travel
GLOBAL TRAVEL & TOURISM INDUSTRY RESILIENT
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) predicts 2.7% growth for 2012 global travel and tourism, only slightly downgraded from the 2.8% that was expected at the beginning of the year. Behind the numbers are marginal downgrades in the U.S. and Eurozone since the start of the year, contrasting with upgrades in Japan and emerging markets, which have been boosted by strong growth and rising prosperity. International tourist arrivals have increased 4.9% this year from January to June, airline passenger traffic is up 6.8%, and hotel occupancy rates are up in many markets. wttc.org, 11/4/12
TRAVEL AND TOURISM PLAN FOR THE USA
The Obama Administration announced a National Travel and Tourism Strategy acknowledging the value and contribution of the travel and tourism industry to our economy. The goal is to attract 100 million international visitors a year by; using technology to facilitate the entrance of foreign tourists, expanding the Trusted Traveler Program, improving customs staffing and expanding open skies agreements. The strength and growth of this sector drives job creation and has the potential to realize from visitors, double their current spend of $125 billion annually. (TravelMarketReport.com, May 11)
WHERE ARE THE SUMMER TRAVEL DEALS?
The search for summer air travel sales is on but this year the deals seem nowhere to be found. As the bargain-hunters check many online sites and call their agents, the airlines have upped prices from 3 to 10 percent over last year. With the price of fuel rising, demand still strong and fewer flights available, carriers are able to hold fares at current levels. The slightly improving economy is keeping demand high for available seats and vexing shoppers. Tips for best fares; set up fare alerts with online sites, try searching with your mobile device or smartphone, be flexible, checking other destinations, consider packages and check other airports. (AZCentral.com, April 21)
CRUISE NEWS
The Costa Allegra carrying about 1,000 passengers and crew is adrift off the coast of the Seychelles after a fire in the engine room left her without power on Monday, Feb. 27. The guests are preparing to sleep on the decks for the third night in a row. It is too hot and dark to sleep in the cabins. Rescue tugs are towing the ship to Mahe and security is on guard to dissuade pirates. The Allegra is a sister ship of the Costa Concordia which wrecked off the coast of Italy on Jan. 13, killing at least 24 people. (ABCNews.go.com, Feb. 29)
TRAVEL WARNING
The Unites States warns U.S. citizens against travel to Syria and recommends that U.S. citizens in Syria depart immediately. The United States advised the Government of Syria that it has suspended all embassy operations effective February 6, 2012, given ongoing violence and a deteriorating security situation. All official U.S. embassy personnel and their family members have departed. The Department of State continues to reach out to U.S. citizen who remain in Syria. They are instructed to direct inquiries to syriaemergencyusc@state.gov for information. U.S. citizens who decide to remain in Syria despite the travel warning are asked to enroll their stay through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and provide their current contact and next-of-kin information. (Travel.State.gov, Feb. 6)
MAGNETIC MEXICO
The Mexican Tourism Board reported that the number of foreign visitors in Dec. 2011 was up 13% over Dec. 2010. The board predicts that 2012 will be a record-breaking year for tourists following increased winter season occupancy and revenues heavily concentrated in the resort regions. The Mexican Ministry of Tourism has waged a relentless and broad marketing campaign, which will continue, touting the ancient Mayan empire. (TravelWeekly.com, Jan. 29)
EXPERTS IN THE TRENCHES
Well-seasoned travelers are increasingly turning to travel agents to help them plan travel of any type, but especially complex and specialized trips. Many have discovered that experienced agents have been there, know the lay of the land and will give you timely and meaningful assistance if trouble arises. (CNN.com, Jan. 30)
AIRLINE NEWS
In October, Alaska Airlines retained the top spot in on-time performance rankings, according to FightStats. Operating at 90.4% on-time during the month, Alaska was followed by AirTran and Delta. (BusinessTravelNews.com, Nov. 7)
Virgin Atlantic has announced the launch of a new route between London Heathrow and Vancouver. The latest route will start May 2012 and will operate four times a week throughout the summer season until the end of October. (ETurboNews.com, Nov. 7)
This week, American Airlines introduced the first Flagship Check-in experience at LAX. The new check-in process option expands American’s commitment to differentiate and customize the travel experience for its high-value customers. (ETurboNews.com, Nov. 7)
United Continental Holdings announced that its subsidiary Continental Airlines is operating the first U.S. commercial flight powered by advanced biofuels. It will be the first U.S. airlines to fly passenger using a blend of sustainable, advanced biofuel and traditional petroleum-derived jet fuel. (ETurboNews.com, Nov.7)
US Airways announced plans to begin two new cross-country routes. It will add Charlotte-Salt Lake City and New York LaGuardia-Phoenix routes this spring. The Charlotte-Salt Lake City route will begin March 4 and the Phoenix-LaGuardia route will begin March 10. (Travel.USAToday.com, Nov. 8)
TSA EXPANDS BEHAVIOR DETECTION PROGRAM
TSA has expanded their behavior detection pilot program to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. The program involves TSA agents questioning and engaging travelers at checkpoints to determine if additional screening is warranted. This program was first tested in August at Boston Logan and is now being considered for further expansion. A majority of the passengers at the pilot airport checkpoints experience a casual greeting conversation with a behavior detection officer as they pass through travel document verification. Based on traveler responses to the casual conversation, transportation security officers employ specialized behavioral analysis techniques to determine if a traveler should be referred for additional screening at the checkpoint. Data gathered from Boston showed an increase in the rate of detection of high-risk passengers, but additional data is required to understand if the trend seen in the Boston data is statistically significant and replicable at other airports. (BusinessTravelNews.com, Nov. 7)
FEWER THANKSGIVING FLIERS EXPECTED
Fewer travelers will fly during the Thanksgiving holiday, estimated a trade group of domestic airlines. About 23.2 million travelers ’Äì 2% less than a year ago ’Äì will fly on U.S. carriers’ domestic and international flights between Nov. 18 and Nov. 29, said the Air Transport Association last week. Daily passenger volumes during the holiday period are projected to range from 13 million to 2.3 million. Based on sample date from 2009 and 2010, the busiest air travel days for the period are expected to be Sunday Nov. 27 and Monday, Nov. 28. The net profit of U.S. passenger airlines for the first nine months of the year fell 66%. In recent earning, major carriers have reported sluggish demand and high fuel process that continue to hamper profitability. Fuel expenses rose 38.1% in the first nine months of the year versus a year ago. (Travel.USAToday.com, Nov. 4)
