CONCLUSIONS

SUMMIT CONCLUSIONS

CEAV, together with the León Provincial Tourism Consortium, organized the 6th World Summit of Travel Agency Associations in León from November 3 to 6, 2021. The event brought together more than 100 participants from 25 different countries, who carried out presentations and debates on the current situation of the sector and future prospects.

Carlos Garrido, president of CEAV, emphasized in the opening that we are entering a new stage in which, after the pandemic, travel begins again. “The recovery is underway and we are living in times when the role of the travel agency has been revalued as an advisor and guarantor of safety. The agencies, who have had such a bad time, can emerge stronger from this crisis, "he said.

The first working session began with a welcome video from the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism of Spain, Reyes Maroto, and continued with the interventions of María Neira, director of the Department of Public Health and Environment of the World Health Organization, and the American journalist Dave Keating, who spoke about future travel.

Later, representatives of eDreams ODIGEO, IATA, Iberia and Amadeus raised the situation and perspectives of the airline industry and the changes that have occurred in the air distribution model after the pandemic. Thus, it is found that people travel again, but the recovery is not homogeneous in all destinations. In addition, travellers who previously did not use travel agencies have started to do so now seeking high levels of personalization and digitization, and the challenge now is to maintain them.

In the following panel, senior officials from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), ACI, Amadeus, the Airline Association and Riskline addressed the keys to an effective mobility recovery. The reopening of the United States, the loosening of restrictions in Latin America and the acceptance of the vaccination certificate in Europe have helped to start the recovery, but it will take a few years to complete.

In the afternoon, the South African Association of Travel Agencies, ForwardKeys, Amadeus and HATTA (Hellenic Association of Tourist & Travel Agencies) shared their experiences, data and forecasts with all the participants.

During the second day, Iberia Cards, Expedia Partner Solutions, the International Association of Cruise Lines, the European Travel Commission and AON talked about the Changes in the traveller of the future after the pandemic. Together they first analysed what learning the pandemic has brought with it and then talk about the main differences between pre-pandemic and post-pandemic tourists, as well as workers in the tourism sector.

Later, ANATO, ASATA, EU TRAVEL TECH and FTO discussed the situation of travel agencies before and after the pandemic and told the perspective and experiences of their respective countries, as well as the work of travel agencies in repatriations. at the beginning of the crisis.

Finally, during the open dialogue, the Vice President of International Relations of CEAV, Eva Blasco, the President of FOLATUR, Guillermo Correa, and the President of CEAV, Carlos Garrido, held a productive debate with the attendees.

The summit, which has had the support of the León City Council, the León Tourism Consortium and the usual collaborators of CEAV (Amadeus, Aon, Iberia, Iberia Cards, Junta de Castilla y León, Paradores, Pipeline, Renfe and Turespaña), has made the city the focus of attention for travel agencies and the highest representatives of the sector. For its organization, CEAV has also counted on the Provincial Association of Travel Agencies of León (APROLAV) and the Castilian-Leonese Federation of Travel Agencies (FECLAV).