Category: Latest Travel News

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – September 21, 2017 (travelindex.com) – British Airways has announced that it will be resuming scheduled flights to Seychelles as from March 2018.

The United Kingdom’s flag carrier, also one of the world’s leading scheduled international passenger airlines, will launch direct flights to Seychelles as of March 24, 2018.

British Airways will be resuming flights to Seychelles, after over a decade of not flying to the Indian Ocean island destination. It will operate non-stop twice-weekly flights from the London Heathrow airport to Seychelles from March to October, offering more choice to sun-seeking holidaymakers.

The flights will depart Heathrow’s Terminal 5 on Wednesdays and Saturdays and will be operated by the airline’s newest fleet of aircraft, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. The return flights to Heathrow will be on Thursdays and Sundays.

The British carrier says the route timetable is perfectly positioned for honeymooners and holidaymakers keen on extending their break in the Seychelles.

“The Seychelles is one of the most beautiful places on earth and we’re delighted to be adding this collection of islands to our extensive route network,” said British Airways’ Director of Network and Alliances, Sean Doyle.

Customers can now get into ‘holiday mode’ even earlier with British Airways’ direct flights from London taking 10 hours, instead of over 13 hours with a connection in the Middle East. As one of the leading luxury holiday destinations, the Seychelles offers customers a wide range of accommodation and activities in stunning natural surroundings,” he added.

British Airways will become the only airline offering non-stop service between Seychelles and the UK, which is an important market for Seychelles. Visitor arrivals from the UK & Ireland, which is currently the Seychelles’ fifth largest market, stands at 15,427 to-date for 2017, representing a 22 percent increase over last year.

The Seychelles authorities including the Seychelles High Commissioner in the UK, Derick Ally, and the Seychelles Tourism Board through its Chief Executive Sherin Francis and the STB UK office as well as the Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine Ministry through Minister Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, have been instrumental in securing British Airways’ engagement to resume flights to Seychelles.

Welcoming Tuesday’s announcement, Minister Loustau-Lalanne said this is the best news for the Seychelles’ tourism industry both for its short term and long term viability.

“We were all devastated when British Airways pulled out in 2004. The return of British Airways to the Seychelles with two non-stop flights from London Heathrow in 2018 will provide a boost, especially to our 5 Star establishments. It will also help to further develop our USA market and elsewhere,” Minister Loustau-Lalanne added.

For her part Mrs Francis said: “We were all delighted to learn a few months ago that Seychelles was finally on the planning chart of British Airways amongst a handful of other destinations that were being considered. Seychelles has in the past years at every given opportunity expressed its interest to see British Airways serving the destination again and the invitation were even extended from the highest office in Seychelles. We are happy that this long awaited day has arrived. The UK is a very important market for Seychelles and the team at British Airways can count on our support for this route.”

British Airways has launched over 30 new routes across the globe this year and flights to its new Indian Ocean route, Seychelles, as of March 2018 are already available for booking.

The airline will be offering a 4-class cabin product on the Seychelles route with its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner having a 216 seat capacity, which signifies over 400 additional seats weekly, for visitors travelling to the Seychelles islands.

“Return fares start from £699 in World Traveller, £999 in World Traveller Plus, £2499 in Club World and from £3499 for First, and are available to book now on ba.com,” British Airways said in a press statement issued on Tuesday.

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 21, 2017 (travelindex) – Collaborating with luxurious brands, JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok is hosting a wedding fair filled with exclusive highlights for happy couples on 1st October, 2017. With its 20-year history of creating memorable experiences for guests, the hotel will showcase its versatile banquet venues, legendary service and award-winning culinary excellence.

In this highly-crafted wedding fair, a dedicated team of wedding planners will give one-on-one consultations to assist with all the fine details in creating a sophisticated occasion and to provide professional advice to ensure a flawless wedding day. To complete the visit, couples will be inspired by a selection of bespoke experiences, including sample culinary creation by Chef Kevin Thomson, Executive Chef, discuss the perfect wedding cake with Executive Pastry Chef, Giovanni Iurig and Pastry Chef Chotiphat Laisuwan, signature cocktails tasting, a relaxing 15-minutes hand treatment at Spa by JW, consult with the famous BOX Wedding photography and cinematography and discover the latest bridal collection from Thailand’s homegrown brand Amata.

This event will be the first time Jimmy Choo and Tiffany & Co. joins the JW’s soiree. The iconic brand Tiffany & Co., the dream of every bride-to-be since 1886, will bring to the fair their rich heritage, trust, integrity and craftsmanship. The Craft masters from the brand will walk guests through the history of the world’s most famous engagement rings, showcase some of their finest pieces and consult couples who are still looking for that sparkle something when tying the knot.

Meanwhile Jimmy Choo will make brides feel like princesses with their bridal shoes collection. Expect to see the most gorgeous wedding shoes from the brand, from dainty and minimal strappy sandals, traditional satin and lace, glitter peep toes, simple diamante cage shoes, stilettos, and more, brides can say “I Do” in the most stylish way. Especially, bride-to-be can walk away from the fair with their very own’ s Jimmy Choo pair when confirming their marriage celebration at the event.

Our dedicated team whose role is to make wedding dreams come true, and you are assure to make your wedding a day to remember together. Register your attendance by calling + 02 656 7700 ext. 4347 or email kamonnat.s@marriott.com.

Contact:
Grace Hoang
Director of Marketing Communications
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
Grace.Hoang@marriott.com

Singapore (Singapore) – September 21, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Cementing its status as ‘Asia’s Leading Travel Trade Show’, ITB Asia 2017 will celebrate its 10th anniversary with an exciting view to the future of travel and tourism. Under the conference theme “The Future of Travel”, ITB Asia 2017 will showcase an extensive programme of key presentations and discussions by industry heavyweights from the travel and tourism sector. This includes global brand names as well as promising travel startups.

“We are proud to have put together such a rich and diverse conference programme, which is only possible with the continued support from the global travel industry. This is testament to the show’s expanding role as an important platform to bring all the different stakeholders in the travel and tourism sector together. We believe everyone attending this year’s show will enjoy and benefit from engaging with the influential and exciting speakers on the most current and pressing topics in the industry”, said Katrina Leung, Executive Director of Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organiser of ITB Asia.

Artificial Intelligence and OTAs to be focus of ITB Asia 2017 keynotes

To kick off the show, headlining keynote speakers on Day 1 include Tony Menezes, Vice President of Industrial and Distribution Sectors at IBM Asia Pacific, Rob Torres, Managing Director of Advertising and Marketing at Google, and Jane Sun, CEO of Ctrip. Both speakers from IBM and Google will focus on Artificial Intelligence while Ms Sun from Ctrip will speak on its global strategy.

On Day 2, the highlight of the keynote panel will focus on the trends and market conditions of the travel trade market and how Online Travel Agents (OTAs) are transforming travel through technology, particularly in Korea, Japan and India. Moderated by Nick Vivion, Editorial Director of Tnooz, the panel will include Ike Anand, Vice President at Expedia, Min Yoon, CEO of Tidesquare, Amit Taneja, Chief Revenue Officer of Cleartrip, Ken Mishima, VP of eCommerce Strategy at iJTB, and Jose Murta, Global Head of Hospitality at trivago.

Showcasing the most current trends and opportunities in virtual reality, Cruise and travel innovation

While VR has mainly been used in promotional and marketing materials, hotel and accommodation visualization and training, disruptive startups Hiverlab and Zebra Design will share their experiences on the exciting realities and opportunities for augmented reality and virtual reality in hospitality and tourism. Savioke, a Silicon Valley startup that makes autonomous indoor delivery robots, will also present key takeaways from its pilot project at M Social, Asia’s first deployment of front-of-house service robots.

With younger generations, including the millennials and Generation X, forecast to embrace cruise travel more than ever before , ITB Asia 2017 will feature its first Cruise panel. The line-up will feature global cruise operators who will discuss the rise of cruise in Asia Pacific and the growing market and opportunities. Moderated by Christina Siaw, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Cruises Centre, confirmed panelists include companies such as SkySea Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, Princess Cruises, Carnival Asia and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

ITB Asia will also for the first time, launch an innovation travel tech track hosted by Israeli startup InnoVel that will connect travel companies with cutting-edge startups. The crosssharing is designed to address concrete pains in areas such as revenue management, customer engagement, online marketing and more.

Strong global support from Corporate and MICE partners

Corporate and MICE participants at ITB Asia have grown in the past years. To reflect this strong support, ITB Asia will see its first ever Corporate Day on 26 October, with confirmed partners such as the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), Egencia, Corporate Travel Management, UOB Travel and Airbnb who will deliver presentations and workshops on the corporate sector at ITB Asia.

Following the success and launch in 2016, MICE Day will return for the second edition in 2017 on 25 October. Confirmed partners include American Express, Incentive Conference and Event Society Asia Pacific (ICESAP), International SOS, Meetings Professional International (MPI), The Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers, Inc. (PACEOS), Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE), and United Networks of International Corporate Events Organisers (UNICEO).

ITB Asia 2017 is expected to top the success of ITB Asia in 2016, where almost 900 buyers attended the show, leading to a 1:1 ratio between exhibitors and buyers whilst over 50% of buyers signed deals with exhibitors after the event. 43% of attending buyers had purchasing power of USD 500K – USD 1m and 85.7% of attending buyers were direct decision makers.

For more information on ITB Asia 2017, visit www.itb-asia.com

About ITB Asia 2017
ITB Asia 2017 will take place at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, from 25 – 27 October. It is organised by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd and supported by the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau. The event will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, covering not only the leisure market, but also corporate and MICE travel. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including destinations, airlines and airports, hotels and resorts, theme parks and attractions, inbound tour operators, inbound DMCs, cruise lines, spas, venues, other meeting facilities and travel technology companies are all expected to attend.

Macau (Macao SAR) – September 21, 2017 (travelindex.com) – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) is one of the most representative associations of the exhibition industry. UFI has recently published its 13th edition of the annual report on the Trade Fair Industry in Asia, analysing the development of the trade fair market in Asia in 2016. During the year, a total of 26 B2B trade fairs held in Macao were included in the UFI statistics. Revenues from exhibitions were estimated at around USD53.55 million, with 215,250m2 of net spaces sold, showing a rise of 2.9% as compared to 2015.

The Macao SAR Government is committed to promote moderate economic diversification and plans to strengthen its efforts to foster the development of the convention and exhibition industry, according to the policy of giving priority to conventions. As the exhibition sector is an important component of the MICE industry and subsequent to the active co-operation and exchanges between the Macao SAR Government and MICE operators in recent years, local branded trade fairs continue to develop steadily. Among which, six of the local branded trade fairs have already become UFI-approved events, covering various sectors including business and trade, environmental protection, automobile, yacht and the aviation industries.

According to the 13th edition of its annual reporton theTrade FairIndustry in Asia, published by UFI, Macao was one of the trade fair markets with the shortest development history and also one of the smallest in Asia, as well as the one with the best performance in the region over the past five years. When compared with the growth of the overall exhibition industry in Asia, Macao´s net spaces sold grew from 72,500m2 in 2012 to 215,250m2 in 2016, showing an increase of almost 200%, and become the region with the largest growth in Asia. Although Macao´s economy was constantly affected by the external economic environment, however, the net exhibition spaces sold continued to grow, with an average revenue per exhibition recorded as approximately USD2.1 million, indicating that Macao´s exhibition market performed better than the overall economic performance.

Furthermore, the report also indicated that the strong support of the Macao SAR Government for the exhibition industry, along with the ancillary facilities, contributed to the stable development of Macao´s exhibition industry. For example, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which is set to open at the end of this year, and the gradual expansion of the flight network of the Macau International Airport, will significantly improve regional transportation, creating a new economic perspective for the Pearl River Delta Region. The Macao SAR Government has always supported the development of the exhibition industry and has continuously improved its infrastructure to enhance the connectivity of regional transport. It is expected that Macao´s exhibition industry will maintain a good development trend. It is predicted that, over the next two to three years, the exhibition industry will maintain an average growth rate of 5% in the region.

UFI brings together exhibition managers and professional exhibition organisers from around the world, to jointly promote the development of the regional and global exhibition industry. Every year, UFI commissions professional consultants to conduct analysis and study on exhibitions targeted at professional visitors (B2B), and publishes its annual report on the trade fair industry in Asia. The report is an important reference material for international exhibition organisers and managers. The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) became an official member of UFI in October 2005, and has been actively participating in activities organised by UFI, as a means of conducting bilateral exchanges with exhibition-related organisations. In addition, IPIM has launched the “One-stop Service” for MICE Bidding and Support service in Macao which aimed at attracting more international convention and exhibition organisers to hold their activities in Macao.

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 21, 2017 (travelindex.com) – For the first time live in Bangkok, Stephen M.R. Covey, Trust expert, Executive Thought Leader, and best-selling author of “The Speed of Trust”, 1# on New York Times and Wall Street Journal, recently flew into Bangkok especially to conduct a seminar titled “Building Trusted Brands – One Thing That Changes Everything”. According to Mr. Covey, the factor of success in today’s global competitive market, is the trusted brands, but before we can build up a brand to a trustworthy position in the top rank, how was “Trust” created?

“Trust” is something internal, it is built from inside out. The high trust cultures are created inside out, exactly the same as the high trust brands. Hence, to create ‘Trust’, we must start from the inside of our mind. The basement of the strong building of trusted brands must be crafted from the people in the organization. Moreover, from the researches, people or customers tend to trust the employees of the organization more than advertisements and the CEO.

‘Trust’ is financial. How is that supposed to be? Mr. Covey said that ‘Trust’ always impacts two outcomes: SPEED and COST. With the high trust, the faster the speed of working with efficiency in the company the lower the company risks issues regarding fraud, disengagement, and many more. Consequently, the company pays lower risk cost and gets higher speed of success. Moreover, ‘Trust’ is currently number 1 leadership competency in today’s changing environment. It can help improve the results focus, communication, collaboration, leading change, innovation, strategy and as well as problem solving. ‘Trust’ can be learned and measured, it is part of functioning mechanism of CREDIBILITY and BEHAVIOUR, and it is measurable and can be deliberately created.

It is crucial, in today’s world to have ‘Trust’ in the brand, but to build a trusted brand, as mentioned by Stephen, has to start from the basic level of each organization: PEOPLE. But how? How can people create trust and be a leader? There are the so called “The 5 Waves of Trust”, namely, ‘Self Trust’; ‘Relationship Trust’; ‘Organizational Trust’; ‘Market Trust’; leading to the final trust – ‘Societal Trust’. Stephen recommends to model trust through character and competence and compares them to the roots and trunks respectively of a tree. Character or Roots are to be modeled on Integrity and Intent while Competence or Trunks including leaves and fruits are built on Capabilities and Results leading to the TREE of success and the 4 cores of credibility: Integrity, Intent, Capabilities and Results. To sum up, success starts from the basic elements of Self Trust/Self Integrity.

Stephen also helped clarify the 13 behaviours of high trust, to help everybody build trust from inside out and become a leader. Starting from talking straight, demonstrating respect, creating transparency, righting wrongs, showing loyalty, delivering results, getting better, confronting reality, clarifying expectations, practicing accountability, listening first, keeping commitments and lastly, extending trust. From these lists of behaviours, it helps in creating the trusted personality which leads to the success in self trust and relationship trust. When everyone in organizations is
fulfilled with trust, then it creates the next impact or next wave as of the organization waves which moving forward to market trust and finally the societal trust. The same as the trees, if the roots are strong, the trunk and upper parts are all well groomed.

This seminar by Stephen was one of the most impactful approaches for everyone, from the basic level to developing oneself and creating the waves of impact to the upper level in a vast scope. It is the key to success in every society and even at country level.

Khun Porntip Iyimapun, the CEO and Founder of PacRim Group also gave a powerful speech regarding her vision of creating a humble and successful society for the country based on Stephen’s teachings regarding ‘Trust’ as “leaders will be able to better manage change and lead high-performing teams that are agile, collaborative, innovative, and engaged”. By holding this impactful seminar, Khun Pornthip wished to be part of everyone’s strong roots of trusted trees which can lead to the ‘efficient forests’ on a countrywide scale, to help boost and support the current “THAILAND 4.0” scenario.

To learn more on how you can bring the Speed of Trust to your organization or to find out more about great and inspiring seminars and other interesting courses by PacRim Group, visit www.pacrimgroup.com or call +66 278 0200 ext. 1 , email : info@pacrimgroup.com

For further information, please contact:
Neo Target Co., Ltd.
Tiphathai Ngamsiriporn
Mobile: 66 (0) 89 161 1029
E-mail: tiphathai@neotarget.com

Victoria, Mahe (Seychelles) – September 19, 2017 (travelindex.com) – The important UNWTO 22nd General Assembly that just ended in Chengdu, China. UNWTO has a new Secretary General elect in the name of Zurab Pololikashvili of Georgia. Following his election by the 105th UNWTO Executive Council earlier this year (12th May) in Madrid Spain, the Organisation’s General Assembly has confirmed the election of Mr Pololikashvili. The World of Tourism needs to move ahead and unite behind the new Secretary General of the UNWTO who will be assuming office on the 1st January 2018. The Saint Ange Tourism Report takes this opportunity to wish Zurab Pololikashvili of Georgia success in his new position.

The 22nd UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu was also the opportunity to publicly show the respect and admiration by the world of tourism for Dr Taleb Rifai, the outgoing Secretary General of the Organisation. After his skilful, diplomatic and human style manoeuvring at the confirmation procedures for his replacement, he was given a standing ovation with cheering and clapping. Dr Rifai could not hold back his emotions and shed a tear.

Congratulations also to Minister Najib Balala, the Tourism Minister of Kenya who was elected the new Head of CAF (Commission for Africa). Africa has made a good choice. It is always important when electing people to such positions to look at the country to see if they are a benchmark or not for the tourism industry. The Minister of Tourism for Kenya will now lead CAF for the new term ending 2019.

The two African Vice Presidents of the 2017 UNWTO General Assembly were Minister Lai Mohammed of Nigeria and Minister Jose da Silva Gonzalves of Cabo Verde. Both did Africa proud. Seychelles has also proudly retained its seat in the UNWTO Executive Council for a further two years. The Minister of Argentina was duly elected Chairman of the Executive Council, and the Ministers of Zambia and India as the two Vice Chairmen. Minister Maurice Loustau-Lalanne accompanied by his PS Anne Lafortune, Seychelles Ambassador to China Vivienne Fock-Tave, Jean Luc Lai-Lam, Seychelles Tourism Board’s Manager for China and Rachel Shen also of the island’s Embassy in China attended the UNWTO General Assembly.

We also take this opportunity to officially congratulate Dr. Taleb Rifai, the outgoing Secretary General of the UNWTO for a job well done. His two consecutive terms of office clearly display his successes through his personal drive that was aimed at uniting the world of tourism. We also wish Dr Rifai and Mrs Nisrine Rifai and their family good health and continued happiness.

The challenges for the tourism industry will not be getting any easier. The need to regroup to deliver a consolidated tourism industry is today more important than ever. This is why we are reporting today on the Cleverdis Group with their Hotel & Tourism Magazine. Gerard Lefebvre, the President & CEO of the group was also in Chengdu and we had the opportunity to discuss tourism trade fairs and trends coupled with existing opportunities. They are the producers of most of the official publications for the important tourism trade fairs and their opinion matters.

Brand Africa was also a topic discussed on the sidelines of the UNWTO General Assembly. Many of the Tourism Ministers or Country Representatives discussed the drive by PMAESA, the (Ports Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa) and their “Cruise Africa” drive. From North to South, from East to West, African States who feel they have facilities and the potential to receive Cruise Ships or to develop cruising in rivers, waterways and lakes are today ready to move together as one. I was personally able, as a Consultant contracted by PMAESA to open discussions with Congo Brazzaville, Nigeria, DRC, Morocco, Algeria and Cote D’Ivoire to name but a few. All are welcoming the work being done to give a needed push to Cruising in Africa, and this inclusive of the registration of the “Cruise Africa” name that has already been effected. But as Africa looks at it narrative, it is important that Tourism for All is echoed with respect as the principle guiding Africa. President Nelson Mandela of South Africa coined the Rainbow Nation tagline for South Africa showing how proud he was of the diversity that makes South Africa strong. May this vision that goes beyond colour of the skin, of religion, of political affiliation, of gender and of disabilities among others, remain the mission of Africa and its Brand Africa.

Brand Africa what could be expected as Cote D’Ivoire meets Alain St.Ange of Saint Ange Consultancy

Africa knows today that its Brand Africa is a necessity. The CAF Body of the UNWTO now under the Chairmanship of Minister Najib Balala, the Tourism Minister of Kenya has the responsibility to move this agenda forward.

The time is now to rewrite the narrative for Brand Africa as PMAESA, the (Ports Management Association of Eastern and Southern Africa) and their “Cruise Africa” drive is gathering pace with an appeal for Cruise Ship Ports from all over Africa to be united as one for positioning Africa as a unique cruise ship route.

This drive is seen as an example of Africa being invited to work together to grow the cake for Africa. “It is the case of getting the call right and being able to think big” said Alain St.Ange in Chengdu China during his meeting with different Tourism Ministers of the Continent.

Minister Siandou Fofana of Cote D’Ivoire wants the cruise ship business and on the sidelines of the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu China he also met with Alain St.Ange, the former Seychelles Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine who is now heading his very own Saint Ange Consultancy.

The meeting in Chengdu was also assisted by Laetitia Mockey, the Cote D’Ivoire Technical Advisor responsible for Cooperation and Partnerships at the Ministry of Tourism and Isabelle Anoh their Director of Communication.

“We need to grow our tourism industry and we want a bigger share of the Europe Tourism Market” the Cote D’Ivoire Tourism Minister said as he discussed with Alain St.Ange for matters relating to visibility, marketing, training, hotel grading and classification, the development cruise ship business and a super yacht marina amongst others.

Cote D’Ivoire is known to be the biggest producer of Cacao and is also a big producer of coffee, and peanuts among many other produce. But they also have many unique selling points, which should make them a major tourism destination of the continent of Africa, and they say they are now ready to embark on this journey.

“Big Game Fishing is good with Cote D’Ivoire holding records for Marlin” the Minister said as they planned the move to place Cote D’Ivoire firmly on the tourism map of Africa.

Alain St.Ange of Saint Ange Consultancy is planning a fact finding visit to Abidjan where further discussions of cooperation will take place.

SUNx Movement – Good Impact-Travel for a Cooler Planet – Alain St.Ange appointed Vice Chairman

During the UNWTO Assembly in Chengdu, these two industry thought leaders agreed to deepen their longstanding cooperation on Green Growth and Quality, exercised to date in the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP).

Lipman – with leadership spells in IATA, WTTC and UNWTO – is known for his championing of Green Tourism over the past 25 years, with his friend and mentor the late Maurice Strong, the man behind UNEP, the Brundtland Commission, and the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. During the Assembly, Ambassador Dho praised Lipman as the “ST-EP Father” of UNWTO’s flagship poverty reduction program.

St. Ange, fresh from his campaign for UNWTO Secretary General, has agreed to serve as vice Chair of SUNx the Strong Universal Network, with a fixation on climate change, a focus on the next generation and a strategic global response network for smart learning, innovation, and resilience. He also agreed to help promote the SUNx concept of Impact-Travel, as a template for good and bad impacts to be measured and managed coherently; with green growth at the core; and 2050 Paris proofed.

Lipman said “SUNx will build a community of smart, young, graduate level champions, as a legacy to the vision of Maurice Strong, to help keep the eXistential reality of climate change at the top of the strategic agenda for our sector and to make our planet cooler.”

St.Ange said “I am honoured to be involved as Vice Chair of the SUNx Movement. This Good Impact – Travel for a Cooler Planet mission is a needed one. The world has woken up believing in Sustainable Tourism Development. This is a great move and is appreciated. As Dr Taleb Rifai, the Secretary General of the UNWTO said in Chengdu China during the General Assembly “Sustainability is to Sustain Life” it is our duty now more than ever before to rally forces to save our planet and in so doing sustain Life”.

RETOSA, the Regional tourism body appoints Seychellois Kenneth Racombo as acting Chief Executive

Seychellois Kenneth Racombo has been appointed the acting Chief Executive of the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa (RETOSA). RETOSA is responsible for the development of tourism and destination marketing across the Southern Africa Member States, in collaboration with both the public and private sector.

Aside of Seychelles, the RETOSA-member countries include Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Mr Racombo was appointed as the organisation’s executive responsible for resource mobilisation and development in May this year. In his new role as acting CEO, he will be leading the management through a focused process of securing much needed strategic partnerships, funding and an innovative tourism value proposition for the region.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Racombo said he is grateful for the confidence vested in him by RETOSA.

He said that although the task ahead is very challenging, he is determined to ensure that the organization works towards achieving its vision of increasing tourist arrivals and tourism receipts within the SADC region, with the support of a strong director for marketing and communications and an experienced director for research and information management.

“With the aim of making tourism a key pillar to the economic development of SADC two key priorities for the organisation will be brand promotion and marketing and the involvement of private sector. The organisation will also need to engage in resource mobilization and innovative ways of financing its projects and key activities .There is also the need for the organisation to work very closely with the tourism and investment bureaus of the SADC member states to ensure complementary,” he added.

Mr Racombo’s career has been primarily focused on economic diplomacy and regional integration.

Before joining RETOSA in May, he was the Director General at the Seychelles’ department of Foreign Affairs, where he also started his career as an economist. He also served as the permanent liaison officer for Seychelles to the Indian Ocean Commission.

He holds a degree in economics from the University of Mauritius, a master’s degree in diplomatic studies with the University of Pretoria, and a master’s degree in leadership and strategic management with the Institute of Public Administration in Ireland.

With tourism being the mainstay of the Seychelles economy, Mr Racombo’s appointment by RETOSA, although interim, is viewed as an important milestone in Seychelles’ endeavour to be more engaged in tourism development at the multilateral level, and more so in the SADC region.

The Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Sherin Francis said: “Seychelles is indeed very proud to see one of its citizen assume this esteemed office. Just by assuming this position he will be putting Seychelles at the forefront, providing added visibility for the country. On behalf of the ministry staff and management of STB I would like to convey our good wishes to Mr Racombo and extend our support.”

RETOSA, which has been in existence for 20 years, recently embarked on a comprehensive transformation process. This was agreed upon by ministers attending the seventh meeting of SADC ministers responsible for tourism held in Gaborone, Botswana, in July last year.

The organisation has also announced its repositioning strategy, which is aimed towards achieving its vision of increasing the SADC region’s share of tourism to 5 percent of global tourist arrivals and receipts within the next decade up from its current share of 2 percent.

Mauritius encouraging investors

“Small Island, Small Car, small road, small population but a giant Vision” these are the words being echoed by Mauritius.

In Mauritius they say that they have a Huge Mission and that they have formulated a fantastic direction to ownership of land in a beautiful destination. “Welcome to the Island of your dream and fascination! As you sow, so shall you reap, life is not cheap, In Mauritius so shall you leap!” the tag line of some entrepreneurs echo.

“The best way to commercialize a product is to enumerate the importance or benefits to the buyers, similarly the unique way to understand Mauritius is to enlighten the dwellers of its profit & ROI!” they say

Invest to harvest in Mauritius – Tax advantages

With a stable political situation, a democratic political system and a peaceful social climate, Mauritius is known as one of the best Taxation Policy Destination in the world.

The country offers a favorable environment for investors :- A single rate of income tax @ 15% companies, Double taxation treaty signed with 35 countries, including France, No taxes on capital, No inheritance tax, Dividend tax exempt, Capital gains on the capital and tax-exempt on real estate, Free repatriation of profits, dividends and capital.

Bangkok (Thailand) – Septembre 19, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Indulge in an extensive menu of ingredients carefully selected from Thailand, Western, Chinese, Japanese and international with good quality products. International Buffet dining at Swissôtel Le Concorde Bangkok, 204 Bistro & Bar invites you to experience its Sunday Brunch.

You can enjoy an array of the freshest Seafood, Carving Station, parade of Dim Sum, Sushi, Sashimi, including Soup, Salad, Pasta, Steak, Barbecue, also together with many desserts, fruits and home-made ice cream. Complimentary Lobster Plate (1 plate/person) Savor an array of delights such as Alaskan King Crabs, an array of fresh seafood choices, carving stations, a parade of dim sums, Japanese corner, Pasta station and an impressive dessert corner that offers homemade panna cottas, cakes, tarts, freshly made crepes and ice cream.

Priced at only THB 1,290++ per person every Sunday from 11.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m.

204 Bistro & Bar is located at the ground floor of Swissôtel Le Concorde Bangkok.

For more information and reservations please contact +66 2 694 2222 ext 1530.
Or write an email to bangkok-leconcorde@swissotel.com

About Swissôtel Le Concorde Bangkok
Welcome to the impeccable world of Swissôtel Le Concorde, Bangkok. Located in the heart of the rapidly-rising Rachadapisek central business and entertainment district, 40 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport and 2 minutes’ walk to Huay Kwang subway station, our five-star realm of Swiss standards and Thai hospitality puts you in command of Bangkok. Our Alpine vitality pervades 407 ideal home-away-from-home guest rooms defined by spaciousness, elegance, scintillating views and every modern amenity. With their complimentary access to the Executive Lounge enablement hub, our top four Executive Club floors give you more of everything. Private breakfast begins the day peacefully while evening cocktails signal time to unwind. In between work our private meeting space and executive fitness centre into your day. Stay balanced on your travels enabled by our expansive city view swimming pool, Spa De Concorde, and state-of-the-art equipped Stduio Fit. Enable your business and social ambitions with our large-scale (3,411m²) meeting and convention facilities, ably aided by specialist event planners. Indulge your inner epicure and entertain your associates at inspired Cantonese, Japanese and International restaurants, namely Loong Foong, Takumi, and 204 Bistro respectively. And drop by 204 Bar and Deli Swiss anytime for a pick-me-up beverage or oven-fresh bakery variety. Please visit our website at www.swissotel.com/hotels/bangkok-concorde

Chengdu (China) – September 19, 2017 (travelindex.com) – The approval of the Chengdu Declaration on Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals, the adoption of the Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics and the appointment by consensus of Zurab Pololikashvili as Secretary-General for 2018-2021 were only some of the achievements of the 22nd session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), held in Chengdu, China last week.

An intense week of meetings, decisions and agreements marked the 22nd session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu, China on 13-16 September. The biennial event convened more than 1300 participants from Member States and Affiliate Members of UNWTO representing over 130 countries.

“Chengdu will always remain in UNWTO history as host of the Assembly that approved the Organization’s first international convention – the Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

The Convention of Tourism Ethics converts the Global Code of Ethics into a binding document to advance the ethical components of tourism. The document covers the responsibilities of all stakeholders in the development of sustainable tourism, providing a framework that recommends an ethical and sustainable modus operandi including the right to tourism, freedom of movement for tourists and the rights of employees and professionals.

“In an interconnected world where the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses that of oil exports, ‎food products or automobiles, it is important to set out a legal framework to ensure that growth is dealt with responsibly and that it can be sustained over time. Tourism is a power that must be harnessed for the benefit of all,” said Chairman of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE) Pascal Lamy.

“This is an historic moment for UNWTO”, said Rifai. “The approval of the Convention is a strong legacy of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development that we celebrate this year. It is also a strong sign that countries are committed to make tourism a force for a better future for all. It reinforces UNWTO’s institutional outreach in the UN system,” he added.

Another important milestone was the approval of the Chengdu Declaration on Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals. The document underlines the potential of the tourism sector in economic, social and environmental terms, and includes 21 articles that, among others, recommend to governments “to develop an integrated and holistic approach to tourism policy in order to leverage the sector’s positive impact on planet and prosperity (Article 1).” In addition, it proposes “to undertake national assessments on tourism’s contribution and commitment to the SDGs and ensure the inclusion of tourism in interministerial SDG commissions and/or working groups, as well as to enhance the contribution of tourism in SDGs national strategies through the set-up of institutional frameworks and mechanisms that allow participation of all stakeholders”.

A United Tourism Community
Unity and cohesion were expressed throughout the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly. One of the largest displays of these sentiments was in a special meeting organized to discuss how to support those destinations affected by Hurricane Irma and the earthquake in the southern coast of Mexico.

The meeting identified three lines of action: (i) supporting the recovery of the affected destinations through the private sector and aid agencies, with special attention given to SMEs due to their lack of means to rebuild and recover; (ii) sharing experiences on resilience and crisis management and (iii) developing strong and coordinated communication.

The group of countries attending the special meeting also agreed to propose that the General Assembly adopt a special resolution expressing solidarity and support to the affected destinations and calling for the support of the international community.

The General Assembly also appointed the Secretary-General for the period 2018-2022. Zurab Pololikashvili, current Ambassador of Georgia to Spain, Morocco, Algeria and Andorra, was proposed by the UNWTO Executive Council last May and appointed by consensus by all Member States convened at the 22nd General Assembly.

The Travelindex application for UNWTO Affiliate Membership has also been approved by the Executive Council at its 106th session, and has been ratified at the 22nd Session of the UNWTO General Assembly held in September 2017 in Chengdu, China. The UNWTO Affiliate Members Programme recognizes the great potential in collaborating with organizations in generating global sustainable wealth through enhanced tourism knowledge, ethical and responsible principles and joint initiatives.

Contacts:
UNWTO Media Officer
Rut Gomez Sobrino
rgomez@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

Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR) – September 18, 2017 (travelindex.com) – The Hotel Management Asia Summit and Hotel Technology Conference 2017, presented by Hotel Management and Questex Hospitality Group, concluded on 7 Sep 2017 after welcoming over 25 international speakers and over 100 delegates at The Mira Hong Kong.

Themed, “Convergence of Hotel Management and Technology in This Disruptive Era,” the closed-door forum provided delegates and speakers alike to further discuss what the future trends are, latest innovations, and what senior management are thinking about because of today’s competition.

Sanbot Robots, an intelligent, humanoid service robot developed by QIHAN Technology, kicked off the Summit with a dance group.

Acacia Leroy, Asia Pacific Trend Strategist, followed suit with the topic: “Consumer Trends Shaping the Future of Travel.”

From start to finish, six interactive panel discussions gathered veteran hoteliers and hotel IT leaders where they share subject-matters in various fields. The key topics of these thought-provoking sessions include Envisioning the future of guest experience; Leveraging future-looking demand intelligence to drive better revenue and stronger competitive position; Boosting profitability through technology while maintaining quality and consistency; Next generation guest experiences; and, Modernizing recruitment processes to ensure productivity and service quality.

“It’s the first time for me to come to this conference. I find it very useful because new management is in everyone’s mind these days. And also, I like to keep up with what’s going on in the industry. We have to know what our customers want, not what we think they want. We have to know what they want so that gives us insights on,” said Peter Chiu, VP, Project/ Hotel General Manager, Regal Riverside Hotel.

“This is the first time speaking at the [event] and it has been a great experience so far. What I really like is that we were discussing a very current and applicable topic about F&B tech, which is the future of our industry. And we need to deal with, adapt, and start embracing some of it. And [having to work] with these avenues because they can be pros and cons. But the way the world is going is the future with technology and A.I., “ said Harsh Roopchand, Consigliere, Amalfi tana.

HMA Summit 2017 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.

Watch our 2017 video highlights here or see photos from the conference at the online photo gallery.

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

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

About Hotel Management Asia Summit (HMA Summit)
The leading conference in Greater China that directly addresses all operational/management challenges, the Hotel Management Asia 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/hmasummit

Bangkok (Thailand) – September 17, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Thailand’s capital is to get its first city observation. A 459-metre-high tower will rank 6th among the world’s tallest towers as well as be the tallest observation tower in Southeast Asia.

The tower is being jointly built by two foundations, the Bangkok Observation Tower Foundation and the National Identity Foundation, after the Thai cabinet recently gave approval for the country’s new landmark project to proceed. The cost of construction, totaling approximately US$ 138 million is being funded by more than 50 private sector organisations who are contributing to the project.

Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the Bangkok Observation Tower is set on a 6,400 square metre land plot owned by Thailand’s Treasury Department and leased to the Bangkok Observation Tower Foundation for 30 years. The Foundation is required to deliver ownership of the tower and all other structures on the land to the Treasury Department when the construction is completed in 2019.

The tower has been enthusiastically embraced by Thailand’s tourism sector as a much-needed addition to the nation’s tourist-pulling attractions and as a catalyst to investment and employment in the sector.

Mr. Ittirith Kinglake, President, Tourism Council of Thailand, said, “The tower is the most important new addition to Bangkok’s rich array of tourism magnets and one that will attract people from around the world. The Bangkok Observation Tower helps mark our city as one of the world’s most important and exciting destinations.” He cited parallels with the Tokyo Skytree and Shanghai’s Canton Tower as powerful tourism drivers for their host city.

“There were 32.6 million visitors to Thailand in 2016 who, together, spent almost 72 billion dollars. In 2020, the number of visitors to Thailand is expected to increase to be 41.5 million visitors. Tourism has consistently been one of our country’s most important revenue sources and accounts for 17.7% of GDP. The coming of the tower will act as significant tourism drivers for the country.” Mr. Ittirith said.

He added that tourism is also one of the biggest employers of the country and creates employment for around 4.2 million people.

Cdr. Parinya Ruckwatin Rtn., Chairman of the Chao Phraya River Tourism Association, said, “The Bangkok Observation Tower’s riverside location will reignite interest in the river and accelerate efforts to make the river a clean, safe and natural corridor that is lined with historical and culturally significant landmarks, from every era, and which act as enduring testaments to the endeavours of our nation.”

“I am confident that with the arrival of the tower, businesses stretching for 10 kilometers along the length of the river will benefit, including boat operators, restaurants, hotels, retailers and convention organizers. We can also expect improvements of more than 10 piers along the river to make them safer and easier to use. It’s a true historic turning point for this part of the river. Chao Phraya River will become one of the world’s exciting new destinations, offering a diverse range of experiences that will meet a great variety of needs of visitors.” he added.

Local residents in the vicinity of the tower have been very welcoming of the initiative, believing it will lift interest in their communities, creating new employment and boosting their livelihoods.

Mrs. ‘Granny’ Tim Somsong Somsuk , said, “Our Suvarnabhumi Mosque community located on the Thonburi side of the river had always been a place of historic importance and then it slipped into obscurity and neglect. The Bangkok Observation Tower will help regenerate our community and re-establish its prestige as a place of historic significance.”

This location in Klongsarn District is reputedly the historic site on which a flag would be flown, several centuries ago, as a symbolic marker to foreign vessels navigating the river to tell them that they were in Siamese territory.

She added that the building of the private sector sponsored “Golden Line” mass transit rail line that runs in front of the community and the observation tower was also a factor that would enhance the community’s fortunes.

An unprecedented array of Thailand’s foremost architectural and engineering firms as well as architectural experts came together to design the tower in a show of national solidarity.

Inspiration for the candle-like design of the Bangkok Observation Tower is drawn from the popular celebratory tradition, observed by millions around the country, of lighting candles on the birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej as a symbolic gesture of lighting up the country with prosperity.

The Bangkok Observation Tower Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that has the right to operate and manage the tower for 30 years. There is no commercial space for rent inside the tower. The space inside the tower will be used for educational purpose promoting Thailand’s historical and cultural heritage as well as various aspects of particular pride from Thailand’s 77 provinces. The surplus from income generated from ticket sells and other sources will be used for social causes that benefit the local community or for charities only.