Category: Latest Travel News

Seville (Spain) – April 4, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is delighted to announce the 2019 leaders in sustainable tourism at the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards ceremony. The Awards, now in their 15th year, took place at a special ceremony during the WTTC Global Summit in Seville, Spain, to celebrate inspirational, world-changing tourism initiatives from around the globe.

The 2019 WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Award Winners are highly commended and recognised for business practices of the highest standards that balance the needs of ‘people, planet and profits’ within the Travel & Tourism sector. Our 2019 Winners promote inclusive growth and illustrate a strong commitment to supporting change and transformation in business practices and consumer behaviour towards a more environmentally conscious sector.

The Winners of the 2019 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are:
•    Climate Action Award – Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba
•    Investing in People Award – Lemon Tree Hotels Limited, India
•    Destination Stewardship Award – St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council, St. Kitts and Nevis
•    Social Impact Award – Awamaki, Peru
•    Changemakers Award – SEE Turtles, USA

The Awards are judged by a panel of independent experts, led by Prof. Graham Miller, Executive Dean, Professor of Sustainability in Business, University of Surrey.  The panel included academics, business leaders, NGO and governmental representatives who narrowed down the list of 183 applications to just fifteen finalists. The three-stage judging process included a thorough review of all applications, followed by on-site evaluations of the Finalists and their initiative.

The Winner of each category was determined by the WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2019 Winners’ Selection Committee, chaired by Fiona Jeffery OBE, Founder & Chairman, Just a Drop, and composed of Wolfgang M. Neumann, Non-Executive Director and Strategic Advisory, Global Hospitality, Travel & Tourism Sector; John Spengler, Akira Yamaguchi Professor of Environmental Health and Human Habitation, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; and Louise Twining-Ward, Senior Private Sector Specialist, Global Tourism Team, World Bank.

WTTC represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism. Its Global Summit is the most important event in the sector worldwide each year.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, commented: ‘The finalists in this year’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards showcase the many ways in which our industry is dedicated to sustainable growth. In 2018, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed 10.4% of global GDP and supported 319 million jobs across the world. It is therefore essential that we continue to grow in the most sustainable and responsible way possible. The new award categories for this year are aligned with WTTC strategic priorities and illustrate that all members of this industry play a key role in driving the sector forward to a more responsible future. I congratulate them all on their fantastic accomplishments and leadership.’

Fiona Jeffery, OBE, Chair, WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, said: ‘The aim of the WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards is to showcase some of the most exceptional examples of sustainable tourism practices in the world, and inspire and encourage our industry to make a positive impact for both current and future generations. Over 15 years, we have seen the industry make great strides towards achieving these goals and we can see positive change happening. Our recent survey results show that 67% of travellers would consider a travel company’s sustainability agenda when booking a trip, whilst 48% of travellers would now pay more money to travel sustainably. Whilst there is still more to be done, we must harness the momentum for change to protect the product that sustains our very own industry.’

Jeff Rutledge, President and CEO, AIG Travel, Headline Sponsor of the Awards, stated: ‘From socially-inclusive employment initiatives to establishing one of the first rewilding projects in the Philippines, this year’s WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards finalists have proved to be an incredibly diverse group of changemakers from around the world. They have demonstrated that, regardless of the size or purpose of business, all members of the Travel & Tourism industry can afford to make sustainability a priority, and become part of our collective journey towards a greener future.’

Chantal Khoueiry, Chief Culture Office The Bicester Village Shopping Collection and Founder of Social Enterprise ‘Brides do Good’ added: ‘Social impact is not a choice, it  affects each and everyone of us both in our personal lives and through our businesses. The combination of small things done with great LOVE can become great things with a sustained impact for generations to come. We have the power to transform intentions into actions. Let’s stop intending. Let’s start doing!

Full list of Winners and Finalists:

Climate Action Award, for organisations undertaking significant and measurable work to reduce the scale and impact of climate change:
•    WINNER: Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba
•    FINALIST: The Brando, Tetiaroa Private Island, French Polynesia
•    FINALIST: Tourism Holdings Limited, New Zealand

Investing in People Award, for organisations demonstrating leadership in becoming an exciting, attractive, and equitable employer in the sector:
•    WINNER: Lemon Tree Hotels Limited, India
•    FINALIST: Reserva do Ibitipoca, Brazil
•    FINALIST: Shanga by Elewana Collection, Tanzania

Destination Stewardship Award, for organisations helping a place to thrive and bring forward its unique identity for the benefit of its residents and tourists:
•    WINNER: St. Kitts Sustainable Destination Council, St. Kitts and Nevis
•    FINALIST: Grupo Rio da Prata, Jardim and Bonito, Brazil
•    FINALIST: Masungi Georeserve, Philippines

Social Impact Award, for organisations working to improve the people and places where they operate:
•    WINNER: Awamaki, Peru
•    FINALIST: Intrepid Group, Australia
•    FINALIST: Nikoi Island, Indonesia

Changemakers Award, this year focused on organisations fighting the illegal wildlife trade through sustainable tourism:
•    WINNER: SEE Turtles, USA
•    FINALIST: Kelompok Peduli Lingkungan Belitung (KPLB), Indonesia
•    FINALIST: The Cardamom Tented Camp, Cambodia

Seville (Spain) – April 3, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Travel and Tourism generates economic growth, create jobs and reduce poverty. That was the message from Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) as she addressed over 1,500 global leaders at the opening of WTTC’s Global Summit in Seville, Spain.

WTTC represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism and its Global Summit is the most important event of the year.

Ms. Guevara opened, “We are living in an era of rapid change, the pace of which, I predict, will only increase. Within the past decade alone we have witnessed advancements that have propelled the Travel & Tourism sector to new heights, fundamentally changing the way we live, the way we do business, the way we communicate with each other, and the way millions and millions of people travel every day.”

“Last year we saw 1.4 billion international arrivals and 4.4 billion people flying around the world. Factoring in domestic tourism, there were around 7 billion trips last year alone – and this is just the beginning.

“As the Travel and Tourism sector continues to grow, new markets open up, and more people have the opportunity to travel, we need to make sure that we stay ahead of the curve by considering what the future of travel looks like, who the consumers of tomorrow will be and what they will expect. That is why we are here today, and why the theme of this year’s Global Summit is ‘Changemakers’.

“Over the next decade our sector will generate an additional 100 million jobs, meaning that 1 in 4 new jobs created will be thanks to Travel & Tourism. Our sector is truly the best partner for governments to generate economic growth, create jobs and reduce poverty. But we cannot take historical strong performance and positive forecasts as a given.

“The reality is that the world is confronted by significant challenges that require coordinated global action, changemaking behaviour and more collaboration. If we don’t work on our future, the growth predictions could fail to materialise, impacting millions of jobs and progress towards the SDGs.

“Not long from now we will travel from the airport to our accommodation in a driver-less taxi, with a drone dropping off our luggage in advance. Virtual reality will enhance tourist experiences at historical sites by transporting visitors back in time, and live language interpretation will mean that nothing is lost in translation again. Data analytics will help to manage flows of people making overcrowding a flashback, and local communities will live from Travel & Tourism while helping us to protect natural and cultural assets.”

The 2019 WTTC Global Summit is now underway in Seville, Spain, and hosted by Ayuntamiento de Seville, Turismo Andaluz and Turespaña.

Seville (Spain) – April 4, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced the formation of a global taskforce to help prevent and combat human trafficking – an illicit activity that affects 30 million victims worldwide, and relies on travel networks to operate.

The taskforce comprises WTTC Members and sector associations to become the first global industry-wide initiative to assert zero tolerance and share best practice.

As an ‘industry’, human trafficking is worth $150bn annually and contributes heavily to modern slavery, in which 40 million people worldwide are entrapped. One-quarter of trafficking victims worldwide are children (or 5.5 million). Meanwhile, 19% of victims are trafficked for sexual purposes, which makes up 66% of the illicit income generated.(1)

Human trafficking is present virtually everywhere; yet not all criminalize it in all its forms.

The WTTC taskforce has thus been established for the purposes of:

1.    PREVENTION: to increase industry and consumer awareness of human trafficking. It is proven the more we know the more can be prevented.

2.    PROTECTION: to train employees and travelers on how to identify and report suspected cases.

3.    ACTION:  to encourage governments to enact legislation which recognizes human trafficking as a crime throughout the entire chain and develop resources and support needed such as national hotlines.

4.    SUPPORT:  to provide assistance, employability training and employment opportunities to survivors.

The founding members of the task force are Airbnb, Amex GBT, The Bicester Village Shopping Collection, Ctrip.com International, CWT, Emirates, Expedia Group, Hilton, JTB Corp, Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority, Marriott International, Silversea, Thomas Cook, and TUI.

On the formation of the taskforce Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC commented, “Human trafficking is a devastating, widespread and critical issue that unfortunately relies on Travel & Tourism networks to operate. As a sector, we must do everything in our power to help eradicate the problem so that people may move freely and safely across the globe but never coerced.

“I am proud to today launch this vital taskforce comprised of the world’s most powerful travel leaders from across hotels, retail, airlines, cruise, technology, finance, and destination management, and are wholly committed to preventing trafficking, protecting victims, supporting survivors and engaging with governments so that this pandemic ends once and for all.”

Lucerne (Switzerland) – April 3, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Innovation is a major force for growth and development, ensuring competitiveness and providing the ingredients for lasting success in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. With the Start-Up Innovation Camp, World Tourism Forum Lucerne is seeking for the most innovative business models from around the world to capture this potential», says Martin Barth, President & CEO of the World Tourism Forum. Selected by the jury, young entrepreneurs are invited to attend a full-day workshop in order to grow in their roles as business leaders and to receive valuable advice from experienced coaching experts.

The start-ups presentations in forms of elevator pitches are open to public and free of charge. If you would like be part of the Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019 and listen to the pitches of 15 most innovative finalists from around the world, register here.

«This provides a great opportunity to establish international contacts within a high-ranking audience and to push innovation to the next level. We are excited about the boldness of the entrepreneurs and we are looking forward to help them grow their business and social impact», Jasper Mutsaerts, Chairman of the Start-Up Innovation Camps, explains.

Online network and weekly camp in Lucerne

The aim of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne is to connect start-ups with the tourism, travel and hospitality industry – online and offline. This means that creative and innovative start-up companies will find contacts to industry experts and investors via a specially developed online platform. Martin Barth, President & CEO: «With a structured database, start-ups in the Hospitality, Mobility, Travel and now Health categories are regularly searched for». From 2021, a camp is planned to take place in Lucerne for one week.

The start-up finalists

Category Destination

• Adventoro (Malaysia) is the largest e-commerce platform (supply) in Southeast Asia that connects adventure tour operators with adventure seekers worldwide. www.adventoro.com
• EuroPass (France) implements digital solutions allowing non-Chinese organization to reach, attract and convert Chinese FIT. Meanwhile, EuroPass solutions facilitate, secure and embellish Chinese tourists travel outside China. europasschina.com
• Trip Boutique (Switzerland) is your personal travel advisor: save hours of internet research and experience the best of a destination with fully tailor-made travel plans. www.thetripboutique.co

Category Hospitality

• Cohosting (Spain) is a Hospitality SAAS end to end tech solution for hotels to offer extra services. It digitalizes and automatizes the reservations process of tours and service such as luggage storage, transfers or tours. cohosting.es
• Prognolite (Switzerland) helps restaurants to improve staff planning and reduce food waste by telling them the demand for any day in the future. prognolite.com
• The Bar Corner (France) is mobile application allowing you to find a bar based on your profile and your mood. We also provide brands with digital tools to retain and know their customers into the away-from-home market. www.thebarcorner.com

Category Impact

• ImpactExplorer (United Kingdom) is a sustainable tourism platform  that creates impact by connecting independent travellers with local communities and ecotourism initiatives. impactexplorer.asia
• KITRO (Switzerland) is the first fully automated food waste management solution for commercial kitchens. We measure and they save, because what gets measured gets done. www.kitro.ch
• Local Alike (Thailand) is an experience booking platform that introducing authentic sustainable tourism products in Asia and South East Asia to the traveller. www.localalike.com 

Category Mobility

• Cocoche (Argentina) is a peer to peer car rental platform. It’s a marketplace for car owners and those looking to enter into a lease agreement. cocoche.com.ar
• EuroTube (Switzerland) is a non-profit research organisation developing technologies and building test infrastructure for sustainable vacuum transportation. eurotube.org
• Katla Aero (Sweden) develops electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for safer, more cost-effective and sustainable transportation of people and goods. katla.aero

Category Transaction

• RoomPriceGenie (Switzerland) makes dynamic pricing possible for smaller hotels. roompricegenie.com
• Safety Tax Free (Germany) is a fintech service provider for digital and smart tax free services, mobile payment and marketing in European tourism and retail sectors. www.safetytaxfree.com
• Trip Loop (United States) is an integrated mobile app and desktop that allows multi day group tour operators to provide optimal real time communication that works with and without the need of internet. www.triploop.com
• About World Tourism Forum LucerneThe World Tourism Forum Lucerne is a unique platform where global leaders in tourism, travel and hospitality meet to shape a more sustainable future of tourism. It provides decision-makers with detailed insights into the key issues of the tourism industry and with a unique global network. The World Tourism Forum Lucerne is the only platform to inte- grate start-ups, young leaders and students into one programme. Over the past ten years, it has evolved into a year-round network of leaders and leading thinkers who stimulate positive change in travel, tourism and hospitality. This includes an influential network of business, education, government, finance and community leaders. The 6th World Tourism Forum Lucerne will take place in Lucerne from 1 to 3 May 2019.

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – April 2, 2019 (travelindex.com) – This issue of our Weekly Tourism Report is being issued as I leave Seychelles for Seville in Spain to participate in this year’s WTTC Summit where US former President Barack Obama will be delivering the Key Note Address. WTTC remains the biggest grouping of the tourism industry’s private sector trade and they continue to guide the way forward for a healthier tourism industry. I am this year a delegate in my private capacity as Saint Ange Tourism consultancy and look to working closely with WTTC’s President CEO Gloria Guevara Manzo.

Seychelles has seen a lot during this last week starting with President Danny Faure making an Official visit to Saudi Arabia accompanied by a top ranking delegation. This visit was announced by State House as well as by all Media Houses in Seychelles.

Influential Press Delegation lands in Seychelles

The drive for increased visibility by Seychelles has seen a positive move in collaboration with Air Seychelles, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways. The six person group coming from Uganda, Ghana, South Africa and Kenya arrived in Seychelles on Sunday for a few days of discovery of the island’s latest tourism developments. This initiative is a good one because Seychelles, like any other tourism dependant country needs visibility if it is to remain relevant in the world of tourism.

This team coming from Africa can only help Seychelles because it is common knowledge that for African destinations the biggest growth potential is from the African Continent itself and the more Africa knows of the Seychelles, the more the islands can benefit from tourism potential from this continent. Three airlines of the region:- Air Seychelles, Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways keeps the islands .

Most of the six members of this visiting press group are friends of Seychelles, and they have been known for years to many of us. Let us ensure they all appreciate what we have as key USPs, and what we are doing to consolidate our tourism industry.

This is the time when Seychelles staged its Carnaval International de Victoria

For six consecutive years Seychelles staged the “Carnaval International de Victoria”, a carnival for the world of carnivals aptly called the Carnival of Carnavals. This event stated in 2011 and managed in the short space of time to be listed amongst the best carnivals because it was different as it attracted all the best and most popular carnivals of the world to parade together in Victoria, the World’s Smallest Capital. Friends like Dr Claire Holder, the Chief Executive of the Notting Hill Carnival of the UK was always on our side and introduced initially to our carnival project by the British High Commission. Dr Rolf Herpens of the Dusseldorf Carnival of Germany as well as Danniel Okamoto the head of the Brazilian Carnival Team were also supportive as well as Nico Barito who managed year after year to get the Indonesian Carnival on board and MTPA of Mauritius who came out to show the ability of islanders in carnival mode. Support for this unique event was received from everywhere and President Didier Robert of Reunion was the sincere partner we could always count on. A co-host they showcased their island to an audience and press as if they were at a tourism trade fair. Africa, the Vanilla Islands, Europe, Asia, Australasia, the USA all flew their flags in a event that is still making positive news today in the four corners of the world.

VoyagesAfriq’s Kojo Bentum-Williams joins UNWTO

The Managing Editor and CEO of VoyagesAfriq Media Limited Mr. Kojo Bentum-Williams has been appointed as the UN World Tourism Organization‘s Senior Expert for Communications in Africa.

This appointment will see him lead communications of the Organization’s activities and events in Africa. This new appointment took effect in March 2019 and part of his core mandates is to grow the UNWTO’s ten points agenda in Africa under the Zurab Pololikashvili led administration.

He is also expected to coordinate with the Africa Department at UNWTO to reach out to members of the African media and hold clinics to further train and inform travel media on the continent.

Kojo is the founder and managing editor of VoyagesAfriq Media Limited, a pan African travel media company which publishes VoyagesAfriq Travel Magazine Quartely and operates the online portal VoyagesAfriq.com.

He previously worked as the press secretary to Ghana’s former ministry of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts until 2014 and also worked a press officer at the Ghana Tourism Authority.

He has covered a wide range of global travel and tourism conferences and he is seen by many as one of the authorities in the affairs of the UN Tourism Agency.

ATCNews and Saint Ange Tourism Report wishes Kojo the very best in his new appointment, a strategic move by the powers that be in Madrid to deepen the UN agency’s engagement with the African continent and vastly improve and advance their agenda for and communications with Africa.

Seychelles recognised as the world’s most beautiful island at GQ Travel Award Russia

Destination Seychelles sited as ‘The Most Beautiful Island’ in the world after walking away with the title at the GQ Travel Award, a ceremony that took place on March 15, 2019, at the Metropol Hotel, in Moscow Russia.

The GQ Travel Awards Ceremony recognizes the leading companies, hotels and destinations from the elite travel industry. The winners in the 17 different categories including Seychelles were chosen by GQ readers who voted online on the magazine’s website.

The Island destination was presented with the award during a ceremony attended by some 250 prominent guests including industry professionals, representatives of host countries, Russian celebrities and famous travelers, and was followed by a gala-dinner.

Ms. Diana Sarkisyan, PR & Marketing representative from the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) for the Russian and CIS region, accepted the award on behalf of Seychelles.

Seychelles remains a high-end destination, popular amongst the Russian visitors for its sandy white beaches, warm turquoise waters and diverse unique flora and fauna. Various beaches such as Anse Lazio on Praslin have been seen as being among some of the most beautiful in the world.

The island nation is one of the world’s leading actors when it comes to sustainable tourism and sustainable development, a concept to which the Russian visitors are very responsive.

Speaking about the latest recognition received by the destination at the GQ Travel Award, Mrs. Sherin Francis STB Chief Executive mentioned that it is an honour for the destination to have been voted by the readers of the GQ magazine.

“It is such a privilege to feature as the most beautiful island, as a destination, we are conscious of our inestimable resources and we strive to demarcate ourselves by our uniqueness and it is rewarding to see that our efforts have not gone unnoticed, “said Mrs. Francis.

The STB Chief Executive further stated that the achievement is the result of hard work and congratulated the various partners for their constant support towards building the destination’s reputation.

GQ is a men’s magazine offering analytics and current reports of international quality with latest men’s fashion and style news. It is the number one magazine for male visitors of luxury department stores.

GQ’s regular authors are the best of the best in their industry, from both Russia and abroad, and has a close access to celebrities unlike any other Russian magazine in its niche. It is an unrivalled guidance and companion for a successful man.

Seville (Spain) – April 2, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) announced a world-class speaker line-up for its Global Summit in Seville starting tomorrow and a projected record attendance of over 1,500.

The WTTC Global Summit is the most important event in the sector gathering public and private sector leaders of global Travel & Tourism. This year WTTC is privileged to be holding the Global Summit in the Andalusian capital of Seville, Spain, on 2-4 April. This will be hosted by the and Ayuntamiento of Seville and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce; and the Vice Ministry of Tourism of Andalucía.

WTTC is set for over 1,500 delegates at the Global Summit including over 100 WTTC Member CEOs, 300 media, more than 20 ministerial delegations, as well as serving and former Heads of State.

Pres. Barack Obama will be the headline speakers as well as President Pedro Sanchez Perez of Spain; H.E. Margaret Kenyatta, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya; and Felipe Calderon who served as President of Mexico from 2006 – 2012.

WTTC is delighted to confirm the following speakers:

• H.E. Isabel Oliver, Secretary of State for Tourism, Spain
• H. E. Maria Reyes Maroto Illera, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Spain
• Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
• Isabel Hill, Director, National Travel and Tourism Office, US Government
• H. E. Mona Keijzer, State Secretary for Economic Affairs and Climate Policy, Netherlands
• H. E. Eva Stravs Podlogar, Minister of Tourism, Slovenia
• H.E. Bogdan Gheorghe, Minister of Tourism, Government of Romania
• Juan Espadas, Mayor, Seville
• Kevin McAleenan, Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, US Government
• John Wagner, Deputy Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, US Government
• Jamie Rhee, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation
• Helal Saeed Khalfan Al Marri, DG Director of Tourism & Commerce, Dubai
• José María Álvarez-Pallete López, Chairman & CEO, Telefónica S.A.
• Christopher J Nassetta, President & CEO, Hilton
• Katie Fallon, EVP Global, Head of Corporate Affairs, Hilton
• Desirée Bollier, Chair, Value Retail
• Arnold Donald, President & CEO, Carnival Corporation
• Jeffrey C. Rutledge, CEO, AIG Travel
• Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises
• Hiromi Tagawa, Chairman of the Board, JTB Corp
• Alex Zozaya, CEO, Apple Leisure Group
• Caroline Beteta, President & CEO, Visit California
• Sean Donohue, CEO, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
• Roger Dow, US Travel Association
• Richard D Fain, Chairman & CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises
• Glenda McNeal, President, Enterprise Strategic Partnership, American Express
• Michael Froman, Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard
• Fritz Joussen, CEO, TUI Group
• Geoffrey Kent, Founder, Chairman and CEO Abercrombie & Kent
• Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio di Balsonaro de Clunieres, Chairman, Silversea Cruises
• Greg O’Hara, Founder & Managing Partner, Certares
• Mark Okerstrom, President & CEO, Expedia
• Joan Vilà, Executive Chairman, Hotelbeds
• Keith Barr, CEO, IHG
• Ninan Checko, CEO & President, Travel Leaders Group
• Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, Executive VC & CEO, Melia Hotels International
• Eric Resnick, CEO, KSL Capital Partners
• Daniel Richards, CEO, Global Rescue
• Peter Fankhauser, CEO, Thomas Cook Group
• Jeremy Jauncey, CEO, Beautiful Destinations
• Gary Knell, Chairman, National Geographic Partners
• Luis Maroto, President & CEO, Amadeus
• Deepak Ohri, CEO, lebua Hotels & Resorts
• Kike Sarasola, President & Founder, Room Mate Hotels & Bemate.com
• Matthew Upchurch, CEO, Virtuoso
• Gordon Wilson, President, WorldReach Software
• Enrique Ybarra, CEO, City Sightseeing
• Fred Dixon, President & CEO, NYC & Company
• Dirk Alhborn, CEO, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies
• Isidoro Alanís, President & CEO, Global Exchange Group
• Aoife McArdle, Global Head of Business Affairs and Social Impact-Experiences, Airbnb
• Lindsay Nelson, President of Core Experience, TripAdvisor
• Desiree Maxino, Group Head – Government Policy and ASEAN, Air Asia
• Dan Fenton, EVP, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
• Andrew Benett, Chief Commercial Officer, Bloomberg Media Group, Bloomberg
• Alex Dichter, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Partner
• Huayong Ge, Chairman, China Union Pay
• Diana Robino, Senior Vice President, Global Tourism Partnerships, Mastercard
• Suzan Kereere, Global Head, Merchant Sales & Acquiring, Visa
• Mark Wynne Smith, Global CEO, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
• Luis Gallego, CEO, Iberia
• Dupsy Abiola, Head of Global Innovation, International Airlines Group (IAG)
• Stacy Ritter, CEO, Fort Lauderdale
• Earl Anthony Wayne, Public Policy Fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
• Wendy Purcell, Harvard
• John D. Spengler, Harvard
• Robert Li, Professor, Temple University
• Graham Miller, Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Surrey
• Paul Mee, Partner, Oliver Wyman
• Ritesh Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer, Oyo Rooms
• Ken Dychtwald, Founder & CEO, Age Wave
• Sir Jackie Stewart, Three times Formula One World Champion & Founder of Stewart Grand Prix
• Eduardo Santander, European Travel Commission
• Tony Smith, Former Director General, UK Border Agency
• Anthony Malkin, Chairman & CEO, Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.
• Amanda Hills, President, Hills Balfour
• Andres Oppenheimer, Journalist & Presenter, CNN
• Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor, CBS News
• Jacqueline Gifford, Editor in Chief, Travel + Leisure
• Nick Ross, Summit Anchor
• Philippe Gombert, President International, Chairman of The Board, Relais & Châteaux
• Michael Hickey, Executive Vice President & President, Global Institutional Ecolab
• Jesús Hernández-Galán, Director, ONCE
• Billy Kolber, Founder, Man About World
• Chandran Nair, Founder & CEO, The Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT)
• Zak Dychtwald, Founder & CEO, Young China Group
• Fiona Jeffery, Founder & Chairman, Just a Drop and Chair, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards

The 2019 Summit will be centred on the theme of ‘Changemakers’, harnessing the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world from Seville and the world-changing impact of that achievement. It will inspire delegates with changemaking individuals and ideas to craft the future vision of Travel & Tourism. Creativity, innovation, diversity and inclusivity will drive the conversation.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC, commented, “The WTTC Global Summit is the single most important event in the calendar for global private sector leaders to gather and analyze the issues facing the future of our sector and the opportunities that arise from them. I am excited to be welcoming a record of over 1,500 delegates including so many WTTC Members, Ministers, and serving and retired Heads of State. Our Summit is the place where the future of our sector is shaped.”

Bernard A. Metzger, Founder of Travelindex Media Group and Publisher of this global travel news website will also attend this world-class event.

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 29, 2019 (travelindex) – An industry innovator and thought leader David Kong is celebrating his 15th year as President and CEO of Best Western Hotels and Resorts. As he hits the anticipated milestone, Kong becomes the longest-running CEO of a top 10 major hotel chain and Best Western finds itself poised for its most exciting year yet.

“David Kong is a visionary in our industry, but perhaps more importantly, he is one of the nicest people I know,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. “Best Western and the entire lodging industry are lucky to have his leadership. I look forward to many more years working alongside David.”

Driving change through innovative thinking

Starting in the hospitality industry as a busboy, Kong spent decades climbing the ranks, learning and working his way through positions in nearly every department and every chain scale segment. In his time leading Best Western – which has included serving as executive vice president of international operations, senior vice president of marketing and development, and senior vice president of strategic services and operations – he has cultivated a leadership team and company that has become a leader in innovation, as is evident in the evolution of the brand and industry recognition.

During Kong’s tenure, Best Western has completely reimagined its brand identity, signaling the modernization and evolution of the brand and emerging as a global hospitality powerhouse with 16 individual brands across every chain scale segment. Kong has put innovation at the forefront of the company’s transformation, implementing programs like the Best Western Virtual Reality Experience (BWVRE), which uses virtual reality to reinvent the way guests view and shop for hotels. The I Care® Every Guest Every Time employee training initiative leverages virtual reality to transform communications between front desk staff and guests. These programs, led by Kong and his stable and progressive leadership team, have established Best Western as the first company of its size and scale to utilize cutting-edge technology in ways that drive increased satisfaction scores. As a result, the company has seen significant financial achievements and unprecedented performance in guest loyalty and hotel satisfaction scores, achieving a record high Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 62. Importantly, these achievements have resulted in Best Western being named one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies last year.

Creating longevity, and scale, with a diversified portfolio  

As Best Western has evolved over the years, so has the company’s portfolio. When today’s travelers began seeking fresh new design options at a value-oriented price point, Best Western introduced Vīb® and GLō®, two boutique brands thoughtfully designed for the midscale market. As the industry has recently seen a shift away from new construction to conversions, Best Western has responded in full force, launching an edgy, imaginative and creative pair of boutique brands, Sadie^SM and Aiden^SM. Both Sadie and Aiden present the opportunity for independent hoteliers or developers with branded hotels to reposition their property in a unique way, taking advantage of a cost-effective, turnkey and customized design and renovation program, all implemented under Kong’s leadership.

Best Western’s economy option, the SureStay Hotel Group®, has differentiated itself in the industry by focusing on customer care and product experience. The brand prides itself on its ability to consistently meet guest expectations as reflected in its impressive 3.91 average TripAdvisor rating. Since the brand’s launch in 2016, it has grown at a rapid pace to more than 200 open properties globally.

Today’s Best Western – A rebirth to be celebrated  

Sadie Hotel, Aiden Hotel and the SureStay Group are just a few of the brands that represent Best Western’s now expanded portfolio. Just last month, Best Western announced their acquisition of WorldHotels, further enhancing the company’s breadth of offerings to include the upper upscale and luxury segments. An initiative conceived and driven by Kong, the acquisition underscores Best Western’s commitment to innovation and evolution.

Kong has played an instrumental role in the evolution of Best Western, leading the legacy brand through a full refresh across multiple areas of operation, including: expanding innovative sales and marketing programs, launching a new digital platform, redesigning Best Western’s powerful loyalty program, and implementing a renovation program at every hotel – completely reimagining the look of the brands with new logos and signage. Together with the executive team, Kong has molded the company into “Today’s Best Western” – a brand infused with innovation and excitement, consistently achieving its strongest performance for the past three years.

“I feel very fortunate to have played a role in building Best Western into the brand it is today,” said Kong. “To think about where we started 73 years ago as a single brand and now, to see Best Western positioned as a global powerhouse with hotels in every single chain scale segment – is outstanding. Supported by a truly remarkable leadership team, I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished. Our journey has been a special one, and a large part of that for me has been the incredible team I am surrounded by on a daily basis, including our exceptional group of hoteliers. Together, we look forward to maintaining the momentum that has been built and enjoying further progress in the months and years ahead.”

About Best Western Hotels and Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of over 4,500 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide*. Best Western offers 16 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market. Best Western branded hotels include Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, GLō®, Aiden^SM, Sadie^SM, BW Premier Collection®, and BW Signature Collection®. Through recent acquisition, Best Western now also offers WorldHotels® Luxury, WorldHotels Elite and WorldHotels Distinctive brands. Completing its portfolio, Best Western offers SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, and SureStay Collection® franchises**. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including 66 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2018, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-midscale and midscale hotel brands respectively for two consecutive years, and Fast Company honoring Best Western Hotels & Resorts with a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality category. Best Western has also won 10 consecutive AAA®/CAA® Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAA/CAA’s nearly 60 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in breakfast (food and beverage category) by J.D. Power’s 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first for midscale; and second for upper midscale. Nearly 40 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western-branded hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Google® Street View provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.
* 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 & 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

Nairobi (Kenya) – March 29, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Travel and Tourism in Kenya grew faster than the regional average and significantly above other economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to new research from the World Travel & Tourism Council.

In 2018, Travel & Tourism grew 5.6% to contribute KSHS 790 billion and 1.1 million jobs to the Kenyan economy. This rate of growth is faster than the global average of 3.9% and the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 3.3%.

For a detailed travel guide on Kenya, go to VisitKenya.com

This makes Kenya the third largest tourism economy in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and Nigeria both of which grew substantially less than Kenya in 2018.

In total, international tourists spent over KSHS 157 billion in Kenya last year, accounting for over 15% of total exports. The largest inbound international markets were the USA (11%); UK (9%); India (6%); China (4%); and Germany (4%). Combined with domestic spending, Travel & Tourism supported 8.8% of the nation’s GDP in 2018.

For over 25 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, has produced the authoritative research on the economic contribution of the sector. This year’s research shows that:

• Travel & Tourism in Kenya grew at 5.6% last year – ahead of the global average of 3.9%
• This contributed 8.8% to Kenya’s GDP, worth KSHS 790 billion (or US$7.9 billion dollars) when all direct, indirect and induced effects are taken in to consideration
• Travel & Tourism is responsible for 8.3% of all Kenya’s employment, or 1.1 million jobs
• GDP contribution is projected to grow by 5.9% in 2019

Speaking from a press conference in Nairobi, Kenya, WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara said, “Africa is one of the great success stories of global travel as the second fastest growing region in the world – and Kenya lies at the heart of the region, a popular and renowned destination that has seen huge growth in tourism activity and value over the past year.”

“I would like to particularly acknowledge the vision of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his commitment to Travel & Tourism as a means of driving economic growth and alleviating poverty. The Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife, under the leadership of Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, must be congratulated for growing tourism at a rate above the global and regional average and for attracting over two million international visitors for the first time in 2018.

Speaking at the event, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. Najib Balala elaborated on the gains of the sector and expressed his satisfaction on the overall achievement of this key sector that contributes substantively to the economy.

“The gains of the sector are as a result of co-ordinated efforts between various arms of government, whom the tourism sector has engaged, as well as the concerted efforts in marketing Kenya as a destination of choice,” CS Balala pointed out.

For a full and detailed travel guide on Kenya, please visit www.VisitKenya.com

New York (United States) – March 28, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the International Border Management & Technologies Association (IBMATA) announce a partnership to promote safe, secure and seamless travel across international borders making best use of new and emerging technology, while enhancing border security.

WTTC represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, and IBMATA is a global non-profit organisation promoting communication and collaboration between border agencies and technology providers worldwide.

WTTC’s Seamless Traveller Journey programme envisages a future where the traveller won’t need to provide the same information or passport multiple times. Instead, their experience will be seamless, faster and more enjoyable throughout their entire journey. Biometrics will work at every touchpoint of the journey to make travelling easier for the passenger while providing border services with greater security.

IBMATA works with Border Agencies worldwide to help them facilitate the genuine movement of passengers swiftly and easily across international borders making best use of new and emerging technologies, without compromising border security and border control.

Together, both organisations commit to making the best use of new and emerging technology and established border management principles with their respective members to deliver an improved international passenger experience globally across borders.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: “Travel & Tourism employs one in ten people on the planet today and over the course of the next 20 years we will witness a doubling of the number of travellers and the creation of as many as 100 million jobs around the world. We have a responsibility to prepare for the future by transforming the traveller experience while increasing security by working together and with governments. Our relationship with IBMATA will help to promote the concept of safe and secure travel across international borders and improved passenger experience.”

Tony Smith CBE, Chairman of IBMATA, said “Border Agencies are dealing with more international passengers at their international borders than ever before, against a backdrop of static or declining resources. It is important that they make best use of new and emerging technology to enable them to facilitate the traveller experience for the vast majority of low risk traffic, whilst at the same time maintain safe and secure borders. Our relationship with WTTC will enable us to maximise collaboration between the travel industry, border agencies and technology providers to help us deliver this important function.”

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 28, 2019 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels & Resorts has said a huge “thank you” to its partners and associates in Asia by hosting a glittering party in Bangkok.

The “Best Western Thank You Party 2019” was held at Cocoona Lounge, on the 19^th floor of the Gaysorn Urban Resort in Bangkok on Thursday 21^st March 2019. The event gathered approximately 70 of the company’s closest partners, including travel agents, corporate clients, marketing partners and members of the media, for a fun-filled evening of networking, live music, fine food, and cool drinks.

A prize draw was also held during the night, with fantastic prizes including stays at Best Western branded hotels and resorts across Asia.

Ms. Piyada Jakkham of Krungthai Card PLC. (KTC) was the lucky winner of the first prize – a two-night stay at Best Western Plus Hotel Fino Osaka Kitahama, Japan, including daily breakfast for two guests and a pair of return flights between Bangkok and Osaka!

Mr. Kevin Ng of Travel Weekly Asia won the second prize, a two-night stay at Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, Vietnam, including breakfast for two; while Mr. Evan Crosby of Travco was the lucky winner of the third prize, a two-night stay at Best Western Plus The Beachfront Phuket, Thailand, inclusive of breakfast for two. Finally, Mr. Patchrakorn Parnthong of HotelBeds won a Travel Card worth US$100, which can be redeemed at any Best Western branded hotel worldwide.

“We were honored to host the Best Western Thank You Party 2019, which allowed us to express our deep gratitude to all of our esteemed partners and clients,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia. “Best Western is undergoing one of the most impressive periods of growth in our 73-year history, with a series of new brands, hotels, and innovations all across the world. We understand, however, that none of this could be possible without the enduring support of our partners.”

“This event was our way of saying ‘thank you’ – a small gesture of our appreciation for the amazing hard work and dedication of all of our partners. We look forward to building even stronger and deeper relationships with our partners in the future,” Olivier added.

The Best Western Thank You Party 2019 also allowed the company to update its guests on Best Western’s latest news and exciting developments. This included the recent acquisition of WorldHotels®, the renowned global collection of approximately 300 luxury hotels and resorts. As a result of this acquisition, Best Western now operates 16 distinct hotel brands in all sectors of the market, from economy to luxury.

Moving forward, Best Western will continue to develop its portfolio of hotels and resorts across Asia, whilst working with its trade, corporate, marketing and media partners to create world-class guest experiences for the benefit of the entire industry.

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of over 4,500 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide*. Best Western offers 16 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market. Best Western branded hotels include Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, GLō®, AidenSM, SadieSM, BW Premier Collection®, and BW Signature Collection®. Through recent acquisition, Best Western now also offers WorldHotels® Luxury, WorldHotels Elite and WorldHotels Distinctive brands. Completing its portfolio, Best Western offers SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, and SureStay Collection® franchises**. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including 66 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2018, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-midscale and midscale hotel brands respectively for two consecutive years, and Fast Company honoring Best Western Hotels & Resorts with a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality category. Best Western has also won 10 consecutive AAA®/CAA® Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAA/CAA’s nearly 60 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in breakfast (food and beverage category) by J.D. Power’s 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first for midscale; and second for upper midscale. Nearly 40 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western-branded hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Google® Street View provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.
* 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 & 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