Global body warns against unnecessary travel restrictions which damage Travel & Tourism and the wider economy
The latest data, as of 11th January, shows flight bookings for the upcoming holiday period, 24th January – 13th February, were 75.3% behind pre-pandemic levels but still ahead by 5.9% of last year’s dismally low levels.
European tourism and airline stocks rose sharply on Tuesday, as investors bet that the Omicron coronavirus variant will cause less disruption to travel than first feared.
Covid-19 variant sweeps pandemic travel concerns into 2022
In international hotel markets such as London, Rome and Vienna, hotel occupancy on the books for the next 28 days is down amid concerns over the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19. However, precedent suggests the impact will be far less on U.S. hotel markets.
Americans are largely in favor of vaccination mandates from airlines and testing requirements for travelers entering the country
Demand for international travel has plunged in the week since the omicron Covid-19 variant emerged as a global concern.
The hard-pressed hospitality sector received a much-needed boost today, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) announcement that cases of the Covid-19 variant Omicron appear to be ‘mild’.
Leisure travel is back to near pre-Covid levels. This Thanksgiving marked the busiest week for air travel since the start of the pandemic. But major US airlines had been counting on a return of their most lucrative revenue sources: business and international passengers. The emergence of the Omicron variant could put those passengers on hold, according to experts.
As regions and governments around the world assess the potential impact of the fast-emerging omicron variant, and therefore what actions to take, GBTA continues to encourage a clear, consistent and thoughtful approach, especially in terms of keeping country borders open to travelers.