Category: Latest Travel News

Phuket, Thailand, March 11, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Utopia Corporation, Phuket’s leading property developer, is no stranger to pioneering prestigious real estate projects; this innovative company has successfully introduced the island’s first themed condos and residences and recently unveiled plans to launch a luxury boutique hotel in partnership with Tonino Lamborghini, the legendary Italian designer label. Now, this avant-garde developer is preparing to create a new global icon, as it invites well-heeled investors and VIP globetrotters to discover the breath-taking “Bay of Icons”.

Nestled on Phuket’s stunning sunrise coast at Ao Po, overlooking the breath-taking seascape of Phang Nga Bay, the Bay of Icons is set to become a highly desirable destination for affluent investors and international travellers alike. Covering at least 20 rai (3.2 hectares) of spectacular seafront land surrounding the Ao Po Grand Marina, this idyllic area will be transformed over the next five years under Utopia’s masterplan to create an unparalleled lifestyle and leisure enclave.

Upon completion, the Bay of Icons will be a fashionable community comprising an exceptional collection of chic amenities and bespoke services. High net worth individuals will be able to invest in a choice of premium residences and pristine pool villas, all immaculately designed and fitted to first-class specifications. Many will also showcase panoramic views of Phang Nga Bay.

High-end travellers on short or extended breaks in Phuket will be able to stay in style with a choice of ultra-luxury design hotels. Utopia Corporation is in the final stages of discussion to bring in another iconic high-end fashion branded resort, the first in Southeast Asia, with impending announcements due by April 2021. While construction work on the Tonino Lamborghini Boutique Hotel Phuket will commence in November 2021, with the grand opening scheduled for November 2023. These two legendary brands will exude glitz and glamour, with accommodation and amenities that elevate the Southeast Asian hospitality scene to the pinnacle of exclusivity and excellence.

Hotel guests and residents will be able to stroll past multi-million-dollar mega-yachts on the waterfront promenades of Ao Po Grand Marina, shop in luxury designer boutiques and retail outlets, dine and unwind at a selection of sophisticated restaurants and bars, or play golf at a choice of nearby clubs, including the world-class Mission Hills Phuket Golf Course. Phuket’s Old Town, with its classical Sino-Portuguese architecture and lively markets, is a just a short drive away, and Chalong Bay is a popular spot for water sports, such as kite-surfing.

The Bay of Icons will be easily accessible; VIPs can arrive in style either by air or sea, with the 300-berth marina and a private helipad, and Phuket International Airport is just 30 minutes’ drive away, offering direct connections to many global cities.

“Phuket is a truly outstanding option for upmarket investors. The island’s exquisite natural beauty, easy accessibility and international services have attracted a wealth of investment in recent years, including affluent Asian and overseas residents seeking a spectacular second home or a new life in the sun. With its collection of global brands, including Southeast Asia’s first Tonino Lamborghini hotel, all set against the backdrop of Phang Nga Bay – the scene of so many Hollywood movies – the Bay of Icons is truly unique. This development is set to become the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Thailand’s tourism industry, a new national landmark and one of the world’s most prestigious waterfront destinations,” said Mr. Hachi Yin, Chief Executive Officer, Utopia Corporation.

An exciting and innovative company that strives to rewrite the rulebook, Utopia’s company slogan is “Dare To Dream”. Having been established in 2015, it has grown rapidly to become one of the largest real estate developers in Phuket, with a collection of hospitality, residential, commercial and entertainment projects across the island, along with architecture, design, engineering, construction and hotel operation services. It operates three own-branded hotels in Phuket: Utopia Kata, Utopia Loft, and Utopia Naiharn, which was named as Asia’s “Top Emerging Hotel” in the Now Travel Asia Awards.

Utopia Corporation was established in 2015 and presently is the largest real estate developer in Phuket, Thailand. Utopia Corporation contributes to solving fragmentation on the island by integrating and planning for connectivity in its masterplan ¬to develop the Utopia Empire: a development portfolio that includes a collection of hotels, apartments, villas, commercial complexes, architecture, interior design, engineering and hotel operations. Under the leadership of its CEO, Hachi Yin, Utopia Corporation, comprises of many divisions, including Utopia Construction Group, Utopia Hotel Group and Club Utopia.

About Utopia Corporation
From modest beginnings, Utopia Corporation has developed and constructed ten real estate projects in Phuket within four years, including apartments, villas and commercial complexes, with a total construction area of 120,000 square metres, an investment of THB 8 billion and a total of nearly 2,000 keys. Among them, three hotel apartment projects have already started operating. Utopia Corporation is also the winner of multiple property awards, including FIABCI 2020 Prix d’Excellence for Utopia Karon, Utopia Central and Utopia Thalang, 2020 Luxury Lifestyle Awards for The Best Luxury Real Estate Developer, Property Guru 2020 Best Boutique Developer, 2018 and 2019 Dot Property Winner for Best Development and Construction Company, PropertyGuru 2018 award winner for Design & Construction. In 2019, its flagship property, Utopia Naiharn, won Now Travel Asia Award for Asia’s Top Emerging Hotel, and 2020 Asia’s Top Japanese Restaurant for Mikha Japanese Restaurant.

Bangkok, Thailand, March 10, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Organisations and individuals making outstanding contributions towards the successful promotion of the travel and tourism industry throughout the Asia Pacific region are encouraged to submit entries to the PATA Gold Awards 2021. The deadline for submissions is May 28, 2021.

Sponsored by the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) for the 26th consecutive year, the PATA Gold Awards sets industry standards for excellence and innovation. In 2020, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) enhanced the PATA Gold Awards by introducing several new categories in order to reinforce its position as an innovative and prestigious award for the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry.

The winners of the PATA Golds Awards 2021 will be announced live at the virtual PATA Gold Awards Ceremony on September 8, 2021, which will also be broadcasted worldwide through the PATA YouTube channel. PATA will present two Grand Title Winners for best of show entries in the following broad categories: Marketing, and Sustainability and Social Responsibility with 23 Gold Awards to be bestowed.

Ms Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of MGTO, said, “Each year the PATA Gold Awards provides an opportunity to feel the pulse of the tourism industry. In these challenging times, we are looking forward to learning how government and private tourism stakeholders have continued to reimagine the industry in its multiple areas amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a tourism city, Macao’s priority remains to keep the destination safe, and we are honoured to continue our long-standing support to this initiative, as we work to rebuild a sustainable return of travel.”

“We look forward to receiving entries from both organisations and individuals worldwide that demonstrate excellence in conception, creativity and fulfilment,” said Dr. Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA. “For more than 25 years the PATA Gold Awards have recognised so many amazing achievements across a very broad spectrum of travel and tourism activities. These awards are only possible because of the fantastic support of the Macao Government Tourism Office and we are very grateful to MGTO for sponsoring the PATA Gold Awards yet again.”

Winner privileges:

– Gain a major boost to the organisation’s marketing and public relations profile
– Attract valuable media coverage in various PATA communications channels including the weekly PATA newsletter, press releases and social media channels
– Entitled to leverage the prestigious PATA Gold Awards Winner logo on collateral materials
– Highlights of the winning entries to be featured and published on the winners’ showcase booklet

Judged by an international panel of experts, the Gold Awards recognise exceptional achievement in two broad categories with 23 Gold Awards and two Grand Title Winners on offer:

– Marketing (14 Gold Awards and one Grand Title Winner)
– Sustainability and Social Responsibility (9 Gold Awards and one Grand Title Winner)

For further information, please visit www.PATA.org/pata-gold-awards or contact goldawards@PATA.org.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its more than 650 member organisations, including 82 government, state and city tourism bodies, 14 international airlines and airports, 71 hospitality organisations and 75 educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing and London.

Mumbai, India, March 10, 2021 7 TRAVELINDEX / The inaugural ITB India Virtual Event, 7–9 April 2021, is an annual B2B trade show and conference curated to build the bridge to the Indian and South Asian travel market. The virtual show will convene key travel industry leaders and international exhibitors from MICE, Corporate and Leisure segments. Exhibitors of ITB India 2021 Virtual include National Tourism Organisations such as Business Events Perth, German National Tourism Organisation, Israel Ministry of Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization, Sarawak Tourism Board, Saudi Tourism Authority, Visit Levi, Visit Portugal, Zagreb Tourist Board and more.

The event will be hosted on ITB Community in Asia – a one of a kind, unrivalled 24/7 platform for trade professionals to forge connections, strike conversations and do business.

“Rebuilding Travel” – overarching theme of conference programme

The theme of this year’s ITB India Conference is “Rebuilding Travel”. While the travel industry is currently undergoing change, industry experts will share their ideas on the future of the Indian and South Asian travel markets. ITB India’s travel think tank will cover topics, ranging from Travel Recovery across MICE, Corporate, Leisure Travel and Travel Technology. The conference will kick-off with two keynote speeches, delivered by two industry heavy weights: Rohit Kapoor, CEO, India & South Asia, OYO and Abraham Alapatt, President & Group Head – Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services & Innovation, Thomas Cook India.

Among others, the conference brings together top leaders and industry experts from the private sector, such as Amanpreet Bajaj, Country Manager – India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong & Taiwan, Airbnb; Ritu Mehrotra, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka & Maldives, Booking.com; or Daniel D’souza, President & Country Head, Leisure, SOTC Travel.

Top speakers from National Tourist Offices will include Yusuke Yamamoto, Executive Director, Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO); Iyad Rasbey, Executive Director, Destination Tourism Development & MICE, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA); Sisa Ntshona, CEO, South African Tourism; Kimarli Fernando, Chairperson, Sri Lanka Tourism; Steven Dixon, Regional Trade Marketing Manager Asia, Tourism New Zealand and Luís Araújo, President, VisitPortugal (Turismo de Portugal).

Buyer Elite Programme Partners

The Buyer Elite Partner Programme is a partnership programme dedicated to help attendees develop stronger trade ties with regional industry stakeholders. The key trade association partners who have already joined the programme are Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB), Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators Association (EHTTOA), Enterprising Travel Agent’s Association (ETAA), Maharashtra Tour Organisers’ Association (MTOA), Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents (NATTA), Network of Indian MICE Agents (NIMA), Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI), Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) and United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA).

Mutual agreements were established between ITB India and each Buyer Elite Programme Partner; to invite and promote ITB India to the association’s database of Indian and South Asian buyers and international trade attendees.

Benefits of attending ITB India 2021

Indian and South Asian buyers may connect with key exhibitors through business matching with video calling and messaging functions, as well as a comprehensive supplier directory. In addition, all attendees have access to high-quality conferences and on-demand videos from industry experts.

Key privileges include:
– Business Matching – Live platform to exchange business contacts and schedule virtual appointments. Delegates can benefit from business appointment via social video and messaging functions.

– Conference – A robust line-up of key industry speakers with thought-providing insights or showcases of innovative technology and solutions.

– Supplier Directory – A comprehensive view of all suppliers, such as company profiles, product resources and downloadable articles.

– On-demand Videos – All attendees of will be entitled to exclusive videos from virtual events or industry contributors.

Exhibitors who want to book a presence at ITB India 2021 can choose from three virtual exhibitor booth packages, starting from USD 1,500: Basic, Enhanced or Premium Packages. Exhibitors may register online via Exhibitors Registration.

About ITB India 2021 Virtual Event
ITB India 2021 Virtual Event will take place digitally from 7 to 9 April 2021. It will be hosted on ITB Community in Asia (ITB Community). In its first year ITB India will be organised by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and supported by Messe Berlin (Singapore) Pte Ltd. The 3-day business-to-business travel trade show and convention will focus on the Indian travel market including MICE, corporate, and leisure travel sectors. Exhibitors from every sector of the industry, including travel agencies and operators, NTOs, business travel and MICE, travel technology, accommodation, and transport companies are all expected to attend.

Geneva, Switzerland, March 10, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced results from its latest poll of recent travelers, revealing growing confidence in a return to air travel, frustration with current travel restrictions, and acceptance of a travel app to manage health credentials for travel.

Travel Restrictions

• 88% believe that when opening borders, the right balance must be struck between managing COVID-19 risks and getting the economy going again
• 85% believe that governments should set COVID-19 targets (such as testing capacity or vaccine distribution) to re-open borders
• 84% believe that COVID-19 will not disappear, and we need to manage its risks while living and traveling normally
• 68% agreed that their quality of life has suffered with travel restrictions
• 49% believe that air travel restrictions have gone too far

While there is public support for travel restrictions, it is becoming clear that people are feeling more comfortable with managing the risks of COVID-19.

People are also feeling frustrated with the loss of freedom to travel, with 68% of respondents indicating their quality of life is suffering as a result. Travel restrictions come with health, social and economic consequences. Nearly 40% of respondents reported mental stress and missing an important human moment as a result of travel restrictions. And over a third have said that restrictions prevent them from doing business normally.

“The top priority of everybody at the moment is staying safe amid the COVID-19 crisis. But it is important that we map a way to being able to re-open borders, manage risks and enable people to get on with their lives. That includes the freedom to travel. It is becoming clear that we will need to learn to live and travel in a world that has COVID-19. Given the health, social and economic costs of travel restrictions, airlines should be ready to re-connect the world as soon as governments are able to re-open borders. That’s why a plan with measurable milestones is so critical. Without one, how can we be prepared for restart without an unnecessary delay?” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

Future Travel Trends

• 57% expect to be traveling within two months of the pandemic being contained (improved from 49% in September 2020)
• 72% want to travel to see family and friends as soon as possible (improved from 63% in September 2020)
• 81% believe that they will be more likely to travel once they are vaccinated
• 84% said they will not travel if there is a chance of quarantine at destination (largely unchanged from 83% in September 2020)
• 56% believe that they will postpone travel until the economy stabilizes (improved from 65% in September 2020)

Survey responses are telling us that people are becoming more confident to travel. Those expecting to travel within a few months of “COVID-19 containment” now account for 57% of survey respondents (improved from 49% in September 2020). This is supported by vaccine rollout which indicates that 81% of people will be more likely to travel once vaccinated. And 72% of respondents want to travel as soon as possible after COVID-19 is contained to see friends and family.

There are some headwinds in travel trends. About 84% of travelers will not travel if it involves quarantine at destination. And there are still indications that the pick-up in business travel will take time with 62% of respondents saying they are likely to travel less for business even after the virus is contained. That is, however, a significant improvement from the 72% recorded in September 2020.

“People want to get back to travel, but quarantine is the showstopper. As testing capacity and technology improves and the vaccinated population grows, the conditions for removing quarantine measures are being created. And this points us again towards working with governments for a well-planned re-opening as soon as conditions allow,” said de Juniac.

IATA Travel Pass

• 89% of respondents believe that governments need to standardize vaccine and testing certificates
• 80% are encouraged by the prospect of the IATA Travel Pass App and would use it as soon as available
• 78% will only use a travel credential app if they have full control over their data

Travel health credentials are already opening borders to some countries. IATA believes that such a system needs global standards and the highest level of data security.

The survey produced very encouraging data indicating traveler willingness to use a secure mobile phone app to manage their travel health credentials. Four of five people surveyed would like to use this technology as soon as it becomes available.  They also expect that travel health credentials (vaccine or test certificates) must comply with global standards—a work that is still in progress by governments.

Survey respondents also sent a clear message on the importance of data security.  Some 78% of travelers will not use an app if they are not in full control of their data. And about 60% will not use a travel credential app if data is stored centrally.

“We are designing IATA Travel Pass with the traveler in mind. Passengers keep all the data on their mobile devices, and they remain in full control of where that data goes. There is no central database. While we are making good progress with numerous trials, we are still awaiting the global standards for digital testing and vaccine certificates. Only with global standards and governments accepting them can we maximize efficiency and deliver an optimum travel experience,” said de Juniac.

Malaga, Spain, March 9, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Since 1932, Skal International has been hosting all the travel and tourism industry branches and its executives as members of the global organization. Until 1976, the organization was mainly a male-dominated organization.  During the Skal World Congress in Florence, Italy, in November 1976, Skal International Executive Committee proposed a change in the statutes to accept Women executives as members of the organization.

Madrid, Spain, March 8, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / As the sector enters the second year of an unprecedented crisis, the impact this has had on women in tourism has been made clear. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the pandemic, and the unprecedented drop in international tourist arrivals, risks rolling back progress made towards achieving gender equality and efforts to empower women and girls.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

UNWTO is marking International Women’s Day 2021 with the release of our Inclusive Recovery Guide for women in tourism, compiled in collaboration with UN Women.

UNWTO data shows that women make up the majority of the tourism workforce (54%). Women in tourism are also often concentrated in low-skilled or informal work. This means that they are feeling the economic shock caused by the crisis more acutely and quicker than their male counterparts. In many cases, they are cut off from the social and healthcare protections that are so vital in a global pandemic.

Crisis “has a woman’s face”

Tourism is a proven driver of equality and opportunity

The Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres says, “As the world marks International Women’s Day in the midst of a global pandemic, one stark fact is clear: the COVID-19 crisis has a woman’s face.” UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili adds, “Tourism is a proven driver of equality and opportunity. This unprecedented crisis has hit our sector’s women fast and hard, which is why gender equality and empowerment must be centre stage as we work together to restart tourist and accelerate recovery.”

Recommendations for inclusive recovery

Almost one year on since the pandemic was officially declared, the negative impact it is having on women and girls has become devastatingly clear. This increase in women’s economic and social insecurity combined with the observed rise in unpaid care work and domestic violence have meant that women in tourism have been disproportionately affected by the devastating effects of the pandemic on the sector.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

The Inclusive Recovery Guide provides recommendations to policymakers, businesses and civil society actors in tourism for designing gender-responsive measures in response to the ongoing pandemic.

Mumbai, India, March 8, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / As a leader in championing gender diversity and inclusion, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), South Asia’s largest hospitality company, today announced South Asia’s first all women-managed luxury residences, Taj Wellington Mews in Chennai. This initiative is in line with the Company’s ongoing efforts in creating an equitable workplace and ecosystem, while empowering women in the hospitality industry.

Speaking on the occasion, Rakhee Lalvani, Vice President – Public Relations and Corporate Communications, IHCL, said, “Women at IHCL have played a very vital role in the organisation with their contribution and by pushing boundaries. The upcoming Taj Wellington Mews, Chennai managed by an all-women team is indeed a proud moment for all of us, and testament to the Group’s commitment towards improving the gender balance in the organization with a vibrant workforce and by providing equal opportunities to women across roles and positions.”

Strategically located in the Old Mahabalipuram-IT corridor of Chennai, Taj Wellington Mews will have 112 spaciously and luxuriously appointed residences, led by a woman General Manager and a team of over 100 women across all operations and other departments. In addition to providing growth opportunities for women employees within the Company, the property will also generate employment locally.

The organisation has taken many strides to foster gender equality, both, within and outside the organisation. Several progressive policies like extended maternity leave, compulsory crèche facilities,

an expense reimbursement for family expansion including IVF treatments, and skilling women in the under-served communities and regions to improve their participation in the workforce have been implemented successfully. These efforts have resulted in developing a talent pool and a higher ratio of women across the Company. IHCL remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthen gender parity within the industry in the coming years.

About the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL)
The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. These include Taj – the hallmark of iconic hospitality and India’s Strongest Brand as per Brand Finance India 100 2020 report, SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels, Vivanta, sophisticated upscale hotels and Ginger, which is revolutionising the lean luxe segment.

Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel – The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of 214 hotels including 49 under development globally across 4 continents, 12 countries and in over 100 locations. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is South Asia’s largest hospitality company by market capitalization. It is primarily listed on the BSE and NSE.

Bangkok, Thailand, March 4, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / As it starts preparing for a recovery in visitor arrivals, the Thai Travel and Tourism industry will need to learn both the short-and long-term lessons of the AIDS pandemic of the 1990s if it wishes to achieve a truly “New Normal” and “Build Back Better.”

“Over the last 40 years, Thai tourism has faced multiple local, regional and global crises ranging from the 1997 economic collapse to the 2004 tsunami,” says Imtiaz Muqbil, the Asia-Pacific region’s leading travel & tourism journalist-cum-historian. “After each crisis, it bounces back resolutely. This is because it is very good at short-term recovery campaigns, but not very good at fixing the long-term structural problems.”

“However, the Covid-19 crisis is by far the worst in terms of duration and impact. The emerging New World Order will be a totally different operating environment. Thai tourism can lead the global recovery with an innovative and creative new roadmap, but only if it seriously and comprehensively learns the lessons of the AIDS pandemic,” Mr Muqbil says.

“Not many know it today, but when the AIDS numbers began to grow, the travel & tourism industry was trying to sweep it under the carpet because they claimed it was impacting the country’s ‘image’.

“It was only when the industry realised that that head-in-the-sand response was doomed to fail that it began to shift position,” says Mr Muqbil, who is also Executive Editor of Travel Impact Newswire, a tourism website devoted to providing alternative perspectives on industry trends.

“The AIDS pandemic is by far the most challenging story I covered in my 40-year career in Travel Journalism,” says Mr Muqbil. “It brought out the best and the worst in Thai society. The growing number of cases would have killed off the entire industry, had it not been for the courage and commitment of a few individuals who were working to save Thailand as a whole, not just Thai tourism.

“Thailand’s experience in curbing the AIDS pandemic is a story of courage and cooperation, controversies and conflicts. Today, sweeping such pandemics under the carpet is impossible, but many other underlying related problems are still being swept under the carpet.”

On March 5, 2021, Imtiaz Muqbil is organising a special lecture via Zoom to revisit the era of the AIDS pandemic. Click here for registration details:

About Imtiaz Muqbil
Imtiaz Muqbil is the Asia-Pacific region’s leading travel trade journalist-cum-historian.
Winner of a PATA Travel Journalism Award in 2005 for coverage of the Dec 2004 tsunami disaster, Imtiaz Muqbil has done some outstanding work over a career dating back to 1980.

Imtiaz Muqbil
Executive Editor
Travel Impact Newswire,
Web: www.travel-impact-newswire.com
Subscribe: www.travel-impact-newswire.com/subscribe/

Berlin, Germany, March 5, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / For many years committing to sustainable, fair and socially responsible tourism has been one of the guiding principles of ITB Berlin. This year too, awards, lectures and presentations on climate protection, human rights and social equality will be the focus of ITB Berlin NOW. At the virtual event taking place from 9 to 12 March 2021 participants can watch the live presentations of the Celebrating Her Awards and TO DO Awards, exchange views with numerous exhibitors and organisations from around the world and meet at the ITB Responsible Tourism Café.

The key players and many interested users will come together on the ITB Berlin Responsible Tourism Brand Card. This is where visitors can engage virtually with NGOs such as ECPAT, The Code, Tourism Watch/Brot für die Welt, Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung e.V., Atmosfair, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN). The Blue Yonder, the event’s long-standing ITB Responsible Tourism Partner, will also take part in this virtual edition, as will Marianna McGill, who for many years has organised the ITB PowWow. In 2021, the Dutch non-profit organisation Green Destinations will again present the 100 Top Green Destinations with the ITB Earth Award. Every day, users can network, follow up ideas and plan joint projects at the ITB Responsible Tourism Café, which is presented by Georgia, this year’s Digital Adventure & Sustainability Partner.

Solutions for making tourism more sustainable

Participants can find out about new ideas and insights on the topic of social responsibility in international tourism at the ITB Berlin NOW Convention on Tuesday, 9 March 2021, at the Best Practice Responsible Tourism Track and on CSR In-Tourism Day on Friday, 12 March 2021. On Tuesday, 8 March on International Women’s Day, under the heading ’Women in Tourism Building Back Better’, leading women speakers will discuss resilience and sustainable travel, using technology and the role of organisations and tourism associations. At an event presented by the International Trade Center (ITC) and SheTrades, H.E.D. Sarangerel, Minister of the Environment and Tourism of Mongolia and Angela Njehia, director of Tierranjani Africa, Pamela Coke-Hamilton, executive director of the ITC, and Naa Oyoe Ofei-Aryeh, managing director of Sunset African Tours, will discuss the strong role played by women in tourism. Brilliant ideas contributing to social innovation and entrepreneurship in tourism are the subject of the presentation of the Social Entrepreneurship Award. The competition first launched by ITB Berlin, Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde (HNNE) and Travel Massive and which in 2021 is being supported for the first time by UNWTO, the TUI Care Foundation and SINA will also take place on Tuesday at ITB Berlin NOW.

For many years the presentation of the TO DO Awards has also been an established event at the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. Presented by Studienkreis für Tourismus e.V., the TO DO Award 2021 goes to the community-based tourism project Rutas Ancestrales Araucarias from Chile. The London-based organisation Equality in Tourism international is the winner of the TO DO Human Rights Award 2021. In an interview, Portugal’s State Secretary for Tourism Rita Marques will talk about new sustainable solutions and new initiatives forrestarting the economy in her home country. She will also present A World For Travel (the Evora Forum) in Portugal, scheduled for May this year, at which leading tourism experts from around the world will discuss possible ways of achieving sustainable tourism in the future.

For the fifth time the ITB IIPT Celebrating Her Awards will celebrate the outstanding achievements of women in tourism. At an event organised in partnership with the International Institute of Peace in Tourism (IIPT), following a welcome speech this year’s winners will be announced live on stage by Dr. Taleb Rifai, former Secretary General of UNWTO and Louis D‘Amore, founder of the IIPT. Afterwards, Stephanie M. Jones, founder and CEO of National Blacks in Travel & Tourism Collaborative, Iaia Pedemonte, founder and editor of Gender Responsible Tourism (GRT), Sandi Robinson, area director of Sales & Marketing of Godfrey Hotel Chicago, and the freelance journalist Tobias Sauer, will discuss discrimination experienced in tourism and how it can be combated. At the event to follow, Beverley O’Neil, founder and consultant, DesigningNations, Canada, Gopinath Parayil, founder of The BlueYonder, India, Ben Sherman, chairman of the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA), USA, and Darren Capewell, Wula Guru Nyinda, Eco Cultural Adventures, Australia, will debate how indigenous tourism can take place in a sustainable and socially responsible manner in times of crisis and the role of resilience in that context.

Numerous organisations and tour operators will also host their own presentations on new projects and developments at ITB Berlin NOW. This year, Taiwan will focus on cycle tours and Finland will present a seven-stage programme in support of sustainable tourism. Panama and other destinations will have information on measures to protect biodiversity. Indonesia, Scotland and Slovenia will also impress with their sustainable tourism programmes. Visitors can find out about sustainable cross-border recovery projects in nature reserves such as the Wadden Sea. Myclimate, an organisation dedicated to offsetting carbon emissions, will show ways to reduce emissions and save costs. TheGerman National Tourist Board (DZT) will host a panel discussion on future sustainable tourism scenarios and is also organising the 10th Accessible Tourism Day. In addition to supporting the ITB CSR Day, the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) will present tourism projects in Albania and Tunisia. Green Tiny Houses will also be on the agenda as well as a discussion on whether the MICE industry can be a sustainability leader.

Full details of the programme of the ITB Berlin NOW Convention and individual sessions are available online. Additional information on registration for ITB Berlin NOW and tickets can be found on our website.

About ITB Berlin NOW and the ITB Berlin NOW Convention
ITB Berlin NOW will take place from Tuesday, 9 to Friday, 12 March for trade visitors only and as an entirely virtual event. ITB Berlin is the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. As part of ITB Berlin NOW, the ITB Berlin NOW Convention, the largest travel industry event of its kind, will also take place as a virtual event. The World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) is the co-host, Mascontour Track is the sponsor of the ITB Future Track, Google and Lufthansa are track sponsors of the ITB Marketing & Distribution Track, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is the ITB Sustainability Track partner,  SIO AG is the track sponsor of the eTravel DATA TALKS and Studiosus is the session sponsor. For exhibitors, trade visitors and the media, participation in the ITB Berlin NOW Convention is included in the price of a ticket.

Bangkok, Thailand, March 5, 2021 / TRAVELINDEX / Surayyal Hizmi, Lecturer Advisor of the PATA Lombok Tourism Polytechnic Student Chapter, is today named as the 2021 PATA Face of the Future. This is the most prestigious honour open to young tourism professionals in the Asia Pacific region.

“This year we received a fantastic list of applicants who could all be worthy of this recognition, and it makes me hopeful not just for the future of the industry but for the future of the world,” said PATA
CEO Dr. Mario Hardy. “On behalf of everyone at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), I would like to congratulate Surayyal Hizmi on winning the 2021 PATA Face of the Future award. It was inspiring to learn about her passion for sustainability and how she engages with the local community towards this goal. This award will provide her greater exposure in Indonesia and throughout the industry, and I look forward to seeing her career develop as she works in line with PATA for the responsible development of travel and tourism in the region.”

“I am very grateful to receive such a prestigious honour. It is something that I never expected, so thank you so much for this recognition. The real winner of this award is not me but the many people who encouraged me, such as my family and my students who work hard to always support me. This achievement is for them and the many people who have contributed their lives and effort towards sustainable tourism and making this world a better place,” said Ms Hizmi.

Ms, Surayyal Hizmi is a lecturer at Lombok Tourism Polytechnic, having completed her Master’s Degree in 2017 in Applied Science with a major in Natural Resources Management. Possessing prior knowledge of environmental and natural resource management, and social sciences, Ms. Hizmi’ passion is to apply her knowledge and skills to help local communities and the responsible and sustainable development of travel and tourism in West Nusa Tenggara. Being a lecturer at Lombok Tourism Polytechnic, she was appointed as the Assistant to Vice Director focusing on the National and International Partnership Program. This has led her to become an advisor to actively support the campus in applying sustainability concepts.

To improve her skills and knowledge in sustainability, she completed Sustainable Tourism Training in 2020 and received a Certificate of Sustainability from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The concept, skills and knowledge gained from this programme have been used for the PATA Lombok Tourism Polytechnic Student Chapter programmes such as eco-enzyme and the gallon corner. She is also currently active in several other projects collaborating with LIPI (The Indonesian Institute of Sciences) and the Australian university alumni through the Culinary Festival in Sepakek and Bamboo Ecotourism in Sembalun to expand the application of sustainability.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region. The Association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research and innovative events to its more than 650 member organisations, including 82 government, state and city tourism bodies, 14 international airlines and airports, 71 hospitality organisations and 75 educational institutions, as well as thousands of young tourism professional (YTP) members across the world. The PATA network also embraces the grassroots activism the PATA Chapters and Student Chapters, who organise numerous travel industry training programmes and business development events across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally. The PATAmPOWER platform delivers unrivalled data, forecasts and insights from the PATA Strategic Intelligence Centre to members’ desktops and mobile devices anywhere in the world. PATA’s Head Office has been in Bangkok since 1998. The Association also has official offices or representation in Beijing and London.