Global Travel News

Strong Interest in Bali & Beyond Travel Fair 2023

 700 426 wttc2
By:

Strong Interest in Bali & Beyond Travel Fair 2023 - TRAVELINDEX - VISITBALI.orgDenpasar, Bali, Indonesia, March 25, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / By mid-March 2023, 189 companies have registered from a targeted 250 sellers from 44 countries seeking business appointments with 350 buyers who will be on hand to enliven BBTF – a travel mart that has become the pride of all Indonesian trade shows,” said the chairman of BBTF 2023, I Putu Winastra, quoted on Monday, 20 March 2023.

“For the first time in the history of BBTF, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is assisting the event by contacting foreign tour operators and other international buyers interested in travel to Indonesia,” commented Winastra.

Top decision makers from leading hotel management companies will participate as sellers at BBTF, including representatives of Marriott International, the Hyatt Group, Archipelago Hotels, Swiss-bell Hotels, and many other international and Indonesian hotel management companies.

“This level of participation proves the great faith the big players in the tourism industry are placing on the impact and utility of accessing market potential via BBTF 2023,” said Winastra.

Also participating in BBTF are 12 regional governments across Indonesia, such as Jakarta, East Kalimantan, Makassar, and Tanah Toraja.

“With buyers registering through countries across Europe, the Middle East, ASEAN, Australia, America, and Asia as a whole – the BBTF line-up at a trade show initiated by the ASITA Bali Chapter is steadily moving forward,” said Putu Winastra.

The BBTF Chairman praised the impressive international geographical distribution of buyers traveling to Bali this June, with qualified buyers coming from Europe, the Middle East, ASEAN, Australia, the USA, and Asia.

BBTF organizers are targeting Rp. 6.77 trillion in total transactions in 2023, an increase of 29.6% compared to the Rp. 5.2 trillion in total transactions recorded at BBTF 2022.

Speaking with pride about the coming travel fair, Putu Winastra said: “In BBTF, we have a world-class travel trade fair held and organized by the Indonesian people that saves substantial foreign exchange by bringing the buyers to Indonesia instead of requiring Indonesians to travel overseas in search of business. This is happening only in Indonesia.”

In response to market demand, BBTF will showcase Bali and national sellers promoting sustainable tourism products. This year, particular focus is being given to health tourism, emphasizing the current global demand for wellness and medical tourism.

“Bali continues to diversify economic growth of its tourism sector that is not solely dependent on the number of arrivals, but also on the quality of its products and visitors. For this reason, we are fast-tracking new product areas such as wellness tourism, medical tourism, cruise tourism, and MICE to bring them to the attention of BBTF buyers,” commented Putu Winastra. MICE – referring to meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions – has become the leading segment of the Island’s tourism industry.

BBTF 2023 will operate under a banner proclaiming: Reconnecting Quality and Sustainable Tourism.

For more information about BBTF 2023, please visit the website https://www.bbtf.co.id/

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Hosts Tourism Workshop for Asia and the Pacific

 700 405 wttc2
By:

 

UNWTO HOSTS TOURISM STATISTICS WORKSHOP FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC MEMBERS IN NEPAL - TRAVELINDEXKathmandu, Nepal, March 25, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO has concluded a three-day workshop focused on helping Member States from across Asia and the Pacific better measure and manage their tourism sectors.

Recognizing the importance of regional cooperation as destinations across Asia and the Pacific re-open to tourism, UNWTO organized the workshop alongside the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal and the Nepal Tourism Board and with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea.

Approximately 200 participants from nine Member States took part in the workshop, which began with a high-level discussion around the theme of “Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism for people, planet and prosperity”. Speakers emphasized the need for cooperation at the national and international levels in order to generate the reliable data needed to guide the economic, social and environmental aspects of tourism for sustainable development.

Interactive training sessions

Following on from the opening discussions, UNWTO hosted a series of technical training sessions focused on tourism statistics, measuring the economic impact of tourism and measuring the sustainability of tourism, and offered an interactive platform for participants to learn and exchange good practices. Participants then reviewed fundamental basics on tourism statistics in relation to the UN statistical standard “International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics 2008”, before they explored the technical requirements for a successful TSA compilation.

The final session introduced the MST Statistical Framework, which offered unique insights on the importance of using MST indicators for policy development and the compilation of official tourism SDG indicators.

Pan-Regional Participation

Taking part in the workshop were high-level representatives from the National Tourism Administrations and National Statistical Offices of Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Maldives and Thailand, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative of Nepal.

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

LISTENING IN: Liverpool tunes up for Eurovision 2023

 1080 494 wttc2
By:

It might only be the second biggest event in the UK this May (see King Charles lII, Coronation of), but the Eurovision Song Contest is a big deal in Britain (and elsewhere in Europe). And this year’s event, to be held in Liverpool May 8-13, has increased significance as the northern British city – known for its musical chops – has stepped in as a substitute for Ukraine, the originally scheduled host.

The now-ravaged eastern European nation had earned the right to host the prestigious contest by virtue of its winning entry last year ahead of 38 other countries (which also recorded a dubious historical marker as the first time a winner had rapped during a performance).

However, the traditional honour for the winning country to act as host of the following year’s event was passed on to 2nd-place finisher Britain for safety and security reasons due to Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine three months earlier.

The most famous winners of the 67th annual event, of course, are ABBA (1974) and (who knew?) Celine Dion (1988) – indicating the level of talent on display. Katrina and the Waves notably walked on sunshine with their win in 1997 and Cliff Richard was a runner up in 1968. Olivia Newton-John only finished fourth.

Liverpool’s skyline symbolically supports the Eurovision Song Contest logo for 2023, with colours that reflect the event’s willing but unable host, Ukraine

But even with annual winners most likely to be less illustrious than the Swedish or Quebecois pop superstars – indeed, some acts attract perverse attention for their Gong Show-style performances, or even the mesmerizing oddity of Ukrainian rappers for that matter – each year’s contest attracts intense interest and rabid TV viewers rooting – and voting – for their own national performers, often at raucous parties not unlike those held for the Super Bowl this side of the Atlantic.

Liverpool won the bidding process to host this year’s event from amongst 20 eager British cities, which included eventual runner-up Glasgow. It’s the first time for Liverpool and the first for Britain in 25 years since Birmingham 1998. In total Britain has hosted nine times, four of them in London.

The UK has won the contest five times and has been runner-up a record 16 times, prompting national frustration and annual hand-ringing (no winners in 25 years either).

And with enthusiasm mounting for a “home game” in 2023, Eurovision promises to be the hottest ticket in Liverpool this Spring. The event will take place at Liverpool Arena and will be shown on the BBC, with hosts including Graham Norton and Hannah Waddington (of “Ted Lasso” fame).

Liverpool

Cavern Club

Of course, visitors to Liverpool for or, during the show, will discover a city with music in its bones. The UNESCO City of Music and self-proclaimed “World Capital of Pop” – and hometown of The Beatles, of course – has a lively modern music scene, including the famous Cavern Club, where The Beatles’ musical identity was formed, but which today is a thriving live music destination showcasing new up-and-coming Merseybeat bands (the name comes from local River Mersey), as well as established artists.

Beatles’ fans will be in their element at The Beatles Museum, on a Magical Mystery Tour, or just visiting sites made familiar in their songs – such as Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane.

Beyond the Fab Four, the city’s broad musical legacy can be perused at the British Music Museum, while classical music afficionados can attend the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. And dedicated fans will, of course, want to take a “ferry across the Mersey.”

But for now, all eyes are on Eurovision 2023, and to that end we offer what will undoubtedly be your most interesting musical experience of the week: the 2022 finale performance from Ukraine’s rapping Kalush Orchestra. (Oh, we’re versatile!)

Nasoloditisya (enjoy) – it’s likely to be the only rap you’ll ever hear in this space!

First published at Travel Industry Today

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Tivoli Debuts in the Netherlands with Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam

 700 402 wttc2
By:

Tivoli Debuts in the Netherlands with Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam - TRAVELINDEX - TOP25HOTELS.comAmsterdam, Netherlands, March 24, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Tivoli Hotels and Resorts has just launched its first property in the Netherlands. The Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel is a XVI century property in the classicist style overlooking the Amstel Canal and is considered to be the oldest hotel in the Dutch capital. The original home to Rembrandt Van Rijn’s famous painting The Night Watch (which was completed in 1642) it hung on a wall inside one of the bedroom suites until it moved to the city’s famed Rijksmuseum.

Centrally located in Amsterdam’s historic city centre, walking distance from the main touristic attractions, the heritage property has 81 guest rooms including seven suites, most of them overlooking the canal, and a new gastronomic concept in its elegant Omber restaurant and bar, inspired by the art works of Rembrandt, who lived very close to the hotel.

Inspired by the Dutch Golden Age and the unique atmosphere of Amsterdam, Tivoli Doelen’s interiors blend an old-world elegance with contemporary service and special Tivoli touches. The guest rooms and suites offer views over the canals or the city, with the interiors featuring pastel tones with red splashes of colour for a relaxing but vibrant atmosphere, combined with touches of wood. New beds and bed linen provide the best night’s sleep and the marble bathrooms feature special amenities from the French luxury brand Lalique.

For an ultimate Dutch experience, guests can book the 47-square-metre Rembrandt Suite where they can view a perfect replica of The Night Watch, in the room and on the exact wall where the masterpiece originally hung for 70 years. Another interesting room is the Empress Suite that was once the boudoir of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, most well-known as Sisi. With a unique C-shape design to maximise the canals views, the suite has a king-sized bed with Dutch shields on the ceiling, which are a symbol of protection.

On the ground floor and overlooking the canal, Omber restaurant and bar now offers a Mediterranean-Dutch fusion menu. Inspired by the craftsmanship of paint making and the limited colours Rembrandt used, Omber is a signature colour in Rembrandt’s art. Every dish on the menu contains an element inspired by his colour pallet. The menu also takes inspiration from the artist’s favourites dishes such as herring and pickles that have been recreated by the team with the Dutch name of Rembrandt Pauze. The slow cooked Dutch Veal with parsnip, carrots and purslane is one of the dishes paired with Portuguese Cartuxa wine from the Alentejo region, giving a nod to the brand’s Portuguese heritage.

For the Omber Bar, several signature cocktails have been created with Jenever, the typical Dutch gin, which was also Rembrandt’s favourite drink. Most of the cocktails are made with a local Jenever producer, Wynand Fockink, which operates a similar distillery process to that used in the Dutch Golden Age. The star cocktail Night Watch is based on an old recipe found in the hotel archives dating back to the 17th century and is made with old Jenever, coffee liqueur, syrup and cherry bitters. Daily at 4:30pm, Omber Bar celebrates the aperitivo moment offering guests some local sips to savour.

Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam helps guests make the most of its canal side location with a range of personalised tours starting and ending at the hotel dock, exploring the vast IJsselmeer, the city canals or Oudekerk aan de Amstel.

With an immersive “In the Footsteps of Rembrandt” tour, guests can visit his home and studio, the gothic Zuiderkerk, his family church featured in his art, and the artists’ guild of De Waag, one of the oldest buildings in the city, which he also painted. Along the way, the guide will share more details about Rembrandt’s life, as well as his connection with the Doelen property, that commissioned his most famous painting, The Night Watch, in 1642.

The hotel has created a partnership with The Rembrandthuis museum iving hotel guests the possibility of booking a very exclusive experience, a dinner, served by the Tivoli Doelen team, in the actual kitchen of Rembrandt’s house. Guests can also book a painting workshop, inspired by the Dutch grand master, getting to know better the ancient art heritage of Amsterdam.

With a journey that dates back to 1933 in Lisbon, Tivoli arrives in Amsterdam in March 2023, the month of the brand’s 90th anniversary, celebrating its sophisticated hospitality with events and special guest experiences to be revealed throughout the year.

Rates at Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel start from €200.00 for a Superior room including breakfast for two people.

About Tivoli Hotels & Resorts
Tivoli Hotels & Resorts is part of the Minor Hotels and currently operates 17 properties in Portugal, Brazil, Qatar, China and The Netherlands. With 90 years of experience, Tivoli Hotels & Resorts differentiates through a range of unique and authentic experiences offered to guests along with innovative and outstanding service. In Portugal, Tivoli has properties in main tourism destinations from the cosmopolitan city of Lisbon to the romantic medieval town Sintra and the beaches and golf courses of the Algarve. In Brazil, Tivoli hotels has properties in the vibrant São Paulo and coastal Bahia. In Qatar, the brand portfolio includes three hotels, two in the historic centre of Doha and one on the coast in Al Wakra.

Tivoli is a member of Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands.

About Minor Hotels
Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator and investor currently with more than 540 hotels in operation. Minor Hotels passionately explores new possibilities in hospitality with a diverse portfolio of properties designed intelligently to appeal to different kinds of travellers, serving new passions as well as personal needs. Through our Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH Hotels, nhow, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International properties, Minor Hotels operates in 56 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe, South America and North America. With dynamic plans to expand existing brands and explore strategic acquisitions throughout opportunistic markets, Minor Hotels pursues a vision of a more passionate and interconnected world.

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Tourism Potential of Least Developed Countries Outlined at UN Conference

 700 411 wttc2
By:

UNWTO - Tourism Potential of Least Developed Countries Outlined at UN Conference - TRAVELINDEXDoha, Qatar, March 24, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO centred tourism as a key pillar of sustainable development at the 5th United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries.

The conference, held in Doha around the theme of “From Potential to Prosperity” came at the pivotal half-way point in the timeline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and fully implement the 2030 agenda. With the sector accounting for 7% of total exports, and as much as 10% for non-oil exporting LDCs, tourism has proven its power to drive development. The crosscutting and labour-intensive nature of tourism also creates links to many other economic sectors and positions it as a valuable contributor to national development strategies and support to entrepreneurs, the backbone of the sector. Tourism has been one of the key factors enabling the graduation of LDCs which are also Small Island Developing States, including Cabo Verde, Samoa, Maldives and most recently Vanuatu.

The UN Conference brought together Heads of State, governments, civil society organizations, entrepreneurs, students, youth and policy makers. In Doha, UNWTO participated in the UN principals meeting, several high-level events and thematic roundtables with sector partners, to help finance, build engagement and bolster sustainable long-term support for the LDCs. Key issues raised included climate action, innovation, new financing mechanisms, education youth empowerment, digitalization, and capacity building.

Private sector partnerships

Within the Private Sector Forum Sustainable Tourism Session “Achieving universal access to clean and affordable energy through partnerships” co-organized by UNWTO, participants included – distinguished representatives from TUI Care Foundation, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and Asian Development Bank. Discussions focused on the potential for innovative partnerships to support sustainable recovery, shape better policies and fiscal incentives for the private sector to rebound. UNWTO was proud to announce ‘Tourism for Development Fund’ for Least Developed Countries supporting projects in LDCs with at least €10 million until 2030 in collaboration with the TUI Care Foundation.

UNWTO also hosted a special side event on “Harnessing Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Tourism as Tools for Sustainable Development in LDCs” with the support of Qatar Tourism.  Here Startups from the UNWTO SDGs Global Startups Competition pitched their solutions helping to drive change in their countries alongside a panel discussion on how Innovation and Partnerships in Tourism can accelerate economic development. Participating startups included SEMA (Uganda), Community Homestay Network (Nepal), At hause Ltd. (Uganda).

Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “By 2030, Qatar Tourism aims to increase the number of visitors to the destination threefold to over six million visitors a year, increase spending by three to four times and grow the travel and tourism sector contribution to GDP from 7 to 12%. Most importantly, we want to double employment in the tourism sector, all while continuing to position Qatar as a global leader in Service Excellence. To achieve this ambitious goal, Qatar Tourism aims to boost the entire tourism value chain, grow local and international visitor demand, attract sector investment, and drive a multiplier effect across the domestic economy.”

LDC5 represents a once-in-a-decade chance for the world’s most vulnerable to realign to global priorities. UNWTO is fully committed to accelerating the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action, by focusing on innovation, digitalization and new financing models to support Least Developed countries’ economic growth and graduation.

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort Reinvigorates YHI Spa

 900 600 wttc2
By:

Ho Tram, Vietnam, March 23, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Meliá Ho Tram Beach Resort has extensively refurbished its YHI Spa and is introducing a new spa menu and wellness packages, positioning itself as one of southern Vietnam’s prime wellness destinations.

Meliá Hotels International’s signature YHI Spa, at the resort fronting Ho Tram Beach, has doubled its size to 20 treatment rooms, including two couples rooms, one male single room and one female single room each featuring Jacuzzis.

Under the spa’s revamp, the resort has also introduced a hair salon with nail care facilities, dedicated foot massage area, and Japanese-inspired landscape including a lake replete with koi fish, a waterfall, red walking bridge, white pebble stone gardens, mesmerizing mural, and reflecting ponds dotted with rock formations.

Inspired by the goddess YHI responsible for life and light and personified by the sun for the Karraur First Nations people in Australia, YHI Spa’s new menu offers a broad spectrum of treatments including body and foot massages, facials, body scrubs and wraps, manicures and pedicures, hair care and styling.

With the significance of health and wellness heightened in a post-COVID world, the resort is also implementing wellness packages designed to not only awaken the five senses and temporarily “reset” guests in a rejuvenating environment but also inspire guests to pursue health routines to achieve long-term health benefits.

The resort will launch “Four Steps” and “Seven Steps” programs that include a body treatment and beauty treatment at YHI Spa, a turndown wellness ritual and a wellness activity such as yoga and Tai Chi. Seven Steps also entails welcome wellness amenities, a detox set menu for dinner and a healthy breakfast with detox drinks, guiding guests on what “an overall picture of wellness looks like”.

“Ever feel like you need a vacation after your vacation? Wellness travel could well be the key to truly unplugging, recharging, and maintaining your health and wellbeing,” said the resort’s general manager Alvaro Berton. “Wellness travel has certainly inspired us to extensively refurbish our YHI Spa and offer a host of wellness offerings to help our guests establish beneficial habits such as exercising, eating well, and sleeping well that may sound basic but remain elusive for many in today’s fast-paced world.”

YHI Spa has numerous sustainability measures in place, ranging from sourcing locally produced organic oils, natural scrubs and flowers to limiting waste and a ban on single-use plastics.

For more information or to make a booking, call +84 (0) 254 378 9000

About Meliá Hotels & Resorts
Meliá Hotels & Resorts is the most well-known brand within Meliá Hotels International; it has more than 100 city and resort hotels in the main leisure and business destinations of Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Meliá Hotels & Resorts instinctively understands the guests’ needs and lifestyle expectations and caters to every aspect of guests’ wellbeing. It offers exemplary meetings and events facilities in all key business cities and exotic locations, serving the ever-expanding conference and incentive travel market.

About Meliá Hotels International
Founded in 1956 in Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International has a portfolio of more than 400 hotels (portfolio and pipeline), throughout more than 40 countries, and 10 brands: Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ME by Meliá, The Meliá Collection, Paradisus by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ZEL, INNSiDE by Meliá, Falcon’s Resorts by Meliá, Sol by Meliá and Affiliated by Meliá. The Group is one of the leading companies in resort hotels worldwide, while also leveraging its experience to consolidate the growing segment of the leisure-inspired urban market. Its commitment to responsible tourism has led the Group to become the most sustainable hotel company worldwide, according to the last S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, and it is also a “Top Employer 2023” brand in Spain, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Italy and Germany. Meliá Hotels International is also included in the IBEX 35 Spanish stock market.

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Alma Resort Unveils Getaway Designed to Strengthen Family Bonds

 900 600 wttc2
By:

Cam Ranh, Vietnam, March 23, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Alma has introduced a package to foster quality family time, combining a stay in an oversized suite with fun at the beachfront resort’s water park, science museum, putting green and more.

The “Kids are King” getaway is on offer at the 30-hectare resort’s one- and two-bedroom Ocean View Suites, spanning 71sqm and 114sqm respectively. The suites feature a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, living room with a sofa and separate bathroom, dining area, kitchenette, and large balcony affording panoramic ocean vistas. The two-bedroom suite’s second bedroom also has an ensuite bathroom.

For a minimum stay of five consecutive nights, valid for stays until December 31 this year, Kids are King includes daily breakfast for two adults and two children under 12 in the one-bedroom suite, and for four adults and two children under 12 at a two-bedroom suite, as well as daily dinner per adult, daily free-flow local beer, house wine and soft drink per room, one spa treatment per adult at Le Spa, and roundtrip airport transfers.

Families pepper their time at the resort, overlooking Long Beach on Vietnam’s Cam Ranh peninsula, with complimentary use of the resort’s water park, science museum, putting green, sports facilities, kids club and Active Youth Club and fitness gym.

“Inspired by the significant need to disconnect from the hectic pace of daily life and reconnect together as a family, Kids are King celebrates the notion that family is everything,” said Alma’s managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler.

The 6000sqm Splash Water Park offers a lazy river, wave pool, water slides and kids’ pool. Designed to engage minds young and old, the Science Museum promotes interactive learning through a host of exhibits focused on mind-boggling wonders such as Bernoulli’s principle, electromagnetic induction, viscosity, magnetic fields, moving images, electricity generation, communication vessels, optical illusions, pulley systems and more.

Sporting facilities range from a water sports centre, that offers complimentary pursuits kayaking and bodyboarding, and a beachfront football field, to tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, an outdoor archery range, an 18-hole putting green, open-air exercise stations and a giant chess board.

The Kids’ Club is home to trampolines, ball pens, climbing frames, an arts and crafts area, library, nap zone as well as piles of toys and games all under the supervision of the resort’s fully qualified carers. Adjacent to the club is a huge kids-only pool complete with fountains and water games. Active Youth Club lures teens with virtual reality games, video games, table football, billiards tables, as well as a chill-out space with bean bags and a snack bar for quick bites and drinks. The resort also runs complimentary guided garden tours of its nursery garden, herb gardens and chicken farm to equip guests with handy tips on how to nurture their own veggie patch and look after chickens.

Bold, spacious and emblematic of Vietnam’s maturation as a destination, the independently owned and operated Alma features 14 food and beverage outlets and a cascade of 12 beachfront swimming pools. Other highlights include a cinema, amphitheater, convention centre, and yoga room. To contact Alma call +84 258 399 1666.

The Kids Are King package is priced from USD 240 net per night. The daily dinner per adult per day comes with one local beer, soft drink or juice and the daily free-flow per room includes local beer, house wine and soft drinks. A surcharge of USD 80 per person per day applies per extra person.

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

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

STAY 2 Be Rewarded with Best Western

 700 422 wttc2
By:

STAY 2 Be Rewarded with Best Western Hotels and Resorts Promotion - TRAVELINDEXBangkok, Thailand, March 23, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Best Western Hotels and Resorts is making travel even more rewarding in 2023! With our new “Stay 2 Be Rewarded” promotion, guests who stay for two nights in Asia can earn 8,000 bonus Best Western Rewards® points – enough to redeem for free stays at hotels and resorts all around the world.

Nights don’t need to be consecutive and guests who stay for two additional nights can earn a maximum of 16,000 points! To benefit from this exclusive offer, simply register, book and stay from now until May 7, 2023.

Not a member of Best Western Rewards yet? Click here to join for free today!

“Stay 2 Be Rewarded” is available in dreamy destinations all across Asia, including Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar and Pakistan. So, whether you’re planning a short break or a long-awaited vacation, Best Western is your perfect partner in 2023.

For more information about Best Western Hotels & Resorts in Asia, please visit www.bestwesternasia.com

About Best Western Hotels and Resorts
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel company within the BWH Hotel Group® global network. With 18 brands and approximately 4,500 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*, BWH Hotel Group suits the needs of developers and guests in every market. Brands include Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, GLō®, Aiden®, Sadie®, BW Premier Collection® and BW Signature Collection®. Through acquisition, WorldHotelsTM Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive and WorldHotels Crafted collections are also offered. Completing the portfolio are SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, SureStay Collection® and SureStay Studio® franchises**.

* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.
**All Best Western, WorldHotels and SureStay branded hotels are independently owned and operated.

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Spring-Time in Japan Sees Golf Travel Blossom

 700 455 wttc2
By:

Spring-Time in Japan Sees Golf Travel Blossom - TRAVELINDEX - TOP25GOLFCOURSES.comMiyazaki, Kyushu, Japan, March 23, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / The annual Asia Golf Tourism Convention (AGTC) has returned after a three-year Covid hiatus, bringing with it confidence and optimism from across the Asia Pacific region. AGTC 2023 took place in the Japanese prefecture of Miyazaki on the southernmost main island of Kyushu over six days in March, during which cherry blossoms began to bloom in the warm spring sunshine.

The 9th annual staging of the event, which is organised by IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators), attracted 320 delegates, among them 130 golf tour operators from 25 countries, all selling golf vacations either within or to golf destinations across Asia.

IAGTO Chief Executive Peter Walton said: “AGTC 2020 was scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur in March 2020 and had to be cancelled with only two months’ notice. Since then, the staging of AGTC in Miyazaki had to be postponed twice, in 2021 and 2022, until eventually taking place last week.

“The unexpectedly high turnout brought relief and excitement in equal measure from the participating delegates, who benefited from three days packed with appointments and functions, many of them meeting each other for the first time since 2019.

“One month ahead of hosting the agriculture session of the 49th G7 summit, Miyazaki launched itself onto the international golf tourism map by hosting AGTC and by showcasing seven of its 26 golf courses in the first three days of the event. There is a wealth of great golf courses within a 30-minute drive of Miyazaki City, which itself boasts a large and vibrant nightlife district full of iconic bars and restaurants.”

Walton added: “With its year-round, golf-friendly climate, Miyazaki is already well known to the domestic and Korean markets, but has now positioned itself as a truly international golf destination.

“With Japanese delegates representing one third of all AGTC supplier delegates this year, Japan now has a great opportunity to become a bucket-list golf destination for discerning golf travellers, and Miyazaki is one of the many regions within Japan that can benefit enormously from the country’s successful development as an accessible, desirable and memorable golf destination.”

Highlighting the success of the event, Walton said: “In Asia, where the recovery from the pandemic came later than in other parts of the world, it was so important for us to provide golf destinations and golf tourism suppliers the opportunity to engage with golf tour operators at this time. AGTC Miyazaki was undoubtedly the perfect springboard for what I believe will be the most important 12 months for the participants in recent golf tourism history.”

Shunji Kouno, Governor of Miyazaki Prefecture, addressed attending delegates and told them: “We are excited that these two days of business meetings have given many people from all over the world the opportunity to visit Miyazaki and Japan.”

He noted that the prefecture had focused on welcoming golfers from Japan and Asia in the past and had hosted the renowned Dunlop Phoenix Tournament for 50 years, inviting leading golfers including Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka and Hideki Matsuyama. But he added: “We hope this convention will put Miyazaki on the map as a golf destination of choice for people around the world.”

Governor Kouno also told delegates that Miyazaki had the honour of hosting AGTC exactly one month before the G7 agriculture ministers’ meeting in the prefecture, and remarked that the IAGTO golf tourism convention should be called the G25 referencing the number of countries involved.

Peter Walton added: “AGTC 2023 will go down as one of the best and most influential golf tourism events of the past decade, primarily because of the perseverance, commitment and investment of partners including the host destination, Miyazaki Prefecture, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) that has recognised sports and golf travel as one of the pillars of its national tourism strategy, the Japan Golf Tourism Association (JGTA) that will pick up the momentum of the work begun at AGTC, and Sega Sammy, the owners of the outstanding Phoenix Seagaia Resort where the convention took place.”

AGTC 2024 will take place from 12-14 March 2024, with the venue to be announced shortly.

About IAGTO
Established in 1997, IAGTO is the global trade organisation of the golf tourism industry, and has 2400 members in over 90 countries including almost 700 golf tour operator members in 61 countries, which control more than 90% of golf holiday packages sold worldwide and which collectively have annual sales of over €2.5 billion. IAGTO runs annual Asia, Europe and North America Golf Tourism Conventions, along with regular Destination Conventions. IAGTO established the International Golf Travel Writers Association in 2000, the year in which the first prestigious annual IAGTO Awards also took place.

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

WORLD’S TOP AIRPORT REVEALED: And how do Canadian airports rate?

 1080 364 wttc2
By:

Singapore Changi has reclaimed its spot as the world’s top airport in the prestigious annual “Passengers’ Choice Award” rankings by Skytrax. Vancouver rated a respectable 20th on the top 100 list, moving up eight spots from 2022.

Notably, both Montreal and Calgary also significantly moved up the list to 45th (from 66th), and 92 (from 125), respectively, while Toronto Pearson dropped to 64th (from 43rd). ‘

In North America, Vancouver was rated second and Montreal-Trudeau fifth, while YUL also received the award for Best Airport Staff in North America.

Phillippe Rainville and Danielle Laberge of Montréal-Trudeau International Airport

In other ancillary categories, Vancouver also rated as 5th best in the 10-20 million passenger airport category; cleanest airport in North America; 6th-best globally for art; and the Fairmont Vancouver Airport was named the best airport hotel on the continent.

Calgary was named the 7th most-improved airport globally.

Despite dropping in the survey, Pearson scored 6th best airport in the 30-40 million passenger category, while Toronto City Airport placed 8th for under five million.

Overall, Changi returned to its customary spot – it had rated No. 1 for eight years in a row before dropping out of the top spot during the pandemic in 2021 and ’22.

Surpassed by the Singapore airport was last year’s No. 1, Hamad International in Doha, Qatar, which dropped to second, while Japan placed four airports in the top 20, the most of any country.

The highest rated US airport was Seattle, 18th.

For its part, Changi, a self-proclaimed “destination in itself,” is a green haven that features an indoor waterfall and butterfly garden, along with 280 retail shops and dining outlets, and IMAX theatre. In ancillary categories, Changi was also named the world’s best airport for dining and leisure amenities, and the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport was named the world’s best airport hotel for the eighth straight year.

Top 20 Airports 2023

1. Singapore Changi Airport
2. Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar)
3. Tokyo International Airport/Haneda
4. Incheon International Airport (Seoul, Korea)
5. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
6. Istanbul Airport
7. Munich Airport
8. Zurich Airport (Switzerland)
9. Narita International Airport (Japan)
10. Madrid-Barajas Airport
11. Vienna International Airport
12. Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
13. Rome Fiumicino Airport
14. Copenhagen Airport
15. Kansai International Airport (Osaka, Japan)
16. Chubu Centrair International Airport (Japan)
17. Dubai International Airport
18. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
19. Melbourne Airport (Australia)
20. Vancouver International Airport

Outside the top 20, other notable rankings included London Heathrow (22); Frankfurt (25); Amsterdam Schiphol (29); London Gatwick (55); New York LaGuardia (57); and New York JFK (85).

UK-based airline and review ranking site Skytrax asked global travellers to rate their entire airport experience from check-it to departure to produce its celebrated list of rankings. Over 80 awards were announced on March 15 at the 2023 World Airport Awards event in Amsterdam, staged in the exhibition hall of Passenger Terminal EXPO.

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

Source

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News