Category: Latest Travel News

Khon Kaen (Thailand) – November 29, 2018 – The PATA Destination Marketing Forum 2018, with the theme ‘Growth with Goals’, officially began on Wednesday, November 28 attracting over 300 delegates from 25 destinations. The event, hosted by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) with the support of Khon Kaen Province, brought together delegates from the public and private sectors for inspiring and insightful discussions on some of the major issues in marketing and managing tourism growth to lesser-known destinations.

Delegates travelled from all corners of the globe including Australia, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palau, The Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, USA and Vietnam.

Addressing a media briefing at the AVANI Khon Kaen Hotel & Convention Centre on November 29, PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy said, “This event stems from the need to help secondary and tertiary areas grow and develop into widely recognised, bucket-listed tourism destinations. Aligning with our advocacy theme of tourism dispersal the Forum shines the spotlight on new and emerging destinations, introducing delegates to lesser-known yet attractive corners of the world. It is designed to assist communities economically in these destinations by encouraging dispersion of tourists to new frontiers.”

Stressing the importance of holding such events, he added, “As travel and tourism becomes a greater contributor to the economic well-being of each destination, plans for the responsible development and sustaining those elements generating growth must be taken into consideration.”

Dr. Somsak Changtragul, Governor of Khon Kaen Province, said, “I am so delightful that Khon Kaen was selected to represent the Northeastern or Isan Thai local culture. This is the first time that you will touch the charm of Isan – that is awaiting for you to discover.”

Ms. Supawan Teerarat, TCEB Senior Vice President – Strategic Business Development & Innovation, said, “Khon Kaen is definitely a rising star in both tourism and MICE. This province, however, is a member of Thailand northeastern region, the most populated and poorest region, but rich in nature, culture and history. It is the reason why TCEB has made Khon Kaen one of the country’s highlighted MICE cities along with Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket.”

Mrs. Srisuda Wanaphinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Americas), said “This PATA event is complied with TAT’s latest campaign of “Amazing Thailand Go Local” which is a landmark project to promote the kingdom’s emerging generation of lesser known destinations as well as the Hub and Hook strategy, with the main city acting as a hub and hook to the nearby lesser known destinations. Khon Kaen is a great example of a hub city and hook to Udon Thani, Nong Khai, and Kalasin. Also, through our technical tour earlier today, Khon Kaen has shown its charm of unique culture, passed-on tradition, tasty cuisine and the true hospitality of the local people.

On Thursday, November 28, delegates had the opportunity to join the Technical Tour and Tourism Marketing Treasure Hunt. They were challenged to discover the gems of Khon Kaen and the surrounding area by engaging with the culture and people of Khon Kaen, taste their food, admire the landscape and savour their history – while leveraging digital tools to identify, collect and promote their new-found travel “treasures.” The activities during the day will be incorporated into the interactive digital marketing workshop taking place during the conference on Friday, November 30.

Other topics to be discussed during the conference include the ‘Status of Destination Management Around the World’, ‘The Role of Local Experiences in Destination Marketing’, ‘Managing the Disconnect between Destination Organisations and Communities’, ‘Transborder Marketing: Case Studies of GMS’, ‘Fighting Undertourism Through Innovative Storytelling’, ‘Calculating our Impact as Destinations’, and ‘Leveraging Technology to Revolutionise the Travel Space’.

Delegates will hear from established and experienced industry professionals representing Art Inspire Company Limited, BBC Global News, Capilano University, E-Tourism Frontiers, Forte Hotel Group, Go Beyond Asia, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, Resonance, Swisscontact, USAID, Venture Republic, and Yaana Ventures.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, 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 more than 800 member organisations, including 95 government, state and city tourism bodies, 20 international airlines and airports, 102 hospitality organisations and 70 educational institutions, as well as over a hundred young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism 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 35 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 22 PATA Student Chapters globally. Their local activities underpins PATA’s membership in Uniting Travel, a coalition of the world’s major Travel & Tourism organisations dedicated to ensuring that the sector speaks with one voice and acts in unison on the major issues and includes ACI, CLIA, IATA, ICAO, WEF, UNWTO and the WTTC. 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. Visit www.PATA.org.

Angeles City (Philippines) – November 29, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels and Resorts will open its first SureStay hotel in The Philippines in the second quarter of 2019, inviting the country to experience one of the newest hotel brands in the industry – the SureStay Hotel Group.

Located in the center of Angeles City, a vibrant tourist destination near the country’s capital of Manila, the SureStay Plus by Best Western Regency Angeles City Clark will provide guests with the amenities today’s travelers have come to expect. SureStay’s service promise reflects the brand and the hotel’s commitment to providing quality service and value to its guests: “If something goes wrong, we will make it right. You should feel sure about your stay.”

“The SureStay Hotel Group is poised for success in The Philippines,” commented Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “Angeles City is the ideal location for our first SureStay property in The Philippines—the bustling city has become a haven for domestic travelers from nearby Manila, while the rapid expansion of Clark International Airport makes the city an increasingly popular destination for international visitors.”

The hotel will feature 56 well-appointed guest rooms with an impressive array of amenities, including an outdoor pool, restaurant, café, and business services, all at an attractive price point.

Perfectly located on Surla Street, a main thoroughfare in downtown Angeles City, the property’s setting is ideal for guests looking to be in the heart of the city. Guests will be able to explore the local area with the city’s many attractions available within a short walk of the hotel, including the SM City Clark mall, PAGCOR casino and Fields Avenue “walking street”. The property will be easily accessible via Clark International Airport which offers direct connections to major international cities including Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Dubai, Seoul and Taipei.

“With its combination of international midscale accommodation, excellent service and value-for-money, SureStay Hotel Group is perfectly suited to the Philippines,” added Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia. “Angeles City offers a unique and enticing destination for the first SureStay property in Philippines, and the city’s unique vibrancy complements the modern design offered by the SureStay Hotel Group, providing guests with an experience they can count on.”

Developed by Tambayan Hospitality Group Inc., SureStay Plus by Best Western Regency Angeles City Clark will be operated under a franchise agreement with SureStay Hotel Group and Best Western. The signing ceremony was attended by Abdul S. Jamal, Chairman of Tambayan Hospitality, and Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

Best Western currently operates five hotels and resorts all across The Philippines, making it one of the country’s largest international hotel operators.

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 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers 13 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb®, GLō®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Sadie HotelSM, Aiden HotelSM, BW Premier Collection® by Best Western, and BW Signature Collection® by Best Western, as well as its recently launched franchise offerings: SureStay® Hotel by Best Western, SureStay Plus® Hotel by Best Western and SureStay Collection® by Best Western. 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-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, 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 nine 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 58 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first in breakfast (food and beverage category) for midscale; and second in overall guest satisfaction. Over 35 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.
* All Best Western and SureStay-branded hotels are independently owned and operated.
* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

Contact information:
Marketing Communications Department
Best Western Hotels and Resorts – Asia
Tel: +66 2 656 1260

Sirimanas Maungrod
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com

Orapan Sornnuwat
Email: orapan.sornnuwat@bestwestern.com

 

Hong Kong (Hong Kong) – November 29, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Feasibility studies conducted before the construction of exhibition centres should take into account the site- and destination-specific factors professional organisers consider most important, argue Dr Jin-Soo Lee and his research postgraduate student Hwabong Lee of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in a recently published article. Breaking from the traditional focus on the factors that attract visitors, the researchers consider the exhibition sector in Korea and provide convention and exhibition (C&E) management and stakeholders with useful information about the factors that ultimately determine the “effective ways to manage an operating centre”.

The meeting, incentives, convention and exhibition (MICE) industry continues to grow as its significant economic benefits are recognised worldwide. The researchers note that C&E centres are “believed to serve as economic catalysts” that can “revitalise downtown business districts”. Consequently, many countries vie for opportunities to host conventions and exhibitions in efforts to boost local tourism and trade. These events can bring in huge numbers of visitors and provide economic benefits not just for the exhibition organisers, service contractors and venues, but also for the local hospitality industry, which provides accommodation, food and beverages for both exhibitors and visitors.

In Korea, the exhibition industry contributes well over US$2 billion to the country’s economy and provides more than 17,000 full-time equivalent jobs. The researchers note that Korea currently has 13 C&E centres offering 324,368 square metres of space for MICE, ranking it third in Asia in terms of capacity. Both the national and regional governments “substantially invest in MICE infrastructure” to promote the country as a MICE destination, and the number of exhibitions that took place in 2013 was more than four times higher than the number in 2000. Although manufacturing-based exhibitions tend to be hosted in China, Korea is popular for “education/publication, culture/art/broadcast, food and beverage and government/public-related” exhibitions.

Understanding the factors that attract both exhibitors and visitors is clearly helpful for the effective planning of new venues and successful management of existing centres. The researchers argue, however, that although some studies have investigated the factors that attract visitors to conferences and exhibitions, no study has yet “explored the factors that exhibition organisers carefully consider when selecting a C&E centre”. To address this, they set out to identify both the centre- and destination-specific attributes that Korean exhibition organisers consider most important when selecting a venue.

In the first part of the study, interviews were conducted with nine industry professionals from different companies in Korea, all of whom were in senior positions and had at least 10 years of experience in organising exhibitions. The researchers asked the professionals about what they considered the “important attributes for selecting a C&E centre”, and then combined this information with a literature review to generate a list of questionnaire items. After review by an expert panel and statistical analysis, they compiled a questionnaire consisting of 33 items referring to C&E centre attributes.

The second part of the study comprised a survey of staff members with at least 3 years of experience in organising exhibitions. To “minimise bias unique to the destination environment (i.e. Korea) and the types and themes of shows”, the respondents were asked to complete the survey as if they were selecting a C&E venue for an exhibition with no specific theme and in no specific country or city. One hundred and sixty-six employees from 21 exhibition organising firms provided usable answers. The researchers then grouped the 33 items into 9 different dimensions, of which 5 were centre-specific and 4 were destination-specific, and assessed their relative importance.

The accessibility of a centre was found to be the most important dimension overall, because it was deemed to be highly critical for attracting both exhibitors and visitors. The researchers measured accessibility not just in terms of ground and air access, but also in terms of logistics, which they comment are “an important component” for exhibitors that need to ship their exhibition materials to the centre.

The next dimension, the image of the centre, is important for promoting and branding an exhibition. As the researchers point out, major exhibitions are “mainly held in internationally renowned C&E centres” that boost the image and branding of the exhibition through being associated with the centre’s image. Unsurprisingly, organisers also considered the cost of renting an exhibition hall as an important attribute because exhibitions are profit-oriented commercial events.

Although the quality of staff and service contractors were perceived as less critical by the interviewees, they were still important. In particular, the quality of staff members and service contractors who work closely with the organisers in the “planning, management and on-site operation” of an exhibition directly affects the quality of the exhibition and is thus a significant selection factor.

The centre’s facilities were considered the least important factor, but the researchers explain that this is probably because Korea’s C&E centres are relatively new and offer excellent facilities, thus organisers may not need to give them high consideration. They also note, however, that organisers are increasingly expecting centres to be “equipped with a visitor promotion assistance programme”, including promotion through social networking sites, to attract as many visitors as possible.

Among the destination attributes, the organisers considered the “synergy and cohesion” between the industrial environment and the theme of the exhibition to be the most important factor. The industrial environment includes the support of “relevant industry associations and government bodies”, which can be used to promote the event and attract both exhibitors and visitors.

The availability of a wide range of hotel accommodation was another important destination attribute, given that most exhibitors and visitors will require overnight accommodation. This is more important than the C&E site environment, which includes the local language and security, and extra-exhibition opportunities, such as the availability of shopping, dining and local attractions.

The results of the study provide C&E centre management and stakeholders with valuable insights into the factors that should be considered when planning new centres and managing existing ones. As the researchers warn, a “highly optimistic and inappropriate feasibility study” could lead to huge losses that damage the local economy and “tarnish the destination image”. Their findings imply that stakeholders should carefully assess the local environment as the most important factor in a feasibility study. In particular, accessibility, the industrial environment and hotel accommodation are critical because exhibition organisers value these attributes highly, yet the C&E centre management will have little control over the local infrastructure after the centre is built.

The findings also have implications for how existing centres can “strategically boost revenues from exhibitions”. Management needs to “continuously monitor and manage” the centre to remain competitive, and the results of the study suggest that focusing on the centre’s image, its facilities, the cost of exhibition halls and the quality of staff and service contractors will be most beneficial in terms of attracting event organisers. As many centres already offer similarly high-quality facilities, it may be difficult to create a competitive advantage, but the study findings point to visitor promotion facilities as one area that can create added value. Thus, centres could consider providing advertising facilities through indoor and outdoor billboards, social networking and credit card companies.

Whereas attention is usually focused on the factors that attract visitors to exhibitions and conferences, the researchers focus on the alternative perspective of the exhibition organiser. This is an important shift, because their findings offer valuable new insights that should help existing and prospective C&E centres to plan, manage and operate their facilities more effectively.

Lee, Hwabong and Lee, Jin-Soo. (2017). An Exploratory Study of Factors that Exhibition Organisers Look for when Selecting Convention and Exhibition Centers. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 34(8), 1001-1017.

Contact information:
Ms Pauline Ngan, Senior Marketing Manager
School of Hotel and Tourism Management
Telephone : (852) 3400 2634
E-mail      : pauline.ngan@polyu.edu.hk
Website    : www.polyu.edu.hk/htm

Macao (Macau) – November 29, 2018
(travelindex.com) –
With the arrival of winter soon upon us, Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace Cotai will partner with award-winning chefs to present the tremendously successful ‘Wynn Guest Chef Series’ for a third time. Also, signature restaurants at Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace will present a very special selection of winter seasonal dishes designed to warm the soul from December through February 2019.

Wynn Guest Chef Series

Florilege (Japan)

First listed as the “One to Watch” in 2016, Tokyo’s Florilège in Aoyama to rank 3 rd on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2018. At the helm of Florilège is Chef Hiroyasu Kawate, who also successfully led his restaurant to receive two Michelin stars from the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2018. As one of the most highly respected chefs in Asia today, Chef Kawate will use Mizumi at Wynn Palace as his stage to create imaginative modern French cuisine with the freshest and highest quality of Japanese ingredients.

Dates: January 9 – 10
Venue: Mizumi, Wynn Palace

Family Li Imperial Cuisine (China)

Chef Ivan Li, of Family Li Imperial Cuisine received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the2014 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards and is one of the most sought-after Chinese chefs in the country. He is the second generation of the Family Li Imperial Cuisine restaurant and will fittingly work with Chinese Executive Chef Liu Guo Zhu, who also oversees Golden Flower which preserves the rich traditions of Tan cuisine. Together, they will present the essence of Qing Dynasty court cuisine. Chef Li strictly follows his ancestral training, while also blending contemporary culinary ideas to carry on the traditions of Li Imperial cuisine. As with Tan cuisine, the finest ingredients are used with the most delicate of cooking methods.

Dates: February 18 – 19
Venue: Golden Flower, Wynn Macau

Sushi Saito (Japan)

For nine consecutive years, Sushi Saito has received three Michelin stars from the Michelin Guide Tokyo and in 2018, was ranked #27 on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list. The chefs at Sushi Saito go to extraordinary lengths to source the best ingredients to create sushi that balances texture, temperature and flavor. Sous Chef Shunji Hashiba, of Sushi Saito will be stationed at Sushi Mizumi at Wynn Palace, where he will present a variety of expertly sliced sashimi and Edo hand-held sushi for guests to savor.

Dates: February 23 – 24
Venue: Sushi Mizumi, Wynn Palace

Wynn Winter Flavors

Wynn Macau

The Michelin Two-Star and Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award-winning restaurant Golden Flower features Tan cuisine which dates back to the late Qing Dynasty when a government official, Tan Zongjun served the best of northern and southern Chinese cuisines to the elite in China. Golden Flower also specializes in traditional Lu and Sichuan cuisines which are perfect for the winter months as well. Golden Flower will present two lamb dishes which are designed to warm the soul. The first is the Sichuan Style Braised Mongolian Lamb Chops and Chili Sauce with Garlic and Vegetables. The lamb chops are specially selected from the Inner Mongolian grasslands, where the meat of the lamb is tender and juicy. The lamb also has a hint of spice and is cooked in a clay pot. Another highlight is the Deep-fried Spice-Flavored Te Mana Lamb Ribs. These delicious New Zealand lamb ribs are full of flavor and sliced right at the table for guests to see.

Wing Lei, the Michelin one-star and Forbes Travel Guide five-Star award-winning restaurant will introduce a special truffle dish featuring the flavors of East and West this winter. The team of chefs have created Scrambled Egg White with Lobster and Broccoli Served with Shaved Black Truffle, which features a beautiful blend of fresh lobster, Italian black truffles and fried Australian broccoli with ginger sauce.

The team of chefs at Ristorante il Teatro will also be on stage in their beautiful open kitchen to present a very special Hokkaido Scallop Tartar in honor of winter.  This dish features Hokkaido scallop tartar, stracciatella, Oscietra caviar, Romanesco florets, cauliflower cream, green pea puree and dill. The Hokkaido scallop are from the Sea of Okhotsk which is rich in nutrients, allowing the scallops to grow larger and sweeter. The Oscietra caviar from Kaluga Queen blends beautifully with the cauliflower cream and green pea puree.

Wynn Palace Cotai

SW Steakhouse is renowned for its prime meat and succulent seafood as well as its captivating theatrical dining experience.  This winter, the team of chefs at SW Steakhouse are offering Wagyu Braised Beef Cheeks which are slow braised for eight hours. The tender, wagyu beef cheeks are then glazed with pomegranate molasses, served with charred carrot and spiced rice featuring aromas and flavors that are out of this world.

From December 17, 2018 to February 28, 2019, the luxurious Wing Lei Palace is presenting an authentically Cantonese dish to warm the soul this winter – Braised Fish Maw, Sea Cucumber and Guinea Fowl Soup. For centuries, this soup has been enjoyed by imperial families. In keeping with tradition, this dish will be prepared in the same classic way, but rather than using snake meat, guinea fowl will be used. Together with fish maw and sea cucumber, this soup will be a wonderfully nourishing winter for guests to enjoy.

For more details, you may also visit: wynnpalace.com

About Wynn Macau

Wynn Macauis a luxury hotel and casino resort in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China with two iconic towers featuring a total of 1,008 spacious rooms and suites, approximately 273,000 square feet of casino space, over 59,000 square feet of  retail space, eight casual and fine dining  restaurants, two  spas, a  salon and a pool. The resort proudly boasts three distinct entertainment experiences, including Macau’s only choreographed Performance Lake, blending lofty plumes of water, gracefully choreographed music from Broadway tunes to renowned Chinese songs, powerful LED lights and fire effects.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Serena Chin, Director – Public Relations
Tel: 853 8889 3909
Email:  serena.chin@wynnmacau.com

Aron Chan, Assistant Manager – Public Relations
Tel: 853 8889 3907
Email:  aron.chan@wynnpalace.com

Singapore (Singapore) – November 23, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Travelindex has recently launched its restaurant guide, Top 25 Restaurants – the Mastercard Affluent Dining Guide in 5 key cities across Asia Pacific. Top 25 Restaurants is the World’s 1st Restaurant Guide based on AI through it’s unique “Restaurant Rating Index”.

The ratings and ranking are based on patented, artificial intelligence and natural language processing technology, and, importantly, re-assessed by some of the world’s top culinary experts. Top25Restaurants.com is the world’s 1st restaurant guide based on AI.

The culinary experts are passionate and knowledgeable about food and restaurants they assess the décor, ambience, service, quality of ingredients used and cooking techniques, the personality of the chef in the cuisine, value for money, and overall consistency.

Top25Restaurants.com is celebrating fine dining in each city highlighting its the culinary dynamism, as well as new trends and chefs supporting local community products. Top 25 Restaurants contributes to the prestige of the local fine dining scene and, with the integration into the Travelindex global ecosystem, contributes to attract more visitors and tourists to the cities and countries.

Begin your discovery of some of the world’s finest restaurants across Asia Pacific at www.Top25Restaurants.com/asia

For the best restaurants in Bangkok, visit www.Top25Restaurants.com/bangkok/
For the best restaurants in Singapore, visit www.Top25Restaurants.com/singapore/
For the best restaurants in Hong Kong, visit www.Top25Restaurants.com/hongkong/
For the best restaurants in Shanghai, visit www.Top25Restaurants.com/shanghai/
For the best restaurants in Delhi, visit www.Top25Restaurants.com/delhi/

Singapore (Singapore) – November 23, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Influential Brands, a think-tank research and business organisation which identifies, engages and recognises “The Champions of Excellence” throughout Asia, has named and recognised nine Thai companies as deserving winners at the 2018 Thailand’s Outstanding Brands. The winners were judged not only on their outstanding success in its own category, industry or domain, but also on their significant growth in the past few years. Some of the key indicators used to assess the companies’ performance include – profitability, revenue, number of stores, number of employees, among others.

From left to right: Mr Jorge Rodriquez, Managing Director of Influential Brands, Mr Chairat Sirivat, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Royal Thai Embassy to Singapore, Ms Vannee Leelavechbutr, Founder & CEO of Neo Target Company Limited, Ms Pavarisa Chumvigrand, Chief Marketing Officer of LINE Mobile Thailand Co. Ltd, Mrs Napasorn Pranich, CEO of SparSha Slimming Center, Mr Seah Kian Peng, CEO of NTUC Fairprice, Mr Somsak Mauthorn, Senior Executive Vice President of Siam Kubota Corporation Co. Ltd, Mr Piya Tantivachyanon, CEO of Superrich Currency Exchange (1965) Co. Ltd.

Mr Jorge Rodriguez, Managing Director of Influential Brands said: “With the ASEAN economic agenda gearing towards business expansion across Asia and enhancing productivity, we are delighted to recognise the exemplary efforts of Thai companies that are expanding and growing their businesses.”

This year, the nine top Thai companies winning the outstanding brands award ranged from food and beverage (F&B), fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) including agricultural machinery to financial services and online brands. Some of them have demonstrated sustainable double digit growth, continuous business development and integration of technology and innovation.

Ms Vannee Leelavechbutr, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Neo Target Company Limited, revealed that Neo Target will be the co-organiser of the inaugural Influential Brands Awards for companies in Thailand which will be held in Bangkok on 11 December.

“In response to this latest trend in markets across Asia, Neo Target hopes to raise awareness among Thai entrepreneurs and owners of Thai brands of the significance of organisational reputation management as well as the importance of improving brand acceptance and trust, in order to enhance their business growth and ensure their competitiveness both at national and international levels,” said Ms Leelavechbutr.

The highlights of the four award-winning Thai companies which attended the 2018 CEO Asia Summit are as follows:

Line Mobile – Without doubt, this is one of the fastest growing brands in the telecom industry. Recognised as the first and leading 100% digital mobile service provider in Thailand, Line Mobile disrupts the market by completely shifting consumer behaviour from offline to online. Keeping consumer centricity in mind, Line Mobile focuses on turning consumer frustrations from traditional mobile services into delightful user experience. With Line Mobile SIM, consumers can simply call, chat, and enjoy internet surfing at a cheaper rate than any competitor. In less than a year, Line Mobile has achieved phenomenal sales growth of over 250%.

Siam Kubota – The market leader of machinery solutions for agricultural industry and commanding a market share of almost 80% in Thailand, Siam Kubota is now recognised as the company for its vision of “Agricultural Innovation For The Future”. As an agricultural solutions provider in ASEAN, the company focuses on products and services development. It incorporates agricultural knowledge and experience with cutting-edge technology to sustainably enhance farming efficiency and thus contributing to the stability of Thailand’s agricultural sector, as well as to ensure food security for the global population.

Superrich Currency Exchange (1965) – Established since 1965, SuperRich is the best-known currency exchange service in Thailand. Recognising the ever-growing tourism industry, the company offers a more convenient option with more favourable rates and more accessible locations compared to other competitors. As of today, SuperRich has over 40 outlets throughout Bangkok and they transact more than 34 currencies, serving up to 1 million customers per month. The company is also preparing to expand to other ASEAN countries and Europe in the near future.

SparSha – SparSha Slimming Center is a well-known brand in the beauty industry of Thailand. Operating for more than a decade, the company has earned the love and trust of its customers with its high-quality products and services. Its steady growth allows SparSha to establish over 40 centers situated in various department stores across the country. SparSha stands out for its innovation and technology, harnessing them to develop and introduce new products and services to continually delight its customers.

The 2018 CEO Asia Summit culminated in the presentation of Asia’s most-coveted “Top Influential Brands”, “Outstanding Brands”, “Hall of Fame” and the highly anticipated announcement of the winners in the new category of “Top Employer Brands”.

About Influential Brands
Influential Brands is a think-tank, research and brand recognition platform formed to identify, engage and recognise the best brands throughout Asia. Its family of brands comprises global and regional brands from over 15 countries worldwide. Leveraging on more than 19 years of branding knowledge, know-how and expertise in Asia, it seeks to provide knowledge, raise awareness of desirable brands, and celebrate the unique aspects of Asian-based businesses and Asia’s rich brand heritage. Brand excellence is celebrated following extensive consumer and market research, assessment of branding qualities, influence and impact on consumers. Influential Brands strives towards “Champion of Excellence”.

Hamedan (Iran) – November 21, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) International Seminar on Harnessing Cultural Tourism through Innovation and Technology and 40th Affiliate Members Plenary Session concluded with a renewed call for community participation in development of cultural tourism using cutting-edge technologies (12-14 November 2018, Hamedan, Islamic Republic of Iran).

Cultural and heritage attractions are key to tourism development in many countries around the world, and innovation and technology can make these attractions more accessible while preserving their essence, the seminar concluded. It also stressed that innovation and technology should empower, rather than disenfranchise, host populations and communities and can assist them in retaining their authenticity, while cultural heritage development and preservation should be a part of local and national plans for socioeconomic development through tourism and technology.

“Technology and innovation, including ICT, can improve the quality of the tourist experience. It can improve governance, profits and the wellbeing of residents. And it can preserve intangible and tangible heritage resources for the sustainable development of cultural tourism,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili opening the event.

“The world’s diverse range of culture and heritage form the best means and ways to connect peoples of the world – but only if the rights and privileges of both host and guest populations are respected and responded to. And innovation and technology can help”, added Iranian Vice-President Ali Asghar Mounesan, who also heads the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handcraft and Tourism Organization (ICHTO).

The seminar agreed that informed governance and policies surrounding uptake of new technologies and innovative practices can guide tourism development and open doors for the sector, with conservation and revitalization of cultural heritage one of its main benefits. It also highlighted that for tourism authorities, participation of, and collaboration with, the host community should be a driver for technology-driven change. It was urged that tourism development not only maximize benefits and minimize costs for greater competitiveness, but also respond to the expectations and needs of hosts and guests alike.

The seminar was organized by UNWTO, ICHTO and Alisadr Tourism Company. Alongside it, Hamedan played host to the UNWTO Affiliate Members’ 40th plenary, in which active discussions were held as UNWTO’s Affiliate Members voiced their opinions and suggestions on the Affiliate Members Department’s Programme of Work for 2019.

Contacts:
UNWTO Communications Department
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100
Fax: +34 91 567 8218
Email: comm@unwto.org

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 21, 2018 (travelindex) – After recently launching its two new boutique brands, Best Western Hotels and Resorts today announced its first Aiden Hotel and Sadie Hotel locations. The first-ever Aiden Hotel opened last month in Seoul, South Korea, and the next is set to open in December near Paris, France. The first three Sadie Hotel properties are coming to Tampa, Florida; Fredericksburg, Texas; and New York, New York in 2020.

Sadie Hotel and Aiden Hotel are designed to creatively use space and technology by giving guests a unique experience. Each hotel will feature local flair with a thoughtful design, addressing the demands of today’s travelers. Sadie Hotel and Aiden Hotel will fill a void in the upscale hotel segment by giving developers the chance to be creative and incorporate local flair into their designs, retrofitting or rebranding an existing hotel with a modern, spirited aesthetic.

The first-ever Aiden Hotel opened this month in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The 151-unit boutique hotel, pictured on the right, offers travelers not just a place to stay but a fun and adventurous experience. With modern signature seating, a multi-functional public area, convenient mobile check-in, and locally inspired designs, the hotel has a fresh and innovative approach that truly stands out from the competition.

“We’re thrilled with the early interest we’ve seen in both Aiden Hotel and Sadie Hotel brands, and are excited to have our first Aiden Hotel open in a key global market like Seoul, just weeks after launching,” said David Kong, President and Chief Executive Officer at Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “Aiden Hotel is a sophisticated boutique hotel brand that perfectly aligns with the pulse of Seoul, bringing a sense of style and adventure to our guests. As these brands grow, it will become evident how different Aiden Hotel and Sadie Hotel are than any other brands, as they intertwine technology with art, bring innovation and colorful, locally inspired design to each location. Whether a conversion or new build, we set owners up for success with dedicated teams to help these hotels ramp up quickly and efficiently in their market.”

The second Aiden Hotel is set to open in mid-November of this year just north of Paris, France. The 90-room boutique hotel will offer a variety of amenities for guests to enjoy, including a multi-functional space, bar, restaurant, pool, and three meeting rooms for business travelers. Guestrooms will feature local designs with chic and sophisticated décor.

Aiden Hotel’s sister brand, Sadie Hotel, will be introduced soon as well, making her debut in New York, New York, Fredericksburg, Texas and Tampa, Florida. The 70-room Sadie hotel in Tampa is slated to open in the spring of 2020. The New York City location will follow shortly after with a stylish and edgy design to fit seamlessly into the heart of the Big Apple. The Fredericksburg, Texas property is located in Texas Hill Country which is home to over 45 wineries and vineyards. All three of these hotels will compete in the upscale segments and offer innovative amenities linking state-of-the-art technology with colorful, local flair.

For more information on Aiden Hotel and Sadie Hotel brands, visit BestWestern.com

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 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers 13 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb®, GLō®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Sadie HotelSM, Aiden HotelSM, BW Premier Collection® by Best Western, and BW Signature Collection® by Best Western, as well as its recently launched franchise offerings: SureStay® Hotel by Best Western, SureStay Plus® Hotel by Best Western and SureStay Collection® by Best Western. 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-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, 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 nine 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 58 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first in breakfast (food and beverage category) for midscale; and second in overall guest satisfaction. Over 35 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.
* All Best Western and SureStay-branded hotels are independently owned and operated.
* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

Contact information:
Marketing Communications Department
Best Western Hotels and Resorts – Asia
Tel: +66 2 656 1260

Sirimanas Maungrod
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com

Orapan Sornnuwat
Email: orapan.sornnuwat@bestwestern.com

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – November 20, 2018 (travelindex.com) – People in the tourism and travel are conscious that it is in public / private sector partnership that success will be guaranteed. This is also by working together in the region, on the continent and globally.

Pascal Viroleau, the CEO Vanilla Islands on working visit in Seychelles

This last week Pascal Viroleau, the CEO of the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands was in Seychelles for discussions with the island’s Minister responsible for Tourism, Mr Didier Dogley and his Team. The meeting was primarily to discuss the regional Organisation which should see the Seychelles Minister take over its Presidency in December.

The rotation of President for the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands is enshrined in the documents that established the organisation and ensures that each Member State or Island gets their chance to lead their tourism organisation. The Vanilla Islands has achieved remarkable success since its formation. Today the success in what is called Cruise Tourism for the Indian Ocean stand out with increased in rotations, and with the arrival of new companies to ply in the Indian Ocean.

The support for the Organisation by Reunion Island has helped ensure the success of the Regional Body. President Didier Robert, the President of the Regional Council of Reunion has been a fervent supporter of working together so much so that he has even opened Reunion Trade Offices in most of the Indian Ocean Islands in a bid to encourage more trade and visits between the sister islands of the Indian Ocean.

Working together for the success of Tourism is important in all its facets. The Continent of Africa knows that tourism is the industry that can help the ordinary small African to be part of the continent’s business performers. African is receiving just over 5% of the world tourism movements and this will remain so unless Africa claims back its industry and works together as one.

New CIP Lounge at Seychelles International Airport

Seychelles International Airport is set to see the opening of a new CIP Lounge as from the 1st. December. “We can today confirm the official opening of our PAYANKE CIP Lounge on the 1st December” said a representative of the new CIP Lounge.

“We are looking forward to greeting our first clients in a 1st Class environment from 6.00am to 23.30hrs from the 1st December” he went on to say. Laura Mauleon has been appointed as the Operation Manager of the Lounge and Sheena Botsoi is the Lounge Manager
Family events bring joy as it rallies the family even closer together. In the past week two family events did us proud and brought us together. My brother Marston’s wedding to Laura Savy, and my daughter Michelle was admitted to the Seychelles Bar.

Congratulations to Marston & Laura St.Ange

Marston St.Ange of Chez Marston Guest House on La Digue was married last week to his long time partner Laura Savy. The wedding ceremony was held right on the beach of the lovely Anse Severe in the presence of the couple’s two daughters Sophie and Lucie and many members of both families and also close friends.

Marston and Laura own and manage the Chez Marston tourism establishment and the adjacent Orchid Small Hotel.

Congratulations to Michelle St.Ange – Ebrahim for being called to the Bar in Seychelles

Michelle St.Ange-Ebrahim has been called to the Seychelles Bar during a ceremony at the Seychelles Supreme Court chaired by the island’s Chief Justice Mathilda Towmey. Michelle was presented by her pupil Master Kieran Shah in the presence of David Esparon, the Deputy Attorney General of Seychelles who was also her pupil master during her years at the Attorney General’s Office.

Ocean Sustainable Development: Time for Action is Long Overdue says Former President Michel

Former President James Michel has called on Ocean Industry leadership from across the globe to support a call for large parts of the high seas which remains unregulated at the moment to be declared fully protected areas to be respected by all countries and ocean users. This he says will ensure that ecosystems and resources of the high seas remain in good shape for the benefit of generations to come.

Mr. Michel made the call in an address to ocean industry leaders at a dinner organised by the World Ocean Council on the first day of the 6th Sustainable Ocean Summit in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

The world needs a new breed of innovative entrepreneurs to tap into the vast potentials that the oceans present, who will be profitable but at the same time ensure that their own activities and that of their partners and suppliers are sustainable.

He recommended that maritime transportation technology engineers be pushed to the limit to develop carbon efficient vessels and also explore the possibility of making use of renewable energy sources to power vessels.

Mr. Michel also called for the use of Fish Attracting Devices (FAD) be discontinued or banned as they are indiscriminate of the species and sizes of seafood they attract, and which are eventually caught up in the nets. “The fishing industry can tap into technological advances in satellite and other communications platforms instead which are enabling the development of systematic observations in the deep oceans and even under the ice” he advises.

With regards to plastic pollution he encouraged the business community to support the establishment of waste treatment facilities as well as clean –up operations, especially on islands and coastal areas with the aim of limiting the amount of plastics and waste from making it to the ocean.

In addition he proposed that the United Nations consider the WOC as an official partner of its agencies involved with regulating the oceans so as to create synergies between the UN and all maritime stakeholders.

At small islands states level Mr. Michel proposed some ideas for practical steps that will mark progress. They include a one stop global shop window for good ideas and practical projects that will further the cause of the Blue Economy, encourage small islands to develop centres for excellence for one specific activity (like Seychelles can be the home of progressive Blue Economy management schemes, Samoa for waste management and Cape Verde for tidal energy solutions), bring more women into the maritime workforce and encourage new ideas for sustainable development, an annual award by the UN for the greatest contributions to the sustainable use of our shared ocean and the creation of a focussed business leadership group, concentrating on the Blue Economy in small islands states.

Mr, Michel was addressing the Summit at the invitation of the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the World Ocean Council, Mr. Paul Holthus.

This year’s edition under the theme “Ocean Sustainable Development: Connecting Asia and the World” has attracted a large number of global ocean business industry leaders, inter and non-governmental organisations the science community and academics.

The Seychelles Petroleum Company SEYPEC was also being represented by its Legal and Corporate Officer, Alvine Marie.

The James Michel Foundation was also being represented by the Vice Chair, Professor Denis Hardy and Acting Chief Executive Officer, Antoine Onezime.

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 20, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Since 1914, Rolls-Royce has set the standard for luxury that is rare, sovereign and personal.
The marque’s range of motor cars are hand-built at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, a place where hundreds of engineers, designers and craftspeople work together to strive for perfection, according to an age-old principle from founder Henry Royce.

Rolls-Royce has long been the choice of rock stars, royalty and other highly successful and discerning individuals – a sign of success and an acknowledgement of quality. The Bespoke team in Goodwood work closely with patrons to fulfil their every request, from refining ideas, meticulously selecting materials, to even creating entirely new designs so as to ensure unsurpassed levels of luxury.

The result is the automotive equivalent of art – and now Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok brings its masterpieces to the latest luxury retail destination in the city with an Exclusive Showcase in ICONSIAM. This Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Exclusive Showcase occupies a 193 square-metre space, accentuated by design elements that convey a combination of modernity and luxury — cornerstones of the Rolls-Royce brand.

In line with the marque’s dedication to artistic endeavour, the showcase is styled like an art gallery, with cars on display as masterpieces. Each month, two different super-luxury cars will be put on display, rotating like art collections in a beautiful gallery. The cars will be placed in open environments without glass partitions, encouraging all to admire its hand-crafted beauty in plain sight.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok invites everyone to visit its Exclusive Showcase at ICONSIAM. Group visits and guided introduction sessions can also be arranged on request.

On this auspicious occasion, distinguished guests and members of the local media are cordially invited to view the Rolls-Royce Cullinan at the new showcase from December 13, 2018 after its presentation at the Bangkok Motor Expo. The new Cullinan is the world’s most luxurious SUV, which promises to redefine luxury travel as Effortless, Everywhere.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will also display the bold and daring Ghost Black Badge for the first time in a public space, along with pinnacle super-luxury limousine Phantom, which was officially unveiled earlier this year.

All these iconic motor cars are ready for reservation by our valued customers, according to Mr. Sunthornpan Dhechatech, General Manager for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok.