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Karin, Isabell, and the #famousteam
- How travel agencies win Generation Z as customers: Travel agencies face the challenge of addressing the young target group of Generation Z (born 1995-2010). Old marketing strategies are no longer sufficient; instead, they need to focus on social media, as a panel of experts discussed on fvw.de. Elija La Spina from Reiseloft in Freiburg invests specifically in social media marketing, which was difficult at first, but is now successfully generating followers and reach on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Marvin Schoenberg and Christine Hanneforth from Tourismus Turn emphasized that travel agencies should focus on a few channels at the beginning. Instagram, Facebook and TikTok in particular are crucial, whereby authenticity is more important than perfection. Workshops and continuous learning help to understand the dynamics of the platforms. In addition to addressing customers, social media is also relevant for recruiting new employees. Travel agencies should create more open, modern working cultures to reach young talent. The key to success: start simple, be bold and adapt to the language and needs of the target group. Read more
- Tour operator We-Flytour is insolvent: The tour operator We-Flytour GmbH from Heilbronn has filed for insolvency. According to the German Travel Security Fund (DRSF), all trips starting on or before November 26 have been canceled, while the DRSF is working to bring back around 1,500 holidaymakers, mainly in Turkey and Egypt. Despite a positive development and cooperations, such as the recently launched partnership with TSS, the change of credit card provider led to a liquidity bottleneck that drove the company into insolvency. The previous provider Get Net withdrew from the market and the cooperation with a new provider could not be implemented in time. The DRSF provides comprehensive cover for package tours, guarantees return trips and the continuation of booked trips. Affected travelers and customers receive refunds or assistance via emergency numbers and a service hotline. We-Flytour was only founded in September 2023 and specializes in trips to Turkey. The tour operator is backed by AAH Management Company S.A. from Luxembourg and We Fly Turizm A.S. in Antalya, which took over operational tasks on site. Read more
- Business climate deteriorates in November: After a brief upward trend in October, business sentiment in Germany deteriorated again in November. The downturn recorded in the business climate index was primarily due to the poorer assessment of the current situation. Expectations for the future are also slightly more negative than in the previous month. According to the Ifo Institute, the German economy is lacking strength. Read more
- How the industry can benefit from the Christmas season: The holiday shopping season offers travel companies great potential to attract customers through gift vouchers or inspiring offers. According to Accenture's “Annual Holiday Shopping Survey 2024”, 29% of respondents plan to travel during the holidays and 28% of Generation Z are considering short trips. At the same time, many consumers (68%) feel overwhelmed by the variety of purchasing options, but (82%) want easier and safer choices. Tourist gift vouchers, such as those from Marriott, Royal Caribbean or Finnair, are one way of overcoming purchasing barriers. It is important to observe restrictions such as validity periods. Emily Weiss from Accenture emphasizes that travel companies can benefit from this season with creative and seamless offers along the entire customer journey. Read more
- These travel companies excel in service: The analysis and consulting company Service Value has examined the service quality of companies together with the Tagesspiegel. The “Germany Monitor - Customer Service” study is based on almost 100,000 consumer assessments of 827 companies from 49 sectors. In the tour operator category, Dertour was named the industry winner, followed by Alltours Flugreisen, Meiers Weltreisen, ITS Reisen, TUI, ADAC Reisen and Schauinsland-Reisen. TUI Reisecenter took first place in the travel agency category. They were followed by TUI Travelstar, Holiday Land, Lufthansa City Center, Alltours Reisecenter, Sonnenklar TV, Reiseland, Galeria Reisen, First Reisebüro, Derpart, Dertour Reisebüro and Flugbörse. Claus Dethloff, Managing Director of Service Value, emphasizes that the definition of good service is subjective. The biggest challenge for companies is to recognize the individual needs of their customers and respond to them in the best possible way with suitable solutions. The “Best Service” award is given to companies that score above average in the consumer ratings. The study is based on an independent survey in which participants rate the service provided by providers on a five-point scale. Read more
- This is how radically tourism must change now: Tourism experts Günter Ihlau and Wolfgang Isenberg are calling for a fundamental reorientation of tourism in order to overcome challenges such as climate change, overtourism and social tensions. In their thesis paper “10 prerequisites for successful tourism in the future”, they call for sustainable concepts and greater adaptability. Climatic changes threaten southern regions in particular during the summer months, while more northerly destinations could benefit. What is needed is climate-independent infrastructure and targeted destination management that regulates visitor flows and takes the interests of locals into account. Trends such as travel to cooler regions (“coolcation”), sustainable offers and more individual travel planning will shape the future. At the same time, the experts are calling for a focus on cultural exchange and authenticity instead of consumer-oriented luxury promises. Their goal: sustainable tourism that is more sustainable and more valuable. Read more
- Etihad Airways launches new long-haul destinations: Etihad Airways is expanding its route network from Abu Dhabi in 2025 to include ten new long-haul destinations, including seven in Asia, which should be of particular interest to German travelers: Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Krabi, Medan, Phnom Penh and Taipei. The flights are mainly operated with the Airbus A-321LR and Boeing 787, depending on the destination. The destinations Atlanta, Algiers and Tunis will also be added to the network. With the expansion, Etihad will serve around 90 destinations in 2025 and transport around 20 million passengers thanks to new aircraft such as the A-321LR. The new Zayed International Airport offers the capacity for this growth. Some of the routes will take off from fall 2025 and bookings will be released in stages. Read more
- HELSINKI: Helsinki was named the most sustainable of all cities in October 2024 after the GDS Index was evaluated among 100 cities around the world. The overall result was based on a survey of four different categories. These are destination management by local authorities, supplier performance, environmental commitment and social performance. Helsinki outperformed the global competition in three of these categories and came second in one. Read more
- SPAIN: The Spanish authorities have fined several low-cost airlines a total of 179 million euros for their pricing policies. The lion's share of this, 108 million euros, relates to Ryanair. According to the Ministry of Consumer Protection, the airlines had violated customers' rights, for example by charging for larger hand luggage, seat selection or the printing of boarding passes. Read more
- ITALY: Several trade unions have called for a general strike in Italy on Friday, November 29. In addition to air traffic control, rail and local transport will also be on strike across the country. The work stoppages in the area of air traffic control will begin on November 28 at 11 pm and last until November 29 at 11 pm. Considerable restrictions are therefore to be expected, according to security service provider A3M. Read more
- ISLAND: A new volcanic eruption on the Icelandic peninsula of Reykjanes has spewed lava from a fissure, which has subsequently reached the parking lot of the Blue Lagoon visitor attraction and destroyed roads and infrastructure. The nearby town of Grindavik had already been evacuated. It is unclear when the thermal baths on the Reykjanes peninsula, which is popular with tourists, will be able to reopen. Read more
- BERLIN: Berlin has significantly increased the so-called bed tax for overnight stays in hotels. From 2025, the city tax will rise from the current 5.0 percent to 7.5 percent of the overnight price. This is part of the fiscal plans of the CDU/SPD coalition government, which has been described as a “major effort” to strengthen the state budget. The hotel industry is reacting with displeasure to the measure. The Berlin Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) fears that higher prices could jeopardize Berlin's competitiveness as a tourism and congress location. At a time when the industry is still struggling with the after-effects of the pandemic and other crises, the tax increase would lead to a decline in visitor numbers and sales. Investments in the businesses are also at risk, as occupancy rates in Berlin's hotels are still below pre-crisis levels. The association is considering legal action against the increase and is calling on the Senate to take measures to strengthen the tourism location. Despite the challenges, Berlin welcomed more than 12 million guests last year, an increase of almost 16 percent compared to the previous year. The number of overnight stays also rose by 11.5 percent to 29.6 million. Read more
- SOUTH KOREA: South Korea has seen a sharp rise in the number of Swiss arrivals. In 2024, these rose by 24 percent, following an increase of 11 percent in the previous year. The main reasons for the boom are the cultural experiences, Korean cuisine and the growing number of business travelers. Since March 2023, Korean Air and Swiss have been flying three times a week between Zurich and Seoul, which has further fueled growth. Prices in South Korea are lower than in Germany, and the country is considered safe and well signposted. Rental car tours are popular, especially in spring and fall. Many Swiss who have already traveled to other Asian countries are now discovering South Korea as a new, exciting travel destination. Read more
