Articles tagged “european union”

It's not just Chinese tourists who aren't visiting Europe anymore. Expect the economic losses to steepen.

The European single market is a sacred thing and anyone caught trying to divide it up like the old days is liable to be on the receiving end of a punishment. In this case, Meliá's cooperation with the investigation has helped cut its fine.

Google is bending somewhat to intense regulatory pressure in Europe. But its answers in travel to date aren't very meaningful.

Airlines have tried to get out in front of regulators when it comes to sustainability. But their tweaks and solutions only scratch the surface of the problem. In 20 years' time, will we all look back on an era of frequent flying as one of dangerous excess?

Reforming Europe's fragmented air traffic management systems would help improve the environmental performance of aircraft. But it won't change the fact that they spew out millions of tons of carbon dioxide every year.

Boris Johnson wants to get Brexit done, but in reality leaving the European Union will be a long and arduous process — and ultimately leave the country poorer. It's going to be a rocky few years for the UK's travel and tourism industry.

This week, Sabre stopping selling Finnair tickets as talks over a new contract broke down while European airlines will most likely have to pay a new EU tax on jet fuel. Meanwhile, India is so desperate to sell its national airline, it has agreed to take over $7 billion in debt to make Air India seem more attractive to a buyer.

What will happen with Brexit is still anyone's guess. But the end of the "freedom of movement" — which is the most likely outcome in the event of any Brexit deal or no deal — will present existential hiring challenges for the tourism sector's labor force.

Clearly, presenting Brexit from an economic angle versus a political angle has a big impact on how British business travelers respond.

Alternative accommodations have long been more prominent in Europe than in the U.S. And that sector is only growing larger as it expands more than 1.7 times as fast as hotels on the continent.