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Cendyn’s World Tour kicks off in New York

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The calendar of Cendyn’s World Tour 2024

 

The Cendyn World Tour kicked off in New York City, Tuesday 23rd April, as part of a ten-date globetrotting adventure of innovation, connection, and industry transformation with leading technology partners.

In partnership with Google, SiteMinder, Tripadvisor, Infor, Shiji, Mews, and Oracle, the Cendyn World Tour 2024 aims to empower hoteliers with data, resources, and the latest trends from across the hospitality industry. The event series is dedicated to driving demand and enhancing profitable revenue for hotels – both through direct bookings and fostering loyalty among guests.

Kicking off in New York City, the tour will visit ten locations: Bangkok, Paris, LA, Miami, Madrid, Singapore, Dubai, and London, before concluding in Cancun in November. The afternoon workshop sessions highlight the pivotal role integrated technology plays in attracting and managing direct business, as well as guiding hoteliers through the ever-competitive travel landscape.

 

Attendees at first event of Cendyn World Tour in New York City

 

Jack Blaha, CEO at Cendyn, said: “With our valued partners, we’re excited for hoteliers to learn how they can find more guests, source more direct bookings, and grow revenue. The Cendyn World Tour will help hoteliers create uniquely meaningful experiences that drive demand while balancing direct bookings with reputable online distribution channels to maximize reach and revenue potential.”

Siteminder will be joining Cendyn for all tour dates to further support hoteliers’ understanding of the technology partnerships at play which enable them to improve revenue and commercial opportunities.

The Cendyn World Tour is by invitation only with hotel delegates selected by their presence in and around the tour locations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Source: traveldailymedia

GBTA joins Net Zero Carbon Events initiative as a supporter

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Representative Image

 

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organisation and the voice of the industry, has joined Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE), the worldwide events industry initiative to address climate change as a supporter of the campaign.

Since its launch at Cop 26 in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021, Net Zero Carbon Events has developed a wealth of resources to support events industry organisations on their journeys to net zero carbon emissions. These include a Roadmap and advisory reports on Venue Energy; Smart Production and Waste Management; Logistics; Travel and Accommodation; Food and Food Waste; Offsetting and Measurement.

With the campaign now focused on implementation in each of these areas, GBTA and NZCE will be working together with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) on implementing the Travel and Accommodation element.

James Rees

 

James Rees, President of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), which is driving the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative for the industry said: “We could not be happier than to have GBTA as a supporter. GBTA has unparallelled expertise and experience in the technical aspects of business travel and sustainability, especially through the Sustainability Initiative of the GBTA Foundation. We are delighted to be working with both GBTA and ICCA on this and looking forward to aligning our work and developing common ground for all stakeholders in future.

Suzanne Neufang

 

“It is also a tremendous testimonial to the framework that NZCE has developed that GBTA will be using this for their own events in future.” “For our members, industry and for the work we do as an association, GBTA is deeply committed and active in helping to create a more sustainable future for global business travel. We are pleased to be part of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative and working with the JMIC and other key organisations to bring the power of our collective efforts to ensure more net zero-focused approaches to the very significant sector of meetings and events,” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA.

Senthil Gopinath, CEO, ICCA said: “ICCA is proud to be a founding member of Net Zero Carbon Events, and we’re thrilled to have the Global Business Travel Association on board with this incredibly important initiative. One of our pillars as an organisation is sustainability, and ICCA is committed to working with our partners in the industry to promote the overall goal of reducing carbon emissions. It’s crucial that the meetings and events community as a whole joins forces to advance sustainable practices and policies around the globe, and as more organisations come on board, we get closer to our goal of Net Zero by the year 2050.”

Net Zero Carbon Events is open to all organisations involved in events. Registration is free of charge, but financial contributions are crucial to developing the campaign.

 

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Source: traveldailymedia

BEONx secures NextGeneration EU funding for Digital Transformation

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L-R: Rubeìn-Saìnchez-Emilio-Galaìn

 

BEONx, a travel technology company committed to revolutionising revenue management strategies and achieving profitability for hotels, announces it has secured NextGenerationEU funding via a grant from SEGITTUR, a body under the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Tourism responsible for driving innovation in the Spanish tourism sector, to drive digitalization in the sector. 

The Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan of SEGITTUR seeks to digitally transform the tourism industry. The aid granted to BEONx in this instance is known as “Last Mile” or “Última Milla”, and its purpose is to promote the digitalization of small and medium-sized tourism companies.

BEONx has been awarded a significant financial support for its groundbreaking initiative aimed at tackling the challenges faced by the hotel industry in an era of unprecedented uncertainty and transformative changes. The global project, valued at 4,800,000€, represents a collaborative effort with BEONx holding a 70% stake, while other prominent companies in the tourism sector, including VP Hotels, DynamEat, Bioscore, Barceló, Fideltour, Hospes Hoteles, The Hotels Network, Ladorian, and Masteryield, collectively own the remaining 30%.

This strategic partnership of industry leaders marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of optimising hotel management and maximising profitability in the face of evolving market dynamics. The joint endeavour will result in the development of an innovative technological platform designed to revolutionise the way hotels operate.

The project seeks to create a technological platform to enhance hotel management and profitability. It comprises four key elements: a marketplace of certified applications for profitability management, a real-time communication platform among these applications, an artificial intelligence engine coordinating their actions, and a hotel sustainability index.

The proposed platform is innovative in integrating all the applications needed to maximise hotel profitability, using artificial intelligence to connect them and make data-driven decisions. It also highlights the focus on total profitability, the certification of application impact, the standardisation of connectivity, and the use of an artificial intelligence engine for coordination.

The project solves problems in the hospitality industry related to the lack of optimisation of revenue opportunities, decision-making based on insufficient data, and inefficiency in the use of contracted technologies. The platform seeks to address these inefficiencies by integrating all hotel services into a single tool and facilitating decision-making based on intelligently processed data.

Rubén Sánchez, CEO and Cofounder at BEONx, stated: “BEONx and SEGITTUR are leading a digital revolution in the tourism industry. With the support of leading companies, we’re developing an innovative platform that optimises hotel management, maximises profitability, and promotes sustainability. By integrating certified applications and leveraging artificial intelligence, we are reshaping the industry based on data-driven decisions. We are thrilled to launch this initiative, which represents a major step forward in the digital transformation of the tourism industry.”

 

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Source: traveldailymedia

Travelex launches bank partnerships across Japan

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Travelex, a market leading foreign exchange brand, has launched an FX affiliate referral programme with over 60 local banks across Japan, with over 30,000 of these banks’ customers having subsequently benefited from access to travel money since the programme’s launch late last year.

With many local Japanese banks reducing or withdrawing their in-house retail FX services, the referral partnership programme sees these banks refer those customers who require travel money directly to Travelex. These referred customers are then able to receive a discount on their travel money purchases simply by showing their bankcard.

The referral programme enables customers to receive a discount on their travel money purchases both in Travelex’s 66 stores across Japan or online. The discount also covers both cash purchases and purchases made on the Travelex Travel Money Card, which was introduced to the Japanese market last year.

The model has served to benefit the banks, their customers and Travelex: for the banks, the partnership means they are still able to assist their customers with travel money needs, even when not providing FX services directly; for customers, they are now able to access discounted travel money services nationwide; and for Travelex, the partnerships have helped further expand the company’s distribution network and customer base, and enabled them to help customers who would have otherwise struggled to access retail FX services.

So far, over 60 Tier 1 and 2 local banks have joined the programme, with over 30,000 Japanese customers served to date. Travelex is now working to expand the project even further, with the target of having served 40,000 customers in the coming months.

The partnerships in Japan follows a similar project in New Zealand, which saw Travelex partner with Bank of New Zealand to enable BNZ’s 1.2m customers to access discounted travel money. Over 3,000 BNZ customers successfully took advantage of the project within its first few months.

Jun Otani,

 

Jun Otani, Director, Travelex Japan said: “We believe everyone who wishes to travel should have convenient access to travel money services. We are therefore delighted to have already helped over 30,000 customers from more than 60 banks access discounted travel money in just a few months. These partnerships are part of our mission to increase convenience for Japanese travellers, putting them first and ensuring they can effectively access travel money how and when they need it. We look forward to expanding the project throughout this year and beyond.”

 

 

 

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Source: traveldailymedia

Rethinking wellness travel: the rise of active well-being

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Representative Image

 

Understanding the shifting trend of traditional wellness travel to active wellness is key to all destinations, in order to develop successful strategies that tap into this segment, whose motivations and interest have changed dramatically after the pandemic. Based on a deep dive into the main demand drivers of wellness travel, Mabrian, world leader in travel intelligence, traces back the evolution of this segment and its key drivers.

After analysing 6.7M TripAdvisor reviews on in-destination activities from 2019 to 2023, Mabrian identified five key demand drivers for active well-being: physical recreation (sports), soft hiking (excursions and walks), and water sports -all of them showing a growing trend in the last 4 years; as well as traditional wellness & relax activities (SPA, hot springs), and gastro experiences.

Mabrian introduced the active well-being concept at the 12th World Congress on Snow, Mountain and Wellness Tourism, organised by UN Tourism and the Government of Andorra, as the outcome of a more extensive analysis of all potential experiential demand drivers, based on the revamped wellness traveller definition, that includes preventive, proactive, lifestyle-enhancing activities such as fitness, healthy eating, relaxation, pampering and healing treatments.

 

Turning active well-being in tourism products

Mabrian’s travel intelligence insight shows that travellers are changing their relationship with destinations, as they expect to actively engage in activities that combine discovery and recreation, contributing to their pursuit of a balanced and healthier lifestyle.

In fact, as Mabrian analysis reflects, the wellness demand drivers showing the strongest increasing trend are soft hiking (+5.1%), physical recreation (+4,7%), and gastro experiences (3.5%).

All of them pose an opportunity to destinations to build easy-to-implement tourism products and ancillaries that resonate with the proactive traveller of our time; as well as to develop experiences and activities that combine their outdoors and natural resources with global experiential hot trends, such as hiking and camping tours, biking, kayaking & canoeing, running tours, and even cooking classes. Moreover, this holistic approach to wellness planning and promotion has the potential to enhance smart destinations planning and promotion strategies.

 

Europe, at the forefront of active well-being

European travel market is a good example on the strength of the active well-being trend.  Drivers aligned to this revamped wellness concept, closer to experiential travel, increased 8,2% since 2019, and currently represent 48% of the European travellers’ motivations to choose a destination.

The pandemic aftermath pushed this change in habits, that impacted consumption and habits, including travel & tourism, and such growth is particularly strong among experiences related with Nature & Outdoors, as well as with Active Lifestyle.

Carlos Cendra, Partner and CMO at Mabrian, states: “The traditional, passive tourist is evolving into a proactive traveller; from contemplative visitor to an experiential participant in the dynamic of the destinations. That is why we need to redefine the wellness traveller concept, expanding it to an active well-being traveller and, under this new light, outdoor activities and the contact with nature should be at the core of our travel value proposition”. As Cendra highlights: “It is not about building complex products, but using the resources we have: it could be as simple as walking, no equipment and no skills needed”.

 

 

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Source: traveldailymedia

In Asia Pacific, Hilton’s RevPAR grew 7.9% versus 2019  

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Hilton has announced its first-quarter performance results for 2024. In Asia Pacific, Hilton’s RevPAR grew 7.9% versus 2019 levels on top of a strong 2023, backed by steady growth in leisure and business demand, continued rise of the pan-Asian traveler and ongoing strength in international arrivals. China outbound travel showed further signs of recovery with South East Asia and Japan benefiting from inflows, while Hilton’s hotels in Singapore and Australia gained from major international music acts.

With 43 new properties opened in Q1, Hilton increased its trading estate to over 800 hotels in Asia Pacific, ever closer to its goal of exceeding 1,000 hotels by 2025. We announced the openings of La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton, the brand’s entry into Vietnam, as well as Hilton Saigon, the debut of our flagship brand in the country’s largest city. We also launched DoubleTree by Hilton Bengaluru Whitefield, our sixth property in India’s Silicon Valley. A further 41 hotels were signed in the quarter, including 4 Conrad Hotels & Resorts properties, adding to the company’s growing luxury pipeline. Hilton also announced its highly anticipated entry into the luxury lifestyle space by acquiring a majority controlling interest in Sydell Group to expand the NoMad Hotels brand to high end markets around the world.

India continued to perform well in Q1 with a strong booking pace and RevPAR growth. Demonstrating Hilton’s reaffirmed commitment to the country, Hilton announced a global brand ambassador partnership with Indian actress and entrepreneur, Deepika Padukone, extending its ‘Hilton. For The Stay.’ global marketing platform.

In March, Hilton celebrated the first anniversary of its GIG project in China. The project has grown from a pilot in two cities to a flexible employment model providing competitive GIG opportunities to more than 6,300 individuals across 100 cities. Of note, Hilton also announced its fifth consecutive win as one of the Best Workplaces for Women in China, and its third consecutive win as the top hospitality company to work for in the Philippines by Great Place to Work®, a testament to its exceptional people-first culture.

With this in mind, recent appointments have bolstered Hilton’s leadership team with extensive experience and dynamic perspectives. These included Nong Xia, president of Development for Greater China & Mongolia; Maria Ariizumi, vice president of Development for South East Asia; Joseph Khairallah, area vice president and head of Japan, Korea & Micronesia; and Candice D’Cruz, vice president of Luxury Brands for Asia Pacific

 

 

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Source: traveldailymedia

DOT: Philippines receives 2 million international visitors; Tourism receipts hit PHP158 billion in the first three months of 2024

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FILE PHOTO: President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. and Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco led the awarding ceremony of the Department of Tourism’s flagship program, the Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC), at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) last April 15, 2024

 

The Philippines has already received over two million international visitors this month, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reported on Wednesday (April 24).

The country’s tourism receipts from January 1 to March 31, 2024, have also accounted for around PHP157.62 billion, which translates to an estimated 120.70 percent recovery rate from the PHP130.59 billion revenue gained from the same period in 2019 or the milestone year for Philippine tourism before the global lockdowns and industry standstill.

Based on the Department’s monitoring data, as of April 24, 2024, a total of 2,010,522 international visitors entered the country, with 94.21 percent or 1,894,076 of the country’s total international arrivals delivered by foreign tourists, while 5.79 percent or 116,446 are overseas Filipinos. This is 15.11 percent higher than the international arrivals recorded in the same period last year pegged at 1,746,630.

South Korea maintains its spot as the Philippines’ top source market in terms of inbound visitor arrivals with 27.19 percent or 546,726, followed by the United States that delivered 315,816 (15.71 percent), China with 130,574 (6.49 percent), Japan with 123,204 (6.13 percent), and Australia with 88,048 (4.38 percent).

Canada, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Germany ranked sixth to tenth, respectively.

“The Department of Tourism sees a positive trajectory for the country’s international tourist arrivals this year. We are glad that the collaboration and collective effort and hard work are materializing into figures that are beneficial for the entire industry. We are hopeful that with more investments in tourism infrastructure as well as much needed increase in connectivity as well as improvements in air, land, and sea infrastructure and accessibility, the numbers can further increase,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said.

This year, the country is targeting to welcome 7.7 million international visitors, nearly its pre-pandemic record-breaking achievement in 2019 which ended with an estimated 8.26 million inbound visitor arrivals.

“Guided by the vision of the Marcos Administration and through the approved National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023-2028, we are confident that we will sustain our goals for the industry not only in terms of attracting visitors to come to the country and entice them to travel but ultimately, to give more employment to Filipinos. We are grateful as well to our partners both from the public and private sectors for continuously helping the DOT in realizing its goals towards sustainable tourism development,” the tourism chief added.

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Source: traveldailymedia

Asia Pacific Gen-Zs and Millennials seek to unlock value with one loyalty program

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A survey by Marriott Bonvoy, the award-winning travel program of Marriott International, has found that a majority of Gen Zs and Millennials in Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) prefer the simplicity of belonging to one comprehensive loyalty travel program.

While 60% of APEC Gen Zs and Millennials are actively subscribed to loyalty programs, the challenge of juggling several loyalty programs has led most (57%) to seek out one program that meets all their travel needs. Marriott Bonvoy carried out the survey of 1,000 respondents across ten markets in APEC to better understand the shifting attitudes of Millennials and Gen Zs and their travel behaviors. The survey identified an emerging generation of travel-focused, value-driven “Savvy Explorers” in APEC who seek to maximize their travel dollars and unique travel experiences.

Travel in 2024 is a priority for Gen Zs and Millennials: 73% report their intentions to take at least two trips in the next 12 months and 91% plan to spend the same, if not more, on their trips compared to the year before. Travel is viewed as an essential lifestyle component, and most are willing to reduce everyday spending on dining out (60%), shopping sprees (57%) and their daily coffee (54%) so as to spend more on a holiday.

“Survey results suggest that Gen Zs and Millennials in APEC are purposefully strategizing how they can channel value from their everyday spend toward rewarding travel experiences. They also prefer to be part of only one all-encompassing loyalty travel program which fulfills their needs. To this end, Marriott Bonvoy – which gives members access to over 30 brands in 10,000 destinations — is well positioned to deliver greater value and unlock more experiences for Gen Zs and Millennials,” says John Toomey, Marriott International’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Asia Pacific excluding China.

“As testament to the program’s appeal, we have seen Marriott Bonvoy’s membership base in APEC grow by more than 50% since 2019. What’s more encouraging is that our members are highly active. They earned 40% more points in 2023 compared to 2022, and are putting their points to good use, with points redemptions increasing by more than 55% in the same period,” he reveals.

The trend of greater member growth and activity extends to the Marriott Bonvoy app. APEC member enrolment via digital channels grew by more than 25%, with mobile app downloads and active users more than doubling in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The regional survey also uncovered notable trends amongst Gen Zs and Millennials across the 10 APEC countries. Market-specific trends can be found in Annex A.

Travel value unlocked through everyday spend

Savvy Explorers take considered steps to unlock travel value through everyday spend. Leveraging on their familiarity with loyalty programs, APEC’s Gen Z and Millennials employ varied tactics to maximize their travel rewards: four in five say they have gone out of their way to use a travel-linked credit card for everyday purchases, and 67% actively use a travel loyalty program to book and redeem local experiences and staycations.

This trend is supported by usage behaviors of Marriott Bonvoy members in APEC. They accumulated points from stays across more than 8,800 Marriott International properties globally, and through everyday spend. Redemption for hotel stays in 2023 registered a 130% increase compared to pre-pandemic times, accounting for the majority of redemptions, followed by points-to-miles conversions on partner airlines.

Hotels become a key destination to explore

Hotel experience is key to winning the hearts and dollars of the Gen Z and Millennial segment, with 99% of respondents believing their hotel choice can make or break their holiday. Hotels are also increasingly viewed as a key destination for exploration, going beyond the role of ‘accommodation’. Nearly four in five respondents expect their hotel to provide curated local programming and experiences, whilst 84% prefer to stay at a hotel with designs and activities reflective of its destination.

The recent debut of Moxy Hotels – noted for its hallmark playful nature, innovative design and contemporary amenities – in key APEC markets exemplifies Marriott International’s commitment to continuously bring new hospitality experiences to the region.

Despite a desire to maximize their travel budgets where they can, their hotel is one area that APEC’s Gen Z and Millennials are willing to invest extra travel dollars towards. Top motivations for new-generation travelers to splurge include the hotel’s room offerings (48%) and location (42%). Whilst amenities remain key considerations, these guests value a seamless travel experience, with mobile-first customer service (61%), reliable WiFi (68%) and flexible check-out (64%) outpacing traditional benefits like lounge access (42%).

Destination ‘dupes’ fuel intra-regional travel demand 

International travel has returned but APEC’s Gen Z and Millennials remain committed to destinations closer to home. While iconic holiday locations like the Swiss Alps and Bora Bora maintain their appeal, 55% are opting for destinations within the region that provide a similar experience. These so-called “destination dupes” are fast gaining traction amongst this segment because they allow Gen Zs and Millennials to stretch their travel expenses (69%), discover something new (63%) and are easily accessible (62%).

As a reflection of robust intra-regional travel demand in 2023, Marriott International saw over 60% of bookings in APEC coming from within the region.

Corporate backpackers on the rise 

Gen Zs and Millennials are also taking bleisure travel up a notch by capitalizing on the opportunity of a business trip to embark on multi-destination tours. In addition to extending their travel plans (68%), 84% plan to explore nearby cities and countries as part of their post-work itinerary.

With more than 560 properties across 24 brands in 22 countries and territories in APEC to choose from, Marriott International offers customers a myriad of options to mix work with pleasure.

Off-peak travel maximizes destination experience 

Gen Zs and Millennials are also carefully planning when to travel to maximize their trip experience. The majority (71%) of Gen Z and Millennials say they would opt to travel during off-peak seasons so as to beat the crowds and get more out of their trip. 67% feel they can do more during low-peak seasons, and 77% leave their holidays feeling more relaxed and rejuvenated.

Where Marriott Bonvoy Can Take You

Marriott Bonvoy allows members to earn when they stay or spend at Marriott International’s growing portfolio of over 30 extraordinary brands across 139 countries and territories, and in over 8,800 properties. In APEC, members can benefit from the program’s key strategic partnerships with Singapore Airlines and co-branded credits cards in Japan, Korea and India. With Marriott Bonvoy Moments, members can get access to once-in-lifetime experiences such the opportunity to get closer to the action with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team at the Singapore Grand Prix.

 

 

 

 

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Source: traveldailymedia

TIS2024 is calling tourism experts to share trends and strategies in tourism innovation

The post TIS2024 is calling tourism experts to share trends and strategies in tourism innovation appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

The dynamic tourism sector is in constant transformation, driven by rapid change and emerging innovations. Technological evolution, a focus on sustainability and changing traveler preferences are setting the future of tourism. To excel in a highly competitive market, tourism businesses and destinations must adapt nimbly to these trends, ensuring their relevance and future success.

From 23 to 25 October 2024, TIS – Tourism Innovation Summit, the annual meeting between the tourism industry and the technology sector, returns to Seville, Spain, to present the most innovative ‘TravelTech’ solutions and success stories of the application of these technologies that help the sector to better understand the new traveler’s demands and offer unique and personalized experiences=.

With this aim, the Tourism Innovation Global Summit looks for tourism leaders to share the latest trends in tourism innovation. Over three days, the conference plans to bring together more than 400 experts from different segments of the tourism industry such as destinations, hospitality, tourist transportation, distribution channels and OTAs, tourist activities and attractions, cultural and leisure tourism, business travel and the MICE sector, to analyze and understand this new, more connected and demanding traveler.

More than 180 sessions will be held in six simultaneous auditoriums with specific forums for each of the segments of the tourism industry and with agendas focused on different professional profiles, such as CEOs, CIOs and CTOs, CXOs, DMOs, CMOs and CSOs and CHROs. In addition, the conference will once again feature an agenda aimed at public tourism representatives from different countries, regions and cities. All professionals and experts in the tourism sector who want to share their inspiring vision with tourism managers, companies and destinations can apply to the Call for Speakers until 31 July 2024.

“Today’s travelers are looking for unique and authentic experiences, hyper-personalization and sustainable choices, and are inspired by a variety of new channels to choose their next destination. The Tourism Innovation Global Summit aims to help tourism companies and destinations understand this paradigm shift and adapt their business model and offerings to new customer needs, without losing sight of the impact of technology and the importance of sustainability in decision-making”, said Ángeles Moreno, Tourism Innovation Global Summit Congress Curator.

The TravelTech revolution

Under the slogan ‘Elevating travel industry with tech’, TIS2024 returns for its fifth edition, focusing on the present and future of the sector, which is characterized by the traveltech revolution. The event will become meeting point to discover technological solutions for the entire value chain of the tourism sector, to provide the tools that help the sector to improve its processes, build a more sustainable industry, and face the current challenges of management and promotion with technology as a facilitating lever. To this end, more than 200 exhibiting firms will showcase the latest technologies in AI, Business Intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, connectivity, 5G and augmented or virtual reality, among others, as well as solutions that help to measure environmental impact, be more sustainable, inclusive and improve accessibility.

The event will also host different networking activities to foster the creation of synergies and knowledge transfer: the Leadership Summit, a lunch that will bring together industry leaders to establish collaborations; the Tourism Innovation Awards 2024, which will recognize organizations that are leading the way in digitalization and sustainability in tourism; and the Touristech Startup Fest, which will allow emerging talents the opportunity to present their projects to investors and leading companies.

 

 

 

 

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Source: traveldailymedia

WTAAA demands end to unfair skiplagging penalties for agents

The post WTAAA demands end to unfair skiplagging penalties for agents appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Brand TD.

As airfares continue to surge, travellers increasingly turn to skiplagging for more affordable options. Skiplagging is the practice of booking a cheaper flight with a layover at a destination the traveller intends going to, and then intentionally skipping the final leg to secure a lower fare. While this approach can be tempting for cost-conscious travellers, the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA) highlights a concerning reality: it’s travel agents who often bear the brunt of the consequences, facing penalties for practices driven by price-conscious consumers who book through the travel agency channel.

“Skiplagging is a long-standing issue in the travel industry that we do not support, but travel agents cannot control customer behaviour once travel is underway,” says Otto de Vries, Executive Director of WTAAA. “While airlines have filed unsuccessful legal cases against consumers who skiplag, they continue to issue Agency Debit Memos (ADMs), penalising agents whose clients break fare rules by not taking a flight segment.”

Otto de Vries

 

A recent survey by passport-photo.online found that over 64% of American flyers skiplag at least 25% of their flights annually, with the practice increasingly popular among younger generations as a way to find cheaper fares and more convenient routes. Social media platforms like TikTok have even promoted skiplagging.

“We do the right thing by booking as per the published fares, but the practice of holding the agent financially responsible when the client breaks airline rules remains a major concern,” says De Vries. “It’s time airlines play a straight game on pricing without huge markups for hub-to-hub tickets versus to final destinations, which would diminish the incentive for skiplagging.”

While skiplagging can constitute a violation of airline terms, a 2019 court case in Berlin dismissed Lufthansa’s attempt to sue a passenger for over US$2,300 in fees avoided by skiplagging, likely due to the difficulty of proving intentionally missed segments.

However, according to IATA Resolution 830a, airlines have an easier path to enforcing penalties against travel agents via ADMs issued through the Billing and Settlement Plan system when agents’ clients go against fare rules without the agent’s knowledge.

“The consequences are clearly uneven based on whether the consumer booked direct or via an accredited agent who unintentionally booked a so-called skiplag itinerary on behalf of their customer,” adds De Vries. “While airlines struggle to punish direct booking consumers legally, they readily fine agents, sometimes contributing to agency closures from the financial impact. This unequal treatment must be addressed.”

WTAAA emphasises that travel agents have a duty to advise clients about the potential risks associated with skiplagging. These risks can include voiding return flights, losing frequent flyer benefits, facing legal action, or having accounts banned by the airline. Ultimately, however, it should not be the travel agents who bear the financial cost of their client’s travel decisions.

WTAAA calls for an open dialogue between the airline industry and travel agent associations to address the increasing issue of skiplagging. This dialogue should focus on finding solutions that protect consumers’ rights to make informed choices while ensuring a fair and sustainable environment in which travel agents can operate.

 

 

 

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Source: traveldailymedia