In August, the European Commission announced a new EU Tourism Policy Framework intended to strengthen European tourism and its competitiveness. According to the EC, with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the importance of tourism is recognized. The European Union now has power to support, coordinate and complement tourism-related actions by the Member States. [...]
Yesterday, the European Commission and European Travel Commission announced that they had signed a landmark agreement at the European Tourism Forum in Cracow, Poland to promote “Destination Europe.” Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission (EC) and Petra Hedorfer, President of the European Travel Commission (ETC), have signed a historic Joint Declaration between the two [...]
Oct 062011
Given slower economic growth and persistently high unemployment rates in the US and Europe — both key generating markets for tourism to Latin America and the Caribbean, it is not surprising that the IMF is forecasting slower tourism growth as well. In fact, for much of the Caribbean, the region is already experiencing weak tourism [...]
Thailand – Joint public-private consultative committee for the tourism industry established to double tourism revenue. Thai tourism authorities have seen tremendous tourism success led by government authorities often in coordination with businesses. So, it is useful to watch what they do on tourism investment, marketing and promotion and how they do it. According to the [...]
Several countries, including the US and now Sri Lanka, are trying to take new less restrictive approaches to visa policy in attempts to boost international tourism. The Times of India reported on this today. Click here for more. Link to this post!
Following open policies around the world, the Philippines Travel Agencies Association is urging the Government to pursue open skies, more rational airline taxes and relaxed visa requirements. The Philippines Daily Inquirer reported: ” The Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) is urging the government to capitalize on the pocket open skies policy and to rationalize the [...]
Oct 032011
In the Washington Post today, front page attention to a possible US Government push to make it easier for visitors to come to the US…and hopefully shop. While the article emphasizes the shopping potential, this is really about increasing international tourism to the US. “The United States has long imported its food and fuel, its [...]
The World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings were held in Washington, DC this past weekend. While solutions to many of the world’s economic and social problems and issues were on the table, it does not appear that tourism was discussed much, if at all. Drops in tourism, however, were cited as causes of some of [...]
This week, the Air Transport Association (ATA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) came out against new taxes and fees proposed by the Transport Security Administration. Travel Agent Central reported that ATA opposed “the President’s proposals to impose a new $100 departure tax on every flight and [...]
Sep 072011
In the US, the Labor Day holiday was this past Monday, a time to ponder the high unemployment rate and sigh over the sad fact that no jobs were added in August — zero! This summer, though, Fortune magazine, The Atlantic and the Washington Post pointed to tourism as a path to job growth. Hmm…more [...]