Starfish Travel Corporation Team

A brand-new pilot cadet programme being introduced by British Airways will provide funding for up to 60 aspiring pilots’ training each year. The economic barrier to training to become an airline pilot will be eliminated with the establishment of the British Airways Speedbird Pilot Academy, making the career considerably more accessible. After clearing the course, successful candidates will be offered a career as a British Airways pilot, assisting the airline in ensuring it has the necessary levels of future flying talent for years to come. For many, becoming a pilot is out of reach due to the high expense of initial training, which can reach tens of thousands of pounds. British Airways will now cover this expense as part of its multi-million pound commitment in developing its future generation of pilots, making becoming a pilot a real career option for all aspirants. The airline is keen to raise awareness, visibility, and applications to this new cadet programme to persons from all backgrounds, not just those who can pay the first training expenditures. The airline remains committed to further growing diversity in the aviation business. The Speedbird Pilot Academy would help students who had previously discounted the possibility due to the financial burden realise their dream of becoming a British Airways pilot, according to Sean Doyle, Chairman and CEO of British Airways. “Our goal is to draw in the best talent available for our upcoming pilot generation. We’re levelling the playing field by removing the first training cost barrier to make a flying profession more accessible to a larger spectrum of individuals and give everyone an equal shot, whether they are just graduating from high school or starting a second career they never imagined conceivable. A career as a British Airways pilot is tremendously gratifying because we fly to more than 200 destinations worldwide on a variety of aircraft types. Anyone can make it a reality thanks to this once-in-a-generation programme. This is a fantastic job for anyone, according to British Airways Senior First Officer and former cadet Hannah Vaughan. Naturally, you must enjoy flying and travelling, but working as a pilot with British Airways offers so much more. “I would definitely recommend it as a career path, from working with an incredibly dedicated team and meeting customers from around the world to benefiting from world-class training facilities.” Successful applicants will be given a spot at one of the approved flight training schools, with British Airways paying for all of their tuition. One component of the airline’s larger pilot recruitment strategy is the Speedbird Pilot Academy. In addition to partnering with the UK Armed Forces to provide military pilots new career possibilities in commercial aviation once their stipulated service tenure has expired, British Airways continues to hire current commercial pilots. Source- Travel daily

The Perdana Fellow Alumni Association (PFAA) and MITEC are working together as a strategic partner to unlock the potential of young people and promote change-makers whose leadership will help the nation achieve the SDGs. Mala Dorasamy, CEO of MITEC, stated that the association “aligns with the direction for the centre to accomplish Youth 4 Global Goals (Youth4GG) to promote and support the change-makers of their leadership abilities that will act as a catalyst in driving the accomplishment of SDGs or also known as the Global Goals and Agenda 2030” in order to harness the potential of young people in Malaysia. In order to give young Malaysians first-hand exposure to issues of national government, the Ministry of Youth and Sports formed the PFAA in 2013. The chosen young people were chosen from among thousands of applicants, and “The cream of the crop” was given to the ministers of various ministries to help in the highest level of governance. They join the Perdana Fellows Alumni Association (PFAA) after completing the fellowship, continuing the tradition of encouraging a close network between youth leaders and corporate, governmental, and non-profit leaders. “We are deeply honoured to receive the support of MITEC, a significant economic catalyst and renowned Gateway of Southeast Asia,” said Syed Mohamed Arif, president of PFAA. In order to achieve our ambitious goal of raising the association’s reputation within ASEAN and beyond, a cooperation with MITEC will certainly be expedited. The International young Centre (IYC) and MITEC have similar goals in creating an empowered young to contribute to the nation with their ideas, skills, and manpower for the improvement of the next generation in the country. MITEC hopes to identify numerous talents through this association. “We believe MITEC’s initiative to support and partner with PFAA is based on shared responsibility to make society a better place and is a good way to expand as well as include more holistic approaches in corporate social responsibility,” said YBhg Dr. Hi Mohamed Maliki, Director of the International Youth Centre. The MITEC organisation has started initiatives to address youth empowerment before. eUsahawan Young Heroes by MDEC, the Business Events (BE) forum, the Elite Programme for talent development, Michelin Guide Debut with Sunway & Taylors University, and giving interns platforms in engineering, finance, business development, marketing, culinary and hospitality industry at the largest venue in Malaysia as part of the graduate programme are just a few of the well-known initiatives that MITEC has partnered with. “With partnerships, we have successfully introduced fresh and innovative approaches to attain the SDGs in a more approachable manner,” added Mala Dorasamy, CEO of MITEC. In this situation, the collaboration will effectively unlock the potential of youth, enabling them to make a substantial contribution to our common SDGs. Source- Travel biz

Booking.com has agreed to serve as the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023’s Official Online Travel Sponsor. Booking.com is in a great position to assist travellers and football fans in booking their lodging when travelling to see their favourite team play, according to the company. With a wide selection of lodging options, including over 28 million listings in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, not to mention over 60,000 in host countries Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand alone, Booking.com is well-positioned to assist them. The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, which will be held in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand from July 20 to August 20, is anticipated to be the largest women’s sporting event ever, featuring 64 matches that will be played in 10 renowned locations throughout the two nations. Booking.com, the official online travel sponsor, will make it possible for fans to book lodging during the games, including hotels, holiday homes, apartments, and everything in between, allowing them to take advantage of everything the host cities have to offer. Taking place in Australia and New Zealand in 2023, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is a celebration of diversity and sport that aims to strengthen relationships between local communities and fan bases in both countries. Booking.com has maintained its commitment to supporting elite women’s sport by teaming up with the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, continuing recent investments into women’s sporting events. “The FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 tournament will create the perfect synergy for unforgettable experiences that last a lifetime,” said Arjan Dijk, CMO and Senior Vice President at Booking.com. “Football is the world’s #1 passion, and when combined with the excitement and adventure of travel, the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 tournament will create the perfect synergy for memorable experiences that last a lifetime.” Through our nifty app, which makes it simple for everyone to book accommodations, we’re thrilled to play a part in encouraging travellers and helping them achieve their travel goals. “We are thrilled to welcome Booking.com to our family of tournament sponsors and supporters ahead of the greatest FIFA Women’s World CupTM ever,” said Sarai Bareman, Chief Women’s Football Officer, FIFA. Over the next month, supporters of teams from over 150 different nations will travel to Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand to cheer on their teams and the competition. With Booking.com at their disposal, many of these supporters will be able to locate excellent lodging alternatives during their stay. Source-Travel biz

According to the nation’s official statistics, Spain is one of the most travelled nations in the world. Two well-known locations, Barcelona and Madrid, are among the top five summer destinations that European travellers on Trip.com have booked as a result of the pandemic. The travel outlook for this summer, Ms. Morillo said Ms. Sun, “is fantastic.” “The number of visitors has surpassed the pre-pandemic level, and most importantly, travellers are spending more this summer compared to 2019,” the statement continued. However, Ms. Morillo clarified that they don’t solely pay attention to visitor volume. Right now, sustainable and high-quality tourism is Spain’s preferred approach to tourism, which has replaced “mass, sun, and beach” tourism. “The geography and culture of Spain are different. Despite the fact that we already have well-known tourist locations, we must concentrate on enhancing tourists’ experiences rather than merely bringing in more people. According to Ms. Morillo, we should work to encourage more tourists to visit off-the-beaten-path locations. Ms. Sun, who has been throughout Spain, concurred that there are many undiscovered jewels to be found there and pointed out that the Trip.com Group has been preparing for the return of Chinese tourists to Spain ever since the pandemic’s emergence. Through the use of content marketing techniques, the online travel agency has produced effective campaigns to maintain clients’ interest in the nation. These include influencer marketing initiatives on its platform for travel-related content, the debut of a StarHub official account for Spain, and the development of curated lists for users to discover vacation ideas in Spain. Has there been a change in Chinese tourists’ recent travel habits or choices, even though Spain has traditionally been one of their most preferred destinations? According to Ms. Sun, “The new generation of Chinese tourists expects genuine and distinctive experiences in Spain. Through our cutting-edge technology and marketing capabilities, we give them the most exciting travel inspiration and trustworthy suggestions. Future travel will change as a result of technology The use of cutting-edge AI technologies by Trip.com Group to improve the consumer experience is reshaping the travel and hospitality sector. Over 75% of airline and hotel-related issues voiced by customers are now resolved by the AI chatbot, without the need for these consumers to speak to a customer support representative, thanks to the company’s pioneering use of AI technology in customer service in 2016. Trip.com introduced “TripGen” earlier this year, a real-time AI travel assistant that offers users immediate advice on pre-trip decisions and on-trip plans. The overall travel experience has become more joyful and stress-free thanks to this cutting-edge gadget. Ms. Morillo concurs that technology is redefining the tourism business in all facets, including talent development and destination development in addition to pre-booking, booking, and customer service. “Technology will alter travel patterns in addition to how individuals purchase goods. For instance, Ms. Morillo said, “We have observed numerous cities employing technologies to direct the flow of passengers and improve mobility in the city, ultimately enhancing the travel experience. Women are an organization’s foundation. In December 2022, Ms. Morillo took on the position of State Secretary for Tourism, capping a long and fruitful career covering a variety of industries, including software, investment banking, and hospitality. “I think everybody should work in the public sector at some point in his or her life, because you can give back to the society and make a difference,” said Ms. Morillo. Ms. Morillo is a strong advocate for gender equality in the workplace and encourages more women to take up leadership positions. “While the gender ratio in middle management teams in Spain is equal, it becomes increasingly unbalanced at higher management levels. This needs to be changed,” Ms. Morillo shared. The Spanish government recently approved a draft Equal Representation Law that aims to promote more equal representation of women and men in politics, business, and other spheres of public life. While Ms. Morillo views this as a positive step, she believes that more needs to be done to create a truly gender-inclusive workplace. Ms. Sun agrees with Ms. Morillo’s views and believes that striving for equal gender representation in senior management teams is not only the right thing to do but will also lead to more rational and considerate decision-making for governments, companies, and organisations. “With more than half of Trip.com Group employees and one-third of middle managers being female, women are the backbone of our business,” said Ms. Sun. “I look forward to further enhancing the figure in the near future.” During their discussion, Ms. Sun also shared with Ms. Morillo’s the Group’s recently launched Childcare Subsidy programme. Under this new scheme, full-time employees with children after 1 July 2023 will receive a subsidy of RMB 10,000 for each child on their first, second, third, fourth and fifth birthdays. The Group plans to invest RMB 1 billion as subsidies to support its employees in family planning and promote working families. Over the years, Trip.com Group has introduced several family-friendly policies including hybrid work and assisted reproduction benefits. “As we have always said, our employees are our greatest asset. The launch of this new initiative is a testament to our commitment to supporting our employees to achieve their family and career goals,” said Ms. Sun. “Going forward, we will continue to create family-friendly workplaces across our various offices.” Source- Travel daily

As of July 19, 2023, the Philippines had welcomed 3 million foreign visitors, according to a report released on Wednesday by the Department of Tourism (DOT). According to the most recent DOT data, from January 1 to July 19, 2023, there were a total of 3,000,079 international visitor arrivals. From January 1 to June 30, 2023, the Philippines’ incoming tourism receipts increased to P212,467,522,100.14, which is 502.02 percent more than the P35,292,495,457.14 in tourism revenue from the same time the previous year. According to Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, “We are pleased to report that in just over seven months, we have already surpassed the 3 million international visitor arrivals mark, reflecting continued robust recovery and the gains of the Marcos Administration towards the resurgence of Philippine tourism.” Millions of Filipinos rely on the tourism industry for work and a living. We are appreciative of the increased global interest in the Philippines, which provides many good reasons to enjoy exploring all of our islands. We also applaud our fellow Filipinos for continuing to visit their home country and for helping the local families, communities, and businesses that make up the tourist value chain. 91.36 percent of the total, or 2,740,802, is made up of foreign visitors, while the remaining 8.64 percent, or 259,277, is made up of Filipinos living abroad. The top 5 source markets for foreign arrivals included Australia with 146,062 (4.87 percent), Japan with 143,227 (4.77 percent), Canada with 132,018 (4.40 percent), and South Korea with 741,658 (24.72 percent). The USA came in second with 550,569 (18.35 percent), followed by Japan and the United States in that order. In addition, there were 129,077 visitors from China (4.30%), 104,211 from Taiwan (3.47%), 85,847 from the UK (2.86%), 81,656 from Singapore (2.72%), and 54,411 from Malaysia (1.81%). Source- Travel daily

Three of the most well-liked ports in the Mediterranean are in Italy, Greece, and Turkey, and MSC Cruises has now unveiled a new itinerary for the MSC Poesia that includes all three. The cruises, which will start in September 2023 and run through November 2023, will let travellers set sail from a variety of points. Outside of peak season, a new 11-night cruise on the MSC Poesia will take passengers to some of the Mediterranean’s most important cultural hubs. Given that they experience less tourists, September through November have been picked. Passengers can pick from a variety of embarkation ports in Italy (Rome and Genoa), Turkey (Kusadasi and Istanbul), and Greece (Athens, Piraeus) depending on the date of departure. Every departure makes the same ports, starting locations, and Sicilian Palermo stops. The Ligurian Riviera towns of Portofino, Camogli, and Santa Margherita, as well as other historical locations, churches, and popular destinations like the Palazzo Bianco and Nicolosio Lomellino palaces, are all accessible via excursions from Genoa. In the Turkish port of Kusadasi, cruise travellers may see the historic city of Ephesus and unwind on beaches with views of the Aegean Sea. On these tours, visitors may see the remains of Hadrian’s Temple and other historic structures. Two of Istanbul’s most well-known sites, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, will be among the ports of call for cruise ship passengers on shore excursions. The Acropolis, a hilltop fortress with a stunning perspective of Athens, as well as other ancient Greek buildings and sites, are among the highlights of port visits to Athens. The cruise line offers a variety of guided sightseeing excursions to these and other noteworthy locations. Grand palaces, historic cathedrals, and delectable food are all found in Palermo. The mediaeval house Palazzo dei Normanni and the golden mosaics representing biblical events are also included in the itinerary, as well as the settlement of Monreale and its cathedral. Cruise guests visiting Rome may see the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the Vatican, to name a few attractions. MSC Poesia will remain in the Mediterranean after completing a stretch of 11-night voyages, but this time will provide 3- to 10-night cruises through the end of the year. On January 5, 2024, she will set sail on a 121-day world cruise that will take her to 52 ports in 31 nations on four continents. Rome, Genoa, Marseille, France, or Barcelona, Spain are all possible places to board the ship. The ship calls at ports in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and along the African coast before sailing through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea. Prior to docking in Germany on May 4, 2024, the ship will make its way across the Atlantic, making stops in South America and the Caribbean before heading north to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and northern Europe. Luxor, Egypt; Petra, Jordan; Mombasa, Kenya; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Belem, Brazil; New York; Halifax, Canada; Nuuk, Greenland; and Reykjavik, Iceland, are among the port highlights. MSC Poesia is a Musica-class ship that commenced service in 2008 and has a capacity of slightly more than 3,000 passengers. The ship offers three swimming pools, four whirlpools, poolside movies, specialised children’s and adolescent zones, a video arcade, casino, show bar, mini-golf, shuffleboard, and other venues and activities. The main dining rooms, Il Palladio and Le Fontane, the Villa Pompeiana buffet, and Kaito, a sushi restaurant, are among the eating options. Six bars/lounges are available, as well as two pool bars. On January 5, 2024, she will set sail on a 121-day world cruise that will take her to 52 ports in 31 nations on four continents. Rome, Genoa, Marseille, France, or Barcelona, Spain are all possible places to board the ship. The ship calls at ports in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and along the African coast before sailing through the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea. Prior to docking in Germany on May 4, 2024, the ship will make its way across the Atlantic, making stops in South America and the Caribbean before heading north to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and northern Europe. Luxor, Egypt; Petra, Jordan; Mombasa, Kenya; Walvis Bay, Namibia; Belem, Brazil; New York; Halifax, Canada; Nuuk, Greenland; and Reykjavik, Iceland, are among the port highlights. MSC Poesia is a Musica-class ship that commenced service in 2008 and has a capacity of slightly more than 3,000 passengers. The ship offers three swimming pools, four whirlpools, poolside movies, specialised children’s and adolescent zones, a video arcade, casino, show bar, mini-golf, shuffleboard, and other venues and activities. The main dining rooms, Il Palladio and Le Fontane, the Villa Pompeiana buffet, and Kaito, a sushi restaurant, are among the eating options. Six bars/lounges are available, as well as two pool bars. Source- Travel daily

A key step towards the completion and ultimate appearance of China’s first brand-new, large cruise ship has been made with the start of the first of two sea trials. Adora Magic City, the first cruise ship made in China, has reportedly started sea trials, according to China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). China wants to use this ship as a launching pad to dominate the production of massive cruise ships. The first cruise ship made entirely in China, which will leave from Shanghai in 2024, accomplished a crucial milestone on July 17, 2023. Since the ship was floated out in June 2023, the self-propelled sea testing has begun. The big cruise ship, which will be operated by Adora Cruises Limited, has departed from Shanghai on a nine-day voyage across the ocean. Every day of the voyage will be used for testing and trials. Prior to its initial sea trials, Adora Magic City was furnished for six weeks. Aboard the ship, equipment like water ingress alarms, watertight doors, fire safety systems, and other elements necessary for comfortable and safe ocean travel were tested and certified. Chinese shipyards have enhanced their technological proficiency under the direction of specialists from Italy’s Fincantieri, a pioneer in the shipbuilding industry. China State Shipbuilding Corporation has already started work on a second, larger cruise ship based on the Adora design. Construction of this ship began in August 2022, and delivery is expected in 2025. China wants to develop a cruise ship industry on par with those of France, Germany, Finland, and Italy. The ultimate goal of China is to rank among the top five cruise ship builders worldwide. A crucial step towards achieving that objective is Adora Magic City. The amazing cruise ship Adora Magic City transforms into a magical “city” at sea by merging elements from the East and the West. The ship will include a unique German craft brewery providing unique beers with Asian influences as well as other well-liked brews. The largest duty-free shopping facility on the ocean will be accessible to guests onboard as well (developed in partnership with China Duty-Free Group). This first vessel will be a state-of-the-art 5G cruise ship made possible by a collaboration with Shanghai Telecom. Travellers to Adora Magic City should have constant access to the internet owing to 5G technology. When Adora Magic City completes its sea trials, receives the necessary finishing touches, and sets sail in 2024, it will have enough amenities, technology, and entertainment to provide Chinese and foreign visitors. Source-Travel daily

Aircastle of Ireland and Wilmington Trust, two aircraft lessors, filed insolvency claims against SpiceJet, and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) postponed the hearing on those claims on August 8. SpiceJet was given 10 days by the court to respond to the pleas. The lessors stated that the multiple petitions were for clarity and simplicity and that there is no ban on submitting multiple petitions when each payment default necessitates a separate plea when the NCLT questioned them about filing multiple petitions for the same claim. August 8 is the day set for the Aircastle case hearing, and August 17 is set aside for the Wilmington Trust plea. The senior attorney for Aircastle stated that because they are the only petitioner for whom the court has issued a notice and the pleading process has been completed, their petition should be given precedence. SpiceJet’s Krishnendu Dutta, a senior attorney, contested the validity of three concurrent pleas made by a single petitioner and asked the court to give him or her 10 days to respond to the lessors’ reply. On July 21, NCLT will also make a determination about the maintainability of the insolvency plea brought forth by Willis Lease Finance Corp., which had leased engines to SpiceJet. Source- Travel biz

At the Women Deliver Global Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) emphasised the significance of women’s involvement in travel & tourism to spur its growth and achieve a flourishing and resilient sector. Julia Simpson, President & CEO of WTTC, stressed the significance of encouraging women’s involvement in the industry and overcoming obstacles for success in the business world in her speech at the conference. The event acted as a forum to discuss the obstacles women in the travel and tourism industry experience and explore solutions in an effort to spur change and advance equitable opportunities for women in the industry. The panel talks provided insight into the difficulties women experience in the workplace, including access barriers, practical difficulties, and ecosystem constraints. The occasion emphasised the critical part that mentoring plays in empowering young women and girls in the economic world. The potential for economic transformation is unlocked via mentorship programmes through networking, opportunities, and resources. “It is proven that companies with 50% women in leadership make more money,” Simpson asserted during her speech. This makes even more sense in the travel and tourism industry, as women typically decide where to book vacations. “Employing women in prominent positions also makes sense; why would you deny yourself access to 50% of the world’s potential. “Rwanda has a stellar record, with the majority of its MPs being female. With genuine passion and a track record of promoting gender equality, President Kagame spoke at the Women Deliver conference, which was hosted for the first time in Africa. “A better future for the industry and the global economy will result from putting women at the forefront of the travel and tourism industry. Currently, women make up more than half of the industry. “We can unleash tremendous potential and promote sustainable progress by addressing the obstacles and injustices people encounter. The “Women Deliver” event acts as a change-catalyst by bringing together sector leaders, policymakers, and activists to collaborate on creating a future that is more diverse and affluent. The worldwide tourism organisation estimates that women make up about 54% of the workforce. Although the travel and tourism industry offers accessible opportunities for women, it also has issues with inequality, including lower salary and employment security. These inequities were reflected in the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects, which saw 62 million jobs lost in the travel and tourism industry, the bulk of which were held by women. WTTC exhorts the public and private sectors to contribute in some way to encouraging women’s involvement in the travel and tourism industry. Governments are urged to implement measures that support the advancement of women in senior management, such as quota requirements for state-owned businesses and publicly traded corporations. Women should have access to specialised professional development programmes in the private sector, as well as networking and mentoring opportunities. Source- Travel biz

SITA and Biman Bangladesh Airlines collaborate on a connectivity solution.Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. (BG) and SITA have teamed together to deploy a number of cutting-edge connectivity solutions that will improve network speeds, streamline airline operations, and lower the cost of expansion. A new Secure SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) option called SITA Connect Go was created especially for the aviation sector. Versa Networks, a reputable vendor of secure access service edge (SASE), helped create the solution. It provides a software-based system that enables numerous airlines, ground handlers, and other tenants to undergo digital transformation at their own speed. Airports and the cloud both offer secure access to virtualized infrastructure and applications, improving performance and making it more scalable. By providing the IT operations team with a detailed picture and complete visibility over their network consumption and application performance, the deployment will enhance the airline’s performance. Better decision-making and the execution of crucial business applications will be made possible. A centralised platform that streamlines network management and orchestration is used to handle everything. With up to 600% more bandwidth made available by SITA Connect solutions, BG will have unmatched speed, flexibility, and agility when connecting swiftly and securely to applications and systems in its town and airport offices. As BG grows its network, these improvements have been provided to it at no extra charge, illustrating a decrease in total cost of ownership. The agreement, which comes as SITA and BG commemorate their 50-year cooperation, will future-proof the airline’s operations for anticipated growth and make BG prepared to adopt a hybrid cloud environment and add new applications as and when necessary. “We’re thrilled to commemorate a 50-year partnership with Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. and provide the latest cutting-edge connectivity solutions that will be the foundations for their next growth chapter,” said Sumesh Patel, President, Asia Pacific, SITA. The key to success in this new era of air travel will be smart, effective, and flexible IT operations, which are the backbone of our industry. We are eager to assist BG in achieving their lofty goals and anticipate many more fruitful years of effective cooperation. Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. MD & CEO Shafiul Azim said, “SITA has established itself as a reliable and successful technology partner over the last 50 years. It’s crucial to make sure that our airline’s applications and systems are optimised. We can use SITA Connect to provide our entire organisation with blazing-fast, secure connections that can be modified as we grow. We are thrilled about the anticipated increase of aircraft from 21 to 45 by 2030 and look forward to providing customers with safe and dependable air travel in the ensuing years. Source- Travel biz