Category: Latest Travel News

Geneva (Switzerland) – December 16, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) asked the European Union to support aviation’s energy transition to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) as part of the bloc’s Green Deal, being launched tomorrow.

“Aviation has high hopes for the European Commission’s Green Deal. We want to be part of Europe’s building of a new energy economy and we will do everything we can to make sustainable aviation fuels a priority for aviation in Europe and around the world,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, at the Sustainable Innovation Forum running alongside the UN COP25 Climate Talks in Madrid, Spain.

Policy measures must be carefully considered. “Taxes are a politician’s way out. They are easy to put in place and make it look like action is being taken. It requires more time and more effort to put in place a package of measures that can actually reduce emissions in the long-term. But if designed correctly, they will advance sustainability much more than a blunt tax ever could,” said de Juniac.

Since SAF were first certified as ready for use in commercial operations in 2009, over 215,000 flights have taken off using some blend of this low carbon fuel. The industry believes that achieving 2% of global jet fuel from non-fossil sources by 2025 could create a tipping point for production and cost of SAF. The 14 production facilities currently operating, under construction or in the final stages of financing and planning take the industry a long way towards the 2% goal. But more progress is needed.

The role of governments in energy transition has been mapped in the successful development of solar and wind solutions for power generation. Aviation should be the priority for sustainable liquid fuels.

“Electrification of road vehicles is tried, tested, scalable and on the market today. Aviation should be a policy priority because it does not have a near-term electrification option,” said de Juniac.

Traditional energy suppliers must also prioritize investment in SAF. “The major oil companies have the expertise, the distribution networks and – importantly – the financial power to make a real difference. I call on them to make this an absolute priority, helping to underpin global connectivity for future generations by making sustainable aviation fuels a commercial reality,” said de Juniac.

SAF are a critical component of aviation’s long-term efforts to cut its emissions to half 2005 levels by 2050. The industry’s strategy to achieve this also includes significant investment in new technology aircraft, research into electric and hybrid propulsion, programs to improve operational efficiency, and the world’s first global sectoral climate mechanism, CORSIA.

SustainableFirst.com supports the efforts of IATA for the aviation’s sector Green Deal. More at www.SustainableFirst.com

Phuket (Thailand) – December 17, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket today announces the completion of its 7-month resort expansion and that this award winning resort will resume the relaxing and peaceful island environment for all guests from December 1, 2019 onwards.

The 7-month long project included building additional brand new 10 units of Deluxe Rooms to the existing portfolio and relocation of the gym to a new location with upgraded facilities and bigger size (219 sqm). Moreover, a trendy casual beachside restaurant/open bar ‘Rum Chapel’ was added as a new edition to Food & Beverage venue collection where in-house guests and locals go to eat, meet and drink.

The Rum Chapel restaurant is an engaging venue with in-door, out-door ambience, and design featuring a 50-seats hotspot right on the beach and connecting to the popular Infinity Pool. The guests can enjoy a family style dining with inspired sharing food platter with flavors from around the world. The delicious and refreshing cocktails made of the finest produced local rum and craft beer is the specialties to look forward to in an open bar with entertaining bartenders.

The spacious and comfortable Deluxe Rooms are addition to the existing 13 units opened in December 2017 and are welcoming our guests to experience them.

“We are delighted to share this exceptional update to all guests and we are confident that the enhancements in our services will be well received, optimize our guests’ experiences and increase satisfaction during the stay at our resort,” said Erich Friedl, General Manager, The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection resort & Spa, Phuket. “Whether guests are here for an island retreat, a rejuvenating spa getaway or adventurous Thailand expeditions, guests can find what they need at the enchanting Naka Island resort in Phuket.”

Escape to the hidden paradise of our extraordinary luxury hotel, The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket is tucked away on a secluded island just off the east coast of Phuket, Thailand. Journey to the boutique resort by speedboat and take in the enchanting beauty of rich coconut groves, ivory sandy beaches and limestone cliffs as guests bounce along the waves surrounding Naka Island. Once guests arrive, taste unexpected flavors at one of our hotel’s beachside restaurants, My Grill and Tonsai, or unwind with a cocktail at the waterfront Z Bar.

This exclusive resort has transformed island living with 90 luxuriously appointed uniquely designed rooms and villas accompanied by numerous amenities, from state-of-the-art technology, including Wi-Fi and LCD TVs, to a relaxation sala with an outdoor soaking private pool.

About The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts
The Luxury Collection, part of Marriott International, Inc., is comprised of world-renowned hotels and resorts offering unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories. For the global explorer, The Luxury Collection offers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a unique and cherished expression of its location; a portal to the destination’s indigenous charms and treasures. Originated in 1906 under the CIGA® brand as a collection of Europe’s most celebrated and iconic properties, today The Luxury Collection brand is a glittering ensemble, recently surpassing 100 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries and territories. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the world’s finest.

Bangkok (Thailand) – December 18, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The spectacular event took place on Wednesday 11th December 2019 with a record turnout. The Thai capital’s top travel associations, SKÅL International Bangkok and the PATA Thailand Chapter, put their considerable skills for organising outstanding memorable events to good use. This time to benefit needy causes for their combined Christmas Charity Fundraiser Lunch.

PATA’s Luzi Matzig welcomes all members and guests for a fun and Merry Christmas lunch

Over 140 travel and tourism executives attended the joint lunch event at the Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok. Hearty festive fare with appropriate libations and the accompaniment of the youthful talents of a new generation of carol singers was followed by the largest number of prizes ever for the lucky draw and silent auction.

The hard working Christmas Committee was led by Mr Tom Sorensen (SKÅL) with Ben Montgomery (PATA), Nicklas Moberg (SKÅL) and Khun Parichat Suntararak (PATA).

Aside from the opportunity to welcome in the festive season with industry colleagues and friends, the core objective for the two leading travel associations was to raise funds for charities.

The four selected charities this year were:

•The Bamboo School of the Mechai Viravaidya Foundation

•The Good Shepherd Sisters Centre

•The PATA Foundation

•The Kusa Panyarachun Scholarship Fund (which helps students studying innovation and tourism-related courses in Thailand).

The raffle and silent auctions were critical to the fundraising that supports these important charities.

Our organising committee was extremely grateful to our generous sponsors, Thai Airways, Serenity Wines, Paulaner Beers, CoffeeWORKS and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), who received the thanks of all those present led by Skål Bangkok’s President Andrew J Wood and PATA’s Luzi Matzig on behalf of Thailand Chapter Chairman Khun Nond Kalinta.

(Ras Fushi (Maldives) – December 19, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has transformed one of its Maldives resorts into a self-sustaining solar energy generator after the adoption of a rooftop solar panel system that will begin producing electricity this month.

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Following the completion of solar panel installation atop the roofs of all of the resort’s main structures, Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa Maldives will generate enough power to supply close to 40% of the its energy needs, resulting in an annual energy savings equivalent to 307,000 kilowatt hours (kwh), or about 83,000 litres of diesel fuel.

“The rooftop solar conversion is one of Centara’s most ambitious sustainability projects undertaken at a single property,” said David Good, Centara’s VP Operations. “The benefits to the environment made it a compelling choice, and we will be looking at options for expanding the solar program to other properties going forward.”

Centara’s long-term commitment to sustainable business practices is reflected in a number of initiatives aimed at reducing the company’s environmental impact in the communities where it operates. Its ongoing engagement with EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism, continues to yield consequential improvements in key sustainability metrics. To date, 15 Centara hotels and resorts have achieved EarthCheck certification and another four properties are enrolled in EarthCheck’s Evaluate Plus program, leading to significant reductions in carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions across a number of Centara’s certified properties.

Most recently, the company’s leadership in environmental sustainability was recognised for the second consecutive year by the Stock Exchange of Thailand, which awarded Centara Hotels & Resorts (CENTEL) its “Thailand Sustainability Investment 2019 (THSI)” designation, given annually in recognition of listed companies that operate with responsibility across Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects.

ABOUT CENTARA
Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 76 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, China, Japan, Oman, Qatar, Cambodia, Turkey, Indonesia and the UAE. Centara’s portfolio comprises six brands -Centara Grand Hotels & Resorts, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara, Centara Residences & Suites and COSI Hotels – ranging from 5-star city hotels and luxurious island retreats to family resorts and affordable lifestyle concepts supported by innovative technology. It also operates state-of-the-art convention centres and has its own award-winning spa brand, Cenvaree. Throughout the collection, Centara delivers and celebrates the hospitality and values Thailand is famous for including gracious service, exceptional food, pampering spas and the importance of families. Centara’s distinctive culture and diversity of formats allow it to serve and satisfy travellers of nearly every age and lifestyle.

Over the next five years Centara aims to double its size with additional properties in Thailand and new international markets, while spreading its footprint into new continents and market niches. As Centara continues to expand, a growing base of loyal customers will find the company’s unique style of hospitality in more locations. Centara’s global loyalty programme, Centara The1, reinforces their loyalty with rewards, privileges and special member pricing.

 

Madrid (Spain) – December 13, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Transport-related emissions from tourism are expected to account for 5.3% of all man-made CO2 emissions by 2030, up from 5% in 2016, a landmark new report from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the International Transport Forum (ITF) shows. At the same time, as tourist numbers rise and the sector makes progress in achieving low-carbon travel, emissions per passenger kilometer are expected to decline over the coming decade. Against this backdrop, UNWTO calls for enhanced cooperation between the transport and tourism sectors to effectively transform tourism for climate action.

Launched at an official side-event of the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme during the UN Climate Summit, COP25 in Madrid, the “” presents the emissions produced by the different modes of tourism transport. As the number of both international and domestic tourists continues to rise, this data is presented alongside the predicted growth in emissions to 2030 and is set against the so called “current ambition” for the decarbonization of transport.

Presenting the report, UNWTO Executive Director Manuel Butler said: “This comprehensive study analyses the environmental impact of the different modes of transport within the tourism sector. It is now for the tourism sector, especially tourism policy makers to use data effectively and ensure the sector plays a leading role in addressing the climate emergency.”

Ovais Sarmad, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) addressed the need to scale efforts towards the implementation of the Paris Agreement: “While tourism is mentioned in many Nationally Determined Contributions as a big concern, not enough has yet been done. Industry must do more, but governments must align their policies, so that at the international level we can collectively work to increase ambition. The One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme is a vital ongoing mechanism to promote sustainable tourism around the world.”

Some of the main conclusions of the research include:

• Against the current ambition scenario, transport-related CO2 emissions from tourism are predicted to increase from 1,597 million tonnes to 1,998 million tonnes between 2016 and 2030, representing a 25% rise.
• During the same period, international and domestic arrivals are expected to increase from 20 billion to 37 billion, mainly driven by domestic tourism (from 18.8 billion to 35.6 billion), followed by international arrivals (1.2 billion to 1.8 billion).
• Transport-related emissions from tourism represented 5% of all man-made emissions in 2016 and will increase to 5.3% by 2030.
• Tourism related transport emissions represented 22% of all transport emissions in 2016 and will continue doing so in 2030 (21%). 

Moving to a “high ambition scenario”

Tourism’s transport-related CO2 emissions remain a major challenge and require tourism to work closely with transport in order to support its commitment to accelerate the decarbonazition process and the implementation of a high ambition scenario.

In addition, the tourism sector must determine its own high ambition scenario, complementing the efforts of the transport sector. Here, tourism would advance towards significantly decoupling growth from emissions in order to grow within the international climate targets.

SustainableFirst.com supports the efforts of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for enhanced cooperation between the transport and tourism sectors to effectively transform tourism for climate action. More at www.SustainableFirst.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – December 12, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Leisure and business travelers visiting the Thai capital will find exceptional style and modern luxury at JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok following an extensive top-to-bottom renovation earlier this year. The transformative refurbishment raises the standard of accommodation in the city, offering a more exclusive stay in Bangkok. The makeover includes expansive updates to all 441 guestrooms and suites, refreshed meeting spaces, a reimagined lobby, and enhancements to some of its food and beverage outlets.

The experience begins the moment the travelers arrive. The spacious lobby has been enriched with stylish design details and unique objects d’art that emulate the rich culture of its location. Dark and light wood tones are accentuated by pops of color from the orange leather soft seating, vibrant floral arrangements, and the Thai-inspired geometric design of the plush carpet underfoot. Multiple intimate spaces allow for a quiet place to work or unwind with a favorite beverage. The new room design also seamlessly balances traditional Thai elements and modern architectural ideologies. Some unique features in the rooms provide intriguing insights into Thai history and culture.

Four of the hotel’s food and beverage outlets have also received a makeover. The interiors at the popular JW Café, have been enhanced with an inspired industrial look, from rustic exposed finishes and wooden flooring to bespoke lighting fixtures. Next door Bangkok’s favorite bakery, BBCO invites with comfortable settees and updated display cases, and its own a la carte menu. BBCO Terrace offers a new unique outdoor dining experience that makes it’s the perfect place for a coffee or a meal with friends and family.

The award-winning Man Ho Chinese restaurant re-opened with a new look and menu that offers guests modern interpretations of Chinese cuisine. The elegant interiors are a refined juxtaposition of Oriental artifacts, accentuated with contrasting materials, to reflect subtle luxury and depth.  Finally, Tsu Japanese restaurant boasts large windows that allow natural light into the open concept plan dressed in bright colors. The dining area has a mix of banquettes and tables with the aim of creating intimate spaces and also allowing the flexibility to seat large groups. Elevated seating allows diners to watch the chefs behind the sushi counter create their tempting bites.

Victoria, Mahé (Seychelles) – December 11, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The end on year is upon us and with it the Seychelles Budget approved for 2020. Tourism will get what it has asked for and this was approved after a lengthy ‘question and answer’ session, but it was approved nevertheless. The performance by the island’s Tourism Board working hand in hand with the private sector trade will ‘deliver or will not deliver’ the tourism success level Seychelles is expecting. Bearing in mind that this industry remains the pillar of the island’s economy and any challenges will be felt very quickly by all who have invested in tourism or who are employed in tourism. The marketing budget divided by the average spent to deliver a passenger to the islands can now give an approximate figure on visitor arrivals for 2020. The ability for the Tourism Board to get to the tourism source markets, like a fisherman to a fishing bank, will ensure those working in the industry continue to have a secured employment, and everyone who has invested in that industry to make ends meet.

Seychelles on tax haven blacklist by France

The Editor of International Investment news wire joined many Press Bodies in France to confirm that:- “France puts Bahamas and Seychelles on its tax haven blacklist”. This news has shocked the Seychellois Islanders, and as the Seychelles Government makes official representations to the French Government the business community has started to worry about the situation for corresponding banks to be able to continue the needed foreign transactions by the islands to take place. More challenges than answers as the islands relaxed its Offshore sector in 2017.

South African Queen Zozi Tunzi Wins Miss Universe 2019

Zozibini Tunzi is Miss Universe 2019. She was crowned at the 68th edition of the Miss Universe competition that was held on December 8, 2019 at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, the United States.

it was Catriona Gray of the Philippines who crowned her successor Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa by the end of the event.

Congratulations to Miss Zozibini Tunzi and to South Africa for winning Miss Universe 2019.

Seychellois Maillet will take the reins as the CAF Director of Referees

COSAFA has sent their congratulations to former Seychelles referee Eddy Maillet, who has recently been appointed to a senior Confederation of African Football (CAF) position.

Maillet will take the reins as the CAF Director of Referees, having previously worked at a management level with the organisation.

The 52-year-old is another shining example of how COSAFA empowers players, coaches, match officials and administrators, who hone their skills in regional competitions before moving up to major events.

Maillet has an extensive record with the whistle, having refereed at the Africa Cup of Nations between 2004 and 2010, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also took charge of the CAF Confederation Cup finals in both 2008 and 2009.

“We are delighted that Eddy Maillet has been appointed to this senior position by CAF and we have every faith that he will represent our COSAFA region with distinction. We have produced some of the continent’s best ever referees and Eddy Maillet is certainly one of those. We are proud that our COSAFA match officials are constantly recognised for their quality,” says COSAFA President Dr Phillip Chiyangwa.

Tennis ITF appoints Fatime Kanté of Seychelles on its gender equality committee

Roland Duval of Seychelles Nation daily Newspaper confirmed that Fatime Kanté was now a member of ITF’s gender equality committee

The head of Seychelles’ tennis governing body Fatime Kanté now sits on the International Tennis Federation’s gender equality committee which was created in 2017 to promote equal opportunities on and off the court.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) first presented its gender equality strategy on the opening day of the 2018 ITF conference and annual general meeting in Orlando, Florida. The campaign which is based around five key themes is aimed at improving gender equality in all areas of the game to ensure tennis is a leading light for sport both on and off the field.

Firstly, there is empowerment, through which the ITF wants to create more opportunities for women to become leaders in sport. The Foundation of Global Sports Development has provided the ITF with a grant to fund the ‘Empowering Female Leaders’ programme. This will consist of workshops, education courses and professional development for women in leadership, officiating and coaching.

The second key theme is balance which ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to take part and enjoy tennis. From the programmes and competitions on offer to the funding, training, earning potential, prominence and exposure, it’s important to provide balanced support for both genders.

Through culture, which is the third key theme, the ITF and member nations must build a culture that is inclusive and inspirational to ensure the sport is addressing and eliminating bias and discrimination at every level.

It is essential to look at work practices, the environment in which we operate and the way we communicate to develop an equal advantage sport.

Fourthly, there is value where women’s sport is seen as progressive and inspiring and audiences are growing. The theme of value looks to ensure that tennis is maximising women’s events from a fan, sponsorship and broadcast perspective.

The fifth and last key theme is voice and the theme centres on making sure that tennis speaks with one voice. The language used in the media can have a significant influence over the perceptions of the women’s game.

The ITF is committed to working with the international tennis media to find ‘One Voice’ for the male and female game which speaks to the value of both equally.

Air Seychelles has confirmed the delivery of its second A320neo aircraft in April 2020

The new generation aircraft which forms part of the airlines plan to refresh its fleet, will generate unbeatable efficiency, lowest operating costs and will significantly reduce environmental footprint.

Equipped with 12 Business and 156 Economy Class seats, similarly to the current A320neo aircraft, the latest addition to the fleet will also be named after one of Seychelles critically endangered bird, as part of the airline’s commitment to raise awareness about the protection of the Seychelles ecosystem and its endemic species.

In addition to providing increased capacity across the airlines network, the newest acquisition will further improve the operational performance of the airline, allowing better schedule flexibility within the overall flight programme, especially when conducting the aircraft allocation plan according to a specific route, apart from standardizing the galley equipment on board the aircraft.

Remco Althuis, Chief Executive Officer of Air Seychelles said: “The delivery of the second A320neo aircraft, will complete an integral part of the Air Seychelles business transformation plan, related to the entire refresh of the airlines jet fleet. “Besides operating the most technologically advanced aircraft in the region, in 2020, Air Seychelles will also maintain the youngest fleet of modern aircraft in the Indian Ocean, thus positioning itself as the airline of choice in the region. “For the past three months, the overall on-time-performance of the current fleet has been operating at 83 per cent and by next year with the arrival of the second A320neo aircraft, we expect this performance to improve significantly.”

In August 2019, Air Seychelles became the first airline to take delivery and operate the first A320neo aircraft in Africa.

Following a successful three months of operation and having completed 298 flights, to date, the new aircraft has generated 20 per cent fuel savings on average per flight, with approximately 50 per cent reduced noise footprint and nitrogen oxides (N0x).

New Taipei City (Taiwan) – December 10, 2019 (travelindex) – BWH Hotel Group is celebrating another major award, after its subsidiary Best Western Hotels and Resorts was named as one of “Asia’s Top Hotel Chains” at the NOW Travel Asia Awards 2019-2020!

This prestigious title was presented to the company in a grand ceremony and gala dinner held in the ballroom of the Fullon Hotel Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf, Taiwan, on November 15, 2019. This marks the third prestigious award won by Best Western Hotels & Resorts in Asia in recent months, after it was named as Asia’s “Best Midscale Hotel Chain” in the Travel Weekly Asia Readers’ Choice Awards for a fifth consecutive year and inducted into TTG Asia’s “Travel Hall of Fame” – Best Mid-Range Hotel Brand.

“We are thrilled to have been named as one of Asia’s Top Hotel Chains at the NOW Travel Asia Awards. NOW Travel Asia is one of the region’s most respected leisure travel magazines, so to be rated so highly by their esteemed readers is a great honor indeed. This award is even more satisfying as BWH Hotel Group spans every sector, from economy to luxury. With our diverse portfolio of 17 brands, BWH Hotel Group is now a truly comprehensive hospitality company that can cater to every location and market segment. We look forward to creating even more excellent guest experiences all across Asia in the future,” said Olivier Berrivin.

Founded in 2012, the NOW Travel Asia Awards recognize excellence in all sectors of the region’s tourism industry, with 22 categories including hotels, airlines, restaurants, spas and more. The awards are voted by the readers of NOW Travel Asia, which is distributed in Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, China and South Korea.

BWH Hotel Group has achieved many milestones in the last 12 months, including the launch of Asia’s inaugural Vīb® and BW Signature Collection® hotels in Thailand, and the opening of Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, which marked the company’s return to Vietnam. The innovative SureStay Hotel Group® has been launched in Japan, the Philippines and Laos, a third Best Western hotel will soon be introduced to Yangon, and BW Signature Collection will make its Japanese debut in the cultural city of Kyoto.

The year’s biggest development, however, was the acquisition of WorldHotels Collection in February 2019, which completes BWH Hotel Group’s portfolio with a collection of upper-upscale and luxury hotel concepts.

To learn more about BWH Hotel Group and Best Western Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.bestwesternasia.com or www.bestwesternasiadevelopers.com

Photo caption: Kanapot Sithiwong, Editor-in-Chief of NOW Travel Asia (left), presents the award to Olivier Berrivin, Managing Director of International Operations – Asia (right), at Best Western’s regional head office in Bangkok.

About Best Western Hotels and Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand within the BWH Hotel GroupSM global network. With 17 brands and approximately 4,700 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*, BWH Hotel Group suits the needs of developers and guests in every market. Brands include Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, GLō®, Aiden®, Sadie®, BW Premier Collection® and BW Signature Collection®. Through recent acquisition, WorldHotels® Luxury, WorldHotels Elite and WorldHotels Distinctive brands are also offered. Completing the portfolio is SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, SureStay Studio® and SureStay Collection® franchises**. For more information visit www.bestwestern.com or www.bestwesterndevelopers.com.

* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.
**All Best Western, WorldHotels and SureStay branded hotels are independently owned and operated.

Contact information:
Sirimanas Maungrod (Cake) | Senior Regional Marketing Communications Manager | Asia
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com

Phanintorn Tangtrongjit (Dream) | Assistant Marketing Communications Manager | Asia
Email: phanintorn.tangtrongjit@bestwestern.com

Best Western Hotels and Resorts
BWI (Thailand) Co., Ltd.|Unit 5A-2 | 5th Floor Gaysorn Place Office Building
999 Ploenchit Road Lumpini Phatumwan | Bangkok | 10330 | Thailand
Phone: +662.656.1260 | Fax +662.656.1252| www.bestwesternasia.com

Chengdu (China) – December 10, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The Chengdu Inbound Tourism Partnership Summit, organized by the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcast-TV, and Tourism, was held in Chengdu on 28 November 2019. The event gathered more than 200 travel industry representatives from around the world, helping the city to further consolidate and expand its inbound tourism market.

During the summit, the Chengdu Inbound Tourism Strategic Partnership Alliance officially launched with around 40 members, covering global travel suppliers and well-known travel enterprises. The alliance aims to build closer strategic cooperation with overseas travel agencies and world’s leading enterprises in the travel industry, as well as further promote the Chengdu Inbound Tourism. ITB China is proud to have announced its membership in the Chengdu Inbound Tourism Strategic Partnership Alliance.

By joining forces with the alliance, the organizers of ITB China underline their commitment to boost Chinese inbound tourism, which for the first time will have its own platform at ITB China, taking place from 13 to 15 May 2020 in Shanghai. A dedicated booth area, conference sessions and networking events will help international inbound buyers explore new Chinese travel products.

Mr. David Axiotis, General Manager of ITB China met with Mr. Wang Min, Vice Director of Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Culture, Broadcast-TV and Tourism, and representatives of the Chengdu Culture & Tourism Development Group L. L. C, who are responsible for the culture and tourism promotion of Chengdu, to discuss about the future collaboration between ITB China and Chengdu, so as to promote the development of Chengdu’s Inbound Tourism. The city has attached great importance to the development of inbound travel in the past years and Mr. Axiotis was appointed as the Chengdu Tourism Global Ambassador.

“As the world‘s leading travel trade show, ITB has a huge global impact and a very rich data base of top overseas buyers. We are looking forward to fostering our cooperation with ITB China by inviting more international buyers to come to Chengdu, to get to know the city better. ITB China provides the ideal platform to get in touch with them face-to-face and to work in joint projects in the future”, said Mr. Huang Jiankun, Vice General Manager of Chengdu Culture & Tourism Development Group L. L. C.

About ITB China and the ITB China Conference
ITB China is China’s largest B2B exclusive travel trade show. ITB China 2020 will take place from Wednesday to Friday, 13 to 15 May, at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre. ITB China is a three-day business to business travel trade fair that focuses exclusively on the Chinese travel industry. The ITB China Conference will take place parallel to the show and is co-organized by the leading conference organizer TravelDaily.

Travelindex Media, publishers of TravelCommunication.net are a Media Partner with ITB China.

Bangkok (Thailand) – December 10, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The Neilson Hays Library, led by President Ms. Nalin Vanasin (3^rd from left), in collaboration with the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture (OCAC) under the Ministry of Culture, recently kicked off The Neilson Hays Bangkok Literature Festival at an opening ceremony presided over by H.E. Mr. Ittipol Khunpluem (5^th from left), Minister of Culture, and M.R. Sukhumband Paribatra (4^th from left), Chairman of Suan Pakkad Palace Museum and Chairman of the S.E.A. Write Organising Committee, at the Library. The two-day Literature Festival, which attracted more than 1,200 attendees and staged on the occasion of Neilson Hays Library’s 150^th anniversary, featured insightful talks, panel discussions, and poetry readings by more than 40 renowned Thai and international writers and moderators from around the world, as well as film screenings and other entertainment for the family such as art and craft market and workshops at the Library and the nearby British Club stages.

Pictured from left are:  Mr. Zakariya Amataya;  Ms. Shelley Bragg, International School of Bangkok;  Ms. Nalin Vanasin; M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra; H.E. Mr. Ittipol Khunpluem; Dr. Vimolluck Chuchat, OCAC Director-General;  Mr. Adam Johnson, speaker from the US; and Mr. Jeffrey Senior, Chargé d’ Affaires a.i., Embassy of Canada to Thailand.