Consumer and business confidence in the disruptive and costly traffic light system has all but evaporatedWTTC calls for all fully vaccinated Brits and those with proof of a negative test to be able to travel freelyUK is losing its competitiveness against other European destinations, increasing the UK’s isolation
Data shows forward bookings for international travel lag behind increased capacity by airlines gearing up for more ‘green list’ countriesWTTC calls for all fully vaccinated Brits to be able to travel freely to other countries with similar and higher vaccination levels as the UKUK is losing its competitive edge created by the early vaccination rollout as Europe opens ahead of the UK, which continues its overcautious approach
Following its launch just 12 months ago, the highly popular Safe Travels stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has now been adopted by more than 275 destinations around the world.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow issued the following statement on today's release of the U.K.'s "traffic light system" for international travel:
Recent announcement will delay the recovery and the restoration of millions of jobsUK government should take advantage of its effective vaccination rollout and restart international travel to benefit its economy £148 billion lost to the UK economy due to the lack of Travel & Tourism
The UK is witnessing a tentative re-opening now that we are at the end of March. Monday 29th saw the end of the Stay At Home rule in England and the fresh ability to meet up in private gardens. Frustratingly, this lifting of restrictions does not include hospitality's super clean and COVID safe premises until April 12th 'at the earliest'. I am regularly amused and impressed by stories of pubs and restaurants creating spaces to allow customers to sit outdoors. Once again it shows the entrepreneurial spirit and determination to find ways to open up and generate some revenue. What was once a backyard used solely for storing bins and beer barrels has been cleaned up and tables installed. Outdoor eating and drinking opportunities have been created in car parks, fields, pavements, and children's playgrounds. And why not? I have no doubt that the demand will be enormous, come 12th April.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned that nearly £27 billion will be lost from the UK economy if the government delays restarting international travel until May 17.
On behalf of owners, Airbnb rents out furnished apartments to short stay, non-resident transient visitors. These rents are subject to the regulation of the City of Paris and this regulation has long stated that the activity of short-term furnished rentals to transient visitors, in return for payment, may not be carried out in premises used for residential purposes, pursuant to the French Construction and Housing Code. This same regulation requires owners to request prior permission for a change of use, pursuant to Articles L.631-7 and L.631-7-1 of the French Construction and Housing Code.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has sent an open letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, calling for his leadership ahead of next week's announcement, urging him to support its recovery plan and provide evidence of a clear exit strategy, to save the besieged UK Travel & Tourism sector.
The UK Government has announced that outbound tourists will have to make a declaration proving their journey is for essential purposes. If successful, inbound UK residents will be faced with a mandatory 10-day hotel quarantine when returning from 22 high risk countries including South Africa, Portugal and South American nations;
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has said that introducing hotel quarantines in the UK would cause irreparable damage to an industry which contributes nearly £200 billion to the UK economy.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "WTTC urgently calls upon the UK government to extend the furlough scheme for those employed in the beleaguered Travel & Tourism sector."
After several years of dominating headlines, the Brexit transition period is over. What does the deal mean for EU and UK business travelers and how do we make heads or tails of the new restrictions?
Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Aimbridge Hospitality's international division, has announced it has been appointed to manage Jupiter Hotels' UK portfolio.Interstate will step in as the new management company for all 31 of Jupiter's UK properties from 1 December 2020.The portfolio is made up of both Mercure and Holiday Inn branded hotels, as well as two independents.Nicholas Northam, Executive Vice President International at Interstate Hotels & Resorts, said: "This is a very exciting development for Interstate, as we expand our portfolio significantly in the UK - a fast-growing market for us."The 31 properties further assert our position as a global leader in hotel management and we look forward to putting our industry talent and operational expertise into action.
The UK government's latest move that will slash the travel quarantine lockdown if passengers test negative on the fifth day, will provide a much-needed economic boost and is a step towards reviving international travel, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).
The UK's data privacy watchdog has fined the Marriott Hotels chain £18.4m for a major data breach that may have affected up to 339 million guests.
The designated Members of the Executive Board of Steigenberger Hotels AG/Deutsche Hospitality - CEO Marcus Bernhardt and CFO Dr. Ulrich Johannwille - assumed responsibility for operational management at the hotel group with effect from 1 November 2020. This new leadership pairing creates a wealth of international experience at the helm of Steigenberger Hotels AG, which brings together five separate hotel brands under the umbrella brand of Deutsche Hospitality.
Following the new three-tier system of COVID-19 restrictions that have now been rolled out in England; Ralph Hollister, Travel & Tourism Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view on the situation: "According to GlobalData's most recent forecasts, total UK domestic trips are now set to drop by 64.1% this year from 122.2 million in 2019 to 43.8 million in 2020.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has urgently called on the UK government for strong leadership and unprecedented international collaboration, to save the struggling Travel & Tourism sector and recover the millions of jobs already impacted.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: "For the best part of a week the UK government has delayed announcing which countries will be safe for British holidaymakers to fly to for what's left of their summer holidays, resulting in frustration and confusion among travellers.