Tag Archives: Delta

This week in Travel and Tourism — 4/30/2012

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INTERNATIONAL

Jamaica draws more visitors in 2011 despite drop in U.S. arrivals

Jamaica reported 1.95 million stopover visitors in 2011, an increase of 1.6% from 2010, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board. U.S. arrivals totaled 1.26 million, a 1.4% decrease. Cruise arrivals numbered 1.13 million, a 23.7% increase. Latin America led the visitor surge in 2011, recording a 23.4% increase in stopover arrivals. The main markets were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and Panama.

AIRLINE

Low-cost carriers see double-digit growth in 2011

Leading low-cost carriers enjoyed double-digit revenue growth in 2011 and collective passenger numbers rose nearly 12%. The latest Airline Business low-cost carrier survey showed revenues grew strong at virtually all of the more than 30 carriers 2011 financial results were available for. Southwest Airlines remains the largest budget operator by revenue and passenger numbers. Its revenues jumped nearly 30% to $15.7 billion when accounting for its 2011 acquisition of fellow low-cost carrier AirTran. Excluding the merger, its revenues were up 6%. Passenger numbers reached 135 million.

Delta to buy oil refinery

Delta Air Lines through a subsidiary company agreed to acquire from Phillips 66 a Philadelphia-area oil refinery.

Delta subsidiary Monroe Energy, which plans to close the transaction by the end of June, will invest $250 million in the acquisition, refinery improvements and related sourcing and marketing agreements with Phillips 66 and BP.

CRUISE

15% of wealthy travelers plan to cruise this year

The spring 2012 survey by the American Affluence Research Center found that a lower percentage of people in wealthy households plan to cruise this year. “Plans to cruise during the next 12 months declined from 18% of the wealthiest U.S. households in the fall 2011 survey to 15% in the new survey. This decline is consistent with the softness in first-quarter bookings reported by the industry, but it still shows good potential for cruise sales,” a statement from the center said.

Norwegian Cruise Line reports improved first-quarter earnings

Norwegian Cruise Line reported stronger year-over-year earnings for the first quarter Monday morning. The Miami-based cruise operator, the world’s third-largest, made a $3.3 million profit in the quarter that ended March 31, compared to a loss of $7.9 million during the first quarter of 2011. Revenue increased from $495.5 million in the first three months of 2011 to $515.4 million this year.

OTA

TripAdvisor shares surge after Q1 report

TripAdvisor’s first-quarter profit increased 1.8% from a year earlier, as a jump in revenue from click-based and display-based advertising offset the effect of higher selling, technology and administrative costs during the company’s first full quarter as a public company.

ETC.

Billionaire promises to build Titanic II by 2016

An Australian billionaire said Monday he’ll build a high-tech replica of the Titanic at a Chinese shipyard and its maiden voyage in late 2016 will be from England to New York, just like its namesake planned. Weeks after the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the original Titanic, Clive Palmer announced Monday he has signed a memorandum of understanding with state-owned Chinese company CSC Jinling Shipyard to build the Titanic II.

This Week in Travel and Tourism — 4/23/2012

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DOMESTIC

New York looks to China and Brazil for big tourism growth

New York aims to boost tourism’s annual economic impact by almost 45% during the next three years by increasing marketing efforts in South America and the Asia-Pacific region. Between 2011 and 2015, the number of annual visits from China and Hong Kong will jump 51% to 494,000, while the number of annual visits from Brazil will rise 45% to 1.02 million, projected NYC & Company, New York’s tourism-marketing organization.

U.S. prepares to launch $150M tourism marketing drive

A $150 million campaign to encourage foreign travelers to visit the U.S. is set to begin in May, led by the U.S. Travel Association. The program spans a variety of media and marks the country’s fist coordinated attempt to market itself to the international traveling community.

AIRLINE

United Continental posts $448 M Q1 loss

United Continental Holdings reported a $448 million net loss for the first quarter, compared with a $213 million net loss for the same period last year. The loss includes $162 million in special costs “primarily” related to United’s integration of Continental Airlines, according to the carrier.

JetBlue Q1 profit up tenfold

JetBlue Airways reported a $30 million first-quarter net profit, up from $3 million for the first three months of 2011.

JetBlue’s average quarterly one-way fare increased 6% year over year to $159.93, the carrier’s “highest quarterly average fare ever,” according to CFO Mark Powers. First-quarter passenger unit revenue grew 8% year over year on a 12% increase in capacity.

Delta, US Airways expect profitable summer on strong Q1 results

Delta Air Lines and US Airways posted profits of $124 million and $48 million, respectively, compared with losses in the previous year and predicted a strong summer travel season based on steady demand growth. Observers are predicting that airlines will try for further airfare increases to capitalize on the strong demand.

CRUISE

Carnival Glory’s extended Boston sailings will continue in 2013

Carnival has unveiled plans to extend a series of sailings from Boston for the summer 2013 season. The schedule this summer will comprise four- and five-night voyages to Canada aboard the Carnival Glory. Starting June 2013, the Glory will undertake three seven-night cruises.

Norwegian’s Partners First program marks successful first year

Norwegian Cruise Line plans to build on the positive feedback that its Partners First initiative received in its first year through changes that would further simplify agents’ operations, said Andy Stuart, Norwegian’s executive vice president of global sales and passenger services. Planned changes include expanding Partners First Weekends, a restructuring of the in-house reservations department and a shift from offering amenity points for agents to dollars.

ETC.

Winner of Etihad contest will double salary

Etihad Airways, flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has launched a promotion under which it will match one U.S. travel agent’s salary ($90,000 limit).

This week in Travel and Tourism – 4/9/12

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DOMESTIC

Atlantic City, N.J., group plans $20M campaign to draw tourists

Nonprofit group Atlantic City Alliance is launching a $20 million marketing campaign aimed at promoting the New Jersey city’s nongaming tourist attractions to leisure travelers. Carrying the tagline “Do Anything. Do Everything,” the initiative will include advertisements in major cities. “We have to reposition Atlantic City as a tourism destination,” said Liza Cartmell, president of the alliance.

Delta breaks ground on $160M LaGuardia hub makeover

Delta Air Lines Inc. broke ground Wednesday on a $160 million renovation and expansion of its hub at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The project includes a 630-foot connector bridge linking Terminals C and D, a new Delta Sky Club in Terminal C and expanded security lanes in both terminals.

INTERNATIONAL

Mexico tourism officials report recovery

Mexico has taken a beating over the past several years, ever since the triple whammy of drug violence, the H1N1 flu scare and a prolonged recession that curtailed travel in the countries that supply the bulk of its tourism. But if the Tianguis Turistico at the end of March is any indication, the country’s tourism industry has bounced back in a big way.

AIRLINE

Allegiant Air to Start Hawaii Flights

The ultradiscount-airline business is spreading to the lucrative market of Hawaii, as Allegiant Air plans to start low-cost service to Honolulu from Las Vegas and Fresno, Calif. Parent company Allegiant Travel Co., which focuses on selling vacation packages along with its cut-rate airfares, is entering one of the nation’s biggest vacation destinations after two years of planning.

Pinnacle’s plan: Smaller operation would fly for Delta Air Lines only

Former managers of Memphis-based Pinnacle Airlines Inc. spent four years expanding and diversifying it into a $1 billion regional airline holding company. Through Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings this week in New York, their successors seek to roll back the clock and return to serving a single master, Delta Air Lines.

OTA

IBM research: OTAs, suppliers are misreading buyers’ values

Growing consumer dissatisfaction with online travel agencies (OTAs) and suppliers’ websites offers traditional agents and agencies an opportunity to pick up market share, according to a recent IBM report. In an executive report titled “Travel 2020: The Distribution Dilemma,” IBM researchers said that fewer than half of leisure and business travelers believe they’re getting a fair value for their travel dollar when they book online.

CRUISE

Carnival introduces George Lopez-branded comedy club

The Carnival Miracle launched year-round Caribbean sailings from New York on Thursday, offering several new dining and entertainment options for Carnival Cruise Lines. Making its Carnival debut is the Punchliner Comedy Club presented by George Lopez. The comedian serves as Carnival’s “curator of comedy,” acting as a consultant on the hiring of comedians.

ETC.

Pinterest draws attention of agents, suppliers

More members of the travel industry are looking at the new social media tool Pinterest and recognizing its potential for marketing, this feature says. “The advantage Pinterest has is simple: pictures,” said Meghan Peters of social media news website Mashable.com. “Its photocentric design appeals to even the most casual social media user. … The site has quickly struck a chord with a mainstream audience, a difficult feat for a new social network.”

Free Wi-Fi is most desired amenity, survey says

Note to hotel owners: Americans really like free Wi-Fi. The most important amenity for prospective U.S. hotel guests is free wireless Internet access, Expedia’s Hotels.com division said, citing its survey of prospective U.S. travelers. Of those polled, 38% said free Wi-Fi was “a must when choosing hotel accommodations.” By comparison, 25% of those surveyed said free breakfast was essential, while 18% chose free parking as the most desired amenity. Room service came in at just 2%.