Global Travel News

Avani Riverside Bangkok Invites Guests to Explore Perception of Beauty

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Avani Riverside Bangkok Invites Guests to Explore Perception of Beauty - TRAVELINDEXBangkok, Thailand, December 30, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / To offer guests a truly transformative experience this festive season, Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel has partnered with Bangkok-based art gallery Joyman to curate a visually arresting exhibition of contemporary art. Taking place from 9 December 2021 to 31 January 2022, the ‘Quantum Kawaii’ show explores the concept of beauty in the 21st century, as seen through the artistic vision of five Thailand-based artists working across various media, from digital painting and 3D animation to manga.

Rather than focusing on high or conceptual art, the show aims to be accessible to a broader audience, whilst posing important questions about living in today’s highly digitised society. Japanese manga fans will easily recognise kawaii references, while technology buffs will delight in the creative use of VR, holograms and other technology.

“In the age of the internet, when ideas and trends, whether it’s memes, crypto, AR or photo filters, spread with lightning speed, certain aesthetic values become common on a global scale,” said Bancha Wongchotiwat, the head curator at Joyman gallery. “With this unique show at Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel, we wanted hotel guests, restaurant patrons and art lovers to explore this globalised concept of beauty at the confluence of the digital and quantum ages.”

On the main exhibition area on the lobby 11th floor, guests will be greeted by a psychedelic motion collage on conjoined TV screens by Tyler James Bangkok, an American artist living and working in Asia. There will also have a dramatic virtual painting on VR glass by an award-winning Thai artist Ayino Verapong Sritrakulkitjakarn; a piece merging Sci-Fi stop-motion animation and hologram technology by Tarntara Sudaduang, a young Thai artist inspired by the cutest animals on earth which has been seen from extraterrestrial; a pop-art style sculpture by Bobby Leash who channels his love for Japanese manga and video games in his striking piece; and a dramatic, angular sculpture by MaMaMiya that evokes origami.

Art lovers can see these pieces in the lobby on level 11 of Avani+ Riverside Bangkok Hotel from 9 December 2021 to 31 January 2022. Entry is free.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Alma Resort Reopens Its Doors for Business Amid Brave New World

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Alma Resort Reopens Its Doors for Business Amid Brave New World - TRAVELINDEXCam Ranh, Vietnam, December 29, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Eight months after Alma’s closure, prompted by COVID-19’s resurgence in Vietnam, the 30-hectare resort will reopen on January 15 betting on a brighter future.

“In my time managing hotels for decades, when you have a hotel’s grand opening usually the first two years make for the gift that keeps on giving,” Alma’s managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler. “Yet since Alma’s debut in late December 2019, we nor anyone else the world over has experienced anything like the rollercoaster ride, with all of the tourism industry’s fits and starts as we dealt with three major lockdowns.”

Since the resort’s closure from May 16, Laubichler-Pichler said his team has kept busy developing a host of new capacities and services in readiness for the reopening, ranging from kickstarting a major solar power project and undergoing extensive training to developing a ‘back of house’ tour and enhancing Alma’s very own mobile app.

During the closure, Preferred Hotels member Alma appointed a sustainability officer to oversee three new staff sustainability committees focused on ‘green products’, ‘innovation and solutions’ and ‘partnerships’, through means such as garbage segregation, tree planting, paperless solutions, education and more.

A central plank of the independently owned and operated resort’s sustainability push is the implementation of a solar power project believed to be the most ambitious yet for a hotel in Vietnam. Involving the installation of 5634 solar panels totalling 12,500 sqm across the resort, it’s estimated the project will fuel up to almost half of the resort’s energy needs and reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 72,670 tonnes over a 25-year period.

To retain and motivate staff, Alma joined forces with Australian-founded company Typsy, a global digital hospitality training platform, to ‘up-skill’ hundreds of its hotel staff. Learners are encouraged to explore their interests, build skills to help with internal promotion and career progression, and earn industry-recognised qualifications via Typsy’s “Netflix-style” library of hospitality training videos by industry experts.

Alma’s managers also studied eCornell’s management accounting certification program’s six courses over four months, equipping them with tools to develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and reporting systems to boost the performance of managers and units across the entire organization.

Another example of how Alma has strived to think ‘outside the box’ during the closure is the one-hour “Back of House” tour available upon reopening to lead guests through the resort’s innerworkings. Tour stops include the pastry room, staff canteen, engineering workshop, loading dock, laundry and uniform rooms, electric buggy station, generator station, air conditioner centralized plant, water treatment plant, and CCTV and fire panel room.

Offering contactless communication with guests and staff in real-time, Alma has also recently updated its mobile app to usher in a payment gateway, allowing guests to settle bills in a cashless manner via the app, as well as accessing information about the weather in real-time due to the installation of a live weather cam on the resort’s stretch of Long Beach.

Other changes include doubling the size and capacity of the kitchen of beachfront restaurant Atlantis, that specialises in fresh and local seafood, and introducing a gourmet family barbeque experience and a roadside coffee shop to cater to the local traffic’s insatiable thirst for caffeine.

The team is also readying the resort for Tet on Feb. 1, to be marked with a six-day program filled with merriment such as traditional games and competitions, an outdoor cinema on the beach, kite flying competitions, lively singalongs and more. The vast lobby will be transformed into a traditional “Tet Village” with huts brimming with snacks and drinks.

“We’re cautiously optimistic about 2022 for a tourism industry that was brought to its knees by the pandemic,” Laubichler-Pichler said. “Things will gradually pick up but it’ll take time before tourism numbers come back to the levels of demand we experienced after Vietnam’s first lockdown, or even the second lockdown for that matter.”

With fully vaccinated staff that undergo regular COVID-19 testing, Alma has a raft of stringent health and safety measures in place to combat COVID-19.

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

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO: Making Tourism Stronger and Ready for the Future

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UNWTO: Making Tourism Stronger and Ready for the Future - TRAVELINDEX - ZURAB-POLOKASHVILIMadrid, Spain, December 29, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / This has been another challenging year for our societies, our economies and tourism. Many millions of jobs and businesses remain in peril, at the mercy of an evolving crisis and of the actions of governments. However, we are by no means in the same place we were when the pandemic was declared in March 2020. In fact, we have succeeded in laying the foundations to restart tourism around the pillars of sustainability, innovation, people and investing for a resilient future.

Working together

Over the past year, much progress has been made in rolling out vaccinations and in both detecting and treating COVID-19. We have also seen significant progress made in finding the right balance between keeping people safe and keeping the vital lifeline of tourism intact, as illustrated by UNWTO’s effective collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) since the very start of the pandemic.

A collaborative and multilateral approach is and must remain at the centre of capitalizing on the lessons we have learned in such a short space of time.

Ensuring harmonized travel protocols has been our message since day one. They are at the heart of tourism’s restart in many parts of the world, most notably in the Northern Hemisphere destinations during the peak summer months.

We are also encouraged by the resilience and determination coming from the tourism sector itself, as well as from our Member States.

Like never before, the pandemic has made clear tourism’s relevance to our economies and societies. Tourism is now part of the global conversation and at the heart of both national and international recovery action plans.

Expanding on our mandate

Interest in UNWTO’s innovation and start-up competitions keeps growing, showcasing the talent we have unleashed, and our shared readiness to hear new voices and embrace new ideas.

Our global innovation ecosystem is now made up of more than 12,000 start-ups from 160 countries, with US$83 million mobilized and 300 corporate partners currently working on new tourism technologies.

And UNWTO’s education programmes are reaching unprecedented numbers of people, welcoming more than 20,000 students from 100 countries in just 18 months. We promote lifelong learning thanks to partnerships with the world’s top five institutions in tourism and hospitality. Together, IE university, Les Riches, Glion Institute, Ecole du Casse and the Swiss Education Group offer 19 online courses in Spanish, English and Arabic – a true ‘online university of universities’.

Underpinning it all are data analytics on tourism investments powered by our partnership with the Financial Times. Through this, we have produced the first UNWTO tourism investment guidelines, which we are now scaling up to create guidelines for doing tourism businesses by country.

Restarting tourism is unthinkable without green investments. We are collaborating with institutions such as the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation and the Inter-American Development Bank. To date, more than 200 investors are part of UNWTO’s global investment network advancing critical work such as supporting hotel chains from 50 countries to become more sustainable.

For people and planet

Tourism is ready to do the hard work and live up to its responsibilities to people and planet, as demonstrated by the huge interest we have received in the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, launched at the UN Climate Summit COP26. We are receiving a growing number of commitments to halve emissions by 2030 and to reach NetZero by 2050 at the latest, with Member countries, individual destinations, global companies and local players as well as media outlets, hundreds are on board, and counting.

And for people, we are making sure the benefits tourism offers are enjoyed as widely and fairly as possible. That includes establishing the sector as a driver of rural development, as celebrated through the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO initiative. Launched to great enthusiasm this year, 44 villages from 32 countries were granted the recognition during our recent General Assembly, for showing a commitment to tourism development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The 24th UNWTO General Assembly in Madrid brought our Members together to speak with one voice. Members commended UNWTO’s work done during the pandemic and its vision for the future of both the Organization and the sector, endorsing key initiatives such as a first International Code for the Protection of Tourists. This landmark legal framework is designed to restore trust in travel, a vital ingredient for recovery.

I am very grateful for the wide support of our Members, who have put their trust in me to serve a second term as UNWTO Secretary-General.

Mainstreaming tourism

In a crisis, you realize both what’s important and who your friends are.

Like never before, the pandemic has made clear tourism’s relevance to our economies and societies. Tourism is now part of the global conversation and at the heart of both national and international recovery action plans.

And support for UNWTO has never been louder or more visible. Over the past 12 months, we have strengthened our key partnerships, among them the G20 and G7, as well as ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organization), FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), the World Bank, IDB (Inter-American Development Bank), CAF, (The Development Bank of Latin America) and the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development). We have further strengthened our voice at the top of the United Nations, including the landmark recognition of tourism and UNWTO by the UN Secretary-General.

Closer to our Members

UNWTO has made a significant leap to be on the ground next to our Members. This year we opened the first Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Built and opened in record time, it will serve as the platform to deliver our commitment to education and as a global centre for tourism and rural development.

Moving closer to our Members in other regions is an ongoing task and we will also work towards opening the first regional offices in Africa and the Americas.

As we advance preparations for these new hubs, we also welcome new Member States. Antigua and Barbuda, a destination where tourism is an economic pillar, has joined UNWTO. This shows that tourism-dependent countries look to UNWTO and depend on us, and we are ready to live up to this responsibility. Alongside this our network of Affiliate Members of the private sector, local administrations, destinations and academia, keeps growing.

So too does our collaboration with media outlets through new partnerships with Euronews, Xinhua and Travel Index, which build on our existing relationship with CNN International. As a result, the message of tourism for development will continue reaching a global audience of unprecedented size and diversity.

The future begins now

The way in which the pandemic has developed over the closing weeks of the year gives us all reason for concern and to again put public health above everything else.

But recent developments again validate our initial position: the only way forward is through collaboration and actions that are based on evidence rather than on speculation or political strategy.

UNWTO is in a good place to use the achievements of 2021 as a springboard for building a better tourism in the years to come, with the sector ready to return once conditions are right.

It is in this spirit that I wish everybody a safe and healthy 2022. UNWTO stands by your side, to keep on working together for our joint progress.

Zurab Pololikashvili
Secretary-General

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Women Are Making History at First All-female-run Safari Camp in Tanzania

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Women Are Making History at First All-female-run Safari Camp in Tanzania - TRAVELINDEXSerengeti, Tanzania, December 28, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Dunia Camp in the Serengeti, Tanzania, is an all-female-run safari camp run Tanzanian women. They have traded a traditional life, leaving their homes for months at a time to work in the dangerous bush, be independent, support their families, and provide an exceptional experience for guests.

Dunia, in Tanzania’s central Serengeti, is well placed for wildlife spotting. During the annual Great Migration, guests can watch giant herds of wildebeest moving through the area right from camp.

The safari comes right to Dunia, with the migrating wildebeest herds regularly passing the camp. Outside of the migration, there’s plenty more opportunity for wildlife spotting, too. During downtime, sink into a leather armchair with a cold drink in the open-sided dining tent and scan the sun-bleached plains for movement or get lost in a great book before retiring to your tent for an afternoon snooze.

Asilia was built by passionate people with deep roots in East Africa’s original family-run safari companies: Rekero Camp in 1986 and Oliver’s Camp in 1992. In 2004, they combined their experience, family spirit and commitment to East Africa and formed Asilia. Together, they sought to offer safari experiences paired with conservation efforts that bring meaningful change to the region. Today, we are a fast-growing, leading safari operator, employing nearly 1,000 people in 19 bespoke camps and lodges in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

WTTC: China’s Tourism sector to Recover by More Than 60% this Year

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WTTC: China’s Tourism sector to Recover by More Than 60% this Year - TRAVELINDEXBeijing, China, December 27, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / If key measures are followed, the number of those employed in the sector could eclipse pre-pandemic levels. New research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) reveals the recovery of China’s Travel & Tourism sector has soared ahead of many major tourism markets such as France and the U.S., and ahead of the global recovery.

Before the pandemic struck, China’s Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP represented CNY 11.5 trillion (11.6% of the total economy).

In 2020, when the pandemic brought international travel to a grinding halt, China’s Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to the national economy fell by almost 60%, representing a decrease of CNY 6.9 trillion.

However, according to the research, and based on the current rate of recovery, the sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP could see a year on year increase of 60.7% this year.

This growth is almost twice the global average of 30.7% and represents an annual increase of nearly CNY 2.8 trillion.

The data also reveals Travel & Tourism’s contribution to the country’s economy could see a further year on year rise next year of 40.4%, representing an increase of nearly CNY 3 trillion.

Domestic spend is expected to grow by 75% by the end of this year and experience a further year on year rise of more than a third (35.9%) in 2022.

However, while international spend, which is critical to the sector’s recovery, is set to grow by just 7.2% in 2021, next year, when China’s border is expected to reopen to major source markets around the world, it could significantly outpace domestic spend with a rise of 94.3%.

After a loss of more than 16 million jobs last year, when Travel & Tourism businesses in China and around the world suffered catastrophic losses due to severe travel restrictions and complete border closures, employment growth is set to rise by a minimal 3.6% in 2021.

However, employment growth could experience a more positive increase next year of 17.7%, reaching more than 80 million jobs in 2022, just 1.9% below pre-pandemic levels.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Our research clearly shows that while the global Travel & Tourism sector is beginning to recover, China’s recovery is faster.”

“Last year, the COVID-19 pandemic saw 16 million jobs lost from China’s Travel & Tourism sector. But the predicted rise in both international and domestic spend next year brings a positive outlook for both jobs and GDP.”

According to the research, the sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP and the rise in jobs could be more positive this year and next, if five vital measures are met by governments around the world.

These measures include allowing fully vaccinated travellers to move freely, irrespective of their origin or eventual destination.

Secondly, the implementation of digital solutions which enable all travellers to easily prove their COVID status, in turn speeding up the process at borders around the world.

Thirdly, for safe international travel to fully restart, governments must recognise for all vaccines authorised by WHO.

Fourthly, continued support of the COVAX/UNICEF initiative to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines around the world.

Finally, the continued implementation of enhanced health and safety protocols, which will underpin customer confidence.

The future could be even brighter for China’s Travel & Tourism sector

If these vital measures are followed before the end of 2021, research shows the impact on the economy and jobs across China could be considerable.

The sector’s contribution to GDP could rise by 71.3% (nearly CNY 3.3 trillion) by the end of this year, and a further year on year rise of 43.3% (CNY 3.4 trillion) in 2022.

Domestic spend could increase by 85.2% this year, followed by a 37.9% growth in 2022.

International spend could rise 23.6% in 2021 and could experience a substantial year on year boost of 103.2% next year.

Employment could see a 10.5% rise this year, and a year on year increase of 20.1% in 2022, which would see the number of those employed in the sector eclipse pre-pandemic levels by more than 5.5 million.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Thai Vietjet to Launch New Service to Phu Quoc Island

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Thai Vietjet to Launch New Service to Phu Quoc Island - TRAVELINDEXPhu Quoc Island, Vietnam, December 25, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Cooperating with its travel partners, Thai Vietjet is ready to launch its new international service connecting Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) and Vietnam’s famous international tourist destination of Phu Quoc Island, the largest island of the country, starting December 30, 2021.

The new international service will bring tourists from Thailand to experience the beautiful island of Phu Quoc with a 4-Day-3-Night package tour, full-board priced from only THB 22,900 with complimentary Covid-19 insurance offer for travel in the 1st month of launch. During their stay in Phu Quoc, the tourists will have an opportunity to explore Southwest Vietnam’s largest and most modern amusement park – Phu Quoc United Center, with a large scale of more than 1,000 hectares including a diversity of entertainment facilities, hotels and resorts, safari, theme parks, mini-cities, golf course, … and shopping system operating 24/7.

Besides, the tourists will be enjoying the best entertainment spots in Southern Phu Quoc at Sunworld Hon Thom Natural Park; Thom Island – the largest and most beautiful island of Hon Thom District of An Thoi archipelago, and An Thoi Station – the departure point of Hon Thom cable car, dubbed as ‘Colosseum of Vietnam’; Hon Thom Cable Car – the world’s longest 3-wire sea-crossing cable car; and Aquatopia Water Park – Southeast Asia’s leading modern water park.

Along the 4-Day-3-Night program, the tourists will be enjoying their stay at VinHolidays Fiesta Phu Quoc – a beautiful hotel with a five-stars ecosystem located at the heart of the Grand World Complex, boasting a bold, solid design, an outdoor pool of 800 square meters, and a robust supply of 687 rooms.

Currently, international arrivals in Phu Quoc are required to be fully vaccinated and possess an RT-PCR test with a negative result (within 72 hours before departure), and can follow a set tour without quarantine. Besides, the tourists are requested to complete 2 times COVID-19 test during their stay at Phu Quoc and comply with regulations and conditions for epidemic prevention.

Phu Quoc Island boasts idyllic beaches, romantic sunsets, evergreen forests, and a serene atmosphere, making it an ideal holiday destination for travelers looking to escape bustling city life. Located 45 kilometers west of Ha Tien in the far south of Vietnam, the northern part of the island is relatively untouched due to its status as a UNESCO-listed national park but there are plenty of luxurious resorts, funky bars, and quaint cafes along the southern coastline.

Thai Vietjet has been providing leading capacity to passengers with the highest level of safety for travel during the Covid-19 outbreak. The airline has been proactively facilitating international air travel recovery and strictly performing aircraft disinfection throughout its fleet in compliance with the Thai Ministry of Public Health and CAAT’s directives, to reduce potential risk to the health of passengers and its staff.

About Vietjet
The new-age carrier Vietjet has not only revolutionized the aviation industry in Vietnam but also been a pioneering airline across the region and around the world. With a focus on cost management ability, effective operations and performance, Vietjet offers flying opportunities with cost-saving and flexible fares as well as diversified services to meet customers’ demands.

Vietjet is a fully-fledged member of International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate. As Vietnam’s largest private carrier, the airline was awarded the highest ranking for safety with 7 stars in 2018, 2019, and 2020 by the world’s only safety and product rating website airlineratings and listed as one of the world’s 50 best airlines for healthy financing and operations by Airfinance Journal in 2018 and 2019. The airline has also been named as Best Low-Cost Carrier by renowned organizations such as Skytrax, CAPA, Airline Ratings, and many others.

Thai Vietjet is cooperating with Vietjet to extend its flight network and provide more opportunities for travellers in the world to discover Thailand and many other countries. Currently the airline operates 14 domestic routes from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ubon Ratchathani, and Surat Thani, cross-regional flights from Phuket to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani, also direct flights from Hat Yai to Chiang Rai, 8 routes connecting Thailand and Vietnam such as Bangkok to Da Lat/ Da Nang, and more international routes from Thailand to mainland China.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Marriott Signs Agreement with Melco Resorts to Bring Macau’s First W Hotel

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Marriott International, Inc. today announced that it has signed an agreement with Melco Resorts & Entertainment to bring the W Hotels Worldwide brand to Macau. Scheduled to open in December 2022, W Macau – Studio City is expected to become an iconic addition to the world-class leisure destination through its detail-driven, unexpected design, signature Whatever/Whenever® service, and innovative programming.

“Macau’s super-charged energy and unique identity as an entertainment hub, together with its mix of Eastern and Western culture, makes it a natural fit for W Hotels,” said Henry Lee, President, Greater China, Marriott International. “In line with Marriott International’s “Brand + Destination” development strategy, we are excited to work together with Melco Resorts & Entertainment to introduce W Macau – Studio City and bring the brand’s luxury lifestyle to Macau.”

Situated in the heart of Cotai, W Macau – Studio City will serve as the buzzing centerpiece for Studio City Phase 2, a multi-complex development that includes indoor and outdoor water parks, cineplexes and state-of-the-art MICE facilities. W Macau – Studio City expects to feature 557 guestrooms, including 127 suites and wellness facilities, a spa, fitness center, and an indoor swimming pool. The hotel is also set to include two destination dining venues – one featuring international cuisine with an Asian twist and another with the finest Chinese and Portuguese dishes. Set to be a first in the Greater China region, W Macau – Studio City is slated to feature a W Sound Suite, the brand’s signature, on-site recording studio as well as a WOOBAR where guests can connect. Additionally, the new hotel will offer 1,100 square meters of event and meeting space.

Mr. David Sisk, Chief Operating Officer – Macau Resortsof Melco Resorts & Entertainment, said, “Melco is thrilled to welcome W Hotels to Studio City and Macau. W Hotels is without a doubt one of the world’s most iconic luxury lifestyle brands, and we expect the hotel to elevate Studio City’s hospitality offerings to a new level. Together we look forward to bringing new experiences to our guests and further strengthen Macau’s proposition as a world-class leisure destination.”

Marriott International currently operates nine properties and residences under the W Hotels brand across Greater China. W Macau – Studio City is anticipated to mark the brand’s tenth property in Greater China.

About Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of roughly 7,900 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 138 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.

About W Hotels Worldwide
Born from the bold attitude and 24/7 culture of New York City, W Hotels has disrupted and redefined the hospitality scene for over two decades. Trailblazing its way around the globe, with nearly 60 hotels, W is defying expectations and breaking the norms of traditional luxury wherever the iconic W sign lands. With a mission to fuel guests’ lust for life, W ignites an obsessive desire to soak it in, live it up and hit repeat. The brand’s provocative design, iconic Whatever/Whenever service and buzzing Living Rooms create an experience that is often copied but never matched. Innovative, inspiring and infectious, the brand’s super-charged energy celebrates guests’ endless appetite to discover what’s new/next in each destination, to see more, feel more, go longer, stay later.

About Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited
The Company, with its American depositary shares listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (NASDAQ: MLCO), is a developer, owner and operator of integrated resort facilities in Asia and Europe. The Company currently operates Altira Macau (www.altiramacau.com), an integrated resort located at Taipa, Macau and City of Dreams (www.cityofdreamsmacau.com), an integrated resort located in Cotai, Macau. Its business also includes the Mocha Clubs (www.mochaclubs.com), which comprise the largest non-casino based operations of electronic gaming machines in Macau. The Company also majority owns and operates Studio City (www.studiocity-macau.com), a cinematically-themed integrated resort in Cotai, Macau. In the Philippines, a Philippine subsidiary of the Company currently operates and manages City of Dreams Manila (www.cityofdreamsmanila.com), an integrated resort in the Entertainment City complex in Manila. In Europe, the Company is currently developing City of Dreams Mediterranean (www.cityofdreamsmed.com.cy) in the Republic of Cyprus, which is expected to be the largest and premier integrated destination resort in Europe. The Company is currently operating a temporary casino, the first authorized casino in the Republic of Cyprus, and is licensed to operate four satellite casinos (“Cyprus Casinos”). Upon the opening of City of Dreams Mediterranean, the Company will continue to operate the satellite casinos while operation of the temporary casino will cease.

The Company is strongly supported by its single largest shareholder, Melco International Development Limited, a company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and is substantially owned and led by Mr. Lawrence Ho, who is the Chairman, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Read original article at Marriott Hotels

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

UNWTO and ADB Launch Report on Big Data and Tourism Recovery

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UNWTO and ADB Launch Report on Big Data and Tourism Recovery

Madrid, Spain, December 24, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO and the Asian Development Bank have launched a joint report on the use of big data for better tourism planning and management. The report features examples from across the Asia and the Pacific region while also showcasing the main trends in the use of big data in tourism at the forefront of technology and innovation. The report also makes clear the the role that big data can play in recovery and the measurement of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of tourism.

Data to empower decision makers

Tourism suffered the greatest crisis on record in 2020. International arrivals plunged by 73% in 2020. This is likely to followed by a 70% and 75% fall on 2019 levels for 2021. As the sector looks to  recover, data and market intelligence are critical to  empower destinations, businesses, and tourism workers to be better prepared in a rapidly changing landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated the shift toward digitalization and so further highlighted the need for relevant and reliable data and intelligence to manage tourism.

The joint UNWTO and ADB report will assist both governments and the private sector as they look to complement official statistics with big data so as to better understand changes in consumer behavior and to enhance recovery with targeted products, segments, and source markets. Big data will also be key to supporting seamless travel through the implementation of safety protocols, biosecurity technologies, and digital health certificates to enable the safe reopening of borders.

The report further addresses some of the key challenges standing in the way of fully realizing the potential of big data and digitalization for better tourism policy. These include ongoing concerns over privacy, skills gaps, data reliability, inadequate governance and infrastructure, the digital divide, accessibility barriers. These challenges make clear the need for comprehensive agenda to pave the way for the effective use of big data to assist tourism recovery and its transformation toward a greener, more resilient sector. Together, UNWTO and ADB will work to ensure tourism policies across the region are aimed at establishing measurement, monitoring, and management systems and frameworks, thereby ensuring harmonized, comparable, and reliable data and indicators.

First published at TravelCommunication.net – Global Travel News

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Skål International Sustainable Awards 2021

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Skål International Sustainable Awards 2021

Malaga, Spain, December 24, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The announcement of the Sustainable Tourism Awards winners edition has taken place during the virtual Annual General Assembly of Skål International.

The Skål International Sustainable Tourism Awards, launched in 2002, are geared towards enhancing the visibility and grant recognition to entities from the Travel and Tourism industry.

Our appreciation goes to Biosphere Tourism and the Responsible Tourism Institute for their continuous cooperation in the frame of these Awards for third consecutive year. This year, they have exceptionally granted two Skål Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle Special Awards instead of one.

WINNERS OF THE 2021 SKÅL INTERNATIONAL

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AWARDS
– COMMUNITY AND GOVERNMENT PROJECTS: Servicios Ecoturísticos El Jorullo, Mexico.
– COUNTRYSIDE AND BIODIVERSITY: Chai Lai Orchid, Thailand.
– EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND MEDIA: Tourism Industry Aotearoa, New Zealand.
– MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: The Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa.
– MARINE AND COASTAL: Six Senses Laamu, The Maldives.
– RURAL ACCOMMODATION: Sardegna Grand Hotel Terme, Italy.
– TOUR OPERATORS AND TRAVEL AGENTS: City Sightseeing, South Africa.
– URBAN ACCOMMODATION: The Grand Hotel, Sri Lanka.

WINNERS OF THE 2021 SKÅL BIOSPHERE SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE SPECIAL AWARDS
– The Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa.
– Chai Lai Orchid, Thailand.

The independent jury has been made up by three prominent and distinguished personalities who have acted in representation of internationally recognized entities. They have evaluated the 50 entries received based on leadership criteria in sustainability that encompass tangible, measurable benefits to the environment, enhance business, and the society and communities in which they operate. (View the full participants list here).

Skål International would like to thank all the entities presented to these awards for their participation, as well as give sincere congratulations to all the winners in this edition which is being held in a year of challenges, in which the fight for the restoration of Tourism at a global level must be the priority of all of us who are part of the industry.

About Skål International
Skål International is the world’s largest global network of Tourism Professionals promoting Tourism, Business, and Friendship worldwide since 1934. Its members are Directors and Executives of the Tourism sector who relate to each other to address common interest issues, improve a business network, and promote destinations. For more information about Skål International and membership, please visit skal.org.

About Biosphere Tourism: Biosphere Tourism develops certifications to guarantee compliance with the principles of sustainability and continuous improvement, through a private, voluntary and independent certification system. This certification guarantees an adequate long-term balance between the economic, socio-cultural and environmental dimensions of a destination, reporting significant benefits for the entity itself, society and the environment. Biosphere Sustainable presents a methodology and digital platform suitable for more than 27 different types of business.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

ASMALLWORLD AG to Acquire Stake in Global Hotel Alliance

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ASMALLWORLD AG to Acquire Stake in Global Hotel Alliance

Zurich, Switzerland, December 24, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / ASMALLWORLD AG will acquire a 10% stake in the parent company of Global Hotel Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands with over 800 hotels, and will join the company’s Board of Directors. This strategic investment opens up new revenue streams and is expected to significantly expand ASMALLWORLD’s earning potential over the next few years. ASMALLWORLD will support GHA in the delivery of its recently re-launched loyalty programme GHA DISCOVERY, which will expand to more than 20 million members in 2022. The loyalty programme’s highest spending elite members will receive complimentary access to the ASMALLWORLD social network which should double the size of the social network by the end of 2022. In addition, ASMALLWORLD will receive the right to recruit independent hotels to join the GHA hotel portfolio under a newly created ASMALLWORLD soft brand.

• Discover the World’s Best Luxury Hotels with Prestigious Hotel Awards at Top25Hotels.com

ASMALLWORLD and GHA are expanding their long-standing collaboration in the form of a strategic partnership. ASMALLWORLD will support GHA with the delivery of its relaunched hotel loyalty programme GHA DISCOVERY. As part of the partnership, GHA DISCOVERY will offer its elite tier members (those customers who have earned the highest membership levels), access to the ASMALLWORLD social network free of charge. This will allow GHA DISCOVERY elite members to enjoy all the benefits of the ASMALLWORLD travel and lifestyle network, which is expected to increase customer engagement, ultimately leading to more hotel bookings for the alliance’s hotels. Under the terms of the partnership, both parties are incentivised to grow each other’s revenue base. ASMALLWORLD expects that the new customers from this partnership will double the member base in 2022.

GHA DISCOVERY – a hotel loyalty programme with 20 million customers

When NH Hotel Group is integrated into the alliance in 2022, GHA will be a network of 40 independent hotel chains with over 800 hotels in 100 countries, sharing a common loyalty platform. GHA DISCOVERY’s hotels include internationally renowned luxury brands such as Kempinski, Anantara, Corinthia, Pan Pacific, Capella and Nikki Beach. GHA DISCOVERY is the world’s largest loyalty programme for independent hotel brands. When NH Hotels Group merges its NH Rewards loyalty programme into GHA DISCOVERY in mid-2022, then GHA DISCOVERY will have more than 20 million members.

The GHA DISCOVERY programme allows members to collect and spend rewards across the entire GHA hotel network. Based on the number of stays, nights or spend per year, members may also obtain one of multiple status levels, which offer additional hotel benefits such as room upgrades and faster earning of rewards.

Initially, ASMALLWORLD will provide access to its services for GHA DISCOVERY’s elite tier members and support GHA with the delivery of the programme. The companies will also offer additional ASMALLWORLD products and services to the entire GHA DISCOVERY customer base.

ASMALLWORLD to be added as a hotel brand to the GHA DISCOVERY brand portfolio

In addition to the core partnership, the companies will also work together to expand GHA’s hotel portfolio. As part of the agreement, ASMALLWORLD has received the mandate to recruit independent hotels for GHA, and the brand “ASMALLWORLD” will be added to GHA DISCOVERY’s hotel brand portfolio as a soft brand. Going forward, newly-recruited independent hotels can then join GHA’s hotel network under the ASMALLWORLD brand.

Until now, GHA mostly did not offer independent individual hotels a path to join its network as it primarily served hotel chains. The cooperation with ASMALLWORLD closes this gap, and provides an opportunity for independent individual hotels to join the network.

ASMALLWORLD acquires a 10% stake in GHA Holdings

To highlight the strategic aspect of this long-term cooperation, the two companies have entered an agreement under which ASMALLWORLD has committed to acquire a 10% stake in GHA Holdings Limited (“GHA Holdings”), the group holding company of GHA. The purchase price for the stake is USD 3.5 million in cash plus a 3% share of ASMALLWORLD AG. The ASMALLWORLD shares used for payment will be either existing or newly created shares. As the purchase price is being paid partly in shares, GHA will also become a shareholder of ASMALLWORLD AG. The closing of the transaction is scheduled for March 2022.

Transaction opens up significant new revenue streams for ASMALLWORLD

The enhanced partnership and strategic investment open up multiple new revenue streams for ASMALLWORLD. Most importantly, the company will be rewarded on spend generated by members signing up through the partnership. In addition, ASMALLWORLD will have the opportunity to sell additional products and services to this valuable customer group, once they become part of the ASMALLWORLD social network. GHA and ASMALLWORLD also plan to offer various ASMALLLWORLD products to the more than 20 million non-elite GHA DISCOVERY members which will create additional sales from GHA’s large member base. Together with these new revenue streams, and its stake in the future growth of GHA, this investment is expected to significantly expand ASMALLWORLD’s earning potential over the next few years and further accelerate its profitable growth.

ASMALLWORLD will have a seat on GHA’s Board of Directors

It is anticipated that both companies will be represented on each other’s Boards of Directors. ASMALLWORLD CEO Jan Luescher will become a member of GHA Holdings’ Board of Directors, while GHA CEO Chris Hartley is expected to join ASMALLWORLD’s Board of Directors. This will allow both companies to influence each other’s strategic directions and will help build further operational synergies between the companies. The appointment of Chris Hartley as a member of the Board of Directors is subject to the approval of the shareholders of ASMALLWORLD.

“This strategic alliance between ASMALLWORLD and GHA opens up new opportunities for both companies. GHA can now offer its most valued customers direct access to the ASMALLWORLD network and ASMALLWORLD will be able to offer its core products to members of the GHA DISCOVERY programme, and in particular their highest-spending elite tier members. We will also help GHA to drive incremental sales through these customers. GHA will also offer ASMALLWORLD’s services to the entire GHA DISCOVERY’s 20-million-strong membership base, which will greatly increase our reach and sales potential,” comments Jan Luescher, CEO of ASMALLWORLD.

GHA’s CEO, Chris Hartley, added “our long-standing partnership with ASMALLWORLD has been very successful and has highlighted the close synergies between our customer bases and the attractiveness of the complementary products and services, which bring value to each other’s membership propositions. ASMALLWORLD members who have previously joined GHA DISCOVERY have gone on to become some of our highest-spending customers across our hotels. It feels like a natural next step in this partnership to become shareholders in each other’s businesses; and we will benefit from ASMALLWORLD’s insights and experience in areas such as social networking and events, which are a logical extension to our GHA DISCOVERY programme.”

• Discover the World’s Best Luxury Hotels with Prestigious Hotel Awards at Top25Hotels.com

About Global Hotel Alliance (GHA)
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) brings together a unique collection of independent hospitality brands with GHA DISCOVERY, a multi-brand loyalty programme leveraging a shared technology platform. Through membership in GHA, brands expand their global reach, drive incremental revenue, and reduce dependence on third-party channels, all while maintaining management independence and individual positioning. GHA represents a collection of 35 brands with over 500 hotels in 85 countries serving 11 million members. The award-winning GHA DISCOVERY programme generates approximately $2 billion in revenue and more than eight million room nights annually. GHA’s brands currently include Anantara, Araiya, Avani, Campbell Gray, Capella, Corinthia, Discovery Destinations, Divani, Doyle, Elewana, Fauchon, GLO, JA Resorts, Kempinski, Leela, Lungarno, Marco Polo, Mysk, Niccolo, Nikki Beach, NUO, Oaks, Outrigger, Pan Pacific, PARKROYAL COLLECTION, PARKROYAL, Patina, The Residence by Cenizaro, Shaza, Sukhothai, Sun International, Tivoli, Ultratravel Collection and Viceroy.

About GHA DISCOVERY
Launched in 2010, GHA DISCOVERY is the world’s largest loyalty programme for independent hotel brands, featuring more than 500 hotels, resorts and palaces across 35 brands. Members enjoy VIP recognition, thoughtful benefits and generous rewards at home or away. Recently the programme has evolved to include an additional tier and flexible paths to upgrade through nights/stays, eligible purchases or number of brands stayed, making it easier and faster for members to reach elite status. Unlike more traditional programmes, GHA DISCOVERY does not ask members to count points towards their next upgrade. Instead, members earn and spend DISCOVERY Dollars (D$), an exclusive rewards currency. They also enjoy members-only Experiences curated by each hotel and have access to properties close to home, without a stay, through member-only Local Offers.

The ASMALLWORLD Group
ASMALLWORLD is the world’s leading travel & lifestyle community, focusing on experiences: the modern-day definition of luxury. Centred around the ASMALLWORLD social network, the company operates a digital travel & lifestyle ecosystem which enables and inspires members to travel better, experience more and make new connections.

Members of the ASMALLWORLD social network connect through its app and website, where they can meet other members, engage in online discussions, receive travel and lifestyle inspiration, and enjoy a wealth of travel privileges. Members also meet in person at over 1’000 global ASMALLWORLD events every year, ranging from casual get-togethers in major cities around the world, access to exclusive launches, shows, galas, soirees, exhibitions, major global sporting events, and larger flagship weekend experiences hosted in iconic destinations such as Saint-Tropez and Gstaad.

Other businesses of the ASMALLWORLD travel & lifestyle ecosystem include:

ASMALLWORLD Collection, a high-end online hotel booking engine focused on the world’s most admired hotels, offering the unique “ASMALLWORLD Preferred Rate” which allows customer to enjoy exclusive travel benefits at no extra cost

ASMALLWORLD Private, a high-end travel agency offering personalised travel curation service

ASW Hospitality, a hotel management company that operates and manages the iconic North Is-land resort in the Seychelles

First Class & More, a subscription-based smart luxury travel service that allows members to enjoy luxury travel at insider prices

The World’s Finest Clubs, the world’s leading nightlife concierge offers its members VIP access to the most exclusive nightlife venues around the world

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News