Supermarket’s “Can’t Be Bothered” With Travel, Retail Guru Tells WTM Vision Conference – London Delegates

A leading retail expert has reassured the travel trade that supermarkets will not become travel agents as they “can’t be bothered”, although senior travel bosses disagreed as to the reasons why at this week’s WTM Vision Conference – London.

Former Selfridges Chief Executive Peter Williams told delegates at the CBI Conference Centre: “The supermarkets have not got into high street travel because of operational difficulties and it is a specialism.

“Supermarkets are simple. They have deskilled their business. For them to get into travel properly, they would need staff knowledge, and they can’t be bothered,” the ASOS Senior Independent Director said.

Delegates, led by The Co-operative Travel Managing Director Mike Greenacre, disagreed, saying that it was the low margins which were keeping supermarkets out of bricks and mortar travel.

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Tourism key to the economic recovery of Egypt

Joint Press Release
Cairo, Egypt /Madrid, Spain, 31 May 2011

As the leading foreign exchange earner and representing one in every seven jobs, tourism is a crucial factor in Egypt’s economic recovery, stressed the Prime Minister of Egypt, Essam Sharaf, during an official visit of UNWTO Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, and President and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council, David Scowsill,  to the country (Cairo, Egypt, 29 May). Meeting with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Tourism, Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour, as well as other public and private tourism representatives, Mr. Rifai and Mr. Scowsill expressed the commitment of the international tourism community to support the sector as a key component of Egypt’s transition.

Prime Minister Sharaf confirmed the strategic importance of tourism for the country’s economic recovery and social stability, especially in the current transition period. “We appreciate your visit and support; tourism is a critical activity for Egypt,” he said. “This is a time for action which will help us get through the current bottleneck; the more we do together, the better,” he added.

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Education Trade Show Coup for Queenstown Edu-tourism

Queenstown has the opportunity to globally showcase its position as an international education destination next year after being confirmed as host venue for Australia and New Zealand’s largest education and student travel trade show.

Around 500 participants from 50 different countries are expected to attend the Australia New Zealand Agent Workshop (ANZA) to be held at Queenstown Events Centre from 29 February – 2 March 2012.

Formatted in a similar way to TRENZ*, which was recently held for the first time in Queenstown, the workshop facilitates one-on-one appointments between agencies that send student and edu-travellers to the region and those who provide educational and tourism services at the destination

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