Latest news with #internationalTravel
CBC
08-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
What travellers can expect from Halifax airport's new facility
Those flying internationally can expect a better experience. Watch Amy Smith's interview with Joyce Carter, the president and CEO of the Halifax International Airport Authority.
Zawya
03-07-2025
- Zawya
UAE residents plan international travel for 2025: survey
The Allianz Partners Travel Index 2025, which surveyed 500 people in the UAE regarding their travel plans, preferences and concerns for the year ahead, reveals that most of the respondents in the UAE intend to travel internationally in the next twelve months. While global events and financial pressures continue to shape decisions, safety and peace of mind are emerging as top priorities – alongside a growing appetite for group travel, new destinations and higher holiday budgets. Where surveyed respondents in the UAE are heading: UAE Travelers Favor Regional & European Escapes; Caribbean Hotspot for Young Adults The Index finds that the Middle East and North Africa remain the most popular regions for outbound travel from the UAE, attracting 30% of travelers, followed by the UK and Europe at 26%. Meanwhile, younger travelers under thirty are increasingly drawn to central America and the Caribbean Islands, indicating emerging destination trends among Gen Z and millennial audiences. How often, how long and how much they'll spend: Respondents in the UAE Plan Multiple Trips, Longer Stays, and Budgets Over USD 3,000 (approx. AED 11000) One third of the surveyed respondents in the UAE plan to travel at least twice this year, with high income earners likely to take up to five or more trips annually. The typical holiday lasts between 9-15 days, with most travelers preferring to travel with family or companions, reinforcing the region's preference for shared experiences. While budgets are dependent on household income, 34% of travelers plan to spend more than $3,000 (approx. AED 11000) on their next holiday. Most of the respondents, take up to three months to plan and book trips, relying on recommendations from family, friends and social media – particularly YouTube, Facebook and Instagram – for travel inspiration. Furthermore, when it comes to using a travel app, 45% of respondents indicate that storing travel documents is the feature they would utilize the most while traveling. Concerns about safety: From Weather Woes to Geopolitical Fears Personal safety is the leading concern for UAE travelers, cited by 44% of respondents, followed by fears of extreme weather events, financial constraints, and flight disruptions. Higher-income travelers are especially mindful of geopolitical tensions, while younger travelers place importance on protecting travel documents and digital assets while abroad. Travel insurance purchases are also on the rise, as 26% of respondents say they intend to purchase policies through travel websites. Among those purchasing insurance, 50% state that the main reason for purchasing travel insurance is for their own security/peace of mind. Furthermore, 35% of respondents highlight medical emergency benefits and coverage limits as the most crucial factors influencing their insurance purchase, especially for longer international trips. Commenting on the launch, Vinay Surana, Regional Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa at Allianz Partners said: 'The Allianz Partners Travel Index 2025 offers actionable insights for our partners at a time when travelers' priorities are rapidly evolving. By understanding the needs and concerns of respondents in the UAE, we can deliver more relevant, secure, and innovative travel solutions that empower our customers to explore with confidence.' -TradeArabia News Service
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Centrelink payment alert for Aussies travelling overseas ahead of 'busiest winter ever'
Australians receiving the Age Pension from Centrelink are being reminded their payments and concession cards could be impacted if they head overseas. Millions of Aussies are gearing up to head abroad, with one airport saying this year was shaping up to be its "busiest winter ever" for international travel. While most people can continue to get the Age Pension "paid indefinitely" while they are travelling outside of Australia, there are some exceptions. That includes people who are planning to travel for more than six weeks. Services Australia community services officer Justin Bott said the pension you received would change depending on how long you were away for and whether you were leaving to live in another country. RELATED Centrelink payment alert for 58,000 Aussies in caravans Days left for millions of Aussies to claim ATO $20,000 tax benefit Young Aussie with $50,000 HECS debt reveals degree she regrets 'For those temporarily going overseas, for the first six weeks you're away, nothing happens. You don't need to tell us you've gone, and your pension rate won't change,' Bott explained. 'After six weeks, your pension rate will automatically go down as the Energy Supplement stops and the Pension Supplement reduces to the basic rate. They stay at the reduced rate until you return to Australia. 'After six weeks, your Pensioner Concession Card will be cancelled. A new card will be issued when you return to Australia if eligible.' The Energy Supplement is currently $14.10 a fortnight for singles and $21.20 a fortnight combined for couples. The maximum Pension Supplement is $83.60 per fortnight for singles and $126 for couples combined. If you travel for 26 weeks, or six months, your age pension rate may reduce depending on how long you've lived in Australia between the ages of 16 and age pension age. This is known as your Australian Working Life Residence. 'If you've been an Australian resident for 35 years or more between the ages of 16 and age pension age, then there will be no change,' Bott said. 'If you've been a resident for less than 35 years, then the rate of pension you get will be based on how long you were a resident during that 35-year period.' For example, if you'd been a resident for 10 years, you would get 10/35ths of your present rate of the age pension. A different calculation applies if you are travelling to New Zealand. If you are leaving to live overseas, the supplements are reduced, and your pension concession card is cancelled as soon as you leave. The easiest way to tell Services Australia about your overseas travel plans and find out the impact on your Age Pension is to use your Centrelink online account through myGov. You can also find out more information here. It comes as millions of Aussies head overseas over the winter holidays. Sydney Airport is expecting more than 2.5 million passengers during the winter school holiday period, with one million passengers forecast for international travel. 'This is shaping up to be our busiest winter ever for international travel, which demonstrates the resilience of the sector in the face of geopolitical tensions and cost pressures," Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said. Brisbane Airport is also forecasting 2.78 million passengers to pass through its domestic and international terminals during the June/July school holiday in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
Travel Weekly
16-06-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Brand USA's 'America the Beautiful' campaign aims to rekindle inbound travel
CHICAGO -- In an attempt to drive U.S. visitation amid a downturn in inbound travel, Brand USA will launch a tourism campaign this August called "America the Beautiful." Fred Dixon, CEO of Brand USA, said at U.S. Travel Association's annual IPW event being held here that with the campaign, "we're sending a clear message: the USA is open for business and ready to welcome legitimate international travelers. We're confident this effort will spark renewed interest and deepen connections with audiences around the world." The campaign was launched ahead of the upcoming decade of major U.S. events, including America's 250th anniversary, the 2026 World Cup, the Route 66 Centennial and Olympic Games in both 2028 and 2034. It will go live in markets around the world in August and be supported by a digital hub, which launched today. The campaign uses AI in partnership with Mindtrip to enable visitors to plan trips more easily and allow Brand USA to better understand what inspires global audiences. "In this environment, there are travelers that are on the fence about their destination choice, and we're using data and various other measurements to target folks who are leaning into travel, who are looking internationally, who would be in our target demo, to attract them to come to the U.S.," Dixon said. "They need to be encouraged across the fence. That's exactly what this campaign is designed to do." • Related: Tariff turmoil leads to worries about travel He said the campaign leans into U.S. destinations "and the emotional connection between travelers and in the memories that they make and the experiences that they have in the U.S., and it celebrates the people and the places and the connections that make the U.S. unforgettable and really unparalleled in so many ways." The campaign's launch comes as the National Travel & Tourism Office (NTTO) released the latest overseas visitation numbers, which showed an 8% bump in April, followed by a 2.8% decrease in May, compared with the same months of 2024. Year-to-date international visitation to the U.S. is now off 0.8%. Numbers from each of the last two months show an improvement over the 11.6% dip in March, which Dixon said had a lot to do with Easter falling in March of 2024 and April of this year. The NTTO's numbers do not include visitors from Canada, the No. 1 source of visitation to the U.S., or land crossings from Mexico. A warming trend from Canada, Mexico "The likelihood to visit the U.S. in the most recent sentiment poll is actually up," Dixon said. "Mexico was up seven points over prior month. Canada was up three points. So it's moving in the right direction." The poll found that intent to travel to the U.S. from Mexico was at its highest level since January, while Canada improved for the second month in a row, reversing a sustained period of decline. Intent also increased month over month in several other key markets, including Japan, France, South Korea. Dixon said that he attributes that to people looking ahead to summer and fall, and their attitudes about the U.S. "stabilizing, and in some of the major markets, we're actually seeing it go up." "The U.S. is still the world's most aspirational long-haul travel destination" he said. Dixon said that Brand USA has also partnered with the U.S. DOT to promote The Great American Road Trip to international travelers, featuring 250 points of interest across the country, and had officially finalized a partnership with the America250 Commission to help bring the nation's upcoming anniversary to life.
Hospitality Net
09-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Trump Tariffs Crash European Business Travel to U.S.
Europeans are scaling back business trips to the United States amid the Trump administration's intensifying hostilities toward trade partners and immigrant visitors. European business travel bookings to the U.S. in April dropped 26 percent compared to the same month last year as companies seek markets offering 'greater stability,' Politico reported, citing data from the London-based HotelHub, a booking platform used by travel agencies. HotelHub's chief commercial officer Paul Raymond pointed to 'uncertainty around the traditional partnership' and President Donald Trump's tariff chaos as reasons European companies are thinking twice about coming to America. After calling the European Union 'nasty‚' Trump slapped the bloc with 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum, 25 percent tariffs on cars and 20 percent tariffs on all other goods, before abruptly hitting pause on the policies in April. Yet the fallout from America's souring reputation isn't just limited to European business travel. The U.S. is set to lose $12.5 billion in international travel spending this year, according to a World Travel & Tourism Council report published last week. 'While other nations are rolling out the welcome mat, the U.S. government is putting up the 'closed' sign,' said Julia Simpson, the WTTC president and CEO. Read the full article at MSN
