Please note: the following information has been compiled from the most important German-speaking Trade Media.
Current major topics within the tourism industry in the DACH region
- TUI posts „significant“ profits in summer: A strong summer with a total of 13.7 million guests ensured positive earnings contributions in all segments, the group announced on Wednesday morning. According to CEO Ebel, the number of guests in the fourth quarter reached 7.6 million, 93 per cent of the level of the 2019 quarter. The group loss after tax for the 2021/22 financial year amounts to 213 million euros. All fundamental data indicate that the long-term megatrends from which the travel industry particularly benefits remain intact, says Ebel. He expects a „solid and good year 2023“, but is „very aware“ of external market factors. In order to create the basis for future profitable growth in the Group, the Group is focusing on „new products, additional customers, more market share“, Ebel announces. The classic package tour, composed of previously purchased components, is to be made „much more flexible and individual and thus more dynamic“ in the future. Customers will be able to combine hotel allotments and flights available at short notice according to their individual wishes. „This will create new and additional offers, such as city breaks, with which the Group can also win new customers,“ the new CEO believes. Furthermore, travel components, for example hotel accommodation and flights, or additional services such as rental cars or excursions are to be offered separately and individually throughout the Group, explains Ebel. The growth strategies for the own brands in the tours and activities segment would be continued, the hotel and hotel brand offer would be further expanded. Read more
- Air ticket prices to rise significantly in 2023: Flying is not likely to be a cheap pleasure in the coming year either. After prices had already risen sharply in some cases in 2022, this trend will continue in 2023, according to a current study by American Express Global Business Travel. The company predicts a further increase in prices in its Air Monitor 2023 based on various factors – such as inflation, fuel costs and capacities. The Air Monitor is an annual forecast of the development of air fares on important routes. Even though prices will rise overall in the coming year according to „American Express Global Business Travel“, the changes vary greatly depending on the region. Many Asian countries have waited longer than others to lift their Covid 19 travel restrictions. As a result, demand for flights has plummeted. This will change again next year and could lead to a significant increase in ticket prices. From North America to Europe or the other way around, the increase in ticket prices will be somewhat more moderate; on these routes, prices will only rise by 3.7 percent on average, as reported by „American Express Global Business Travel“. For North American domestic flights, ticket price increases will also be limited – 3.4 per cent in the business cabin and 2.9 per cent in the economy cabin. Flights within Europe, on the other hand, are likely to become significantly more expensive again. Here, the analysis of the data revealed an increase in prices of 6 per cent for business flights and 5.5 per cent for economy class. However, it will be really expensive for those who want to fly business class within Australia. Here, „American Express Global Business Travel“ forecasts a whopping price increase of 19.4 per cent for airline tickets. Read more
- Majority of travel professionals optimistic for 2023: The year 2022 is drawing to a close and it was an eventful year for tourism. After two pandemic years, it was finally possible to breathe a sigh of relief. The travel industry recovered from month to month, despite the fear of the Omikron variant and from the Ukraine war. Now, of course, the question is whether this upswing will continue in the same style next year. The results of an online survey by TRAVEL INSIDE show an optimistic picture for 2023. The majority of travel professionals (55%) believe in a similarly strong year: they think that the recovery of the travel industry will continue at the same rate. Slightly more than a quarter expect stagnation, and one in five expect the recovery to weaken. But why weaken? What issues could play tricks on the travel industry next year and cause the upswing to collapse? Half of the respondents see the issue of ’skills shortages‘ as the biggest threat for 2023. 35% foresee a slump in demand due to dwindling purchasing power. 12% of respondents believe that the issue of climate change will be of most concern to the travel industry. New corona waves, on the other hand, are seen by only 1% of participants as a problem for next year. Read more
Current topics within the transportation industry in Germany & Europe
- Condor gets a new boss and airline: After almost 19 years at the helm of the holiday airline, 65-year-old Ralf Teckentrup wants to retire; probably before the summer. A successor has already been found, a supervisory board member is quoted as saying. Meanwhile, Condor investor Attestor is founding an airline in Estonia with Paul Schwaiger as boss. The future Condor boss is „a seasoned and visionary executive“, according to Wirtschaftswoche. The name remains under wraps. Meanwhile, another airline manager last employed by Condor has reappeared as head of the new airline Marabu, founded by Condor investor Attestor in Estonia: Paul Schwaiger. According to agency reports, Marabu is to fly to more than 20 destinations in southern Europe and North Africa from Hamburg and Munich in 2023. The sister Condor, as general sales agent, will exclusively take care of the distribution of Marabu flights. Among Condor employees, this apparently raises fears that Attestor wants to exert pressure on collective bargaining and working conditions at Condor in this way. Read more
- Summer 2023 – Ryanair increases flights from Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden: Europe’s largest low-cost airline is expanding its presence and frequencies at Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport for the 2023 summer flight schedule. Ryanair’s 2023 summer flight schedule for the airport includes over 170 weekly flights to 23 destinations. Ryanair will be flying from Karlsruhe / Baden-Baden (FKB) to Milan-Bergamo, Malta and Seville in summer 2023. Other Ryanair destinations in summer 2023 are Alicante, Barcelona-Girona, Bari, Cagliari / Sardinia, Faro, Fès, Corfu, Lamezia Terme, London-Stansted, Malaga, Palermo, Palma de Mallorca, Porto, Sofia, Stockholm-Arlanda, Tel Aviv, Trapani /Sicily, Valencia, Zadar and Zagreb.
- Sustainability – Royal Caribbean allies with Meyer Turku: The entire cruise industry is to become climate-neutral by 2050. Royal Carribean is allying with the Meyer Turku shipyard to achieve this. A roadmap for the production of climate-neutral ships in Finland is to be worked out. „Our partners in Finland have helped us deliver some of the world’s most impressive and sustainable ships of their time, including our newest ship debuting in January 2024, Icon of the Seas,“ said Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group. „This new partnership sets the stage for future innovations and allows us and the maritime industry to continue pursuing sustainability at the highest level.“ This partnership also advances Royal Caribbean Group’s Destination Net Zero strategy to decarbonize its operations by 2050 and its near- and medium-term targets, including reducing carbon intensity by double digits by 2025 compared to 2019 and the introduction of a net-zero cruise ship by 2035. The declaration comes on the heels of another major milestone for Royal Caribbean. On Friday, Dec. 9, the revolutionary, new vacation, Icon of the Seas, reached its next phase of construction ahead of its iconic January 2024 debut. The new ship floated on water for the first time since the assembly began nine months ago at Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland. Icon will join the company’s Royal Caribbean International cruise line and its lineup of industry-leading ships, becoming the brand’s most sustainable ship to date and the crown jewel of shipbuilding in the Finnish maritime industry. Read more
Destination news
- Croatia: Croatia joins the Schengen area on 1 January 2023, meaning Croatia holidaymakers will be able to enter the Adriatic destination without border controls in the future. The interior ministers of the 26 Schengen states have given the green light. Checks at the national borders are to be abolished as early as the beginning of next year. This should also mean that there will no longer be the usual long traffic jams during peak travel periods. There are to be no more controls at airports from spring onwards.
- Great Britain: Following the breakdown of negotiations between employers and the RMT union in the UK, some 40,000 rail operator staff went on strike on Tuesday. Rail customers were urged to only make journeys that are „absolutely necessary“. The union had called strike action for Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday this week after a majority of its members rejected a pay rise offer from the employers.
- Portugal: Heavy rains have caused severe flooding in Portugal’s capital Lisbon. Streets and tunnels are under water, in some places people have been trapped in houses. Meteorologists announced further rainfall. The city administration declared a red alert and urged residents and commuters to stay at home.
- Scotland: Strike dates set for Highlands and Islands airports will hit festive travelers. Travelers using the north’s airports this festive period are being warned to expect disruption after the latest strike dates were announced. Those striking will include those who work in fire and rescue, security and administration. The 11 impacted airports are Inverness, Wick, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Sumburgh, Tiree, Barra, Benbecula, Campbeltown, Islay and Dundee.
- Spain: Mandatory masks on planes – Spain is sticking to the face mask: Throughout the summer, Corona was practically no longer an issue, neither on holiday nor at festivals or other events. Spain had also decided to go back to normality after Corona just in time for the summer holidays. The country is only sticking to one regulation: the obligation to wear a mask in the airplane will continue to apply.
- Vietnam: Vietnam abolishes visa requirement for Germans. In future, anyone staying in Vietnam for a maximum of 15 days will no longer need a visa. However, the passport must still be valid for at least six months on the day of entry.
Just read on and enjoy and tell your colleagues about our newsletter!
Send them the link http://eepurl.com/g9wsQT and they can subscribe for free and also receive information about our markets!
And if you have any doubt or would like to talk about how to approach these markets better, just get in touch with us. We’ll be delighted to help you.