Global Travel News

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: Cheers to the return of Oktoberfest

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You don’t have love beer to love Oktoberfest (although it helps), just as one doesn’t have to be religious to relish Oberammergau, or a gambler to venture to Vegas. My point: they are all bucket list experiences that exude cultural significance and colour that exceed the core philosophies.

It should be noted therefore – amongst the onslaught of returning events around the world as the pandemic fades – that Munich’s annual beer festival is on again this year following a two-year pause due to coronavirus.

Munich’s mayor announced this week that the popular fall festival, which is more broadly a celebration of Bavarian culture (and dubbed a volksfest, or “people’s festival”) will be held without restrictions from Sept. 17 to Oct. 3.

First held in 1810 in honour of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese, Oktoberfest has been cancelled dozens of times during its more than 200-year history due to wars and pandemics.

Some years, ago I had occasion to meet a descendent of said Prince Ludwig, a modern brewer (amongst other things) who lamented his inability, despite his lineage, to partake in what is considered the world’s largest beer festival and which in modern terms is a cash cow for select city breweries (others, even my acquaintance, are prohibited). Which to say that Oktoberfest is big business besides being big fun.

The six Munich breweries with the golden ticket are: Augustiner, Hacker-Pschor, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Spaten, Hofbräuhaus.

At the heart of the experience, which can best be described as a carnival with beer, are 14 legendary “big” beer tents (festhall), each with their own personalities, including entertainment and food. Some are also known for being livelier, others suitable for families.

Capacity can range from 2,500 to 11,000 at the big tents, but there are also 21 smaller tents (note: most of the “tents” are colourfully designed wooden structures – one designed to look like a gingerbread house – constructed on a temporary basis).

However, to ensure that the festhalls aren’t free-for-alls, one has to be seated to be served. Also, until 6 p.m. music is limited to orchestras, giving way to ubiquitous dance pop for the evening party after that, though most tents close at 11 p.m. (a couple are open until 1 a.m.)

Beyond the festhalls, there are also scheduled events for families and seniors, plus traditional opening ceremony and beer tapping, parades about town, and a final closing gun salute – all signifying that Oktoberfest is more widely a celebration of Bavarian culture – plus actual carnival rides.

Then again, beer is an integral part of the culture of Bavaria – an enlightened land where brew isn’t only for breakfast.

At Oktoberfest, it is served in the famous German mass (1 litre) mugs by traditional lederhosen- and dirndl-clad servers who have the capacity to carry more glasses of suds than seems possible. In 2014, a record year, 7.7 million litres of suds were consumed – not a few of them chugged during the ubiquitous singing and swaying anthem, “Ein Prosit.”

So, Oktoberfest is back. Prost! Eins, zwei, drei, g’suffa! Wunderbar!

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

LISTENING IN: Who was Jolene anyway?

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I’ve always had a thing for Dolly Parton (musically, of course). I don’t have the albums, I confess, but always thought she had one of the best voices around, and I do (still) love the song “Jolene” – one of many hits that has now led the country music superstar to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

She was named to the Hall this week along with Eminem, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, and Pat Benatar, though she had initially resisted the honour, having gone on social media to “respectfully bow out” of the process, saying she did not want to take votes away from the remaining nominees and had not “earned that right.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation responded by saying ballots had already been sent and it was up to the voters to decide if Parton was elected; she later said she was “honoured” and would “gracefully” accept induction, which will formally happen in the Fall.

Parton is most associated with country music and is in the Country Hall of Fame, but she has performed songs with a rock feel. Artists who have made both the Rock Hall and Country Hall of Fame include Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Hank Williams, and the Everly Brothers.

Over the years, Parton has penned over 3,000 songs, of which 25 have reached No. 1 on the country charts (a record tied with Reba McEntire). There’s also been 44 top 10 country albums (another record) and 110 charted singles during her 50-plus year career.

As for my favourite, “Jolene,” the 1973 song was her second No. 1, including in Canada, and, according to Parton, her most-covered songs by other artists.

A fun fact: During the pandemic, New Zealand’s government told locked-down Kiwis that washing their hands with soap would only take about as long as singing the chorus to “Jolene.”

So, who was Jolene? We’ll let Dolly tell the story.

Lyrics

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can

Your beauty is beyond compare
With flaming locks of auburn hair
With ivory skin and eyes of emerald green
Your smile is like a breath of spring
Your voice is soft like summer rain
And I cannot compete with you, Jolene

He talks about you in his sleep
There’s nothing I can do to keep
From crying when he calls your name, Jolene

And I can easily understand
How you could easily take my man
But you don’t know what he means to me, Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him just because you can

You could have your choice of men
But I could never love again
Hes the only one for me, Jolene

I had to have this talk with you
My happiness depends on you
And whatever you decide to do, Jolene

Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
I’m begging of you please don’t take my man
Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene
Please don’t take him even though you can
Jolene, Jolene

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

USGA and Pebble Beach Announce Landmark Partnership

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USGA and Pebble Beach Announce Landmark Partnership - TOP25GOLFCOURSES.com - TRAVELINDEXPebble Beach, California, United States, May 5, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Expanded relationship with world-renowned golf resort includes eight additional championships and investments in the future of golf. Building upon a nearly century-long relationship, the United States Golf Association and Pebble Beach have forged a landmark partnership that seeks to benefit the game of golf for generations to come.

As part of today’s announcement, Pebble Beach will now host four future U.S. Opens (2027, 2032, 2037 and 2044) as well as four future U.S. Women’s Opens Presented by ProMedica, including its first one next year (2023, 2035, 2040 and 2048). These additional championships fulfill a common goal to ensure that both men and women have the
opportunity to compete at the highest level on this iconic course. In addition, for the first time ever, the U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Senior Women’s Open will be staged back-to-back at the same location in 2030, with the resort’s Spyglass Hill Golf Course serving as the host site.

“This relationship with Pebble Beach, long considered a national treasure, is a historic step forward for golf,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “In addition to elevating our Open championships, the USGA and Pebble Beach are committed to working together to ensure a more diverse, welcoming and accessible game. We couldn’t be more thankful for their
collaboration and like-minded vision.”

“We are honored to deepen our long-standing partnership with the USGA, which will benefit the game of golf for years to come,” said Pebble Beach Company CEO David Stivers. “We are proud that Pebble Beach Golf Links was the first public golf course to host a U.S. Open in 1972, and that golfers around the world have the opportunity to play Pebble Beach and walk in the footsteps of champions. This partnership ensures that the legacy of championship golf on this historic course will continue long into the future and leave a lasting impact on the game.”

The long-term nature of the championship agreement allows the USGA and Pebble Beach Resorts to invest and collaborate in new and innovative ways to enhance the player, fan, partner and media experience.

The relationship between the USGA and Pebble Beach began in 1929 with the 33rd U.S. Amateur Championship, and the resort has played host to 13 USGA championships during its first 100 years of existence, including six U.S. Opens, five U.S. Amateurs and two U.S. Women’s Amateurs, with another 10 championships to come over the next 25 years.

U.S. Opens through the years at Pebble Beach have matched the dramatic setting. In 1972, Jack Nicklaus hit the flagstick with a 1-iron shot on No. 17 to ensure victory; in 1982, Tom Watson denied Jack a record-breaking fifth title with his pitch-in birdie on the same hole; in 1992, veteran Tom Kite rode a pitch-in birdie on No. 7 to a wind-buffeted win; in 2000, Tiger Woods authored the most dominant victory in major-championship history in the 100th U.S. Open; in 2010, Graeme McDowell outlasted a trio of major champions, including Woods; and in 2019, Gary Woodland’s heroic 3-wood second shot on No. 14 helped him hold off Brooks Koepka’s bid for a third consecutive U.S. Open title. The 2019 championship marked Pebble Beach’s 100th anniversary.

Beyond the future championships, the USGA and Pebble Beach are developing community based programs to create internships and other career opportunities for the next generation of industry leaders. The expanded relationship also includes a joint initiative with the USGA’s Green Section to invest in turf grass and water conservation through a research hub, contributing to the entities’ shared goal of creating enjoyable golf experiences that are environmentally and economically sustainable.

“Through this relationship, we aim to foster opportunities for future greats of the game, to nurture golf’s next generation of leaders and to develop new technologies for a sustainable future, all while crowning champions who will follow the legends who walked these hallowed grounds before them,” said Whan.

“Supporting youth education is a pillar of our community outreach and this partnership will greatly expand opportunities for young people to pursue a career in this industry,” said Stivers. “For over 30 years, Pebble Beach and its neighboring golf courses have operated the most successful water reclamation project on California’s Central Coast. The USGA Green Section will provide powerful new technology and research to help pioneer new innovations in water conservation.”

In an effort to return to venues with deep and meaningful USGA championship history every five to six years, Pebble Beach Resorts joins Pinehurst Resort & Country Club and Oakmont Country Club as a U.S. Open anchor site.

About the USGA
The USGA is a nonprofit organization that celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of golf’s premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open Presented by ProMedica. With The R&A, we govern the sport via a global set of playing, equipment, handicapping and amateur status rules. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association’s Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum,
where we honor the game by curting the world’s most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts.

About Pebble Beach Resorts
Pebble Beach Resorts, headquartered in Pebble Beach, Calif., owns and operates the world-famous Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay, and Casa Palmero as well as five renowned golf courses including Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, The Links at Spanish Bay, Del Monte Golf Course and The Hay. Its other famed properties include scenic 17-Mile Drive, The Spa at Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach Golf Academy and Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. It annually hosts premier events such as the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Taylormade Pebble Beach Invitational, Pebble Beach Food and Wine and the Pure Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Skål International Leaders Discussed Future for Travel Industry Members

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Skål International Leaders Discussed Future for Travel Industry Members - SKAL.biz - TRAVELINDEXMálaga, Spain, May 5, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX /Skål International met in Torremolinos, Spain, for their annual Mid-Year meeting while also celebrating official Skål Day accompanied by several local officials and mayors.

Skål International Executive Board and International Council held their annual Mid-Year meeting between April 27-30th in Torremolinos, Spain. They celebrated World Skal Day on the 28th of April.

Skål International World President Burcin Turkkan officially welcomed the Executive Board and International Council members to their meetings and a final joint meeting between the Board and Council.

International Council President Julie Dabaly joined the Executive Board in their meetings and led the Council in three days of agenda-packed meetings where several local government officials attended to support the organization.

“As an organization, we are constantly searching for updating and optimizing ourselves for the benefit of our membership.” said worldwide president Burcin Turkkan as they discussed the industry’s challenges in post-pandemic times.

‘Together we are stronger as one’ is president Turkkan’s theme for the year as she calls for all members and industry partners to work jointly towards the full recovery of the tourism industry.

Skål International Day was also celebrated during the 3-day meetings, and a live message was delivered on two time zones by president Turkkan and her entire board together with the International Council. She also participated live via zoom-in celebrations and new membership inductions held in other parts of the world, sharing her message of unity.
Skål International Executive Board and International Councillors visiting Skål International HQ in Torremolinos, Málaga, Spain.

Skål International strongly advocates for safe global tourism, focused on its benefits— ‘happiness, good health, friendship, and long life’. Since its inception in 1934, Skål International has been the leading organization of tourism professionals worldwide, promoting global tourism through friendship and uniting all travel and tourism industry sectors.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Orient Express to Open Luxury Hotel in Venice at Palazzo Donà Giovannelli

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Orient Express to Open Luxury Hotel in Venice at Palazzo Donà Giovannelli - TOP25HOTELS.com - TRAVELINDEXVenice, Italy, May 4, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Legendary travel brand Orient Express, part of the world-leading Accor group, has signed a partnership agreement with Italian hospitality group Arsenale S.p.A to open the second Orient Express hotel in Italy at the spectacular Palazzo Dona Giovannelli in Venice. The Groups have selected architect and interior designer Aline Asmar d’Amman and her studio Culture in Architecture to design and decorate the space.

Venice, once the gateway to Constantinople and a mythical stop on the legendary Orient Express train – that opened its doors in 1919 with the completion of the Simplon tunnel linking Switzerland to Italy – will be the home of the second Orient Express hotel, set to open in early 2024.

Located just ten minutes from Venice’s Santa Lucia train station, next to the Cannaregio shopping district, and rooted in the origins of the City of the Doges, the Palazzo Donà Giovannelli is a treasured palace built in 1400 by architect Filippo Calendario, known for Venice’s famed Doge’s Palace. Former home of the Duke of Urbino, a patron of the arts, it has been renovated twice, notably in 1800 by architect Gian Battista Meduna. At one time a pinacotheque which housed the painting La Tempesta by Giorgione, it was successively owned by the Donà and Giovannelli families.

An ode to the heritage of Venice, inspired by all of the cultures and eras that are forever a part of its history, the Orient Express Venice Hotel will be home to 45 rooms and suites, all overlooking the gardens and canals of Venice. The hotel bar will be located in the former piano nobile ballroom on the main floor of the building. A world-class restaurant will introduce guests to the flavours of Italian gastronomy. Select terraces hidden on the hotel’s rooftops will offer the most beautiful views of the wonders of the Serenissima.

As soon as the hotel opens, passengers on the Orient Express La Dolce Vita train will be able to disembark directly at the Venice Santa Lucia Station and reach the Orient Express Venice Hotel by foot or by boat.

“Orient Express Venice embodies a unique encounter between two icons: the legendary luxury brand and the Palazzo Donà Giovannelli. An architectural feat at the crossroads of cultures, a link between the East and the West, the landmark building is anchored in eternity and ready to come back to life with a theatrical and contemporary art of living, steeped in infinite elegance” says Aline Asmar d’Amman.

Born in Lebanon, Aline Asmar d’Amman, via her studio Culture in Architecture, creates projects where past and future are connected, where culture symbolizes a bridge between continents. Convinced that beauty adds to, in her words, “the poetic soul of the world”, she has designed the interior architecture of numerous private residences and has taken on the art direction of luxury hotels such as the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris and emblematic restaurants such as Le Jules Verne at the Eiffel Tower. She has also collaborated with Karl Lagerfeld on the making of prestigious decorations and a collection of objects and furniture in marble. Last April, she unveiled the architectural scenography of the Lebanese Pavilion at the Venice Biennale of Art.

About Orient Express
A brand within Accor: Artisan of travel since 1883, Orient Express sublimates the Art of Travel through its luxury trains, unique experiences, collections of rare objects, and soon its first hotels around the world. The Orient Express Venice hotel, which will open in 2024, is the result of a partnership between Accor and the Italian hospitality group, Arsenale S.p.A.

About Arsenale S.p.A.
Founded in 2020 by Annabel Holding and Paolo Barletta, Arsenale is an Italian company who continue to make a mark in the world of luxury hotels. The main objective is the enhancement of the Italian tourism sector, through two main divisions: Hospitality Hotel and Resort, focused on the development and management of hotel facilities in synergy with the most renowned luxury brands in the world, and Hospitality Travel Itinerary with Orient Express La Dolce Vita, the first sustainable railroad tourism project in collaboration with Orient Express, Trenitalia-Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato and Fondazione FS.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

TRAVEL AGENT DAY PERKS: Suppliers show travel agents the love

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The best thing about Travel Agent Appreciation Day (today, May 04) – besides the love and adulation – is the perks. From bonus loyalty points to extra commission, lots of suppliers aim to show their support for their retail partners, often extending rewards and incentives all month. Here are a few of the ones we’ve come across:

ACTA

After so much adversity as in the past 25 months, there’s never been more reason to celebrate travel agents as there is today, says ACTA. The association is celebrating Travel Agent Day with a social media contest with prizes including two system-wide, Air Canada economy class tickets; a four-night stay at any Sandals/Beaches resort; one complimentary Independent Travel Agent Membership; One complimentary enrollment to Travel Agent Essentials Course; and one complimentary enrollment into an ACTA’s Certified Travel Counsellor (CTC) Course. To qualify agents must:

• Follow @ACTACanada and/or @ACTAQuebec
• ‘Like’ the Travel Agent Day post
• Tag a fellow Travel Agent in the comments (Every comment = 1 entry)
• Share this in your story. You MUST tag @actacanada/@actaquebec for 5 extra entries

Check out ACTA social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) or visit acta.ca/travelagentday for full details. The last day to enter the contest will be Wednesday, May 25th at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be announced in ACTA’s member newsletter and on ACTA’s social feed on June 3.

Jamaica Tourist Board

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) is thanking loyal travel advisors for all of their hard work with a coffee break this week. Starting at 12 p.m. EST on May 4, agents are invited to sign up for a “Coffee on Jamaica” card at the JTB’s Maple Leaf Room Page (https://www.visitjamaica.com/canada/engage/). The first 200 applicants will receive a $10 Tim Hortons e-card. Additionally, any Jamaica Travel Specialist member that logs Jamaica bookings between May 4 through 10 will earn an automatic additional 3,000 bonus points.

WestJet

WestJet celebrates Travel Agent Appreciation Day with the month-long launch of its Travel Agent Appreciation Month Giveaway, which kicked off on May 2, 2022, featuring exclusive discount rates for travel agents and weekly prize packages to destinations in Europe, Mexico, the US and Canada.

With a total of eight prize packages up for grabs, travel agents are invited to enter for a chance to win an experience in a WestJet destination. Weekly prize packages vary, with opportunities to win round-trip flights, hotel accommodations and as an added bonus, Silver status with WestJet Rewards. Silver status includes first and second checked bags free, advanced seat selection, airport lounge access and more. The contest is open for entry until May 30, 2022. For more information visit https://www.westjettravelagents.com/thank-you.

Sandals/Beaches

In celebration of Travel Agent Day, Unique Vacations Canada Inc, representatives of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, has announced the following prizes, gifts, and incentives:

• Prize Trips to Sandals Royal Curaçao – A Canadian exclusive, advisors who register and attend an upcoming Masterclass online session throughout the entire month of May 2022 will have a chance to win a four-night, land-only stay at the brand-new Sandals Royal Curaçao (opening June 1). One prize trip will be awarded for each May Masterclass. Travel advisors can contact their local BDM to register.

• Red Lane Spa Credit – As a special gift to travel advisors during their next visit to a Sandals or Beaches resort, a one-time US$50 spa credit will be added to their booking. Travel advisors must contact their local BDM at least two weeks prior to travel in order to apply the spa credit and travel must be completed by Dec. 31, 2023.

• Additional Cash Incentive – For all new bookings of six nights or longer made with Unique Vacations Inc. between May 4 and 6, 2022 (for travel in 2023-24) travel advisors will be eligible to receive an additional cash incentive as follows: US$100 – Over-the-Water suites; US$75 – Butler suites; US$50 – Club Sandals/Concierge suites

In addition, Unique Vacations Canada Inc. has placed full-page newspaper ads in support and celebration of Canadian travel advisors in The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star on May 4, 2022.

AMR Collection

AMR Collection’s “Amazing May” celebration rewards agents for their dedication to their portfolio with a variety of incentives that include a one million AMRewards points giveaway, reduced rates on points stays, special Master Agent rates, tour operator incentives, and upskilling sessions featuring newly opened resorts (webinars will take place May 5 and 26, details on AMRAgents.com). This year, perks include:

• One million AMRewards Points Giveaway: Travel agent partners can earn points at AMR™ Collection Amazing May Webinars, events, in-person meetings and visits, and through participating tour operators. Points can be used to redeem free stays, purchase resort amenities for themselves or to surprise their clients, or receive a cash bonus!

• Master Agent Rates: Travel agents can book stays at participating AMR Collection resorts with discounted Master Agent rates and reduced points stays for AMR Collection, with the ability to save up to 4,050 points per night on their AMRewards points bookings and up to 25% off Master Agent rate bookings.

• Additionally, participating agents can register all bookings accumulated through May in AMRewards for the opportunity to attend the 2022 Amazing Agents Celebration, which will be held Dec. 1 -4, 2022 at Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana. To be considered for the event, all bookings from July 1, 2021, through July 11, 2022, for travel by Dec. 31, 2022, must be registered at AMRewards.com by July 11, 2022.

Collette

In honour of travel advisor appreciation month in May, agents will earn $50 toward Collette’s “Travel Advisor Appreciation Booking Incentive” program by securing two or more bookings for travel in 2022. The top three agents who secure the most bookings in May will also earn cash prizes: $1,000 for first place; $750 for second place; $500 for third place. All bookings must be for travel in 2022.

Also, Collette’s “Share Your Travel Moment” giveaway, which is open to all travel advisors, offers the chance to win a $1,000 travel voucher. To qualify, join Collette’s Travel Agent Network page on Facebook and post your favourite travel moment. And, Collette is offering 50% off advisory travel and 25% off companion travel. Bookings can be made beginning 180 days prior to departure.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages, one of the newest ocean cruise lines to hit the high seas, is celebrating its “First Mate” travel advisors in a month-long show of appreciation.
Extended from one week in 2021 to an entire month for 2022, Virgin Voyages is offering weekly giveaways on SeaCiety, an exclusive online Facebook community for First Mates. Every week, agents will have the opportunity to enter to win VV swag with the winners announced each Thursday. To sign up to be a First Mate, which includes other perks, visit https://www.FirstMates.com

Club Med

For the seventh year in a row Club Med is celebrating travel advisors throughout May with a host of gifts and free stays in its resorts. From May 4 through June 1, advisors are invited to participate every week in fun and exciting challenges on dedicated Facebook group for Canadian travel advisors, Club Med Samantha, Amazing you! The activities will be posted every Wednesday and agents will have until the following Tuesday to complete a mission that will take agents on a journey through the Club Med universe. Those participating in the challenge will have a chance to win weekly gift cards, Club Med goodies or free stays for two people. Every Wednesday, the winner from the previous week’s challenge will be announced.

In addition to the weekly challenge, a month-long challenge will also be announced, for which the winner will be rewarded with a Big Prize: Four nights for two people in the Exclusive Collection Space of the newest Québec Charlevoix resort with VIP experiences.

TravelBrands

For one day only, travel agents can earn up to 10X Loyalty Rewards points on all bookings made online on May 4. Travel agents will earn 10X Loyalty Rewards points on cruises, hotel only, additional land components, car rentals, Sunquest packages, and TravelGenie packages booked online with a minimum value of $100. The offer is also applicable to Exotik Journeys products booked by phone. Travel agents will also earn 5X Loyalty Rewards points on eligible flight-only products entitled to 100 Loyalty Rewards points booked online. To make eligible bookings, visit www.travelbrandsagent.com.

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Orbital Assembly Plans to Open Space Hotel in 2027

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Orbital Assembly Plans to Open Space Hotel in 2027 - MADEINSPACE.com - TRAVELINDEXFontana, California, United States, May 3, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Orbital Assembly Corporation is a leader in the race to make space available to everyone by building the Voyager-class of Space Stations, a gravity simulating on-orbit habitation environments for leisure, commercial and industrial activities.

Orbital Assembly is aiming to launch not one but two space stations with tourist accommodation: Voyager Station, the renamed original design, is now scheduled to accommodate 400 people and to open in 2027, while new concept Pioneer Station, housing 28 people, could be operational in just three years.

After blasting off from Earth, guests will arrive at a central, zero-gravity docking hub. From there, elevator shafts will carry them outward to a chain of “habitation modules” arranged around the circumference of the circular station. It’s only there, at the edge of the wheel, that the centrifugal force will be strong enough to keep guests and their surroundings firmly grounded.

Humanity’s 70 years of advancing space development has been hindered because astronauts on orbit begin feeling the detrimental effects of microgravity within 48 hours. Until now, long term sustained habitation on orbit has not been possible. Orbital Assembly provides for the critical need of artificial gravity by providing critical infrastructure solutions enabling construction, maintenance, research, commerce, and other operations on-orbit for long periods of time without the detrimental health effects of microgravity.

Orbital Assembly flagship project is the Voyager-class Space Station. The large rotating stations are designed to produce varying levels of artificial gravity by increasing or decreasing the rate of rotation. Artificial, or simulated, gravity is essential to long term habitation in space. The station has been designed accommodate commercial and manufacturing partners as well as national space agencies conducting low gravity research.

The Voyager Class will also provide the comfort of low gravity within the luxurious accommodations of a luxury hotel space for tourists who want to experience an extended visit to space.

The concept of the rotating wheel, proposed in the early 1900s as a way to generate artificial gravity, was later popularized in the 1950s by the German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun (Voyager was originally named in his honor). Thanks to the centrifugal force it produces, visitors will be able to move about normally, more or less.

The billionaires Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson have paid to cross or arrive at the edge of the Kármán line, the boundary between our atmosphere and outer space. Beside a budding clientele of Bezos and Branson stature, the era of full-fledged pleasure trips to space seems at hand, even for a multi-day escape.

About Orbital Assembly Corporation
Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC) is the only company advancing the development and operation of the first commercially viable space-based business park with gravity that will enable humanity to work, play and thrive in the space ecosystem. Commercialization of these space parks will include manufacturing of integrated circuits, photonics, fiber optics, satellite rework, military applications, biomaterials, organ growth and pharmaceuticals. The company will also provide communications hubs and opportunities for space tourism.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Marriott to Open Luxury Safari Lodge in Kenya’s Masai Mara

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Marriott to Open Luxury Safari Lodge in Kenya's Masai Mara - VISITKENYA.com - TRAVELINDEXMasai Mara, Kenya, May 3, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge signals growth in the continent as the global hospitality leader enters the luxury safari segment. Marriott International announced it has signed an agreement with Baraka Lodges Ltd to enter the safari segment in Africa. JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge will be located within the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife conservation and wilderness regions. Offering discerning travellers an unparalleled setting, the elegant retreat expects to welcome guests in 2023.

Overlooking the famed banks of the River Talek and on the edge of the reserve, JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge’s prime location will offer guests a distinctively elevated camp from which to discover the Masai Mara National Reserve, its stunning vistas, abundant wildlife, and endless plains. Plans for the new-build lodge feature 20 private tents, including one presidential canvas-topped pavilion and two interconnecting canopied suites, ideal for families, each with a private terrace overlooking the river.

Shared spaces will include a restaurant, lounge bar, spa, and a large outdoor terrace with fire pits that will play host to traditional Masai dance performances in the evening. The untamed landscape will offer guests the opportunity to observe the “Big Five” that Masai Mara is home to: lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinoceros and elephants. Between June and September, the reserve is also host to the annual great wildebeest migration, when more than 10 million animals travel a distance of 1,800 miles from the Serengeti in neighbouring Tanzania.

“As a brand rooted in mindfulness, we cannot think of a more perfect retreat for the mind, body, and soul than the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya,” said Bruce Rohr, Vice President and Brand Leader, JW Marriott, Marriott International. “JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge will offer guests a luxurious backdrop to make once-in-a-lifetime memories as they connect with nature and wildlife as never before. We are thrilled that the JW Marriott brand will be welcoming adventure travellers, including families, to this breath-taking part of the world.”

Conservation of the land and its inhabitants will be at the heart of JW Marriott Masai Mara. The safari lodge aims to employ up to 50 locals from the Masai community, and will offer robust learning opportunities for guests looking to immersive themselves in the destination.

“The signing of JW Masai Mara Lodge is a milestone in Marriott International’s growth in Africa as the company enters the luxury safari segment. This landmark project is in response to travellers’ growing desire for experiential offerings that enable them to build a deeper connection with their chosen destination. JW Marriott encourages guests to be mindful and present, which perfectly lends itself to meaningful safari holidays,” said Jerome Briet, Chief Development Officer, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International.

A nod to the captivating surroundings, guests can expect an authentic sense of place through artful design and architecture. Sophisticated, interiors will be led by Kristina Zanic. The location and surrounding landscape will be reflected at every turn, creating harmony with the natural world and drawing inspiration from the elements: earth, wind, fire and water. Warm touches of neutrals and natural materials, will lend to a warm ambience, while a earth tone colour palette promises to sit in harmony with the landscape, inviting guests to connect with nature and focus on their wellbeing.

During their stay, guests will enjoy the immersive, holistic approach to wellness while being mindful of the environment and their impact on the land.

“We’re delighted to collaborate with Marriott International to debut this stunning luxury lodge and their first Safari offering in the Masai Mara,” said Mr. Shivan Patel of Baraka Lodges Ltd.

Marriott International currently operates more than 120 properties in Africa across its portfolio. JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge will join Marriott Bonvoy’s growing portfolio of 8,000 hotels globally.

About JW Marriott
JW Marriott is part of Marriott International’s luxury portfolio of brands and consists of beautiful properties and distinctive resort locations around the world. JW Marriott is a tribute to the founder of Marriott International, J. Willard “J.W.” Marriott, who prioritized his own well-being so that he could take better care of others. Inspired by his approach to life and rooted in holistic well-being, JW Marriott properties offer a haven designed to allow guests to focus on feeling whole – present in mind, nourished in body, and revitalized in spirit – through programs and offerings that encourage them to come together and experience every moment to the fullest. Today there are more than 100 JW Marriott hotels in more than 35 countries and territories worldwide that cater to sophisticated, mindful travellers who come seeking experiences that help them be fully present, foster meaningful connections and feed the soul. Visit JW Marriott online, and on Instagram and Facebook. JW Marriott is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition.

About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of approximately 8,000 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 139 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy®, its highly awarded travel program.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Global Pandemic Hits Phuket Hotels as 73% of New Projects Put on Hold

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Global Pandemic Hits Phuket Hotels as 73% of New Projects Put on Hold - VISITPHUKET.org - TRAVELINDEXPhuket, Thailand, May 3, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Island’s transaction market heats up as owners face liquidity issues, while broad tourism sentiment wanes. Thailand’s battered hotel sector is showing increased signs of fatigue as the global pandemic enters its third year. Nowhere is this more apparent than the resort island of Phuket, where over 73% per cent of new hotel developments either lay dormant or have been put in hold.

According to data in the newly released Phuket Hotel Market Update 2022 from C9 Hotelworks hospitality consulting, the once robust island hotel pipeline has owners now suffering from ‘fear factor’ as they continue to reel in the wake of a volatile marketplace and unclear future outlook. Negative sentiment and stressed liquidity have impacted development, which has seen an incoming supply of 33 hotels with 8,616 rooms facing an unknown future.

Drilling down on the pipeline data, 55% of the hotel projects are mixed-use, or hotel residences with rental-based investment schemes that target individual investment buyers. In light of the economic climate C9 research indicates that some of these real estate-led hospitality projects are unlikely return to the pipeline.

While glossy tourism campaigns that focus on quality vs. quantity are the new mantra across the country, reality bites hard on an island that went from hosting over 9 million passenger arrivals at Phuket International Airport in 2019 to just over 900,000 in 2021. The sizable 90% decline, coupled with the fact there are already 1,786 registered tourism establishments and 92,604 hotel rooms in current supply mean empty beds that need tourists.

Speaking to the situation, C9 Hotelworks Managing Director Bill Barnett says “over 40% of the island’s international visitors two years ago were either from China or Eastern Europe including Russia. While I’m asked daily about when will Phuket recover, the truth of the matter is we are pushing out our estimates of a cyclical return to 2025.

“The elephant in the room for the moment is China. The conundrum is that while I fully expect Phuket stabilized numbers to return given its favorable geographic location, tourism-oriented infrastructure and demonstrated airlift capacity but macro political and economic issues are clouding the short-term horizon.”

Phuket led all of Southeast Asia in a remarkable effort of widespread vaccinations and the pioneering Sandbox re-entry program. But a look at the current situation which has seen a return to seasonal trading and departure of winter snowbird travelers dissipate, now has the island looking for replacement markets. As other regional neighbors such as Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines roll out quarantine free travel, Thailand remains in an uncompetitive situation given its beleaguered Test & Go process.

Hoteliers in Phuket have been quick to address damage control from the Ukraine Russia crisis, but most of the Russian market falls away in March historically. Three notable source markets that are ramping up airlift to Phuket are Australia, India and the Middle East, and these remain bright spots, though none have demonstrated traffic to match the mass Chinese market.

While Phuket’s tourism-leveraged economy has survived the first two years of the pandemic largely intact, C9’s Bill Barnett says “the remainder of 2022 and beyond is already seeing a rapid escalation of hotels coming up for sale. Most of these are not at highly distressed levels but what it indicates is that legacy investment sentiment in hospitality assets is experiencing a changing of the guard.

“The number of Thai hotel owners and also foreign investors that are retreating from the sector is expected to grow. C9’s opinion of the slowdown in the pipeline and high activity in the transaction market is this is not an entirely bad thing and will likely reframe supply and demand over the medium term in a return to a more solid, rational and less speculative marketplace.”

Another change in attitude for island hotel owners has been a wave of conversions of independent properties to brands given that many of the highest performing properties during the Phuket Sandbox reopening and growth in domestic travelers was to branded hotels. While another outcome has also seen a number of internationally managed properties converted from management to franchises. This reality of owners operating under global brands and a new influx of white label management has been a trend that was coming anyway and has only been accelerated by the pandemic.

Despite the bricks and mortar reality of Phuket’s tourism journey back to the future, the backstory of it has been a large-scale exodus of hospitality and service staff from the industry. Given the many stops and starts, opening and closings of hotels and businesses, the shine of tourism’s ‘Amazing Thailand’ byline has been lost on a generation of workers.

While business levels have continued to grow at moderate levels, staff shortages continue to plague the industry and perhaps the greatest challenge that lies ahead for Phuket hotels is regaining its greatest asset – hotel staff to serve tourists when they eventually return. That said, this same comment currently applies across all of Southeast Asia and the world, implying doing more with less staff will have to be the new tourism norm.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

AN ‘ISLAND OF SANITY’: Travel trends at play for new Plaza Premium at YYZ

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Arrive early at Pearson airport and have some time to lounge around? Plaza Premium has just the ticket: it’s new Landmark Lounge, completed during the pandemic and recently re-revealed as Canadians increasingly return to travel and their pre-COVID rituals.

Located in Terminal 3, the lounge is the largest independently operated lounge in North America and marks an expansion of Plaza Premium Lounge services at YYZ, joining a lounge in T1 that is being redone (due to open in July, replaced in the meantime by the Concept Lounge), along with lounges in Vancouver (YVR), Edmonton (YEG) and Winnipeg (YWG).

But the Landmark Lounge is the company’s new flagship, says Plaza Premium Group’s (PPG) regional director of operations for Canada, David Zaltzman. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, he adds, amid scenes of airport congestion and chaos as pent-up traveller demand is unleashed and people look to get away after two-plus years of pandemic pause.

“Our mission is to make travel better. Imagine that this is an island of sanity (in a busy airport,” he adds.

He also notes the safety aspect during COVID times, stating, “Luxury is the new safety!”

Officially opened just before Christmas, the Landmark Lounge is open to the passengers of all airlines and age groups, including on a walk-up basis, or through pre-purchased passes.

Lounge

Amenities include:

• A spacious environment (1,100-sq.m.) capable of hosting over 300 people

• Tasteful modern design with marble and brass accents, communal and private seating arrangements, and an expansive panoramic view of the tarmac

• Elevated food and beverage options include local and organic food servicing a variety of diets from vegan to meat-lovers from the live kitchen, the aerobar offering premium bar and champagne, and contactless ordering. In addition, Lounge to Go allows guests to take premium food options with them as they travel.

• Free Wi-fi and charging facilities; TVs

• Colourful kids play area and nursing room

• Wellness spa offering massages and manicures, complete with showering stations.

“It’s everything a traveller could want before boarding,” Zaltzman at a recent media preview of the venue.

Bar

Travel agents

Plaza Premium Canada Sr. VP. Pascal Bélanger, meanwhile, says emphatically that “leisure travel is back” (though he notes, business travel is lagging), but he says the nature of the experience is changing, with travellers showing up much earlier than before at airports and looking for enhanced luxury and amenities in their travels.

Travel agents similarly are reinventing themselves in the post-pandemic environment, Bélanger says, not least when it comes to finding new and creative ways to add value to their services.

To that end, he says, some agents buy Plaza Premium lounge passes and add them to packages as incentives, while others similarly sell or add the service (with a mark-up), not unlike they would with insurance and other package components.

In either case, he says, the company is eager to work with travel agents and offers passes in bulk or at discounted/negotiated rates.

“Travel agents are our best friends, they are our ambassadors,” he declares.

ALLWAYS

And there’s more: Plaza Premium also offers a bespoke Meet & Greet service, ALLWAYS. The end-to-end airport experience provides tailor-made airport services whether on arrival, departure or in transit, including baggage handling, lounge stays, immigration-designated channel, COVID-testing procedures, limousine transfer, buggy service, and even airport escorts.

The service is often used by high-end travellers, including celebrities travelling to the city for event like the Toronto International Film Festival, and corporately by companies like Rogers.

Taken together, Plaza Premium services are meant to help created a symbiotic relationship between travellers and the airport – and one that will help “demystify” the lounge experience as being only available to high-flyers and those with premium credit cards, says Bélanger.

A case in point, he observes, is that passengers could easily spend $50 on a meal “downstairs (in the airport)”. At the same time, unlimited, food and drinks, along with the incumbent “sanity” of the lounge, plus a whole lot more, can be had for the same cost “upstairs.”

Landmark Lounge is open daily from 15:00 – 23:00 daily. Walk-in entry is available for all travellers regardless of their airline provider or ticket class starting at $50 and via select credit cards or in advance via the Plaza Premium website or designated corporate partners, including the new Plaza Premium Lounge Pass Americas (Americas Pass). A mobile app and points program is also available.

Plaza Premium Group

During recent months, Plaza Premium Group has expanded its global footprint to over 250 locations across 30 countries and 70 international airports worldwide, by adding more than 47 locations to its network, including 24 lounges, two Aerotel hotels, two dining outlets, as well as Meet & Assist passenger services across six airport locations. Earlier this year, Plaza Premium Lounge at London Heathrow Airport T2 was crowned “World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge” for the fifth consecutive year at Skytrax’s World Airline Awards.

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News