Category: Latest Travel News

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 19, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Iconsiam, the spectacular Bht 54-billion, landmark development and iconic landmark of Thailand’s eternal prosperity on the Chao Phraya River, today, opened the first floating museum in Thailand on the ‘Sri Mahasamut Ship’ – the symbol of river-borne prosperity, to commemorate King Taksin the Great on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the foundation of Krung Thonburi Sri Mahasamut. The museum showcases the life and legacy of King Taksin the Great in an exhibition using advanced techniques to tell stories and create a spectacular experience for visitors by making them feel like they are going back in time while boarding this ship. The sensational opening of the floating museum ‘Sri Mahasamut Ship’ has been held with an exciting light and sound show and a Ramakien puppet performance featuring ‘Hanuman Flirting with Varin’ episode, which is significant because it was written by King Taksin the Great himself. The ceremony was presided over by Dr. Visanu Krua-ngarm, Deputy Prime Minister. Joining the occasion were managements of Iconsiam, sponsors, and renowned actors namely ‘Aum’ Atichart Chumnanon, ‘James’ Jirayu Tangsrisuk, and ‘Nune’ Woranuch Bhirombahkdi. Conducted in front of the floating museum ‘Sri Mahasamut Ship’ in the midst of the picturesque view of the Chao Phraya River at River Park ICONSAIM, the ceremony symbolises the ship being about to set off on a voyage once again.

Mr. Narong Chearavanont, Chairman of the Board, The Iconsiam Superlux Residence Corporation Ltd., said, “The floating museum ‘Sri Mahasamut Ship’ was built on the Chao Phraya River for the first time in Thailand by Iconsiam Co., Ltd., operator of Iconsiam – the spectacular landmark development and iconic landmark of Thailand’s eternal prosperity, in collaboration with The Iconsiam Residences Corporation Ltd., The Iconsiam Super Luxe Residence Corporation Ltd., and the Government Savings Bank. The purpose is to commemorate King Taksin the Great for his rehabilitation of Krung Thonburi and paving the way of making the city a trade route with lasting prosperity. There is an exhibition showing the King’s life and what he did to rehabilitate Krung Thonburi and how he made it a major port city. The floating museum ‘Sri Mahasamut Ship’ symbolises the prosperity brought by water streams. It takes visitors back to the glorious days of ship trade in the 18th century when Krung Thonburi was a major port in an international trade route, to let Thais and anyone interested learn about a crucial period in Thai history. The exhibition is held from 14 November 2018 – 13 January 2019 at River Park, Iconsiam, by the Chao Phraya River, and there is no price of admission.”

The spectacular ‘Sri Mahasamut Ship’ was exquisitely modeled after the red head ship, as called by the Teochew people. Inside, visitors are able to observe different areas of the vessel which tell historical stories in an exhibition using advanced interactive techniques to offer a virtual reality experience as if one is thrown back to the time bygone on the real ship. The exhibition area is divided into three zones. Zone 1 – Captain’s Cabin showcases a history and accounts of ship trade, the capital building and relocation, and Krung Thonburi as a port city for commerce. Zone 2 – Crew Cabin demonstrates an atmosphere and life on board. Zone 3 – Civilization Archive contains a biography and initiatives of King Taksin the Great in city rebuilding, a chronology of wars to unify the kingdom, Thonburi-China trade relations and diplomacy, world trade routes, and ‘ship’ as a symbol of prosperity. There are also hands-on activities for visitors to enjoy some on board experiences such as hoisting a cargo crate as if being a crew member of ancient times. Visitors can also change into national outfits of various nationalities through Kinect and take photos with the civilization archive and share them on board. The ‘Sri Mahasamut Ship’ also has a good view point on the top deck as well as retail and coffee areas for visitors.

“Iconsiam, the spectacular Bht 54-billion, landmark development and iconic landmark of Thailand’s eternal prosperity on the Chao Phraya River, was created out of a resolution to glorify precious stories of pride from every dimension of Thainess in the nation by presenting them in exciting ways. It shows our full appreciation for the historical value, the background and the holistic value of the land on which this mega city project is built. So, on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Krung Thonburi Sri Mahasamut in 2017, Iconsiam together with The Iconsiam Residences Corporation Ltd., The Iconsiam Super Luxe Residence Corporation Ltd., and the Government Savings Bank would like to take this auspicious opportunity to lead the way in commemorating King Taksin the Great. The floating museum ‘Sri Mahasamut Ship’ is one of the ways to glorify the value and significance of Krung Thonburi as part of our resolution to put together the best that Thailand has to offer and the best of the world as we encourage Thais to take pride in Thainess and to help maintain its beauty for the next generations to come while also making visitors from around the world fall in love and be impressed with Thailand,” said Mr. Chearavanont.

Iconsiam is a spectacular global landmark that is located in Bangkok on a 55-rai riverside site with a 400 metre river frontage and a gross floor area (GFA) of over 750,000 square metres. It includes two of the world’s most glamorous retail complexes as well as two luxury waterfront residential condominium buildings of 70 and 52 floors, one of which carries the Mandarin Oriental Residences brand.

Iconsiam is being developed by three of Thailand’s most successful businesses, including Siam Piwat, the owner and operator of prestige retail developments such as Siam Center, Siam Paragon, and Siam Discovery; Magnolia Quality Development Corporation (MQDC), the owner and developer of luxury quality residential and mixed-use projects; and multi-national conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group.

For further information
Siam Piwat: Sireetorn Niyomsen – tel: 02-610-8230
Bangkok Public Relations: Pathara Kwantientong – tel: 02-664-9500

Stockholm (Sweden) – November 12, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Speaking at the TBLI Nordic Conference, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, co-founder of SUNx (Strong Universal Network – a legacy to Maurice Strong) said that Travel & Tourism has enormous investment potential in the transformation to the New Climate Economy.

He underscored the global scale, scope and impact of the sector, as well its capacity to help deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals, because travel is hardwired into human DNA.

He focused on the existential reality of climate change as the pivotal challenge for humanity and stressed the critical importance of urgent action across the sector, to transform the complex mobility and hospitality infrastructure, its service delivery and its lengthy supply chains. He identified the Paris Accords and SDG-13 as our lifeline framework.

Lipman said that the full impact will only be felt by future generations, whether travellers, suppliers or communities, and he outlined SUNx “Plan for our Kids”, to create a change movement of 100,000 Strong Climate Champions by 2030. They will be advocates for Climate Friendly Travel ~ measured to manage: green to grow: 2050 proof to innovate. They will be supported by Maurice Strong Legacy Scholarships and the SUNx Lifetime Learning Program. They will be enabled by a growing network of SDG-17 partnerships and referenced agreements with IRISS and t-Forum for Tourism Innovation for Resilience Scholarships in Naples Italy, and with CBCGDF to extend the system in China and Belt and Road Countries.

He appealed to the Impact Investment Community, as well as the Travel & Tourism industry to get behind the program, through CSR driven commitment to a progressive, but urgent transformation plan that takes advantage of market and regulatory systems, within finite planetary boundaries.

Maurice Strong spearheaded the Stockholm Conference in 1972: the creation of UNEP; the Brundtland Commission and finally the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 – all of which spawned Agenda 21, UNFCCC: IPCC & the MDG’s and SDGs.

SUNx Scholarship packages cost just €5000 and give lifetime learning to 21 graduate students writing papers on Climate Friendly Travel. The best gets a €3000 award and the next 20 get free access to the SUNx Climate Portal. Where we aggregate best data: best practice: best transformation from across the sector and around the world. And link UN leadership on climate with industry action – inside and outside the sector. With 2 scholarships a year for every UN State, by 2030 we will have 100,000 advocates for Climate Friendly Travel. And a constant flow of new smart, climate conscious managers and leaders in our industry.

Contact information:
Geoffrey Lipman
glipman@thesunprogram.com
+32495250789
Olly Wheatcroft
olly@thesunprogram.com
+447765132408

New York City, New York (United States) – November 12, 2018 (travelindex.com) – TopTicket, via our ticket network, provides a resale ticket marketplace. Ticket resell prices and details are set by sellers and may differ from face value. TopTicket ticket network acts as an intermediary between buyers and ticket sellers to facilitate the purchase and sale of event tickets, and TopTickets is not directly involved in the actual ticket listing or sale transaction between the buyers and ticket sellers.

At TopTicket we have thousands of sellers offering 7,500,000 tickets every day, including fans with extra tickets to sell and licensed ticket brokers. Our purpose is simple: provide a huge selection of quality seats to events, even when they are sold out elsewhere. We have a dedicated team of professionals working hard to make sure that you have the most up-to-date information about ongoing and upcoming live events and access to the largest ticket exchange on the web.

In addition to real time access to inventory, we pride ourselves on customer service and cutting edge security so you can shop safely.

For more information, please visit www.topticket.us

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 16, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Michelin released the Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-Nga 2019, the second edition of the Michelin Guide in Thailand, and the first to cover new territories outside Bangkok: Phuket, Phang-Nga, and Bangkok’s surrounding provinces (Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, and Samut Prakan). In this latest edition, 217 dining and 67 lodging establishments are featured – with a total of four two star restaurants, of which one is a new addition; and 23 one star establishments, of which 10 are new additions.

Speaking about the 2019 selection, Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of Michelin Guides, said: “This year’s selection highlights the diversity of culinary experiences, both within and outside of Bangkok. We have also seen the blooming trend of the degustation menu, whereby chefs carefully design a complete experience for diners.”

In the 2019 edition, all of the two-star restaurants from the previous selection – Gaggan, Le Normandie, and Mezzaluna – retain their awards. The only addition, moving from one star to two, is Sühring, where chef brothers, Mathias and Thomas Sühring, offer unique and contemporary European dishes using their very own style of modern German cooking.

Of the 23 one-star establishments in this latest edition, Le Du and Gaa are the only two restaurants that progress from the ‘Plate’ – a designation given to restaurants for a good meal with fresh ingredients and capable preparation – to earn one star, while eight are new entries. Among these new entries, five are located in Central Bangkok: Canvas, a restaurant where art meets food and every dish looks like a masterpiece, driven by premium local produce and a variety of techniques; Methavalai Sorndaeng, where the food has kept loyal customers coming back for more than 60 years, with its blast of flavours and refined complexity; R-Haan, a restaurant offering authentic Thai dishes, both regional and Royal Thai cuisine, using ingredients from all over the country; Saawan, where a set 10-course authentic Thai cuisine menu is the only option, using locally-sourced seasonal ingredients to craft creative and well-executed dishes that provide a truly special journey through Thai flavours, culture and art; and Sorn, a restaurant with a focus on long lost recipes and the art of Southern Thai cuisine, using ingredients sustainably sourced from a trusted network of farmers and fishermen, as well as refined and sophisticated cooking techniques.

While the other two one-star restaurants are located within Bangkok’s vicinity: Ruean Panya (in Samut Sakhon province), a family-run restaurant recognised as a hidden gem with an amazing combination of food and art, where the owner chef’s attention to detail and the complexity of flavours make every dish worth the wait; and Suan Thip (in Nonthaburi province), a restaurant amidst a lush garden of trees and small ponds, where its refined cuisine is inspired by royal recipes. There is one restaurant in Phuket awarded one star: PRU, a sophisticated restaurant, tucked inside a luxury resort, offering delicate and neatly presented dishes created using many ingredients sourced from its own 96 hectare organic farm – even the butter is made in-house with milk sourced from Krabi.

In addition, three restaurants previously with one star – namely Elements, Nahm, and Saneh Jaan – have retained their awards, despite having new chefs at the helm.

The complete selection of the Michelin Guide Bangkok, Phuket and Phang-Nga 2019 will be available in a bilingual digital edition (Thai and English) on the website and a print version, available at leading bookstores for 650 Baht.

The 2019 selection at a glance:
• 4 two-star restaurants (1 new)
• 23 one-star restaurants (10 new)
• 72 Bib Gourmand restaurants (42 new)

About Michelin
Michelin, the leading tire company, is dedicated to enhancing its clients’ mobility, sustainably; designing and distributing the most suitable tires, services and solutions for its clients’ needs; providing digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences; and developing high-technology materials that serve the mobility industry. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 171 countries, has more than 114,000 employees and operates 70 production facilities in 17 countries which together produced around 190 million tires in 2017.

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 16, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Anantara Siam Bangkok welcomes diners to celebrate American Thanksgiving in indulgent style with a five-course feast at Madison Steakhouse. Celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of November, since English settlers arrived in north America, Thanksgiving is a traditional American holiday-a time to give thanks and gather together with loved ones. Now popular with Americans around the world, Thanksgiving feasts are increasingly enjoyed beyond the USA and on 22 November 2018, Anantara Siam invites diners to come together and give thanks here in Bangkok.

Elevated favourites, perfectly paired
Chef Nico Merten has designed a five-course menu of traditional Thanksgiving favourites with an indulgent twist, to delight diners. Smoked pumpkin soup will be served with beef cheeks; Boston lobster will be slow poached to perfection; and of course, the centrepiece of any Thanksgiving dinner, a magnificent turkey will be cooked sous vide and served with foie gras roulade and all the trimmings.

The perfect reason to give thanks
Diners are invited to join the festivities on Thursday 22 November 2018, from 6.00 pm to 10.30 pm. The five-course set menu is priced at THB 2,500 ++ per person for food only or enjoy your meal with a delectable wine pairing for THB 3,500++ per person.
(Prices are subject to 10% service charge and 7% government tax)

Alternatively, Roasted Turkey with Traditional Condiments is also on offer at Mocha & Muffins. Take home a full-roasted whole natural turkey with all the trimmings, such as Brussel sprouts with crispy pancetta, for only THB 9,900+. This dinner will feed between 8 – 10 people for a private celebration at home. (72 hours advance reservation is recommended)

For more information or to make a reservation, please call +66 (0) 2 126 8866 Ext. 1222

Shanghai (China) – November 18, 2018 (travelindex) – On November 17, 2018 Gansu Tourism Promotion Event hit Shanghai, which theme is “Meet Silk Road Food & Ruyi Gansu”. On that occasion, department head of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and Huo Yulong, Vice Head and Leading Party Member of Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism appeared and delivered speeches. Besides, 160-odd persons including foreign travel buyer representatives, foreign student representatives, travel buyer representatives and peasant representatives from the Yangtze Delta region, tourist department and enterprise heads from the province’s cities and prefectures, domestic and overseas media reporters attended the event.

Mr Huo stated in the speech that Gansu had held “A Harvest of Crops, A Happy Tour in Gansu” press conference in October, gaining widespread acclaim among the different walks of life and especially the media thanks to various preference policies enacted for billions of domestic peas-ants, myriads of tourists from China and abroad. So, we held this event to attract many more tourists.

As Mr Huo said, Gansu has countless natural and cultural sights. It is a cradle of Chinese civilization indeed. And there is no lack of Mother Nature’s artworks. Even local ethnic charms are breathtaking. In brief, Gansu is a must-see destination! If you want to experience history, come to the province. If you want to delve into nature, come to the province. If you want to unwind and loosen up, come to the province. Everyone is welcome to Gansu! It will greet you all with open arms! Gorgeous sights, tasty foods, … none of them will let you down!

“Gansu along the Silk Road, Gorgeous Things in Your Hand” tourist film focused on gourmet tours, culture trips, photography safaris, folk custom trips, winter-to-spring investigation tours, frontier sightseeings among other routes. In addition, the peasant representatives from the Yangtze Delta region and the European student representatives received Silk Road Self-Driving Passport and A Preference Manual for Travelling of Overseas Students separately. Iconic shows like Dunhuang music dance One Thousand Buddhas with Golden Halos, Qingyang shadow play Mak-ing Havoc in Heaven, Su’nan’s Yugur song and dance, Gannan Tibetan singing-playing unraveled the province’s indigenous culture and ethnic customs. Besides, the venue featured Interactive Sce-nario Zone and especially Zhengninglu Snack & Food Street in miniature, giving everyone a chance to relish local foods. Taste testing, PPT presentation, on-site dish making, exhibition and other means provided a panorama of the unique ingredients of diverse and delicious dishes and the profound culture at large. Lanzhou Beef Noodle, succulent Boiled Lamb, sweet Lily and Rice Por-ridge, assorted Tunuan Hot Pot and other gourmet foods stimulated every gourmet’ palate and made them feel the province’s culinary vibe.

The aim of this event is to make Gansu better-known as a tourist brand, a land of inviting sights, abundant crops and culinary delights. Those culinary delights is regarded as the central focus of the event. In this way, the province will cooperate better with various partners and its economy will grow without end.

Ha Long Bay (Vietnam) – November 14, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels and Resorts will introduce a new Best Western Plus overlooking Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam following the signing of a spectacular new waterfront hotel that will boast a breathtaking view of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Best Western Plus Ha Long Bay Hotel is an impressive new waterfront project that will elevate the standard of upper-midscale accommodation in this iconic destination. Developed by Tri Duc Hotel Joint Stock Company, this brand new hotel is currently under construction and scheduled to welcome its first guests in the third quarter of 2020.

“Vietnam is one of the world’s most dynamic tourism markets, with a series of enchanting destinations attracting record numbers of inbound travelers. The volume of international visitors to the country has more than doubled in the last decade, and Vietnam is on course to set new tourism records again in 2018. This growth, combined with a buoyant domestic economy and forward-thinking government policies, makes it a very exciting time to be expanding in Vietnam,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

“We are very excited to be working with Tri Duc on this exceptional new project. At Best Western, we are always seeking strong, highly-respected and professional partners. Tri Duc has shown its skill and vision by creating Best Western Plus Ha Long Bay Hotel, an exceptional project that will further enhance this attractive destination. We look forward to working together to bring their vision to life,” Olivier added.

Perfectly located on the idyllic Ha Long City waterfront, just a short distance from Ha Long Bay’s cruise port, the hotel will feature 327 rooms and suites, many of which will showcase Ha Long Bay’s spectacular seascape with panoramic windows and balconies. Guests will enjoy rooms equipped with comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms, contemporary amenities and complimentary Wi-Fi.

An impressive collection of facilities will allow guests to indulge in the use of a spacious fitness center, infinity-edge outdoor pool, a large kids’ club and several retail outlets.

Guests will have a choice of dining options with a lively all-day restaurant serving exquisite Vietnamese and international cuisine, a café and ice cream shop offering daytime refreshments and a rooftop bar with picturesque views for evening drinks.

According to the latest data from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Vietnam welcomed a total of 12.8 million international visitors in the first ten months of 2018, which represents a sharp 22.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year. As one of Vietnam’s most iconic attractions, Ha Long Bay receives millions of domestic and international visitors every year. The recent opening of a new highway between Hanoi and Ha Long City, along with the development of a new international airport just 50km from the bay, will further enhance tourism in this desirable destination.

Best Western Hotels & Resorts has identified Vietnam as a booming market, and the signing of Best Western Plus Ha Long Bay Hotel marks the latest phase of the brand’s expansion in Vietnam. This newest hotel joins the company’s growing list of high-end hotels and resorts including recent additions in Cam Ranh, Ha Long, Phu Quoc and Quang Binh.

This nationwide portfolio is expected to grow as Best Western seeks to bring its timeless values of world-class hospitality and unsurpassed service to even more parts of Vietnam, further enhancing the country’s booming tourism industry.

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

Dubai (United Arab Emirates) – November 12, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Reed Travel Exhibitions organiser of the annual Arabian Travel Market showcase in Dubai, has boosted its travel portfolio, having signed a collaboration agreement to launch CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa 2019 – a new route development forum. The two-day show will be co-located with Arabian Travel Market 2019 and will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Tuesday 30th April and Wednesday 1st May (day three and four of ATM).

Emirates will be the official airline partner – with Emirates Networking Planning team attending the show – while Emaar Hospitality Group will be the official hotel partner – both of which will offer preferential rates exclusively for delegates attending the show.

Nick Pilbeam, Divisional Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions: “The Middle East’s aviation market is forecast to grow five per cent annually until 2036, according to IATA. It is predicated that the sector will witness an extra 322 million passengers a year on routes to, from and within the region – with the total market size expanding to 517 million passengers over this period.

“The sector is expected to contribute nearly AED 200 billion to the UAE’s economy by 2020, providing up to 750,000 jobs.

“Moreover, the aviation industry is a crucial economic pillar for Dubai, accounting for more than 27 per cent of Dubai’s GDP, or $26.7 billion, according to Oxford Economics. This is expected to increase to 37.5 per cent by 2020 with a total annualised impact of $53.1 billion.”

CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa 2019 is expected to bring together airline specialists, aviation authorities, tourism boards, airports and tour operators, as well as other travel-related industry professionals.

With up to 400 delegates, the structure of the vertical event will include unlimited one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments, a conference programme, panel discussions and airline & industry briefings as well as an exhibition area dedicated to airports and suppliers.
“Being the world’s largest travel event organiser, with shows on all continents, our collaboration with The Airport Agency will bring the entire tourism supply chain together, providing huge strategic commercial opportunities for aviation professionals, particularly those specialising in airport route development, networking planning and procurement,” Pilbeam added.

CONNECT has already held events around the world, the most recent being CONNECT in Georgia which brought together over 500 aviation decision makers including more than 65 airlines and represented 250 airports to discuss current and future air transport links, route development plans as well as addressing topical issues and challenges and identifying and capitalising on emerging trends.

Commenting on The Airport Agency’s collaboration with Reed Travel Exhibitions, Karin Butot, CEO, The Airport Agency, said: “CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa is set to deliver a unique networking platform for airports, airlines and tourism to meet and network alongside ATM, the largest international travel event in the region which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.

“As more and more airports are working in synergy with their destinations to explore and secure new airline services, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa will deliver exceptional opportunities in an established, highly-productive format, thus making the show the only aviation route development event in the region for both inbound and outbound travel, connecting senior aviation professionals with airlines and airports all over the world.”

Dubai International Airport was the busiest international airport measured by total passengers for the fourth consecutive year, as it welcomed six new carriers in 2017 and opened 12 new routes for 2018.

The airport served 88.2 million passengers in 2017, an increase of 5.5 per cent from 2016, Dubai Airports said in a statement. Traffic this year was forecast to grow 2.4 per cent to 90.3 million.

Propelled by a partnership between Emirates and sister low-cast carrier flydubai, growth is expected to continue in 2019 as the momentum gathers in the build up to Expo 2020, when 25 million visitors are expected.

About Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face to face through data and digital tools at over 500 events a year, in more than 30 countries, attracting more than seven million participants.

About CONNECT
CONNECT Route Development Forum delivers a total networking experience, bringing together airports, airlines and aviation suppliers in a format that offers formal one-to-one pre-arranged meetings, engaging industry seminars together with social opportunities to cement relationships with existing clients and engage with new ones. Created and organised by The Airport Agency-France, CONNECT is now in its 16th year and set to attract over 650 participants in June 2019 at its flagship event taking place in Cagliari, Sardinia.

The inaugural CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa event will be the first and only networking forum in the Middle East. Ideally located in Dubai to address the booming aviation market of the Middle East, it will bring together the aviation and the tourism industry which are the backbone and catalyst to economic development.

Arabian Travel Market is the leading, international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2018 attracted almost 40,000 industry professionals, with representation from 141 countries over the four days. The 25th edition of ATM showcased over 2,500 exhibiting companies across 12 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre. Arabian Travel Market 2019 will take place in Dubai from Sunday, 28th April to Wednesday, 1st May 2019. To find out more, please visit: arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com

About Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether it is global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have over 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

London, World Travel Market (United Kingdom) – November 9, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The UNWTO/WTM Ministers’ Summit, held yesterday by World Travel Market and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), was well received by participants from government and the private sector for its more dynamic new format leading to more concrete takeaways around this year’s theme: Investment in Tourism Technology.

This year, the UNWTO/WTM Ministers’ Summit held at World Travel Market, one of the world’s biggest tourism trade show (6 November 2018), focused on investment in tourism technology with a novel format. For the first time the summit featured a panel of private sector leaders alongside a panel of ministers, sparking an open and useful exchange of ideas and opinions on how to channel private capital into innovative tourism technologies.

This meant that tourism ministers and high-level representatives from countries including Bahrain, Bulgaria, Egypt, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Uganda, Uruguay and the UK were able to directly reflect on and respond to the opinions voiced by the leading tourism and technology investment funds involved in the panel, such as Alibaba Capital Partners, Atomico and Vynn Capital.

“Without the support of the key tourism stakeholders, notably governments, corporations and investors, development and implementation of innovative products is not possible. Today’s discussions shed light on the influential role of both sectors as well as the need for stronger public-private partnerships”, said UNWTO Deputy Secretary-General Jaime Cabal opening the event.

A common sentiment amongst the panel of private sector entrepreneurs was that disruption leads change in the tourism sector, but regulation can be preventative to obtaining the attractive investment conditions needed to support disruptive new business ventures. It was suggested that regulation should be fixed in order to give clear guidelines to investors who wish to put private capital into new technology.

Several technology investors highlighted the need to narrow the opportunity cost and clear up the governance barriers for innovation in tourism. “It needs to be easy for start-ups to grow and expand – if rules change too quickly, investors will hesitate to invest,” Katherine Grass of Thayer Ventures told ministers.

Lio Chen, Managing Director at the Travel & Hospitality Center of Innovation at venture capital firm Plug and Play, called for larger technology companies to engage with start-ups to boost ideas, human resources and investment. “I ask ministers to incentivize the top five corporations in their country to work with start-ups and foster innovation,” he said.

On the subject of regulation, Michael Ellis, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: “It’s a question of balance, and it’s a challenge to get that right, especially in technology.” He also urged ministers to boost sustainability and help tackle the world’s climate-related problems, such as rising carbon emissions.

Education was also highlighted as an element making investments more attractive. “Education allows technology to root into societies and contribute to making tourism more inclusive for communities,” said Benjamin Liberoff, Vice-Minister of Tourism of Uruguay.

“We have brought the public and private sector together in a unique format, and hope it will deliver real change in the sector. As tourism grows, then technology will play a key role,” said Simon Press, Senior Exhibitions Director of WTM London.

Moderated by Richard Quest of CNN International, the summit contributed to UNWTO’s ongoing priority to place tourism at the centre of the global innovation agenda.

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

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 7, 2018 (travelindex) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invites all nature-loving divers to help preserve Thailand’s marine environment through the activity “Upcycling the Oceans”. This is an online activity in which Thai and foreign divers share their experiences of scuba diving and ocean conservation in Thailand through the website www.tourismthailand.org/7greens, to educate people about the situation and inspire young divers to preserve the marine life and the beauty of the underwater world in Thailand.

All entrants have a chance to win special prizes from leading companies, such as a 44,600 Baht gift voucher from the Similan Seven Sea Club, a 39,000 Baht gift voucher from Beach Club by Haadtien Scuba Club, and more! Join the activity Upcycling the Oceans by registering through the website From today till 16 November 2019 only. The winners will be announced on 23 November 2019.

How to participate
1. Participants must register through the website www.tourismthailand.org/7greens
2. All participants must own a valid diving license. The participants must express briefly their experience of diving and marine conservation.
3. Nine winners will be chosen by the committee from the most impressive entries. The winners will be announced on the website.
4. The winners must verify their identities by the specified date (30 November 2018).

Find out more details at www.tourismthailand.org/7greens or at our Facebook fanpage: 7greensthailand