Berlin, Germany, August 10, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The hospitality industry is facing turbulent times: On 11 August (2 – 4 p.m. CET) ITB Berlin will launch its next round of online sessions as part of the virtual ITB Berlin Convention. Under the heading ’ITB Virtual Convention Hospitality Update – Trends & Cases’, the three […]

London, United Kingdom, August 8, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Popular holiday destinations Sri Lanka and Grenada, are among the latest destinations to begin using the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp, launched recently by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The growing list of endorsements have come from many major holiday and […]

London, Great Britain, August 11, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The entire WTTC family expresses its heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the passengers, crew and the family and friends of those impacted by the tragic events of the Air India Express flight, which was repatriating those stranded abroad during the COVID-19 crisis. The global Travel & […]

London, Great Britain, August 7, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Nearly three million jobs in the UK – and 197 million worldwide in the Travel & Tourism sector globally – look set to be lost due to the collapse of travel, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). WTTC economic modelling conducted less than […]

Shanghai, China, August 7, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The organizers of ITB China, China’s largest B2B exclusive travel trade show, announced the launch of the ITB China Industry MeetUp, at an exclusive networking event for industry senior representatives in Shanghai last Wednesday. The ITB China Industry MeetUp is a series of events set to take […]

Geneva, Switzerland, August 7, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East (AME), will be appointed Senior Vice President for Customer, Financial and Digital Services (CFDS), based in Geneva and effective 1 March 2021. At that time Aleks Popovich, […]

London, United Kingdom, August 6, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO said “WTTC is calling upon Governments around the world to begin a substantial programme of investment to ensure comprehensive testing facilities are implemented at airports, which will help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and see the return of safe travels. […]

Madrid, Spain, August 6, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is calling on destinations to recognize the needs of travellers with disabilities or specific access requirements as they open up to visitors again. In partnership with the ONCE Foundation of Spain and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the United Nations […]

Bangkok, Thailand, August 6, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has today become a signatory of the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, led by the United Nations Environment Programme and World Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Sustainable First supports and is a signatory to the Global Tourism Plastics […]

Bangkok, Thailand, August 5, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / In the afternoon of Tuesday, August 25th , the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office is hosting a half-day Virtual Destination Mekong Summit, organized by public-private partnership Destination Mekong, with sponsorship of UNWTO Affiliate Member Chameleon Strategies, under the theme of “Balanced Tourism Recovery for a Better Future”. In […]

Bangkok, Thailand, August 4, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Capella Bangkok is now accepting reservations for stays from October 1st 2020. The highly anticipated opening is Capella Hotels and Resorts’ first property in Thailand. The award-winning hospitality group focuses on crafting authentic cultural experiences for its guests, combining a legacy of thoughtful design with the highest […]

London, Great Britain, August 1, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has unveiled its Insurance Guidelines to rebuild global consumer confidence to help encourage the return of travelling. The guidelines are designed to drive the return of safe, healthy and responsible travel and ensure the insurance sector is fit for […]

San Francisco, California, United States, August 3, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Those who contracted COVID-19 are experiencing what it’s like to have a condition that is difficult to diagnose without clear treatment options. This is the norm for people living with a rare disease. There are 7,000 rare diseases identified so far, often with broad […]

Madrid, Spain, August 3, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The enormous toll of COVID-19 on international tourism has now become clear, with World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) data showing the cost up to May was already three times that of the 2009 Global Economic Crisis. As the situation continues to evolve, the United Nations specialized agency has […]

Grütli, Seelisberg, Uri, Switzerland. August 1, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291 Since 1891, the first of August has been celebrated as Swiss National Day. The date refers to a historic alliance concluded in 1291 by the three cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. This alliance was to become the […]

Okinawa, Japan, July 31, 2020 / travelindex / The Best Western Okinawa Onna Beach in Okinawa, Japan, continues to show its commitment to supporting the local community through creative and generous acts of service and hospitality. As COVID-19 continues to impact the community, care and unity during these challenging times mean more now than ever. […]

Berlin, Germany, July 29, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / ITB Berlin is to publish a special study by IPK on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on international travel behaviour – Germans’ interest in travel abroad remains high despite no vaccine being available – Car journeys and holidays close to nature are regarded as very safe […]

Singapore, Singapore, July 30, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / GSTC extends its recognition to include sustainable tourism management systems. Greenview Portal is the first sustainable tourism management system for multi-site businesses to achieve ‘GSTC-Recognized system’ status. Users of the Greenview Portal that have made significant progress in their adherence to the GSTC Criteria, will be able […]

New York City, New York, United States, July 28, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The United Nations announced today that it is teaming up with Sustainable First, the platform dedicated to championing sustainable tourism initiatives while advocating for the SDGs, as part of its strategy to amplify the reach of its 75th Anniversary initiative, UN75. Launched […]

Ibiza, Spain, July 28, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Governments have a duty to put the wellbeing of their citizens first. At the same time, they also have a responsibility to protect livelihoods and businesses. This goes hand-in-hand with a responsibility to preserve the spirit of international solidarity that has characterized our response to this shared […]

London, United Kingdom, July 27, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO said: “Requiring UK travellers returning from Spain to once again quarantine for 14 days will be hugely disappointing for thousands of UK holidaymakers – and is disastrous for the hard-pressed Travel & Tourism industry, both in Spain and the UK. […]

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, July 27, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Wink Hotels, a sleek, chic and vibrant lifestyle brand, locally born and locally positioned to tap into the booming domestic travel market in Vietnam, is poised to redefine affordable luxury across the country as it readies to open its debut hotel later this year. […]

San José, Costa Rica, July 27, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is pleased to announce that the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) Standard 2.0 for Lodging and Tour Operators in Costa Rica has achieved the ‘GSTC-Recognized Standard’ status. The Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST), established by the Costa Rican Tourism […]

Geneva, Switzerland, July 25, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / WISeKey International Holding Ltd. (WISeKey), a leading global cybersecurity and IoT company, today announced the launch of WISeTravel, a free app for travelers. The world is facing a new normal. The COVID-19 global pandemic and the intensifying climate crisis are creating disruptions, threats and challenges to people […]

London, Great Britain, July 24, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Popular holiday hotspots Indonesia, Dubai and Rwanda are among the latest destinations begin using to the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp, launched recently by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Costa Rica, Tobago and Tanzania also sign up to the world’s first […]

Bangkok, Thailand, July 23, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / South East Asia Hotel Investors Summit (SEAHIS) is an owner-driven event focused on hotel real estate investors, developers and franchisees. We were worried that needing to move the dates for SEAHIS to 8/9 December would mean losing speakers. Instead, we are thrilled that not only have we […]

Madrid, Spain, July 23, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / A new set of Recommendations published today outline how the global tourism sector can continue in its fight against plastic pollution while effectively facing the public health and hygiene challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ongoing pandemic has hit the tourism sector hard, putting more than 100 […]

New York, USA, July 22, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / New analysis from the World Economic Forum shows that some of Latin America’s and the Caribbean’s tourism strengths are less important than before to a competitive tourism economy during COVID-19. The onset and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the factors that make a country’s […]

London, United Kingdom, July 22, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Advises regional and local measures only to combat COVID-19 spikes. Travel & Tourism sector will help power the global economic recovery. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned governments around the world that further country-wide border closures could seriously jeopardise global economic recovery. WTTC […]

Bangkok, Thailand, July 21, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Hospitality company has linked with the government of Thailand’s Rao Tiew Duay Gan campaign, which supports 40% of room rates (up to THB 3,000 per night). Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, is supporting the government in its efforts to boost domestic […]

Madrid, Spain, July 20, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Across Europe, the responsible restart of tourism is now underway. But even as growing numbers of tourists cross borders and businesses open up again, this is no time for complacency . Just as we stressed at the beginning of this crisis: words of support are not enough […]

Singapore, Singapore, July 20, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia have announced that this year’s event will go virtual with the live event postponed to 2021. Messe Berlin (Singapore) announced today that ITB Asia, MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia will go virtual from 21 – 23 […]

London, Great Britain, July 18, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Lack of alignment will slow down the Europe-wide recovery. Proper co-ordination by European governments could create a 10 million jobs boost. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called for more consistent travel rules and COVID-19 advice by European countries to counter confusion by travellers […]

Geneva, Switzerland, July 16, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented job losses and economic uncertainty. As governments and businesses look to stimulate growth, a new study from the World Economic Forum found that ‘nature-positive’ solutions can create 395 million jobs by 2030. The Future of Nature and Business Report provides […]

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, July 17, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Gov. David Ige announced this afternoon that after meeting with the four county mayors and officials from the Department of Health (DOH) he has decided to delay the start of Hawaii’s pre-travel testing program from August 1st to September 1st. All travelers entering Hawaii will […]