Category: Latest Travel News

London (United Kingdom) – November 1, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Almost 170 exhibitors are making their debut at this year’s WTM London 2018 – the event where ideas arrive. They include airlines, movie-set tour providers, adventure operators and sports venues, as well as tourist boards, destination marketing companies, tech innovators and car-hire companies.

Among new airlines that are flying in are US-based Air Transat; Indian-based Go Airlines; Middle Eastern carrier Royal Brunei Airlines and Iceland’s national carrier, Icelandair.

Book your hotel in London at the WTM Woirld Travel Market 2018 and around the world in 55 countries at best rates available. Pay at the hotel. Book now at HotelWorlds.com!

Also over from Iceland is tour company Guide to Iceland, which offers accommodation, packages and tours including Game of Thrones-themed itineraries for fans who want to visit the settings for some of the hit TV show’s most iconic scenes.

On the subject of the epic TV series, first-time exhibitor Brit Movie Tours counts its Game of Thrones tour, taking in filming locations around Belfast, as one of its best-sellers. Visitors to the UK and Ireland section of WTM can also find out about Brit Movie Tours’ wide range of other options, including Downton Abbey and London gangster tours,

Lewis Swan, director of Brit Movie Tours, explained: “I launched Brit Movie Tours in 2009 as the premier provider of TV and film location tours in London and the UK. As we approach our 10th year in business we felt it was time to have a presence at the premier meeting place for the travel industry to help take our business to the next level. We look forward to welcoming both existing and new customers to our stand (UKI360).”

New tourist boards and destination representation bodies at WTM London 2018 include the Armenian Tourism Development Foundation, which is keen to showcase itself as a hotspot for adventure lovers; the National Tourism Office of Djibouti, a mostly French- and Arab-speaking country on the Horn of Africa and Costa del Sol Malaga Tourist Board, which is boosting its profile with its first stand-alone exhibition space in addition to maintaining a presence on the main Spain stand.

In the Caribbean section, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board, is returning to WTM London after a seven-year absence. The collection of 60 unspoiled islands that ‘pack the best of the Caribbean into one convenient destination’, will be updating partners on its recovery progress following devastating damage incurred by Hurricane Irma just over a year ago.

Ginny Hawksley, managing consultant for BVI Tourist Board in London said: “We are thrilled to be exhibiting at the WTM London. We feel it is incredibly important to support our trade partners and be present, as well as let the industry know that we are very much open for business and on the road to a full recovery after Hurricane Irma.

“The UK travel industry and friends of the BVI have shown significant generosity and support to the Hurricane Irma BVI relief efforts, raising funds, volunteering time and donating needed aid supplies. With this is mind the British Virgin Islands Tourism Board feels a great responsibility and duty to ensure presence at this incredibly important industry show.”

New regional representatives include Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau, representing the Japanese island in the East China Sea, which describes itself as ‘the portal between Japan and the tropics’. Also new is Tamilnadu Tourism Department, representing one of India’s 29 states, Tamil Nadu, famed for its Dravidian-style Hindu temples; beautiful sunrises at Kanyakumari, India’s southernmost tip, and its historically important capital Chennai (formerly known as Madras).

Twenty two years after the catastrophic accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in northern Ukraine, tour company CHERNOBYL welcome, which operates packages taking in ‘ultimate experience’ guided tours to the ghost town of Pripyat and surrounding region, is making its debut at WTM London.

New exhibitors from the accommodation sector include the Queen Elizabeth 2 hotel in Dubai, which previously sailed the oceans as the iconic flagship of UK cruise line Cunard.

Book your hotel in London at the WTM Woirld Travel Market 2018 and around the world in 55 countries at best rates available. Pay at the hotel. Book now at HotelWorlds.com!

Upcoming enhancements to the QE2 hotel, which is now docked permanently at Dubai’s Mina Rashid, include a swimming pool, gym and private beach.

Katie King, director of marketing for the QE2 Dubai said: “This is the first year that the QE2 is operating as a floating hotel docked permanently in Dubai, so attending such high-profile trade show is important for us to introduce the QE2’s new concept in our key markets. Given the QE2’s British heritage and her roots in Scotland, the UK is an essential market for us and is in fact our biggest outside of the United Arab Emirates, so exhibiting at WTM is a key part of our sales and marketing strategy.”

There are over 60 new exhibitors from the fast-moving technology sector all exhibiting in Travel Forward, the event highlighting the future of technology in the travel and hospitality industry, including Travel Ledger, an industry-owned and run B2B billing and settlement platform, built using Ethereum Blockchain technology.

Similar in concept to IATA’s BSP, Travel Ledger highly automates the travel purchasing and payment process along the entire distribution chain and will replace the current and mostly manual billing, reconciliation and settlement process to make it fast, easy and inexpensive to transact non-airline provided travel services electronically.

Travel Ledger CEO Roberto Da Re said: “After the initial development phase we are looking forward to WTM London and Travel Forward where we will be engaging with travel companies globally to raise awareness about the project and encourage companies to get involved with the continuing development effort, in preparation for the platform launch in 2019.”

Another payment method making its debut is consumer-focused Fly Now Pay Later, which describes itself as ‘the hassle-free way to pay for travel’.

Last, but not least, WTM London is welcoming a number of new exhibitors from the world of sport, including Wembley National Stadium and Manchester City FC.

WTM London, Senior Director, Simon Press, said: “With 170 new exhibitors -covering premier sporting venues, prime-location accommodation, new and established destinations and attractions, transport providers and technology innovators – this year’s WTM London and Travel Forward boasts the greatest collection so far of diverse travel and tourism organisations from across the globe under one roof at ExCeL in London.

“With new and existing exhibitors all waiting to do business with industry partners,
WTM London 2018 truly is THE event where Ideas Arrive.”

About World Travel Market
World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises six leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7bn of industry deals.The events are: WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.1 billion of travel industry contracts.

Basel (Switzerland) – October 31, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Baselworld presented its hotel partner programme today. A total of 40 hotels became partners of the world watch and jewellery show: 26 of the participating hotels are “Official Partners” and 14 of them are “Preferred Partners”. The participating hotels provide approximately two thirds of the hotel capacity in Basel and its surrounding area.

“We are very pleased to see that many hoteliers not only embraced but also contributed towards the success of this initiative. They have affirmed Baselworld’s importance, also for Basel as a city, and they want to contribute toward assuring the trade show’s long-term presence in Basel, which benefits both the city and its surrounding areas”, says Michel Loris-Melikoff, Managing Director Baselworld. Felix W. Hauser, President of Basel’s Hotelier Association, confirms: “The hotel partner programme was created in cooperation with Basel’s Hotelier Association. A large percentage of our members view the programme positively.”

The conditions apply for Baselworld 2019 and are retroactive for existing bookings. Accommodation at the listed hotels is not guaranteed and is subject to availability. Prices are only guaranteed for bookings made directly with the hotel. All the information regarding the partners and the direct booking link with the most updated information can be found under: www.baselworld.com/hoteltravel/hotels

“Baselworld and the majority of Basel’s hotels have achieved a significant milestone that sustainably reduces lodging costs for the show’s exhibitors and visitors, while simultaneously establishing transparent conditions”, says Michel Loris-Melikoff.

The following hotels are “Preferred Partners” of Baselworld:
Les Trois Rois
Novotel Basel City
Krafft Hotel
Hotel Steigenberger Lörrach
Hotel Basel
Dorint an der Messe
Nomad Design & Lifestyle Hotel
Hotel Sorell Merian
Hotel Dreiländerbrücke
Hotel Victoria
Hotel Engel Liestal
GAIA Hotel
Hotel Landgasthof zum Ochsen
Hotel Metropol
Hotel Mühle
Courtyard by Marriot
Royal Hotel – Urban Living
Hotel du Commerce
Hotel Wettstein
Hotel ALFA
Der Teufelhof Basel
Ibis Styles Basel City
Hotel Stücki
Ibis Basel Bahnhof
Steinenschanze Stadthotel
Ibis Budget Basel City
Hotel Schweizerhof
Ibis Budget Pratteln
Bad Bubendorf Designhotel
Consum Residence by Krafft
Hotel Balade
Motel One
Hotel Landgasthof Riehen
Das Breite Hotel
Hotel Bildungszentrum 21
Hotel im Schlosspark
Hotel Maximilian
Hotel Baslertor
Hotel Restaurant Tivoli
Bad Ramsach Quellhotel

Participating hotels will profit from the following benefits from Baselworld:
– Recommendation to the exhibitors and visitors
– All partner hotels are listed on Baselworld’s website, along with information about direct reservations
– All partner hotels will be preferentially contacted by Baselworld for events, caterings, etc., also outside of the show
– Wherever possible, the hotels will receive assistance with services (e.g. shuttle service to and from the hotels)

Book your hotel in Basel, Switzerland and around the world in 55 countries at best rates available. Pay at the hotel. Book now at HotelWorlds.com!

Michel Loris-Melikoff emphasises that this initiative is ongoing. “If additional hotels would like to join this partnership, they are more than welcome to do so.”

Contact information:
Baselworld
Media Relations
Dr. Christian Jürgens
+41 58 206 22 64
agency@baselworld.com

Guilin (China) – October 29, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the People’s Government of Guilin, China held the 12th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook on 25-27 October 2018. This year’s edition – ‘The Future of Tourism: Road to 2030´, aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Digital advances provide opportunities to tourism in order to enhance inclusiveness, community empowerment and efficient resource management to achieve the SDGs. Yet to do so, we need to better understand where tourism is heading so we can adopt the adequate policies and business strategies.” said UNWTO Executive Director Shanzhong Zhu at the event.

International tourist arrivals in Asia and the Pacific grew 6% in 2017 to reach a total of 323 million. Rapid economic growth in emerging economy markets, rising air connectivity, more affordable travel and enhanced visa facilitation continue to fuel tourism from within and outside the region. Asian destinations earned USD 390 billion in international tourism receipts in 2017, 29% of the global figure, a share that has steadily increased from 17% in 2000. China, the world´s top spender in international tourism and fourth largest destination, has been one of the main drivers behind this growth.

Dr. Ian Yeoman, travel and tourism futurologist, delivered the keynote speech on the future of tourism, highlighting the importance of societal behaviours towards a sustainable future and the distribution of wealth generated by tourism, as main drivers of change.

Furthermore, topics covered at the Forum included how digital advances and data can be used to support sustainable tourism for development. Presentations were made by Google, TripAdvisor, Vynn Capital, STR, the European Travel Commission as well as research and policymakers from across different countries in Asia and the Pacific. The Forum concluded by emphasising the need for transformation and seize the opportunities brought by innovation and technology to move sustainability to the next level.

The 12th UNWTO/PATA Forum on Tourism Trends and Outlook drew more than 220 experts from 22 countries, among which representatives from National Tourism Administrations, National Tourism Organizations, tourism businesses and academics. With the longstanding collaboration of the Hong-Kong Polytechnic University, the Forum has become over the last 12 years a reference platform on global and regional tourism trends.

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

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – October 29, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Sunday the 28th October saw the World of Creoles celebrate their International Creole Day. From the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands, to the Caribbean and even to New Orleans in Louisiana USA and Cabo Verde it is all proud Creoles who has the right to celebrate their identity and culture.

A question on this historic Creole Day is “Where does the International Creole Day come from?” An article posted by ARCHIPEL MEDIA on SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 October 28th: ​​INTERNATIONAL CREOLE DAY «BANNZIL KREYOL» says it all.

In 1979, an international conference of Creole studies bringing together linguists from around the world took place in Seychelles. Subsequently, in 1981, scientists whose mother tongue was Creole began to ask questions about methods that could promote the Creole language, after a symposium organized by the International Committee of Creole Studies, where the theme of reflection was: “Creole, creoles, continuity and creativity in the Creole world. ” On October 28, 1981, at the third conference, at the Old Port in Saint Lucia, the Creole speakers decided to join together to create a movement that took the name of: BANNZIL KREYOL. And it was decided to hold October 28 because this date had previously been retained by the Dominicans to celebrate a “Creole Day”. In 1982 the Seychelles government organized a Creole week, the same year the movement BANNZIL KREYOL wrote its founding texts in a quarterly bulletin. October 28, 1983 was the first day of BANNZIL KREYOL.

The first “International Creole Day” was celebrated in 1983, in a rather haphazard way. However, from year to year, the implementation of this day has improved and is, in some countries, the occasion of quite significant and interesting events. Since then, the day of October 28 is celebrated in all the countries of the Creole world. Many countries today are celebrating this day for a week, highlighting the highlight of the day on October 28th.
Seychelles is currently in the middle of its Festival Kreol 2018, a celebration that sits annually on the island’s calendar of National Events. Last Saturday it staged its Laserenad (Festival Parade) in Victoria, an event that continues to be the highlight of the Festival.

Next on the calendar of Creole Festivals are the ones of Mauritius, Rodrigues and Reunion

Didier Robert, Regional President of Reunion opens an economic office of Reunion in Seychelles

Reunion Island is the only Indian Ocean Island opening economic offices in Member States of their Vanilla Islands Grouping. President Didier Robert, the Regional President of Reunion must be congratulated for working hard to open doors for the business community of Reunion and in so doing create employment for the Reunionais. This drive by Didier Robert is an example because Reunion products, their know how and also the promotion of Reunion Island as a tourism destination in its own right cannot just happen by itself. It is such endeavours where the island’s presence is seen and remains visible that Reunion can be relevant.

Reunion Island has inaugurated its regional antenna office of Seychelles, in Victoria. This is the fourth antenna office in the Indian Ocean which ensures a presence of Reunion in the countries of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). The Réunion Region office is located in an office on the third floor of the Espace Building in Ile du Port. Its role remains to facilitate the links between the Reunionais companies and the Seychellois actors, either in the public or private sector. The inauguration of the Seychelles office took place in the presence of Mr Vincent Meriton, Vice-President of the Republic of Seychelles, President Didier Robert, Regional President of the Réunion, and Mr Lionel Majesté-Larrouy, Ambassador of France to Seychelles. Also present were Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Barry Faure, ministers and members of the diplomatic corps. The installation of this antenna Réunion Region in Seychelles is within the framework of a program of European territorial cooperation – INTERREG V Indian Ocean. Among the objectives, the antenna will host Reunionais companies on a prospecting mission and who wish to set up or form partnerships in Seychelles. With the opening of its antenna in Seychelles, the community now covers the entire Indian Ocean Commission, because similar antennas were established in Madagascar, in Mauritius and in the Comoros.

Seychelles will prioritise local tourism players to stimulate growth?

Seychellois businesses in the field of tourism have been urging the Government of the Seychelles to efficiently identify and harness the tourism resources of the islands to create sustainable development for Seychelles. This call is not new, but recently the tourism industry players have been meeting leaders to put their case on the need to consolidate tourism, the industry that remains the pillar of the Seychelles economy. Meetings with VP Meriton by some, and with Heads of Government Authorities by others and even going as far as having recourse to the Judiciary by a company are all taking place with the aim of stimulating growth in the Seychelles Tourism Industry instead of stifling the industry that Seychelles and the Seychellois people so depend on. The 5-Room limit set for La Digue some years ago is being questioned as it is seen as an “economic strangulation” of establishments. The vertical integration regulation is seen as the blow now referred to as the “coup de grace” Seychellois entrepreneurs did not need over and above continuing rising costs in operation, shortage of staff and the bureaucracy that it entails to recruit foreign workers (one establishment citing up to a three months waiting period), and the waiting time for necessary authorisations for new developments even when the Authorities in Seychelles know that they should be on their knees to push for more local investments and also FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments).

Seychellois entrepreneurs in tourism such as Joe Albert and his son Guillaume, Kathy Mason and her son Alan, Mary Geers, Guy Savy of Bird Island, Gilbert Frichot and his partner Corola among others seem to have made the decision to task themselves with the commitment to continue to work for Seychelles to help prioritise the development of tourism in all its facets. In Seychelles today abandoned and untapped tourist sites, properties and facilities are not improving the different villages’ economy and help Seychellois build a future for themselves and grow the country’s economy. Other serious investments and investors in the Seychelles such as the Raffles Seychelles of Praslin, H-Hotel of Beau Vallon Mahe, Club Liberte Casino at Four Seasons Seychelles and Avani Seychelles Barbarons Resorts and Spa among others are seen as examples of marrying foreign participation in an industry that is the pillar of a country’s economy. They are working hard and are being innovative and pro-active, but know that Seychelles has but one tourism industry and it is together (private & public sector) that the islands will make the difference in the competitive world of tourism.

I was recently speaking within an interview on “improving facilities, opening tourism opportunities & relooking at the word facilitator when the island’s government is involved to ensure a better tourism management approach” and can say that I appreciate the seriousness of the situation on hand in Seychelles.

The tourism industry players ought never to be quite happy with the obstacles, with the lack of understanding by the facilitators, with limited infrastructure and below accepted level of services coming with today’s over the top rates, fees and licenses. The tourism industry players and their staff need to sit together to propose bold making and sound policy framework which will continue to make tourism THE essential component of the Seychelles development agenda.

Advocating a solid vibrant policy framework to reenergise the sector as mandated by the people who are always the first to feel the effects of any downward trend in the island’s tourism industry. It is this that is now needed by Seychelles for the development, management, regulation and marketing of sustainable tourism and tourism related services and for connected services.

Praslin and La Digue Islands has a need to seek to mobilise revenue collected by the state on their island’s Parks and Gardens to implement their development agenda. It is important they find innovative methods to be part of and to then fully exploit their island treasured resources to assist development of their island by their island. The same can be said for other business groups and associations. in the different parts of the main islands of Mahe.

It is time to challenge stakeholders in the tourism industry especially, and their district business committees to look to work more together to accomplish more to greatly help raise their island visibility and make the islands more relevant as tourism destinations. In so doing see the reflection of the contribution of their sector to national development will be better recognised.

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 1, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor, currently with a portfolio of over 160 hotels and resorts in 23 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Africa and the Indian Ocean, announced today that it has taken a stake in the Global Hotel Alliance, (GHA).

Minor Hotels have been longstanding members of the GHA since 2007, first entering with the Anantara brand. As the GHA will enter its 15th year in 2019, Minor Hotels took the opportunity to support the alliance which is currently investing in new CRM and shared technology to build on the success of the DISCOVERY loyalty programme.

Following this shareholder announcement, Dillip Rajakarier, Minor Hotels CEO will now join the GHA Board of Directors. The investment is worth a total of $3.2million, representing a 10% share of the Global Hotel Alliance.

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO of Minor, commented: “Since joining the GHA in 2007, we have grown and developed our own brands and continue to acquire new ones, and membership of GHA fits well with our multi-brand strategy. GHA has consistently demonstrated the value of global customer reach and a strong CRM and loyalty programme for our hotels, and so we are delighted to be able to take our place as a shareholder in the business, with the opportunity to help guide its growth over the coming years.”

The 13 million DISCOVERY members will produce US$1.7 billion in room revenues in 2018, of which around US$125 million is from customers moving between our member brands. We plan to double those numbers in the next few years, as independent brands look to collaborate with each other to share the common challenge of competing with the ever-consolidating major brands and third party distribution providers.

About Minor Hotels
Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator and investor currently with more than 160 hotels in operation. Minor Hotels passionately explores new possibilities in hospitality with a diverse portfolio of properties designed intelligently to appeal to different kinds of travellers, serving new passions as well as personal needs. Through our Anantara, AVANI, Oaks, Elewana, Tivoli, M Collection, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Marriott and Minor International properties, Minor Hotels operates in 23 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe and South America. In October 2018, Minor Hotel completed a tender offer which resulted in the acquisition of 94.1% of NH Hotel Group.

Book your Minor hotels in Bangkok and around the world at best rates available. Pay at the hotel. Book now at HotelWorlds.com!

About Global Hotel Alliance
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA) is the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands, bringing together 33 brands with over 550 hotels in 77 countries. GHA uses a shared technology platform to drive incremental revenues and create cost savings for its member brands. GHA’s award-winning loyalty programme, DISCOVERY, provides 13 million members exclusive opportunities to immerse themselves in local culture wherever they travel. GHA’s hotel brands currently include: Alila, Anantara, Atura, AVANI, Corinthia, Discovery Destinations, Doyle, Elewana, GLO, Grace, JA Resorts, Kempinski, Leela, Lungarno, Marco Polo, Meritage, Meydan, Mysk, Niccolo, NUO, Oaks, Omni, Outrigger, Pan Pacific, PARKROYAL, QT, The Residence by Cenizaro, Rydges, Shaza, Thon, Tivoli, Ultratravel Collection and Viceroy.

Book your Global Hotel Alliance hotels in Bangkok and around the world at best rates available. Pay at the hotel. Book now at HotelWorlds.com!

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 1, 2018 – SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western Sukhumvit 2 recently held a rooftop party in Bangkok to celebrate its first anniversary. The hotel opened in October 2017 to become Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ first SureStay hotel in Asia.

The high-flying event gathered Best Western’s executive team and key industry partners to the hotel’s stunning rooftop, overlooking the Bangkok skyline. Guests, including leading travel agencies, corporate partners and members of the media, were able to enjoy drinks, snacks and networking in a stylish and social ambience, whilst soaking up panoramic views from the impressive top-floor pool deck and bar.

“SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western Sukhumvit 2 has become hugely popular with visitors to Bangkok since it opened its doors late last year. This is a fantastic new hotel that delivers world-class accommodation and amenities at an exceptionally reasonable price point. Our anniversary party was the perfect way to say ‘thank you’ to all our partners for contributing to the hotel’s success,” commented Olivier Berrivin, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

SureStay Hotel Group® was first introduced by Best Western in late 2016, opening up new opportunities in the large yet relatively untapped premium economy and lower-midscale sectors. SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western Sukhumvit 2 elevates this unique concept with 85 contemporary rooms and a series of premium facilities, including the spectacular rooftop pool and bar.

Best Western will open two more SureStay hotels in Asia in the coming years, including the 108-room SureStay Plus Hotel by Best Western Shin Osaka and 68-room SureStay Hotel by Best Western Vientiane.

About Best Western Hotels & 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 11 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®, 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

 

Munich (Germany) – October 29, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Metasearch company expands customer services thanks to big data services from Munich. A novel approach forms base for lucrative additional revenue streams. To further enhance customer experience, KAYAK, one of the world’s leading travel search engines, is the first customer worldwide to apply the innovative technology of the German software start-up QUICKET. Primarily, the company from Munich provides KAYAK with information regarding seating and additional offers in over 23,000 aircraft from more than 400 airlines, which are fully integrated into the booking process. In this way, customers of the travel search engine can learn about their legroom, whether WiFi is available on their flight, how far the backrests recline and more.

Self-learning algorithms search the unique database which has been constructed, structured and optimized by the developers for years. On this basis, QUICKET can precisely display the seating configuration of an aircraft used on a specific route. The information is incorporated via the QUICKET application programming interface (API). KAYAK, in turn, can make the information available to customers via their portfolio of brands which includes KAYAK, momondo, Cheapflights, SWOODOO, checkfelix and Mundi. Outside of the classical GDSs, the wide range of accurate information about such a large number of airlines delivered by QUICKET is unique on the market.

“At KAYAK, we understand how important in-flight amenities are when choosing a flight. With QUICKET’s data-driven API, now when you search flights on KAYAK, customers can view the extra services that best match their needs,” says Matthias Keller, Chief Scientist at KAYAK. “We want to help take the guesswork out of what you get when you fly and QUICKET’s data helps us do that in a seamless way.”

Djois Franklin, co-founder and CEO of QUICKET, adds, “Every innovative technology needs open-minded pioneers that grasp opportunities as soon as they appear. We are therefore very happy that KAYAK has recognized and will exploit the potential of our services. In this way, KAYAK can offer the perfect decision-making tool to its customers for the booking of the ideal flight, while at the same time creating the basis for attractive additional revenues in a market environment characterized by increasing competition.”

About QUICKET (www.quicket.io)
QUICKET is a Munich-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider, specialized on the supply of reliable data about airline extra services in the travel industry. The company implements technologies from the fields of big data, augmented reality, virtual reality and connected mobility and provides an API that enables QUICKET’s customers to flexibly obtain information for example on seating, WiFi, catering, luggage or priority boarding and present this information to end customers in a user-friendly form via numerous platforms. QUICKET was founded in 2012 by the former Microsoft manager Djois Franklin as well as Fred Finn, who holds the Guinness World Record for the most covered air miles. Employees of their international team have gained work experience for example at Travelport, Intel, IDEO, Mercedes-Benz, Facebook.

About Kayak.com
Our mission at KAYAK is to provide the world’s favorite travel planning tools. We operate a portfolio of brands including KAYAK, momondo, Cheapflights, SWOODOO, checkfelix, Mundi that together process over two billion consumer queries annually. KAYAK operates sites in more than 60 countries and territories and is an independently managed subsidiary of Booking Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: BKNG).

Quicket GmbH
Leopoldstraße 244, D – 80807 Munich, Germany, info@quicket.io

Press:
Claasen Communication GmbH, Hindenburgstraße 2, D – 64665 Alsbach, Germany
Telephone 0049 – (0) 6257 – 6 87 81, Fax 0049 – (0) 6257 – 6 83 82, quicket@claasen.de

Bangkok (Thailand) – October 29, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Ministry of Science and Technology, with support from Mahidol University, N.C.C. International Events Co., Ltd. (NCCIE) the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB,) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA,) has formally announced that Thailand will host the RoboCup 2021in Bangkok in June 2021. The event is expected to firmly establish Thailand as the ASEAN’s robotics & automation leader.

Said Dr. Suvit Maesincee, Minister of Science and Technology: “RoboCup 2021 is a mega event with a direct link to one of Thailand 4.0’s target industries and the Thai government is pleased to support it, as will the Ministry of Science and Technology, TCEB and all other relevant government agencies. I would like to congratulate Mahidol University and N.C.C. International Events for successfully bidding to organize such a big international robot competition. The event will contribute to Thailand’s human-resource development, with Thais expected to bring their innovative robots on par with international standards, while also enabling an exchange of academic knowledge from foreign robotics experts to Thailand, creating opportunities for experience.”

NCCIE, the main organizer, has been largely instrumental in ensuring that the bid for RoboCup 2021 was won by Thailand. The company has successfully organized key events in the Kingdom over many years and has a team of established stalwarts who bring their considerable experience as well as expertise together in making sure that the coordination is smooth and harmonious. Mr. Sakchai Pattarapreechakul, Managing Director of N.C.C. International Events Co., Ltd. elaborated that: “RoboCup 2021 will be another mega event in Thailand thanks to the collaboration between the government, the private sector and a leading educational institute. All of us have leveraged our expertise and our network to ensure that RoboCup 2021 Bangkok, Thailand will be successful. It will also be a forum whereby entrepreneurs and academics in the fields of robotics, automation, industrial robots and service robots can meet.”

Dr. Janekrishna Kanatharana, Executive Vice President of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), stated that: “The robotics industry will play a crucial role in driving Thai industries in line with the Thailand 4.0 strategy. Undeniably, the demand for industrial robots has already been growing significantly in the face of labor shortage and intensifying business competitions. The RoboCup 2021 will be a boost to the development of human resources for the robotics field, which supports the ARIPOLIS (the research and innovation hub of automation systems, robotics, and smart systems) in the Eastern Economic Corridor of Innovations (EECI.”)

According to Assistant Professor Dr. Jackrit Suthakorn, Dean of Mahidol University’s Faculty of Engineering and the chair of the organizing committee for RoboCup 2021 Bangkok, Thailand: “The founding ambition is to ensure a robot soccer team will be able to beat the World Cup champion by 2050, based on rules set by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association.) In pursuit of that goal, RoboCup has created several leagues that in turn build collaborative networks for the exchange of academic robotics knowledge among educational and research institutes across the world. The competition now attracts more than 3,000 participants from 45 countries annually to its two main categories: the RoboCup Junior League, which is for contestants aged no more than 19 years and the RoboCup Major League, which is for contestants aged 19 and above.”

The RoboCup Federation has chosen Thailand as the host of RoboCup 2021 because of the country’s potential; the Kingdom hosted the RoboCup Asia-Pacific earlier in December 2017, which saw more than 1,500 contestants from 14 nations across the world. Moreover, Thailand has been a regular participant in the RoboCup competitions, winning several awards from the RoboCup Federation. “RoboCup 2021 also promises to provide guidelines on how to efficiently integrate robotics to manufacturing, tourism, agricultural, service, medical, education and entertainment industries,” added Suthakorn.

Mrs. Supawan Teerarat, Vice President, Strategic and Business Development, TCEB, was of the opinion that mega or world-class events rank among economic drivers that deliver tangible benefits. “With regard to RoboCup 2021, we have worked with Mahidol University and N.C.C. International Events in bidding for the right to organize this mega event in Thailand and we have integrated collaboration from all relevant government agencies in support of the event. The event will be a boost not just for industries related to smart devices, robots, and automation for Thailand 4.0’s new economy goal, but also to the tourism industry, since general tourists as well as experts in the field of robotics and automation are expected to visit,” she stated.

“We are determined to organize more events for robotics and automation in the future. We intend to hold such events on a regular basis so as to make Thais’ robotics abilities internationally recognized and present Thailand as ASEAN’s robotics leader,” concluded NCCIE’s Pattarapreechakul.

For more information, please contact N.C.C. International Events at 0 2229 3353 or email napat.mi@qsncc.com or visit our website at www.nccthailand.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – October 25, 2018 (travelindex) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is strengthening its organization by paying attention 360-degree style, which allows employees and staff to introduce new ideas. This approach will help to foster good governance among to state-owned enterprises.

The TAT 360 activity invites TAT staff and personnel to share new ideas in Corporate Governance (CG), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Innovation through its Facebook Fanpage: TAT CG & CSR. The best of these ideas will be selected to add to the development of the organization in various fields and to enhance Thailand’s tourism marketing communications in the future.

The TAT expects that promoting greater staff participation will improve communication between the various sections of the organization, and thus help it to become a leading state enterprise.

In the future, the TAT plans to introduce more activities aimed at both developing the organization in various areas and also promoting domestic tourism.

See more details at www.tourismthailand.org/tatcgcsr or Facebook Fanpage: TAT CG & CSR.

Macau (Macao SAR) – October 25, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Global Tourism Economy Forum Macao 2018 (GTEF or the Forum) concluded today after a two-day program of fruitful exchanges and discussions, business matching, presentations and exhibition. A closing ceremony was held at MGM Cotai.

Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Forum Chairman of GTEF, Ho Hau Wah, Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and Executive Chairman of GTEF, Alexis Tam, and Vice Chairman and Secretary‐General of GTEF, Pansy Ho, were among the dignitaries present at the closing ceremony today.

Delivering a high-level international platform

Under the theme “Strategic Partnership in a New Era, Rising Momentum for a Shared Future”, the 7th edition of GTEF examined the impact of strategic tourism cooperation between China and the European Union (EU) in the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year, and explored the myriad of opportunities brought by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development.

Fully delivering a high-level platform for international tourism exchange and cooperation, GTEF 2018 successfully gathered over 2,000 ministerial officials of tourism and related fields, industry leaders, experts, scholars and participants from across the globe in the two-day program, including delegations from the 28 member states of the EU as GTEF 2018 Partner Region, and Guangdong Province as GTEF 2018 Featured Partner Chinese Province, for a series of profound discussions and sharing of insightful perspectives.

An array of memoranda of understanding and agreements were signed between different entities during the Forum to consolidate their partnerships, while about 200 enterprises and organizations from different sectors across different countries and regions including China and member states of the EU engaged in business matching to unfold deeper cooperation and exchange.

Over 120 journalists from international and local media attended and covered the two-day event. Travelindex (this site) was represented by its Founder, Mr. Bernard A. Metzger, guaranteeing the Global Tourism Economy Forum GTEF 2018 will get worldwide attention and visibility. From Korea, the second source market for Macao after China, Mr. JP Sho, Founder of Travel Press, Korea’s No. 1 travel publication.

Building Strategic Partnership for a Shared Future

In his closing remarks, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government and Executive Chairman of GTEF, Alexis Tam, highlighted the fruitful harvest of the Forum in this edition.

He stated, “As a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Macao boasts cultural and tourism advantages given by our unique history and governing system. Capitalizing on these strengths, we shoulder the mission to push forward tourism cooperation and cultural exchange on a global scale, and expand the spectrum of national collaboration with other countries and regions.”

He continued, “The Belt and Road Initiative advocated by our President Xi Jinping holds the key to a new horizon of opportunities for global tourism and economic development. At the same time, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is steadily developing into China’s most vibrant region which demonstrates the strongest economic dynamic. Against such backdrop, Macao is a member of the China Maritime Silk Road Tourism Promotion Alliance and the Tourism Federation of Cities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Bay Area. We are dedicated to building extensive connectivity for tourism and economic cooperation between China and EU member states, while fostering fruitful exchange and expanding new possibilities for innovative partnerships, products and services in the making.”

To conclude, he expressed that since the inaugural edition, the Forum has thoroughly embraced the spirit of “collaboration and mutual success, openness and inclusiveness”. In the days ahead, the Forum will pour a greater effort to build new avenues and bridges among countries and regions, and facilitate collaborative partnerships between the public and private sectors in the field of tourism, as all join hands to build “Strategic Partnership in a New Era, Rising Momentum for a Shared Future”.

In her concluding remarks, Vice Chairman and Secretary‐General of GTEF, Pansy Ho, expressed, “The Global Tourism Economy Research Centre created GTEF to bring people together and create opportunities for cooperation through travel and tourism. Seven years later today, GTEF’s intended function as a Virtual Bridge has achieved unprecedented results in this 2018 edition. One of the most crucial factors in strategic partnership is timing. Being able to seize the moment and align with a partner who strives for common goals and shared responsibility is what makes a partnership strategic. The opportune moment is now. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the EU-China Strategic Partnership, 2018 China-EU Tourism Year, the imminent launch of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development plan.”

She added, “In the last two days, GTEF welcomed over 2,000 participants from 42 countries, including the EU member countries and Guangdong Province. It has held over 200 business matching sessions. GTEF has also elevated its alliances with its strategic partners: UNWTO and GTERC have renewed its collaboration in the joint Asia Tourism Trends research report after five years of success collaboration. WTTC has leveraged GTEF’s influence to hold its half-day Asia Leader Forum before GTEF. GTEF 2018’s Partner Region, the European Union has also selected GTEF to hold its PET Conference. Last but not least, a total of five provincial federations signed Memorandum of Understanding with GTERC for future collaboration. GTEF’s supporting unit, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, representing the entire private sector in China, brought a delegation of 270 members and vice chairmen of 14 of its provincial federations to GTEF 2018.”

Asia Tourism Trends research report explores Greater Bay Area potential

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC) delivered their fifth joint research report on Asia Tourism Trends during the Forum. A collaboration of UNWTO and GTERC, the report enabled delegates to gain an insight into the latest tourism outlook of the Asia-Pacific region, a statistical analysis of Chinese Outbound Tourism to Europe and European Union Outbound Tourism to China, as well as the development potential and opportunities across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In this 7th edition, the Forum not only featured its signature discussion panels once again in cooperation with its major collaborative partner UNWTO and supporting units including Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), but also presented new panels in cooperation with other entities including All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), European Tourism Association (ETOA), The European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (ECTAA), The Macau Chinese Enterprise Association, and Greater Bay Area Youth Federation. Several Special Keynotes and a Special Keynote Interview were also featured as new highlights in the programme.

GTEF 2019 presents Brazil and Argentina as Partner Countries and Jiangsu as Featured Partner Chinese Province

Before drawing the curtain on this edition, the Forum unveiled GTEF 2019 Partner Countries and Featured Partner Chinese Province to delegates. GTEF 2019 will feature Brazil and Argentina as Partner Countries. Secretary of Coordination and Tourism Investments of National Tourism Ministry of Argentina, Sebastián Slobayen, and Chief of the Special Advisory for International Relations of the Ministry of Tourism of Brazil, Rafael Luisi, each presented an overview of their countries’ tourism and economic situation. 2019 is the year to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Forum of China and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil. GTEF is committed to deepening tourism collaboration between China and Latin American countries, building on the achievements in the fourth edition when GTEF featured the Pacific Alliance member countries (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) as Partner Countries and unlocked cooperation opportunities between China and these countries. Furthermore, GTEF 2019 Featured Partner Chinese Province, Jiangsu Province, gave a fascinating presentation about its cultural and tourism strengths as one of China’s most economically competitive provinces. The presentation was delivered by Deputy Director General of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Jiangsu Province, Chen Fen.

The 8th edition of GTEF will be held in Macao in 2019. Based on the experience of the last seven editions, the Forum is poised to innovate on its programme and format, and help delegates to forge wider tourism cooperation across industries, sectors and regions through the international exchange platform.

The Global Tourism Economy Forum is hosted by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), initiated and co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism under the authorization of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) and coordinated by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC). GTEF’s supporting units include the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and European Travel Commission (ETC).

About Global Tourism Economy Forum
The Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) is hosted by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government, in collaboration with World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism under the authorization of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) and coordinated by Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC). GTEF’s supporting units include the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) and European Travel Commission (ETC).

Since its inception in 2012, GTEF has successfully established itself as an influential high-level cooperation platform to promote sustainable development in the global tourism industry with a focus on China. To date, GTEF had received more than 8,000 participants from 83 countries and regions, including delegations from 106 provinces and cities of Mainland China; and 437 internationally renowned speakers.

For more information, please contact Mazarine Asia Pacific:
Ms. Anita Yu
Tel: +853 8296 3608
Email: anita.yu@mazarineap.com