THE Wrap is a round-up of news in the travel and technology industries, and an update on how businesses in these sectors are adapting and resetting as they prepare for post-pandemic travel.
UNWTO launches Jobs Factory to kickstart tourism jobs recovery
With the unprecedented Covid crisis putting 100 to 120 million direct tourism jobs at risk the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is joining forces with global hospitality network Hosco to develop the Jobs Factory.
The project aims to improve talent acquisition and foster competitiveness in the tourism sector, helping the global industry’s workforce access local and international employment opportunities in one single platform.
Designed to connect talent with employers across the sector the platform harnesses Hosco’s power of machine learning, algorithms and deep learning to match candidates with suitable positions, both locally and internationally.
Job-seekers can create a profile, search for positions that match their experience and skills, and set up job alerts to be informed of the latest opportunities. The platform also helps tourism businesses and organisations to find and recruit the best talent.
UNWTO said its 159 member states would be invited to use the Jobs Factory as their national tourism recruitment platform, as would its more than 500 affiliate members ranging from businesses to universities and think tanks.
Additionally, through the Jobs of the Future Observatory member states can also monitor current and future skills development to analyse trends. This will allow them to forecast and identify gaps and mismatches and make data-driven decisions.
UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili said the pandemic has hit global tourism hard, with up to 120 million jobs at risk.
“However, tourism has a long history of adapting and embracing innovation. The Jobs Factory will be a great help to the millions of people who depend on tourism. It connects employers with the very best talent our sector has to offer. And it will help our member states make important decisions based on the latest, trusted data,” he added.
For more information, visit the UNWTO Jobs Factory.
Qatar Airways sets up new platform to transform retail experience for travel trade
Qatar Airways has introduced Oryx Connect, a new platform based on IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC), to enable its trade partners to build tailored travel experiences for their customers.
The airline said the platform would benefit travel agents as it offers “the next level of retailing through improved functionality, intuitive user experience and access to rich content.”
Oryx Connect provides various options for agents to access Qatar Airways’ NDC content – via an existing web-based portal powered by Accelya Farelogix SPRK tool, as well as a range of aggregators including Aarongroup, Duffel, Travelfusion, Travvise and Verteil. The Amadeus Travel Platform will be added in early 2022.
Travel agents will benefit from full offer and order management capabilities from booking, servicing, ticketing and payment. This includes intuitive display of Qatar Airways’ Classic, Convenience, Comfort and Elite fares, helping them deliver the most suitable product offering to customers.
They will also have access to variety of ancillary products and service offerings, such as select Preferred Seats and add Special Service Requests. Payment options include industry-standard settlement methods, such as ARC and BSP cash and card, and IATA EasyPay
“Working collaboratively with trade partners is pivotal to our business success, so we are pleased to stand truly in partnership with our agents, rather than introduce artificial barriers, restrict content, add surcharges or apply complex administrative changes to the booking process,” Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar Al-Baker said.
“Oryx Connect will provide best-in-class booking and servicing capability to our agents and their customers at all levels of technological integration, and through multiple modes of connectivity, from the most familiar existing booking environments to the leading edge of flight retailing solutions.”
Abu Dhabi extends partnership with Sojern
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has extended its partnership with Sojern to drive traveller demand into the Emirate.
DCT Abu Dhabi will use Sojern’s Co-Op Marketing Programme on its tourism recovery journey. The solution is designed to help destination marketing organisations (DMOs) and their partners to increase the effectiveness of their marketing initiatives through collaboration, and drive revenue for the travel industry, at scale.
According to Sojern, following a successful pilot of the joint marketing programme that has reached more than three million people, Abu Dhabi hotels have been able to increase direct bookings through a targeted, digital display and social media advertising campaign.
The expanded partnership between the two companies, to last till end of this year, include rolling out the initiative to all eligible hotels in the city. This second phase will further support properties across Abu Dhabi and aims to attract incremental direct bookings from both domestic and international tourists for the rest of 2021.
DCT Abu Dhabi has also worked with the UAE government to launch a series of stimulus initiatives to support the recovery of the tourism industry.
“We were looking for ways to support the hospitality industry and navigate the economic challenges presented by the pandemic, and the partnership with Sojern helps us do just that by supporting hotels in Abu Dhabi to drive direct bookings and improve room profitability,” said Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi.
“DCT Abu Dhabi is committed to collaborative efforts between the private and public sectors within the local tourism industry to continuously support and drive tourism growth to the capital. Our efforts are aligned with the overall strategic objectives and vision — to support the evolution of Abu Dhabi into a world-class destination, while also reinforcing the capital’s position as a forward-thinking tourism destination.”
Abu Dhabi will end quarantine for all international visitors starting from July 1. The emirate currently requires travellers to quarantine for 10 days unless they are from a ‘green-list’ country.
