January 2010 Travel News
It’s been a while since we last looked at some of the stories making headlines in the travel industry, so here’s our first travel news roundup of 2010.
Travel Oscars – Are You In?
Are you ready to go to the Oscars? There are no films involved, but if you’re in the travel business, then the World Travel Awards are where you want to be. You can nominate yourself in one of 998 categories covering a wide range of regions. It’s a good way to strut your travel stuff and stand out from the herd or, as President and Founder Graham Cooke, says: “winning a World Travel Award is an excellent way to stand up and be counted at time when marketing budgets are tight”. Nomination forms are available here. You’ll need to get yours in by January 31.
Baggage Costs Increase
I might have to add this to my list of travel rants, but the news that American has joined the ranks of those increasing checked baggage fees really gets my goat. There’s a $5 hike per bag, which means that if you make a round trip with two bags, you’ll pay $120. If you’re flying first or business class then you’re exempt (for now, at least). Delta and Continental did the same earlier in the month, making it a costly start to the year for travelers.
First Class Travel Falls
Despite that lucky exemption, IATA reports that first and business class travel for November fell 20 per cent over the start of the year. We’re not surprised as last year saw many business travel budgets slashed. Premium travel fell 6.7 per cent over the previous year and while it was an improvement on the October figures, passenger numbers were lower. Airlines will be thanking their lucky stars that things look better this year, with premium travel on the rise and a 3.5 per cent increase in economy travel in November compared with the previous year.
International Tourism On The Rise
The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer shows the weather looking good, with international tourism set to make a comeback after tough times in 2009. While arrivals fell by 4 per cent in 2009, they are expected to grow by a similar percentage this year.
“The global economic crisis aggravated by the uncertainty around the A(H1N1) pandemic turned 2009 into one of the toughest years for the tourism sector”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “However, the results of recent months suggest that recovery is underway, and even somewhat earlier and at a stronger pace than initially expected,” he added.
The organization sees 2010 as a ‘year of transformation’ with lots of opportunities to balance the risks of unemployment and fragile economic recovery. Find out more here.
Tags: business travel, tourism, travel, Travel News
