    It has become among the many 15 officially recognised travel segments of the world’s largest travel trade exhibition and because then has witnessed constantly rising demand. Currently, ITB Berlin has the most important range of LGBT travel products and destinations of any tourism trade event on this planet. With its large Gay & Lesbian Travel Pavilion, the ITB TomOnTour Party and diverse other supporting LGBT events ITB Berlin has made a stand for tolerance and equal rights.

    With its seminars on LGBT tourism in India in 2011, a knowledge stand at ITB Asia 2012 in Singapore, an LGBT information booth at ABAV 2013 in Rio de Janeiro and international seminars and symposiums world wide the ITB Academy can also be showing its support for dismantling taboos and the advance of this significant market segment worldwide. At ITB Berlin 2013 a strategic partnership between Wien Tourismus (Vienna Tourism) and ITB Berlin on LGBT Travel was agreed, in a bid to jointly support and extra its aims sooner or later.

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  • News: Lufthansa strike sees flights cancelled across Germany

    German flag-carrier Lufthansa have been forced to cancel greater than 500 flights today as staff take industrial action over pay and prerequisites.

    Staff are staging walk-outs at Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne airports and other locations between 05:00 and 12:00 today.

    Lufthansa has cancelled most of its domestic and short-haul flights in this time.

    However, long-haul flights are expected to function as normal.

    The Verdi union is looking for a 5.2 per cent increase in wages for staff at several Lufthansa divisions.

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