The global tourism industry is the worst affected due to COVID-19 as the breakout of coronavirus has turned businesses upside down.&nbsp;

The tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the world with 5.7 trillion dollar revenue and is responsible for an estimated 319 million jobs, or roughly one in 10 people working on the planet.

Not only did people in china cancelled travel plans during this Lunar New Year holidays, but many of the world's most popular travel destinations are also taking a beating.

And now, the number of international tourist arrivals is expected to drop sharply this year. United Nations estimated a 3 per cent&nbsp;fall in international tourist arrivals in 2020 due to virus.

The estimates come after the world tourism organization has reversed a previous forecast of three to four per cent growth. The Madrid-based United Nations body has also said that the drop in tourist arrival will lead to an estimated loss of 30-50 billion dollars ((29-45 billion euros)) in international tourism receipts.

The new coronavirus is putting the breaks on the global economy and tourism alike and France is not immune. With flight and hotel bookings plummeting as the virus continues to spread, Hotels saw occupation rates drop by six per cent in the last week of February while flight bookings dropped by 12 per cent for the month in France.

The Louvre, France's most visited museum - with roughly 25,000 visitors each day, was closed for two days due to virus fears by staff. It only opened again after employees and the museum agreed on measures aimed at containing the possible spread of the virus.&nbsp;

In Japan's Shizuoka which is home to Mount Fuji, Chinese tourists account for as much as 70% of foreign tourists. &nbsp;Some 90,000 people -- mostly Chinese -- have cancelled hotel bookings for the first three months of this year according to the local tourism association.

This represents about a third of the total bookings by Chinese tourists during the period.

Some hotels that are dependent on Chinese tourists are temporarily shutting down as they find shutting down cost-wise better than to have the business open for few guests.

The impact of coronavirus on tourism in the Canary Islands and in the whole country of Spain is overwhelming and strong.

President of Spanish Hotel Association has reportedly said that there has been a decrease in sales of up to 40 per cent.&nbsp;

Madrid has emerged as the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in Spain.

The global tourism industry is the worst affected due to COVID-19 as the breakout of coronavirus has turned businesses upside down. The tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the world with 5.

The global tourism industry is the worst affected due to COVID-19 as the breakout of coronavirus has turned businesses upside down. The tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the world with 5.7 trillion dollar revenue and is responsible for an estimated 319 million jobs, or roughly one in 10 people working on the planet. Not only did people in china cancelled travel plans during this Lunar New Year holidays, but many of the world's most popular travel destinations are also taking a beating. And now, the number of international tourist arrivals is expected to drop sharply this year. United Nations estimated a 3 per cent fall in international tourist arrivals in 2020 due to virus. The estimates come after the world tourism organization has reversed a previous forecast of three to four per cent growth. The Madrid-based United Nations body has also said that the drop in tourist arrival will lead to an estimated loss of 30-50 billion dollars ((29-45 billion euros)) in international tourism receipts. The new coronavirus is putting the breaks on the global economy and tourism alike and France is not immune. With flight and hotel bookings plummeting as the virus continues to spread, Hotels saw occupation rates drop by six per cent in the last week of February while flight bookings dropped by 12 per cent for the month in France. The Louvre, France's most visited museum - with roughly 25,000 visitors each day, was closed for two days due to virus fears by staff. It only opened again after employees and the museum agreed on measures aimed at containing the possible spread of the virus. In Japan's Shizuoka which is home to Mount Fuji, Chinese tourists account for as much as 70% of foreign tourists. Some 90,000 people -- mostly Chinese -- have cancelled hotel bookings for the first three months of this year according to the local tourism association. This represents about a third of the total bookings by Chinese tourists during the period. Some hotels that are dependent on Chinese tourists are temporarily shutting down as they find shutting down cost-wise better than to have the business open for few guests. The impact of coronavirus on tourism in the Canary Islands and in the whole country of Spain is overwhelming and strong. President of Spanish Hotel Association has reportedly said that there has been a decrease in sales of up to 40 per cent. Madrid has emerged as the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in Spain.

Tourism industry across the world takes a hit as COVID-19 spreads more widely  

The global tourism industry is already reeling under the impact of China's economic slowdown and geopolitical tensions between some countries.

And now, the Coronavirus outbreak has dealt another blow to the once-booming industry, which is known as the key driver of growth for any economy.

Travel stocks are among the biggest losers in global markets - hotels, luxury shops and tourist places around the world depend heavily on Chinese tourists.&nbsp;

The Coronavirus outbreak has forced many to cancel travel plans, China has barred its citizens from leaving the country. 10,000 Chinese tourists have cancelled their trip to Bali - earlier every fourth person to visit the vacation island was from China.&nbsp;

The Thai Baht, which was Asia's best-performing currency last year, is the worst performer since the start of 2020.&nbsp;

More than a dozen airlines have cancelled flights to China. Nearly every country has issued an advisory against travelling to China. Russia has closed its border with China and suspended e-visas for its nationals; Philippines and Vietnam have stopped the issue of visas on arrival for Chinese nationals.&nbsp;

Hong Kong has suspended direct train and ferry services, Macau is not open to individual visitors from mainland China. Nepal has sealed its border with China for two weeks; North Korea too has closed its border to all foreign tourists,&nbsp;

The death toll due to Coronavirus has crossed 200 and is continuing to rise, while the number of those infected has increased to more than 9000, exceeding the 2003 SARS outbreak.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the deadly SARS virus infected a total of 8,098 people globally and claimed&nbsp;774 lives. 
&nbsp; 
Coronavirus is rapidly spreading across the world with cases confirmed in 23 countries, and its&nbsp;economic effects are expected to be long-term.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The global tourism industry is already reeling under the impact of China's economic slowdown and geopolitical tensions between some countries. And now, the Coronavirus outbreak has dealt another blow to the once-booming industry, which is known as the key driver of growth for any economy.

The global tourism industry is already reeling under the impact of China's economic slowdown and geopolitical tensions between some countries. And now, the Coronavirus outbreak has dealt another blow to the once-booming industry, which is known as the key driver of growth for any economy. Travel stocks are among the biggest losers in global markets - hotels, luxury shops and tourist places around the world depend heavily on Chinese tourists. The Coronavirus outbreak has forced many to cancel travel plans, China has barred its citizens from leaving the country. 10,000 Chinese tourists have cancelled their trip to Bali - earlier every fourth person to visit the vacation island was from China. The Thai Baht, which was Asia's best-performing currency last year, is the worst performer since the start of 2020. More than a dozen airlines have cancelled flights to China. Nearly every country has issued an advisory against travelling to China. Russia has closed its border with China and suspended e-visas for its nationals; Philippines and Vietnam have stopped the issue of visas on arrival for Chinese nationals. Hong Kong has suspended direct train and ferry services, Macau is not open to individual visitors from mainland China. Nepal has sealed its border with China for two weeks; North Korea too has closed its border to all foreign tourists, The death toll due to Coronavirus has crossed 200 and is continuing to rise, while the number of those infected has increased to more than 9000, exceeding the 2003 SARS outbreak. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the deadly SARS virus infected a total of 8,098 people globally and claimed 774 lives. Coronavirus is rapidly spreading across the world with cases confirmed in 23 countries, and its economic effects are expected to be long-term.

Explained: Coronavirus impact on the tourism industry

Gulmarg is a top Indian adventure tourism destination. The tourism industry in Kashmir has been suffering since the abrogation of article 370 from J&K. Now the Kashmir is welcoming tourists once again. #Gulmarg #Kashmir #India #WION

India: Kashmir valley open for tourism again, tourists returning to Gulmarg

Tourism workers in Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar, home to the scenic Dal Lake that houses hundreds of floating houseboat hotels and Shikara boats, were defiant in their opposition to India's decision to strip the autonomous regions if its autonomy, saying on Tuesday (August 20) that despite declining business their main concern was their rights as Kashmiri.

Kashmir tourism industry decries Indian move as business suffers

By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles

Japan’s Nanzoin Temple is famous for its huge statue of a reclining Buddha. Its custodians are less laidback about the hordes of tourists the temple attracts. Signs in 12 languages now warn foreign visitors they may not enter in large groups.

It’s part of anti-tourist sentiment, driven by “the bad manners and abhorrent actions” of some visitors from abroad, reportedly growing all over Japan – and elsewhere in the world.

In Amsterdam, for example, city authorities have put a halt on new hotels and souvenir shops, and are cracking down on private rental platforms.

Tourism brings many benefits to communities around the world. But tourism hotspots are feeling the strain as tourist numbers increase. Locals resent being crowded out of restaurants and parks. They resent paying inflated prices. Most of all they resent tourists behaving badly.

The increasing prevalence of the badly behaved tourist, either in reality or simply as a cultural meme, presents a serious issue for the tourism industry. In cities at tourism’s bleeding edge, such as Venice, resentment has boiled over into anti-tourism protests. In Barcelona, the cause against foreign visitors has been embraced by left-wing nationalist activists. Their view is expressed in graffiti around Barcelona: “Refugees welcome; tourists go home.” 
 
Unless the tourism industry does something to address underlying aggravations, such sentiments are likely to spread. There’s danger tourism, instead of building bridges for cross-cultural understanding and friendship, will add to the stereotypical walls that separate people.

When in Rome

Sometimes bad behaviour is a matter of perception and comes down to cultural differences. There are places in China, for example, where it’s perfectly acceptable to leave your restaurant table, and the floor around it, an absolute mess. Two Chinese women visiting Japan, however, became the focus of international criticism due to a video that appeared to show them being asked to leave an Osaka restaurant because of their “disgusting eating habits”.

The question arises as to why tourists don’t make more effort to understand and follow local customs.

Then there’s the question of why tourists behave in ways they wouldn’t dream of at home. Maybe it’s wearing a lime-green mankini while wandering through Krakow. Or nothing at all at Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s most holy shrine.

The evidence suggests there’s something about being on holiday that simply seems to lower people’s inhibitions.

Otherwise ordinary people commit stupid acts like attempting to steal a propaganda poster in the world’s most totalitarian state. Or spray-painting grafitti on a wall of a site where millions were murdered. Or brawling for a prime selfie spot at Rome’s Trevi Fountain.

Sustainable tourism rests on a number of pillars. One of those is the need for the tourist to respect local people, cultures and environments.

The problem now, as other tourism scholars have pointed out, is that tourism is promoted as an activity of pure hedonism. Rather than being encouraged to see themselves as global citizens with both rights and responsibilities, tourists are sold an illusion of unlimited indulgence. They are positioned as consumers, with special privileges.

Is it any wonder that encourages indulgent behaviour and an attitude of entitlement?

The Tiaki promise

We know about some of the incidents mentioned because the perpetrators themselves recorded their crimes for posterity. On other occasions, an offended local has done the filming.

Such is the case of the “pig” British tourists who created a media storm on their holiday to New Zealand in January. A video showing the rubbish they left behind at a beachside park turned them into a media sensation. More than 10,000 people signed a petition for them to be deported.

It’s a classic case study in how a local event can now so easily become a national or international incident.

But I believe New Zealand also provides a case study in how the global tourism industry can deal with antitourist sentiment by encouraging tourists to show greater respect.

To deal with multiple problems associated with tourists – including bad driving, damaging camping practices and to ignorance of safety in the outdoors, New Zealand’s tourism authority and operators are promoting “The Tiaki Promise”. 
 
Tiaki is a Maori word meaning to guard, preserve, protect or shelter. An associated principle is Kaitiakitanga, an ethic of guardianship based on traditional Maori understandings of kinship between humans and the natural world.

The Tiaki campaign thus asks tourists to look after New Zealand, “to act as a guardian, protecting and preserving our home”. In exchange, it promises a warm welcome to those who care to care.

Such a principle of reciprocity is an inviting code for responsible tourism. The tourism industry’s challenge is to develop effective strategies to bring tourists and locals into better alignment.

The key is in communicating the priceless experiences that emerge from being with the locals rather than imposing on them.

 
(Freya Higgins-Desbiolles is Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management, University of South Australia)

 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tourists-behaving-badly-are-a-threat-to-global-tourism-and-the-industry-is-partly-to-blame-112398">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles Japan’s Nanzoin Temple is famous for its huge statue of a reclining Buddha. Its custodians are less laidback about the hordes of tourists the temple attracts.

By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles Japan’s Nanzoin Temple is famous for its huge statue of a reclining Buddha. Its custodians are less laidback about the hordes of tourists the temple attracts. Signs in 12 languages now warn foreign visitors they may not enter in large groups. It’s part of anti-tourist sentiment, driven by “the bad manners and abhorrent actions” of some visitors from abroad, reportedly growing all over Japan – and elsewhere in the world. In Amsterdam, for example, city authorities have put a halt on new hotels and souvenir shops, and are cracking down on private rental platforms. Tourism brings many benefits to communities around the world. But tourism hotspots are feeling the strain as tourist numbers increase. Locals resent being crowded out of restaurants and parks. They resent paying inflated prices. Most of all they resent tourists behaving badly. The increasing prevalence of the badly behaved tourist, either in reality or simply as a cultural meme, presents a serious issue for the tourism industry. In cities at tourism’s bleeding edge, such as Venice, resentment has boiled over into anti-tourism protests. In Barcelona, the cause against foreign visitors has been embraced by left-wing nationalist activists. Their view is expressed in graffiti around Barcelona: “Refugees welcome; tourists go home.” Unless the tourism industry does something to address underlying aggravations, such sentiments are likely to spread. There’s danger tourism, instead of building bridges for cross-cultural understanding and friendship, will add to the stereotypical walls that separate people. When in Rome Sometimes bad behaviour is a matter of perception and comes down to cultural differences. There are places in China, for example, where it’s perfectly acceptable to leave your restaurant table, and the floor around it, an absolute mess. Two Chinese women visiting Japan, however, became the focus of international criticism due to a video that appeared to show them being asked to leave an Osaka restaurant because of their “disgusting eating habits”. The question arises as to why tourists don’t make more effort to understand and follow local customs. Then there’s the question of why tourists behave in ways they wouldn’t dream of at home. Maybe it’s wearing a lime-green mankini while wandering through Krakow. Or nothing at all at Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s most holy shrine. The evidence suggests there’s something about being on holiday that simply seems to lower people’s inhibitions. Otherwise ordinary people commit stupid acts like attempting to steal a propaganda poster in the world’s most totalitarian state. Or spray-painting grafitti on a wall of a site where millions were murdered. Or brawling for a prime selfie spot at Rome’s Trevi Fountain. Sustainable tourism rests on a number of pillars. One of those is the need for the tourist to respect local people, cultures and environments. The problem now, as other tourism scholars have pointed out, is that tourism is promoted as an activity of pure hedonism. Rather than being encouraged to see themselves as global citizens with both rights and responsibilities, tourists are sold an illusion of unlimited indulgence. They are positioned as consumers, with special privileges. Is it any wonder that encourages indulgent behaviour and an attitude of entitlement? The Tiaki promise We know about some of the incidents mentioned because the perpetrators themselves recorded their crimes for posterity. On other occasions, an offended local has done the filming. Such is the case of the “pig” British tourists who created a media storm on their holiday to New Zealand in January. A video showing the rubbish they left behind at a beachside park turned them into a media sensation. More than 10,000 people signed a petition for them to be deported. It’s a classic case study in how a local event can now so easily become a national or international incident. But I believe New Zealand also provides a case study in how the global tourism industry can deal with antitourist sentiment by encouraging tourists to show greater respect. To deal with multiple problems associated with tourists – including bad driving, damaging camping practices and to ignorance of safety in the outdoors, New Zealand’s tourism authority and operators are promoting “The Tiaki Promise”. Tiaki is a Maori word meaning to guard, preserve, protect or shelter. An associated principle is Kaitiakitanga, an ethic of guardianship based on traditional Maori understandings of kinship between humans and the natural world. The Tiaki campaign thus asks tourists to look after New Zealand, “to act as a guardian, protecting and preserving our home”. In exchange, it promises a warm welcome to those who care to care. Such a principle of reciprocity is an inviting code for responsible tourism. The tourism industry’s challenge is to develop effective strategies to bring tourists and locals into better alignment. The key is in communicating the priceless experiences that emerge from being with the locals rather than imposing on them. (Freya Higgins-Desbiolles is Senior Lecturer in Tourism Management, University of South Australia) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Tourists behaving badly are a threat to global tourism

My host organisation, Udyogini, hopes to develop such a programme in rural Khandar. But to do so, it is important to understand the negative impacts that unplanned mass tourism can have. India’s Golden Triangle, connecting Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, is the most touristed route in the country.&nbsp;

The area’s amazing cultural heritage and the ease of travel between its three corners make it easy to understand why. But while it has benefited economically from the tourism industry, the Golden Triangle also illustrates some of these negative impacts.&nbsp;

The increasingly large tourism industry in the area has a blind spot for ethical concerns, and sometimes bypasses authenticity for marketability.&nbsp;

For example, slum tourism, increasingly popular in Delhi, raises questions of who benefits from the transformation of impoverished communities into spectacles for wealthy international tourists to view. While certain tour operators make an effort to  give back to the slums they walk through, not all of them do, and almost none are owned and operated by slum residents themselves.&nbsp;

Chokhi Dhani, a popular village themed resort in Jaipur, packages rural India for tourist’s consumption, but in a fully artificial environment that does not actually interact with real rural communities.&nbsp;

Furthermore, the ubiquity of tourism in these cities has arguably cheapened visitors’ experience of the places as well. Instead of the massive, diverse, and living capital of the world’s largest democracy, New Delhi is marketed for a few key sites – Humayun’s Tomb, the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, India Gate – often completely stripped of their contextual importance and experienced purely aesthetically as a stop on a bus tour. The same can be said of Agra and Jaipur. Clearly, the Golden Triangle tourism industry has not been a purely positive phenomenon for the people who live there, or the tourists themselves.&nbsp;

Learning from the Golden Triangle is especially important for my project because increasingly, tourists are adding a fourth stop to their Golden Triangle itinerary, my placement site, Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, which is home to Ranthambore National Park.

Aided by its excellent rail connectivity to all three cities in the Golden Triangle – it sits two hours from Jaipur, four from Agra, and six from Delhi – hundreds of hotels have opened up on the main road from the city to the park entrance. Sawai Madhopur is routinely included on guided tour operators’ Golden Triangle tours and features prominently in the various routes of the super-luxury Maharaja Express tourist train.&nbsp;

Golden Triangle style mass-market tourism has firmly established itself as the main pillar of Sawai Madhopur’s economy. But the area’s small population, poor economy, and ecological sensitivity only magnify the tourism industry’s effects on the district. Exclusive hotels charge Rs 60,000 per night for rooms in the peak season despite sitting in a district that has been ranked one of the 126 most “backward” in India.

While certain lucky residents win low-level jobs in the hotels, the industry’s profits flow to outsiders who by-and-large own the properties.

Ranthambore National Park is home to the highest density of tigers in its history, making it one of the best places to see the animals in the wild. This has brought tourists who are single-minded in their reason for visiting the area. The majority of visitors spend only one or two nights in Sawai Madhopur, shuttling between their hotel and the National Park in pre-booked safaris. During popular times of the year, guests&nbsp;who have not pre-booked sometimes arrive in the area only to find that safaris during their stay are already full, and have to spend their time idly, with a few other sites to see in the area.&nbsp;

Furthermore, tourism is endangering the very natural environment that supports the industry. Hotels have taken up more and more land directly outside of the buffer zone of the park, threatening to cut it off from other natural lands. Water tables have fallen dramatically in recent years, and while this is partially attributable to agriculture, the tourism industry uses an outsized share of the area’s groundwater. 
 
Far from being a natural respite from the problems of tourism in the Golden Triangle, my placement site sees, in many ways, an intensification of the same issues.&nbsp;

While addressing the negative aspects of tourism can seem daunting, there are multiple examples, both throughout the world and within India, of tourist facilities conducting themselves in a respectful and sustainable manner that elevates local communities and enriches tourists’ experiences. 
 
(A previous version of this article was originally published by the American India Foundation)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

My host organisation, Udyogini, hopes to develop such a programme in rural Khandar. But to do so, it is important to understand the negative impacts that unplanned mass tourism can have.

My host organisation, Udyogini, hopes to develop such a programme in rural Khandar. But to do so, it is important to understand the negative impacts that unplanned mass tourism can have. India’s Golden Triangle, connecting Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, is the most touristed route in the country. The area’s amazing cultural heritage and the ease of travel between its three corners make it easy to understand why. But while it has benefited economically from the tourism industry, the Golden Triangle also illustrates some of these negative impacts. The increasingly large tourism industry in the area has a blind spot for ethical concerns, and sometimes bypasses authenticity for marketability. For example, slum tourism, increasingly popular in Delhi, raises questions of who benefits from the transformation of impoverished communities into spectacles for wealthy international tourists to view. While certain tour operators make an effort to  give back to the slums they walk through, not all of them do, and almost none are owned and operated by slum residents themselves. Chokhi Dhani, a popular village themed resort in Jaipur, packages rural India for tourist’s consumption, but in a fully artificial environment that does not actually interact with real rural communities. Furthermore, the ubiquity of tourism in these cities has arguably cheapened visitors’ experience of the places as well. Instead of the massive, diverse, and living capital of the world’s largest democracy, New Delhi is marketed for a few key sites – Humayun’s Tomb, the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, India Gate – often completely stripped of their contextual importance and experienced purely aesthetically as a stop on a bus tour. The same can be said of Agra and Jaipur. Clearly, the Golden Triangle tourism industry has not been a purely positive phenomenon for the people who live there, or the tourists themselves. Learning from the Golden Triangle is especially important for my project because increasingly, tourists are adding a fourth stop to their Golden Triangle itinerary, my placement site, Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, which is home to Ranthambore National Park. Aided by its excellent rail connectivity to all three cities in the Golden Triangle – it sits two hours from Jaipur, four from Agra, and six from Delhi – hundreds of hotels have opened up on the main road from the city to the park entrance. Sawai Madhopur is routinely included on guided tour operators’ Golden Triangle tours and features prominently in the various routes of the super-luxury Maharaja Express tourist train. Golden Triangle style mass-market tourism has firmly established itself as the main pillar of Sawai Madhopur’s economy. But the area’s small population, poor economy, and ecological sensitivity only magnify the tourism industry’s effects on the district. Exclusive hotels charge Rs 60,000 per night for rooms in the peak season despite sitting in a district that has been ranked one of the 126 most “backward” in India. While certain lucky residents win low-level jobs in the hotels, the industry’s profits flow to outsiders who by-and-large own the properties. Ranthambore National Park is home to the highest density of tigers in its history, making it one of the best places to see the animals in the wild. This has brought tourists who are single-minded in their reason for visiting the area. The majority of visitors spend only one or two nights in Sawai Madhopur, shuttling between their hotel and the National Park in pre-booked safaris. During popular times of the year, guests who have not pre-booked sometimes arrive in the area only to find that safaris during their stay are already full, and have to spend their time idly, with a few other sites to see in the area. Furthermore, tourism is endangering the very natural environment that supports the industry. Hotels have taken up more and more land directly outside of the buffer zone of the park, threatening to cut it off from other natural lands. Water tables have fallen dramatically in recent years, and while this is partially attributable to agriculture, the tourism industry uses an outsized share of the area’s groundwater. Far from being a natural respite from the problems of tourism in the Golden Triangle, my placement site sees, in many ways, an intensification of the same issues. While addressing the negative aspects of tourism can seem daunting, there are multiple examples, both throughout the world and within India, of tourist facilities conducting themselves in a respectful and sustainable manner that elevates local communities and enriches tourists’ experiences. (A previous version of this article was originally published by the American India Foundation) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Blog: Rethinking tourism

The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) is taking part in India&#39;s Bharat International Tourism Bazaar (BITB), along with a&nbsp;number of resorts, travel agents and airlines of the Maldives.&nbsp;

&quot;India is one of the fastest growing and largest travel markets in the world, and MATATO intends to have a&nbsp;strong presence in India&rsquo;s leading travel shows with our members and industry partners,&quot; MATATO said in a statement.

Bharat International Tourism Bazaar (BITB) is the first edition of ITB India hosting in alliance with ITB Berlin.

The three-day fair from 4th October to 6th October in the&nbsp;Indian capital of New Delhi expects over 500 exhibitors to meet.

India is the fastest progressive market in the Maldives tourism industry, with an increase of 21.5 per cent compare to 2015, by the end of July 2016.

Maldives has been increasing promotion events in India with roadshows in several major cities and also adding more flights to India.&nbsp;

(WION)

The three-day exhibition from 4th October to 6th October in the?Indian capital of New Delhi expects over 500 exhibitors to meet

The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) is taking part in India's Bharat International Tourism Bazaar (BITB), along with a number of resorts, travel agents and airlines of the Maldives. "India is one of the fastest growing and largest travel markets in the world, and MATATO intends to have a strong presence in India’s leading travel shows with our members and industry partners," MATATO said in a statement. Bharat International Tourism Bazaar (BITB) is the first edition of ITB India hosting in alliance with ITB Berlin. The three-day fair from 4th October to 6th October in the Indian capital of New Delhi expects over 500 exhibitors to meet. India is the fastest progressive market in the Maldives tourism industry, with an increase of 21.5 per cent compare to 2015, by the end of July 2016. Maldives has been increasing promotion events in India with roadshows in several major cities and also adding more flights to India. (WION)

Maldives takes part in India's largest tourism fair

Iran has offered up to 13 years of tax holidays to hoteliers at an international tourism summit on Sunday as it seeks to boost visitor numbers and revamp its dilapidated hotels.

&nbsp;

&quot;All economic activities related to... tourism will enjoy 100 per cent tax holidays between five to 13 years depending on the region,&quot; deputy economy minister Mohammad Khazaei told hoteliers from 18 countries who had gathered in Tehran, many from Europe.

&nbsp;

Since the lifting of international sanctions under last year&#39;s nuclear deal, the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani has made tourism a top priority for rebuilding Iran&#39;s struggling economy.

&nbsp;

Visitor numbers have already boomed in recent years thanks to a partial thaw in the country&#39;s relations with the world, rising from 2.2 million annually in 2009 to 5.2 million in 2015.

&nbsp;

By 2025, they are hoping to reach 20 million visitors a year.

&nbsp;

The government hopes to see 300 new hotels over the next five years as it seeks radical improvements to its low-quality tourist accommodation.

&nbsp;

It is hoped that&nbsp;a rejuvenated tourism sector can create some 140,000 new jobs, with around half coming from Iran&#39;s handicrafts sector, said the minister for roads and urban development, Abbas Akhoundi.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Projects to build some 170 four- and five-star hotels are already under way, he added.

&nbsp;

&quot;We are working actively on 10 to 15 projects in Iran,&quot; Christophe Landais, chief operating officer for France&#39;s Accor Hotels in Iran, told AFP.

&nbsp;

Accor was the first international company to open hotels after the historic nuclear deal, an Ibis and Novotel outside Tehran&#39;s Imam Khomeini airport last September.

&nbsp;

Landais said the group also hopes to tap the huge religious tourism market of Iran&#39;s second city, Mashhad, which hosts the mausoleum of a key figure in Shiite history, the Eighth Imam.

&nbsp;

&quot;Mashhad is the destination for pilgrims. Actually, Mashhad receives more pilgrims than Mecca in Saudi Arabia, about 25 million,&quot; he said.

&nbsp;

A hotel operator from the United Arab Emirates said he was also about to sign a contract in Mashhad.

&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;ve been invited by many, many investors, many developers&quot; to join in partnerships there, Imad Elias, chief of the Dubai-based Roda Hotels and Resorts, told AFP.

&nbsp;

&quot;We had Iran as a potential spot for expansion even before the lifting of sanctions. Iran is a gold mine, a jewel that needs to be explored,&quot; he added.

&nbsp;

Akhoundi said the government had also finalised plans for $10 billion worth of rail projects to help improve the country&#39;s connectivity.

&nbsp;

Tourism made up 7.6 per cent of Iran&#39;s GDP in 2015, &quot;which we hope to increase to about nine per cent in 2016&quot;, he added.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

Deputy economy minister Mohammad Khazaei said all economic activities related tourism will enjoy 100% tax holidays between 5-13 years

Iran has offered up to 13 years of tax holidays to hoteliers at an international tourism summit on Sunday as it seeks to boost visitor numbers and revamp its dilapidated hotels. "All economic activities related to... tourism will enjoy 100 per cent tax holidays between five to 13 years depending on the region," deputy economy minister Mohammad Khazaei told hoteliers from 18 countries who had gathered in Tehran, many from Europe. Since the lifting of international sanctions under last year's nuclear deal, the moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani has made tourism a top priority for rebuilding Iran's struggling economy. Visitor numbers have already boomed in recent years thanks to a partial thaw in the country's relations with the world, rising from 2.2 million annually in 2009 to 5.2 million in 2015. By 2025, they are hoping to reach 20 million visitors a year. The government hopes to see 300 new hotels over the next five years as it seeks radical improvements to its low-quality tourist accommodation. It is hoped that a rejuvenated tourism sector can create some 140,000 new jobs, with around half coming from Iran's handicrafts sector, said the minister for roads and urban development, Abbas Akhoundi. Projects to build some 170 four- and five-star hotels are already under way, he added. "We are working actively on 10 to 15 projects in Iran," Christophe Landais, chief operating officer for France's Accor Hotels in Iran, told AFP. Accor was the first international company to open hotels after the historic nuclear deal, an Ibis and Novotel outside Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport last September. Landais said the group also hopes to tap the huge religious tourism market of Iran's second city, Mashhad, which hosts the mausoleum of a key figure in Shiite history, the Eighth Imam. "Mashhad is the destination for pilgrims. Actually, Mashhad receives more pilgrims than Mecca in Saudi Arabia, about 25 million," he said. A hotel operator from the United Arab Emirates said he was also about to sign a contract in Mashhad. "We've been invited by many, many investors, many developers" to join in partnerships there, Imad Elias, chief of the Dubai-based Roda Hotels and Resorts, told AFP. "We had Iran as a potential spot for expansion even before the lifting of sanctions. Iran is a gold mine, a jewel that needs to be explored," he added. Akhoundi said the government had also finalised plans for $10 billion worth of rail projects to help improve the country's connectivity. Tourism made up 7.6 per cent of Iran's GDP in 2015, "which we hope to increase to about nine per cent in 2016", he added. (AFP)

Iran offers hotel tax breaks in bid to boost tourism

tourism-industry

Tourism Industry, News on Tourism Industry, stories on Tourism Industry, articles on Tourism Industry, Tourism Industry stories at Wion, Tourism Industry news, Tourism Industry latest news