In this issue, we take an in-depth look at some of the key events to have impacted on the travel and tourism industry in the last few weeks, including the closure of European air space following Iceland's volcanic eruption.

You'll also find an update on the latest worldwide visitor figures for 2010 and valuable ideas for developing sports tourism in your destination.

Roger Carter
Managing Editor

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Sports Tourism: There is little doubt that sports and athletics play a major role in tourism. Tourism events specialist and regular DW contributor, Peter Tarlow, offers some ideas for developing a sports tourism programme that is right for your destination.

TIG Global has published an informative series of destination e-marketing best practice guides, each containing current examples of interactive strategies and tactics. The guides include Social Media and the DMO Marketer and Microsites, Mobile and Apps and can be downloaded from the TIG Global website.

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Many travel company websites are falling short of consumer expectations, according to the latest eTravel Benchmark Study from eDigitalResearch. To view the full presentation, visit the eDigitalResearch website, registration required.

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Three new publications are now available from STCRC, Australia's Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre. The guides are available free of charge in a PDF format:

• Short-break Holidays - a Competitive Destination Strategy
• Helping Tourism SMEs Plan and Implement Information and Communication Technology
• How Do Australians Choose Holiday Destinations and Experiences?

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European travel recovery is underway but remains fragile, according to the recently published European Tourism in 2010: Trends & Prospects (Q1/2010). As the year progresses, the recovery will need to gain momentum if it is to compare favourably with last year. The report is available from the European Travel Commission (ETC) website.

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European and American overseas destinations were hit the hardest by the global decline, by 6 percent and 5 percent respectively, in 2009. Meanwhile, although based on a comparatively lower travel volume, African destinations managed to post a plus figure of 5 percent. These figures, and more, have been published in the latest IPK International World Travel Monitor.

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A new report from PhoCusWright, Social Media in Travel: Traffic and Activity, examines how the online experience is changing and how these shifts are having an important impact on the travel industry. The report can be bought online at a cost of USD 995.

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The European travel industry is heading for a turbulent ride as revenues are expected to drop for a second consecutive year, according to a new report from Kelkoo. The European Travel Index provides a comprehensive review of travel spending trends in Europe over the last five years.

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In 2009, European hotels experienced the full impact of the global economic crisis. Hotel gross bookings saw the second largest decline in travel spend (after air) due to a sharp fall in corporate travel demand (according to American Express) and corporate travel budgets experienced major cutbacks. PhoCusWright's European Hotel Market Overview 2010, available online (USD 500), provides an analysis of key European markets, including the UK, Scandinavia, Germany and France.

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Published this month, PhoCusWright's Consumer Travel Report, Second Edition, provides an overview of the status of consumer travel in the USA, along with insights into key indicators for the upcoming year. The report, which can be bought online at a cost of USD 1,441, also explores a range of topics, including general travel behaviour and channel usage, and analyses differences between key consumer segments.

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Successful Tactics for Surviving an Economic Downturn is the name of a new study of the global hotel industry. The report, published by EyeForTravel, includes the latest international revenue performance figures, trends and expert analysis along with a detailed breakdown of hotel performance by sector and region. The report can be downloaded free of charge, registration required.

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A new Eurobarometer survey on The Attitudes of Europeans Towards Tourism 2010 reveals that Europeans are increasingly preferring to spend their holidays in traditional tourist destinations (57 percent) while 28 percent would rather go off the beaten track to emerging destinations.

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The latest issue of the Wanderlust Report focuses on repositioning an underperforming destination.

The Japan Tourism Agency last month unveiled a new campaign logo and strapline: Japan. Endless Discovery.

The logo has been designed around Japan's iconic cherry blossom element which was felt to reflect the country's tradition, culture, cuisine and arts. The strapline is intended to encourage travellers to see Japan as a multiple visit destination. The redesign was prompted by the need to attract a younger generation of travellers and reach the country's target of attracting 10 million tourists in 2010 and 15 million by 2013.

Volcanic Ash Cloud:
Have there been any winners?

The recent volcanic ash cloud that grounded planes across Europe has cost airlines more than USD 1.7 billion, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). During the height of the disruption, lost revenues reached USD 400 million per day and any savings on fuel were quickly used up by the costs of passenger repatriation.

'Lost revenues now total more than USD 1.7 billion for airlines alone. At the worst, the crisis impacted 29 percent of global aviation and affected 1.2 million passengers a day. The scale of the crisis eclipsed 9/11 when US airspace was closed for three days,' said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA's Director General and CEO.

The impact has been industry wide. A survey of ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) member companies has revealed the massive global impact of the recent volcanic ash-induced European no-fly zone.

ICCA CEO Martin Sirk said: 'This unprecedented shut-down challenged our industry as never before, and has been a massive wake-up call for us to think about how we will deal with the inevitable future crises. What it also demonstrated is the vital importance of strong long-term working relationships between suppliers and meeting planners - this is not a time for either party to insist on contractual small-print, and if there has been one heart-warming aspect from our survey it was to hear so many stories of collaboration and flexibility.'

The no-fly zone has hit the international association sector as well as corporate meetings, triggering cancellations, postponements and delegate reductions in this previously resilient sector, something the current economic crisis has failed to achieve. Whilst European events were most badly affected (over 70 percent reporting negative impacts), conferences held in locations as far distant as the West Coast of North America and the Malaysian state of Sarawak also suffered, with reduced delegate attendances, missing keynote speakers and frustrated organisers.

But have there been any winners during this time? According to sustainable tourism expert, Valere Tjolle, many organisations were able to react quickly and turn the disaster into an opportunity.

Specialist rail travel websites saw online visitor numbers soar as stranded tourists abandoned airports and made their own way home overland. Eurostar, the train service linking the UK and France) made an extra 30,000 seats available, gaining an extra GBP 3 million in revenue, and Lonely Planet gave away more than 3 million free downloads of city guides.

Valere Tjolle, writing recently in TravelMole, commented: 'The fact is this could have happened nowhere else in the world other than Europe. In the US, for instance, this particular sort of challenge is up to the airlines to manage - the authorities simply inform them of the presence of volcanic ash. It's up to them to determine their own action.'

Some key events for tourism destination professionals taking place over the next few months:

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There's just time to catch the Australian Tourism Exchange 2010 which takes place in Adelaide from the 29th May to the 4th June. Organised by Tourism Australia, ATE is Australia's premier tourism trade event and the largest international travel trade show of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

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Attend EyeForTravel's Online Marketing Strategies for Travel conference and you'll get practical advice on spending your marketing budget wisely, effectively and profitably. The conference takes place in Miami, USA, on the 2nd and 3rd June.

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The 14th MITM Euromed Meetings and Incentive Trade Market will be held in Spain from the 9th to 11th June.

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A New Decade of Tourism is the theme of this year's UK Tourism Society Annual Conference. The event takes place on the 14th June in London.

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Social media - a hot topic but does it really deliver visitors and revenue for city tourist organisations and convention bureaux? That's the theme of the European Cities Marketing annual conference which takes place from the 9th to 12th June in the Canary Islands.

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The WTM Vision Conference, taking place in London on the 16th June, will present a great line up of speakers from some of the largest and most successful businesses in the UK travel sector.

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The Isle of Man International Business School has recently launched a Small States and Islands Research Centre with the aim of providing a meeting and reflection space for policy makers, practitioners, academics and students. The pilot workshop - Branding Islands and Small States: Challenges and Best Practices - will be held on the 17th June.

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Tourism Queensland is staging the 8th National Conference on Tourism Futures, themed Leaders Driving Innovation, from the 5th to 7th July. The conference takes a forward perspective on the industry, looking out over a ten year timeframe and examining opportunities and issues for the future.

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There's a packed programme of activities at this year's Travel Distribution Summit Europe which takes place in London, UK, on the 17th and 18th June. Now in its 11th year, TDS provides a conference and exhibition all in one.

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London is the venue for the UK's first conference to focus entirely on social media in travel. The event is being organised by the Social Media Academy and will be held on the 30th June.

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Urban Ecotourism and Responsible Travel in Developing Countries: Shifting Paradigms and Strategic Adaptations is the theme for the 2nd World Ecotourism Conference (WEC2010). The conference takes place from the 8th to 11th July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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Cuba is the venue for the upcoming International Convention of Tourist Studies which will be held in July, from the 12th to 16th.

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Some upcoming online events from travel analysts, PhoCusWright, include:

• 2010 Tech Trends on the 9th June
• Canadian Online Travel on the 30th June
• European Consumer Travel on the 14th July
• Consumer Technology on the 18th August

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...and some new events from the World Tourism Organization diary:

• SASOIC, the South American Shared Ownership Investment Conference (31st May to 1st June, Brazil)
• EUROAL 2010 - 5th Fair of Tourism, Art and Culture of Latin America and Europe (3rd to 5th June, Spain)
• KOTFA 2010 - The 23rd Korea World Travel (3rd to 6th June, Republic of Korea)
• The 5th MICE, Business & Incentive Travel Expo 2010 (10th - 12th June, Hong Kong)
• CIT 2010 - International Congress on Tourism Heritage and Innovation (21st to 23rd June, Portugal)
• WSDE - World Sport Destination Expo 2010 (5th to 9th July, South Africa)

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...and a look ahead to events this autumn:

Balancing Sustainability and Profitability is the focus for the European Ecotourism Conference 2010 which will take place in Estonia from the 26th to 30th September.

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Ecotourism Australia will be staging the organisation's 18th annual conference, the Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference, from the 25th to 27th October in Queensland. The conference aims to bring together sectors that have a direct and indirect role in delivering sustainable tourism and ecotourism to examine and debate emerging opportunities and issues, review current best practices and collectively take a forward perspective.

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Earlier this month, the Shanghai Expo launched in China. The event is the first world exposition to take place in a developing country and provides a platform for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchange. The Expo continues until the 31st October.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
DESTINATION BRANDWATCH
E-BUSINESS NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
INTERVIEWS
RESEARCH AND REPORTS
Tourism's upward trend
Asia Pacific forecasts
New European vision
World Tourism Day
Silk Road tourism initiative
Sustainable tourism tool
TripAdvisor's DMO ads
Cost-cutting in Greece
Online stats in China

International Tourism:
Upward trend confirmed

International tourism is steadily gaining momentum following an extremely challenging 2009, with international tourist arrivals growing by 7 percent in the first two months of 2010 worldwide, according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.

Growth was particularly strong in Asia, Africa and the Middle East and UNWTO, the World Tourism Organization, has forecast international tourist arrivals to grow by between 3 and 4 percent in 2010.

A large number of countries around the world reported positive results in the first months of 2010. Of the 77 destinations reporting data for this period, 60 showed positive figures, of which 24 posted double-digit growth.

Asia Pacific:
Growth forecast

International visitor arrivals to Asia Pacific destinations are forecast to grow at an average rate of 2.7 percent per annum over the next three years, according to figures released by PATA, the Pacific Asia Travel Association.

PATA Chairman, Phornsiri Manoharn, confirmed that the three-year projections are in line with expectations on how the global economy is expected to perform generally, subject to any further major economic, social or health disasters. She also suggested that the low growth rates suggest the need for tourism-based businesses to continue to find profits in cost containment rather than in volume growth.

Phornsiri Manoharn commented: 'These latest forecasts point to a gradual and uneven recovery as the region picks itself up from the three percent decline in arrivals in 2009. It is clear that the next three years will prove to be both challenging and increasingly competitive for all our members.'

Europe:
New vision for EU policy

Attendees at last month's European Tourism Stakeholders' Conference debated plans to give tourism greater visibility and recognition at a European level.

Vice-President Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, said: 'Tourism is one of the economic activities with most significant potential to generate future growth and employment in the European Union. Like all the economic sectors, tourism was affected by the recent economic downturn, but has proven to be one of the most resilient sectors.'

Ministers, officials and private sector representatives discussed a number of issues including innovation and competitiveness; sustainable and socially responsible tourism; and the image of Europe as a tourist destination. More information on the European Commission's policy on tourism can be viewed on their website.

World Tourism Day:
To celebrate biodiversity

UNWTO, the World Tourism Organization, has announced that the World Tourism Day celebrations, hosted officially this year by China, will take place under the theme of Tourism and Biodiversity.

'Tourism and biodiversity are mutually dependent. UNWTO wishes to raise awareness and calls upon the tourism stakeholders and travellers themselves to contribute their part of the global responsibility to safeguard the intricate web of unique species and ecosystems that make up our planet', said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

World Tourism Day will be celebrated on the 27th September.

The Silk Road:
Project to increase tourism potential

A new agreement has been reached on the use of the Silk Road to promote peace, unity and co-operation, both regionally and internationally. The Shiraz Declaration was finalised at the 5th Silk Road Mayor's Forum which was held in Iran last week and attended by representatives of 26 countries.

'We see the Silk Road as one of the best ways to link these twenty four countries within one thread and act as an umbrella to promote the cause of the tourism industry in one area', said Zoltan Somogyi, Executive Director of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). 'UNWTO, which recently created a special office for activities relating to Silk Road tourism, is fully committed to supporting this noble cause.'

The declaration will also work towards developing transit networks; fostering trade, economic and cultural exchanges; and establishing a forum to examine the feasibility of a Silk Road airline.

Sustainable Tourism:
Australia's new online tool

A new online portal will be launched by Tourism Australia at the end of next month. Sustainable Tourism Online will enable easy access to a range of resources that support sustainable policy, planning and practice.

The information will be split into three main themes: Destinations and Communities; Business Operations; and Parks and Culture. Also, there will be an Online Community providing a platform for industry, government, academic and other professionals to identify new research, tools and knowledge and participate in ongoing discussions relating to sustainable tourism issues and challenges.

TripAdvisor:
Launches DMO ads

TripAdvisor, the online travel review service, is now providing Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) with the option to advertise on its site. The scheme provides a DMO sponsorship scheme that allows DMOs to incorporate links to their websites and brochures, post promotional offers, upload an events calendar and provide location and contact details of the destination's visitor centres.

One destination that has taken up this offer is the San Antonio CVB. Executive Director, Scott White, commented: 'TripAdvisor is a powerful vehicle to get San Antonio's diverse vacation offerings and discounts in front of targeted and value-minded travellers who are in the planning mindset.' The San Antonio DMO tourism sponsorship page can be viewed on the TripAdvisor website. Details of costs are available from TripAdvisor.

Greece:
Cost-cutting campaign

Greek tourism officials have launched an innovative new marketing campaign for 2010 that re-uses old material and is internet-based to minimise costs.

With the country currently struggling with a major economic crisis, Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister, Angela Gerekou, commented: 'Our country's image abroad, especially this period, is very bad as we have the 'negative privilege' of monopolising foreign press front pages due to the state of our economy. The campaign video this year re-uses existing footage and didn't cost Greek taxpayers even one euro.'

Officials have also been using the social media tool, Twitter, to keep tourists informed about recent disruption caused by the public protests taking place in Athens.

China:
Latest online booking stats

Last year, the number of people booking travel online in China reached 30.24 million, an increase of nearly 80 percent over the previous year, according to the latest research from the China Internet Network Information Center (CINIC).

Growth in this segment exceeds the rise in online banking (62.3 percent), online payments (80.9 percent) and online shopping (45.9 percent).

Sandra Carvao, the World Tourism Organization's Deputy Chief, Market Trends, Competitiveness and Trade in Tourism Services was interviewed recently by eTurboNews on the role of sports and event tourism as a contributor to economic wealth and an important driver for jobs creation. Listen to her interview on the eTurboNews website.

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There's still a lot of growth to come in the online travel space, according to Ted Souder, Head of Regional Industry Travel at Google. Souder shares his views on predicting user preferences and the integration of social search into online travel on the EyeForTravel website.