This week: Nothing artificial about these fireworks. Asia is an opportunity for New York hoteliers. Air NZ goes electric and a new travel experience from Argentina.
Sydney versus Dubai in battle of the NYE skies
The touch paper has been lit; the New Year’s Eve showdown has begun: Who will have the most awesome New Year’s Eve fireworks spectacular? Traditional favourite Sydney or challenger Dubai?
Both cities have announced that this year the NYE events be a cracker thanks to a little help from artificial intelligence.
As one of the first cities to ring in the New Year, Sydney sets the benchmark for celebrations around the world with 20 minutes of fireworks over two displays, pylon projections and lighting display, as well as illuminated vessels on the water.
And for or the first time in the event’s history, AI technology will be used to create animated segments that will be projected onto the pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Fifteen months in the planning, Sydney New Year’s Eve is regarded as one of the largest and most technologically advanced fireworks displays in the world.
Not to be outshone, Dubai will have a record number of 325 firing positions installed on Burj Khalifa, surpassing past years’ setups. There will be 2,800 unique shooting directions programmed utilising cutting-edge technology.
In parallel with the main display, the Dubai Fountain will feature dynamic water sequences along with some 6,600 lights and 127 strobe strings illuminating the water, setting the stage for what Dubai says will be “a night of enchantment”.
May the best city win!
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Dida Travel CMO Gareth Matthews
“New York’s crackdown on Airbnb rentals a should encourage the city’s hoteliers to target Asian travellers, who traditionally steer clear of short-term rentals.
“In Asia, travellers prefer to book travel via trusted sources; they like a high degree of certainty over what they’re going to get and the quality of service they’re going to receive. This is particularly driven by China, which is once again fast-growing in terms of outbound travel numbers.
“These travellers’ needs are not guaranteed to be met through booking short-term rentals – particularly those that are not sold via the same traditional channels as hotels, with various images, facilities and booking options. Hotels that are concerned by the threat of short-term rentals have a huge market here in APAC to tap into – if they don’t already, they should consider diversifying by selling to Asian travellers.”
Air NZ plugs into electric aircraft
Air New Zealand has conceded that passengers won’t be flying around in electric planes for a while yet despite the Kiwi carrier’s move into electric flying. Even so, CEO, Greg Foran, says the five-seat cargo aircraft ANZ intends to begin operating in 2026 will play an invaluable part in his carrier’s green journey.
“We know full well we’re not going to buy 500 of these and move people in groups of five around the country. That’s not our objective in doing it. But I can tell you, we will learn a whole bunch of things from this. And it will save us a lot of money and a lot of time down the trail,” Foran said.
ANZ has purchased a single Alia conventional take-off and landing electric plane from US-based Beta Technologies. The carrier will initially use the plane for cargo. Eventually ANZ will likely acquire two additional Alia planes and use the craft for passenger operations.
Foran said he doesn’t see 100% electric aircraft as feasible. Battery technology isn’t advanced enough yet to transport 50 to 80 flyers on the 40-minute to one-hour domestic routes that are common for ANZ. Even on the short routes ANZ has in mind, charging the Alia will take about the same amount of time as the flight.
Foran instead expects that ANZ’s next-generation aircraft for short-haul flying will either have hybrid-electric or hydrogen-electric propulsion.
Source: Travel Weekly US
This travel experience could be just the ticket
Argentina’s FlyBondi airline is testing a method which allows passengers to resell their tickets up to three days before their flight.
Inspired by ticket resale models in other industries, like entertainment, OAG says Flybondi aims to increase its market share and provide customers with more flexibility.
Flybondi creates two versions of each ticket sold – one regular and one stored on the blockchain as an NFT. The tickets have the same seat number and itineraries, which allows the airline to track the ticket while it is sold and Flybondi earns a transaction fee whenever the tickets are sold.
Additionally, blockchain technology adds a layer of security and traceability, which could set new standards and expectations in the travel industry.
Buckle up, this could be the beginning of a flexible, new travel experience, OAG says.
