Colors: Yellow Color
Colors: Yellow Color

Qatar Airways is pleased to announce it will add its 12th gateway in the U.S. with the resumption of four-weekly Atlanta flights starting 1 June. The carrier will also significantly increase frequencies adding an additional 13 weekly flights to operate a total of 83 weekly flights across its 12 gateways. Having become the largest international carrier during the early stages of the pandemic, the airline has applied its unrivalled knowledge of global passenger flows and booking trends to rebuild its global network and cement its position as the leading Middle East airline connecting the U.S. with Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are proud to be the leading Middle East airline providing safe and reliable connectivity to and from the United States via the Best Airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport. Having never stopped flying to the U.S. throughout the pandemic, we have steadily rebuilt our network, gradually resuming destinations and adding more frequencies. With the upcoming launch of Seattle and the resumption of Atlanta, we will reach 12 gateways in the U.S, two more than what we operated pre-COVID-19.

“Our commitment to the U.S. market has also seen us add and expand strategic partnerships with American carriers, offering our passengers hundreds of additional flight connections with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue. As we look forward to global travel recovering in 2021, we will remain focused on providing seamless, safe and reliable connectivity to our millions of passengers and ensuring we continue to earn their trust every time they choose to fly with Qatar Airways.” In line with the airline’s steady rebuild of its U.S. network, Qatar Airways plans to resume services and increase frequencies to several destinations:

·         Atlanta (four weekly flights starting 1 June)

·         Chicago (increasing to 10 weekly flights from 4 March)

·         Dallas-Fort Worth (increasing to 10 weekly flights from 2 March)

·         Houston (increasing to daily flights from 14 March)

·         Miami (increasing to three weekly flights from 3 July)

·         San Francisco (ramping up to daily flights by 2 July)

·         Seattle (four weekly flights starting 29 January and ramping up to daily flights by 1 July)

Seattle is the seventh new destination and the second in the U.S. to be added by Qatar Airways since the start of the pandemic. The launch of flights to Seattle and resumption of Atlanta will increase Qatar Airways’ U.S. network to 12 destinations in the U.S., connecting onwards to hundreds of American cities through strategic partnerships with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue. Atlanta and Seattle join existing U.S. destinations including Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Philadelphia (PHL), San Francisco (SFO) and Washington, D.C. (IAD). The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its global network, which currently stands at over 120 destinations with plans to increase to over 130 by the end of March 2021.

Qatar Airways has become the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. This follows HIA’s recent success as the first airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating. These recognitions provides assurance to passengers across the world that airline health and safety standards are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment. 

Passengers can book flights with peace of mind, knowing that Qatar Airways offers unlimited date changes and fee-free refunds for all tickets issued before 30 April 2021, for travel completed by 31 December 2021. The carrier’s industry-leading flexible booking policy also provides the permanent feature of exchanging tickets for a travel voucher with 10% additional value for all customers booking travel via qatarairways.com.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. The Qsuite seat layout is a 1-2-1 configuration, providing passengers with the most spacious, fully private, comfortable and social distanced Business Class product in the sky. Qsuite is available on flights to more than 45 destinations including Johannesburg, Maldives, Riyadh and Singapore. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year’ title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times. 

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister has declared the country ready to meet the coronavirus testing demands for people who are travellers to the United States now that they (the demands) – that travellers to the US must present a negative test result before departure - have come into full effect. Travellers, on arrival, will then be quarantined for 14 days.

Previously there were concerns that travellers from Canada were not able to secure testing there. Now, however, Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, says that the infrastructure has been bolstered to meet the demand for WHO (World Health Organisation) COVID-19 virus testing.

"All visitors who come to Jamaica will have access to approved testing arrangements that will, he says, “in turn, enable them to meet the requirements of their respective countries for re-entry." Testing requirements were previously introduced by the Canadian and UK governments to facilitate entry or to avoid self-quarantine.

With a special task force in place, there have been great improvements to the testing framework, with Mr Bartlett declaring: "The task force has done a lot of work, including taking steps to assess and determine the capacity to respond to the need for testing of all visitors going back to their country.

“I am pleased to say that that work is completed." He also said that they are now able to assist in securing accreditation and resources for labs to do the necessary COVID testing, with facilities now in place at all of Jamaica’s major hotels.

He added: “Furthermore transportation arrangements are also in place to facilitate the movement of visitors to the closest testing centre, if one is not available on property.” Mr Bartlett said that visitors will also be able to pay for the tests before arrival at the facilities with a policy that is being developed for visitors who test positive before leaving Jamaica.

"For visitors who test positive, we have a dedicated care programme that is set in place.

“Hotels in the country will now be able to allow visitors to stay at their facility, in a specially designated area, during the allotted period, so that the relevant requirements to enable them to go back home, are met.”

Qatar Airways continues where it left off in 2020, further expanding its strategic partnerships signing an expanded codeshare agreement with Iberia. The agreement will enhance connectivity between the two airlines’ complementary networks and will offer additional travel options to our customers travelling between the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East via the Best Airport in the Middle East, Hamad International Airport. Sales of the added destinations have commenced already with the additional codeshare flights already started.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are pleased to further expand our codeshare cooperation with Iberia, Spain’s largest carrier and the leading airline connecting Europe with Latin America. Despite the challenges of 2020, it has been our priority to maintain reliable global connectivity for our passengers.

“This expansion of our strategic partnership with Iberia further strengthens connectivity between the hubs of Doha and Madrid ensuring more flexible travel options for our customers. Qatar Airways and Iberia have enjoyed the mutual benefits our partnership has brought us since its establishment in 2017, providing more choice and seamless global connectivity for our millions of passengers. As global travel recovers, we look forward to further expanding our commercial cooperation with Iberia and continuing to provide the unrivalled five-star service our passengers have come to expect.”

Iberia Group Chief Excutive, Javier Sanchez-Prieto, said: “The extension of the codeshare agreement with Qatar Airways is very good news for us. At Iberia we work so that, when countries eliminate their restrictions, we can offer our clients the widest and most comprehensive network possible. The extension of this codeshare agreement with our oneworld partner, Qatar Airways, opens up new markets in Australia and Africa and improves the connectivity we offer between Spain and the rest of the world with a very high-quality service offered by our partner, Qatar Airways.”

The expanded commercial cooperation will increase the number of destinations available to Iberia passengers from 29 to 36 on Qatar Airways’ network, including new destinations in Angola, Australia, Mozambique, New Zealand and South Africa. Qatar Airways passengers will also benefit from additional connectivity, with the ability to book travel to and from an additional four destinations on Iberia’s network in Brazil, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala and Senegal. As oneworld alliance partners, Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Iberia Plus members are ensured recognition of their tier status with benefits including access to lounges worldwide, through check-in, extra baggage allowance, priority check-in and boarding plus accrual and redemption of miles, across the partner carriers’ networks.

Qatar Airways has become the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. It also provides assurance to passengers across the world that airline health and safety standards are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment. Qatar Airways’ strategic investment in a variety of fuel-efficient, twin-engine aircraft, including the largest fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft, has enabled it to continue flying throughout this crisis and perfectly positions it to lead the sustainable recovery of international travel.

The airline recently took delivery of four new state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, increasing its total A350 fleet to 53 with an average age of just 2.7 years. Due to COVID-19’s impact on travel demand, the airline has grounded its fleet of Airbus A380 as it is not environmentally justifiable to operate such a large, four-engine aircraft in the current market. Qatar Airways has also recently launched a new programme that enables passengers to voluntarily offset the carbon emissions associated with their journey at the point of booking.

The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 120 destinations with plans to increase to over 130 by the end of March 2021.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. The Qsuite seat layout is a 1-2-1 configuration, providing passengers with the most spacious, fully private, comfortable and social distanced Business Class product in the sky. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year’ title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.

Hamad International Airport (HIA), the airline’s home and hub, was recently ranked 'Third Best Airport in the World', among 550 airports worldwide, by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020. Rising from fourth position in 2019 to third in 2020, HIA has been steadily rising in the ‘World's Best Airports’ rankings since the start of its operations in 2014. In addition, HIA was voted the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the sixth year in a row and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fifth year in a row.

Iberia is the main Spanish airline and the leading carrier on routes between Europe and Latin America. It offers easy and convenient connections at its hub in T4 in Madrid-Barajas airport. Since 2014 it ranked among the five most punctual airlines in the world according to FlightStats, while it was awarded its 4th Skytrax star in 2017. The airline is a member of the oneworld alliance.

Responding to strong demand for travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), Frontier Airlines has announced new twice-weekly service between Miami and St. Thomas, on Sundays and Thursdays, beginning March 7, 2021.

USVI Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte welcomed the announcement from the Denver-based carrier, which earlier signalled the start of service between Orlando and St. Thomas, with flights twice per week (on Mondays and Fridays), beginning February 19, 2021.

“We are once again thankful for this partnership with Frontier as the carrier works to meet existing and create new demand for travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands with affordable fares,” said Commissioner Boschulte, who along with Governor Albert Bryan Jr., Virgin Islands Port Authority Executive Director Carlton Dowe and other senior government officials, met with Frontier executives in Miami in March last year to explore airlift possibilities.

Daniel Shurz, Frontier Airlines’ senior vice president of commercial, cited the airline’s “exceptional growth at Miami’s convenient airport” to herald the new service, which starts in time for spring break travel. He said the new flights will maintain Frontier’s high health standards, including required wearing of face masks, temperature screenings and enhanced onboard cleaning.

Frontier requires all customers and crew members to wear a face covering throughout their travel journey. Plus, anyone flying with Frontier must complete a health acknowledgement prior to flying confirming that:

• Neither they nor anyone in their household has exhibited COVID-19-related symptoms in the last 14 days
• They will wash/sanitize their hands before boarding the flight
• They understand and acknowledge the airline’s face covering policy and pre-boarding temperature screening policies

During flight, main cabin air is a mix of fresh air drawn from outside and air that has been passed through an air filtration system that features HEPA filters capable of capturing respiratory virus particles at more than 99.9% efficiency – similar to those used in hospital environments. Frontier’s modern all-Airbus fleet is among the youngest in the world; all aircraft currently in operation are less than four years old.

Every traveller aged five or older who enters the U.S. Virgin Islands, by air or sea, including anyone in-transit to another destination, is required to use the USVI Travel Screening Portal and submit a COVID-19 test result prior to travel at: usvitravelportal.com.

 

Curiosity never goes out of style and this year ToursByLocals has introduced a selection of new tours to explore. In a year where connection is more important than ever, allow exceptional guides to help you uncover local stories and destination secrets, travelling like an ‘insider’ for a truly authentic experience.

The world's leading online marketplace for private tours, ToursByLocals provides highly curated, customisable, private tours for the discerning traveller, led by local guides in 188 countries. Pick from carefully tailored, hassle-free itineraries curated by expert local guides who know the destination inside and out, or work with a friendly, handpicked guide to co-create the exact experience and level of enrichment you require in 2021.

The half-day, full-day and multi-day private tours are continually awarded five-star ratings by the more than one million travellers who have discovered destinations with ToursByLocals since 2008. Enjoy immersing in a destination in the knowledge that every last detail will be taken care of, from the South of England, sunny Sierra Leone to South America’s smallest country. With no-risk refunds, with cancellation for any reason up to the day of the tour, these are some of the new tours to explore in 2021:

England

The Hound of the Baskervilles Tour: Uncover clues like detective Sherlock Holmes on this gripping tour that unravels the story behind the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, including the people, places and legends that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The tour is delivered by an award-winning guide who is a descendant of one of the people involved in the creation of the plot, making it completely unique with secrets in abundance. Explore fascinating Bronze Age villages and previously burned down churches with mysterious black magic associations; hear about the evil Squire Cabell and his pack of hounds, the coach driver whose name is now etched into fictional folklore and see the 200-year-old prison that Seldon escaped from in the story.

Plymouth Devon Private Walking Tour: Join local guide Chrissie in discovering Plymouth which has seen the departure of some of the world’s most famous voyages - namely the Mayflower, which set sail to America 400 years ago. Explore the old medieval town, take in sensational views across the water and learn about the city’s survival in wartime Britain. Reach the Mayflower Steps, which commemorate the sailing of the Pilgrims in September 1620 and imagine excited travellers setting sail for the New World.

Sierra Leone

Banana Island Leisure and Historical Tour: Explore the peninsular coast of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. Set off with a guide brimming with local knowledge in the morning and marvel at views of a historic fishing village. Enjoy a boat ride and tour of Banana Island which is also referred to as ‘Banana Islands’ because of its combination of three smaller islands named Dublin, Ricketts and Mes-Meheux (not habited). Meet friendly locals and admire stunning natural scenery with Shekuba, a Sierra Leonean guide based in Freetown.

Suriname

Highlights of Paramaribo: Suriname’s beautiful, undiscovered capital offers a fusion of cultures and religions as well as fascinating heritage sites in this South American country. Let local guide Nelson lead the way on this walking tour through the historic city. Highlights include visiting vibrant markets, lush gardens and the elegant wooden cathedral in Paramaribo, located on the banks of the Suriname River and home of almost half of the small nation’s population.

 

Liberia

Monrovia Highlights and History - Half Day Tour: Explore the lesser-known glistening coast of Liberia with local guide, Nitto. Get an insider’s point of view on the best spots to visit in this vibrant coastal city. Learn about the tumultuous slave trade history, visit the National Museum of Liberia and enjoy a stop at the art stores at Mamba Point.

· Duration: Three hours, 30 minutes

· Price: £572 per tour (up to five people)

In response to the latest U.S. CDC travel requirements, AMResorts and Sandals Resorts are deploying Covid-19 testing programs at their properties. Beginning January 26, AMResorts guests will be able to schedule a test through their concierge. The tests will be administered by the Hospiten international network of private hospitals, and results will be available the same day.

Hospiten's testing program will be available at most AMResorts destinations, except in Costa Rica, Curaçao, San Martin and Acapulco, Ixtapa and Huatulco, Mexico. According to AMResorts, details of the test provider in those markets are "pending".

In addition, AMResorts is providing free and extended quarantine coverage for all guests traveling to the U.S., through March 31. Under this policy, a guest who receives a positive test result while on the property and is unable to leave will be covered for the cost of quarantining the property for up to 14 days.

Meanwhile, the all-inclusive Sandals and Beaches resorts are also offering free on-site Covid-19 testing through March 31. In a statement, Sandals Resorts International said all tests "will be conducted by approved and practicing medical professionals, with the utmost convenience of our guests in mind. Appointments for the tests will be scheduled by resort staff once guests arrive at the property.

 

Staycations are expected to boom in 2021 after lockdown ends, UK holiday firms have said.

Bosses at the Caravan and Motorhome Club said the lifting of restrictions would be like "a cork popping from a bottle". Director general Nick Lomas said although coronavirus had hit the industry hard, they were optimistic about the coming season. Other firms said they also expected more people to holiday in the UK.

Mr Lomas said: "2020 was a very difficult year for the tourism and hospitality sector and the Caravan and Motorhome Club had suffered significant financial losses." He did, however, add: "When our campsites were allowed to be open last year we actually saw record levels of bookings, with new memberships up by 14%. Sadly, this surge does not make up for the losses we suffered during nearly six months of lockdown."

But, despite the current restrictions, Mr Lomas said he had every reason to believe this year could finish as one of "the best and busiest yet", due to the appetite for outdoor UK holidays. "In fact, we think that 2021 is going to be like a cork popping from a bottle," he said.

Experience Freedom, which operates glamping holidays in the UK, said bookings for 2021 were already up as people looked to spend more time in the "great outdoors". Smaller operators such as Anne's Vans, based in Lincoln, are also expecting to benefit.

Owner Anne Davies said so far they had no bookings, saying "uncertainty over when lockdown will end" was putting people off at the moment. However, she said: "Based on last years’ experience we are expecting a bumper year in 2021... once this latest lockdown is over."

The chief executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, David Butterworth, said visitor numbers after the first lockdown ended were "unprecedented". He added: "The challenge for 2021 is to capitalise on this trend, and capture the hearts and minds of the people who have experienced the Dales for the first time to make sure they keep coming back."

Royal Caribbean has extended its suspension in the U.S. through April 2021, with the first sailings from the country now planned for May.

The new adjustments announced by Royal Caribbean Group on Tuesday morning impacts all owned cruise brands including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Silversea Cruises, and Azamara. 

Royal Caribbean International which is the leading operator was previously planning on returning in March but now that won’t be the case. The cruise line has canceled sailings through April 30, 2021. This means cruises will not resume until the start of May at the earliest.

The cruise company continues to focus on new health and safety protocols to make sure guests and crew remain safe. Royal Caribbean is working with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) on the framework for the Conditional Sailing Order.

The appointment of British supermodel Naomi Campbell as Kenya's tourism ambassador has caused a Twitter storm in the East African nation. Many queried why it had not been given to a prominent Kenyan like Hollywood actress Lupita Nyong'o. Others leapt to her defence, saying the debate already justified her role. Kenya's tourism sector has been badly hit by coronavirus, with visitor numbers down by 72% between January and October last year.

Kenya's Tourism Research Institute reported: "The sector hence lost over 110bn Kenyan shillings [$1bn, £738m] of direct international tourists' revenue due to the Covid-19 pandemic." The country is famous for its wildlife safaris and beach resorts. Kenyan Tourism Minister Najib Balala said the deal with Ms Campbell was done over the weekend after he met the model, who is currently on holiday in Kenya.

The 50-year-old style icon and philanthropist has been posting images of her stay on Instagram, where she has 10 million followers. Mr Balala said: "We welcome the exciting news that Naomi Campbell will advocate for tourism and travel internationally for the Magical Kenya brand." But the statement, posted on Twitter on Tuesday, prompted instant outrage from some, and the supermodel's name has since been trending in the country.

One tweeter cited other Kenyan celebrities better suited to the ambassadorial role, including models Ajuma Nasenyana and Debra Sanaipei, as well as Nyong'o. Another tweeter said the backlash revealed an unhealthy attitude in Kenya: "At the end of the day, it's all about who will get the job done. This mentality is what causes nepotism and tribalism in Kenyan institutions, it should be about the most suitable candidate not 'one of our own' thing."

Ms Campbell's defenders praised the Londoner for visiting Kenya several times and said it was not only the model's social media following that made her the perfect appointment. Her circle of friends was equally important as she would attract wealthy tourists willing to spend money. The tourism industry usually contributes about 8.8% to Kenya's annual Gross domestic product (GDP), according to Kenya's East African newspaper.

Qatar Airways has announced that it has achieved Diamond Standard in the Airline Passenger Experience Association’s (APEX) Health Safety Powered by the SimpliFlying audit. The ‘Diamond Standard’ status, which is the highest level attainable, was announced by APEX and global aviation marketing consultancy, SimpliFlying, following a meticulous assessment of the airline’s robust COVID-19 hygiene and safety standards.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “As an industry leader, we welcome the further recognition of Qatar Airways’ commitment to providing the most rigorous and stringent virus monitoring, detection and COVID-19 safety programme throughout our end-to-end passenger experience, in existence within the global aviation community.

“The awarding of the APEX Health Safety ‘Diamond Standard’ was the result of a thorough and extensive independent audit of the airline’s comprehensive COVID-19 protection and prevention measures, both on board and at Hamad International Airport, and reinforces the fact that air travel does not need to be a source of concern to passengers.

“As commercial aviation continues to deal with the challenges and impact of the global pandemic, we welcome the introduction of this and other relevant COVID-related hygiene and safety reviews, and would encourage other airlines to continue to build passenger confidence and assist with the recovery of the industry by participating wherever possible.”

APEX Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Joe Leader, said: “Qatar Airways’ COVID-19 protocols definitively met the highest marks for the Diamond certification level backed by their extraordinary steps for customer safety.  The actions taken by Qatar appear centered around a singular philosophy: how can we innovatively maximize both our customer service and passenger safety hand-in-hand.

“Having flown recently on Qatar Airways with my family to the Maldives after negative COVID-19 PCR tests, the level of health safe service both in-flight and on-the-ground surpassed my highest expectations and even surpassed our best-ever pre-pandemic experience on the airline.”

SimpliFlying Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Shashank Nigam, said: "Qatar Airways has raised the bar for health safety standards in the industry by initiatives such as providing a face shield to all passengers, using Honeywell’s UV disinfection systems and advanced biosafety measures at its hub in Doha. Taking such hospital-grade in ensuring health safety will help bolster trust among travellers."

Qatar Airways’ onboard safety measures include the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for cabin crew and a complimentary protective kit and disposable face shields for passengers. Business Class passengers on aircraft equipped with Qsuite can enjoy the enhanced privacy this award-winning business seat provides, including sliding privacy partitions and the option to use a ‘Do Not Disturb (DND)’ indicator. Qsuite is available on flights to more than 30 destinations including Frankfurt, Kuala Lumpur, London and New York. For full details of all the measures that have been implemented onboard and in HIA, please visit qatarairways.com/safety.

In addition to this, the airline also uses the most advanced HEPA air filtration systems on board all aircraft, and recently introduced Honeywell’s state-of-the-art Ultraviolet Cabin System, operated by Qatar Aviation Services, as a further step in the cleaning of its aircraft.

Qatar Airways currently operates more than 800 weekly flights to over 110 destinations across the globe. By the end of March 2021, Qatar Airways plans to rebuild its network to 129. Many cities will be served with a strong schedule with daily or more frequencies.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year’ title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times. 

The world travel and holiday industry are still in mourning following the announcement of the death of one of the industry’s greatest figures. Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, the founder and chair of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), died in Miami, in the United States, after suffering from an undisclosed illness. A native of Jamaica, he is best known for creating his all-inclusive world-renowned Sandals Resorts International – which, in turn, ‘houses’ one of the pearls of his homeland, Sandals Resorts, as well as the equally loved and respected Beaches Resorts, Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts, Fowl Cay Resort as well as several private villas.

Stewart, who lived in Kingston and Montego Bay, initially bought two derelict hotels in Mo Bay, in 1981 before spending some $4 million in renovation and reopening it as the Sandals Resort Beach Club - later to be known as Sandals Montego Bay. It would become the first to popularise the sale of all-inclusive holidays in the Caribbean. And, as such Sandals Resorts was born. Many travel experts credit Sandals for making the all-inclusive market in the Caribbean as lucrative and successful as it has been.

Credited with several innovations in the hospitality industry, most notably building the Caribbean's first swim-up bar, at Sandals Montego Bay Resort, under his creative stewardship, the amiable Butch is responsible for resort development, and is now known for creating SRI properties throughout the Caribbean, which also includes; The Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Turks & Caicos, and most recently Barbados, and Grenada with sixteen Sandals Resorts, three Beaches Resorts, one Grand Pineapple Beach Resort, one Fowl Cay private island resort and four villa properties in Jamaica. A region-wide powerhouse, his brands include Sandals and Beaches.

Married to wife, Cheryl, he had eight children including; Brian Jardim, who sat on the board of The Jamaica Observer and was the owner of Rainforest Seafoods, daughter Jamie Stewart-McConnell co-founded the Orijin of Jamaica juice company, son Bobby held various leadership positions at Sandals including running the company's online division and UK operations, Adam was deputy chair of Sandals, CEO of The ATL Group and founded the Sandals Foundation while serving as CEO of Sandals Resorts from 2006 to 2012. Another one of his sons, Jonathan, was killed in a car crash in 1990. His younger three children include twins, Kelly and Gordon, and a daughter, Sabrina.

In a statement, Adam said: “Our father was a singular personality; an unstoppable force who delighted in defying the odds by exceeding expectations and whose passion for his family was matched only by the people and possibility of the Caribbean, for whom he was a fierce champion. Almost nothing, perhaps, except maybe a great fishing day, could come before family to my dad. And while the world understood him to be a phenomenal businessman – which he was, his first and most important devotion was always to us. We will miss him terribly forever.”

Despite his illness, Mr. Stewart had continued to work long hours until the end of his life, his son said. Only recently he (Butch) created the Sandals Refused, which was set up to refund patrons who were scheduled to arrive just as the resort shutdown due to the prevalence of the coronavirus pandemic. Adam said his father’s death was related to a recent medical diagnosis that he kept private because he did not want to “be anyone else’s burden. He didn’t even want his closest friends to worry for him.”

Butch was 79 - Adam Stewart has since become chair of Sandals Resorts International.

According to a survey of 1,500 people, commissioned by AccuraCast, 41.5 percent of respondents said they did not plan to travel in 2021. The survey asked consumers what was the most important aspect of a travel insurance policy and the majority of respondents said they did not plan to travel in 2021, so wouldn’t have any need for travel insurance.

While this is good news for health officials, it spells continued trouble for the travel industry, which has globally suffered a loss of 75 million jobs and $2.1 trillion in revenue, according to estimates from the World Travel and Tourism Council.

The top priority for travel insurance – for those who were planning to travel – was ‘cancellation due to Covid restrictions’ (21 percent), followed closely by ‘medical cover, including Covid cover’ (11.5 percent). It would seem that delays were no longer such a worry for consumers, with only 3 percent of respondents stating it was the most important aspect of a travel insurance policy.

Those in the 65 year plus age group were most likely to say they would not travel in 2021, (50.5 percent). In contrast, only 36 percent of 18 to 24 year olds surveyed said they would not travel – making this group the most likely to travel in 2021. Respondents aged between 35 and 44 years were most likely to rank ‘cancellations due to Covid restrictions’ as their priority. Respondents aged 45 and over weren’t as worried about cancellation cover, presumably because health concerns take priority for travellers in this age group.

With the travel industry already taking a massive hit in 2020, the results of the survey show that 2021 isn’t going to be an easy ride back to normality for the industry. Marketeers in both the travel and insurance industries need to continue conserving resources, improving the experience for current customers, and focusing on the unique service proposition that differentiates the business from competitors.

Jamaica has this week reported its highest seven-day cumulative arrival figures since reopening borders on June 15th.

Preliminary statistics from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) show that for the period December 22nd-28th, just over 21,000 passengers arrived on the island.

Jamaica has this week reported its highest seven-day cumulative arrival figures since reopening borders on June 15th. Preliminary statistics from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) show that for the period December 22nd-28th, just over 21,000 passengers arrived on the island.

The Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay welcomed 16,841 and 4,203 additional passengers arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston. Between December 1st-28th, Jamaica welcomed over 98,000 visitors, an increase of more than 30,000 compared to the previous month. Sangster International Airport continues to account for the majority of arrivals. Between June 15th and December 28th, a total of 376,044 passengers arrived on the island.

The JTB recently announced tourism sales and marketing strategies that will deliver on the Destination Assurance promise of a safe, secure and seamless visit.

Destination Assurance prioritizes health and safety, while positioning Jamaica as the premiere holiday choice for GEN-C, the generation that transcends demographics and reflects the shared psychographic of living through the pandemic.

The U.S. Virgin Islands is welcoming new flights from Minneapolis to St. Thomas this winter from Delta Air Lines and Sun Country Airlines.

Delta is offering thrice weekly flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, while
Minneapolis-based carrier Sun Country is operating weekly Saturday service between
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Cyril E. King Airport.

“Airlift expansion continues to be a major priority for the Department of Tourism and we are pleased that our efforts over the last couple of years are paying dividends,” said Joseph Boschulte, U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism.

“With the new Delta flights and the return of Sun Country’s service between
Minneapolis and St. Thomas, we are able to provide a gateway for visitors
from the midwestern market to experience and enjoy all the U.S. Virgin Islands
has to offer.

"The timing of these flights, during the peak winter season, will help to fuel economic activity as we focus our efforts on protecting and promoting the bread and butter tourism industry," Commissioner Boschulte affirmed.

The Department of Tourism continues to focus its attention on increasing airlift capacity to St. Croix and St. Thomas in 2021. St. Thomas has recently welcomed new service from New York on JetBlue Airways, and Frontier Airlines will inaugurate new
flights from Orlando in February. Both islands have recently experienced an
uptick in American Airlines traffic from several gateways.

Pandemic-related guidelines for traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands include the requirement for every traveler aged five or older to submit a COVID-19 test result through the secure online USVI Travel Screening Portal.

The traveling public is encouraged to stay abreast of the Territory’s COVID-19 travel protocols by visiting www.usviupdate.com.

 

Qatar Airways continues to expand its portfolio of strong, globally strategic partnerships by signing an expanded code-share agreement with Oman Air that will boost connectivity and provide more flexible travel options for both airline’s customers. The expanded code-share agreement is the first step in further strengthening strategic cooperation between the two airlines that first began in 2000. Sales of the additional destinations will commence in 2021.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are pleased to further expand our code-share cooperation with Oman Air, one of the leading airlines in the Gulf region. Now more than ever, it is important to strengthen strategic partnerships across the industry to optimise our operations and provide seamless connectivity to hundreds of destinations across the globe for our passengers. Since 2000, both airlines have seen the benefits that commercial cooperation has brought, providing our passengers with unrivalled service and more flexibility to travel when they want. I look forward to further strengthening our commercial cooperation with Oman Air to provide even more benefits to our customers.”

Oman Air Chief Executive Officer Mr. Abdulaziz Al Raisi, said: “We are delighted to expand our commercial cooperation with Qatar Airways, which will streamline flying for leisure travellers from around the world to enjoy Oman's culture, scenic beauty and hospitality, and facilitate travel for those who visit the Sultanate of Oman for abundant, fast-growing business opportunities across a diverse range of sectors. The expansion of our code-share agreement is just the first step, and we look forward to working with Qatar Airways to further strengthen our strategic partnership to enhance the business and leisure travel experience for our customers in Oman and throughout the world.”

The code-share expansion will significantly increase the number of destinations available to Oman Air passengers from three to 65* on the Qatar Airways’ network across Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, India, and the Middle East. Qatar Airways passengers will also benefit from additional connectivity, with the ability to book travel on an additional six destinations across Africa and Asia in Oman Air’s network. Both airlines will also explore a number of joint commercial and operational initiatives to further optimise their partnership.

Qatar Airways’ strategic investment in a variety of fuel-efficient, twin-engine aircraft, including the largest fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft, has enabled it to continue flying throughout this crisis and perfectly positions it to lead the sustainable recovery of international travel.

The airline recently took delivery of three new state-of-the-art Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, increasing its total A350 fleet to 52 with an average age of just 2.6 years. Due to COVID-19’s impact on travel demand, the airline has grounded its fleet of Airbus A380s as it is not environmentally justifiable to operate such a large, four-engine aircraft in the current market.

Qatar Airways has also recently launched a new programme that enables passengers to voluntarily offset the carbon emissions associated with their journey at the point of booking.

The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 110 destinations with plans to increase to 129 by the end of March 2021. A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite.

The Qsuite seat layout is a 1-2-1 configuration, providing passengers with the most spacious, fully private, comfortable and social distanced Business Class product in the sky. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year’ title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.

 

Jamaica has welcomed the arrival of the first direct flight from Nigeria, opening up new tourism opportunities for the Caribbean destination.

Onboard, Nigeria minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said Jamaica could be “the next big thing” for travellers from the African country. Around 140 passengers were on board the first flight, which touched down at Sangster International Airport.

“We really expect to see tourism take off in a big way,” said Onyeama, “we believe that Jamaica is the next big thing for us as far as tourism is concerned.”

In turn, Jamaica minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett, lauded the historic arrival of the flight.

In stressing its significance, he said: “Historical and cultural ties between Nigeria and Jamaica date back to the days of slavery and many Jamaicans today have their ancestral roots in that African country.”

He added: “We have been working together to bring this to fruition for some time and I am pleased that we have opened yet another gateway, which provides scope for the added growth of our tourism sector and the forging of greater bonds between both countries.”