Global Travel News

World Tourism Day 2023 to Emphasize Investments for a Sustainable Future

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World Tourism Day 2023 to Emphasize Investments for a Sustainable Future - TRAVELINDEX - UNWTORiyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 26, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / The stage is set for World Tourism Day 2023, with the global sector to come together around them theme of Tourism and Green Investments.

In what is set to be the biggest celebration to date, the official celebrations will be held of 27 September in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At UNWTO’s Member States will mark the occasion in every region through a range of special events and programmes.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “Tourism has never been more important for our economies or for our societies. Its potential is enormous. And so on this World Tourism Day, we celebrate tourism’s ability to drive growth while also highlighting the vital need for investments to ensure such growth is inclusive and sustainable.”

Tourism has never been more important for our economies or for our societies

Tourism and Green Investments

On World Tourism Day 2023, UNWTO will place the emphasis on Tourism and Green Investments. The day will focus on the importance of:

  • Investment for People (by investing in education and skills),
  • For Planet (by investing in sustainable infrastructure and accelerating green transformation)
  • For Prosperity (by investing in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship).

In Riyadh, UNWTO will present its Global Tourism Investment Framework and hold a series of high-level panels focusing on the challenges and opportunities surrounding investment in tourism. The official World Tourism Day celebrations will also see the winners of the inaugural UNWTO Women in Tech Startup Competition for the Middle East announced.

From Riyadh to the World

World Tourism Day is set to be the biggest celebration so far. UNWTO will welcome representatives from more than 100 of its Member States, including more than 50 Ministers of Tourism. Joining them will be high-level representatives from tourism’s private sector, both from the Middle East region and globally.

World Tourism Day

The first World Tourism Day was held in 1980. As the Global Day of Observance for tourism, it offers a chance to celebrate the sector’s vital role in advancing peace and prosperity and UNWTO’s global regions take turns in hosting the official celebrations, always around a timely and relevant theme.

The date of 27 September marks the day the Statutes of the Organization that became UNWTO were signed.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

MSC IS BACK AND TAKING CANADA BY STORM

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MSC Cruises celebrated its return to Canada after four years with a series of visits by travel advisors in Saint John, NB; Charlottetown; and Halifax last week as it heads into the fall season for a series of cruises in the Maritime region on return itineraries out of New York.

Travel Industry Today accompanied close to three dozen New Brunswick agents in St. John for a visit of the MSC Meraviglia, which included lunch and a presentation by MSC Business Development Manager Tammy Thompson during the ship inspection.

“Agents tell us, you’re coming out of nowhere,” Thompson said, but she noted that MSC is the third largest cruise line in the world and one that notably “owns the Med.”

A cargo giant, family-owned MSC entered the leisure cruise business in 2003 and has been growing ever since, and will boast 23 ships by 2026. After introducing the Euribia in June, next up is the MSC World America, due to launch in April in 2025.

The fastest-growing cruise line in the world, the MSC fleet currently sails around the globe (except the two poles) and counts a growing presence in the Persian Gulf region – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar – among its unique attributes.

There are also “Grand Voyages” of 10 to 30-night duration, and featuring 80 ports in 2022-23, plus a “World” cruises. In 2025, the global voyage, aboard the MSC Magnifica will visit 50 destinations on four continents over the course of 116 nights.

As such, MSC’s presence is certainly registering with consumers, Thompson says, with inquiries to its call centre demonstrating an increasing level of knowledge and sophistication.

Nevertheless, she says, MSC’s mission continues to be to “get on the radar” in Canada, adding, “we’re the new boys in North America, but were really growing.”

Meraviglia

MSC Meraviglia

And that’s especially good news for Atlantic Canada, where the 5,642-passenger Meraviglia will sail 10- and 11-day itineraries this Fall in the region – and return next April-May and again in Fall, 2024, thereby benefitting local communities along the coast as passengers spend at local restaurants and shops, and book local shore excursions.

Research has shown that the combined economic benefit from cruise ships in Halifax and Sydney is more than $225 million annually, more than $68 million a year in Saint John, and $42.4 million in Charlottetown (and the Island) over a 12-month period.

Ian Patterson, Country Manager, MSC Cruises Canada, says, “The return of MSC Meraviglia to Eastern Canada after four years is a cause for celebration. Our guests will be able to enjoy experiencing the beauty and the tranquility found in the region and we believe the sailings will benefit the local economies of the ports and local destinations that the ship will visit.”

Thompson believes the cruise line’s Canadian office similarly shows a statement of intent by MSC in the Canadian market (it is the only cruise line to have a permanent office here), not least with a staff of about 30 and a bilingual call centre, including three, and soon to be four, BDMs covering the country to assist the trade.

Benefits for the travel trade and consumers includes Canadian-specific sales and marketing efforts, Canadian pricing, and the ability to communicate with staff based in this country – in both official languages.

Who is the client?

Coloured with European heritage and character, and symbolized by signature Swarovski crystal staircases (on newer ships), MSC targets slightly more cultured cruisers, Thompson says, noting that foodies will also appreciate the attention to detail, and produce – some made on board – of the culinary program. And the pizza, he maintains, is the best at sea, bar none.

MSC’s three ideal clients include:

  • Sophisticated travellers drawn to foreign cultures and who prefer cosmopolitan environments with higher-end amenities
  • Open-minded clients interested in the world around them and who are open to meeting new people and new experiences, and,
  • Learning families, who use holidays as a teaching experience, where they can spend as much time as possible with their children.

Meanwhile, those seeking an elevated experience can choose the Yacht Club, a boutique hotel within the ship experience that provides a “pristine, private” space featuring private club lounge, restaurant and bar, sundeck with whirlpool, butler service, priority check in, and much more.

Travel advisors

With so many ships and so much information to manage, MSC has a user-friendly agent portal – MSC Book – offering a plethora of sales and marketing tools, plus quick-glance information and quotes, groups, sales offers, and educational training in the four-course MSC Master.

There are also agent rates and incentives, and extra commission that can be earned by booking drink and dining packages, spa treatments, and fly-and-cruise packages to Fort Lauderdale and Martinique/Guadeloupe.

Meanwhile MSC’s future cruise program refers clients who book their next cruise while on board a current voyage back to the original booking agent.

“We’re making a lot of noise in the Canadian market,” Thompson enthuses, adding, “and we’re taking the cruise by storm. We’re the third largest cruise line, but we’re going for No. 1.”

New Brunswick travel advisors on the MSC Meraviglia

Sustainability & Ocean Cay

The cruise division of MSC Group is committed to being a net zero GHG emissions brand by 2050 and reports that the emissions intensity of its ship operations has decreased by 33.5% since 2008. Future goals include achieving a 40% reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050. To do so, the cruise company says it is embracing new technologies and switching to non-carbon and renewable fuels, while contributing to the development of scalable solutions that can be used universally.

But it’s not all about carbon and fuel. Another example of MSC’s commitment to sustainability is found in Ocean Cay, the company’s private island in the Bahamas, which had suffered from decades of industrial activities, including aragonite sand mining. In 2015, MSC Cruises took responsibility for the island and embarked on an ambitious restoration initiative, collaborating with the Government of The Bahamas, leading universities, marine scientists, and conservationists to restore the island’s ecosystems.

Through substantial investment, the restoration project has already seen nearly 5,000 trees and 75,000 indigenous plants, flowers and shrubs planted on the island, revitalising the terrestrial environment. Meanwhile the health of the surrounding waters is demonstrated by the now flourishing marine life, which includes the presence of loggerhead sea turtles, and the launch in 2019 of MSC Foundation’s ‘Super Coral Program’ to restore the island’s coral reefs.

The MSC Foundation is plans to further the work and engage the attention of many thousands of cruise visitors every year, raising awareness of the urgent need for ocean conservation efforts worldwide.

First published at Travel Industry Today

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

ROUND-UP: Sept. 25-29, 2023

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The global travel and tourism industry celebrated World Tourism Day, Sept. 27, while other round-up items include an Expedia found that travel is more stressful than, well, read on to find out. Also, global rankings were not kind to YYZ and YUL, Club Med sets its sights on South Africa, and an iconic hotel brand opened its doors in a popular American city.

NEWS

World Tourism Day 2023 was celebrated on Sept. 27 with the global sector to coming together around the theme of Tourism and Green Investments. In the biggest celebration of the global travel and tourism industry to date, official proceedings were held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) member states marked the occasion in every region through a range of special events and programs.

Nav Canada proposed reducing customer service charges by close to 6%, which would claw back some of an almost 30% implemented on Sept. 1, 2020, during the pandemic when global air traffic was significantly reduced. The proposal calls for decreased service charges averaging 5.57% across its service categories to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

The union representing 11,000 Canadian pilots says a newly streamlined immigration program that looks to fill job gaps in transport fails to cut to the core of a dire labour shortage in aviation. Tim Perry, president of the Air Line Pilots Association‘s Canadian chapter, says recent changes to the country’s Express Entry system may offer a temporary fix but still amount to what he calls a “Band-Aid solution” to the lack of flight crews.

A new survey reports that four in 10 (39%) Canadian travellers find air travel to be more stressful than a flooded inbox or sleeping through an alarm. Expedia‘s 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report of 1,000 Canadian flyers also says almost half (43%) of air travellers find the process of securing a good flight deal especially stressful, and 17% even checked back on ticket prices after booking to see if they could have saved more.

BY THE NUMBERS

The Bahamas recorded more than 5.89 million arrivals from January through the end of July, putting the country well on the way to closing out the year at 8 million-plus visitors, reported the country’s ministry of tourism. July year-to-date overall arrivals paced 59% ahead of 2022 and 30% ahead of 2019, the busiest year on record. Of the 5,893,118 total visitors who came to The Islands of The Bahamas in the first seven months of the year, 1,133,494 arrived by air and 4,759,624 by sea. Canada ranked as the destination’s second largest market after the US, and ahead of the UK/Europe.

AIR

Toronto and Montreal airports were near the bottom in the race for passenger satisfaction this year, according to a study by J.D. Power. The study ranks Toronto Pearson Airport second from the bottom (19th of 20) in the category for the largest airports that see more than 33 million passengers per year. Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport stood third from the bottom in the next category, with passenger traffic between 10 million and 32.9 million per year.

Air Canada says it has placed a firm order for 18 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft that will be used to replace older, less efficient wide-body aircraft in its fleet. The agreement also includes options for an additional 12 Boeing 787-10 aircraft.

Beginning Feb. 1, 2024, WestJet will operate non-stop service between Victoria and Las Vegas, twice weekly, departing Thursdays and Sundays. The service reintroduces WestJet’s first transborder connection from Vancouver Island since 2017. Meanwhile, West Coast Canadians will also have an easier time to get to Loreto thanks to weekly nonstop seasonal service from Calgary to Baja Sur Loreto starting Nov. 3. Through April 26, the nonstop flight will operate once a week and is scheduled to depart YYC at 10:25 a.m., arriving in Loreto by 1:25 p.m. (local time).

SWISS is set to expand its route network in its 2024 summer schedules, adding two new long-haul destinations – including Toronto – to be served from Zurich. YYZ service will begin May 10. The new flights, provisionally planned for the summer schedule only, will be provided daily except Mondays and Wednesdays using Airbus A330 equipment. The new westbound SWISS service will depart from Zurich at 09:55 and arrive in Toronto at 13:00 (both times local). The corresponding eastbound service will leave Toronto at 16:35 and arrive in Zurich at 06:30 the following day.

HOTELS

EMA Marketing has added 124 on Queen Hotel & Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. to its portfolio. Recently featured on “The Amazing Race,” the luxury property spans an entire city block on Queen Street and boasts a renovated Gate House (photo) and 32 new guestrooms for a total of 72, meticulously designed with Canadian-made furniture and décor. A highlight is a brand new 1,100-sq.-ft. subterranean spa. With 345 sq. m. of meeting space, the property is ideal for corporate retreats, incentives, and private functions, including weddings. There are also two on-site restaurants offering farm-to-table fare and local wines. The hotel is within walking distance of the oldest existing golf course in North America.  (www.emamarketing.ca)

Raffles Boston has officially opened its doors to guests. The 35-storey Massachusetts property represents the first mixed-use development in North America for the iconic 136-year-old brand ad offers an urban oasis in the heart of Back Bay with 147 sumptuous guestrooms multiple dining experiences, state-of-the-art gym, 20-metre indoor pool with expansive city views, and the prestigious Guerlain Spa at Raffles Boston, featuring treatments in partnership with the renowned Parisian beauty and wellness brand.

RESORTS

Club Med fans will soon be able to add an African safari experience to the all-inclusive resort chain’s traditional beach and ski offerings at Club Med Tinley. Projected to open in 2026, the resort will be Club Med’s first in South Africa. Nestled on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, dubbed the ‘Dolphin Coast,’ the resort will offer both beach and bush experiences, providing guests with the opportunity to reconnect with nature and the wild while featuring a surf-lifestyle concept for healthy beach holidays shaped by art and local culture. Additionally, guests will have the chance to embark on a safari experience to discover the wildlife of Africa.

With its recent addition to the Blue Diamond Resorts portfolio, Royalton CHIC Antigua is set to debut in early April 2024. Designed exclusively for fun-seeking adults, the 235-room beachfront resort is set on the northwest coast of Antigua and is now available for bookings. Located 20 minutes from VC Bird International Airport along Dickinson Bay Beach, Royalton CHIC Antigua is designed as “a tropical hotspot for vibrant couples, groups of friends and energetic solo travellers, featuring the brand’s exuberant “Party Your Way” concept that promises that guests enjoy “a lively atmosphere with something to celebrate every day.”

CRUISE

Quark Expeditions, a global leader in polar adventures, has announced its new global membership in the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s largest cruise industry trade association. CLIA represents 95% of the world’s ocean-going cruise capacity, as well as 65,000 global travel agents, and 15,000 of the largest travel agencies in the world.

Carnival Cruise Line has opened for sale approximately 400 cruises that will bring guests to Celebration Key, its new exclusive cruise port destination in The Bahamas, beginning with the first calls in July 2025.  Guests can book cruises on the first 12 Carnival ships, sailing regularly from eight homeports, visiting Celebration Key in 2025 and 2026.

TOUR OPERATORS

At its 8th Annual Charity Golf Classic held at the picturesque Eagles Nest Golf Club north of Toronto, TravelBrands raised nearly $300,000 for the Sick Kids Foundation. The event was attended by 144 partners and industry colleagues, resulting in a staggering $296,646 raised (photo) in support of the Labatt Family Heart Centre at The Hospital for Sick Children. “Our Annual Charity Golf Classic is always an event we look forward to,” said Nathalie Tanious, President and CEO of TravelBrands. “As a proud SickKids Foundation donor, our collective efforts have now raised over $2 million for SickKids to help enhance and save countless lives in their cardiac department.”

African Travel, Inc., (ATI) has launched its new 2024 brochure offering authentic wildlife and cultural encounters across 16 destinations in Africa from Cape Town to Cairo. Featured is ATI’s newest destination, Morocco, with four new journeys, focussing on the North African nation’s vibrant culture, history and incredible beauty. The journeys will also feature ‘Make Travel Matter’ experiences, which benefit wildlife conservation or local communities.

EVENTS

VisitBritain Canada is planning a four-city trade workshop in Ontario Nov. 13-16, inviting travel agents to engage with VisitBritain and key tour operators in-market including the tourism officials from VisitWales and VisitScotland. The key objective is to empower and educate the travel agents to help them sell Britain better to their clients. While more details are to come, key cities will include Kingston, Ajax, Barrie, and London, with plans to roll out the sessions across Canada at later dates.

PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the appointment of Noor Ahmad Hamid as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective Oct. 1. Noor’s appointment for a three-year term will usher in a new era for PATA as the influential industry association dedicates itself to promoting responsible travel and tourism within the Pacific Asia region.

DESTINATIONS

Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and members of his Lahaina Advisory Team have shaped a phased approach to the re-opening of West Maui to visitors following an announcement by Gov. Josh Green that West Maui will re-open on Oct. 8. Phase 1 will see the area from the Ritz-Carlton, Maui Kapalua to Kahana Villa re-opened on the 8th, followed by an assessment of Phase 1 re-opening for Mahinahina to Maui Kaanapali Villas. Phase 3, Royal Lahaina Resort to the Hyatt Regency, will be the last to re-open. The only locations on Maui that have been completely closed have been historic Lahaina Town and the surrounding areas impacted by the fire of Aug. 8.

Long-anticipated passenger rail service between Orlando and Miami was inaugurated Sept. 22 with the arrival of ‘Bright Pink,’ the first Brightline train, in the central Florida city. Brightline launched operations in South Florida in 2018, connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Stations in Boca Raton and Aventura opened last year. It now covers 400 km between Miami and Orlando and the new route takes between 3 and 3.5 hours.

LAST WEEK IN TRAVEL HISTORY

In 2019, British tour operator Thomas Cook fell victim to multiple setbacks including shifting travel habits, the rise of online booking sites, the sinking pound and even unusually hot weather that encouraged fewer Northern Europeans to travel.  Specific problems of its own, like a 1.6 billion-pound ($2 billion) debt pile, made it less able to react to change.  It all added up to a perfect storm that led the 178-year-old company to cease operations, stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers.

Send info to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com

First published at Travel Industry Today

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management Partners with WTTC

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PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management Partners with WTTC - TRAVELINDEXThe School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has joined hands with the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) to support the sustainable development of global tourism. Undertaken collaboratively by teams from the SHTM’s Hospitality and Tourism Research Centre and the Council, the WTTC–SHTM Global Retail Tourism project offers critical data-driven insights into the key trends, challenges and opportunities shaping retail tourism in the post-pandemic era.
Although travellers collectively spend billions of dollars every year on shopping, to date there has been a lack of an accurate estimate of the contribution of retail tourism to destination economies. Filling this gap, the researchers set out to provide a thorough understanding of this sector against the backdrop of the post-COVID-19 rebound in international tourism which saw revenues from inbound visitors grow by 81.9% in 2022. Studying global retail tourism from both the demand and supply perspectives was expected to promote both economic recovery and the sustainable development of travel and tourism.
The collaboration was initiated in July 2022, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the SHTM and the WTTC. The School’s team comprised Professor Haiyan Song, Associate Dean, Chair Professor and Mr and Mrs Chan Chak Fu Professor in International Tourism; Dr Richard Qiu, Assistant Professor; and Dr Anyu Liu, Assistant Professor together with two research assistants. Headed by Professor Song, they worked closely with the WTTC research team led by Mr Nejc Jus, Head of Research, over the subsequent year.
The project had three main objectives. The first was to capture the current economic landscape and importance of retail tourism. The second was to shed light on the factors that are shaping demand and supply in the sector at the global and regional levels from the perspectives of tourists and practitioners. The third was to provide guidance for stakeholders on managing the development of the sector sustainably. The researchers applied a mixed-method approach to draw together a comprehensive set of economic, consumer and industry data.
Their first step was to assess the overall contribution of retail tourism to the GDP of major destinations based on data from Oxford Economics, a leader in global economic forecasting and econometric analysis. Next, the SHTM team conducted a survey covering 24 major destinations to gather consumer data on tourists’ shopping behaviours before and after COVID-19. The survey data, gathered from nearly 4,600 tourists, also allowed the team to analyse the demand for sustainable retail goods among travellers.
Finally, the SHTM and WTTC teams jointly conducted in-depth interviews with 13 industry leaders from the retail businesses, NGOs and travel trade to obtain an industry perspective on the key challenges and opportunities facing the sector. This step was conducted with the help of The Bicester Collection, which represents luxury shopping destinations across Europe and China.
The insights gained from this research were drawn together in a ground-breaking report entitled “Global Retail Tourism: Trends and Insights”, which was formally launched at a thought leadership event at La Roca Village in Barcelona, Spain on 7 September 2023. The report’s key findings and recommendations were introduced by a panel consisting of Professor Haiyan Song; Ms Julia Simpson, President and CEO, WTTC; and Ms Desirée Bollier, Chair and Global Chief Merchant, The Bicester Collection.
As the attendees – who came from both the public and private sectors – discovered, the report sheds light on the immense untapped potential of retail tourism for both businesses and destinations. It offers insights into travellers’ shopping habits and intentions and pinpoints emerging trends such as sustainable retail and “retailment” – the fusion of retail and entertainment. After delving even deeper into the retail tourism landscape through detailed case studies of the UK and Hong Kong, the report concludes with recommendations for retailers, destination management organisations and governments.
“Sustainability in travel and tourism will continue to grow in significance after the COVID-19 pandemic,” states Professor Haiyan Song. “It is imperative that retailers understand how much shoppers and travellers are willing to pay for sustainable products.”
The SHTM is proud to have made such an impactful contribution to understanding of the global retail tourism sector, which is playing a pivotal role in the recovery of travel and tourism post-COVID-19. “We are delighted to be part of the WTTC–SHTM Global Retail Tourism project, as applying our knowledge to support the global industry is high on the School’s research agenda”, said Professor Kaye Chon, SHTM Dean, Chair Professor and Walter and Wendy Kwok Family Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management.
About PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management
For over 40 years, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has refined a distinctive vision of hospitality and tourism education and become a world-leading hotel and tourism school. Ranked No. 1 in the world in the “Hospitality and Tourism Management” category in ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022 for the sixth consecutive year; placed No. 1 globally in the “Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services” category in the University Ranking by Academic Performance in 2022/2023 for six years in a row; rated No. 1 in the world in the “Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism” subject area in the CWUR Rankings by Subject 2017; and ranked No. 2 in the world among university based programmes in the “Hospitality and Leisure Management” subject area in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 for the seventh consecutive year, the SHTM is a symbol of excellence in the field, exemplifying its motto of Leading Hospitality and Tourism.
The School is driven by the need to serve its industry and academic communities through the advancement of education and dissemination of knowledge. With a strong international team of 90 faculty members from 20 countries and regions around the world, the SHTM offers programmes at levels ranging from undergraduate to doctoral degrees. Through Hotel ICON, the School’s groundbreaking teaching and research hotel and a vital aspect of its paradigm-shifting approach to hospitality and tourism education, the SHTM is advancing teaching, learning and research, and inspiring a new generation of passionate, pioneering professionals to take their positions as leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Holidaying in the Metaverse

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Holidaying in the Metaverse - TRAVELINDEXIn the future, it may be more expensive, time-consuming, and risky to travel halfway around the world for a holiday getaway. What if we could experience a convincing virtual version of the real thing? The Metaverse – a parallel digital realm blending real and fantasy worlds – has been tipped as the next disruptive technology, on track to completely alter reality as we know it, and tourism and hospitality businesses should be preparing for the switch. Dr Michael Lin and Dr Daniel Leung of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and their co-author’s new paper describe the Metaverse’s potential to transform the hospitality customer experience and management.
The Metaverse is seen by some as our virtual future, the alternate reality where humans can work, communicate, and play. Today’s virtual and augmented reality innovations will, in time, be considered as merely the tools by which to access and experience the Metaverse. There, users will be able to interact with avatars, virtual environments, objects, and other users in a way that transcends “simple” virtual reality experiences. Users will be free to discover countless new environments and astounding near-realistic sensorial experiences that could one day become indistinguishable from the real thing. “Metaverse will have considerable impacts on hospitality and tourism”, state the authors, “bringing major opportunities and challenges for all stakeholders in the ecosystem”.
The feasibility of inhabiting such a space has become ever more obvious since the COVID-19 pandemic. The imposed lockdowns meant more video conferencing, tele-working, tele-studying, and online communication with loved ones. These activities have since become entrenched in our everyday lives as part of the “social norm”. The move towards increasingly immersive experiences comes with huge benefits, including savings on resources, time, and travel cost. “Increasingly, people expect to be interoperable in both physical and virtual environments”, say the authors.
The Metaverse is the next stage in our digital evolution. In the Metaverse’s 3D space, users will co-create virtual experiences that overlap with the physical world, and organisations will be able to engage with customers and stakeholders both virtually and physically. This will enable them “to provide a range of immersive experiences using multisensory content as well as to scale their operations in terms of location, space, time zone, and expert capabilities”, explain the researchers. In their remarkable publication, the authors explore these untapped possibilities in full.
The Metaverse may be in its infancy, but it already has clear potential in hospitality and tourism. It will enable customised and co-created experiences that will offer the same – if not a greater – selection of restaurant, events, and recreation options. In place of exhausting international travel to attend meetings, conferences, cultural events, and destinations, and tours, users will be able to slip on a virtual reality headset. Using virtual experiences before, during, and after trips, the Metaverse will transform the hospitality ecosystem and completely re-invent business processes and management. “Hospitality and tourism stakeholders need to gain a better understanding of how Metaverse can help co-create transformational experiences”, explain the researchers.
The most attractive selling point of the Metaverse is the “seamless connections between physical and virtual worlds in the experience enhancement”, say the authors. This is key, because hospitality provides both tangible and non-tangible elements. For example, guests must of course sleep in a real bed and eat real food, but atmosphere, ambience, feelings, service, connections, kindness, and emotional engagement can be provided virtually. This capacity to offer engaging experiences could prove particularly relevant in the context of social upheavals or restrictive personal circumstances.
Another huge advantage of integrating real travel experiences with virtual ones is space. In real life, investors need to buy land and build physical hotels, ideally with a good geographic positioning. “With the support of the Metaverse, people can stay at home or in other places but experience some of the intangible elements of hospitality virtually”, say the authors. This means that hospitality investors, designers, builders, and managers can instead invest more effort in developing their digital presence to offer far cheaper simulations of the “real thing” in an unlimited geographical virtual space that is completely customisable.
This ground-breaking paper outlines a roadmap to Metaverse use that leads us from reality to complete illusion via an increasing reliance on technology. This path includes conventional real-world experience, technology-assisted experience, technology-enhanced experience, technology-empowered experience, and, most crucially, technology-illusive experience that “empowers users to step from the physical world to virtuality and vice versa”, explain the authors. For instance, couples could choose a “global wedding” theme that allows them to experience their special day in multiple locations from the convenience of their headsets.
According to the researchers, integrating the real and digital worlds will require multiple layers of innovation. Virtual world hospitality managers will need to design digital hotel facilities, aesthetics, and atmosphere. Designers and builders will be tasked with mapping out the virtual territory and conceptualising design concepts. Managers will need to find new ways to operate the hotel property, combine tangible and intangible experiences, and develop brand new marketing strategies. “Designing intuitive user experiences should also ensure functionality, findability, trust, value, accessibility and ultimately delight”, underline the authors.
In their vivid account of things to come, the researchers describe some of the transformative virtual experiences already out there. These have successfully blended the physical and virtual worlds to create unique experiences. For instance, prospective travellers to Nova Scotia in Canada can already experience 360° online virtual reality videos before their visit. “These enable prospective travellers to immerse themselves in Nova Scotia attractions”, conclude the researchers, “such as a ride on the tides of the Bay of Fundy for exploring Nova Scotia’s wine country”.
For nearly 10 years, Marriott Hotels have also been experimenting with “teleportation”, whereby destinations and hotel facilities can be experienced via virtual reality headsets. In 2014, the hotel chain set up a “Get Teleported” booth outside New York’s City Hall to offer newlyweds a virtual experience of hospitality properties in Maui (Hawaii) and London. Moreover, Inamo restaurants in London use interactive table projections that allow customers to select dishes, order through a virtual menu, and watch chefs cooking in real-time. “They also allow users to set different moods and table cloths, discover the local neighbourhood, play games, and interact with others”, say the researchers.
In preparation for this incredible future, the authors put forward some best-practice suggestions. First, firms will need to have an active Metaverse presence. “Hospitality businesses can promote their business to consumers in a more immersive way, while facilitating co-creation to enhance experience formation”, state the authors. This means that consumers will be able to try out products and services before actually visiting, co-create with co-travellers, and share experiences with other users, similarly to “Destinations Experts” on TripAdvisor forums.
We may only be at the dawn of the Metaverse, but hotels, restaurants, and event planners will soon need to re-evaluate their relationship and engagement with consumers. To create this hybrid world, hospitality businesses must also collaborate with technology companies, and could learn much from the gaming industry in this regard. “Different types of hospitality businesses”, add the authors, “should tailor specific business strategies to their strategic needs and requirements and plan accordingly”. A Metaverse future will also need to be fully supported by the government, which means that ethical and legal issues must be thoroughly probed and discussed.
This impressive work offers a first-ever glimpse into how the Metaverse will transform the human experience. While the Metaverse will not replace in-person travel, it has golden potential to fuse physical and virtual environments. Successful introduction of the Metaverse into hospitality and tourism experiences will require businesses to consider a range of brand new organisational, regulatory, and creative possibilities. “Metaverse is an innovative concept,” conclude the authors, “and the characteristics may therefore need a long time to adjust to the needs of different stakeholders”.
Buhalis, Dimitrios, Lin, Michael S., and Leung, Daniel (2023). Metaverse as a Driver for Customer Experience and Value Co-creation: Implications for Hospitality and Tourism Management and Marketing. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 35, Issue 2, 701-716.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

TOP25 Restaurants Phuket Awards Ceremony 2023

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The TOP25 Restaurants Phuket Awards 2023 event took place on September 11, 2023, at the luxurious InterContinental Resort & Spa Phuket. Thank you to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) the entire team at TOP25 Restaurants, InterContinental Phuket Resort and all the sponsors who made that event such a great success.

This gathering marked a significant milestone as it was the first in-person event since the inception of the rankings, further highlighting the resilience and vibrancy of the culinary scene in Phuket. @top25restaurants

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

COME HUNGRY, DARLIN’: What to eat in the Big Easy

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With a head-spinning array of unique and inspiring choices, the answer to the question, “What should I eat in New Orleans?” is really another question: What shouldn’t I eat? And the answer to that is, essentially, nothing! It’s pretty much all amazing, and a foodie, casual or serious, can’t really go wrong in one of the world’s greatest food cities.

Indeed, like in few other locales, food is omnipresent in the Big Easy, energized by a collection of local and international chefs that have turned the Louisiana city into a mouth-watering mecca of both modern and traditional fare, served up from street level in the famous French Quarter to restaurants known around the world, such as Antoine’s, Arnaud’s, Broussards, and Brennan’s.

With historic French and creole roots, New Orleans food is literally a gumbo of inspirations and flavours aggregated from Paris to Port au Prince and from Cadiz to the Congo, served up at over a thousand restaurants.

And if that isn’t enough, there are plenty more authentic restaurants on the outskirts of the city in Plantation Country, stretching along the Mississippi River, the bayou region, or around Lake Pontchartrain.

A great way to see what’s cooking in town is through a food tour (we recommend Doctor Gumbo, but there are others) which may include a visit to a confectionary (for the pralines), hot sauce shop, bar (Tujague’s, which claims to have invented the Grasshopper cocktail), and of course restaurants serving the likes of PoBoy sandwiches, local seafood dishes (like catfish, shrimp, or crawfish), and beignets – those famous New Orleans powdered fritters.

Consider this sampler menu of must-eat New Orleans/Louisiana fare:

Gumbo – The quintessential New Orleans dish, gumbo is a thick stew served over rice and made with a roux (a mixture of butter and flour) and a wide variety of ingredients such as celery, peppers, okra, onions chicken, sausage and/or seafood. Family recipes for the dish are treasured and passed down for generations leading to disputes over the best way to cook it. The only thing that’s not in dispute is how good it is.

Crawfish Étouffée – Another delicious local stew, étouffée (eh-too-fey, meaning “to smother”) is crammed full of crawfish (or shrimp), seasoned to perfection with creole spices, and served over rice. Unlike gumbo, étouffée is often made with a “blonde” roux, giving it a lighter colour and a very different, almost sweet flavour, that’s hard to forget.

Jambalaya – A culinary staple and storied dish in New Orleans, jambalaya dates to the area’s colonial Spanish settlers attempting to reconstruct their native paella from locally-sourced ingredients. Today, the dish is comprised of a mix of chicken, seafood, sausage – or all three! – plus peppers, onions, other vegetables, spices, and rice combined in a variety of ways. Try it at Jacque-Imo’s, Acme Oyster House, Mother’s, or Napoleon House Bar & Café.

Red beans and rice – As common for New Orleanians as bacon and eggs, the dish can include almost any meat – from ham hock to sausage to pickled pork – placed in the pot along with red or kidney beans and spices like bay leaves, thyme cayenne pepper and sage, and set to simmer on the stove for two hours or six. It’s a household staple, but many of the city’s best restaurants keep it on their menu.

PoBoys

PoBoy – Like a sub, the PoBoy (poor boy) sandwich is traditionally stuffed with tasty fillings like roast beef, fried shrimp, oysters, or catfish, and garnished with lettuce, tomato, and pickles, then slathered with sauce or mayonnaise, and served between two long pieces of French bread. Our go-to is Johnny’s in the Quarter (be advised, it closes before 5), but there are dozens of options around town, some taking the PoBoy in creative new directions (such as Korean pork). Not sure where to go? Ask a local – everyone has a favourite place.

Muffulettas – This famous Italian-style sandwich was invented in New Orleans in 1906, credited to Lupo Salvadore at the Central Grocery on Decatur. The establishment is still serving the original version of the sandwich, made with cured meats (ham and salami), provolone cheese, olive dressing, and spices on a sesame-seed roll big enough for sharing. It has become a quintessential must-try food when visiting New Orleans.

Boudin – Pronounced boo-dan, this tasty delicacy originated in western Europe, but was perfected in Louisiana’s Cajun Country. The sausage-like meat dish includes a pork rice dressing is stuffed into pork casings, along with pork meat and herbs. Other varieties include alligator, crawfish, or shrimp, and can be mild or spicey.

Seafood – Boiled crawfish in season, blackened catfish, fried oysters, and barbecued shrimp top the list of local options, but there is a wide variety of choices, and ways of preparation, to satisfy any seafood connoisseur.

Hot dog – In New Orleans, even a typical hot dog – the most ordinary of foods— tastes better. Like the phenomenal frankfurters at Dat Dog (three locations) – alligator-based and loaded with jalapeños, grilled onions, and a spicy creole mustard for an extra kick.

Beignet – The famed doughnut without the hole is one of the city’s most famous food items – ideal for breakfast, dessert, or a midnight snack – available 24-hours a day at various coffee hotspots. Introduced by French-Creole colonists in the 18th century, the concept is simple: fried dough covered with mounds of powdered sugar served hot and best accompanied by café au lait or chocolate milk. Café du Monde in the French Quarter is the oldest and most iconic beignet shop, but several other cafés have become local favourites, such as Café Beignet and Loretta’s Authentic Pralines for their praline-filled beignets.

Beignets

Bananas Foster – The decadent dessert was invented by chef Paul Blange at Brennan’s Restaurant in the 1950s to promote a new fruit in town: bananas! Sautéed in butter, sugar and cinnamon and then bathed in rum, the dish is set aflame (tableside) to burn off the alcohol in the rum, leaving a smoky taste and rum flavour. Served over vanilla ice cream, the dessert is synonymous with New Orleans and it would be bananas not to try one when in town.

Food tours, of course, are conducted by knowledgeable guides, brimming with  information, history, and a ton of amazing foodies facts, such as that New Orleans cuisine is a blend of mainly French, Spanish, and African cooking styles modified through the addition of influences from the city’s many multi-ethnic settlers.

And historically, the geography of the city itself – situated as it is essentially in the middle of a swamp – also played a part. For example, since carrots don’t grow in bogs, early French settlers were forced to use green peppers instead, which, with celery and onions, eventually became the foundation of creole cooking.

However, mostly what you learn in New Orleans, whether on a food tour on or on your own is, like the slogan of famed city steak house Ruth’s Chris says, “Come hungry, darling!”

First published at Travel Industry Today

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

PARIS SEES A NEW KIND OF ROAD RAGE: Bike lane traffic jams

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It’s rush hour on, and the congestion is severe – not just gas-guzzling, pollution-spewing, horn-honking snarls but also quieter and greener bottlenecks of cyclists jockeying for space. Until four years ago, motorists largely had the Paris thoroughfare to themselves. Now, its bike-lane jams speak to a cycling revolution that is reshaping the capital of France – long a country of car-lovers, home to Renault, Citroen, and Peugeot.

This revolution, like others, is also proving choppy. A nearly decade-long drive by socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo to turn Paris from a city hostile for cyclists – except those racing the Tour de France -into one where they venture more safely and freely has become so transformative that bikes are steadily muscling aside motor vehicles and increasingly getting in each other’s way. And more bike lanes are coming for next year’s Paris Olympics – part of an effort to halve the event’s carbon footprint.

Already, on some Paris boulevards, bikes outnumber cars at peak times. Cycle congestion, with wheel-to-wheel lines of riders ringing their bells and sometimes losing their cool, is becoming a headache.

“It’s the same feeling as the one I had when I was younger, with my parents driving their car, and it was like traffic jams all over the place. So now it’s really a bike traffic jam,” said Thibault Quere, a spokesperson for the Federation of Bicycle Users. “But it’s kind of a good difficulty to have. Especially when we think about what Paris used to be.”

From a measly 200 km. in 2001, cyclists now have more than 1,000 km. of tailor-made bike paths and marked routes to roam, City Hall says. Motor vehicles have been barred entirely from some roads, most notably a River Seine embankment that used to be a busy highway. It’s become a central Paris haven for cyclists, runners, families, and romantics since Hidalgo closed it to motor traffic in 2016.

Farther north, the twin-lane bike path on Sebastopol Boulevard has become one of Europe’s busiest since its inauguration in 2019. It saw a record 124,000 weekly users in early September, according to tracking by pro-bike group Paris en Selle (“Paris by saddle”). Traffic there now regularly surpasses London’s busiest cycleways and at its busiest even approaches the numbers of popular cycle routes in Amsterdam.

North-south Sebastopol empties into another busy east-west route on Rue de Rivoli that passes the Louvre. It also saw record daily and weekly numbers in September, Paris en Selle’s tracking shows.

Add to the mix none-too-thrilled motorists, scooters wriggling through traffic, pedestrians trying not to get squished and construction that seems to have popped up almost everywhere in Paris’ sprint to the Olympics, and negotiating the busiest streets by bike can feel akin to playing Mario Kart – but with real-life dangers and consequences.

Many cyclists, some clearly new and still feeling their way around, seem to think red lights and road rules don’t apply to them. Paris’ removal of for-hire electric scooters following a city referendum in April also is driving some ex-users to biking.

“Paris has become unlivable. No one can stand each other,” bike-rider Michel Gelernt said as he wound his way past whistle-blowing traffic officers and yelling motorists on Concorde plaza, the French Revolution decapitation site of King Louis XVI in 1793.

A former motor-scooter and public-transport user, the retiree switched to cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic and has kept the habit. He uses Velib’ – Paris’ bike-sharing system, in its 16th year – to get around for 80% of his trips.

“Everyone behaves selfishly,” grumbled Gelernt, who’s in his 70s. “The traffic is a lot worse than it was.”

That said, he and others can’t dispute that flows of bikes are better for health and the environment than the noxious pollution that still often blankets Paris. France’s government blames atmospheric pollution for 48,000 premature deaths nationwide per year.

In a landmark decision, a Paris court in June awarded €5,000 ($7,124) in compensation to two families with children who were sickened by air pollution, suffering from asthma and other health issues when they lived near the capital’s car-choked ring road. The court ruled the French state was at fault.

Hidalgo cites pollution as a prime motivation for her drive to increase bike use, squeeze out emission-spewing vehicles and make “a Paris that breathes.” Re-elected in 2020, her second five-year “Bike Plan” budgets 250 million euros ($260 million) in additional investments by 2026. That’s €100 million more than on her first-term bike plan. Most of it is earmarked for more cycle routes and parking.

City Hall says all Olympic venues in the city will be bike-accessible for the July 26-Aug. 11 Paris Games, on a 60-km. cycle network

So Olympic fans will be able discover what growing numbers of Parisians are learning: Experiencing the city by bike can rekindle love for its charms.

Behind busy thoroughfares are countless quieter streets that embrace cyclists with sights, sounds and smells that are too easily missed by car. And for a start-the-day jolt to energize the senses without over-priced espresso, try bouncing along the cobblestones of the Champs-Elysees on any crisp morning.

“It’s a feeling of freedom, rather than being in the Metro, sitting down or in the heat,” said Ange Gadou, 19, a convert who previously relied on rental e-scooters before Paris banished them.

“There’s nothing about it I don’t like.”

First published at Travel Industry Today

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Meliá Hotels International Named Best Luxury Leisure Hotel Group

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Meliá Hotels International Named Best Luxury Leisure Hotel Group - TRAVELINDEX - TOP25HOTELS.comPalma de Mallorca,  Spain, September 27, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / The Global Traveler readers have once again voted Meliá Hotels International as the best hotel group in the world in the leisure segment; a distinction that, on this occasion, comes in addition to those of “Best hotel chain in the Caribbean” and “Best all-inclusive resorts” for its Paradisus by Meliá brand, which has just made its debut in the Canary Islands with the Paradisus Salinas Lanzarote and Paradisus Gran Canaria hotels.

Global Traveler magazine’s annual Leisure Lifestyle Awards reflect the thousands of surveys conducted among its readers between December 2022 and April 2023, and aim to reward the best destinations and companies in the travel industry in the leisure and lifestyle segments. Meliá, whose roots go back to being a leisure group and which has become a leader in the segment, currently has 63 hotels under its luxury brands: Gran Meliá, ME by Meliá, The Meliá Collection and Paradisus by Meliá (44 of them in operation and 19 due to open in the near future). Furthermore, the Group continues strengthening its Premium segment brands (Meliá, ZEL and Innside by Meliá), with 170 hotels in operation and 33 more in the pipeline.

Meliá’s Chairman and CEO, Gabriel Escarrer, underlines the leadership of its brands for 8 years, practically non-stop, and highlights, in particular, the election of the Paradisus by Meliá resorts as the “best all-inclusive resorts” according to Global Traveler: “Our commitment to luxury leisure hotels and our strong brands have enabled us to become leaders in an extremely competitive environment, as proved by the warm response to the new resorts opened in the Canary Islands – Paradisus Salinas and Paradisus Gran Canaria – the brand’s first resorts to be opened outside the Caribbean. Paradisus by Meliá’s exclusive concept, Destination Inclusive®, have changed the experience of our guests, who are now fully involved in the destination, discovering the environment and culture of the destination through their stay and with activities specially designed for them.”

With Destination Inclusive® as part of the room rate, Paradisus by Meliá luxury resorts go beyond the traditional leisure tourism experience, giving the destination the spotlight. Available to guests in the Nikté and The Reserve categories, Destination Inclusive® experiences are carefully selected by local experts to connect guests with the nature, culture and beauty that surrounds each hotel.

Escarrer also highlights that: “Both have certainly earned their place as the best luxury resorts in Lanzarote and Gran Canaria, respectively, and we look forward to continuing to expand this successful brand in many of the stunning holiday destinations in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and South East Asia.”

About Meliá Hotels International
Founded in 1956 in Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International operates more than 380 hotels (portfolio and pipeline) throughout more than 40 countries, under the brands Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Paradisus by Meliá, ME by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, The Meliá Collection, INNSiDE by Meliá, Sol by Meliá and Falcon’s Resorts by Meliá, plus a wide portfolio of affiliated hotels under the “Affiliated by Meliá” network. The Group is one of the leading companies in resort hotels worldwide, while also leveraging its experience to consolidate the growing segment of the leisure-inspired urban market. Its commitment to responsible tourism has led the Group to become the most sustainable hotel company in Spain and Europe, according to the last S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (Silver Class). It also has ranked seventh in the Wall Street Journal’s list of the 100 most sustainably managed companies in the world (and the leading travel company) and is the only Spanish travel company included in the list of “Europe’s Climate Leaders 2021” by Financial Times. Meliá Hotels International is also included in the IBEX 35 Spanish stock market.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Andaz Macau Opens Doors as Largest Property within Andaz Brand Portfolio

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Andaz Macau Opens Doors as Largest Property within Andaz Brand Portfolio - TRAVELINDEX - TOP25HOTELS.comMacao, Macao SAR, September 27, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Offering 700 uniquely appointed rooms and suites, the new property immerses guests into the center of Macau’s art and culture at the award-winning integrated Galaxy Macau™ resort. Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced today the opening of Andaz Macau in collaboration with Galaxy Macau™, the city’s prestigious luxury shopping, dining, entertainment and resort complex. The latest opening is the Andaz brand’s first and only hotel in Macau and its largest property globally. Inspired by the vibrant local art, culture, and architecture, the hotel features more than 700 uniquely appointed guest rooms and suites, immersing guests in the “real Macau.” The hotel features a stunning collection of artworks and artifacts that tells the story of the city’s soul through art, celebrating its heritage and future while allowing guests to express themselves through art.

“We are excited about collaborating with Galaxy Entertainment Group and introducing the Andaz brand to Macau,” said Stephen Ho, President of Growth and Operations for Asia Pacific at Hyatt. “This is a momentous occasion for us, and we believe our immersive and inspiring hotel experience will appeal to locals and tourists alike.”

A striking architectural addition to the city, Andaz Macau’s two hotel towers are located between the picturesque and well-preserved neighborhoods of Old Taipa and Coloane. Guests can easily access the city’s charming traditional attractions and Galaxy Macau’s world-class facilities. With its direct connection to both Galaxy International Convention Center (GICC) and the 16,000-seat Galaxy Arena, as well as its dedicated check-in lounge explicitly designed to provide a seamless arrival for large groups, Andaz Macau offers unrivaled convenience for both convention center and leisure guests looking to fulfill their curiosities through their travels.

“Andaz Macau is brimming with exceptional social spaces, innovative bars and restaurants, and elegant event venues that are sure to impress and delight our guests,” said William Cheung, general manager of Andaz Macau. “Our primary aim is to provide an exciting hotel experience infused with the rich cultural heritage of Macau, igniting our guests’ creativity, and inspiring them to express their unique styles and interests.”

A Masterclass in Macau-inspired Design and Artwork

Andaz Macau’s design is truly a celebration of the city’s heritage and culture. Drawing inspiration from Macau’s traditional architecture, the hotel’s design incorporates unique elements that pay homage to the city’s rich history. From the distinctive forms of old maritime harbor ships to the vibrant traditions of local Chinese culture, Andaz Macau offers a journey of exploration, delivering a contemporary reinterpretation of the city’s unique heritage. Throughout the hotel, guests can encounter a stunning array of art and antiques that reflect the city’s diverse and richly layered culture.

Upon entering Andaz Macau, guests are greeted with art that captures the unique juxtaposition of East-West cultures that Macau is known for, including a stunning wall installation titled “Landscapes Interlaced,” featuring layered Macau skyline photographs with natural Chinese materials woven throughout. Guests can also admire elegant sculptures made with hand-painted Portuguese tile patterns and mannequins dressed in intricately embroidered couture gowns.

A signature feature is the “Macau Steps,” a one-of-a-kind, multi-sensory staircase that showcases over 100 videos that beautifully narrate the history of the city, creating a captivating experience. The videos start with busy streets at the bottom and gradually lead to a peaceful and serene nature at the top, taking guests on an enchanting journey of exploration that perfectly captures the essence of the real Macau.

The Andaz Lounge on Level 6 is designed with nods to Macau’s rich history, featuring a Portuguese-style mosaic made of mother-of-pearl and stunning couture gowns showcasing the incredible craftsmanship of both Chinese and Portuguese cultures. This space serves as a relaxing oasis and a social hub for guests to connect over a freshly brewed cup of coffee or unwind after exploring the city.

Innovative Guestrooms

The hotel’s rooms and suites are inspired by the surrounding area, with beautiful forest greens and earthy orange hues reflecting the lush green landscapes of the neighborhood. The accommodations range from spacious 375 square feet (35 square meter) guestrooms to expansive 730 square feet (68 square meter) suites. These welcoming spaces are perfectly complemented by carefully chosen local amenities and a minibar stocked with locally sourced eats including biscuits from Macua Yeng Kee Bakery.

Embark on a Culinary Journey

Andaz Macau is a haven for gourmands and is home to a trio of captivating culinary venues where guests can experience the authentic flavors of Macau alongside classic dishes, enriching guests’ palettes and their richest indulgences.

The largest eatery, Andaz Kitchen, is a bustling all-day-dining neighborhood destination. Talented chefs perform eye-catching, live-action cooking and serve up a dazzling array of Chinese, Portuguese, and Western dishes. The overall design of Andaz Kitchen draws inspiration from old Macau shophouses, with further nods to the city’s heritage in the form of Portuguese mosaic tiles on the floor and high wooden archways that reference the city’s maritime history. One of the most striking features of Andaz Kitchen is the “Layers of Tradition” wall, which showcases a curated collection of blue-and-white ceramic plates with hand-painted motifs inspired by Chinese and Portuguese accents commonly seen in Macau.

Adjacent to Andaz Kitchen is Andaz Studio, an inviting space with the look and feel of an elegant library room. Serving the hotel’s daily breakfast service, Andaz Studio has also been designed as a flexible, multi-function venue that can host up to 80 guests for events, cocktail receptions, and a variety of social occasions, as well as interactive experiences such as master chef cooking classes.

At the intimate Andaz Bar, business and leisure guests can unwind while enjoying creative cocktails prepared by the hotel’s expert mixologists and craft beers produced by a local brewery. The bar’s design pays homage to Macau’s distinctive European-style architecture, while splashes of teal and orange are a reminder of the city’s proud maritime history.

Wellness

Guests of Andaz Macau have access to various recreational amenities, including a heated 62-foot (19-meter) swimming pool, a 24-hour fitness center, and complimentary access to the Grand Resort Deck at Galaxy Macau, known as the world’s leading Skytop oasis.

Meetings and Events Venues

Andaz Macau is the perfect venue for a variety of events and meetings, with versatile meeting rooms and event spaces located in the adjacent Galaxy International Convention Centre. The dedicated check-in lounge is designed to ensure a seamless arrival for attendees. The boardroom on level 2 is also an excellent option for those looking for a space to hold creative breakout sessions or productive meetings. And when it’s time for a break, the adjacent lounge area is the perfect spot for a cocktail reception with innovative drinks and delicious dishes made by the experienced culinary team.

About Andaz
Global in scale while local in perspective, the Andaz brand empowers self-expression and stimulates guests’ curiosity through imaginative travel for a distinctively local experience. Through thoughtful, unscripted service tailored for travelers, Andaz hotels enable guests to go beyond the familiar to discover and define their personal essence while immersing themselves in the spirit of the eclectic culture around them. Currently, there are 28 Andaz hotels open: Andaz 5th Avenue  in New York, Andaz San Diego, Andaz West Hollywood, Andaz Napa, Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows, Andaz Savannah, Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor, Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market, Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya, Andaz Mexico City Condesa, Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo, Andaz London Liverpool Street, Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht, Andaz Prague, Andaz Singapore, Andaz Bali, Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach, Andaz Delhi, Andaz Xintiandi in Shanghai, Andaz Shenzhen Bay, Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, Andaz Seoul Gangnam, Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi, Andaz Dubai The Palm, Andaz Xiamen,  Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere, and Andaz Nanjing Hexi.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of June 30, 2023, the Company’s portfolio included more than 1,250 hotels and all-inclusive properties in 76 countries across six continents. The Company’s offering includes brands in the Timeless Collection, including Park Hyatt®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt Vacation Club®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Studios, and UrCove; the Boundless Collection, including Miraval®, Alila®, Andaz®, Thompson Hotels®, Dream® Hotels, Hyatt Centric®, and Caption by Hyatt®; the Independent Collection, including The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination by Hyatt®, and JdV by Hyatt®; and the Inclusive Collection, including Impression by Secrets, Hyatt Ziva®, Hyatt Zilara®, Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Breathless Resorts & Spas®, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts, Alua Hotels & Resorts®, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. Subsidiaries of the Company operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Mr & Mrs Smith™, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar DMC destination management services, and Trisept Solutions® technology services.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News