TTO_December_2017_low1

Travel Trade
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Spotlight on Africa
December 2017 - ISSUE #25
Pata long-haul seminar
New director of Visit Greenland
Akureyri in Iceland to welcome VNTM
We have become digital travellers
rade
Scandinavia
und
Travel Trade
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Scandinavia

Positive
outlook
for 2018
Looking ahead, IPK International is
forecasting a 4 percent rise in European
outbound travel in 2018. Particularly
strong growth is expected from
the UK (+6 percent) despite the weaker
pound and Russia (+6 percent) which
would confirm this year's comeback.
Good demand is also predicted from
Belgium, France, Netherlands, Norway
and Switzerland. Meanwhile, Europe's
largest outbound travel market, Germany,
is once again expected to show solid
growth of about 2 percent.
So far, 2017 has been a very good year
for travel and tourism in Europe with
very good growth in outbound trips
and good performances by many destinations
across the region over the first
eight months of the year. City trips are
continuing to boom and beach holidays
have grown much more strongly than in
2016 but long-haul travel by Europeans
has slowed down, including a downturn
in trips to the USA from some European
source markets. Looking ahead, another
good year is forecast for 2018. Those
were some of the results of the 25th
World Travel Monitor® Forum in Pisa,
Italy (November 9-10).
Outbound travel by Europeans grew by
5.5 percent in the first eight months of
2017, according to World Travel Monitor®
figures. This is well ahead of the 3
percent growth seen in 2016 as a whole
and the original forecast of a 4 percent
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increase for this year. "This strong performance
reflects positive economic
trends and a high level of confidence in
Scandinavia
travelling. Europe remains one of the
top drivers of world travel growth," declared
Rolf Freitag, CEO of IPK International,
which conducts the World Travel
Monitor®.
OUTBOUND FOR EUROPE
The most spectacular source market this
year was Russia where outbound trips
increased by 18 percent between January
and August. Other top performers
in terms of outbound growth were
amongst others Poland, Netherlands
and France.
In terms of destinations, Europeans
again generally preferred to stay relatively
close to home this year, generating
a 6 percent rise in trips to destinations
within Europe between January
and August, according to World Travel
Monitor figures.
When looking at European long-haul
travel, last year's trends also continued
in the first eight months of this year.
There was a 3 percent increase for Asia
but trips to the Americas, including the
USA, dropped by 3 percent. "This might
reflect a so-called 'Trump effect' in some
European outbound markets as visitors
are put off travelling to the US," IPK
consultant Madeleine Bullinger said at
the World Travel Monitor® Forum.
CITY TRIPS FURTHER
In terms of the purpose of outbound
trips, the number of holiday trips by Europeans
increased by 6 percent in the
first eight months of this year, which was
well ahead of last year's 2 percent growth
for the same period, according to World
Travel Monitor® figures. In particular,
Europeans flocked back to the beach
this year with an above-average 7 percent
increase in the number of 'sun &
beach' holidays following zero growth
last year. City trips also remained very
popular over the first eight months of
this year with a 20 percent rise, after a
15 percent rise in 2016. The overall average
spend per trip increased by 4 percent
to 945 euros.
When looking at worldwide inbound
travel to Europe, many destinations
within the region have welcomed more
international visitors this year, according
to World Travel Monitor® figures.
Top performers with high growth rates
above the European average include
countries as diverse as Iceland, Netherlands,
Bulgaria, Spain, Portugal and
Croatia.
This positive trend is reflected in the latest
figures from the World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO), which show a
strong 8 percent rise in international arrivals
in European destinations between
January and August this year. This is
well above growth rates of recent years.
International arrivals rebounded in
both Southern and Mediterranean Europe
(+12 percent) and Western Europe
(+7 percent) following a weaker 2016.
Arrivals grew by 6 percent in Northern
Europe and by 4 percent in Central and
Eastern Europe between January and
August 2017.
Travel Trade
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Published by: Traveltrademedia.com, Copenhagen, Denmark. CVR DK29314055
Managing editor:
Carsten Elsted
Travel editor:
Carsten A. Andersen
Contact:
editor@ttoscandinavia.com
Layout:
Agnese Klavina

We
have
become
digital
travellers
We have all become digital travellers
◆ 81% use online reviews when researching their journey
◆ 43% want to switch off when away, but 60% lost without a
smartphone
◆ 16 app categories are typically used on a trip
◆ India tops global rankings of digital travellers
Travelport has presented the results of a Global Traveler Survey
of 11,000 people worldwide that highlights the use of digital
tools when planning, booking and experiencing a journey.
THE MAIN FINDINGS FROM THE GLOBAL REPORT ARE:
WHEN PLANNING A TRIP:
◆ 81% use peer to peer reviews when researching a trip
◆ 47% use voice search, using devices such as Amazon Echo
and Google Home, when researching a trip
◆ Nearly 25% of over 55 year olds use a smartphone to
research a trip
WHEN BOOKING A TRIP:
◆ Over 33% of travellers book their trip on a mobile device
◆ 61% avoid hotels that charge for WiFi
WHEN ON THE TRIP:
◆ 70% of travellers believe that digital boarding passes make
traveling so much easier
◆ 60% of travellers feel that a good digital experience is
important when choosing an airline
◆ 44% of travellers rely on their smartphone at their
destination
WHEN AT THE DESTINATION:
◆ Travellers use an average of 16 different categories of apps
when traveling
◆ 75% of travellers leave reviews on review sites
There is a “love-hate” relationship with digital devices with 60%
saying they would be lost without their smartphone whilst 43%
also say they want to escape the digital world and switch off
when away.
The report also includes the world’s first Digital Traveler
Rankings, with India crowned champions as the country
with the most digitally-advanced travelers. The standings
are based on a combination of the main indicators of digital
usage for travel-related purposes by travellers in each country.
For example, those from India typically use smartphones
for booking and boarding a plane, with 82% saying digital
boarding passes makes traveling easier, compared to a global
average of 70%.
Peter Cramon, Nordic managing director Travelport:
“These findings demonstrate the significance of digital tools
for travelers before and during their journeys. They highlight
the need for the global travel and hospitality industry to
provide responsive, relevant and timely services for customers.
Providing relevant and timely digital tools and content is an
essential means of reaching and satisfying the modern Traveller
- from the moment they search to the moment they return from
their trip. Travelport’s platform stands ready to provide the
industry with the means to do this. As a technology company
and as a world leader in digital and mobile capabilities, we aim
to make the experience of selling, buying and managing travel
continually better.”
Travelport is a travel technology
company providing distribution,
technology, payment, mobile and other
solutions for the global travel and
tourism industry. The company has a
global presence with representation
in 180 countries and 4,000 employees.
In the Nordic Region, Travelport has
offices in Copenhagen, Stockholm
and Oslo. In the last two years, the
Nordic representation has grown so
the company today has 30 employees
spread across the three Nordic
locations.
4
>> Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

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A region of
contrasts
"I have personally been around to all the lodges we use, and I
can guarantee that they are all perfect and that everyone has
something special to offer. So far we have used six lodges. From
next year there will be eight, including. one in Kruger Park, "says
Frits Slootweg, manager, Pearls of Limpopo in northern South
Africa.
"Limpopo is South Africa's northernmost province, located
within the great curve of the Limpopo River. It is authentic
Africa in all its glory! A region of contrasts, from true bushveld
to majestic mountains, primeval indigenous forests, unspoilt
wilderness and mystic cultural destinations Limpopo is rich in
natural beauty, culture and wildlife including the Big 5. Therefor
the game viewing is absolutely fantastic and possibly the best
in the country. It is also home to the Mapungubwe Cultural
Landscape, one of the country's eight World Heritage sites, "says
Frits Slog.
The first lodge, Kololo Lodge, is 275 km, 3.5 hours drive north of
Johannesburg.
Frits Slootweg recommends that guests rent a car and drive
around. "Drive yourself." So, you do feel the land in your soul,
"says Frits Slootweg.
Frits Slootweg, Manager, Pearls of Limpopo and Uffe Svejgaard
Jensen, Manager, Airtiki, Denmark.
Gorilla tours
"It can take a long time for a gorilla family
to get used to people. Guides take out every
day months in advance so that the gorillas do
not get scared of tourists. When the monkeys
get used to people, the green light comes on.
Then come the tourists. It costs $ 750 for a visit
to the gorillas in one hour. Just for the visit. In
addition, airplanes, hotels, food excursions,
etc. Many tourists book for two consecutive
days when they are on the spot. After some
problems, gorilla trekking has now again
been opened in Congo, "says Trevor Hewett,
Managing Director, African Pride Tours, Cape
Town, South Africa.
"African Pride Tours specializes in personalized
service in Africa based on outstanding product
knowledge," says Trevor Hewett,
Trevor Hewett joined the company in 1990. One
of the tasks he reigns with most joy and pride
was in 1992, where he organized a meeting in
Africa between Nelson Mandela and a group of
senior US politicians.
It was two years after Mandela had been
released, and two years before becoming
president of South Africa.
Per Caroe, Country Manager, Nordic & Baltic, Kenya Airways,
Anette Macallan, Key Account Manager Leisure, Air France,
Denmark and Trevor Hewett, Managing Director, Africxan
Pride Tours, Cape Town, South Africa.
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>> Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

Family on
Swahili Coastw
Kim Armstrong from Kijongo Bay Beach Resort in Tanzania
presented her resort to the Swedish guests from Koch Ljungberg
in Malmoe Denissee Tanguy and Josefin Palmen, both project
managers.
Ben J. Hurst, General Manager, Africa, Albatros, Denmark,
Heidi Holm, Manager, Unique Tours, Denmark and Matthias
Lemcke, Marketing Manager, Namibia Tourism, Frankfurt.
Depending on the date, the guests may have the possibility to
watch the miracle of life when little sea turtle babies hatching
and wandering to the water at Sange beach at Kijongo. Sange
Beach is one of the three official nesting sites in the Tanga region.
The Kijongo Bay Resort is situated on a quiet secluded beach on
the coast of Tanzania.
TMaziwe Island Marine Reserve is a small sand atoll about 8
kms from Pangani. The guests can take a boat trip to the island
for snorkeling around the diverse and beautiful coral reefs that
surround the island. It is the perfect start for the beginners in
the group, with a gentle walk into the ocean and the reefs only
a short swim away. When it is enough, relax under the shade,
set up and enjoy a picnic lunch or refreshment. Swim, snorkel,
or just lay-back and listen to the waves. There is something for
everyone.
The few villas are 8 km from the nearest village and between
Pangani and Saadani National Park.
The seven two story villas are excellent for families, who want
to show the African finest nature with all the possibilities of
playing for the family together.
New lodge to
open now
Since acquiring Lalibela in July 2016, the new owners have
embarked on a major land acquisition spree.
Lalibela now comprises just over 7,500 hectares of Big 5 land,
where game drives take place, and also approximately 3,000
hectares of non-Big 5 land which is used for various breeding
projects. No game drives take place in the breeding areas.
Shaun Hewett, sales manager of Lalibela:
“We are extremely fortunate that our Big 5 area has no public
roads through it which means vehicle traffic is limited to game
drive vehicles only. Additionally, much of the new land that has
been purchased is savannah grassland, which has an extremely
high carrying capacity compared to the Valley Bushveld biome
which is so common in the Eastern Cape. This means that we are
able to sustain huge numbers of antelope which, in turn, means
that we can have what we believe to be the densest population of
free-roaming lion in South Africa.”
The main lodge and pool area have also undergone a rejuvenation,
using a lighter and more contemporary palette.
Shaun Hewett, sales manager of Lalibela says: “Feedback from
both groups of tour operators on the educationals was extremely
positive, not only about the upgraded Lentaba Lodge, but also
about the soon-to-be-opened private villa. In addition, the
general consensus was that all the progressive changes in terms of
community and conservation upliftment that the new owners of
Lalibela have implemented since buying it in July last year, stands
the entire Eastern Cape tourism plant in good stead”.
Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

Perfect time
"Namibia is the most protected country in Africa. 47 percent of
Namibia, an area similar to France, is protected. This means that
it is not allowed to build in the natural areas or to shoot animals
without permission. This makes Namibia interesting and unique
to tourists, "says Matthias Lemcke, Marketing Manager, Namibia
Tourism Board, Frankfurt ..
"Tourism and locals go hand in hand, so it's beneficial to the
locals. In the past, elephants, rhinos and lions were shot. But the
locals quickly discovered that one can only kill one animal once,
while the tourists keeps coming year after year. It's a much better
business. "
"From Scandinavia, about 20,000 tourists come to Namibia
annually, but they are very important tourists, arriving from
November to March, where there is low season in Namibia and
where travelers from other European countries, Italy, France and
England travel in August - September," says Matthias Lemcke.
16 national parks
"One of the highlights of Tanzania is The Great Migration in
the parks of northern Tanzania, including Serengetti. It is a big
success. So we are working to make more tourists interested
in getting down in southern Tanzania, where there is no are
so many tourists, and where nature is actually more beautiful,
"says Agnes Ayub Mwaiselage, Information, Tourism and Trade
Assistant, Embassy Tanzania, Stockholm.
Tanzania has 16 national parks. "They cover 25 percent of
Tanzania. In the nature parks there are strict rules for where to
build and how to protect animals," says Agnes Ayub Mwaiselage.
Over fifty years ago the first President of Tanzania, the late
Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, recognized the integral part wildlife
plays. In September 1961 he said:
“The survival of our wildlife is a matter of grave concern to
all of us in Africa. These wild creatures amid the wild places
they inhabit are not only important as a source of wonder and
inspiration but are an integral part of our natural resources and
our future livelihood and well being. In accepting the trusteeship
of our wildlife, we solemnly declare that we will do everything
in our power to make sure that our children’s grandchildren
will be able to enjoy this rich and precious inheritance.”
Creole
Creole Travel Service in the Seychelles is the leader in innovation
in the tourism industry.
Eric Renard, general manager:
“We provide the perfect blend of tradition and flair, savoir-faire
and dynamism, efficiency and personal service. We do not need
to go out and hire from others. In the company with hotels,
inter-island boats and catamarans, boat-charter air service.”
The Creole company offers a wide range of wedding options
with special packages, ranging from beach weddings to more
traditional set-ups.
The famous location is the Cap Lazare nature reserve with options
such as arrival by private car, helicopter or traditional boat. The
couple has their own choice of their own guitarist or a full band.
Ben J. Hurst, General Manager, Africa, Albatros, Denmark,
Heidi Holm, Manager, Unique Tours, Denmark and Matthias
Lemcke, Marketing Manager, Namibia Tourism, Frankfurt.
Jørn Hamp, Prodution Manager, Fokus Travel, Denmark,
Karin Selbach, Product Manager, Egencia Denmark and Agnes
Ayub Mwaiselage, Information, Tourism and Trade Assistant,
Embassy Tanzania, Stockholm.
Eric Renard, general manager of the Creole Travel Service together
with the organizer of the trip for all the participating companies of
Spotlight African workshops in the Nordic area together wiith Derek
Houston (right) organizer of the trsavel road show from Africa.
8
>> Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

Icelandair now connects Berlin Tegel to Reykjavik in Iceland
three times a week. The airline will fly to the world’s northernmost
capital every Monday, Friday and Sunday.
Birkir Holm Gudnason, CEO of Icelandair: “we celebrate the
opening of our new service from Berlin, one of the great cities
of Europe,” says Birkir Holm Gudnason, Icelandair CEO “Berlin
is a welcome destination for our Icelandic and North American
travellers wanting to explore and enjoy this historic city. The
new route will enable German travellers to have more choice in
discovering Iceland and will offer them a smooth alternative for
travel onwards to over 20 North American destinations with of
course an option of a stopover in Iceland for up to 7 nights for no
additional airfare.”
Elmar Kleinert, COO of Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH:
“With Icelandair we welcome a new airline at Berlin Tegel. The
new route is of course not only attractive to nature-lovers and
Iceland-holidaymakers. Reykjavik is the perfect stopover location
for travellers to and from North America and enriches our flight
itinerary. We wish Icelandair much prosperity and a successful
development in Berlin.”
The flight time to Reykjavik is about three and a half hours. All
routes are operated by Boeing 757 aircraft.
Whether it is volcanoes, mountains, glaciers or the famous
geysers – Iceland’s natural landscape leaves nothing to be desired.
Breathtaking sunsets make the ice shine red in the winter months
and make for unforgettable moments. If you are lucky, on clear
winter nights you can see flickering green stripes in the sky,
the so-called Northern Lights, which bathe the landscape in a
magical light.
A good starting point for exploring the island is its capital,
Reykjavik. The gateway to Iceland combines tradition and
modernity. The cosmopolitan metropolis offers visitors numerous
activities, excursions and a vibrant nightlife. The capital city has
also many modern hotels to choose from; click to book a room in
Reykjavik. A must for every visitor is a trip to the Sun Voyager
Icelandair
connects Berlin
to Reyk javik
sculpture (Icelandic: Sólfar) by artist Jón Gunnar Árnason,
which recreates a ship and points towards the sunset.
Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

”We will continue to work
with the same five focus
areas as before, but as a
new CEO, I will especially
focus on internal market
development, ie work
with local operators and
municipalities in rusting
Greenland to the increasing
number of tourists. It is
important that this happens in cooperation with the
industry to ensure sustainable development.”
Says the new CEO of Visit Greenland Julia Pars.
She will start in her new position February 1st, 2018.
Spotlight on
local operators in
tourism
Julia Pars, the new CEO of Visit Greenland, will work closely with the private operators
in the different areas of Greenland.
Tourism is growing in Greenland, which
means new and exciting challenges for
the industry.
For the last ten years, Julia Pars has been
Director at Greenland’s national culture
center, Katuaq, and she comes with
relevant experience in both experience
economy and leadership. Julia has an
MBA from Henley Business School
(UK) and is also a graduate in tourism
economics. Julia has previously been
influential in Greenland’s tourism
industry as she worked in various
positions at Greenland Tourism from
1992 to 2007, including Deputy Director.
Julia has in-depth knowledge of
Greenland in its entirety. She is originally
from Ilulissat but has lived in Nuuk for
many years. Even though Julia has not
been directly involved in tourism in the
last ten years, she has closely followed the
positive development of the industry and,
not least, the development of the national
brand, “Pioneering Nation”, which the
previous Director, Anders Stenbakken,
was at the forefront of.
“Both the work with national and
regional branding and the work with
media and agents have been instrumental
in putting Greenland on the map. A clear
market segmentation model has defined
our tourists as adventure travellers who
come to Greenland to experience the
unparalleled and wild nature combined
with our unique culture. With tourism
on the rise at the global level, it is all
the more important for Greenland to
continue to be able to give our guests
exclusive cultural and nature-based
experiences”, Julia says
For Julia Pars, the brand is a solid
foundation from which Visit Greenland
can work in the coming years. But there
will also be more focus on developing
Greenland’s tourism industry in
cooperation with the regions and local
operators. If the industry should be as
sustainable as possible, it is vital to aim at
spreading tourism throughout the entire
country and throughout the entire year.
That way, local operators can live off of
tourism for more than just the summer
months, which is the high season for
tourism in Greenland.
MORE TOURISTS
In total, the Greenland hotels have had
an increase of 13 percent in the 3rd
quarter, covering the peak months of
July, August and September.
Figures from Greenland Statistics,
which support the presumption that
the tourist industry has had a great
season. There are primarily foreign
guests who have stayed at the hotels
in the 3rd quarter, where there were
25,008 foreign guests and 18,810
Greenlandic guests. There is a greater
proportion of overnight stays by
foreign guests in Ilulissat than in the
other regions, states the Greenland
Statistics.
POSITIV
At the same time as the number of
guests has risen, the number of hotel
accommodations has also increased by
a two-digit number. The increase was
11 per cent compared with the same
period last year, and it was especially
guests from the category "Other
countries" and "Other Europe", which
draw the positive trend.
There are apparently fewer chartered
flights in connection with cruises,
which give fewer cruise guests. These
tourists are spending more money in
the country than the cruise guests who
live and eat on board the ships.
10
>> Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

Smart Security in
Iceland
The value of adopting Smart Security
principles is being highlighted at
Keflavik Airport (KEF), Iceland’s
biggest airport.
The airport has faced rapid growth,
from around two million passengers
in 2010 to almost nine million in 2017.
Such growth poses huge challenges,
with infrastructure upgrades required
to allow for a smooth passenger
experience.
For KEF, this included a complete
revamp of the security checkpoint—a
project that started in 2015—with the
focus on optimizing resource utilization,
adapting facilities and upgrading
screening equipment and systems.
While on this innovation journey,
KEF participated in an IATA/ACI
Smart Security workshop in 2016,
and gained valuable information and
insight from Smart Security guidance
Keflavik Airport has responded to rapid growth by
revamping its security checkpoint
documentation, which helped them
refine their implementation plans.
Among other innovations, KEF’s use of
Centralized Image Processing (CIP) and
parallel loading has delivered significant
operational efficiencies.
CIP moves screeners away from the
checkpoint, and delivers images to a
central location where they are analyzed.
Parallel loading—or parallel
divestment—meanwhile, allows several
passengers to prepare for security at
once; with passengers who prepare
quickly able to overtake those who
require more time.
In July 2017, 92% of
passengers waited less
than five minutes, and 99%
waited less than 10 minutes
Hjalti S. Hjaltason, Project Manager
Airport operations at KEF, reports that—
as a result of the changes—passenger
throughput has increased by around 20-
25%, waiting times have decreased, and
that the adaptations have been positively
received by passengers and airport
security staff alike.
Hjaltason adds that, in July 2017, 92% of
passengers waited less than five minutes,
and 99% waited less than 10 minutes.
KEF is now sharing its experiences with
the IATA Smart Security team, to be
included in Smart Security guidance
documentation for the benefit of the
industry.
“The number of airports deriving tangible
benefits from implementing Smart Security
concepts is steadily increasing,” says Guido
Peetermans, IATA Project Manager, Smart
Security. “And we stand ready to support
them every step of the way.”
Promot ing
Vestnorden
Promote Iceland was also at World
Travel Market in London to promote
Vestnorden Travel Mart of which Ice
land is the host in October.
Inga Hlin Palsdottir, Director, Visit
Iceland:
“As most of you know Vestnorden
Travel Mart, will take place in Akureyri
located in the north region of Iceland.
Vestnorden Travel Mart is the most
important business-to-business trade
show on the North Atlantic region
focusing on the characteristics of
the three nations, the Faroe Islands,
Iceland and Greenland. The travel mart
will take place on
2 – 4 of October
2018 and is this
the 33rd time it is
held.
We have not yet
started the planning in details, but will
do this right after New Year.
The goal of the Vestnorden Travel Mart
is not only to establish new travel trade
opportunities but also to reinforce
established relationships with the key
actors in the tourism field of the three
destinations. We take a great pride in
showcasing the best of what Icelandic
Inga Hlin Palsdottir, Director, Visit Iceland (right)together with one
of the hosts Arnheidur Johannsdottir, Director, Visit North Iceland.
tourism has to offer and it is a great
pleasure to not only introduce Iceland
as a destination but also to set focus
on the north region of Iceland with
all that it has to offer. This trade show
follows the line of our focus at Promote
Iceland, to distribute tourism around
the country and Iceland as an all year
destination. “
Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

Visit Laos Year 2018
Laos officially launched the “Visit
Laos Year 2018” on Saturday,
aiming to promote tourism
and preserve unique and fine
traditional culture of the country.
“Over the past years, the government of Laos likewise
has come to regard tourism as a priority sector for driving
the socio-economic development of the country,”
said Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism
Bosengkham Vongdara while addressing the opening
ceremony.
“Moreover, the government considers tourism development
and promotion as a means for expanding
and enhancing cooperation between Laos and foreign
countries,” he said, adding that the government has determined
the directive for developing and growing natural
tourism, historical and cultural tourism based on the
Slogan of “Visit Laos Year 2018: Visit Laos, Experience
the Diversity of Nature and History.”
Over the past years, Lao tourism sector has been constantly
growing with rising numbers of tourists visiting
Laos annually. In 2000, tourist arrivals reached 737,208
people and generated the income of nearly 113.9 million
U.S. dollars.
By 2015, the figure had risen to nearly 4.7 million people,
generating nearly 725.4 million U.S. dollars in revenue.
It is projected that tourist arrivals will reach over 6.2
million people by 2020 and generate revenue of more
than 993.4 million U.S. dollars.
“During ‘Visit Laos Year 2018’, we will seek to attract at
least 5 million arrivals and generate revenue of about 900 million U.S. dollars,”
said the minister.
The “Visit Laos Year 2018” will comprise activities to be organized in Laos
and overseas including festivals in various provinces across the country.
Laos has previously organized two Visit Lao Year activities, one in 1999-
2000 and another in 2011-2012 to promote tourism.
Improvement of infrastructure and services including road access to tourist
attractions and internet speed is also critical. The government has organised
Visit Laos Year on two previous occasions – once in 1999-2000
and again in 2011-12 to encourage more tourists at home and abroad to
visit sites within the country.
In 2000, tourist arrivals amounted to 737,208 people and generated income
of US$113,898,285.
By 2015 the figure had risen to 4,684,429 people, generating some
US$725,365,681 in revenue. It is projected that tourist arrivals will reach
about 6,206,423 people by 2020 and generate revenue amounting to
US$993,427,000.
During ‘Visit Laos Year 2018’, the nation will seek to attract at least 5 million
arrivals generating revenue of about US$900 million.
FURTHER CONNECTIONS IN THE US
Icelandair has beyond 19 destinations in USA and Canada, also more
partnerships with regional airlines there. Alaska Airlines, Jet Blue, West
Jet, Sun County and Potter Airlines which means that being the 19 destinations
of Icelandair itself, further desti in North America include LAS,
LAX, SEA, SFO, SAN, SAC SJC and GEG.
Sigga Sveinsdottir, account manager Global Sales Team:
“This also means, that it is always possible to make a Stopover for up to
seven days, when changing flights in the USA e.g. in NYC. Another advantage
of Icelandair, so it is possible to visit three destinations in the USA
on the same ticket. Of course Stopover in Iceland also is permitted and included
in the fare”
Sigga Sveinsdottir, sales manager Icelandair in Copenhagen at PATA Long-
Haul workshop together with known faces like Ingrid Edmonds and Carina
Sudhoff, senior sales advisers at Vindrose Rejser.
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PATA WORLDWIDE WORKSHOP
180 countries
"Auto Europe has sales offices
in more than 20,000 locations
in 180 countries with call
centers in Denmark, Sweden,
Norway and Finland," said
Sven Köhler, Sales Director,
Munich and Marline Ballari,
Sales Executive, Auto Europe,
Munich, to Michael Jensen,
CEO, Pacifictours, Denmark.
Focus
"South Africa has introduced
Scandinavia as a focus market,
which is going to be developed
in the coming years," Patrick
Menzies, Manager, South
African Airways, told Peter
Jørgensen, Sales, Profil Rejser,
Denmark.
Sout h America
Polish Airlines is adding 2 new long-haul charter routes to La "LOT Polish Airlines is adding 2 new long-haul charter routes to Latin
America for its winter 2017/18 schedule. The additional winter flights will operate every 10-11 days between Warsaw and Rio de Janeiro
and between Warsaw and Panama City," Maciej Graczyk, Country Sales Manager for Scandinavia, LOT, could tell Mie Josephine Schou,
and Johnny J Schou, Director Nordic, Discover the World.
Discover the World represents AeroMexico which has 45 destinations in Mexico and 15 markets in Central and South America.
Seven
"TAL Aviation Group, now represents Air Baltic, Aerolineas
Argentina, Aegean, Jet Airways, Hainan, Sri Lankan and Binter,"
says Fernando Olalla Oberreuter, Sales Manager, TAL Aviation,
Denmark and South Sweden, with Henrik Lund, Sales Manager,
Aegaen and June Nielsen, Inter Travel and Vice Chairman, PATA.
New service
"Air Canada has gained a new Premium Economy service on routes
from Paris to Montreal and Toronto from London to Vancouver and
seasonally between Zurich, London and Copenhagen to Toronto,"
said Natalia Strauss, Sales Account Manager and Marc Sam, Air
Canada, Denmark to Ditte Lykke Eisner, Product Manager, Svane
Rejser, Denmark.
Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

Martin Schmidttsdorff, sales manager, Atlantic Link,
working together with Natalia Ciocotisan, sales
manager Blue Air that connects Copenhagen with
Bucharest and Turin.
India
promoting
To Bucharest and Turin
The Romania airline Blue Air has now made it possible not only to visit the
homeport of Bucharest, but also the city of Turin in Northern Italy.
Turin is a special gastronomy place in Northern Italy.
Sited at the meeting point of both the Dura River and the Po River, Turin is
famed for its rich Baroque character and many spacious boulevards. Turin is
also home to more than its fair share of historic arcades, grand architecture
and street cafes, and is known throughout the world for being the home of the
world-famous Turin Shroud.
The city also boasts a thriving tourism industry and wealthy business centre,
with numerous different industries based in the area, having grown to become
the regional capital of the Piedmont province. On the far northern and western
areas of Turin, the snow-covered mountains of the Alps offer an impressive distant
backdrop, while the city centre is dominated by the late 19th-century Mole
Antonelliana on the Via Montebello, an iconic symbol of the city and actually
Europe's highest brick building. And not to forget home of the HQ of Fiat.
Natalia Ciocotisan international sales manager of the airline:
“We have more than 100 routes in Europe with operations beyond Bucharest,
Turin of course, Cyprus and Liverpool. Pour fleet consists of 29 aircrafts. GSA
for Sweden and Denmark is Talaviation.”
India is now promoting itself in asll
of the Nordic and Baltic area with the
two new routes to Delho from both
Copenhagen and Stockholm.
India Tourism had a larger delegation at The Pata Long-Haul workshop. From left John H. Ruolngul, consellor at the embassy of India in
Copenhagen, Shruti Nada Poddar sales manager Vedaaranaya Experiences, B.B. Mukherjee, director from the headoffice of India Tourism in
Paris, the Indian ambassador to Denmark Ajit Gupte and Air India manager for Denmark Dyvia Gauba
India is now promoting itself in asll of the Nordic and Baltic
area with the two new routes to Delho from both Copenhagen
and Stockholm.
B.B. Mukherjee, director India Tourism in Paris overseeing
Scandinavia:
“With the two new routes it is a big chance for us to promote
India for all of the Nordic and Baltic region.
Direct flights means a lot for us. We are also preparing
fam-trips for both agents, tour operators and media to see
India, but it is a big country, so you won`t finished quickly.
The biggest travel show, where India introcuces itself to the
rest of the world is SATTE.”
SATTE in New Delhi is a three day event being held from
31st January to 2nd February 2018 at the Pragati Maidan
in New Delhi, India. SATTE is the most prestigious travel
and tourism exhibition in India. Over the last two decades,
it has successfully showcased India’s tourism potential to
the world by bringing the global tourism market to India.
The role of SATTE has always been to provide an effective
marketing and advertisement tool portraying India
as a global tourist destination through promotional campaigns
that project India as a whole. The 25th edition of
SATTE is scheduled from 31st Jan to 2nd Feb 2018.
At the PATA Event in Copenhagen with more than 400 agents and tour operations
The Land of Ramgarh Shekhawati also presented itself as a part of India.
Ramgarh famous as "Ramgarh Sethan" a town surrounded by sand dunes,
was once amongst the richer towns in India. It was a centre of learning and
was also known as Doosra Kashi (Second Varanasi). It is now a treasure
trove of painted temples, havelis, and cenotaphs.
Ramgarh Shekhawati falls in Sikar district of Rajasthan an important
tehsil in northeast part of Rajasthan. The town is located on National
Highway 65 running from Pali – Ambala. The town is easily accessible
from state capital Jaipur.
An English traveller of the 1830s has beautifully written that Ramgarh
"…is singularly striking and seems to give reality to a vision drawn from
eastern romance. The buildings are all constructed from kunkur [gravel]
grey hardpan, …numerous handsome houses of the seths [businessmen]
some of which are on a magnificent scale, ornamented and painted in various
devices outwardly; the neat high wall and gateways and the cupolard
chattries [cenotaphs] in the suburb in contrast with the desert around,
altogether exhibit a scene deserving to be allied with enchantment." But
that was more than a century and a half back. Now the town clearly shows
signs of aging. However, that doesn’t make Ramgarh less interesting; old
is beautiful. And in any case, Ramgarh boasts of more paintings than any
other town in Shekhawati. Ramgarh is one of the best places in Shekhawati
to buy antiques and replicas, especially ornate Rajasthani woodwork.
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Malaysia to
Mat ka
Johanif now director of Malaysia Tourism
Promotion Board, (left) is a wellknown face in
Scandinavia from running the regional office
in Stockholm. Here her meets with old friends
in London Pter R. Nielsen, production director
at Stjernegaard Rejser, and Nasha Abdullah,
Malaiadventure.
To attract Scandinavian and northern
European travellers, the state tourism boards
of Sabah and Sarawak, together with the
Langkawi Tourism and supported by inbound
agents, will jointly promote packages at
the upcoming Matka Nordic Travel Fair in
Helsinki in 2018 from 15-18 January.
Says Johanif Modh Ali, director of Malasia
Tourism Promotion Board now, but also former
director of Malaysia Tourism in Stockholm,
responsible for the Nordic and Baltic region
together with agents and tour operators at World Travel Market in London.
Sabah, Sarawak and Langkawi offer cultural and nature-based attractions that
appeal to these markets. Langkawi is highlighting its beaches and islands, Sabah
its dive sites and Kinabalu Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while Sarawak
highlights the Mulu National Park, also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The appeal of the multi-destination packages is further enhanced by AirAsia’s
introduction of services between Kuching and Langkawi in August as well as
existing domestic flights between Sabah and Sarawak.
New MICE campaign
Sarawak's largest business events destination campaign, Redefining Global Tribes,
an event that included a fam trip and a half-day interactive forum.
Sarawak’s minister of tourism, arts, culture, youth and sports, Abdul Karim
Rahman Hamzah, who inaugurated the event, revealed that the Malaysian state
has won 697 meetings since the establishment of the Sarawak Convention Bureau
in 2006 – through the combined effort of the bureau and its partners.
The 697 meetings have translated to some 254,000 delegates and 847,000 delegate
days in Sarawak, as well as injected more than RM504 million (US$117.3 million)
into the local economy.
Abdul Karim said: "By attempting to redefine an industry and strengthen its
branding impact internationally, we have opened Sarawak’s doors wider to the
world, and are actively showcasing Sarawak’s efficiency and capabilities to host
prestigious business events."
“Business relationships are the end goal of campaigns such as Redefining Global
Tribes which aim to increase business events impact on the economy," stressed Leo
Michael Toyad Abdullah, Sarawak Convention Bureau's chairman.
He added: "To do so, we need to create a stronger global identity by imprinting
Sarawak’s cultural values of community, unity and identity upon the business
events sector internationally."
Smoking ban deyayed
The Thailand government has delayed enforcement of its smoking
ban on Pattaya and other popular beaches to better educate the
public about the cost of lighting up on the sand.
Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has
implemented a smoking and drinking ban on 20 of the country’s
beaches, including Pattaya and Jomtien.
This is all due to massive amount of cigarette butts being collected
from public beaches and research confirms they could be harmful
to the environment. The ban was to take effect Nov. 1.
Under the new law, smokers could be fined up to 100,000 baht
and sentenced to a year in prison.
However, public backlash and unpreparedness by local officials
forced the government to backpedal and postpone enforcement
of the ban until Feb. 1.
Pattaya clearly was unprepared to do anything about smoking
on the beach. By Nov. 2 no signs had been erected on any beach
and plenty of sunbathers and vendors were puffing away as
normal.
A few municipal police officers were seen on Pattaya Beach
informing people of the ban.
Kalong Pongsrisai, 43, a Jomtien Beach vendor, said she smokes,
but tries to keep it on the down-low as many of her customers
don’t. She said she also uses an ash tray and doesn’t throw butts
on the sand.
Other beaches on the banned list are Bangsaen and Tham
Pang on Koh Si Chang, Mae Phim in Rayong and Laem Sing
in Chanthaburi. The ban is expected to be widened to all public
beachfronts eventually.
Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

SINGAPORE NEW
CRUISE HUP
A joint three-year tripartite agreement has been forged
between Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Changi Airport
Group (CAG) and Dream Cruises, with the aim of promoting
Singapore as a key tourism destination as well as to position
the city as an Asian cruise hub and gateway to neighbouring
countries through fly-cruise itineraries.
The collaboration will see a total investment of over S$28
million (US$20.6m) and is expected to draw 600,000 overseas
visitors and more than S$250 million in tourism receipts.
The agreement is kicking off in a big way with the homeporting
of Genting Dream in Singapore’s Marina Bay Cruise
Centre, marking the first time that the city is hosting a largescale
150,695 tonne cruise ship year-round.
New port-of-calls to the Indonesian cities of Surabaya and
North Bali and Myanmar’s Macleod Island have been added.
Flight connectivity to key source markets for cruise traffic
will also get a boost with the addition of new cities such as
Harbin, Shijiazhuang and Yantai in China, and Madurai
in India, said Lim Ching Kiat, managing director, air hub
development, CAG. Next year, the return of Qantas to
Singapore will also add significant capacity from Australia.
“Cruising is a multi-destination product, and the vibrancy
of South-east Asia as a cruising destination will also attract
more visitors to Singapore,” said Lionel Yeo, chief executive,
STB.
Malaysia wants more Scandinavians
Langkawi, the northern Malaysian archipelago close to
the border with Thailand, is intensifying efforts to push up
arrivals from the Nordics and from Europe, which have been
hit by Malaysia Airlines’ suspension of most of its routes to the
continent.
“European arrivals, which make up 20% of international
visitors to the island, are important as they spend an average
of seven to eight nights in Langkawi,” Langkawi Tourism CEO
Azizan Noordin tells. “The top three European markets to
Langkawi are the UK, Germany and Scandinavia.”
In addition, a reality television show, Differences Aside,
produced by CNN in collaboration with Travel Leisure
Channel in Langkawi, is expected to be aired early next year.
Shooting in Langkawi will start next month, Azizan said.
It will see participants from the US, the UK, the Middle
East, Kazakhstan, China, Australia, Japan and Malaysia
participating in treasure-hunt type activities that showcase
Langkawi’s attractions such as abseiling and jet-skiing.
“This will further promote Langkawi as an island destination
to the world,” said Azizan.
Outbound agents Azizan met at the recent World Travel
Market showed a keen interest in such packages, and five
groups of travel agents and media from Europe will be hosted
next month and in January.
Tourism Malaysia and the Langkawi Tourism work with
many carriers including Finnair Singapore Airlines, Turkish
Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways on joint
promotions to attract long-haul visitors.
Langkawi Tourism CEO Azizan Noordin spoke with a lot of
agents and touroperators from the Nordic countries during
WTM in London.
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New in Langkawi
Carlos Tarrero is the new General Manager of The Andaman, a Luxury Collection
Resort, Langkawi. Carlos brings a wealth of both hotel and resort operational
experiences to this exciting new role where he will oversee all management functions
at the resort. In addition, he will be instrumental in driving further revenue growth
and guest satisfaction while maintaining The Andaman’s status as one of Langkawi’s
leading resorts.
“A journey on the legendary
Trans-Siberian Railroad
is one of the great travel
adventures of our world”,
says Henrik Kjoelby, CEO of
Via Hansa at the World Travel
Market.
“We are offering three
different product types:
A.
Individual Deluxe
Package Tours with the
Golden Tsar Train, a specially
designed deluxe train going
16 days from Moscow via
Irkutsk and Lake Baikal and
Ulaanbaatar on to Beijing or
vice versa. Both tours with
luxury service and full
program including program
in Moscow and in Beijing.
Trans
railroads
The Trans-Siberian Railroad from Moscow to
Vladivostok is the longest railroad in the whole
world and it is connecting with Trans-Mongolian
and Trans-Manchurian routes to Beijing.
B.
Individual Tour
Packages with the regular
Trans-Siberian, Trans-
Mongolian and Trans-
Manchurian Railroads with
full service and stop over
programs in some of the most
exciting cities on the route:
Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk and
Vladivostok in Russia and
Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.
C.
Tickets only for the
regular Trans-Siberian,
Trans-Mongolian and Trans-
Manchurian Railroads
Henrik Kjoelby, CEO of Via Hansa (left) with clients and staff at WTM.
Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

NEW TENTED CAMP IN CAMBODIA
RAINFOREST
One of the tented bungalows.
A NEW tented camp
is being opened in
southwest Cambodia
with the tagline,
"Your Stay Keeps the
Forest Standing."
The new Cardamom Tented Camp in
Botum Sakor National Park in southwest
Cambodia has announced 3 day/2 night
and 4 day/3 night packages for nature
tourists. The safari-style camp with nine
furnished and comfortable boutique
tents, each with a private bathroom, will
have a soft opening from December 1.
Both packages have been created for
nature tourists whose expenditure
will help keep the forest standing. An
economically viable Cardamom Tented
Camp helps keep the area out of the
hands of loggers, poachers and mining
operators.
Each visit includes an introductory
presentation on the magnificent 18,000
hectare Botum Sakor National Park
followed by guided hikes by Wildlife
Alliance rangers. Guests follow
abandoned poaching and logging trails
through dense forest home to macaques,
gibbons, hornbills and more. Hikers can
inspect confiscated snares, traps and
improvised hunting rifles at a ranger
station.
After hiking, guests have the option of
kayaking back to the tented camp on the
Preak Tachan river.
Visitors can also help by replanting
indigenous trees in degraded parts of the
concession, go kayaking, help rangers on
patrols with their camera traps, or engage
in other conservation activities.
Each inclusive package with breakfast,
lunch and dinner in the camp’s riverside
Cardamom Tented Camp ecotourism paradise in Cambodia: Nine comfortable tents with private bathrooms; guided hikes through forest and
grasslands; 18,000 hectares of native forest reserve.
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estaurant allows time for guests to
explore by themselves or in small groups,
or to simply lounge by the floating pier at
the camp with binoculars spotting some
of the hundreds of bird species in the
park. Guests have the option of joining a
second ranger patrol on a different route
during their stay.
Asian elephants, dhole, clouded leopards,
hog badgers, sun bears, mouse deer and
pangolin all rely on the mature forest
habitat around the camp.
“The Cardamom Tented Camp helps
keep the forest standing,” says Willem
Niemeijer, CEO of YAANA Ventures,
the sustainable tourism company invited
to create a low-impact ecotourism camp.
“We can’t take the forest’s survival for
Rangers on the job on the river
granted. Each visitor helps us show the
world that well managed ecotourism is a
viable alternative to logging and hunting.”
At the eco-camp, which is a three
way initiative between the Minor
International, YAANA Ventures and
Wildlife Alliance, a percentage of the
revenue will go directly to Wildlife
Alliance. Wildlife Alliance is supported
by the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant
Foundation, an initiative of the Minor
Group. Any tented camp profits will be
reinvested locally.
The two new packages can start at the
Wildlife Alliance lodge and pier in
Trapeang Rung at set times or include
transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
from Phnom Penh or Trat airport in
Thailand. From Trapeang Rung it is a
one-hour river trip to the Cardamom
Tented Camp.
Trapeang Rung is located along Route 48
approximately one hour’s drive from the
Hat Lek-Koh Kong border with Thailand.
It is two hours north of Sihanoukville. A
regular local bus service between Phnom
Penh and Koh Kong stops on request at
Trapeang Rung.
The price of the 3D/2N package
commencing in Trapeang Rung starts at
US$198 per person on a twin/double The
4D/3N package rack prices starts around
USD 300. Helicopter transfers from either
Siem Reap or Phnom Penh can be arranged
by the Cardamom Tented Camp.
Shake-up
Cambodia’s plans to significantly raise tourism standards have been met with
approval by agents in the country. The ministry of tourism is due to unveil a sevenstep
plan in the coming months, as part of the kingdom’s aim of attracting seven
million visitors by 2020.
Full details are yet to be released, but it will focus on improving the quality of
tourism services and strengthen the management of industry standards within the
tourism sector, especially MICE.
It will also look at the professional management of business licenses and strengthening
revenue collection.
The shake-up will see all non-licensed
businesses shut down by 2018.
According to ministry figures, there
were 647 hotels, 1,996 guesthouses,
1,844 restaurants, 588 tourism agencies
and 5,088 guides registered across
Cambodia in 2016.
Travel Trade OUTBOUND - Scandinavia

Important Dates
Here is
to learn
Travel Trade
OUTBOUND
2018
Matka Jan 18-21
Icelandair Mid-Atlantic Tradeshow, January 25-28
AIME Melbourne, February 20-21
PATA Adventure Travel Mart, Abu Dhabi, February 21-23
Danish Travel Show, Herning, February 23-25
ITB Berlin, March 7-11
IT&CM China, Shanghai, March 20-22
CTW China, Shanghai, March 20-22
Visit Faroe Islands, April 24-26
Stockholm B2B Travelshow, September 5
Helsinki B2B travel show, September 6
PATA Travel Mart, Langkawi, September 12-14
Vestnorden Travel Mart Iceland, Oct 2-4
The opening of the awards will take place
in the Southern Highlands Welcome
Centre in Mittagong, NSW, Australia.
In 2018 there will be public toilet award
categories for Best Location, Best
Design, Quirkiest Toilet Experience,
Best Accessible Toilet, Best Economic
Contributor, and Overall Winner.
“The humble public toilet in a tourism
destination drives visitation,” says
Bronwyn White, co-founder of
MyTravelResearch.com, the organizer
of the toilet awards, which is passionate
about good loos in tourism destinations.
“Good toilets encourage people to stay
longer and spend more than a penny. Let’s
just say they improve an area’s bottom
line.”
Being a toilet tourism award winner can
bring recognition to a small business.
“We are still riding the wave of success for
2018 International
Toilet Tourism Awards
being joint winner of Best Design award
in the inaugural Toilet Tourism Awards,”
says Kathleen Buzzacott, proprietor of
the Art Studio, Alice Springs, central
Australia. “It is a bragging point for us,
and visitors always want a tour of the
toilets when they hear our artistic loos
won an award!”
Creative, hygienic and functional public
conveniences appeal to all users. For
example, good toilet provision is an issue
of access for people with disabilities.
Tourists in wheelchairs prefer to know in
advance if there are facilities for them.
World Toilet Day
While the International Toilet Tourism
Awards is a fun initiative to encourage
better loos in tourism destinations,
MyTravelResearch.com endorses the
efforts of the United Nations to provide
adequate toilets in poor countries where
public health and toilet sanitation are
inadequate.
The United Nations holds World Toilet
Day on 19 November each year to draw
attention to the fact that 360,000 children
under the age of five die annually due
to diarrhoea; 2.3 billion people do not
have basic sanitation services at home;
an estimated 600 million people share a
toilet or latrine with other households;
and around 892 million people, mostly in
rural areas, defecate in the open.
The implications for disease control,
especially among children, and security
for women are real. The UN says 1.8 billion
people drink unimproved drinking water
that has no protection from contamination
from faeces.
“If there’s one thing that unites humanity,
it’s the call of nature,” says Carolyn Childs,
co-founder of MyTravelResearch.com.
“But depending on where we live, it’s not
always possible to dispose of our bodily
waste safely and responsibly.”
White adds: “The awards are fun. The
sanitation challenge in poor economies is
real. Access to a good loo for everyone is
urgent. It’s time we got our sh*t together
and made things better.”
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