Informe semanal de noticias del mercado alemán de la Oficina de Turismo de Tenerife en Fráncfort
- Destination News
Travel agents hope for last-Minute summer bookings:According tofvw, the leading travel trade magazine in Germany, travel agents in Germany are hoping that a surge in late bookings for summer 2019 will reverse a serious sales slump and enable them to generate stable revenues this year. The weather remains a factor for uncertainty, with record temperatures this spring reviving memories of last year’s summer heatwave. Yet demand is well below last year. Summer sales dropped by 12% in April, leaving cumulative sales to date with a 2% drop, according to monthly figures from market researchers GfK. Although sales figures in early 2019 had to compare with strong early bookings last year, sales growth already tailed off last spring, meaning there is now a lower comparison level. Given that attractive early booking discounts did not generate any boom in bookings despite low prices, tour operators and travel agents are now urgently hoping that consumers will book last-minute for this summer.
US wants tourists to reveal social media account details: The US State Department is now requiring nearly all applicants for US visas to submit their handles for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube as well as previous email addresses and phone numbers. When applying for tourist and business visas for the USA, travellers must now specify the social media platforms they are using and require the applicant to provide any account names they may have had on them over the previous five years. However, this new regulation does not apply for visitors who enter the US under the Visa Waiver Program which allows tourists from many countries to visit the US for 90 days or less, as long as certain conditions are met.
- Tour Operator News:
TUI is stepping up digital sales in Germany:The TUI.com website will be expanded as the group’s main online sales platform for the German market as reported by fvw. The TUIfly.com website will be integrated into it so that “all available flights on the market” can be booked through one site. Similarly, the entire car rental programme, holiday homes portfolio as well as offers from the new TUI Tours brand and specialist TUI Wolters will be bookable through TUI.com. One major product innovation is the launch of TUI Tours, initially offering more than 100 exclusively bookable coach trip holidays in 33 countries with German-speaking tour guides. In Europe, destinations include Spain, Portugal, Italy and the British Isles, while there are long-haul destinations such as Cuba, Mexico, Thailand and South Africa. TUI plans to add more countries and broaden the programme to cover car rental and private tours. In addition, the portfolio of destination activities and city trips will be expanded to 150,000 different products, including wellness offers, sports events, cultural visits and guided tours.
Thomas Cook confirms talks with Fosun:According to fvw, Thomas Cook’s biggest shareholder has held talks about buying its beleaguered tour operating business, a move that would see it pass into Chinese ownership. Fosun Tourism Group, which already owns 18% of Thomas Cook, is working with bankers from JP Morgan on an offer for the 178-year-old company, according to news reports. However, any bid would not include Thomas Cook’s airline, as Fosun would be barred from owning the carrier under EU aviation rules. Thomas Cook, the second largest German tour operator has been reporting problems over the past weeks because of a dent in bookings due to Brexit, and rising debt, which has spooked Investors.
Demand for luxury travel is booming: airtours, TUI’s luxury travel brand, remains on course for growth. Sales are ten percent up this summer in comparison to the previous year. The coming winter also got off to a very good start with a double-digit increase in sales. “For the winter season, we again expect significant growth, especially in the long-haul segment. Incoming bookings are already well above the previous year’s level. The most in demand are the high-quality room categories, suites and villas»;, says Claudia Janner-Moser, responsible for Sales and Marketing in Austria. The most popular destinations of the current summer season are Greece, followed by Spain and Italy. On the long-haul route, the United States and the Maldives are the Bestsellers.
- Aviation News
Germania is now Chair Airlines: It is official: the latest Swiss airline is called Chair Airlines. The new airline is the successor to Germania Flug AG in Switzerland. The recent rebranding and the change of name to Chair Airlines AG as of July 1, 2019, are key stages in the intensive transformation process that Germania Flug AG has been undergoing since the start of 2019. Over the past few months, all operations, as well as the booking platform and numerous workflows and processes, have been reviewed, modified, and overhauled. With its new image, the airline has now visually and legally separated itself from its green-and-white past, but will continue to safely, securely, and reliably fly its passengers to their desired destinations. The airline has also retained its former service concept, meaning that all taxes and fees, soft drinks, and, depending on the flight time, a snack or hot meal are still included in the price of the flight. Chair Airlines currently operates out of Zurich with three 150-seater Airbus A319 aircraft.
- Transportation News
Hertz launches new Kollektion 7: Hertz Europe has unveiled Kollektion 7 – Made in Germany, a new collection of seven prestige vehicles celebrating luxury German marques and engineering expertise. Launching at Frankfurt Airport, the new collection includes prestige vehicles from top German brands: BMW, Mercedes Benz and Porsche. The new country collection proposition, featuring luxurious Kollektion 7-branded lounges, is rolling out to six further locations across Germany, with Dusseldorf and Munich launching later in 2019. “With the launch of our Kollektion 7 prestige offer we are meeting customer demand for an exceptional driving experience and exclusive service, combined in a stylish leisure offering,” said Alida Scholtz, managing director of Hertz Car Rental in Germany.
