Global Travel News

PATA Chairman Peter Semone Urges for More Actions on Sustainability

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PATA Chairman Peter Semone Urges for More Actions on Sustainability - TRAVELINDEXKuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, June 23, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Peter Semone, PATA Chair called on delegates of the PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023 at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching Sarawak, Malaysia for more actions on sustainability.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with PATA, we are a not-for-profit membership association founded in 1951 that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research, and innovative events to its member organisations, which includes government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organisations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world.

The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism of the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally.

This year we are delighted to be working with the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts of Sarawak, the Sarawak Tourism Board, and the Sarawak Convention Bureau to organise this event and we are honoured to be here to support them in the responsible development of the travel and tourism industry in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Which is what brings us here for the PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023., under the theme ““Sustainability in Action”.

The event gathers the top minds in destination travel for inspiring and insightful discussions on some of the major issues in marketing and managing tourism growth to discuss new opportunities to promote sustainability within the industry.

Alongside the conference and B2B adventure travel trade show over the next two days, yesterday’s technical tour provided a culturally immersive experience that allowed the delegates the opportunity to explore the various attractions and offerings of Sarawak.

I am proud to note that we have brought together 14 dynamic speakers from such organisations as the World Tourism Organisation, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the Asian Ecotourism Network, the Adventure Travel Trade Association, the Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation, Intrepid Travel, Expedia Group Media Solutions and Sojern, as well as Audra Morrice, Masterchef Asia/and Singapore Host & Judge, to name a few.

Through this event, we hope to provide our delegates with an engaging and insightful programme that will touch on such topics as “Sustainability in Action”, “Climate Action Strategies for Destinations & Operators”, “Recalculating the Measurements of Success”, “Tourism’s Role for Development”, “The Power of Gastronomy Tourism for Destinations”, “Setting Your Sustainability Goals and Executing them”, “Leveraging New Trends in Sustainable Forms of Tourism” and “Using Digital Marketing to Drive Sustainability”.

Everyone at PATA hopes that by bringing together such a dynamic group of speakers, we can highlight the need to discuss, analyse and share various ideas with both the public and private sector to plan, build and promote a sustainable tourism industry.

I would like to once again thank our hosts not only for their help and support for this event but their commitment to the promotion of a responsible travel and tourism industry.

With their support and the support of our sponsors and supporters, we have brought together 272 delegates from 28 destinations to Sarawak for this event, with delegates having travelled from all corners of the world, including Australia, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea (ROK), Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and USA.

As travel and tourism becomes a greater contributor to the economic well-being of each destination, plans for the responsible development and sustaining those elements generating growth must be taken into consideration. It is through these partnerships with the public and private sector that help build and promote a sustainable tourism industry.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

South America Meets Southeast Asia at Restaurant Resonance

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South America Meets Southeast Asia at Restaurant Resonance - TOp25RESTAURANTSBangkok, Thailand, June 22, 2023/ TOP25RESTAURANTS / Experience a unique fusion of flavours when “South America meets Southeast Asia” at Restaurant Resonance. From Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th July, three gifted chefs will collaborate for a special six-hand dinner that promises to lead you on a journey of gastronomic discovery. Renowned Peruvian chefs, Jorge Muñoz and Francesca Ferreyros, together with our own Chef Shunsuke from Japan will present a sensational 10-course tasting menu in the intimate and stylish setting of Restaurant Resonance.

Drawing inspiration from the country’s long and rich culinary traditions, the cuisine of Peru has been reimagined by young, bold, and creative chefs and is currently hailed as one of the world’s most exciting food trends. One such chef is Jorge Muñoz. While at Patka restaurant in Barcelona, Chef Jorge worked alongside Chef Kioko Ii from Japan to create a tasting menu inspired by Nikkei cuisine, a harmonious synthesis of two food cultures that grew out of Japanese immigration to Peru in the nineteenth century. In 2014, Patka was awarded a Michelin star, and received a “Best International Restaurant” award from Spain’s ABC newspaper. From 2019-2022, he was Executive Chef at Astrid y Gastón, the restaurant credited with starting the modern Peruvian food movement. It also ranked No.1 in Latin America’s inaugural ‘50 Best Restaurants’ list and was a recipient of the prestigious ‘Art of Hospitality Award’. Following his return to Peru, Chef Jorge is now focused on a new venture in the capital city, Lima.

Joining Chef Jorge will be Chef Francesca Ferreyros, owner-chef of the renowned restaurant, Baan in Peru. In 2015, she moved to Spain to join the team at the three Michelin star, El Celler de Can Roca which is described by the esteemed guide as an ‘exceptionally high-calibre restaurant’. She then spent several years in Bangkok working at the internationally acclaimed two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gaggan. During her time in the city, her approach to cooking was strongly influenced by Thai cuisine. Upon returning to Peru, she led the team at the legendary Peruvian restaurant, IK. Today, Chef Francesca is considered one of the most important young talents on modern Peruvian food scene. At her restaurant Baan, she skillfully combines elements of Thai cuisine with the indigenous ingredients and cooking techniques of Peru and the Amazon.

Our own Chef Shunsuke has also absorbed international influences cooking in Michelin-starred restaurants in Copenhagen and Tokyo. Here at Restaurant Resonance, Chef Shunsuke delights diners with his “Boundless Cuisine” concept – a changing menu of beautifully executed contemporary dishes that reflect his global experience, love of seasonality, and purity of flavour.

The collaboration between the two gifted Peruvian chefs and Chef Shunsuke is a recipe for a memorable evening of fine dining. At Restaurant Resonance, the 10-course tasting menu will delight and surprise diners with inventive dishes. Chef Jorge’s dishes will be created on the day of the dinner in response to his visit to the local market. Highlights from Chef Franscesca will include a Thai crispy flower with yellow curry manjar blanco and coconut ice cream, while Chef Shunsuke will serve a buckwheat crepe with anago fritto, grilled eggplant and summer pickled vegetables.

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience a unique fusion of flavours when “South America meets Southeast Asia” from Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th July at Restaurant Resonance!

Dining options include:
10-course tasting menu: THB 6,900++
6-glass wine pairing for an additional THB 4,500++
6-glass tea pairing for an additional THB 1,500++

Reservations for the exclusive evening are available at 5p.m. and 8.30 p.m.

Restaurant Resonance
108/4 Sukhumvit 65
Phra Khanong Nuea, Watthana
Bangkok 10110

Restaurant Resonance is conveniently located in one of Sukhumvit’s most vibrant and fashionable districts. The contemporary restaurant features a stylish minimalist interior, allowing diners to relax and focus on exquisite flavours and artistry of Chef Shunsuke Shimomura’s seasonal tasting menus. Tea pairings are available when booked one or two days in advance. Restaurant Resonance is open Tuesday to Friday, 6 – 9 p.m. and Saturday, 12 – 2.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. The elegant space is also available for exclusive parties and events.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Sarawak Welcomes Over 270 delegates to PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart

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Sarawak, Malaysia welcomes over 270 delegates to the PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023 - TRAVELINDEXSarawak, Malaysia, June 22, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / The PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023 (PDFM 2023), with the theme “Sustainability in Action”, officially began on Wednesday, June 21 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, attracting 272 delegates from 28 destinations.

The event, organised in collaboration with destination partners, the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts of Sarawak, the Sarawak Tourism Board, and the Sarawak Convention Bureau, brought together delegates from the public and private sectors for inspiring and insightful discussions on some of the major issues in marketing and managing tourism growth as the travel and tourism industry looks for new opportunities to promote sustainability within the industry.

Delegates travelled from all corners of the globe including Australia, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea (ROK), Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and USA.

“The PATA Destination Experience Forum and Mart 2023, under the theme “Sustainability in Action” is extremely relevant as the industry begins its road to recovery. Climate change and over-tourism are existential threats to Pacific Asia’s visitor industry. Coming out of COVID, there are really only two options: ignore the environmental and social consequences of mass tourism in a business-as-usual manner; or seize the opportunity to recalibrate how we measure tourism success and account for its invisible burden. As we look towards the future, we need to take concrete actions and avoid the mistakes of the past,” said PATA Chair Peter Semone.

“It is this type of collaboration with our destination partners, the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry & Performing Arts of Sarawak, the Sarawak Tourism Board, and the Sarawak Convention Bureau, that epitomizes the fundamental nature of PATA’s mission in acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. We as an industry must work together to create a better future for all by achieving long-term sustainability in conjunction with long-term growth and profitability.”

Sarawak Tourism Board (STB) CEO Sharzede Datu Hj Salleh Askor said,” Sarawak is the perfect venue for PDMF 2023 in highlighting on Ecotourism, Gastronomy Tourism, Adventure Travel as these themes are very much aligned with Sarawak’s tourism philosophy that emphasises on Responsible Tourism, gastronomy and sustainability in its effort in making Sarawak a preferred eco-tourism destination, in the region.”

“I am happy that all delegates will have an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with Sarawak’s tourism industry stakeholders as well as from around the region to understand more on the importance of adopting sustainable practices, such as waste reduction, recycling, and responsible resource consumption, to minimize the negative environmental footprint of tourism while enhancing the overall visitor experience,” she added.

On Wednesday, June 21, delegates had the opportunity to join one of three different routes where they could fully experience the destination’s responsible tourism, ecotourism, and gastronomy tourism offerings that highlighted Sarawakian culture, heritage, and history.

During the conference on Thursday, June 23 and June 24, delegates will hear from a diverse line-up of experts from such organisations as World Tourism Organization, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the Asian Ecotourism Network, the Adventure Travel Trade Association, the Maldives Marketing & Public Relations Corporation, Intrepid Travel, Expedia Group Media Solutions and Sojern, as well as Audra Morrice, Masterchef Asia/and Singapore Host & Judge, to name a few.

From climate action strategies to digital marketing, the broad yet critical topics provided a clearer direction for the industry to embrace the new era of travel with greater responsibility and convert their plans into action.

Topics include ‘Sustainability in Action’, ‘Climate Action Strategies for Destinations & Operators ‘, ‘Recalculating the Measurements of Success’, ‘Tourism’s Role for Development ‘, ‘The Power of Gastronomy Tourism for Destinations ‘, ‘Setting Your Sustainability Goals and Executing them’, ‘Leveraging New Trends in Sustainable Forms of Tourism’ and ‘Using Digital Marketing to Drive Sustainability’.

Over these two days, buyers and sellers will also have the opportunity to engage in one-on-one networking and contracting opportunities during the table-top tradeshow to explore potential collaborations and business opportunities.

For more information about the event, visit www.pata.org/pata-destination-experience-forum-and-mart-2023 or email events@PATA.org.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research, and innovative events to its member organisations, which including government, state, and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organisations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts, and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing and London.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

World Travel & Tourism Council and UNWTO Sign Historic MOU

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World Travel & Tourism Council and UNWTO Sign Historic MOU - TRAVELINDEXGoa, India, June 22, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / In an historic first, the world’s two leading Travel & Tourism organisations representing the global public and private sectors agreed to work together across a number of key objectives.

The Memorandum of Understanding, signed today by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations (UNWTO) at the G20 Ministerial meeting (Goa, India), focused on advancing public-private sector cooperation at the global level whilst promoting job creation, talent development and business opportunities around the world.

Strong public-private partnerships are the foundation to transform tourism and build resilience

Together, WTTC and UNWTO will promote tourism in the global and national agendas while working to progress skills, innovation, entrepreneurship, and investment and the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient Travel & Tourism sector. The two parties will also foster community empowerment and inclusion and collaborate around crisis preparedness, management, and recovery, building on the lessons learned from COVID 19 pandemic.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “Through the signing of an historic new MOU, WTTC and UNWTO embark on a new chapter of collaboration together, uniting our expertise to pave the way for a prosperous future for the Travel & Tourism sector.

“Together, we can create a powerful synergy that will shape the global landscape, opening doors to endless opportunities and benefiting travelers, businesses, and destinations alike.”

Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO Secretary-General, underscored that “we are only stronger if we work together to respond to the interconnected challenges facing our sector. Strong public-private partnerships are the foundation to transform tourism and build resilience, and consolidating our partnership with WTTC will achieve exactly what we need – joining efforts to build a better future through tourism.”

The MOU was signed by WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson and UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvil, alongside representatives of the public and private sectors.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Asia and Pacific Countries Advance Shared Vision of Tourism

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Asia and Pacific Countries Advance Shared Vision of Tourism - TRAVELINDEXPhnom Penh, Cambodia, June 21, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO’s Member States came together for the 35th meeting of its joint Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia to assess the major challenges to tourism development in the region for the years ahead.

UNWTO’s Members from Asia and the Pacific met as recovery from the impacts of the pandemic on tourism in the region steadily accelerates. According to UNWTO data:

  • Worldwide, twice as many people travelled internationally in the first three months of 2023 than in the same period of 2022, taking global tourism back to 80% of pre-pandemic levels.
  • For Asia and the Pacific, however, international arrivals got back to 54% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of the quarter.
  • Recovery across the region is expected to accelerate following the re-opening of China to tourism. China was the world’s biggest tourism source market in 2019. Reflecting the significance of the moment, a high-level delegation from UNWTO visited China in February to mark the official re-opening.

Asia and the Pacific plays a key role in the state of our sector. It is a top source market, a hub of tourism innovation and home to many of the world’s leading businesses and most exciting destinations

“It is no exaggeration to say that, over the past year, all eyes in global tourism were on Asia and the Pacific,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “Asia and the Pacific plays a key role in the state of our sector. It is a top source market, a hub of tourism innovation and home to many of the world’s leading businesses and most exciting destinations.”

Demonstrating Cambodia’s strong political support for UNWTO’s mission, Prime Minister Hun Sen met with the Secretary-General to discuss the steady acceleration of tourism in the region after the pandemic, while emphasizing the sector’s vital importance for sustainable development of tourism in the country and across the wider region.

UNWTO welcomed a participation to the joint Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia Joint Commission, including 15 Ministers, Deputy Ministers of Tourism and Ambassadors, and with 25 countries represented. The Meeting was held in conjunction with the 55th Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific (CAP), the 59th Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for South Asia (CSA), the UNWTO Conference on International Code for the Protection of Tourists and the UNWTO Affiliate Members Roundtable.

Asia and Pacific Members Support UNWTO Priorities

Member States were provided with an overview of UNWTO’s achievements guiding tourism forward, based on its Programme of Work and current priorities including:

  • Education: Of the 300 education programmes certified by UNWTO’s Ted.Qual initiative, 160 are offered in Asia and the Pacific, to help tourism professionals grow in their careers. To support youth empowerment, UNWTO is also launching national versions of its Students League, with China currently developing its own edition.
  • Investments in Tourism: Fostering the implementation of sustainable investment frameworks for the promotion of tourism investments and job creation in a post-pandemic world was one of the main objectives of UNWTO’s Executive Training Programme in the Republic of Korea last November. And in Phnom Penh, UNWTO invited Members to join the 2023 World Tourism Day celebrations (27 September), to be held around the theme of “Green Investments”.
  • Sustainability: UNWTO announced that the Batanes Tourism Observatory in the Philippines has become the newest member of the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO), with an institution in Japan set to follow soon.

Advancing the International Code for Protection of Tourists

Ahead of the Commission meeting, UNWTO held a special conference on its International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT). Here:

  • Cambodia, the Maldives and Indonesia became the newest signatories to UNWTO’s International Code for the Protection of Tourists.
  • UNWTO’s Member States across the Asia and the Pacific region adopted the Phnom Penh Declaration on the ICPT, promoting its implementation to ensure clear, transparent and efficient frameworks to protect tourists as consumers to foster confidence in travel.

Affiliate Members Roundtable

Under the theme “Public-private cooperation at the core of tourism sustainable development”, discussions focused on the importance of finding mechanisms to reinforce the dialogue between all tourism stakeholders and showcased tangible examples of initiatives and projects implemented by Affiliate Members to foster sustainable practices in the tourism sector.

Looking Ahead

In line with UNWTO’s statutory obligations, Members from East Asia and the Pacific nominated China, Indonesia, Japan and Republic of Korea to represent the region on the UNWTO Executive Council.

The two Commissions for East Asia and the Pacific and South Asia also agreed that:

  • The 36th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and the UNWTO Commission for South Asia will be held in Cebu, Philippines in 2024.
  • World Tourism Day 2025, to be held around the theme of “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation” will be hosted by Malaysia.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

VIRGINIA TOWN IS QUIRKY – AND PROUD OF IT

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There’s no place like Wytheville. Literally. Unlike Washington or ubiquitous Springfield (notably home of everyman family the Simpsons), the southwest Virginia town is the only place in the US with that name (and the entire world, they claim).

For the record, the burg – pronounced With-vil, and located in the Virginia “panhandle” – is named after US founding father and signer of the Declaration of Independence George Wythe, who hailed from Virginia, but not the town – a quirky fact that perfectly sets the tone for the historic Appalachian town of about 8,000 people.

Here are just a few Wytheville fun facts:

• The town water tower is camouflaged as an inflight weather balloon (banner photo)

• Wytheville has Virginia’s largest pencil (image below) and smallest church

• Just to the west of town in Rural Retreat (once called “The Cabbage Capital of the World”) is the final resting place of Dr. Charles T. Pepper, namesake of the iconic soda pop

• Favourite daughter Edith Bolling Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson and dubbed “the first female president” when her husband was ill, was a descendant of Pochahontas

• The town had the highest per capita cases of polio in the US during the 1950 polio epidemic – an event dubbed the “Summer Without Children”

• Interstates 81 and 77 run together in a wrong-way concurrency for about 16 km., meaning motorists are travelling northbound on 77 and southbound on 81 at the same, while actually travelling due west.

But while admitting, “we embrace our quirk,” Shane Terry of the town’s convention and visitors bureau, says there much more to the Wytheville than its curiosities, a mindset he calls “beyond the exits” (on the Interstate).

Located in centre of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the town’s convenient geographical setting serves as a gateway to the region’s rural natural attractions and activities, among them hiking, (mountain) biking, kayaking, and fishing – not least along the 100-km New River Trail and in the Crystal Springs and Big Survey Wildlife Management recreational areas.

Nearby is Big Walker Lookout, a 30-metre observation tower, and Wytheville serves as the hub for the scenic “Claw of the Dragon” driving route, which particularly gets motorcyclists’ motors running. The route features loops totaling over 565 km between Marion in the west and Galax to the east. The drive meanders through parts of seven Virginia counties but is easily accessible from Interstates 77 or 81.

As for Canadians – Terry says Witheville sees its fair share due to its position on the migratory route of snowbirds and families heading to South Carolina or Florida, and as a regional crossroads where the two interstates meet, as well as being smack dab along the “Great Lakes to Florida Highway” (Route 21), which is marked in a locale museum.

On a grander scale, the town is due south of Cleveland and Pittsburgh, just north of the Tennessee and North Carolina borders.

As such, a lot of Canadians have “either been to it or through it,” laughs Terry, of a town that is steeped in history and Americana, featuring plenty of homemade attractions and built on the passions of local families.

There’s a safari park, lavender and butterfly farm, Homestead Museum and interpretive centre, 250-seat dinner theatre, restored classic movie theatre (dating to the Vaudeville era in 1928), as well as local wineries and craft breweries. A vintage baseball team plays exhibition matches, and the puck will drop this fall as Wytheville joins the Federal Prospects semi-pro hockey league.

Accommodations are plentiful – 1,700 rooms around town – but visitors can also glamp in a covered wagon at the Conestoga Wagon experience, or stay at the newly re-opened Wythe County hotel, which dates to 1887, but was closed for the past half century. It features a large two-storey porch overlooking the New River.

All told, the town is worth the detour (or stop) for Canadians for a couple of days as they travel through southwestern Virginia, promises Terry, who adds, “If quirky and cool is your vibe, then look no further than Wytheville!”

First published at Travel Industry Today

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Be Loud Be Proud night at WXYZ Bar Aloft Bangkok

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Bangkok, 21 June 2023 – Aloft Bangkok – Sukhumvit 11 invites all hoteliers, travel industry friends, and Marriott Bonvoy members to celebrate the Pride Night, “Be Loud Be Proud” on Friday, 30 June 2023, at W XYZ Bar, Level 1.

Get ready to unleash your true colors! Turn up the volume on the night with special craft beverages including cocktails, beer, and spirit exclusively at THB 100 net per glass.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to experience Pride Month at Aloft Bangkok-Sukhumvit11. Come as you are, and let your authentic self-shine through.

For more information, please call 02 207 7000, email BKKALFB@marriott.com or chat via LINE https://lin.ee/ZE9eT (@AloftBangkok)

About Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11
Aloft Bangkok Sukhumvit 11 is an urban gem in a stimulating travel destination. Our hotel features loft-inspired rooms and suites with tech-smart features, free Wi-Fi, platform beds and panoramic views of the Bangkok cityscape. Our prime location on Sukhumvit Road places the excitement of Soi 11 at your doorstep; you can also take advantage of our free hotel shuttle to the Nana BTS Sky Train and MRT subway stations for easy access to celebrated attractions. It’s a breeze to reach us – Come by BTS, drop at Nana BTS station and take exit 3, join our free tuk-tuk shuttle, drive your own car with free parking or take a taxi!

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Swiss Expert Martin Wuethrich as General Manager of Hua Hin Marriott Resort

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Mr. Martin Wuethrich has been appointed as the new General Manager of Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa, bringing almost 30 years of hospitality experience and expertise to Thailand’s gulf coast.

A Swiss national, Martin grew up in a hospitality family and spent his teenage years working in his parents’ restaurant. Having graduated from the Higher Hotel Management School in Switzerland, he went on to gain valuable experience at the Luxury Resort Ermitage Golf & Spa in Schoenried, Switzerland. Martin always had a passion for travel however, and he made the decision to move to Asia in 1996. Following his first role as F&B Manager with Novotel in Bangkok, he enjoyed his first taste of life in Hua Hin in 1998 when he was appointed Executive Assistant Manager of the Anantara resort.

Since this time, Martin’s career has grown from strength to strength. Returning to Bangkok in 2000, he was appointed Director of Food & Beverage at Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, which marked the start of a 23-year spell with Starwood Hotels and Marriott International in four countries: Thailand, Vietnam, India and Malaysia.

Martin’s first posting as General Manager was at Sheraton Grand Bangalore at Brigade Gateway in 2010, the first managed Sheraton in India. During this role, he won several awards including “General Manager of Year India” by Hotelier India. In late 2013, he moved back to Bangkok to open Asia’s first Le Méridien golf resort, Le Méridien Suvarnabhumi Golf Resort & Spa, where he achieved a #1 ranking on Tripadvisor and was recognized with the multiple awards, including the Divisional Brand Ambassador award for Le Méridien in Asia Pacific. He was also elected to the GM Advisory Board for Le Méridien worldwide.

Martin now returns to Thailand as GM of Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa.

“We are delighted to welcome Martin as General Manager of Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa. A highly accomplished and award-winning hotelier who has spent almost three decades in the hotel sector, including 12 years in Thailand and over two decades with Marriott International’s portfolio of brands, Martin is the perfect person to lead this popular beachfront resort. We look forward to embarking on an exciting new era of hospitality and creating exceptional guest experiences in Hua Hin,” said Jakob Helgen, Area Vice President, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia & Myanmar, Marriott International.

Martin is joined in Hua Hin by his wife, who is also a hotelier, and two sons. When he is not working, guests might find Martin exercising on the beach, playing football or jogging along the shore.

For more information about Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa, please call +66 (0) 32 904 666

 

 

 

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Khiri Travel Wins Twice at International Travel Awards in Dubai

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Khiri Travel has won “Best Sustainable Tourism Company – Thailand” and “Best Destination Management Company – Thailand” at the 2023 International Travel Awards held in Dubai on 17 June.

Award organisers, UAE-based Golden Tree, said: “Khiri Travel has shown itself as a brilliant representative of excellent services in the global tourism industry.”

The annual awards are voted by guests, travellers and travel industry players alike. Over a hundred thousand international travellers and tourism industry professionals vote to select the winners across all categories each year.

Acknowledging the two awards, Willem Niemeijer, CEO and Founder of Khiri Travel, which is celebrating 30 years of DMC operations this year, said: “Two international travel awards in one evening is testament to over three decades of innovation and commitment to responsible tourism.”

He added: “While Thailand is Khiri’s biggest destination, we apply the same commitment to discovery and high quality sustainable travel in all the eight Asian destinations where we operate.”

In May, Khiri Travel officially celebrated its 30th anniversary, growing from a start-up in a Bangkok shophouse in 1993, to one of Asia’s leading destination management companies four decades later.

Khiri Travel is now operational in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Earlier this month, Khiri Travel was lauded by readers of Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia as one of the top five tour operators in the region.

Khiri Travel’s charitable arm, Khiri Reach, has also been shortlisted in the Travel Marketing Awards which take place in London on 3 July.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Zentis Osaka Appoints New General Manager

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OSAKA (June 20, 2023) – As Japanese upscale-lifestyle hotel brand, Zentis, forays into the international market for the first time since pandemic restrictions put a damper on its July 2020 debut, seasoned hospitality professional Mikio Akiyama has stepped up as general manager of the brand’s inaugural property, Zentis Osaka.

Akiyama brings with him more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including a decade with owning company Palace Hotel Co., Ltd. His arrival at Zentis marks a homecoming for the Kansai native, who began his career at Hyatt Regency Osaka in 1998. The next decade saw him in various sales positions outside of Japan, including four years with Accor in Singapore and Thailand followed by three years with Hyatt in China before returning to Bangkok to work for IHG.

“Akiyama’s global perspective and wealth of experience with international brands throughout Asia will prove invaluable as we introduce Zentis to overseas travelers,” said Daisuke Yoshihara, president of Palace Hotel Co., Ltd.

Akiyama joined the Forbes Five-Star Palace Hotel Tokyo in 2013 as one of its associate directors of global sales, spearheading the team responsible for outreach in Asia and the Middle East and handling the high-profile clientele originating from those markets. Four years later, he transitioned to an associate director of operations role before being promoted to director of rooms, a three-year stint during which he assisted the luxury property with steering its way through the pandemic.

Three years since its launch in the domestic market, the Zentis brand has now flung its doors wide open to international guests as Osaka experiences a renewal in inbound travel from overseas, following Japan’s lifting of all border restrictions at the beginning of May.

As Palace Hotel Tokyo continues to draw acclaim for its full-service embrace of discerning luxury travelers, Zentis is charting its own course with its upscale, select-service lifestyle concept aimed at savvy wanderers seeking comfort and design at accessible price points.

ABOUT ZENTIS OSAKA
Zentis Osaka is the debut property of Palace Hotel Group’s Zentis label, a brand with designs on raising the bar on select-service hospitality. Sixteen stories tall, the contemporary build features interiors by internationally renowned UK design firm Tara Bernerd & Partners and a pedigree that stems from the award-winning Palace Hotel Tokyo – the independent, homegrown brand that has redefined luxury Japanese hospitality.

Subtly edgy, wonderfully Japanese and naturally resplendent, the 212-room hotel pays homage to a city known for its industrious charm with an industrial chic look and laid-back feel. Osaka’s first addition to the bespoke collection of Design Hotels features local design touches, including shigaraki-yaki bedside tables crafted in the kilns of Shiga, shodo-inspired wallpaper installations and contemporary works by a local artist.

The dining concept at UPSTAIRZ – the hotel’s lounge, bar and restaurant – was conceived by a team with a Michelin-star track record and features a menu with Japanese and French influences.

Located where the riverside business area of Dojimahama and the high-end entertainment district of Kita-shinchi meet and set amid lush greenery, Zentis Osaka presents a distinctive urban oasis ideal for savvy, design-conscious travelers.

About Design Hotels™
Since 1993, Design Hotels™ has been crafting a portfolio which today includes 300+ privately owned and operated hotels that reflect the vision of independent hoteliers – or “Originals” – with a passion for culturally-rooted hospitality and cutting-edge design and architecture. From the pioneering boutique hotels of New York, Paris and London to the rising stars of Shanghai, Mexico City and Nairobi, to remote mountaintops, hidden beaches and off-the-beaten-path escapes, each independent hotel in the Design Hotels hand-picked portfolio is a wholly unique creative expression, steeped in the history, culture, and the nature of its environment.

Across the world, Design Hotels member properties anchor a community of travelers united in the pursuit of inspired environments, genuine local culture and transformative, boundary-pushing adventures. An ever-evolving movement forged on purpose, connectedness and curiosity.

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First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News