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  • Brits lead uptick in Spanish visitor numbers

    In May 2013, Spain welcomed 5.8 million international tourists, representing a 7.4 per cent year on year increase.

    For the identical period, the united kingdom saw a 9.3 per cent yearly increase in visitors to Spain and accounted for well over 1 / 4 of all international visitors.

    Between January and can 2013, Spain has welcomed in way over 19.8 million international visitors representing a cumulative rise of three.9 per cent year on year.

    The Balearic Islands were the major destination of choice for Brits, welcoming almost one in three of all British visitors and registering a ten.8 per cent rise in British visitors in comparison to the former year.

    For the identical period, Germany was the second one strongest market, capturing 17.3 per cent of all international visitors to Spain and registering a 13.2 per cent increase in comparison to May 2012.

    France was the third strongest source market representing 14 per cent of all international visitors and seeing a 5.9 per cent year on year rise in French visitors to Spain.

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  • News: Positive outlook for Johannesburg tourism in 2013

    Tourism Business Council of South Africa figures exceeded expected performance on the end of 2012, reaching 104.6, against a score of 100 that is considered normal.

    This is up at the previous results of 101.1 and is a limiteless improvement at the index of 87.3 scored on the end of the former year.

    Speaking on the release of the report, board chairman of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Mavuso Msimang, said the newest index results provided relief for a sector that was through two, very tough years.

    “This is the second one consecutive quarter that TBI has recorded performance levels above the norm and is a transparent indication of the level to which business is recovering from the recessionary impacts and way over supply it suffered post the 2010 Soccer World Cup.”

    The sector’s resilience and ongoing long-term potential shows through within the business and investor confidence for capacity and employment increases.

    This result must also be viewed within the context of overall reduced business confidence reported within the fourth quarter reports from both SACCI Business Confidence Index and the RMB/BER Business Confidence Index which dipped slightly in quarter four of 2012.

    However, regardless of the return to regular trading levels and the positive outlook, quite a few factors remain a priority.

    “Global economic uncertainty and ongoing recession risk, coupled with the negative profiling of South Africa internationally through labour and community unrest weighs heavily as a constraint for the sphere.

    Input cost increases from rates, electricity and fuel costs were also cited as negative factors affecting business performance,” explained Gillian Saunders, Grant Thornton’s head of advisory services.

    Wiza Nyondo FNB head of tourism said: “The results show that the market has begun to recognise South Africa as a widespread destination. Although we’ve seen some instability, we still believe in South Africa’s diverse offering of products and services where industry professionals can partner to assist transform our country.”

    The majority of the accommodation sector respondents expect domestic business markets to provide one of the best potential growth for 2013, followed by foreign leisure after which domestic leisure.

    Other tourism businesses expect growth to come back from the foreign leisure markets, followed by domestic markets. Taken overall it can appear that the industry feels that it’s back to ‘business as usual’, or perhaps slightly better than usual.

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    Johannesburg is a unprecedented city, born just over 125 years ago – when among the many world’s richest gold-bearing reefs was discovered under the sweeping savannah plains. Ever since, Johannesburg have been a city of prospects, commerce and potential. Even today Johannesburg continues to draw those in search of opportunity – it’s a city populated by individuals who have come to grasp their dreams.

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  • News: Malaysia Airlines to give A380 services to Hong Kong

    Malaysia Airlines will commence an everyday Airbus A380 service at the Kuala Lumpur – Hong Kong route effective May 1ST 2013, offering UK passengers a regular A380 connection from London Heathrow through to Hong Kong.

    The 494-seater super jumbo would be replacing one of the vital current B737-800 double daily services in this route.

    Flight MH72 from Kuala Lumpur will now depart at 09.15 and arrive in Hong Kong at 13.05, while MH73 from Hong Kong leaves at 14.45 and arrives in Kuala Lumpur at 18.25.

    Hong Kong stands out as the national carrier’s third A380 destination after London and Paris.

    The growing A380 fleet offers Malaysia Airlines’ passengers a premium service at the latest and most spacious aircraft within the skies.

    Some 420 economy class seats comprise 350 at the main deck and 70 at the upper deck.

    The forward recline seats come equipped with individual PED power supply, USB port and 10.6 inches in-flight entertainment touch screen.

    A further 66 Business Class seats at the upper deck each include individual 17-inch in-flight entertainment screen, the most important of Malaysia Airlines’ fleet.

    Personal items stowage is accessible on each seat along side 115VAC PED power supply and USB port and services including ‘Chef on Call’ now available for A380 business class passengers.

    With the A380 replacing the B737-800, Malaysia Airlines can also be introducing Top quality travel in this route.

    The super jumbo has eight Top notch seats at the main deck, which converts right into a flat bed of 87 inches in length and a width of 40 inches, making it the widest First-class seat within the skies.

    Each seat has a person 23-inch in-flight entertainment screen with personal closet and stowage for coat, luggage, laptop and private belongings.

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  • Ritz-Carlton in digital focus at ATM

    The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is launching a completely-integrated social media campaign that may offer visitors a distinct interactive experience. at ATM The move is in keeping with The Ritz-Carlton commitment to deepen connections with existing and prospective guests in an atmosphere during which they spend increasing amounts of time.

    As section of the luxurious hotel company’s social media outreach in the course of the Middle East’s largest travel trade exhibition, The Ritz-Carlton has members in their social media engagement team present on their stand at ATM.  During the @RitzCarlton twitter handle, the team will provide live content and updates from the development. With a sizeable selection of The Ritz-Carlton Twitter followers comprising of trade partners, customers and the media, it’s a perfect platform to initiate and build brand conversation relevant to the fair.

    The introduction of a dedicated ‘Tweet Bar’ at the Ritz-Carlton stand HC5240 located within the Arena Hall, will give the brand’s global Twitter following access to news from the development because it unfolds in Dubai, including highlights from exclusive talks and seminars. Additionally, visitors checking in at ATM on Foursquare will receive recommendations on the fitting things to peer and do in Dubai, as recommended by The Ritz-Carlton concierges from both hotels within the city. The Ritz-Carlton also uses Foursquare and The Ritz-Carlton Mobile App to tailor local content and supply engaging information relevant to their guests. This may occasionally be dropped at life at ATM where a chain of QR codes can be utilized to download property insights, including recipes from chefs and guided tours of hotels.

    “Our social media interactions at Arabian Travel Market are a natural extension of our ‘Let Us Stick with You’ brand philosophy. We wish to enrich the experience on the show for visitors, as well as being a superb luxury travel information resource for our Twitter followers by providing news because it is occurring from the show,” said Chris Gabaldon, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. “Each of The Ritz-Carlton social media channels grow in importance to us year-over-year as our guests live increasingly more in their lives within the digital space. Use of Facebook alone already stands at 40% of time spent online within the UAE, 30% in Kuwait and 21% in Saudi Arabia making Facebook an increasingly important channel for us to converse with our Middle East guests.”

    The Ritz-Carlton has a proven track record of using social networking platforms to construct and enhance the logo and produce people together within the same physical space or event. It successfully used Twitter to underscore its central role at global events similar to Toronto International Film Festival and IMEX America, whilst broadcasting and conversing concerning the brand’s messages on a big scale and in addition drawing foot traffic to physical spaces by engaging with other attendees.

    The effectiveness of The Ritz-Carlton social media direction and content has brought about significant year-on-year increases across all leading platforms, including Facebook which has jumped 118 percent to a couple of million fans around the company’s brand page and 48 hotel Facebook pages. Moreover, the logo Facebook Page’s year-over-year growth in “People Talking About This” went up 746%.

    “The Ritz-Carlton philosophy is built round the concept of providing unique experiences for our guests which will leave indelible memories they get rid of from every visit to 1 of our hotels.  With the continuing growth and influence of social media – on both a neighborhood and global scale – we’re seeing this amplified online greater than ever before,” continued Gabaldon.

    “It is therefore essential for us to stay relevant to the shopper and be strategic and sensitive in regards to the ways that we engage inside the space. The Ritz-Carlton brand carries expectations of excellence, and that i can proudly say that while each of our social channels perform in numerous ways, all of them convey a truth and authenticity which could only be conveyed by us. We reap great get pleasure from being part of the web conversation and learn much by taking note of guest feedback. The following component of our continued strategy specializes in developing additional global social media assets and online engagement channels to arrive a broader audience of geographies and demographics, incorporate more video, and play host to user generated content for our guests who would like to share their Ritz-Carlton experiences within the digital space.”

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  • Brazil highlights positives from Confederations Cup

    The president of Brazilian tourist board Embratur, Flávio Dino, has highlighted the financial returns made by the destination in the course of the recent Confederations Cup.

    Dino confirmed numbers exceeded expectations, with Embratur recording $329 million in more spending, including income from hotels, food faraway from home, and other related expenditure.

    Spending by tourists – Brazilians and foreigners – was estimated by Embratur at $145 million.

    “A study by Embratur showed tourism had a miles greater impact than anticipated,” Dino told local radio show Brasil em Pauta.

    There were 16 games in the course of the two weeks of the Confederations Cup, with the hosts eventually crowned champions.

    “This is significant because a return is immediate and goes straight into the pocket of the entrepreneur within the long chain associated to tourism,” said the president of Embratur, in the course of the interview.

    “The long-term return is the principle picture, because the name and attributes of Brazil are reported worldwide in the course of the period of mega-events.”

    Dino added: “From the viewpoint of selling international tourism in Brazil, it is a spectacular gain, which might be achieved only with an exceptionally massive investment of resources in television advertising in those markets.”

    However, it was not all plain sailing for Brazil, with coverage of the events marred by long running street protests against corruption, rising prices and the perceived miss allocation of oil revenues.

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