Global Travel News

Banana Island & Discover Qatar Launch Whale Shark Excursions

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Banana Island & Discover Qatar Launch Whale Shark Excursions - QATARTOURISM.org - TRAVELINDEXDoha, Qatar, June 11, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara has partnered with Discover Qatar to provide once-in-a-lifetime excursions to view whale sharks – the gentle giants of the ocean. The newly launched experience takes travellers in Qatar to view one of the largest congregations of whale sharks that can be found on the planet.

• Discover Qatar and the latest updates on the FIFA World Cup 2022 at QatarTourism.org

From April to September, the cooler waters off the country’s north-east coast provide the perfect location to see large numbers of whale sharks that gather to feed. The unique excursion takes guests on a high-speed catamaran to view these majestic creatures. A whale shark expert is on board to help educate guests, along with a professional photographer to capture guests’ experiences.

In addition, Banana Island announces the reopening of its surf pool. After a full renovation, the surf pool once again adds to the wide selection of watersport activities available at the resort. Guests can now enjoy two wide surfing lanes simulating ocean waves, with private surfing lessons available and the lanes bookable exclusively for friends and family.

• Discover Qatar and the latest updates on the FIFA World Cup 2022 at QatarTourism.org

Located just off the coast of downtown Doha, Banana Island is the perfect luxurious escape from the city offering a wide range of accommodation options and vast facilities for guests to enjoy.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Targeted Financing Crucial for Ocean Health and Achieving SDGs

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WEF - Targeted Financing Crucial for Ocean Health and Achieving SDGs - TRAVELINDEXGeneva, Switzerland, June 10, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / A new white paper, published on World Ocean Day by the World Economic Forum, outlines critical steps to channel funding to support the health of the ocean and those who depend on it.

SDG14 Financing Landscape Scan: Tracking funds to realize sustainable outcomes for the ocean highlights the fragmented nature of current data on ocean financing and points to the need for innovative tools to track commitments towards and investment in the Sustainable Development Goal for the ocean, SDG14, with better traceability and granularity of information on financial commitments for the ocean.

SDG14 remains the least funded of all 17 global goals, yet achieving it will have significant exponential benefits for people and the planet. Key targets in SDG14 include ending overfishing and harmful fisheries subsidies, tackling marine pollution and minimizing ocean acidification, protecting and restoring ocean ecosystems, and supporting artisanal fishers and Small Island Developing States.

“When accomplished, SDG14 will have impacts that extend far beyond the ocean itself, by boosting food and job security, bolstering our ability to tackle the climate crisis, strengthening coastal defences, and enhancing health and wellbeing for people everywhere,” said Kristian Teleki, Director of Friends of Ocean Action at the World Economic Forum. “We cannot afford to waste precious time or money, and need to direct financing to the areas that need it most. This landscape report is intended to help us do just this.”

Emerging from this new landscape scan is the need to improve the resolution and integration of current data systems and in parallel move towards outcome-based financing. Doing so will require a substantial shift across multiple institutions that track and report on funding. It is also essential to improve SDG14 data capacity at the national and trans-national level. Existing funding streams for SDG14 must be optimized, and critical resources for ocean health must be directed to promote gender equity, target least developed areas, and efficiently leverage funding across sectors to support a sustainable blue economy.

“Our research shows that we must shift to tracking output rather than boosting input in order to overcome the challenges of transparency, traceability, optimization and personalization of financing data,” said Jillian Conrad, Lead Author of the report and Student Fellow at the Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center at UW EarthLab. “The ocean needs ambitious funding and results if we are to promote equitable development of marine systems to benefit coastal communities and stop the decline in ocean health, which has knock-on detrimental effects on us all.

“With a dynamic tool tracking how financing ties to impact, the global community can better direct SDG14 funding with greatest possible positive impact for people and the ocean alike,” she added.

A Friends of Ocean Action statement released earlier this year – No Healthy Planet without a Healthy Ocean – also calls for global action around critical opportunities in 2022 to advance progress for a thriving ocean and stop the decline in its health.

The global community is convening for the UN Ocean Conference from 27 June to 1 July 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal, co-hosted by the governments of Portugal and Kenya. This is a critical opportunity to advance ocean financing and progress towards achieving SDG14.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

AND THEY WEAR IT WELL: Naked bike riders take to the streets

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Riders in a total of 200 cities took part in a Naked Bike ride for an annual event raising awareness for safer cycling on June 11. The cities include London, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Vienna, Sao Paolo, Vancouver, Toronto, Copenhagen, Paris, Thessaloniki, Tel Aviv and Tokyo.

The 18th World Naked Bike Ride has been going every year, except 2020, since 2004, and the event is a global protest in cities all around the world where bikers gather to protest the over usage of oil, urban pollution, cycle safety on roads, and encourage body freedom for everyone.

The campaign also protests to curb ‘car culture’, obtain better rights for cyclists and demonstrate their vulnerability on city streets.

However just the action of riding naked on a city street seems to seriously increase both vulnerability and discomfort.

Whether you want to let it all hang out or just want to ride in your bathing suit, the dress code is “As bare as you dare.”

Wearing body paint and running shoes – and little else – scores of activists bravely take to their saddles to take part the ride. Many covered their naked bodies in glitter, painted slogans and fancy dress for the annual event.

Last year, the World Naked Bike Ride in London had almost 1500 riders despite the Covid-19 risk reduction measures. In Mexico City, participants wore Day of the Dead masks for the celebrations.

In Toronto the ride was scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, following a route along several major streets in the downtown core, biking through the University of Toronto, Kensington Market, Yonge-Dundas Square, City Hall, and other landmarks.

The route ended at the Jack Layton Memorial Ferry Docks where riders could choose to take the ferry to Hanlan’s Point Beach, where clothing is optional.

Riders in London

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

LOS CABOS: Kudos to Quivira Golf Club and Puebla Bonito Resorts

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Los Cabos (nicknamed Cabo) on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, has become one of the world’s top golf, fun and sun destinations. When the spectacular Quivira Golf Club opened in 2014, I was one of the fortunate journalists invited to meet its legendary designer, Jack Nicklaus, attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony and play the seaside marvel. I had a hunch that Quivira would be lauded.

Sure enough, during my last visit in May (What better place to celebrate one’s birthday?) Golf Digest announced that Quivira had just received a 2022 Golf Digest Editors’ Choice Award in the ‘Best Mexico & Central America’ category. This is the seventh consecutive year the club has been singled out for recognition by the sport’s most respected and widely read publication.

The magazine’s description of Quivira sums up the layout’s enduring appeal.

“At the tip of Baja (California) Sur is the newest of more than a dozen Jack Nicklaus layouts in Mexico, and perhaps his most compelling, with holes along and atop granite cliffs and sand dunes overlooking the Pacific,” the report stated. “Several lodging facilities nearby offer access,” notably Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Golf & Spa Resort, a deluxe all-inclusive, adults-only beachfront property favored by golfers.

Opened to acclaim in 2014, the Jack Nicklaus Signature course at Quivira is recognized as one of the most memorable and challenging resort venues in the hemisphere. Created as an exclusive amenity for guests of Pueblo Bonito Resorts and the centerpiece of the Quivira Los Cabos residential development, this bold risk-reward design, marked by vertical cliffs, massive dunes and rolling foothills, features panoramic views and dizzying drops from tee to fairway. In a sun-splashed destination renowned for its unique ocean-desert-mountain ecosystem, Quivira offers more oceanfront exposure than any other course in Los Cabos. An unforgettable test from any set of tees, this scintillating layout may be the most daring and eclectic course Jack Nicklaus has ever built. Since its debut, Quivira has become a ‘bucket list’ course for golf aficionados from around the world.”

There’s more. As per Quivira’s original 36-hole blueprint, Nicklaus will return to build a second course at the dazzling Land’s End site. It will be the Golden Bear’s eighth design effort in a destination he describes as “one of my all-time favorite places.” Ground breaking of the second Jack Nicklaus Signature course is expected to begin by the end of 2022.

Los Cabos Takes Care

When COVID-19 took the world by storm in 2019, the Cabos tourism gurus took a pro-active approach to the disease, resulting in the destination becoming the world’s first VERIFIED™ travel destination.

Los Cabos with Care – A Safer Way to Get Away is Los Cabos’ health and safety protocol system in place for fighting against the spread of infection. The seven-step system evaluates and strictly implements health and safety protocols across the airport, transportation, accommodations, restaurants and bars, tour activities, the beach and throughout the local community. The system is implemented in partnership with Intertek Cristal, the highest standard of health and safety protocols in the industry. Los Cabos is the first destination in Mexico to begin working with Intertek Cristal in implementing Protek Destination Assurance.

At the onset of COVID-19, all Pueblo Bonito Resorts closed for three months, but C.E.O. Alberto Coppel and the management decided that all 4000 employees would keep their jobs.

“We were able to keep up maintenance standards at our properties and when vaccines became available, we worked with the government on a campaign to encourage them,” says Pueblo Bonito Resorts Operations Manager, Armando Garcia. Ninety per cent of our employees have at least two vaccines. We also continued staff training and our Human Development Department made available psychologists, doctors and therapists to assist employees during the stress and hardships of the pandemic,” he adds.

“It was a brave decision, but we were rewarded when travel opened up again,” says Garcia. When tourists began to arrive, we were ready for them. We came back stronger.”

Congratulations to the folks at Pueblo Bonito Resorts for taking a proactive approach to Covid, garnering increased staff and guest loyalty and coming back stronger!

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

ROUND-UP: June 06-10, 2022

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There was big border news for both Canada and the US last week; now there’s monkeypox, for which the Canadian government issued traveller advice; also, in the round-up, hopeful travel recovery numbers, the wrap on IPW in Orlando, and Transat has returned to Greece.

NEWS

The Public Health Agency of Canada is warning travellers to be extra careful abroad because of the potential threat of catching monkeypox. A level two travel health notice was issued warning people travelling outside the country to take extra precautions, adding that travellers could find themselves subjected to isolation or other measures to limit the spread of the virus. The notice applies to several countries, including the UK, Spain, and Germany.

Nearly 4,800 attendees from more than 60 countries – including Canada – attended the 53rd annual IPW in Orlando last week (June 4-8). The event is the US Travel Association’s signature international travel marketplace and the largest generator of travel to the United States. This year’s gathering was also the first truly post-pandemic version of the show since 2019 (though Las Vegas hosted a delayed version last September).

During IPW, US Travel Association released an updated international travel forecast, which projects 65 million international arrivals to the US in 2023 (82% of pre-pandemic levels). The forecast projects that international arrivals and spending will fully recover to 2019 levels by 2025. The USTA said this year’s strong attendance at IPW signals a desire to resume robust inbound travel to the United States.

BORDERS

Canada temporarily suspended random testing at its airports until the end of the month to help calm customs chaos, and the US dropped the requirement for vaccinated visitors to take an antigen test pre-departure. (Read both stories in today’s publication).

The German government dropped its “3G” rule, which stated that tourists had to either show proof of vaccination, recovery from Covid-19 or provide a negative test when entering Germany. The measure will be reviewed at the end of the summer.

The online entry portal for permission to travel into Anguilla has been discontinued. All persons over the age of five years travelling to the island still require a valid, negative PCR or NAA test administered within three days of arrival, or a Rapid Antigen test, which must be taken no more than two days before arrival. This information must be presented before boarding and on arrival in Anguilla, along with evidence of full vaccination status.

BY THE NUMBERS

Stronger-than-expected results – three times as many global arrivals in the first quarter of 2022 over 2021 – plus a significant increase in flight reservations, have prompted the UNWTO to now suggest that tourism’s international tourist recovery will reach 55% to 70% of 2019 levels this year.

AIR

Turkish Airlines is strengthening its onboard internet service. Previously activated only when the aircraft was above 10,000 feet, the service will now be ‘Gate to Gate’ internet service. The upgrade has started on some aircraft and is being rolled out across the fleet.

The principal shareholders of Colombia’s Avianca and the controlling shareholder of Brazil’s GOL have signed a landmark agreement to create a leading air transportation group across Latin America under a holding company structure named Abra Group Limited. Subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, the Abra Group will control Avianca and GOL and bring together their iconic brands under a single holding.

RE-OPENING/RE-START

Air Transat is back in Greece after a long period of forced suspension due to the COVID-19. Three times weekly route to Athens will continue through the end of October from Montreal and Toronto at the height of the season. The carrier also resumed service to Lamezia from Toronto for the first time in over three years

DELAYED/CANCELLED

Citing “global challenges,” Virgin Voyages reports that it is deferring the upcoming launch of its third Lady Ship to Q2 2023. Initially scheduled to set sail from Athens mid-August of this year, Resilient Lady will remain in Genoa getting on-board work completed, hitting the high seas next spring. The cruise line is currently operating two ships, its first, Scarlet Lady in the Caribbean and second, Valiant Lady in the Med.

DEALS

Agents can help their clients kick off the summer solstice when they book an all-inclusive vacation package down south during Sunwing’s “Dive Into Summer” sale. Customers can save up to $1,200 per couple when they book at popular hotel chains Princess Hotels & Resorts, RIU Hotels & Resorts, Royalton Luxury Resorts and more when booking by June 26, for travel by Aug. 27, 2022.

TOURS

Emirates Vacations, the tour operating arm of Emirates Airline, has officially rolled out its offerings to the Canadian market, marking a step in the expansion of Emirates’ service offering to Canadian travellers by offering travel packages to Dubai and beyond. Flights, hotel stays, and local experiences can all be planned by agents with destination expertise, and who are available on a 24/7 basis for support. With a deposit of CDN$99, travellers can choose between a variety of destinations, accommodations, and experiences, including beach or city vacations, trips for the family and honeymoon getaways. Value-added benefits may include guaranteed savings and complimentary upgrades. Visit emiratesvacations.com/ca.

G Adventures has released its trip departure list for July, and the number of trips available to book increases to 1,300 trips in more than 50 countries. This represents the highest number of trips operating since the onset of the pandemic and heralds a welcome return to tourism for local communities in the countries visited. In July, Laos also returns, which means the reopening of G’s’ popular ‘Indochina loop’ experiences in Asia, taking travellers to Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam in one trip. Clients booking with G Adventures by July 5 can save 20% for travel before July 31.

HOTELS

AC Hotel Clearwater Beach

The new AC Hotel Clearwater Beach a 144-room, lifestyle-branded property located between the shores of Clearwater Beach, Fla., to the east and the Intracoastal Waterway to the west, is scheduled to open this summer. Guest rooms will feature water views and a rooftop gathering space will offer nightly artisan libations and fare. A chic European-inspired brand, AC by Marriott properties are designed with modern travellers seeking an experience-driven atmosphere in mind.

The highly anticipated Aman New York will welcome its first guests on Aug. 2. The culmination of a monumental transformation of the iconic Crown Building in Manhattan, the 83-suite hotel, located on the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue is the second in a new, pioneering generation of Aman properties in urban settings, following in the footsteps of Aman Tokyo and taking the brand to 34 properties worldwide.

RESORTS

Marriott International, Inc. has announced the signing of Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun to join its growing all-inclusive portfolio. Expected to open in late 2022, Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun is owned and managed by Blue Diamond Resorts and will join the All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, which includes close to 30 immersive getaways in eight locations across the Caribbean and Latin America. Owned by Sunwing Travel Group, Blue Diamond Resorts’ other 20 properties are also part of the collection.

Construction has started on Jamaica’s seventh RIU property, Hotel Riu Palace Aquarelle, in Falmouth, Trelawny. The 700-plus room resort will have 24-hour all-inclusive service and feature its own exclusive waterpark. The brand’s first hotel in Trelawny is set in historic Coopers Pen – an area full of culture, nature, and stunning beaches. It’s also home to Glistening Waters, considered to be one of the most luminous lagoons in the world for witnessing bioluminescence, and is just five minutes away from the Martha Brae River rafting descent in the rainforest. Falmouth is now the fastest growing tourism area in Jamaica, and the resort will be a short 35-minute drive from Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport.

CRUISE

MSC Cruises reports that its entire fleet of 19 ships is back at sea following MSC Musica’s return to water last week. MSC Musica set sail for the first of her planned 23 seven-night summer 2022 voyages to Katakolon in Greece, the Greek islands of Crete and Santorini, as well as Bari (Italy), before she returning to her seasonal homeport.

Viking Cruises has kicked off its Great Lakes season with the launch of the new purpose-built Viking Octantis. Designed specifically for the region, the ship recently completed a roundtrip through the Welland Canal – a key section of the St. Lawrence Seaway connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie – making it the largest passenger vessel ever to transit the canal. The ship will remain in the Great Lakes until early October, sailing a variety of itineraries between Toronto and Duluth. A second expedition vessel, the Viking Polaris, will debut later this year and will join the Viking Octantis in the Great Lakes for the 2023 season.

ATTRACTIONS & THEME PARKS

Now open for the season, Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours in Niagara Falls, Ont. offers guests an action-packed ride through Niagara River’s whitewater rapids. Passengers can choose between two experiences – wet or dry. Guests in open-topped jet boats are guaranteed to return to the dock soaking wet, doused with water while their boat pilot powers them through the rapids at high speed and expertly spins them through the chop in a complete 360-degree turn.

Those who’d prefer to stay dry can go for a spin on Whirlpool’s Freedom Boat, which features a selection of seats protected from the elements by a glass dome, as well as a number of seats on the front deck where riders are sure to get splashed.

FAMS & INCENTIVES

Encore Cruises

TravelBrands Encore Cruises, along with Norwegian Cruise Line, hosted 70 travel agents (photo) for Seminar at Sea May 22-29 aboard the Norwegian Joy. Departing from New York, the cruise also called in Norfolk, Va., and Bermuda. “We are so happy to be back with our annual Seminar at Sea this year,“ said Nathalie Tanious, COO, TravelBrands. “Travel agents, as much as our staff members, loved the opportunity to connect, learn and enjoy their time at sea.” Next year’s SeaU will be held on the Celebrity Beyond from March 26, 2023, for seven nights with more details to come.

EVENTS

ACTA will host an advocacy town hall meeting (English) on June 20, 1 to 2 p.m. EST, with guest presenter and senior accountant Mike Libbey, who will discuss ways that independent travel agents can organize their business to manage risk from future emergency events. The session will highlight important “lessons learned” during the pandemic and explore specific steps independent travel agents can take, should there be renewed border measures. Cost is free for ACTA members and $25 for non-members (which can towards a new 2022 ACTA membership. Register HERE.

The conclusion of IPW last week, US Travel announced that its 54th annual IPW travel trade show and marketplace will take place May 20-24, 2023, in San Antonio, the first time the Texas city will serve as IPW host.

PEOPLE/APPOINTMENTS

Transat A.T. Inc. has announced the appointment of Julie Sareault to the position of Commercial Director – Québec, succeeding Karine Gagnon who was recently promoted to General Manager of Transat Distribution Canada (TDC). The move takes effect July 4. Sareault is currently Manager, National Sales for Air Transat.

Vision Travel has announced the addition of three new management positions in Western Canada: Vancouver-based Zabeen Kara, regional manager for British Columbia, was most recently Vision’s manager of leisure supplier relations and national sales support. She can be reached at zabeen.kara@visiontravel.ca.
Regional manager for Alberta is Calgary-based Katie Kewley, katie.kewley@visiontravel.ca. And, responsible for Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Angie Bree will be based in Winnipeg, angie.bree@visiontravel.ca.

DESTINATIONS

On Oct. 14, the Jordan Trail will introduce new Thru-Hikes. These guided hiking experiences will include licensed guides, transportation, meals, accommodations and more. Travellers can enjoy any section of the hike for as little or as much as they want to, and meet Jordanians as they meander through more than 70 villages.

Divers and snorkellers can promote reef protection and explore the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef during a one-of-a-kind underwater concert scheduled in the Florida Keys, July 9. The 38th annual Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival takes place at Looe Key Reef, an area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary approximately 10 km south of Big Pine Key.

Music broadcast by a local radio station is piped underwater via speakers suspended beneath boats above Looe Key Reef, and several hundred underwater enthusiasts typically submerge to enjoy the ethereal undersea melodies. The “only in the Keys” listening experience is paired with diver awareness announcements that emphasize ways to enjoy the reef while minimizing environmental impacts.

Send info to baginski@travelindustrytoday.com

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

LISTENING IN: Boss the cherry on new Mellencamp classic

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John Mellencamp has always been one of my favourites, especially when his early heartland style of rock began to incorporate Appalachian overtones in the mid ‘80s with such instruments as dulcimer, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, penny whistle, and especially accordion. That style deliciously returns here on his latest single, “Wasted Days” – with one more amazing addition: Bruce Springsteen.

Apparently the two great singer-songwriters have been pals for awhile and have performed together live in the past, but this is their first official collaboration.

And while I’ll concede that Mellencamp’s voice at age 70 has aged noticeably (in a gruff though not grating way), the 72-year-old Springsteen sounds better than ever.

“Wasted Days” (penned solely by Mellencamp) appears on his album “Strictly a One-Eyed Jack,” released last September, though it could easily fit on “The Lonesome Jubilee” (No. 1 in Canada in 1987). The album also features The Boss on two other tracks – “Did You Say Such a Thing” and “A Life Full of Rain.”

In addition to being a musical throwback, the song also shows the Indiana native at his lyrical best, as simple, poignant and insightful as ever (remember haunting lines like “Life is short, even on the longest days,” or, “Oh yeah, life goes on/ long after the thrill of livin’ is gone”?)

Together the words and music add up to a song as good as anything he’s done before. And Springsteen is just the cherry on top of the icing on the cake.

Lyrics

How many summers still remain
How many days are lost in vain
Who’s counting out these last remaining years
How many minutes do we have here?

Wasted days
Wasted days
We watch our lives just fade away to
More wasted days

How much sorrow is there left to climb
How many promises are worth a dime
And who on earth is worth our time
Is there a heart here that I can call mine?

Wasted days
Wasted days
We watch our lives just fade away to
More wasted days

How can a man watch his life go down the drain
How many moments has he lost today
And who among us could ever see clear
The end is coming, it’s almost here

Wasted days
Wasted days
We watch our lives just fade away to
More wasted days

Wasted days
Wasted days
We watch our lives just fade away to
More wasted days

Wasted days
More wasted days
We watch our lives just slip away to
More wasted days

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Radisson Hotel Group Opens 14th South African Property in Durban

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Radisson Hotel Group Opens 14th South African Property in Durban - HOTELWORLDS-TRAVELINDEXDurban, South Africa, June 9, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Radisson Hotel Group is proud to announce its entry into its fourth South African city, Durban, with the opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga.

This opening brings the Group’s portfolio in one of its key African markets, South Africa, to fourteen hotels in operation and two under development.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga is located on the eastern coast of South Africa’s vibrant city of Durban, in its most affluent residential and entertainment hub, Umhlanga. The hotel has easy access to several popular beaches and is within walking distance of the three-kilometer Umhlanga Beach Promenade. Durban has become a must-visit for local and international travelers because of its vast and enchanting landscapes and ideal year-round weather. Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga is close to the Durban ICC with direct access to the luxury Oceans Mall, which boasts a variety of international brands and is just 5 minutes from King Shaka International Airport.

Tim Cordon, Area Senior Vice President, Middle East & Africa at Radisson Hotel Group, says: “We are thrilled to make our debut in the welcoming city of Durban and cement our presence in our fourth South African city. South Africa continues to be a key market for us on the continent and we are proud to celebrate our 14th hotel opening milestone with the entry into Durban as we open a flagship property of this caliber. With its prime location overlooking the ocean adjacent to the exclusive Oceans Mall, this property will enhance Durban’s vibrant offering and we hope that we will be welcomed warmly into the local community.

With mesmerizing ocean views and 206 stylish and well-appointed rooms ranging from luxury suites, junior suites, and rooms for business travelers, to accessible rooms and family rooms, this upscale hotel caters to all travelers with a variety of amenities, including an outdoor pool, a kids play area, an executive business lounge, and a fitness center.

FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar on the 6th floor will serve North American styled/inspired open flame cuisine and offer a variety of beers and beverages, master-crafted cocktails, and a curated collection of South African wines. Guests can visit the Coffee Lounge on the ground floor for freshly brewed coffee and homemade baguettes from the in-house bakery. The Pool Bar is the perfect location to relax, unwind, and soak up the sun while tasting a selection of light snacks and refreshing cold drinks and enjoying the spectacular views of the Indian Ocean.

Marius Earle, General Manager, Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga, says: “It is an honor to open and lead this flagship hotel. There is great excitement and anticipation in the city about this world-class property and I am delighted to welcome guests to experience our personalized service and stylish spaces, as we aim to make every moment matter for our guests and showcase Durban hospitality at its best.”

The meetings and events area comprises eight elegant meeting and conference venues fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including video conferencing capabilities and free high-speed Wi-Fi. The ballroom seats 600 guests in cinema style and leads into a foyer with access to an outdoor terrace which can cater up to 340 guests, perfect for any big or small occasion.

With the health and safety of guests and team members as its top priority, Radisson Blu Hotel, Durban Umhlanga is implementing the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol program. The in-depth cleanliness and disinfection protocols were developed in partnership with SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, and are designed to ensure guest safety and peace of mind from check-in to check-out.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Georgia Hall Wins Aramco Saudi Ladies International Golf Tournament

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Georgia Hall Wins Aramco Saudi Ladies International Golf Tournament - TOP25GOLFCOURSES.com - TRAVELINDEXJeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 8, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / England’s Georgia Hall delivered a measured final round 71 to win the $1million Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fund by five shots at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, on the Jeddah coast.

After being congratulated on the final green by Solheim Cup team member and good friend Emily Kristine Pedersen, a clearly delighted Hall showed how much the win – her first on the Ladies European Tour since her only other Tour victory, the 2018 Women’s Open – meant.

“It’s fantastic to win in March, so early in the season,” said the world #25. “I really love this place and love the golf course. I was fine after 18, and then Emily started crying, and it made me cry. I was just really proud of the way I played today.”

Hall’s one-under-par round started with two birdies in the first three holes to extend her overnight lead to seven shots, from where she never really looked back.

“That was the plan in my head,” said the 25-year-old. “The front nine is a little bit easier, a little bit less wind than we’ve had, so I tried to take advantage and hit some really good shots on the front nine to get me further ahead, and that kind of settled me.”

Despite four bogeys – on five, 10, 15 and 16 – the chasing pack never got closer than four shots. Hall – a runner up at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International in 2020 – sealed things with a birdie three on 17, rolling in a 15-foot putt.

She continued: “Even on 16, I thought it was a pretty good shot. It just didn’t come back. It was so tough. It was windier than yesterday, and 15, 16 can be very tricky, so I tried a few damage limitations there. Obviously really happy with the birdie on 17.

“To lead all week is very special. I think the first round really was very important for me. I played incredible that round. It really set me up for the rest of the week. Sometimes it’s not always easy with a five-shot lead into the last day, it’s a little bit more pressure on you, but I was really happy with the way I conducted myself today.”

Joint second place went to the former Czech Republic international footballer cum LET rookie Kristyna Napoleaova, and Johanna Gustavsson of Sweden.

It was fairy tale stuff for 25-year-old Napoleaova, who was competing in only her second event as an LET professional, and who had shared the Day Two lead with Hall.

“To be honest, it’s kind of like a dream,” she said. “I didn’t expect even to get into the event. Golf Saudi provided me with an invite, which was incredible. What happened this week is like a fairy tale. It’s been an absolutely incredible week. I’m so grateful to have been here and can’t wait to come back again.”

Napoleaova picks up $75,000 USD, a cool $71,300 more than her maiden LET event.

She said: “To be fair, I had no idea what the prize money is. I’m glad I didn’t look because then I would have been like slightly nervous on the last hole, which I was anyways, so better not to know!”

The best round of the day came from breakout US golf star Kelly Whaley, who set a new Ladies European Tour record with an incredible eight birdies in a row, to finish joint sixth.

The 24-year-old went -8 from the fourth hole through 11, en route to equaling Royal Greens’ course-record 63.

It was the first time in history any player has bagged more than seven consecutive birdies in a regular season LET event.

Whaley – who turned pro in 2019 and was competing in her first ever event outside the States – said: “It is the best round I’ve ever had in a tournament. My whole goal today was to just enjoy it and have fun, being my first international professional event. I’ve never had eight birdies in a row. That’s something memorable for anyone!

“Once I made about four or five, I said, ‘Okay, you’re in it now – you can’t stop!’. So, I just kept giving myself opportunities and it was a lot of fun. I think in these situations pressure can get to you, and it becomes almost daunting, but I really approached today trying to just enjoy every shot and find something about every hole that I loved, whether it be the view or just something else. It was just a really memorable day.”

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Turning Point for Tourism: UNWTO Executive Council Looks Beyond Recovery

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Turning Point for Tourism UNWTO Executive Council Looks Beyond Recovery - TRAVELINDEXJeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 8, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Executive Council of UNWTO has met to advance the recovery of tourism around shared goals and a common vision for the sector.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

Held for the first time in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the 116th session was the largest meeting of the Executive Council since the start of the pandemic, with more than 200 participants and 32 countries represented. Members noted that the meeting came at a pivotal point for the sector as it learns from the lessons of the pandemic while at the same time looking ahead to a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future.

Advancing priorities in challenging times

Tourism is united and determined like never before, and UNWTO is guiding it forward, with inclusivity and sustainability at the very heart of all our work

“We have faced up to a triple crisis: an ongoing pandemic, a climate emergency and now the return of war in Europe,” UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said. He stressed that “tourism is united and determined like never before, and UNWTO is guiding it forward, with inclusivity and sustainability at the very heart of all our work”.

In his report to Members on achievements since the previous Council meeting six months ago, the Secretary-General illustrated how UNWTO is seizing tourism’s unprecedented relevance, including within the United Nations, in national recovery and growth plans and within the wider public and media conversation.

Tourism’s restart

UNWTO laid out its plans to keep advancing the priorities around fostering sustainability, promoting tourism jobs and education, growing tourism investments and accelerating its digital transformation.

The Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and host of the Executive Council, Ahmed Al Khateeb, said: “Tourism’s restart in many countries around the world offers a unique chance to rethink tourism governance, communications and beyond. We have an incredible opportunity to set a new way forward, to create a strong future for the global tourism sector, and we must embrace it.”

The recognition of tourism’s importance was further echoed by the Minister of Tourism and Leisure of Cote d’Ivoire, also serving as Executive Council Chair, Siandou Fofana, who noted that “tourism is united to face future challenges”, while stressing the importance of cohesion in planning and policymaking as the sector recovers to drive wider social and economic recovery.

Members agreed to hold the 117th session of the UNWTO Executive Council in Morocco, in the second half of this year. With two countries offering to host the 118th session, Members voted in favour of the Dominican Republic holding the first Council of 2023.

Onto Riyadh, emerging tourism hub

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Updates here.

Members of the Executive Council were provided with an update on the work of the UNWTO Regional Office for the Middle East, opened in the capital of Saudi Arabia in May 2021. The office in Riyadh is set to emerge as both a regional and global hub for the sector, with a special focus on tourism education and tourism and rural development, exemplified by the first major project to come out of the office, Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO.

From Jeddah, the UNWTO leadership will visit Riyadh to formally welcome personnel.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

World Leaders Pledge to Fight for Freedom and Values

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World Leaders Pledge to Fight for Freedom and Values - TRAVELINDEXDavos, Switzerland, June 8, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / World leaders came together at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 against a backdrop of deepening global frictions and fractures and a once-in-a-century pandemic.

On Monday, President Zelenskyy addressed participants live from Kyiv. He said that the words “turning point” have “become more than just a rhetorical figure of speech” and emphasized that “values must matter”.

The war in Ukraine has created immense human suffering. And the wider impacts of the conflict are being felt around the world.

The World Economic Forum called for a “Marshall Plan” for the reconstruction of Ukraine. “In Davos, our solidarity is foremost with the people suffering from the atrocities of this war,” said Klaus Schwab, the Forum’s Founder and Executive Chairman.

The Special Dialogue on Ukraine session brought together 70 global CEOs alongside the Prime Minister of Ukraine (who joined virtually), with the President of the European Commission, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine and the First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine at Davos in person, alongside other dignitaries. CEOs offered concrete ways of how their companies can support the Ukraine government and its private sector in the reconstruction of Ukraine now, rather than waiting for the war to end.

The World Economic Forum offered its support in this endeavour, advancing discussions on new partnerships and market-driven solutions to enable a scaled up response to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and other global crises.

Meeting in person after a two-year hiatus, there were over 450 sessions at the meeting, which brought together 2,500 leaders and experts from around the world, including 300 government leaders and 50 heads of state. It was a critical opportunity to foster stronger global and regional cooperation to restore stability and create real impact.

Nature and climate

The energy crisis, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, must not deepen the world’s dependence on climate-warming fossil fuels. During the week, there was a focus on accelerating clean energy and climate solutions:

  • More than 50 companies have now joined the First Movers Coalition, which was launched by US President Biden and the World Economic Forum at COP26 to decarbonize the heavy industry and long-distance transport sectors – the sectors responsible for 30% of global emissions.
  • This week at Davos, John Kerry, the United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, joined these companies in sending a powerful market signal to commercialize zero-carbon technology. Their market cap represents about $8.5 trillion across five continents and they are making unprecedented advance purchase commitments by 2030.
  • Eight new countries have joined the First Movers Coalition as government partners – Denmark, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Singapore, Sweden and the UK. All are committed to create early markets for clean technologies. Alongside the United States, there are nine committed government partners.
  • Some 70+ CEOs of the CEO Climate Leaders Alliance – the largest CEO-led climate action group globally – agreed on taking bold action to translate pledges into tangible emission reductions in line with 1.5C. Covering 26 countries and 12 industries and representing 120 companies in total, the alliance has a combined annual emission footprint greater than India or the EU.
  • CEOs agreed to push for progress on critical 2030 and 2050 global climate targets, mobilizing dialogue between governments and the private sector to deliver a successful outcome at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh.
  • China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Xie Zhenhua announced his country’s contribution to plant and conserve 70 billion trees by 2030. The World Economic Forum and China Green Foundation will undertake concrete measures together through 1t.org China Action to support the fulfilment of China’s contribution.
  • A new $15 million investment over five years was announced to support entrepreneurs who can drive innovation in freshwater resource management – the initiative will be hosted by our UpLink platform.
  • CEOs also held dialogues with regional climate envoys, COP26, COP27 and COP28 leadership to make progress on global climate policies, including the importance of setting a global price on carbon and other key policy measures to fast-track the transition.
  • Youth activist Elizabeth Watuthi spoke on Safeguarding our People and Planet, sharing the local perspective and direct impacts of climate change in vulnerable communities, and youth climate activist Vanessa Nakate, speaking at the Staying on Course for Climate Action session, said: “When we talk about climate change we’re also talking about food security. It’s really important to understand the intersections of this crisis.”
  • The Forum’s Global New Mobility Coalition is launching the Urban Mobility Scorecards initiative. Over 30 companies, such as Visa, Hyundai, Uber, Volta Trucks and TIER, will work with policy-makers from cities and regions to better understand challenges and solutions to create a shared, connected and decarbonized mobility ecosystem.
  • A new Global Commission on the Economics of Water was launched to redefine the way we value and incorporate water into economic decision-making. It is led by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization; Mariana Mazzucato, Founding Director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose; Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister of the Government of Singapore; and Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Economic transformation

The Forum’s Chief Economists Outlook report warned of “dire human consequences” from the fragmentation of the global economy. It said that developing economies face trade-offs between the risks of debt crisis and securing food and fuel. The rising cost of living hits the world’s poorest communities hardest. The Ukraine conflict has exacerbated already fragile energy and food systems. Co-investment by the public and private sector is critical to restarting a new era of growth, one that integrates inclusion and sustainability at its core rather than an afterthought, and is the best way forward for shared prosperity.

  • A leading group of CEOs, ministers and academic experts agreed on the roadmap for the Market Creators Alliance to develop fairer principles for governments, businesses and public-private partnerships on innovation and industrial development. This will be launched later this year.
  • Four Futures for Economic Globalization: Scenarios and Their Implications outlines how the nature of globalization may shift as economic powers choose between fragmentation or integration in both the physical and virtual dimensions of the world economy.
  • The Government of Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates announced that they are joining the Food Action Alliance for driving food systems transformation. They are part of a growing group of first-mover countries. The new partnership will harness innovation to accelerate country goals on food security and nutrition, inclusive growth, sustainability and climate resilience, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Work, wages and job creation

  • The Jobs Consortium, a group of public and private sector leaders focused on investment in the jobs of tomorrow, held their inaugural meeting in Davos to drive a global recovery and investment agenda for the next two years. They aim to create growth in the jobs of tomorrow, new standards in the workplace and better wages for all, focusing on social, green and tech jobs as the high-growth, job-creating sector of the future.
  • Over 6 million refugees have left Ukraine to other countries since February, adding to the estimated 31 million people worldwide forcibly displaced across borders. The Refugee Employment and Employability Initiative was launched, a coalition of chief human resources officers from over 140 organizations who support the integration of Ukrainian refugees in Europe. This will pilot its work supporting learning and job opportunities for Ukrainian refugees in Europe in its first phase – aiming to expand to other regions of the world in the future.

Education and skills

  • The Reskilling Revolution initiative, launched at the Annual Meeting in 2020, has now mobilized a community of over 50 CEOs, 350 organizations and 15 countries all working towards a vision of giving 1 billion people better education, reskilling and upskilling. A network of country accelerators in Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Georgia, Greece, India, Oman, Pakistan, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, with support from Denmark, Finland, Singapore and Switzerland, and a consortium of the largest online learning platforms are working together.
  • The initiative will now expand beyond adult learning to add a focus on education for children and youth. These efforts will be taken forward by a new Education 4.0 Alliance, bringing together 20 leading education organizations, and Bangladesh has become the first country to adopt the education accelerator model in Davos.
  • A new report, Catalysing Education 4.0 Investing in the Future of Learning for a Human-Centric Recovery, focuses on preparing today’s generation of school-age children with better collaborative problem-solving that could add $2.54 trillion – over $3,000 per school-age child – from this one skill alone.

Diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice

  • The Gender Parity Accelerators are a global network of national public-private collaboration platforms working to close existing gender gaps and reshape gender parity for the future. This year two G20 countries, Mexico and Japan, will initiate Gender Parity Accelerators in the coming months.
  • The Valuable 500 initiative announced a unique mentorship programme – Generation Valuable – for people with disabilities to build the future executive leadership, driving disability inclusion by revolutionizing the boardrooms of tomorrow.
  • The Edison Alliance launched a new programme to speed up digital inclusion in the life-critical sectors of health, education and finance. It launched a new network of “lighthouse countries”, including Bahrain, Bangladesh and Rwanda, working with the UN Development Programme to further the alliance’s 1 billion lives vision of providing people with affordable, digital solutions by 2025.

Trade and supply chains

Business and government leaders highlighted the potential of trade facilitation, finance and trade technology to tackle supply chain barriers. Trade ministers gathered in Davos to hear from business and civil society and prepare for next month’s World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference. Leaders called for diversifying trade and investment relationships to bolster development and support common values. Indigenous and labour leaders called for inclusive outcomes from trade. Food security was high on the agenda.

  • The World Investment for Development Alliance was launched together with OECD Secretary-General Matthias Cormann, the World Bank, UNCTAD and other partners, to increase collaboration in addressing investment policy and practice.
  • The Forum’s Platform for Trade and Investment, together with the Digital Cooperation Organization, launched a Digital FDI initiative to support investment in the digital economy in developing economies.
  • The World Economic Forum convened Friends of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, a group of heads of state and business leaders, which advanced a framework on how public-private partnerships can support the implementation of the AfCFTA.
  • Global supply chain disruptions make it harder to reach children with life-saving supplies. This week UNICEF co-signed an extended charter with the World Economic Forum and 16 logistics leaders to prioritize support for humanitarian supply transports.

Health

COVAX the multilateral initiative aimed at ensuring equitable access to life-saving COVID-19 vaccines was conceived in Davos two years ago. In the past seven days it has shipped its 1.5 billionth dose.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused enormous disruptions to healthcare – reversals in testing and treatment of life-threatening diseases. Crucial steps have been taken to help counteract these setbacks. These include:

  • The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria announced its first pledge from the private sector in Davos. It has raised a third of the $18 billion needed to reverse setbacks caused by the pandemic.
  • Building on recommendations developed in partnership with the European Union COVID-19 lung cancer taskforce, the Forum, together with the Lung Ambition Alliance, launched the Global Lung Cancer Collaboration to bring together organizations in healthcare delivery, research, diagnostics, biopharma, patient advocacy and non-governmental organizations to facilitate greater collaboration and solutions to eliminate lung cancer as a leading cause of death.
  • An Accord for a Healthier World was launched at Davos by Pfizer this week, providing all its current and future patent-protected medicines and vaccines available in the US or EU on a not-for-profit basis to 45 lower-income countries. Pfizer called on global health leaders and organizations to join the accord, bringing their expertise and resources to close the health equity gap and help create a healthier world for 1.2 billion people. Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda are the first five countries to commit to join the accord. Health officials in these countries will help identify and resolve hurdles beyond supply to inform the roll-out in all 45 lower-income countries.
  • The World Economic Forum’s Platform for Health and Healthcare signed an MoU with Saudi Arabia in support of the Global Coalition for Value in Healthcare. This partnership will increase collaborative efforts to build a global healthcare movement on value-based health systems and people-centred care, alongside global government policy-makers, industry and academia through accelerating public-private partnerships.

Tech frontiers

  • The World Economic Forum unveiled the concept of a Global Collaboration Village, a major initiative to harness the potential of the metaverse to create a place where international cooperation can be strengthened.
  • The Defining and Building the Metaverse initiative was launched bringing together key stakeholders to define and build the parameters of an economically viable, interoperable, safe and inclusive metaverse.
  • The Global Coalition for Digital Safety has committed to developing emergency protocols for protecting digital safety during wars, particularly to tackle online exploitation and abuse, violent extremist and terrorist content, and mis- and disinformation. This will complement the broader work of the coalition to make the internet safer by tackling harmful content and conduct online.
  • The Annual Meeting hosted its first public panel on Unlocking Quantum, with leaders committing to focus on how technologies and deeper analytics could transform decarbonization and accelerate the fight against climate change. They will work with Qlimate, Volkswagen and the Netherlands government on identifying and scaling solutions.
  • Malaysia’s Finance Minister announced his country will be the first location for a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in the ASEAN region. And, the Dubai Future Foundation, with support from the Government of UAE, has signed a collaboration agreement to continue the operations of C4IR UAE. The centre will focus on blockchain, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
  • Samantha Cristoforetti became the first astronaut to join the Annual Meeting live from space aboard the International Space Station, orbiting the planet at 17,500 miles an hour. The Live from Space session looked at how government and business can collaborate to ensure that space exploration benefits people and the planet.

In a closing address, Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, called for “a sustainable, resilient globalization which uses natural resources sparingly and, above all, takes the needs of future generations into account”, adding that a new approach to globalization would be “based on solidarity which benefits all citizens – in all parts of the world.”

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News