Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

The Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has announced that the country has no more active cases of COVID-19 and the destination is free of the virus now

The 4th TravTalk Digital Conclave is all set to be held tomorrow, Tuesday, 9th June, with a focus on re-engineering tourism and establishing confidence among travellers. To register, please send an email to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or call +9650196532. The three sessions between 10:00 am and 1:30 pm will cover subjects such as a practical vision for the future, managing customer experience, and reducing fears & establishing confidence.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is moving quickly to draft strategy to support the Royal Thai Government’s third phase of easing business activities and restrictions after its most recent announcement on June 1, which is effective immediately. The relaxation helps some tourism-related businesses while other venue operators must wait and continue to follow guidelines issued by the Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health. Moreover, all international flights to Thailand are still banned until 30 June, 2020, due to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT)’s announcement. TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said, “TAT is working actively with our tourism partners and other industry partners to monitor and identify opportunities.  TAT has formulated a strategy to support domestic tourism first and learn from experience, so that Thai tourists feel confident about their first travel choices around the Kingdom after the situation of the COVID-19 eases.” To begin with (phase one) TAT has identified basic truths of the new reality moving forward: To restart, the tourism industry must be under disease control measures until a vaccine is developed to prevent this disease. This will affect and change all behaviour and patterns of traditional travel and tourism activities starting from the aviation experience. Phase two and three begin once operational level products are functioning and a proper reduced carrying capacity is established so phase two can commence after international flights are allowed again. 

Launched in February 2020, the SG Clean campaign aims to raise the hygiene standards and transform cleanliness level of public spaces and rally premises operators to take ownership by adopting the SG Clean Quality Mark. Under the campaign, the SG Clean quality mark is being rolled out to various sectors, covering premises with high human footfalls including hotels, tourist attractions, shopping malls and F&B outlets. Over the next few months, more than 37,000 businesses within the tourism and lifestyle sectors will be encouraged to sign up for the SG Clean Quality Mark. To obtain this mark, premises operators will have to pass audits that certify that their premises have adhered to sector-specific sanitation and hygiene checklists and advisories. SG Clean certified tourism establishments can be identified by the certificate, posters, decals and badges.

Developing a global set of transparent hospitality standards relating to health, safety and hygiene will be key to regain the trust of travellers in a post-COVID-19 landscape, a panel of industry experts explained during ATM Virtual. During the session, ‘The Hotel Landscape in a Post-COVID-19 World’, Raki Phillips, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said, “Our industry is very resilient and will recover and for this reason, it’s important that hotels don’t drop their room rates. Tourists will come back.” “We are already seeing this in Ras Al Khaimah where we are lucky to have large, spacious resorts with some offering private villas, making the implementation of social distancing measures much easier. Hotels need to adapt to a new normal with increased sanitisation at the forefront while being creative with their offerings and embracing innovative technologies which can help differentiate them from their competitor,” he further said.

In order to inspire lateral thinking and bring forth innovative ideas to the forefront in this time of crisis, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) will organise a webinar today at 11am. It will begin with a panel discussion on the topic ‘Singapore Tourism: Getting Ready for Re-start’ that will have three experts as panellists, and will be followed by a product update. For more information and registration, please contact Jaspreet Kaur on 9650196532 or jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com.

Home to the world’s longest zip-line, Toroverde Adventure Park in Ras Al Khaimah has reopened with new safety rules after a two-month closure. Prior booking and face masks even mid-flight are essential for visitors. RAK’s Al Hamra has also re-opened its hotels and the golf club.

Switzerland Tourism invites the trade to participate in its webinar titled ‘Unlimited Swissness in Interlaken’ to be hosted today at 3:00 pm. Interlaken is situated between the Lakes Thun and Brienz and is centrally located in Switzerland. Surrounded by the mountains Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau, it not only provides numerous excursion opportunities but is also a hub for adventure activities in Switzerland. This webinar will provide the trade with the latest information and updates about Interlaken. Travel partners who attend all their webinars stand a chance of winning a trip to Switzerland. For more information, please contact Jaspreet Kaur on 9650196532 or jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com.

Switzerland Tourism invites the trade to participate in its webinar titled ‘Unlimited Swissness in Interlaken’ to be hosted on Friday, May 22, 2020, at 3:00 pm. Interlaken is situated between the Lakes Thun and Brienz and is centrally located in Switzerland. Surrounded by the mountains Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau, it not only provides numerous excursion opportunities but is also a hub for adventure activities in Switzerland. This webinar will provide the trade with the latest information and updates about Interlaken. Travel partners who attend all their webinars stand a chance of winning a trip to Switzerland. For more information, please contact Jaspreet Kaur on 9650196532 or jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is working closely with hospitality partners and Government Authorities to safely welcome guests back to the Emirate as restrictions are gradually eased, and hotel pools and beaches become accessible to visitors.  To ensure the wellbeing and safety of visitors and employees, the Authority is in ongoing dialogue with hotel partners to ensure they are strictly adhering to government and public health guidelines and complying with all social distancing advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the UAE Federal Authorities. In Ras Al Khaimah, current hospitality standards and procedures include testing of all hotel staff for COVID-19, provision of masks and gloves for all guests, allocation of separate entrances and exits for guests and staff and mandatory thermal screening at all entrances on arrival.  RAKTDA inspectors will also be undertaking daily spot checks to ensure the measures are being adhered to and will provide support from Government Authorities to help hoteliers enforce the protocols designed for guest wellbeing. To ensure guests have confidence in their stay, RAKTDA is working closely with the Public Service Department (PSD) to oversee a dedicated certification process – the RAK ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification – whereby hotels are required to fulfil a detailed set of measures to attain the certification.  The certification assesses all the measures in place across all areas of the hotels including reception and concierge areas, guest rooms, restrooms, restaurants and lounges, pools, beaches, spas fitness areas, kid clubs and retail spaces.  Guidelines are also being provided around guest transportation, meeting and function spaces, housekeeping, laundry and waste management. The ample space within hotel properties in Ras …