travel news

| September 03, 2010

Travel News

UNWTO Reports 7 Percent Rise in Tourist Arrivals for First Half 2010

The first six months of 2010 saw international tourist arrivals grow by 7 percent according to the August Interim Update of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. This result confirms the recovery trend beginning in the last quarter of 2009 and is expected to continue in the second half of the year at a somewhat more moderate rate. The Interim Update was officially presented at the 4th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook (Sept. 2-4, Guilin, China) to tourism stakeholders from the public and private sector, as well as academia.

Avis Budget Boosts Offer for Dollar Thrifty to $1.35 Billion

Avis Budget Group, Inc. said it is increasing the cash portion of its offer for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group from $39.25 to $40.75 per share. The revised offer, which values Dollar Thrifty at roughly $1.35 billion, would include the proceeds of a pre-closing special dividend to be paid by Dollar Thrifty consistent with Avis Budget’s previous proposal.

Hurricane Earl Caribbean Damage Totals Up to $150 Million

The damage caused by Hurricane Earl will cost Caribbean destinations between $50 million to $150 million, according to estimate from insurance companies and risk consultants. The damage includes wind damage to properties in the Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, St. Martin and Puerto Rico. Nearly half of the damage total is in St. Maarten, where high winds downed trees and power lines, peeled off roofs and dislodged signage.

Mexico Helps Travelers Affected by Mexicana Airlines Shutdown

Mexico’s Secretariats of Communications and Transport (SCT), Tourism (SECTUR), Economy (SE) and Foreign Affairs (SRE) announced actions to attend to travelers affected by the suspension of operations by airlines operated by Nuevo Grupo Aeron... Read more »

Travel Leaders Survey Finds No Impact on Gulf Coast Bookings

In its Fall Travel Trends Survey, Travel Leaders found its travel agents are not seeing any impact from the Gulf Coast oil spill disaster on travel bookings to the region for the remainder of the year. In addition, the survey found that overall year-over-year bookings are continuing to swing upward with Orlando and Caribbean cruising serving as the most-booked domestic and international destinations, respectively.

ASTA Names Clegg to Take Over NACTA Operations

ASTA said that effective immediately Mary Clegg, vice president of the National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA), will assume the day-to-day operations of the organization.

Travel Guard Offers Free Help to Travelers Affected by Earl

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), residents and travelers spanning a swath of the country from North Carolina in the south along the East Coast to the north as far as Nova Scotia can anticipate a series of hurricane and tropical st... Read more »