New York City has unveiled a new campaign and recovery plan. I also have news on a Newfoundland hotel that’s been named best in Canada and number three in the world. I also have interesting polls on the thinking of Canadian and American consumers, and a report on Anguilla. My Future of Travel blog for July 8.
NYC Recovery Plan
Kixby Hotel in New York City. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The Coalition for NYC Hospitality & Tourism Recovery, an initiative of NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for the five boroughs of New York City, today unveiled its roadmap for tourism reimagining and recovery, a Stay Well NYC Pledge and new revitalization campaign, All In NYC. These initiatives will help New Yorkers reconnect with the city they love, remind people that New York City remains the greatest city in the world and now one of the safest cities from a public health perspective, and help the City’s more than 403,000 tourism and hospitality employees return to work.
Understanding that the campaign will be fluid and may need to adapt as the City makes progress against the virus, All In NYC: The Roadmap for Tourism’s Reimagining and Recovery outlines three stages—RISE. RENEW. RECOVER.—envisioned for the revitalization of New York City’s tourism and hospitality industries from the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Across these three stages, messaging and tourism-friendly programs will target first hyperlocally to metro residents, then as conditions allow, will expand to regional, domestic and, ultimately, to international travellers.
The roadmap also unveils a deceptively simple tagline that embodies how New Yorkers feel about their city and describes its greatest strengths: All In NYC. Designed by Aruliden, a New York City–based, woman-owned global award-winning design agency that offered its support pro bono as part of an open creative brief issued in collaboration with the Clio Awards, the creative was selected from over 60 submissions from branding companies around the world. Aruliden will help design the creative elements and support NYC & Company’s efforts as the full campaign is rolled out.
The first component of the All In NYC campaign, helps to unify public health practices. Through the Stay Well NYC Pledge, NYC & Company will be creating transparency around Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure that every New Yorker and visitor knows that the City, including the hospitality, tourism, arts, culture and entertainment sectors, are aligned on best-in-class cleaning standards. Consumers and member businesses will be asked to visit NYCgo.com, where they can view information about the Pledge and download the tool kit/standards to participate.
Newfoundland Hotel Named Number Three In The World
Huge, and much-deserved, kudos for the remarkable Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland.
The hotel has een named the best hotel is Canada and the third best hotel in the world in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2020 reader’s survey.
The Fogo Island Inn features 29 one-of a kind rooms and suites and is built on the principles of sustainability and respect for nature and culture, with an artist in residency program, locally sourced menus in the dining room, and a furniture and textiles company on-site called The Woodshop. The Inn is a community asset with all surpluses being reinvested in the community to help secure long-lasting resilience.
It’s a truly astonishing, and very beautiful place. I can’t recommend it enough.
Canadians Not Ready to Fly, and Americans Cooling to Travel
Two cool polls out today about travel.
The first is a study of consumers here in Canada by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies which finds that 72% of us say we’re not comfortable flying in the wake of the decision by some airlines to start selling middle seats on airplanes.
Both Air Canada and WestJet on July 1 ended their physical distancing programs on board their aircraft and began selling all available seats. Both airlines require masks and have strict cleaning and sanitizing protocols in place, as well as super-strong air filters that they say clean out more than 99% of all airborne particles.
That clearly isn’t enough to restore confidence in Canadian consumers, as only 22% of the Leger poll respondents said they’re comfortable getting on a plane right now. Which means that driving trips will, as most of us in the biz have been saying, almost certainly be the main type of holiday for Canadians this summer. Unless they want to take a long trip on their bike. Or skateboard.
The study also found that this almost certainly will be the year of domestic tourism, as 85% of those polled said they have no plans to travel outside the country by the end of the year. That’s good for Canadian tourism, but not great for places like Florida, the Caribbean or Mexico, who depend on Canadian snowbirds for a good deal of their November and December tourism income.
Blue Rocks, Nova Scotia
On a related note, a whopping 86% of Canadians polled said they don’t want Canada to open the border with the U.S. on July 21, when the current border closure agreement expires. Americans seem a lot less worried (understandable given how well Canada has done so far), with 50% of U.S. respondents saying the border should re-open.
Also of note is a study out of the U.S. According to the most recent Longwoods International tracking study of American travellers, three-fourths are changing their travel plans because of the coronavirus pandemic, the highest level since mid-May. And the percentage of Americans who have travel plans in the next six months has dropped to 65%, the lowest level since April 1.
“Rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in many states are changing consumer attitudes and actions regarding travel,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International. “The negative data on the pandemic and reversals in reopening plans are taking their toll on the outlook for the U.S. travel industry.”
According to the survey, support for opening local communities to visitors has dropped to 34%, the lowest level since mid-May. And the percentage of American travellers who now feel safe traveling outside their community has fallen to 41%, also a low since mid-May. The percentage of Americans comfortable dining in local restaurants and shopping in local stores also declined, from 47% two weeks ago to 40% in the most recent survey.
Niagara Falls Hornblower Cruises Open – With a Twist
The Hornblower Cruise boat at Niagara Falls, seen from the Journey Behind The Falls. PHOTO COURTESY NIAGARA PARKS
Today, Hornblower Niagara Cruises, Niagara’s number one attraction, will reopen with the launch of its new VIP Charter Package.
“As we await clarification from Provincial Authorities on our classification as an Attraction or as a Tour or Guide Service, it is important for us, as Niagara’s #1 Gated Attraction, to reopen and do what we do best, deliver amazing experiences to guests. And to keep our most valuable asset, our employees, engaged, and working,” says Mory DiMaurizio, Vice-President and General Manager of Hornblower Niagara Cruises.
The limited-time exclusive VIP Charter Package, with a maximum of 6 guests per cruise, will include the following:
- A 20-minute semi-private Charter Cruise on one of Hornblower’s Catamarans; Niagara Wonder or Niagara Thunder.
· Ride on the new Hornblower Niagara Funicular.
· Post-Cruise Food & Drink Package at Hornblower’s Riverside Patio – with stunning views of the Niagara River and American Falls.
· Complimentary Face Mask and Recyclable Mist Poncho
The VIP Charter Package will cost $69.95 plus tax per person. Availability is limited to six guests per cruise and tickets are available within a seven-day booking window. The boats will set sail every 15 minutes between 10:30 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.
Tickets are available for purchase online at niagaracruises.com
I’ve done the trip a few times; it’s nothing short of magical.
Air Canada COVID-19 Rapid Testing Explored
Air Canada is pleased to announce it has engaged Spartan Bioscience Inc., an Ottawa-based biotechnology leader in portable DNA testing technology, to assess how best to deploy Spartan’s portable COVID-19 testing technology in the aviation sector.
“Air Canada’s strategy for managing COVID-19 has been to develop and apply multiple layers of biosafety measures for customers and employees. We believe the availability of a rapid, accurate, portable molecular test for COVID-19 will add yet another effective layer. We are excited by the potential and point of care use cases for the Spartan Cube, and look forward to working with the Spartan team in the weeks and months ahead,” said Samuel Elfassy, Vice President, Safety at Air Canada.
Air Canada has been at the forefront of the airline industry in responding to COVID-19, for example being among the first carriers globally to require face coverings onboard and the first airline in the Americas to take customers’ temperatures prior to boarding. In May it introduced a comprehensive program, Air Canada CleanCare+, to apply biosafety measures at each stage of the journey. Air Canada has committed to adding other processes and technologies as they become available, which is why it is pleased to be working with Spartan Bioscience.
Spartan is developing a proprietary swab for the collection of DNA samples for its COVID-19 test. Spartan’s test cartridge (reagents) and the Spartan Cube (portable DNA analyzer device) remain subject to Health Canada approval.
Travel + Leisure Award For Anguilla
Anguilla has mile upon mile of white sand beach. JIM BYERS PHOTO
The Anguilla Tourist Board is pleased to announce that for the fourth consecutive year in a row, Anguilla is ranked No. 1 on the Travel + Leisure 2020 World’s Best Awards list of the Top Islands in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas. Readers rated islands on the following characteristics: Natural attractions/beaches, activities/sights, restaurants/food, people/friendliness, value. Anguilla also ranked #7 on the Top 25 Islands in the World, the only Caribbean island to make that list.
“We are very proud to receive this Award for four years in a row — it is a tribute to the people of Anguilla and the extraordinary product that we offer,” declared the Hon. Haydn Hughes, Minister of Tourism for Anguilla. “Anguilla offers this amazing combination of truly spectacular beaches, fabulous cuisine, stunning boutique resorts and genuine hospitality, which keep our guests coming back year after year,” he said.
Here’s a link to a story I wrote about the island after a visit a few years ago.
Anguilla: Music, Food And Maybe the Caribbean’s Best Beaches
Air Canada Resumes Flights to Ireland, But ….
Dublin, Ireland
Air Canada has resumed three-a-week flights between Toronto and Dublin. But it’s a bit of a sticky situation as Ireland is still requiring foreign visitors to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. There was talk that restriction might be lifted this week, but there’s been a spike in COVID-19 cases in Ireland and politicians are now suggesting the quarantine rule will continue until at least July 20.
According to the website simpleflying.com, flights will leave Toronto on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and will depart from Dublin on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
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Jim,
Interesting survey results. We’ve been AA Advantage cardholders and fliers for 20 years or so, and now that American is selling middle seats (and not enforcing mask-wearing on the planes), I wrote to tell them we will be flying Delta and others that don’t stuff passengers in. Although when we’re comfortable enough to fly is still open, though we do have reservations in February for Sanibel Island, Florida. But if Florida continues on its trajectory under Gov. DiSantis (sp.?), we would cancel. By the way, both my husband, Cliff Terry and I, were active travel writers until travel media stopped buying articles.
Thanks, Pat. Safe travels! I love Sanibel and Captiva but not right now 🙂