Category: Latest Travel News

Dubai (United Arab Emirates) – July 2, 2018 (travelindex) – Hosted within Xn protel’s private cloud, the new PMS and xnPOS systems will centralize operations, reduce costs and deliver scalability for the growing Central Hotels business, while helping staff to provide guests with an ‘at home’ comfortable service. Global hospitality management software company Xn protel Systems today announced that the newly opened 5-star Royal Central The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE (207 rooms, 6 F&B outlets) and the 5-star Canal Central Hotel Business Bay, Dubai, UAE (278 rooms, 4 F&B outlets) have both installed a protel property management and xnPOS point of sale system. The strong partnership between Central Hotels and Xn protel will see existing and new hotels within the group strengthening the brand through the creation and delivery of exceptional, personalized guest experiences.

Central Hotels, launched in 2015, is a fast-growing hospitality management company headquartered in Dubai, UAE. The company offers a full spectrum of choice in terms of hotel categories and comprises five distinct hotel brands: Grand Central, City Central, Central Inn, Central Suites and Central Living. Central Hotels has rapid growth plans, which could see them reach up to fifty hotels in the next five years.

xnPOS provides comprehensive functionality and scalability that meets the needs of hotel F&B, table service restaurants and hospitality foodservice operations. The product is already proven in a wide spectrum of F&B operations in some 50 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. The pedigree and range of international customers endorses the system’s flexibility, functionality, language capability and simplicity of use.

protel MPE is an on-premise or hosted property management system for group hotels, serviced apartments and other accommodation businesses. It is internationally proven, feature rich and seamlessly connects to all other critical business systems. protel MPE provides the tools needed to support the guest journey, empower staff, and support the growing needs of the hospitality business. Central Hotels has chosen the ‘hosted’ option within Xn protel’s Data Center.

Ammar Kanaan, Group General Manager, Central Hotels said: “Our partnership with Xn protel is key to us providing our hotel teams with the right tools to make sure our guests receive a warm welcome and great service.”

Ammar continues, “Choosing the ‘hosted by Xn protel’ option for our PMS and POS means that we now have all the advantages of centralized systems, supported by people who really know what they are doing. It will allow us to better manage our resources across the Central Hotels Group and enable us to truly understand and meet the needs of our guests.”

Magued Malek, Business Development Director Gulf Countries & India, Xn protel Systems comments: “Many thanks indeed to the corporate and hotel teams for helping us to ensure everything was in place ready for the two openings. We look forward to our continued partnership and working together on future openings.”

About Central Hotels
Central Hotels has very quickly established itself as a reputed hotel management group in the UAE with its flagship property First Central Hotel Suites located in Barsha Heights (TECOM) near Sheikh Zayed Road. Building up on this amazing success, the brand is now poised to expand its footprint targeting the UAE and Turkey as the primary markets for growth in addition to other lucrative destinations in the Middle East. The group has recently added to its portfolio spectacular new 5-star hotels such as Canal Central Business Bay and Royal Central The Palm followed by Central House Citywalk focused on millennials, Novotel The Palm, Diamond Central – Business Bay, and Island Central in Dubai, as well as Valley Central Bursa, and Valley Central Trabzon in Turkey.

Central Hotels media contact:
Angelo De Guzman
Asst. Marketing Manager
First Central Hotel Suites
T: +971 4 454 4913 | M: +971 569 434 775
E: a.deguzman@central-hotels.com
www.firstcentraldubai.com | www.central-hotels.com

About Xn protel Systems
Xn protel Systems is a global hospitality management software company specializing in property management, central reservations, point of sale and activity management solutions. Our business-critical, highly functional, cloud-native and open systems provide the latest technology and flexibility. They help world-class hospitality companies in over 50 countries to optimize revenue generation, simplify service operations and enhance the quality of guest communications.

We are committed to:
Creating open systems. Working closely with our customers and partners we adopt industry standard protocols to break down traditional integration barriers. Creating truly open, flexible solutions that support guests’ growing appetite to be more in control of their stay.

Developing cloud-native products. Our newest technologies are born in the cloud. That means our customers benefit from the latest innovations, can take full advantage of mobile and achieve a lower cost of ownership.

Being easy to do business with. We understand the frustration that comes with unresponsive and inflexible suppliers. We’re not like that. And we don’t take our customers for granted. A customer-centric approach is in our DNA, from preparing quotations through to resolving support calls.

Our next generation, global solutions are backed by outstanding customer service and support. Our dedicated team of highly experienced hotel, hospitality and technology experts work hard to understand customers’ needs and the issues they face. Located across our extensive network of offices, our specialists provide the best advice, solutions and support to make sure customers meet the needs of local markets and achieve their business goals.

The Company was formed in the UK in 2002, as Xn Hotel Systems. It was then renamed in 2015 as Xn protel Systems when protel hotelsoftware became a shareholder.

www.xnprotel.com

Xn protel media contact:
Terry Osborne
Head of Marketing
Terry.osborne@xnprotel.com
+44 (0) 7788 280434

Xn protel sales contact:
sales@xnprotel.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – June 28, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Organized by Questex Hospitality Group, the Hotel Management Thailand Summit (HMT) 2018 has attracted international speakers and delegates to further discuss everything operational, commercial, and management in the hotel industry.

HMT concluded on 7 June 2018 with over 160 participants in attendance at the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok.

This year, delegates heard from veteran hoteliers and subject matterexperts on thefollowing topics in a closed-door forum: Rethinking the Revenue growth Strategies in Competitive Environment; Technology Trends in Hospitality; Leveraging Dynamic Pricing Strategies to Combat Rate Imparity; Diversifying and Growing the Source Markets: Conqueringthe New Frontiers; Exploring the Latest F&B Trends amidst the Changing Fine & Casual Dining Scenes; Securing Owner Approval and Capital Investment for Renovations and Upgrades; and, a Hot Debate: How will Blockchain Technology Enable Distribution and Loyalty?

Delegates were encouraged to send in questions via an online platform,and thequestions raised include: “Would a city wide minimum price agreement between the hotels work?; Is it a sales, marketing or distribution strategy to help focus on diversification of our source markets? Or is it a comprehensive strategy including operations; What would be your suggestion in making Chinese and Asian guests to spend more on hotel services?”

Panelist Tracy Dong, Lead Advisor –Asia Pacific, IDeaS –A SAS Company in “Leveraging Dynamic Pricing Strategies to Combat Rate Imparity” says her two takeaways from her experience on stage are: Asset is not only the property value but the talents who make it a success; and, Technology is the future. Leveraging on the pricingcompetitive is advantageous to win the battle.

HMT provided well-structured sessions with great insights and lively speakers. “Very well organized. Greattopics. Informative speakers,” praisedWouter Hazenbroek, General ManageratPark Plaza Sukhumvit Bangkok and Boulevard Hotel Bangkok

HMT Summit 2018 is part of the Hotel Management Asia Summit Series, Asia’s only truly regional hotel management conference series. The series rotate through Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Indonesia this year by leveraging regional experiences, insights, and innovations to address market-specific challenges.

About Questex Hospitality Group
Questex Hospitality Group, the multimedia organization in the world dedicated to travel and lodging, drives revenue, productivity and value-creation for these related industries through strategic investment and deal-making forums, powerful lead-generation tools, interactive online business solutions, world-class events, and industry leading publications.

Questex Hospitality Group also provides business development, marketing and training services to national tourism organizations, destination marketing associations, hotel, gaming, resort and cruise companies, online travel agencies, and travel advisors worldwide.Questex Hospitality is a division of Questex LLC, headquartered in Newton, Mass., with offices throughout the world.

About Hotel Management Thailand Summit (HMT Summit)
The leading conference in Thailand that directly addresses all operational/management challenges,the Hotel Management Thailand Summit provides a platform for hotel executives from both corporate level and property level to discuss key operational,branding and financial issues directly impacting corporate and property P&L.

CEO, COO, CFO, VPs, GMs, Financial Controllers, and executive committee members will gather to strategize and debate on essential topics including brand equity, cash-flow management, cost control, innovation, and staff retention and development. Industry leaders will share their best practices and recommendations with their peers.

For further information, please contact:
Jefferson Mendoza
Marketing Executive
Questex HospitalityGroup
E-mail: jmendoza@questexasia.com
Website: www.questexevents.net/hmtsummit
Tel: +852 2589 1331

Bangkok (Thailand) – June 29, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Questex Hospitality Group, international conference producer, has concluded its two day Asia Pacific Hotel Investment Conference (APHIC) on 5-6 June 2018 at the JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok. Positioned as the ideal platform to gain access to new hospitality projects in the region, APHIC welcomed over 120 hotel owners/investors, operators, developers, policy makers, design/architect, and master planners in Asia Pacific.

Day one of the program, delegates heard from experienced hotel investors and experts on the following topics: APAC Hospitality Performance Update & Opportunities; Thirty Minutes around the World for Premium Yields; Successfully Traversing the Performance and CAPEX Impacts Arising from Industry Consolidations; Hot Debate: Do Brands Provide Premium Value that Justify the Additional Investments, Risks, and Nuisances?; Technology and Guest Experience – Dilution or Enhancement; Optimizing Asset amidst Compressed Operating Margins and Fierce Competition; Efficiently Utilizing the Tools of Financing to Generate Premium ROI; Accelerating the ROI through Integrating Branded Residences and Mixed-Use Projects Into Your Asset Mix; Unlocking the Potentials from Existing Assets through Ideal Conversion, Redevelopment, and Rebranding Strategies; and, Making Money in Key Gateway Cities and Popular Destinations. Delegates were encouraged to send in questions via an online platform, and the questions raised include: ͞How is the youth (hostel) market going in Europe/world? Any transactionopportunities; Is lease contract increasingly acceptable in Europe as compared to management contract?; Why do we often see select service hotels on offer in the market with much higher per key price tag than many other types of hotel?͟

Day two featured two tours to a total of six hotels and serviced residences. Delegates leveraged the opportunity to visit some of the most notable recently opened properties in Bangkok, which is always slightly ahead of the curve in South East Asia in terms of concept designs and amenities. The hotels that inspired, include Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse; X2 Vibe Bangkok Sukhumvit; Somerset Ekamai Bangkok; akyra TAS Sukhumvit, Kokotel Bangkok Surawong; and ZAZZ Urban Bangkok.

APHIC provided well-structured sessions with great insights and lively speakers. ͞Was a pleasure discussion how to unlock the potentials from existing assets through conversion, redevelopment and rebranding strategies with industry colleagues at APHIC. Old is the new NEW, or at least that’s the way we look at it,͟ said Tim Alpe, Chief Operating Officer – Hong Kong, Ovolo Hotels.

APHIC is part of the acclaimed International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) Series of summits, the leading meeting places for the Hotel Community. IHIF has become known as the place where deals get done and the forum where senior level executives in the industry rely on as a tool for expanding and developing their businesses.

About Questex Hospitality + Travel
The Questex Hospitality + Travel Group of Questex LLC serves the worldwide hospitality, travel and related industries that together contribute over $6 trillion to the global gross domestic product. Through an innovative platform of targeted solutions, the group serves the sector’s entire ecosystem, from tourism and hotel development and investment to hotel design, purchasing, management and operations.

The Questex Hospitality + Travel Group supports every B2B segment of the industry, from investment and development to management operations, sales and marketing of hospitality and travel products to destination development and marketing, via proven demand generation, learning, loyalty and rewards solutions as well as a network of live events.

This division of Questex is aligned around three broad market segments – hospitality, travel, and meetings – and supported by its digital media staff.

About Asia Pacific Hotel Investment Conference (APHIC)
APHIC – together with key partners – will present an opportunity for investors to gain access to new projects and new contacts from hotel owners/ investors, operators, developers, policy makers, design/architect, and master planners in Asia Pacific.

For further information, please contact:
Jefferson Mendoza
Marketing Executive
Questex Hospitality + Travel
Tel: +852 2589 1331
E-mail: jmendoza@questexasia.com
Website: ihif.questexevents.net

Macao (Macao SAR) – June 28, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and Skål International have announced a new organisational partnership, recognising the importance of promoting the responsible development of the travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy and Skål International CEO Daniela Otero during the recent 47th Skål Asia Congress in Macao, China. The agreement commits the two organizations to share knowledge through research and publications, to reciprocate in event participation, to support mutual agreed advocacy positions, and to enhance access for the benefit of members of both organizations.

Dr. Hardy said, “PATA and Skål are very similar in many regards. Like PATA, Skål has a long-storied history having been founded in 1934 and through the years its members have fostered a great spirit of friendship and camaraderie. They are also committed to the development of young tourism professionals and students through Young Skål. This partnership helps align both our missions in developing a responsible tourism industry and look forward to working to with them towards this goal.”

Skål International CEO, Daniela Otero, stated that “the tourism economy in Asia has increased exponentially in recent years and that the agreement was very important for development of Skål in that area.”

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.

About Skål International
Skål is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism, business and friendship since 1934. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Its members, the industry’s managers and executives, meet at local, national, regional and international levels to discuss and pursue topics of common interest. More information: www.skal.org

Contact information:
PATA
Paul Pruangkarn
Director – Communications & Marketing
communications@PATA.org
+66 (02) 658-2000 | |
Bangkok, Thailand

Skål International:
Daniela Otero
CEO
daniela.otero@skal.org
+34 952 389111
Spain

Madrid (Spain) – June 28, 2018 (travelindex.com) – As the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) held its 2nd World Conference on Smart Destinations in the Spanish city of Oviedo (25-27 June 2018), Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili emphasized how new technologies can and should enable a more universal approach to sustainable tourism.

“Technology helps us to better manage our social, cultural and environmental impacts. And if well managed, tourism can act as an agent of positive change for more sustainable lifestyles, destinations, and consumption and production patterns”, said Mr. Pololikashvili opening the Conference.

This year’s event featured two days of seminars detailing destinations’ routes towards effective digitalization. It shone a spotlight on how destinations can use technological advances like big data and geo-localization to spur sustainable management of tourism.

The Conference provided concrete take-aways for participants and also fostered knowledge creation and exchange. It was preceded by the 1st Hackathon for Smart Destinations (23-24 June) and a research and development day (25 June), which brought startups and academics together to work on ways to bring smart, innovative and sustainable solutions to the sector. These events also highlighted that several forward-thinking governments, private sector entities, researchers and technology centres have already taken the lead in doing so.

The 2nd World Conference on Smart Destinations was organized by UNWTO, the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and the Government of Asturias, with the collaboration of Minube.

Contacts:
UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme
comm@unwto.org
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100
Fax: +34 91 567 8218

Bangkok (Thailand) – June 25, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is joining forces with the VATANIKA fashion collection to showcase the epitome of automotive luxury, the Rolls-Royce “Ghost” and “Dawn” models. The brand-new models, which have never before been unveiled, will be featured alongside a fashion show, held under the concept of “Strive for Perfection” at the Rolls-Royce booth as part of the annual “MGC-Asia Auto Fest 2018” staged during June 19-24, 2018 at Siam Paragon.

Mr. Sunthornpan Dhechatech, General Manager for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bangkok and Phuket, shared that the highlight of the Rolls-Royce booth at the ‘MGC-Asia Auto Fest 2018’ during June 19-24, 2018 will include limited editions of iconic Rolls-Royce models, along with special offers and privileges that rise above conventional luxury and exclusiveness. During the event, Rolls-Royce will feature several world-class automotive models, the Dawn, Ghost SWB (Standard Wheel Base), and Ghost EWB (Extended Wheel Base).

The highlight of Rolls-Royce in MGC-Asia Auto Fest is the Rolls-Royce Dawn, which is available with a body in bespoke silver and a convertible roof in elegant Navy blue, reflecting a modern and chic lifestyle. At the same time, on 22 June 2018, a fashion show will be held for a unique collection from the VATANIKA fashion house, led by renowned Thai fashion designer Ms. “Prae” Vatanika Patamasingh na Ayudhya, whose work currently graces the wardrobe of Hollywood celebrities, singers, and hosts, and whose collection will be featured alongside Rolls-Royce under the “Strive for Perfection” concept.

“In the 4th MGC-Asia Auto Fest, the Rolls-Royce booth is showcased under the ‘Strive for Perfection’ concept pioneered by ‘Sir Henry Royce.’ The automotive models that will be featured in this event will therefore be extraordinary, especially the four-seater Dawn convertible luxury coupe, the sexiest Rolls-Royce ever, which is not only timeless, but ideally suited to the lifestyle of younger patrons seeking a truly unique vehicle that can also be used for social events with friends.”

“The Dawn comes with bespoke colors, featuring a striking silver body and elegant Navy blue convertible roof, as well as rich seashell leather with Navy tone-on-tone piping. The Dawn stands on polished 21-inch forged 10 spoke polished wheels, is controlled by a Navy blue steering wheel, and has a cabin adorned with metal fascia-brushed aluminum and extra soft Navy blue Lamb Wool floor mats.”
“In addition, we have 2 units of Ghost, one cuts a handsome figure in two-tone style, that is, body in black kirsch and bonnet in a silver stain, and another one in distinctive silver jubilee. Both colors are custom-ordered and have never been on display anywhere else before.”

“To enable Rolls-Royce enthusiasts to receive a perfect and unique Rolls-Royce experience, the event will also be joined by Ms. ‘Prae’ Vatanika Patamasingh na Ayudhya, owner of the renowned VATANIKA fashion brand, who will instill a sense of perfection, uniqueness, and luxury that is both authentic, tangible, and accessible,” Mr. Sunthornpan said.

“Rolls-Royce and the VATANIKA fashion brand share many similarities in the contemporary luxury space, providing owners with a customized experience suited to their individuality and personal preferences. Therefore, the VATANIKA fashion show is designed to be a style presentation, featuring luxury lifestyle stories from the younger generation, as told through the brand’s Pre-Fall 2018 collection, which aims to instill confidence among women through the truly unique and sophisticated character of each design, similar to the character of luxury automobiles, which compel you to experience them firsthand to see that there is more than meets the eye,” said Ms. Vatanika Patamasingh na Ayudhya, the founder of the VATANIKA fashion brand.

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – June 26, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Seychelles became an independent republic within the Commonwealth on June 29, 1976. The newly knighted Sir James Mancham became the country’s first President, with Albert René as Prime Minister. The independence negotiations with Great Britain also restored the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches, which had been transferred from Seychelles in November 1965 to form part of the new British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), to Seychelles upon independence.

Air Seychelles confirms the appointment of Charles Johnstone

In our Saint Ange Tourism Report edition #21 of the 28th May, we announced the appointment of US Citizen Charles Johnson as the new Chief Commercial Officer for Air Seychelles. Extract of the article:- “Finally, it has now transpired that following the series of redundancies implemented by the Seychelles National Airline, the post of Chief Commercial Officer, previously occupied by Seychellois, will now be filled effective 1st June by a US Citizen, Charles Johnson from the budget airline, Hong Kong Express. This is reported in aviation tips and yet in Seychelles the news is yet to be made public”.

Today it is official and Air Seychelles has confirmed the appointment. Staff at Air Seychelles and some from the local printed newspapers had been in touch with us ever since the article appeared on the 28th May to see if the appointment of Charles Johnson was true.

Coco de Mer will be exported – Any direct benefit for the Praslinois?

Seychelles will start re-exporting the coco de mer kernel after confirming that the licensed exporters will ‘develop value added ideas’ to the unique Seychelles product. In September 2014 many questioned the idea of making Praslin and the Praslinois benefit from their own national treasure. Do we need to only export the kernel or should we maximise the usage of what is agreed to be exported? After the 2014 Praslin Culinary & Arts Fiesta, many agreed that Seychelles needed to firstly, plant more of its unique national treasure, and secondly, the kernel of the nut destined for export should be processed here in Seychelles and preferably on Praslin Island itself. The Seychelles News Agency carried a Headline to one of its articles as:- “A taste of the forbidden fruit – Seychelles coco de mer at the centre of Praslin’s first culinary and arts fiesta” .

Everyone wants to protect the unique Coco de Mer of Seychelles and the protection cannot be through exportation. It was suggested in 2014 that a Cooporative to process the coco de mer kernel needed to be set up on Praslin with the accredited exporters and Praslin residents.

The Cooporative should be the only institution licensed to trade in this protected nut and it could develop products that could benefit the tourism industry of Praslin and even export where possible with the numbered official label ‘Seychelles Coco de Mer’. Ice cream could be a product that would be sought after as well as other products such as biscuits, bread etc.

This would provide employment to Praslinois and develop a trade that will keep Praslin visible. The coco de mer powder, flakes and oil that can today be purchased online could also be done in that same Cooporative on Praslin.

The quota of these endangered nuts allocated for export should instead be transferred to the Praslin coco de mer Cooporative. This unique nut is for Seychelles and our islands should be the only ones exploiting it for the benefit of the Seychellois and Seychelles.

Copolia Nature Trail

The Tourism Board of Seychelles and the Ministry responsible for Tourism recently published a walks and trail brochure encouraging visitors to Seychelles to discover more of the islands. But are we ready for such a drive that will see more visitors on our trails and walks?

The Copolia Trail has become more popular in recent years and many letters received complement this great unique selling point of Seychelles, but the letters also speak of the need to develop these attractions to suit what Seychelles says it is… an upmarket tourism destination with a yield from tourism that continues to make this industry the pillar of its economy.

One of the many proposals being aired, is the need for a small welcome centre, where the security officers on duty have a cover over their heads when it rains, and a toilet facility instead of seeing visitors caught reluctantly having to hide behind trees for a needed relief. The welcome centre shed could also have a framed poster of the walk and the various attractions that can be found along the way.

The start of this Copolia Trail also has a spectacular viewing point, which can house adequate parking as well as photo opportunities.

These are but small concerns for a great outing that enhances a Seychelles holiday. The same can be said for the La Misere Road viewing spot and other such points of exceptional beauty where tourists and Seychellois gather to admire the natural beauty of Seychelles.

Appointed to the 13 Member Advisory Board

A thirteen member Advisory Board has been appointed for the non-profit organisation “Helping Needy Welfare Society of India” and I was honoured this month to have been named a member of that Board and appreciate the confidence being placed in me.

Working beyond one’s own border shows the respect and recognition by the world for one’s ability and seriousness.

In August 2014 as the then Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture, I was decorated with the Mahatma Gandhi Samma Award at a ceremony at the Le Meriden at Connaught place in New Delhi by Dr Bhishma Narain Singh, a former cabinet Minister of the government of India and Governor of Assam, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu who said as he presented the Mahatma Gandhi Award, that Indo-Seychelles relations have been characterised by close friendship, understanding and cooperation.

Turkish Airline now lands in Comoros via the Seychelles

Turkish Airlines has started flying to Moroni in the Comoros, via the Seychelles effective the 18th June. With no 5th ‘Freedom rights’ issued to Turkish Airline, means that if a Seychellois needed to get to Comoros, he cannot board the two hour or so flight going directly to Comoros, but will instead need to fly to Kenya to connect after a night in Nairobi.

The same for tourists wanting to use Seychelles as a base for a two or three island stop in the Vanilla Islands.

Air Seychelles is not flying to Comoros and we are still protecting what is not existing at the detriment of the Seychelles tourism industry and the interests of the people of Seychelles.

This is a reluctance by Seychelles to implement the Open Sky principle under the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) which was signed earlier this year. The denial of this link with the Comoros is against the African Union (AU) resolution signed in Addis Ababa in January 2018 which aims to enhance connectivity, facilitate trade and tourism and create employment.

Seychelles gets its Assumption Island back

The timing of the announcement by President Danny Faure that he is not forwarding the proposition for the construction of the Indian Military Base of Assumption, came but weeks before the Seychelles Independence Celebrations.

The Seychelles Independence in 1976 was marked with the return of the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches, which had been transferred from Seychelles in November 1965 to form part of the new British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).

Today, Seychelles are breathing a sigh of relief realising that the peaceful protest campaigns in Victoria, led by the committee under the chairmanship of Terry Sandapin, was heard by the National Assembly and they in turn said that the Assumption Deal was ‘dead’.

Phuket (Thailand) – June 26, 2018 (travelindex.com) – International TV Host and celebrity Emcee (MC) Ms. Able Wanamakok has recently branched out into the coaching world as a public speaking coach.

With over a decade’s experience working as a News Presenter with National Broadcasting Thailand (NBT), hosting national TV shows such as ThailandLarge as well as international television networks such as Fashion One, Able launched ‘Find Your Voice Asia’ in February 2018 with the aim to help others to find their voice and more peace in their lives.

Working locally in Phuket, nationally within Thailand and internationally in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, UAE and other parts of Asia, Able is a seasoned practitioner of public speaking. Her practical and effective guidance allows for her clients to cover a more holistic approach to public speaking, rather than theoretical elements of delivering a good presentation and speech.

Teaching children from the age of 7 all the way up to professionals such as teachers and executives in the corporate world, Able is happy and ready to help you to ‘Find Your Voice’ and to make you a more effective individual and a better leader.

Courses can be done physically in Phuket or online. To learn more about us, please visit www.FindYourVoice.Asia or email FindYourVoiceAsia@gmail.com to book your session.

With over a decade’s experience, Hong Kong-born, US raised Able Wanamakok is a media talent with the ability to work across a wide range of platforms, including TV Hosting, news presenting, MC’ing for any type of functions, script-writing, voice-over work and movies. She has recently launched her branch off from hosting into the life-coaching sector with www.FindYourVoice.Asia.

Contact her for your next event/video project, production or show in Asia, email: Able.FashionOne@gmail.com

Contact:
Able Wanamakok
TV Host/MC/Public Speaking Coach
Tel: 66 (0) 85 889 9930
Able.FashionOne@gmail.com
FindYourVoiceAsia@gmail.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – June 26, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Mrs. Nichapa Yoswee, Vice President of Business of TCEB said that “Meetings and Incentives (MI) sector is a significant contributor to Thailand’s MICE industry, generating approximately 50% of the industry’s total revenue. The recent statistics in the first-half of this fiscal year show that MI sector delivered the highest growth rate. Meeting sector (M) alone welcomed 150,849 business travellers, or 11.81% increased from the same period last year. Incentives sector (I) welcomed 176,005 business travellers representing 21.63% growth.

To elevate the MI sector, TCEB implements strategic plans for the year 2018 and 2019 that focus on building MICE Ecosystem to supporting all related factors, encourage target groups, and integrate works for mutual-benefit in three directions: Firstly, enhancing MI activities in targeted industries under Thailand 4.0 Policy. The idea is aimed at promoting the country’s key industrial sectors through meeting activities; Secondly, increasing meeting activities in MICE Cities and second tier MICE destinations such as the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Hua Hin, Prachuabkirikhan, Chiang Rai, and Koh Samui in Surat Thani. The development of MICE resources in these cities helps to create jobs and raise revenue following the Thai government policy on income distribution and sustainable economic development; and thirdly, strengthening proficiencies of local MICE operators in the area of products and services development as well as marketing and sales capabilities. TCEB is tasked with responsibilities to create business and knowledge platforms for MICE entrepreneurs, stimulates demand and supports the development of supply that reflects the needs of MICE market.”

TIME 2018 is one of the highlight activities organised by TCEB’s Meetings and Incentives Department. The event creates business opportunities, enhance understanding and new perspectives, and updates market insights for MICE entrepreneurs. TCEB aims that TIME will encourage MICE operators and develop their capabilities to create creative marketing plans, response to the needs of customers, develop new marketing opportunities, create uniqueness, and add value to Thailand’s MICE industry. The first and the second editions of TIME focused on China and India markets respectively. For this year’s edition, the event is aimed at enhancing Long Haul markets in three continents which are Europe, North America, and Oceania. Recent statistics from TCEB shows that in the first two quarters of this fiscal year, there were 101,514 business travellers from these Long Haul markets which generated 7, 943 million baht in revenue to the Thai economy. The figures increased by 8.34% when compared to last year. In general, business travellers from Long Haul market tend to spend extra time for leisure after work and make repeat visits. Therefore, Long Haul markets are considered as a high-value market for MICE industry.

The three primary activities at TIME2018 are: 1) Knowledge Exchange, conducted on June 19 under a concept of ‘Element of Thailand’. This knowledge platform focuses on enhancing competitive capabilities and market insights. It helps participants to learn about the target markets including business environment and trends, politics, economics, tourism, policies, regulations, as well as key factors that influence customers’ decision on choosing meeting and incentive destination. 2) Business Exchange, this networking platform is also organised on June 19 in the style of ‘Social Club’. It allows 30 buyers from Long Haul markets to meet with Thai MICE operators in four different settings which reflect Thailand’s meeting destinations. These themed settings are: Beach – the theme demonstrates the ideal creative atmosphere of business meetings in Thailand’s beach resorts; Nature – the themes feature sustainable MICE events; Culture – the themes highlight the uniqueness of Thai culture; and City – the themes demonstrates Thailand’s MICE capabilities in major MICE Cities. And 3) Experience Exchange, this activity is a familiarisation trip organised under the theme ‘Global Exchange for Change’ during June 20-23 in Koh Samui, Surat Thani. It is aimed at showcasing Koh Samui’s capabilities in accommodating small and medium-sized MI groups with numbers of 50-100 delegates. It creates a direct experience and highlights a luxury theme to expand new marketing opportunities for the local operators. During the trip, participants will get a chance experience CSR and Team Building Activities. TCEB expects that this activity will generate more business opportunities for Koh Samui, principally from the premium MI markets. It is estimated that TIME 2018 will create a trade value of 170 million baht.

Mrs. Nichapa added, Besides TIME2018, TCEB is introducing a promotional campaign so-called ‘Meet by Design’ which is specially created to attract MI groups. Promotions include: Meet Now – facilitations and supports will be provided to MI group with a minimum attendance of 50 delegates and a minimum stay in Thailand for three nights, and Meet Smart – 100,000 baht support will be provided to MI group coming from five targeted industries under the Thailand 4.0 Policy. The eligible group must have a minimum attendance of 50 delegates and organise at least two full-day meetings at a venue certified Thailand MICE Venue Standard. Throughout this year, TCEB joins a series of leading exhibitions for Incentive travel and Meetings to promote Thailand MICE industry in Long Haul markets. The bureau creates Thailand Pavilion at the IMEX Frankfurt 2018, IMEX America 2018, and IBTM World 2018 in Spain. Furthermore, sales and marketing missions are conducted in major cities including Paris, Sydney, and Melbourne as well as cities in the midwestern United States namely Dallas, Minneapolis, and Chicago.

International corporations which conducted MI activities in Thailand this year include IT and Communications companies from Australia namely Beyond Trust with 100 delegates, Business Blueprint with 180 delegates, Autodesk Otx APAC with 700 delegates, and Vodaphone which conducted an incentive trip to Samui with 144 delegates. From Europe, Colt Technologies Services brought 160 delegates to Bangkok, and from USA, IBM AP Cloud Fast Start which organised its meeting in Bangkok with 1,100 delegates.

“Altogether, Thailand welcomed 547,623 business travellers generating revenue of 42,854 million baht in the first half of 2018 fiscal year. MI sector made the highest growth rate when compared to other sectors in MICE. There were 150, 849 business travellers from Meeting sector (M) which increased 4.95% over the same period year. This sector generated 14,574 million baht of revenue to the country. Meanwhile, Incentives travel (I) welcomed 176,005 delegates, or 21.63% increased when compared to last year. The sector generated an income of 10,282 million baht which increased 15.67%. With this growth performance, TCEB will continue to focus on integrating intensive marketing strategies to attract the MI markets throughout 2018 and 2019,” said Mrs. Nichapa.

TCEB expects that at the end of 2018 fiscal year, Thailand will welcome 1,327,000 business travellers with 124,000 million baht in revenue to the country. Of these figures, business travellers from MI sectors are expected to reach 569,000 with a growth rate of 7%. In overall, the Long Haul MICE market is expected to grow by 5%.

Phoenix, Arizona (United States) – June 20, 2018 (travelindex) – Launched in Fall 2015, BW Premier Collection by Best Western is one of Best Western Hotels and Resorts’ fastest-growing brands, comprised of an exclusive, carefully curated collection of upscale properties around the world. As part of the “Today’s Best Western” campaign, which launched earlier this year, BW Premier Collection by Best Western is featured in this month’s “Behind the Brands” series.

With 114* hotels and growing, the soft brand can be found welcoming travelers in prime destinations globally, including:

– Blake Hotel New Orleans, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in New Orleans, Louisiana
– Hotel L’Horset Opera, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Paris, France
– Mari Vila Hotel Bucharest, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Bucharest, Romania
– Hotel Syrene, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Capri, Italy
– The Hotel Nagasaki, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Nagasaki, Japan
– Hotel 115 Kew, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Melbourne, Australia
– Georgian Court Hotel, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Vancouver, British Columbia
– Amaranth Suvarnabhumi Airport, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Bangkok, Thailand
– BluPhere Pattaya, BW Premier Collection by Best Western in Pattaya, Thailand

Eclectic and unique, BW Premier Collection by Best Western hotels create an atmosphere where creativity, worldliness and individual expression are blended into an experience that is illuminated by the true joy of travel. Each hotel’s original identity is preserved and is unmistakably tied to its locale, giving today’s travelers inspired and authentic experiences in beautiful destinations. In addition to the independent personality custom to each hotel, guests can enjoy the impeccable service and first-rate amenities that the BW Premier Collection by Best Western brand is known for:

– Luxurious guestrooms and suites
– On-site cocktail bars, dining experiences and award-winning breakfast options
– Premier, deluxe bath amenities
– Thoughtful and sophisticated design throughout

BW Premier Collection by Best Western is not only a world class option for travelers, but for independent hoteliers as well. The brand provides unprecedented flexibility, as a soft brand designed to help owners flourish without the often-strict brand guidelines of the industry. Hotels are encouraged to maintain their personalities in order to provide the authentic, local experiences today’s travelers crave. Hotels pay only for the business delivered to them by the brand, and gain access to the brand’s award-winning, $1.8 billion global reservation system and 35 million-member strong loyalty program, as well as near immediate access to Best Western’s revenue management systems, trade show and sales support, marketing programs and more.

“We are pleased with the overwhelming success our soft brand has received from leading independent hoteliers and today’s travelers,” said Ron Pohl, Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of Best Western Hotels & Resorts. “The unmatched benefits of today’s Best Western combined with the exceptional, unique offerings of the hotels themselves, have earned BW Premier Collection by Best Western a prominent spot within our portfolio of brands.”

“As the brand continues to expand, we will remain focused on quality over quantity to ensure we offer only luxury hotels that epitomize the local flavor and personality of desirable destinations around the world,” continued Pohl.

Staying at BW Premier Collection by Best Western hotels is even more rewarding this summer, as Best Western Rewards® members will receive a $20 Best Western Travel Card® after their first stay completed now through September 3, 2018. Go.Get.Rewarded® today, with top-ranked, rich rewards and points that never expire from the world’s premier hotel loyalty program.

For more information on Best Western Hotels & Resorts, please visit BestWestern.com

For more information about the Today’s Best Western campaign, please visit youmustbetrippin.com/featured/todaysbw/