Is Tourism 2023, the travel industry’s environmental pledge, too little too late?

The travel industry has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the recession. However, that has not stopped it gathering at its annual conference with a view to facing up to the challenges that lie ahead, particularly those related to the environment.

This year’s Travel Convention in Barcelona, hosted by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), featured several announcements on how the industry plans to tackle its current malaise. First was the unveiling of an industry-wide sustainability strategy, which will aim to improve consumers’ perception of tourism and its environmental impact. Entitled Tourism 2023, it will be led by big brands such as British Airways, TUI, Thomas Cook and Co-operative Travel in conjunction with the government and charitable organisation Forum for the Future.

After years of inertia, the rush toward innovation and an increasing acceptance of sustainability issues mark a positive step. However, there appears to be a lack of definite goals from those running Tourism 2023, other than the aim to match the World Travel and Tourism Council’s pledge to reduce the travel industry’s CO2 emissions globally by 50% before 2035.

Five years ago, the announcement may have seemed radical, but a series of loosely formed ambitions, including being ‘as energy efficient as possible’ and ‘[using] more and more sustainable renewable sources of energy’, may not be enough to convince the public of the sector’s commitment to reform. Indeed, Virgin Atlantic, which has instigated a series of green schemes, including the aviation industry project Flying Matters, remains unconvinced by Tourism 2023 and has opted to focus on its own ‘high-profile and important tourism projects’.

A spokeswoman for Forum for the Future, which will oversee the development of Tourism 2023, says more concrete plans will be unveiled early next year. She adds that marketing may be one of the first areas to undergo change, with the partner brands creating a blueprint for communicating the benefits of sustainable tourism.

Much, it would seem, depends on how many travel businesses subsequently sign up to Tourism 2023.

Elsewhere, the travel industry’s problems continue to accumulate. The much-maligned Air Passenger Duty (APD) – a crude banded method by which journeys are taxed according to distance – is to undergo successive hikes, first in November and then at the end of next year.

By December 2010, a family of four will pay an additional £600 in APD to fly premium economy class to Barbados. Despite campaigning by ABTA and direct lobbying by Caribbean governments to scrap the second rise in APD, the industry has failed to exert any influence over the government.

Problem of protection

ABTA is also struggling to quell discontent on the subject of protection, a hot topic in the industry following
the failure last year of travel company XL. Many tour operators are openly critical of the Protection Contribution – currently £2.50 per passenger – administered by Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL).

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of ABTA, announced at the convention that talks were in progress with the Civil Aviation Authority to extend the protection scheme from package holidays to trips where consumers buy their flights and accommodation separately.

However, Richard Carrick, chief executive of Hoseasons, claims there is no quick fix to the industry’s problems. ‘Every day one of the major overseas operators says things are going to return to normal in 2010. Frankly, much of this is at best naive and, at worst, self-serving and unsubstantiated,’ he adds.

For all the enthusiasm of delegates, and high hopes of an improved economy next year, the travel industry cannot afford to underestimate the challenges that await it.

Courtesy of MarketingMagazine.co.uk

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QANTAS allowed a Boeing B747 plane to continue operating for nine months even though it was leaking oil, an unauthorised history of the airline claims.

During this time, a flight engineer was overcome by toxic fumes believed to have been caused by the oil leak.

Repeated inspections failed to find the cause of the problem and the oil was continually topped-up but passengers were never told of the possible toxic air problem, the book alleges.

Engine oil leaks are believed to directly contribute to toxic fumes being pumped into cabin air on older aircraft, the book alleges.

The allegations detailed in the book reveal that between July 2007 and July 2008 there were 31 reports by Qantas crew members concerned they had been exposed to toxic fumes while working on various planes.

The Men Who Killed Qantas states that when asked about the reports, Qantas (qan.ASX:Quote,News) said that “fewer than five claims were submitted by employees” during the 13-month period.

Written by investigative journalist Matthew Benns, the book outlines safety lapses that have dogged Qantas in recent years, including the 2008 incident where an exploding oxygen tank blew a gaping hole in the side of a Qantas jet.

The book also provides details about how a 2006 audit on maintenance carried out in Singapore found the quality of maintenance checks were “heading in a negative direction”.

“The book is an alarm bell for the airline,” Mr Benns told news.com.au.

“People within Qantas themselves have come to me with their concerns about future of the airline.

“I have spoken to current and former Qantas staff members so it’s the full history of Qantas right from the word go and its the version you won’t read on their website.

“It has cut 1750 jobs in the last year, paid its former CEO (Geoff Dixon) an almost $11 million golden parachute and sent maintenance of its jets overseas.

“It’s not a book about the death of the Qantas the airline but the death of an iconic Australian brand and its reputation for safety around the world.

Qantas hits back

The airline said that its commitment to safety remained at the core of everything it did.

It denied that one of its Boeing B747 was kept in operation despite leaking oil.

“Mr Benns asked about a particular B747 aircraft and we confirmed that oil usage in the aircraft’s APU (auxiliary power unit) in the prior months was always within manufacturer limits,” Qantas spokesman Simon Rushton said.

Asked if a flight engineer was overcome by toxic fumes, the airline said there was “no evidence to suggest that cabin air quality is an issue in any of our aircraft types.”

“Qantas operates cabin air systems in accordance with manufacturers’ normal operating procedures and complies with all CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) directives regarding air quality across our fleet,” Mr Rushton said.

He said that “air quality incidents” were “extremely rare” in Qantas aircraft and maintained that staff had made “fewer than five claims” relating to toxic fumes from July 2007 to July 2008.

“These generally involved small claims for costs associated with doctor’s visits and days off work,” Mr Rushton said.

He added that the airline used only “reputable overseas providers for some heavy maintenance work”.

The Men Who Killed Qantas by Matthew Benns released today by William Heinemann Australia. RRP $34.95.

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The freeze in spending on snow sports holidays is thawing out.

Skiing and snowboarding holidays have long been a winter treat for those who can afford them – but last year, few could.

After seven years of growth, the ski market plummeted by more than 13% in the 2008-09 season.

Tour operators said that because many families see a winter holiday as a luxury, it is one of the first things to be forfeited in a recession.

Companies have fought hard to tempt customers back on to the slopes, with some even offering free lessons and equipment hire.

It seems their efforts may be paying off.

Crystal Ski product director Ian David said: “In the last four weeks our sales have been really good.

“Last winter was a pretty tough year actually, we found that bookings did drop off and we had to adjust capacity for that, but this year we’re seeing a rebound which is great.”

Retailers selling snow sports gear on the high street also sensed a change.

Snow and Rock retail director Anthony Brown said: “Last year it was challenging for us, we saw a big change in the way our customers were spending money with us. They went for essential accessories rather than mainline items.

“This year we’re cautiously optimistic because we’re now starting to see customers coming back, buying a new jacket.

“Maybe they didn’t treat themselves last year so they’re going to do it this year.”

But although the anecdotal evidence is hopeful, the Association of British Travel Agents warned it is too early to tell if this season will be significantly better than the last.

Courtesy of SKY NEWS

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TUI’s ski boss is anticipating a good upcoming season after seeing heavy snowfall in the Alps.

Pistes have already opened to the public in Austria after up to a metre of snow fell on six glacier ski areas last week, while snowstorms have also been reported in France, Italy and Switzerland.

This year’s first proper Alpine snow comes in the same week as last year, which saw the best skiing conditions in Europe in more than 20 years.

TUI Ski managing director Mathew Prior is hoping this year’s early snow will lead to a good 2009/10 season for the industry, which is seeing bookings strengthen.

He said: “It was around this time last year that the snow started, and I think it is a very good omen. Since the middle of September we’ve seen quite a big upturn in bookings, with some very strong volumes.”

Prior added that, while bookings over the last month were ahead of this time last year, the operator was still making up for weaker sales following the TUI operators’ programmes’ launch in July and August.

He said: “We’ve still got a bit of catching up to do from the early bookings, but the trend is very positive.”

He believes consumers will choose packages over dynamic packages this year as many operators hedged the different components such as flights, accommodation, ski hire and lift passes before the pound’s fall against the euro.

Prior said: “What this will do is highlight the benefits of going on a package, as we’ve hedged at a significantly better rate; for people wanting to DIY their holidays, it’s going to be around 20% more expensive.”

Prior said he did not believe the recent decision by British Airways (BA) to charge customers up to £40 each way for taking a ski bag in addition to a normal bag on flights will affect the market.

“I’m not surprised BA has done that; they’ve been trying to work out ways of improving their profitability,” Prior said.

Courtesy of Travel Weekly

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Thomas Cook has launched a promotional campaign across its shop network after a £20 million deal to become a sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the only provider of UK short breaks to the event.

The company is promoting the partnership on window posters in Thomas Cook shops, its brochures, tickets, and on its 94 aircraft. Travel agents have been trained on selling the product and been shown promotional videos on the event.

Chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said the deal was the first of its kind.

He added: “It will drive people to the high-street shops. I think there will be huge demand and our staff are very excited about it; there is a real buzz in our organisation. I remember what it was like for the last Football World Cup and this is a much bigger event.”

He admitted the travel industry’s core overseas holiday sales could be hit by the 2012 Games, but hoped Thomas Cook would benefit from its exclusive sponsorship deal. The company has already raised with its overseas hoteliers. He added: “It’s going to have an impact; there’s no question about it,” he said.

It is estimated Thomas Cook will sell more than 250,000 tickets across all events with its packages – accounting for around 3% of tickets on sale for the Games overall. The number of tickets for certain events will be capped. “We are expecting there to be too much interest for the [mens'] 100-metre event,” he added.

The company is now allowing pre-registrations for packages, including tickets to the Games, through its shops and online at thomascook.com. Tickets go on sale in May 2011.

Fontenla-Novoa, who anticipates half of bookings to come through Thomas Cook’s retail chain and half online, promised a wide range of prices. “There will be a range of accommodation up to five-star packages and all sorts of travel from coaches to private aircraft,” he said.

London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) chief executive Paul Deighton agreed: “There will be a substantial number of tickets that will be affordable. We want to make sure we have full stadia and the atmosphere is as electric as we can make it.”

Thomas Cook has paid cash to become a tier two sponsor of the Games. There are three tiers: tier one sponsors pay around £40 million, tier two from £20 million and tier three sponsors £10 million. Fontenla-Novoa added: “We made a big financial commitment to this, but it’s about much more than making money – I’m not sure we could put a value on it.”

Meanwhile, the company said its sports division – also an appointed travel company for the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa – is likely to double its profits year on year and would continue to grow.

Courtesy of Travel Weekly

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2.6 million more holidays taken as ‘lost generation’ discovers England

New figures released by VisitEngland from the United Kingdom Tourism Survey show that holiday trips taken by UK residents in England in the first six months of 2009 are up by 14%, while outbound travel saw a 17% drop.

That amounts to 2.6 million more holiday trips and more than 9.1 million extra nights holiday taken from January to June 2009 over the same period of 2008.

Though the total amount spent on overnight travel since January is down by 1% when including visiting friends and family and business travel – a sector that continues to suffer – leisure travel in England shows definite signs of consumer optimism, with an increase in spend of 5% – confirming 2009 as the summer of ‘holidaying at home’.

Further, VisitEngland focus group research, undertaken in August, indicates that attitudes to domestic travel are undergoing change. Respondents admit to often knowing more about foreign destinations than those in their home country and claim to have a genuine yearning to experience and learn more about the regions of England.

The research goes on to suggest that a ‘lost generation’ of young people confess to feeling almost embarrassed at the lack of knowledge of their own country. While older groups cited unfavourable exchange rates as the trigger for sparking interest in rediscovering classic England hotspots, as well as seeking out ‘off the beaten track’ lesser known regions.

James Berresford, Chief Executive of VisitEngland is pleased with the continuing trend and cautiously optimistic about the future for English tourism.

“England is back in fashion as Brits are rediscovering the diversity and appeal of the English holiday. It’s a trend that we’ve seen developing over the course of the last few years and one which we intend to nurture with the help of the tourism industry.

‘We know that people are looking for experiences tailored to their interests, be it a spiritual retreat, an adventure holiday or a chic weekend break – they are now realising that England can deliver all that and more.”

VisitEngland’s Enjoy Every Minute; Enjoy England television campaign has been on air since 8 September to encourage short breaks and day trips this autumn. The campaign has already reached 61%, circa 30 million, of the adult population in England.

“Cleary there are businesses out there still suffering, particularly those in the conference and events market so we are certainly not out of the woods. As an industry this is the time to pull together and ensure that when the economic circumstances and exchange rates change, we have a robust strategy in place to ensure that England destinations continue to attract new and repeat visitors,” said James Berresford.

Courtesy of TravelDailyNews.com

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LONDON (Dow Jones)–TUI Travel PLC (TT.LN), Europe’s largest travel operator, Tuesday said it plans to raise GBP490 million to refinance its shareholder loan with parent TUI AG (TUI1.XE) and warned its winter booking volumes remain lower than last year.

Separately, it said it would cancel almost half its orders for Boeing Co.’s (BA) delayed new 787 aircraft.

TUI Travel raised GBP350 million by issuing to international institutional investors senior unsecured convertible bonds due 2014, which will convert into about 7% to 8% of shares on maturity. The conversion price has been set at 349.3 pence per share and carries a 6% coupon.

It also will arrange a further GBP140 million in revolving credit facilities, maturing in June, 2012.

TUI Travel is deferring the final repayment of GBP150 million of the TUI AG loan to April 30, after net debt passes a seasonal peak.

TUI Travel’s existing shareholder loan from TUI AG currently amounts to GBP900 million and is due for repayment by Jan. 15, 2011. TUI AG has agreed to waive in part previous terms that require TUI Travel to repay the loan if new external financing is raised.

TUI AG, which holds a 51.6% stake in TUI Travel, won’t participate in the convertible bond but intends to purchase a sufficient number of TUI Travel’s shares to avoid dilution of voting rights.

TUI Travel expects TUI AG to buy about 2.5% of existing stock.

TUI Travel Chief Executive Peter Long said: “The financing measures announced today allow us to commence repayment of our shareholder loan in a pro-active manner and will also allow us to continue to take advantage of attractive M&A opportunities.”

Click here to read the full story…

Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal

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With tentative signs of economic recovery and the Met office retracting its ‘barbeque summer’ statement on the back of poor weather we can all hopefully be a little more positive about the immediate and longer term outlook. With any upturn in confidence and opportunity, businesses need to look closely at their talent management policies to ensure they can attract and retain the quality individuals their businesses will need going forward.

Over the last 12 months, talent attraction and retention is not likely to have been anywhere near the top of most business priorities, unfortunately it will likely have been quite the opposite with lay offs and redundancies high up the list as businesses looked to slash costs and head count. Smart businesses will now begin to look forward and staffing will have to become a key focus again. Many companies may have not had any significant attrition issues over the last year or so, as many people will just have been delighted to keep their jobs, irrespective of how happy they were at work. As things hopefully improve we will see people looking at how their employers handled the key moments during downturn and in particular how they dealt with any staffing reductions. If companies were seen to have handled the situation poorly, they may have damaged confidence and loyalty in those left behind and will need to work hard now at keeping their key talent happy and focused. People have long memories and as more job opportunities come to market, people will look to move if they are not convinced about the people or company they are working for.

Due to the job losses we have seen, there is a lot more talent available and looking for work now than for many years. It is possible to find some high quality talent that normally you would not have been able to attract, therefore now is a key time in planning head count requirements for your future business plans and is a good time to hire if you are in a position to do so.

If the economy continues to show improvement and we can at last confidently say that we are through the worst, it is in the key months coming out of recession that the businesses that will win out of this down turn (and there will be many) will have the strategy, focus and application to out perform their competitors. The quality of your people and their morale will be a key factor in ensuring that your business is one of the winners. Now is the time to look seriously at your talent management policies, both with retention and attraction, and ensure they are as strong as they can be, if they are not you run the risk of losing your current and future key people to your competitors.

Written by Angus Chisholm
Managin Director
C&M Travel Recruitment

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Where your CV is the key to the interview door, if you don’t perform well at the interview, it does not matter how good your CV looks. This article is all about the interview and will look at preparation and hints and tips to ensure it passes smoothly.

As mentioned in my last article, when applying for a new job it is imperative that your CV is tailored to the role by fully researching the company and vacancy. This research is doubly important when preparing for an interview.

Visiting the company’s website should give you a clear understanding of the company background and it’s products and help you answer questions such as “what can you bring to this role? Why do you want to work here?” etc. If you are not clear on the company and the products it provides, how can you convince the interviewer that it is the right position for you?

Other aspects of research include finding out in advance exactly where the interview is, and how to get there. Double-check the address and directions including times of bus, underground or rail connections. We once had a candidate who was attending an interview in Central London to whom we provided full directions. Unfortunately he turned right instead of left out of the underground station and proceeded into the heart of London’s West End. He got so lost that he arrived over 2 hours late to the interview. We ended up having to ask the client to send out a search party to find him. After all of this they offered him the job partly due to his perseverance.

Job interviews are nerve-wracking enough without tricky questions to trip you up. It’s important to remember what the interviewing process is about, to evaluate your ability to do the job. Challenging questions will allow the interviewer to see how you can think on your feet and cope with stress.

· When faced with a difficult question, there is nothing wrong with a brief contemplative pause before answering.

· Seek the opportunity to turn the question around and sell yourself, focusing on the company’s needs and your abilities.

· Ask the interviewer to repeat the question if you don’t understand it – try to determine what the interviewer is looking to find out.

· Remember the interview is a two-way process, you are there to demonstrate you ability not only to speak out but also to listen.

· Try not to stray from the point, offer relevant information to the question.

· Be positive. Never run down past employers or colleagues. Stress your strengths and successes and don’t dwell on any failures you may have had.

Once you have arrived at the interview, be prepared to answer questions about everything on your CV – education, work history, hobbies etc. A good interview will be more of a chat than an interrogation. Think about the following questions, they usually come up.

Why do you want this position, or why do you want to work for this company?
What motivates you? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
What are your short term and long term goals?
What has been your greatest achievement to date and your greatest regret?
Do you have any questions? (Always make sure you can ask at least one!)

Examples of Tough Interview Questions

Why do you want to work here?

To answer this question, you must have researched the company and be clear on their job requirements. Explain how your skills and experiences will fit the company’s needs and that you wish to join the right company to build a long term career.

What is the most difficult situation you have faced?

You must have a story ready for this one in which the situation was tough and allowed you to show yourself in a good light, e.g. a customer who came in to make a complaint and ended up becoming your best customer.

What can you do for us that someone else cannot do?

This question will come only after a full explanation of the job has been given. Think about your unique selling points that match the company needs, i.e. a Latin America operator would be very interested to hear that you have travelled extensively throughout the region and speak fluent Spanish and Portuguese.

Tell me about yourself

This is a good chance to impress an employer. The employer is really interested in how you would fit into the company, so keep your answers as pertinent to the company and its work as possible.

Where do you see yourself in five years time?

Never say “in your job”. Funny is not hired. It would be better to say that you would like to make a career within the company and would be open to any future possibilities.

What is your current salary and how much are you expecting?

You could try putting the onus on the interviewer to make the first suggestion by asking how much they are prepared to pay the best candidate. You then have a negotiating point. You could also say that you are prepared to consider any offers! This way you do not drop your potential salary.

There are many possible scenarios that may arise in an interview and the only way to deal with them all is to do your homework on the vacancy and the company.

Questions to ask:

The interviewer will give you the opportunity to ask questions. It is always worth having some questions prepared. Questions to ask include:

· Questions about the sales targets
· Questions about the commission structure
· Questions about the team and environment
· Questions about any training schemes and induction programmes
· Questions about any additional benefits (Pension, Health Care, Discounted holidays, etc)

The most important thing to remember for any interview is to be yourself. 70% of companies employ the person that they like the best so let your personality shine.

And don’t forget, at the end of the interview, if you are genuinely interested in the position, say so.

For more interview hints and tip visit http://www.newfrontiers.co.uk/travel/career-advice/

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