Category: Latest Travel News

Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, March 29, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / A merger is being considered by the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and GREEN Hospitality (Pangaia Solutions Limited), to combine GREEN Hospitality’s reach and experience in Asia- Pacific, with the Alliance’s expertise and global network.

Positive meetings have taken place between the Directors of both organisations and next steps will see the appropriate due diligence reviews. A merger would enable the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance to establish a formal presence in Asia-Pacific with GREEN Hospitality having its headquarters in Hong Kong.

Both organisations are committed to supporting and enabling sustainability in the hospitality industry. With an influential network of member hotels and partners, the Alliance now represents over 50,000 properties and 7 million rooms globally. GREEN Hospitality’s vision is to advance research, incubate innovations, and foster activities that enable the industry to achieve Sustainable Development Goals in the interest of the planet, people, and prosperity. Sustainable Hospitality Alliance CEO, Glenn Mandziuk, said:

“We are excited to be exploring a potential merger with GREEN Hospitality, an organisation we admire and align with in driving joined up action on sustainability in the industry. Being in Hong Kong, a merger with GREEN Hospitality would enable the Alliance to better serve the hotels and organisations in the region, supporting them on the path to net positive hospitality”. Lucia Loposova, Executive Director at GREEN Hospitality, said:

“We are delighted to explore this potential merger with a mission-aligned organisation that is the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. The synergy of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s expertise in creating global partnerships and building movements, and GREEN Hospitality’s on-the-ground knowledge and connection to hospitality practitioners, sustainability experts, civil society organisations, and government agencies in Hong Kong and Asia has great potential to turn the industry into a catalyst for sustainability.”

Due diligence is underway, and an update will be provided later in the year.

Melbourne, Australia, March 28, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Set Above the City Skyline, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne Celebrates Ancient Stories and Vibrant Cultures with Stunning Design and Immersive Experiences. The Ritz-Carlton, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 exceptional hotel brands, today announced the opening of The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne, debuting an oasis of elevated luxury in the heart of the metropolis. Soaring 80 stories above the city, the new hotel brings the brand’s legendary service and contemporary aesthetic to Australia’s arts and epicurean capital.

“We are thrilled to bring The Ritz-Carlton brand to Melbourne, and to open our second hotel in Australia,” said Tina Edmundson, President, Luxury at Marriott International. “With its destination-driven design inspired by the city’s past and present, combined with the finest amenities, exciting culinary offerings and highly personalized service, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne exemplifies our commitment to delivering unparalleled experiences and creating meaningful memories in inspiring cities, the world over.”

Set on the western side of Melbourne’s central business district, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne celebrates the country’s ancient stories and vibrant cultures, filtered through a distinctly Melbourne lens. Designed by Australian architects Cottee Parker, the hotel’s stunning spaces, from the ground floor gallery to the Sky Lobby Reception on Level 80, showcase an acknowledgment of place and indigenous heritage, expressed through the beautifully curated artworks that adorn the arrival lobby walls. The interiors of the hotel, designed by BAR Studio, capture Melbourne’s unique identity with influences from its indigenous story, Victorian-era gold rush, European heritage, and fabled laneway life. Further bringing the destination to life for guests, every evening in the arrival lobby an immersive cultural soundscape maps the city’s story and combines the beat and rhythm of Australia’s past, present, and future.

Check-in at The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne is at the spectacular Sky Lobby Reception on Level 80. With a double-vaulted ceiling and windows spanning the entire level, the Sky Lobby affords guests uninterrupted views across Melbourne, from the sweep of Port Philip Bay to the Yarra below and the mountains in the distance. The hotel’s 257 guestrooms are understated and elegant, allowing the stunning city views to take centre stage. Rooms and suites feature dark wood and simple natural stone punctuated with decorative hand-made glass panels, custom light fixtures and touches of gold. The Ritz-Carlton Suite, one of the city’s largest, spans the length of the building and boasts a separate living and dining room, walk-through wardrobe, in-room sauna, and private pantry. Guests staying in Club Level suites will enjoy access to a signature Ritz-Carlton Club, a private sanctuary where they can work, rest or play while experiencing the most elevated personalized service and curated culinary journeys throughout the day. Thoughtful touches such as a towel imbued with seasonal native fragrances, presented on arrival, are hallmarks of the Club.

Reflecting the city’s epicurean obsessions, three distinct culinary venues sit at the heart of The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne. The hotel’s signature restaurant Atria is named for the brightest star in the southern constellation, Triangulum Australe. Atria features hyper-seasonal, innovative, inspiring dishes by Executive Chef Michael Greenlaw’s creative and progressive menu concepts, developed in partnership with Culinary Advisor Mark Best. Located on the same level, Cameo is an intimate, sophisticated cocktail bar set high over the city and invites conviviality and a sense of discovery. Steeped in ceremony and imagination, Cameo is a luxurious showcase for exceptional spirits, rare vintages, and the art of mixology. The Ritz-Carlton Lobby Lounge offers the perfect setting for guests to enjoy coffee, casual luncheons, relaxed dinners, and receptions. The Lounge is also home to the hotel’s high tea experience, where a personal menu, customized tea blend, and a high tea stand created especially for the experience, reflect a sense of place, capturing the spirit of Melbourne.

For guests looking to unwind, The Ritz-Carlton Spa is an urban respite, with six serene treatment rooms where guests can embark on a journey to awaken the senses and rejuvenate mind, body, and soul. In addition to luxurious treatments featuring products from ESPA, guests may choose from The Ritz-Carlton Spa signature treatments such as The Indulgent Rose, a ritual blending a foot massage, energy balancing warm rose otto oil massage, and a soothing rose quartz Gu Sha facial to create a profound sense of relaxation. A stunning infinity pool provides a serene oasis from which to look out over the city, and a carefully curated fitness centre and peaceful yoga studio complete the wellness experience.

With over 2,500 square metres of exceptional, customizable spaces, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne is set to become an exciting new event destination, offering personalized, bespoke experiences and state-of-the-art amenities. For intimate gatherings, celebrations, or corporate functions, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne offers sophisticated and versatile event venues spanning two levels of the hotel. The Ritz-Carlton Grand Ballroom, with soaring 7 metre-high ceilings and a vast floorplan that can seat up to 550 guests and a stunning floor-to-ceiling feature-window is inspired by the Great Hall of Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria.

“I am excited to be opening our doors, welcoming guests and locals alike to experience Melbourne through a new and unique lens,” said Antony Page, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne. “We look forward to creating memories for each and every guest, each and every day, bringing The Ritz-Carlton brand’s special sense of hospitality to this legendary city.”

About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC currently operates more than 100 hotels in 35 countries and territories. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.marriott.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR). The Ritz-Carlton is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including complimentary nights and Elite status recognition.

About Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott Bonvoy’s extraordinary portfolio offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable destinations in the world, with 30 brands that are tailored to every type of journey. From The Ritz- Carlton and St. Regis to W Hotels and more, Marriott Bonvoy has more luxury offerings than any other travel program. Members can earn points for stays at hotels and resorts, including all- inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, and through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques.

New York, United States, March 28, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO emphasized tourism’s commitment to contributing to the acceleration of SDG6 on Water and Sanitation.

At the United Nations 2023 Water Conference, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) provided substantial inputs, underscoring the role of tourism in safeguarding water resources and contributing to the acceleration of Sustainable Development Goal 6, to “Ensure access to water and sanitation for all”, and to the wider 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Emphasising the sector-wide determination to do more, UNWTO joined tourism stakeholders in committing to the Water Action Agenda, a major outcome document of the UN 2023 Water Conference and collection of all water-related voluntary commitments.

In New York, UNWTO was joined by the Government of Austria to host a special high-level side event on “Tourism and Water: Challenges and Opportunities”. Bringing together the partners of the recently-launched Alliance for a Nature Positive Approach to Tourism, UNWTO, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA), the event outlined the tourism sector’s significant water footprint and its reliance on clean and reliable oceans and water supplies. “Tourism and Water: Challenges and Opportunities” noted the sector’s impact on water, including negative impacts from consumption and wastage as well as pollution, while underscoring the progress being made in advancing action plans to ensure sustainable water management at all levels of the tourism value chain.

Participants were provided with an overview of the initiatives being undertaken by UNWTO and partners under the umbrella of the One Planet Sustainable Tourism Programme, most notably the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative and the Global Roadmap for Food Waste Reduction in Tourism, emphasizing the interconnectedness of the challenges of climate change, pollution and water scarcity and the requirement timely and regular monitoring efforts.

Towards harmonized sustainability data

A global effort is underway towards a Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism to fill the gap for harmonized data at international, national and subnational levels, with Austria chairing the UNWTO Expert Group leading this process. UNWTO Executive Director, Ms. Zoritsa Urosevic, said “Water permeates all of tourism activity. As the world meets ever-complex challenges, we must not lose sight that we still have common goals. We need harmonized data to ensure that tourism action on the ground really responds to our shared vision”. Against this backdrop, the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO), was presented as leading the way in assessing the progress being made at the destination level as well as the challenges still to be overcome, including sourcing better data.

Mr. Norbert Totschnig, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management of Austria highlighted that “tourism can not only bring prosperity, but it can also be a driver to improve water quality and availability in regions. Efforts are required to manage water efficiently, to keep our rivers, lakes and the sea clean”. Also during the side event, WTTC presented new data on global and national water consumption, while the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance presented its water stewardship initiatives, including the Hotel Water Measurement Initiative, and the updated Destination Water Risk Index.

Dubai, UAE, March 27, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, will deploy its signature A380 aircraft to Bali starting from 1 June 2023, marking a milestone in Indonesia’s aviation history as the first scheduled A380 service to the country.

The new 2-class Emirates A380 service will replace one of the two daily services to Bali currently operated by a 2-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The airline’s debut A380 flight EK368, will depart from Dubai International Airport (DXB) at 03:25 hrs, arriving in Denpasar International Airport (DPS) at 16:35 hrs local time. The returning flight, EK369, will depart Bali at 19:40 hrs, arriving in Dubai at 00:45 hrs local time. All times are local.

Highlighting the deployment of the world’s largest passenger aircraft to Bali, Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The Emirates A380 is synonymous with our fly better promise and world-class products and services, and we’re excited to offer our travellers the opportunity to experience its uniqueness and unmatched beauty on flights to and from Bali. Needless to say that we’ve been working closely with our partners at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport to ensure our A380 operations will be seamless and smooth. We’d like to thank the authorities and our partners for all their support.

Bali continues to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in our network and strategic markets in Southeast Asia, and the Emirates A380’s debut in Indonesia underscores our long-standing commitment to its travel and tourism sector. We look forward to driving more inbound traffic to the island, while also offering leisure and business travellers more opportunities to connect to Dubai and beyond to cities across Europe and the Americas through Emirates’ extensive global network.”

Faik Fahmi, President Director of PT. Angkasa Pura I, said, “The scheduled operations of the Airbus A380 in Indonesia will be a historic moment for Indonesian aviation and Angkasa Pura I. We welcome the Emirates A380 service, which will operate in early June, and are honored to be the first airport operator to receive regular commercial flights of the aircraft in the country. This is the result of well-established coordination, synergy, and cooperation between Angkasa Pura I as the airport operator, Emirates, and the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia as the regulator. We hope the A380 operations in Indonesia, especially Bali, will have an increasingly positive impact on the tourism and economy sectors, and will further allow more opportunities for cooperation and investment in other sectors of the industry in Indonesia.”

Emirates launched a non-stop daily service from Dubai to Bali in 2015, adding to its scheduled flights to Jakarta which began in 1992. The airline has so far operated more than 49,000 flights and carried over 9 million passengers between Indonesia and Dubai. Emirates currently serves Indonesia with 28 weekly flights to both Bali and Jakarta, and offers increased connectivity to 29 more domestic cities via the two gateways through its partnership agreements with both Garuda Indonesia and Batik Air.

On a two-class Emirates A380 aircraft, passengers are offered 58 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 557 generously pitched seats in Economy Class. Customers traveling to and from Bali can look forward to enjoying Emirates’ spacious and comfortable cabins; signature products that offer travellers the best experiences in the sky like the Onboard Lounge, as well as regional cuisine including a number of Indonesian dishes. ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system offers more than 5,000 channels of on-demand entertainment with a wide selection of Indonesian content.

Emirates continues to expand its A380 network to meet increasing travel demand globally. The airline’s flagship aircraft is currently deployed to 41 destinations, including Dubai and is likely to expand to nearly 50 destinations by the end of the summer.

About Emirates
The Emirates story started in 1985 when we launched operations with just two aircraft. Today, we fly the world’s biggest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, offering our customers the comforts of the latest and most efficient wide-body aircraft in the skies. We inspire travelers around the world with our growing network of worldwide destinations, industry leading inflight entertainment, regionally inspired cuisine, and world-class service.

Madrid, Spain, March 27, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO has opened applications for the third edition of its Best Tourism Villages initiative. Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO was launched in 2021 as part of the Organization’s work to make tourism a driver of rural development and wellbeing. To date, over 70 villages from almost 40 countries have been recognized as Best Tourism Villages. A further 40 have been selected to participate in the Upgrade Programme where they benefit from expert mentorship and networking opportunities.

Tourism can make a real difference for rural communities, delivering jobs, supporting businesses and celebrating and protecting traditions

One initiative, three components

UNWTO’s Members States can present up to eight villages through their National Tourism Administrations (NTAs). Applications will close on 23 June 2023 and the winners announced towards the end of the year. As with previous editions, the initiative has three components:

• The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO‘ recognizes outstanding examples of rural tourism destinations with cultural and natural assets, that preserve and promote rural and community-based values, products and lifestyle and have a clear committed to innovation and sustainability in all its aspects. Selection is based on an evaluation of their resources and initiatives in nine areas covering the three pillars of sustainable development, economic, social and environmental.
• The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ Upgrade Programme benefits a number of villages among those that do not fully meet the criteria to obtain the recognition. These villages receive support from UNWTO and partners to address the gaps identified in the evaluation process.
• The ‘Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO’ Network provides a space for exchanging experiences and good practices and opportunities. It includes representatives of the villages recognized as ‘Best Tourism Village by UNWTO’ as well as the villages participating in the Upgrade Programme and it will benefit from the contributions of experts, public and private sector partners engaged in the promotion of tourism for rural development. The Network also contributes to the work of UNWTO in identifying good practices, developing guidelines and policy recommendations as well as insights and knowledge.

The applications are evaluated by an independent International Advisory Board consisting of experts in different fields (cultural and natural resources preservation, sustainability, tourism product development, marketing, value chain, etc.) based on  nine areas, including sustainability, infrastructure, connectivity, and tourism value chain integration.

Recognition and mentorship for Villages

Announcing the launch, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili says: “Tourism can make a real difference for rural communities, delivering jobs, supporting businesses and celebrating and protecting traditions. Through Best Tourism Villages, UNWTO is recognizing those rural destinations that committed to making tourism a pillar of opportunity and wellbeing.”

Besides individual mentoring, the villages in the Upgrade Programme will also join the Best Tourism Villages Network, which today numbers over 100 members in five world regions. Since its inception the BTV Network had organized a series of training sessions and masterclasses, allowing hundreds of participants to benefit from expert guidance and feedback from sector leaders.

Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, March 25, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / By mid-March 2023, 189 companies have registered from a targeted 250 sellers from 44 countries seeking business appointments with 350 buyers who will be on hand to enliven BBTF – a travel mart that has become the pride of all Indonesian trade shows,” said the chairman of BBTF 2023, I Putu Winastra, quoted on Monday, 20 March 2023.

“For the first time in the history of BBTF, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is assisting the event by contacting foreign tour operators and other international buyers interested in travel to Indonesia,” commented Winastra.

Top decision makers from leading hotel management companies will participate as sellers at BBTF, including representatives of Marriott International, the Hyatt Group, Archipelago Hotels, Swiss-bell Hotels, and many other international and Indonesian hotel management companies.

“This level of participation proves the great faith the big players in the tourism industry are placing on the impact and utility of accessing market potential via BBTF 2023,” said Winastra.

Also participating in BBTF are 12 regional governments across Indonesia, such as Jakarta, East Kalimantan, Makassar, and Tanah Toraja.

“With buyers registering through countries across Europe, the Middle East, ASEAN, Australia, America, and Asia as a whole – the BBTF line-up at a trade show initiated by the ASITA Bali Chapter is steadily moving forward,” said Putu Winastra.

The BBTF Chairman praised the impressive international geographical distribution of buyers traveling to Bali this June, with qualified buyers coming from Europe, the Middle East, ASEAN, Australia, the USA, and Asia.

BBTF organizers are targeting Rp. 6.77 trillion in total transactions in 2023, an increase of 29.6% compared to the Rp. 5.2 trillion in total transactions recorded at BBTF 2022.

Speaking with pride about the coming travel fair, Putu Winastra said: “In BBTF, we have a world-class travel trade fair held and organized by the Indonesian people that saves substantial foreign exchange by bringing the buyers to Indonesia instead of requiring Indonesians to travel overseas in search of business. This is happening only in Indonesia.”

In response to market demand, BBTF will showcase Bali and national sellers promoting sustainable tourism products. This year, particular focus is being given to health tourism, emphasizing the current global demand for wellness and medical tourism.

“Bali continues to diversify economic growth of its tourism sector that is not solely dependent on the number of arrivals, but also on the quality of its products and visitors. For this reason, we are fast-tracking new product areas such as wellness tourism, medical tourism, cruise tourism, and MICE to bring them to the attention of BBTF buyers,” commented Putu Winastra. MICE – referring to meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions – has become the leading segment of the Island’s tourism industry.

BBTF 2023 will operate under a banner proclaiming: Reconnecting Quality and Sustainable Tourism.

For more information about BBTF 2023, please visit the website https://www.bbtf.co.id/

Kathmandu, Nepal, March 25, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO has concluded a three-day workshop focused on helping Member States from across Asia and the Pacific better measure and manage their tourism sectors.

Recognizing the importance of regional cooperation as destinations across Asia and the Pacific re-open to tourism, UNWTO organized the workshop alongside the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal and the Nepal Tourism Board and with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea.

Approximately 200 participants from nine Member States took part in the workshop, which began with a high-level discussion around the theme of “Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism for people, planet and prosperity”. Speakers emphasized the need for cooperation at the national and international levels in order to generate the reliable data needed to guide the economic, social and environmental aspects of tourism for sustainable development.

Interactive training sessions

Following on from the opening discussions, UNWTO hosted a series of technical training sessions focused on tourism statistics, measuring the economic impact of tourism and measuring the sustainability of tourism, and offered an interactive platform for participants to learn and exchange good practices. Participants then reviewed fundamental basics on tourism statistics in relation to the UN statistical standard “International Recommendations for Tourism Statistics 2008”, before they explored the technical requirements for a successful TSA compilation.

The final session introduced the MST Statistical Framework, which offered unique insights on the importance of using MST indicators for policy development and the compilation of official tourism SDG indicators.

Pan-Regional Participation

Taking part in the workshop were high-level representatives from the National Tourism Administrations and National Statistical Offices of Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Maldives and Thailand, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative of Nepal.

Amsterdam, Netherlands, March 24, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Tivoli Hotels and Resorts has just launched its first property in the Netherlands. The Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel is a XVI century property in the classicist style overlooking the Amstel Canal and is considered to be the oldest hotel in the Dutch capital. The original home to Rembrandt Van Rijn’s famous painting The Night Watch (which was completed in 1642) it hung on a wall inside one of the bedroom suites until it moved to the city’s famed Rijksmuseum.

Centrally located in Amsterdam’s historic city centre, walking distance from the main touristic attractions, the heritage property has 81 guest rooms including seven suites, most of them overlooking the canal, and a new gastronomic concept in its elegant Omber restaurant and bar, inspired by the art works of Rembrandt, who lived very close to the hotel.

Inspired by the Dutch Golden Age and the unique atmosphere of Amsterdam, Tivoli Doelen’s interiors blend an old-world elegance with contemporary service and special Tivoli touches. The guest rooms and suites offer views over the canals or the city, with the interiors featuring pastel tones with red splashes of colour for a relaxing but vibrant atmosphere, combined with touches of wood. New beds and bed linen provide the best night’s sleep and the marble bathrooms feature special amenities from the French luxury brand Lalique.

For an ultimate Dutch experience, guests can book the 47-square-metre Rembrandt Suite where they can view a perfect replica of The Night Watch, in the room and on the exact wall where the masterpiece originally hung for 70 years. Another interesting room is the Empress Suite that was once the boudoir of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, most well-known as Sisi. With a unique C-shape design to maximise the canals views, the suite has a king-sized bed with Dutch shields on the ceiling, which are a symbol of protection.

On the ground floor and overlooking the canal, Omber restaurant and bar now offers a Mediterranean-Dutch fusion menu. Inspired by the craftsmanship of paint making and the limited colours Rembrandt used, Omber is a signature colour in Rembrandt’s art. Every dish on the menu contains an element inspired by his colour pallet. The menu also takes inspiration from the artist’s favourites dishes such as herring and pickles that have been recreated by the team with the Dutch name of Rembrandt Pauze. The slow cooked Dutch Veal with parsnip, carrots and purslane is one of the dishes paired with Portuguese Cartuxa wine from the Alentejo region, giving a nod to the brand’s Portuguese heritage.

For the Omber Bar, several signature cocktails have been created with Jenever, the typical Dutch gin, which was also Rembrandt’s favourite drink. Most of the cocktails are made with a local Jenever producer, Wynand Fockink, which operates a similar distillery process to that used in the Dutch Golden Age. The star cocktail Night Watch is based on an old recipe found in the hotel archives dating back to the 17th century and is made with old Jenever, coffee liqueur, syrup and cherry bitters. Daily at 4:30pm, Omber Bar celebrates the aperitivo moment offering guests some local sips to savour.

Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam helps guests make the most of its canal side location with a range of personalised tours starting and ending at the hotel dock, exploring the vast IJsselmeer, the city canals or Oudekerk aan de Amstel.

With an immersive “In the Footsteps of Rembrandt” tour, guests can visit his home and studio, the gothic Zuiderkerk, his family church featured in his art, and the artists’ guild of De Waag, one of the oldest buildings in the city, which he also painted. Along the way, the guide will share more details about Rembrandt’s life, as well as his connection with the Doelen property, that commissioned his most famous painting, The Night Watch, in 1642.

The hotel has created a partnership with The Rembrandthuis museum iving hotel guests the possibility of booking a very exclusive experience, a dinner, served by the Tivoli Doelen team, in the actual kitchen of Rembrandt’s house. Guests can also book a painting workshop, inspired by the Dutch grand master, getting to know better the ancient art heritage of Amsterdam.

With a journey that dates back to 1933 in Lisbon, Tivoli arrives in Amsterdam in March 2023, the month of the brand’s 90th anniversary, celebrating its sophisticated hospitality with events and special guest experiences to be revealed throughout the year.

Rates at Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel start from €200.00 for a Superior room including breakfast for two people.

About Tivoli Hotels & Resorts
Tivoli Hotels & Resorts is part of the Minor Hotels and currently operates 17 properties in Portugal, Brazil, Qatar, China and The Netherlands. With 90 years of experience, Tivoli Hotels & Resorts differentiates through a range of unique and authentic experiences offered to guests along with innovative and outstanding service. In Portugal, Tivoli has properties in main tourism destinations from the cosmopolitan city of Lisbon to the romantic medieval town Sintra and the beaches and golf courses of the Algarve. In Brazil, Tivoli hotels has properties in the vibrant São Paulo and coastal Bahia. In Qatar, the brand portfolio includes three hotels, two in the historic centre of Doha and one on the coast in Al Wakra.

Tivoli is a member of Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotel brands.

About Minor Hotels
Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator and investor currently with more than 540 hotels in operation. Minor Hotels passionately explores new possibilities in hospitality with a diverse portfolio of properties designed intelligently to appeal to different kinds of travellers, serving new passions as well as personal needs. Through our Anantara, Avani, Oaks, Tivoli, NH Collection, NH Hotels, nhow, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International properties, Minor Hotels operates in 56 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe, South America and North America. With dynamic plans to expand existing brands and explore strategic acquisitions throughout opportunistic markets, Minor Hotels pursues a vision of a more passionate and interconnected world.

Doha, Qatar, March 24, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO centred tourism as a key pillar of sustainable development at the 5th United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries.

The conference, held in Doha around the theme of “From Potential to Prosperity” came at the pivotal half-way point in the timeline to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and fully implement the 2030 agenda. With the sector accounting for 7% of total exports, and as much as 10% for non-oil exporting LDCs, tourism has proven its power to drive development. The crosscutting and labour-intensive nature of tourism also creates links to many other economic sectors and positions it as a valuable contributor to national development strategies and support to entrepreneurs, the backbone of the sector. Tourism has been one of the key factors enabling the graduation of LDCs which are also Small Island Developing States, including Cabo Verde, Samoa, Maldives and most recently Vanuatu.

The UN Conference brought together Heads of State, governments, civil society organizations, entrepreneurs, students, youth and policy makers. In Doha, UNWTO participated in the UN principals meeting, several high-level events and thematic roundtables with sector partners, to help finance, build engagement and bolster sustainable long-term support for the LDCs. Key issues raised included climate action, innovation, new financing mechanisms, education youth empowerment, digitalization, and capacity building.

Private sector partnerships

Within the Private Sector Forum Sustainable Tourism Session “Achieving universal access to clean and affordable energy through partnerships” co-organized by UNWTO, participants included – distinguished representatives from TUI Care Foundation, Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia and Asian Development Bank. Discussions focused on the potential for innovative partnerships to support sustainable recovery, shape better policies and fiscal incentives for the private sector to rebound. UNWTO was proud to announce ‘Tourism for Development Fund’ for Least Developed Countries supporting projects in LDCs with at least €10 million until 2030 in collaboration with the TUI Care Foundation.

UNWTO also hosted a special side event on “Harnessing Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Tourism as Tools for Sustainable Development in LDCs” with the support of Qatar Tourism.  Here Startups from the UNWTO SDGs Global Startups Competition pitched their solutions helping to drive change in their countries alongside a panel discussion on how Innovation and Partnerships in Tourism can accelerate economic development. Participating startups included SEMA (Uganda), Community Homestay Network (Nepal), At hause Ltd. (Uganda).

Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel, said: “By 2030, Qatar Tourism aims to increase the number of visitors to the destination threefold to over six million visitors a year, increase spending by three to four times and grow the travel and tourism sector contribution to GDP from 7 to 12%. Most importantly, we want to double employment in the tourism sector, all while continuing to position Qatar as a global leader in Service Excellence. To achieve this ambitious goal, Qatar Tourism aims to boost the entire tourism value chain, grow local and international visitor demand, attract sector investment, and drive a multiplier effect across the domestic economy.”

LDC5 represents a once-in-a-decade chance for the world’s most vulnerable to realign to global priorities. UNWTO is fully committed to accelerating the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action, by focusing on innovation, digitalization and new financing models to support Least Developed countries’ economic growth and graduation.

Bangkok, Thailand, March 23, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Best Western Hotels and Resorts is making travel even more rewarding in 2023! With our new “Stay 2 Be Rewarded” promotion, guests who stay for two nights in Asia can earn 8,000 bonus Best Western Rewards® points – enough to redeem for free stays at hotels and resorts all around the world.

Nights don’t need to be consecutive and guests who stay for two additional nights can earn a maximum of 16,000 points! To benefit from this exclusive offer, simply register, book and stay from now until May 7, 2023.

Not a member of Best Western Rewards yet? Click here to join for free today!

“Stay 2 Be Rewarded” is available in dreamy destinations all across Asia, including Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar and Pakistan. So, whether you’re planning a short break or a long-awaited vacation, Best Western is your perfect partner in 2023.

For more information about Best Western Hotels & Resorts in Asia, please visit www.bestwesternasia.com

About Best Western Hotels and Resorts
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel company within the BWH Hotel Group® global network. With 18 brands and approximately 4,500 hotels in over 100 countries and territories worldwide*, BWH Hotel Group suits the needs of developers and guests in every market. Brands include Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, GLō®, Aiden®, Sadie®, BW Premier Collection® and BW Signature Collection®. Through acquisition, WorldHotelsTM Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive and WorldHotels Crafted collections are also offered. Completing the portfolio are SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, SureStay Collection® and SureStay Studio® franchises**.

* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.
**All Best Western, WorldHotels and SureStay branded hotels are independently owned and operated.