Category: Latest Travel News

Bangkok, Thailand, December 17, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / S Hotels & Resorts Public Company Limited, the flagship hospitality arm of Singha Estate PCL, is gearing up for a defining year in 2021, as it completes a series of milestone rebrands, smart refurbishments and expansion projects that keeps the company firmly on track to reach its targets.

These objectives are aligned with six goals S Hotels & Resorts is committed to from the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals initiative through actions concerning sustainable consumption, marine debris pollution, low carbon, children knowledge and conservation programme, green procurement and local sourcing, local gastronomy and human rights.

At the heart of S Hotels & Resorts’ growth strategy are its new lifestyle brands: SAii, a fun and free-spirited upper-upscale concept for experience-seeking travellers, and nābor, an all-new “luxury-midscale” brand designed for smart explorers with digitally-driven lives. With at least six new and repositioned properties scheduled to be added in the next 12 months, 2021 will play a pivotal role in the company’s five-year development strategy, through which it plans to double its global portfolio from 39 hotels totalling 4,647 rooms today, to 82 properties with 9,000 keys by 2025.

SAii, which derives from the Thai word for “sand”, was first unveiled in 2019 with the opening of SAii Lagoon Maldives, the idyllic island resort at CROSSROADS Maldives, Singha Estate’s ground-breaking integrated destination in the Indian Ocean. S Hotels & Resorts is excited to announce the next two SAii resorts in Thailand in the first quarter of 2021.

SAii Laguna Phuket is nestled in the heart of Thailand’s premier resort community, Laguna Phuket, located directly on the beach. Under the SAii brand, guests can look forward to enhanced facilities, including a new event hall, a reimagined seafront restaurant, an improved beach bar and more. With its bright and spacious rooms and suites, many of which overlook Bangtao Beach and the Andaman Sea, plus plenty of cultural, culinary and family activities, including one of Phuket’s longest water slides, this resort is perfect for light-hearted couples, families and groups of friends, as well as one-of-a-kind events and weddings.

SAii Phi Phi Island Village is an enchanting, eco-friendly retreat nestled in 70 acres of beautiful beachfront land on Thailand’s Koh Phi Phi Don. Currently known as Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort, it will undergo an extensive refurbishment and repositioning before reopening under the SAii brand. The resort’s inviting lobby, freeform pool, soothing spa and sea-facing restaurants are among the elements being upgraded, along with its premium room category, the Hillside Pool Villas, which overlook the sea. Like its sister property in the Maldives, SAii Phi Phi Island Village encourages eco-conscious travellers to preserve the environment with offshore excursions and regular activities at its onsite Marine Discovery Centre.

Both new SAii resorts will showcase innovative wellness and F&B concepts, including Mr Tomyam, Miss Olive Oyl and Lèn Be Well. Mr Tomyam, which made its debut at SAii Lagoon Maldives, focuses on Thai-inspired dishes with live kitchens and alfresco seating; while Miss Olive Oyl, is a vibrant Mediterranean-style seafood grill and bar. Lèn Be Well meanwhile, promises a personalised approach to wellbeing through five core pillars: Romance, Relax, Culture, Adventure and Family. Blending bespoke leisure activities, body treatments, gastronomic offerings and more, this customised concept is already delighting guests at Santiburi Koh Samui, which will focus on health and wellness. Guests can expect an enhanced selection of spa journeys, immersive excursions and culinary specials such as floating breakfast in the pool villas.

New for 2021, S Hotels & Resorts is excited to unveil nābor (pronounced “neighbour”), an alternative collection of locally-inspired “luxury-midscale” resorts and hotels. nābor encourages millennial-minded travellers to get “out there” and discover their destination whether it is for nature lovers, beach seekers and urbanites. The aim is to reveal the authentic vibe of each locale. nābor will make its debut in April 2021 with its first property in Bophut, Koh Samui, a beautiful and hot instagrammable beachfront retreat in the northeast corner of Thailand’s “Coconut Island”.

Like all future nābor hotels, this repositioned resort will put the guest in control of their stay, with an integrated digital platform to enhance guests’ experience, booking and journey during their stay. Curious explorers will be able to get under the skin of their destination with insightful online “nāborhood” guides and activities that can be pre-booked by mobile. Guests will be invited to mix their own bathroom amenities in the M.I.Y Aroma Lab workshop, or purchase pre-mixed scents from the M.I.Y vending machine to take home as a fragrant reminder of their vacation. In total, S Hotels & Resorts plans to open six nābor hotels and resorts in 2021, with other potential destinations likely to include major Thai tourism centres and key leisure markets in Asia.

“2021 will be a pivotal year for S Hotels & Resorts, as we accelerate the expansion of our lifestyle brands,” said Dirk De Cuyper, Chief Executive Officer, S Hotels & Resorts. “Extensive upgrades to our resorts in Thailand have laid the foundations for our rebrandings, and we are very excited to be introducing our original concepts to stunning locations across Asia. Luxury is no longer defined by unnecessary bells and whistles; today’s savvy travellers demand seamless stays, immersive experiences and the ability to uncover the essence of their locale. With SAii and nābor, we will create deeply personal journeys in a choice of highly-desirable destinations. We look forward to bringing our intuitive and inviting brands to all guests next year and beyond.”

At present, S Hotels & Resorts’ global collection comprises 39 hotels and resorts in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the UK – totalling 4,647 keys. The company is aiming to double its portfolio over the next five years, driven by a mix of mergers and acquisitions, resort purchases and hotel management agreements, and focusing on the roll-out of SAii and nābor hotels across in Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

Despite the global downturn, 2020 has been a successful year for S Hotels & Resorts as it won a series of major awards for the quality of its hotels and its environmental efforts. These include a corporate award for Green Leadership in the Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards, Santiburi Koh Samui signing UNESCO’s Sustainable Tourism Pledge and Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort who won the Marine and Nature category for its Marine Discovery Centre out of over 600 Thai tourism businesses nominated in the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s 12th annual Responsible Thailand Awards in the UK, recognising Thailand’s champions of sustainable tourism.

Santiburi Koh Samui, Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives and SAii Lagoon Maldives also achieved TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, while Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort and Hard Rock Hotel Maldives were honoured in the Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards. Hard Rock Hotel Maldives and SAii Lagoon Maldives both featured in the World Luxury Hotel Awards, and SAii Lagoon Maldives was a winner in the World MICE Awards.

Bangkok, Thailand, December 15, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / BWH Hotel Group has triumphed again at the Travel Weekly Asia 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards, after it was named as the “Best Midscale Hotel Chain” for a sensational sixth year in a row!

The Travel Weekly Asia 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards are a highlight of the travel industry calendar, and attended by many leading figures from Asia’s tourism and hospitality sectors. This year, the honor was presented to the company in a virtual award ceremony on Friday, December 11, 2020.

“We are delighted and deeply honored to have been named as Asia’s ‘Best Midscale Hotel Chain’ for the sixth consecutive year. Our continued success shows the strength of the BWH Hotel Group, and how it remains the benchmark for the midscale sector. The growth of many of core brands in Southeast Asia, especially the SureStay Hotel Group’s success has been a testament in our commitment to our guests and partners alike,”. commented Olivier Berrivin, BWH Hotel Group’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

“Of course, none of this could have been achieved without the dedication, professionalism and talent of our entire Asian team, who work tirelessly each day to ensure that we provide the finest experiences for every guest and partner. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our partners, associates and every single one of our team members for their efforts in 2020,” he added.

The Travel Weekly Asia 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards were created to “salute brilliance” by recognizing the stars of the travel trade. Each award is voted for by the readers of Travel Weekly Asia – one of the region’s most popular travel trade publications. This ensures that every winner has earned the respect of their customers and industry peers alike.

In total, 16 Travel Weekly Asia Readers’ Choice Awards were presented in 2020, covering three different categories which are Hotel, Cruise and Destination.

BWH Hotel Group has now held the title of “Best Midscale Hotel Chain” every year since 2015. To learn more, please visit www.BestWesternAsia.com.

The photo shows from left to right:
– Venushe Wickramarathne, Regional Director of Commercial – Asia of BWH Hotel Group
– Olivier Berrivin, Managing Director of International Operations – Asia of BWH Hotel Group

About Best Western® Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand within the BWH Hotel Group® global network. With 18 brands and approximately 4,700 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, WorldHotels^TM Luxury, WorldHotels Elite, WorldHotels Distinctive and WorldHotels Crafted collections are also offered. Completing the portfolio is SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, SureStay Collection® and SureStay Studio^SM  franchises.** For more information visit www.bestwestern.com, www.bestwesterndevelopers.com, www.worldhotels.com and www.surestay.com.

* 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.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

The #RestartTourism video highlights tourism’s unique ability to adapt and innovate and generate opportunities for sustainable development. CNNlC has long committed to these same values and the partnership between UNWTO and CNN is further strengthened through this broadcast.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The restart of tourism brings new hope and new opportunity for millions around the world. We are proud to be working again with CNN to send such a positive and inspiring message. Tourism has the power to bring us back together, giving us unforgettable experiences while also supporting jobs, helping businesses and protecting culture and our natural heritage.”

The restart of tourism brings new hope and new opportunity for millions around the world. We are proud to be working again with CNN to send such a positive and inspiring message

Rani Raad, President, CNN Worldwide Commercial, said: “As part of our long-standing partnership with the UNWTO, CNN is proud to beam this message of travelling again and restarting tourism into over 300 million households around the world. Whilst Travel & Tourism has suffered an enormous impact in 2020, we are standing with our partners, providing counsel and supporting their efforts as they now plan ahead to welcoming travellers back in 2021 with a sense of hope, growth and reconstruction for the sector.”

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

Launched today, #RestartTourism will be aired regularly until 10 January 2021, bringing this message to more than 310 million households across CNN’s feeds to Asia, South Asia and EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa). It will also be amplified by UNWTO’s own media channels, as well as those of its Members in every global region, reinforcing a message of positivity at the end of a challenging year.

London, United Kingdom, December 15, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The UK government and the EU must agree a deal over Brexit to save and secure millions of Travel & Tourism jobs, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, has urged the two sides to come together to find a way to reach a consensus for a post-Brexit trade deal as talks enter their eleventh hour.

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Press Releases here.

The plea comes as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to meet in Brussels with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to try to break the logjam.

WTTC says Travel & Tourism businesses in the UK and across Europe could be in jeopardy and put at risk thousands of businesses and the jobs of those who depend upon them if there was failure to secure a way forward.

Before the pandemic outbreak, WTTC had warned that 300,000 Travel Tourism jobs in the UK and almost 400,000 across the EU could be at risk if the UK left the EU without a deal.

In addition, recent WTTC research has shown that up to 2.4m Travel & Tourism jobs are at risk in the UK alone because of the impact of COVID-19, causing a loss of £124 billion in GDP. Across the EU a staggering 14m jobs are at risk due to the pandemic.

With a no deal Brexit, access to markets and the ability of business travellers and holidaymakers to move freely between the UK and the EU could be lost, creating complexity, cost and confusion, and impeding seamless travel.

Flight connectivity is a major issue, with a UK-EU deal needed to replace the Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement which allows UK airlines access to 27 EU states and 17 other countries, due to expire on December 31.

While contingency measures are expected to enable flights to operate until a long-term deal can be reached, WTTC fears UK airlines could suffer if there is a no-deal Brexit. Those already reliant upon traffic with Europe, are under huge pressure due to the impact of coronavirus travel restrictions, along with thousands of businesses throughout the Travel & Tourism sector.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said: “We urge the UK government and the EU to put the interests of the Travel & Tourism sector, as well as the livelihoods of millions of people who depend upon it, at the forefront of their minds when considering the implications of a no-deal.

“2020 has been an incredibly difficult year for the whole global Travel & Tourism sector, which has left many businesses decimated and put millions of jobs at risk.

“WTTC fears if a Brexit trade deal cannot be reached, it could compound the already difficult situation and be even more disruptive to the Travel & Tourism sector both here in the UK and across Europe.

“Businesses already face enormous economic uncertainty, and we want to avoid any further loss of confidence or disruption which a no-deal Brexit could cause.”

• Read all the latest WTTC News and Press Releases here.

As well as the impact on flights, the knock-on effect of a no-deal Brexit could mean longer queues for passengers at European passport control, costly healthcare cover and more expensive phone calls with the end of free European roaming charges.

Macao, Macao SAR, December 14, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The Global Tourism Economy Forum · Macao 2020, “GTEF” or the “Forum”, was held smoothly on 9th December, bringing together around 50 Mainland, local and international government and industry leaders as well as heads of international tourism organizations to explore new strategies and momentum for restoring travelers’ confidence and reinventing the tourism industry under the theme of “Solidarity and Innovation: Reshaping Tourism in the New Global Economy”. The Forum led a confluence of online and offline engagement for the first time, leveraging innovative technology to unite tourism elites around the world for an exchange of insightful perspectives. The Forum engaged 420,000 views from over 50 regions during live stream on that day.

The Forum presented an innovative and inspiring program including special sessions, industry leadership interview series, report presentation and so forth, letting brilliant minds converge to shape a brighter future with shared progress.

Industry leaders share insights in Global Leadership Special Feature
In the session of “Global Leadership Special Feature: Hospitality, Aviation, Technology, and the Way Forward for Tourism”, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of Trip. Com Group Ltd., James Liang, shared about “Forecasts for Tourism Trends in a Post-Pandemic World”; Chairman of World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and President and CEO of Hilton Worldwide Holdings Ltd., Christopher Nassetta, presented “Paving Way towards a More Resilient Sector through the Rebuilding of Consumer Confidence & Safety”; Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Airports, Paul Griffiths, presented “Air Travel in the ‘New Normal’: Boosting International Coordination and Harmonization of Protocols”; Senior Executive Vice President of Tencent and Chairman of Tencent Music Entertainment, Dowson Tong, shared about “Leveraging Digital Technology to Enhance the Travel Experience”; Chairman of Fosun International, Guo Guangchang, shared about “More Active, More Positive: Innovation and Opportunities for Tourism Industry Under the ‘New Normal’”; Honorary Chairman of GTEF and Vice Chairman of Global Tourism Economy Research Centre, Michael Frenzel, shared about “Championing Global Cooperation and Entrepreneurship to Stimulate Market Vitality”.

UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC) presented their joint report of UNWTO/GTERC Asia Tourism Trends – 2020 Edition. Delivered by UNWTO Executive Director Zhu Shanzhong, the publication not only analyzes the latest tourism trends and outlook in Asia-Pacific but also unveils how countries in Asia have adopted various measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and stimulate economic recovery, including a special case study on Macao. The report also highlights the significance of tourism and community development and points to the potential of rural tourism.

The report points out that the COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented impact upon the tourism industry around the world in 2020, bringing both domestic and international travel to a standstill from March onwards. In the first half of 2020, international tourist arrivals plunged 65% while international arrivals in Asia and the Pacific dropped by 72%. Europe recorded a decline of 66%, followed by the Americas (-55%) as well as Africa and the Middle East (both -57%).

PATA & GTEF Partnership Session
The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and GTEF teamed up to explore the “Best Practices under the ‘New Normal’ through Consumer Sentiment Analysis” and share prominent cases that drove the recovery of the global tourism economy from across the Asia-Pacific region. During this session, PATA introduced the best practices collected by its established Crisis Resource Centre (CRC) from the private sector and Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), showcasing optimal crisis communication plans and strategies to support small and medium-sized enterprises, tour operators, and hospitality businesses to achieve sustainable business renewal. Moderated by Former Chief Operating Officer of PATA, Trevor Weltman, the session led an insightful discussion joined by Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TCI Research, Olivier Henry-Biabaud, and Chief Executive Officer of Ivy Alliance Tourism Consulting, Wang Xinjun.

Leadership Special Interviews
This year, GTEF invited renowned entrepreneurs in the industry to share their perspectives in a series of interviews conducted by star anchors. In the “Greater Bay Area Leadership Special Interview Series”, Producer and Host of Phoenix TV and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Carol Yu; Senior Host at China Global Television Network (CGTN), Liu Xin; and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of UNWTO and Founder & President of ANITA MENDIRATTA & ASSOCIATES, Anita Mendiratta, conducted a range of interviews respectively with leaders of six major integrated resorts in Macao, who shared about their endeavors to foster Macao’s development into a world centre of tourism and leisure as well as the adjustments made to their business operations to alleviate the impact of the pandemic. In the “Asia Leadership Special Interview Series”, decision makers of renowned enterprises in Asia were interviewed about “Sustainability, Heritage Preservation, and Rebuilding Tourism under the New Normal”, “Growth and Customer Experience Strategies to Meet the New Consumer Demand” and “China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable Feature”.

Special Session: Solidarity to Reshape the Tourism Economy
Moderated by Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of GTEF, Pansy Ho, the “Special Session: Solidarity to Reshape the Tourism Economy” featured a discussion joined by leaders of international tourism organizations and the industry, exploring in depth how the global tourism industry and trade have risen to the latest challenges while shedding light on the opportunities available as the tourism industry restarts and reinvents. With an eye to the dynamic megatrends that are shaping the future of tourism, the speakers also shared their insights, predictions and advices as the global tourism economy heads into “the next normal.” The speakers include Secretary-General of International Mountain Tourism Alliance (IMTA), He Yafei; Secretary-General of World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), Chen Dong; Secretary-General of World Tourism Alliance (WTA), Liu Shijun; Executive Director of European Travel Commission and Honorary Vice Chairman of GTEF, Eduardo Santander; Chief Executive Officer of PATA, Mario Hardy; and Chairman of China Chamber of Tourism (CCT), Ji Xiaodong.

Organize the Forum and business matching via technology and innovative platform
The Forum gathered delegates from worldwide in the innovative online format through collaboration once again with Tencent Cloud, the cloud business under Tencent, to further extend the influence of GTEF and demonstrate Macao’s comprehensive capacity to organize international conventions. GTEF’s annual highlight, the Business Matching Session, will be held online on 10 and 11 December. Hosted by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), the session debuts its one-stop online business matching platform that enables business introduction, matchmaking, appointment making and meeting online, allowing Macao enterprises to “go global”. This year, the business matching session has lined up over 280 tourism enterprises from across the globe for over 2,000 business appointments as estimated.

9th GTEF smoothly held
In her thank you remarks, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of GTEF, Pansy Ho, expressed, “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who participated in the Global Tourism Economy Forum both onsite in Macao and virtually online, which reached more than 50 regions around the world and with more than 420,000 views. Despite facing many challenges, we rose to the occasion, just like our theme this year, in solidarity and with innovation, to overcome the obstacles. We were able to break the boundaries of time and geography through the use of technology to truly connect globally. I am extremely grateful for the Chief Executive, Mr. Ho Iat Seng and GTEF Chairman, Mr. Ho Hau Wah for entrusting me to host this year’s GTEF under such unprecedented circumstances. I am deeply thankful to all guests of honor, speakers, and hosts who joined us from all different time zones, many of whom in the early hours of the morning. Lastly, I deeply believe all of you would agree with me that we want to travel again! Hence, I sincerely invite all of you to join me in Macao next year for our very special 10th anniversary edition of the Global Tourism Economy Forum 2021 with our Partner Country Italy, and Featured Chinese City, Shanghai.”

GTEF 2021 presents Italy as Partner Country and Shanghai as Featured Chinese City
The Forum announced that Italy and Shanghai will be featured as Partner Country and Featured Chinese City respectively in the 10th GTEF in 2021. Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism of Italy, Lorenza Bonaccorsi, and Mayor of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, Gong Zheng, each delivered a presentation about their respective country and city.

About Global Tourism Economy Forum
The Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) is hosted by the Secretariat for Economy and Finance of the Macao SAR Government, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism (TCC) under the authorization of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC) and the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), and coordinated by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre (GTERC). GTEF’s supporting units include the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (ACFIC), the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), European Travel Commission (ETC), and the Macau Chinese Enterprise Association (MCEA).

Since its inception in 2012, GTEF has successfully established itself as an influential high-level cooperation platform to promote sustainable development in the global tourism industry with a focus on China. To date, GTEF had received more than 12,700 participants from 90 countries and regions, including delegations from 152 provinces and cities of Mainland China; and 600 internationally renowned speakers who are leaders in public, private, and academic fields. GTEF has continuously received consistent and wide amount of coverage from international press and media, valued up to USD $62 million.

Tbilisi, Georgia, December 14, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / UNWTO is moving ahead with plans to revise its strategic collaboration with the private sector. This follows up on the commitment made at 112th UNWTO Executive Council held in Tbilisi, Georgia, in September 2020.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

To advance a modernized legal basis for the UNWTO Affiliate Membership, which brings together more than 500 private entities, the “Working Group for the Reform of the UNWTO Affiliate Membership Legal Framework” met for the first time on 2 December 2020. This Working Group is composed of ministerial representatives and public authorities from Member countries across the world, including Argentina, Azerbaijan, China, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Egypt, Honduras, India, Iran, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Spain. Joining them were the Chair of the Board of Affiliate Members, Ms Ana Larrañaga, along with UNWTO experts.

Dated back from 2011, the existing legal regulation contains some outdated provisions that no longer serve today’s modern functioning of the Affiliate Member’s network. The proposed reform will modernize and streamline the procedures, including those of the governing bodies such as the Affiliate Members Plenary Session, as well as the processes for the admission of new members. It will also set up a Committee of Affiliate Members with more decision-making powers to help manage the Affiliate Members community more efficiently.

• Read all the latest UNWTO News and Announcements here.

Over the coming months, the Working Group will hold regular meetings to discuss and jointly develop an updated legal framework for the membership. Next to them, Affiliate Members with solid expertise in different topics will be invited to join as ‘’Observers’’ to provide their input and contribute to the discussions. It is expected that the new regulation will be finalized and presented for approval at the 24th UNWTO General Assembly, to be held in Morocco in 2021.

Bangkok, Thailand, December 14, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Top 25 Restaurants, published by Travelindex Media Group and the world’s first and only restaurant guide based on AI, is proud to announced it’s rankings and Top 25 Restaurant Awards for 2021. Almost half of the restaurants in the ranking are new.

Our team is working hard to be as accurate as possible, but these are unusual times, present exceptional challenges for our experts and even for our machine learning algorithm, which we had to adjust accordingly. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, experts were not able to visit and evaluate, in a fair and objective manner, all the restaurants.

All top restaurants in Bangkok have been hardly hit by the pandemic, which has led to some permanent restaurant closures. Out of respect for the chefs and owners whose primary concern this year has been survival rather than winning awards or improving ratings, we are releasing, the updated guide for 2021 based only on reviews from trusted publications and on direct feedback from culinary experts and foodies.

Please check Top 25 Restaurants Bangkok for updates, ranking and for venues that remain open.

See all the Top 25 Restaurants Award Winner here…

Berlin, Germany, December 11, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / At the ITB Virtual Convention on ITB.com, industry experts talked about how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted on sustainability efforts in the hotel trade, cruise industry and at destinations

At the year’s final session of the ITB Virtual Convention, leading industry experts discussed how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted on sustainability in tourism. On Thursday, 10 December 2020, from 12 midday to 1 p.m. CET – a panel moderated by Rika Jean-Francois, CSR commissioner for ITB Berlin, discussed ’COVID-19: a catalyst or pitfall for sustainability in tourism?’. During the coronavirus crisis, topics such as climate protection and environmental awareness in tourism have faded more and more into the background. Lucienne Damm, senior environmental manager TUI Cruises, Randy Durband, CEO Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Peter-Mario Kubsch, CEO Studiosus Reisen, and Julia Massey, vice president Global Sustainability, Kempinski Hotels, will discuss whether, after emerging from the pandemic, policymakers will drive sustainability issues again or focus primarily on an economic recovery. The speakers will also offer their views on whether as a result of domestic tourism, fewer flights, cruises and city breaks, more environmentally friendly travel will become more widespread anyway. Those attending the online session can also find out about the concrete sustainability plans that tour operators, destinations, cruise organisers and hotels can pursue in the future.

The session will be streamed live in English and will be available shortly afterwards to anyone interested as a video on demand.

With the ITB Virtual Convention, ITB has cemented its position as the virtual think tank for the international travel industry, and by providing live-streamed and on-demand sessions offers wide-ranging insights into and perspectives on the relevant tourism issues of our times. Decision-makers from the global B2B travel industry can also get daily industry news on ITB.com and network with each other over the ITB Travel Network. And with the Travel Hero Podcast, ITB invites industry personalities, dedicated newcomers and inspirational globetrotters to have their say live in the studio. A new series entitled ’300 seconds with…’ was launched recently, which gives travel experts precisely five minutes to highlight a topical issue.

With ITB Berlin NOW, which will take place from 9 to 12 March 2021, ITB is providing a virtual platform for the global B2B travel industry. Anytime. Anywhere.’, visitors can take advantage of many services, including networking, individual exhibitor information and industry news. Visitors can also follow live-streamed discussions with leading tourism experts at the ITB Berlin Convention taking place at the same time.

About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2021 will take place from Tuesday, 9 to Friday 12 March as an entirely virtual event and be open to trade visitors only. ITB Berlin is the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. In 2019 a total of 10,000 exhibitors from 181 countries displayed their products and services to 160,000 visitors, including 113,500 trade visitors. As part of the virtual ITB Berlin the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest travel industry event of its kind, will also take place as a virtual event.

Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles, December 10, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Presidential candidate of One Seychelles political party in the just concluded elections held in October 2020 and Former Tourism Minister, Alain St. Ange, has been praised for his immense contribution to the tourism industry and the Republic of Seychelles following his retirement from politics.

Editor and TV producer, Bea Broda while extolling the erstwhile minister for his outstanding performance in the sector said: “I have found Alain St.Ange to be incredibly beneficial to the global tourism industry with his outlook both towards tourism and also to what makes a country run peacefully and advantageous for all. While he is retiring from pursuing politics, it is admirable that he undertook the establishment of a party with excellent objectives, and I know we will see him emerge again as a positive force in tourism.”

According to beabroda.com, the National Executive Committee of the ONE SEYCHELLES political party on Saturday 5th December hosted a small gathering, where it was confirmed that the President of the Party and its 2020 Presidential Candidate, namely Alain St.Ange, was stepping down officially from his role.

Alain St.Ange stated, “It was, and remains, an honour to have been chosen to represent the ONE SEYCHELLES political party as your Presidential candidate, and a privilege to have worked tirelessly by your sides over the course of the past two years as the Party President to advance our common goals and to give voice to the vulnerable members of society who have steadfastly and relentlessly been oppressed, silenced and marginalized.

The causes we have been championing and the values we have sought to uphold and defend are just as important today as they were when we embarked jointly upon this journey.

“My decision to step down is twofold. When I accepted my nomination initially to represent the Party, I made it widely known that I would only be in a position to do one term, on account of my age. I gave it my best, and Seychelles made its choice. In five more years, the present Government and its performance will be vetted by the citizens of Seychelles, and they will have the opportunity to choose once more. It is my sincere hope that ONE SEYCHELLES will be participating in the upcoming elections with fresh, young and capable candidates ready to take the helm.

The groundwork has been done, and I have every confidence that the momentum will continue to build over the course of the next five years.

“My second reason for stepping down is that my role in politics would conflict heavily with any advancement in my career within the field of tourism.

I am in the process of exploring some avenues, and I am excited by the prospect of flying the Seychelles flag in some capacity on the global stage soon.

“I today take this opportunity, as I humbly bow out, to say thank you to my family and friends who stood by me in these challenging times and for their uncompromising support. I also wish to thank all those who believed in me, believed in us as a Party, and who pledged their support to us in the last elections. If you never try, you’ll never know. Life is too short for what-ifs. I have tried, and though I did not succeed in leading the Country, I hope that I have succeeded in planting a seed. It is my greatest wish that others will feel inspired to participate actively in our young democracy and, when necessary, to go against the grain; to actively do something to effect the changes we seek instead of merely complaining about the system and watching things unravel from the sidelines.”

Peter Sinon, the Secretary General of the ONE SEYCHELLES political party, thanked Alain St.Ange for his hard work, conviction, dedication and passion for the cause.

He shared several anecdotes of their experiences on the campaign trail over the past two years, noting that Mr. St.Ange was always in his element when meeting new people and interacting with others.

He acknowledged Mr. St.Ange’s genuine concern for the people of Seychelles and their shared passion to empower Seychellois. He acknowledged the wealth of experience and expertise that Mr St.Ange brought to the table as a technocrat within the field of tourism.

Mr. Sinon, who will be acting as the Party President until the January 2021 Party convention, stated that the Republic proved a month ago that they were ready for a change.

However, the jury is still out on whether the new Government that has been elected is capable of bringing the change that has been promised, or whether it is a sad state of “change for the sake of change”.

He stated, “What we are seeing today, a month after the pivotal National elections, is that the issues affecting the poor and vulnerable members of society are still not being prioritized. They are disproportionately feeling the crushing weight of the ever-increasing costs of living.

“Many had hoped for innovative ideas to re-build and strengthen our economy and our key industries, but so far we are only witnessing continued publicised courtesy calls by Ministers to relevant departments weeks after coming into higher office. The stakes have never been higher, and Seychelles urgently needs proactive and strong leadership as opposed to a mere shuffling of power.”

Mr. Sinon gave a heartfelt thanks to all National Assembly candidates who bravely tossed their hats into the ring for the last elections. He acknowledged their courage and determination to do what is right, and not what was easy. Their dedication, conviction and integrity were commended. Mr. Sinon urged them to keep striving and working to bring about the real change that Seychellois deserve.

Geneva, Switzerland, December 11, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought economic and social disruption worldwide. As people and businesses focus on recovery, governments must ensure that innovation which will power economic growth and solve the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges is not held back by outdated regulations.

Speaking at a panel organized by the World Economic Forum and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ministers from Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom announced their plan to lead the world in fostering responsible innovation and entrepreneurship. The Agile Nations Charter sets out each country’s commitment to creating a regulatory environment in which new ideas can thrive.

In a world first, the agreement paves the way for the nations to cooperate in helping innovators navigate each country’s rules, test new ideas with regulators and scale them across the seven markets. Priority areas for cooperation include the green economy, mobility, data, financial and professional services, and medical diagnosis and treatment.

The collaboration is a result of the World Economic Forum’s project on Agile Regulation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which supports regulators around the globe respond to technological innovation. In conjunction with this project:

• The World Economic Forum published its guide to better regulation of emerging technologies, developed in partnership with the Global Future Council on Agile Governance
• The OECD launched the development of principles on effective and innovation-friendly rule-making in the Fourth Industrial Revolution for its 37 member states, to be adopted in 2021

“Too often, rules and laws are designed with the past in mind,” said Murat Sönmez, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “Our Centres for the Fourth Industrial Revolution help governments, businesses and citizens co-design for the future – enabling the innovation that will be needed to create jobs, maintain competitiveness and ensure resilience to shocks. We’re excited to work with the new Agile Nations network.”

“Against a backdrop of a once-in-a-century global health and economic crisis, governments need to undertake a paradigm shift in their rule-making activities,” said Jeffrey Schlagenhauf, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD. “To help governments navigate the challenges and develop more agile approaches to the regulatory governance of innovation, the OECD is developing principles on effective and innovation-friendly rulemaking in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Agile Nations network is an extremely timely initiative to truly foster international regulatory cooperation for better, innovation-friendly and up-to-date regulations worldwide.”

“The UK has a proud history of entrepreneurship and discovery, but it is only by working together internationally that we can truly unleash the incredible potential of new technology,” said Martin Callanan, Business Minister, United Kingdom. “The Agile Nations will boost collaboration to remove regulatory barriers, ensuring innovators and entrepreneurs can market and scale their innovations across all seven nations involved, and I urge other countries to join this important initiative.”

“Canada’s endorsement of the Agile Nations agreement demonstrates our commitment to creating a regulatory environment where innovation can flourish and our respective businesses can be more efficient and competitive globally,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board of Canada. “Canada is ready to play its part in sharing ideas and best practices on agile regulation.”

“As an international company, Siemens has always supported cross-border collaboration,” said Torsten Ende, Head of Government Affairs, Siemens. “Cross-border collaboration of regulators is the best way to avoid unnecessary divergence that could hamper innovation and to ensure future-oriented cooperation and technology with purpose. The proposed Agile Nations network, which fosters cooperation on rule-making, is a great step in the right direction.”

“Regulatory agility, strong business-government partnerships and constructive international regulatory co-operation are key in enabling innovation and helping businesses to emerge stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Low Yen Ling, Minister of Trade and Industry, Singapore. “Singapore looks forward to working closely with the Agile Nations network to strengthen collaboration in agile regulation to enable businesses and emerging innovations to rapidly scale up, offer new solutions and drive greater growth.”

“We fully support this Agile Nations network as an initiative to promote international cooperation regarding the concept of ‘governance innovation’ agreed at the 2019 G20 Ministerial Meeting held in Japan. We are happy to share our experiences and knowledge about innovative governance, including projects of the Digital Architecture Design Centre established this year,” said Kouichi Munekiyo, Parliamentary Vice-Minister, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.

“IBM is pleased to support the Agile Nations initiative,” said Christopher Padilla, Vice-President, Government and Regulatory Affairs, IBM. “Even as new breakthroughs in technology are creating immense opportunities and improving economic and social well-being, these innovations are challenging traditional models of regulation. Promoting agile governance is a key mechanism for ensuring we reap technology’s benefits while mitigating risks. The Agile Nations Charter is an important step in fostering the international cooperation necessary to delivering on the promises of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

“The creation of the Agile Nations network is a welcome development for technology innovators,” said Diana Paredes, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Suade Labs. “Regulation that is designed for the past and a lack of coordination between regulators is particularly burdensome for innovative start-ups and SMEs. We are excited about this initiative and hopeful that it will encourage diversity and creativity from a wide range of innovators in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”

“Sperimentazione Italia (Italy Experimentation) allows companies, universities and research institutions to experiment with frontier innovations so that disruptive innovations’ opportunities are not missed. The time is ready to extend and apply the testing of ‘agile regulation’ within the international cooperation among countries,” said Paola Pisano, Minister of Technological Innovation, Italy.

“Facebook welcomes the ‘Agile Nations’ initiative and the commitment to foster cooperation on innovative regulatory practices. We agree with the need for more agile governance of emerging technologies as a collaborative approach involving governments, academia, civil society and industry. To complement this initiative, we will be launching a cross-cutting call for research proposals on different methodological approaches to rulemaking,” said Markus Reinisch, VP, Public Policy EMEA, Facebook.

“The UAE government is proud to endorse the Agile Nations network, which would help adopt agile governance and innovation to build strong, capable and resilient governments, and enable them to tackle future challenges with proactive solutions,” said Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, United Arab Emirates.

“New technologies can accelerate the transition to a more green and sustainable society,” said Katrine Winding, Director-General, Danish Business Authority. “However, regulatory and other barriers currently prevent start-ups and innovative SMEs in particular from bringing their ideas to market. Through innovation-friendly regulation we will support the testing and development of new solutions, ensure equal competition and protect our citizens and the environment. This is no simple task. Denmark looks forward to addressing key challenges through the Agile Nations network.”