Starfish Travel Corporation Team

Spencer Hanlon from the worldwide real-time payments platform Nium, which offers services to online travel agencies, hotels, and airlines throughout the world, cautions that this year’s more than welcome record summer for travel bookings brings with it the undesirable necessity to expand working capital.  He notes that “despite a surplus of eager customers, a company could easily go under this summer without additional working capital. That’s because, regrettably, a great deal of travel agencies don’t get compensated until after rendering the service or allocating funds in advance. “Most must use credit to fill this gap, which is sometimes difficult to rapidly acquire when faced with an unexpected windfall in bookings. According to the UNWTO, this is anticipated to occur this year, with booking numbers generally returning to 2019 levels and even higher in certain situations. The rising volume of bookings may be overwhelming back-office financial personnel throughout the travel chain, which could lengthen the time between providing services and receiving payment. The fact that these teams were severely depleted during the epidemic and have not yet fully recovered, according to Spencer, will make the problem worse. This is partly because of the worldwide workforce crisis, but it’s also because hiring front-office workers is frequently given precedence. Nium advises travel agencies who believe they may be exposed to these difficulties to start doing the following things right away: First, be aware of the financing choices you have so you can move quickly if you ever need them. As soon as possible, start the dialogue with your bank or other prospective sources of finance, being sure to explain and provide evidence of the significant number of bookings you have or anticipate having. Second, be proactive in your communication with your partners to make sure they comprehend the necessity for fast payments; they might not be aware of the burden that such large volume is putting on you.Consider whether it would be reasonable to create payment terms that would be more advantageous to you, such as requesting payment on a certain day. Thirdly, while sending or receiving cross-border payments, try to stay away from traditional bank transfers, especially if they are frequent and of modest value. This payment option can be quite slow and involve unnecessary back-office administrative time, which raises your requirement for working capital in addition to being pricey.Instead, make sure you’re utilising the infrastructure for real-time payments to hasten payments, save expenses, and give you more control and visibility over where your money is at any given time. Are you getting your money in the proper currency and on your preferred credit card, bank account, or digital wallet? If not, get a competent provider who can manage everything. The bottom line, according to Spencer, is that if you take these actions, everyone will be grateful to you and your creditors might be more willing to extend credit because they would better understand your financial status. There will undoubtedly always be a time lag between providing a service and receiving payment. However, if you don’t make every effort to cut this time in half, you’ll at best reduce your profitability and at worst expose yourself to the ironic possibility that your busiest summer will also be your last. Source- Travel daily

Many tourists won’t be ready for the additional regulations brought on by the ‘ETIAS’ plan in 2024 when it goes into effect the following year. From January 2024, visitors from more than 60 countries who are presently permitted to travel visa-free through the Schengen area of the EU will need to apply for a travel authorization through the EU Travel Information & Authorization System, or “ETIAS,” before to departure. This will include nations like Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, and the United States, whose citizens are not accustomed to requesting permission to go to many other countries. Even while the procedures are straightforward and approvals are expected to be swift, people without the proper ETIAS permission in place risk not being allowed to board their flights or being turned away at EU borders. For advice on how our industry can get ready to prevent disgruntled customers, rebookings, and even requests for refunds as some travellers inevitably get rejected, forget to apply in time, or simply weren’t aware the changes had taken effect, we spoke with industry experts from across the travel spectrum. The COO of travel search and booking technology supplier Vibe, Simon Goddard, issues a warning: “Given that this is a new requirement, intermediaries have got to be on top of their game warning their customers, or risk a lot of upset travellers and headaches.” The good news is that the customers should find the process to be simple and quick. Christian Sabbagh from Travelsoft, the company that owns the travel technology platforms Travel Compostor, Traffics, and Orchestra, adds to this by saying, “Modern booking technology can assist make the entire visa process more easy, regardless of whether it’s for existing rules or new ones like the future ETIAS. To ensure consistent procedures and answers, staff training and clear instructions would both be beneficial.  Anyone booking a vacation through a retail travel agent or tour operator worldwide anticipates receiving information on visa and entry procedures. It’s a big duty and a service that travel professionals offer. Spencer Hanlon of the worldwide real-time payments platform Nium issues this warning: “For cases where travellers aren’t prepared, the knock-on effect for the travel industry will come in the form of cancellations and the inevitable requests for refunds.” While businesses should, of course, take every precaution to prevent this from occurring in the first place, he also advises that they “at the very least, make sure that your payments platform can seamlessly handle any volatility without costing you both lots of money and valuable time with every refund.”  Given that many visa-related procedures call for proof of insurance, Katie Crowe of travel insurer battleface believes that there may be a hidden benefit to this that will benefit people who provide travel insurance. However, she issues the following warning: “Such travellers are likely to choose basic or minimal policies simply to obtain their visa, so insurers will have to work harder to sell more relevant and reasonably priced policies instead of the rigid one-size-fits-all policies that travellers don’t understand or like.” Although hotels are frequently required to provide proof of reservation letters and guidance on rules for visitors who are arriving by car or boat and as a result don’t look to the airline for support or use a travel agent, Adam Harris of Cloudbeds, the technology provider to independent hotels, notes that visa and entry requirements are not just a problem for travel sellers. According to Adam, this is a great opportunity to increase customer value and foster steadfast loyalty. Utilising guest engagement systems that enable automated pre-stay communications is advised. According to Alex Barros of the hotel revenue management platform BEONx, “either by charging for a visa arrangement service or simply using the interaction to convert sales of other products, for example a transfer or room upgrade,” it is also possible to generate ancillary income. Source- Travel daily

The internal tour operator of the Advantage Travel Partnership, Advantage Holidays & Cruise, has introduced a new line of “Villa Holiday” products for its members. Advantage members will now have access to 1,500 villa rentals in more than 100 locations throughout Europe and Florida thanks to a new partnership with SPL Villas. According to Advantage, this move reflects the continued demand for multigenerational family and group travel bookings. With recent feedback indicating a growing need for additional access to villa and flight-inclusive holidays at a time when options for agents without their own ATOL licencing are still limited, members will benefit from being able to package villa rentals with flights and ancillary ground arrangements as part of a fully ATOL-protected package. Customers will also have access to regional travel alternatives from 34 UK airports, customizable lengths starting at three nights or longer, and a flat-rate deposit of £250 per person with favourable balance payment terms of just 42 days before departure for European vacations. Advantage Holidays & Cruise will offer a bonus incentive of £50 per booking on all new bookings up until August 31, 2023, to support the launch of this new concept. The knowledgeable Advantage Holidays & Cruise contact centre staff will also be available to members for assistance with new bookings, a process that can frequently be time-consuming on Villa Holidays due to the amount of guests that typically travel. Members have unique access to the gratis Advantage package, which has competitive commission and the option to control margins on every booking. The new Villa Holiday packages are no exception and provide members with excellent earning potential. In order to fulfil consumer demand and leverage all sales and earning potential, Lee Ainsworth, Head of Operations, continued, “Through Advantage Holidays & Cruise we continue to pivot and align ourselves with the requirements of our members, ensuring we supply the products they require. After the introduction of Fly-Stay & Cruise at The Advantage Cruise Conference in October 2022, the launch of Villa Holiday packages represents the beginning of our second phase of product development, with additional expansion plans being created in conjunction with our members. “Our new partnership with Advantage Holidays & Cruise further demonstrates the value we place on trade distribution, something that has been part of our strategy since our launch,” stated Edward Frampton-Fell, Managing Director of SPL Villas. We are eager to deepen our ties with Advantage members and expand the range of fully inclusive vacation packages available to the public and the travel industry. We’re thrilled to be offering this wonderful variety of villa rentals through our association with SPL Villas, said Mark Pullen, Trading & Operations Manager. Our call centre staff members have a combined total of over 140 years of expertise in the travel industry, and they are eager to assist our members in offering their clients these superbly priced Villa Holidays. The largest association of independent travel agents in Britain, The Advantage Travel Partnership, has an internal tour operator brand called Advantage Holidays & Cruise. Source- Travel daily

Starting on October 30, 2023, LOT Polish Airlines, a member of Star Alliance, will start flying from Warsaw Chopin Airport to Rome Fiumicino. Passengers from India can take LOT Polish Airlines flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Warsaw, where they can comfortably carry on to their next destination in Rome after a brief layover. The new daily flights link Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and Warsaw Chopin Airport. For instance, travellers from Mumbai (on Sundays and Wednesdays) and Delhi (on Fridays) can easily connect in Warsaw: travelling on Sundays and Wednesdays from Mumbai to Rome Arrival in Rome at 18:40 local time after leaving Mumbai at 8:40; total travel time is 14:30, including a 3:20 stopover in Warsaw. travelling on Fridays from Delhi to Rome Arrival in Rome at 18:40 local time after leaving Delhi at 7:00 am; total trip time of 16:10 hours, including a 4-hour stopover in Warsaw. The other days of the week, LOT Polish Airlines departs Warsaw at 7:15 and lands in Rome at 9:25 local time, making it the perfect option for travellers who need to stop in Poland. The latest, most fuel-efficient Boeing 737MAX8 aircraft are used to fly all flights. The 186 seats aboard LOT Boeing 737MAX8 aircraft are divided into two cabins (LOT Business Class and LOT Economy Class), with complimentary on-board service available in Economy Class. The Boeing 737MAX8 cabin uses the Boeing Sky Interior concept, which includes ergonomic seating, eye-friendly lighting, and roomy overhead bins. Director of India, DACH markets, and Italy as well as Head of Global Corporate and Strategic Sales at LOT Polish Airlines, Amit Ray, says, “We are excited to introduce the new service from Warsaw to Rome to our global network and to provide our clients from India with a wholly new Star Alliance travel option with us. Rome has always been a top tourist destination, which was necessary because of the tight business ties between Italy and India. Source- Travel daily

Oman Air has announced a historic new sponsorship agreement with Chelsea FC, under which Oman Air will serve as the club’s official international airline partner for the ensuing three years. The English Premier League, with a seasonal audience of more than 3 billion, is regarded as the most watched and well-known football league in the world. One of the top clubs in this league is Chelsea FC. Highlights of the agreement include jointly produced promotional content and CSR efforts, as well as specifically created co-branded livery that will be unveiled towards the end of the year. We are incredibly proud of this worthwhile partnership since it not only honours the love of the game but also offers a fantastic chance to introduce Oman’s beauty, culture, and friendliness to Chelsea’s large fan base. We are given an unmatched opportunity to promote Oman in new areas around the world, not just on match days but long beyond, with an astounding 135 million fans, 85% of whom are in international markets,”  According to Eng. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Air’s CEO. “This partnership marks an exciting new chapter and we are honoured to be associated with such a formidable team, elevating Oman’s position as a must-visit tourist destination,” the company said in a statement. Chris Jurasek, the CEO of Chelsea FC, said: “We are delighted to welcome Oman Air as our Official Airline Partner. We are eager to make this relationship a reality for our global fans because we have a common aim for innovation and success both on and off the pitch. Oman Air has a long history of supporting athletes. The airline supports a number of organisations, including Oman Sail, Oman Golf Association, Oman Desert Marathon, Oman’s Paralympic Team, and others. It also has a long-standing association with the Oman Football Association that dates back more than ten years. Oman Air, a crucial component of Oman’s tourism strategy, is still looking into ways to market Oman as a top travel destination globally. Source- Travel daily

 “British Original” programme, British Airways will provide ice cream and other delights for its passengers. As part of its continuous commitment to consumers, British Airways is delivering summertime indulgences for its passengers, including cool ice cream, pre-takeoff bubbles in World Traveller Plus, seasonal cuisines, and brand-new inflight entertainment. The airline is teaming with fellow British business Jude’s to serve a variety of flavours, including very vanilla, strawberries and cream, genuinely chocolate, and salted caramel, on daytime flights leaving London Heathrow and London Gatwick before 5 p.m. UK time. Customers flying in World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy)* in the upcoming months will be able to taste the delicacies, which are made in Hampshire less than 60 miles from Heathrow. As part of its pre-takeoff beverage selection, British Airways is also reintroducing sparkling wine in its World Traveller Plus cabin beginning in mid-July. The exclusive Balfour Rosé de Noirs, made entirely from red grapes, is available for Club World (business class) passengers to enjoy during their journey. This English Sparkling wine in a lighter rosé style is a British Airways-only blend, making it the ideal libation before summer vacations. Additionally, the airline is debuting a rosé blend in its First class. Rock Angel, the older sibling of Whispering Angel, will be present on board. It has more structure and oaky characteristics than its younger sibling. Whispering Angel’s Provence rosé is now available for pre-purchase through the airline’s newly branded High Life Café** (previously Speedbird Café), giving customers the option to taste a hint of summer whether they are travelling to Europe or farther afield. This allows customers to taste Château d’Esclans’ creations while on short-haul flights. Additionally, until September, customers can take advantage of a variety of cuisines inspired by summer across all of its cabins. First class passengers have access to lighter fare including a traditional prawn cocktail, grilled Atlantic halibut fillet and berry bread and butter pudding, a British summertime favourite. While waiting, World Traveller Plus passengers can indulge on fresh calamarata pasta and raspberry panna cotta. “We know that so many of our customers have been looking forward to their summer vacations, so we’ve added these extra touches in time for summer to make their trips even more special,” said British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, Calum Laming. Every single one of our customers is different and has their own distinctive reasons for travelling, so our wonderful coworkers will be on hand to make our customers’ summers more enjoyable, whether they are going to visit family, travelling to a new location, or spending a week at the beach. British Airways is also bringing families and kids on board its flights a variety of seasonal entertainment options with the launch of its brand-new ‘Summer Fun’ category on its inflight entertainment channel. Mummies, Luca, Avatar: The Way of Water, and a dedicated Barbie channel are examples of popular films. Just in time for the summer football season, the airline has also launched a special “Women in Sport” movie category, featuring a variety of sporting highlights. Source- Travel daily

Emirates gave a tour of one of its upgraded four-class A380 aircraft today to commemorate the opening of its Premium Economy service in Singapore. Guests were given a guided tour of the brand-new product as well as the improved interior across all cabin classes on board the Emirates A380 after the event got underway at the Emirates Lounge in Changi Airport Terminal 1. The features of the special premium economy experience were showcased to the audience. The Premium Economy cabin on an Emirates A380 with four classes is at the front of the main deck and has 56 seats arranged in a 2-4-2 layout. The cabin’s large seat pitch and width for working and relaxing, as well as specially designed facilities like in-seat charging stations and a side cocktail table, all anticipate the needs of the passengers.  The experience is completed by thoughtfully chosen in-flight facilities, a creative food, and a wide range of beverage choices. On the Singapore to Dubai flights EK 354 and EK 355, Emirates Premium Economy is available. Source- Travel daily

According to recent research, Gateway Arch National Park is the most Instagrammable national park in the United States. The size of each US national park was compared to Instagram hashtag data to determine which had the most “hashtags per acre,” according to a study by the travel resource website Places To Travel. According to the survey, Missouri’s Gateway Arch National Park is the most Instagrammable US national park. The park is set on a total of just 90.9 acres and has 11,221 hashtags on Instagram putting it top of the list with 123.44 hashtags per acre. With 728,221 hashtags, Bryce Canyon National Park is in second place and has the ninth-highest total on Instagram. The park, which located in Utah, is marked by the red rocks that line the canyon and provides numerous hiking options. With a hashtag density of 20.32 per acre, it has the second-highest land area of 35,835.08 acres. With 11.80 hashtags per acre, Acadia National Park in the U.S. state of Maine comes in third. This 49,075-acre national park is well known for its rocky beaches and granite peaks, and with 579,344 Instagram images using the hashtag, it’s obvious that it’s a terrific place for pictures. Zion National Park in Utah is just outside the top three. Zion National Park has an average of 9.69 hashtags per acre with 147,237 acres and 1,428,038 hashtags on Instagram. Arches National Park comes in fifth with 8.72 hashtags per acre. The national park has 669,062 hashtags on the platform and covers an area of 76,678 acres. Haleakal National Park comes in sixth while Hot Springs National Park comes in seventh. In comparison to Haleakal National Park, which covers 33,264 acres and has a total of 261,253 hashtags, Hot Springs National Park has 8.61 hashtags per acre as a result of its 5,548 acres and 47,815 total hashtags. American Samoa National Park, which is spread across four islands in the country of American Samoa, comes in eighth. It spans 8,256 acres and contains 59,542 hashtags in total, or 7.21 hashtags per acre, on Instagram. Yosemite National Park and Indiana Dunes National Park, both having 4.46 hashtags per acre, and 9.12 hashtags per acre, respectively, round out the top ten. Source- Travel daily

The deployment of Amadeus Instant Search for Online Travel Agencies is the first step in a strategic business transformation journey that Colatour, the owner of Comfort Travel Group, is embarking on with Amadeus as its principal travel technology partner. The technology will help the travel firm to improve the client experience by giving bookable recommendations for its most popular itineraries in a couple of moments. The material has gotten more dispersed as the travel ecosystem continues to change, according to Allen Ma, general manager of Comfort Travel. This causes issues when it comes to maintaining reliable technical infrastructure. By implementing Amadeus Instant Search for OTAs, we will be able to remodel our search solutions in a highly scalable and predictable way.  With visibility across metasearch players, Amadeus Instant Search for Online Travel Agencies provides access to millions of airline prices. Agencies can adapt offers to meet their needs depending on the most relevant business use cases, rapidly fetching fares from one origin to multiple destinations over a big date range. Colatour intends to boost the conversion rate from search to booking by implementing the solution in order to achieve its goal of expanding its footprint in Asia. Javier Laforgue, Executive Vice President, Travel Unit & Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Amadeus, said: “Our long-term cooperation with Colatour is a tribute to Amadeus’ dedication to technical innovation. We believe effective search is vital, not only to airlines, but for all travel industry stakeholders. Source- Travel daily

Emirates has departed for Montréal, its second gateway in Canada, making it the airline’s first passenger journey to the city. At 03:30 today, Emirates aircraft EK243 took off with over 340 people on board, including a VIP delegation and journalists. The airline’s North American network now includes 14 destinations and a total of 18 across the Americas with the addition of the new daily route to Montréal, which complements Emirates’ seven weekly services to Toronto. Through Dubai, the route will connect travellers to Canada from places like Lebanon, India, Iran, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and South Africa. Direct flights between Dubai and Montréal are anticipated to be in high demand from a variety of demographic groups, including Canadians who live and work in the UAE and go there for business and pleasure as well as to see family and friends. The route is anticipated to become extremely popular with students from the Middle East, West and Central Asia, and the Far East because Montréal is home to many top-tier universities. Adnan Kazim, the company’s chief commercial officer, Salem Obaidalla, its senior vice president of commercial operations for the Americas, and David Broz, its vice president of aeropolitical and industry affairs, were among the Emirates executives on board. The Canadian ambassador to the UAE, HE Radha Krishna Panday, was present at the airport to bid the delegation farewell. Captain Talal Al Hammadi (UAE National), Captain David Reny (Canadian), First Officer Omar Alhammadi (UAE National), and First Officer Veljko Veljovic (Canadian) were in charge of the first flight to Montréal. Emirates will fly a three-class Boeing 777-300ER on the trip, with 42 lie-flat seats in business class, over 300 roomy seats in economy class, and eight private suites in first class. Source- Travel daily