The content studio will benefit from Tripadvisor’s first-party data which the company has collected since being founded in 2000. In 2021, the site reached the milestone of one billion user reviews of hotels, restaurants, holiday homes and apartment rentals, and tourist attractions around the world. This provides Tripadvisor with a lot of valuable data insights and places the company in a strong position to continue to benefit from the growth in online transactions.

The boom in online transactions
In 2019, the total value of the online payment market was over $3,200 billion and by 2027 it is forecast to grow to $17,643 billion. The change in consumer behavior has been accompanied by a boom in review sites covering a multitude of industries.

The prevalence of review sites has also led to increased demand for customer opinions about companies in a wide range of sectors. The best example is Trustpilot, which allows customers to review companies in various sectors including energy suppliers, real estate agents, and electronics and technology.

Clearly, review sites are particularly important in highly competitive industries where there is a great deal of choice on offer to consumers. Alongside the travel industry, this also includes the iGaming sector. While sites such as Tripadvisor consider aspects such as price, quality of experience, and customer service, the best mobile casino review, for example, provides players with essential information regarding security, bonuses and loyalty rewards, and banking options, so that consumers can make an informed choice based on the information provided by expert reviewers. The sheer number of online casinos available to consumers makes this type of expert review sites invaluable to players.

Tripadvisor has actively acquired other companies in the restaurant and takeaway sector, including DoorDash, the online food ordering and delivery platform, which is now launching a credit card in cooperation with JPMorgan. Most recently Tripadvisor acquired SinglePlatform, a syndicated restaurant menu platform. Now, Wanderlab creates the opportunity for partnerships with brands in a variety of sectors.

How Wanderlab can support external brands
Through Wanderlab, the hotel and restaurant review site will be able to present brands in the travel sector with increased advertising options and it will even benefit those outside the travel industry. The work of the content studio includes a campaign for Visit Orlando with the objective of driving engagement with the brand and boosting tourism in the city. This was achieved through co-branded experiences on the Tripadvisor website, such as highlighting ‘5 must-visit Orlando neighborhoods you won’t want to miss’ and also incorporating Alexa voice activation. The campaign resulted in a total economic impact of $12 million for Orlando.

The potential of Wanderlab to help Tripadvisor gain traction with non-travel brands is exemplified by the brand partnership with beauty brand L’Oreal. Here, the brief involved highlighting a travel sector tie-in that promoted L’Oreal’s option to buy essential travel products in advance online, which could subsequently be obtained at airports. The campaign was aimed at travelers who had already booked holidays and featured adverts on the Tripadvisor website and its social media channels. A branded ad encouraged potential consumers to ‘browse and buy before you fly’ which took them to a dedicated ‘Beauty-to-Go’ page on the L’Oréal website. The campaign exceeded expectations, resulting in 6 million impressions and highlighting the potential to support other non-travel brands with editorial content. 

Tripadvisor is hoping that this innovative approach will contribute to the establishment of the company amongst popular brands and result in increased growth. This is particularly important as the share price of Tripadvisor Inc has fallen 23.65% in the year to date and 38.21% over the past five years. In particular, the ability to create partnerships with non-travel brands opens up new and exciting markets for the company.

The article Tripadvisor launches in-house studio service for brands first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Rikin Wu, Founder and CEO of DidaTravel, a global bedbank with over 23,000 B2B clients such as travel agents and tour operators buying hotel accommodation, comments: “We are seeing two very important trends emerge this year that might have seen unthinkable until only recently: firstly, non-refundable rates are making a come-back and secondly travellers are starting to book further in advance again.

“In the January to May 2019 period non-refundable was making up around 59% of our sales but that fell to just 26% in 2021. This year so far we’re seeing that figure at 32% and expect to see it steadily grow.

“Meanwhile advanced bookings in the 8-30 and 30+ days range in the January to April 2019 period were around 32% and 23% respectively, falling to just 10% and 2% in 2021. This year during those dates we’re seeing those figures back up to 14% and 7% respectively, with 20% and 7% in May – so still well below 2019, but massively up on last year.

“All of this is a strong reflection of the desire to travel from consumers and their confidence that they can fulfill a journey, based on conversations with our B2B buying clients such as travel agents and tour operators.

“But to a smaller extent credit must go to hoteliers for putting together compelling deals and pricing to entice the traveller back again – they are keen to see non-refundable rates return to pre-COVID levels and are we are seeing them pushing hard for this in our conversations with them.”

Ernesto Sigg, founder and partner at Fitbooktravel, a consultancy specialized in the hotel accommodation distribution space, adds that: “Evidently there has always been demand on the hotelier side to return to non-refundable rates ASAP, but from the B2B distribution side of things – the bedbanks, wholesalers, business to agent platforms, re-sellers, channel managers and connectivity tech suppliers that make up the whole ecosystem of how the vast majority of hotel rooms are sold – there is a certain level of reluctance to do this.

“Why? Firstly as many still have unresolved disputes as to who will foot the bill for the 2020 no-shows on non-refundable rates – the OTAs and tour operators are claiming force majeure. So they don’t want to risk getting back into further disputes and potential liabilities, taking on that risk is definitely not in their model really.

“But from a tech perspective there’s also some challenges too. Switching off non-refundable wasn’t so easy, but they eventually worked out how to do it. Two years of software patches, upgrades, mergers and acquisitions resulting in transferring to new systems, integrations of new partners, new CIOs and so on later…well switching this back on isn’t so easy.

“Slowly but surely though non-refundable is creeping back as buyers such as travel agents and OTAs are open to that conversation again, but not least as hoteliers are pushing for it very hard. Generally speaking we’re seeing this crop up more and more in conversations with people asking us ‘how do I get the mix right and not miss out?’.”

Spencer Hanlon, Head of Travel at Nium, a payments technology provider helping OTAs, airlines and hotels with B2B payments, adds: “We are now seeing the lowest levels of cancellations since COVID started. There were months in 2021 when that rate went over 40%, but this year it has been steadily declining and is now at just 1.74% – that is comparable to 2019.

“Let’s keep in mind that cancellations aren’t just a problem for a hotel because they don’t get paid or have to find another guest at short notice. In fact the whole refunding and updating their inventory challenge is a back-office pain that one-way-or-another costs them money and reduces certainty.

“So it’s no surprise really that now stability in cancellations has returned many want to go back to a model they’d been using for decades and they are finding ways to incentivize travellers to non-refundable rates via great deals and prices. We are likely to see more of this assuming there’s not more volatility from COVID or anything else rocking consumer desire to travel.”

Fabian Gonzalez, the founder and organizer of Forward_MAD, a luxury tourism conference that takes place in Madrid each year, comments that: “Luxury hoteliers everywhere are definitely starting to push non-refundable rates again via deals and promotions as they would like to see the percentage return to pre-COVID levels – not least as in the luxury space travellers really can change plans quickly, leaving full-booked hotels suddenly fully empty for no apparent reason. 

“The challenge these days is to minimize the impact of free cancellation policies 24h prior to arrival. This is going to be a difficult challenge however as such luxury travellers have become used to refundable / pay on arrival rates and generally speaking as used to ‘pay on demand’ services for everything nowadays, including for transport.

“We will see an increase in ABS (Attribute Based Selling) strategies, and a mixture of pricing and exclusivity incentives is probably the way to go, for example there’s only one ‘Presidential Suite’ and if you don’t guarantee the hotel you´ll pay, they can’t guarantee you´ll get it! This is going to be a hot topic on the agenda at our upcoming conference for sure.”

The article Non-refundable hotel rates and advance bookings are returning first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Rise in water adventure tourism is expected to remain a chief growth driver. Increasing demand for experiencing adventure sports and water activities has been driving special interest tourism. Against this backdrop, diving tourism market will be presented with attractive opportunities for growth.

Disintermediation-the Evacuation of Middle-Man Enabling Growth
In the travel & tourism sector, the inclination has been towards disintermediation, meaning the evacuation of the middleman – a tour administrator or travel planner/agent – who has traditionally associated the customer in the source market to the ground overseer in the objective market. As the vacationers can access information and trusted customer reviews online, they are likelier to go straight to the provider.

Explorers are progressively more associated with the adventure activities and seldom leave without a phone or tablet to capture their vacation moment or keep in contact with friends and family. This trend is breaking down geographic limits and permitting explorers to wander further afield than ever before.

Moreover, with the increase in government initiatives in the form of public-private partnerships to promote tourism, the surge in travel tendencies on online media, rivalry among travel services in the contribution of reasonable travel packages, reduced travel restrictions as well as the economic evolution are the factors responsible for propelling the growth of diving tourism market in foreseeable future.

Key Takeaways from the Diving Tourism Market Study

• The revenue generated by the travel and tourism industry was approximately 6.3% of the global gross domestic product in the year 2019 and diving tourism was approximately 0.003% of the total GDP in 2019.
• In the year 2019, the diving tourism industry witnessed a growth of approximately 4.9% due to better and quicker air traveling, making previously remote areas accessible, easier traveling, increase in the number of paid holidays per person globally, increase in the outdoor activities among millennials in developing countries and other factors.
• Online booking is the most lucrative booking channel for the coming foreseeable future. The companies are currently focusing on digital media platforms due to consumer’s inclination towards third-party services.
• In-personal booking account for the highest value share in the diving tourism market. However, online booking is expected to expand at the highest CAGR owing to secure payment, easy cancellation policy, and less paperwork, and others.
• Europe holds the largest value share in the global diving tourism market due to growing consumer consciousness and the high concentration of operators and destination sites in the region, which accelerates the market in the specific region.

“Companies are recommended to focus on innovation & attractive services pertaining to various diving tourism activities and create moments beyond the expectations of travellers. Run more events like Fiji Fiesta which help to drive the bookings,” says the research analyst.

Impact of COIVD-19 & 2020 Market Analysis
The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably diminished global economic activity and caused critical instability and disturbance in global financial markets. The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken by various countries in response have adversely affected and could in the future materially adversely impact the diving tourism business, results of operations, and financial condition.

During 2020, aspects of the diving tourism business were unfavourably affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavirus and the subsequent travel limitations around the globe, along with the Movement Control Order (MCO) put into place, has severely impacted the tourist and diving industry across the world.

E-learning has been growing in popularity for some time and has been embraced by various training agencies and dive centers like PADI, SDI, NAUI, and others to greater and lesser degrees, but the flow of divers and dive students is expected to be very low.

Who is winning?
Some of the key players operating in the diving tourism market are Fly & Sea Dive Adventures, Project Expedition, Bluewater Travel, Island Expeditions Company Limited, Liveaboard Adventures, national Geographic Expeditions, Deep Blue Adventures, Caradonna Adventures, Advanced Diver Mexico, The Natural Travel Collection Ltd., PADI Travel, Hidden Depths Dive Tours, Scuba Travel, Dive The World, World Dive and Sail International, Entrada Travel Group, Quicksilver Group, Dive Adventures, and among others.

• In 2021, World Dive and Sail International are going to organize the DRT (Diving, Resort, and Travel) show in Shanghai, the most effective B2B2C platform and the largest diving expo in Asia. The partners for the DRT Show Shanghai are PADI, UTD, SDI, DAN World, Ocean Seeds, TDI, TPB, and many others.
• In 2019, Fly & Sea Dive Adventures partnered with The Dive Shop for exclusive dive travel coordination. This partnership would enable the company to enhance and grow its travel business segment.
• In 2019, Project Expedition entered into a supplier partnership with KHM Travel Group. Through this partnership, KHM Travel Group advisors would have access to competitive commissions when booking on Project Expedition’s curated platform of 12,000 tours and excursions across 800 cities.

These insights are based on a report on Diving Tourism Market by Future Market Insights.

The article Water adventure tourism revival supporting diving tourism growth at 5.9% CAGR: New study first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

“Throughout 2020 and into 2021, as wave after wave of Covid-19 infections continued to spread across the globe, hotels struggled to achieve sustainable levels of demand. Hoteliers and their staff have, however, been adaptable and resourceful over the period and quite a few of the properties that contributed to STR in 2019 have therefore continued to do so in 2021,” says Troughton. “It is encouraging to witness the resilience of some of the key African cities as well as the boost in performances in the months leading up to the end of the year.”

The below Review of the 2021 year sees HTI Consulting compare the performances of 2021 with those of 2019 to identify the rate of recovery in key Southern, Western and East African markets.

Southern Africa
Occupancy Recovery Rates
Umhlanga showed the strongest occupancy recovery rate across Southern African markets currently contributing to STR. With an average occupancy of 48.1% for 2021, occupancy for October and November was sitting at 65%, peaking at 71% in December. Recovery rates over these three months ranged from 86% to 92%.

With an occupancy rate of 25,2% in 2021, Lusaka’s recovery is at 54% when compared to 2019 occupancy (54%).

Cape Town’s recovery is at a similar level (53%) with an average occupancy of 34.9% for 2021 vs. 65.3% in 2019. From October 2021 occupancy levels were pushed over 50%, driven by increased demand from overseas travellers after South Africa’s removal from the red list in October.

Despite the travel bans that ensued in December 2021, the December occupancy for Cape Town was also above 50% due to strong domestic leisure support.

Room Supply Recovery
Occupancy levels achieved should always be viewed in the context of the recovery of room supply. When assessing the number of rooms contributing to STR data in 2021, Windhoek and Gaborone have achieved equivalent levels to 2019. Occupancy recovery levels for these
two markets are therefore more accurate. Room supply in Umhlanga, Sandton and Cape Town is notably down, with respective recovery of supply at 62%, 58% and 57%.

It remains uncertain as to whether or not the limited recovery in property contributions to STR is attributed to permanent closure or temporary closure. Some are likely to reopen occupancies and therefore in these markets might take some time to regain 2019 levels. International market recovery will also take some time and increased business and leisure travel will be required to drive peaks achieved prior to Covid. 

ADR Recovery Rates
From a rate perspective, most key markets have made pleasing progress in rate recovery. Hoteliers, for the most part, have carefully managed discounting in order to avoid rate dilution and to facilitate a swift rate recovery once market conditions improve. Umhlanga achieved an ADR of USD 91 for 2021 vs. USD 92 in 2019. This is a positive sign. 

When considering the pressure the Lusaka market was under prior to the pandemic, the achievement of an ADR of USD82 is positive, particularly as rates achieved in 2019 were USD100.

Cape Town and Sandton have experienced similar recovery rates. Hoteliers in the Mother City have, however, found it challenging to push rates without higher paying international clientele. Sandton properties continue to discount.

RevPAR Recovery Rates
The RevPAR recovery rate continues to remain subdued, with market leaders only at 44% when compared to 2019. Low occupancies remained a challenge across the southern region, given the dearth of international leisure and domestic and regional business travellers. 

The removal of Southern African countries from the ‘red list’ by most key source markets in early 2022 is likely to see a gradual uptick in foreign travellers, notably from February onwards. Increased activity from the business market is also anticipated, particularly with the view that the pandemic could potentially be downgraded to an endemic. The outlook for 2022 is therefore cautiously optimistic, provided no more travel bans or lockdowns impact the region. 

Market Outlook
The UNWTO frequently surveys tourism experts across continents in order to understand their views on when key tourism markets will recover to 2019 levels. In May 2021, 45% of African tourism experts surveyed projected the continent would recover to 2019 levels by the end of 2023. A similar survey in January 2022 highlighted that only 33% of experts saw recovery occurring in 2023, with 50% anticipating recovery in 2024 or later. 

“For Southern Africa, the latter scenario is more likely given the challenges in recent months,” states Troughton. “Uncertainty remains high due to erratic flight schedules, frequently changing Covid regulations and undeniable travel anxiety related to being stranded or having to undergo unexpected quarantine periods (as experienced by foreign travellers to South Africa in November 2021).”

“As the region awaits the return of foreigners, many Southern African assets are struggling to maintain sustainable operations,” he says. “HTI Consulting have worked with a number of owners to create strategies that will offload risk and stabilise cash-flow allocation for debt repayments.”

“Converting operations from a management contract to a lease or franchise has been a prevalent trend in this region as has the sale of distressed assets and the renegotiation of existing finance structures. This trend is expected to continue in the medium term and savvy investors have the opportunity to add good quality assets to their portfolios.”

East Africa
Occupancy Recovery
Zanzibar showed strong recovery in 2021 with an occupancy recovery rate of 87%. The number of properties contributing to STR is however limited (average of 229 rooms in 2019). A review of bed occupancy for the island as a whole (published by the OCGS in Zanzibar) indicated a similar recovery rate of 84%.

Furthermore, the island’s tourist arrivals are at 73% of what they were in 2019. Zanzibar’s ‘open door’ policy, a focus on targeting non-traditional markets and limited restrictions contributed towards a strong recovery in 2021. 

Addis Ababa’s strong recovery throughout the year is surprising given the political challenges being experienced in the country. Ethiopian Airlines does however drive a high degree of transit passengers through the destination, boosting accommodation demand. Although a small market, the recovery in the Kigali market is positive.

The 2019 figures were however off a low base with a high of 49% for the year. Nairobi, Kampala and Dar es Salaam continue to struggle with recovery well off the 2019 benchmark. Foreign travellers play a strong role in driving hotel demand in these cities. 

Room Supply Recovery
The sample size reviewed by STR in 2019 was equal for Kampala, Kigali and Addis Ababa by the end of 2021. Whilst Zanzibar sits at 83% only one property is currently not contributing to the sample. Both Nairobi and Dar es Salaam still have a number of properties that are closed. The occupancy recovery levels in these markets are therefore over estimated. 

ADR Recovery Rate
The ADR for Zanzibar has recovered and exceeded that achieved in 2019. Positioned at USD 123 at the end of 2019, in 2021 USD 153 was achieved. As with other markets, the rate of recovery for ADR is relatively strong as hoteliers have been careful with rate management. All markets are at 80% and above with the exception of Addis Ababa and Kigali where strong discounting is being applied to attract demand. As highlighted, a large proportion of demand in these markets is driven by MICE activity, which remains subdued across the globe.  

RevPAR Recovery Rate
The properties in Zanzibar have exceeded the USD 79 RevPAR achieved in 2019, with a rate of USD 97.66 in 2021. This is extremely positive and points to the successful strategy adopted by the island in generating demand.

Other markets in the region continue to under-perform. The recovery of international business tourism (both individual and conference) is a key factor for these markets.

These segments remain under pressure in Africa and, whilst Kigali has started to gear up its MICE business, international demand is limited and most East African cities remain largely reliant on domestic, and occasionally, regional conferences. 

Market Outlook
The outlook for Zanzibar is positive. Investment in this node is currently very active and opportunities for greenfield and brownfield projects are apparent. 

There remain a number of distressed assets elsewhere in East Africa, particularly in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, where a number of properties have not re-opened. The better quality of these are under strong scrutiny by international investors with some, such as the City Lodge East African portfolio, being snapped up by regional investors such as Actis.

Other properties in Nairobi, Kampala and Dar es Salaam are currently undergoing a due diligence process as investors weigh up the available opportunities.

Conversions to franchises, management contracts, lease agreements and sales are likely to be evident in the East African market over the next 18 to 24 months as markets slowly gain traction. Commensurate with Southern Africa, the return to 2019 trading levels is expected to be slow but steady, and achievable by the end of 2024.

The return of international corporate travel and MICE activity is key to regaining former highs. The MICE market, given the volumes attracted, is expected to be one of the last to recover. 

West Africa
Occupancy Recovery Rate
Only three West African markets were able to contribute consistently to STR in 2021. Lagos has been the standout for the West African region with an 85% average occupancy recovery rate at the end of 2021. The occupancy average for 2021 was 52.1% versus  61.6% at the end of 2019. Strong domestic and regional support, from both leisure and business markets has sustained the industry over this time. 

Accra has also seen a strong recovery with occupancy for 2021 positioned at 45.8% (65.3% in 2019). Commensurate with Lagos, domestic and regional business and leisure travellers have enabled a strong rebound. Abidjan finished 2021 with an occupancy of 42% versus 56.8% in 2019. 

Room Supply Recovery Rate
Recovery in key West African markets, when considering the supply of rooms, is even more impressive. The number of rooms contributing to STR actually increased in both Abidjan (Noom Hotel, amongst others) and Lagos (opening of the Marriott Hotel in Ikeja). New supply in markets like Nigeria is already being absorbed. The level of rooms contributing to STR is at 99% for Accra. 

ADR Recovery Rate
ADR in both Abidjan (USD 136 vs. USD 137 in 2021) and Lagos (USD 127 vs. USD 130 in 2019) is almost aligned with 2019 levels. Accra, at 83% of 2019 levels (USD 131 vs. USD 158 in 2019), is not far behind. The growing oil price bodes well for both Nigeria and Ghana. Provided no new Covid variants emerge, oil prices are expected to remain buoyant in the short to medium term. This will bode well for the hospitality sector in the region and expedite recovery to 2019 levels. 

RevPAR Recovery Rate
Given the strong recovery in both occupancy and ADR across all markets, RevPAR recovery rates are amongst the strongest assessed. Recovery has occurred despite some countries being placed on the amber list by various international countries. Travellers to amber 
list countries were required to quarantine upon return to their home country. Given this, international demand was limited and further amplifies the extent to which the regional and domestic markets have supported the hospitality sector in key cities.

Market Outlook
The outlook for West Africa is positive. A return to 2019 trading levels expected by the end of 2023, if not sooner. Continued domestic and regional support, along with the gradual growth in international business travellers will facilitate a market rebound. 

Whilst Abidjan, Lagos and Accra do represent opportunities for greenfields developments, particularly considering the resilience of each market, sales transactions, conversions and leases remain more likely in the short term.

Should oil prices continue to rise exponentially, projects placed on hold during Covid could once again be revitalised resulting in a new supply cycle within the medium term (three to five years)

The article Recovery, Resilience and Loss – A Review of key African hotel markets 2021 by HTI Consulting first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

According to Scope Ratings, the sector faces a double blow, ensuring the sector’s credit outlook remains negative.

First, there are those sharply higher fuel prices, back at levels not seen since 2014, particularly for those airlines without significant hedging in place. Worries about the future supply of Russian crude have pushed oil prices back toward USD 100 a barrel in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has triggered wide-ranging international sanctions against President Vladimir Putin and his government.

Jet fuel price developments versus crude oil price in USD/barrel

Normally fuel is the first or second biggest cost item so jet fuel prices have long driven airline profitability, representing between 15% and as much as 35% of airline operating costs in the past decade.

Fuel sensitive: global airline profitability historically closely linked to kerosene prices

Carriers have over the years actively hedged their fuel bills by purchasing a certain amount of kerosene at predetermined prices using swaps, futures and call options with a one- to two-year horizon. The experience of the pandemic when airlines had to ground fleets and fuel prices proved highly volatile, leaving airlines locked into buying fuel they didn’t need at above-market prices, has led some carriers to adjust their strategies, with more quarterly than annual hedging and greater use of options.

Latest data show that, for Europe’s carriers which disclose hedging, they have significant proportions of fuel costs hedged near-term but much less for later this year and 2023 for some. Some abandoned hedging such as Wizz Air or Norwegian, leaving them potentially exposed to much higher fuel costs if oil prices don’t fall back soon.

European airlines hedging levels 2022-23

Secondly, no-fly zones represent potentially significant extra disruption beyond the skirting of Ukraine’s skies already forced upon European carriers for safety reasons as Russia prepared and launched its attack on the country. In Europe, the EU, UK and Scandinavian countries have banned Russian flights from their skies. Russia has threatened to retaliate which could create significant problems for carriers reliant on serving Russian airports and using Russian air space such as Finland’s Finnair. Airlines forced to choose longer routes to avoid flying over the huge Russian land mass would also push up fuel consumption.

Europe’s airlines face other headwinds in the winding down of various forms of government support on which they relied heavily to get through the Covid-19 shock just as inflation – over and above fuel prices – is picking up in many European countries, particularly in the shape of higher airport charges.

Offsetting those challenges is possible through achieving higher load factors, using more fuel-efficient aircraft and careful planning of flight schedules and fuel hedging in anticipation of future market conditions.

However, the simplest option of passing on costs to passengers through higher ticket prices looks the most difficult without sacrificing market share. Europe’s air travel market suffers from lingering over capacity amid the prospects of a weaker-than-expected economic recovery due to the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant in the past few months and now the outbreak of war in Ukraine. 

Tight control of costs and maximising financial room for manoeuvre to manage fares to help sustain healthy load factors will remain vital ingredients in Europe’s airlines strategies.

The article Europe’s airlines brace for a rise on fuel prices, no-fly zones amid war in Ukraine first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

When choosing a travel and hospitality destination, one of the things we often consider is the size of the crowd it pulls in, as large crowd often indicate positive attributes, including popularity, high quality, and a feeling of assurance. Now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, avoiding crowded spots has risen several ranks on the priority lists of consumers. Fearing the risks of contracting the virus, people have been avoiding urban settings and popular tourist destinations. But is this trend universal? Does it apply to all kinds of travelers? Are there some tourist destinations or activities that travelers take part in regardless of the crowd?

These are the few questions that this study by a team of researchers, including Associate Professor Jacob Chaeho Lee from Dongguk University, tries to answer in a new study published in Tourism Management.
 
Based on the literature combined with empirical evidence from five survey-based experimental studies, the team hypothesized and demonstrated that, consumers under high salience of the COVID-19 pandemic display a diminished preference for crowded destinations. However, they also found that consumers who tend to seek sensation and have need for uniqueness show the opposite pattern. They also proved that this effect remains consistent across different travel and hospitality options regardless of the participants’ previous travel experiences.

So, how does this study contribute to the recovery of the tourism and hospitality industry?

Hailing these results, Dr. Lee says, “Our findings show that tourism and hospitality firms need to re-evaluate and reinvent their marketing strategies to adapt to this new consumer psychology and behavior. For example, firms may need to stop promoting the notion of crowding, popularity, or being trendy in the advertisements, social media, and review sites about their venues.” Their findings also suggest that during the pandemic, firms need to create new opportunities to attract consumers who tend to seek high levels of sensation and uniqueness in their consumption.

The findings of the present study would greatly help tourism and hospitality firms to bounce back from the losses caused by the pandemic.

Reference
Authors: In-Jo Park a, Jungkeun Kim b, Seongseop (Sam) Kim c, Jacob C. Lee d, Marilyn Giroux b
Title of original paper: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on travelers’ preference for crowded
versus non-crowded options
Journal: Tourism Management
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2021.104398
Affiliations:
a Department of Psychology, Henan University, 1 Jinming St., Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
b Department of Marketing, Auckland University of Technology, 120 Mayoral Drive, Auckland, 1010,
New Zealand
c School of Hotel & Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 17 Science
Museum Road, TST East, Kowloon, Hong Kong
d Dongguk Business School, Dongguk University, 30 Pildong-ro 1-gil, Seoul, South Korea

The article Maneuvering through a pandemic: A valuable lesson in the future of tourism and hospitality marketing, as shown by Dongguk University researchers first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Main routes of the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela
Before joining the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage it is important that you have some kind of physical preparation, it is a walk of several hundred kilometers that can be exhausting physically and mentally, but you can also do it by bicycle. Now, to get to the city of the apostle there are many routes available, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

To begin with, there is the French route, which is the most popular among pilgrims. With 940 kilometers divided into 31 sections, it is the longest route to Santiago. In second place we find Santiago del Norte, another of the routes with the most traffic that stretches about 815 divided into 32 stages when traveled on foot, also offers walkers a more picturesque landscape with a view of Laredo beach.

Other routes are the Camino de Santiago Primitivo, which receives that name for being the first route used to reach Santiago and extends for 322 km. The Vía de la Plata is also an excellent option to get to Santiago, although it is a fairly hard section, it is worth traveling thanks to its age and history, this route has more than 705 km divided into 26 stages on foot.

Other routes that also allow access to Santiago
The Camino de Santiago Portugues is a route that offers 119 kilometers of walking, but the disadvantage is that this road has very few hostels for pilgrims. On the contrary, the Camino Ingles to Santiago is a fast route with only 155 km on foot, with many signs and aids for pilgrims. For its part, the Camino de Santiago de Catalan covers an average length of 325 km with 14 stages on foot, which at the end of the route joins the Camino de Santiago Frances.

Of course, there are other routes that also lead to the Camino de Santiago, but some of them are desert terrain that could later take a toll on the agency due to the complicated weather. Doing the Camino de Santiago is a good opportunity for you to rediscover your spiritual side while taking advantage of it and doing some sport.

Why pilgrimage to the Camino De Santiago
It is a very important route for those who plan to renew their faith, in addition to the fact that the path is so noble that it gives time for personal reflection, full of fellowship between walkers from different countries and with varied traditions.

Once you arrive at the Cathedral of Santiago, you feel a tremendous personal achievement having completed hundreds of kilometers on foot and being able to visit and embrace the Apostle Santiago is the greatest reward that people receive. The way to Santiago de Compostela is a major religious ritual, which when it ends allows pilgrims to meditate on all the effort it took to get to the Cathedral while professing their faith.

The article Camino de Santiago, the route followed by pilgrims to reach the apostle first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Matt Ovenden, on-the-water expert at Borrow A Boat, believes a boating holiday, that can be tailored to your exacting needs, is the perfect option for summer 2022.

Matt says: “Holidays that satiate that primal need for blue skies, sunshine and crystal-clear waters are undoubtedly on every Brit's mind, but after two years of being separated from loved ones and holidays being few and far between, trips that incorporate both the obligatory sun, sea and sand with new experiences that can be shared and memories that can be cherished for years to come, should be top of the list.

“Boating is one such holiday – whether you’re a seasoned sailor or complete beginner, looking to explore the Dalmatian coast by boat with friends, keen to learn to sail in the Balearics with family, or simply wanting to relax onboard a yacht on the Ionian coast with your partner, whilst staying safe in your bubble. Gone are the days when boating was only for those with access to luxury mega-yachts. Today, there really is a boating holiday for everyone.”

Here, Matt shares his guide to why a boating holiday should be top of every travel itinerary for summer 2022…

You’re the navigator
While you may not be the captain of the ship, choosing a boating holiday does give you the freedom to choose where you go, when you go and just how quickly you get there. Unlike other forms of transport, boating gives you the opportunity and freedom to explore locations you might otherwise miss – it’s as much about enjoying the journey as it is the destination. Think hidden coves and unspoiled beaches that only the locals know about. Not to mention the chance to spot some of the local aquatic life – an exhilarating treat no matter your age. So, whether you’re island hopping around the Greek islands or sailing across the Med, you get to tailor your holiday to your exacting needs and desires.

No experience needed
Contrary to what many people think, you don’t need previous sailing experience to charter a boat. Depending on your experience you can choose to hire a boat with or without a skipper. And, if you are keen to learn to sail, do let your skipper know as they will likely be more than happy to teach you the basics, from steering to tacking and taking the main sail up. The key thing is to hire a boat through a reputable charter company or peer-to-peer marketplace, so that you can be safe in the knowledge that the boat you’ve chartered meets the stringent safety and insurance codes, standards, and regulations for yacht chartering in its respective location.

The blue mind
If it’s time relaxing and de-stressing in the sunshine you’re after, a boating holiday is the ideal option as you’ll reap the rewards of the 'blue mind'. The ‘blue mind’ is the meditative state we fall in to when near, in or on water, increasing our brain’s ability to be mindful, whilst boosting imagination and creativity. It’s essentially the antidote to the anxious, over-stimulated state our brains are usually forced to function in is as a result of the pressures of modern life. Combine this with a healthy hit of Vitamin D, fresh sea air and afternoons spent sailing or swimming in the sea, and you’ll come away from your boating holiday feeling revitalised.

You don’t need to travel far to enjoy boating
Even if you’re not planning on travelling abroad, there are still plenty of places to enjoy a boating holiday in the UK – from exploring the Norfolk Broads to navigating the 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales or enjoying a coastal jaunt to the Isle of Wight. You will experience all the same benefits and thrills as boating abroad, though the weather might not be such a dead cert…

The memories will last a lifetime
No matter where you go or what you do, a boating holiday will certainly be a trip you’ll look back on for years to come. These days there are very few opportunities for uninterrupted time with loved ones without the distractions of modern life and tech, so a week on board a boat in the sunshine offers you all the chance to truly switch off, relax and make memories that will last a lifetime.

The article Head off the beaten track and onto the water: Why boating is the ideal holiday for 2022 first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

As it stands currently, ATR is the only game in town. However, an ATR monopoly may not be in its own best interests. “Customers don’t like monopolies,” Schoenberg explains. “We saw this in the 1990s when the CRJ100/200 was the only option. It was not until the E-145 came to market that sales of both types took off.”

Schoenberg continues, “Embraer may once again ride to the rescue in 2022 if its new turboprop offering is launched. With rear fuselage mounted engines, Embraer believes this also future proofs its new aircraft for alternative propulsion systems.”

Outside the confines of the ongoing pandemic, the increased pressure towards carbon neutrality is also impacting the sales of new generation large regional jets or the small narrowbodies that are increasingly referred to as “Crossover Jets”.  Responding to the need for a greener outlook, both Airbus and Embraer products offer fuel burn savings of up to 20% over current generation aircraft.

The A220 is undeniably positioned as a narrowbody aircraft and so will never operate in any lower cost regional airline subsidiary, but “Embraer potentially holds some useful cards. The Embraer E2 can potentially slot into existing regional airlines to operate for majors at lower cost.” At least for now, the Airbus A220 is leading the field both historically and with new commitments during 2021.

Regarding pre-owned and established aircraft, it is no surprise to see that COVID-19 continued to be the prime driver for commercial airline fortunes in 2021. However, some types fared better than others, as did certain geographical areas. “As the year progressed ALTEA noted an operational strategy shift towards low utilisation of more aircraft in order to ensure continuing airworthiness instead of widespread mothballing” points out Schoenberg. “The presence of more in service aircraft did not necessarily signal a real recovery of the industry overall.”

2021 also saw many appraisers and commentators continuing to project substantial value declines for used aircraft, in some cases exceeding 30%. However, in reality this proved theoretical as very few actual sales occurred as lessors and owners proved unwilling to accept such impairments preferring instead to either store or lease excess aircraft. “ALTEA believes that as traffic recovers in 2022 and beyond, values will recover and only then will significant trading occur,” says Schoenberg. “For certain types this was already occurring towards the year end. The US domestic market, by far the largest home for regional jets, has recovered to 2019 levels so that 70 seat regional jets are once again in a stronger place.”

“Barring a longer Omicron-induced travel demand hiatus, ALTEA continues to see regional aircraft leading a recovery” concludes Schoenberg.

The article 2021 in review and what to expect in 2022 – ALTEA’s perspective on the regional aviation market first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.

Even if your small team has marketing gurus in it, the algorithms still favor the big guys as they spend billions of dollars on marketing-related expenses a year. The SMBs’ budgets, however, are nowhere close to these hefty numbers. More so since the pandemic has hit the travel industry hard. McKinsey and Company reports that, in 2020, total global business travel expenses fell by 52 percent. Meanwhile, the UN World Tourism Organization estimates that the pandemic could cause a loss of more than $4 trillion to the global GDP for the years 2020 and 2021. 

While all the market players, both big and small, have incurred losses in the past two years, predictably, the SMBs took the biggest hit. Many had to shut down their operations. For others, the money became too tight to mention. 

Travelpayouts, a partnership marketing platform, brings together over 300,000 content creators around the globe. During these challenging times, the company decided to create a brand-new product that will help you cut marketing costs, strike worthwhile partnerships, and create a secure business environment. 

Meet the first automatic partnership platform that is tailored to the needs of travel brands: The Travelpayouts Digital Partnership Platform.

Making SMBs life easier
While both the cost and competition are taking a toll on the travel business, several other marketing-related obstacles are important to mention. 

One of them pertains to how much time the businesses spend on finding the right partners for affiliate marketing. Research shows that as many as 76% of marketing teams are operating their influencer marketing manually, spending hundreds of human hours on finding the right affiliate marketers while lacking access to appropriate ROI-based solutions and analytical tools for gauging the marketing results. This process is everything but efficient. 

To fix the situation, Travelpayouts came up with a solution that seeks to reinvent the travel SMBs’ marketing experience. Dubbed the Digital Partnership Platform, it gives travel brands access to 300,000 travel influencers and content creators worldwide. It also helps travel SMBs get the most out of marketing and compete with giant companies like Booking.com or Expedia by getting in sight of relevant audiences. 

The Travelpayouts platform offers a raft of new features. You can use it to reach your target audiences across all digital channels — from targeted ads to personal blogs, from search engines to social media, whatever a content creator uses to get traffic on their resource. Pay partners in a single transaction and simplify your company’s management since the platform does all the accounting for you. You do not need to sign contracts with multiple marketing partners, negotiate terms and fees, or manually count and pay their rewards. Travelpayouts does all these tasks for you while giving access to insightful marketing reporting that helps you make informed decisions.

The matching magic
On Nov 15th, Travelpayouts announced the built-in matchmaking platform that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the Phocuswright Conference in Miami. The AI-powered “Matching Machine” is a gamechanger for travel businesses since it reinvents the way your brand searches for the right influencer. Instead of rummaging through profiles trying to find the right person to promote your brand, you can now ask the machine to do it for you. 

Factoring in your preferences, goals, types of business, the system screens thousands of profiles, looking for the optimal matches. It takes only several minutes for it to do its magic, compiling a list of the influencers that are right for your business. 

However, that is just one part of the game. Travelpayouts has invested a great deal of time and effort into ensuring that the new platform is a safe place for everyone. To preempt potential fraudsters from joining the platform, the platform manually verifies every marketing player, tracking all the information that is pivotal for unmasking scammers. In particular, all traffic is assessed to prevent any unwanted placements or marketing methods.

Travelpayouts entirely depends on its robust community, and the new product was created based on their feedback. “Over the past decade, we have proven to both brands and influencers that we are trustworthy. And with great success. The sales volume of travel services on our platform reaches $1 billion. Travelpayouts provides over 5M global target audience available to our clients partners since 2011 and we are  happy to share the best practices of affiliate marketing and explain how to make the most out of this enticing field at any time.”, – says Ivan Baidin, CEO of Travelpayouts.

The article Travelpayouts introduces the first automatized partnership platform for travel brands first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.