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UK tourism sector to flag attractions with physical distancing measures

UK tourism industry leaders plan to introduce a physical distancing standards symbol for hotels and attractions to encourage the return of visitors once lockdown measures are eased. The move is part of a bid to encourage responsible travel in the country when it is safe to do so. Visit Britain, the UK’s tourist authority, confirmed an industry mark, similar to the British Standards Institution’s Kitemark, to flag up attractions, and potentially accommodation, that have implemented safe distancing measures. It said it would provide more details when they were available. Visit Britain’s acting chief executive, Patricia Yates, said: “We think as an industry that’s going to be a real shift in where we are in consumer behaviour now.” Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said Visit Britain hoped to persuade ministers to think about encouraging tourism, after successfully persuading the population to stay at home in the coronavirus lockdown. She said the tourism industry would be “asking government to be just as clear when they start announcing the lifting of lockdown that it is socially responsible to go out and travel. And yes, you can drive and enjoy yourself”. The tourism industry is worth an estimated £127bn to the UK economy annually and employs more than 3 million people. Much of that income and employment has been cut off by the lockdown, amid forecasts that some of Britain’s most beautiful spots will be worse hit. The industry is worried the stay-at-home message has been so successful and overzealously interpreted, that it will require a new campaign to encourage people to venture out when it’s safe to do so. However, for the moment it cannot be seen to be encouraging travel when the message from the government is to stay at home. Police and councils have reminded potential tourists not to travel ahead of the bank holiday weekend. David Simpson, the leader of Pembrokeshire county council, said: “Pembrokeshire is a beautiful place and when the time is right, we will welcome you. But that time is not now.” The council and Dyfed Powys police have written to the owners of around 6,000 holiday homes, urging them to remain where they are. Key workers in north Devon have started a campaign to thank tourists for staying away from the area. Preston police reminded the public to stick to the physical distancing rules and only leave home to exercise or shop for essentials.

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Visit Switzerland Virtually This Summer Vacation.

Under normal circumstances, most of us right now would be diligently planning our summer vacations, but these are trying times. As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across major parts of the world, many countries are doing what they can to keep their citizens safe. Restrictions on domestic and global travel are one of them. Switzerland Tourism, while encouraging travellers across the world to stay home and stay safe, has launched a new campaign – #dreamnowtravellater – to keep hope afloat in travellers across the world giving them something to look forward to when the pandemic is finally behind us. A short video released by the Switzerland Tourism board shares with the world the message to “Dream Now Travel Later” against a backdrop of its stunning landscapes. It assures the world that the beautiful country will pause time and stay the way it is and be ready to welcome visitors when the world opens up. The video asks people to stay home and stay safe until that time comes.   Visit Switzerland Virtually This Summer Vacation Switzerland tourism encourages people to stay indoors and helps them discover the Alpine glory Lag da Breil, Switzerland. Reservoir with currently low water level. Wikimedia Commons Under normal circumstances, most of us right now would be diligently planning our summer vacations, but these are trying times.   As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across major parts of the world, many countries are doing what they can to keep their citizens safe. Restrictions on domestic and global travel are one of them. Switzerland Tourism, while encouraging travellers across the world to stay home and stay safe, has launched a new campaign – #dreamnowtravellater – to keep hope afloat in travellers across the world giving them something to look forward to when the pandemic is finally behind us. A short video released by the Switzerland Tourism board shares with the world the message to “Dream Now Travel Later” against a backdrop of its stunning landscapes. It assures the world that the beautiful country will pause time and stay the way it is and be ready to welcome visitors when the world opens up. The video asks people to stay home and stay safe until that time comes. At a time when the world is burdened with stress and worry, the tourism board encourages people to dream instead of the majestic mountains, fresh alpine air, gorgeous trains, scenic lakes and the wonderful architecture of Switzerland that are all waiting for them. The video aims to spread positivity and hope to inspire people to look forward to good times when this crisis is over. Authorities in Zermatt have been spreading the spirit of hope and resilience for communities across the world by projecting flags of different countries along with messages of hope and positivity designed by artist Gerry Hofstetter on the majestic Matterhorn peak. Through the display of these images, the village shows its solidarity with people from different nations who are currently suffering and is grateful to those who are helping the world to overcome the crisis. (IANS)

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Technology Can Help Restore Tourism And Retail

Countries like India should rapidly embrace new technologies to widen the consumer base and enthusiasm, without fearing that this will necessarily snatch away the opportunities available in our service sector for tourist guides or salespersons. When the war against the corona pandemic is finally won, what will be its legacy? A sorrowful one of corporate obituaries? Or can we harness this moment to innovate and create a winning strategy? One of the worst affected industries today is the tourism industry. But, virtualization can come to its rescue. Tourism can be taken to a new level using tools such as augmented reality which superimposes computer-generated data such as video, graphics and GPS on top of the real-world view, augmenting the viewer's perception of reality and of the surrounding environment. Within an AR-enhanced context, information becomes interactive and easily manipulated in a digital manner. This has been done by the tourism authorities of some European cities such as Florence in Italy. In the Indian context, a visitor to Sanchi using an AR application on his smartphone could, for instance, see the existing Stupa with a parallel scene of how it would look like with Buddhist monks from Ashokan period worshipping or meditating there and an automatic translation of the Brahmi inscriptions in the preset language of his choice as he traverses the complex. These experiences can be further personalized and curated to suit individual tastes using artificial intelligence – for example, if somebody wants a more detailed immersive experience of the Jataka stories depicted there. Governments can allow multiple private entities to design virtual tourism apps where the government provides access for shooting the tourist assets and making available historical literature, art objects and the internet infrastructure. The private party can create the AR content and curate the experience. This can be undertaken on a revenue-sharing basis under a public-private partnership framework. This would augment overall revenues and ultimately improve the feel and upkeep of the tourist sites. Hotels too can deploy augmented reality to overlay additional tourist information to otherwise static maps. So if the smartphone is moved over say, Chanderi, on a map of Madhya Pradesh it can display its history and other interesting features. In a restaurant, an item on the menu can be displayed as it actually appears, the reviews it has got and as it has been earlier served to customers. Trekkers can point their smartphones and get names of various hills and peaks and suitable camping spots. This way, the overall attractiveness of tourism can be enhanced and will compensate for any losses due to the pandemic. Another badly affected sector is the non-food retail and consumer durables sector. It is being said that malls will no longer be favoured. Here again, virtualization can help if malls themselves become aggregators of the retail outlets that are located there. So each mall can create its own virtual portal which should allow the visitor to browse through each shop located within that complex. Apps can be designed to facilitate 3D product visualizations deploying augmented reality of the items kept inside shops for a try-before-use experience. Audi enables customers to create colour schemes and to experience the car without even having to visit a showroom. Ikea the furniture maker has created the Ikea Place, an application that allows the user to see realistically rendered, true-to-scale 3D products. It notes the dimensions of the room that a product is meant to be put in, and permits the potential customer to visualize how it would look like if actually placed there, thereby encouraging the customer to make an informed purchase decision – a decision that he is more likely to be happy with, and for a longer time period. Countries like India should rapidly embrace new technologies to widen the consumer base and enthusiasm, without fearing that this will necessarily snatch away the opportunities available in our service sector for tourist guides or salespersons. The government should free itself from more mundane roles like managing hotels and restaurants and refocus on creating appropriate technology platforms and enabling environment for business.

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How Turkey and Europe plan to reopen for tourism

Tourists will eventually flock back - but with masks, sanitisers and perhaps a lot of anxiety. One thing is for sure, the coronavirus pandemic will alter tourism as we know it. Forget the communal dance by the pool or that careless barefoot stroll around the hotel lobby. Gone is that carefree motion of grabbing a roll from an all-you-can-eat buffet. Oh and forget the spas too! Covid-19, the viral respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has exposed the vulnerability of hospitals and manufacturers who depend on global supply chains, which are now disrupted. But perhaps its biggest casualty will be the tourism and hospitality industry. By the end of April, every tourism destination in the world - around 270 in total - has put some sort of travel restriction in place, jeopardising the livelihood of millions of workers, says the World Tourism Association, a UN agency. “The cure can become deadlier than the virus itself,” Tom Jenkins, the CEO of the London-based European Tourism Association (ETOA), told TRT World, speaking about the reluctance of governments to ease restrictions. It remains difficult to predict what will happen even after a few months as customer demand for travel and leisure has plunged, he said. Airlines around the world have suspended flights due to travel restrictions and hotel rooms are empty. Global passenger traffic in March dropped more than 52.9 percent compared to the same month a year ago, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In other words, global air travel numbers are back to what they were in 2006 - years of growth just wiped out in a couple of months. Tourism, from a distance Some countries such as Cyprus, Spain, Bulgaria and Turkey are aiming to reopen their resorts. But that will happen with a lot of precautions as concerns remain over a second wave of infections. The United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and France - all popular tourism destinations - have been hit hard by the coronavirus with each of them recording more 25,000 deaths from the virus. Turkey has managed to keep the fatalities low at 3,520 with aggressive testing and contact tracing. Tourism accounts for 12 percent of the Turkish economy with more than 2.5 million workers affiliated with the industry. One major concern is the fate of temporary workers, which number around half a million and who travel to places like Antalya in the summer to make a living. “Tourism defines not just the cities but countries. If you remove tourism from Istanbul a lot of businesses will find their variability jeopardised. Same is true for London or Paris,” says Jenkins of ETOA. From the roadside vendors who sell smoked chestnuts to the owners of small Kampir outlets at the Ortakoy Sahil, tourism plays a crucial role in the economy. Last year, 51.8 million tourists visited Turkey and its tourism income was more than $34.5 billion. In March 2020, the number of tourists dropped by more than 50 percent, according to Turkish Statistical Institute. Authorities here have now put in place a system to gradually reopen some places popular among the tourists. For instance, hotels and transport companies would need special certifications saying they have properly disinfected the facility, tourists will have to wear masks and meals at buffets will be served from behind glass panels. But Jenkins says social distancing is going to make it very tricky. “It's hard to imagine how an industry that relies on airports and airlines can function with social distancing restrictions.” However, now industry representatives are urging governments to lift lockdowns in a gradual manner. Travel groups such as Germany’s TUI AG, the world’s biggest, have urged European governments to come up with a timetable to lift the travel bans. Tourism accounts for 10 percent of Europe’s GDP with 27 million direct and indirect jobs linked to hotels, transport services and other related businesses, many of which are small. Hoteliers and travel companies are taking consolation in the slow opening within China, one of the world’s biggest markets for tourists. But within the European Union, the borders remain closed and it remains unclear when travelling goes back to how it was in December last year. How Turkey plans to deal with the situation Following are the key points of the plan to gradually reopen tourism destinations in Turkey. 1. Maximum hotel occupancy to not pass 60 percent 2. Body temperature of visitors to be checked 3. Everything in a room from air conditioners to televisions to be disinfected every time someone checks out 4. At least 12 hours of room ventilation required after check out 5. Crowding of spaces such as the lobby to be discouraged 6. Guests will wear masks and maintain a minimum 4.5 feet distance from each other 7. No fitness centres or spas this season

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Loss forecast for India's tourism sector doubles to Rs 10 lakh crore: FAITH

Apex sectoral body Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) on Tuesday doubled its loss guidance for India's tourism sector to Rs 10 lakh crore on account of impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The earlier forecast, which was shared with the government in March 2020, had put tourism's economic value at risk at around Rs 5 lakh crore, FAITH said in a statement. The federation has revised its guidance given the way tourism supply chains are breaking down in India across all its key inbound, domestic and outbound markets, it added. "We would like to double the earlier guidance of Indian tourism economic value at risk from Rs 5 lakh crore to Rs 10 lakh crore," a FAITH spokesperson said. FAITH said it has shared the revision of loss guidance with an inter-ministerial group of the government. It has already requested help from the government for the survival of the tourism and hospitality sector. For the revival of any demand in tourism, the tourism supply in India has to first remain intact, the statement said.

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Abu Dhabi tourism Launches ‘Abu Dhabi Specialist Programme’ for Industry Partners

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) announces the launch of the ‘Abu Dhabi Specialist Programme’, an e-learning platform which will educate travel trade industry professionals with all destination-related information about the emirate through a series of online courses. The programme will be rolled out in three phases in several languages across 17 markets, including the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, China, South Korea, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland and Russia, as well as GCC countries. The first phase has been launched on May 4th, in the USA, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India. Designed specifically for industry partners such as tour operators, travel agents and wholesalers, the Abu Dhabi Specialist Programme will equip travel trade professionals with accurate and relevant information about Abu Dhabi, supporting and encouraging them to promote the destination to consumers within their markets. The initiative comes as part of DCT Abu Dhabi’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, which brought all workshops and other forms of physical training to a halt. The new training and education programme aims to reach a wider audience of travel trade agents worldwide. DCT Abu Dhabi has already conducted a series of virtual workshops and meetings since the coronavirus situation unfolded. “The Abu Dhabi Specialist Programme is a significant step forward and through it, we will be able to reach a larger number of travel trade agents across the globe, including previously untapped markets like Canada and New Zealand. This training and education platform ensures that all participating industry partners have easy and quick access to the latest content on Abu Dhabi, thus making the destination promotion aspect of their job much easier,” said HE Saood Al Hosani, Acting Undersecretary at DCT Abu Dhabi. The courses encompassed in the programme cover information related to key attractions in Abu Dhabi, local events, accommodation options and much more. Additionally, it includes a rewards section featuring incentive programmes, exclusively available for ‘Abu Dhabi Specialists’ – travel trade agents who graduate from the main programme. The Abu Dhabi Specialist Programme will be available for travel trade professionals on the website from May 4, 2020. For the Indian Travel Industry, upon successful completion of two modules, the travel trade agents can win an Amazon gift voucher of Rs 10,000. And upon successful completion of the Specialist programme, four lucky winners can win the latest smartphones and five lucky winners can win a trip to Abu Dhabi (T&C apply)

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