New travel warnings for Egypt and Jordan, a new study on hotel loyalty programs and Airbnb, and a passenger overboard from Independence of the Seas are the travel industry headlines to watch today.
State Department Issues Egypt and Jordan Travel Warnings
The U.S. State Department issued two new travel warnings for Egypt and Jordan over the weekend.
In Egypt, the State Department warns U.S. citizens that terrorist groups pose a risk for travel to the country. Although the Egyptian government maintains a heavy security presence at major tourist sites, such as Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, and other beach resorts on the Red Sea and on the Mediterranean coast west of Alexandria, and at many of the temples and archaeological sites located in and around greater Cairo and in the Nile Valley, such as Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel, terrorist attacks can occur anywhere in the country, the State Department said.
“There are a number of extremist organizations, including the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), operating in Egypt,” the State Department said. “Over the past two years, terrorist attacks have targeted Egyptian government and security forces, public venues, including tourist sites, civil aviation and other modes of public transportation, and a diplomatic facility.” On December 11, a suicide bomber killed civilians in a church adjacent to the main Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, and on December 9, two roadside bombings targeted police officers, one about three kilometers from the Pyramids, and another in a rural area in the Nile Delta.
“Jordan's prominent role in the counter-ISIL Coalition and its shared borders with Iraq and Syria increase the potential for future terrorist incidents,” the State Department said. On December 18, an attack killed 10 people at or near a tourist site in Karak, including a Canadian tourist.
Travelers are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and to see the State Department’s travel website for further details.
Study: Hotel Loyalty Programs Not Luring Guests From Airbnb
In new industry research, hotel loyalty programs are not encouraging travelers to opt for traditional hotels over Airbnb, according to an analysis by Quartz. The study, which was conducted by Morgan Stanley Research, found that 36 percent of travelers enrolled in a hotel loyalty program say they have also stayed in an Airbnb, as compared with 15 percent of travelers not enrolled in a loyalty program. The trend holds true even when trip frequency is taken into account:
The news comes as Airbnb is making a series of moves out of vacation rentals and into the broader travel space, including rumored development of an air travel product. In November Airbnb announced a new Trips platform, which offers local hosts the chance to offer activities like a Samurai Swordplay workshop or the chance to drive classic cars in Malibu, or chances to give back to local communities, like a behind-the-scenes program at the Downtime Boxing Gym in Detroit, as well as Insider Guidebooks spotlighting top areas to check out in a given destination.
At launch the launch of Trips 500 Experiences are available in 12 cities worldwide, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Detroit, Havana, London, Paris, Florence, Nairobi, Cape Town, Tokyo and Seoul, with the option for Airbnb hosts in an additional 39 cities to request to list their Experiences. 100 Insider Guidebooks are available at launch in six cities — Los Angeles, San Francisco, Havana, Nairobi, Detroit and Seoul - with more planned to launch soon.
Search Called Off for Passenger overboard From Independence of the Seas
Finally, in cruise news, the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for a man who fell overboard from Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas, WTSP reports. In a statement provided to Royal Caribbean, WTSP said that witnesses say the man “intentionally going overboard” from the 12th deck of the ship at around 1:45 a.m. Thursday. The Coast Guard searched for 38 hours, covering an area of approximately 4,574 square miles.
"We want to extend our condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Skokan," Chris Eddy, search and rescue technical specialist at the Coast Guard 7th District, told WTSP. "The decision to suspend a search is never easy, and it is made with great care and consideration."
Have a tip on major travel industry news, or an inspiring story you’d like to share? Reach out at aleposa@questex.com.
And keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for the latest travel industry news, trends and updates.