TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY
Arabian Travel Market | May 17, 2021
The 28th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the region's largest travel and tourism showcase, returned to Dubai on May 16 to focus on Tourism for a Brighter Future during the opening session at ATM's Global Stage.
With the year 2021 ushering in a new era for travel and tourism, leading industry leaders from around the world kicked off the dialogue on the ATM Global Stage by providing insight into the factors behind the sector's rapid recovery. Vaccinations, market segmentation and technological innovations, travel corridors, marketing, and product diversification have all been identified as key factors of substantial recovery by 2023.
During the Tourism Beyond Covid Recovery session on the ATM Global Stage, tourism ministers and key industry stakeholders from the Gulf and Southern Europe convened to discuss the vast opportunities for travel, tourism, and hospitality presented by the potential return of mass leisure tourism, medical and educational travel, business events, and, beyond that, cross-cultural exchange.
This was followed by the ATM China Tourism Forum, which highlighted China's continued significance as a major source market for many MENA destinations, as well as the imminent return of inbound tourism from China as destinations such as Dubai approach "Covid-19 safe" status due to the success of their domestic vaccination drives.
Meanwhile, at the ATM Travel Forward theatre, delegates heard from world-class technology leaders who shared industry-leading perspectives about the role of technology in the future of travel.
ATM 2021 will host 67 conference sessions with over 145 local, regional, and international speakers throughout the four-day event. Attendees on the Global Stage will also be able to attend the hotel industry forum, the ATM Saudi Arabia Tourism Summit: Transformation through tourism, an International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC), an aviation panel, and a special session on lessons learned contributing to the recovery and ongoing resilience in global travel.
ATM 2021, inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, CEO and Founder of Emirates Group, and Chairman of Dubai World, will take place from May 17 to 19.
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FEATURES AND ADVICE
Travel Insured International | October 06, 2021
Travel Insured International has launched its new, cruise-specific travel protection product, Cruise Trip Protector. As part of Travel Insured's Tour Protector series, this product is designed to meet the needs of today's cruise passenger.
Along with pre-departure benefits like Trip Cancellation and optional Cancel for Any Reason, this plan offers post-departure coverages like Single Supplement, Missed Tour or Cruise Connection, and Trip Delay. Cruise Trip Protector also includes additional benefits for recent requirements by some cruise providers for extra coverage related to Accident & Sickness Medical Expense and coverage for Medical Evacuations.
Recent Cruise Requirements: Medical Expense and Evacuation Coverage
As the travel industry continues to adapt, it's important for travelers to understand the safety requirements of each cruise line. Some cruise providers are mandating travel insurance for unvaccinated passengers setting sail from Florida and requiring each unvaccinated guest to provide proof of insurance with Accident and Sickness Medical Expense coverage and Emergency Medical Evacuation coverage that meets certain minimum standards.
Travel Insured's Cruise Trip Protector provides travelers with up to $50,000 in Accident & Sickness Medical Expense coverage and up to $250,000 in Medical Evacuation coverage.
Other Cruise-Specific Benefits
As a niche travel product, Cruise Trip Protector includes valuable, relevant insurance benefits just for cruisers. Missing a cruise connection, facing delays or diversions, and issues related to single supplement pricing are all unique challenges for which the plan benefits can provide assistance. Cruise Trip Protector also features the optional Travel Inconvenience benefit which pays a stated amount per stated inconvenience.
Missed Tour or Cruise Connection: Applies if you miss your cruise departure because your arrival at your trip destination is delayed for at least three hours. This benefit reimburses up to $500 in certain unplanned losses and expenses, including the additional transportation cost to join your trip if your delay is caused by a covered reason.
Single Supplement: This benefit may apply if you experience a change in the per person occupancy rate for your pre-paid, non-refundable lodging. If a person booked to share accommodations with you cancels or interrupts his/her trip due to any of the covered reasons applicable to Trip Cancellation or Trip Interruption and you do not cancel or interrupt your trip, you could be eligible for reimbursement up to the stated maximum benefit amount.
Optional Travel Inconvenience: This optional benefit upgrade includes 15 covered reasons. This pays a fixed amount per stated inconvenience up to a benefit maximum. Some of the reasons include:
Cruise Disablement: Applies if you are confined for more than 6 hours on the cruise ship without one or more of the following essential provisions: power, food, water, or restroom facilities or due to a crime that occurs on the cruise while on a Trip.
Cruise Diversion: Applies if your cruise does not stop at a scheduled port of call due to inclement weather, a natural disaster, a hijacking, an unannounced strike, a civil disorder or riot, a Terrorist Incident, a mechanical breakdown or a medical incident involving another passenger on the ship.
"Travel insurance is no longer one-size-fits-all, Consumers want to pair their trip with the right coverage, not necessarily a product designed as a catch-all with benefits that may not apply to them. We created this product to provide cruisers with a combination of our core travel protection products and new benefits that are relevant to their specific trip type."
says Travel Insured's VP of Strategic Partnerships, Isaac Cymrot.
Cancellation Coverage for the Unexpected
Travelers can plan their cruises with confidence knowing there are 25 covered reasons for Trip Cancellation included under the Cruise Trip Protector plan. This includes a Trip Cancellation peril for insufficient or excessive water levels regarding river cruises.
This product also features Cancel for Any Reason coverage as an optional benefit upgrade. Each cancellation benefit has different requirements and reimbursement amounts.
Trip Cancellation: The Trip Cancellation benefit is included in the base Cruise Trip Protector coverage. Cancelling your trip for a covered reason any time prior to the scheduled departure date can reimburse up to 100% of your pre-paid, non-refundable trip cost.
Water Level Cancellation Peril: This peril may apply if your river cruise is unable to operate or complete its scheduled itinerary due to insufficient or excessive water levels along the scheduled cruise itinerary route. Proof of the river cruise diversion must be documented by the Travel Supplier
Optional Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR): CFAR can be added to the Cruise Trip Protector at an additional cost to cover cancellations outside of what is covered under the Trip Cancellation benefit. CFAR can reimburse up to 75% of prepaid, non-refundable trip cost if you cancel your trip for any reason at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled departure date. CFAR must be purchased within 21 days of the date your initial deposit made toward your trip is received. Additional terms apply.
About Travel Insured International
Founded in 1994, Travel Insured International (TII) is a leading travel insurance provider, offering quality worldwide travel insurance protection for more than 25 years. Products include Emergency Assistance and Evacuation, Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption Protection, Baggage Insurance, Airline Ticket Protection, and plans that include medical benefits. TII is part of the Crum & Forster Accident & Health Division. Rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best (2020), Crum & Forster is a national property and casualty group of insurance companies owned by parent company Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. Since 2000, Crum & Forster Accident & Health has offered a robust portfolio of specialty insurance and reinsurance products, including medical stop loss and excess, specialty risk, pet, travel and other voluntary and affinity benefits.
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European Waterways | September 16, 2020
In tandem with the continuing growth of the solo travel market, European Waterways has extended its Solo Cruise in 2021 aboard the 20-passenger La Bella Vita hotel barge, which will sail between Venice and Mantua along Italy’s Po River and the Bianco Canal.
Departing on Oct. 10, 2021 – and exclusive to solo travelers – the six-night cruise offers 10 percent off for advance bookings, which represents a savings of $560 off the $5,600 single rate, European Waterways said.
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