Category: Latest Travel News

Langkawi (Malaysia) – September 16, 2018 (travelindex) – PATA Travel Mart 2018 (PTM 2018), hosted by Malaysia, has attracted over 1,400 delegates from 70 global destinations. The delegate numbers embraced 389 sellers from 208 organisations and 33 destinations with local sellers comprising 32% of the total, along with 252 buyers from 241 organisations and 53 source markets.

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) was also pleased to welcome 210 local and international young tourism professionals including PATA Student Chapter members from Bangladesh Dhaka University, Canada Vancouver Capilano University, Malaysia Taylor’s University, Nepal, Philippines LPU-Manila, and Singapore Temasek Polytechnic. The students were part of the PATA Youth Symposium held on Wednesday, September 12, hosted by the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) and the Alumni Association of UiTM Students’ Representative Council (PIMPIN) in collaboration with the PATA Malaysia Chapter, Tourism Malaysia and Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark.

PTM 2018 officially opened in Langkawi, Malaysia on Wednesday, September 12 with the PTM 2018 Welcome Reception, presided by the Right Honourable Dato Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Dr. Wan Ismail, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, taking place at the Langkawi International Convention Center (LICC).

During the Welcome Reception, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia, the Honourable YB Tuan Mohamaddin Ketap, noted that, “For many, PTM is considered the biggest tourism trade platform in Asia Pacific. As the host country of PTM, it is an opportunity for us to promote Malaysia as the ideal leisure and business destination. With an overwhelming 67 Malaysian sellers on board this year, we are really leveraging hard on this opportunity to meet international buyers. The Malaysian sellers include the private sector and state government/agencies such as Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Penang, Labuan, Kedah and Johor.”

Early in the day, delegates had the chance to gain insights into product development, machine learning, data analytics and artificial intelligence at the Travolution Asia Forum 2018, organised in partnership with Travel Weekly Group. Furthermore, for the first time at PTM, the world’s 15 most innovative travel and tourism start-ups and pitched their business models to a jury panel at the World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL) Start-Up Innovation Camp 2018.

Addressing a media briefing on Thursday, September 13 at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre (MIEC), the official venue of the event, Dr. Hardy said, “For over 40 years, the event’s continued success has been due to its ability to strike the right balance between quality and quantity when it comes to buyers and sellers.”

During the event, Travelindex and Snap Productions launched, at the LADA Langkawi Development Authority booth, the most comprehensive tourism website on Langkawi at VisitLangkawi.net The launch was presided by Ybhg. Dato’ Haji Azizan Noordin, CEO of LADA and Mr. Anthony Wong, Group Managing Director of Frangipani Hotels and Resorts.

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 member organisations, comprising 98 government, state and city tourism bodies, 19 international airlines and airports, 91 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 our 36 Chapters and 20 Student Chapters across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 36 local PATA chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 20 PATA student chapters globally. The chapters and student chapters organise travel industry training and business development events. Their grassroots activism 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.

Contact information:
PATA
Paul Pruangkarn
Director – Communications
+66 (02) 658-2000
communications@PATA.org

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 19, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels & Resorts is delighted to announce the appointment of Ms. Luckrada Lucksanawimol as its new Regional Director Sales – Asia, effective immediately.

Ms Luckrada, or “Annie” as she is better known, brings an impressive set of skills to Best Western. Having achieved a Master’s Degree in International Business Management from Stamford International University, she has held senior sales and management roles for a series of major hotels and resorts, both at property and head office levels.

Her experience includes serving as Director of Sales at B-Lay Tong Phuket, during the time it was operated by AccorHotels as part of the MGallery Collection; and serving as Director of Sales for the former dusitD2 Patong Resort, which was managed by Dusit International. She was also Cluster Director of Sales for Bangkok-based BHMAsia, overseeing 17 properties in Thailand and beyond.

And most recently, Khun Annie was Executive Assistant Manager at B-Lay Tong Phuket, having returned to the property in 2017.

She now embarks on the latest chapter in her career as Regional Director Sales for Best Western, with responsibility for the company’s expanding portfolio of hotels and resorts in Southeast Asia and Japan.

“Khun Annie is a confident, charming and forward-thinking person and a highly-skilled hospitality professional. Not only does she have extensive experience of sales, but she has also been involved in hotel operations at senior management level, giving her a deep understanding of the industry. We are delighted to have her onboard our dynamic team, and I am sure that her talent and expertise will be great assets to our entire company,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

“I am thrilled to be joining to Best Western, which is one of the most famous names in the hotel industry. This is a very exciting time for the company, with many fantastic new hotels and innovative brands being launched in Asia. I look forward to working with the entire team and helping Best Western to achieve even more success in the future,” Khun Annie commented.

A Thai national, Khun Annie is a keen scuba diver with a PADI open water certificate. She also enjoys travel and photography, landscape and interior design, swimming, reading and art.

She will now be based at Best Western’s Asia head office in Bangkok. To contact Khun Annie, please email luckrada.lucksanawimol@bestwestern.com.

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

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 19, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Department of International Trade Promotion, Ministry of Commerce, launched a new digital tool so-called Thai SELECT Application that facilitates Thai cuisine lovers in overseas to quickly locate and access to authentic Thai food restaurants at their fingertips. The application development program is aimed at rising numbers of customers and promoting business opportunities for the Thai SELECT awarded restaurants following Thailand 4.0 Policy which focuses on creating a value-based economy that is driven by innovation.

Mrs. Chantira Jimreivat Vivatrat, Director General of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, said that DITP is working towards a vision to promote Thailand’s position as the world’s leading food producer and exporter and to be listed in the world’s top ten food suppliers. Part of the missions is to ensure that Thailand can deliver food products and services which are up to the safety, hygiene, and international standards based on principles of food sustainability and food security in accordance to the Thai government’s ‘Kitchen of the World’ strategy Year 2016-2021. Meanwhile, the DITP recently developed the Thai SELECT Application, an online tool to promote business opportunities for awarded restaurants under the Thai SELECT program. The application allows smartphone and tablet users to locate the awarded authentic Thai food restaurants more easily. The development of Thai SELECT Application is in line with Thailand 4.0 Policy which strategically focuses on innovation, a tool to transform the country into the value-based economy.

“The Thai SELECT Application facilitate overseas Thai cuisine lovers to find the place where they can enjoy authentic Thai food. Users can locate the Thai SELECT awarded restaurants in any city just at the fingertips. Key features of the application include customer’s review, restaurant ratings, and information about Thai food ingredients. Besides, for those who plan to cook Thai dishes at home, the application can help them to search for the right Thai food products. Also, they can receive an update from the Thai SELECT program such as restaurant news and promotions. At present, the application is offering international users with choices of three main languages which are English, German and Japanese. Other foreign languages will be introduced in the following stage. The Thai SELECT Application is available for iOS and Android users.”

Currently, there are more than 20,000 Thai restaurants worldwide. The DITP’s effort to promote Thai restaurant business is aimed at raising international recognition of Thai food, enhancing sustainable demand of Thai food in the worldwide market, and adding value to Thai food exports including food ingredients and related restaurant products. The ongoing effort supports the government’s policy to strengthen the country’s agricultural sector and enhance Thailand’s position as the ‘Kitchen of The World’ supplying international buyers with quality agricultural food products, authentic Thai cuisine, and total services for Thai food.

The Thai SELECT program is operated by the DITP, tasked with expanding Thai food business in overseas. Thai SELECT is divided into two are Thai SELECT Premium that will be granted to the restaurants serving authentic Thai food of premium quality with luxury decorations and outstanding services, and Thai SELECT which will be awarded to restaurants serving fine authentic Thai food. The program is a seal of approval granted to Thai restaurants and processed Thai food products. The objective is to increase the recognition and encourage Thai restaurant operators, food producers, and chefs to raise the quality of their products and services while maintaining authenticity. Also, the program is considered a channel to promote products of Thailand such as tableware and restaurant decoration items.

“DITP has been focusing on the capability development of Thai restaurant operators and professionals in Thai food business. DITP provides support through different programs including knowledge training and a platform to promote business opportunities and professional connection. The development of Thai SELECT Application is another DITP’s effort to support the Thai restaurant business in all dimensions. The online tool will help to promote the products of Thailand and the sustainable competitiveness of Thai restaurants in the international market which will eventually contribute to the Thai economic system.” Mrs. Chantira, said.

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 16, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Thanpuying Varaporn Pramoj was a guest of honour at the ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of the 19th World Gourmet Festival at Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel on 3 September 2018.

The festival held from 3 – 9 September 2018, has raised a substantial amount to support the Princess Soamsawali AZT Fund for Pregnant Women of the Thai Red Cross Society. Funds were raised from THB 600 of every dinner ticket sold, as well as proceeds from auctions during the festival. The auctions featured accommodation vouchers donated by Anantara and Minor Hotels & Resorts around the world, and Turkish Airlines business class air tickets for two people.

The event would not have been possible without the participation of guest chefs, food and wine experts from around the world, as well as the support of key sponsors.

This year, the full line up of chefs in the 19th annual World Gourmet Festival was:
– José Avillez: Belcanto in Lisbon, Portugal (2 Michelin stars)
– Bernard Bach: Le Puits Saint-Jacques in Toulouse, France (2 Michelin stars)
– Ryohei Hieda: Shoun RyuGin in Taipei, Taiwan (2 Michelin stars)
– Jeong Ho Kim: Jungsik in Seoul, The Republic of Korea (2 Michelin stars)
– Martin Dalsass: Talvo by Dalsass in St. Moritz, Switzerland (1 Michelin star)
– Alessandra del Favero and Oliver Piras: AGA Ristorante in San Vito di Cadore, Italy (1 Michelin star)
– Srijith Gopinathan: TAJ Campton Place in San Francisco, USA (1 Michelin star)
– Han Li Guang: Labyrinth in Singapore (1 Michelin star)
– Giuseppe Iannotti: Krèsios in Naples, Italy (1 Michelin star)
– Shinji Ishida: Nogizaka Shin in Tokyo, Japan (1 Michelin star)
– Shinya Otsuchihashi: CRAFTALE in Tokyo, Japan (1 Michelin star)
– Luigi Taglienti: LUME in Milan, Italy (1 Michelin star)

Joining the star studded line up of chefs this year were international stars – celebrity chef Bobby Chinn, famed chocolatier Paul A Young, and sommelier Seju Yang.

Stay tuned for an update of Bangkok’s biggest annual food and wine event – the 20th World Gourmet Festival at www.WorldGourmetFestival.asia

Hanoi (Vietnam) – September 16, 2018 – At the World Economic Forum on ASEAN, the heads of state of the five member countries of the Mekong region – Viet Nam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Myanmar – affirmed their commitment to shared prosperity and peace.

Addressing participants, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Viet Nam, said that with a shared history and culture, the Mekong countries envision a joint, interconnected future, and one agile enough to adapt to global shifts.

“We can no longer depend just on natural resources,” said the prime minister, “But on innovation, reform, creativity and those new forms of connectivity that will help the Mekong countries connect in a more dynamic way and create a economic driver for our countries.”

Highlighting the place of the Mekong countries within the ASEAN regional bloc, the prime minister said ASEAN’s principles of “unity in diversity” are also clearly reflected in the Mekong framework: “We have differences in our starting points and history, but our common vision is peace, stability and integration. Now, especially with the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, connectivity and sustainability are also very important.”

“In Thailand, we believe water is the essence of life, so the Mekong is the main bloodline for our five nations,” said Prajin Juntong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Thailand, “It will bring a beautiful environment and rich resources, create a good livelihood and contribute to better sustainability.”

Combined, the Mekong countries have a GDP of $800 million. If it were one country, the Mekong region would be the sixth-biggest country in the world and a member of the G20. Yet despite its significant potential, inter-Mekong trade remains low at just 8% and there are concerns that similar exports, such as rice, could create fierce competition among the five countries.

However, Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of Myanmar, stressed that Mekong countries are focused more on complementarity than competition. “I think we could work together and not just make this a commercially, economically vibrant region, but a region that could be a lesson in how we make our complementarities and common challenges strong, to keep things together, and even to make our competition a healthy kind, which will help us to progress,” expressed Suu Kyi.

Discussing physical connectivity in the energy space, Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic echoed the shared Mekong framework, saying the economic “bloodline” should be both utilized and protected.

“We should protect the river and think about sustainability, where all member countries protect the environment and we develop it together,” he said, “We should not think that one country is trying to use the river for its own interests only.” The recent dam collapse, he admitted, means that any future construction will require careful planning and design, and assistance from both regional and international stakeholders.

Beyond physical connectivity in terms of water, energy, transport and people, Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, stressed the need for innovative solutions to shared future challenges.

“We have to catch up, I see that for our Mekong countries, the important thing is the connectivity in order to guarantee that all our countries get together in a convenient way, physically and digitally,” he said. In the event of a natural disaster such as a regional flood, he noted, countries such as Cambodia, Viet Nam and Thailand should have agreements in place to deal with cross-border management, encompassing telecommunications and emergency evacuation plans.

Towards that goal, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said transformational changes are underway: Viet Nam, Lao PDR and Cambodia, for example, all share a flat roaming rate for telecommunications.

The challenge, noted Suu Kyi, is ensuring that increased connectivity is empowering.

“Is the Fourth Industrial Revolution going to bring us closer together, or to drive us further apart?” she asked, “I am confident the Mekong countries will take the path to bring us closer together, because we have shared cultural values and historical experiences and that has helped us to generate empathy, and understand each other.”

Hanoi (Vietnam) – September 16, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The World Economic Forum on ASEAN came to a close today, gathering a record number of participants (more than 1,100) and heads of state (8). Participants looked at how the ASEAN region can best deal with the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, creating economic growth that is sustainable, inclusive and creates enough jobs.

Participants agreed the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in the Vietnamese capital had been characterized by pertinent discussion on critical regional issues. “We have had deep, substantial and hopefully consequential discussions on ASEAN’s future,” noted Børge Brende, President; Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum.

Co-Chairs of the three-day meeting emphasized the quality of dialogue that took place, and an overarching sense of optimism about the opportunities ahead. “Overall I am feeling very optimistic that ASEAN is going to take the bull by the horns, so to speak,” observed Nazir Razak, Chairman, CIMB Group Holdings, Malaysia, “I think the World Economic Forum has made a difference to ASEAN. ASEAN does recognize the 4.0 challenge and I am optimistic about what the ASEAN secretariat will do now do now going forward.”

Referring to the theme of the event, ASEAN 4.0: Entrepreneurship and the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Razak said he hopes the regional bloc could collaborate further to capitalize on the gains of rapid technological change and digital growth by achieving the free movement of talent, data, capital and education, across the borders of ASEAN’s 10 members.

Occurring at a time when the regional geopolitical dynamic is underscored by rising trade tensions between the United States and China, participants agreed that ASEAN nations are well placed to bolster the region from external shocks, particularly through ramping up intra-ASEAN trade.

“For all the talk of trade conflict,” observed Kevin Sneader, Global Managing Partner, McKinsey & Company, Hong Kong SAR, China, “I do still sense from the conversations I have had here, and also observing where we are, that the underlying fundamentals of this part of the world remain solid. And therefore while there may be turbulence in the near term, we should expect, and can believe in a very positive future for ASEAN and beyond.”

Envisioning a future defined by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Nguyen Manh Hung, Acting Minister of Information and Communications of Viet Nam, stressed the need for “smart governance” and the willingness of governments, businesses and societies to collectively adapt to rapid technological change.

“Technology can change very fast but the people, governments cannot change so fast and this will be our biggest challenge. So what do we need to do?” he asked. “We have to train people so they are adept at change, not only technological training, but soft skills too. I think the Fourth Industrial Revolution is more about a mindset revolution.”

Given disparate levels of development and the potential for rapid development to leave some sectors of society behind, Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, Chief Executive Officer, Plan International, United Kingdom, reiterated the importance of equitable development and inclusion.

“There is no doubt that there is tremendous opportunity in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. What I would hope is that we can take some lessons from other revolutions because there were some very, very significant losers that got left out,” remarked Albrectsen, “We can learn from that and make sure that the social inclusion that is needed – and bringing everyone along – is a lot faster, and we need public policy to ensure we get that inclusion.”

One cause for great optimism, she elaborated, is ASEAN’s “phenomenal investment in education”, and one that should translate into greater gender equity in the region’s future workforce. “As education has become more and more inclusive, as girls are superseding boys in attaining high levels of education, the economies are still not taking full advantage of that really fantastic resource: well-educated young women in their workforce.”

Reflecting on the goals of ASEAN, in the past three days, the meeting has produced numerous notable outcomes.

New Partnerships against Malaria in Asia Pacific
The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) announced support for two new initiatives to accelerate the elimination of malaria and improve health outcomes in the Asia Pacific region. The two initiatives are Blended Finance for Impact and M2030.

Digital ASEAN Initiative
Digital ASEAN, one of the World Economic Forum’s flagship initiatives in South-East Asia, held two workshops during the meeting, convening 90 government ministers, business leaders and policy-makers to set the goals for the year ahead. The initiative has five task forces focused on: harmonizing data policy and governance rules in ASEAN; upgrading broadband access, quality and speed; developing digital skills; improving cooperation for cybersecurity; and building a pan-regional e-payments ecosystem. Each task force now has a clear roadmap of goals to be achieved in the coming 12 months.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Acting Minister of Information and Communications of Viet Nam built strong momentum for a “Flat ASEAN” by calling for abolition of international roaming charges imposed on ASEAN citizens when travelling within the region, and establishment of a regional ICT University to train a skilled workforce for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, as well as a Cybersecurity Information Sharing and Analysis Centre to ensure that all citizens and systems can be safely connected on the internet.

Among the first to make a digital skills pledge, Google announced it is deepening its commitment to train 3 million SME workers across all 10 countries in South-East Asia in digital skills by 2020

Young Global Leaders in ASEAN expressed a common goal of enhancing digital citizenship and online safety among children in the region. They decided to work together on #DQEveryChild, a strategic global movement to empower 8-12 year olds with comprehensive digital citizenship skills from the start of their digital lives and help them become informed and discerning users of digital media and technology. More information at

Meetings and sessions held at the Forum on ASEAN included:

Grow Asia Forum 2018
More than 170 senior leaders and decision-makers in the agriculture industry gathered at the Grow Asia Forum 2018 to agree strategies for transforming agriculture and food systems in the region anchored on public-private policy dialogue and Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. Grow Asia’s network includes more than 480 partners operating across 37 value-chain projects in five countries, delivering farmers’ income increases of over 20% to approximately 690,000 smallholder farmers.

A New Vision for the Mekong Region
Heads of state of across the Mekong region unanimously reiterated a vision of the vital waterway or economic “bloodline” and one that prioritizes complimentary over competition. The leaders of Viet Nam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Myanmar affirmed their commitment to shared prosperity and peace. Read more here

Plenary on the Fourth Industrial Revolution
In the opening plenary of the meeting, heads of state from Viet Nam, Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar and Lao PDR spoke about the transformative technological potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. “The opportunities brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution are indeed enormous,” noted Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Viet Nam. “The start-up atmosphere is truly permeating throughout ASEAN.” Read more statements here

A Conversation with Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, State Counsellor of Myanmar, in a one-on-one conversation with World Economic Forum President Børge Brende talked about her country’s economic agenda, the situation in the Rakhine State, and the recent sentencing of journalists in her country. Read more here

ASEAN Economic Outlook
Government and business leaders at the World Economic Forum on ASEAN said they remain optimistic about the region’s economic outlook despite threats of an escalation in the US-China trade war, rising interest rates and fear of emerging countries’ currency contagion. Read more here.

Reports and surveys launched at the Forum on ASEAN included:

ASEAN Youth Survey
A survey of 64,000 ASEAN citizens, launched in Ha Noi, showed strong optimism around the region that technology will improve incomes and job prospects. Results showed significant regional variance, with youth in Indonesia and Philippines notably more optimistic than counterparts in Singapore and Thailand. Read more

Trade Tech – A New Age for Trade and Supply Chain Finance
Distributed ledger technologies – of which blockchain is the best known form – could play a major role in reducing the worldwide trade finance gap, enabling trade that otherwise could not take place, a new study released in Ha Noi by the World Economic Forum and Bain & Company found. The technology’s effects would be largest in emerging markets and for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Madrid (Spain) – September 16, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The first edition of the UNWTO Tourism Startup Competition, organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in partnership with Globalia, the leading tourism group in Spain and Latin America, is the world’s first and largest initiative devoted to identifying new companies that will lead the transformation of the tourism sector and fostering innovation ecosystems through tourism. The semi-finalists have been invited to present their projects in the framework of the official celebration of World Tourism Day in the presence of global leaders in the sector (27 September 27, Budapest, Hungary). The finalist projects will be presented at the next edition of the International Tourism Fair of Madrid (Fitur), in January 2019.

The competition was focused on the search for innovative startups capable of transforming the way people travel and experience tourism, while adhering closely to the principles of sustainability (economic, social, environmental). The projects addressed areas such as the future of travel (33%), the tourism experience (32%), community development (29%) and environmental impact (6%).

“Today, innovation is one of the main drivers of sustainability, and tourism must continue to be at the vanguard as one of the leading sectors in new business models and relationships between people, and also as a steadfast and successful ally in promoting sustainable development throughout the world,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Each solution’s uniqueness, viability, potential impact, business model and scalability, along with the profile of the team, were the criteria for selecting the 20 semi-finalists.

“The large number of companies that have presented their innovative proposals and projects reflects a true revolution in the way we travel and enjoy tourism,” said Globalia CEO Javier Hidalgo. “As a global tourism group, we are delighted to lead and spearhead this initiative together with the World Tourism Organization and we want to work together to lead the transformation of the tourism sector and become a benchmark.”

This group is notable for embodying entrepreneurial talent that offers pioneering proposals in the implementation of emerging and disruptive technologies that generate new sustainable business models.

Therefore, among the semi-finalists we find innovative projects that redefine the how trips are planned and how tourism is experienced, projects that promote sustainability and community involvement, as well as projects that use technology to revolutionize business models and the management of companies in the sector.

Those selected for the next stages will gain access to the leading actors in world tourism,
providing visibility and networking opportunities, as well as opening up financing and business development possibilities.

An innovative event
Globalia and the World Tourism Organization have entrusted this initiative to Barrabés.biz, an innovation consultancy with over 20 years of experience in creating, connecting and activating entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems.

The technological platform chosen to manage the competition was YouNoodle, a pioneering Silicon Valley firm that specializes in innovation and entrepreneurship competitions at the global level.

About Globalia
Globalia is the number one tourism group in Ibero-America, with a turnover of over 3.689 billion euros in 2017. With a presence in more than 20 countries and 15,000 employees, Globalia provides services to all sectors of the world of tourism. It comprises a number of independent companies that are leaders in their markets, including Air Europa (airline), Halcón Viajes (travel agencies), Travelplan (tour operator), Be Live (hotel chain) and Groundforce (airport handling), among others.

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

Macau (Macao SAR) – September 11, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF or the Forum) continued its China roadshow and promoted GTEF 2018 at the 2018 China (Guangdong) International Tourism Industry Expo (CITIE 2018) in Guangzhou from September 7 to September 9.

Capitalizing on the CITIE 2018 occasion, GTEF introduced the Forum as an international tourism platform that connects the Greater Bay Area, the Belt and Road countries and the rest of the world. GTEF also put forth its 2018 edition, including its Official Partner capacity in the 2018 EU-China Tourism Year (“ECTY2018”), EU as the Partner Region, and Guangdong Province as the Featured Chinese Province with a special focus on the burgeoning Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. At the expo, GTEF held meetings with major public and private tourism entities to exchange views, deepen mutual understanding and explore collaboration possibilities. Visitors at GTEF’s booth were engaged in interactive games that are designed to increase their understanding of the Forum and encourage them to join GTEF 2018.

The highlight of the latest GTEF roadshow was the networking dinner “CITIE Night powered by GTEF” at the Garden Hotel Guangzhou on September 7. Co-organized by CITIE and GTEF, and supported by Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province, the dinner was designed to foster exchanges approximately 100 tourism leaders, exhibitors and media representatives. Ms. Zeng Yingru, Director General of Guangdong Province Tourism Administration, delivered a welcome speech on behalf of CITIE. Mr. Jason Wang, Chief Operating Officer of GTEF, briefly introduced GTEF 2018’s theme and invited industry peers to take advantage of the business matching offerings uniquely provided in the 2018 edition. Insightful Macao tourism business outlook was presented by GTEF’s major sponsors and integrated tourism and leisure enterprises in Macao, namely Ms. Aileen Lu, Regional Sales Manager of Galaxy Entertainment Group; Ms. Cindy Yang, Account Director – Resort Sales of MGM Macau; Ms. Ling Shi, Hotel Sales Manager of Sands China; Mr. Bailey Sin, Marketing Director of SJM Holdings Limited; Mr. Dicky Lei, Senior Manager-Sales of Wynn Palace; and Ms. Kiki Wan, Manager-Sales of Wynn Macau.

GTEF 2018 will be held at MGM COTAI on October 23 and 24, under the theme “Strategic Partnership in a New Era, Rising Momentum for a Shared Future”. Featuring EU as the Partner Region and Guangdong Province as the Featured Chinese Province, GTEF 2018 will explore how collective efforts between the EU, the second-most popular destination for outbound Chinese tourists outside Asia, and the Greater Bay Area in Guangdong Province, soon-to-be the seventh largest economic bloc in the world, can create a new catalyst for global economic growth. In addition to thought-provoking panel discussions, GTEF will also offer tourism promotion, investment and cooperation opportunities through bilateral trade meetings, business matching, networking, workshops, exhibitions, 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 (invited), 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 enquiries, please contact Mazarine Asia Pacific:
Ms. Esther Chan
Tel: +852 3678 0109
Email: esther.chan@mazarineap.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 11, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok is celebrating the 1st anniversary of its rebranding as a Luxury Collection hotel with a special thank you package “The Athenee Anniversary” featuring its luxurious suites and a complimentary celebration for guests who also celebrate their birthday in October.

Package perks and privileges include:
– A night stay or more at the hotel’s suite
– Round trip for limousine transfer, from your home in Bangkok or Suvarnnabhumi airport
– Breakfast for two (in-bed from room service menu or buffet at The Rain Tree Café)
– Early Check in at 10:00 A.M. and late check out at 04:00 P.M.
– Buffet dinner for two at The Rain Tree Café

Special for guests who celebrate their birthday in October, a specially baked birthday cake and two glasses of champagne during their stay with the compliments of the hotel.

Prices start from THB 19,000++ per night for Athenee Suite.
Bookings from now until 31 October 2018 for stays from 1 -31 October 2018.

Terms & Conditions
The Athenee Anniversary package applies to suites only
Offer cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions, special event, and discount voucher. Advanced reservations are required. Please call 02 650 8800

About The Luxury Collection® Hotels & Resorts
The Luxury Collection®, part of Marriott International, Inc., is comprised of world-renowned hotels and resorts offering unique, authentic experiences that evoke lasting, treasured memories. For the global explorer, The Luxury Collection offers a gateway to the world’s most exciting and desirable destinations. Each hotel and resort is a unique and cherished expression of its location; a portal to the destination’s indigenous charms and treasures. Originated in 1906 under the CIGA® brand as a collection of Europe’s most celebrated and iconic properties, today The Luxury Collection brand is a glittering ensemble, recently surpassing 100 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 30 countries and territories. All of these hotels, many of them centuries old, are internationally recognized as being among the world’s finest. For more information and new openings, visit theluxurycollection.com or follow Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The Luxury Collection is proud to participate in the industry’s award-winning loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest®. Members can now link accounts with Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer.

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 6,200 properties in 30 leading hotel brands spanning 125 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company also operates award-winning loyalty programs: Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 11, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Dusit Thani Public Company Limited (DTC), one of Thailand’s foremost hotel and property development companies, has expanded into the high-end vacation rental market through the full acquisition of Elite Havens, the leading provider of high-end vacation rentals in Asia.

DTC made the acquisition through its wholly owned Hong Kong-incorporated subsidiary, Dusit Overseas Company Limited, which has bought all shares in LVM Holdings Pte Ltd. (LVMH), a Singapore-incorporated company and the ultimate holding company of Elite Havens, for approximately USD 15,000,000 (THB 495,000,000).

Established in 1998, LVMH directly and indirectly holds shares in nine companies in Southeast Asian countries. The largest company of its kind in Asia, it performs integrated marketing, reservations, concierge and management services for luxury villas and currently maintains a network of more than 200 fully staffed properties across Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

DTC’s acquisition of Elite Havens follows the company’s three-pronged strategy for sustainable and profitable growth, which includes balance, diversification, and expansion, particularly into new market segments, which will enhance DTC’s capacity to provide integrated services and drive revenue growth.

“Our investment in Elite Havens marks another important milestone in our strategic journey, particularly our two-pronged plan for expansion, which includes doubling our number of hotels in operation, and providing broadened experiences for our customers.” said Ms Suphajee Suthumpun, Group CEO, DTC. “Our current brand line up covers the midscale through to luxury hotel segments. Now, with the addition of Elite Havens, we are delighted to cover the luxury villa rental segment too.

“While the integrated luxury villa management business is new to us, Elite Havens has an impressive track record in this segment, successfully expanding from a small enterprise to the leading company of its kind in Asia. And we are confident that our 70 years of experience in operating upper-upscale and luxury hotels will only enhance these operations further, allowing the dynamic Elite Havens team to leverage our own capabilities to continue providing exceptional services for luxury consumers, while simultaneously expanding the brand’s reach in more dream destinations throughout Asia and other key regions.”

Mr Jon Stonham, CEO, Elite Havens, said, “With our strong focus on people and exceeding expectations with our services, Elite Havens shares the same values as Dusit, so there is already a strong synergy for us to build on. We look forward to a very bright future of sustainable and profitable growth as we expand our operations as part of the Dusit family.”

Following its strategy for balance, diversification and expansion, DTC has been actively enhancing its operations with investments in new market segments. The company made moves into the shared economy last year with an investment in Favstay, a Thai hospitality startup offering condos and villas for rent in Thailand’s top destinations, and in April this year DTC announced it would also enter the affordable lifestyle segment with the launch of ASAI Hotels.

A distinctive new brand designed to link curious, millennial-minded travellers with authentic local experiences in vibrant cities and resort destinations worldwide, ASAI Hotels now has five properties in the pipeline across Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines.

About Dusit International
Dusit International was founded in 1948 by Honorary Chairperson Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, whose first hotel was the Princess on Bangkok’s Charoenkrung Road. Today the company is a leader in hotel management and hospitality education and comprises a unique international portfolio of distinctive hotels and resorts operating under four brands: Dusit Thani, dusitD2, Dusit Princess and Dusit Devarana. ASAI Hotels, an affordable lifestyle brand aimed at millennial-minded travellers, is set to open its first property early next year.

Dusit International currently operates 27 properties worldwide and has over 50 confirmed projects in the pipeline in key destinations such as Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, UAE, and Vietnam.

The company also operates the signature Devarana Spa and has a fast-growing Education Division. The latter, established in 1993, comprises Dusit Thani College, which offers vocational and postgraduate hospitality degrees at campuses in Bangkok and Pattaya; and Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School.

About Elite Havens Group
Elite Havens was established in 1998 and features a hand-selected and personally inspected portfolio of more than 200 fully staffed luxury villas in Bali, Lombok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The Group manages and exclusively markets the largest curated portfolio of luxury villas in Asia. Elite Havens villa management assumes the responsibility for every aspect of a villa’s logistical and commercial operations, ensuring that exacting standards are maintained and equal to that of a five star hotel. Villa owners and guests are both equally assured of an unsurpassed professional service at any of the villas under Elite Havens’ management.

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