Outbound air travel sector still suffering H1N1 flu effects
Outbound travel from the UAE to a number of destinations has been affected by the spread of swine flu to those markets, say travel company executives.
"There were cancellations at the beginning of summer, especially to the US, because of the H1N1 virus," Samer Ascha, General Manager, Skyline Travel Tourism and Shipping, told Emirates Business. "And there have been more cancellations to destinations that have reported H1N1 cases. It is also now part of corporate travel policies. Companies are not permitting their executives to travel to countries that have the virus."
Ibrahim Nalkhande, Chief Operating Officer at Travel for the Planet Group, said people had become more cautious and did not want to travel to countries that had H1N1.
On the inbound side, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have been boosting awareness of the virus in the hospitality industry. The DTCM said the number of confirmed swine flu cases in 18 Arab countries reached 2,187 on August 4 and seven deaths had been reported.
Thirty-eight thermal detectors have been installed at airports and other entry points in the UAE at a cost of Dh7.5 million.
DHA officials said passengers were not being prevented from travelling to any destination provided they took the necessary precautions.
The UAE has a stock of five million capsules of Tamiflu. The DTCM said the vaccine, which helps to prevent swine flu, would be available this month. The International Air Transport Authority (Iata) said in May that swine flu had a clear negative impact on passenger demand in Latin America and some effect on Asia-Pacific airlines. The virus caused a decline in passenger kilometres of one per cent in May.
In June, H1N1 appears to have contributed 3.4 per cent to a total decline of 14.5 per cent, but in July Iata reported some easing of the impact of the fear of the virus.
Governments and agencies such as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) are increasing preparedness for a second wave of the pandemic that is expected to coincide with the beginning of the flu season in the Northern Hemisphere this autumn.
A UNWTO spokesman said the travel and tourism sector had been "extremely challenged" since the appearance of the virus in April. Fortunately, the mild character of the virus in most countries had limited its impact.
Nevertheless, the number of reported cases of H1N1 has risen constantly with 177 countries and territories currently reporting cases.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has given the outbreak phase six pandemic status but has not recommended travel restrictions. Limiting travel would have very little effect on stopping the virus from spreading but would be highly disruptive to the global community.
The UNWTO recommends responsible travel and urges people to protect themselves and others by following simple prevention practices in their daily life such as hand washing and normal cough etiquette. People who are ill should delay travel plans and returning travellers with flu symptoms should contact their health care provider.
The UNWTO spokesman said in order to avoid unnecessary disruption, countries should confirm that tourism was included in overall pandemic preparedness plans.
A number of recommendations have been made to improve business continuity, including the inclusion of crucial functions in the sector among the priority groups in vaccination plans.
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