Category: Latest Travel News

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 29, 2019 (travelindex) – An industry innovator and thought leader David Kong is celebrating his 15th year as President and CEO of Best Western Hotels and Resorts. As he hits the anticipated milestone, Kong becomes the longest-running CEO of a top 10 major hotel chain and Best Western finds itself poised for its most exciting year yet.

“David Kong is a visionary in our industry, but perhaps more importantly, he is one of the nicest people I know,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. “Best Western and the entire lodging industry are lucky to have his leadership. I look forward to many more years working alongside David.”

Driving change through innovative thinking

Starting in the hospitality industry as a busboy, Kong spent decades climbing the ranks, learning and working his way through positions in nearly every department and every chain scale segment. In his time leading Best Western – which has included serving as executive vice president of international operations, senior vice president of marketing and development, and senior vice president of strategic services and operations – he has cultivated a leadership team and company that has become a leader in innovation, as is evident in the evolution of the brand and industry recognition.

During Kong’s tenure, Best Western has completely reimagined its brand identity, signaling the modernization and evolution of the brand and emerging as a global hospitality powerhouse with 16 individual brands across every chain scale segment. Kong has put innovation at the forefront of the company’s transformation, implementing programs like the Best Western Virtual Reality Experience (BWVRE), which uses virtual reality to reinvent the way guests view and shop for hotels. The I Care® Every Guest Every Time employee training initiative leverages virtual reality to transform communications between front desk staff and guests. These programs, led by Kong and his stable and progressive leadership team, have established Best Western as the first company of its size and scale to utilize cutting-edge technology in ways that drive increased satisfaction scores. As a result, the company has seen significant financial achievements and unprecedented performance in guest loyalty and hotel satisfaction scores, achieving a record high Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 62. Importantly, these achievements have resulted in Best Western being named one of Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies last year.

Creating longevity, and scale, with a diversified portfolio  

As Best Western has evolved over the years, so has the company’s portfolio. When today’s travelers began seeking fresh new design options at a value-oriented price point, Best Western introduced Vīb® and GLō®, two boutique brands thoughtfully designed for the midscale market. As the industry has recently seen a shift away from new construction to conversions, Best Western has responded in full force, launching an edgy, imaginative and creative pair of boutique brands, Sadie^SM and Aiden^SM. Both Sadie and Aiden present the opportunity for independent hoteliers or developers with branded hotels to reposition their property in a unique way, taking advantage of a cost-effective, turnkey and customized design and renovation program, all implemented under Kong’s leadership.

Best Western’s economy option, the SureStay Hotel Group®, has differentiated itself in the industry by focusing on customer care and product experience. The brand prides itself on its ability to consistently meet guest expectations as reflected in its impressive 3.91 average TripAdvisor rating. Since the brand’s launch in 2016, it has grown at a rapid pace to more than 200 open properties globally.

Today’s Best Western – A rebirth to be celebrated  

Sadie Hotel, Aiden Hotel and the SureStay Group are just a few of the brands that represent Best Western’s now expanded portfolio. Just last month, Best Western announced their acquisition of WorldHotels, further enhancing the company’s breadth of offerings to include the upper upscale and luxury segments. An initiative conceived and driven by Kong, the acquisition underscores Best Western’s commitment to innovation and evolution.

Kong has played an instrumental role in the evolution of Best Western, leading the legacy brand through a full refresh across multiple areas of operation, including: expanding innovative sales and marketing programs, launching a new digital platform, redesigning Best Western’s powerful loyalty program, and implementing a renovation program at every hotel – completely reimagining the look of the brands with new logos and signage. Together with the executive team, Kong has molded the company into “Today’s Best Western” – a brand infused with innovation and excitement, consistently achieving its strongest performance for the past three years.

“I feel very fortunate to have played a role in building Best Western into the brand it is today,” said Kong. “To think about where we started 73 years ago as a single brand and now, to see Best Western positioned as a global powerhouse with hotels in every single chain scale segment – is outstanding. Supported by a truly remarkable leadership team, I’m deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished. Our journey has been a special one, and a large part of that for me has been the incredible team I am surrounded by on a daily basis, including our exceptional group of hoteliers. Together, we look forward to maintaining the momentum that has been built and enjoying further progress in the months and years ahead.”

About Best Western Hotels and Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of over 4,500 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide*. Best Western offers 16 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market. Best Western branded hotels include Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, GLō®, Aiden^SM, Sadie^SM, BW Premier Collection®, and BW Signature Collection®. Through recent acquisition, Best Western now also offers WorldHotels® Luxury, WorldHotels Elite and WorldHotels Distinctive brands. Completing its portfolio, Best Western offers SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, and SureStay Collection® franchises**. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including 66 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2018, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-midscale and midscale hotel brands respectively for two consecutive years, and Fast Company honoring Best Western Hotels & Resorts with a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality category. Best Western has also won 10 consecutive AAA®/CAA® Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAA/CAA’s nearly 60 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in breakfast (food and beverage category) by J.D. Power’s 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first for midscale; and second for upper midscale. Nearly 40 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western-branded hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Google® Street View provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.
* 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.

Contact information:
Sirimanas Maungrod (Cake) | Senior Regional Marketing Communications Manager | Asia
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com

Phanintorn Tangtrongjit (Dream) | Assistant Marketing Communications Manager | Asia
Email: phanintorn.Tangtrongjit@bestwestern.com

Best Western® Hotels & Resorts
BWI (Thailand) Co., Ltd.|Unit 5A-2 | 5th Floor Gaysorn Place Office Building
999 Ploenchit Road Lumpini Phatumwan | Bangkok | 10330 | Thailand
Phone: +662.656.1260 | Fax +662.656.1252| www.bestwesternasia.com

Nairobi (Kenya) – March 29, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Travel and Tourism in Kenya grew faster than the regional average and significantly above other economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to new research from the World Travel & Tourism Council.

In 2018, Travel & Tourism grew 5.6% to contribute KSHS 790 billion and 1.1 million jobs to the Kenyan economy. This rate of growth is faster than the global average of 3.9% and the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 3.3%.

For a detailed travel guide on Kenya, go to VisitKenya.com

This makes Kenya the third largest tourism economy in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and Nigeria both of which grew substantially less than Kenya in 2018.

In total, international tourists spent over KSHS 157 billion in Kenya last year, accounting for over 15% of total exports. The largest inbound international markets were the USA (11%); UK (9%); India (6%); China (4%); and Germany (4%). Combined with domestic spending, Travel & Tourism supported 8.8% of the nation’s GDP in 2018.

For over 25 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, has produced the authoritative research on the economic contribution of the sector. This year’s research shows that:

• Travel & Tourism in Kenya grew at 5.6% last year – ahead of the global average of 3.9%
• This contributed 8.8% to Kenya’s GDP, worth KSHS 790 billion (or US$7.9 billion dollars) when all direct, indirect and induced effects are taken in to consideration
• Travel & Tourism is responsible for 8.3% of all Kenya’s employment, or 1.1 million jobs
• GDP contribution is projected to grow by 5.9% in 2019

Speaking from a press conference in Nairobi, Kenya, WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara said, “Africa is one of the great success stories of global travel as the second fastest growing region in the world – and Kenya lies at the heart of the region, a popular and renowned destination that has seen huge growth in tourism activity and value over the past year.”

“I would like to particularly acknowledge the vision of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his commitment to Travel & Tourism as a means of driving economic growth and alleviating poverty. The Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife, under the leadership of Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, must be congratulated for growing tourism at a rate above the global and regional average and for attracting over two million international visitors for the first time in 2018.

Speaking at the event, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. Najib Balala elaborated on the gains of the sector and expressed his satisfaction on the overall achievement of this key sector that contributes substantively to the economy.

“The gains of the sector are as a result of co-ordinated efforts between various arms of government, whom the tourism sector has engaged, as well as the concerted efforts in marketing Kenya as a destination of choice,” CS Balala pointed out.

For a full and detailed travel guide on Kenya, please visit www.VisitKenya.com

New York (United States) – March 28, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and the International Border Management & Technologies Association (IBMATA) announce a partnership to promote safe, secure and seamless travel across international borders making best use of new and emerging technology, while enhancing border security.

WTTC represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, and IBMATA is a global non-profit organisation promoting communication and collaboration between border agencies and technology providers worldwide.

WTTC’s Seamless Traveller Journey programme envisages a future where the traveller won’t need to provide the same information or passport multiple times. Instead, their experience will be seamless, faster and more enjoyable throughout their entire journey. Biometrics will work at every touchpoint of the journey to make travelling easier for the passenger while providing border services with greater security.

IBMATA works with Border Agencies worldwide to help them facilitate the genuine movement of passengers swiftly and easily across international borders making best use of new and emerging technologies, without compromising border security and border control.

Together, both organisations commit to making the best use of new and emerging technology and established border management principles with their respective members to deliver an improved international passenger experience globally across borders.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: “Travel & Tourism employs one in ten people on the planet today and over the course of the next 20 years we will witness a doubling of the number of travellers and the creation of as many as 100 million jobs around the world. We have a responsibility to prepare for the future by transforming the traveller experience while increasing security by working together and with governments. Our relationship with IBMATA will help to promote the concept of safe and secure travel across international borders and improved passenger experience.”

Tony Smith CBE, Chairman of IBMATA, said “Border Agencies are dealing with more international passengers at their international borders than ever before, against a backdrop of static or declining resources. It is important that they make best use of new and emerging technology to enable them to facilitate the traveller experience for the vast majority of low risk traffic, whilst at the same time maintain safe and secure borders. Our relationship with WTTC will enable us to maximise collaboration between the travel industry, border agencies and technology providers to help us deliver this important function.”

Bangkok (Thailand) – March 28, 2019 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels & Resorts has said a huge “thank you” to its partners and associates in Asia by hosting a glittering party in Bangkok.

The “Best Western Thank You Party 2019” was held at Cocoona Lounge, on the 19^th floor of the Gaysorn Urban Resort in Bangkok on Thursday 21^st March 2019. The event gathered approximately 70 of the company’s closest partners, including travel agents, corporate clients, marketing partners and members of the media, for a fun-filled evening of networking, live music, fine food, and cool drinks.

A prize draw was also held during the night, with fantastic prizes including stays at Best Western branded hotels and resorts across Asia.

Ms. Piyada Jakkham of Krungthai Card PLC. (KTC) was the lucky winner of the first prize – a two-night stay at Best Western Plus Hotel Fino Osaka Kitahama, Japan, including daily breakfast for two guests and a pair of return flights between Bangkok and Osaka!

Mr. Kevin Ng of Travel Weekly Asia won the second prize, a two-night stay at Best Western Premier Sonasea Phu Quoc, Vietnam, including breakfast for two; while Mr. Evan Crosby of Travco was the lucky winner of the third prize, a two-night stay at Best Western Plus The Beachfront Phuket, Thailand, inclusive of breakfast for two. Finally, Mr. Patchrakorn Parnthong of HotelBeds won a Travel Card worth US$100, which can be redeemed at any Best Western branded hotel worldwide.

“We were honored to host the Best Western Thank You Party 2019, which allowed us to express our deep gratitude to all of our esteemed partners and clients,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western’s Managing Director of International Operations – Asia. “Best Western is undergoing one of the most impressive periods of growth in our 73-year history, with a series of new brands, hotels, and innovations all across the world. We understand, however, that none of this could be possible without the enduring support of our partners.”

“This event was our way of saying ‘thank you’ – a small gesture of our appreciation for the amazing hard work and dedication of all of our partners. We look forward to building even stronger and deeper relationships with our partners in the future,” Olivier added.

The Best Western Thank You Party 2019 also allowed the company to update its guests on Best Western’s latest news and exciting developments. This included the recent acquisition of WorldHotels®, the renowned global collection of approximately 300 luxury hotels and resorts. As a result of this acquisition, Best Western now operates 16 distinct hotel brands in all sectors of the market, from economy to luxury.

Moving forward, Best Western will continue to develop its portfolio of hotels and resorts across Asia, whilst working with its trade, corporate, marketing and media partners to create world-class guest experiences for the benefit of the entire industry.

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of over 4,500 hotels in nearly 100 countries and territories worldwide*. Best Western offers 16 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market. Best Western branded hotels include Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Vīb®, GLō®, AidenSM, SadieSM, BW Premier Collection®, and BW Signature Collection®. Through recent acquisition, Best Western now also offers WorldHotels® Luxury, WorldHotels Elite and WorldHotels Distinctive brands. Completing its portfolio, Best Western offers SureStay®, SureStay Plus®, and SureStay Collection® franchises**. Now celebrating more than 70 years of hospitality, Best Western provides its hoteliers with global operational, sales and marketing support, and award-winning online and mobile booking capabilities. Best Western continues to set industry records regarding awards and accolades, including 66 percent of the brand’s North American hotels earning a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award in 2018, Business Travel News® ranking Best Western Plus and Best Western number one in upper-midscale and midscale hotel brands respectively for two consecutive years, and Fast Company honoring Best Western Hotels & Resorts with a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality category. Best Western has also won 10 consecutive AAA®/CAA® Lodging Partner of the Year awards, recognizing the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional service and great value to AAA/CAA’s nearly 60 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in breakfast (food and beverage category) by J.D. Power’s 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first for midscale; and second for upper midscale. Nearly 40 million travelers are members of the brand’s award-winning loyalty program Best Western Rewards®, one of the few programs in which members earn points that never expire and can be redeemed at any Best Western-branded hotel worldwide. Best Western’s partnerships with AAA/CAA and Google® Street View provide travelers with exciting ways to interact with the brand. Through its partnership with Google Street View, Best Western is the first major company of its size and scale to launch a virtual reality experience for customers, setting a new industry standard and reinventing how guests view hotels.
* 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.

Contact information:
Sirimanas Maungrod (Cake) | Senior Regional Marketing Communications Manager | Asia
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com

Phanintorn Tangtrongjit (Dream) | Assistant Marketing Communications Manager | Asia
Email: phanintorn.Tangtrongjit@bestwestern.com

Best Western® Hotels & Resorts
BWI (Thailand) Co., Ltd.|Unit 5A-2 | 5th Floor Gaysorn Place Office Building
999 Ploenchit Road Lumpini Phatumwan | Bangkok | 10330 | Thailand
Phone: +662.656.1260 | Fax +662.656.1252| www.bestwesternasia.com

Macau (Macao SAR) – March 27, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Led by chef Julien Royer, Odette is the first Singapore restaurant to take the top spot in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list.

• The 2019 list includes 10 new restaurants, including a first-time entry from Malaysia
• Japan leads the list with 12 entries
• Gaa, Bangkok, claims dual honours: debuting on the list at No.16, Gaa wins the Highest New Entry
Award while Chef Garima Arora receives the elit™ Vodka Asia’s Best Female Chef trophy
• Zaiyu Hasegawa from Den, Tokyo, wins the Chefs’ Choice Award, sponsored by Estrella Damm
• Fabrizio Fiorani from Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo, is named Asia’s Best Pastry Chef, sponsored by Valrhona
• Belon, Hong Kong, claims the Highest Climber Award, rising 25 places since 2018 to No.15
• Locavore, Bali, wins the Sustainable Restaurant Award in Asia
• 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana is the 2019 recipient of the Art of Hospitality Award
• Chef Seiji Yamamoto is the inaugural winner of the American Express Icon Award
• JL Studio, Taichung, is presented with this year’s Miele One To Watch Award

Odette in Singapore has taken top honours at the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 awards ceremony, succeeding four-time winner Gaggan in the No.1 spot. Chef Julien Royer’s Odette claims the coveted titles of The Best Restaurant in Asia, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, and The Best Restaurant in Singapore.

Odette ranks first as well at the Top25Restaurants.com/Singapore guide by Travelindex and the trusted Restaurant Rating Index. Top25Restaurants is the world’s first restaurant guide based on AI (articial intelligence and machine learning).

Housed in the iconic National Gallery Singapore, Odette serves Asian-inspired modern French cuisine, each dish presented with impeccable style and characteristic perfection. Taking its name from Royer’s maternal grandmother, Odette earned Asia’s Highest New Entry Award in 2017 before debuting on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list last year at No.28.

The 2019 list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, was announced at an awards ceremony at Wynn Palace, Macao. The 2019 list reflects the diversity and vitality of the ever-evolving Asian gastronomic scene, featuring 10 new restaurants, including a first-time entry from Malaysia (Dewakan, No.46) and a new restaurant in the Philippines (Toyo Eatery, No.43), a country last represented in the list in 2017. Host destination Macao counts two restaurants with Jade Dragon rising eight places to No.27 and Wing Lei Palace debuting at No.36.

William Drew, Group Editor of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, said: “Now in its seventh year, the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list continues to evolve, inspire and showcase emerging talent. The 2019 list welcomes 10 new restaurants, including a first-time entry from Malaysia, and celebrates the ongoing culinary innovation in the region.”

Foodies, Chefs and all fine dining lovers now await the new rankings at Top25Restaurants Guide Asia by Travelindex and the trusted Restaurant Rating Index. Top25Restaurants is the world’s first restaurant guide based on AI (artificial intelligence and machine learning).

Individual Country Awards:
Japan
Japan leads the 2019 list with 12 entries. Fronting this group is Den (No.3), earning the title of The Best Restaurant in Japan for a second consecutive year. Den’s charismatic chef, Zaiyu Hasegawa, was also rewarded for his innovative approach and named the 2019 recipient of the Chefs’ Choice Award, sponsored by Estrella Damm, the only award voted for by the chefs of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list to recognise a peer making a positive impact on the restaurant scene. The top 10 also includes Japan restaurants Florilège (No.5), Narisawa (No.8) and Nihonryori RyuGin (No.9). Sazenka and Sugalabo, both in Tokyo, are newcomers to the list, landing at No.23 and No.47 respectively.

Thailand
After holding the No.1 spot for four consecutive years, Gaggan in Bangkok moves to No.2 while retaining the title of The Best Restaurant in Thailand. Entering the list at No.16, Gaa in Bangkok has double reason to celebrate. As well as claiming the Highest New Entry Award, executive chef Garima Arora is named elit™ Vodka Asia’s Best Female Chef 2019.
Among the remaining six Thailand entries, Sühring holds at No.4, Bo.Lan rises 18 places to No.19 and Paste climbs three places to No.28 while Sorn, specialising in Southern Thai cuisine, is a new entry at No.48.

Singapore
Singapore claims seven entries on the list, including newcomer Nouri making a bow at No.39 and longtime favourites Burnt Ends and Jaan rising to No.10 and No.32 respectively. The remaining Singapore restaurants are Les Amis (No.33), Waku Ghin (No.40) and Corner House (No.49).

Greater China
Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet (No.6) in Shanghai is named The Best Restaurant in China. Hong Kong counts nine restaurants on the list, including The Chairman (rising from No.22 to No.11) and first-time entries Vea (No.34) and Seventh Son (No.44). Soaring 25 places to No.15, modern French bistro Belon is crowned with this year’s Highest Climber Award. Ascending 11 places to No.7, Mume in Taipei clinches the title of The Best Restaurant in Taiwan, besting two-time winner, Raw (No.30).

Regional
Locavore (No.42) in Bali earns dual honours. As well as holding the title of The Best Restaurant in Indonesia, Locavore wins the Sustainable Restaurant Award in Asia, presented to the restaurant with the highest environmental and social responsibility rating, as determined by audit partner Food Made Good.

Indian Accent, rising two places to No. 17, returns as The Best Restaurant in India for a fifth successive year. Ministry of Crab in Colombo (No.35) is named The Best Restaurant in Sri Lanka for a fourth time while Toyo Eatery, the 2018 recipient of the Miele One To Watch Award, enters the list at No.43, claiming the honour of The Best Restaurant in Philippines. Popular Seoul restaurant Mingles (No.13) retains the title of The Best Restaurant in Korea.

Other award winners announced include:
Asia’s Best Pastry Chef Award, sponsored by Valrhona: Fabrizio Fiorani from Il Ristorante Luca Fantin, Tokyo.

Italian chef Fabrizio Fiorani developed his pastry skills in the kitchens of such acclaimed restaurants as La Pergola in his native Rome and Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence. Expanding his horizons, he travelled to Dubai and Portugal before settling in Tokyo. His desserts seamlessly complement chef Luca Fantin’s contemporary Italian tasting menu and Fiorani’s first cookbook, Tra L’Onirico e Il Reale (Between Dreams and Reality), was published in 2018.

Art of Hospitality Award: 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Since 2008, Hong Kong’s 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana has been celebrating chef Umberto Bombana’s native cuisine, serving refined Italian food with the finest seasonal ingredients sourced from around the world. After debuting on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2013 at No.39, the restaurant has ranked within the top 20 of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list for seven consecutive years. 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana’s outstanding hospitality, led by General Manager Marino Braccu, creates a highly refined but warm atmosphere in which diners can enjoy Chef Bombana’s creations.

Other individual award recipients include JL Studio in Taichung, Taiwan, earning the Miele One To Watch Award for its modern interpretations of Singapore cuisine. Celebrated chef Seiji Yamamoto, of Nihonryori RyuGin in Japan, is the inaugural winner of the American

How the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list is compiled:
The list is created from the votes of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 300 leaders in the restaurant industry across Asia, each selected for their expert opinion of Asia’s restaurant scene. The panel in each region is made up of food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and highly regarded ‘gastronomes’. Members list their choices in order of preference, based on their best restaurant experiences of the previous 18 months. There is no pre-determined check-list of criteria, but there are strict voting rules.

For the 2019 edition, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants is once again working with professional services consultancy Deloitte as its official independent adjudication partner. The adjudication by Deloitte ensures that the integrity and authenticity of the voting process and the resulting list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants are protected.

Cairo (Egypt ) – March 27, 2019 (travelindex.com) – Last year saw strong growth for Egyptian Travel & Tourism as it became the fastest-growing country in North Africa, growing by 16.5% – second only to Ethiopia when reviewing the whole continent. This is according to new research by the World Travel & Tourism Council, which represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism.

This growth has been linked to the improved security infrastructure, which has helped to attract international visitors back to Egypt’s shores, and has allowed major travel companies to restart operations in popular destinations such as Sharm el Sheik.

This follows a year of record growth in 2017, which saw a Travel & Tourism growth rate of 54.8% in the country.

Egypt’s Travel & Tourism sector now contributes EGP 528.7bn and supports 2.5 million jobs. This means that more than one in ten of all travel jobs (24 million) in Africa are located in Egypt.

Although the sector has not yet fully recovered to pre-crisis levels, the size of the Egyptian travel economy in 2018 (USD$29.6bn) is the healthiest it has been since 2010.

In total, international tourists spent over EGP 218.1 billion in Egypt last year, accounting for over 27.3% of total exports. The largest inbound international markets were Germany (13%); Russia (12%); the UK (7%); Saudi Arabia (6%); and Italy (3%). Combined with domestic spending, Travel & Tourism supported 11.9% of the nation’s GDP in 2018.

For over 25 years, WTTC, which represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, has compared the Travel & Tourism sector across 185 countries. The 2018 research shows that:

• Travel & Tourism in Egypt grew by 16.5% last year – significantly ahead of the global average of 3.9%
• This contributed 11.9% to Egypt’s GDP, worth EGP 528.7 billion (or US$29.6 billion dollars) when all direct, indirect and induced effects are taken into consideration
• Travel & Tourism is responsible for 9.5% of all Egypt’s employment, or 2.5 million jobs
• GDP contribution is projected to grow even further, by 5.4% in 2019

In November, Egypt’s Minister for Tourism, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, spoke at a WTTC panel highlighting the importance of Travel & Tourism as a job creator, explaining that in Egypt the travel sector is a “job multiplier”. That is, for every job directly created in tourism a further three are supported.

Inclusivity is also central to Egypt’s Minister for Tourism, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat’s strategy who hopes to translate the sector’s growth into enrichment by “creating at least one opportunity for one person in every household in the country”.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat added that the Ministry of Tourism has launched a policy framework, the Egypt—Tourism Reform Program, designed to implement structural reforms that unleash the potential of the sector by strengthening Egypt’s competitiveness and are in line with international standards.

She also highlighted the new government investments in projects related to cultural heritage, the largest being the GEM, the Grand Egyptian Museum that is scheduled to be open in 2020. The USD 1 billion dollar GEM is the only museum with the pyramids as the backdrop and will include the full collection of Tutankhamen.

WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara celebrated the results, “We are delighted to see the strong recovery of the Egyptian travel sector – a sector so crucial to national economic growth and a key provider of jobs.

“WTTC also acknowledges H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat’s prioritisation of the sector and strategy to use the sector to enrich citizens and spread the benefits of Travel & Tourism across the country.”

New York (United States) – March 26, 2019 (travelindex.com) – The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) is delighted to announce that the 44th President of the United States, President Barack Obama, will be a guest of honour and keynote speaker at its Global Summit in Seville, Spain, to be held between 2-4 April 2019.

President Obama served as President from 2009 to 2017. Today, his presidency is defined by the astute leadership he showed amid global economic uncertainty, heightened security concerns and immense environmental risk. His legacy includes making unprecedented strides towards the adoption of clean energy and overseeing the longest stretch of job creation in American history.

President Obama is the natural choice as a headline speaker for the 2019 Global Summit, which adopts the theme of ‘Changemakers’ to celebrate the people and ideas who are defining the future of our sector.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC remarked, “We are humbled and honoured to be hosting such an important leader as President Barack Obama at our Global Summit this year. During his time in office he embodied the notion that Travel & Tourism is a driver of economic growth and creator of jobs.

“WTTC now looks ahead to April to welcome the many insights that President Obama will share with our Members and delegates at our Global Summit. His vision will help us to shape the future of this important sector.”

Lucerne (Switzerland) – March 26, 2019 – (travelindex)  –  At the World Tourism Forum Lucerne pulsating workshops, keynotes, pitches and more will revolve around the forces that disrupt the tourism industry and the opportunities for new businesses that these changes bring. Carefully selected speakers will give insights into the effects of disruption to human beings. Furthermore, some of the most promising global start-ups in the industry will be present their business models.

In October 2018, the Forum entered a two-year strategic partnership with Ras Al Khaimah to share expertise and address future challenges of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. As a central part of the partnership, three industry-focused side events, a Think Tank, a Talent Boost and a Start-Up Innovation Camp are planned to be held in Ras Al Khaimah in 2020. The uprising destination will be Guest Destination at the upcoming World Tourism Forum Lucerne and present its history and diversity.

Ras Al Khaimah is the northernmost of the United Arab Emirates. It has 7,000 years of history, including the excavated and restored Mohammed bin Salem Mosque, dating back to the second half of the 18th century. Also, the Queen of Sheba Palace, known as the only ancient Islamic palace in the United Arab Emirates, dates back to the Julfar period in the 13th-16th century. Stunning nature like golden sand beaches, awe-inspiring terracotta dunes and a green belt of date palms and thrilling adventures such as the Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the United Arab Emirates (1.934 m) with its World’s longest zipline «Jebel Jais Flight» (2.83 km) attracted one million visitors in 2018. The emerging Tourism Destination recently launched its three-year destination strategy 2019-2021 which aims to attract more millennials and higher yield visitors looking for sustainable nature-based adventure and authentic cultural experiences. As part of the future strategy, the following adventure related attractions are also being planned: A 47-room luxury mountain camp, a survival training academy, more than 60 km of hiking trails and the Jebel Jais Adventure Park in partnership with Toroverde UAE.

«The strategic three-year plan will focus on diversifying the emirate’s tourism offering to attract a wider segment of tourists and higher yield visitors looking for authentic experiences,» says Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority.

World Tourism Forum Lucerne offers emerging destinations a unique partnership, which offers a collaboration in the areas of strategy, destination management, education, innovation and sustainable development. Ras Al Khaimah will therefore play a central role within the World Tourism Forum Lucerne on 1-3 May 2019; there will be an inspiring Keynote «Ras Al Khaimah: a young destination rooted in history», a Cocktail Dinner hosted by the Guest Destination and cultural performances, which will enrich the Forum. Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, will participate personally and will be accompanied by a delegation from Ras al Khaimah.

About World Tourism Forum Lucerne
The World Tourism Forum Lucerne is a unique platform where global leaders in tourism, travel and hospitality meet to shape a more sustainable future of tourism. It provides decision-makers with detailed insights into the key issues of the tourism industry and with a unique global network. The World Tourism Forum Lucerne is the only platform to integrate start-ups, young leaders and students into one programme. Over the past ten years, it has evolved into a year-round network of leaders and leading thinkers who stimulate positive change in travel, tourism and hospitality. This includes an influential network of business, education, government, finance and community leaders. The 6th World Tourism Forum Lucerne will take place in Lucerne from 1 to 3 May 2019. 

Lucerne (Switzerland) – March 26, 2019 – (travelindex) – Innovative business models constantly disrupt the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, and ongoing automation leads to profound changes in the working environment. More and more skilled labour in tourism, travel and hospitality requires high-quality training and education. Only agile and successful businesses will be attractive enough to gain and hold the best talents. At the 6th World Tourism Forum Lucerne, the main focus will therefore be on innovation, talent and diversity management within the industry.

Thanks to its long-standing experience and expertise, the World Tourism Forum Lucerne attracts a large number of new business approaches in tourism, travel and hospitality. The best start-ups, providing a huge pool of innovative ideas for the whole industry, will be elected and distinguished at the Forum. A large number of start-ups have been found, fostered and enabled by World Tourism Forum Lucerne, including bidroom, Start-Up Innovation Camp winner 2017. With support and network of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne, bidroom has attracted international investors, grown to over 50 employees and closed partnerships with established companies, such as Visa in as little as two years.

A selection of inspiring speakers will provide the participants with the latest insights, including Karolin Frankenberger (Professor, University of St. Gallen), Michael Ros (COO and co-founder, bidroom), Kate Walsh (Professor, Cornell University), Guy Parmelin (Swiss Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research), HE Rania Al Mashat (Minister of Tourism, Arab Republic of Egypt), Puneet Chhatwal (CEO, Indian Hotels), Maud Bailly (Chief Digital and Diversity Officer, Accor Hotels), Brett Tollman (Chief Executive, The Travel Corporation) and Jean-Claude Biver (Chairman Hublot Watches).

Martin Barth, President and CEO, emphasises that the World Tourism Forum Lucerne has developed into a year-round platform with a strong multi-stakeholder community: «At World Tourism Forum Lucerne, we believe that innovation needs to be managed actively in order to face the ongoing disruption in the tourism, travel and hospitality industry. That is why we bring together established businesses, academics and start-ups because we believe that a multi-stakeholder environment is most fruitful for innovation. Now that we are active the whole year round, our community has become even more powerful in this sense».

About World Tourism Forum Lucerne
The World Tourism Forum Lucerne is a unique platform where global leaders in tourism, travel and hospitality meet to shape a more sustainable future of tourism. It provides decision-makers with detailed insight into the key issues of the tourism industry and with a unique global network. The World Tourism Forum Lucerne is the only platform to integrate start-ups, young leaders and students into one programme. Over the past 10 years, it has evolved into a year-round network of leaders and leading thinkers who stimulate positive change in travel, tourism and hospitality. This includes an influential network of business, education, government, finance and community leaders. The 6th World Tourism Forum Lucerne will take place in Lucerne from 2 to 3 May 2019. 

Jakarta (Indonesia) – March 26, 2019 – (travelindex.com) – Travel and tourism in Indonesia grew by 7.8% in 2018 – double the global average of 3.9, and ahead of Indonesia’s wider economy, which grew by 5.1% last year.

In 2018, Travel & Tourism contributed IDR 890,428 bn (USD $62.6 billion) and nearly 13 million jobs to the Indonesian economy. One in three of all tourism jobs in the ten countries that make up South East Asia, are located in Indonesia.

This makes Indonesia the third largest Travel & Tourism economy in South East Asia after Thailand and the Philippines.

In total, international tourists spent nearly IDR 221,000 bn (USD $15.5 billion) in Indonesia last year, accounting for 6.8% of total exports. The largest inbound international markets were Singapore (15%); Malaysia (14%); China (13%); Australia (11%); and Japan (5%). Combined with domestic spending, Travel & Tourism supported 6.0% of the nation’s GDP in 2018.

For over 25 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, has produced the authoritative research on the economic contribution of the sector. This year’s research shows that:

• Travel & Tourism in Indonesia grew at 7.8% last year – double the global average of 3.9%
• This contributed 6.0% to Indonesia’s GDP, worth IDR 890,428 bn (USD$62.6 billion) when all direct, indirect and induced effects are taken into consideration
• Travel & Tourism supports 10.3% of all Indonesia’s employment, or 13 million jobs
• GDP contribution is projected to grow by 5.2% in 2019
• There was a remarkable increase in business spending last year, which now accounts for 30% of tourism spend in Indonesia compared to 70% leisure.

WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara commented, “We congratulate Indonesia on the tremendous growth experienced over the last decade, and particularly in 2018, as they have strategically worked to harness the economic benefits of Travel & Tourism, which now contributes over US$60 billion to their economy, compared to US $38 billion in 2008.

“This follows a number of visa reforms that have invariably helped with travel facilitation, and that permit Travel & Tourism to continue to enrich both visitors to Indonesia and the workers who provide the vital services on the ground – one in ten of all workers in the country.”