Saudi Arabia Minister of Tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, urges global leaders to give the sector the attention it deserves The Travel and Tourism sector’s essential contribution to shaping the global landscape was underscored at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos this week with Ahmed A. Al-Khateeb, Saudi Arabia Minister of Tourism, urging world leaders to provide the industry with the focus and collaborative solutions it deserves. Saudi Arabia welcomed nearly 30 million international visitors in 2024 and contributed almost 5% to the Kingdom’s GDP. In dedicated WEF sessions on travel and tourism, Ahmed Al-Khateeb, who attended Davos as part of the official Saudi Arabia WEF Delegation, highlighted the Kingdom’s unprecedented growth rates. He stressed the critical role t...
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France to keep its crown as most popular destination for international visitors
# New data shows arrivals on brink of sector high # Seat capacity to surpass pre-pandemic levels # Nice surges as a key destination Latest flight booking data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and its knowledge partner ForwardKeys, shows France is set to keep its pole position as the world’s most popular destination for international arrivals this year. The research reveals a positive outlook for France's inbound travel, with arrivals set to almost reach pre-pandemic highs this year. During her participation at the Destination France event taking place in Chantilly and hosted by President Macron, Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, praised France for its steely focus in recognising the economic and cultural value Travel & Tourism brings in jobs a...
Read MoreThe post-pandemic travel boom and the high ticket prices that come with it show no signs of slowing well into next year, despite economic uncertainty and dwindling household savings. While questions linger about how much longer consumers will continue to indulge, airlines, hotels and analysts say travel has remained a top priority instead of the "nice to have" purchase as in years past. International travel reached around 90% of pre-pandemic levels this year, according to the International Air Transport Association. The rebound was led by visitors to Southern Europe from cooler climates despite soaring temperatures and included swaths of American tourists flying overseas. FILE PHOTO: Passengers walk next to check-in counters at the O.R. Tambo International Airport, in Johannesbur...
Read MoreDubai International Airport had over 21.2 million passengers pass through its terminals in the first quarter of the year, potentially nearing numbers it saw before the coronavirus pandemic grounded air traffic around the world. The Dubai airport, the home of the long-haul carrier Emirates, is the world’s busiest for international travel and serves as a bellwether for the global aviation industry. FILE PHOTO: Passengers leave the baggage handling hall at the Dubai International Airport terminal 3, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) “DXB’s performance in the first quarter has exceeded our expectations and reflects the strong growth in demand that we are continuing to see across our key markets,” Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, said in a statement, usi...
Read MoreBlooming this Spring: solo and duo travel, international trips, hills and beach getaways
Excitement about travelling international continues amongst Indian guests Indian guests are immersing themselves in the rich cultures of iconic European cities or escaping to the hills and beaches of India Iconic Cities, Amazing Pools and Beach getaways are the most booked Categories by Indian travelers during spring in 2023 Winter is almost over, and with temperatures starting to rise and the days getting longer, Indian travelers are already planning their spring break getaways. When it comes to locations, European cities, beach towns and hill stations are inciting wanderlust for Indian guests this spring (For both 2022 and 2023, “spring” bookings or searches on the Airbnb platform are defined as March 1 - April 30. Trends data in this report uses data from 2022 with chec...
Read MoreAirbnb Data also reveals that more people are travelling to iconic cities around the world International travel saw a strong recovery in 2022, a trend that should continue to rise in 2023 Benefiting local communities by travelling to off-the-beaten-path destinations, will further help in tourism recovery Domestically, Indians are exploring off-beat destinations in states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Meghalaya and Telangana Solo Travel was the most popular type of International travel by Indians followed by couple and family travel Airbnb has presented a round-up of key trends that have emerged in India and how travellers are embracing new forms of travel. New data based on internal Airbnb search data between Q1'22 - Q3'22 reveals that international travel saw a stron...
Read MoreWTTC and Trip.com Group global traveller report reveals shift towards sustainable travel “Demand for travel is now stronger than ever” says WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson A major new report by World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Trip.com Group, together with Deloitte, reveals a heightened appetite for sustainable tourism amongst consumers, with 69% of travellers actively seeking sustainable travel options. In this follow-up report, WTTC joined forces again with leading global travel service provider, Trip.com Group and its major consumer brands Trip.com, Ctrip and Skyscanner, with additional data sourced from Deloitte, to analyse the trends that shaped the Travel & Tourism sector last year and will continue to do so over 2023. The Mont des Arts or Kunst...
Read MoreThailand will require international travelers to show proof they are fully vaccinated for COVID before flying to Thailand, according to the country's aviation regulator, as it prepares for more tourists after China reopened its border on Sunday. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said in a statement on Saturday that starting early Monday, all foreign arrivals starting early on Monday must prove they are vaccinated or provide a letter certifying that they have recovered from COVID within six months. FILE PHOTO: Tourists visit Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, June 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) Unvaccinated travelers must show a medical certificate explaining why they have not received the vaccine. CAAT said airlines would be responsible for checking d...
Read MoreLatest WTTC report shows global cities’ sector recovery is well underway The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) launched its Cities Economic Impact Report (EIR) at the 22nd Global Summit in Riyadh on Wednesday. Sponsored by Visa, the report shows cities remain the powerhouses of global tourism and will drive the recovery of the sector and economies around the world. The Cities EIR analyses 82 international city destinations and shows that prior to the pandemic major cities were popular travel destinations, accounting for almost half of all international visits, both as standalone destinations and as gateways to other tourism hotspots within countries. FILE PHOTO: The view from an upper floor of the Central Park Tower shows Times Square, lower center, the Empire State Build...
Read MoreMore than a quarter of consumers plan on three or more international trips Australians to spend more on travel than any other nation As the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) opens its 22nd Global Summit in Riyadh, a new global consumer survey has revealed that the appetite for international travel is now at its highest point since the start of the pandemic. According to the survey of more than 26,000 consumers from 25 countries, conducted by YouGov for WTTC, 63% are planning a leisure trip in the next 12 months. The survey reveals that the appetite to travel shows no signs of slowing, with more than a quarter (27%) of consumers planning three or more trips over the same period. Additionally, the survey shows that travellers from Australia will be the world’s b...
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