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www.nitravelnews.com


February 2025


Türkiye Reports 20% Growth in Irish Visitors in 2024


Emirates staff will undertake a new focused training on autism and sensory awareness


Emirates Sets Off on Inspiring


Journey for Autism EMIRATES has launched an inspiring journey to officially become the world’s first Autism Certified Airline, inviting customers with autism and sensory sensitivities to experience Emirates’ seamless services and personalised hospitality, making travel more accessible for all.


The inaugural designation is set to be formally awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) in the coming months, when more than 30,000 Emirates cabin crew and ground staff will have completed the initial training. Emirates also plans to roll out new standards and services that will improve the on ground and inflight travel experience for both customers on the autism spectrum and their families and companions, to be announced later in the year. For many members of the global autism community,


international air travel is a


highly challenging experience, or something to be avoided completely, due to the high level of sensory stimuli that can be involved. A survey on AutismTravel.com revealed that 78% of families are hesitant to travel or visit new locations, and that 94% of respondents would take more vacations if they had access to places where staff are autism-trained and certified. As part of Emirates’ mission to make travel more inclusive and accessible for all, this significant step also supports Dubai’s ambition to become the most accessible destination in the world. As part of the designation, Emirates’ ground staff and cabin crew will undertake a new, focused training on autism and sensory awareness to equip them with the understanding and skills to address needs of travellers with autism and sensory sensitivities, along with their families. The training educates Emirates’ teams on the spectrum of autism, misconceptions and challenges faced, the myriad ways to assist customers dependent on their individual needs, and potential stimulus and triggers that staff should be aware of. The new training builds on the foundations established by the Emirates ‘Introduction to Autism and Hidden Disabilities’ training, which was completed by 23,000 staff in 2023.


Hays Travel Jets


Customers Direct to the Caribbean from Belfast


Some 300 passengers set off for a Caribbean cruise direct from Belfast International Airport on Saturday. The UK’s largest independent travel


agent exclusively chartered the direct flight to Barbados to take customers on a winter sunshine escape, with the added ease and convenience of flying from their local airport. Hays Travel staff welcomed their passengers at Belfast International Airport’s check-in area and joined them at an exclusive airside drinks reception. Fully escorted throughout by Hays


Travel staff, the two-week cruise on board P&O Cruises’ ship, Arvia, takes guests on a Caribbean journey around islands including Grenada, St Lucia, St Marteen, and Antigua.


The Maltese islands have received the title of the world’s best diving destination in 2025 from the boot Düsseldorf Dive Awards. This award reflects Malta’s many unique features, such as its 190 kilometres of coastline and many thrilling underwater sites, including wrecks, caves, and swim-throughs - easily accessible year-round. The award was judged by a panel of experts from distinguished diving publications. Malta’s professional diving infrastructure and unmatched opportunities for divers of all levels set it apart from other contenders. “We are delighted to accept this honour,” says Tolene van der Merwe, UK & Ireland Director of Visit Malta. “We are so grateful to the panel and proud to be recognized. Malta is one of the world’s greatest places to dive, but it also shines in many other respects such as culture, history, natural beauty and more. Hopefully, this award brings attention to the islands, inspiring travellers to experience Malta for themselves”.


Writer Nigel Heath Delves Into Publishing


OUR veteran travel writer Nigel Heath, who has been sharing his world-wide adventures with NI Travel News readers for almost thirty years, has also turned to Amazon.


Publishing books with a range of titles,


Nigel shared classics such as ‘Our French Pied-a-terre Adventure’, covering the acquisition and renovation of an old house in Normandy and ;Albany House’ which is a six-part family saga. He has also went on to publish ‘Paths


& Poetry’, which spans over forty years of walking across the UK with his journalist companion and Poet Peter Gibbs.


Our


personal favourite here at NI Travel


The UK government’s new regualtions mean airlines must incorporate a minimum of 2% sustainable fuel in their flights


Sustainable Fuel Levy Will NOT Impact Holiday Prices


FOLLOWING reports that flights prices may rise by over 20% due to new regulations on sustainable fuel, holidaymakers are being assured that they will not see a noticeable rise in the price of their next holiday.


Under new regulations laid out by the UK government, airlines must incorporate a minimum of 2% sustainable fuel in their flights. This requirement will gradually increase, expecting airlines to use 10% sustainable fuel, followed by 22% by 2040. It has been reported that the government’s


impact assessment predicts price hikes on flights, especially following a recent 15% increase in air passenger duty announced in the budget. According to the document, worst-case scenarios could result in an extra £302.40 for round-trip tickets for a family of four by 2040 as the assessment suggests that up to 80% of the airline levy costs may be transferred to consumers. However, the same document indicates


that the increase could be as low as £9.40 by 2040, contingent on the availability of sustainable fuel, which is a much more likely increase according to travel experts. A spokesperson from the Department for


Transport stated: “We aim to allow people to travel more sustainably while safeguarding them from high ticket prices, estimating that the shift to greener fuels will add less than £4 to ticket costs.”


The sustainable fuel is sourced from cooking oils and animal waste, in addition to traditional jet fuel, aligning with the government’s goals for achieving net-zero emissions.


News is ‘Newspapers & PR, a Media Life’ which covers many of Nigel’s travels during his time in the media industry. Congratulations Nigel ,from all


of us at NI Travel News. Nigel’s books are all now available to purchase on Amazon.


IN 2024, Türkiye welcomed 195,899 visitors from Ireland. In the first half of the year, over 81,000 Irish tourists travelled to Türkiye, reflecting the country’s continued popularity as a top destination for tourists seeking its unique mix of vibrant cities, historical sites, and scenic Mediterranean coastline. Türkiye achieved a 9.8% year-on-year growth in its visitor numbers and hosted 62,269,890 visitors in 2024, representing a 20.3% growth compared to 2019, the pre-pandemic year. With this figure, Türkiye also surpassed its targets of 60 million visitors, which it announced earlier in 2024, and 61 million visitors, which it renewed last October. In


addition, Türkiye generated 61.1 billion USD (€58.9 billion) as tourism revenue, which is 8.3% more than the previous year.


Türkiye welcomed 4,433,782 visitors


from the United Kingdom. In the first half of the year, nearly 1.8 million UK travellers arrived, reflecting Türkiye’s continued popularity as a top destination for British tourists. Europe, the Middle East, and Central


Asia have remained Türkiye’s biggest source markets while emerging markets such as the Americas, India, and China showed great growth in 2024. While Russia, Germany, and the United Kingdom remained Türkiye’s top three biggest


Malta Wins Prestigious Diving Award


source markets, the growth in the number of visitors from emerging markets was 8.1% for the USA, 65.1% for China,


and 20.7% for India. Türkiye’s international visitors spent


an average of 10.7 days in the country, and the revenue per visitor was USD 972 (€937). According to UN Tourism, Türkiye ranks among the world’s top five most visited destinations in 2023.


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