Accessible Travel | Breaking Travel Industry News |

Saxony Germany Promotes Accessible Tourism

Harry Johnson — Mon, 01 May 2023 15:34:45 +0000

Saxony is popular with travelers for a multitude of reasons. The state, in the eastern part of Germany bordering Poland and the Czech Republic, is Germany’s number one cultural destination. It is also enriched with modern cities, historic and quaint small towns, low mountain ranges, water landscapes, expansive parks, gardens, as well as friendly, service-oriented hotels.

What many people do not know is that Saxony is also one of the leading German federal states in terms of its commitment to accessible travel in Germany and has a large variety of offers for people with special needs. The state has a wealth of accessible tourist offers for people with disabilities – both for cultural and city travelers as well as for active holidaymakers in the Saxon regions.

From the Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains), Upper Lusatia, Saxon Elbland, Saxon Switzerland, Vogtland, to the Leipzig region with its castles, the Heath and New Lakelands and the cities of Dresden, Leipzig, and Chemnitz, these regions are beautiful and varied and are making great efforts to welcome the accessible traveler.

The Tourism Board of Saxony (TMGS) has exceedingly high standards for the quality of its products. They realize that the reliability and accuracy of its accessibility information on its website and in its brochures is vital for the success of the industry and so important to the end consumer. With this in mind, the Tourism Board of Saxony has made sure to test all of the offers for their accessibility and accuracy. Detailed and reliable descriptions of offers on the website lead to travel confidence and eventually to holiday enjoyment.

In addition to content for travelers with reduced mobility, there are special offers for travelers with sensory disabilities and for people with learning and mental disabilities, such as induction loops for the hearing impaired, inscriptions in Braille, special tours for the blind, or visitors with other impairments.

Nepal Observes National Accessible Tourism Day 2023

Harry Johnson — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 20:21:57 +0000

eTurboNews:

The Sixth Accessible Tourism Day of Nepal was celebrated on 30 March 2023 with travel along the ‘wheel trek trail’ at Basuki Thumka, a hill flank at Sanga Village, Kavre District. More than 40 wheelchair users participated, together with scores of well-wishers, people’s representatives, accessibility experts, community leaders and government officials.

The winding wheel trek trail, as planned, will take wheelchair users over two kilometers of mild gradient to the top of the Basuki Thumka. A 400-meter section of the trail through pristine pine forest has been complete with the help of the Bagmati Provincial Government and local community. When the full trail is complete, from the top of the hill visitors will be able to take in a broad panorama of the Himalayan chain to the north as well as views of Kathamandu Valley and the surrounding hillsides.

Nepal’s Accessible Tourism Day began to be marked on 30 March 2018, at the initiation of Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the International Development Institute (IDI) and Four Seasons Travels & Tours. The celebration this year at Basuki Thumka was organized by the Spinal Injury Sangh Nepal (SISN), with the support of the above-mentioned organizations as well as the Miral Welfare Foundation and the Sanga village community.

The ‘Basuki Thumka Wheel Trek Trail’ observation was led by Member of Bagmati Provincial Assembly Hon. Laxmi Ghimire, a person with spinal cord injury and a wheelchair user, as well as Dr. Shanta Dixit, Chair of the SISN which runs the Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre (SIRC). Community leader Uddhav KC thanked all wheelchair users and supporters for attending and expressed the hope that besides being a destination for domestic and international tourists, the wheel trek trail would help support the local economy.

The wheeltrek tour was followed by a panel discussion on ‘Tourism for All’, held at the Spinal Injury Rehabiliation Centre (SIRC), which is located at the base of the Basuki Thumka hillside. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Raju Dhakal, Medical Director of SIRC, who highlighted the importance of wheelchair tourism for physical and mental wellbeing of the spinally injured.

Kanak Mani Dixit, founder chairperson of SIRC who envisioned the project, led the discussion by explaining his coinage of the term ‘wheel trek’, whose goal was to allow wheelchair users to enjoy the hills and mountains trails of Nepal as do other trekkers. He suggested that wheel treks in Nepal can be a source of enjoyment for domestic as well as international wheelchair users, and also contribute to the national economy as accessible tourism progresses.

Among the panelists, Suman Ghimire, senior manager of Nepal Tourism Board, expressed the commitment of his organization to support the goals of ‘Tourism for All’ through promotion of accessibility. Suman Raj Timsina, Director of IDI, highlighted efforts thus far to promote wheelchair trails in Nepal, including in Dhulikhel and Pokhara. Pankaj Pradhananga, Director of Four Season Travel & Tours, said the commitment of the Government and dynamism of the private sector would go a long way in ensuring success of the campaign for barrier-free accessible tourism.

Qantas’ Jetstar Repeatedly Mistreats Disabled Passenger

Dr. Anton Anderssen - special to eTN — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 17:19:33 +0000

eTurboNews:

When I fly, I usually buy my tickets a year in advance and request seats that specifically accommodate my disability.

In March of 2022, I purchased two tickets from Honolulu to Sydney Australia on Qantas’ Jetstar brand, in business class. I requested seats 1A and 1C specifically for access and against the wall because I can’t stay upright for 10 plus hours. I was assigned 1A and 1C.

Sometime in January 2023, Qantas’ Jetstar canceled my flight, placed me on a March 25 departure, and never told me. I found out by accident. They also didn’t put me back in 1A and 1C, they put me in the middle section with a stranger next to me. The configuration is 2/3/2.

I filed a discrimination complaint with the USDOT because they gave my seats away to able-bodied people. Those handicap-friendly seats are typically enjoyed by employees, families of employees, or friends of employees. Qantas’ Jetstar told USDOT they re-accommodated me in 1G and 1J, which are bulkhead seats on the aisle.

On March 15, 2023, I discovered just as soon as they denied to the US government, they were discriminating against me, they moved me out of 1G and 1J and put me in a middle section seat again. Being in the middle section, without a wall/window for support, I have to be tied up in restraints, like a mentally ill patient in an insane asylum. The restraints draw stares and have the effect of being “shown off” like a deformed human in a freak show.

I believe after they made the claim to the US government about wanting to accommodate my disability, they intentionally moved me again – as retaliation, to harass and intimidate me for filing the US complaint against them.

The USDOT case number PC2023 03 0042 and ESID 441500 is written in a letter from Qantas’ Jetstar, where they assured the US Government, I was going to be seated in 1G and 1J for this long and arduous flight. It is signed by Zoe in the Customer Advocacy Team.

I will be following up in a forthcoming article, for travel professionals and the disabled community, with photos, to show the humiliation and intimidation disabled customers are forced to endure because the airline wants to give handicap-friendly seats away to favored employees and their friends. It’s behavior similar to parking in a handicap spot when a person isn’t disabled.

Throwing us out of 1G and 1J was vicious behavior on the airline’s part, especially since I purchased the tickets a year ago, and filed the USDOT complain in January. They had plenty of opportunity to do the right thing but chose not to do so.

NOT EASY: Airport Accessibility

Dr. Elinor Garely - special to eTN and editor in chief, wines.travel — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 22:19:50 +0000

eTurboNews:

While many people are eager to travel, one of the major deterrents from moving from here to there is having to deal with the chaos, confusion, and long distances at airports that challenge even the nimblest and most athletic.

From the need to walk miles from one gate to the next, poor-quality air and dirty and inaccessible toilets, to high-priced food and surly employees, along with an almost total disregard for travelers with disabilities – all are roadblocks to increasing travel frequency. Who to blame? These issues can be placed at the feet of government officials, airport designers, and airport/airline corporate executives.

Impactful Decisions

The Census Bureau estimated that over 42.6 million people in the United States (13 percent), have some type of disability that may impact on their mobility, vision, hearing, or cognition. The Bureau also finds that older adults are more likely to have a disability and the number of seniors is rapidly increasing. On a global level, approximately 1.2 billion people (between 15-20 percent of the world population) live with a disability. By 2050, the number of people aged 60+ y/o will reach approximately 2.1 billion.

As air travel becomes an “ordinary” way to travel and in some cases the only way to get from point to point, older adults and people with disabilities are traveling in greater numbers. However, without accommodations (i.e., appropriate assistance from the check-in counter to the gate, or effective communication of flight information through technology or other means), air travel for people with disabilities can be extremely challenging and off-putting.

It Is the LAW

In general, airports and airlines are required to provide accessible facilities and reasonable accommodations through federal statutes, but many (if not most) fall short of the mark.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

• A person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits at least 1 major life activity

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) defines an individual with a disability:

• A person who has a physical or mental impairment that, on a permanent or temporary basis, substantially limits one or more major life activities

• Has a record of an impairment or is regarded as having an impairment

In regard to airports and the passenger experience the starting point is the airport entrance, which extends through to the departure gate and includes the use of the facilities including restrooms, access to baggage claim, and ends at the ground transportation zone.

Millions Restricted

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) determined that 27 million Americans (5+ y/o and older) have self-reported travel-limiting disabilities (2019). The ADA prohibits “discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, state and local government service, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation.” In 2021, the Department of Transportation (DOT) received 1394 disability-related complaints, a 54 percent increase from 2019. The DOT (2018) released data reporting 32,445 disability-related complaints – noting a 7.5 percent increase from 2017. Almost 50 percent of the complaints reported related to failure to provide adequate assistance to travelers using wheelchairs.

It is true that the ADA does not extend to airline passengers, however, it does mean that people with disabilities have the right to certain accommodations such as interpreters and TTY technology that might make it safer for disabled travelers to organize their travel.

Passengers with disabilities are entitled to certain accommodations, free of charge under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA).

This act states that all domestic and international flights that have the US as the destination or origination point are required to provide necessary accommodations to people with disabilities to ensure safe travel.

Just WRONG

Research (2021) found that the infrastructure at some airports, including terminal buildings and related passenger facilities, do not provide equal access to airport services for passengers with different types of disabilities. Limited elevator capacity creates bottlenecks that negatively impact passengers with mobility disabilities in busy terminals. Varying sizes, ages, and state of renovations in airport terminal buildings affect accessibility. Large airports have longer distances to transit between gates than smaller airports and many airports with complex layouts require cognitive and physical efforts to navigate.

Because all airports are different, passengers are unable to plan their trip to ensure their gate is located near accessibility offerings such as technology to assist deaf passengers or construction free walkways for sight-impaired and people with walkers and wheelchairs. Technology and/or trained staff might be available in one terminal, but not another, or only at specified locations such as one or two gates. In many instances, critical information (i.e., flight and boarding status, emergency-response instructions, how to navigate from point to point) is just not available. Blind or low-vision travelers may have difficulty using airports’ information systems that communicate flight information and boarding status, emergency response instructions, and where/how to reach a connecting flight. People with hearing loss may miss crucial information provided over a loudspeaker while a person with cognitive disabilities or low vision may find it difficult to decipher signage that is cluttered, unintuitive or includes low-contrast lettering.

Money

Travelers with impaired mobility spend approximately $58.2 billion annually on travel and consistently take about the same number of trips annually as able-bodied individuals. Six in ten respondents a recent survey experienced extended wait times at the airport before or after their flight because they had to wait for mobility assistance, while 40 percent had their mobility aid lost or damaged during air travel.

Barriers, Blockages

Communication is part and parcel of the airport experience; however, travelers with disabilities that affect their hearing, speaking, reading, writing, and/or understanding, and use different ways to communicate than people who do not have these disabilities are put at a serious disadvantage when they access airports.

1. Written health promotion messages frequently prevent people with vision impairments from receiving the message because the print is too small and large print versions are not available and Braille or versions for people who use screen readers are not available

Nepal celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Linda Hohnholz, eTN editor — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:23:05 +0000

eTurboNews:

When it comes to the tourism industry, one of the most important celebrations is the World Tourism Day that is celebrated on September 27 every year. While tourism related companies all around the globe celebrate this day in their own manner, this year, Nepal extended this celebration by sharing the gift of tourism for all.

On December 3, 2022, a group of 14 individuals including wheelchair users, visually impaired, hard of hearing, and amputees representing thousands of individuals similar to them arrived 2,500 meters above sea level at Chandragiri hills via a 12-minute-long cable car journey. In order to take inclusive tourism further, Four Season Travel & Tours collaborated with this group to celebrate and mark International Day of People with Disabilities.

The event organized by Kathmandu based Four Season Travel & Tours in partnership with Chandragiri Hill Resort was a continuation of an accessible tourism initiative in order to promote Nepal as a destination for all. The Nepal Tourism Board, eTurboNews, and the International Development Institute were partners of the event. The initiative of inclusive tourism kicked off in a collaborative and coordinated manner in 2014 after the visit of Dr. Scott Rains to Nepal, and 8 years later it still continues to build the same much needed momentum and collaboration.

Special highlights of the event

Dr. Dhananjay Regmi, CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board, reinstated NTB’s commitment to show support for such initiatives and events as it has been doing for the past years to encourage and foster tourism for all. A great example of NTB’s commitment is the first accessible trail that was built near Pokhara in 2018.

Ram B. Tamang of SIRC shared his adventure on a wheelchair from Namobuddha to Lumbini and Lumbini to Bodhgaya in India raising awareness about disability rights and road safety.

Sunita Dawadi (Blind Rocks) shared her take on why more tourism attractions should be made accessible and expressed her gratitude towards the event.

Pallav Pant (Atulya Foundation) highlighted that safety should be paramount while promoting Accessible Tourism and appreciated the accessible facility of Chandragiri.

Sanjeev Thapa(GM of Chandragiri) thanked the organizer and participants for choosing Chandragiri which has been a model of accessible resort in Nepal. He expressed his solidarity to promote this movement and announced that Cable Car will offer a free trip for Persons with Disabilities for a week to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

This excursion was then brought to a joyous end via an interactive session moderated by Pankaj Pradhananga, Director of Four Season Travel.

Nepal tourism has taken one big leap forward as it expands its service and its adventures to all regardless of their individual challenges. Inclusive tourism is enthusiastically growing to ensure that the beauty and adventures of Nepal can be experienced by every individual. Despite all the challenges, Destination Nepal is learning to get it right and position Nepal as a destination for all.

Hawaii Tourism CEO dangerous dream of Malama and Aloha

Juergen T Steinmetz — Mon, 03 Oct 2022 03:48:50 +0000

eTurboNews:

Native Hawaiian Hawaii Tourism Authority Chief John De Fries lives his dream of mālama and Aloha, but it may not only be unrealistic but could turn into a nightmare for the travel and tourism industry of the 50th US State.

Native Hawaiian Hawaii Tourism Authority Chief John de Fries has been setting the future for Hawaii’s largest industry since August of 2020

In less than two years, he managed to have the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau replaced by a Native Hawaiian Non-Profit organization Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement most people had never heard about before.

This nonprofit was awarded the full 100 million Dollar tourism marketing contract. The final determination is currently debated in court.

This non-profit never had a mandate or intention to promote the States largest industry, tourism, but this is a dream come true for the native Hawaiian community in the Aloha State. The reality is that tourism is a for-profit business.

Tourism Associations and many stakeholders are silent, bracing, or maybe ready to pack up or give up.

John de Fries for HTA, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, never responded to a request for an interview ever since John de Fries took the helm of this taxpayer-funded state entity.

Finnpartners, the PR agency representing HTA, has also never responded to eTurboNews request for interviews. Elected officials also don’t respond to requests by constituents.

John de Fries and his friend have a clear path to make their dream of a new vision for Hawaii Tourism a reality.

The oldest Hawaiian chants describe the Hawaiian Islands, the spirits that inhabit them, the forces of nature that shaped them, and all the living things upon them as inextricably connected. This sense of connection is the foundation of Hawaiian culture: understanding that we all have a mandate to mālama, to care for our environment and one another.

Today, Hawaiian culture may hold many of the answers sought in a rapidly changing world. The spirit of aloha – being in the presence of and sharing the essence of life – teaches us lessons of peace, kindness, compassion, and responsibility to future generations. These lessons are expressed through chant, music, hula, arts and cultural practices, and the warm, genuine greetings hallmark of Hawaiian hospitality.

HTA’s new message to visitors is: “The Hawaiian Islands itinerary that can change your life isn’t found in guidebooks. Because what makes the Hawaiian Islands truly special is not only our stunning natural beauty or vibrant culture – it’s the deeply rooted relationship that connects them.

This is all wonderful, but the “sad” reality in the State of Hawaii is that tourists are now coming back after COVID. New low-cost flights are running full regardless of the attempts by HTA that low-cost tourists are not a priority.

Visitors want to have a good time, sand and sea, and some may want to experience the culture, and hula lessons and others may prefer the Blue Hawaiian cocktail or Maui Craft beer. A few may want to know about the rich Hawaiian culture and book a spiritual Hawaiian Culture tour.

Visitors are adults and should be able to make this decision independently.

Paying to go to a beach, paying hundreds of dollars a night for a run-down non serviced hotel room, missing entertainment, a tourism board that wants them to study the culture before getting on the plane – is a reality.

What about if visitors that came to Hawaii with high expectations realized the Aloha State is not what it once was? It may be the last trip for many returning to Hawaii in big numbers. After dreaming about a Hawaii vacation during more than two years of COVID lockdowns, it doesn’t take a lot of advertising to be encouraged for a first trip, but what about returning for a future second or third trip?

The reality is high spending tourists are not returning , and the international inbound market from main source destinations like Japan is still not coming back in large numbers. Chinese travelers the industry banked on for years are not returning due to political reasons.

Instead, competing destinations in Asia and as far as the Caribbean are very active to attract former Hawaii visitors to their beaches.

The Cayman Island Tourism Minister, the new head of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, made it very clear when announcing a new Cayman Airlines nonstop flight to Los Angeles. He pointed out this flight from Los Angeles to the Cayman Islands is shorter than going from LAX to Honolulu.

Tropical North Queensland promotes accessible tourism

Harry Johnson — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 15:09:23 +0000

eTurboNews:

An Accessibility Hub has been added to the Cairns & Great Barrier Reef destination website to assist travellers with mobility impairment select activities and itineraries for their Tropical North Queensland holiday.

Most accessible US national parks

Harry Johnson — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 15:03:54 +0000

eTurboNews:

Spending time in the outdoors can lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, enhance your immune system and exercise helps to keep you fit and healthy.

And it is simply enjoyable.

But, for some people, the great outdoors is harder to access, especially for those living with conditions that affect their mobility or ability to communicate due to hearing loss.

Industry experts conducted a study which national parks provide the most amenities to people with mobility impairments, revealing the best and worst national parks in the US for accessible adventures and ranking them based on their wheelchair-friendly accessibility.

The Most Accessible National Parks In the US:

1. Badlands National Park, SD – Total number of trails – 17, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 3, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 17.6, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 92.3, Accessibility score – 9.31

2. Grand Canyon National Park, AZ – Total number of trails – 133, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 14, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 10.5, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 95.7, Accessibility score – 8.80

3. Yellowstone National Park, WY/MT/ID – Total number of trails – 270, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 16, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 5.9, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 96.3, Accessibility score – 8.11

4. Mesa Verde National Park, CO – Total number of trails – 21, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 2, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 9.5, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 81.4, Accessibility score – 7.76

5. Bryce Canyon National Park, UT – Total number of trails – 38, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 5, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 13.2, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 61.9, Accessibility score – 6.90

6. Hot Springs National Park, AR – Total number of trails – 22, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 3, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 13.6, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 54.1, Accessibility score – 6.55

7. Grand Teton National Park, WY – Total number of trails – 118, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 4, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 3.4, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 93.8, Accessibility score – 6.21

8. Joshua Tree National Park, CA – Total number of trails – 133, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 5, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 3.8, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 93.3, Accessibility score – 6.21

9. Death Valley National Park, CA/NV – Total number of trails – 100, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 7, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 7.0, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 70.0, Accessibility score – 6.21

10. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH – Total number of trails – 76, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 8, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 10.5, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 61.3, Accessibility score – 6.21

11. Indiana Dunes National Park, IN – Total number of trails – 18, Wheelchair-friendly trails – 3, % of wheelchair-friendly trails – 16.7, % of wheelchair-friendly restaurants – 52.0, Accessibility score – 6.21

Covering 244,000 acres, Badlands National Park ranks as the best for accessibility in our index. With a score of 9.31/10, 17.6% of Badlands’ trails are suitable for wheelchair users, while an additional 92.3% of restaurants in the area provide suitable assistance to wheelchair users, landing them the top spot!

Needing no introduction of its own, the Grand Canyon comes in as the second most accessible national park in the country with a score of 8.80/10! The park scores highly thanks to 95.7% of its restaurants being wheelchair-accessible, and 10.5% of its trails being suitable for wheelchair users.

The world’s first national park, Yellowstone is home to 2.2 million acres of geology and wildlife, scoring 8.11/10 in our index, with the highest proportion of wheelchair-friendly restaurants at a whopping 96.3%. Additionally, the park has a relatively high number of wheelchair-friendly trails!

The research also looked at the least accessible national parks:

Travelers with Disabilities

Linda S. Hohnholz — Wed, 13 Jul 2022 00:00:56 +0000

eTurboNews:

Travelers with disabilities such as needing a wheelchair or other personal devices to aid in mobility is no reason not to get out and see the country or the world for that matter. Accessible travel expert Alvaro Silberstein, co-founder of Wheel the World, gives his personal firsthand experience in making any journey predictable and enjoyable.

In the summer edition of MMGY Travel Intelligence’s Portrait of American Travelers study, in the remaining months of the year, 65% of Americans have plans to travel for pleasure.

Let’s see what Silberstein’s travel tips are for those traveling with disabilities.

Find Resources You Can Trust

One of the biggest obstacles for people with disabilities when traveling is finding reliable accessibility information for places to stay, transportation, attractions and tours. Services that provide specialized customer support for people with disabilities are paramount for travelers looking for comprehensive and verified accessibility details to ensure a worry-free trip.

Manage Your Time

From travel days to in-destination experiences, a lot more than enough time for arrival, bathroom breaks and flexibility for unexpected occurrences. If a travel layover is required, leave at least three hours between plane or train changes. If traveling by car, plan to stop at least every three hours to stretch, use the restroom and hydrate. When it comes to planning an itinerary, don’t cram too much into each day.

Plan, Plan, and Plan Some More

To avoid uncertainty, make reservations weeks in advance for activities, museums or dinner reservations. Arrive for reservations or activities at least 15 minutes early to choose good seats and speak to on-site staff so they better understand travelers’ needs.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help

When booking travel, it is okay to request assistance, from asking an airline to provide a wheelchair to requesting support for the train or plane boarding process.

Know What Resources Are Available

Get acquainted with destinations’ accessible infrastructure ahead of arrival. For example, consider wheelchair-accessible public transportation, navigation comfort level and even minutia like paved streets versus cobblestone roads and how that may impact the experience.

More news about traveling with disabilities

No Hero left behind on this World Tourism Day 2021

Juergen T Steinmetz — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 03:28:02 +0000

eTurboNews:

The World Tourism Network (WTN) has members in 128 countries and emerged from the rebuilding.travel discussion.Heroes.travel is the free award and recognition program by WTN honoring those that made a difference.
According to UNWTO, this World Tourism Day 2021 is about inclusivity in tourism. WTN assures this includes all those heroes with no names.
The real heroes are those that had no business during the pandemic and still believe in the travel and tourism industry. This unkown group was awarded the Anonomyous Tourism Hero Award. by the World Tourism Network today.

” The real heroes in my heart without jobs for 18 months and survived.
However invisible they are – they are among us, but they may not have a voice. I want them to listen to us, come forward, so we can applaud them for surviving and continuing to survive, and be part of our great industry. World Tourism Day 2021 was about inclusivity, and this group must be included.” said Marikar Donato, co -organizer of the World Tourism Day event for WTN and a tourism hero herself.
She added: “There are thousands of unknown tourism heroes.”

Founder and Chairman of the World Tourism Network added: I am so proud of Marikar to come up with the Anonomyous Tourism Hero award, a first in this world.

It’s urgent, we recognize these unknown heroes. Ther are everywhere.

Sometimes we know who these heroes are. We had situation people didn’t want to be named as heroes. They felt what they doesn’t have to be shared with the public.

I am pleased to announce, the World Tourism Network is the first global tourism organization realizing the need to put these unknown heroes in the forefront.

The anonymous tourism hero award was officially added to the heroes.travel portfolio.

WTN co-founder Dr. Peter Tarlow acknowledged and said:

“Tourism is composed of thousands of people who unselfishly create bonds between individuals, cultures and nations.

These tourism stars are the industry’s unsung heroes who bring light to a world swamped in darkness.

The World Tourism Network seeks to bring these tourism heroes to light. As Dr. Peter Tarlow, co-found of the World Tourism Network has stated: “tourism is more than a mere industry, it is a combination of the pragmatic with the spiritual, the interaction of souls with this world reality.

Tourism heroes are those who unite the ethical with the practical and blending our humanity with the world of travel” Tarlow reminds us that tourism heroes represent the best in all of us and learning about each one is a journey into the depth of creativity and caring.”

Marikar Donato is a Washington DC Tour Guide and an executive in the World Federation of Tourist Guide Association (WFTGA)

Today the World Tourism Network celebrated also its known heroes. Every hero recognized by WTN has done something beyond what could be expected going through the COVID-19 pendemic.

Dr. Taleb Rifai, former two-term UNWTO Secretary-General welcomed heroes from his home in Jordan. Tourism Hero Mary Rhodes, president of the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association got up at 4 am to attend this international zoom event with heroes on every continent.

Dr. Walter Mzembi, former minister of Tourism from Zimbabwe warned this world has closed, and unilateral directives are destroying the multilateral approach tourism leaders fought for 20 years.

Alain St. Ange, president of the African Tourism Board, and former minister of Tourism from Seychelles had a message of unity for Africa.

Aleksandra Gardasevic Slavuljica, the director of Tourism for this Balkan nation was part of the WTN from the beginning. She was made a tourism hero for her role in bringing the Balkan region together. She was supported by Tourism Hero Klodiana Gorica, a full Full Professor at the University of Tirana, Faculty of Economy, in Albania.

Hear from Dr. Snežana Štetić has been working in Tourism and in education for Tourism for more than 40 years and is the head of the educational interest group, plus leading the high-level Balkan Group of the World Tourism Network.

Deepak Joshi, a tourism hero from Nepal, and former CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board gave his feedback on the reopening of tourism for the Himalayan region.

Professor Geoffrey Lipman of SunX and the International Climate and Tourism Partnership (ICTP) reminded the world of the threat of climate change.

Tourism Hero Mouhamed Faouzou DEME from Senegal shared his message of hope, confidence, and encouragement with the world of tourism. He is also an ambassador of the African Tourism Board, and a Technical Advisor of the Minister of Tourism and Air Transport of Senegal.

Tourism Hero and CEO of the Next Group LLC in Azerbaijan, Efsun Ahmadov, Baku, in Azerbaijan felt better after an unplesant case of COVID.

Tourism hero Diana McIntyre-Pike gave an update on her new cooperation with tourism hero Edmund Bartlett, minister of tourism in Jamaica. Diana is a tourism hero and a leader in community tourism in Jamaica.

Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu, Lagos, Nigeria is the co- founder of the recently established African Association of Women In Tourism and Hospitality in Nigeria. She resides both in the United States and Nigeria.

Tourism Hero Joseph Kafunda is the Chairperson of the Emerging Tourism Enterprise Association and a member of the World Tourism Network based in Namibia. He joined from Botswana.

Dr. Peter Tarlow, co-founder of the World Tourism Network finished the event with a multi-faith prayer.

Watch:

There is never a charge to nominate or receive the Heroes recognition by the World Tourism Network. It takes a minimum of two independent nominations to be considered for this award. More information on www.heroes.travel

New York Emergency Rooms: Un-American, scandalous, and dangerous

Dr. Elinor Garely - special to eTN and editor in chief, wines.travel — Fri, 14 May 2021 13:51:00 +0000

eTurboNews:

New York State research data shows that over 4 million people make approximately 7 million visits yearly to hospital emergency departments.
Assumptions, based on many television ER medical series, are an outdated understanding of how emergency medicine is practiced in New York.
Hospitals should look to the hospitality industry for guidance and direction if they have an interest in turning a sick patient into a healthy visitor.

Business travelers and tourists frequently get sick while visiting new countries and new cities. A telephone call to the front desk of a hotel, or an urgent call to a friend or colleague may not provide a healthcare provider fast enough to deal with the immediate medical issue. What to do? Currently, the quick response is to head directly to Urgent Care or the ER/ED section of the nearest hospital.

eTurboNews.com reporter, Dr Elinor Garely, a native New Yorker, recently experienced an aftershock from her second COVID vaccine, and has spent the last 6 weeks running to doctors and ER facilities finding the huge gaps that exist between expectations of medical attention in Manhattan and the reality.

Dr. Garely shares with us her personal experiences and observations as she addresses the chaos of the Manhattan emergency care realities with the hope that visitors to the city will find a pathway to wellness and avoid (or sidestep) a few of the biggest potholes on their way to recovery.

Garely finds that “It is unfortunate that the hospital industry does not spend more time and effort investigating the protocols and procedures of the hospitality industry where the guest is the focus of services and less time on attempting to maximize a fragile and faulty revenue stream.”

Here is her story in her own words.

Tourism after COVID: A bitter-sweet reality revealed by WTN co-chair Dr. Taleb Rifai

Juergen T Steinmetz — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 08:52:04 +0000

eTurboNews:

Dr. Taleb Rifai wears many hats. The former UNWTO Secretary General positions include the African Tourism Board and Project Hope, International Institute for Peace Through Tourism, World Tourism Forum Institute. ,Global Resilience and Crisis Management Center, and he is the co-chair for the World Tourism Network (WTN)
Watch Dr. Taleb Rifai taking a lead in telling the world the truth about the future of the travel and tourism world. This truth should be the base for a better tomorrow
Three interviews, three stories by a mentor for World Tourism.

WTTC, UNWTO is not ready to realize the reality in how travel and tourism will look after COVID-19. It will not be back to anything we know about. May the truth sets us free. This is the indication given by the number one tourism mentor in the world, Dr. Taleb Rifai.

Dr. Taleb Rifai served as a two term UNWTO Secretary General until December 31,2017 and still regarded one of the most influential personalities in the global travel and tourism industry.

One of the many positions this Jordanian native is involved in, as the co-chairman of the newly formed World Tourism Network he has made an enormous impact in the rebuilding travel discussion started by WTN.

Watch how Dr. Rifai is seen by people in power in his country and experience him during a state visit to Costa Rica when he was still UNWTO secretary-general. ,

With the world facing the worst crisis in the history of tourism, Dr. Rifai returned from his well deserved retirement and has been a mentor to so many in the world. With effective leadership lacking in the current UNWTO, Dr. Rifai has been the quiet mover and shaker in the background. He can do this because of the legacy he left as a truly global citizen. Tourism is an industry of hope and optimism.

He came to a reality, that tourism will not just return to what it was. Dr. Rifai has a vision for the future after COVID-19. The environment and sustainability has a big role in this vision.

He said: “The travel and tourism industry is a very conservative and slow moving sector. The world managed to send a man to the moon before it invented two wheels on a suitcase.”

The Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism & Development year was in 2017. Listen to what Dr. Rifai had to say when he still was Secretary-General of UNWTO.

In 2020/21 the world looks very different. In an interview from earlier this week with a university for a research project, Dr. Rifai said :”Sustainability is not equal conversation. You have to know how to grow.”

“It can be argued if Manhattan was more beautiful before Skyscrapers were built. I am not against Skyscrapers, but it;’s important where and how they are build.”

Sustainability and tourism is about people. The walls between people have to be lowered, people need to interact with each other.

Dr. Taleb doesn’t think the world will get back to normal and lays out his thoughts in this interview with a Portuguese news outlet . Dr. Rifai will talk about aviation, cruises, destinations, and he will explain why tourism will not go back where it was, but go forward.

World Tourism Network panel includes HE Sheikha Mai

Juergen T Steinmetz — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 05:41:08 +0000

eTurboNews:

Yesterday the World Tourism Network invited Her Excellency Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Bahrain to its high-level launch panel. If she was elected to become the next Secretary-General for UNWTO, she would be the first woman candidate for this post. She would be joining Gloria Guevaras CEO of WTTC and positioned as the most powerful woman in tourism.

Her decades of achievements in Cultural Tourism in her home country Bahrain and the Arab world had been tremendous. HE Shaika Mai appears to be rather humbled and quiet, but when looking again has emerged as what many call her a person of less talk and tremendously effective actions.

Her closest advisor, who also attended the WTN Session is Prof. Dr Heba Aziz. She holds a PhD degree in tourism anthropology in (1999) and a Masters degree (1992), she worked as consultant, policy maker and an academic in the UK, Dubai and Bahrain. Her passion for tourism became obvious when she responded to questions.

Her Excellency is able to listen, she is open to suggestions, she wants deep cooperation with all stakeholders, and understands the enormous challenges the world of tourism is facing. More important she understands the post of Secretary-General must not be awarded because of political maneuvering.

Communication and coordination with other agencies, governments, and private sector leaders are important, and the world of tourism must speak with one voice.

Mai urged “Membership fees should not be the driving force for states to join or not to join UNWO. The UN-affiliated agency needs to allow private contributors.”,

Her concern was not on how to win the election, but how she can effectively help. Her concern was the millions of people employed in this huge global industry.

Mai implemented: “Countries need investments, Tourism dependent economies, like many island nations, specifically in Africa need support. We as an island nation understand this in Bahrain.”

Alain St. Ange, former tourism minister from Seychelles pushed the idea of UNWTO satellite offices in Africa. Cuthbert Ncube, chair of the African Tourism Board sees Her Excellency as a more practical and more transparent Secretary-General. He himself has been head of the affiliated membership in UNWTO for many years.

Ncube added his concern is that UNWTO under the current leadership is not functioning well as the custodian of the global tourism industry. He echoed his concern for a potentially flawed election process and referred to an open letter by two former UNWTO Secretary-General including Dr. Taleb Rifai (board member of WTN). The concern in this letter was echoed by Professor Geoffrey Lipman an assistant secretary General and a board member for the World Tourism Network. After the session, Louis D’Amore, founder of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism and also a board member of WTN added his letter.

Sheikha Mai did not comment on the election process but said she already developed a plan to prepare herself for this difficult job.

Investments, jobs, education, training, climate-friendly travel, training, equality in Tourism are all points Her Excellency seems to be concerned with.

She asked WTN members to be contacted, so she can be aware and learn about noteworthy initiatives and projects. She understood working with organizations like WTTC, WTN and others will bring the travel and tourism industry together.

Aviation, Climate Change was discussed and will be the subject of upcoming WTN launch panels. A list of upcoming events can be found at www.etn.travel/expo

World Tourism Network is an advocate for the interest of medium to small size travel and tourism stakeholders in the world.

World Tourism Network is a Hawaii, US based network of tourism stakeholders in more than 120 countries with a focus on supporting the small and medium size travel and tourism businesses. More information on www.wtn.travel

Bahrain’s UNWTO Candidate Supports Accessible Travel for All

Juergen T Steinmetz — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 09:10:42 +0000

eTurboNews:

World Tourism Network started its launch celebration today. The newly formed organization with more than 1000 members and observers in 122 countries put aside an entire month to celebrate. It will showcases diverse opportunities WTN members will bring to the organization as a global tourism organization with a focus on SME’s.

World Tourism Network is built from the ground up with regional chapters taking the lead for a global organization.

WTN’s month long launch started today with a focus on accessible tourism.

Today Tarita Davenrock, CEO of Travel for All, in British Columbia, Canada explains accessibility means access to travel for everyone.

Pankaj Pradhananga from Four Seasons Travel in Kathmandu, Nepal demonstrated in the panel he chaired how this segment of the travel and tourism industry became so important for the Himalayan country.

HE Sheikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, from Bahrain is the candidate competing for the post of UNWTO Secretary – General. She would be the first woman to get this position. She said: “I have been amazed by the work of specialized tour operators like “Travel Eyes” a tour operator for blind travelers offering an initiative that make tourism more than just a site seeing activity.”

HE Sheikha Mai will be speaking at the official WTN Launch event on December 10. Click here to participate.

Travelers with disability don’t want to be seen as sick people. They will travel where they are respected and treated with dignity . This is a business opportunity anyone can benefit from and not a business of feeling sorry but a business of equality. It will take an important part when rebuilding the travel and tourism industry.

What is accessible tourism? It’s a big business opportunity with a happy component included.

Accessible tourism enables all people to participate in and enjoy tourism experiences. More people have access needs, whether or not related to a physical condition. For example, older and less mobile people have access needs, which can become a huge obstacle when traveling or touring.

Watch the two WTN member sessions by Mr. Pankaj Pradhananga and Tarita Davenrock, CEO of Travel for All, in British Columbia, Canada.

Pankaj Pradhananga from Four Seasons Travel in Kathmandu, Nepal

WTN Member Tarita Davenrock, CEO of Travel for All in BC, Canada

Check out and register for upcoming WTN launch events click here

Attending ITB? How to cope with Coronavirus? What about you?

Dmytro Makarov — Tue, 18 Feb 2020 07:38:52 +0000

eTurboNews:

Safertourism, PATA, and ATB will be setting trends over breakfast during ITB with Dr. Peter Tarlow – AND you are invited. Hungry?

The travel and tourism Industry shows resilience. ITB Berlin is where the world meets every year to showcase and discuss travel and tourism. 2020 has challenges the industry did not face before: The dark clouds overhead are known as Coronavirus what is now called COV19.

Dr. Mario Hardy CEO PATA said: “COV19 is having a significant impact on travel and tourism businesses and destinations in the Asia Pacific Region and beyond. While waiting for the recovery; how do we cope? How do we get ourselves ready for a brighter future?”

Join us for breakfast

“PATA is pleased to support this initiative by SaferTourism and the TravelNewsGroup. I look forward to learning from Dr.Peter Tarlow a leading author and expert in crisis communication. “

join us for breakfast

Dr. Peter Tarlow of Safer Tourism teamed up with PATA, the African Tourism Board, and the Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre to discuss a way forward.

Dr. Taleb Rifai, the former UNWTO Secretary-General and Chairman of GTRCMC already confirmed his participation.

join us for breakfast

Safertoursm is part of the Travel News Group, the owner of eTurboNews. TravelNewsGroup president Juergen Steinmetz said: “As the oldest and leading online publication in the travel and tourism world, our responsibility goes way beyond in just reporting about nice hotels and destinations.

Sometimes you have to take a stand. We have a chance to bring a group of known leaders together and exchange views with players in different fields of our industry. Only this will set new trends and help with solutions.”

The breakfast meeting is complimentary for members of PATA, African Tourism Board, International Coalition of Tourism Partners, and LGBTMPA but available to anyone for a small participation fee.

eTN readers are urged to join this important discussion on Thursday, March 5 at 8.00 am in Berlin.

More information and registration: https://safertourism.com/coronavirus/

Travel Agencies and Advisors: Specialize for Success

editor — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 21:06:04 +0000

eTurboNews:

Consumers now have more options than ever to book their holidays. The travel industry is changing rapidly and even long-standing industry giants aren’t immune to the shift in consumer behavior. In order to survive, smart travel agencies and advisors have been able to think outside the box to beat out the big online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Expedia, Priceline and Airbnb by providing specialized services and premium experiences for their customers.

Advantages of specialization

In a competitive industry, specialization gives small businesses the opportunity to carve out a space in the market that allows them to thrive. Travel agencies that choose to go niche have big advantages.

Personalized service

Travel agencies and advisors must offer a personal touch that big OTAs can’t match. Swift responses to enquiries, direct contact with booking agents in case problems arise, and a knowledgeable team all build confidence in customers that they’re working with an experienced and capable travel provider.

Selling an experience

With consumers able to book their own travel online in a few clicks, travel agencies can win by focusing on providing an experience, not just a service. By dealing with their customers on a case-by-case basis, specialty agencies can identify where they add value and extra care that sets them apart from the big companies.

Quality control

Every business needs to strive to be the best in its field. Building a reputation as a specialty travel agency is no different. By operating proficiently in a narrow vertical, travel agencies can ensure they work together with premium partners and tour operators to provide the best travel packages available for their customers.

Trust

The knowledge, confidence, and professional service offered by specialty tour operators all help to build trust in customers that they’re going to get the holiday experiences they expect. And, satisfied customers are loyal customers who will return to their favorite travel advisor.

Deep expertise

Instead of trying to market everything to everyone, specializing in one niche makes it easier for small travel agencies to gather in-depth knowledge that they can pass on to a select customer audience.

A great way for agencies to showcase their area of expertise is through gTLDs that clearly communicate what they do.

Travel domains showcase specific expertise

Travel agencies and tour operators are taking advantage of a wide range of travel-related gTLDs including .travel, .vacations, .tours and many more. These domains enable niche travel operators to clearly show their audience what their specialty is all about. Using relevant gTLDs as part of their marketing and brand identity helps these companies increase their visibility and searchability online.

Family Travel

Traveling as a family can be rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges. Agencies that cater for traveling families understand the destinations, hotels, and companies that the whole family will enjoy, while helping them to avoid any pitfalls along the way.

Family.travel: Family Travel’s domain name is its exact business name, which gives it a powerful footing for branding and in search results for people looking for family travel solutions. It’s a small agency that understands the complex needs of parents traveling with children ranging from newborns to hard-to-please teenagers, and multi-generational family groups planning trips together.

This agency specializes in itinerary planning, multi-generational trips and reunions, family-friendly cruises and resorts, condos, Disney vacations, and small group tours. If you’re planning a holiday as a family, you’re in safe hands when it comes to planning your trip with an expert agency such as this one.

Vivid.travel: This company offers “adventure holidays” for families of all ages. Their packages are built around carefully curated experiences and hotels with children in mind. There’s an emphasis on fun and plenty of activities that the whole family can take part in, such as safaris, tuk-tuk tours, scavenger hunts, and cookery classes. Everything is taken care of from start to finish, removing all the stress of planning and transport so families can enjoy every minute of their holiday together.

Royalreunions.travel: Reunions and travel are both popular keywords that searchers use to find reunion travel options for their families. Using a redirect that ranks highly for these keywords enables Royal Caribbean, one of the world’s largest cruise lines, to stay ahead of their competition in organic search.

Special Needs Travel

Accessible tourism is a growing market, with small agencies realizing that there is a huge need for professional travel services for people with impaired hearing, vision, and mobility.

Forall.travel: For All Travel is exactly as its domain name implies – travel for everyone. They specialize in tours that ensure both blind and sighted travelers can enjoy the holiday of a lifetime.

Different destinations and packages are designed every year, with an emphasis on comfort, professional and personalized treatment, and a hand-picked selection of tourism providers.

Travability.travel: TravAbility are advocates for accessible tourism, providing opportunities for people with disabilities to travel smoothly to the world’s top destinations.

Their mission is to:

“Encourage all cultures of the world to see disability as an integral part of life, and to provide the motivation and tools to the tourism industry to allow them to create accessible environments that enable inclusion in an economically sustainable way.”

Handson.travel: Hands on is a deaf-owned company that provide tours around the world for people using sign language. The founder realized there was a gap in the specialist tourism market when he saw that many deaf tourists were expressing negative comments about their travels.

From its humble beginnings, this agency is expanding its team and now offers tours in 60 countries. The emphasis is on providing a premium service with sign language guides, small groups, and unique experiences.

Cruise travel

Nordic.cruises: The domain name says it all. This company specializes in cruises through Northern Europe, Scandinavia, and the Baltic region.

With a huge variety of cruise packages and guided tours to suit every budget, Nordic Cruises prides itself on being the leading tour operator across Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Russia.

Savorthejourney.cruises: This is a small husband and wife agency who are vegetable farmers during the summer months but turn into professional travel planners and cruise hosts when the weather starts to cool down.

With previous experience in the travel industry and hands-on experience traveling across 30 countries, taking 30 ocean cruises, and exploring all 50 states in the USA, this devoted team understands the finer details of travel that can make or break a dream vacation.

Expectations.cruises: Expectations Cruises boasts an impressive selection of 32,812 cruise options across 612 ships. As specialist providers, they can offer “no-fly” travelers and ocean lovers the perfect cruise package for their needs, together with last-minute deals for those who prefer spontaneous getaways.

If you’re looking to elevate your specialist travel agency’s digital presence and find your ideal domain name,find and buy your travel-related domain names at Travel.Domains.

A World-Changing Handshake at OTM Mumbai

editor — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 04:26:57 +0000

eTurboNews:

A World-Changing Handshake: Tourism Ministers from Greece and India set to meet and inaugurate the leading travel show in Asia-Pacific, OTM Mumbai Mumbai, 31 January 2020: The Tourism Minister of Greece, Harris Theocharis will be joined by the Indian Minister of State for Tourism, Prahlad Singh Patel and the Tourism Minister of Uttarakhand, Satpal Maharaj, at the inaugural ceremony of OTM Mumbai, one of India’s best-known travel tradeshows, at the Bombay Exhibition Centre on February 3.

When Greece started participating in OTM Mumbai in 2016, it was considered a bold move to diversify from its traditional markets. It has since seen record-breaking growth, with tourist arrivals from India more than doubling in 2017.

India’s longest-running travel tradeshow OTM is expected to also host 1050+ exhibitors from 55+ countries, of which 23 are National Tourism Organisations (NTOs). Premium destinations from Europe, Africa, and the Americas will be present at the show along with their Asian counterparts. Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Nepal will uphold the Asian presence at the show. Azerbaijan and Greece will be there to add a European flavor. Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda are also strongly present at OTM.

OTM Mumbai

India’s domestic favorites are also center-stage—over 30 State Tourism Boards and Union Territories are set to exhibit with stunning pavilions that highlight their unique cultural aesthetics.

With Mumbai being the largest source market in India for outbound as well as domestic travel, the show continues to grow every year. The three-day show brings together 15,000+ travel industry professionals including 800+ top B2B buyers of travel from India’s most prominent source markets.

High profile speakers at OTM include the President of Thomas Cook (India), the President of SOTC and the Chief Business Officer of MakeMyTrip.

According to data released by the Ministry of Tourism, Indians take more than a billion trips within India and 30million abroad, every year.

About OTM

OTM Mumbai is the Gateway to India’s travel markets. OTM 2020 will take place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre from 3 – 5 February 2020. A truly global event – over 1,000 exhibitors from 55+ countries participate at the three-day event and over 15,000 B2B trade buyers from India, Asia and beyond attend OTM. Since 1989, it gives those in the tourism industry a platform to do business in one of the fastest-growing travel markets in the world – India.

Media Contact: Laboni Chatterjee, laboni@fairfest.in, +91 22 4555 8555, Fairfest Media Limited

Heathrow announces appointments set to transform assistance experience

Chief Assignment Editor — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 16:57:12 +0000

eTurboNews:

Heathrow has announced that disability campaigner, Helen Dolphin MBE, and the experienced equality and inclusion regulator, Keith Richards, have both been named as new co-chairs of the Heathrow Access Advisory Group (HAAG). Accessible travel consultant, Geraldine Lundy, will be supporting both Helen and Keith in the role of vice-chair of the HAAG, working with the independent group to ensure that accessibility and inclusion is always at the forefront of Heathrow’s agenda.

The members of the HAAG will oversee over £30 million worth of investment in new equipment, resources and technology such as the cutting-edge Navilens technology that Heathrow is working with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to trial. Navilens works by using a system of bespoke markers and a powerful detection algorithm to guide visually impaired passengers through the airport, empowering them to travel independently. The trials are set to begin in early spring.

Helen Dolphin MBE is a campaigner who is committed to improving transport for disabled people. Helen who is disabled herself, will be bringing a wealth of experience to the role and also serves as a member of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) consumer panel. Helen also works as an independent mobility specialist, advising professional bodies on how to improve accessibility. In 2015, she was awarded an MBE by His Royal Highness Prince Charles, for her campaigning work on behalf of disabled motorists.

Keith Richards trained as a barrister and he has served as an independent member and non-exec director on a number of regulatory bodies in a variety of sectors. He specialises in self-regulation, equality and inclusion consumer rights and set up the Consumer Panel at the CAA before serving as its Chair for six years until 2017. Keith is also currently a board member at the consumer watchdog, Transport Focus, as well as Chair of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) at the Department for Transport.

Geraldine has worked in the aviation industry for over 20 years, enabling people with disabilities to fly as safely and comfortably as possible. During her years working for Virgin Atlantic she influenced the airline to introduce accessible in-flight entertainment and training customer facing colleagues to assist passengers with hidden disabilities. In 2019, Geraldine became an independent consultant and has provided services and advice to airlines, airports, aviation industry bodies and people with disabilities.

To further strengthen Heathrow’s own Customer Relation and Service Team, Sarah Charsley, has also been appointed to the newly created role of Head of Assistance Service Transformation and will be working closely with the HAAG to transform the airport’s assistance offering. Sarah has worked at Heathrow for over a decade and has played a key role working with multiple stakeholders to transform the baggage operation.

Welcoming the appointments, Heathrow Customer Relations and Service Director, Liz Hegarty said: “We’re really looking forward to working with the new team to continue to improve and co-create the future of our assistance services – for those travelling with us today, and the passengers who will fly through an expanded Heathrow in the future. The new team are all very passionate about making Heathrow accessible and inclusive for all and their energy and expertise will prove invaluable for the airport and our passengers as Heathrow kickstarts its decade of delivery.”

Commenting on the appointment, Helen Dolphin MBE, Co-Chair of the HAAG: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been appointed joint Chair of the HAAG. This is a really exciting time to be working with Heathrow Airport as it embarks on another decade of investment for passengers of the airport. I’m passionate about ensuring disabled people have the same opportunities to fly as everyone else and ensuring Heathrow provides the best assistance service in the world.”

Keith Richards, Co-Chair of the HAAG added: ““To be jointly appointed Chair of the Heathrow Access Advisory Group with Helen is a real honour, and I’m very much looking forward to working with this enthusiastic, experienced and professional group. It’s an exciting time to be part of a change programme which will challenge the airport to improve its assistance services, making air travel more inclusive and giving more people the confidence to fly.”

Geraldine Lundy, Vice-Chair of the HAAG said: “I’m delighted to be working with HAAG and Heathrow Airport to enhance the service and facilities provided to passengers with disabilities. I’m confident that the airport is fully committed to delivering world class service for all – a topic that is very dear to my heart. I will find it extremely rewarding to be able to support Heathrow in this area.”

In 2019, Heathrow began trialling a new assistance provider in Terminal 5. This trial is being launched ahead of a full re-tender of the service for implementation at the end of 2020, which aims to help the airport achieve its vision of being rated “very good” in the CAA’s annual airport accessibility ranking by 2022. The airport has also rolled out distinctive ‘sunflower lanyards’ which have helped many passengers with hidden disabilities to feel supported when flying.

100-year-old Charles Njonjo tracks mountain gorillas at Mt. Mgahinga National Park

Tony Ofungi - eTN Uganda — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 23:15:41 +0000

eTurboNews:

Charles Mugane Njonjo, Kenya’s first post-independence Attoney General under President Jomo Kenyatta, turns a hundred on January 23, 2020. To commemorate this milestone, the centenarian chose to celebrate it in the company of the endangered mountain gorillas in the jungles of Mt. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, located in South Western Uganda. Accompanied by his family, Njonjo was flown in by helicopter for a ‘must do before you die’ experience on every travelers ‘bucket list’. In order to manage to track, Njonjo was carried on a sedan chair locally referred to as ‘helicopter’ specially kitted for disabled , injured or elderly trackers. A sedan costs US$300 to hire and it involves a team of eight to twelve porters who take turns at carrying ‘trackers’. It comes equipped with seat belts and a car seat for extra comfort. Njonjo had to trade his trademark black striped coats, gold chain watch and bowler hat that earned him the nickname “Duke of Kabeteshire” for a more rugged jeans and trainers. “I was at King’s College Budo and went there with King Freddie (Kabaka Edward Mutesa II of Buganda kingdom). I am very fond of Uganda and what I got from you. I was lucky to see gorillas, two young ones and two big male,” Njonjo said after being presented with a tracking certificate upon successfully tracking Gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Njonjo, British trained barrister was one of Kenya’s most influential and wealthiest citizens, with a knack for his aristocratic manner, who is known to have secretly held talks with the Israeli government that allowed the Israeli Commandoes to land in Kenya during the 1976 hostage crisis at Entebbe. He is married to Margaret Bryson and together, they have four children all of whom are successful professionals. He goes down as the oldest man known to have tracked the mountain gorillas, a feat that should go down in the Guinness Book of World Records. About the park Mgahinga Gorilla National Park sits high in the clouds, at an altitude of between 2,227m and 4,127m. As its name suggests, it was created to protect the rare mountain gorillas that inhabit its dense forests, and it is also an important habitat for the endangered golden monkey. As well as being important for wildlife, the park also has a huge cultural significance, in particular for the indigenous Batwa pygmies. This tribe of hunter-gatherers was the forest’s “first people”, and their ancient knowledge of its secrets remains unrivaled. Mgahinga’s most striking features are its three conical, extinct volcanoes, part of the spectacular Virunga Range that lies along the border region of Uganda, Congo and Rwanda. Mgahinga forms part of the much larger Virunga Conservation Area which includes adjacent parks in these countries. The volcanoes’ slopes contain various ecosystems and are biologically diverse, and their peaks provide a striking backdrop to this gorgeous scenery.

Kenya Tourism Sector Performance Report 2019

Juergen T Steinmetz — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 09:49:06 +0000

eTurboNews:

Vacationing in Kenya! This is a favorite for American travelers and big business for the Kenya Tourism Industry. Witness to this is the Kenya Tourism Sector Performance Report for 2019. The report was just released by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The man to be credited for an 1.6 billion Dollar African Tourism success is Najib Balala, Secretary of Tourism for Kenya

Americans love to travel to Kenya since the US remains the largest western tourism source country for this East African Country, followed by the UK, India, China, Germany, France, and Italy.

In 2019 2,048,334 international visitors arrived in Kenya, 1,423.971 landed in Nairobi, and 128,222 in Mombasa. 29,462 visitors arrived at other airports and 467,179 visitors arrived by land. In 2018 total arrivals were recorded at 2,025,206 – it means Kenya had a 1.167% increase in 2019

Entry through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Moi International Airport registered a substantial growth of 6.07% and 8.56% respectively compared with the overall growth of 1.167%.

The other entry points registered a decline most significantly the land borders had a decrease in arrivals of -12.69%.

This is an indication that air connectivity will continue to be a major driver for the growth of international arrivals to Kenya

The current visitors course markets from 1 to 20

USA 245,437
Uganda: 223,010
Tanzania: 193,740
UK 181,484
India: 122,649
China: 84,208
Germany: 73,1509
France: 54,979
Italy: 54,607
South Africa: 46,926
Rwanda: 42,321
Canada: 41,039
Ethiopia: 40,220
The Netherlands: 37,266
Nigeria: 32,906
Somalia: 32,268
Burundi: 31,218
Australia: 27,867
Spain: 26,398
South Sudan: 24,646

The age for visitors:

18-24 11%
25-34 29%
35-44 30%
45-54 18%
55-64 8%
65 and over 4%

63.15% of all visitors traveled on holiday, 13.5% on business, 10.5% visited friends and families, Kenya’s travel and tourism revenue in 2019 was a healthy USD 1,610,342,854 with 4,955,800 bed nights sold. In 2018 statistics recorded 4,489,000. How did Destination Kenya promote?

Global Online consumer campaigns on Google,
Online Travel agencies such as Travel Zoo
Aljazeera and CNN Online
Continuous Digital consumer advertising campaigns on Expedia and Tripadvisor and on social media and Google search.
Joint marketing campaigns with travel trade associations such as APTA, SATOA, ATTA, in key markets.
Travel trade roadshows in the UK, India, USA and China markets showcasing experiences and services by the private sector players

Global travel trade exhibitions including MKTE in Nairobi, ITB Berlin, ITB Asia in Singapore, WTM London, WTM Africa in Cape Town, OTM in India, and USTOA, USA.

• Domestic Campaigns themed “TembeaKenyaNaMimi” through TV, digital platforms and radio.

• Destination profiling events for a global PR campaign to leverage on positives around the destination e.g Kenya Golf Open, NY Marathon and Ineos 1:59 Challenge.

• Refreshed brand – “EmbraceMoreMagic”

Positive developments that helped with increased arrivals included in 2019:

• Effects after resuming flights between Paris and Nairobi in 2018. Air France in March 2019 increased its flights’ frequency from three to five weekly. The French market has also seen growth as others like the UK declined.

• Qatar Airways started direct flights from Doha to Mombasa in December 2018. This was expected to serve various markets, Doha is a major connection hub.

• Ethiopian Airlines increased flight frequency to Mombasa from one to two daily flights during the year.

• TUI and Neos increased their charter flights to Moi International Airport further boosting arrivals to via Mombasa

• The commencement of direct flights between Nairobi and New York by Kenya Airways in October 2018 has contributed to the sustained growth of the American market.

The country experienced continued political stability throughout the year. The tourism environment has enjoyed stability and consequently contributed to the recorded growth.

The security situation remained stable in the year with sustained investment in the same by the Government. There was one terrorist attack at the Dusit2 hotel in Nairobi early in the year that directly affected tourism.

World Bank rated Kenya for the Ease of Doing Business report showing that in 2019, Kenya improved five positions to 56 globally on attractiveness to investors up from 61 in 2018.

This has been pegged on among others, automation of systems that have made starting a business in Kenya easy and a commitment by the Government to continue adopting a robust regulatory framework and improve the business environment.

The recorded growth was however slower than targeted and this can be attributed to factors key among them being:

Dusit d2 terrorist attack in January 2019 and subsequent reinstatement of some travel alerts where advisories had been lifted in 2018.

• The financial years 2018/19 and 2019/20 saw a decline in budgetary resources available for tourism development and marketing.

• Generally slowed down growth globally. UNWTO reported that tourism in Sub- Saharan Africa overall was growing at 1% up to September of that year and globally, the rate of growth slowed down from 6% in 2018 to 4%.

Global Indicators: International tourist arrivals grew 4% inJanuary-September 2019 compared to 6% growth recorded in 2018, which is in line with the annual average of 4% of the last ten years (2008-2018).

North Africa grew by 10% while Sub-Saharan Africa grew by 1% which is comparable to the growth in destination Kenya. (UNWTO)

European carriers showed a strong turnaround in 2019 driven by higher cash flow generation from operating activities. In Africa and Middle

East, passenger traffic grew by 9.9% year-on-year. The Americas recorded a 2.4% decline in air passenger volumes fuelled by increasing uncertainty in the socio-economic and political backdrop in some of the region’s key economies. (IATA)

According to UNWTO Tourism Barometer, data reported by 127 world destinations for January- September 2019 point to an increase in international tourism receipts across most regions. 78% (99 destinations) saw an increase in international tourism earnings compared to the same period last year, while 22% experienced a decrease

Free Independent Travel accounts for 36.1% of international visitors to Kenya. It is gaining popularity due to:

Personal freedom as opposed to being ‘’tied down’’ to a group of friends, family or partner.
Personal growth from solo adventure experience.
Wanting to maximize ‘’me-time.
Opportunity to meet new people and often make friends.

Some are young singles looking for social activities or to find a partner.

• Some widowed seniors use long-term hotel stays or cruises as a luxurious alternative to conventional elderly care facilities.

Tourism service providers should maximize this potential by:

• Offering packages like professional, personalized one-on one tours

• Ensuring safety, trustworthiness and destination reliability.

Value for Money

This is fuelled by various factors including:

• Last-minute offers on the internet.

• An array of price comparison tools at travellers’ disposal.

• Reading former guests’ online reviews.

It has resulted in a maximizing type of traveller. There is more sensitivity to value for money and destinations’ price rating.

Trends for 2020 and beyond

27% of holidaymakers are seeking to visit a new destination/country and almost a third (32%) are expecting to visit a new resort or city with more seeking for adventure” (ABTA).

Gastronomy is increasingly becoming a central part of the tourist’s experience as opposed to being a supporting experience. There is need for innovation in gastronomy, offer organic & special diets and observe high levels of hygiene

Tourists want flexibility where they can book products while at the destination as opposed to rigid predetermined packages. From enjoying local cuisine to celebrating regional festivals and holidays, local experiences are set to become some of the top tourist trends to watch. The more closely an experience can be tailored to a client’s desires and expectations, the more likely they are to return and to use the same service again.

Convenience Through Technology

To include people with physical and intellectual disabilities Accessible tourism looks beyond the number of people with physical and intellectual disabilities, to encompass all those with mobility needs — including seniors and babies across the human lifecycle.

Accessible Tourism The drive towards an omnichannel presence is directing influencers from social media into the tour operator space, leveraging their communities to launch tours that are curated and more personalized.

Examples are the Instagramonly app called Six Travel, where you can book hotels directly on Instagram from influencers’ stories or via a link in their bio.

Kenya Tourism Sector Performance Report – 2019 Click to download Kenya is a country in East Africa with a coastline on the Indian Ocean. It encompasses savannah, Lakelands, the dramatic Great Rift Valley and mountain highlands. It’s also home to wildlife like lions, elephants, and rhinos. From Nairobi, the capital, safaris visit the Maasai Mara Reserve, known for its annual wildebeest migrations, and Amboseli National Park, offering views of Tanzania’s 5,895m Mt. Kilimanjaro. The Hon. Najib Balala is a member of the African Tourism Board Advisory Committee

Kenya Secretary of Tourism Najib Balala, Doris Woerfel CEO ATB, Cuthbert Ncube, Chair African Tourism Board

Frankfurt Airport Sees Decline in Traffic: Strike is the reason

Juergen T Steinmetz — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 07:31:25 +0000

eTurboNews:

The strikes negatively impacted FRA’s passenger volume – Most of Fraport’s Group airports worldwide report traffic growth.

In November 2019, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed almost 5.1 million passengers – representing a 3.4 percent decrease compared to the same month last year. The thinned-out winter flight schedule and the two-day strike by Lufthansa cabin staff had a negative impact on passenger numbers. Without the strike effect, FRA’s passenger traffic would have declined only slightly by 1.1 percent year-on-year.

Intercontinental traffic to and from Frankfurt continued to grow robustly by 2.1 percent. In contrast, European traffic fell markedly by 6.5 percent due to airline bankruptcies and other factors. Aircraft movements shrank by 5.8 percent to 38,790 takeoffs and landings. Accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) also contracted by 4.0 percent to around 2.4 million metric tons. Reflecting the ongoing slowdown of the global economy, cargo throughput (comprising airfreight and airmail) dropped by 5.0 percent to 186,670 metric tons.

Fraport’s executive board chairman, Dr. Stefan Schulte, commented: “Following solid traffic growth this year so far, we experienced a noticeable decline in November, primarily due to strikes. As a result, we expect full-year passenger traffic at Frankfurt to grow at a slightly slower pace than our previous forecast of about two to three percent. Despite slightly slower traffic growth, we are maintaining our financial outlook for the full year 2019 – backed by the positive financial performance achieved to date in Frankfurt and with our international business.”

Across the Group, the airports in Fraport’s international portfolio largely performed well in November 2019. Affected by the bankruptcy of home-carrier Adria Airways and other factors, Slovenia’s Ljubljana Airport (LJU) reported a 27.0 percent decline in traffic to 85,787 passengers. Also the two Brazilian airports of Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA) saw combined traffic slip by 2.2 percent to just over 1.3 million passengers. This was primarily due to the bankruptcy of Avianca Brasil and to Azul airlines reducing its flight offerings. Peru’s Lima Airport (LIM) recorded a 6.9 percent jump in traffic to

some 1.9 million passengers.

With 727,043 passengers overall, Fraport’s 14 Greek regional airports maintained last year’s level (up 0.1 percent). Bulgaria’s Varna (VAR) and Burgas (BOJ) airports registered a total of 83,764 passengers – growing by 22.7 percent, albeit on the basis of a low traffic

November month in the previous year.

Antalya Airport (AYT) in Turkey welcomed almost 1.4 million passengers, representing a gain of 11.8 percent year-on-year. Traffic at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport (LED) in Russia registered a 6.8 percent increase to about 1.4 million passengers. At Xi’an Airport (XIY) in China, traffic climbed 4.9 percent to nearly 3.8 million passengers.

Sandals Resorts: Nude Beaches and Topless in Jamaica

George Taylor — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 21:15:23 +0000

eTurboNews:

Sandals Resorts and a clothing-optional vacation in Jamaica is not a combination many visitors would think about when booking an all-inclusive holiday to the Caribbean. For naturists looking to enjoy a Caribbean all-inclusive vacation experience, there is an open secret that comes with absolute luxury and a touch of nudism. You don’t normally associate Sandals Resort with nudity, clothing-optional facilities or toplessness for the ladies. But times may be changing… if not necessarily “official resort policy”… at least in practice. According to Castaways Travel: “We haven’t been able to recommend Sandals for the serious naturist or nudist who wants to be nude all of the time, but maybe that’s starting to change. Generally speaking, the Sandals Jamaica Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay has a clothing-optional area set aside on its offshore island and you can be totally nude there. Not officially endorsed by the resort management top free for the women on the beaches is becoming more common at all of the Sandals. When asked about toplessness for the women on Sandals Jamaica beaches, the response from Sandals management was: “If anyone complains or is offended you “may” be asked to cover up, but rarely does anyone ever complain”. There are more resorts in Jamaica, some directly catering to those that prefer clothing optional or better.” One is the Couples Sans Souci resort in Jamaica. There policy: “You cannot wear clothes.” The all-inclusive resort features a large, nude beach and a pool that goes right up to the beach. While many nudist resorts operate a ‘clothing-optional’ policy, this resort prohibits clothing on the beach entirely. Sans Souci has a large, readily accessible nude area where you can come and go anytime and that is private to the resort. There are basically three rules for the Au Naturel area. 1) Couples only, 2) Mandatory nude and 3) No photos. Rule one, you can’t go by yourself – it’s a couples resort, both halves of the couples have to go. Sandals Resorts is definitely not a nudist resort, but perhaps one should not look any further than Sandals and go with a touch of nudism instead and only if desired.

Best hospitality business to work with a disability?

Syndicated Content Editor — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 20:25:00 +0000

eTurboNews:

Now in its fourth year, the National Organization on Disability (NOD) Leading Disability Employer Seal recognizes companies that demonstrate exemplary employment practices for people with disabilities. This annual recognition is designed to applaud those organizations that are leading the way in disability hiring and encourage additional companies to tap into the many benefits of hiring talent with disabilities, including strong consumer preference for companies that employ individuals with disabilities and greater employee engagement across the workforce. The National Organization on Disability recently announced that MGM Resorts International is among 59 organizations that have been named a 2019 NOD Leading Disability Employer. “MGM Resorts has a diverse hiring legacy that spans more than 20 years and we continue to Focus on What Matters with our workforce,” says Vice President of Community Engagement Tony Gladney. “As we enter National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, we reflect on our accomplishments but also look toward opportunities to bring more awareness to the value of our disabled community. We are excited and proud to be recognized with this honor.” “These winning organizations understand that by welcoming people with disabilities, they reap the benefits of a more productive and engaged workforce,” said NOD Chairman Governor Tom Ridge. “The preeminent challenge before us is to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy full opportunity for employment, enterprise and earnings, and that employers know how to put their talents to work. We thank MGM Resorts for their leadership and for their commitment to hiring people with disabilities.” The winning organizations were announced at NOD’s Corporate Leadership Council Annual Forum, Shifting the Talent Paradigm: Inclusive Culture for a Modern Workforce, hosted by lead sponsors PwC and Charter Communications – Spectrum.

Fly Basic Economy: Bidding system for toilet use on airlines?

Juergen T Steinmetz — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 01:15:34 +0000

eTurboNews:

Searching for the cheapest airfare and best airlines and finding a basic economy class airfare on American, United, Delta, and other airlines have one clear advantage: The advantage is the price, or are you getting fooled? The airlines want to make your trip as miserable as possible, so you would never make this mistake again. Money talks in the airline industry. Of course, the basic economy fare option gives airline customers some buying power with the a la carte model—pay only for what you want, whether it be a pre-assigned seat or access to the overhead bin, bags, frequent flyer miles, status or as simple as finding a way to commercialize the use of an airline lavatory. eTN reported about American Airlines asking a passenger to urinate in a bag. In 2017, a passenger on Ryan Air was charged $100 for not using the lavatory. A Ryanair flight from Leeds to Faro, Portugal, had all its lavatories go inoperative. He had to urinate, so he used a bottle, and he was fined for doing so. In Europe, paying for the use of toilets at public places, restaurants or tourist attractions is normal. Should airline lavatories be included in the fee structure? In some U.S. states, it’s illegal to charge for toilets, but airlines are under Federal or foreign jurisdiction. Take a look at what a tourist will find when using a toilet in Europe, and compare this what he will experience using a toilet at a beach like in Florida or Hawaii. Using a bottle instead of a bathroom is tolerated by some airlines, including United Airlines: “We no longer call the police on customers except when safety is at stake.” Ryanair makes no such promises. They called the police to meet the aircraft, and that previously-mentioned passenger using the bottle was fined 90 Pounds. Airlines rely on a caste and class system to generate revenue and prestige. Here is a possible solution: First-class passengers paying full fare and not traveling on an upgrade still get complimentary and exclusive access to a clean first-class bathroom, including face lotion. Premium members and those traveling on a regular economy airfare get free access to one bathroom – an economy bathroom – but face lotion and paper towels are not included. Basic economy passengers get access to an online bidding system to use the lavatory. Such access is extended to any passenger if there is a line and can possibly wing entrance to a first-class or economy bathroom. Passengers could use their laptop or tablet to sign into the system with a credit card. The highest bid would secure the first priority. Passengers without a credit card would need to buy a prepaid visa card before boarding the aircraft since the airline is now a cashless zone. Everyone else will need to use a bottle and pay a fine after landing. This would encourage passengers to actually pay for first-class seats instead of relying on free upgrades. It would generate revenue for airlines, eliminate lines, and maintain the caste system airlines are so keen to maintain. Everyone else violating such rules should plan on getting arrested upon arrival. In Russia, an Airline boss was arrested for urinating on Putin’s fence in Sochi, as reported on eTurboNews.

10 most accessible cities in Europe named

Chief Assignment Editor — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 16:15:56 +0000

eTurboNews:

While many of us would love to travel the world, it’s not always easy for those with limited mobility and rely on assistance from others. Accessible travel is a hotly debated subject, but many European cities are yet to transform their destination and make it accessible to all. With that in mind, travel experts have studied the attractions – including the landmarks and museums – public transport and hotels in the most visited European cities to rank the most accessible cities in Europe. Most accessible tourist attractions The experts have studied the top 15 attractions for each European city, analysing their wheelchair accessibility, whether assistance is available at the attraction, onsite parking, descriptive tours and adapted toilets to score each city. The research found that the likes of London’s Buckingham Palace, The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and the Louvre Museum in Paris are some of the most accessible attractions in Europe. The Top 10 Most Accessible Cities in Europe 1. Dublin, Republic of Ireland 2. Vienna, Austria 3. Berlin, Germany 4. London, United Kingdom 5. Amsterdam, Netherlands 6. Milan, Italy 7. Barcelona, Spain 8. Rome, Italy 9. Prague, Czech Republic 10. Paris, France London and Dublin lead the way for accessible attractions As mentioned above, overall access – based on the ease of access for most visited attractions, restaurants and public transport – in Dublin trumps all other European cities, according to the research. However, the UK capital, London, does take the coveted top spot for the number of accessible landmarks and museums, with Dublin coming in a close second. The likes of Buckingham Palace and Tower of London, surprisingly, are the most accessible attractions within the city. London scored an average of 319 points for accessibility for attractions, compared to Dublin’s 286. However, London lost points when it came to public transport. Vienna, in particular, also has much to offer travelers with limited mobility. Many of the iconic attractions have been refurbished to ensure they are totally accessible – such as The Hofburg and Schonbrunn Palace and Gardens, dating back to the 1400s and 1700s respectively. Similarly, 95% of Vienna’s metro system is step-free, with assistance available for anyone with reduced mobility. Prague comes in last place for accessible attractions It’s bad news for those that are travelling to Prague. The experts discovered that the iconic landmarks and museums in Prague are the least accessible of the most visited cities in Europe. Many attractions do not offer wheelchair access and all but one did not have onsite parking or nearby for disabled visitors. Most accessible public transport for tourists In terms of public transport, Dublin, Vienna and Barcelona top the leaderboard. The Dublin Luas system is completely accessible for all users. Unfortunately, however, the British capital, London, ranked second to last for public transport – surprising due to the number of accessible attractions within the city. Every year, more than 1.3 billion passengers ride one of London’s most recognizable icons. However, as one of the oldest metro stations in the world, it’s also one of the most inaccessible. While TFL have stated they are looking to update the network, it won’t be anytime soon for the 1.2 million people in wheelchairs, living in the city. Vienna and Barcelona round up the top three for public transport While the Paris Metro is yet to reach the standards of Dublin’s Luas transport system, Vienna and Barcelona have both been paving the way for many other European destinations – coming in at number two and three respectively. Vienna has regularly been lauded for its accessibility, with 95% of the U-bahn and S-bahn stations completely accessible. It’s little wonder that Vienna has made its way into the top 10 most visited cities of the past year. Barcelona places third in overall accessibility for public transport, with 91% of metro stations available to use for all passengers. Unfortunately, however, the accessibility of Barcelona’s attractions are second worst, only to Prague. The historical landmarks, such as La Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell, are yet to be updated. Paris scrapes the bottom for accessible public transport Paris is a notable destination that has not prioritized accessibility as much as other European cities. France’s capital city comes in last place for accessible public transport, with only 22% of stations (65 out of 302) completely accessible to all. Despite this, the Paris Metro should be one of the easiest European metro stations to upgrade according to developers. The metro stations are, on average, around six meters underground – compared to the likes of London, which is 25 meters underground. London might be the most visited European city of the past year (according to Euromonitor International), but the accessibility of the underground and overground is yet to match up to its status. London, surprisingly, placed second to last for accessible public transport – narrowly beating Paris Metro. The experts have discovered that only 29% of the London Underground stations offer step-free access for users, with only 52% of stations also accessible on the London Overground. In comparison, Dublin’s extensive Luas tram system is completely accessible. Most accessible hotels The experts have also studied the top five hotels within each city, based on Tripadvisor, and discovered that London and Dublin again, rank high for accessibility. Berlin is also an addition to the top three. London, Berlin, Milan and Dublin lead the way for accessible hotels When analyzing the top five hotels in each European city, the experts discovered that both London , Berlin and Dublin top the leaderboard for accessible hotels. London comes in first with 28% of hotel rooms in the top five hotels (according to Tripadvisor) completely accessible for all, with Berlin second (27%), Milan third (19%) and Dublin fourth with 11%. Both Vienna and Barcelona offer a number of accessible rooms (10% respectively), paired alongside their public transport systems that are some of the best in Europe. However, according to our research, some of the cities that offer the greatest transport and attractions, do not boast accessible beaches. Poland offers the most accessible beaches Surprisingly, Poland offers more completely accessible beaches in Europe than anywhere else. There are 20 beaches in the country that offer access to the beach and water for people in wheelchairs, as well as access to the water for those that are visually impaired. Second in line for the title of most accessible beaches is Spain, offering 12 sandy shores that are completely accessible to all users. Spain also boasts some of the greatest public transport for those requiring assistance, with Barcelona rounding up our top three for accessibility on the metro. Italy places third for the most accessible beaches, with 11 available for those that have limited mobility and are visually impaired. The UK, however, lags behind its European cousins, only providing four beaches that are totally accessible, located in the South: Porthtowan, Sandy Bay, Bournemouth, Southbourne Beach and Margate Main Sands. Unfortunately, there is quite a long way to go for many European cities, but with accessibility such a hotly-debated topic, we could be seeing a change in attitudes in the very near future.

VISIT FLORIDA launches accessibility travel hub

editor — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 00:52:54 +0000

eTurboNews:

In an effort to promote the Sunshine State as a top destination for special needs travel, VISIT FLORIDA launched a travel hub that features a range of resources for travelers with different special needs. Visitors can easily find information spanning from accessible attractions, beaches, parks, events and more. VISIT FLORIDA President and CEO Dana Young said, “Florida is known for its exhilarating theme parks, serene state parks and beautiful beaches, but what our visitors may not know is that many are accessible to travelers with special needs. We want to take the stress out of planning a Florida vacation and ensure that all travelers know the Sunshine State is a destination that anyone of any ability can enjoy.” Florida’s theme parks and attractions provide guest services which contain information and assistance including wheelchairs, sign-language interpreters, listening devices, etc. Disabled travelers can even experience the thrills of riding many of the rides which are accessible to those in wheelchairs. Many of Florida’s world-class beaches and state parks are also wheelchair friendly, offering wheelchair accessible beach paths and wheelchair rentals. Crandon Park Beach on Key Biscayne and Haulover Beach in Miami provide free beach wheelchair rentals. Many Florida State Parks also offer accessible camp sites, trails and playgrounds. Oscar Scherer State Park in Sarasota County offers accessible kayak and canoe launches and beach wheelchairs. Families with children with special needs will also have a multitude of options when planning their vacations to Florida, including a section for traveling with children with Autism. An interactive map and detailed articles make vacation planning for families easy and reliable. Visit family-friendly attractions like the Museum of Science and History in Jacksonville, which fuels the imagination with its planetarium and interactive science exhibits. To explore more about Florida’s special needs travel, visit VISITFLORIDA.com/Accessible.

Why eTN joined the Caribbean Tourism Organization this week?

editor — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 00:15:19 +0000

eTurboNews:

eTN Corporation, the owner of eTurboNews officially joined the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) as a member this week. The Caribbean Tourism Organization is a tourism development agency with 24 Dutch, English, Spanish, and French country members along with a myriad of private-sector allied members. The CTO’s vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year-round, warm-weather destination for a holiday. Its purpose is guided by the concept of Leading Sustainable Tourism. CTO is based in Barbados with offices in New York and London. eTN Corporation owns eTurboNews in addition to a myriad of other publications that reach out to travel professionals, consumers, and the media all over the world. In addition to eTurboNews.com, eTurboNews.eu there is etn.travel (Global Travel Industry), eturbonews.de (German language editions), forimmediaterelease.net (wire service for journalists), travelindustrydeals.com (for travel agents), meetings.travel (meetings/MICE industry), aviation.travel (aviation news), gaytourism.travel (LGBT travelers), worldtourismwire.com (news about top travel and tourism organizations, such as UNWTO, WTTC, ETOA, ICTP), travelwirenews.com (tourism news sources, mainstream readers), wines.travel (wines and food news), and hawaiinews.online (Hawaii specific). eTN is headquartered in Hawaii, USA with offices or representations in California, Florida, New York, Texas, Australia, Czech Republic, HongKong, Jamaica, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Peru, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Tanzania, Uganda, UAE, Seychelles, Zimbabwe. eTurboNews Germany is located in Duesseldorf and Hamburg. In addition, eTurboNews has ambassadors in more than 100 countries. The corporation also owns TravelMarketingNetwork, a group of specialized marketing gurus from various sectors of the travel industry. The network is a public relations consultancy geared specifically to the needs of the travel and tourism industry providing tailor-made PR solutions and advice on marketing and branding for companies engaged in travel, transport, and tourism-related businesses. eTN is a founding member and major force behind ICTP (The International Coalition of Tourism Partners) and the newly established African Tourism Board.

Juergen Steinmetz, president eTN Corporation

eTN Publisher and President Juergen Steinmetz said: “For many years, eTN has covered breaking news about the Caribbean as well as issues relevant to the region in detail. eTN had partnered with numerous events in the Caribbean, including the UNWTO Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth in Jamaica. “It’s time to partner with the Caribbean Tourism Organization and work with their members so they may have even better access to our extensive network, and to make a difference in the development of tourism in the Caribbean. “We’re proud to join the best of the best representing the Caribbean Travel and Tourism industry through the Caribbean Tourism Organization.” eTurboNews was founded in 1999 and has been a trusted resource for the global travel and tourism industry for 19 years, and the only publication in the world providing world-wide travel and tourism news by the hour, 24/7. Through its readership, partnerships, and searchability, positioning, and an extensive social media network eTurboNews combined reach includes 230,000 travel industry professionals email subscribers, 17,000 journalists, and 1.3 million average consumers. eTurboNews has never been known for lip-service, but for fair, spicy coverage readers love to see. eTN is different from most online media. eTN Publisher Juergen Steinmetz said: “We do not believe in free “earned media” as a method to have our hard-working editorial team provide free coverage for commercial or promotional purposes.

We have bills to pay.
We do not accept fam trips, merchandise, or tickets in return for publicity.
We do not guarantee coverage under our free options.
We limit content, reach, inclusion and outreach for free coverage options, including setting paywalls on articles.
We don’t expect anyone, including PR agencies to work for free, NOR can we.
90% of our content has no commercial intent and we encourage readers to alert us to breaking news, story ideas and concerns.
10% of our content is paid media.Paid media is an essential component of revenue growth and brand awareness for any travel destination or business – and our platform is ideal for a long shelf life, a wide reach, extensive social media inclusion, and immediate effect, both on a regional and global basis. We do not believe in highly promotional articles and an advertisement on the same page to make a difference. We want readers to pay attention and open articles, and have zero respect for the status quo.
We love to establish commercial partnerships with destinations, events and their stakeholders directly or through their PR agency.

“In joining the Caribbean Tourism Organization we hope to establish new win/win partnerships, bring some of our events to the region, and learn more about the true issues relevant to the Caribbean, and integrate best practices into our global way of thinking. “I am looking forward to attending the upcoming SOTIC (State of the Tourism Industry Conference) in the Bahamas, October 1-5.”

Blue Flag teams up with ENAT to promote Beaches, Marinas and Boat-based activities for All

Juergen T Steinmetz — Sun, 22 Jul 2018 23:37:39 +0000

eTurboNews:

The Foundation for Environmental Education, through its Blue Flag certification, long recognised as the global benchmark for sustainable beaches, marinas and boat-based activities around the world, has signed an agreement with ENAT – The European Network for Accessible Tourism non-profit association to work together to promote access for all visitors to beaches, marinas and boat-based activities. While the Blue Flag standard already includes a number of requirements related to access provisions for persons with disabilities, the partners recognize that destinations can do more to improve beach, marina and boat-based experiences for these and, indeed, all visitors by providing suitable technical measures and assistance, where needed. ENAT will share its wide-ranging experience in accessible tourism with Blue Flag International / Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), having worked over the last ten years to raise awareness, conduct research and develop solutions for better access for all in the tourism sector. ENAT’s partners, clients and members include the UN World Tourism Organisation, the European Commission, European Parliament, ISO, national and regional tourism authorities, tourism enterprises and organisations of people with disabilities. Speaking after signing the Memorandum of Understanding, Blue Flag International acting Director, Johann Durand said: “Destinations that hold the Blue Flag have accepted the challenge and have a positive attitude to do better, both for the environment and for their visitors. Accessibility is a key area where good advice is needed – both for planning infrastructure in a sensitive but effective way and for providing services to ensure the health, comfort and safety of visitors with access requirements. We see our new cooperation with ENAT as a positive step towards achieving full inclusion – not just in word but also in practice at every Blue Flag destination.” ENAT President, Anna Grazia Laura, remarked: “We are especially proud and pleased to launch the cooperation with Blue Flag. It is our common view that access is a global issue, which must be a priority for all tourism destinations and communities. We are looking forward to spreading this message and showing, with many good examples, how families, seniors, people with disabilities or with long-term health conditions – indeed, all visitors and citizens – can benefit from leisure experiences in sea and lakeside environments. We recognise Blue Flag’s reputation for authoritative and technical leadership in this area and we look forward to supporting the foundation and its global network in relation to policy, standards and education.” http://www.accessibletourism.org

Winners of 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards announced

editor — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 01:37:11 +0000

eTurboNews:

Six toiiets popular with tourists around the world have officially been crowned and are ascending their thrones for 2018 in the Toilet Tourism Awards. Winners include a James Bond themed loo on a mountain top, a toilet that makes you feel you’re in a forest, and an airport where guide dogs can poop indoors in comfort Six toilets in tourism destinations around the world have won coveted titles in the 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards. Submissions were received from tourism destinations across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The toilets were judged for their design, quirkiness, location, accessibility, and economic contribution to their locality. The International Toilet Tourism Awards, now in their second year, were created by MyTravelResearch.com, which aims to show the close link between innovative, clean toilets with great design and a successful local tourism economy – the trickle-down effect. The winning tourism toilets from around the world across all six categories announced today are: Best Design – The Saskatchewan Science Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The design for the newly refurbished 2nd floor restrooms was inspired by the boreal forests of northern Saskatchewan. There are floor to ceiling visuals of the deep forest and audio of birdsong and woodland sounds. Whole wall panels are covered in immersive images of the calming deep Canadian forest by award winning photographer Todd Mintz. Judge’s comment: In judging this restroom, visual design scored very high. The loo is a fully immersive experience by vision and sound. The toilets inside the science center are like stepping into another world where you can do your business amid the sights and sounds of nature – without having to worry about bears. Overall, really well thought through. Best Economic Contributor – The Cummins Mosaic Loo, Cummins, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, Australia. The local community converted a bland red brick toilet block from the former railway station into a public loo with personality. Due to word of mouth, tourists now seek out the rest rooms, which feature statues, mosaics and paintings reflecting a more genteel bygone era from the early 20th century. Local businesses now benefit from passers by stopping to visit the old fashioned themed restrooms in the center of town. Judge’s comment: The way the Cummins community re-invented what was an old existing facility to bring it back to life in a new and quirky way was excellent. The public toilets in the town have become a tourist attraction in their own right, which shows smart thinking by the local community. Unlike some entries in the awards, Cummins has few visitors. They have therefore done a great job creating a ‘must-see’ attraction that generates income for local businesses. Best Location – Hotel La Jolla (A Curio Collection by Hilton), Shores Drive, La Jolla, California, USA. Sitting on the 11th floor overlooking La Jolla and the sea, the restroom offers a breathtaking view of the coastal urban village of La Jolla and the Pacific Ocean off San Diego. Judge’s comment: Guests can enjoy absolutely stunning views of La Jolla and the Pacific from the rest rooms. Facing the coast, the large windows let in natural light which complements the restrained earth tone hues of the bathroom interior. The view from the loo connects visitors to the beautiful destination that surrounds them. Guests experience a wonderful vista bathed in constantly changing ocean light. Also Highly Commended in the Best Location category are the colorful loos at the Lupton Park community garden in Maryborough, Queensland. Best Accessible Toilet – Brisbane Airport, Queensland, Australia. Brisbane Airport’s upgraded accessible toilets have been designed to exceed accessibility legislation. Dedicated changing places facilities allow for specialized equipment such as an adult change table, hoist and a toilet with removable hand rails for people with severe disabilities. The spacious, flexible design makes travel accessible to thousands of people with disabilities and their carers, many of whom were previously deterred from travelling. Sophisticated digital reporting ensures constant cleanliness. Brisbane Airport even has an indoor loo for guide dogs that travel with people with disabilities. Judge’s comment: Brisbane Airport’s accessible loos have set a new standard in enabling accessible travel. Their whole approach has empowered travelers with disabilities and made it much easier for them and their carers to meet their needs with dignity and comfort. The loos for guide dogs also show that Brisbane Airport cares and takes a holistic approach to accessible travel. Quirkiest Experience – Bowl Plaza, Lucas, Kansas, USA. Bowl Plaza is a public restroom with bling! The restrooms, which took four years to build, are now a major attraction in Lucas, the small-town grassroots arts capital of Kansas. The bathroom’s walls are covered inside and out with detailed mosaics created by local residents and artists. The entire building is shaped like a toilet tank. The entrance is designed like a raised toilet lid with benches that represent the curved toilet seat. The sidewalk to the loos flows from a large concrete toilet roll. Bowl Plaza is now very popular with residents and tourists and has its own guest register. Judge’s comment: The Bowl Plaza public toilet shows great community involvement that reflects Lucas town’s well-earned reputation as a leading grassroots arts destination. The walls are covered with shards of porcelain, commemorative plates, kids’ action figures, toy cars, face masks and effigies. The whole space is a quirky altar to creativity run riot. Kids and adults love it. Bowl Plaza is now a major attraction in itself. Also Highly Commended in the Quirkiest Experience category is the rather exposed Dump Point outdoor toilet bowl at Trangie in the Orana region of New South Wales, Australia. Overall Winner and Category Winner for Overall Contribution to Toilet Tourism – The James Bond Loos at Piz Gloria, Murren, Switzerland. Located at 2970m at the top of Mt Schilthorn in Switzerland, the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant and visitor center has embraced a James Bond theme since the location was used as Blofeld’s Lair during filming of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.” Refurbished in 2017, the toilet experience now has James Bond audiovisual effects: Bond girl Diana Rigg appears in the mirror when men wash their hands. There’s a sign for men in the toilets saying, “Shake, don’t stir” and “Aim like James.” The ladies’ loo has music and a shot ringing out as an image of James Bond appears in the mirror beside a bullet hole. In the ladies’ restroom there’s an audio of Bond saying, “Tonight, my place – just the two of us.” Judge’s comment: Apart from the wonderful scenery at Mt Schilthorn, the James Bond bathrooms are also now a fun reason to go. The toilets have immortalized James Bond and added a surprising humorous element to sightseeing in the one of the most dramatic locations in Europe. Meet the Creators and Judges of the International Toilet Tourism Awards In its 2nd year, the 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards attracted 30 entries across the five categories from four continents. Global online nominations were open from 14 February to 1 May 2018. The 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards were created by Carolyn Childs and Bronwyn White, co-founders of MyTravelResearch.com. Carolyn and Bronwyn have conducted focus group research on the impact of public toilets in tourism destinations. Judging was carried out by Clare Whelan Project Manager ITTA for MyTravelResearch.com, Ken Scott of ScottAsia Communications, Chris Flynn of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Bill Forrester of Travability, Chris Veitch (International Accessible Tourism Consultant), Mark Wilson of Wisdom (Design Sponsor of the Awards), Sue Hodges of SHP, Giovanna Lever of Sparrowly Group, Steve Rosa of Southern Highlands Tourism (ITTA 2017 Best Economic Contributor Award), Jodie Teaken of Qantas, and Dick Teaken (Chairman of Judges and author of an upcoming book on toilets). Prizes: The overall winner (The James Bond themed toilets at Piz Gloria, Murren, Switzerland) will receive a AU$2000 donation contributed to World Toilet Day in their name and a copy of every MyTravelResearch.com research publication in 2018 (worth AU$8000), and access to tourism research events. Other category winners will receive the same, minus the donation to World Toilet Day.

Palladium Hotel earns Certified Autism Center designation

editor — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 19:25:47 +0000

eTurboNews:

Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa is the latest destination to become a Certified Autism Center (CAC) to help ensure guests and families with children who have autism have the best possible experience. Parents with children on the autism spectrum often find vacationing to be a challenge due to sensory needs, dietary restrictions and safety concerns. The resort, located in the Dominican Republic but attracting visitors from all over the world, implemented a training and certification program provided by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). For almost 20 years, IBCCES has been the industry leader in autism training for licensed healthcare professionals and educators around the globe. IBCCES recognized that many families with children with special needs have limited travel options and created programs specifically for the hospitality and travel industry. “For Palladium Hotel Group, it’s very important to provide specific services that ensure fun and safe activities for families, children and adolescents and sensory inclusive programs for families. Our goal is that every family has the comfort and confidence of knowing their children are in good care, regardless of their needs. We want to ensure an unforgettable vacation for every family,” said Felipe Martínez Verde, Chief Operations Officer-America for Palladium Hotel Group. While research shows that travel is one of the most intellectually stimulating events for individuals on the spectrum, there are still few trained and certified travel options for parents looking for destinations able to accommodate their needs. Organizations like IBCCES and Palladium Hotel Group are working to change that. “We’re excited to partner with another great destination that is truly committing to serving those on the spectrum. We want to create safe, sensory-compatible travel options for parents and individuals, so they can visit the leading destinations across the globe and have peace of mind,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman. “Our Certified Autism Center designation is awarded to premier organizations who have completed rigorous training and meet the highest industry standards.” Many destinations tout “autism-friendly” options; however, this term does not necessarily indicate a true understanding of these families’ requirements. More parents are now seeking out destinations that have completed research-based training and professional review to ensure the best experience possible. IBCCES also created AutismTravel.com, a free online resource for parents that lists certified destinations and connects families to other resources and each other. Each destination listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center requirements, which include extensive staff training and an on-site audit conducted by leading autism experts. Grand Palladium Bávaro Suites Resort & Spa will also be listed with other CACs on AutismMember.org, a partnership between IBCCES and Autism Society to connect families and individuals with businesses and resources committed to serving individuals on the spectrum. About IBCCES Delivering The Global Standard For Training and Certification in The Field of Cognitive Disorders – IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders. As part of our commitment to sharing the latest innovations and research, IBCCEs also hosts the International Symposium on Cognitive Research and Disorders to create a forum for collaboration among industry stakeholders. About Palladium Hotel Group Based on Ibiza in the Balearic Islands, PALLADIUM HOTEL GROUP is a multinational corporation established over forty years ago with the aim of promoting the island in Spain and across Europe. Over the years it has cemented a position as one of the best-known Spanish companies worldwide. PALLADIUM Hotel Group is a prestigious company which has gone to great lengths to segment its hotels and to launch new brands for each line, pursuing a consistent expansion policy and fulfilling stringent quality standards. At present, the group has establishments in a plethora of destinations around the globe including Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Oviedo, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Córdoba and Seville in Spain, Sicily in Italy and the Mayan and Nayarit Rivieras in Mexico, Punta Cana and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, Montego Bay in Jamaica and Salvador de Bahia in Brazil.

When tourists have to go… to the toilet: Flushing out the best

editor — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 01:19:07 +0000

eTurboNews:

Let’s talk toilets. The 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards want to flush out the best. Yes, there really are awards for that. After many years analyzing tourism trends, the awards at MyTravelresearch.com aim to show tourism destinations that have clean, creative, quirky public toilets go a long way to boosting a destination’s image and generating tourism dollars. Think about it: People stop to go, then end up spending while they are there. As a reader, you can nominate your favorite toilet that you use as a tourist. It could be at a local attraction, national park, theme park, restaurant, a shopping mall, at an airport, or in the public area of a hotel – anywhere frequented by tourists (at the end of the day we’re all tourists). Toilets can be nominated in the following categories: – Best Location: Where the toilets have views and maybe considered an attraction in themselves – Best Design: Architectural brilliance in toilets, visual design, and creativity – Quirkiest Toilet Experience: Relating to local heritage, fun, or otherwise noteworthy – Best Accessible Toilet: Supporting the idea of tourism for all – Sanitation Progress: Aimed at developing economy destinations that have made big steps in public toilet provision – Best Economic Contributor: For when people stop at a toilet in a destination and stay on to spend more than a penny – Overall commitment to toilet tourism Anyone can nominate a great toilet in any country. Submission are now being accepted from tourism destinations and businesses that want to wipe the floor with the competition. It’s free to nominate, and the online form is here. Entries close May 1, 2018.

Nepal commits to accessible tourism initiatives

Juergen T Steinmetz — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 09:38:39 +0000

eTurboNews:

The recently concluded International Conference on Accessible Adventure (ICAA) 2018 at Pokhara heralds a new chapter in diversifying the enormous potential that Nepal’s tourism industry harbours. Worldwide the market potential for accessible tourism that caters primarily to travelers with disabilities, the elderly, and people with limited mobility is huge. Pankaj Pradhananga, Director at Four Season Traval and Tours, has been at the forefront of initiatives for inclusive and accessible tourism in Nepal since 2014, alongside the late Dr. Scott Rains. He hailed the conference as a monumental step toward making Nepal a destination for people that have limited mobility and have the potential to spend, both Nepali and foreign nationals. “It’s not just a day, it’s Day one for accessible adventure in Nepal. When we embrace and empower such visitors we open up one of the most beautiful countries in the world to them alongside newer and better income generation possibilities for the sector,” Pradhanang shares. This also marks a paradigm shift in the way people with disabilities are perceived in the region. By sharing international best practices and experiences from countries that are benefitting from opening up their tourism sectors to inclusiveness, the Conference highlighted how Nepal can take the lead in the region in accessible tourism. Improved tourism infrastructure, specialized services and facilities, alongside trained personnel to cater to people with mobility challenges translates into renewed investment, a new market of income, and employment opportunities for many. This sentiment was echoed by Suman Timsina, Executive Director at International Development Institute (IDI) that is based out of Washington D.C., co-organizer of the conference. John Heather, Program Chair, announced that Pokhara would be the model for accessible tourism destination for Nepal and lessons learnt from there would be packaged into applications for the rest of the country. Renaud Meyer, UNDP Country Director, identified accessible tourism as a human rights issue and an important factor for economic development for Nepal whilst reiterating UNDP’s continued commitment at championing accessible tourism in Nepal. Deepak Raj Joshi, CEO, Nepal Tourism Board(NTB), that organized the event with IDI, was optimistic about the outcomes of the conference. He said such events are reminders to government and private organizations of the joint commitment that is needed to focus on such issues. He reiterated NTB’s commitment in making Nepal an accessible adventure destination for all. NTB and IDI jointly announced at the Conference that henceforth Nepal will celebrate accessibility in the tourism industry annually on March 30. A keynote speaker at the Conference, Corporal Hari Budha Magar, who is a Gurkha war veteran and a double amputee, was an inspiration to the multinational audience where he revisited his worldwide adventures. He also plans to summit Mount Everest in 2019 as part of his ‘conquering dreams’ tour. Other key guests at the Conference included Mr. Scott DeLisi, former Ambassador of USA to Nepal and various key government officials and tourism entrepreneurs across Asia. Sagar Prasai from NFD-N was the event emcee. Sumit Baral moderated a session with mayors from 5 municipalities including Biratnagar where they expressed their commitment to make their cities accessible for all. Similarly, Mr. RR Pandy, Nandini Thapa, Khem Lakai and Divyansu Ganatra contributed in the Panel discussion ‘ Accessible Tourism – Challenges & Opportunities’ moderated by Pankaj Pradhananaga. The key partners of conference were NFD-N, CIL- Kathmandu, Four Season Travel & Tours, CBM, Embassy of India, Turkish Air and Buddha Air. Another tangible outcome of the conference was the inauguration of Nepal’s first 1.24 km long accessible trekking trail from Kaskikot to Naundanda. NTB led it by putting its resources to upgrade the trail as per GHT standard welcoming wheelchair users, senior citizens, and walkers with mobility restrictions that will serve as a model for the Nepal and the wider region. Nepal can truly become a destination that will allow adventure for all.

Autism Awareness Month and what Qatar Airways is doing

Juergen T Steinmetz — Sun, 01 Apr 2018 21:18:31 +0000

eTurboNews:

Qatar Airways today announced a series of initiatives and special events to take place throughout the month of April as part of Autism Awareness Month. Qatar Airways continues its successful collaboration with Hamad Medical Cooperation (HMC) for the second consecutive year by hosting a programme of activities throughout the month designed to raise awareness of the autism spectrum disorder. This year’s programme of events will include a series of seminars and training conducted by HMC’s doctors, specialists and therapists, with the aim to ensure that Qatar Airways cabin crew and ground staff are prepared to support autistic passengers with a better understanding of the disorder. HMC doctors and therapists will guide and advise cabin crew members on how to effectively support and assist autistic passengers while travelling on Qatar Airways flights. An information kiosk has also been set up at the Qatar Airways operations center where medical representatives from HMC will distribute informative brochures about the disorder. World Autism Awareness Day is every year on 2 April worldwide, with the goal of bringing attention to autism. To mark the day, the national carrier will host an exciting and lively Kids Fun Day at Kidzmondo Doha, where pilots and cabin crew will have the opportunity to interact with children with autism and their parents. Additionally, to support World Autism Day, Qatar Airway staff across the airline’s network will be wearing blue – the official colour of Autism Awareness month – and posting messages about how they will contribute to raising awareness amongst the community. During the month, Qatar Airways staff and cabin crew will be visiting Renad Academy, a member of Qatar Foundation, to spend a day with children with autism. From 1 April 2018, in-house training sessions on autism awareness conducted by Qatar Airways First Aid trainers will be given to every crew member as part of their recurrent training. Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Human Resources, Ms. Nabeela Fakhri, said: “Qatar Airways has always been a major advocate of social and humanitarian causes. By equipping our cabin crew and ground services staff with a better understanding and awareness about the disorder, we are helping to ensure that we support all our passengers as effectively as we can. We are delighted to participate in this global initiative on a local level by once again partnering with Hamad Medical Corporation to provide this important awareness message and training to our staff. The seminars led by trained specialists will allow us to ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey, both for our autistic travellers as well as their caregivers.” A special social media campaign will be launched on Qatar Airways social media platforms with a hashtag #qatarairways#autismawarenessmonth, to foster support and further increase awareness. The airline has also organised a photo shoot with its cabin crew, enabling it to publish autism-related content across the airline’s popular social media channels, helping to further increase global awareness. Corporate Social Responsibility is an important part of Qatar Airways’ values. Last year the airline renewed its sponsorship as Official Airline Partner to Orbis UK for a further three years. The airline has been a proud sponsor of Orbis and its blindness prevention programmes since 2012. Qatar Airways continues to be a proud supporter of the Educate-A-Child programme, which helps provide quality primary school education to millions of out-of-school children globally. Additionally, the airline has partnered with Doha’s Shafallah Centre, Qatar’s special needs association, to provide special needs adults with employment opportunities at Qatar Airways. As well as being voted Skytrax ‘Airline of the Year’ by travellers from around the world, Qatar’s national flag carrier also won a raft of other major awards at last year’s ceremony, including ‘Best Airline in the Middle East,’ ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.’ Qatar Airways operates a modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft to a network of more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. The airline plans a host of exciting new destinations for 2018/19, including London Gatwick and Cardiff, United Kingdom; Lisbon, Portugal; Tallinn, Estonia; Valletta, Malta; Cebu and Davao, Philippines; Langkawi, Malaysia; Da Nang, Vietnam; Bodrum, Antalya and Hatay, Turkey; Mykonos, Greece and Málaga, Spain.

Nepal welcomes conference on accessible tourism

Chief Assignment Editor — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 16:16:28 +0000

eTurboNews:

A conference on accessible tourism the first in Nepal scheduled to be held on March 29, 2018, will seek to promote accessible holidays for the differently-abled and people with physical limitations who remain vastly underserved due to inaccessible travel and tourism facilities and services. More than 200 delegates, including representatives from global communities of the disabled, will take part in the conference. The three-day meet will be held in Kathmandu and Pokhara. Accessible tourism is an ongoing endeavour to ensure that tourist destinations, products and services are accessible to all people, regardless of their physical limitations, disabilities or age. There are over a billion people with disabilities worldwide. According to Lonely Planet, the world’s largest travel guide publisher, 50 percent of people with disabilities would travel more if suitable facilities were available to them wherever they travelled. Studies show that around 88 percent of people with a disability take a holiday each year. In the US, the Open Doors Organization estimates that $17.3 billion is spent by adults with disabilities on travel each year. In Australia, around $8 billion a year is spent by travellers with disabilities. Around 12 percent of the European market is dedicated to people with disabilities. The market for accessible tourism is large and continues to grow. According to the Division for Social Policy and Development under the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations, the impact of accessible tourism goes beyond the tourist beneficiaries to the wider society, engraining accessibility into the social and economic values of society.

ITB Berlin: UNWTO says no, ICTP says yes on child protection through tourism

Juergen T Steinmetz — Thu, 01 Mar 2018 00:44:24 +0000

eTurboNews:

Sexual exploitation of children through tourism, human trafficking of children because of tourism – these are sad realities in today’s visitor industry. Leading stakeholders in the aviation and hospitality world have been putting a lot of emphasis into providing training and awareness to this dark side of travel. Interpol and national police forces like Scotland Yard, the FBI, and the Royal Dutch Police are only some of the active supporters and are readily available to attend global meetings such as the UNWTO annual meeting for Child Protection during the ITB travel trade show in Berlin. For the last 20 plus years, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) had been giving a platform not only to members of their own Executive Committee for child protection but to groups wanting to demonstrate activities, challenges, and best practices at a public event during the annual ITB travel trade show in Berlin, Germany. A second meeting at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London was canceled by UNWTO due to budget issues several years ago. Former UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai had made child protection a priority when he was leading the UN agency until the end of last year. After the new UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili took over the UN-specialized agency in 2018, Executive Committee members were caught by surprise when the UNWTO Secretariat informed them only one month before ITB that their meeting was canceled. A clear reason was not given. eTN repeatetly reached out to UNWTO to find out more. This request was met with silence. In a last-ditch effort, theInternational Coalition of Tourism Partners"> International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), under the leadership of their Chairman Juergen Steinmetz, who is also a member of the UNWTO Executive Committee for child protection, organized a non-official and open meeting of UNWTO stakeholders, ICTP members, and anyone interested in child protection in tourism. The Nepal Tourism Board CEO Deepak Raj Jos did not hesitate one minute and opened his stand for this meeting. “It’s a pity that UNWTO has discontinued the event. We support and laude ICTP’s initiative,” “It is enough about child abuse through tourism, and we support the initiative by ICTP and love the motion,” were typical responses received by many of the 28 representatives that had registered so far. Dorothy Rozga, Executive Director of ECPAT International, wrote: “I was not planning to come to ITB this year. However, as a response to your excellent and appreciated initiative, I will there for the meeting.” So far, ICTP received 28 registrations from Thailand, India, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Germany, Pakistan, Guinea Bissau, the USA, Serbia, Nepal, and South Africa. Representatives from ECPAT, THE CODE, WYSE, ABTA, WSO, and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports Thailand, as well as the International Delphic Council are planning to attend. ICTP invited UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, but so far UNWTO did not respond. Anyone attending ITB Berlin next week is invited to participate. Registration:http://ictp.travel/itb2018/"> http://ictp.travel/itb2018/

WHEN? Friday, March 9, 2018: 11.15 h
WHERE? ITB Berlin, Stand 5.2a / 116 (Nepal Tourism Board)
WHO? ICTP members, leaders of the global travel and tourism industry, associations and media
REGISTER: Click here

Steinmetz, who is also the publisher of eTurboNews, said: “Child Protection is too important to be ignored at the largest travel industry event in the world. I am pleased to see organizations and countries showing leadership. We are open to anyone wanting to contribute to our meeting. We are inviting anyone wanting to learn more on how to get involved. We hope UNWTO, WTTC, and PATA will consider joining us as well. We invited the UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili to join us, but so far no response was received. Register at http://ictp.travel/itb2018/">http://ictp.travel/itb2018/ and see you in Berlin.”

Life as a Hawaii snowbird

Dr. Anton Anderssen - special to eTN — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 22:08:06 +0000

eTurboNews:

On the mainland, when the groundhog sees his shadow, there are six more weeks of winter on the horizon. In Hawaii, when the flamingo sees his shadow, there are six more weeks of paradise – especially for us snowbirds who live here from Christmas to Easter. It took 39 visits to Hawaii to figure out the right place to live as a seasonal tourist. We explored all the major islands before deciding Oahu was the right choice. As much as I love the tropics, I can’t give up cultural gems like the theatre, opera, symphony, fine arts, and historical lectures. Originally, I had my eye on Naalehu (on the Big Island), where Mark Twain planted a monkeypod tree near the southern-most point in the US. Unfortunately, I have muscular dystrophy, and Naalehu is too far from MD specialists. Oahu has Queen’s Hospital, where board-certified neurologists provide medical services for disabled people like me. At first, I had my eye on Laie town, because I wanted to live near the Mormons. I feel safe with them, most likely due to their prohibitions on stealing, drinking, incivility, and all manner of vices. One never sees drunk panhandlers disturbing the peace, nor drug addicts passed out on their lawns. Although I am not Mormon, I get along with them very well, just as I did when I lived in Amish territory in northcentral Indiana. I love the Polynesian Cultural Center at Laie. My post-doctorate graduate degree is in cultural anthropology, and visiting the Center is like being a kid in a candy store. I would live there if I could, mingling among the heritage interpreters, celebrating the rich cultures of Polynesia. But again, Laie town is simply too far away from advanced emergency room locations. Read the full article here.

Premier event for adults 50 and over

editor — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 23:50:11 +0000

eTurboNews:

Las Vegas Review-Journal hosts its first-ever Travel Festival in conjunction with the Agewell Expo on Saturday, April 14. The Travel Festival will feature destinations, cruise lines, hotels, casino resorts, tours, airlines, attractions and experiences and much more from exhibitors like The Big Island Of Hawai’i, Costa Rica, Discover Klamath, Prestige Travel, Bluegreen Vacations, Enchanted Memories Travel, Laughlin and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The Travel Festival, anticipated to attract more than 8,000 attendees, has added Joseph Rosendo to the line-up of presenters. Rosendo, a six-time Emmy Award winner of American Public Television’s “Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope,” will present on how travel can be a life changing experience. Additionally, the Travel Festival will feature free entertainment by Las Vegas performers Murray SawChuck, The Bronx Wanderers, and Miss Hawai’i Aloha 2018. Read the full article here.

Are Coaches Catering More For People With Limited Mobility?

Juergen T Steinmetz — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 05:14:21 +0000

eTurboNews:

Coach trips can be a whole bundle of fun, taking you to unique locations that you really don’t feel comfortable driving to yourself. But, for people with limited mobility, a coach or bus trip may be the only mode of transport that they can use, which is why it’s increasingly important that these vehicles cater for people that struggle navigating themselves around. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are becoming more apparent in today’s society, including the likes of coaches, but are they really going the extra mile to ensure that transport for those with mobility issues is as seamless as possible?

Yes – Ramps Instead Of Stairs

As you may notice on some buses, stairs are needed to reach the seats that are located towards the back of the coach. For those who need to use a wheelchair to get around, this is completely impractical and will restrain the individual from reaching these seats. Coaches however, have ensured that their isle is step-free, and instead use subtle ramps to allow those within a wheelchair or with a walking stick to reach these seats. This is very refreshing to see, and we can only hope to see the trend continuing in coaches in the foreseeable future.

Yes – Wheelchair Spaces

More and more coaches are ensuring that there is at least one wheelchair space on the vehicle, allowing those within a wheelchair to sit peacefully and know that they won’t need to struggle to get themselves out of the chair and into another. This makes life so much easier for many people with reduced mobility, and eliminates the anxiety that they may have about straining themselves or embarrassing themselves in public. After all, people with reduced mobility just want to be comfortable, which is exactly what wheelchair spaces achieve on a coach.

No – Need Greater Space For Mobility Scooters

Coaches have quite an extensive storage space for luggage that belongs to the passengers, but this space needs to be optimised for those utilising a mobility scooter. Now that technology is thriving in our generation, more and more people with reduced mobility are using a scooter as a way to navigate themselves around as opposed to a standard wheelchair. However, coaches are often unable to cater for these people, as the coach may not have the space to store a mobility scooter, or the capacity to carry one. However, as these scooters are becoming even smarter, and are often able to be folded to optimise space, coaches may be able to cater for these people in the near future, and allow people with a mobility scooter to get themselves safely on the coach.

No – Toilets Are Still Difficult To Access

A lot of mobility issues arise once we hit old age, and with old age comes a weakened bladder. Because of this, the toilets on a coach need to be as accessible as possible; otherwise passengers could become extremely uncomfortable. However, most coaches these days have toilets situated at the bottom of some severely deep stairs, making them almost impossible to reach for those with limited mobility. Whilst this is a difficult issue to solve due to the compact nature of a coach, a system could be implemented where access to the toilet can also reside from the outside of the coach. This way, when a person with reduced mobility needs the toilet, the coach can stop safely nearby and let the passenger out to relieve themselves.

So, it’s clear to see how coaches are making a conscious effort to make travelling by coach easier for those with limited mobility, however many still have a long way to go before they fully optimise their accessible services.

VistEngland and VisitScotland launch new accessibility guides website

Juergen T Steinmetz — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 09:12:34 +0000

eTurboNews:

VisitEngland and VisitScotland are today launching a website for tourism businesses to produce accessibility guides. The guides are a new way for tourism operators to increase business, by providing potential visitors with important accessibility information in a user-friendly format. UK Government Minister for Tourism John Glen said: “The UK has an incredible range of world-class attractions and we want them to be open to as many people as possible. These new guides will give clear accessibility information to make it easier for disabled visitors to plan their trips with confidence.” VisitEngland Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said: “Our research shows that visitors in this important market value clear, concise accessibility information from tourism providers. The new accessibility guides will allow travellers to compare attractions, accommodation businesses and other venues before choosing their destination, enabling them to make an informed choice.” VisitScotland Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead said: “It is our aim to make tourism inclusive and accessible for all, so that every single person can benefit from all that Scotland has to offer. “This new website will help businesses produce informative guides in a user-friendly format, that will promote inclusion and enable all our customers to have the opportunity to achieve, to have fun, to live life in the same way as anybody else.” As well as being easier for businesses to complete, the new guide format standardises how information is presented making it easier for disabled customers, their friends and family to compare venues. Tourism operators can use the new, free website, www.accessibilityguides.org, to produce and publish their accessibility guides. VisitEngland research in 2015 showed that £12 billion was spent on trips where a member of the party had an impairment. Research by VisitScotland in the same year found £1.3 billion was spent on those trips, which includes day trips, domestic overnight trips and inbound trips. VisitEngland and VisitScotland’s Accessible Tourism programmes have been supported by the UK and Scottish governments. By working in partnership, the organisations have ensured they bring a unified approach, creating consistency for disabled visitors. One in five people in the UK have an impairment, which may affect where they choose to stay or visit*.

Cebu Pacific invests in facilities for Persons with Reduced Mobility

Juergen T Steinmetz — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 10:04:55 +0000

eTurboNews:

Cebu Pacific (CEB), is set to roll-out Disabled Passenger Lifts (DPLs) in key airports in the Philippines. The DPLs which would allow Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRMs) an easier and more comfortable boarding experience on Cebu Pacific flights. CEB is the first airline to invest in its own DPLs, in line with its thrust to improve passenger experience. The use of the DPL is free of charge for Cebu Pacific passengers with reduced mobility. Aside from Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), these include pregnant and elderly passengers who may have difficulty climbing stairs to board their flights. CEB has invested over PHP100 Million for the procurement and installation of 35 brand-new DPLs. The first DPL was installed in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in March 2017 for testing and evaluation. Since July 2017, the DPL has been used to lift PWDs, pregnant and elderly passengers on a limited number of CEB flights. Michael Ivan Shau, Vice President for Airport Services of Cebu Pacific said that the rest of the DPL units would be installed starting 2018. Six more units would be placed at the NAIA Terminal 3, with the rest deployed to other CEB hubs across the country, namely, Clark, Kalibo, Iloilo, Cebu and Davao; as well as high-traffic airports across the country with CEB operates flight using Airbus aircraft. Target completion is by June 2018. “We are looking at initiatives to improve the passenger experience for everyJuan. For our PWD passengers and those with reduced mobility, we recognize that the experience of being lifted manually can be uncomfortable. Investing in the DPLs will allow us to board and deplane passengers with reduced mobility safely, with minimal discomfort,” said Shau. In 2016 alone, over 43,000 passengers availed of wheelchair assistance from the check-in counter. Of this number, more than 14,000 were wheeled from the check-in counter and carried to their seats in the aircraft. The DPL was introduced in 1998 by international aircraft service provider Airport Maintenance Services– Ground Service Equipment to give airports a safe, comfortable and dignified way to get PRMs on and off aircraft. The DPL allows PRMs, as well as their companions or service agents to board the aircraft or deplane via the aircraft door designated by the airlines. To date, there have been at least 500 DPLs used worldwide. For PWDs and other PRMs who need wheelchair assistance, they simply need to tick the box indicating this requirement upon booking their flights.