Global Travel News

BWH Hotels Expands in Vietnam with BW Premier Collection Hotel Quy Nhon

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BWH Hotels Expands in Vietnam with BW Premier Collection Hotel Quy Nhon - TRAVELINDEXQuy Nhon, Vietnam, November 29, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / BWH Hotels (BWH), the leading global hospitality network comprising WorldHotels, Best Western Hotels & Resorts and SureStay Hotels, has announced the signing of The Sailing Quy Nhon, BW Premier Collection by Best Western, a stunning new high-rise hotel that will introduce the company’s elevated standards of international hospitality to an exciting, up-and-coming destination on Vietnam’s central coast.

Perfectly positioned in the heart of Quy Nhon, the vibrant seafront city in Vietnam’s Binh Dinh province, this upscale hotel will comprise one tower (Tower A) of a new mixed-use development overlooking the ocean. Situated just moments from the beach, The Sailing Quy Nhon, BW Premier Collection will feature a full range of premium accommodations and amenities. Upon opening it is set to become one of the most prestigious places to stay in this rapidly emerging business and leisure destination.

With its iconic design, this project is set to become a new landmark in Quy Nhon. Visitors will be put on the doorstep of the city’s downtown offices and attractions, and the hotel will also be within easy reach of Binh Dinh’s natural and cultural wonders, including Hon Kho Island, Ky Co Beach, Ong Nui Temple, Thap Doi Towers and many more. Phu Cat Airport, which is just 30km away, offers regular flights to and from major cities in Vietnam, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

BW Premier Collection® by Best Western is a carefully-curated portfolio of exclusive and inspiring upscale hotels. Each property’s identity is unmistakably tied to its destination, reflecting the unique personality of each locale. From the lobby to the room, every detail is thoughtfully considered, creating memorable, sophisticated and superior guest experiences.

“We are delighted to complete the signing of The Sailing Quy Nhon, BW Premier Collection, which represents another key stage in our Vietnamese expansion strategy. Quy Nhon is a wonderful destination and a wonderful addition to our portfolio. Like all our franchised properties throughout Vietnam, The Sailing Quy Nhon will receive our full support to enable it to provide outstanding service to our guests from around the world,” said Olivier Berrivin, Vice President – APAC, BWH Hotels.

The Sailing Quy Nhon, BW Premier Collection joins BWH Hotel’s expanding portfolio of hotels and resorts in Vietnam, which currently comprises of five operating properties – Best Western Premier Sapphire Ha Long, Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, Best Western Premier Sonasea Villas Phu Quoc, Best Western Premier Marvella Nha Trang, and Caravelle Saigon, a member of the WorldHotels Elite – with many more in the pipeline.

For more information about BWH, please visit bwhhotels.com

About BWH Hotels
BWH Hotels is a leading, global hospitality enterprise comprised of three hotel companies, including WorldHotels™, Best Western® Hotels & Resorts and SureStay® Hotels. The global enterprise boasts approximately 4,300 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*. With 19 brands across every chain scale segment, from economy to luxury, BWH Hotels suits the needs of developers and guests in every market.

*Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Tourist-Triggered Emotions

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Tourist-Triggered Emotions - TRAVELNEWSHUB.comHow do tourists in your town make you feel? A study co-authored by Dr Shiqin Zhang, Dr Nan Chen and Professor Cathy H. C. Hsu of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University shows that Hong Kong natives have complex emotional responses to visitors from the mainland. The paper may help improve host–visitor relations in Hong Kong and abroad as tourist numbers pick up in the post-pandemic era. The study setting is particularly relevant as mainland Chinese tourists become more adventurous travellers.
The importance of emotions in tourism cannot be overstated. Improving our subjective state of mind, whether through joy, excitement or relaxation, is the essential goal of leisure travel. Notably, local populations in tourist areas play a key role in shaping visitors’ environment and in turn the emotional experiences of visitors. However, this is a two-way relationship that also depends on locals’ own disposition towards tourists.
Currently, research on hosts’ emotional responses to tourists lags behind the study of tourists’ emotions. To address this, tourism researchers need to not only broaden their scope but also learn from psychologists. “Emotion research in tourism as a whole”, say the researchers, “is still in its infancy compared to that in psychology”. They propose that hosts’ multi-layered emotional reactions arise from the interplay between desires and stereotypes.
As discussed in detail by the authors, we may not know our own emotions as well as we think. Befitting their role in both regulating behaviour and signalling thoughts, emotional responses are highly complex. For one thing, emotions consist of both mental components, such as cognitive appraisal, and physical components, such as physiological arousal. Thus, the researchers tell us, “combinations of various psychophysiological measures (e.g., EEG, EDA and facial expressions) and self-reports are strongly encouraged”.
Furthermore, some emotional reactions happen so quickly that they can evade conscious notice. This complicates the attempts to measure emotional reactions to tourist behaviour. As “a complex state that can be expressed through various channels”, the researchers note, emotion requires objective measurement techniques in addition to the subjective methods that are used in conventional tourism research.
Another way to classify emotions is based on explicit vs. implicit expression. As the researchers argue, “explicitly expressed emotions are more like cognitive or conscious responses toward triggers”. Such emotions, also described as “conscious”, “deliberate” or “reflective”, can be easily noticed and described by the subject, making them accessible to researchers using questionnaire or interview techniques.
In contrast, when we feel an implicit – or “automatic”, “spontaneous” or “raw” – emotion, we cannot control it and may even fail to observe it. Implicit responses can only be measured using real-time experimental methods such as pulse monitoring. This makes it problematic that “emotion research in tourism, even in marketing and psychology, has a long tradition of relying on self-report methods”, in the authors’ words.
Many psychologists recognise at least six basic emotions: anger, happiness, surprise, disgust, sadness and fear. Nonetheless, tourism researchers have often overlooked this diversity, instead measuring emotional responses on a simple two-dimensional scale of valence (positive/negative) and arousal (activated/non-activated). “While this approach is useful”, the authors write, “it hides the various roles of discrete emotions in tourism encounters”.
Social encounters, such as those between tourists and locals, may give rise to a rich set of emotions. These are likely to be deeply rooted in the cultural context of the host community and the socialisation of individual people. Given the rich social nature of host–tourist interactions, the SHTM team realised that “more efforts with full considerations of basic emotions combining implicit measures in a tourism context are needed”.
Hence, to objectively measure locals’ reactions to tourists, the researchers used facial expressions as cues. The study of faces to read emotional states is not only intuitive but has a scientific basis stretching back to Darwin. However, despite the variety of the human emotional palette, “the limited number of tourism studies that examined discrete emotions, unfortunately, only measured one or a few specific emotions”, the researchers tell us.
Facial expression analysis also avoids the social and psychological biases that bedevil self-reports. “Self-reported methods could have cognitive and social desirability bias and thus limit the understanding of emotions to those explicitly expressed”, the authors write. This is because we can simply deny feeling socially undesirable emotions, to others and even to ourselves.
However, we cannot fully suppress our facial micro-expressions, which give away information on how we react to our surroundings. Hence, if we conceal our feelings for the sake of social harmony, the implicit emotions showing on our faces may be more reliable than the explicit emotions we choose to report. Thus, due to the discrepancies caused by biases, research has validated implicit measures as “effective and necessary to complement self-reports”.
To get to the truth, the researchers recruited 14 Hong Kong residents who all identified fully or partly as “Hongkongese”. These participants were shown short (1–2 minute) video clips, presenting interactions between locals and mainland tourists, based on real anecdotes from a different set of Hongkongers. Three scenarios portrayed the tourists in a positive light, while the rest depicted various forms of unsocial behaviour, such as queue-jumping, loudness and a young child urinating in public.
As the participants watched the scenes (no more than three per person), their facial expressions were video-recorded to capture their implicit emotions. Using specialised software, the researchers analysed the subjects’ faces to determine their dominant emotion at each time point throughout the viewing. Afterwards, the viewers answered a survey on the intensity of their explicit emotional responses, and the researchers interviewed them to dig deeper into how they felt about the scenarios and why.
The results showed that the self-report method and facial analysis revealed different information. The self-report surveys and interviews were heavily outperformed by the software in measuring the participants’ happiness, sadness and anger. However, the self-report methods encountered no such difficulties with disgust, surprise and fear, “implying a higher consistency between the two approaches when identifying these three emotions compared with the others”.
These differences sometimes led to contrary outcomes. One older woman, watching tourists in a shop trying on cosmetics in a selfish and unhygienic way, showed a low intensity of all facial emotions. Afterwards, however, she reported having strongly felt sadness and disgust. If even specialist AI failed to register her displeasure from visual clues, one can imagine that real-life tourists would fail to realise how she felt. In the researchers’ words, “when tourists encounter this resident, they may not find her unfriendly or being offended”.
The study identified happiness, sadness and anger – revealed by facial expressions – as “desires-driven” emotions rooted in the unconscious mind. They are founded on an implicit expectation of good social outcomes. In contrast, disgust and surprise, which the participants revealed verbally after watching the clips, arise from the confirmation or violation of stereotypes about mainlanders. Negative emotions were amplified in the self-reports, such as when the older woman described the cosmetics shoppers as “selfish, self-centred, and arrogant”.
Hong Kong residents hold ambivalent views of mainland tourists, as revealed by verbal reports and face tracking. In the authors’ words, “facial expressions and words can tell different stories”. Given that emotions can drive behaviours, the authors suggest that the tourist board and media promote positive stereotypes of mainland Chinese to influence the explicit emotional reactions of locals during host–guest interactions. This study, the first of its kind, pushes forward tourism research towards a richer understanding of ways to boost harmonious relations.
Zhang, Shiqin, Chen, Nan, and Hsu, Cathy H. C. (2021). Facial Expressions Versus Words: Unlocking Complex Emotional Responses of Residents Toward Tourists. Tourism Management, Vol. 83, 104226.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Sustainable Tourism Observatories are Transforming the Sector

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Sustainable Tourism Observatories are Transforming the Sector - TRAVELINDEXMadrid, Spain, November 28, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Members of the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) have met to exchange insights on the importance of governance, participatory approaches and timely data in advancing sustainability in destinations.

Made up of leading destinations, members of the World Tourism Organization’s INSTO network are at the forefront of work to conceive and implement sustainable development practices at the ground level. These practices, which focus on inclusivity and making decisions based on evidence, are leading to a positive shift towards tourism development that is both resilient and inclusive.

Data-driven transformation

The meeting showcased the Observatories’ efforts in various measurement areas such as local satisfaction levels, destination carrying capacity, and environmental and social aspects of tourism. INSTO members emphasized the challenges they face in monitoring, underscoring the importance of reliable data obtained through partnerships with diverse providers. They also highlighted the selection of relevant indicators tailored to each destination’s specific needs, making it easier to compare between destinations.

The INSTO destinations emphasized the importance of timely and evidence-based policy actions that support the ongoing transformation of the tourism sector. Discussions centred around real-world examples and experiences from leading destinations as well as progress in the Measurement of Sustainable Tourism and One Planet initiatives and the efforts related to biodiversity climate action.

New Members welcomed

The INSTO network continues to expand, welcoming four new Observatories during this week’s meeting: Gifu Prefecture in Japan, Cali in the Valle de Cauca in Colombia, the Centro de Portugal, and the Atlantic Coast of Ireland. These destinations have demonstrated their work towards sustainable tourism through participatory approaches, evidence generation and transparency – essential requirements for INSTO membership. Additionally, three members have joined since the beginning of 2023: Yucatan and Tlaxcala in Mexico and the Monitoring Centre from the Batanes Islands in the Philippines, bringing the total INSTO membership to 42.

All INSTO members are committed to assessing the impact of tourism in 11 mandatory areas spanning economic, environmental and socio-economic dimensions. This commitment aligns with the new Measuring Sustainable Tourism (MST) framework UNWTO is developing, which goes beyond broad indicators such as GDP.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Phuket Welcomes World Sailors for Phuket King’s Cup Regatta

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Phuket Welcomes World Sailors for Phuket King’s Cup Regatta - VISITPHUKET.orgPhuket, Thailand, November 28, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Set against the azure seascape of Phuket, the prestigious Phuket King’s Cup Regatta returns from December 3th to 9th, 2023. A testament to the competitive spirit of sailing and a significant booster for Thailand’s sport tourism, the event, taking place at Beyond Resort Kata. One of Southeast Asia’s most prestigious international sporting events, the regatta is renowned for its perfect blend of high-calibre sailing and rich social experiences, contributing significantly to the local economy and tourism industry.

The event also underscores Thailand’s commitment to nurturing young talent with the Dinghy Series, especially through the Optimist Challenge for sailors under 15. Over five exhilarating days, participants and visitors can look forward to a series of races interwoven with cultural festivities and opportunities for community engagement, all set within Phuket’s breathtaking maritime backdrop.

The Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is not merely a competition but a celebration of Thailand’s marine splendour and a catalyst for cross-cultural camaraderie and exploration.

About the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta
Asia’s legendary yacht race under Royal Patronage was inaugurated in 1987 to celebrate the 60th birthday of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the event has been held during the first week of December. Under Royal Patronage, the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta is organized by the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the Province of Phuket.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

RETAIL ROUND-UP: Ensemble, TDC, TTAND, Amex GBT, TRAVELSAVERS

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In this week’s round-up, Ensemble was jamming with Jamaica, Marlin welcomed new agencies, Amex GBT lent a helping hand, TTAND went coast to coast, and TRAVELSAVERS was dining and dashing.

Ensemble

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) was voted the Tourism Board ‘Partner of the Year’ by Ensemble at the travel consortium’s annual Horizons conference in Las Vegas earlier this month.

“We have been shining the spotlight on luxury in Jamaica over the last year, and the JTB’s strategic partnership with Ensemble has played a significant role in our efforts to elevate the island’s high-end tourism products,” said Donovan White, Director of Tourism, JTB. “We are honoured to receive this recognition from our partners at Ensemble and look forward to continuing this special collaboration in 2024.”

Destination Jamaica representatives accepted the award on stage during a Moulin Rouge themed gala dinner and award show hosted at Paris Las Vegas (banner photo). The glamorous event was attended by more than 800 Ensemble travel agency owners, managers and advisors, along with tour operators, airline partners and other tourism industry stakeholders.

TDC

Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) has welcomed three agencies to the Marlin Travel banner. Anita Spier transitioned from her long-standing banner in Fonthill, Ont. to the Marlin Travel brand, with the 35-year travel industry stating, “The Marlin Travel brand is etched in people’s minds; it’s a brand they recognize and, most importantly, trust, as it has been a steadfast presence for many years.”

Also joining the fold was Yogesh Anand, who owns four travel agencies in Ontario and expanded his portfolio by opening a fourth Marlin Travel agency last spring in Mississauga, Ont. Meanwhile, John Fraser, proprietor of 11 Marlin Travel agencies primarily in British Columbia, recently inaugurated his 12th agency in St-Albert, Alberta, just outside Edmonton.

Dianne Jackson, the recently appointed Director of Franchisees and Affiliate Members for English Canada at TDC, underscores that “as a franchisor, TDC is committed to providing unwavering support to its Marlin Travel agency owners on both B2B and B2C fronts. This includes exclusive and lucrative programs, as well as a multitude of impactful marketing initiatives, such as our recent campaign highlighting our 5-star advisors, all designed to ensure agency owners are well-equipped to run their businesses effectively and to maintain high consumer awareness.”

TTAND

Flemming Friisdahl (top right) and TTAND colleagues

The Travel Agent Next Door recently concluded its largest ever series of roadshows across Canada from Halifax to Victoria during October with over 600 attending. The roadshows featured TTAND Founder Flemming Friisdahl and VP Agent Experience, Penny Martin, as well as other executives from the TTAND leadership team.

Friisdahl’s presentation included details on the enhanced website that is launching with technical improvements for responsive design; TTAND’s investment in increased search engine optimization and enhanced navigation for a better user experience.

TTAND also recently launched its fully bilingual website and TTAND now has a growing number of agents joining in Quebec.

Supplier partners that joined the shows this year were: Manulife, Globus Family of Brands, G Adventures, Collette and Oceania.

Amex GBT

American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) has joined Air Canada and other airline partners to help transport relief workers and emergency supplies to disaster areas around the globe. Through a new partnership with humanitarian relief organization Airlink, critical non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will be able to respond to emergencies more quickly and efficiently.

Airlink provides free transport for a vetted network of hundreds of NGOs and charities around the world, assisting communities in the aftermath of disasters. Going forward, many of the complex travel bookings will be managed by Amex GBT travel counsellor volunteers supporting the company’s social impact travel desk. The partnership is expected to be operational in early 2024.

“We believe that travel powers progress, and one of the best examples is moving people when it matters most,” says Evan Konwiser, Amex GBT’s Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer. “We’re backing our beliefs with actions and partnerships and are excited to launch this new initiative with Airlink to support communities in times of crisis.”

The company joins Air Canada, a platinum Airlink partner, in its response to disasters and other humanitarian crises here at home and abroad. The airline recently worked with Airlink to respond to British Columbia’s devastating wildfires, as well as the transportation of relief workers providing medical care, food, clean water, and other essentials to Ukrainian refugees.

TRAVELSAVERS

TRAVELSAVERS Canada recently wrapped up its Dine & Discover event series in Toronto, spotlighting new partners to showcase its growth. Held at Parkview Manor, more than 100 people attended the event, with over 30 local agencies represented and 18 preferred partners, including new partners Air Transat, Expedia TAAP, and Club Med.

Jane Clementino, SVP and General Manager of TRAVELSAVERS, kicked off the evening with an update on TRAVELSAVERS, speaking to the expansion of its team, the double-digit increases in all segments in 2023 and sales goals for 2024. Additionally, Clementino highlighted the growth of the Affluent Traveler Collection, OnLocation Program and the VIP Cruise Program, and the consortium’s expanding roster of preferred suppliers.

During the dinner, presenters from TravelBrands, Holland America Line, Air Transat and Collette provided updates on their newest products and upcoming offers.

“We are thrilled with the record-breaking agency support at the Dine & Discover events,” said

Clare Burke, Marketing Manager at TRAVELSAVERS. “Our networking events offer our affiliates the opportunity to reconnect with other TRAVELSAVERS members and learn more about our new preferred partners. We would like to thank our preferred partners for their commitment.”

Attendees also heard that KORE, a comprehensive online travel training program, will be launched in Canada in December.

In total, over 200 advisors attended the fall Dine & Discover event series in Toronto, Burnaby, BC, and Quebec City, representing over 70 agencies.

In 2024, TRAVELSAVERS will expand on its training and events program with Dine & Discover events across the country.

First published at Travel Industry Today

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Welcomes Festive Season

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Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Welcomes Festive Season- TRAVELNEWSHUB.comHANOI, Vietnam (Nov. 29, 2023) — Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is transforming into a winter wonderland with a spectacle of lights this Christmas season.

Drawing inspiration from Tchaikovsky’s enchanting “Waltz of the Flowers” from The Nutcracker, this year’s festive theme, “A Waltz of the Lights,” is animated with over a million sparkling lights and candles, a distinctive 15-meter Christmas tree gracing Le Balcon adorned with ornaments and a delightful army of nutcrackers, bringing timeless French sophistication, attention to detail and joie de vivre.

Throughout the Christmas and New Year season, Vietnam’s most storied hotel will host special dining events at the award-winning modern French fine dining restaurant Le Beaulieu, and at Le Club Bar (home to the hotel’s famed Afternoon Tea and evening jazz), angelina (cocktail bar, whisky lounge and rustic European and New World restaurant), and the newly renovated modern Vietnamese restaurant Spice Garden.

Christmas Eve: Four special Christmas Eve dinners and a Sunday Brunch are on offer at the Metropole on Dec. 24, with prices ranging from VND 3 million to VND 5.2 million.

o         7-course fine dining Christmas Eve Dinner at Le Beaulieu

o         Christmas Sunday Brunch at Le Beaulieu

o         6-course Christmas Eve Dinner at angelina

o         Christmas Eve Buffet at Le Club Bar

o         5-course Christmas Eve Vietnamese Dinner at Spice Garden

Christmas Day: On Dec. 25 the hotel will host brunch and a series of dinners at its restaurants, ranging in price from VND 2.8 million to 4.5 million.

o         6-course fine dining Christmas Day Dinner at Le Beaulieu

o         Christmas Day Brunch at Le Beaulieu

o         4-course Christmas Day Dinner at angelina

o         4-course Christmas Day Dinner at Le Club Bar

o         Christmas Day BBQ Buffet at Spice Garden

New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31, 2023): With prices ranging from VND 3.3 million to 5.9 million, gala dinners and countdown parties will be the order of the evening as the world prepares to usher in 2024, including:

o         9-course New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner at Le Beaulieu

o         7-course New Year’s Eve Dinner at angelina

o         New Year’s Eve Buffet at Le Club Bar

o         New Year’s Eve BBQ Buffet at Spice Garden

o         New Year’s Eve Countdown at Bamboo Bar (from 10.30 pm; table packages from VND 5.5 million)

o         New Year’s Eve Countdown at angelina (from 11 pm; table packages from VND 5.5 million)

New Year’s Day (Jan. 1, 2024): Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi’s culinary team helps kick off the New Year with a special brunch and an exclusive New Year’s Day family barbecue.

o          New Year’s Day Champagne Brunch at Le Beaulieu

o          New Year’s Day BBQ Buffet at Spice Garden

A rejuvenating spa experience is exclusively designed for the festive season at Le Spa du Metropole with an exquisite 1.5-hour Thai foot massage and made-to-order facial for VND 3.9 million net.

Accor Plus members receive a 10% price reduction for all events. The 10% reduction cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions. All prices exclude 5% service charge and applicable government value added taxes. There is no charge for children under 6 years of age. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 receive a 50% reduction, while children 12 and older will be charged as adults.

Traditional festive hampers are also now available at Metropole Hanoi featuring homemade and imported gourmet products. The hotel’s delicatessen and bakery, L’Epicerie, is offering a range of special holiday gifts, such as its celebrated Buche de Noel (Christmas log cake), Santa Claus chocolate and panettone, along with turkey, caviar, Joselito ham, Les Frères Marchand cheeses and so much more.

ABOUT SOFITEL LEGEND METROPOLE HANOI

A prominent fixture in the heart of Hanoi since 1901, the Hotel Metropole Hanoi has a long tradition as a luxury venue for prestigious events and a popular rendezvous for business and leisure travelers such as playwrights, ambassadors and heads of state. The recipient of numerous international awards for its fine service, this legendary landmark has contributed to the richness of local heritage.

The hotel includes 364 rooms that are divided into two wings – the historical Heritage Wing and the neo-classical Opera Wing. There are three legendary suites that are named after famous residents and visitors to the hotel (Graham Greene, Charlie Chaplin, Somerset Maugham).

The Metropole restaurants and bars are all famous dining venues, each offering a different exotic experience: Le Beaulieu has the best French fare in this corner of the world; Spice Garden offers elevated Vietnamese cuisine with a contemporary twist; angelina is Hanoi’s bespoke bar-lounge-restaurant; La Terrasse brings Parisian style to the sidewalks of Hanoi; Le Club Bar treats guests to its famous afternoon high tea and cool jazz performances; and, finally, Bamboo Bar brings poolside lounging to the next level.

ABOUT SOFITEL LEGEND

Sofitel Legend is an illustrious selection of heritage luxury hotels where the best of past and present converge. Set within beautiful and culturally rich destinations, each legendary retreat is both timeless and elegant, delivering lavish settings, renowned restaurants and modern comforts matched with impeccable service for the ultimate luxury experience. Noble, rare and soulful, Sofitel Legend hotels entice worldly travelers who are all drawn to these beloved places of grandeur for their storied past, architectural beauty, sweeping vistas and enchanting ambience. Sofitel Legend is part of Accor, a world-leading hospitality group consisting of approximately 5,500 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX ADDS NEW CANADIAN MEMBERS

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Relais & Châteaux has added 27 new members to its list of unique hotels and restaurants for 2023 and two of them are Canadian: pioneering Fogo Island Inn (Newfoundland), and Restaurant La Tanière3 (Rue Saint-Pierre, Old Quebec).

Established in 1954, the R&C consists of 580 establishments in 65 countries that are owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs (most often families) “who are passionate about their craft and deeply committed to forging warm, lasting relationships with their guests.”

Moreover R&C espouses a mandate “to protect and promote the wealth and diversity of the world’s culinary and hospitality traditions, to ensure they continue to thrive. They are equally dedicated to preserving local heritage and the environment.

It adds, “We believe the most meaningful sense of hospitality invites guests to discover the world in profoundly beautiful ways. As such, the standards we set for the association are subtle, sophisticated, and based on emotion. This approach enables guests to truly savor their stay and to treasure its memory.”

Here’s R&C’s (lightly edited) assessment of its newest Canadian members, which bring the number of members in this country to 21 (10 hotels, 11 restaurants):

Relais & Châteaux Fogo Island Inn

• 29 rooms (including 6 suites)
• Full Board rates starting at CDN$2,989 per night
• Gourmet restaurant seats: 30

Fogo Island is the type of place you can’t believe but always hoped existed. The island sits off the northeast coast of Newfoundland and welcomes travellers seeking to reconnect with wild nature and themselves. During full board stays of a minimum of three nights guests can discover the riches of a unique and unspoiled environment through unforgettable adventure activities and cultural experiences. The Inn is a global example of a true regenerative model. Built on the principles of sustainability, it also returns 100% of its operating surpluses to Shorefast, a Canadian charity whose work focuses on community economic development on Fogo Island.

Everything at the Inn has been carefully considered, from the architecture of the building, designed by Newfoundland-born, Norway-based Todd Saunders, to the furniture and colourful furnishings which combine to create a refined oasis of comfort and contemporary style. Overlooking the powerful Atlantic Ocean, the rooms’ floor to ceiling windows allow you to enjoy the magical scenery offered by each of the seven seasons that punctuate the year on the island.

All guests can discover more about the island’s history and culture, as well as visit art and artisan spaces through an orientation with a local Community Host. Chef Timothy Charles’ menu is an expression of the local seasonal foodways, with 80 percent of the ingredients locally sourced. Guests can savour refined dishes in the elegant dining room, as whales breach the surface of the waves, or icebergs drift past. Fogo Island Inn is a destination at the end of the world that you’ll find difficult to leave.”

La Tanière3

La Tanière3

• Seats 50
• Tasting menu (CDN$235) + wine pairings (from 115)

In the centre of Old Quebec City, between the Saint Lawrence River and Place Royale, a destination steeped in history awaits. Built in 1686, the vaulted cellars of the Leber and Charest buildings, among the oldest in the city, now house a gastronomic restaurant which has put la Belle Province on the map for journeying gourmets. Welcome to Relais & Châteaux La Tanière3, the experimental and sensory retreat of chef François-Emmanuel Nicol. Dedicated to promoting local terroir, he works exclusively with local, seasonal ingredients. No imported products, except wine, are on the menu–only the finest Quebecois and Canadian produce are served.

The chef enjoys highlighting little-known products from the region, such as caviar from Lake Saint-Pierre, small cherry tree bark, native plants from Quebec and even Paw Paw, a little-known fruit native to North America with a taste reminiscent of mango. Fans of classic cooking should prepare themselves: surprises are the order of the day.

Two dining experiences are on offer: the first in the elegant dining room with its captivating decor, the second at the Comptoir-Chef (Chef’s Counter), where diners get a front-row seat to watch the kitchen at full swing. In both cases, a tasting menu accompanied by wine – all designed around a rich and aromatic palette–transports guests to the heart of Quebec. With such cuisine dedicated to the preservation of local culinary heritage, it may feel difficult to leave this special ‘lair’ (the translation of ‘tanière).

Laurent Gardinier, President of Relais & Châteaux, stated, “The new members that have joined us in 2023 demonstrate the dynamism of our network as well as our ongoing effort to consolidate the quality and diversity of the guest experience within our properties,” says. “We all share the same vision: to make the world a better place through food and hospitality.”

First published at Travel Industry Today

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Growing Wine Tourism for Inclusion and Sustainability

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Growing Wine Tourism for Inclusion and Sustainability - TOP25VINEYARDS.comLa Rioja, Spain, November 27, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / The UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism has been held for the first time in La Rioja, one of the world’s leading wine tourism destinations, with the focus placed firmly on inclusion and sustainability for local communities and territories.

Paving the way towards inclusive growth, especially in rural areas, requires clear policies and a commitment to embracing digital transformation and innovation. Recognizing this, the Conference brought together key stakeholders and leaders from across the growing wine tourism sector to address priorities including education, skills development and the effective use of data.

Unlocking Excellence in Wine Tourism

The 7th edition of the UNWTO conference welcomed thought-leaders from both emerging and established wine destinations, including Argentina, Armenia, Chile, France, Germany, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and the United States of America. As well as celebrating the growing interest in wine tourism, the event made clear the challenges for building more competitive destinations and transforming demand into economic growth and social inclusion. Over two days, workshops and masterclasses focused on:

Skills development and a better understanding of the impacts and trends of wine tourism were identified as crucial elements to create value and promote wine regions, ultimately enhancing their competitiveness.

With the impact of climate change affecting the sector, experts debated how to progress sustainability in wine tourism as well and progress digitalization for better processes. Participants discussed the need to harmonise data collection, the use of new data sources and innovative strategies for expanding new products, outreach on social media, utilizing cutting-edge digital tools, and leveraging new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, to create knowledge and a seamless experience.

Inclusion and sustainability: Creating partnerships for growth 

Navigating the complex network of stakeholders in wine tourism, the event also put the spotlight on the importance of having national and local wine tourism strategies while fostering the debate on new, innovative forms of collaboration. A series of masterclasses allowed participants from over 40 countries to exchange and expand their knowledge on the links of wine tourism with gastronomy, arts and culture, communication and branding, new technologies, product development and sustainability.

During the closing ceremony, La Rioja handed over the symbolic amphora to Armenia, marking the country’s status as the next host for the 8th UNWTO Global Conference on Wine Tourism in 2024.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Holds Executive Training Programme for Asia Pacific

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UNWTO Holds Executive Training Programme for Asia Pacific - TOURISMMEKONG.comDanang, Vietnam, November 27, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO welcomed high-level officials from the Tourism Administrations of 19 countries as it put the focus on navigating human resource development challenges in tourism in a post-pandemic world.

The 17th UNWTO Executive Training Programme for Asia and the Pacific (Danang, Vietnam, 13-16 November 2023) set a new benchmark for human resource development in the tourism sector for the region, emphasizing the urgent need for innovation, collaboration, and sustainability.

HR and the tourism of tomorrow

Organised in collaboration with Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, the support of Duy Tan University and the sponsorship of the government of the Republic of Korea, the training event featured four sessions, each focused on a key issue around education for the tourism of tomorrow. These included a shift in consumer expectations and its impact on HRD; upskilling and reskilling and digital adaptability; and building greater resilience to crisis.

Across the four days, experts presented and shared valuable experiences on training, hiring, and post-pandemic recovery strategies. In turn, delegates demonstrated a keen interest in tackling post-pandemic challenges and common HR development issues prevalent in developing countries. In particular, Member States agreed that the increasing competition for talent highlights a mismatch between what the sector can currently offer and employee expectations in the post-pandemic era.

The discussions also underscored the importance of adapting to emerging megatrends in technology; talent acquisition and retention; the importance of soft skills like critical analysis, problem solving, and teamwork in tourism education. At the same time, the event explored strategies for making destinations more resilient and how climate change can be a catalyst for job creation, including through adaptation and mitigation strategies, showcasing the dynamic and evolving nature of the sector.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

British Couple Triathletes Champions at 29th Laguna Phuket Triathlon

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British Couple Triathletes Champions at 29th Laguna Phuket Triathlon - TRAVELINDEX - VISITPHUKET.orgPhuket, Thailand, November 25, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / The Laguna Phuket Triathlon 2023, Southeast Asia’s longest-running final competition, concluded on November 19, 2023, at the integrated lifestyle destination of Laguna Phuket on Phuket Island. With over 1,000 Thai and international triathletes representing 30 countries, the event created a vibrant and enjoyable phenomenon, showcasing Phuket’s potential as a world-class sports event destination. Once again, it demonstrated to the world the allure of organizing top-tier sports events in the picturesque setting of Phuket.

The competition kicks off at 6:30 a.m. with the commencement of the Triathlon, featuring men’s and women’s pros. Following this, the sprint triathlon and duathlon participants dive into the Andaman Sea at Bang Tao Beach for the swimming leg.

Triathlon competitors face challenging stages, conquering a 1.8-kilometer swim in the Andaman Sea and lagoon, a rigorous 55-kilometer cycling route navigating mountain trails, and a demanding 12-kilometer run within Laguna Phuket. All races conclude at Laguna Grove, with the cut-off for each distance set at approximately 12:30 p.m.

In the men’s category this year, the victorious athlete was “Max Stapley,” the British triathlete, marking his debut in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon. He claimed the top spot by completing the race with an impressive time of 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 53 seconds. Securing the second position was “Max Studer” from Switzerland, finishing in 2 hours, 34 minutes, and 09 seconds, while the third-place finish went to “Anthony Costes” from France, recording a time of 2 hours, 35 minutes, and 32 seconds.

In the women’s division, the title of champion was claimed by “Kate Waugh” from the United Kingdom, securing victory in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon. She completed the challenging course in 2 hours, 46 minutes, and 04 seconds. The second position was earned by “Julie Derron” from Switzerland, finishing the race in 2 hours, 47 minutes, and 45 seconds, while the third spot was secured by “Sophie Malowiecki” from Australia, posting a time of 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 12 seconds.

In the midst of a strong representation by Thai triathletes in this year’s competition, Thanadol Wisarutsin, an 18-year-old from the Thai national team and the youngest competitor, secured the Thai championship with an impressive time of 2 hours, 51 minutes, and 51 seconds. Meanwhile, Jaray Jearanai, the Thai championship 11 times, completing the race in an impressive 2 hours, 53 minutes, and 33 seconds. Another noteworthy participant was “Tao-Somchai Khemglad,” a favorite from the teenage era in the ’90s. Making his debut in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, he impressively conquered the challenge. This accomplishment marks a significant milestone, fulfilling his dream of participating in a premier global triathlon program.

Mr. Paul Wilson, Vice President and Deputy Managing Director of Laguna Phuket said, “We extend our congratulations to the triumphant triathletes of this year’s championship. Our heartfelt thanks go to all participants, across various sectors, for their dedicated contributions that culminated in the success of the 29th Laguna Phuket Triathlon, showcasing a splendid victory for Phuket, Thailand. This achievement mirrors the unity and spirit of community efforts, paving the way for the continued growth and success of the Laguna Phuket Triathlon in the years ahead. We invite everyone to anticipate its return, promising that its 30th year will undoubtedly be grander than ever.”

The Laguna Phuket Triathlon” is renowned worldwide as Southeast Asia’s longest-running and most successful triathlon event. Over the years, it has attracted a multitude of highly skilled triathletes from various corners of the globe.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News