Category: Latest Travel News

Chiang Mai (Thailand) – March 12, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Thailand International Balloon Festival in Chiang Mai celebrated it’s 10th anniversary of Thailand’s first and only International Balloon Festival, from 2 to 4 March at the Cowboy Army Riding Club, Chiang Mai.

Thailand International Balloon Festival is considered top of the most popular balloon events in Thailand and South-East Asia, with participants from as far as the United Kingdom and Germany.

The exciting sensation of hot air balloons rising serenely into the morning skies, creating a sense of adventure and a sense of freedom that draws visitors to the Thailand International Balloon Festival for the last 10 years.

Visitors enjoyed spectacular sights of colourful hot air balloons gracefully drift through the air, and the festival’s signature, sensational balloons night glow decorated Chiang Mai’s sky at night. This year was the first time ever in the world that “The Sparkling Glow” of the balloon nightglow created by Sornchat Krainara, the Festival’s Owner and her Boon Companion Composer, Bringkop Vora-Urai. The night glow was synchronised with specially composed music with the Lanna Orchestra combine The Tiger Drum and Opera which has never performed anywhere before.

The spectacular Thailand International Balloon Festival is more than hot air balloons but a fun-loving festival held over three days, combining plenty of special attractions, activities for the whole family and delicious food from top hotels and restaurants in Chiang Mai.

One of the special guests was Thai celebrity chef Som Chanakarn, displaying his talents. Guests could also enjoy the coffee carnival showcasing some of the best coffee that Thailand has on offer and many other events as art exhibitions and workshops as well as Thai fashion and jewellery shows from famous Thai designers.

Mark your calendars early and make sure you don’t miss next year’s International Balloon Festival in Chiang Mai.

For more information please contact:
Ms. Napat Sonto (Joy)
Mobile: 081 3068914
Email: napat.sonto@gmail.com
Line ID: mena29

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – March 12, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The annual pilgrimage to the ITB Berlin by the world of tourism has come and gone. Countries wanting to grab a greater share of the tourism market were all once again in Berlin last week. For a change I did not appear on behalf of Seychelles at this year’s ITB. Instead, the Saint Ange Consultancy was invited by European partners to be by their side. I take this opportunity to thank the press who tracked me down while I was at ITB, and all the tourism trade friends who made time to meet with me.

Seychelles on its part had prepared an excellent new-styled stand, and the private sector trade were present in force for what should have been a great ITB now that Germany is consolidating itself as the #1 tourism source market for the islands. However, the week was marred by the announcement made by President Danny Faure regarding the new tax to be slapped on all tourists heading to the islands of Praslin and La Digue; the news stole the show and caught the Seychelles tourism industry off-guard.

From a Gold Card to a special Praslin & La Digue Landing Tax

Today, it would appear that we, as a Nation, are embarking on a mission to bleed our industry. Every tourist landing on the islands of La Digue and Praslin will soon be forced to pay a landing tax. This was the announcement made by President Danny Faure in his 2018 State of the Nation Address, without any prior consultation with the Tourism Board or the Tourism Industry’s Association, the SHTA.

Madame Sybille Cardon, the Chairperson of the SHTA and herself a hotelier of Praslin, questioned why the tax was being imposed on just these two islands out of the 115. As it stands, operators on islands away from the main island of Mahe are already burdened with higher operating costs because of extra cargo charges for all their needed essentials. This may be adding insult to injury.

The mistake made over and over again by so many tourism destinations is to bring in new taxes when the tourism trade has already prepared and signed their contracts with all their overseas partners. Seychelles as a tourism destination with years of experience should know better. Praslin and La Digue islands will fast feel the brunt of this latest tax announcement.

Seychelles tried in the past to be innovative in milking its tourism industry by introducing a “Gold Card” Tax for all arriving visitors, which backfired so spectacularly that it was discontinued even before its implementation date. The effects of this announcement were felt for years to come as tourism guide books and tour operator programes had already warned tourists that this tax was in place.

Seychelles already has a Passenger Service Fee (a landing fee) added to all airline tickets to and from Seychelles International Airport and even this is set to be increased again. Praslin has its own Passenger Service Fee (another landing fee) for anyone landing on Praslin by Air Seychelles. Ferries docking at Praslin and La Digue pay another Port Fee, as do cargo boats, and these are all being passed on to the passengers or customers.

Moreover, visitors to Praslin are already being forced to pay a fee to visit the island’s key attraction, the Vallee de Mai Nature reserve, and on La Digue they pay again to access the beach of Anse Source d’Argent, even though access to beaches are meant to be allowed and at NO Charge.

We are once again at risk of pricing ourselves out the of market. If Praslin and La Digue are too costly to visit, tourists will no longer flock to their shores. As a consequence, small businesses and tourism establishments on those islands will suffer.

Instead of imposing yet more taxes on the unsuspecting tourist, we should be more focussed on creating new attractions or facilities to encourage the visitors to discover more and to entice them to spend more. Visitors cannot spend if they have nothing to spend on. Introducing more activities on each island, instead of blindly taxing tourists for merely breathing in the Creole air, would entice tourists to spend more time exploring and enjoying all that the islands have to offer.

A canopy walk at Fond Ferdinand, for instance, would be an exciting and innovative addition to Praslin’s repertoire. This is but one suggestion that has been proposed over and over again which would increase yield from tourism instead of just another tax that is set to adversely affect the Seychelles tourism industry in the long run.

Best Tourism Minister of the Year

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, has been named tourism minister of the year. He is the only Minister of Tourism who appears daily on global Newswires, and was named World Tourism Minister of the Year by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) in Berlin.

“It is truly humbling to be recognised in this manner at such a major international event. I accept this award, not for myself but for the people of Jamaica – it is clear that we have made our mark on the globe. The world now knows that Jamaica can host the biggest conferences and that we have some of the best attractions and hotels. No matter the passion point of our visitor, we can deliver,” said Minister Bartlett proudly.

During the ceremony, Jamaica also received the PATWA International Travel Award 2017 for Best Destination for Adventure Tourism.

Bartlett was recently awarded Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year at the Caribbean Travel Awards 2017. He was also the recipient of the 2016 Caribbean Tourism Minister of Distinction award at the recent African Diaspora World Tourism Awards and World’s Leading Personality for Outstanding Services to Tourism at the 23rd World Travel Awards. (Source:- eTN News).

I have had the pleasure of meeting Edmund Bartlett and working alongside him as fellow Ministers. Only a week ago, I wrote in this column that the Tourism Minister of Jamaica was operating as the visible tourism personality and in so doing ensuring that Jamaica was more relevant than ever as a tourism destination. His accolades today speak for themselves.

International Women’s Day 2018 sees Daniela Wagner recognised

Congratulations to Daniela Wagner for being a recipient of “Celebrating Her Award” for 2018. Daniella has not only been a good and sincere friend in the centre of the Jacobs Media Group but she is also the advocate for working together as an industry, as she displays through her role in PATA.

At ITB 2018, as she has done every year for 9 years, Daniela rallied tourism trade friends together for a working dinner. I feel honoured to have been invited to be part of this small group, where the ‘camaraderie’ set the base for important discussions for the benefit of world tourism. I am proud of you and thank you and the group at Jacobs Media for your sincerity always.

The Assumption Island Saga

Seychelles did breathe a sign of relief when the Leader of the Opposition announced in his reply to the State of the Nation Address that the Opposition would not ratify the Assumption Agreement with India as it currently stands. Seychelles as a whole is hoping that ‘will not ratify’ means a No Vote in the Assembly, and not a mere abstention. An abstention would allow the ruling party’s members to ratify the infamous Agreement even with the few members they have in the National Assembly.

A referendum on the matter is still being called for to give the People of Seychelles a say. This is the minimum elected representatives can propose now that the details of the Agreement are public and its consequences have been understood. Our small Nation cannot throw away its Non Aligned principle with Seychelles being the “friends of all and enemies of none” since 29th June 1976 without the voters having their say on the matter.

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 9, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels & Resorts has said a big “thank you” to its partners and associates in Thailand with a glittering party in Bangkok. The Best Western Appreciation Night 2018 was hosted at Beer Republic, the popular venue in the heart of the Thai capital. It gathered approximately 70 of the company’s closest partners, including marketing companies, travel agents, journalists and influential bloggers.

The event provided an exclusive opportunity for guests to catch up with the Best Western Asia executive team, enjoy delicious drinks and snacks, and network with like-minded friends and colleagues in a casual atmosphere. And of course, it allowed Best Western to express its deep appreciation to all its awesome associates!

A prize draw was also held during the night, with fantastic prizes including Best Western-branded luggage and amazing holidays in Phuket and Japan!

Ms. Sareewan Sudsanit of Krungsriayudhya Card won a two-night stay at Best Western Premier Bangtao Beach Resort & Spa, including return flights for two people to Phuket, and the first prize went to Ms. Jiraphon Bupsiri of N.S. Travel & Tours, who won return flights for two between Bangkok and Osaka and a two nights’ accommodation at Best Western Osaka Tsukamoto, including breakfast.

“At Best Western Hotels & Resorts, we truly value the contributions of all of our partners. We would not succeed without the efforts of all our associates, from the travel agents who sell our hotels to their clients to our media and marketing partners who ensure that we stay in the limelight,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

“We are delighted to welcome so many of our esteemed partners to the Best Western Appreciation Night 2018. This is our way of saying ‘thank you’ for their efforts, and we look forward to establishing even stronger relationships with our partners in future,” Olivier added.

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®, and BW Signature CollectionSM 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 64 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2017, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, and Best Western receiving seven consecutive Dynatrace® Best of the Web awards for its leading hotel website. 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 32 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 hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Harley-Davidson® 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) – March 11, 2018 (travelindex.com) – With the intention to truly promote and internationally enhance the image of Thai fashion brands, Siam Piwat, as the Icon of Innovative Lifestyle who continuously presents unique and engaging ultramodern experiences, will hold the most phenomenal fashion week that has been influencing the Thai fashion industry for over a decade. This year, Bangkok International Fashion Week 2018 (BIFW 2018) will be presented with the concept of Bangkok’s Fashion Destination @ Siam, a collaboration between 3 leading shopping centers as “One Siam” – Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery, as the center of Thai fashion throughout eras, will open the floor for renowned Thai and international designers of over 29 fashion brands to showcase their latest collection of Spring/Summer 2018, while also supporting young and upcoming Thai designers to use the opportunity to learn more about the fashion industry and to show their capability in stepping up and becoming future leaders of the Thai fashion industry. The event will be held during 21-25 March 2018 at Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery.

Many executives, alliances, and fashion gurus attended the BIFW 2018 press conference held at Rotunda Lawn within the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, with a special preview from renowned Thai brands, such as Issue presented by Jaguar E-Pace, Vatanika presented by Citi, Fri27Nov, Rotsaniyom WHITE LABEL, ASAVA presented by Purra, Nagara, ABSOLUTE SIAM : BOYS OF BANGKOK presented by TrueID (LEISURE PROJECTS, P.MITH, Q DESIGN AND PLAY), THE WONDER ROOM, WEE, Tube Gallery presented by TAT, along with works by up and coming designers, such as FASH SWU by students from College of Creative Industry Srinakarinwirot University, KANAPOT AUNSORN by Kanapot Aunsorn, Ultimate Showcase by Bangkok University, and CIDI Chanapatana Fashion Show by students from Chanapatana International Design Institute, and a Lifestyle Store by the famous brand ALAND Androgynous. This year’s special highlight, brought directly from London Fashion Week 2018, is the latest collection from Palmer//Harding, a famous British brand by co-founding designers Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding. The Palmer//Harding brand is currently one of the most watched brands in the fashion industry, and will make the collection’s in Thailand after the first debut in London.

“The Bangkok International Fashion Week 2018 (BIFW 2018) came from joining forces of the top 3 shopping centers in the Siam area: Siam Paragon the ultimate fashion hub and travel destination of tourists around the world, Siam Center The Ideaopolis holding the most flagship stores of leading Thai designers and building success for the fashion industry and Thai designers for over 44 years, and Siam Discovery The Exploratorium winner of the Store Design of the Year Award from World Retail Awards 2017 raising the standard bar of Thai retail industry towards international achievement. As we see high capabilities in Thai designers, we are committed to continuously raise the image of the Thai fashion industry. Throughout the past 11 years, we have been very well received by our partners in both domestic and international fashion industry, as well as annually gaining more designers and interested parties who values the BIFW. This reflects our intention to truly encourage and internationally promote great image for Thai designer brands. Organizing this year’s BIFW 2018 is an important step to help strengthen the Thai fashion industry towards global success”, said Chanisa Kaewruen, Senior Deputy Managing Director, Marketing Event and Business Relationship Division of Siam Piwat Co., Ltd.

Siam Paragon Opens a World-Class Runway, Showcasing Potential of Thai and International Designers

Leading Thai and international designer brands will create phenomenal shows on the Park Paragon runway for full 4 days during March 22-25th, 2018. There will be a total of 11 shows, opening the run way with the latest collection by Palmer//Harding brought directly from London Fashion Week 2018, by the brand’s co-founding designers and Central Saint Martins graduates, Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding, known for their garment style, pattern cutting techniques, and unpredictable ways to re-imagine. Their designs are full of creative energy, with classic and neat details while at the same time being modern and non-repetitively exciting, making the brand one of the most watched brands in the fashion world. Next, comes leading Thai designers such as Issue presented by Jaguar E-Pace a famous brand that has long been with the fashion industry, Vatanika presented by Citi expressing contemporariness and excitement for fashionistas, Fri27Nov presenting a new must-see collection, Rotsaniyom WHITE LABEL with a new highly anticipated collection and story-telling through lace and white, ASAVA presented by Purra with luxuriously classic details made to enchant all eyes, Nagara a legend of Thai fashion history that is filled with unique designs, ABSOLUTE SIAM : BOYS OF BANGKOK presented by TrueID (LEISURE PROJECTS, P.MITH, Q DESIGN AND PLAY) a creation by talents of the new generation, CAZH, GIN AND MILK, PURSUIT, THE WONDER ROOM the multifunctional Thai brand with a new collection of various styles, WEE a Thai brand with a beautiful new collection loved by all ladies, and finally Tube Gallery presented by TAT another Thai fashion brand that has already, in countless times, dazzled world-class runways.

Siam Center, a Stage for Young Thai Designers, Ready to Shine in the World Fashion Industry

Siam Center The Ideaopolis, Asia’s center of fashion and Thailand’s biggest center of Thai designers, the beginning and creator of many Thai designers for over 40 years, continuously supports young Thai designers by giving opportunities for the new generation to show their limitless talents on the runway at Atrium 1, G Floor of Siam Center. The event will open with a forum, The Ideaopolis Talk “In Conversation with Palmer//Harding”, an intimate talk with Levi Palmer and Matthew Harding, famous co-founding designers of the brand Palmer//Harding.

The very first fashion show will commence with “F.O.S” (Fashion of the south by RMUTSV Srivijaya) inspired by the Southern Thai unique local culture, followed by “FASH SWU” by students from College of Creative Industry Srinakarinwirot University, “CIDI Chanapatana Fashion Show” by students from Chanapatana International Design Institute, “Valentier” currently a highly popular brand by Donnawat Perkchinnaworn, and fashion shows by up and rising new blood designers such as KANAPOT AUNSORN by Kanapot Aunsorn, “Siam Center S/S2018 Fashion First Come, First Serve by Apiwat Yodpraphan” updating fashion trends with a special collection by Siam Center through perspectives of the famous fashion guru Apiwat Yodpraphan, “Fashion Business Kasetsart” creative works by students from Kasetsart University, and “Ultimate Showcase by Bangkok University” by students from Bangkok University. Lastly, the show will close with the latest fashion collection by Thai designer brands, “DA+PP” and “Rotsaniyom”.

“ALAND Androgynous” Lifestyle Store & Culture Space, located on M Floor at Siam Center, will present a special fashion show of over 30 designer looks from leading brands, such as ADD and 3.3 Field Trip x Youthbath, exclusively designed for this event. And Pomelo brand with special fashion show so called #iampomelo SS18. Furthermore, fashionistas will be excited to experience “BIFW Pop Up : See Now Buy Now” pop up fashion, delivered hot from the runway in real time for front-row fashionistas. “BIFW Pop Up : See Now Buy Now” combine collections from fashion shows of various brands, with a special promotion of up to 15% discount during 21-25 March 2018 at Fashion Gallery located on M Floor of Siam Center.

Siam Discovery Opens the World of Fashion Through International Designer Palmer//Harding

Known as “The Shirt Boys”, Palmer//Harding is one of the most unique brands of the era, due to its outstanding and non-repetitive designs of shirts. The brand’s uniqueness lies within its ready-to-wear garments that use advanced and hard-to-copy techniques. Siam Discovery brings the Spring/Summer 2018 collection straight and fresh from the British runway, along with the Pre Autumn/Winter 2018 collection that will be exclusively premiered only at BIFW 2018.

One thing that cannot be missed is the “Palmer//Harding Pop Up Store”, located on G Floor at Siam Discovery The Exploratorium during 15-31 March 2018, as it is the first and only one in Thailand!! During 22-31 March 2018, receive a special 10% discount by simply presenting your BIFW 2018 fashion show ticket. During 23-27 March 2018, fans can also closely experience “Palmer//Harding Runway Showcase” of runway master items from Autumn/Winter 2018 collection from BIFW 2018.

The organizing of BIFW 2018 has received great support from the public and private institutions, namely Tourism Authority of Thailand, Citibank, True Corporation Public Company Limited, Harpers Bazaar Magazine, AP (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Purra Mineral Water by Singha Corporation Limited, Jaguar E-Pace Inchcape (Thailand) Limited, OSIM (Thailand) Limited, DHL Express (Thailand), VIE Hotel Bangkok, Pullman Hotel Bangkok, MAC Cosmetics, L’Oréal Professionnel and Smirnoff.

Ready to connect the world of fashion with many promotions and privileges as follows
– From 15 March to 15 May 2018, Citibank credit card and TRUE customers, and customers with BIFW tickets get privileges and / or discounts from participant shops at Siam Center, Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon.
– During 19-25 March 2018, shop fashion items over 20,000- baht at Siam Center. Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon will receive a Siam Gift Card worth at 2,000- baht. Special for Platinum M Card/ VIZ Card memberships shop over 25,000- baht, receive Siam Gift Card worth 1,000-baht, and Citibank credit card members also gain more privileges. Special for the first 10 customers of Citibank Credit card, who spend over 50,000- at the participant shops/ receipt, get Siam Gift Card worth 2,000-baht/ per person with total of 70 rewards.
– During 15 March to 15 May 2018, Citibank Credit card customers at Siam Paragon get privileges as follows:
– The first tier, for Citi M Visa and Citi Ultima get cash back worth up to 12.5% after redeeming their points, for other Citi card get 10% cash back
– The second tier get cash back worth up to 10,000- baht after spending with Citi credit card at the specific amount.
– During 19-25 March 2018, all BIF W tickets can be used as a discount at participating restaurants within Siam Center, Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon. Special for Platinum M Card / VIZ Card memberships, get more discount.

Come experience the ultimate phenomenon of the much-anticipated fashion week, “Bangkok International Fashion Week 2018”, a significant joining of forces by 3 leading shopping centers in Siam district: Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery to declare capability and enhance the Thai fashion industry to the rest of the world. The BIFW 2018 will take place during 21-25 March 2018 at Siam Paragon, Siam Center, and Siam Discovery.

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 9, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is gearing up for another year of significant portfolio expansion as it forges ahead with plans to open 11 new properties in nine countries by the end of 2018. The global hospitality firm, which currently operates 83 hotels across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, will make its debut in five new countries – Bangladesh, Iraq, Kenya, Malaysia and the Maldives – while boosting its cluster of hotels in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia and Thailand.

The next 10 months will see Mövenpick raise a flag in several commercially-strategic destinations, from two of Dubai’s most prestigious districts to The Maldives, where the company will make its Indian Ocean foray.

“In 2018, our global expansion drive really steps up a gear, with the 11 new openings planned, putting us firmly on track to meet our target of 125 properties by 2020 and introducing the Mövenpick brand in some very desirable locations,” confirmed Olivier Chavy, President & CEO, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

Three of Mövenpick’s upcoming hotels will open over the next few months: the family-focused Mövenpick Asara Resort & Spa Hua Hin – the brand’s seventh property in Thailand; Mövenpick Hotel du Lac Tunis, located on the banks of Lac de Tunis – its third hotel in Tunisia; and Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Nairobi in Kenya, marking the company’s debut in East Africa with a five-star hotel and conference property.

The remaining eight properties, which will be launched before the end of the year, will see Mövenpick enter four additional new markets, with the contemporary Mӧvenpick Resort & Spa Kuredhivaru in the Maldives introducing 105 units, including 72 over-water villas to the idyllic island destination; Mövenpick Hotel Basra capitalising on one of Iraq’s oil and gas hubs; Mövenpick Hotel & Convention Centre KLIA conveniently located close to Kuala Lumpur International Airport; and Mövenpick Hotel Sylhet, introducing an enticing mix of business and leisure facilities to this vibrant city in north-east Bangladesh.

In the Middle East, Mövenpick will be opening two hotels in the United Arab Emirates: the stylish Mövenpick Hotel Apartments Downtown Dubai and a Mövenpick hotel in Dubai Media City, both introducing new dining, leisure and meetings concepts to two of the city’s most desirable precincts. The firm will also strengthen its presence in Egypt with the addition of Mövenpick Resort El Ein Bay, its second property in the desirable coastal area of El Sokhna.

In Asia, the hospitality firm will bolster its cluster strategy in Thailand with the opening of Mövenpick Resort Khao Yai, which will feature a raft of dining, business and leisure attractions.

With a current pipeline of more than 40 properties, Mövenpick will enter several additional new markets over the next few years including Muscat (Oman) and Ras Al Khaimah (United Arab Emirates) in the Middle East and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Abuja (Nigeria) in Africa, while consolidating its presence in countries with strong development potential.

 

About Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts:
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, an international upscale hotel management company with over 16,000 staff members, is represented in 24 countries with 83 hotels, resorts and Nile cruisers currently in operation. Around 40 properties are planned or under construction, including those in Kuredhivaru (Maldives), The Hague (The Netherlands) and Basel (Switzerland). Focusing on expanding within its core markets of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts specialises in business and conference hotels, as well as holiday resorts, all reflecting a sense of place and respect for their local communities. Of Swiss heritage and with headquarters in central Switzerland (Baar), Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is passionate about delivering premium service and culinary enjoyment – all with a personal touch. Committed to supporting sustainable environments, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has become the most Green Globe-certified hotel company in the world.

Gangneung (South Korea) – March 9, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is proud to announce that former Secretary General of the United Nations, H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, is set to be the opening keynote speaker at the PATA Annual Summit 2018 (PAS 2018). The event, generously hosted by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and Gangwon Province, will take place from May 17-20 at the Lakai SANDPINE in Gangneung, Korea (ROK).

“We are truly honoured to be welcoming His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon to the PATA Annual Summit 2018. His vision and leadership in encouraging partnerships, global citizenship and sustainable development are aligned with the Association’s mission in creating a unified and strong Asia Pacific travel industry where our potential is powered by our connections to the world,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy. “Among his many accomplishments during his two consecutive terms as UN Secretary General between 2007 and 2016, he was instrumental in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the introduction of tourism as an integral aspect of it. Furthermore, he also oversaw the negotiation of the Paris Agreement on climate change and is a strong advocate for women’s rights and gender equality, having successfully pressed for the creation of UN Women, an agency that consolidates the UN’s work in this area. This is indeed an incredible and rare opportunity for our members and delegates to be inspired by one of the world’s top global thinkers.”

PAS 2018, under the theme ‘Building Bridges, Connecting People: How Collaboration Creates Opportunities’, is a 4-day event that brings together international thought leaders and industry professionals that are professionally engaged with the Asia Pacific Region.

The Annual Summit programme embraces a dynamic one-day conference that will examine the various connections that are helping to shape the industry as we move towards a more exponential future, bringing together a diverse line-up on international thought leaders, industry shapers, and senior decision-makers.

The one-day conference is followed by the half-day UNWTO/PATA Leaders Debate, where tourism leaders from both the public and private sector will come together to discuss the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the industry. The Honourable Edmund Bartlett, C.D., M.P., Minister of Tourism of Jamaica, has confirmed his participation at the debate.

Before the conference, the Association also provides the opportunity for students and young professionals to engage with industry leaders at the PATA Youth Symposium. A primary focus of the Association’s Human Capital Development programme is upon the development of the ‘Young Tourism Professional’ (YTP) and the symposium highlights PATA’s commitment to this endeavour.

Other confirmed speakers during the event include Adrienne Lee, Director of Development, Planeterra Foundation; Alistair McEwan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Development Asia & ANZ, BBC World News; Amy Kunrojpanya, Director of Communications, Asia Pacific, Uber; Dr. Chris Bottrill, Vice Chairman of PATA and Dean of Global and Community Studies, School of Tourism Management, Capilano University; Ambassador Dho Young-shim, Chairperson of UNWTO ST-EP Foundation; Edward Chen, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, oBike; Faeez Fadhlillah, PATA Face of the Future 2017 and CEO and Co-founder of Tripfez; Kyle Sandilands, Director and Cinematographer; Michelle Kristy, Associate Expert-Women and Trade Programme Sustainable and Inclusive Value Chains Section, SheTrades; Pai-Somsak Boonkam, CEO & Founder, LocalAlike; Raya Bidshahri, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Awecademy, and Vinoop Goel, Regional Director-Airport, Passenger, Cargo & Security Asia Pacific, IATA.

The event will explore various topics including ‘Connecting Communities: Harmonising Local Interests with Global Sustainability in Tourism Development’, ‘A case study of Korean local tourism development’, ‘Designing Intermodal Connectivity for Destination Competitiveness’, ‘Connecting Generations’, ‘Bridging the Gender Gap’, ‘The New Way to Connect’ and ‘The Human Touch in a Digital Marketing World’.

Delegates attending the event will experience the diverse landscapes of Gangneung, Korea’s best all-year-round destination. A popular destination among locals, Gangneung combines the white sandy beaches that stretch across the East Coast with the misty peaks of the Taebaek Mountains, also referred to as the spine of the Korean Peninsula. It is expected to have perfect weather with an average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius during the event. Serving as the location setting for popular Korean drama, Gangneung is gaining traction as a destination for fans of the Korean Wave, or ‘Hallyu’. The city boasts a unique cultural heritage – the Gangneung Danoje Festival serves to preserve the folk culture of the Joseon Dynasty, and has been UNESCO-designated as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Gangneung also co-hosted the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, along with the cities of PyeongChang and Jeongseon.

Registered delegates for the conference also receive complimentary access to the PATA/UNWTO Leaders Debate on Saturday, May 19.

For more information or to register for the event visit www.PATA.org/pas or email events@PATA.org.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, PATA is a not-for-profit membership association that acts 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 95 government, state and city tourism bodies, 25 international airlines and airports, 108 hospitality organisations, 72 educational institutions, and hundreds of travel industry companies in Asia Pacific and beyond. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 36 local PATA chapters worldwide. The 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, Sydney and London. Visit www.PATA.org.

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

Berlin (Germany) – March 8, 2018 (travelindex.com) – 2017 has been an exceptionally strong year for international travel, with Europe being the main growth driver as both a source market as well as a destination region. Worldwide, the number of outbound trips has increased by 6.5 per cent, reaching nearly 1.2 billion international trips in 2017. Also positively, for the first time since IPK surveys the impact of terrorism on international travel, terror sensitivity has decreased and destinations are perceived as “safer” than before. These findings are based on latest results of IPK’s World Travel Monitor®, an annual survey analyzing the outbound travel behavior in more than 60 countries worldwide, covering over 90 per cent of the global outbound demand. Trends for the first eight months of 2017 can be found in the ITB World Travel Trends Report, which is published yearly by ITB Berlin.

Europe drives global outbound growth while Spain remains top destination
In 2017, Europe was the strongest source region for international travel with an overall increase of 7 per cent compared to last year, followed by North and Latin America with both 6 per cent and Asia with 5 per cent. Also as a destination region, Europe could profit most with 8 per cent more trips in 2017. Looking at destinations on a country level, Spain takes the lead, with the USA and Germany ranking second and third. France and Italy are the fourth and fifth most successful destinations. When it comes to holiday types, city trips have been the main growth driver last year with an increase of 18 per cent. Sun & beach holidays, which represent the largest holiday market share, grew by 9 per cent. On the other hand, tour holidays worldwide decreased by 1 per cent.

One in ten international travelers affected by overtourism
Overtourism has made headlines worldwide recently due to record visitor numbers at many destinations, prompting well-publicized protests by residents and diverse measures by local authorities. As this topic not only impacts destinations, tourist attractions, local infrastructure and residents, but also travelers themselves, IPK International conducted a special survey among international travelers in February 2018. The results show that 24 per cent of all international tourists had the feeling that the destination they visited was overcrowded. However, only 9 per cent said that this overcrowding actually affected the quality of their outbound trip. Most affected cities were Mexico City (23 per cent), Shanghai (22 per cent), Venice (20 per cent), Beijing (19 per cent), Hong Kong (18 per cent), Istanbul, Amsterdam and Florence (17 per cent each) and Barcelona (16 per cent).

Travel behavior still influenced by terror fear yet to a lesser extent
For the fifth time, IPK International conducted a special survey on the influence of terror threats on international travel behavior in main source markets worldwide in February 2018. The study revealed that for 37 per cent of international travelers the recent instability and terror warnings will have an influence on their travel plans for 2018, compared to 41 per cent in October 2017. Regarding the question what kind of influence the current situation could have on the travel behavior, 24 per cent stated that they will still be travelling abroad, however only to destinations they percei¬ve as “safe”. For some destinations, the safety image has improved and they are rated slightly more safe compared to October 2017. This applies e.g. to some of the biggest destinations such as Spain, USA, Germany and Great Britain.

Outlook 2018
Although different travel risks do exist, IPK International anticipates global outbound trips to in¬crease by a robust 5 per cent in 2018. According to IPK International’s Outbound Travel Forecast for 2018, Latin America is expected to be one of the high performers with an increase of 7 per cent, closely followed by Asia (+6 per cent). International travel from Europe as well as North America is forecasted to grow by 4 per cent each.

About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2018 will be taking place from Wednesday, 7 to Sunday, 11 March, and from Wednesday to Friday will be open to trade visitors only. ITB Berlin is the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. In 2017 a total of 10,000 companies and organizations from 184 countries exhibited their products and services to around 169,000 visitors, who included 109,000 trade visitors. Parallel with the show the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest event of its kind, will be held from Wednesday, 7 to Saturday, 10 March. Admission to the ITB Berlin Convention is free for trade visitors and exhibitors.

Berlin (Germany) – March 8, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The 8th UNWTO Silk Road Ministers’ Meeting held during the ITB Berlin Travel Trade Show, focused on the long-term tourism vision for the historic Silk Road routes and how to establish the Silk Road as the most important transnational tourism route of the 21st century.

With the theme “2025 Silk Road Tourism Agenda”; the Ministers and Heads of the National Tourism Administrations shared their main ideas and strategies, which bring together 34 countries, Malaysia having become the latest member to join this initiative spearheaded by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

“Our joint work on placing the Silk Road as an internationally renowned and seamless cultural tourism route is proving to be very positive. In countries all along the Silk Road, there is growing awareness of tourism’s contribution to cultural preservation, regional cohesion, and intercultural understanding”, said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pollikashvili, during the meeting. “Cross-country tourism projects are growing, and the interest of trade and consumers in the Silk Road continues to rise”, he added.

Primarily associated with inland routes, the historic Silk Road also comprised an extensive network of maritime itineraries linking various cultures. Against this backdrop, UNWTO has assessed the tourism potential of Maritime Silk Road thematic routes across Asia and took the occasion of this year’s meeting to present the research study “Tourism Impact of the 21st century Maritime Silk Road”, jointly developed with Sunny International.

UNWTO’s work around the Silk Road aims to maximize the benefits of tourism development for local Silk Road communities, while stimulating investment and promoting the conservation of the route’s natural and cultural heritage.

While Silk Road destinations stand to benefit from the persistent strong growth of international tourism, putting sustainability and trans-border cooperation first will be key to fully develop its benefits. The conclusions of the Silk Road Ministers Meeting will be further specified during the 8th UNWTO Silk Road Task Force Meeting in Turkey in April, and during the 8th UNWTO International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism in Greece in October 2018.

Solin (Croatia) – March 7, 2018 (travelindex.com) – INTERSTAS, International Festival of Tourism, Film and Landscape, 25th Edition together with the 21st ITF CRO, International Tourfilm Festival and the 16th KEA-CRO, Competition for Croatian Cities/Towns/Centers with the International Golden Flower Award will take place from November 7th to 10th at the Hotel President in Solin, Croatia. Travelindex is the World Media Patner for these important festivals for the world of tourism.

All three events are members and partners of the world’s associations, travels, tourism films, tourism journalism, landscapes, ecology and sustainable development; FIJET, FEST, ITCO, CiB. With the support of the renowned world associations and the main host Hotel President, Solin, all three events will be held under the auspices of the Splitsko-dalmatinska County, the city of Solin, and with the high patronage of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mrs. Kolinda Grabar Kitarović.

This traditional, internationally affirmed multimedia project with a world-renowned reputation is a unique manifestation of this kind in Croatia. It is locally, regionally, nationally and internationally significant. The main motive is the encouragement of presenting local, regional, national destinations and regions, with motivation for traveling, visiting and getting to know different areas around the world. The event entirely contributes to the targeted goals: development of tourism, cultural and historical heritage, quality and quantity of tourism offer, development of congressional, cultural, health, sports and other selective forms of tourism, development of content that enable quality improvement, increase of total tourism turnover throughout the years. This entire, internationally affirmed event contributes significantly to the creation of an image and a recognizable tourist attraction within the cities of Split, Solin, Splitsko-dalmatinska County and Croatia entirely.

It is held in a very convenient time, the beginning of active preparation for the next tourist business year. In the realization of these events, connecting the world’s tourism, film-festival, cultural, landscape associations, combining culture, tourism, tourism, ecology it is an active contribution to the development of environmental awareness, sustainable development, ecology and quality of life. Every year, an number of accredited participants is increasing, among whom, are prominent individuals and organizations – Laureates, authors and producers of tourist films and also Croatian and foreign tourism journalists. The overall project, designed to actively contribute to the promotion of international integration processes of contemporary tourism, has become a respectable factor in this domain of international action, attracting an increasing number of production companies from all over the world which apply their authors with travel, documentary and culture films.

Through 3 business days (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday), along with the Tourist Forum, a “round table discussion”, films, educational ecological workshops, special promotions, professional excursions and exploring historical, cultural and other sights in the surroundings will be a chance for meetings and the realization of numerous contacts, business conversations, exchange of international experiences and knowledge with people who make important decisions from the domain of international tourism, environmental protection, sustainable development and production of tourist films…

The accent is on the presentation of the Laureates – the winners of international tourism, film festivals, landscape awards. The Laureates – the winners of these prestigious international awards in all categories – are distinguished individuals and organizations from Croatia and the world. Awards are given to them; “For their excellence in and for tourism, contributing to the development of tourism through culture, tourism film, ecology, sport, and contributing to improving the quality of life, sustainable development and environmental protection.”
This is confirmed by last year’s respectable figures. For: GOLDEN INTERSTAS and CHART FEST 2017. From the 28 countries of the world, out of 136 proposals, there were 75 candidates and 37 nominated. By the decision of the Directory of Festival and the Central Committee of F.E.S.T., 27 Laureates were selected., and that were: 2 Certificates. 14 individual and 11 collective awards. At 20th ITF’CRO 2017: from 80 countries from all around the world, from all five continents arrived 301 film applications. From the 56 countries 104 films were nominated, 91 foreign and 13 Croatian and 23 films / authors (14 foreign, 9 Croatian) were awarded with some of the international festival awards, national “Baldo Čupić” and Grand Prix of the 20th ITF’CRO ‘2017.

It is considered by the world and European landscape, film festivals, tourist journalists associations that support us; FEST, FIJET, ITCO, CiB that with this event, encouraging the international integration in modern tourism, through connection of the subjects that are involved, it is mutually contributed to development of the tourism, preserving of the environment, better quality of life, and the overall international tourism exchange, thus fulfilling the high-demands of the tourism in all of its segments. This project significantly contributes to the recognizability of the tourist product of all local, regional and national participants, and thus a better understanding between nations and countries, which is also the fundamental objective of this event.

With a welcome on the upcoming events: 25th jubilee INTERSTAS, 21st ITF’CRO and 16th KEA-CRO, Solin, Croatia, from7th – 10th of November 2018, in advance of our sincere congratulations to all Laureates 2018, and also on their entry into the International Club for Merited in Tourism Development.

Contact information:
FISCALIS d.o.o. Split
Vukovarska 6
Tel: +385 21 344 048, 344 255
Tel/fax: +385 21 344 255
E-mail: fiscalis@st.htnet.hr
Web:

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – March 6, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The news last week that Derek Hanekom had been reappointed Minister of Tourism of South Africa has been well received by the world of tourism at large. We in Seychelles have worked closely with Mr. Hanekom in the past, fostering and nurturing a collaboration between the respective tourism industries of South Africa and Seychelles. In the apartheid era, Mr. Hanekom was imprisoned for three long years, along with his wife, Trish, because they were working with the ANC. I have always been inspired by Derek Hanekom and wish him continued success at the head of South African Tourism.

Best Beaches List – Seychelles did not make the cut
The coveted Best Beaches list for 2018, a Travellers Choice Award, has been published and Seychelles failed to make the cut. Let us hope that Seychelles does not succumb to the truism: “out of sight…out of mind”. All too often a country’s natural assets, such as beaches or pristine environment, are taken for granted. We become complacent and assume that our island Nation’s beauty alone is enough to keep our tourism destination relevant.

In the 1980s, Seychelles branded itself as one of the world’s “Best Kept Secrets.” The concern soon surfaced that perhaps our secret was too well kept, prompting the arrival of John Enright of the Irish Tourism Board, who was called upon to relaunch our ailing tourism industry. Mr. Enright brought in an effective group of consultants and launched the successful “Seychelles, Unique By A Thousand Miles” tag line. I joined John Enright as his Executive Assistant and worked by his side for many years.

Jamaica is today a tropical island destination that is making positive noise and being seen as the example to follow. Minister Edmund Bartlet is seen everywhere, and his many actions are being well communicated to the world of tourism. His visibility keeps Jamaica relevant and emphasizes the importance of the key Unique Selling Points (USPs) of the island as a tourism destination. The Seven Mile Beach of Jamaica today sits in the World’s 2018 Best Beaches list. Visibility keeps destinations relevant, and it is visibility that helps them to remain the sought after holiday destination.

Seychelles has some of the best beaches of the world, and this is well known by each and every Seychellois. This can remain our little secret, or we change gears and move to let the world know that this is a key USP of Seychelles. International recognised brands spend a fortune in advertising just to remain ahead of the pack. The minute they tamper with the advertising budget, they feel the repercussion in product sales.

Importantly, Seychellois must do their part to keep our beaches clean and litter-free. Weekend picnics are the norm, but the evidence of a fun day out is oftentimes left in the sand and in the surrounding shrubbery for all to see. Tourists are often taken aback at the amount of rubbish left on the beaches by careless beach-goers.

The Assumption Island may soon have a military base
Le Monde du Silence (The Silent World) is one of the two first underwater films shot by Jean Yves Cousteau, and this one was filmed on our very own Assumption Island, Seychelles. The underwater world of this island became the dream location for this Cousteau film. He was to have filmed at Aldabra, but the underwater turbulence compelled him and his team to anchor the “Calypso” just next door at Assumption.

While reputed filmmakers appreciate and distinctly remember the beauty of this island, some of our own Nationals may need some reminding. The Government of Seychelles have entered into an agreement with India to erect a Military Base on Assumption Island. Peaceful protests to this agreement are still rampant in the town of Victoria, with many Seychellois gathering weekly to sign and circulate petitions to dissuade the Government from going ahead with this agreement, especially given that the UNESCO world heritage site, namely Aldabra, is a mere stone’s throw away from Assumption Island. It would appear that approximately 8 out of every 10 Seychellois oppose the proposed military base on Assumption Island, and the 120,000 thousand plus signatures already recorded on the petition opposing that base speak for themselves.

The continued battle to preserve Assumption Island has been construed by a cynical few as political manoeuvring. They are lacking the ‘grandeur d’esprit’ to accept that Seychelles still has a very large number of committed and patriotic Seychellois determined to do all what is necessary to protect their islands. It needs to be pointed out for all to appreciate that NO ONE is pointing a finger at India – the effect would be the same regardless of which super power contracted to erect a military base on one of our islands, especially one so close to Aldabra.

The Government of Seychelles actively promotes our Blue Economy in the media, but little is being said about the impact that the erection of a military base on Assumption Island and the increased vessel traffic in the area would have on the coral reefs surrounding the island. Seychellois divers are doing all they can to educate the Authorities, the National Assembly Members and the population as a whole, that Assumption Island is worth protecting; we cannot afford to damage any more reefs in our territorial waters (Mahe is a prime example of where extensive construction and reclamation projects have been relentlessly carried out, all but destroying snorkelling opportunities around the island).

Aldabra, the unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, is but 20 odd nautical miles from Assumption Island, and increased Military traffic cannot be seen as a plus to this protected Atoll. The risks of oil spillage so close to Aldabra are sure to increase.

A referendum on the matter is being called for to give the People of Seychelles a say before our small Nation throws away its Non Aligned principle which resulted in Seychelles being the “friends of all and enemies of none” since 29th June 1976.