Global Travel News

IATA: Blocked Airline Funds Could Slow Recovery

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IATA: Blocked Airline Funds Could Slow Recovery

Geneva, Switzerland, August 21, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged governments to abide by international agreements and treaty obligations to enable airlines to repatriate close to nearly $1 billion in blocked funds from the sale of tickets, cargo space, and other activities.

“Governments are preventing nearly $1 billion of airline revenues from being repatriated. This contravenes international conventions and could slow the recovery of travel and tourism in affected markets as the airline industry struggles to recover from the COVID-19 crisis. Airlines will not be able to provide reliable connectivity if they cannot rely on local revenues to support operations. That is why it is critical for all governments to prioritize ensuring that funds can be repatriated efficiently. Now is not the time to score an ‘own goal’ by putting vital air connectivity at risk,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

Approximately $963 million in airline funds are being blocked from repatriation in nearly 20 countries. Four countries: Bangladesh ($146.1 million), Lebanon ($175.5 million), Nigeria ($143.8 million), and Zimbabwe ($142.7 million), account for over 60% of this total, although there has been positive progress in reducing blocked funds in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe of late.

“We encourage governments to work with industry to resolve the issues that are preventing airlines from repatriating funds. This will enable aviation to provide the connectivity needed to sustain jobs and energize economies as they recover from COVID-19,” said Walsh.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Saudi Arabia Tourism Opens South-East Asia Office in Malaysia

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Saudi Arabia Tourism Opens South-East Asia Office in Malaysia - TOURISMSAUDIARABIA.com - TRAVELINDEXKuala Lumpur, Malaysia, August 21, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The Saudi Tourism Authority has opened a commercial office in Malaysia covering the South-East Asia region as part of its strategy to engage the travel trade to raise awareness of the destination in key source markets in the region.

The Malaysia office will be responsible for trade and consumer marketing activities, expanding the reach and relevance of Saudi’s tourism offer and working with tour operators, travel agents and other industry stakeholders to build awareness and drive conversion in line with Saudi Tourism Authority’s strategy and mission.

• For a comprehensive travel guide on Saudi Arabia, go to TourismSaudiArabia.com

Saudi Tourism Authority’s new office is being set up with the support of aviation and destination marketing representative company, Aviareps Malaysia, as its in-market representative covering the South-east Asia region.

“We are confident that Saudi’s diverse offering will be appealing to all demographics from the region,” said Shazlin Ahmad, country manager for STA in South East Asia. “We have already begun outreach into the South-east Asia’s tourism trade ecosystem and the response has been very positive. We are actively seeking opportunities to co-invest with partners who are keen to add Saudi as an exciting new destination in their portfolio.”

Since opening its borders to international tourism in September 2019, Saudi rapidly established itself as the fastest growing tourism destination in the world, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Despite the global shutdown of leisure tourism in the wake of the pandemic, STA continued to invest to prepare the destination for a return to normalcy. An international brand awareness campaign launched at the beginning of 2021 extends across 26 countries and 13 languages, with significant investment in outdoor, broadcast and digital advertising.

Saudi Arabia reopened to vaccinated international visitors at the beginning of August.

To support the tourism trade ecosystem, STA is introducing Saudi Expert, a comprehensive digital platform providing partner companies such as DMCs, tour operators and other stakeholders with data, insights, destination information and creative assets in real-time to help build their businesses.

Saudi Tourism Authority now has representative offices in eleven markets serving 21 countries, with an eventual goal of having 15 offices around the world.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Phuket Tourism Leaders Hail Approval of Sputnik Vaccine

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Phuket Tourism Leaders Hail Approval of Sputnik Vaccine

Phuket, Thailand, August 20, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Tourism stakeholders in Phuket are heralding the landmark approval of the Sputnik vaccine by the Thailand’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) that is set to unleash the Russian market on the southern Thai island. Industry eyes a portion of the 700,000-plus direct-to-Phuket Russian arrivals over a five-month period (November-March) as the so-called “snowbirds” plan their return.

Phuket has for years been a very popular destination with Russian travellers, peaking in 2019 with over 700,000 arrivals in a short five-month period in 2019, all arriving on direct flights from the Russian Federation. A total of 1.4 million Russians visited Phuket in 2019.

The traditional snowbird period from November to March is when temperatures drop severely in Russia and also in many parts of northern Europe, signaling travelers to take flight for the tropical chimes and clear blue skies of Phuket.

“This is great news for Phuket. It’s time to go beyond the Sandbox and build a foundation for a broader tourism initiative,” said Phuket Tourist Association President, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam. “The industry can now get back to basics and focus on the northern European winter season. This is a big opportunity for Phuket. These are our legacy markets.”

Laguna Phuket, an integrated destination in the popular Bangtao Beach area, consisting of seven hotels, a Bangkok Hospital operated PCR test-centre and acres of open spaces, gardens and lagoons, has already been a beneficiary of the Phuket Sandbox given its safe haven reputation, but this is a major step up according to its Managing Director, Ravi Chandran.

• Discover the Phuklet’s Best Luxury Hotels and Prestigious Hotel Awards at Top25Hotels.com

“The acceptance of the Sputnik vaccine is a game-changer for Phuket,” he said. “The outbound Russian market is the biggest one in the world outside of China and the timing is perfect with the high season starting in November this year. Phuket Sandbox has proven to be a success and this will now take these achievements to greater heights still for all hotels, tourism stakeholders and the local community on the island.”

Since July 1, over 300,000 hotel rooms have been booked up until the end of August by international visitors arriving via the Phuket Sandbox initiative a number expected to rapidly rise as the high season approaches. Scheduled and chartered Russian carriers are expected to arrive in Phuket from October 2021.

Talking about ‘ready-made’ market potential, C9 Hotelworks Managing Director, Bill Barnett said “coming into the 2021 winter wonderland, and changing marketplace, the Russians, who typically have a 11-12-night average length of stay, are a perfect fit for the Sandbox.”

Laguna Phuket, in association with Delivering Asia Communications and C9 Hotelworks, will be hosting a special one-hour online virtual event featuring representatives from government, tour operators, hotels and airlines on September 9 at 3pm to discuss the impending arrival of the Russian market to Phuket.

About Laguna Phuket
Laguna Phuket resort is home to 7 deluxe hotels; Angsana Laguna Phuket, Angsana Villas Resort Phuket, Banyan Tree Phuket, Cassia Phuket, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, Laguna Holiday Club Phuket Resort and SAii Laguna Phuket – all sharing 1,000 acres of tropical parkland along a 3-kilometre stretch of the pristine Bangtao Beach. Facilities and services include 18-hole award winning golf course, world-renowned spas, shopping village, tour operators and MICE-certified event and facilitator teams. With inter-resort transportation allowing guests to travel anywhere within minutes via shuttle bus or ferry.

For attractive Phuket Sandbox hotel packages, visit Top25Hotels.com

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

BBTF Annoucing 2022 Edition for June 2022

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BBTF Annoucing 2022 Edition for June 2022

Bali, Indonesia, August 20, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / With traveling becoming more and more accessible to anyone, people now explore further than the boundaries of their own home and go off the beaten path. Major destinations around the globe are still on demand. However, people now hunger for new exotic destinations and somewhere they can really enjoy their holiday without having to face hundreds of fellow tourists.

Indonesia, being an Archipelago, offers hundreds of destinations, from the unique historical sites to the tranquility of an exclusive island getaway, from the beautiful sunrise over the highest peak to the beautiful underwater scenery, there are a lot of options available to different types of travelers. BALI & BEYOND TRAVEL FAIR (BBTF) recognized this and organized its first travel fair back in year 2014 to help to promote these unique destinations to potential buyers from around the globe. This year, the 8th BBTF, to be held from 14 – 18 June 2022, aims to further promote these destinations to the world and open up new business opportunities for the participants after global pandemic.

So why should you join the BBTF 2022 event? Here is one of many reasons why you should participate the BBTF 2022 event in Bali :

BBTF IS INDONESIA’S LEADING INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURISM FAIR
The event is fully endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia and since it’s the beginning, BBTF has grown further and reached its status as the leading international travel and tourism fair in Indonesia, in par – if not better – with similar travel fairs around the world.

Come and join the BBTF 2022 event and be a part of Indonesia’s Leading International Travel and Tourism Fair.

BBTF Secretariat Office
Jalan Raya Puputan ¬ 41, Renon
Denpasar 80235, Bali, Indonesia
Tel. (+62 361) 445 7111 or 445 7700
Fax. (+62 361) 244 263
E-mail : seller@bbtf.co.id or buyer@bbtf.co.id or info@bbtf.co.id

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

VEGAS ROLLS DICE ON EVENT PROTOCOLS

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Vaccine verification at major venues has emerged as a coronavirus fighting front in Nevada, with Las Vegas’ biggest trade conference following the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders in announcing they’ll require attendees to prove they are inoculated.

CES gadget show sponsor, the Consumer Technology Association, said it will require attendees in January to be vaccinated to enter venues including the expanded Las Vegas Convention Center, Mandalay Bay and Sands Expo centre.

“We understand vaccines offer us the best hope for stopping the spread of COVID-19,” Gary Shapiro, association president and CEO, said in a statement. “We are taking on our responsibility by requiring proof of vaccination to attend CES 2022 in Las Vegas.”

The announcement came a day after Gov. Steve Sisolak said indoor venues with 4,000 or more attendees will be allowed to opt out of the state’s mask requirements if they opt into a program ensuring that attendees have inoculations.

To date, IPW Las Vegas, the annual US Travel trade show which will take place in the city Sept. 18-22, has not issued a similar edict.

The state vaccination rate topped 60% for the first time this week for people ages 12 and older who have received at least one dose. State health officials say 49.5% have been fully vaccinated. In the Las Vegas area, the figures ticked up a notch to 60.7% and 48.6%.

Nationally in the US, more than 72% of eligible adults have received vaccines, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The figure has lagged in Nevada, home to anti-vaccination and no-mask protests.

“This isn’t a mandate. It’s not a requirement,” the Democratic governor said Monday. “We’re not rolling anything back. What this is about is getting more people vaccinated.”

Following Sisolak’s announcement, the Raiders quickly unveiled their first-in-the-NFL policy to require fans at 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Attendees must provide verification through a CLEAR mobile app and Health Pass feature, starting with a home game Sept. 13.

Sisolak said one dose of a two-dose vaccination will get people in the door, but they will still have to wear face coverings. Fully vaccinated people won’t have to wear masks, he said. He cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

The governor said he’d seen photos of unmasked fans at recent soccer and football games and framed his directive as a voluntary option for event organizers who don’t want to enforce mask mandates.

Live Nation, operator of two prominent Las Vegas Strip music venues — House of Blues at Mandalay Bay and Brooklyn Bowl at the Linq Promenade — previously said ticket holders will have to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test beginning in October.

The company also partners with Caesars Entertainment to run residency shows at the 4,000-seat Colosseum at Caesars Palace and 7,000-seat Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood, and with MGM Resorts International for events at the 6,400-seat Park Theater.

CES said it was studying whether to accept proof of a positive antibody test as an alternative to a vaccination record.

A Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority official, Lori Nelson-Kraft, expressed support for the CES decision, calling it a “commitment to reducing the spread of the virus and prioritizing the health and wellness of their exhibitors and attendees.”

The four-day electronic products show attracted more than 180,000 people in January 2020, two months before pandemic shutdowns. It was conducted online in 2021 due to venue closures and travel restrictions. The 2022 conference plans both a digital version and a live event.

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

DISTILL OUR BEATING HEART: Whiskey returns to New York

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The Big Apple is home to countless iconic pubs, pleasing patios, and brain cell limiting bars, but for more than 100 years, no whiskey distillery has called Manhattan home. That’s now changed with the opening of Great Jones Distilling Co., Manhattan’s first and only legal whiskey distillery since Prohibition.

Like many other architectural projects in New York, the distillery is a feat of ingenuity. The six-year construction journey has overcome rigid city regulations, centuries-old fire codes, and a global pandemic to deliver a new spirit to the city and give New Yorkers their own whiskey distillery. The result is a 2,600 sq.-m. space at 686 Broadway in the NoHo district (between SoHo and Greenwich Village), comprised of a custom-built distillery where people can take part in tours and tasting experiences (starting Aug. 21), as well as a restaurant, speakeasy, and event venue, which will open in September.

Founded by Proximo Spirits and fuelled by the vision of owner and 11th- generation spirits maker Juan Domingo Beckmann, the distillery embodies the notion that the best spirits should reflect their origins, in this case threading the history of bourbon in New York to the present day.

To that end, the whiskies are made exclusively with grains grown in the rich ebony soil of the Black Dirt region less than two hours north of Manhattan in Upstate New York, resulting in whiskies that are smooth, balanced, and complex, with a distinctive spiciness characteristic of the New York-grown grains from which they are made. More spice, less sweet – more New York.

“The opening of Great Jones Distilling Co. represents a landmark moment for spirits and New York City history, bringing the craft of whiskey distillation back to Manhattan after 100 years,” says company founder Juan Domingo Beckmann, Founder of Great Jones Distilling Co. and Proximo Spirits.

With the opening of the distilling company comes the introduction of three new whiskies: Great Jones Straight Bourbon, Great Jones Four Grain Bourbon, and Great Jones Rye Whiskey. The three signature liquids are made from 100% New York-sourced grain and have been aging for the past five years in new charred American oak barrels at Great Jones’ sister distillery, Black Dirt.

Construction of the expansive distillery space conquered many unique challenges. Located in an area of the city with a rich history from the Prohibition era, the 82-year-old building had to be reinforced deep below ground to support the custom combination copper pot still with two columns housed on the second floor, navigating the subway system that runs below the building. During the renovation, a secret tunnel was discovered, thought to be used to transport whiskey and other spirits under the streets of New York. This tunnel now runs directly behind the speakeasy, which is set to open this fall.

The visitor experience at Great Jones includes:

• Distillery tours and guided whiskey tastings and experiences

• The Restaurant at Great Jones (opening September), a refined yet
approachable culinary experience offering a contemporary menu focused on locally sourced New York ingredients.

• The Speakeasy: An intimate underground spot featuring a restaurant and exclusive tasting menu

• The Lounge: An exclusive enclave for guests and space for private events

• The Shop: Offering merchandise, plus the distillery’s three signature spirits. Four Grain Bourbon and Great Jones Rye Whiskey are both sold exclusively at the distillery while Great Jones Straight Bourbon Whiskey is sold both on-site at the distillery as well as at bars and retailers in New York and New Jersey.

Great Jones Distilling Co. is open Wednesday-Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. Distillery tours are available to those 21 and older and are available for booking.

https://www.greatjonesdistillingco.com/book-your-visit/

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

Celebrate Mid-Autumn with Handcrafted Mooncakes at Carlton Hotel Bangkok

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Celebrate Mid-Autumn with Handcrafted Mooncakes at Carlton Hotel Bangkok - TRAVELINDEXBangkok, Thailand, August 20, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit offers two signature, Handcrafted baked mooncakes brought to you by the culinary team from Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant. The two signature flavours are White Lotus Paste with Single Egg Yolk and Durian Paste with Single Egg Yolk.

Celebrate Mid-Autumn with Handcrafted Mooncakes at Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit

• Durian Paste with Single Egg Yolk
Luscious and creamy Kan Yao Durian pulp baked to golden perfection

• White Lotus Paste with Single Egg Yolk
A classic recipe paying homage to the timeless lotus and baked to perfection with single egg yolk

The Carlton Mooncake Boxes are specially created with a unique 4-layer design that can be adjusted to be a Chinese lantern for your Mid-Autumn Festival celebration.

Only 500 boxes are available for this special limited edition mooncake roll out. Early bird 15% discount applies for bookings made within the month of August.

Selling price:
• Carlton Box (4 pcs of 175 grams) THB 1,188 net
• Single Piece (175 grams) THB 218 net

Early Bird order from now – 31 August: 15% discount
Order now and pick up from 1 – 21 September 2021

The Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake is available at
● Carlton Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit from 1 – 21 September 2021
● Online purchases at https://shop.line.me/@carltonhotelbkk

For more information or to place an order, please contact 02 090 7888

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Social Media Savvy Resorts and Hotels around Southeast Asia

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Social Media Savvy Resorts and Hotels around Southeast Asia - TRAVELINDEXHoliday snaps have long been an integral part of the travel experience. But with “pics or it didn’t happen” being the mantra of the Instagram era, gathering visual documentation of leisure time has become a pressing priority for many. With this in mind, social media savvy resorts and hotels around Southeast Asia are going the extra mile to deliver specially curated photo opportunities that provide ample fodder for IG feeds.

Banyan Tree Samui

Nestled into a lush tropical hillside overlooking the Gulf of Thailand, the 38-acre property of Banyan Tree Samui is ripe for some of the most picturesque beach-and-sea views you can imagine. In fact, the resort has published its own “7 Photo Spots” brochure for guests to ponder ahead of arrival. From either of two restaurants or the reception area, the amateur photographer is blessed with a magnificent panoramic vista encompassing sapphire sea, a palm-fringed white-sand beach, a cove flanked by coral reefs, and the flora and greenery of the resort in the foreground. The more intrepid selfie-seeker can climb even higher to the hilltop where they can take in a sweeping 360-degree shot of the entire coastline. And if you’re shooting from your villa, you may be able to sneak in a cocktail-and-bikini moment from the edge of your private infinity pool.  

Alma Cam Ranh

Alma this year clinched a coveted spot in ‘The Most Instagrammable Hotel in the World’; tens of thousands of readers of the well-respected United States-based website Luxury Travel Advisor voted Alma the winner of the Asia and Indian Ocean bracket, placing it in the poll’s top four resorts worldwide. And for very good reason. The resort is anchored by 12 swimming pools that cascade down to Long Beach, with sun loungers and cabanas dotted among them, that have attracted serious attention from a who’s who of Vietnamese celebrities. Singers Quang Vinh, Bao Thy, Dan Truong, and Trinh Thang Binh, actors Hoang Yen Chibi and Tuan Tran, power couple Thuy Tien and Cong Vinh and the ‘Xoai (Mango) Family’ are among many influencers who have shared Alma’s pools with their followers, resulting in countless guests replicating their popular images.

Hyatt Regency Koh Samui

The designers of the newly unveiled Hyatt Regency Koh Samui knew that snap-happy guests would find it hard to resist the visual allure surrounding them. Therefore, they baked in a Gallery of Eight, a collection of eight sites dotted around the property specially selected for their photogenic appeal. The property fully leverages the beauty of Koh Samui through its coastal location, incorporation of protected native yangna trees and numerous inspired architectural features. The latter includes a showpiece lobby—the starting point for the Gallery of Eight—where numerous skylights allow for natural illumination by the sun and the moon. Other likely photo ops include a valley that abounds with colourful tropical flora and the largest pool zone on the island, a collection of four pools, each cascading down from the main pool on the upper deck of the resort.

Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana

Bali’s only hot air balloon rises over the verdant rice fields of Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana, multiple times a day, and although the view from above ground is stunning (you can take in Mt Agung on a clear day) the most popular shot is just below with the impressive balloon in the background of a paddy-side picnic.  World travelers and content creators, Giulia and Donato, of @_dgtravel_ are one of a number of visitors who captured the resort’s most insta-worthy moment for their feed.

Azerai Resorts

Vietnam’s top actors, supermodels, and social media influencers have been flocking to Azerai Resorts’ three properties in Vietnam in recent years to stage fashion photo shoots amid the resorts’ colorful and picturesque backdrops. From celebrity Quynh Anh Shyn, with her 2.6 million Instagram followers, to international supermodel and singer Ha Anh Vu, and popular actress Le Ha Truc, these Vietnamese stars and others have treated their social media followers to gorgeous imagery, along with travel inspiration (these photos were all shot prior to the latest wave of pandemic lockdowns). Quynh Anh Shyn captured the multi-hued sunset overlooking the ocean from Azerai Ke Ga Bay’s beachfront pool. Le Ha Truc appeared on Azerai La Residence, Hue’s elegant new 55-foot (17-meter) riverboat as it plied the Perfume River at dusk. And Ha Anh Vu snapped a shot on Azerai Can Tho’s Mekong Delta cruise boat, with the 2.75-kilometre Can Tho Bridge in the background. The three Azerai properties in Vietnam are renowned for their natural surroundings.

Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh

One quick scroll through the Instagram hashtag of #HyattRegencyPhnomPenh, which opened in the Cambodian capital in January, brings up plenty of iconic snaps of the hotel’s stunningly revamped Colonial House entrance. Originally built as a secret villa for a princess in the early 20th century, the lemon-colored French heritage building with its wooden shutters, arched doorways, and terracotta-tiled roof has quickly become the property’s go-to selfie spot, thanks to a recent fashion shoot by SOVRIN Magazine, Cambodia’s top fashion glossy. The shoot features well-known Cambodian actress and model, San Kosamak, posing in a trenchcoat on the steps of the Colonial House, spawning a number of copycat photos on Instagram.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

RwandAir and Qatar Airways Join Forces

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RwandAir and Qatar Airways Join Forces

Kigali, Rwanda, August 19, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / RwandAir customers will be able to explore even more of the world following its new partnership with Qatar Airways via their hubs at Kigali and Doha.

As part of the strategic partnership, the extensive interline agreement will give customers access to the networks of both airlines, providing a seamless travel experience and enhanced customer service the frequent flyers programmes.

Customers can pick and choose from over 160 destinations in the combined networks of both airlines, which are perfectly connected via their home main hubs.

This latest cooperation comes hot on the heels of the airlines’ recent loyalty partnerships announcement, giving RwandAir Dream Miles and Qatar Airways Privilege Club loyalty members access to each other’s destinations with the opportunity to ‘earn and burn’ points across their reciprocal route networks.

Yvonne Makolo, RwandAir CEO, said: “We’re really excited to be opening up more of the world to our customers through the new interline agreement with Qatar Airways.

“Delivering excellent customer experience is key for us and we know that any traveler flying with Qatar Airways or RwandAir, as part of the agreement, will continue to receive the same unrivalled level of service they’re used to from both airlines.”

His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al-Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, said: “This partnership cements our commitment to giving travellers the widest choice of destinations, while providing a seamless, high quality travel experience, which is the goal of both Qatar Airways and RwandAir.

“Africa is a hugely important market for us and this latest partnership will help support the recovery of international air travel and offer unrivalled connectivity to and from a number of new African destinations.”

RwandAir operates services throughout Africa and to long-haul destinations including London Heathrow, from its Kigali based hub.

The airline’s customers will also be able to connect through Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha, to access Qatar Airways’ destinations on every continent, from Paris to Washington, Delhi to Hong Kong and many more.

With more frequencies being added to key hubs, Qatar Airways offers unrivalled connectivity to passengers, making it easy for them to change their travel dates or destination if required.

Qatar Airways serves Kigali from Doha five times per week via Entebbe, utilizing its sustainable and fuel efficient Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. The airline’s customers can transit via Kigali to a diverse range of African destinations including Bujumbura, Brazzaville and Libreville.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Mantis Collection Opens First Migration Camp in Serengeti

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Mantis Collection Opens First Migration Camp in Serengeti

Serengeti, Tanzania, August 19, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Mantis, a leading conservation-focused hotel group with luxury hotels, eco-lodges, waterways and impact experiences located across the globe has opened its newest property in Tanzania and welcomed its first guests on August 6th 2021.

The mobile camp moves every few months to follow the wildebeest herds, zebra, Thomson’s gazelles, and the predators the Great Migration attracts within the Serengeti National Park.

Paul Gardiner, CEO of the Mantis group comments: “The Great Migration is known as one of the greatest shows on earth and is on the wish-list of many international travellers. The Siringit Migration Camp by Mantis returns to the roots of safari: where sustainable, intimate, mobile camps move in symbiosis with wildlife. The unique shape of the tents – octagonal with transparent sides – is designed to dissolve the division between indoors and outdoors, allowing guests to be closer to nature. We look forward to welcoming guests and offering them the chance to witness nature at its best.”

The Siringit Migration Camp by Mantis opens in Kogatende region (Northern Serengeti) where it will remain until November 2021. The camp will then move to the Ndutu region (Southern Serengeti) reopening on 15 December 2021, where it will remain until 31 March 2022 when the herds start their migration north again. Both locations have their own airstrip for guest arrivals and departures. There are daily scheduled flights from Arusha or Seronera to Kogatende, and the airstrip is only a short 10-minute game drive direct to the camp.

The Bedouin-style camp has eight luxury guest tents, positioned on a raised platforms to provide guests with unobstructed views across the  Serengeti wilderness. Each of the guest tents can accommodate up to two guests, while two can be interlinked to form a family tent that can accommodate up to four guests (two adults and two children). All tents have en-suite bathrooms with double vanity. The camp also has a separate dining tent and lounge tent which includes a selection of coffee table books and board games.

For an overview of the camp’s design, facilities and more please see below.

Design

The tents are made in Tanzania using recycled materials. The stretched canvas panels are handstitched, and the hexagonal-shaped shade net dips to the earth with transparent side panels designed to remove the boundaries between nature and man, bringing guests even closer to the Serengeti wilderness. All furnishings are custom-designed and made by Meg Vaun Interiors based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Due to the mobile nature of the camp, most items are designed to fold effortlessly and be transported in bespoke packaging.

Wildlife:

Wildlife is most active in the golden hours of the morning and the evening. On game drives guests can encounter leopard and lion prides, impala, gazelle and thousands of wildebeest and zebra walking the plains to the river in search of a safe crossing point. Guests can also spot herds of elephant and many bird species.

Dining:

During a full-day game drive picnic hampers can be arranged for guests to enjoy out on the plains, under the canopy of an Acacia tree or close to the Mara River. Alternatively,  guests can take breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining tent which serves contemporary seasonal plates with an African twist.

Body Treatments 

Siringit has partnered with Healing Earth, a premium African spa brand that uses organic products made from natural active ingredients sourced from the continent’s powerful minerals, oceans, flowers, herbs, fruit, seeds and natural oils. Guests can choose from a selection of massage therapies – each of which starts with a traditional African foot cleansing. The treatment menu also includes a ‘Mini Me Treatment’ for children which includes a face mask and a foot soak in a lavender and jasmine bubble bath, followed by a gentle mango orange scrub whilst a relaxing soundtrack, specially created for kids, plays.

Eco Credentials:

Unlike many mobile camps, Siringit Migration Camp by Mantis is built on raised platforms (rather than the more commonly used ground mats) leaving a smaller eco footprint. Solar power is utilised for electricity and heating. All Mantis guests are invited to reduce their carbon footprint using the Mantis and Accor foundation CCFA’s carbon offset calculator.

Insider Tip:

Undoubtedly one of the best-known wildlife sanctuaries in the world, the Serengeti National Park has the greatest concentration of plains game in Africa. The best time to travel is during the crossing season between July and November, and the calving season between January and March. But all year round has benefits to experience the marvellous ecosystem of the region.

First published at TravelCommunication.net

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News