4 UPDATES
Head To Canada As Testing
Requirements Ease
WITH Canada’s Travel Health Notice moving from a level 3 to a level 2, meaning that the Canadian government will no longer recommend for Canadians to avoid non-essential purposes.
All vaccinated travellers heading to Canada will now be able to complete either a COVID-19 rapid antigen test or a molecular test, to meet Canada’s pre-entry requirements. A rapid antigen test must be taken the day of the traveller’s scheduled flight or a PCR test taken 72 hours prior to their arrival. However, a rapid antigen test
at home is not sufficient to meet Canada’s pre-entry requirements. The
Barbados Lift Their Latest Covid Restriction
BARBADOS have lifted their final curfew rules meaning the destination is now restriction free The Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association said: “Our direct tourism services members, in particular the catamarans, nightclubs and tour companies, are delighted to be able to return to full capacity. The restaurants have also signalled that they are extremely happy.
“This will have an immediate positive impact on service delivery as they will not have to rush patrons and can manage capacity in a way that allows them to be more viable. Critically, it will also improve the ability of their staff to get home without the stressor of the curfew.”
The curfew placed restrictions on any movement between 12am and 5am daily in the Caribbean destination.
Entry requirements for anyone travelling to or from Barbados are still in place. You are still required to present a negative PCR taken within three days from your arrival or a lateral flow test taken within 24 hours. This applies to both vaccinated and non-vaccinated travellers.
Non-vaccinated arrivals will be required to take a further test following their five day quarantine.
Half-Term Hurrah as International Flight Numbers Increase
FOLLOWING the easing of UK Travel Restrictions on Friday 11 February, a strong recovery seems well underway for the travel sector as the February half-term begins. Data has recorded that International flights from the UK for half-term 2022 are up 545% when compared with 2021’s half term figures. However, UK international departures remain 42% down when compared with pre-pandemic half term figures in 2020, just prior to the initial Covid-19 restrictions were put in place. Over the course of this February half-term, there are scheduled to be 7,746 international departures from the UK equating to roughly 1,515,018 seats. With most popular destination by number of departing flights is Dublin, with 446 flights during half-term. This is closely followed by Amsterdam, Geneva and Tenerife-South. As the United Kingdom drop the Day 2 test for fully-vaccinated arrivals, it has been revealed that 7,743 international flights will land into UK airports during the half-term holidays. A figure which equates to over 1.5 million seats. With this half-term growth in mind, spring figures, in particular April, have suggested that a recovery is underway as international flights from the UK in April 2022 rise 845% when compared to April 2021, and up 840% compared to April 2020. All data and figures provided by Circum, for more information please visit
https://www.cirium.com/
rapid antigen test must be authorised in the country of purchase administered by a laboratory, or healthcare entity.
Under 12s do not need to be vaccinated and as long as they are travelling with vaccinated adults they are not required to quarantine on arrival. On-arrival testing for fully-vaccinated travellers will also change. International fully-vaccinated travellers arriving to Canada will be randomly selected for arrival testing. However, selected travellers will not be required to complete a mandatory quarantine while awaiting test
results.
Canada will only grant fully vaccinated travellers into the country.
The Canadian Minister of Health, The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos stated that ” The return to mandatory random testing of all vaccinated travellers will facilitate travel for Canadians all while helping our public health authorities to detect future changes in COVID-19 importation rates and variants of concern. As we have said all along, Canada’s border measures will remain flexible and adaptable, for potential future scenarios”
Ireland Sees Mass Increase In Mid-Term Departures
As half-term gets well underway, research has suggest a massive increase in international flights departing from the Republic of Ireland, when compared with the 2021 February mid-term figures. It has been reported that international flights departing from the Republic of Ireland over the February 2022 mid-term break, have increased by almost 712% when
THE Glasgow-based airline celebrated its 60th anni- versary earlier this month, and now serves more UK airports than every other airline combined. Highlights of the winter schedule include: Introduction of larger 72-seat ATR72-600 turboprop aircraft on key routes to and from the Isle of Man and Aberdeen;
New routes launching in Summer 2022 – Edinburgh to City of Derry, Aberdeen to Oslo, Aberdeen-Tees- side-Southampton – continue throughout the winter season; More flights on UK regional routes including Ed- inburgh-Cardiff and Aberdeen-Manchester-Newquay, with up to six weekly flights on each route; Extra weekend services on key UK domestic routes from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle to South- ampton;
Christmas and New Year flights on seasonal routes including
Inverness-Dublin, Teesside-Dublin and
Newcastle-Newquay together with more Christmas flights on busy routes to the Scottish Islands and to City of Derry; Extra flights in late January 2023 for Shetland’s re- nowned UpHellyAa Viking fire festival, which is taking
compared with 2021’s figures. However, these figures are still down 28% when compared with the mid-term departures in February 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryanair, Aer Lingus and KLM are tipped to be the airlines with the most departing flights over the half-
term holidays. Loganair Launches Winter Schedule Following The Recovery of Air Travel
place in Lerwick for the first time in three years; Loganair’s growing network of services into Norway will continue through next winter with routes from Newcastle and Edinburgh to Bergen and Stavanger being joined by the new Aberdeen-Oslo service. Kay Ryan, Loganair’s Chief Commercial Officer,
said: “The scale of our winter 2022/23 schedule reflects both our growing confidence in the recovery of air trav- el after the pandemic and the range of services that our customers have now come to expect of us. The launch of our schedule also enables customers to plan and book Loganair flights to connect to worldwide itineraries of- fered by our growing range of airline partners.” In addition to the significant expansion of its partner- ship with British Airways announced earlier this month, Loganair has added new interline arrangements with Singapore Airlines, Finnair and Ethiopian Airlines in re- cent weeks, facilitating same-ticket, assured connections for customers between the respective airlines’ services. These new partnerships complement existing Loga- nair relationships with major airlines including Emir- ates, Etihad, KLM, Qatar Airways and United Airlines. To book flights on Loganair’s winter schedule, visit:
https://www.loganair.co.uk/
Palladium Sets Up For Summer In Costa Del Sol
PALLADIUM Hotel Group is launching the summer season with the opening of Palladium Hotel Costa del Sol on the 18th March. This early opening will extend the season, allowing early spring getaways to the sunny Andalusian coast which offers an excellent blend of culture, leisure and relaxation. Situated right on the beachfront in the Benalmádena region of Málaga, the contemporary four-star hotel boasts 336 light and airy guestrooms, and its enviable facilities include the Nix Sky Bar terrace with impressive sea views. Stunning local routes and a bicycle-storage area have earned Palladium Hotel Costa del Sol the Bikefriendly quality seal, highlighting it as a hotspot for sports and soft adventure.
Mediterranean cuisine and traditional Andalusian recipes take the spotlight in the hotel’s gastronomic proposition but are balanced with international flavours. In the renowned Nix Sky Bar, one of the most sought- after terraces in the area, both hotel and external guests can choose from the extensive cocktail and drinks menu, with spectacular sunset views. A great atmosphere will be provided by the best DJ sets, themed events and shows filling the calendar each month. This year for the first time, Nix Sky Bar will also offer a delicious selection of hot and cold tapas.
NEW data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows the UK’s Travel & Tourism sector is recovering, with the country’s GDP predicted to rise to £192 billion, just 19% below pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022.
According to the latest research, it could also mean a net gain in jobs for the sector, with a rise of 1.7% on pre pandemic levels, resulting in some 4.3 million people being employed within Travel & Tourism by the end of the year, 70,000 more than in 2019. This latest WTTC data will come as welcome news
to the country’s battle-scarred Travel & Tourism sector as it looks forward to travel returning. Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said:
“Travel & Tourism to and from the UK is poised for a full recovery. By the end of this year, we estimate its con- tribution to national economy could reach £192 billion. “While the UK was one of the worst hit in terms of the sector’s contribution to GDP, the future is looking posi- tive. But this will depend on the government keeping to its pledge to re-open UK Plc and not reintroducing the chaotic travel restrictions that actually had zero impact on the spread of the virus.”
Last week, research from WTTC revealed that as
the world began its recovery from pandemic, the sector’s contribution to both the global economy and employ- ment could reach almost pre-pandemic levels this year. It forecasts that the global Travel & Tourism sector’s
The seafront Poseidón restaurant offers a selection of high-quality Mediterranean dishes, including fresh grilled and traditional fried fish along with salads, to be enjoyed in a relaxed atmosphere just steps from the beach. Meanwhile, Chang Thai’s delicious oriental dishes provide an international alternative. Palladium Hotel Costa del Sol’s all-inclusive concept is elevated by their exciting show-cooking restaurant, Pintarroja. With its carefully considered selection of Andalucian dishes, it makes an ideal option for families and groups of friends wishing to relax and enjoy the authentic flavours of the region in a memorable setting.
Daytime and evening activities will keep all ages entertained. The hotel has two swimming pools: one exclusively for adults, and a family pool complete with slides, which children will love. To truly unwind, Zensations by Zentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness offers a wellness circuit complete with a sauna and steam room, as well as massage and treatment rooms, and a state-of-the-art gym. For more information and exclusive booking offers, including up to 10% discount and first children going free on selected dates, visit https://www.
palladiumhotelgroup.com/en.
Travel Sector to Reach £192 billion if UK Government Keep Borders Open- WTTC
contribution to the global economy could reach $8.6 trillion this year, just 6.4% behind pre-pandemic levels. WTTC has long urged governments to support vac- cine and booster rollouts with repealing restrictive and ineffective travel restrictions.
This would help reboot the Travel & Tourism sector to pre-pandemic levels and restore jobs to just 1% below levels last seen in 2019.
The global tourism body also urges governments around the world to remove the patchwork of restric- tions, allow the fully vaccinated to travel freely and enable international travel using digital solutions that allow travellers to prove their status in a fast, simple and secure way.
March 2022 Travel News
2023 Sees A Fresh Start For Tayto Park
Tayto Snacks and Tayto Park have today (15 February 2022) announced that the title sponsorship for one of Ireland’s most popular attractions will come to an end on the 31st of December 2022.
From January 2023, there will be a fresh start for the award-winning theme park as a new name and identity is expected.
Speaking in regards to this announcement, Raymond Coyle, Founder of Tayto Park stated, “I am delighted to have aligned with one of the most iconic Irish brands, so successfully for over a decade. Our partnership with Tayto Snacks has helped to create of Ireland’s most popular tourist attractions in little over 12 years.”
Lithuania Lift Travel Restrictions
LITHUANIA has lifted its COVID-19 restrictions for all EU/EEA countries and continues to ease them for other countries. From today (15 Tuesday), all visitors from EU/EEA and some of the non-EU countries— Israel, the U.S., the UAE, New Zealand, Georgia, Taiwan, Ukraine—will no longer be required to provide a vaccine certificate, documentation of recovery, or a negative COVID-19 test when entering Lithuania. Starting from March 31, visitors from other countries
will be still required to present a vaccination certificate, documentation of recovery, or a negative COVID-19 test, however, they will not need to undergo additional testing or self-isolate. Furthermore, those immunised by Nuvaxovid (Novavax) and Covishield (AstraZeneca) vaccines can already enter the country. This decision taken by the Lithuanian government follows the recommendations of the World Health Organisation to lift or ease travel restrictions, as pro- longed strict COVID-19 measures can potentially cause economic and social harm. After implementing these changes, Lithuania remains one of the most open European countries regarding international travel. “Lithuania is one of the first countries in the region to
quickly and flexibly respond to the changing nature of the virus. The lifted restrictions send a positive message to the entire Lithuanian tourism sector, which has been affected by the pandemic,” said Aušrinė Armonaitė, Lithuania’s Minister of the Economy and Innovation. “Previous restrictions would no longer serve the same purpose, and would only have a negative impact on the economy, seeing that the current strain of virus is considered milder. This is also good news for tourists and Lithuanians living abroad since both groups will now find it easier to come to Lithuania.” Before the pandemic, almost 2 million tourists visited the country in 2019. With over €977.8M spent by visitors that year, tourism became a significant part of the country’s economy. It is expected that the lifted restrictions will drive the country’s tourism businesses towards a faster recovery as entering Lithuania from EU/EEA countries now will be no different from the regulations valid in the pre-pandemic period. Most tourist attractions are now open in Lithuania and allow visitors to explore the country with minimal safety limitations such as wearing medical masks in public indoor spaces and FFP2 grade respirators during indoor events.
‘Worldwide by easyJet’ Expands To Greek Islands EASYJET and
Crete-based
airline SKY express
have announced that through ‘Worldwide by easyJet’ customers will now be able to connect via Athens, Thessaloniki, Corfu, Zakynthos, Preveza, Kefalonia, Rhodes, Larnaca, Chania, Heraklion and Thessaloniki to over 20 new Greek destinations. Passengers flying with easyJet will now have access by air to a new host of beautiful Greek Islands including Mytilene, Paros, Icaria, Astypalaia, Naxos, Vathi, Scio, Lemnos, Karpathos, Kythera, Milos, Alexandroupoli, Kastoria, Skiros, Kozani, Kasos Island, Sitia, Syros, Kalymnos and Laros Island. The Greeks Islands offer a huge variety of sites and experiences to enjoy, whether travellers are looking for adventure, exploration or simply rest and relaxation. Sophie Dekkers, easyJet’s Chief Commercial Officer, commented “At easyJet we’re committed to making travel as easy as possible as well as providing great value and more choice for our customers when they travel. We are delighted to be working with SKY express to open up access to even more new destinations this summer and explore all that Greece and its islands have to offer, through our innovative Worldwide by easyJet platform.” “We look forward to taking customers on their long-
awaited holidays and we are confident these additions to our Worldwide service will be very popular with those looking for a seamless way to explore more beautiful sun-kissed islands
Mr. Yiannis Lidakis, Commercial Director from SKY express, stated “We want to thank easyJet for our cooperation. We continue our efforts for continuous growth and this gives us the opportunity to have more new collaborations with important companies in our field. This cooperation is of strategic importance for us because its main goal is to offer our passengers more options, but also to strengthen the potential of our country as a dynamic travel destination”.
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