The halt to the 18-month ban on travel from 33 countries, including members of the European Union, China, Iran, South Africa, Brazil and India, could help rejuvenate a U.S. tourism industry that has been crippled by the pandemic. The industry suffered a $500 billion loss in travel expenditures in 2020, according to the U.S. Travel Association, a trade group that promotes travel to and within the United States.
Foreign travelers will need to show proof of vaccination before boarding and a negative coronavirus test within three days of coming to the United States, Jeffrey D. Zients, the White House pandemic coordinator, said on Monday. Unvaccinated Americans who want to travel home from overseas will have to clear stricter testing requirements. They will need to test negative for the coronavirus one day before traveling to the United States and show proof that they have bought a test to take after arriving in the United States, Mr. Zients said.
Read more at:
U.S. to Lift Pandemic Travel Restrictions, Easing Tension With Europe - The New York Times
Showing posts with label Tourist Industry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tourist Industry. Show all posts
9/23/21
7/27/20
Spain - Tourist Industry: €8.7 billion lost: Can Spain's tourism sector survive latest blow?
Britain's decision late Saturday to impose quarantine on all
travellers coming from Spain represents a huge setback -- British
tourists are the largest national group of visitors, with 18 million of
them taking a Spanish holiday in 2019.
"It's a very tough blow" given that the tourist sector "had hoped to be able to turn things around in August," Ximo Puig, the Valencian regional president told Cadena Ser radio.
For some resorts like Benidorm, British tourists constitute 40 percent of visitors.
The announcement was terrible news for the embattled sector, which had hoped the summer months would help it claw back some of the colossal losses incurred through months of lockdown.
Read more at:
€8.7 billion lost: Can Spain's tourism sector survive latest blow? - The Local
"It's a very tough blow" given that the tourist sector "had hoped to be able to turn things around in August," Ximo Puig, the Valencian regional president told Cadena Ser radio.
For some resorts like Benidorm, British tourists constitute 40 percent of visitors.
The announcement was terrible news for the embattled sector, which had hoped the summer months would help it claw back some of the colossal losses incurred through months of lockdown.
Read more at:
€8.7 billion lost: Can Spain's tourism sector survive latest blow? - The Local
3/11/20
Tourist Industry: Coronavirus concerns, anxiety send travel industry into a spiral - by Curtis Tate, Dawn Gilbertson and Morgan Hines
A government warning not to board a cruise ship or long flight if
you're frail. Convention and event cancellations from coast to coast.
Global travel warnings.
The travel and tourism industry has taken hit after hit since the coronavirus outbreak began in January. It's still early for concrete data, but economists and industry executives fear 9/11- or recession-like repercussions. Travel demand plummeted, then and was slow to recover.
"Unfortunately, they're on the front lines on the effect of this virus. They're getting pummeled,'' said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Analytics.
He said the travel and tourism impact from coronavirus could be greater than the fallout from 9/11, or the 2003 SARS outbreak, because of the global nature of the crisis.
"Global travel is effectively shutting down,'' he said. "It's going to take a while to get it back up and running again. This is going to be a very tough year for the travel and tourism industry.''
The International Air Transport Association, which represents global airlines, last week boosted its estimates of the global financial hit from COVID-19 from $29.3 billion to between $63 billion and $113 billion as the bookings falloff has spread beyond Asia.
That would put airlines in their most precarious position since after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In the U.S. alone, the travel industry lost $40 billion from 2001 to 2005.
Read more at: Coronavirus concerns, anxiety send travel industry into a spiral
The travel and tourism industry has taken hit after hit since the coronavirus outbreak began in January. It's still early for concrete data, but economists and industry executives fear 9/11- or recession-like repercussions. Travel demand plummeted, then and was slow to recover.
"Unfortunately, they're on the front lines on the effect of this virus. They're getting pummeled,'' said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Analytics.
He said the travel and tourism impact from coronavirus could be greater than the fallout from 9/11, or the 2003 SARS outbreak, because of the global nature of the crisis.
"Global travel is effectively shutting down,'' he said. "It's going to take a while to get it back up and running again. This is going to be a very tough year for the travel and tourism industry.''
The International Air Transport Association, which represents global airlines, last week boosted its estimates of the global financial hit from COVID-19 from $29.3 billion to between $63 billion and $113 billion as the bookings falloff has spread beyond Asia.
That would put airlines in their most precarious position since after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In the U.S. alone, the travel industry lost $40 billion from 2001 to 2005.
Read more at: Coronavirus concerns, anxiety send travel industry into a spiral
3/8/20
Middle East: Turkey Corona Virus - Turkey to investigate coronavirus claims amid public concerns over transparency
Turkey’s
General Directorate of Security announced on Saturday it would be
launching investigations into any form of misinformation on the presence
of coronavirus cases in the country.
The investigations will include any form of social media posts sparking fear in the population, the directorate said in an official statement on its website.
The move is adding fuel to concerns that the Health Ministry of the country, surrounded by countries where the disease has been found, is hiding cases of the deadly virus.
Originating in China’s Wuhan province in December 2019, coronavirus has spread to more than 20 countries, including the United States, Russia, Iran, Spain, and India. The death toll caused by the virus worldwide climbed to at least climbed to at least 3,491 on Saturday with at least 102,472 confirmed across the globe, officials said.
Covid-19 has been found in half of Turkey’s eight neighbours - Iran, Greece, Iraq and Georgia.
The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) has confirmed that no cases of Covid-19 have been seen in the country with Health Minister, Fahrettin Koca, announcing on Friday that all 1,363 people suspected of possible infection had tested negative.
The figures include the crew of a Turkish Airlines jet that arrived in Singapore this week from Istanbul with an infected traveller. The crew was transported back to Turkey before undergoing examination.
There is "mistrust among the citizens against the Health Ministry," TTB Chair, Professor Sinan Adıyaman, told bianet news site on Saturday.
"It is definitely thought to exist in Turkey and some rumours are spreading. For example, there has been a rumour for a week that "29 Mayıs Hospital [in Ankara] is in quarantine. But that hospital continues its routine work," Adıyaman said.
Questions also loom over Turkey’s own test kit for the lethal virus. Turkish officials earlier this month announced the kit, which they say provides faster results than the 90-minute kits in use and has the highest accuracy in the world.
The investigations will include any form of social media posts sparking fear in the population, the directorate said in an official statement on its website.
The move is adding fuel to concerns that the Health Ministry of the country, surrounded by countries where the disease has been found, is hiding cases of the deadly virus.
Originating in China’s Wuhan province in December 2019, coronavirus has spread to more than 20 countries, including the United States, Russia, Iran, Spain, and India. The death toll caused by the virus worldwide climbed to at least climbed to at least 3,491 on Saturday with at least 102,472 confirmed across the globe, officials said.
Covid-19 has been found in half of Turkey’s eight neighbours - Iran, Greece, Iraq and Georgia.
The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) has confirmed that no cases of Covid-19 have been seen in the country with Health Minister, Fahrettin Koca, announcing on Friday that all 1,363 people suspected of possible infection had tested negative.
The figures include the crew of a Turkish Airlines jet that arrived in Singapore this week from Istanbul with an infected traveller. The crew was transported back to Turkey before undergoing examination.
There is "mistrust among the citizens against the Health Ministry," TTB Chair, Professor Sinan Adıyaman, told bianet news site on Saturday.
"It is definitely thought to exist in Turkey and some rumours are spreading. For example, there has been a rumour for a week that "29 Mayıs Hospital [in Ankara] is in quarantine. But that hospital continues its routine work," Adıyaman said.
Questions also loom over Turkey’s own test kit for the lethal virus. Turkish officials earlier this month announced the kit, which they say provides faster results than the 90-minute kits in use and has the highest accuracy in the world.
Read more at: Turkey to investigate coronavirus claims amid public concerns over transparency | Ahval
1/15/19
US Government Shutdown: hurting tourist industry - travel implications
 |
| Intl. tourists starting to avoid visiting US following Govt, shutdown |
With the shutdown entering its 26thth day and Friday marking the first missed pay period for these workers across the United States, planning future trips to The Bahamas will be the last thing on their minds.
Similar situations can be seen in Mexico and Canada, which usually attract a lot of US tourists throughout the year.
As the lock-down continues, travelers and tourists visiting the US are also dwindling.
International Airlines around the world are advising their customers traveling to the U.S. that they arrive at airports at least three hours prior to their scheduled departure time, due to increased processing times and other delays and many tourists have cancelled plans to visit the US.
Airline pilots tell @RealDonaldTrump that the #shutdown is jeopardizing national security — air marshals, TSA, air traffic controllers and more.
The largest association of pilots in the US has also expressed concerns over the safety of the nation’s airspace which it said was being threatened due to the shutdown.
There has not been a blanket order yet to clos, but National Parks across the US are struggling to remain open without funding to pay rangers. Without staff at the gates, parks are also losing a reported $400,000 a day in entry fees. Many campgrounds and walking trails have had to close due to a build-up of litter and other sanitation issues.
Bottom-line: at this point in time, international and local tourists probably should think twice before planning a trips to and in the US.
EU-Digest
7/21/17
Turkish Tourist Industry Hit Again: Turkey and Greece hit by strong earthquake: - by Helena Smith
At least 70 people were injured in Bodrum.Turkey.
The magnitude 6.7 quake injured a further 200 people in Greek and Turkish coastal towns.
The damage was, however, much less than could have been expected for an earthquake of its size. The United States Geological Survey said it was a very shallow quake – only 6 miles (10km) below the seabed – off the south-western coastal city of Marmaris in Muğla province, Turkey.
The epicentre was just 6 miles south of the Turkish resort of Bodrum and 10 miles from Kos.
Read more: Turkey and Greece hit by strong earthquake: two dead and 200 injured – as it happened | World news | The Guardian
3/30/16
Tourist Industry: Tourists Steer Clear of Turkey After Bombings, Russia Clash - by Yeliz Candemir and Emre Peker
A string of terrorist attacks blamed on Islamic State or Kurdish
militants, on top of a diplomatic feud with Russia, are battering
Turkey’s vibrant tourism industry, which had been one of the few bright
spots in a slowing economy.
Bookings for this summer are down 40% from last year, and hotel occupancy rates have plunged more than half, according to industry figures. Hundreds of hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and boutique resorts have been put up for sale.
And there is no end in sight to the turmoil. On Saturday, another bombing blamed on Islamic State killed four foreigners on a busy Istanbul shopping street.
“We didn’t dream of such a terrible situation,” said Bora Adali, a 35-year-old hotelier in Antalya, who is trying to sell his three-star resort. “We are facing a big crisis, and its scope hasn't yet been recognized.”
Tourism revenues tripled between 2001 and 2014, reaching a record
$34.3 billion. In 2012, Istanbul joined the world’s top-five tourist
destinations, according to the MasterCard
Global Destination Cities Index.
For eight years, Mr. Adali tapped into that growth. His 43-room hotel in the seaside town of Belek, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted the Group of 20 summit in November, was often filled by Russian tourists.
But just weeks after that summit, Turkish jets shot down a Russian warplane along the Turkey-Syria border that Ankara claimed had violated its airspace. Moscow denied the allegation and hit back with a trade embargo, including an effective ban Russian tours to Turkey. About four million Russians normally visit Turkey each year, the second-biggest group after Germany.
Turkey’s hotels and tourism-related businesses might have weathered the punitive Russian steps. But a series of suicide bombings frightened off a much broader stream of tourists from Europe.
Islamic State was blamed for twin-suicide bombings in Ankara last fall that killed more than 100 people at a peace rally. In January, an Islamic State suicide bomber killed a dozen German tourists in Istanbul near the Blue Mosque, one of the city’s most popular attractions.
Two car bombings over the past month in the capital killed dozens of people. Both were tied to Kurdish militants, signaling the insurgency was shifting its decades-old battle toward attacking urban centers and civilians instead of military targets in the mostly rural southeast.
The government has launched operations across predominantly Kurdish areas in southeastern Turkey to stamp out Kurdish separatists, including areas like Mardin and Diyarbakir, where tourism had thrived until the recent violence.
Officials have also tried to shore up the industry, which has seen almost 2,000 facilities catering to tourists listed for sale online in recent months.
Tourists Steer Clear of Turkey After Bombings, Russia Clash - WSJ
Bookings for this summer are down 40% from last year, and hotel occupancy rates have plunged more than half, according to industry figures. Hundreds of hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and boutique resorts have been put up for sale.
And there is no end in sight to the turmoil. On Saturday, another bombing blamed on Islamic State killed four foreigners on a busy Istanbul shopping street.
“We didn’t dream of such a terrible situation,” said Bora Adali, a 35-year-old hotelier in Antalya, who is trying to sell his three-star resort. “We are facing a big crisis, and its scope hasn't yet been recognized.”
For eight years, Mr. Adali tapped into that growth. His 43-room hotel in the seaside town of Belek, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted the Group of 20 summit in November, was often filled by Russian tourists.
But just weeks after that summit, Turkish jets shot down a Russian warplane along the Turkey-Syria border that Ankara claimed had violated its airspace. Moscow denied the allegation and hit back with a trade embargo, including an effective ban Russian tours to Turkey. About four million Russians normally visit Turkey each year, the second-biggest group after Germany.
Turkey’s hotels and tourism-related businesses might have weathered the punitive Russian steps. But a series of suicide bombings frightened off a much broader stream of tourists from Europe.
Islamic State was blamed for twin-suicide bombings in Ankara last fall that killed more than 100 people at a peace rally. In January, an Islamic State suicide bomber killed a dozen German tourists in Istanbul near the Blue Mosque, one of the city’s most popular attractions.
Two car bombings over the past month in the capital killed dozens of people. Both were tied to Kurdish militants, signaling the insurgency was shifting its decades-old battle toward attacking urban centers and civilians instead of military targets in the mostly rural southeast.
The government has launched operations across predominantly Kurdish areas in southeastern Turkey to stamp out Kurdish separatists, including areas like Mardin and Diyarbakir, where tourism had thrived until the recent violence.
Officials have also tried to shore up the industry, which has seen almost 2,000 facilities catering to tourists listed for sale online in recent months.
Tourists Steer Clear of Turkey After Bombings, Russia Clash - WSJ
6/22/12
The 10 Worst Airport Terminals Slideshow at Frommer's
Most airports are awful. Some are lovely, like the 10 prettiest airport terminals profiled last week. But most are at best joyless econoboxes, at worst purgatorial warehouses of stalled lives.
Some airports deserve special condemnation, though. In some cases, they deserve to be literally condemned. Assembling this top 10 list of misfits I scanned professional surveys and delay statistics and asked my frequent-traveler friends to come up with the ten airports where you'd least like to spend an extra hour.
Maybe you'll find your own least-favorite airport left off this list. What about Atlanta's immigration delays, Washington Dulles's absurd midfield terminal, or Heathrow Terminal 5's baggage indigestion problems? There are too many frustrating airports in the world to include here -- these are just my bottom 10 picks.
Read more: The 10 Worst Airport Terminals Slideshow at Frommer's
Some airports deserve special condemnation, though. In some cases, they deserve to be literally condemned. Assembling this top 10 list of misfits I scanned professional surveys and delay statistics and asked my frequent-traveler friends to come up with the ten airports where you'd least like to spend an extra hour.
Maybe you'll find your own least-favorite airport left off this list. What about Atlanta's immigration delays, Washington Dulles's absurd midfield terminal, or Heathrow Terminal 5's baggage indigestion problems? There are too many frustrating airports in the world to include here -- these are just my bottom 10 picks.
Read more: The 10 Worst Airport Terminals Slideshow at Frommer's
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)