Tag Archives: WTTC

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) call on the UK government to lift the current ban on UK-based airlines flying to Sharm el Sheikh. In a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May, David Scowsill, President & CEO, WTTC, and Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General, UNWTO, stressed the importance of resuming operations to the Egyptian coastal resort as the current travel advisory is having devastating effects on the country’s economy and social stability. The ban has been in place since a Metrojet airline flying from Sharm el Sheikh to St Petersburg crashed in the Sinai Desert in October 2015. They said, “Travel & Tourism is vital to Egypt’s economy and social peace, contributing 11% of the country’s GDP and 2.6 million in jobs in 2015. The reduction of visitors has created huge employment losses. The country’s biggest concern is how the lack of employment opportunities, especially for young men and women, has instilled a desperate disposition and thus vulnerability to radicalisation or to fleeing on a refugee boat.” Egyptian authorities have taken significant measures to step up the level of security not only in the airport but in the surrounding area as well. These improvements now meet the safety standards as indicated by the UK Department for Transport. All other countries, including Germany and Russia, have allowed their airlines to start flying to Sharm el Sheikh again. They concluded, “It is devastating to see the impact the current UK travel advisory has on Egypt and on the young workforce in particular. We call on the UK government to review the advisory and allow commercial aircraft to fly to Sharm el Sheikh and thereby help restore the …

India’s Travel & Tourism sector has a huge potential, but growth remains largely untapped due to a lack of a co-ordinated approach to tourism policies, said David Scowsill, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Speaking at the Hotel Investment Forum India in Mumbai, Scowsill highlighted that India’s Travel & Tourism sector has extraordinary potential and is forecast to grow by 7.5% per annum over the next decade. In 2015, Travel & Tourism contributed 6.3% to India’s GDP, which is well below the global average of 10%. Additionally, international arrivals were around 8 million visitors per year, which is substantially lower than other countries. China receives 57 million visitors annually and Thailand 30 million. “Travel & Tourism is growing in India, but it comes from a low base compared to other countries in Asia. With the forecast growth for domestic and international tourism, we now stand at a crossroads. Now is the time for India to take off and fulfil its potential,” Scowsill added. Scowsill stressed six priorities which WTTC believes the Government should address urgently, to boost domestic business and leisure travel and to dramatically increase international arrivals: 1. Put tourism at the heart of its economic agenda: the government must deliver on its 2014 manifesto promise to prioritise the sector as a driver of economic growth. 2. Agree a responsible rate of GST: rather than implement a level of 18% tax, a range of 9-14% would certainly boost the social and economic potential of the sector. 3. Invest more into the ‘Incredible India’ campaign: look at other sources of marketing monies, whether from visa fees or private sector matching funds. 4. Continue the electronic visa programme …

The JATA Tourism EXPO Japan officially opened with 140 countries and 47 regions in Japan represented. Delegates including Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Akihiro Ohta, and the Commissioner of the Japan Tourism Agency, Norifumi Idee were welcomed at the inaugural event. Ohta officially welcomed everyone, explaining that Japan wants to become an advanced tourism country, to push not only international inbound travel, but to also focus on more domestic travel as well. UNWTO Secretary-General Dr. Taleb Rifai, and Mr. David Scowsill, President and CEO, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) also graced the occasion with their presence.

PATA CEO Mario Hardy and John Koldowski, Member Tourism Action Group, Thamassat University Thailand, will deliver a seminar on April 5, 2016 at The Park New Delhi, to help prepare tourism stakeholders for future growth, opportunities and challenges. Together with luminaries from UNWTO, WTTC, IATA, ICAO and World Economic Forum amongst others, PATA is engaged in building Tourism Advocacy across the world to ensure that Tourism is at the forefront of strengthening the global Visitor Economy. While Hardy is optimistic about the growing role and contribution of tourism in world economies, he will focus on how markets can get their fair share of this growth as well as address, both present day and futuristic challenges and opportunties. Hardy leads PATA’s charge at the Global Travel Association Coalition. John Koldowski, former Deputy CEO of PATA, is regarded as one of the leading analysts of the travel & tourism sector. He specialises in analysis and interpretation of information regarding movements and trends in the tourism sector based on emerging consumer preferences and destination development. Koldowski will share his in depth knowledge of the impact of global trends on Asia Pacific tourism.