Category: Latest Travel News

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 6, 2018 (travelindex.com) – This unprecedented gathering of 15 top female chefs from Bangkok and beyond will be an epic culinary adventure from 10am to 5pm; a full-day of chef talks, presentations, panel discussions and plenty of food tasting (15 courses)! Each of these amazing chefs will each present on dish for tasting, and will tell the stories behind the dishes. The forum will be followed by a cocktail party at the Zuk Bar where guests can mix and mingle with the chefs over drinks and, yes, more food.

The leading female chefs confirmed to speak and cook for guests include Ana Ros from Hisa Franko in Slovenia (currently holding title as World’s Best Female Chef), Cristina Bowerman (1* Michelin from Rome), Martina Caruso (1* Michelin from Sicily), Bo from 1* Michelin Bo.lan, Magarita Fores (Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016) and many more. Each chef will cook and present dishes and tell stories around their dishes. Other top level speakers include Cindy Bishop and journalist Maria Canabal from Parabere Forum.

Contact information:
The Sukhothai Hotel
Chutima Limpasurat
Marketing Communications Manager
13/3 South Sathorn Rd.
Bangkok 10120
Thailand
Tel. 66 (0) 2 344 8671
Email: Chutima.l@sukhothai.com
Web: www.sukhothai.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 2, 2018 (travelindex.com)  – Miss International Queen 2018 enjoys its first round of contest with the presentation of “Best Talent” award. And the winner with the performance that stopped the crowd and wowed the audience is from Vietnam She has performed singing and dancing and the entire audience broke out in thunder of applause after her performance of which she shared “I gave out my heart.”

The Miss International Queen 2018 Talent Quest & National Costumes Presentation Presented by Krungthai-AXA Life is hosted at Aksra Theatre King Power. All proceeds, from today’s event, go to the Excellent Centre for Organs Transplantation (ECOT), King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society.

Dazzling the audience are the pre-screened contestants from 10 countries. The ladies came on stage in their National Costumes, miraculously conveyed the meaning of cultures of their home country. The entire Hall roared, like never before.

Miss International Queen has become the world’s platform for Equality. It is not merely beauty to the eyes but it is also importantly about true identity – sharing voices for acceptance and a foundation for values. Equality is not just for transgender but it is deemed for the World – World Equality, where people should be treated equally despite the differences. The 27 contestants from 27 countries, this year, share the common goal of bringing the World Equality to attention.

From today onwards, the ladies are to fulfill other interesting activities: tour of the city of Bangkok, visit the temple of Emerald Buddha, experience the ride of Tuk-Tuk (famous Thailand’s rickshaw), river cruise on the Chaophaya River and many things to do for friendship and Thailand tourism. You are invited to follow the ladies and find out who will be the next crowned Miss International Queen 2018.
The final round will take place on the 9th March at the Tiffany’s Show Theatre, Pattaya city.

The fans can also enjoy the pageant “Miss International Queen 2018” via GMM25, LIVE Streaming through www.gmm25.com, Application GMM25 and Live Facebook at GMM25 Facebook Fanpage or www.facebook.com/MissInternationalQueen and www.MissInternationalQueen.com starting 22.00PM.

Contact:
PITON Communications
Cholawon – Tay : 0897809948, taywongin@gmail.com
Buranii – Ton : 0994196324, buranii@piton.biz

Tiffany’s Show Pataya
Tel. 038 421 700-5
Duanghatai (Poyjai) 0818549878
pr@tiffany-show.co.th

Cebu (Philippines) – March 5, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Fast-growing Cebu is well on track to becoming one of South East Asia’s top information and communications technology destinations. To meet the rising demand for internationally recognised accommodation in its capital, InterContinental Hotels Group,one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of a new Holiday Inn with The Erawan Group Public Company Limited, the first in the Philippines’ oldest city.

Set to open at the end of 2020, the new-build, 180-room Holiday Inn Cebu City will be situated at Samar Loop in the heart of the Cebu Business Park, making it a convenient accommodation choice for international and regional business travellers. Alongside multinational companies ranging from business process outsourcing to industries, the business park houses local and foreign financial institutions, as well as its lifestyle and leisure centrepiece— the 9-hectare Ayala Center Cebu shopping mall, which draws 60,000 visitors daily.

Commenting on this landmark signing, Rajit Sukumaran, Chief Development Officer EMEAA East, IHG said: “Cebu has enjoyed steady economic growth in recent years, thanks in part to its strong port facilities and excellent geographic location which have made it especially popularamongst multinational businesses. With the upcoming completion of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport — the second busiest airport in the Philippines — later this year, we are expecting a further increase in visitors, including those travelling on business.”

“As part of our strategic expansion across this region, we believe that Holiday Inn Cebu City will be well-poised to meet the rising demand for reliable, internationally branded accommodation in this market. Holiday Inn is our most recognised brand and the largest midscale brand internationally; we are excited to introduce this offering to Cebu City, to cater to the needs of our guests with a consistent and welcoming experience.”

The developer, The Erawan Group Public Company limited, is well-established with 52 other hotels operating across Thailand and South-East Asia, including Holiday Inn Pattaya, a flagship Holiday Inn hotel in South East Asia.

Petch Krainukul, President, The Erawan Group Public Company Limited added: “With its strong track record in world-class hospitality offerings, we are delighted to work once again with our trusted partner IHG to bring the first Holiday Inn hotel to Cebu City. We are confident that the hotel’s much-loved brand offerings, coupled with its excellent location, will be a hit amongst travellers seeking comfortable and reliable accommodation when we open our doors in 2020. We strongly believe that this hotel will be one of the key driver for the future growth for Erawan.”

Holiday Inn Cebu City will feature meeting facilities, a fitness centre and swimming pool, an allday dining restaurant and bar, as well as the signature ‘Kids Stay & Eat Free’ programme, which offers complimentary stays and meals for children under the age of 12*. Located in the same tower as Erawan Philippines’ owned Hop Inn hotel, Holiday Inn Cebu City will be situated on the upper floors with its own separate entrance, lift and lobby.

Globally, there are currently 1,216 Holiday Inn hotels (more than 225,000 rooms) open, with 277 in the development pipeline for the next three to five years.

IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations®, Holiday Inn Resort®, avid™ hotels, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 5,300 hotels and nearly 800,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly 1,700 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 375,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.

Phuket (Thailand) – March 5, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Angsana Laguna Phuket has given Michal Zitek, Area General Manager, the task to lead the strategic growth and oversee all of the Angsana brand operations in Phuket including Angsana Laguna Phuket, Angsana Villas Resort Phuket, and Angsana Vacation Club.

An Australian national – Michal is no stranger to Angsana, having helmed the Banyan Tree and Angsana integrated resorts at Laguna Lăng Cô, Central Vietnam as Area General Manager since 2015. His latest role continues a career spanning more than 25 years in the hospitality Industry. Prior to joining our Angsana Hotels, Michal was the General Manager for The Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel and previously the Pan Pacific Hotel in Bangkok.

“My professional and travelling time throughout south-east Asia has allowed me the opportunity to appreciate and explore the nuances and charms of so many vibrant cultures and lifestyles; I am now excited to return to Thailand for this opportunity to work with the respective teams of Angsana Laguna Phuket, Angsana Villas Resort Phuket and Angsana Vacation Club towards the next exciting chapter of growth and the development of new Angsana products”

About Angsana
Angsana brings the adventure back into travel whatever your age or reason to visit. Intertwining local chic and a vibrant fun-filled atmosphere, Angsana offers amazing destination playgrounds across the world. Each hotel is uniquely designed to provide spacious stylish rooms and suites, perfect for couples, families and groups of friends.

Contact:
Kantima Kullawit
Assistant Manager, Marketing Communications and Public Relations
Kantima.Kullawit@angsana.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 5, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Outbound travel from Thailand is set to hit 10 million this year, according to the first comprehensive market research report on what is expected to be the “The Next Big Thing” in Asia-Pacific tourism.

Designed to help destinations worldwide better understand the dynamics and drivers of this promising source of business, the report says that outbound travel from Thailand, including both Thai citizens and the thousands of middle-upper income expatriates, hit 8.2 million trips in 2016, almost double the 2011 figure.

It is projected to have crossed 9 million in 2017 and is heading for 10 million in 2018, assuming that the global, regional and local geopolitical/economic situation remains stable.

Compiled and researched by Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor of Travel Impact Newswire, and one of the longest serving travel industry journalists in the Asia-Pacific, the study is available for sale through a variety of dynamic pricing options. Interested parties can email imtiaz@travel-impact-newswire.com.

Ease of accessibility will become a major determinant of future destination choice. Japan, which eliminated visas for Thais in 2013, has become the fastest growing destination for Thai travellers. Korea and Taiwan have followed the Japanese lead, and Russia is next.

All are stepping up marketing and promotional campaigns to narrow the significant gaps between the number of their tourists visiting Thailand and the number of Thais visiting their countries.

Although most Thais know that they can get visa-free access to their neighbours in the ASEAN countries as well as the Northeast Asian countries and destinations, they still do not realise that they can get relatively easy access to several countries in both Latin America and Africa, the report says.

The report urges these countries on both distant continents to put more focus on their marketing profiles. It is rife with trends, ideas, contacts and opportunities on how to do so.

The report also blasts the visa application processes for Europe, the UK, North America, Australia and New Zealand as being “insulting, offensive and expensive.”

Says the report, “Nearly 90% of the documentation required is identical, with complicated variations in the rules and regulations. Technologically, it should be possible for some kind of a single-visa system to be worked out. Aside from being a money-spinning profit centre, it is not clear what security or immigration threats these visa-requiring countries are hoping to alleviate. Some of the questions asked in the application forms are totally irrelevant. The requirement for proof of financial support is also questionable in an era when thousands of well-off Thais are well-armed with credit cards and far better off financially than citizens of the visa-requiring countries.”

It also urges the South Asian countries to clean up their visa policies. “South Asia as a whole gets dragged down because only The Maldives gives visa-free access to Thais. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka all require visas. Although India and Sri Lanka have on-line visas, cumulatively, the cost and time factors involved in getting visas reduces the appeal of these countries vis a vis competing countries.”

The report also notes the big gap between the number of airlines flying to Thailand (118 as of the winter 2017/2018 airline schedule) and the number of foreign NTOs having full-time or marketing representative offices in Thailand (only 12). A handful of other countries have separate arrangements such as through appointed GSAs.

It also notes the enormous promise of road travel as the completion of the Asian Highway allows Thailand to take full advantage of its unique geographical location at the heart of the ASEAN region, with strong overland connectivity to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.

Brussels (Belgium) – March 1, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Advancing sustainable tourism across Europe is at the centre of an agreement signed today between the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Parliament. During his first official visit to Brussels (27-28 February), UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, met with the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, the European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Elżbieta Bieńkowska as well as the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism and Responsible for the Tourism Task Force, Istvan Ujhelyi and the representatives of the European Tourism Manifesto. Addressing the Tourism Task Force of the European Parliament Mr. Pololikashvili highlighted the need to enhance integration, connectivity and technology to maximize the role of tourism in creating jobs and stimulating growth in the European Union (EU).

Europe is the world’s leading tourism destination receiving half of the world’s 1.3 billion international arrivals. In 2017, international tourism in Europe grew 8%, one percentage point above the world average, totalling 671 million tourists.

During the signing of the agreement, Mr. Pololikashvili stressed how “the best way to ensure tourism’s positive impact for its people is by working closely with the European Parliament as the representative of the people of Europe”. “Today we are becoming stronger partners in our work to make tourism, and cultural tourism in particular, a driver of prosperity, opportunity, and better livelihoods across the EU”, he added.

UNWTO and the EU Parliament will work on promoting good practices and the sharing of knowledge and experiences on the ground. The agreement coincides with 2018 as the European Year of Cultural Heritage and is an opportunity to highlight the relevance of cultural tourism, which is an outstanding travel asset in the EU countries.

“Over the next 10 years, tourism can create more than 5 million new jobs, not least because the number of tourists is set to double to more than 2 billion. Europe must not let this opportunity pass by. Through the growth of tourism, we can offer real prospects for the new generations and boost strategic sectors of the economy, such as transport, trade, luxury goods, shipbuilding, construction, agri-foodstuffs and the cultural and creative industries” said Antonio Tajani. “We can’t just wait for this to happen by itself. We must work, including with UNWTO, to improve our competitiveness and our skills, to face the challenges of digitalisation and to promote Europe as the world’s number one tourist destination”, he added

EU tourism and the EU-China Tourism Year
The UNWTO Secretary-General met with the European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Elżbieta Bieńkowskaand exchanged views with the members of the Tourism Task Force of the European Parliament and withthe public and private stakeholders assembled around the European Tourism Manifesto.

On the occasion, UNWTO Secretary-General stressed the importance of working in collaboration with the European institutions on key priorities: sustainability; innovation and technology; safety and security; and education and job creation.

Addressing the EU–China Tourism Year Parliamentary Day, which celebrated the EU-China Tourism Year, Mr. Pololikashvili said “This year comes as an opportunity to make Europe the best global destination for Chinese tourists and to use tourism to increase understanding between Europe and China”.

According to the European Travel Commission, 12.4 million Chinese tourists visited the EU in 2017. With an average above one million per month and considering the prospects of growth, the impact of Chinese tourists on EU tourism is relevant factor for European tourism development and bilateral relations with China.

Contacts:
UNWTO Senior Media Officer:
Marcelo Risi
mrisi@UNWTO.org
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60
UNWTO Communications & Publications Programme
comm@UNWTO.org
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100
Fax: +34 91 567 8218

Biel/Bienne (Switzerland) – February 26, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Five years after unveiling Ahton, his now legendary sculpture, master jeweller Andreas Altmann is applying his creativity and expertise to watches suffused with Haute Horlogerie. Timepieces that appeal not only for their style but also their watchmaking mechanisms. Like an extension of the Giberg Swiss Noble Forge, the new Giberg Haute Horlogerie brand is an elegant demonstration of its mastery of time, just as Ahton was proof of its artistic dexterity, and is a worthy guardian of unique expertise. Andreas Altmann’s exceptional and original watches will be unveiled at the forthcoming Baselworld show.

Primal, wild, a master of chaos, for many civilisations the dragon was symbolic of evil. For others, it was a protector or an emblem of life and power. Ahton himself symbolises the rebirth of ancient mystical powers. His name, of Nordic origin, signifies “he who sees, he who thinks”. His creator, the Swiss artist Andreas Altmann, has bestowed him with powers of interior conviction founded on the knowledge of his own strength. Ahton is a masterpiece of the most exceptional craftsmanship imaginable, and a unique sculpture entirely hand-crafted by the artist and his Giberg Swiss Noble Forge team over a period of almost five years. Five kilograms of solid gold were required to produce the mystical beast, which is studded with 7739 diamonds weighing a total of 108 carats. As if captured in action, the dragon exudes the full power of his ferocity, with the eye drawn to his gleaming armour, his outspread wings, and the phantasmagoric fire he breathes from his savage mouth. Such power in Ahton’s artistic expression is due to the painstaking attention to detail, the strict use of materials and the undeniable expertise of Andreas Altmann’s team. The mythical beast Ahton is a worthy representative of Giberg Swiss Noble Forge, which strives to create unique pieces of the highest quality

Devoted to Art
A trained goldsmith and gemsetter, Andreas Altmann endeavours to create individual pieces in highly limited editions, for which he has no limits when it comes to meeting a customer’s desires. The master jeweller uses the most precious materials available to create incredible sculptures, each influenced in one way or another by history. Wisdom, power, the strength and courage of heroes, or the virtues are some of the subjects he chooses to give remarkable physical form. With its cutting-edge technical innovation and keen artistic vision, Giberg Swiss Noble Forge has become one of the world’s most accomplished specialists in handling and crafting the finest materials. This recognition is already a powerful affirmation of the haute horlogerie and joaillerie credentials of existing and future watches produced by the Giberg watchmaking brand.

Giberg Renaissance
Giberg Swiss Noble Forge has imbued its new Giberg Haute Horlogerie brand with its artistic expertise and brought a new vision of the art of reading the time. The company’s static art is thus brought to life by the calibre of Giberg Haute Horlogerie watches. This hand-wound mechanical movement, entirely designed in-house by the brand, offers a 72-hour power reserve provided by two barrels that drive the flying tourbillon positioned at 6 o’clock. The transparent sapphire dial reveals the beauty of the watch’s mechanism, as it dances the light and gentle dance of time.

Brand Contact:
Giberg Ltd.
Mattenstrasse 135, 2503 Bienne
Switzerland
T +41 32 333 12 12
andreas.altmann@giberg.com
www.giberg.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – February 26, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Hotel Management Thailand Summit (HMT), the region’s leading hotel industry conference produced by international conference producer Questex Hospitality Group, is set to return to Bangkok on 7 June 2018. Over 150 international senior hoteliers will gather to discuss on how to generate revenue and boost operational efficiency to thrive.

Themed, “Enabling Innovations for Enhanced Profitability in the Age of Margin Compression,” the latest edition of the acclaimed conference will set the stage for leading hoteliers to explore the latest consumer trends, strategize to grow peripheral revenue, and navigate changing distribution landscape to ensure continuous successes.

While Thailand welcomed a record breaking 35-million visitors in 2017, the growth of hotel RevPAR remains immensely challenging. Local hoteliers expect room rates to grow at a modest 2-3%, lagging behind inflation.

Set against this backdrop, topics to be discussed at HMT 2018 include “Rethinking the Revenue Growth Strategies in a Competitive Environment” , “Diversifying and Growing the Source markets: Conquering the New Frontiers” , “Diversifying and Growing the Source Markets: Conquering the New Frontiers”, “Securing Owner Approval and Capital Investment for Renovations and Upgrades”, and “How will Blockchain Technology Enable Distribution and Loyalty?”, among others.

“HMT was an excellent opportunity for me to understand Thailand’s hotel market better especially since I am quite new to this region. The Summit provided a platform for like-minded hotel professionals to network and engaged and I definitely gained a lot from it. The insights were rich and the speaker selection was outstanding,” said Anand Jindal, Cluster Director, Revenue Management of W Bangkok, who attended HMT in 2017.

HMT is a neutral one-stop strategy platform where Corporate CEOs/ Presidents, COOs and CFOs, VP operations Property GMs, Financial Controllers, Director of operations property owners, and managing directors will directly address all key management, operational, commercial, and financial challenges that impact corporate and property P&L.

HMT Summit 2018 is part of the Hotel Management Asia summit Series, Asia’s only truly regional hotel management conference series. The series will 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 + 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 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 Hospitality + Travel
Tel: +852 2589 1331
E-mail: jmendoza@questexasia.com
Website: www.questexevents.net/hmtsummit

Hua Hin (Thailand) – February 27, 2018 (travelindex.com) – A glittering grand opening ceremony has been held for Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin, Asia’s first Holiday Inn water park resort, which is set spectacularly on Thailand’s Gulf coast, just 2.5 hours’ drive from Bangkok.

More than 400 guests, including many celebrities and VIPs, attended the event, which took place on Saturday night. They included owners Proud Real Estate, who are the developers of Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin as well as the adjacent Vana Nava Hua Hin Water Jungle, and senior executives from InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

Guests were treated to an action-packed evening of live entertainment, including a show from popular Thai actress Jenny Tienposuwan, and an exclusive concert by iconic Thai pop star Tata Young. These performances were followed by an extravagant, extended firework display that lit up the night sky, watched from the resort’s towering Sky Deck.

“We are delighted to celebrate the grand opening of Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin in such spectacular style,” said Franck Rodriguez, the resort’s General Manager. “We are proud to set a new quality benchmark with a fully-integrated hospitality offering extensive facilities, cutting-edge technology and breath-taking views over the Gulf of Thailand.”

Easily accessible from Bangkok and two international airports, Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin is perfect for all types of stays, from fun-filled playcations to couples’ breaks, family holidays and unique business events.

The hotel is part of a larger mixed use development that is Vana Nava Hua Hin. It is right next door to Vana Nava Hua Hin Water Jungle that first opened its doors to the public in 2014 with overwhelming success. Boasting 20 world class slides and attractions surrounded by over 200,000 trees under the concept of a “water jungle”, the waterpark has welcomed close to a million visitors since and it is one of the biggest names in waterparks in Thailand. The project will also feature premium residences, expected to be launched later this year. Linking all components of the project together and ensuring a seamless customer experience is the unique RFID Technology, which can be used to unlock hotel rooms, access the waterpark and pay for food and entertainment within the compound.

Proud Real Estate Executive Director Proudputh Liptapanlop said: “Hua Hin has long been a beloved destination among the Thai aristocrats and high society since the 1920s when it was hand picked to be the first resort town of Thailand by H.M. King Rama VI. Because of its sandy white beaches along with stunning mountainscape, its long history and its charms and heritage as a seaside fishing village, Hua Hin over the years has attracted many tourists both Thai and International. Now with the addition of a truly integrated resort-entertainment like Vana Nava Hua Hin, we are confident that Hua Hin will be able to attract even more visitors and establish its credentials as a leading resort destination worldwide.”

As the highest hotel in Hua Hin, Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin is expected to become an iconic destination. With 360 degrees views from the rooftop, guests can watch stunning sunrises over the Gulf of Thailand in the east, and enjoy golden sunsets over the hills in the west. Clarence Tan, Managing Director Southeast Asia and Korea, IHG added: “We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Proud Real Estate. They have been a valued partner of IHG for a number of years since we opened InterContinental Hua Hin Resort in 2012. We are proud to work with partners who have such commitment to bringing our brands to life and with a strong vision to build innovative resorts that put guests first.

The hotel features 300 rooms and suites, including a series of inter-connecting rooms and KidSuites®, with special ‘secret’ rooms decked out with bunk beds and play areas. Children aged 12 and under can stay and eat for free, and all guests are offered free Wi-Fi and unlimited access to Vana Nava Hua Hin Water Jungle. When they are not playing in the Vana Nava Hua Hin Water Jungle, guests can unwind in the resort’s own extensive facilities, including a dramatic 26th floor infinity pool, the Tea Tree Spa, a 24-hour fitness centre, kids’ club and children’s pool.

Dining and entertainment options include the all-day Plamong Restaurant, casual Pool Bar, and the stylish Vana Nava Sky Bar, Restaurant & Observation Deck, which offers spectacular views across the Gulf. Designed by Bangkok-based consultant Ashley Sutton, the mastermind behind some of Asia’s most famous bars, including Maggie Choo’s and Iron Fairies in Bangkok and Ophelia in Hong Kong, this dazzling destination also features a dramatic glass-bottomed deck 110 metres above ground and is set to become a “must-visit” destination for visitors to Hua Hin.

Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin is also an attractive new option for event planners. With five function rooms and one of Hua Hin’s largest ballrooms, the resort is likely to become an important destination for the Thailand’s MICE industry. The grand opening party for Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin marks the arrival of a new landmark on Thailand’s Gulf coast, and a new era of hospitality in Hua Hin.

 

About Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts:
Started over 65 years ago and with over 1,200 hotels worldwide today, the Holiday Inn® brand is the most widely recognised lodging brand in the world. Holiday Inn® believes the Joy of Travel is for everyone. The brand stands for delivering an affordable, enjoyable hotel experience where guests are always welcomed warmly.

The first Holiday Inn opened its doors in 1952, and today the Holiday Inn® Brand Family is the largest hotel brand in the world, with the largest development pipeline.

The ‘Kids Eat & Stay Free’ programme, available at every Holiday Inn® property, demonstrates the long-standing commitment of the Holiday Inn® brand to serve family travellers.

About IHG
InterContinental Hotels Group is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations®, Holiday Inn Resort®, avid™ hotels, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,300 hotels and more than 785,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with more than 1,500 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club, our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100 million enrolled members.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group’s holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG’s hotels and corporate offices globally.

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – February 26, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Seychelles has long earned bragging rights concerning its leadership in the field of environmental protection, and our proactive efforts in sustainable practise. Last week’s article by Sasha Lekach on Travel Wire News pertaining to Telsa providing “Wall Connectors” to offices free of charge so that employees can charge their electric vehicles while they work has reinforced the ideal that we ought to be moving towards environmentally-friendly transport if we are to do our part for a better and cleaner world.

Seychelles offers tax reduction incentives for electric or hybrid vehicles. With the move towards environmentally-friendly transport, it would be beneficial if Taxi services and the Tourism Industry could embrace this movement for a greener Seychelles. Incentives could include providing a charger to hotels, Taxi Ranks, the Ferry Port and the SCAA at the airport. Businesses and Government would need to take steps to install chargers at key points where staff and members of the public may recharge their electric vehicles as needed. With the rising costs in petrol and diesel, and the alarming duty on non-electric or hybrid vehicles, it is an accepted fact that Seychelles will have little option but to move down this path sooner rather than later.

Work permit politics

Work permits are invaluable for the smooth running of any business operation, especially in the tourism industry where skilled and willing Seychellois staff may be lacking. When a hotel operation is faced with work permit difficulties with the Government, despite being within their agreed quota of foreign versus the local workforce, the system starts to break down. No hotel company or owner would, or should really be forced to, employ someone just for the sake of it. Moreover, local politics or domestic issues within companies cannot and should never be considered as mitigating factors for approval or refusals of work permits for the position of General Managers or any senior management staff for that matter.

There are many known cases of disgruntled staff members or vindictive minority shareholders of a company calling immigration to have a work permit refused or revoked. Alarmingly, in many cases it would appear that these requests are honoured without hesitation. Proper procedure must be duly followed at all times by Government workers, otherwise their decisions will continue to be perceived as arbitrary and questionable.

Bicycle safety on La Digue

The use of bicycles as a means of transportation on the island of La Digue is a way of life for the locals, and a novel experience for many tourists.

A recent horrific bicycle accident on La Digue has prompted many to voice their concerns regarding the lack of regulation for bicycle users or businesses who hire or rent out the bicycles to visitors to the island. Renting a bicycle on La Digue should be no different to renting a car on Praslin or Mahe. Clients must be made aware of the inherent risks in riding a bicycle along the cobbled roads, especially when they share the pathways with ox carts and other vehicles. An aggravating factor is that the clients are not provided with safety equipment, such as helmets, nor are businesses compelled to provide them by law with each bicycle hire.

On 14th February 2018, a well reputed surgeon by profession, visitor to the island, fell from his bicycle after pedalling down a steep incline. He was not wearing a helmet. The injuries he sustained were life threatening and he had to be airlifted out of the country with spine and neck injuries. We met the wife of the injured and, as much as she was thankful for the care her husband received in the Intensive Care Unit at the Seychelles Hospital, her thanks and appreciation went to Anny Esparon, the Front Office Manager of Le Domaine de L’Orangeraie Resort, who went beyond the call of duty to display her devotion to the island’s tourism industry, and her unrelenting kindness to two tourists in their time of need.

Business Community meeting on La Digue

This recent meeting on La Digue with the members of the island’s business community was chaired by PS for Tourism, Anne Lafortune. Demands were made for further consultation with the business community to empower them as partners for the development of their island. They emphasised that oftentimes decisions are made by desk officers on Mahe, and implemented without the input of the Diguois; businesses on La Digue consequently struggle with the ramifications of such decisions, which tend to be unrealistic and unnecessarily inconvenience business owners.

A case in point is the prevention of hotel golf buggies from carrying the hotel’s small 14kg gas bottle or small cartons of food stuff, an impractical embargo especially considering that the island has restricted the presence of pickup trucks. We have recently learned that this situation may soon be changed for the benefit of the islanders. Had this absurdity been allowed to continue, Diguois would have been forced to walk about with cartons of milk balanced on their heads, with a gas bottle clutched in one hand and a bag of groceries in the other, while the desk officers on Mahe snicker from afar.

Another example of absurdity is that of a small business which was granted permission to import a golf buggy, but authority to transport it to La Digue was denied until the opening of the hotel, ignoring the pertinent fact that the vehicle was meant to assist the hotel owner with the pre-opening stage of the operation. This is an example of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, and a possible explanation for Seychelles’ poor ranking in the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ table.

The Assumption Island saga continues

The uproar surrounding the deal between India and the Government of Seychelles continues unabated because of the closeness of this proposed military base by a foreign power to Aldabra, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the conscious decision to continue to militarise the India Ocean at the time of heightened tension between super powers.

On 24th February, after weeks of peaceful protests in the heart of Victoria, a panel was set up to address the people on the rationale behind this deal. Mr. Barry Faure from the Department of Foreign Affairs, and incidentally the brother of the President of the Republic, vehemently tried to defend the project, amidst open criticism and backlash from the gathered crowd. He claimed that India needs Seychelles, and further stated that the military base on Assumption Island would be a gift to our small Nation (prompting a dramatic walk-out by a lawyer in attendance and much derisive laughter by the congregation).

A unanimous request for a referendum on the matter was called for at that meeting, to give the People of Seychelles a say before our small Nation throws away the “friends of all and enemies of none” status it has diligently maintained since 29th June 1976. Mr. Faure later gave an interview on SBC news, thereby quashing this request by the people.