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Bear Luxe Japan Signs Deal with Sabre to Increase Reach for Member Hotels

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Bear Luxe Japan Signs Deal with Sabre to Increase Reach for Member Hotels - DISCOVERJAPAN.org - TRAVELINDEXTokyo, Japan, April 11, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Sabre Corporation, a leading software and technology provider that powers the global travel industry, today announced a new agreement with Japan-specific luxury travel platform and business-to-business membership portal Bear Luxe Japan, to better connect its hoteliers to global markets while creating elevated experiences for travellers.

• Emotion is today’s true luxury – We share emotions at Top25World.com – The World’s Emotive Collections

Inspired by the companions who accompanied aristocrats on their Grand Tours in the 17th to 19th centuries, who were known as Bear-leaders, Bear Luxe Japan is a global network of luxury travel designers, and leading Japanese luxury hotels in Japan. It aims to develop and deliver a luxury travel ecosystem to enable the international market to access the rich traditions and culture of Japan.

The new relationship will further cement Sabre’s growing footprint in Japan, while opening up further access for Bear Luxe member hoteliers – primarily consisting of independent Japanese luxury hotels – through the Sabre SynXis hospitality platform and Bear Luxe Japan’s international reach of the luxury travel market, to the markets and channels high-end travellers use to book their luxury trips to Japan. Bear Luxe will be utilizing a comprehensive suite of Sabre SynXis solutions to grow geographic reach, target the corporate travel market, drive increased bookings, and create personalized travel experiences.

“The absence of connectivity with the international luxury travel market has long been an industry-wide dilemma for Japanese luxury hotels. The anticipated partnership will be a game changer in bridging the market gap,” said Hiro Miyatake, co-founder and chief operating officer of Bear Luxe. “We’re also expecting that post-pandemic luxury travellers to Japan will have a more slow and deliberate approach to their trip and a desire for meaningful travel. As such, it is vital to us that we have the right technology partner, one that offers the right solutions in opening up new markets for our hoteliers, all while ensuring that luxury travellers are able to access the personalized experiences they want and expect on their trip.”

With this agreement, Bear Luxe hospitality members will be linked to hundreds of thousands of travel agents across the world through the Global Distribution System (GDS) connectivity solutions powered by Sabre SynXis, ensuring they can reach domestic and international travellers; strategically targeting markets which are able to travel, or have a desire to travel once borders re-open.

The new alliance will also enable the Bear Luxe platform to drive direct bookings, increase engagement and trigger conversions through the deep retail focus of the Sabre SynXis Booking Engine. Sabre’s corporate booking tools will provide Bear Luxe with the ability to connect with corporate travel buyers. Meanwhile, SynXis Voice Agent will elevate the call centre experience for potential guests, equipping Bear Luxe agents with the tools they need to minimize call handling times while increasing opportunities for ancillary sales.

“We’re thrilled that Bear Luxe has selected Sabre as its trusted, strategic technology partner in Japan,” said Frank Trampert, Global Managing Director, Sabre Hospitality Solutions. “We look forward to supporting them in their endeavours to open up further domestic, regional and international markets to Japanese hoteliers while helping visitors to experience the unique characteristics Japanese destinations have to offer.”

• Emotion is today’s true luxury – We share emotions at Top25World.com – The World’s Emotive Collections

About Sabre Corporation
Sabre Corporation is a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry, serving a wide range of travel companies including airlines, hoteliers, travel agencies and other suppliers. The company provides retailing, distribution and fulfilment solutions that help its customers operate more efficiently, drive revenue and offer personalized traveller experiences. Through its leading travel marketplace, Sabre connects travel suppliers with buyers from around the globe. Sabre’s technology platform manages more than $260B worth of global travel spend annually. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.

About Bear Luxe Japan
Bear Luxe Japan is a Tokyo based, Japan-specific network of the country’s leading luxury travel suppliers and specialists in global travel design consisting of 70-member luxury hotels and over 200 international luxury travel agencies. Assistance on a wide range of luxury travel related services in Japan, from one- to two-week itineraries, executive meetings, and events to comprehensive menu of service reservations for ryokan, hotel, chauffeur, and unique experiences though a concierge service. Bear Luxe Japan is more than a network of Japanese luxury suppliers and a community of management and senior decision makers with the experience and expertise to respond to sophisticated procurement needs in luxury travel.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Vietnamese Hotel Appoints Sustainability Officer

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Vietnamese Hotel Appoints Sustainability Officer - TRAVELINDEXCam Ranh, Vietnam , April 11, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Vu Ngoc Linh, a hospitality professional with more than a decade’s experience in food and beverage departments, has stepped off the career ladder of the typical F&B professional to pursue an entirely new kind of fulfillment.

This month, the 580-room Alma Resort on Vietnam’s south central coast named Linh as its first sustainability officer. It’ll be Linh’s job to track the property’s energy use, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste elimination, transportation, education efforts and building design.

The role also involves creating sustainability programs, budgets and schedules, evaluating the success of sustainability initiatives, and managing three staff committees focused on ‘green products’, ‘innovation and solutions’ and ‘people and partnerships’.

The stakes are high. The thirty-hectare resort requires 46,720 kWH of power and 900 m3 of water per day.

“We’d like to think we can continue to make meaningful reductions in that consumption,” said Alma’s managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler. “Dedicating one person to this task is key to making that happen.”

One of Linh’s new projects, under the umbrella of the Innovation and Solutions Committee, is implementation of what Alma believes is Vietnam’s most ambitious hotel solar power project yet. Alma will this year install 5,634 solar panels totalling 12,500 square metres. With a capacity of 2,480 kilowatts peak, the solar power system will fuel between a quarter to almost half of Alma’s energy needs depending on occupancy.

In addition to the resort’s 325sqm water treatment plant deploying a reverse osmosis system to provide 70,000L weekly of drinkable water and ice for all of the resort’s kitchens, Linh will also help determine other ways to offset the resort’s water usage.

Linh started his hospitality career in 2011 as a waiter at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, before he became a restaurant supervisor at Dessole Beach Resort Nha Trang, a team leader at Vinpearl Land Amusement Park and an assistant outlet manager at Golden Peak Resort & Spa and Duyen Ha Resort. Linh then became a food and beverage manager at Xavia Hotel and Florida Nha Trang Hotel, and the assistant restaurant manager at Eastin Grand Hotel Nha Trang.

Laubichler-Pichler said Linh’s background in F&B – a field notorious for waste generation – had motivated him to move into a sustainability role.

“Linh has a genuine drive to make a difference and he is well suited to a role at our resort dedicated purely to sustainability, encompassing the likes of garbage segregation, tree planting, paperless check-in, solar power, community initiatives to generate support for green projects, research and more,” said Laubichler-Pichler.

To contact Alma or to make a booking, please visit alma-resort.com or email info@alma-resort.com

-ENDS-

About Alma

Situated on Vietnam’s emerging Cam Ranh peninsula fronting Long Beach, Alma resort commands some 30 hectares of inspiring ground. Emblematic of Vietnam’s maturation as a destination, the bold and spacious integrated resort offers 580 oversized suites and pavilions that all afford sweeping vistas of the ocean, including contemporary three bedroom oceanfront pavilions each totalling 224sqm with a living room, four bathrooms and a private pool. Alma features a broad spectrum of restaurants helmed by top chefs, a food court with an array of local and international cuisine, as well as a sports bar, pool bar and beach bar. Other highlights include 12 swimming pools cascading down to the beach, a waterpark, 13-treatment room spa, 70-seat cinema, convention centre, amphitheater, art gallery, science museum, gymnasium and yoga room, 18-hole mini golf course, a youth centre with virtual reality games, a kid’s club, water sports centre and even an ‘Alma Mart’ mini supermarket.

 

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Fusion Hotel Group Honors Earth Day Year Round

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Fusion Hotel Group Honors Earth Day Year Round - TRAVELINDEXHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam, April 11, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / While eco-initiatives shouldn’t be restricted to one day a year, Earth Day on April 22nd is a reminder that we need to act now – and always – when it comes to the health of the earth. This year’s theme, Invest in Our Planet, highlights how we can step up and each do our part for future generations.

Fusion Hotel Group, a wellness-focused hotel brand that began in Vietnam in 2008, has been updating its offering so that the wellness of the planet is considered just as much as the wellness of each guest.

“Physical wellness, mental wellness, and the wellness of our environment are all connected,” said Kevin Beauvais, CEO of Fusion Hotel Group. “Our concept of wellness has expanded over recent years as we recommit to the well-being of the planet.”

Here are a couple of eco-highlights from some of the Fusion properties in Vietnam.

Fusion Original Saigon Centre, set to make its debut in the coming months, will have a zero plastic policy. The new central city hotel is opting for in-room canned water, paper-wrapped wooden amenities, eco-friendly takeaway and compostable garbage bags, as well as a zero plastic policy when it comes to deliveries from suppliers. Recycling stations will be set up on all guest floors and the hotel is going paperless in the rooms, in the front-of-house and back-of-house.

Fusion Resort Cam Ranh, on the country’s south central coast, has made huge eco-strides over the course of the pandemic. They now have one of the largest resort farms in Vietnam – with more than 250 animals, a mango orchid, and a herb & vegetable garden of more than 3,000 square meters producing over 40 kg of fresh organic vegetables daily. The resort established the Fusion Farm school in 2020 where they teach daily complimentary classes to guests and employees’ children on how to care for animals and grow vegetables. All of their wet raw food waste is used to feed the animals, resulting in zero removal of waste from the property.

Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion embraces RRR (Reduce, Recycle, Reuse) at every level. At their on-site organic farm they use food waste to produce compost and feed their animals. The produce grown on the farm supplies the resort’s restaurants and staff canteen and any extra produce is sold to the staff or local community at a reduced rate. Last year the Alba team planted 2,000 trees after a storm damaged the surrounding forest. The damaged wood from fallen trees was also reused to build bridges on the property and make repairs. Among several other important initiatives Alba runs education programs with local children where they learn the value of organic farming, plastic reduction and environmental awareness.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Tropical Fruits Afternoon Tea at Carlton Bangkok Sukhumvit

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Tropical Fruits Afternoon Tea at Carlton Bangkok Sukhumvit - TRAVELINDEXTuxedo Espresso Bar at Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit welcomes the summer season with an Afternoon Tea inspired from tropical fruits.

This Afternoon Tea takes inspiration from the many tropical fruits of the region from coconut to mango, banana, pineapple, passion fruit and guava. The seasonal lychee and longan are also used in this creative showcase.

The main highlight is a Coconut Cake inspired creation that looks like a coconut shell. Combining coconut mousse, fresh coconut milk, young coconut meat and more, this creation is the perfect snapshot for your ‘gram.

Other creative items are Dried Banana Scones, Exotic Pineapple, a fruit tart that pays homage to pineapple, passion fruit and mango, Lychee Roselle and a Orange Tangerine masterpiece, to name a few. There is also a sandwich with cream cheese, papaya and Parma ham. The guava tarte is unforgettable too.

THB 1,380++ per set for 2 persons including a pot of TWG Loose Tea or Coffee of your choice
THB 1,680++ per set for 2 persons including two glasses of sparkling wine

A selection of these pastries are also available as “Dessert of the Month”, as part of the a la carte menu:

• Coconut Cake THB 250++
• Lychee Roselle THB 220++
• Orange Tangerine THB 210++
• Exotic Pineapple THB 200++

Afternoon Tea available daily at Tuxedo Espresso Bar
Date: April – June 2022
Time: 12:00 pm – 4:30 pm

For more information or reservations, please contact us at 02 090 7888 or email Fbreservations@carltonhotel.co.th

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

ROUND-UP:April 4-8, 2022

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Last week, there was good news and bad from the pandemic; new eased passport renewal protocols were introduced for Canadians; Canada cracked down on cruise wastewater; the war took its toll on Air Canada flights to India; a positively electric announcement from Hertz; and news of Ensemble Travel is set to being sold were revealed. Read on for all the news…

NEWS

Canada has expanded and simplified the application process for passport renewals issued within the past 15 years. With the simplified process, applicants don’t need to have a guarantor or to provide their original documents, such as proof of citizenship or photo identification. They simply need two photos, two references, their completed form, and the applicable fees. The government still recommends that Canadians apply early and not finalize any travel plans until they have received their new passport.

The federal government has announced new environmental measures for vessels sailing in Canadian waters. Formulated in coordination with the cruise industry, the measures will exceed international standards, say the feds. They include prohibiting the discharge of greywater and treated blackwater within three nautical miles of shore where geographically possible

On March 29, the TICO’s Board of Directors approved 19 claims against the Ontario Travel Compensation Fund totalling $32,966 to assist 27 consumers who did not receive the travel services for which they had paid from Fly Jamaica Airways, Jet Airways, and Sunmed Holidays Inc.

BORDERS

Cases go up, threat level goes down. Go figure! As Canada’s sixth wave of the coronavirus pandemic hits new heights, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reduced its threat level for the country from 4 (very high) to 3 (high), and thus is no longer warning Americans to avoid travel here. The US health agency does continue to advise that Americans should be up to date on their coronavirus vaccinations before visiting.

The Government of Saint Lucia has officially removed all pre-entry COVID-19 testing requirements for fully vaccinated travellers entering the country. That includes pre-testing and quarantines. The requirement for registration and document upload (PCR tests and vaccine card) on the Saint Lucia portal has also been suspended until further notice. Unvaccinated travellers five years and older must have a valid negative standard COVID-19 PCR test five days before arrival. An unsupervised self swab antigen or PCR test is not accepted.

The Government of Grenada has removed all COVID restrictions for entry into Grenada for all travellers, regardless of vaccination status.

With declining cases of COVID-19, South Africa ended its national state of disaster. Most restrictions will be lifted, but people will be required to wear masks in indoor public spaces. International travellers must provide proof of vaccination, or a negative PCR test done within 72 hours.

Following the simplification of travel protocols to Singapore, fully vaccinated travellers on all SIA and Scoot flights will now enjoy quarantine-free entry into country without any on-arrival test. All travellers must still take a pre-departure test and short-term visitors must also purchase travel insurance with a minimum coverage of $30,000 for COVID 19-related medical treatment costs. Travellers aged 12 and below are exempted from being vaccinated.

WAR

Flights between Vancouver and Delhi, India, have been suspended by Air Canada due to the difficulties of avoiding Russian and Ukrainian airspace. The airline says the change is necessary because of extended flying times and a refuelling stop that would be needed for routes that avoid the area. Flights will be unavailable between June 2 and Sept. 8 but may be reinstated earlier if conditions allow.

Israel’s ministry of tourism has begun providing free tours throughout Israel for new immigrants who have fled the war in Ukraine. The program includes guiding and transportation from the 20 hotels in which the new immigrants and those eligible under the Law of Return are staying until housing solutions can be found. There are more than 160 Russian-speaking guides that have registered to participate in the project and the Ministry will operate the tours for as long as the demand exists.

BY THE NUMBERS

Based on the latest available data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), global international tourist arrivals more than doubled (+130%) in January 2022 compared to 2021. The 18 million more visitors recorded worldwide in the first month of this year equals the total increase for the whole of 2021.

Hawaii’s tourism industry is starting to see a rebound as people return to travel and coronavirus concerns ease. Data from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism shows March domestic arrivals have been on par with 2019 levels when a record 10 million people arrived in the state in 2019.

AGENCIES

Following a notice to shareholders to advise them of an upcoming special meeting regarding a potential acquisition, Ensemble Travel Group and Navigatr Group have jointly announced that there is an agreement in principle for Navigatr to acquire the North American consortium. The shareholder meeting is to take place on April 14 when additional details will be shared including details on the voting process.

AIR

Rob Palmer, VP Commercial, Strategy and CFO, Calgary Airport Authority; Merren McArthur, President and CEO of Lynx Air; Brad McMullen, VP of Sales, North America, Boeing; and Lynx cabin crew members  cut the ribbon for the carrier’s inaugural commercial flight.

Lynx Air made its inaugural flight April 7. The ultra-low-cost carrier’s Boeing 737 Max jetliner flew from Calgary to Vancouver to kick off a planned network of nine routes and 90 flights a week by June, and double that – all in Canada – by June.

New low-cost carrier Canada Jetlines has received conditional approval for flight attendant training from Transport Canada. Final approval of the program will be granted once Transport Canada has reviewed the training conducted under the program and it proves to be satisfactory. The airline plans to begin operations out of Toronto Pearson airport this summer.

JetBlue Airways has offered to buy Spirit Airlines for about US $3.6 billion and break up a plan for Spirit to merge with rival budget carrier Frontier Airlines.

The Mikinakoos Children’s Fund is thanking WestJet for donating nearly 700 lbs of hockey equipment to Cat Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario with the help of local carrier North Star Air, a long-standing partner of Mikinakoos.

DEALS

An exclusive online offer from Club Med offering 50% off bookings at various sun resorts, including Michès Playa Esmeralda, La Caravelle, Cancun Yucatan, Punta Cana and Buccaneer’s Creek, or the newly opened Club Med Québec Charlevoix, continues through April 13. Clients will also receive perks including complimentary checked luggage, room upgrades at select resorts, no single supplement, and free stays for children under four. Blackout dates apply and offers require a one-night minimum.

The “Sweet Side of Summer” promotional campaign invites travellers to visit St. Kitts and Nevis to save at participating hotels in the islands. The promo is for travel May 1-Sept. 5 and includes such offers as a fifth night free and breakfast for two at the Park Hyatt St. Kitts and three nights free when four are booked at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino. See all the offers .

TOURS

Goway is expanding its Middle East travel options with the launch of travel products in Qatar. The tour company has long offered Qatar Airways and is now extending its offerings to include vacation packages throughout Qatar, one of the world’s emerging destinations, which will fall under the global spotlight in December when it hosts the 2022 FIFA World Cup (although product will not be offered during the tournament). Goway notes that Qatar is an ideal stopover option enroute to vacations in the Maldives, South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt, among other destinations.

Clients can save up to 10% off in destinations throughout South America when booking a Collette package departing in in early 2023 (Jan-April). The offer is valid through April 30.

HOTELS

The infamous Trump International Hotel in Washington DC – the historic former Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue – has been sold in a US $375 million deal that will see it re-branded as a Waldorf Astoria.

This year marks a major milestone for Kempinski Hotels as the company prepares to celebrate its 125th birthday. After its beginnings as a family-run wine merchant and restaurant business in 1897, Kempinski today manages a collection of 80 elegant hotels, resorts, and residences in 34 countries around the world, with another 26 projects under development from Brazil to Beijing. To commemorate the occasion, the company has launched the dedicated website kempinski-125.com to introduce its 125 Anniversary Special: a collection of offers that include discounts of up to 25% on hotel stays through Sept. 30.

RESORTS

A new weekly video series, “Behind The Sandals Badge,” debuted April 7 and will continue with a new release weekly. Featuring the entire Canadian sales team for Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, the series, hosted by Lorna Richards, National Training Manager, Unique Vacations Canada, will reveal team members through intimate and personal conversations. The videos can be accessed exclusively through the “Unique Vacations Canada Loves Travel Advisors” Facebook page.

The AMR Collection reports that equipment and product delivery shortages have led to “unforeseeable and unpreventable delays” in the completion of its Secrets Impression Moxché resort, in Playa Del Carmen, Mexcio, which will now open Aug. 1.

CRUISE

Carnival Cruise Line says the one-week period of March 28-April 3 was its busiest booking week in the company’s history, showing a double-digit increase from the previous record seven-day booking total.

Guests aboard Disney Cruise Line will be immersed in the stories of their favourite toys, monsters, and heroes during the all-new Pixar Day at Sea aboard special sailings from January to March 2023 on the Disney Fantasy, departing Port Canaveral, Fla. Featuring one-of-a-kind experiences, the day-long celebration on select seven-night voyages will bring to life the beloved tales of “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “The Incredibles,” “Finding Nemo” and more. Themed dining, character encounters, dance parties, and a theatrical musical experience await on this fun-filled day at sea that culminates with a gala deck party of incredible proportions.

CARS

Hertz is planning to buy up to 65,000 electric vehicles from Swedish premium electric car maker Polestar over the next five years as it looks to boost its electric vehicle rental fleet. The vehicles are expected to be available in Europe in the spring and in North America and Australia later this year. The announcement comes more than five months after Hertz said that it will buy 100,000 electric vehicles from Tesla.

ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, an all-new family-thrill coaster, launches May 27 at EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The first-of-its-kind attraction will also open with the new Wonders of Xandar pavilion at EPCOT as part of the theme park’s multi-year transformation.

FAMS & INCENTIVES

Through April 17, travel agents can play TravelBrands’ ‘spin to win’ game where they can receive up to 100,000 Loyalty Rewards Points. Agents will earn an invitation to spin the wheel on all eligible bookings. Offers include 2% bonus commission on car rentals and Exotik Journeys bookings to Belize, while cruise bookings earn an extra $50 commission. To play Spring2Win, travel agents must make a new booking with a minimum net value of $100 per component before taxes. Eligible products include air-inclusive packages, hotels, car rentals, add-ons, Sunquest and TravelGenie packages, and Exotik Journeys. Four days after the booking is made, an invitation to play will be sent.

EVENTS

Today: ACTA will hold a virtual advocacy town hall at 1 p.m. today (April 11) to share analysis and action plans following last week’s federal budget. The virtual event is open to travel agencies, travel agents, and independent travel agents. ACTA will be joined by senior leaders at WestJet who will provide attendees with an update on the airline. To register, click .

Walt Disney World Florida, has a 50th Anniversary Celebration webcast coming up on April 12 and 20. To register click HERE

And for the latest developments at Disneyland Resort in California, there’s a webcast also on April 12 and 20. To Register click HERE

Both webcasts are available in French and English.

PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS

Direct Travel, Inc. has selected Sherry Saunders to lead the account management teams for both its Canada East and West regions. Saunders will serve as Sr. VP, Client Management and focus on client services, retention and strategy, managing a varied portfolio of both Canadian and global accounts for one of North America’s largest travel management companies.

Air Canada’s Audrey Tanguay Beaudette with Zach Fyne and Taylor Hartman,  Utah Office of Tourism

DESTINATIONS

Utah tourism execs are over the moon that Air Canada is preparing to return to the state this summer after a five-year absence. Representatives of both organizations (photo) shared the news of the thrice-weekly service between YYZ and Salt Lake City starting June 2 at media event in Toronto last week. Dubbed “Forever Mighty,” the theme of the event was sustainable tourism, including promoting responsible visitation, off-season trip planning, and encouraging visitors to explore beyond classic Utah destinations, such as its popular state and national parks.

The Tower of London will present a new face this summer when it is encircled by millions of flowers to help celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. This spring, 20 million carefully selected seeds are being sown in the Tower’s famous moat, creating a vibrant sea of flowers – dubbed “Superbloom” – which will continuously evolve from June to September, changing colours and patterns throughout the summer. Historic Royal Palaces also plans to host smaller floral displays across its other sites – including at Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, and Hillsborough Castle, to mark the Jubilee.

Send info to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Madison Restaurant on Favourite Wine Places Around the World

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Madison Restaurant on Favourite Wine Places Around the World - TOP25VINEYARDS.com - TRAVELINDEXBangkok, Thailand, April 9, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Madison Restaurant at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel has been selected to join the exclusive Star Wine List of more than 1,500 great wine bars and wine restaurants in over thirty countries. The selections on Star Wine List are made by a team of wine professionals around the world and venues cannot apply to be included on the list.

• Discover the World’s Best Vineyards at TOP25Vineyards.com

Madison sports a wine and Champagne collection of more than 200 labels with a wide range of go-to crowd-pleasers as well as low-intervention boutique producers. The Tony Chi-designed contemporary steakhouse’s extensive wine list was curated by the luxury hotel’s first female Head Sommelier and Thailand’s Best Sommelier 2019, Ms Nutawan Jumpanak (Khun Nuch).

Khun Nuch continuously strives to increase the complexity of the list to represent all regions of wine producing countries, offering diners a selection that ranges from very approachable, reasonably priced wines to high-end varietals. “I am especially proud of our collection of biodynamic and sustainable wines from lesser-known boutique producers”, she said.

Commenting on the inclusion of Madison Restaurant on the Star Wine List, Ms Liora Levi, top sommelier professional and Star Wine List’s Ambassador Manager, said that the list offers a diverse selection of wines from all corners of the world. “You can find everything from a lovely Japanese white, through both traditional and untraditional rosés and sparkling to a classic list of both French and Italian reds with lots of exciting not so classical additions from many other places in the world. Nice prices and some truly good buys”, she concluded.

Madison is in the Parichart Court at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel and is open for lunch daily from 12h00 to 14h30 and for dinner Monday through Saturday from 18h00 to 22h30.

• Discover the World’s Best Vineyards at TOP25Vineyards.com

About Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
Anantara is a luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, connecting them to genuine places, people and stories through personal experiences, and providing heartfelt hospitality in the world’s most exciting destinations. The collection of distinct, thoughtfully designed luxury hotels and resorts provides a window through which to journey into invigorating new territory, curating personal travel experiences.

From cosmopolitan cities to desert sands to lush islands, Anantara connects travellers to the indigenous, grounds them in authentic luxury, and hosts them with passionate expertise. The portfolio currently boasts over 40 stunning hotels and resorts located in Thailand, Maldives, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles, Mozambique, Zambia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, Hungary and Italy, with a pipeline of future properties across Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Corporate Travel Showing Strong Signs of Recovery

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Corporate Travel Showing Strong Signs of Recovery - TRAVELINDEXDelhi, India, April 9, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Corporate travel is showing strong signs of recovery, according to Madhavan Menon, Managing Director Thomas Cook (India) Group, who was the first speaker in Sabre’s new virtual insights series.

Speaking as part of the Sabre Ascent series, Mr Menon said that for the month of March 2022, Thomas Cook (India) is seeing a domestic corporate travel recovery of around 70% of pre-pandemic levels, with international corporate travel starting to follow the same trajectory.

His comments mirror latest figures released by Sabre in its filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which providing updated recovery figures for the period of March 1 to 28 compared to the same period in 2019. The Sabre filing said: “While domestic and leisure bookings have continued to lead the recovery, international and corporate bookings have improved at an accelerating rate since January 2022. We expect the March 2022 recovery versus the same period for both international and corporate bookings to be at their highest levels since the pandemic started.”

During the first ever Sabre Ascent session, Mr Menon also told Jaya Kumar K, Vice President and Managing Director, Sabre Bengaluru GCC that he expects technology to play a “far greater role” in corporate travel as business travellers expect increased, targeted information to help them navigate travel in a COVID-19 world as well as a much more personalized approach.

Mr Menon said that Sabre is “leading this crusade of evolving technology in the travel industry, and that is not something which should be underestimated” because his company would not have made so much progress without global distribution technology.

The webinar also addressed the challenges and opportunities brought about by the pandemic as well as the evolution of domestic tourism, new trends in personalization, whether sustainability is top of mind moving through the pandemic, and the evolving demands of travellers in this new age of travel.

Looking back at the pandemic, Mr Menon said: “What was initially seen as a challenge actually turned out to be an opportunity. I don’t think any of us had faced a challenge of this kind, but there was a realization you’re not alone and everybody is facing the same problem. The last two years has given us the opportunity to re-set.”

He said that Thomas Cook (India) had re-sized out of necessity, carried out back-end integration, and upgraded its technology to create a more customer-centric focus. “This journey we are taking at Thomas Cook is moving from telling the customer what he or she should do on his holiday to the point where the customer chooses how he or she wants to go on holiday and how they want to interact with us,” he added. “The experience and access to information should be the same no matter how a customer comes to us.”

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

SUNx Malta 2nd Strong Earth Youth Summit

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SUNx Malta 2nd Strong Earth Youth Summit - TRAVELINDEXValletta, Malta, April 8, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / SUNx Malta will host its second Climate Friendly Travel Youth Summit on 29th April 2022. The ‘Strong Earth Youth Summit’ (SEYS) will feature top Tourism Climate Scientists, a renowned UN grass roots leader and sessions on building resilience to extreme weather events, meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and hitting Paris Agreement 2050 targets. The virtual event is in partnership with the Earth Council International, The European Centre for Peace & Development (ECPD), and Les Roches, International Hospitality School.

  • Celebrating 50 years of UN Climate Leadership
  • Youth Summit for tomorrow’s Climate Friendly Travel leaders
  • Celebrating Maurice Strong, Climate Activist 50 years ago

SEYS will focus on creating awareness of Climate Friendly Travel (CFT) and ways to build a resilient Travel & Tourism future.

Announcing the Youth Summit, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President of SUNx Malta, said:

“We are going beyond the Glasgow Declaration towards Real Zero GHG 2050, halving emissions by 2030 & building resilience now. Keynotes on the Climate Crisis by renowned Tourism Climate Scientists, Professors Daniel Scott (Canada) & Susan Becken (Australia). Professor Felix Dodds will speak on Climate Realities 50 years after the Stockholm Earth Summit. And there will be interventions from some of our top Climate Friendly Travel Diploma students.”

SEYS will again honour the vision and contribution of the late Maurice Strong, after whom the summit is named. Strong was the architect of the UN Sustainable Development and Climate Framework for half a century, co-founder of the Earth Charter and inspiration for SUNx Malta and its Climate Friendly Travel System.

“SEYS is our annual testimony to the legacy of Maurice Strong, Champion for the planet, bringing a sharp focus on the fact that we are running out of time. We must act now,” says Lipman.

To Register for SEYS please click here

All participants will receive electronic copies of the book “Remembering Maurice F. Strong” courtesy of ECPD and the Earth Charter launched by Strong and Mikhail Gorbachev.

About SUNx Malta
SUNx Malta is a not for profit, EU based, organisation, partnered with the government of Malta that has created a unique, low cost, system to help Travel & Tourism companies and communities transform to the New Climate Economy. The SUNx Malta “Green & Clean, Climate Friendly Travel System” is Action and Education focused – supporting today’s companies and communities to deliver on their proclaimed ambitions and encouraging tomorrow’s young leaders to prepare for rewarding careers across the sector.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

TAT Pushed the Workation Trend and Continues with the Workation Paradise Throughout Thailand

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The TAT Thailand Project is encouraging working & outing from anywhere to stimulate the domestic tourism market.

TAT Pushed the Workation Trend and Continues with the Workation Paradise Throughout ThailandThe Ministry of Tourism and Sports by Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) turned a new page of tourism by presenting a new style of tourism experience that suits the new normal age through a project named “Workation Paradise Throughout Thailand”, in order to encourage working & outing from anywhere. Workation Thailand’s core message is giving a chance to agencies or organizations to change their workplaces to anywhere— working and holding a meeting in a different environment. The change will provide the accommodation sector a chance to improve their services to support tourists’ freedom working style in choosing their desired workplaces. Together, we will open to a new experience, create inspiration, and fulfill happiness by traveling.

The Workation Paradise Throughout Thailand Project builds on a workation style of tourism based on the new normal tourism. It is the answer to tourism during the covid-19 situation that encourages tourists in Thailand to go on a trip on weekdays. It helps stimulate Thailand tourism market and encourages tourism entrepreneurs to adapt and improve their businesses, especially the accommodation businesses that will step into a new dimension of service; in order to meet nowadays’ demand of working and outing at the same time. This presentation of products and services will increase the opportunity to generate income in the tourism industry and improve Thailand tourism businesses to sustainably move forward, by cooperating with allies in the tourism industry to create various packages that best suit working and outing freely. The packages are available through an online channel on the website www.tourismthailand.org/workationthailand to conveniently access the products and services.

The packages are divided into 4 types as follow:

  1. Resort & Hotel Special Deal (weekdays accommodation and meeting place)
  2. CSR Outing / theme traveling
  3. Gastronomy / Luxury
  4. Special Deal / special interest trips

Not only that, but the Workation Paradise Throughout Thailand Project also joins hands with TRUE HEALTH to provide special deals to tourists who get special deals from the website. Get a chance to see a doctor for free on the Mor Dee application.

Moreover, the project also holds “The Best Workation Place” event which invites tourists to go workation and take a picture or video and post it on social media (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter) with #WorkationThailand and #WorkationParadise hashtags. Get a chance to win prizes worth 1,000,000 baht in total and go on a workation trip.

Entrepreneurs who are interested in presenting their packages or special deals on the website, or tourists who are interested in buying special deals and travel packages, please visit www.tourismthailand.org/workationthailand or contact Line: @workationthailand for more information.

Thai VietJet Successfully Launch First Flight Bangkok to Phnom Penh

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Thai VietJet Successfully Launch First Flight Bangkok to Phnom Penh - AIRLINEHUB.com - TRAVELINDEXPhnom Penh, Cambodia, April 7, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Thai VietJet successfully commenced the inaugural flight of its new international service between Bangkok and Phnom Penh, with the welcome event at Phnom Penh International Airport. The flight VZ720 from Bangkok was warmly welcomed with the presence of H.E Gen Mao Havanall, Minister in Charge of State Secretariat of Civil Aviation; H.E. Mr. Panyarak Poolthup, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Kingdom of Cambodia; Mr. Alain Brun, Chief Executive Officer of Cambodia Airports; and Mr. Sao Wathana, Director of Phnom Penh International Airport.

Mr. Woranate Laprabang, Chief Executive Officer of Thai VietJet, said: “After a long market’s service disruption from COVID-19, Thai VietJet is delighted to spread our wings with the international flight network expansion once again. By connecting the two Southeast Asian economic, cultural hubs, the successful launch of Thai VietJet’s new Phnom Penh – Bangkok service is yet another milestone in the airline’s regional connectivity efforts. We are confident that the new service will play an important role in bridging people between the two countries, as well as contributing to the revival of tourism and the overall development of the economy.”

Welcoming the maiden flight at the airport, Mr. Alain BRUN, Chief Executive Officer of Cambodia Airports, said: “In the last 3 months, after a pause due to the covid-19 pandemic and its impact on air travel, all international carriers operating flights linking Phnom Penh and Bangkok have been back in the network. Another sign of the recent traffic momentum is today’s introduction of service by Thai VietJet, a newcomer for this major route. Our airport teams explore any opportunities of regaining the pre-pandemic levels of traffic and, therefore, look forward to this nascent cooperation with Thai VietJet.”

In the beginning, the new international service Phnom Penh – Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) will operate 3 flights a week every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with the flight duration of 1 hour 10 minutes and following flight schedule, and more frequency could be added subject to market demand.

In addition to the new international service Phnom Penh – Bangkok, together with the Group’s network, Thai Vietjet has normalized schedule service between Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh city (Vietnam) of up to 5 flights/week in total, delivering great choice for travelers between the two countries. In the coming time, the airline expects to expand its international flight network to many more destinations in the Asia-pacific region, including Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, and more.

As the Fastest Growing Low-cost Carrier of the Year (by Global Business Outlook Magazine, London), Thai Vietjet has continuously expanded its flight network, both domestic and international. The carrier has thoroughly prepared for the resumption of regular international flights with new aviation products and affordable fares to offer its passengers safe and enjoyable flying experiences on new and modern aircraft. To ensure good flight experiences, passengers are advised to follow localities’ regulations on disease prevention and control, and immigration regulations of destination countries including vaccine passports, negative PCR tests, quarantine, accommodation, etc.

About Thai VietJet
Established in 2014, Thai VietJet has been cooperating with VietJet to extend its flight network and provide more opportunities for travelers to discover Thailand and many other countries with its hospitable and enjoyable service. With a focus on cost management ability, effective operations and performance, the airline offers flying opportunities with cost-saving and flexible fares as well as diversified services to meet customers’ demands.

Awarded ‘The Fastest Growing Low-cost Carrier of the 2020’ by Global Business Outlook Magazine, Thai VietJet has been continuously expanding its young and modern fleet, featuring Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. The airline has also recently been awarded the ‘Most Passenger-Friendly Cabin Crew – 2021’ airline from International Finance Magazine, emphasizing its position as the ‘airline of hospitality’, reinforcing its core value of ‘Friendly & Fun’, together with ‘Safety’, ‘Punctuality, and ‘Affordable Price’.

Currently, Thai VietJet operates 14 Thailand domestic routes, including flights from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ubon Ratchathani, and Surat Thani, cross-regional flights including from Phuket to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani, and direct flights from Hat Yai to Chiang Rai. The airline is also actively expanding its international flight network to many destinations across Asia-pacific, connecting Thailand with Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, and other top destinations in the region.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News