Posts Tagged :

travel communication

LISTENING IN: Hats off to Fats

 1080 608 wttc2
By:

The New Orleans street where one of the founders of rock ‘n’ roll spent most of his life was renamed this week in his honour. A community-wide Second line and Musical Celebration was held at the long-time home of Antoine “Fats” Domino on Caffin Avenue, which is now be known as Antoine “Fats” Domino Avenue.

Domino sold more than 110 million records, with hits including “Blueberry Hill,” ″Ain’t That a Shame” – originally titled “Ain’t It A Shame” – and other standards of rock ‘n’ roll.

Rev. Willie Calhoun, who has lived in the Lower 9 his whole life and was one of the celebration’s organizers, said the recognition for Domino was a long-time coming.

“Fats never left the city and he’s never really been celebrated, even though he chose to stay in New Orleans and to raise his family in the Lower 9,” Calhoun said. “He had a choice to live anywhere he wanted and he made the choice to live right here.

Domino survived the massive flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on Aug. 29, 2005, but had to be rescued by boat from his home, where he tried to ride out the storm.

Domino died Oct. 24, 2017, of natural causes at the age of 89, and our tears fell like rain.

Lyrics

You made me cry
When you said goodbye
Ain’t that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain’t that a shame?
You’re the one to blame

You broke my heart
When you said we’ll part
Ain’t that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain’t that a shame?
You’re the one to blame

Oh, well, goodbye
Although I’ll cry
Ain’t that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain’t that a shame?
You’re the one to blame

You made me cry
When you said goodbye
Ain’t that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain’t that a shame?
You’re the one to blame

Oh well, goodbye
Although I’ll cry
Ain’t that a shame?
My tears fell like rain
Ain’t that a shame?
You’re the one to blame

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

ITB Asia Returns as Asia’s Largest Travel Trade Show

 500 342 wttc2
By:

ITB Asia returns as Asia’s Largest Travel Trade Show - TRAVELINDEXSingapore, Singapore, October 20, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / ITB Asia, ‘Asia’s Leading Travel Trade Show’, now in its 15th year, gracefully opened today at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Co-located with MICE Show Asia and Travel Tech Asia, the 3-in-1 show will run as an in-person event until Friday, 21 October 2022.

Reflecting renewed confidence in MICE events, ITB Asia 2022 has attracted over 80 National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs). Under the anchor theme, “Go Big & Go Forward: Travel Industry on the Road to Recovery and Growth”, travel leaders who are at the top of their respective industries will share insights on key trends and how to stay competitive and quickly maximise growth potential.

Commenting on this year’s in-person event, Dr Martin Buck, Senior Vice President, Messe Berlin GmbH, said: “With the industry in Asia optimistic again, we are delighted to bring international travel professionals back to Singapore for meaningful business, networking and learning through face-to-face interactions. It remains crucial for us to offer a balanced mix of geographic markets and sectors such as MICE, leisure, corporate travel and travel tech to ensure a high-quality buyer-seller experience, thus maintaining ITB Asia’s position as the leading business platform in the APAC region”.
As a global stage, the 3-in1- show presents a strong participation from NTO and RTO

Over the course of the next three days, the strong exhibition and attendee participation continues to facilitate business appointments for attendees around the world to engage with key clients and partners. The show welcomes participation from over 80 National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) including Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, Business Events Perth, Busan Tourism Organization, Coahoma County Tourism Mississippi, Czech Tourism Authority, Department of Tourism and Creative Economy of Jakarta, Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Gangwon Tourism Organization, Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center, Istanbul Airport, Japan National Tourism Organization, Jeju Convention & Visitors Bureau, Jeonbuk Culture and Tourism Foundation, Karnataka Tourism, Kerala Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization, Louisiana Office of Tourism, Madhya Pradesh Tourism, Malta Tourism Authority, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism Lao PDR, Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority, Penang Global Tourism, , Sabah Tourism Board, Sarawak Tourism Board, Saudi Tourism Authority, Saxony Tourism Germany, Seoul Tourism Organization, Silk Road Samarkand Tourist Complex, Singapore Tourism Board, Taipei City Government, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Tourism Fiji, Tourism Ireland, Tourism Promotions Board Philippines, Tourism Seychelles, Tourism Development Support Fund of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ulsan Tourism Organization, Vanuatu Tourism, Visit Almaty, visitBerlin, Visit Brussels, Visit Estonia, Visit Finland, Visit Guam, Visit Iceland, Visit Jordan, Visit Levi, Visit Maldives, Visit Monaco, Visit Rovaniemi, Visit Sarajevo, Visit Turku Archipelago and Zagreb Tourist Board.

The organisers are delighted to count on strong partners in the revival Asia’s leading travel tradeshow. Marina Bay Sands is the Official Partner Hotel, Saudi Tourism Authority is the Official Partner Country and Berlin Brandenburg Airport is the Official Partner Airport of this year’s in-person show.

ITB Asia 2022 has assembled a top-notch conference programme

The 100+ session themed agenda, led by over 180 leading industry speakers and innovators will have over 3950 minutes of high-powered content across three conference tracks: Knowledge Theatre, MICE Show Asia & Travel Tech Asia. This year’s conference programme has been specifically curated to support the travel industry and will discuss topics critical to the future of MICE, corporate travel, leisure travel and travel technology.

As part of the Day 1-keynote line up (19 October), Michael Dykes, Vice President, Marketing Management (APAC), Expedia Group will provide insights on what will disrupt and change the way we travel and do business in his keynote, titled, “Travel in Action, Digitally”. Named, “Rebuilding Confidence: How COVID-19 Fostered a More Resilient Future for Travel”, Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (Excluding Greater China), Marriott International will deliver a keynote speech on the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic that paved the way for remarkable moments of resilience, new business models, and ingenuity across travel sectors.

The morning keynotes conclude with a Keynote Fireside Chat on “Looking Toward 2025: Where Travel Will Be” featuring the keynote speakers Michael Dykes and Rajeev Menon who take a look ahead in three years’ time or even further. Together with moderator Monica Pitrelli, Editor at CNBC Travel, the two industry leaders will figure out what challenges will come next, what innovations will take place, and how the industry can adapt and evolve in a fast-changing world.

Tomorrow (20 October), attendees can look forward to hearing a panel discussion on Meaningful Tourism as the new paradigm for the post-pandemic development of global tourism. Titled, “Beyond Sustainability – Meaningful Tourism as the “New Normal” Offering Benefits for All Stakeholders” the session welcomes Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt, CEO, Meaningful Tourism Center as Chairman and Burkhard Kieker, CEO, visitBerlin and three winners of the Meaningful Tourism Award 2022, as expert speakers, exploring best practice examples of Meaningful Tourism that can provide quality, benefits and satisfaction for all industry players. The names of the 18 winners of Meaningful Tourism Awards 2022 will also be announced at this session.

Travel Tech Asia Partners with Singapore Venture & Private Capital Association (SVCA)

Since its launch in 2019, Travel Tech Asia has been a must-attend event for all Travel Tech industry professionals. The face-to-face exhibition and conference offer both B2B appointments and thought-provoking conference programme for travel tech decision-makers and suppliers.

Travel Tech Asia partners with the Singapore Venture & Private Capital Association (SVCA) to co-organise a panel discussion session featuring executives from its member venture capital firms to discuss the investable opportunities in the “TravelTech” space in Southeast Asia. Titled “VC Opportunities in TravelTech in Post-Pandemic SEA”, the panel discussion will be led by moderator Sang Han, Partner, Cento Ventures, and hear first-hand sharing from Tiang Lim Foo, Co-Founder and Partner, Forge Ventures, Murli Ravi, Co-Founder, Tin Men Capital and Joe Zhang, Principal, TNB Aura, on what venture capitalists in the region are looking to explore to broaden the industry’s understanding of the venture capital perspective.

Over the past three years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, travel tech innovations have gone from futuristic to familiar, shaping the way people travel throughout their entire journeys. The Tech Leaders’ Panel, titled “The Future is Digital” will bring together experts from across the travel ecosystem to talk about the latest innovations that will impact travellers’ next journeys, as well as strategies for travel brands to up their 4.0 game. Confirmed speakers include Khang Nguyen Trieu, Group Chief Technology Architect at Accor, Terence Eng, CTO at FCM Travel Asia, Bryant Kok, Director, Digital Transformation & Information Technology at Gardens by the Bay, Wong Ming Fai, CTO at Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Jane Lim, Vice President, Global Markets at Tripadvisor. The panel will be moderated by Jeff Pan, Venture Builder at McKinsey & Company.

MICE Leaders to Reconnect and Schedule Meetings at MICE Show Asia

With a strong international participation and long-standing support from speakers and partners from world renowned MICE associations and leading MICE companies, MICE Show Asia 2022 will bring together industry suppliers, meetings & events professionals and emerging MICE innovators to connect and build the future of MICE.

The MICE Leaders’ Panel, titled “Return to a World Transformed: Revitalising MICE for a New Era”, will feature a discussion where professionals, buyers and sellers of travel and meetings services explore how different players in the MICE ecosystem can work together to deliver a better bottom line and future for the industry. The panel will be moderated by Richard Ireland, President, Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS). Confirmed panellists include Patricia Cheong, Managing Director Asia, International Conference Services (ICS), Waikin Wong, Regional Director Asia Pacific, ICCA – International Congress and Convention Association, Wee Min Ong, Vice President of Conventions & Exhibitions, Marina Bay Sands, Ashwin Gunasekeran, CEO, Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau and Arnold T. Gonzales, Head, MICE Department, Tourism Promotions Board Philippines.

About ITB Asia
ITB Asia, Asia’s leading travel trade show, is organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. The annual B2B trade show and convention will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, covering not only the leisure market, but also MICE and corporate travel. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities and travel technology companies are expected to attend.

ITB Asia is the premier meeting place for the travel trade industry to forge new partnerships and strengthen existing business relationships with the most important players in the region.

About MICE Show Asia
MICE Show Asia is the premier MICE event in Asia where incentive travel, meetings and events industries come together to connect and build the future of MICE. The annual B2B trade show and convention features industry suppliers, meetings & events professionals to up-and-coming MICE innovators from a wide range of disciplines, sectors and all levels of seniority. The show is co-located with ITB Asia and Travel Tech Asia.

About Travel Tech Asia
Travel Tech Asia is the premier travel technology show in Asia. The trade show is where latest technologies, emerging trends, leading travel brands and innovative start-ups are all at one place to create the new possibilities of travel. From travel tech suppliers, innovative start-ups to leading travel brands who are at the forefront of the industry transformation, Travel Tech Asia welcomes attendees from all levels of seniority across a wide range of disciplines and sectors in the travel industry. The show will be co-located with ITB Asia and MICE Show Asia.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

PATA Appoints Award-Winning Photographer Scott A. Woodward as Visual Ambassador

 500 339 wttc2
By:

PATA Appoints Award-Winning Photographer Scott A. Woodward as Visual Ambassador - TRAVELINDEXBangkok, Thailand, October 20, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce the appointment of multi-award-winning photographer Scott A. Woodward as its Ambassador for Visual Storytelling through Photography.

“Scott Woodward’s photography work is both engaging and inspiring,” said PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera. “Beyond his stunning images, which have appeared in National Geographic Magazine, Condé Nast Traveller and Travel + Leisure among many other international titles, his photographs also have the ability to deliver unique insights, given his innate respect and admiration for indigenous peoples, culture and heritage. They go beyond being just being pretty social media images by providing windows into the local culture, heritage and peoples. He’s also used his lens to shed light on solutions to global concerns including hospitality education for poverty alleviation and children’s cancer in developing nations.”
Picture: L/R:

Sala Bai Hotel & Restaurant School is a tuition-free hospitality training institution in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Aimed at helping Cambodia’s most disadvantaged youth, Sala Bai’s vocational training is the fastest and most efficient way of fighting poverty, human trafficking, and teenage prostitution. Providing students with the skills and experience necessary to secure gainful employment in one of the city’s numerous hotels, guesthouses or restaurants, Sala Bai helps empower these young people, resulting economic independence and increasing the students’ — and their families’ — quality of life. This is a portrait of Soksara, one of Sala Bai’s nearly 2,000 graduates, at the Siem Reap luxury hotel where she was employed.

Deep inside the Indonesian rainforest of central Sumatra lives the Tesso Nilo Elephant Flying Squad. This group of domesticated elephants and their specially trained mahouts are operated by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in collaboration with Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry. The squad’s mission is to provide a secure haven for Riau Province’s largest remaining wild elephant population. Elephant numbers have declined in Riau from more than 1,600 in 1985 to as few as 350 today, about 150 of which live in Tesso Nilo National Park. By patrolling the fringes of the park, the squad helps prevent wild elephants from invading farms and villages – where they can cause immense damage and run the risk of being injured or killed by angry farmers and villagers – by carefully driving them back into the jungle. The Elephant Flying Squad is in constant battle to bring harmony to the local environment by mitigating human-elephant conflict.

A man who is in tune with his humanity, Mr Woodward has contributed his talent towards numerous philanthropic and anthro-cultural projects. These include documentaries for Sala Bai, a charity hospitality training institution in Cambodia that educates the poorest segment of society; for the benefit of children with cancer in developing nations (How I Live); as well as a reportage on the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF’s) Elephant Flying Squad in the Tesso Nilo National Park in central Sumatra, focusing on wildlife and habitat protection. The PATA Foundation has ongoingly been a supporter of the Sala Bai school in Cambodia over the past ten years.

Parents of patients at Yangon Children’s Hospital (YCH) in Yangon, Myanmar crowd around the nurse’s station where the caregivers prepare, label, and register the blood samples before sending them for testing. YCH is the main paediatric oncology facility in Myanmar. For a country with a population of 53 million – 25% of which are under 25 years old – this unit operates at greater than 100% capacity. The photographs in this series are part of a larger documentary project titled ‘How I Live with Cancer’ created in close partnership with the Dana Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer Center and Persistent Productions, which aims to chronicle the patients being treated within the paediatric oncology units in healthcare systems within LMIC (Lower Middle Income Countries) and how they are working to close the survival gap versus HICs (High Income Countries).

A master artisan dedicated to the preservation of the weaving tradition of the T’boli culture, Yab Man is a dreamweaver who learned the craft from her mother. The first T’nalak design she made was the Bagu K’lung and the weaving legacy lives on through her, as she has in turn has passed the knowledge on to her daughter, Elena. The golden morning light dancing off the threads feels symbolic of the promise and magic of what is to yet be created.

“According to our newly released edition of PATA’s Issues & Trends, one of the key drivers of positivity in online social sentiment about Asia Pacific travel is impactful photography. Certainly, people have been taking photos on their travels for as long as we can remember. But increasingly, travellers are yearning for meaningful experiences abroad and are keen to capture these on camera to mark their journey of seeing and learning about the world and about themselves. And Scott Woodward is just the person to inspire them and show them how they can achieve this,” she added.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr Woodward said, “I am honoured and thrilled to be PATA’s Ambassador for Visual Storytelling through Photography. It was my father who introduced me to photography when I was a young boy. He taught me how to operate a manual camera, as well as how to compose an image and use light effectively. More importantly, he instilled in me a sense of curiosity and adventure, and these are the very traits that truly make me a photographer. I am excited to share what else I have learnt to help travellers capture compelling imagery that tells stories and speaks about their personal journeys.”

Originally from Canada, Scott Woodward is now based in the Philippines. He has spent the last 25 years living, exploring and telling stories across Asia. He regularly produces editorial features for publications around the world, and has photographed advertising campaigns for numerous global brands.

Mr. Woodward has received many accolades for his work, including being named “One of Asia’s Finest Photographers” by Nikon. He has also been twice honoured by inclusion in the Luerzer’s Archive of “200 Best Advertising Photographers Worldwide”. He’s a both a Nikon Professional Photographer and a frequent Apple collaborator and iPhone content creator and during the COVID-19 pandemic hosted one of Apple’s first internationally-broadcast virtual iPhone photography workshops.

Mr Woodward will be sharing his expertise and experience at the Association’s upcoming Asia Pacific forum for travel, the PATA Annual Summit 2022 in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE (located just outside Dubai) from October 26-27.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its member organisations, which includes government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organisations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism of the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing and London.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

SOCOTEC Certification International Announced as GSTC-Recognized Standard

 500 271 wttc2
By:

SOCOTEC Certification International Announced as GSTC-Recognized Standard - TRAVELINDEXParis, France, October 20, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Global Sustainable Tourism Council is pleased to announce that SOCOTEC Certification International, the Certification-specialized subsidiary of the SOCOTEC group, has achieved the ‘GSTC-Recognized Standard’ status for its Sustainability Management System for Hotels.

The Sustainability Management System provided by SOCOTEC Certification International helps organizations and tourism businesses (travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGOs and communities, to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism. The GSTC-Recognized status refers to the standard itself, indicating that a sustainable tourism standard or system has been reviewed by GSTC technical experts and the GSTC Assurance Panel and deemed the standard or system equivalent to the GSTC Criteria for sustainable tourism. It shows that the set of standards is based on the four pillars of the GSTC Criteria: Sustainable Management, Socioeconomic, Cultural, and Environmental principles. GSTC Recognition does not relate to the process of certification or accreditation.

“As an internationally recognized and independent third-party certification body, we are very pleased to achieve this important pillar in our mission to build a safer and more sustainable world. Result of few months of workshops preparation and on-the-field research with hotel groups, our standard is fully designed and adapted to elevate and recognize the significant efforts of the hotel sector to contribute to the CSR and Sustainability challenges of today. Based on our worldwide auditing experience in various sectors, we are convinced that our teams of experts will bring a real added value to the hotel sector sustainability challenges,” said Xavier Daniel, SOCOTEC Certification International General Manager.

“GSTC is pleased to see SOCOTEC join other standards owners in harmonizing their approach with the GSTC Criteria, the inclusively-created global standards for sustainable tourism,” said Randy Durband, Chief Executive Officer of GSTC.

Currently, 11 destination standards, 36 hotel standards, and 15 tour operator standards have achieved GSTC-Recognized status. The status offers the market proof that these standards adhere to international norms. GSTC Recognition does not ensure that a certification process is reliable, only that the set of standards used to certify are equivalent to the GSTC Criteria. GSTC-Recognized standard owners are encouraged to follow and complete the accreditation process, which assures that the certification process used to apply the standard meets international best practice, transparency, and rigor. A list of GSTC-Accredited certification bodies is available here.

About the GSTC
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) establishes and manages global sustainable standards, known as the GSTC Criteria. There are two sets: Destination Criteria for public policy-makers and destination managers, and Industry Criteria for hotels and tour operators. These are the guiding principles and minimum requirements that any tourism business or destination should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the world’s natural and cultural resources, while ensuring tourism meets its potential as a tool for conservation and poverty alleviation.

The GSTC Criteria form the foundation for Accreditation of Certification Bodies that certify hotels/accommodations, tour operators, and destinations as having sustainable policies and practices in place. GSTC does not directly certify any products or services; GSTC provides an accreditation program through its partner Assurance Services International to accredit Certification Bodies. The GSTC is an independent and neutral USA-registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that represents a diverse and global membership, including national and provincial governments, leading travel companies, hotels, tour operators, NGO’s, individuals and communities – all striving to achieve best practices in sustainable tourism.

About SOCOTEC
SOCOTEC Certification International is a subsidiary of the SOCOTEC group, that provides management system assessments and accredited ISO certification services to organizations around the world since 1995.

Accompanying companies for 70 years, the SOCOTEC Group, chaired by Hervé Montjotin, has built its reputation as an independent trusted third-party in the fields of risk management, compliance, safety, health and environment in the Building, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Industry sectors.As a guarantor of the integrity, sustainability and performance of built assets, SOCOTEC is developing a range of services in testing, inspection and certification, from technical control, the group’s historical expertise, to technical consulting and risk management services. Its expertise enables it to support its private and public sector clients throughout the life cycle of their buildings and equipment in order to strengthen their sustainability.

No. 1 in construction inspection in France, No. 1 in geotechnical services and construction quality control in the United Kingdom and Italy, the group is a major player in TIC (Testing Inspection Certification) services in the Construction and Infrastructure sectors in Europe and the United States. The SOCOTEC group has consolidated revenues of €1 billion in 2021 (50% of which generated outside France) with 200,000 clients. With a presence in 25 countries and 10,000 employees, it has more than 250 external accreditations, enabling it to act as a trusted third-party in many projects.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Marriott International to Acquire City Express Brand to Fuel Growth in Affordable Midscale Segment

 840 505 wttc2
By:

City Express Hotels

Mario LopeZ Ramirez

Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) announced today that it has reached an agreement with Hoteles City Express, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: HCITY) to acquire the highly regarded City Express brand portfolio, marking Marriott’s entry into the affordable midscale segment with its 31st brand.

The portfolio is currently comprised of 152 hotels, including 17,356 rooms across 75 cities in Mexico and three additional countries in Latin America. Upon closing of the transaction, the brand and hotel portfolio will become part of Marriott’s franchise system. Marriott will also acquire the franchise rights to five under-construction projects in the pipeline, representing an additional 676 rooms. Marriott expects to update the brand name with its signature “by Marriott” endorsement.

Under the terms of the agreement, Marriott will pay $100 million for Hoteles City’s brand portfolio (City Express, City Express Plus, City Express Suites, City Express Junior, and City Centro), associated trademarks, domains and related intellectual property, the City Premios loyalty program, and other assets and liabilities related to the brand. Stabilized franchise fees are anticipated to be approximately $10 million for the existing portfolio.

As the largest hospitality company in the world, Marriott has a proven track record of growing regional brands by utilizing its global development engine as well as its extensive programs and revenue systems, such as the award-winning Marriott Bonvoy® loyalty platform and innovative digital travel programs including Marriott.com and the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app. The transaction is expected to make Marriott the largest hotel company in the Caribbean and Latin America (“CALA”), increasing its presence in the region by 45 percent, to 486 properties across 37 countries. Given the high-growth nature of the affordable midscale segment, the company sees a meaningful opportunity to further expand the City Express by Marriott brand in the CALA region, as well as in other locations.

“This transaction with Hoteles City Express is a strategic win for Marriott and our customers, associates and owners and franchisees,” said Anthony Capuano, Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International. “We’re excited to enter a new lodging category – the popular affordable midscale segment where we see significant potential. With City Express by Marriott, we will be providing our customers with more choice through a new, approachable, moderate-priced offering, increasing opportunity for owners and franchisees as well as associates.”

Hoteles City Express is a Mexico-based company founded in 2002 by Luis Barrios. The company’s brand portfolio provides customers a range of mid-scale properties that include urban, suburban, and extended stay offerings in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Chile. With exceptional brand recognition among Latin American travelers, the brand has been awarded the prestigious designation of “Marca Notoria” in Mexico for its hospitality sector leadership and brand recognition.

“When we started thinking about City Express, we were convinced that a modern, efficient, and affordable brand would be very attractive to the local traveler. After our first 20 years, we are very excited and honored to work alongside Marriott, a company we’ve always admired, to take the brand to the next level,” said Luis Barrios, CEO of Hoteles City. “After having the opportunity to work with the Marriott team, we confirmed that we share common cultural values and a similar approach to hospitality.”

“Our goal is to be everywhere our guests want us to be, with the right property in the right location and at the right price point,” said Brian King, President, Caribbean and Latin America, Marriott International. “This transaction with Hoteles City Express will expand our ability to do exactly that – initially in CALA, with opportunity around the world. We can’t wait to welcome City Express’s customers and continue the tradition of high-quality hotels and authentic hospitality established by Luis Barrios and his team.”

The closing of the transaction is subject to various customary conditions, including the approval by COFECE. Marriott expects the transaction could close between the end of 2022 and the first half of 2023.

Note on Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of federal securities laws, including statements related to the company’s expectations regarding closing the transaction; the resulting impact on the size of the company’s brand and hotel portfolio and entry into a new market segment; future growth opportunities, plans and expectations; anticipated franchise fees; the benefits of the transaction; the company’s expectations regarding the “by Marriott” brand endorsement; and similar statements concerning possible future events or expectations that are not historical facts. We caution you that these statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous evolving risks and uncertainties that we may not be able to accurately predict or assess, including the receipt of necessary consents and approvals and other risk factors that we identify in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Any of these factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations we express or imply in this press release. We make these statements as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise these statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media Contacts
Melissa Froehlich-Flood
Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Communications & Public Policy
Marriott International
Melissa.Froehlich-Flood@Marriott.com

Kerstin Sachl
Vice President, Communications & Public relations
Marriott International CALA
Kerstin.Sachl@Marriott.com

Read original article at Marriott Hotels

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

PolyU Establishes Tan Siu Lin Innovation Hub to Advance Hospitality and Tourism Education

 1080 720 wttc2
By:

Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, October 19, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is privileged to announce the establishment of the Tan Siu Lin Innovation Hub with the generous support of the Tan Siu Lin Foundation.

Committed to providing students with an inspirational and flexible learning environment conducive to creativity and innovation, the Tan Siu Lin Innovation Hub is one of the major facilities of the SHTM. It is officially opened today by Dr Tan Siu Lin, Founder, Tan Siu Lin Foundation; Mrs Jennifer Su Tan, Executive Director, Tan Siu Lin Foundation; Dr Miranda Lou, Executive Vice President, PolyU; and Professor Kaye Chon, SHTM Dean, Chair Professor and Walter and Wendy Kwok Family Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management.

At today’s opening ceremony, Mrs Su Tan said, “PolyU School of Hotel and Tourism Management is one of the best hospitality programmes in the world, and our Foundation is excited with the opening of Tan Siu Lin Innovation Hub. This will give students opportunity to stay up-to-date with technological advances which are very important to the future of the industry.”

Thanked the Tan Siu Lin Foundation for contributing to a successful educational partnership. “I believe the Foundation’s support will empower young people with opportunities to excel and to benefit the community and the world they belong,” she said. “It will also give a fresh impetus to the SHTM’s ongoing efforts in the advancement of hospitality and tourism education and research.” The new facility ensures that SHTM students have experience using the latest technology available in the industry, nurturing them to become global-minded leaders in the digital age.

Located on the third floor with a net floor area of 132.8 m2, the Tan Siu Lin Innovation Hub is equipped with state-of-the-art digital equipment and specialised software for the industry, ensuring an environment in which students are empowered to reach their full potentials. With classes regularly held in the Innovation Hub, and Executive Development Programmes making use of the facility, a broad range of learners, researchers and scholars will benefit from the facility. The Hub highlights the SHTM’s determination to stay at the forefront in the digital age, exemplifying the School’s motto of Leading Hospitality and Tourism.

“This benefaction does not only play an important role in the advancement of hospitality and tourism education, but also demonstrates the industry’s deep commitment in nurturing future leaders,” Dean Kaye Chon said. With Tan Siu Lin Foundation’s unwavering support, the School expects more success and greater contributions in the years ahead. “The SHTM is a recognised leader in hospitality and tourism education and research,” he continued, “We are committed to nurturing the industry’s finest, empowering them to lead the industry into its sustainable future.”

About PolyU’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management
For over 40 years, the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has refined a distinctive vision of hospitality and tourism education and become a world-leading hotel and tourism school. Ranked No. 1 in the world in the “Hospitality and Tourism Management” category in ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022 for the sixth consecutive year, placed No. 1 globally in the “Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services” category in the University Ranking by Academic Performance in 2021/2022 for five years in a row, rated No. 1 in the world in the “Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism” subject area by the CWUR Rankings by Subject 2017, and ranked No. 1 in Asia in the “Hospitality and Leisure Management” subject area in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022 for the sixth consecutive year, the SHTM is a symbol of excellence in the field, exemplifying its motto of Leading Hospitality and Tourism.

The School is driven by the need to serve its industry and academic communities through the advancement of education and dissemination of knowledge. With a strong international team of over 90 faculty members from diverse cultural backgrounds, the SHTM offers programmes at levels ranging from undergraduate degrees to doctoral degrees. Through Hotel ICON, the School’s groundbreaking teaching and research hotel and a vital aspect of its paradigm-shifting approach to hospitality and tourism education, the SHTM is advancing teaching, learning and research, inspiring a new generation of passionate, pioneering professionals to take their positions as leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

The Anam Group Announces Three Senior Recruitments

 899 864 wttc2
By:

Cam Ranh, Vietnam, October 19, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Anam Group has called on Laurent Myter, a hospitality veteran with almost three decades’ experience managing luxury hotels and resorts, to spearhead its expansion and oversee its growing number of properties.

The group has also named Martin Koerner, who has a substantial background in sales and marketing, as group commercial director. Ye Chang Sheng (Peter), who has worked for the group’s first resort Anam Cam Ranh since its 2017 debut, has been promoted to resort manager of the group’s second property, Anam Mui Ne, due to celebrate its grand opening in January

Myter comes to the group after working at YTL Hotels for 26 years, of which 23 years were based in Malaysia where he became YTL’s ‘executive vice president operations resorts’ responsible for 12 hotels and resorts in Southeast Asia and France. He has been an executive director and the president of Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s International Advisory Board of Hoteliers for three years and two years respectively.

German national Koerner, an impassioned volunteer, returns to the Anam Group after previously working for almost four years as the group’s director of sales, marketing and distribution and the Anam Cam Ranh’s director of sales and marketing from late 2016 until mid 2020. Before his return to the group Koerner helped establish Optimum Hospitality, a specialist hotel and resort asset management and hospitality consultancy company for owners and investors, and was also Alma Resort Cam Ranh’s commercial director for almost two years.

Prior to his new role, Ye worked as the Anam Group’s executive assistant manager at Anam Cam Ranh. He joined the resort in 2017 as its executive chef and played an instrumental role in establishing its four restaurants and three bars. Ye has worked as a chef at InterContinental and Hilton hotels in South Africa, and took charge of the kitchen at Mia Resort Nha Trang as executive chef for two years before joining the Anam.

“Laurent, Martin and Peter all have excellent track records in hospitality leadership and innovation; their rich and diversified experience will propel our group’s aspirations to significantly expand in Vietnam,” said the group’s founder Pham Van Hien.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Meliá Chiang Mai Celebrates Loy Krathong Festival

 900 677 wttc2
By:

Chiang Mai, Thailand, October 18, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Meliá Chiang Mai’s sky-high restaurant will offer an exquisite four-course dinner menu to mark Thailand’s traditional water festival Loy Krathong.

Also known as Yi Peng and unique to northern Thailand, the festival will be held 8 November to coincide with the full moon on the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar. The festival gives thanks to the River Goddess and symbolises letting go of negative energy and starting life afresh in the coming year.

To be staged at the hotel’s signature restaurant on the 21st floor, Mai Restaurant & Bar, that specialises in northern Thai cuisine with Mediterranean influences, the four-course menu will be accompanied by spectacular views of Chiang Mai city by night.

Crafted by Meliá Chiang Mai’s executive chef Suksant Chutinthratip (Billy) and Mai Restaurant & Bar’s Sous Chef Karn Phojun, the menu starts with a trio of Thai appetisers:

  • A crispy shrimp basket
  • Egg net-wrapped peppery shrimp
  • A golden parcel stuffed with chicken curry

Tom Yum soup seasoned with a paste of wild chili, prawns and winter mushrooms is the second course.

The main course is a choice between baked salmon trout with green chili relish, wok-fried locally grown edible ferns and safflower rice or slow-cooked tender pork ribs in Khao Soi curry sauce served with home pickled vegetables, garbanzo beans and potato. The menu is topped off with a ‘Loy Kratong treasure basket’ featuring a collection of Thai desserts.

Available on 8 – 9 November 2022 for dinner between 6pm – 10pm, the four-course dinner menu is THB 2,999 nett per couple including a glass of red or white wine and selection of fine teas or Spanish coffee.

For further information or to make a booking, call 052 090 603

Price is inclusive of 10% service charge and 7% government tax.

About Asset World Corp Public Company Limited
Asset World Corp Public Company Limited is a holding company under TCC Group operating leading integrated lifestyle property development in Thailand. The company has two main businesses consisting of the Hospitality business managed by top hotel executives of world-renowned hotel brands such as Marriott, The Luxury Collection, Okura, Banyan Tree, Hilton, and Sheraton and Retail, Wholesale and Commercial properties whose projects include 1) Retail and Wholesale including lifestyle travel destinations, community shopping malls, community markets, and wholesale business real estate. Popular real estate projects consist of ASIATIQUE the Riverfront Destination, Gateway at Bangsue, AEC Trade Center – Pantip Wholesale Destination, and Tawanna Bangkapi and 2) Commercial buildings including the famous Empire Tower and Athenee Tower located in Bangkok’s central business district.

About Meliá Hotels & Resorts
Meliá Hotels & Resorts is the best-known international brand in the portfolio of the Meliá Hotels International company; it has more than 100 city and resort hotels in the main leisure and business destinations of Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The brand offers exemplary meetings and events facilities in all important business cities as well as in exotic locations, catering to the ever-expanding conference and incentive travel market. As part of its innovation philosophy and new positioning, Meliá Hotels & Resorts has reinvented itself to cater to every aspect of the guests’ wellbeing. Unique experiences are created for guests and are defined by relaxation, quality time and personalised services. For a balanced lifestyle, Meliá Hotels & Resorts instinctively understands the guests’ needs and lifestyle expectations, which is an integral part of its redefined identity.

About Meliá Hotels International
Founded in 1956 in Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International operates more than 380 hotels (portfolio and pipeline) throughout more than 40 countries, under the brands Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Paradisus by Meliá, ME by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, The Meliá Collection, INNSiDE by Meliá, Sol by Meliá, and Falcon’s Resorts by Meliá, plus a wide portfolio of affiliated hotels under the “Affiliated by Meliá” network. The Group is one of the leading companies in resort hotels worldwide, while also leveraging its experience to consolidate the growing segment of the leisure-inspired urban market. Its commitment to responsible tourism has led the Group to become the most sustainable hotel company in Spain and Europe, according to the last S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (Silver Class). It also has ranked seventh in the Wall Street Journal’s list of the 100 most sustainably managed companies in the world (and the leading travel company) and is the only Spanish travel company included in the list of “Europe’s Climate Leaders 2021” by Financial Times. Meliá Hotels International is also included in the IBEX 35 Spanish stock market.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Raffles Hotel Le Royal Wins Placement on Prestigious Condé Nast Traveler Awards

 900 596 wttc2
By:

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, October 18, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Raffles Hotel Le Royal, the iconic 90-year-old luxury hotel in the Cambodian capital, was named one of the Top 10 hotels in Southeast Asia by readers of the US-based travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler.

The 175-room landmark heritage property was also ranked the No. 1 hotel in Cambodia in the annual Readers’ Choice Awards, which, now in their 35th year, are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry.

“Our remarkable history, world-class service and timeless elegance are truly extraordinary, and this recognition—being voted the top hotel in Cambodia by some of the world’s most discerning travelers—offers further testament to that sentiment,” said Raffles Hotel Le Royal’s General Manager Dennis de Groot.

Designed in the 1920s by French architect Ernest Hébrard, the hotel is an imposing statement of Khmer, Art Deco and French Colonial styles and includes four suites dedicated to previous guests Jacqueline Kennedy, Charles de Gaulle, Andre Malraux and Somerset Maugham.

Hotel Le Royal originally opened its doors with just 55 rooms in 1929. It was taken over by Raffles in the 1990s at the invitation of Cambodia’s King Sihanouk, and relaunched as Raffles Hotel Le Royal in 1997 after a sensitive extension and refurbishment. To protect this treasure of Cambodian heritage, local artisans were commissioned to recreate painted ceilings, decorative beaten copper crests and outdoor sculptures.

Each of the rooms and suites at Raffles Hotel Le Royal underwent a full refurbishment as part of a meticulous one-year restoration project in 2019. Returning guests found lighter and brighter interiors, accentuated by spotlights, in addition to Segafredo coffee machines and Simmons pillow-top mattresses among the new features that add modern appeal. Traditionalists appreciate that the heart and soul of the vintage luxury hotel has been thoughtfully maintained, with polished hardwood floors, whirring ceiling fans, and old brass rotary telephones.

A witness to much of Cambodia’s modern history, Raffles Hotel Le Royal celebrated its 90th anniversary in November 2019.

For more information or to make a booking, call +855 23 981 888.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Speakers Announced for WTTC Global Summit in Saudi Arabia

 500 281 wttc2
By:

WTTC - Speakers Announced for WTTC Global Summit in Saudi Arabia - TRAVELINDEX - TOURISMSAUDIARABIA.comRiyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 19, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) unveils its first round of confirmed speakers for its upcoming Global Summit to be hosted by Saudi Arabia, which includes leaders from some of the world’s largest Travel & Tourism businesses, Saudi officials, and tourism ministers from around the world.

Taking place at the magnificent King Abdul Aziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh from 28 November to 1 December, the global tourism body’s highly anticipated 22nd Global Summit is the most influential Travel & Tourism event in the calendar.

Under the theme “Travel for a Better Future” the event will focus on the value of the sector, not only to the global economy, but to the planet and communities around the world.

During the Global Summit, industry leaders and international government officials from across the globe will gather in Riyadh to continue aligning efforts to support the sector’s recovery and address the challenges the future poses to ensure a safer, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable Travel & Tourism sector.

Business leaders set to take to the stage include Arnold Donald, Vice Chair of the Board of Carnival Corporation and WTTC Chair; Anthony Capuano, CEO, Marriott International; Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai International Airports; Christopher Nassetta, President and CEO, Hilton; Matthew Upchurch, President & CEO, Virtuoso, and Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO, Diriyah Gate Development Authority, among others.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “We are delighted to have such influential speakers already confirmed for our Global Summit in Riyadh.

“The government of Saudi Arabia has been instrumental in the recovery of the Global Travel & Tourism sector following two years of crisis, and we are delighted to be taking our Global Summit to the Kingdom this year.

“Set to become a major tourist destination, our latest research shows that Saudi Arabia’s Travel & Tourism sector will surpass pre-pandemic levels next year and will see the fastest growth across the Middle East over the next decade.”

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia Minister of Tourism, said: “WTTC will arrive in Riyadh as tourism enters a new era of recovery. Bringing together global leaders from both the public and private sector, the Summit will be fundamental in building the better, brighter future the sector deserves.

“There is no doubt our ambitious investment, sustainability and travel experience goals can be realized through global collaboration and WTTC’s Global Summit in Riyadh will provide a platform for these important conversations, while ensuring visitors enjoy the hospitality and opportunities of one of the world’s fastest growing tourism destinations.”

The event will also welcome government speakers such as Secretary Rita Marques, Secretary of State for Tourism Portugal; the Hon. Isaac Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Bahamas; Sen. the Hon. Lisa Cummins, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Barbados; Mrs. Fatima Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism Bahrain; the Hon Susanne Kraus-Winkler, State Secretary for Tourism Austria; the Hon Mitsuaki Hoshino, Vice Commissioner Japan Tourism Agency, and H.E. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism Turkey, among others.

Government officials from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will also address delegates at the Global Summit. They include His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy; His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, and Her Highness Princess Haifa Al Saud, Vice Minister of Tourism.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News