Category: Latest Travel News

Abu Dhabi (UAE) – January 1, 2020 (travelindex.com) – Historic project dubbed the “Abrahamic Family House” to be completed by 2022 A new UAE’s landmark, featuring a church, mosque and synagogue, will be built in one location in Abu Dhabi.

The unique and historic project dubbed the “Abrahamic Family House”, which is currently in the first steps of implementation, will take three years to be completed and opened in 2022.

The Abrahamic Family House is among the first projects of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, which was reviewed at its second meeting held at the New York Public Library in which the Committee shared with stakeholders their mission to progress a culture of mutual respect and dialogue across all backgrounds, beliefs and nationalities.

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and several top Emirati officials, and representatives of several institutions and partners were present.

The meeting coincides with the beginning of the 74th United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

The new body is empowered to provide guidance and counsel on realising the goals of the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” signed by His Holiness, Pope Francis of the Catholic Church, and His Eminence Dr. Ahmad Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif, in Abu Dhabi, during the Papal visit in February this year.

Following the Higher Committee’s inaugural meeting at the Vatican earlier this month, the New York gathering was the second time the Higher Committee has met in two weeks.

One of the first projects the Higher Committee will help guide is the Abrahamic Family House, to be located on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. A reflection of the Document on Human Fraternity, a church, mosque and synagogue will share a collective space for the first time, serving as a community for inter-religious dialogue and exchange, and nurturing the values of peaceful co-existence and acceptance among different beliefs, nationalities and cultures.

The design of the Abrahamic Family House, by the award-winning and globally-renowned architect, Sir David Adjaye OBE, was unveiled at the New York event.

Reflecting on this historic initiative, His Eminence Elect Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Higher Committee member, said, “This endeavour is a profoundly moving moment for humanity. Although sadly, evil, hatred and division often make news, there is a hidden sea of goodness that is growing and leads us to hope in dialogue, reciprocal knowledge and the possibility of building, together with the followers of other religions and all men and women of goodwill, a world of fraternity and peace. I would like to thank the UAE for the concrete commitment shown on behalf of human fraternity.”

Commenting on the occasion, Judge Mohammad Mahmoud Abdul Salam, Higher Committee member and Former Advisor to the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif, remarked, “The formation of the Committee has come at an important time and has required all peace lovers to unite and join the efforts to spread coexistence, brotherhood, and tolerance throughout the world. I am moved by this energy and determination to spread the principles of the Document on Human Fraternity to achieve security, coexistence, and peace for everyone. I was amazed by the mutual humanity concerns that both His Holiness Pope Francis of the Catholic Church and His Eminence Dr. Ahmad Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif, shared when they met last February; they were determined to achieve happiness for all humanity no matter the religion or nationality.”

Rabbi M. Bruce Lustig, Senior Rabbi at Washington Hebrew Congregation and a Higher Committee member, said, “This is an important opportunity for all who believe in the power of faith and humanity. It will help build bridges between religious leaders and communities as well as foster peace and harmony in an era that is too often defined by difference. I am honoured to be part of such an esteemed group working to champion love over hate, justice over injustice, and faith over fear.”

Sir David Adjaye, Founder and Principal of Adjaye Associates, stated, “I am humbled and honoured that our design has been selected. I believe architecture should work to enshrine the kind of world we want to live in, a world of tolerance, openness, and constant advancement. We hope we have set out a plan for a beautiful and thought-provoking space that celebrates the three faiths. The space will be open to the world, and our hope is that through these buildings people of all faiths and from across society can learn and engage in a mission of peaceful coexistence for generations to come.”

Leshan, Sichuan (China) – January 2, 2020 (travelindex.com) – The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is set to organise PATA Travel Mart 2020 in Leshan, Sichuan, China from September 3-6. The event will be hosted by the Leshan Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau.

“We are delighted to be returning to Leshan, Sichuan, China for PATA Travel Mart 2020, having previously worked closely with our various partners to organise the PATA Annual Summit 2015, as well as the annual Emei Global Summit,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy. “With its rich culture and beautiful natural landscapes, tt is the perfect setting for people to access decision makers, meet new clients, expand their networks, establish new relationships and consolidate existing business partnerships, and I would like to welcome members and non-members to join us at this very special destination.”

Leshan is a prefecture-level city located at the confluence of the Dadu and Min rivers in the Sichuan Province of China The city is located on the south-western fringe of the Red Basin in southern Sichuan, about 120 km (75 miles) from Chengdu.

Leshan is one of the most mature tourist destinations in Sichuan and even China. It annually receives over 25 million visitors. The Leshan Giant Buddha of Mount Emei, a Cultural, Heritage and National 5A tourist attraction, draws worldwide attention due to its profound influence on Buddhist culture and is surrounded by a unique natural landscape. Leshan City is a paradise for leisure and holiday. Other leisure activities in the area include hot springs, skiing and rural tourism.

Travellers can connect to Leshan via Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, then land transfer by car, bus or by speed train from the airport to Leshan city. It takes approximately one hour and thirty minutes by car or bus, and forty minutes by speed train.

For more information or to register for PATA Travel Mart, please email PTM@PATA.org.

About PATA
Founded in 1951, 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 800 member organisations, including 95 government, state and city tourism bodies, 20 international airlines and airports, 102 hospitality organisations and 70 educational institutions, as well as over 4,000 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 35 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 22 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.

Bangkok (Thailand) – January 3, 2020 (travelindex.com) – Minor International (MINT) has announced that through its subsidiary NH Hotel Group (NHH) it will operate a unique portfolio of eight high-end hotels with a total of 1,115 rooms in prime locations in Europe – in Italy, France, Czech Republic and Hungary. NHH will lease the hotels from Covivio, a leading European real estate investor. The hotels will be rebranded to MINT and NHH’s hotel brands, including Anantara and NH Collection, following an extensive repositioning work programme to be pursued by Covivio in all the properties in the coming months.

The hotels, formerly the prestigious Boscolo portfolio, consists of six iconic properties, including Palazzo Naiadi in Rome, Italy; The Carlo IV in Prague, Czech Republic; Hotel Plaza in Nice, France; The NY Palace and The NY Residence in Budapest, Hungary; and Grand Hotel Dei Dogi in Venice, Italy; and two premium hotels in Italy, namely Bellini Hotel in Venice and Palazzo Gaddi in Florence.

After the acquisition by Covivio of the eight hotels, NHH will operate this high-end hotel portfolio under a long-term sustainable lease contract. The closing of the transaction is expected to be fully complete by the end of the first half of 2020. The handover of the hotels will take place at the same time of the closing, except for the hotels in Florence and Nice, which are currently under a full refurbishment, and expected to be completed by June 2020 and January 2021 respectively.

“MINT and NHH have been leveraging on both parties’ strengths for cross-expansion”, said Mr. Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of MINT and CEO of Minor Hotels. “We are very excited about the potential of the Anantara brand in Europe. Anantara’s brand strength, coupled with NHH’s strong relationship with real estate investors has enabled us to expand our luxury hotel portfolio in Europe at a much faster pace. Following the launch of Anantara Villa Padierna Palace in Spain in July and the signing in October of a hotel in Dublin, Ireland, to be rebranded to Anantara in 2020, this strategic transaction will notably strengthen the presence of our luxury Anantara brand in key privileged destinations in Europe.”

About Minor Hotels
Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator and investor currently with 536 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, M Collection, NH Collection, NH, nhow, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Radisson Blu and Minor International properties, Minor Hotels operates in 55 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.

Victoria, Mahé (Seychelles) – January 5, 2020 (travelindex.com) – Welcome to 2020! A new year with new challenges for Seychelles and for the world of tourism as a whole. Firstly 2020 will see Seychelles cruise into election mode from very early as the Political Parties will launch their campaign for the coming Presidential elections. Indications are for an end August or early September elections to ensure that all is done before the end of the current mandate of the sitting President.

The recent shark attack that took place on Praslin island as a visitor was enjoying an early evening swim has made news headlines right around the world; a sad and rare shark attack resulted in her arm being amputated. Nature comes with its own challenges, but seeing a shark so close to the beach shows that either the shark population is increasing, or that potentially overfishing has resulted in reduced food stock for our larger predators, brining them coming closer to shore for their meals

Our experts are no doubt discussing the incident and analysing the cause for what happened, but one thing we can do and should be doing, is ensuring positive news about Seychelles, its key USPs and new attractions are given greater visibility, especially when an incident occurs that challenges the status quo.

On their part Mauritius was forced to halt air traffic as cyclone Calvinia was approaching as was announced during the last days of 2019. This affected Flights from Mauritius’ main airport to Rodrigues, and all flights into and out of the island following the closure of the international airport. Tropical cyclone Calvinia passed the island with wind speeds of between 111 and 129 miles per hour, making it a category 3 cyclone.

For Madagascar it was being discussed that Air Madagascar had reportedly lost the interlining agreement with Air Mauritius.

Air Seychelles continues to suffer with passengers connecting through Mauritius enroute to Reunion as they cannot check-in their luggage all the way through and need to complete immigration and custom formalities in Mauritius and then recheck in again for an Air Austral onward flight. Three Vanilla Islands still cannot cooperate to promote two or three island combination is a real let down to the region’s tourism industry.

The second challenge for the tourism industry as a whole is the recent escalation of tension in the Middle East and the GCC region where the military head of Iran lost his life. Seychelles like many tourism dependent countries have important airlift stock form and through that region that connects them and us to major tourism source markets. We can all pray that the situation does not escalate further. Oil prices are already going up and may be the start of trying moments for everyone.

“Nothing pleases me more than the tide of change and awareness of our footprint on the environment” – Denis Private Island in Seychelles leads the way

Denis Private Island in the Seychelles has always been our favourite place in the world; in part due to its spectacular beauty and unique luxury that cannot be recreated anywhere else in the world, but also because of its core values around conservation and sustainability. I was beyond exited to see their latest initiative to hashtag#saveaturtle hashtag#noplasticstraws hashtag#strawssuck

Denis Island is a living, breathing island community, for those who believe giving back to nature is the only way to receive its bounty in return.”

Seychelles Tourism Board staff movement for 2020

The Seychelles Tourism Board’s Management and Board would like to inform all its partners and stakeholders of the following staff movement to be effective January 1, 2020.

In line with the STB’s mandate to promote the destination and in views of increasing the effectiveness of its operations, the following overseas rotations and appointments are to be noted;

Mrs. Lena Hoareau will be stationed in the STB Office in Paris, as the new director for Russia, CIS & Eastern European markets, Mrs. Hoareau moves from the STB office in South Africa where she has been in post since July 2015.

Moving to STB Office based UK; Ms. Karen Confait will replace Ms. Christine Vel, for the UK, Ireland and Scandinavian markets while Ms. Vel will be taking on the South Africa and Other Africa markets after being posted in the UK for the past 2 years.

Effective April 2020, the STB office in Germany, Austria and Switzerland will see the departure of its current Director Mrs. Edith Hunzinger, who is retiring from her 12-years position on that market. Mrs. Hunzinger will be replaced by Ms. Josephine Damrow as Director for the German and Austrian markets and Ms. Judeline Edmond for the Swiss Market.

Ms. Judeline Edmond has been appointed as Director for Switzerland will be based in the STB Paris office. Ms. Edmond’s was formerly a Sales and Marketing Manager at Crown and Champa Resorts in Maldives.

Ending her service with the STB, Ms. Aliette Esther will be leaving the position she has been occupying for the past 8 years as the Tourism Attaché at the STB Abu Dhabi office. The Abu Dhabi territory will now be added to the Middle East portfolio overseen by Ms. Stephanie Lablache based at the STB Headquarters in Seychelles.

Bangkok (Thailand) – January 6, 2020 (travelindex.com) – The 2nd Asia Destination Film Forum recognizes the best in visual storytelling with the Asia Destination Film Awards 2020. The Destination Film Forum 2020 is calling for submissions for the Asia Destination Film Awards 2020. Hosted in Bangkok on 30 January 2020, the 2020 Asia Destination Film Awards will follow the 2nd Asia Destination Film Forum celebrating sustainable tourism promotion via visual storytelling featuring producers of award-winning films including “The Cave”, “The Last Reel”, “The Eagle Huntress”, and Netflix series “The Stranded”, as well as case studies from South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, and Mongolia.

The submissions to the 2020 Asia Destination Film Awards are free of charge and open until 15 January 2020 in five categories:

a. Tourism Board Category (Public Sector)
b. Travel Industry Category (Private Sector)
c. User-Generated Content Category (Video Bloggers)
d. Professional Film Makers Category (Documentaries & Feature Films)
e. Sustainable Travel Category (Special Recognition)

Any film, which directly or indirectly promotes tourism to a destination, can participate. The submission link can be found on the Forum’s website at

Submissions will be shortlisted, and selected films will be screened at the Asia Destination Film Forum in Bangkok on 30 January 2020. The Awards will take place on the same day, followed by the Film Festival BBQ Party.

More information about the event is available at

For more information, please contact:
Gerrit Kruger
Managing Director, Chameleon Strategies
E: gerrit@chameleonstrategies.com
T: +66 (0) 20 38 5070
M: +66 (0) 80 777 0877

Kuredhivaru (Maldives) – December 30, 2019 (travelindex.com) – To ensure smooth operation of the domestic transfer the resort has partnered with Maldivian, the national airline of the Maldives. Domestic transfers will be available from 15^th December 2019, from Velana International Airport to Maafaru International Airport, followed by a short speedboat ride to Movenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives. Maldivian has scheduled 06 daily flights to Manafaru International Airport.

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The newly developed airport boasts a 2200-meter-long runway and is 40 meters wide with a state-of-the-art terminal with a VIP lounge. It can accommodate large aircraft such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

With the introduction of new transfer option to Mӧvenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives, guests have now two option to reach our resort – via shared seaplane transfer or by domestic transfer.

SEAPLANE
Mӧvenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives is a 45-minute seaplane journey from Velana International Airport.

Please note that seaplanes only operate during daylight hours. Guests arriving after 3:30 pm will be transported to the resort the next day via seaplane or will have an alternative option to take the domestic transfer option.

Roundtrip transfers are priced at USD 590 per person and USD 360 per child up to 11 years old. (inclusive of government service tax)

DOMESTIC FLIGHT
For an alternative option, guests can take a 40-minute domestic flight from Velana International Airport to the newly opened Manafaru International Airport, followed by a 15-minute speedboat transfer to Mӧvenpick Resort Kuredhivaru Maldives. Domestic transfers also operate during the evening giving those guests reaching later in the afternoon an option to reach to the island on the same day

Roundtrip transfers are priced at USD 395 per person and USD 300 per child up to 11 years old. (inclusive of government service tax).

About Mövenpick
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts makes moments by doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way. Providing an upscale, relaxed and uncomplicated guest experience, Mövenpick recognises that small gestures make a big difference. Whether it is chocolate hour every afternoon, customised sleep technology to ensure a restful night or specially created fun and healthy kids’ menus, Mövenpick creates a human and warm environment for guests, business partners and employees. Committed to sustainable practices and caring for its local communities, Mövenpick is the most Green Globe certified hotel brand in the world. Founded in Switzerland in 1973, but with a heritage of food and beverage excellence stretching back to the 1940s, Mövenpick holds a growing portfolio of more than 90 hotels in 25 countries. Mövenpick is part of Accor, a world-leading augmented hospitality group offering unique experiences in 4,900 hotels and residences across 110 countries.

Victoria, Mahé (Seychelles) – December 30, 2019 – As 2019 draws to a close, the hardships that the year has brought and Seychellois have endured cannot be overlooked. On my campaign trails I have seen much suffering which would open the eyes of many to the glaring disparity between the haves and the have-nots in Seychelles, including a struggling mother sharing a tin of old sardines with her children. As the saga between the Legislative and Executive continues to be dragged out and point-scoring is rampant, this poor woman continues to stress about feeding her children, and her basic needs are not being met. There is so much more that can be done for families such as this, so much more that is owed to her.

This new year is bringing with it a chance for us to give Seychelles a renewed purpose, and a real change.

As President of the One Seychelles Party, I would sincerely like to express my heartfelt thanks to all party members, supporters and also the citizens of this beautiful country who are steadfastly working towards a brighter future for our children and grandchildren. I would like to thank you all for your support, inspiring devotion, perseverance, determination and commitment.

Despite the many challenges that come with being the Third Force which dares to stand up against two well-funded parties, we will persevere in the fight to make Seychelles the One Seychelles that we need it to be.

Let us take a moment to reflect on the state of our nation, the state of our health and education systems, on law and order, our various economic sectors as well as the decisions that our present leaders are taking. Are these decisions the right ones for the people of Seychelles? Are we creating the future that we desperately need? Do we still want to keep living on false hopes and promises?

To those who are frustrated and have had enough with waiting for housing assistance, to single parents who are seeking assistance and are being refused, to all those earning below the stated poverty line and to those who are trying to make ends meet while some are benefiting from the same State resources with big salaries, is this what you want for the coming years?

Each citizen of this country has an important role to play in the Nation’s progress. We deserve to have a rightful place in the centre of the country’s development and future plans.

Together, we are One Seychelles and Seychelles needs each one of us to restore unity, prosperity and harmony within its communities.

There is a need for us to reinforce law and order, peace and security for both our people and visitors to our shores. It is time to adopt measures to legalise medicinal marijuana, to ensure an incorruptible and truly independent judiciary by making them financially autonomous, to bolster Seychellois workers by ending preferential treatment of foreign workers over them, to put an end to monopolies which are crippling upcoming businesspeople, and discuss social issues that are truly affecting our society and are creating a negative impact on our economy.

The time has come to quit talking and debating, and to start taking real actions to address these issues and protect our economy. On behalf of the One Seychelles Party, I would like to reaffirm that we will keep on striving to bring the changes we need and that the People have been begging for for years.

We ask all those who want to see poverty alleviation become a reality, prosperity, peace, a reduction in the cost of living, modernised education and health systems, a defined action plan on how to tackle the social ills affecting our communities, join us and together let us make these goals a reality.

I pray that this festive season will be a time where we do reflect and make good decisions for our people, our children, our struggling elderly citizens, our unemployed youths, our under appreciated workforce and the future generations.

For those of you who are suffering, I pray that you will not give up hope. I pray that you will be given courage, strength and perseverance to see you through the coming year, which promises increased taxes and higher costs of living.

I wish all our members and supporters as well as the people of Seychelles a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Let it be the year of change.

Bangkok (Thailand) – December 28, 2019 (travelindex.com) – As vivid blue seas, glistening golden temples, and flavorful dishes continue to draw tourists to the exotic, culture-rich paradise that is Thailand, these recent years have seen the country emerge as a global beauty and medical tourism hub. World-famous shopping and nightlife destination Bangkok, in particular, is known for its JCI-standard hospitals and cost-efficient clinics offering state-of-the-art cosmetic procedures by internationally trained physicians. A report by the Global Wellness Institute stated that in 2017, Thailand had the 2nd highest number of inbound international wellness travellers in the Asia-Pacific region, and ranked 13th on the list of the Top Twenty Wellness Tourism Markets Worldwide.

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the country received approximately 3.42 million visitors for health and wellness, generating an estimated income of USD 4.6 billion in 2018. The main source markets are Myanmar, Lao PDR., Cambodia, Vietnam, China, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Australia and New Zealand, with an average length of stay of 10-14 days. “Although there is fierce competition in the health and wellness (tourism) sector, Thailand is still a popular destination due to the high quality of our products, services and facilities, as well as other factors; such as, value for money, personalised care and good holiday opportunities for family members,” said Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, Deputy Governor for Europe Africa Middle East and the Americas of the Tourism Authority of Thailand,in August 2019.

According to figures reported in The Nation in 2017, Thailand attracts over half a million medical tourists annually from Southeast Asian countries alone. Some experts believe that even if international demands decline, the well-to-do population of neighboring countries with less advanced medical technology such as Myanmar will continue to seek healthcare and beauty procedures in Thailand. As luxury travellers are seeking for personalization and intimacy, healthcare giants such as Bumrungrad International Hospital are no longer the only preferred providers for medical tourists, especially in the aesthetic medicine sector. What does this mean for boutique clinics and smaller, private-owned medical centers? Opportunity.

Niche clinics with highly accessible locations like dermatological laser specialist Dr.TATTOF have noticed an influx of patients from the Middle East and Asia including Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV), who make reservations mostly for SculpSure, a non-surgical liposuction that removes up to 24% of stubborn fat in one area after one treatment. Tourists who visit Thailand for a few months at a time also show interest in the clinic’s scar and tattoo removal procedures using PicoWay Resolve and PicoWay, which is what the Dr.TATTOF brand is known for amongst Thai people. The brand is working with a few select travel agents to reach more international patients, and have organized cross-cultural training for their staff in order to serve these patients better.

“Transparency, sincerity and service-mindedness is one of the most important values to have when working in the aesthetic medical industry,” said Pongsaya Trachunit, General Manager of the clinic chain. “Those traits coupled with good English skills and understanding of different cultural backgrounds will make clinics competitive in the international market. Since we are here to solve each patient’s unique problems, to help improve confidence and increase happiness, maintaining the highest standard of quality in every clinic is vital. By using only USFDA-cleared equipment, hiring experienced dermatologists, and intensively training every staff, we ensure that no matter which clinic of ours the patient visits, they receive the same level of service.”

As for the current trends in aesthetic medicine in Thailand, plastic surgery especially rhinoplasty is popular amongst teenagers coming of age and young adults of all genders and backgrounds. Health awareness is also increasing, and urbanized Thais are seeking different ways to not only improve their wellbeing but also their bikini bodies. For working-aged women, it is the usual concern of excess fat and sagging skin, especially after childbirth. Tummy tucks, mesotherapy, fat freezing, and laser treatments with no recovery time like SculpSure and Gentle-YAG Pro-U can effectively address these concerns which sometimes cannot be solved by healthy diet and exercise alone. The last method is surprisingly a common choice amongst those who are already active such as male bodybuilders and the less extreme, regular gym goers. Appearance matters, and the Thais seem to really know it.

In order to thrive in a saturated market like Bangkok, differentiating one’s business with strong branding and innovation is key. After Dr. Nattapong Jirurawong took over his father’s business, one of the oldest and most reputable skin clinics in Chonburi, he found a niche sub-group in Thailand—the demand for safe and effective tattoo removal—and formed the Dr.TATTOF brand, moving on to being the first medical provider in Thailand to treat patients with US-imported and FDA-approved PicoWay. Five clinics later, the dermatological laser specialist is now offering a new and improved treatment option for those with scars and stretch marks. MyCELL by Dr.TATTOF will be the first set of treatments in Southeast Asia to utilize autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in conjunction with PicoWay Resolve laser to completely heal scars and stretch marks nearly twice as fast as the usual method.

For more information on this new treatment, visit or call +66-99-614-2424

Bangkok (Thailand) – December 23, 2019 (travelindex.com) –Mom Luang Sarali Kitiyakara represented Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali Krom Muen Suddhanarinatha recently presided over the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, organised by Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel to thank the hotel’s loyal clients and friends. This ceremony welcomes the festive season following the traditional festivities for the past 36 years in this hotel.

This year also marks the 12th year that the Christmas Tree Charity Project has run here, in association with our media partners, Numéro Thailand and The Thailanders magazines, various sponsors and the celebrity artists who designed the trees. Each tree was designed under the theme “The Sustainable Christmas Trees”, depicting a tree which, when not in use for Christmas, can be recycled and used as a decorative piece or applied as small gifts afterwards. The best decorated Christmas tree, decided by a popular vote, was awarded to the tree of Kanokkun Co., Ltd. designed by Ingkawat Thanonthitiphat with the concept of “Sustainable Christmas Tree”. The winner went home with HRH Princess Soamsawali, the Princess Suddhanarinatha’s Trophy.

The Christmas Tree Charity Project showcases the creativity of a number of Thailand’s leading interior designers, architects, celebrities and lifestyle artists in decorating the Christmas trees commissioned by select luxury partners. The celebrity artists who have volunteered their time and effort, paired with the charitable corporate sponsors are: Cattleya Thuampratom with Citibank N.A., P49 Deesign & Associates with Dii Aesthetic Institute, Ingkawat Thanonthitiphat with Kanokkun Co., Ltd., Vasu Virajsilp with Italasia, and the corporate sponsors with trees designed by their in-house artists are : Wine Appreciation by VIOGNIER, Grandwork Interior (Thailand) Co., Ltd., and Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas.

The Christmas trees are displayed around Parichart Court, the open-air courtyard at the hotel until 4 January 2020. Proceeds from the funds raised from the sponsors’ donations will support the Friends in Need (of “PA”) Volunteers Foundation, Thai Red Cross.

Madrid (Spain) – December 24, 2019 (travelindex.com) – International tourist arrivals grew by a further 4% between January and September of 2019, the latest issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer indicates. Tourism’s growth continues to outpace global economic growth, bearing witness to its huge potential to deliver development opportunities across the world but also to its sustainability challenges.

Destinations worldwide received 1.1 billion international tourist arrivals in the first nine months of 2019 (up 43 million compared to the same period of 2018), according to the latest World Tourism Barometer from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in line with its forecast of 3-4% growth for this year.

The global economic slowdown, rising trade, geopolitical tensions and prolonged uncertainty around Brexit weighed on international tourism, which experienced a more moderate pace of growth during the summer peak season in the Northern Hemisphere (July-September).

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “As world leaders meet at the UN Climate Summit in Madrid to find concrete solutions to the climate emergency, the release of this latest World Tourism Barometer shows the growing power of tourism, a sector with the potential to drive the sustainability agenda forward. As tourist numbers continue to rise, the opportunities tourism can bring also rise, as do our sector’s responsibilities to people and planet.”

Tourism now world’s third largest export category

Generating USD 1.7 trillion in revenues as of 2018, international tourism remains the third largest export category behind fuels (USD 2.4 trillion) and chemicals (USD 2.2 trillion). Within advanced economies, tourism’s remarkable performance after years of sustained growth has narrowed the gap with automotive product exports.

International tourism accounts for 29% of the world’s services exports and 7% of overall exports. In some regions these proportions exceed the world average, especially the Middle East and Africa where tourism represents over 50% of services exports and about 9% of exports overall.

This highlights the importance of mainstreaming tourism in national export policies to broaden revenue streams, reduce trade deficits and ensure sustainable development on the long run.

The world’s top ten earners saw mixed results in international tourism receipts through September 2019, with Australia (+9%), Japan (+8%) and Italy (+7%) posting the highest growth, while China, the United Kingdom and the United States recorded declines. Mediterranean destinations were among the strongest performers in terms of earnings, both in Europe and the Middle East and North Africa region.

Regional performance

Growth in arrivals during the first nine months of 2019 was led by the Middle East (+9%), followed by Asia and the Pacific and Africa (both +5%), Europe (+3%) and the Americas (+2%):

Europe’s pace of growth slowed down to 3% in January-September this year, from double that rate last year, reflecting slower demand during the peak summer season in the world’s most visited region. While destinations in Southern Mediterranean (+5%) and Central Eastern Europe (+4%) led results, the regional average was weighed down by Northern and Western Europe (both +1%).

Also slower than last year, although still above the global average, growth in Asia and the Pacific (+5%) was led by South Asia (+8%), followed by South-East (+6%) and North-East Asia (+5%), while Oceania showed a 2% increase.

Data so far available for Africa (+5%) confirms continued robust results in North Africa (+10%) after two years of double-digit figures, while arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa grew 1%.

The 2% increase in the Americas reflects a mixed regional picture. While many island destinations in the Caribbean (+8%) consolidate their recovery after the 2017 hurricanes, arrivals in South America were down 3% partly due to a decline in Argentinian outbound travel, which affected neighboring destinations. Both North America and Central America grew 2%.

Source Markets – mixed results among top spenders

The United States (+6%) led growth in international tourism expenditure in absolute terms, supported by a strong dollar. India and some European markets also performed strongly, though global growth was more uneven than a year earlier.

France (+10%) reported the strongest increase among the world’s top ten outbound markets, reflecting surging demand for international travel for the second consecutive year. Spain (+10%), Italy (+9%) and the Netherlands (+7%) also posted robust growth, followed by the United Kingdom (+3%) and Russia (+2%).

Some large emerging markets such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Argentina reported declines in tourism spending this period, reflecting recent and ongoing economic uncertainty.

China, the world’s top source market saw outbound trips increase by 14% in the first half of 2019, though expenditure fell 4% compared to the same period last year.

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