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☆ Americans are canceling trips that are thousands of miles from Gaza. Here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Jonathan Delise | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Israel-Hamas war is affecting travel across the Middle East and beyond. Canceling plans a continent awayYet, the war's effect on travelers extends far beyond the Middle East, according to a survey from Morning Consult. Respondents said these plans included visits to the Middle East (12%) and North Africa (7%), as well as Western Europe (14%), according to the survey. Cancelations were high for domestic trips because most Americans travel within the 50 states, thus "there are simply more trips on the table to disrupt," the report stated. Some 52% of respondents with knowledge of the war said they viewed traveling to the Middle East as "very unsafe," compared to 29% of those who had not heard about it.

Persons: Saudi Arabia —, —, Olivier Ponti, Cancelations, Ponti Organizations: Middle East, United, United Arab Emirates, U.S . State Department, U.S, Department of State, Travel, Consular Affairs Locations: Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, North Africa, Western Europe, United States, Cyprus, Lebanon, Kuwait, Malaysia, Colombia, Oman, South Africa, United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark

☆ Airlines are feeling the impact of the Israel-Hamas war, with bookings already hit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Natasha Turak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Airlines have seen a drop in bookings in the weeks following the start of Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and some expect it to cut into their future profits. Israel's aerial bombing campaign and subsequent ground offensive in Gaza has killed more than 11,000 people, according to health authorities there. In the days following the attack, major airlines suspended or reduced flights to Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. In the three week period after Oct. 7, by contrast, ticket issuance from the Middle East was 12% lower than 2019 levels, marking a difference of 9 percentage points. ForwardKeys draws its data from the International Air Transport Association's industry-wide ticketing database which includes major international carriers, but does not include budget airlines like easyJet or Ryanair .

Persons: Israel's, Ben Organizations: Etihad Airways Boeing, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates — Airlines, Hamas, International Air Transport, Ryanair Locations: UAE, Israel's Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv, Abu Dhabi, DUBAI, United Arab, Gaza, Palestinian, Israel, Ben Gurion, East, Americas, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon

Visitors stand in front of the plane Boeing 777X during the Dubai Airshow, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 14, 2021. Turkish Airlines (THY) (THYAO.IS) burst onto the show's agenda on Saturday with word from state-run Anadolu news agency that it was in talks to buy up to 355 Airbus jets. It has said it is in discussions for as many as 600 planes overall, split between Airbus and Boeing. However, speculation of a large Dubai order for narrowbody jets from the region's newest player, Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air, as early as Dubai is premature, other sources said. Emirates is the world's largest user of wide-body jets, including Airbus A380 superjumbos and current-generation Boeing 777s.

Persons: Rula, jockeying, ForwardKeys, there's, Daniel Silke, Tim Hepher, Alexander Cornwell, Pesha, Hugh Lawson, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Boeing, Dubai Airshow, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Rights, Turkish Airlines, Hosts Emirates, Emirates, Airbus, Royce, Industry, Anadolu, Cape, Consultancy, rearm, Russia, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, Rights DUBAI, Emirates, Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, Gulf, Saudi, Riyadh, Israel, Cape Town, United States, rearm Ukraine

Visitors stand in front of the plane Boeing 777X during the Dubai Airshow, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 14, 2021. Emirates is the world's largest user of wide-body jets, including Airbus A380 superjumbos and current-generation Boeing 777s. Turkish Airlines (THY) (THYAO.IS) burst onto the show's agenda on Saturday with word from state-run Anadolu news agency that it was in talks to buy up to 355 Airbus jets. Following more talks, industry sources said the airline could announce at least part of the deal on Monday. However, speculation of a large Dubai order for narrowbody jets from the region's newest player, Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Air, as early as Dubai is premature, other sources said.

Persons: Rula, flyDubai, jockeying, ForwardKeys, there's, Daniel Silke, Tim Hepher, Alexander Cornwell, Pesha, Hugh Lawson, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Boeing, Dubai Airshow, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Rights, Turkish Airlines, Hosts Emirates, Emirates, Airbus, Industry, Anadolu, Aviation, Dubai, Cape, Consultancy, rearm, Russia, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, Rights DUBAI, Emirates, Saudi, Riyadh, Israel, Gaza, Cape Town, United States, rearm Ukraine

☆ International travel demand falls after onset of Israel-Hamas conflict, data shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Doyinsola Oladipo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 10 (Reuters) - International flight bookings around the world have fallen since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict especially in the Americas as people cancel trips to the Middle East and around the world, according to travel analysis firm ForwardKeys. International flight bookings from the Americas dropped 10% in the three weeks after the Oct. 7th attack, when compared to the number of tickets issued three weeks before the attack, according to flight ticketing data from ForwardKeys. People in the Middle East have also been traveling less with international flight tickets issued in the region having fallen 9% in the same period. International flight bookings to travel to the region plummeted 26% in the three weeks following the attack. International flight bookings fell 5% across regions on average, impacting the global rebound in international travel from the pandemic.

Persons: Ronen, Olivier Ponti, Ponti, Doyinsola Oladipo Organizations: El Al Israel Airlines, Ben, REUTERS, Global, Thomson Locations: Ben Gurion, Lod, Tel Aviv, Israel, Americas, Palestinian, Gaza, ForwardKeys, New York

REUTERS/Ammar Awad/ Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK/LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Travelers are canceling or postponing planned vacations to the Middle East and North Africa due to fears of the Israel-Hamas conflict worsening, and as touring companies have also altered itineraries and canceled flights. Travel operators say the war is affecting demand for travel to nearby nations including Egypt, Jordan and Turkey. German airline Group Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Thursday their Middle East bookings have not been affected by the war, with only an initial dip when the conflict started. Spanish travel agency Essentialist said it has canceled 75% of trips to the extended Middle East and Northeast Africa region. The conflict's effect on travel demand to the Middle East may extend beyond the holidays and even just neighboring countries.

Persons: Ammar Awad, Israel, Todd Elliott, Konrad Waliszewski, Willie Walsh, Kathleen Oberg, Patrick Scholes, Essentialist, Matt Berna, Khaled Ibrahim, Doyinsola Oladipo, Joanna Plucińska, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Cruise Line Holdings, Royal Caribbean Group, International Air Transport Association, Group Lufthansa, AS OMAN, Marriott, Intrepid Travel, Americas, East Travel Alliance, Thomson Locations: Damascus, Jerusalem's Old City, East, North Africa, Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Orlando , Florida, Israel . Washington, Cyprus, Lebanon, Valencia, Spain, Spanish, Northeast Africa, Australia, Norway, Sharm el Sheikh, Oman, UAE, New York, London, Chicago

On Sunday, U.S. air carriers United Airlines (UAL.O), Delta Air Lines (DAL.N) and American Airlines (AAL.O) suspended direct flights following the FAA's caution advisories. Britain's easyJet (EZJ.L) halted flights to Tel Aviv on Sunday and Monday, and said it would adjust the timings of flights over the next few days. Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) group, also among the airlines most exposed to Israel according to Goodbody, cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv through Monday. Portugal's TAP suspended flights up until Monday and offered refunds or rescheduling at no additional cost. Hainan Airlines (600221.SS), the only Chinese airline to fly between China and Israel, and other airlines flying from Hong Kong and South Korea, cancelled flights between Tel Aviv and Shanghai on Monday.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Amir Cohen, Finland's, Britain's, Goodbody, Virgin Atlantic, IAG, Ben, Ben Gurion, Douglas Gillison, Sophie Yu, Farah Master, Joyce Lee, Brenda Goh, Tim Hepher, Ilona Wissenbach, Sergio Goncalves, Anna Ringstrom, Sarah Young, Joanna Plucinska, Clarence Fernandez, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Israeli, Ben Gurion International, REUTERS, El Al, Fighters, Tourism, Regulators, Federal Aviation Administration, European Union Aviation Safety Agency, Sunday, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Delta, Air, Wizz, Lufthansa, Portugal's TAP, Virgin, East . British Airways, Ryanair, flyDubai, Hainan Airlines, Thomson Locations: Lod, Israel, Tel Aviv, Gaza, Israel's, United States, U.S, New York, Chicago, Washington, DC, Miami, United, Europe, Air France, Hungarian, East, Ben Gurion, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Lisbon, Stockholm, London

☆ China PMI, bumper 'Golden Week' travel give glimmers of hope for economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

PMI data released by Caixin Media and S&P Global showed both manufacturing and services losing some momentum. “We see increasing evidence of a near-term growth stabilization,” Nomura analysts said in a research note on Saturday, thanks partly to the raft of policy measures unveiled since late July, they added. While domestic travel for the Golden Week holiday appears strong, Chinese consumers are leaving the mainland in fewer numbers. Preliminary statistics from ForwardKeys, a global travel data provider, last week showed that Chinese travel within Asia was down 33% on pre-pandemic levels. On the first day of the Golden Week holiday, the number of mainland Chinese tourists entering Hong Kong was still less than half of 2018’s level, the city’s government said over the weekend.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Stringer, “, ” Nomura, Julie Kozack, Xu Jiayin, Xu Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, National Bureau, Statistics, PMI, Caixin Media, P Global, Getty, China State Railway Group, Ministry, Transport, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, NBS, ” Citi, International Monetary Fund, Bank, Golden, Evergrande Group Locations: Hong Kong, Nantong, China's Jiangsu, AFP, China, Hangzhou, China's, Zhejiang, Beijing, Asia

[1/3] Tourists rest on the Bund ahead of the National Day holiday, in Shanghai, China September 26, 2023. China celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day from Friday to Oct. 6 in the longest public holiday this year. The China Tourism Academy, part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, estimates people will make more than 100 million trips a day during "the most popular Golden Week in history". In 2019, mainland Chinese tourists spent $255 billion abroad, more than any other nationality, with group tours estimated to account for roughly 60% of that total. ($1 = 7.3030 Chinese yuan renminbi)Additional reporting by Wang Tao in Singapore; Editing by Marius Zaharia and Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Aly, It's, Joe Zhang, I'm, haven't, Boon Sian Chai, Boon, Cao, Nancy Dai, Zhou Weihong, Wang Zheng, Wang Tao, Marius Zaharia Organizations: Bund, REUTERS, Rights, China Tourism Academy, Ministry of Culture, Trip.com, Spring, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Beijing, Japan, Tourism, Anqing, Anhui, South Korea, United States, ForwardKeys, Thailand, Singapore

☆ Europe's economy threatened by extreme heat, fires and floods
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Mounting climate risks, illustrated by the extreme heat, wildfires and floods that ravaged parts of Europe this summer, could hurt the region’s economy as soon as this year, the European Commission warned Monday. In its latest economic forecast, the European Union’s executive arm downgraded its predictions for growth in the region in 2023 and 2024. But it added that there was “formidable uncertainty” over its latest forecast, with extreme weather among the “downside” risks. Construction and manufacturing are among other economic sectors vulnerable to extreme heat, said Owen at Saltmarsh Economics. Similarly to the European Commission, on Sunday the International Monetary Fund pointed to “grave risks to economic well-being” from climate change.

Persons: ” David Owen, Kyle Holland, Owen, Kristalina Georgieva Organizations: London CNN, European, European Travel Commission, CNN, Saltmarsh, Bank of Italy, Sunday, International Monetary, Group Locations: Europe, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ireland, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Spain, India

☆ Extreme heat in the Mediterranean could dent tourist bookings in future
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“This can be attributed to travelers seeking out less crowded destinations, and milder temperatures,” the association said. This summer’s extreme temperatures follow blistering heat last year. Meanwhile, online searches for northern European destinations increased by 3 percentage points to hit 10%. Southern Europe still popular with BritsDespite rocketing temperatures, countries in southern Europe are still the go-to spots for many vacationers. Spain, Greece and Turkey are still “by far the most popular [destinations],” he said, which hasn’t “changed at all.”— Barbie Latza Nadeau and Chris Liakos contributed reporting.

Persons: Angelos Tzortzinis, Olivier Ponti, ”, —, Johan Lundgren, Giuseppe Napolitano, Thomas Cook, Sean Tipton, hasn’t “, ” — Barbie Latza Nadeau, Chris Liakos Organizations: London CNN —, European Travel Commission, Tourism Council, Tourists, CNN, European Space Agency, ESA, British, Med Locations: London CNN — Spain, Italy, Europe, Brussels, Spain, France, Croatia, Greece, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ireland, Denmark, Athens, United Kingdom, Rome, Nicosia, Cyprus, Catania, Sicily, Southern Europe, Turkey

But with flights remaining limited after China's border reopening in January, European luxury stores will need to wait longer for the return of masses of tourists they once depended on for growth. The average transaction value by Chinese travellers in Europe in March was 28% above 2019 levels, UBS said, citing data from VAT refund provider Planet. Cartier-owner Richemont (CFR.S), Hermes (HRMS.PA) and LVMH were best placed to benefit from wealthy Chinese shoppers, UBS added. As wealthy Chinese return to Europe and other foreign destinations, the appeal of China's Hainan Island, a duty free shopping hotspot, appears to be waning among top luxury spenders. China's "higher income, top luxury spenders (are) already travelling abroad again," she said, leading to an observable lower per-capita spend in Hainan.

HONG KONG, May 3 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Chinese travellers are opening their suitcases again, but not their wallets. Domestic travel bookings during the holiday surged eightfold from a year earlier, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, according to online travel agency Trip.com (9961.HK). The return of Chinese holiday-goers should be a huge relief at home and abroad. Before the pandemic, domestic tourism contributed a whopping 11% of GDP and 10% of national employment, according to Fitch. The country's Big 3 carriers - Air China (601111.SS), China Southern (600029.SS), and China Eastern (600115.SS) - are grappling with high oil prices, a weak yuan and geopolitical tensions.

☆ Chinese tourists flock to gambling hub Macau for Labour Day holiday
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Joyce Zhou | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A view of visitors in front of the ruins of Saint Paul's during Labour Day holiday in Macau, China, April 30, 2023. REUTERS/Lam YikMACAU, April 30 (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of mainland Chinese visitors have descended on the world's biggest gambling hub of Macau for the Labour Day holiday, packing tightly into its narrow cobblestone streets and placing bets in its glitzy casinos. Coco Li, a 42-year-old woman from Hubei province who was visiting with her husband, said they chose to come to Macau because travel rules had relaxed. "We've been actively working with the Macau government on our labour requirements," the company said. Reporting by Joyce Zhou in Macau; Writing by Farah Master; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Saatcioglu, the coordinator of Limak International Hotels & Resorts, is one of many in hospitality expecting to see Turkey's economically vital tourism sector recover from a quake that dragged down bookings and hotel stays. The quake has caused tourists to think twice before booking a trip to Turkey, a major Mediterranean holiday destination. "After months of excellent performance, when the country was leading the travel recovery in Europe (after the COVID pandemic), international tourism to Turkey is clearly taking a nosedive," he told Reuters. Despite strong bookings recently across the travel sector in Europe as a whole, Turkey has not been able to regain momentum. On the back of these auspicious March figures, the Turkish government expects to generate $56 billion in tourism revenues this year.

Charles de Gaulle airport is negatively affected, both as a destination and as a hub," said Olivier Ponti, VP of Insights at travel data firm ForwardKeys. Some 33,300 flights were cancelled this year over Easter, compared with 7,800 last year, while 9,000 flights were delayed by more than three hours, compared to 6,800 last year. Around 73% of flights were on time, compared with 76% in 2022 and 81% in 2019. There were 33,700 flights cancelled, compared with 26,600 last year, while 10,800 flights, which made up 1% of all total flights, were delayed by more than three hours, up from 9,500 last year. Air traffic authority Eurocontrol previously warned that delays could continue into the northern hemisphere summer, especially if strikes keep going.

In February, over 150,000 Chinese tourists travelled to Thailand, the latest data from the Thai Ministry of Tourism show - a three year high but still 85% below February 2019 levels. Chinese tourists used to make up 10% of European arrivals from outside the continent. Flights to Europe are up to 80% more expensive than before the pandemic, according to ForwardKeys, a travel data firm. Chinese tourists making a comeback is crucial for regional economies. Reuters GraphicsPre-pandemic, China was Australia's top source of tourists, but numbers following Beijing's reopening of borders have only trickled back.

ZURICH/BERLIN/LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Urs Kessler, who runs Jungfrau Railways, a train that takes tourists up the highest mountain in Switzerland, was excited for the return of Chinese tourists after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted late last year. Chinese outbound flight bookings to Europe during March and August are only 32% that of pre-pandemic levels, according to travel data firm ForwardKeys. OPTIMISM FOR THE FUTUREMany tourist operators and retailers hope the second half will bring a relaxation in visa policies, more flights and the long-expected influx of Chinese tourists. Harrods launched branded stickers, including its iconic teddy bear, on China's popular WeChat messaging platform this year to attract Chinese tourists. Kessler believes his Lang Lang campaign was still worth it.

☆ Analysis: Why China's reopening isn't inflationary
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Rae Wee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

However, economists see no challenge to global inflation, pointing instead to Chinese President Xi Jinping's new blueprint for self-sufficiency, broader prosperity and a socialist ideology as checks on big-ticket shopping. The slack in China's labour markets and Beijing's growth priorities will also take the edge off inflation, they say. "I don't think China's recovery or the reopening will cause any significant global inflation," said Chi Lo, senior market strategist for Asia Pacific at BNP Paribas Asset Management. BNP's portfolio managers are positioning for China's rebound to boost regional tourism, but not export price rises for manufactured goods. "I'm very much of the view that (China's reopening) will be positive for the world in terms of either not being too inflationary, but more widely having deflation in some key new goods and services," Westpac senior economist Elliot Clarke said.

☆ Cheaper hotels, shorter trips: Trivago CEO on how inflation is reshaping travel
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Julia Horowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

But as inflation has jumped, many tourists are hunting for ways to keep costs down, from opting for shorter trips to steering clear of higher-end hotels. “You have real wage contractions in quite a lot of markets,” Axel Hefer, CEO of search platform Trivago, told CNN. Meanwhile, domestic travel remains strong in countries like the United Kingdom, which has seen big swings in the pound in recent months. “People still do want to travel and do travel, but they’re still trying to compensate for the increase in prices,” Hefer said. For now, bookings for air travel still lag pre-pandemic levels.

Airfares from China are now 160% higher than before the pandemic, data from travel firm ForwardKeys shows, due to limited supply. Since Jan. 4, Air China (601111.SS), Hainan Airlines (600221.SS) and China Southern Airlines (600029.SS) have filed schedules with the U.S. Department of Transportation proposing to increase flights to as much as daily on some routes. Foreign carriers seeking to add flights to China require approvals from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which did not respond to a request for comment. However, other flights were paused as it assessed market demand and government regulations. Many Western airlines parked large planes when international traffic plunged and production of new twin-aisle jets has been limited.

☆ Oil trades flat amid China demand hopes, caution ahead of U.S. inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Emily Chow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Oil prices traded mostly flat on Thursday, giving up gains made earlier in the day, as optimism over China's demand outlook was tempered by caution ahead of upcoming inflation data from the United States. Both benchmarks had risen 3% in Wednesday's session, boosted by hopes for an improved global economic outlook and concern over the impact of sanctions on Russian crude output. "China is speeding up stockpiles for crude oil ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, as the demand outlook has been improved amid a U-turn in its COVID policy," said Tina Teng, an analyst at CMC Markets. Upcoming U.S. inflation data, however, is a key risk factor for oil, CMC Market's Teng added. An international price cap imposed on sales of Russian crude took effect on Dec. 5.

Jan 12 (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Thursday, building on gains in the previous session as China's demand outlook improved, though gains were limited ahead of upcoming inflation data from the United States. Both benchmarks rose 3% in Wednesday's session, boosted by hopes for an improved global economic outlook and concern over the impact of sanctions on Russian crude output. Top oil importer China is reopening its economy after the end of strict COVID-19 curbs, boosting optimism that demand for fuel will grow in 2023. Upcoming U.S. inflation data however is a key risk factor for oil, CMC Market's Teng added. An international price cap imposed on sales of Russian crude took effect on Dec. 5.

That abrupt U-turn unleashed COVID on a 1.4 billion population which has been shielded from the virus since it first erupted in China's Wuhan city in 2019. The outbreak is now overwhelming hospitals and crematoriums as it rips through the population, where many elderly are still not fully vaccinated. "This is a very pertinent suggestion, return to the home town...or put the health of the elderly first," wrote one user. The country did not report COVID fatalities data on Tuesday and Wednesday. But concerns about China's outbreak has prompted more than a dozen countries to demand negative COVID test results from people arriving from China.

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