In case you missed it, and even if you didn’t, here’s a quick look at some of last week’s need-to-know travel news: Travel counsellors in Canada are being urged by ACTA to take to Twitter to help support the association’s new letter campaign asking the federal government for specific aid for the travel agency sector beyond mid-June when it is expected that most other businesses will be reopened.
Because the recovery in travel is expected to take longer than the general economy, ACTA is seeking travel agency relief including: GST/HST relief, not deferment; payroll tax relief; extension of the 75% wage subsidy; specific loan facilities; and the extension of the CERB program from 16 to 39 weeks. “We urge industry members to join Twitter and retweet our tweets (@ACTACanada),” says ACTA president Wendy Paradis.
Las Vegas, which lost the opportunity to host the US Travel Association trade show IPW this year due to the coronavirus pandemic has been announced as host city for 2011. The signature annual event for US tourism will take place May 10-14 replacing Chicago, which has been moved to 2025. Other scheduled host cities remain unchanged: Orlando in 2022, San Antonio in 2023, and Los Angeles in 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
The travel industry has lost a full third of all the jobs lost in the US and is experiencing a total impact from coronavirus that is nine times greater than the 9/11 attacks, according to new data released by the US Travel Association and the analytics firm Tourism Economics. By the end of April, declines in travel will cause eight million jobs to be lost out of approximately 24 million for the entire US economy, according to the report. Travel spending losses are on track to top half a trillion dollars by the end of 2020.
AIR
Air Canada has suspended scheduled service to the US until May 22 as a result of the agreement between the governments of Canada and the United States to extend border restrictions by an additional 30 days.
The airline is waiving change fees for affected customers with bookings during this period to enable them to reschedule their travel with no additional fee.
Meanwhile, WestJet says it will remove some 600 daily flights from its domestic schedule between May 5 and June 4 – about 18,000 trips in total – due to “significantly reduced guest demand” during the COVID-19 crisis. US service remains suspended through June 4.
TOURS
Air Canada Vacations has announced several updates for future travel credits issued in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The changes include the automatic extension of the validity of the future travel credit for 24 months for cancelled departures March 4-May 31; the possibility to transfer the credit to another person; and the ability to keep the residual value of the credit resulting from a fare difference.
The new 2020-21 Seasons collection from Insight includes five new US journeys: New England’s Fall Foliage, Enchanting Canyonlands, Great Western American Adventure, Best of California, Desert Escapes of California & Arizona. It is the first time America has been included in the autumn-winter-spring collection, which continues to focus on Britain, Europe and Ancient Civilizations. Those booking by Aug. 27 can save 5%.
HOTELS
Kempinski promises a new perspective on Bangkok when the new Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok (photo) opens its door late this year. Set close to the edge of Lumphini Park and Bangkok’s ‘green corridor’ – home to embassies and Thailand’s most prestigious residences – the hotel will be “an oasis designed with space to breathe and a mission to prove Bangkok is more than a destination for spending sprees and indulgent temptations,” vows Kempinski, while adding, “This is a new landmark destination within a fully integrated lifestyle village. A city wellness sanctuary committed to helping guests experience the guilt-free good life.”
RESORTS
Tuneful team members from Sandals Resorts International from across the Caribbean have put together a special song for travel agents. “It might not change the world, but it will bring joy to your heart!” says Sandals. Check it out.
CRUISE
Reservations for Viking’s new Mississippi River cruises (rendering below) are now open to the general public. The program will start in 2022 and include voyages on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between New Orleans and St. Paul, Minnesota. Past Viking guests have been able to book since March 30 and some departures for the 2022-23 season are already sold out.
Victory Cruise Lines operated by American Queen Steamboat Company extended its temporary suspension of all operations on board the Victory I through June 30 and cancelled all planned itineraries for the Victory II for the remainder of the 2020 season. The Victory I will resume service on July 5, 2020.
ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS
If you can get there, know that Denmark’s Tivoli Gardens amusement park in Copenhagen will reopen on May 11.
INCENTIVES
Carnival Cruise Line has announced a variety of enhancements to its Onboard with You pledge to travel partners designed to support and sustain them during its unprecedented pause in operations.
The enhancements include an additional 1% bonus commission on new retail bookings made through GoCCL.com or other online booking tools through June 30, 2020. The line will also maintain agencies’ current 2020 commission rates for 2021, regardless of whether they meet the necessary criteria for this year.
EVENTS
With in-store visits, events or training evenings cancelled, a series of destination webinars have been launched for Oregon and Utah, each of them being hosted by an in-market member of the tourism board. Upcoming dates are:
• Oregon, Wed. April 29, noon PT. Register HERE.
• Utah, Wed. May 6, noon PT. Register HERE.
PEOPLE
The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has named Carla James director of tourism. James, who is currently deputy director, will be the country’s first indigenous woman to assume the role, succeeding Brian Mullis, whose two-year term ends April 30.
DESTINATIONS
As a sign of solidarity with the world during the pandemic, Zermatt, Switzerland has been illuminating the Matterhorn throughout April with special messages, including “Hope” and “Stay at Home,” by artist Gerry Hofstetter. On Saturday, the Swiss town reached out to its friends in Canada by projecting the Canadian flag onto the famous mountain (photo).
Germany has cancelled Oktoberfest five months in advance due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We agreed that the risk is simply too high,” Bavarian governor Markus Soeder. Another high-profile event, Spain’s Running of the Bulls has also been postponed, and, closer to home, the Calgary Stampede.
The Discover Dominica Authority has launched Part 1 of a four-part series on topics that are relevant to the coronavirus pandemic. Historian Dr Lennox Honychurch discusses the historical context of past pandemics in Dominica and how the indigenous people – the Kalinagos – among others in Dominica dealt with the situation at that time. Visit the Discover Dominica Facebook page under videos.
Send info to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com.
* Future dates and events listed here are up to date at time of printing, although obviously subject to changes due to ever-involving pandemic information. Travel Industry Today accepts no responsibility for sudden or unreported inaccuracies.