Global Travel News

24th UNWTO General Assembly: Tourism United, Resilient and Determined

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24th UNWTO General Assembly: Tourism United, Resilient and Determined

Madrid, Spain, December 12, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Over the course of three days, the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly underscored global tourism’s commitment to restarting around the shared pillars of sustainability, innovation and solidarity.

Representatives of 131 UNWTO Member States, including 59 Ministers and Vice-Ministers of Tourism, attended the Assembly in the Spanish capital, Madrid (30 November – 3 December). Alongside the participation of Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Ms. Reyes Maroto, the political support to UNWTO from the Spanish government was underlined with the presence of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares. On the eve of the General Assembly, the King of Spain Felipe VI expressed his recognition of tourism’s socio-economic relevance and appreciation of the role of UNWTO.

Unprecedented reach and recognition

UNWTO presented its accomplishments over the past two years since the last General Assembly, most notably guiding tourism through the biggest crisis in the history of the sector. Against this backdrop. members endorsed the Programme of Work for the coming biennium and voted strongly (77%) in favour of the Secretary-General serving a second term (2022- 2025). United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, as well as the leaders of key UN agencies UNWTO has been working with throughout the pandemic – WHO, ICAO and UNCTAD – delivered dedicated messages to UNWTO.
Power of youth and private sector

The General Assembly united Member States and Affiliate Members around a shared vision for the future of tourism and UNWTO itself. Members endorsed a landmark International Code for the Protection of Tourists, making clear the responsibilities every part of the sector has in assisting tourists in crisis situations and so helping restore trust in international travel.

Sustainable, inclusive future

Away from the Plenary Sessions for Members, the General Assembly also saw UNWTO bring Tourism Ministers and representatives from international organizations and the private sector together for a special Thematic Session on “Building for the Future: Innovation, Education and Rural Development”. Here, the winners of the UNWTO Global Rural Tourism Competition were announced, as was the first list of Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO, recognizing the power of new ideas to create opportunities outside of big cities and those destinations that are already leading the way in harnessing the power of tourism as a driver of recovery and sustainable development.

At the same time, the best young talent was also celebrated with the winners of the UNWTO Students’ League sharing their ideas alongside established sector leaders. And the role of UNWTO’s Affiliate Members in putting plans into action the ground was also emphasized. New Affiliate Members were welcomed and examples of effective public-private partnerships singled out, for helping tourism adapt to the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Members voted to hold the 25th Session of the General Assembly in 2023 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Before then, as also endorsed by Members, Bali in Indonesia will host World Tourism Day 2022, to be held around the timely theme of ‘Rethinking Tourism’, while the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be the host country for World Tourism Day 2023, to be held around the theme of ‘Tourism for Green Investment’.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Siam Piwat Unveils Super App to Delivers Extraordinary Experiences

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Siam Piwat Unveils Super App to Delivers Extraordinary Experiences

Bangkok, Thailand, December 11, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Reinforcing its position as the thought leader, Siam Piwat Company Limited, a leading retail and real estate developer, the owner and operator of Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, and one of the joint owners of ICONSIAM and Siam Premium Outlets Bangkok, is unveiling the ONESIAM SuperApp – the Universe of Extraordinary Experiences, which brings together experiences beyond expectations into a single platform. In conjunction, the company is also advancing its Co-creation initiatives by joining forces with innovative organizations, partners, retailers, and brands from across the world to create a premium global ecosystem that connects to powerful customer bases both locally and internationally, thus opening up a new world of business that can expand beyond all boundaries.

– Siam Piwat is launching a groundbreaking premium world-class business ecosystem that homes in on over 7 million affluent customers in Thailand and reaches powerful customer bases around the globe.
– Advancing its Co-creation initiatives, Siam Piwat is joining forces with leading partners across various sectors as well as over 1,000 premium and luxury brands from Thailand and around the world, onboarding them into its ecosystem of success, which links together platforms for content, loyalty programs, and digital assets.
– Siam Piwat is unveiling the ONESIAM SuperApp: the Universe of Extraordinary Experiences, which merges four universes of experiences into one, and introducing an all-new loyalty program that offers more rewards through VIZ COINS.

Ms. Chadatip Chutrakul, Chief Executive Officer of Siam Piwat Group, said, “Ten years ago, Siam Piwat completely overhauled its business strategies. We were the first to announce that our shopping centers would no longer be just places that sold products and services but would be venues that delivered fresh and unparalleled experiences across all dimensions that sought to inspire and offer endless value to people’s lives. Our business success was no longer measured in profit but rather by the ability to win the hearts of Thai and international customers. Since then, we have successfully transcended domestic competition and become the winner of numerous global accolades, making history and establishing strong customer bases both locally and internationally. Our success today is owed to the long-standing collaboration with our retailers and business partners, who are ready to move forward with us to revolutionize the industry and introduce novelty. The growth and success that we have been able to achieve together thanks to our mutual support is something we truly take pride in.”

Digital technology plays a critical role in business today as it has altered the business ecosystem and brought opportunities for digital systems to become interconnected. As such, a retail business no longer has to confine itself to the conventional limits of the industry and can now expand towards new business models through partnerships as well as integrate customer bases in such a way that will maximize benefits and deliver an astonishingly diverse range of experiences to customers through a single platform. Siam Piwat recognized this opportunity and thus began developing a premium Global Ecosystem that will connect its partners from around the world, so that every party can achieve mutual growth on the digital platform, all of which is all rooted in Siam Piwat’s business philosophy of Share Values and Co-creation for greater and more sustainable success.

Ms. Chadatip added, “Today, we are ready to launch into a new world where business can expand without boundaries and introduce the Universe of Extraordinary Experiences. In only 13 months, we revised our strategies and developed a brand new application with capabilities to connect to various types of platforms of our partners in the ecosystem. Under the guidance of Mr. Ariya Banomyong, Acting Chief Innovation Officer of Siam Piwat and CEO and Founder of Transformational, and our Chief Digital Officer Mr. Axel Winter, and with state-of-the-art innovations from various premier organizations overseas, Siam Piwat has invested over 300 million baht in the development of this application along with big data, with the primary goal of supporting the business of the retailers in our four shopping centers as well as over 1,000 local and international partners that we have invited to join this Global Ecosystem, forming the first-ever synergy of such scale. We are very pleased to introduce the ONESIAM SuperApp as a platform that enables businesses across 13 industries to engage customers, essentially placing them firmly into the daily life of the customers as insightful companions. The vision behind the development of the ONESIAM SuperApp that will enable the partners in this business ecosystem to fulfill the lifestyle needs of affluent customers are as follows:

1. Sharing Economy: Siam Piwat believes in the power that comes with the sharing of benefits to every party in the supply chain. The ONESIAM SuperApp, therefore, has been designed to bring benefits to all involved, including:

– Global customers: The ONESIAM SuperApp not only delivers the Universe of Extraordinary Experiences but also maximizes what customers gain out of each spending by transforming existing Loyalty Programs into a value creation system through which customers receive VIZ COIN in return under the specified terms and conditions. In addition, Siam Piwat also has plans to expand towards digital asset services in the first quarter next year in collaboration with various business partners.
– Participating retailers and stores from the four shopping centers: Siam Piwat has positioned the ONESIAM SuperApp as an Earn & Burn destination in order to boost sales, support brand building, promote spending, as well as foster steady growth for the participating retailers and stores.
– Business partners: The ONESIAM SuperApp will be a single unified platform that all the partners in the Global Ecosystem can utilize to advance their business and develop new digital products. It will also serve as a hub for VIZ COIN conversion and spending as well as a vast range of privileges and benefits, enabling all the partners to expand their customer bases on the platform without limits or boundaries.

2. Co-creation: Siam Piwat has joined hands with innovative organizations, partners, retailers, and brands from around the globe to kick off an exciting large-scale content development initiative in collaboration with world-class content makers as well as to create marketing campaigns, promotional activities, and loyalty programs. Members in the ecosystem can also co-create communities around customer interests. In 2022, the ONESIAM SuperApp will also be developed further as a space where customers can have fun and co-create content in each community.

3. Collaborate to Win: This marks the first time ever that platforms across such a diverse range of business types, including fintech, S-commerce, E-commerce, NFT, cryptocurrency/benefits, and metaverse platforms, are connected into a unified ecosystem in order to give Siam Piwat’s customers and partners access to all types of transactions in a single platform strengthen the platform. In addition, Siam Piwat’s partners can always think up and co-develop new digital businesses on the ONESIAM SuperApp.

4. Sustainable Growth for All: Siam Piwat’s mission is to ensure mutual growth for all members on the ONESIAM SuperApp platform, which will open up a new world of digital business that breaks down every limitations, leading to meteoric business growth, the mutual expansion of customer bases among partners, and the co-development of new digital businesses without limits. The platform will also help expand customer bases towards global citizens for sustainable growth.

Siam Piwat is among only a handful of real estate developers in the world to invest in developing their own platform for their customers and partners to bring benefits to all involved. This initiative is built upon the vision of Siam Piwat and its partners in the Global Ecosystem, who will come together and co-create digital experiences beyond expectations on the single platform. Siam Piwat approach for the experience management is customer-centric, which enables the profound understanding of customer behavior and needs, injects inspiration and delivers the unrivalled experiences while fostering the mental values and serving the consumers’ consumption demand in all dimensions with the ultimate services.

The new ONESIAM SuperApp will be launched on December 9, and membership is free and open to all. The ONESIAM SuperApp curates a selection of products and services based on each user’s interest and is capable of recognizing patterns in user behavior thanks to AI-based technology. In addition, as part of hyper-personalized marketing, the application can analyze purchasing behavior and predicts each customer’s next purchase, which in turn improves Siam Piwat’s merchandise management and creation of campaigns that truly meet customer needs as well as enhances the integrated experience for customers who are seeking an insightful companion.

Mr. Panthep Nilasinthop, Chief Customer Officer of Siam Piwat Company Limited, stated, “The ONESIAM SuperApp will be a portal to Siam Piwat’s ecosystem that will empower its members more fully than ever. Today, retail is no longer just a matter of transactions, but is also about building experiences that will maximize satisfaction for customers, which will in turn reinforce Siam Piwat’s unique innovative retail leadership.”

The ONESIAM SuperApp brings together extraordinary elements through the four universes of experiences below:

1. Universe of Shopping Experiences: Over 1,000 premium and luxury brands have accepted the invitation to become part of the ONESIAM SuperApp in early 2022. These world-class brands will be participating by offering their products on the platform, contributing exciting content, and developing loyalty platforms. Siam Piwat believes the integration of the partners and retailers into this ecosystem will mark an important milestone for Siam Piwat in delivering fresh experiences and rewarding privileges beyond expectations once again. In addition, Siam Piwat is also catering specifically to luxury customers, with dedicated features such as separate content, products, and services windows for them.

2. Universe of Co-Created Communities: Siam Piwat is collaborating with thought leaders, new generations, partners, and retailers to co-create an online community platform that delivers a diverse range of content around customer interests to drive engagement and inject inspiration into their daily life. Each month, customers will have access to over 3,000 pieces of curated content on latest trends from five main communities: Style (fashion and accessories), Glow (health, wellness, beauty, skincare), Feast (food, beverages, celebration), Travel (travel, art, culture, design), and Fun (sport, games, gadgets).

3. Universe of Infinite Rewards: In collaboration with its partners and retailers, Siam Piwat is launching a new revolutionary loyalty program that uses the VIZ COIN – each coin equivalent to one baht – to elevate the shopping experience at participating stores both in the shopping centers and online. Siam Piwat is also working with the loyalty programs of its partners to empower users with the ability to convert the points in their credit cards and member cards into VIZ COIN, so that they can shop in a more rewarding and convenient way. The more they shop, the more VIZ COIN they can earn and immediately spend. Furthermore, Siam Piwat is shaping the ONESIAM SuperApp into an Earn & Burn destination for the retailers and partners in its global ecosystem.

4. Universe of Unlimited Experiences: Starting from early 2022, members will be able to carry out digital transactions related to digital assets and digital utility through the ONESIAM SuperApp. In the first phase that aims at delivering experiences that go beyond the global retail, Siam Piwat has announced its collaboration with KASIKORN X or KX as its first partner to establish Coral – Super Simple NFT Marketplace (CORALWORLD.CO) to support and drive advancements in art, culture, and lifestyle, both offline and online, by Thai and regional artists, and a partnership with ZIPMEX for the redemption of exclusive collections with ZIPMEX Tokens (ZMT). These initiatives will pave the way for the second phase, in which Siam Piwat will be working with leading partners, such as X Spring and J Ventures, to deliver a comprehensive array of digital experience within next year. Furthermore, Siam Piwat is also preparing to expand its capabilities to connect the real and virtual worlds on a metaverse by joining hands with experts overseas so that customers can avail themselves of a diverse range of benefits through a single source, with more business development and digital activities in the pipeline for the ONESIAM SuperApp.

For the development of the ONESIAM SuperApp, Siam Piwat has partnered with various leading tech companies, such as Transformational and Perx Technologies, to create unprecedented digital experiences beneficial to both retailers and partners. At the same time, the customers will be able to avail themselves of a full range of privileges through a new Loyalty Program that replaces traditional points collection with the VIZ COIN, which can be earned and spent with greater ease and excitement thanks to the gamified experience. The Company has also joined hands with Adobe, who will be overseeing content management and personalization, and Huawei Technologies, who provides cloud services, with plans to partner with more leading companies to develop the platform towards fintech and digital assets in the future. Siam Piwat expects to garner 500,000 downloads for the ONESIAM SuperApp in the first three months and 5,000,000 downloads by the end of 2022.

The ONESIAM SuperApp is ready to team up with global privilege partners and retailers to deliver a universe of experiences that match customer needs with products and services more precisely. Thanks to the confidence and trust that the Company has earned from its partners through the years, over 50 companies across 13 industries have accepted the invitation to join Siam Piwat in co-creating this premium world-class business ecosystem. A preliminary list of the partners who have joined the ecosystem is as follows:

• Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
• Financial and banking institutions: BANGKOK BANK, Krungthai Bank, Bank of Ayudhya PCL., KRUNGSRI CREDIT CARD, Krungsri First Choice Visa Platinum, KASIKORNBANK, Krungthai Card, CITIBANK, TMBThanachart Bank, SIAM COMMERCIAL BANK, United Overseas Bank (Thai), Government Saving Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Thai), Visa International (Thailand) Ltd.
• Insurance: Bangkok Life Assurance Public Company Limited , Dhipaya Insurance Public Company Limited, Howden Maxi Insurance Broker Company Limited
• Information technology and telecommunications: True Corporation Public Company Limited, Total Access Communication Public Company Limited, Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited
• Real estate development: Sansiri Public Company Limited
• Hospitals: Bangkok Hospital, BDMS Wellness Clinic Company Limited,
Bumrungrad International Hospital, RAKxa Fully Integrative Wellness & Medical Retreat
• Airlines: Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, Bangkok Airways,
airasia Super App
• Automotive: Millennium Group Corporation (Asia) Limited
• Media and entertainment: Kantana Group Public Company Limited, Plan B Media Public Company Limited, VGI Public Company Limited
• Tourism and hospitality: Banyan Tree Bangkok, Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok
• Digital assets: J Ventures Company Limited, ERX Company Limited, XSpring Capital Public Company Limited, KASIKORN X, Zipmex
• Technology: Transformational, Perx Technologies, Adobe, Huawei Technologies (Thailand) Co., Ltd., inCart by Muze Innovation
• Advertisement and content creation: Ogilvy (Thailand), D-production, And Friends ,Pentu-Penta Boutique Agency and Production House, Ease Creative and Production House, Team Jinto

Enjoy extraordinary experiences in the parallel world today at your fingertips today through the ONESIAM SuperApp, available for download on the App Store (iOS) and Play Store (Android).

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

WTTC Responds to Latest Testing Measures

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WTTC Responds to Latest Testing Measures

London, United Kingdom, December 11, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “If the government insists on testing individuals two days before arrival in the UK, it makes no sense to ban entry from whole countries. The World Health Organisation has said closing frontiers does not stop the virus but it does cause real economic harm.

“The cost of reimposing restrictions will cost the UK £5.3 billion and 180,000 people across the UK Travel & Tourism sector could lose their jobs.

“With so much at stake, we can’t afford to waste three weeks waiting for another government update. We know international travel can continue safely without any more cumbersome and destructive measures. The government needs to act fast.”

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

ICAO and UNWTO Issue Joint Statement to Reconnect he World

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ICAO and UNWTO Issue Joint Statement to Reconnect he World

Montréal, Canada, December 10, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / This International Civil Aviation Day, the UN Aviation and World Tourism organizations (ICAO/UNWTO) have issued a joint call for efforts to reconnect the world to be accelerated. The COVID-19 pandemic brought global air mobility and tourism to an abrupt halt. It also pressed pause on trillions of dollars worth of economic activity. Millions of livelihoods and businesses have been placed at risk. And while increasing vaccination rates are helping to kickstart the return of international aviation and restart tourism, much more still needs to be done.

We therefore add our organizations’ voices to those of the G7, G20, and the many countries who have called for borders to be opened to fully vaccinated travelers, travelers with acceptable proof of recovery from previous infection, and travelers holding mutually recognized and ICAO VDS-secured personal health certificates.

We also jointly stress that restrictions on travel considered in response to new variants of the COVID-19 virus must be only used as a very last resort. Such restrictions are discriminatory, ineffective and against the guidance of the World Health Organization.

ICAO and UNWTO also call for equal access to vaccines, and for efforts towards vaccine equity to be intensified and accelerated. This is especially critical for developing countries still bearing the brunt of the pandemic and least able to cope with its economic and social impacts.

With pent up travel and tourism demand now clearly evident in every global region, and with better mitigation strategies and greater international coordination in place, our organizations believe that our sectors can be drivers for economic recovery, both in the developed and the developing worlds.

However, as the restart of international civil aviation and tourism does get underway, ICAO and UNWTO recognize that a return to ‘business as usual’ would be a dereliction of responsibility in a post-pandemic world facing a climate crisis and ongoing economic inequality.

To build greater resilience to future health emergencies within our respective sectors, our agencies will work with governments to improve travel and tourism crisis response coordination, and to rethink and modernize every step of the passenger journey, with a focus on safety and security. Air travelers must be able to expect a safe, secure and healthy travel experience from check in to arriving at their destination.

To ensure the sustainability of air tourism in the face of the climate crisis, we will also take every opportunity to facilitate and accelerate the pace of innovation. In particular, we will advance progress towards the use of renewable energy, sustainable fuels, and other emissions reduction and elimination solutions, while continuously encouraging countries and the industry itself to meet or surpass their commitments.

And, as global air connectivity continues to expand, and to connect more of us to each other and to our natural environments, we must ensure that it does so on a progressively greener and more sustainable basis. Countries must set aggressive targets through our agencies so that international and domestic commitments progress together and so effectively address the impacts of travel and tourism.

The outcome of our shared efforts will play a critical role in assuring the most basic capability of many countries to invest toward and realize the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and all objectives to build-back-better in global air connectivity and tourism must be reviewed and fine-tuned in support of the 2030 Agenda and Our Common Agenda objectives.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: The highs and lows of Yorkshire’s Tan Hill Inn

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Being stuck in a pub for three days sounds like a dream, but recent patrons at the Tan Hill Inn recently learned the low point about Britain’s highest pub – it’s susceptible to the weather. And when the north of England was recently buffeted by a late autumn blizzard, 61 people were stranded as snow and felled power cables blocked roads.

Located in the Yorkshire Dales, 435 km. north of London, the pub sits 528 m. above sea level and is used to being cut off by bad weather.

Manager Nicola Townsend said staff had organized movies, a quiz night and karaoke for the stranded guests, who were also entertained by an Oasis cover band, Noasis, also stuck at the pub after their Friday night gig.

Townsend said the guests were “in really good spirits. They’ve formed quite a friendship… like a big family is the best way I can describe it. One lady actually said, ‘I don’t want to leave.’”

And some didn’t – choosing to stay for a further night after guests were dug out after three days.

In better weather, the Inn – dubbed “top pub” – is a mecca for hikers, walkers, and cyclists due to proximity to the Pennine Way, and the occasional celebrity visit, according to management. Dating to the 17th-century and featuring exposed beams, stone-flagged floor and a welcoming fire, the venue also notably boasts spectacular views across the countryside.

Serving the “best ales from the dales,” patrons can sample featured names like Tan Hill Ewe Juice, Black Sheep (there’s a theme here), and Theakston Old Peculiar, along with occasional guest brews like The Who-themed My Generation Session Pale Ale. There is also a large range of bottled ciders, spirits, and wines.

Dining dome

Food is served from noon to 8:30 p.m. and menus vary according to season. Reservations can be made to eat outdoors in a private geometric “dining dome.”

After a bite and beer, guests can also choose to stay for a night (or three) with four different room categories (including bunk beds) available, and there’s plenty of space outside to pitch a tent for £10. The entire Inn is also pet friendly and dogs are provided with their own bed, snacks, treats and water bowl (also £10).

Other accommodation can be found nearby, some of the venues listed on the Inn’s website.

Live music takes place Thursdays through Saturdays, the former open to all as “buskers’ night,” and various seasonal events liven things up for locals, despite the remote location.

The Tan Hill Inn’s address is listed as Reeth, Richmond, Swaledale, North Yorkshire Dales, and from this side of the pond would be considered approximately between Leeds and Newcastle, leaning a little towards the Lake District. In Yorkshire, its simply the pub at the top of the hill.

With glass purposefully in hand, we at Travel Industry Today continue our series on some of the planet’s best bars, patios and rooftop venues. For more articles in the series, click here:

PREVIOUS ARTICLES: https://travelindustrytoday.com/pub-patio/

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

HOT DOG.COOL CAT!: Pet friendly cities around the world

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Whether you’re heading off on holiday, relocating, or visiting out-of-town friends and relatives, if you have a pet you need to know whether the city you are visiting is pet-friendly for your family guy.

A new study by MyBaggage has analyzed cities worldwide to determine the most pet-friendly for those looking to travel or relocate with their four-legged friends.

A number of factors were considered in the study that all contribute to a city being pet-friendly, including:

• Number of vets
• Number of pet stores
• Number of pet-friendly restaurants
• Average annual costs of owning a dog
• Number of pet-friendly hotels
• Difficulty to get the animal into the country

Top 5 pet-friendly cities in Canada
Taking the crown in Canada is Toronto, thanks to a huge 81 vets in the area and 114 pet stores so you can spoil Charlie or Charli as much as you like. Combine this with the 99 pet-friendly hotels in the city and the most pet-friendly restaurants in the country, and you can clearly see why Toronto takes the top spot. However, Montreal has the most pet-friendly hotels making that a perfect city to visit or vacation in with your four-legged friend in tow.

Vancouver had the second-highest number of pet stores in the country, so next time you fancy going on a pet-related shopping spree you know where to go!

The top 10 cities worldwide for pets

Worldwide Los Angeles tops the list as the most pet-friendly city thanks to a whopping 196 veterinarian practices and 98 pet stores.
Methodology
MyBaggage used Yelp to search for all vets within five miles of the center of the city and the total number of pet shops, these were then ranked. Using Tripadvisor, the number of restaurants in each city that are pet-friendly were found, then ranked. The total cost of owning a dog annually was gathered for each country, then ranked based on the price. The total number of pet-friendly hotels was obtained from Booking.com, by searching for all pet-friendly hotels available in December 2021, then the totals were ranked. Rankings were based out of 100 cities and weighted out of 100 in total. (e.g. the city with the highest number of vets would have 100).

Source: www.mybaggage.com 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Cross Hotels and Resorts Signs Mega-Deal in Vietnam

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Cross Hotels and Resorts Signs Mega-Deal in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam, December 9, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Injecting a healthy dose of festive cheer into Southeast Asia’s hospitality industry, Cross Hotels & Resorts has signed a major agreement with Tan Thanh Trading & Tourism JSC to develop a mega-project that will see the opening of two new hotels in Vietnam with a combined room count of 716 keys. In one of the biggest greenfield deals in Asia since the start of the global pandemic two years ago, Cross Long Hai and Cross Vibe Long Hai are located in the stunning coastal province of Vung Tau, a two-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City.

With construction already underway and an opening set for Q4 2022, Cross Long Hai is a striking, all-villa resort that will add a touch of panache to the popular seaside town. The boutique style property introduces Cross Hotels luxury by design concept to the flourishing Vietnamese travel market. In addition, the twin-tower Cross Vibe Long Hai is a modern Condotel offering 658 guest rooms that provide the latest amenities, MICE facilities, spa, swimming pool and fitness centre.

“As Cross Hotels & Resorts continues to expand its footprint and brands across Southeast Asia, we believe relationships are key to complementing each other’s success. Hence, this is why I am ecstatic to be entering into this partnership with Tan Thanh Trading and Tourism JSC. I look forward to introducing our luxury and lifestyle brands to the city’s hospitality landscape. Our luxury by design approach will capture the imagination of people seeking a fresh travel experience,” said Harry Thaliwal, CEO of Cross Hotels & Resorts.

Commenting on the agreement, Tran Duy Kieu, General Director of Tan Thanh Trading & Tourism JSC, added, “We are thrilled to start this journey with Cross Hotels & Resorts and together we will transform the hospitality in Vung Tau and beyond with these unique brands. The fact that the company’s global distribution is backed by Flight Centre Travel Group speak volumes. With this partnership, Cross Long Hai and Cross Vibe Long Hai will set a new benchmark for creativity and innovation in the local hospitality industry.”

As one of the region’s most dynamic hospitality enterprises, Cross Hotels & Resorts continues to buck industry trends with its energy and ambition. Constantly at the vanguard of inspired hospitality solutions, the Cross brand’s global appeal is spearheaded by its gateway properties in top-tier destinations of the world’s vacation playgrounds.

Across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Cross Hotels & Resorts currently operates a diverse property portfolio that includes more than 21 hotels under five distinct brands, namely Cross, Cross Vibe, Away, Lumen and Cross Collection.

About Cross Hotels & Resorts
Cross Hotels & Resorts is an international hotel management company wholly owned by the ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG). FCTG is one of the world’s largest and progressive travel companies, incorporating diverse worldwide distribution, in destination travel experiences such as transport and touring as well as hotel management solutions. Cross Hotels & Resorts also delivers owner services all the way from the very early sourcing and planning stages of a development, through technical services during build, to pre-opening services and finally professional ongoing hotel management.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO Calls Against Blanket Travel Restrictions

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UNWTO Calls Against Blanket Travel Restrictions

Madrid, Spain, December 9, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) of the United Nations calls out against the introduction of blanket restrictions on travel, as witnessed in recent days. This call echoes the concerns raised by UNWTO Members during the 24th UNWTO General Assembly (30 November–3 December). Countries from all global regionsexpressed their solidarity with Southern African states, calling for the immediate lifting of travel bans imposed on specific countries and for freedom of international travel to be upheld.

UNWTO takes note of the recent declarations of the United Nations Secretary-General and the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding the unfairness and ineffectiveness of blanket travel in respect to the countries of Southern Africa.

Restrictions ineffective and discriminatory

In light of recent developments, UNWTO has once again reminded countries that the imposition of blanket restrictions on travel is discriminatory, ineffective and contrary to WHO recommendations. Blanket restrictions may also stigmatize countries or whole regions.

During the UNWTO General Assembly, Members States and partners, including voices from international organizations and across the private sector, echoed WHO’s advice that travel restrictions should only be imposed as a very last resort in response to changing circumstances. Furthermore, it was stressed that if restrictions are introduced, they must be proportionate, transparent, and scientifically based. They must also only be introduced with a full appreciation of what halting international travel would mean for the most vulnerable, including those developing countries and individuals who depend on tourism for their economies and livelihoods.

Coordination not discrimination

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNWTO has called for coordinated and evidence-based approaches to balancing public health concerns with keeping the lifeline of tourism intact. Over recent months, such an approach has been shown to be the most effective way forward.

UNWTO notes that travel and vaccination levels are closely connected, as the emergence of new variants facilitated by low levels of vaccination has shown. As such, UNWTO calls on all countries to act in solidarity to ensure equitable access to vaccines for all, to recognize all WHO approved vaccines for the purpose of international travel and to facilitate access to patents for local production of vaccines.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Cora Cora Maldives Appoints Justin Swart as New General Manager

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Cora Cora Maldives Appoints Justin Swart as New General Manager

Raa Atoll, Maldives, December 8, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Cora Cora Maldives, the hottest new opening in the destination is thrilled to announce the appointment of Justin Swart as General Manager of the new, luxury all-inclusive property situated in the Raa Atoll. Born in South Africa, Justin Swart has over 15 years of experience in the luxury hotel industry, including being part of the team at Siam@Siam Design Hotel Bangkok, STAY Wellbeing & Lifestyle Resort, and Royal President Hotel & Kingston Suites Hotel, part of the Kingston Hotel Group.

Justin began his career in the hospitality industry as a Sports and Leisure Manager and quickly gained experience as a Pre-Opening Sales Director and Hotel and Wellness Manager in resorts across Thailand. His dedication to ensuring customer satisfaction, knowledge of traditional Asian culture, and impressive experience in hotel and wellness management make Justin the perfect addition to the Cora Cora Maldives family. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and will ensure Cora Maldives’ Freedom ethos continues to be celebrated and embraced by all. Fluent in Afrikaans (Dutch) Justin can also speak excellent English and Thai.

Cora Cora Maldives Resort motto “It’s Freedom Time” speaks from the heart of Justin: “Freedom for me means choosing where to spend your time and choosing who to spend it with. Cora Cora Maldives Resort with its’ 250 employees from over 30 countries is the perfect workplace for me because they have created such a diverse multicultural environment allowing me to spend more time at work doing what I love – interacting with people! I heard the call of freedom, and I followed it straight to the Maldives!”

“We are thrilled to have Justin join our remarkable team. His down-to-earth and friendly nature combined with his passion for the industry will, no doubt, add to our reputation of being the resort where both our team and our guests are overjoyed to embrace the Cora Cora Mission of – It’s Freedom Time.” Enthuses Martin van der Reijden, Managing Director for Cora Cora Maldives & HMM Pvt Ltd.

Cora Cora Maldives offers its guests a one-of-a-kind Maldivian cultural, experiential, and culinary experience. When guests are not snorkelling or diving in the island’s coral-rich waters, they can relax in one of the 100 villas, four restaurants, and two bars delighting in the exemplary cuisine. The stunning accommodation embodies the free Maldivian spirit with the perfect combination of contemporary and fresh interiors. With an extensive spa, watersports centre, gym, yoga pavilion, outdoor cinema, kids’ club, and museum, Cora Cora Maldives is the ultimate idyllic, island escape where guests will never run out of things to do.

Located in the pristine Raa Atoll, Cora Cora Maldives is just 45 minutes by seaplane from Velana International Airport or 30 minutes by domestic flight, followed by a 20-minute speedboat journey.

About Cora Cora Maldives
Cora Cora Maldives is owned and operated by Trinitas Holdings Maldives Pvt. Ltd. A privately-owned company, established in 2017. Created for families, friends, and couples with a wide variety of contemporary designed suites and villas, Cora Cora Maldives embraces a unique freedom concept whilst incorporating the cultural heritage of the Maldives. With a variety of premium dining options many of which encompass Cora Cora Maldives’ wellness ethos as well as an extensive spa, the luxury five-star resort opened on the 1st of October 2021.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp Launches Family Jungle Bubble Lodge

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Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp Launches Family Jungle Bubble Lodge

Chiang Rai, Thailand, December 8, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / In 2019, Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in Northern Thailand introduced a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for travellers to spend the night observing majestic elephants in their natural habitat while staying in unique transparent Jungle Bubbles. Now the luxury resort is giving families and small groups of friends the inimitable opportunity to revel in this bucket list experience together, from the comfort of a brand-new two-bedroom Jungle Bubble Lodge.

Located in a lush jungle on the banks of the Ruak River, the Jungle Bubble Lodge accommodates up to four guests in 150 square metres of indoors and outdoors living space and is perched on a raised wooden deck offering uninterrupted views of rescued elephants and stargazing at night.

At a glance:
– Guests at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort can purchase the Jungle Bubble Lodge experience as an optional activity and spend the night from dusk till dawn, returning to the hotel in the morning.
– The fully climate-controlled Jungle Bubble Lodge consists of two bedrooms under a transparent roof, each with a king bed and an enclosed nontransparent en-suite shower and vanity; and a living room under a transparent roof with comfortable lounge furnishings, a minibar, and tea and coffee making facilities. Outside an 80 square meters wooden deck offers ample space for quality family and elephant viewing times with separate al fresco lounging and dining areas and plunge pool.
– Guests spending the night in the Jungle Bubble Lodge can participate in unique optional elephant experiences, including waking up in the early morning mist and joining the elephants on their morning walk through the jungle to the banks of the Ruak River, where the frolics and fun of a river bath demonstrate just how cheeky these graceful animals can be.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News