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Travel industry celebrates Earth Day

In celebration of Earth Day, Travelport has released the below trend report about the state of sustainability in the travel industry. Together with two of its partners, Virgin Atlantic and Trainline, Travelport shines a light on the sector’s current initiatives with a focus on creating a greener industry for tomorrow. “Being an environmentalist should not be a competitive advantage, but rather something that the entire travel industry embraces and believes in,” said Jason Clarke, Chief Commercial Officer – Travel Partners at Travelport. “In order for the sector to become truly sustainable, we must first inform customers about the sustainable choices that they have and make those easy to understand. Next, end-to-end green options must be integrated together in a seamless manner. Finally, we must provide the consumer with the ability to offset every mile they travel. It is crucial that the industry works together in order to ensure a greener path forward in the future.” Eco-Friendly Destinations While the travel industry and the world at large continues to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, destinations that are viewed as environmentally friendly are gaining popularity with tourists. According to a report by ESOMAR-certified market research*, the ecotourism industry is expected to grow by 15% CAGR, surpassing a valuation of $17 billion. Trend data released from Travelport highlights how the following destinations have become more popular with travelers when compared to their 2019 rankings by booking volume: Norway: #24 (vs. #35 in 2019) Moving up 11 places in the ranking, Norway’s official slogan is “powered by nature”. Eight tourist destinations have been certified as sustainable by the International Sustainable Tourism Initiative, and the country has an audacious goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Currently, they are one of Europe’s largest providers of hydropower, and they fuel 95% of Norway’s power from that source as well. So far in 2022, Norway has recovered more than half of its gross pre-pandemic travel activity (56%) with the top destination city, Oslo, primarily attracting solo travelers (42%) and couples (30%) with all traveler types staying 25 days, on average. Denmark: #40 (vs. #44 in 2019) Moving up 4 spots, Denmark ranks #1 on the Environmental Performance Index*. The country’s capital, Copenhagen, is on track to be carbon neutral by 2025, which is impressive even in a city where 9 out of 10 people own a bike and use it to travel at least 1 mile per day. Denmark has recovered nearly half of its gross pre-pandemic travel activity (49%) so far this year, with the top destination city, Copenhagen, primarily attracting solo travelers (38%) and couples (36%) with all traveler types staying an average of 20 days per trip. Ecuador: #44 (vs. #56 in 2019) The World Travel Awards. named Ecuador the world’s leading green destination, and when compared to its popularity in 2019, the country has climbed 12 spots. As one of the most biodiverse destinations on the planet, Ecuador offers visitors access to some of the best eco-lodges in South America. So far in 2022, Ecuador has recovered two-thirds of its gross pre-pandemic travel activity (67%) with the top destination city, Guayaquil, primarily attracting solo travelers (42%) and families (30%) with all traveler types staying 28 days, on average. Iceland: #69 (vs. #79 in 2019) Jumping 10 places in the rankings, Iceland is almost entirely powered by geo-thermal energy, which makes it one of the greenest countries in the world. Their renewable energy program alone is said to produce the largest amount of green energy per capita. Visitors often come for incredible views of the Northern Lights or to soak in the natural heated pools of Myvatn Nature Baths. Iceland has recovered more than half of its gross pre-pandemic travel activity (58%) so far this year, with the top destination city, Reykjavik, primarily attracting couples (48%) who are staying 10 days per trip, on average. Costa Rica: #46 (vs. #73 in 2019) With one of the biggest jumps on the list, Costa Rica’s popularity has increased 27 spots. As one of the most eco-friendly countries in the world, 93% of its electricity comes from renewable sources. This tropical and volcanic landscape is also fiercely protected to preserve the country’s diverse wildlife and ecology, which is said to hold around 5% of the planet’s total biodiversity. Tourists enjoy coast to coast cycling trips, exploring miles of rainforest, hiking volcanic craters, and relaxing on sandy beaches. So far in 2022, Costa Rica has recovered 90% of its gross pre-pandemic travel activity with the top destination city, San Jose, primarily attracting a mix of couples (34%), families (33%) and solo travelers (27%) staying 15 days, on average. Greener Skies Aviation is recognised as one of seven hard to abate sectors and accounts for 2-3% of global emissions worldwide (as of 2019). For more than 15 years, Virgin Atlantic has been an industry leader in sustainability. To reinforce its commitment to sustainability through innovation, transparency and accountability, the airline recently announced its carbon targets to achieve net zero by 2050: By 2026: 15% gross reduction in CO2/RTK achieved through continued fleet transformation and operational efficiency By 2030: 15% net reduction in total CO2 emissions, including 10% of fuel sourced from sustainable aviation fuel By 2040: 40% net reduction in total CO2 emissions Virgin Atlantic has already reduced its CO2/RTK by 17% (2019 vs 2007) as result of fleet modernisation and operational efficiencies. It operates one of the youngest and cleanest twin-engine fleets in the skies, with an average aircraft age of just under seven years and 68% next generation fleet. This increases to 100% next generation by the beginning of 2027 which will further reduce the airline’s C02/RTK to 30% of the 2007 baseline. Beyond fleet transformation, Virgin Atlantic is committed to working with new technology innovators to seed, support and adopt the breakthrough technologies capable of delivering change. As a long-standing advocate for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Virgin Atlantic has been partnering with LanzaTech since 2011, flying the world’s first commercial flight operated on sustainable fuels in 2018, supporting efforts to build the first U.K. SAF plant by 2025, and partnering with Neste Oyi to bring 2.5 million liters of SAF to London Heathrow in the first half of this year. It also continues to support new technology innovation, most recently working with partners Storegga Geotechnologies and Carbon Engineering to accelerate the use of direct air capture of CO2. “We know that, as an airline, we have a pivotal role to play in protecting the planet, while connecting people across the globe and strengthening crucial trade connections,” said Luke Ervine, Head of Sustainability at Virgin Atlantic. “For more than a decade we’ve been leading the way in the decarbonisation of the aviation industry. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, our focus on our carbon targets, paired with global collaboration across the sector and beyond, will help us reach net zero emissions by 2050. There is a long road ahead, but we’re committed to pioneering change and being transparent on our progress.” The Rise of Rail With a focus on shrinking the region’s carbon output, certain countries within the European Union are considering and/or implementing short-haul flight bans. Last year, France became the first to enact a national ban on short-haul domestic flights where a train journey of two and a half hours (or less) was an option. It speaks to a broader global trend which focuses on the entirety of a journey as opposed to packed, destination-centric itineraries. Rail journeys are often seen as the hero of this movement, and as the world’s leading independent rail travel platform, Trainline partners with hundreds of rail carriers to offer its customers millions of travel options across 45 countries. According to Trainline, the transport sector is the largest contributor to UK domestic greenhouse gas emissions, contributing 28% of UK domestic emissions in 2018. The main source of these emissions is the use of petrol and diesel in road transport. Similarly, in Europe, transport accounts for more than a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions, almost 72% of which come from road transport. Rail offers travelers a greener alternative, generating less than 1/20 of the CO2 emissions of air travel and approximately 1/7 of the CO2 emissions compared with car travel, per passenger*. On average, Trainline customers save over 1.5 megatons of CO2 emissions each year by using rail instead of road. The company also states that 60% of Britons feel a sense of pride to travel by train, knowing it’s better for the environment. “Awareness of the carbon footprint of travel is at an all-time high, and as business travel starts to resume in high numbers again, we have the ideal opportunity to encourage a significant change in travel habits,” said Liz Emmott, Global Distribution Director for Trainline Partner Solutions. “The decision is no longer about price alone, but also how travel is contributing to companies’ net-zero commitments. By making sure rail options are readily available and attractive, we have a great opportunity to support the switch to rail.”

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GoSTOPS Expands Footprint In Ooty, Coorg, And Auroville

Hostel brand goSTOPS is adding 3 more hostels, one each in Ooty, Coorg, and Auroville in the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. With this, the total functioning locations in its network have increased from 28 to 30. The new properties acquired in February by the full-stack operator brand, which leases and transforms budget hotels into high-quality backpacker hostels, comprise both deluxe private rooms and spacious dorms, starting at an affordable cost of INR 500 per night. On the expansion announcement, Pallavi Agarwal, Founder and CEO, goSTOPS, said, “Post covid, we are witnessing a demand recovery towards leisure destinations such as Jaipur, Udaipur, Manali, Mussorie, Nainital, and Mukteshwar, which are attracting massive interest among our core audience as they offer a mix of tranquillity, adventure, and local experiences. As we scale further and through a renewed focus towards people, processes, and technology, we are confident that we are well-poised to curate a holistic travel experience for our patrons.” Pankaj Parwanda, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, goSTOPS, quoted on the announcement, “Through our robust expansion, we aim to provide access, increase availability and rapidly scale up the supply of high-quality hotel accommodation tailored to the evolving psychographics of an underserved Indian youth today through a shared economy model. Our goal is to expand the goSTOPS community by adding more thrilling properties across various locations within the country.” goSTOPS captures more than 12 crore revenue per annum. Every month, the brand hosts 20,000 travellers in its hostels and adds about 300 beds and 5 hostels. By 2024, goSTOPS aims to reach a mark of 31,000 beds and foray into Southeast Asian countries including Sri Lanka and Nepal. The brand recently added new and second properties to some locations like Mussorie, Kasol, and Bangalore.

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AirAsia X Recommences Services To/From New Delhi

AirAsia X (AAX) has resumed its twice weekly services to/from New Delhi, India starting 20 April 2022 with a sendoff event for guests at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (klia2) to mark the occasion. CEO of AirAsia X Benyamin Ismail said: “Today marks an important milestone for AAX, not only for our recovery as an airline but also for the resumption of the nation’s tourism industry. The gradual resumption of our most popular routes has been highly anticipated by our guests and across the tourism value chain, providing a welcome boost to the countries’ economic recovery as a whole. “We would also like to applaud and thank governments in our key markets such as Australia, the Republic of Korea and India for reopening their borders and relaxing travel restrictions. AAX looks forward to working with all relevant industry stakeholders to rebuild the aviation and travel industry together. We will continue to review our network and cater to the increasing demand in our core markets. More services to additional destinations will be announced in due course as the world continues to reopen safely. “As we return to the skies, we wish to assure everyone that we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of safety and hygiene at all times. Every AirAsia Allstar on-ground and in the air is fully vaccinated and ready to provide world-class service and the best quality guest experience including on our award-winning Premium Flatbed, alongside stringent safety rules and procedures for a total peace of mind.”

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Flydubai Resumes Flights To Hail And Tabuk

Flydubai, the Dubai-based airline, has announced today that it will resume operations to Hail and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, which will bring the number of destinations served by the carrier in the Kingdom to ten. Flights to Hail and Tabuk will commence on 09 May with five weekly flights. Flydubai has built a network of more than 95 unique destinations in 50 countries served by a young fleet of 63 Boeing 737 aircraft. With the resumption of flights to Hail and Tabuk, flydubai’s network in Saudi Arabia has now grown to ten destinations including AlUla, Dammam, Gassim, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, Taif and Yanbu. Flights to Hail International Airport (HAS) and Tabuk International Airport (TUU) will operate five times a week from Dubai World Central (DWC). Following the completion of the northern runway refurbishment project which is scheduled to take place in Dubai International (DXB) from 09 May to 22 June 2022, flights to Hail and Tabuk will resume from Terminal 2 from 23 June.

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Go First Gets Approval For Night Parking At Jammu And Srinagar Airports

GO FIRST (formerly known as GoAir) has announced that it has been accorded approval for night parking at Jammu and Srinagar airports from Airport Authority of India (AAI), becoming the first airline to receive the permission. Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir made the announcement yesterday at an official event, allowing one Airbus A320neo aircraft each to be parked at Jammu airport and Srinagar airport. The first flight for night parking was received by Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the august presence of Prakash Ranjan Thakur, Principal Secretary Civil Aviation, Industries and Commerce; AOC IAF G S Bhullar, Sanjeev Gargh, Airport Director; Mahesh Kumar, CASO; Manjeet Singh, IOC Manager; Kapil Tickoo, BCAS Coordinator; Khurshid, Terminal Manager AAI; COO IAF, Group Captain Sandeep Singh; Yogesh Mishra, Assistant Commandant CISF; Mukesh Singh, IGP JK UT Police. This is a significant development for the union territory as the night parking permission will facilitate better flight operations from the region. Speaking on the development, Kaushik Khona, Chief Executive Officer, GO FIRST said: “We are delighted at this development. We would like to thank the authorities for their kind consideration and will continue our commitment to the development of J&K.”

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Over 1 Lakh Registrations Confirmed For Chardham Yatra

With little more than a week to go for the commencement of Chardham Yatra, the number of online registrations has picked up in the state. Over a lakh registration have taken place so far for the period 3 - 31 May. For the first time, registrations for the Chardham Yatra have been made mandatory for all the pilgrims coming to visit the shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri and Shri Hemkund Sahib. The registration facility is available both online and offline. Those going for advance registration can avail the online facility while those arriving without registration will have to do on the spot registration at different registration counters on the Chardham routes. However, since start of online facility, number of registrations are picking up steadily. The Chardham Yatra this year begins on 3rd May with the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri dhams. This will be followed by the opening of the portals of Badrinath and Kedarnath Shrines on 6th & 8th May respectively and Hemkund Sahib on 22nd May. The total registrations have crossed the one lakh mark with a total of 102,508 registrations so far. Of these 15,829 registrations have been confirmed for Yamunotri , 16,804 for Gangotri, 41,107 for Kedarnath and 29,488 registrations for Badrinath. Tourism authorities are sharing the data with the concerned districts and police authorities. Besides online, authorities in the districts where the Chardhams are located are making available on the spot offline registration facility for the pilgrims. A control room has also been set up in Dehradun which is providing all relevant information to the pilgrims. Toll free no 1364 and helpline numbers 0135-1364, 0135-2559898, 0135-2552627 and 0135-3520100 have also been released for the purpose. An average of 400 to 500 calls per day are received in the control room. Those manning the control room are also well versed in multiple languages for the ease of pilgrims who do not know Hindi or English. This year, for the first time, a vehicle tracking mechanism has also been introduced. Cameras have been installed at various locations on the Chardham routes that will keep a track of the vehicular movement. Cameras have been installed at Rishikesh, Badkot, Bhatwari, Joshimath and other routes leading to Chardham. Yatra Mitras have been deployed at over hundred kiosks to assist with on-the-spot registration of arriving pilgrims.

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