Category: Latest Travel News

Ha Long Bay (Vietnam) – November 14, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels and Resorts will introduce a new Best Western Plus overlooking Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam following the signing of a spectacular new waterfront hotel that will boast a breathtaking view of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Best Western Plus Ha Long Bay Hotel is an impressive new waterfront project that will elevate the standard of upper-midscale accommodation in this iconic destination. Developed by Tri Duc Hotel Joint Stock Company, this brand new hotel is currently under construction and scheduled to welcome its first guests in the third quarter of 2020.

“Vietnam is one of the world’s most dynamic tourism markets, with a series of enchanting destinations attracting record numbers of inbound travelers. The volume of international visitors to the country has more than doubled in the last decade, and Vietnam is on course to set new tourism records again in 2018. This growth, combined with a buoyant domestic economy and forward-thinking government policies, makes it a very exciting time to be expanding in Vietnam,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

“We are very excited to be working with Tri Duc on this exceptional new project. At Best Western, we are always seeking strong, highly-respected and professional partners. Tri Duc has shown its skill and vision by creating Best Western Plus Ha Long Bay Hotel, an exceptional project that will further enhance this attractive destination. We look forward to working together to bring their vision to life,” Olivier added.

Perfectly located on the idyllic Ha Long City waterfront, just a short distance from Ha Long Bay’s cruise port, the hotel will feature 327 rooms and suites, many of which will showcase Ha Long Bay’s spectacular seascape with panoramic windows and balconies. Guests will enjoy rooms equipped with comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms, contemporary amenities and complimentary Wi-Fi.

An impressive collection of facilities will allow guests to indulge in the use of a spacious fitness center, infinity-edge outdoor pool, a large kids’ club and several retail outlets.

Guests will have a choice of dining options with a lively all-day restaurant serving exquisite Vietnamese and international cuisine, a café and ice cream shop offering daytime refreshments and a rooftop bar with picturesque views for evening drinks.

According to the latest data from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Vietnam welcomed a total of 12.8 million international visitors in the first ten months of 2018, which represents a sharp 22.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year. As one of Vietnam’s most iconic attractions, Ha Long Bay receives millions of domestic and international visitors every year. The recent opening of a new highway between Hanoi and Ha Long City, along with the development of a new international airport just 50km from the bay, will further enhance tourism in this desirable destination.

Best Western Hotels & Resorts has identified Vietnam as a booming market, and the signing of Best Western Plus Ha Long Bay Hotel marks the latest phase of the brand’s expansion in Vietnam. This newest hotel joins the company’s growing list of high-end hotels and resorts including recent additions in Cam Ranh, Ha Long, Phu Quoc and Quang Binh.

This nationwide portfolio is expected to grow as Best Western seeks to bring its timeless values of world-class hospitality and unsurpassed service to even more parts of Vietnam, further enhancing the country’s booming tourism industry.

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 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers 13 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb®, GLō®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Sadie HotelSM, Aiden HotelSM, BW Premier Collection® by Best Western, and BW Signature Collection® by Best Western, as well as its recently launched franchise offerings: SureStay® Hotel by Best Western, SureStay Plus® Hotel by Best Western and SureStay Collection® by Best Western. 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-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, 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 nine 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 58 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first in breakfast (food and beverage category) for midscale; and second in overall guest satisfaction. Over 35 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.
* All Best Western and SureStay-branded hotels are independently owned and operated.
* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

Contact information:
Marketing Communications Department
Best Western Hotels and Resorts – Asia
Tel: +66 2 656 1260

Sirimanas Maungrod
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com

Orapan Sornnuwat
Email: orapan.sornnuwat@bestwestern.com

Dubai (United Arab Emirates) – November 12, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Reed Travel Exhibitions organiser of the annual Arabian Travel Market showcase in Dubai, has boosted its travel portfolio, having signed a collaboration agreement to launch CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa 2019 – a new route development forum. The two-day show will be co-located with Arabian Travel Market 2019 and will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Tuesday 30th April and Wednesday 1st May (day three and four of ATM).

Emirates will be the official airline partner – with Emirates Networking Planning team attending the show – while Emaar Hospitality Group will be the official hotel partner – both of which will offer preferential rates exclusively for delegates attending the show.

Nick Pilbeam, Divisional Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions: “The Middle East’s aviation market is forecast to grow five per cent annually until 2036, according to IATA. It is predicated that the sector will witness an extra 322 million passengers a year on routes to, from and within the region – with the total market size expanding to 517 million passengers over this period.

“The sector is expected to contribute nearly AED 200 billion to the UAE’s economy by 2020, providing up to 750,000 jobs.

“Moreover, the aviation industry is a crucial economic pillar for Dubai, accounting for more than 27 per cent of Dubai’s GDP, or $26.7 billion, according to Oxford Economics. This is expected to increase to 37.5 per cent by 2020 with a total annualised impact of $53.1 billion.”

CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa 2019 is expected to bring together airline specialists, aviation authorities, tourism boards, airports and tour operators, as well as other travel-related industry professionals.

With up to 400 delegates, the structure of the vertical event will include unlimited one-to-one pre-scheduled appointments, a conference programme, panel discussions and airline & industry briefings as well as an exhibition area dedicated to airports and suppliers.
“Being the world’s largest travel event organiser, with shows on all continents, our collaboration with The Airport Agency will bring the entire tourism supply chain together, providing huge strategic commercial opportunities for aviation professionals, particularly those specialising in airport route development, networking planning and procurement,” Pilbeam added.

CONNECT has already held events around the world, the most recent being CONNECT in Georgia which brought together over 500 aviation decision makers including more than 65 airlines and represented 250 airports to discuss current and future air transport links, route development plans as well as addressing topical issues and challenges and identifying and capitalising on emerging trends.

Commenting on The Airport Agency’s collaboration with Reed Travel Exhibitions, Karin Butot, CEO, The Airport Agency, said: “CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa is set to deliver a unique networking platform for airports, airlines and tourism to meet and network alongside ATM, the largest international travel event in the region which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.

“As more and more airports are working in synergy with their destinations to explore and secure new airline services, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa will deliver exceptional opportunities in an established, highly-productive format, thus making the show the only aviation route development event in the region for both inbound and outbound travel, connecting senior aviation professionals with airlines and airports all over the world.”

Dubai International Airport was the busiest international airport measured by total passengers for the fourth consecutive year, as it welcomed six new carriers in 2017 and opened 12 new routes for 2018.

The airport served 88.2 million passengers in 2017, an increase of 5.5 per cent from 2016, Dubai Airports said in a statement. Traffic this year was forecast to grow 2.4 per cent to 90.3 million.

Propelled by a partnership between Emirates and sister low-cast carrier flydubai, growth is expected to continue in 2019 as the momentum gathers in the build up to Expo 2020, when 25 million visitors are expected.

About Reed Exhibitions
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face to face through data and digital tools at over 500 events a year, in more than 30 countries, attracting more than seven million participants.

About CONNECT
CONNECT Route Development Forum delivers a total networking experience, bringing together airports, airlines and aviation suppliers in a format that offers formal one-to-one pre-arranged meetings, engaging industry seminars together with social opportunities to cement relationships with existing clients and engage with new ones. Created and organised by The Airport Agency-France, CONNECT is now in its 16th year and set to attract over 650 participants in June 2019 at its flagship event taking place in Cagliari, Sardinia.

The inaugural CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa event will be the first and only networking forum in the Middle East. Ideally located in Dubai to address the booming aviation market of the Middle East, it will bring together the aviation and the tourism industry which are the backbone and catalyst to economic development.

Arabian Travel Market is the leading, international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2018 attracted almost 40,000 industry professionals, with representation from 141 countries over the four days. The 25th edition of ATM showcased over 2,500 exhibiting companies across 12 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre. Arabian Travel Market 2019 will take place in Dubai from Sunday, 28th April to Wednesday, 1st May 2019. To find out more, please visit: arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com

About Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether it is global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have over 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

London, World Travel Market (United Kingdom) – November 9, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The UNWTO/WTM Ministers’ Summit, held yesterday by World Travel Market and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), was well received by participants from government and the private sector for its more dynamic new format leading to more concrete takeaways around this year’s theme: Investment in Tourism Technology.

This year, the UNWTO/WTM Ministers’ Summit held at World Travel Market, one of the world’s biggest tourism trade show (6 November 2018), focused on investment in tourism technology with a novel format. For the first time the summit featured a panel of private sector leaders alongside a panel of ministers, sparking an open and useful exchange of ideas and opinions on how to channel private capital into innovative tourism technologies.

This meant that tourism ministers and high-level representatives from countries including Bahrain, Bulgaria, Egypt, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Uganda, Uruguay and the UK were able to directly reflect on and respond to the opinions voiced by the leading tourism and technology investment funds involved in the panel, such as Alibaba Capital Partners, Atomico and Vynn Capital.

“Without the support of the key tourism stakeholders, notably governments, corporations and investors, development and implementation of innovative products is not possible. Today’s discussions shed light on the influential role of both sectors as well as the need for stronger public-private partnerships”, said UNWTO Deputy Secretary-General Jaime Cabal opening the event.

A common sentiment amongst the panel of private sector entrepreneurs was that disruption leads change in the tourism sector, but regulation can be preventative to obtaining the attractive investment conditions needed to support disruptive new business ventures. It was suggested that regulation should be fixed in order to give clear guidelines to investors who wish to put private capital into new technology.

Several technology investors highlighted the need to narrow the opportunity cost and clear up the governance barriers for innovation in tourism. “It needs to be easy for start-ups to grow and expand – if rules change too quickly, investors will hesitate to invest,” Katherine Grass of Thayer Ventures told ministers.

Lio Chen, Managing Director at the Travel & Hospitality Center of Innovation at venture capital firm Plug and Play, called for larger technology companies to engage with start-ups to boost ideas, human resources and investment. “I ask ministers to incentivize the top five corporations in their country to work with start-ups and foster innovation,” he said.

On the subject of regulation, Michael Ellis, UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Arts, Heritage and Tourism, said: “It’s a question of balance, and it’s a challenge to get that right, especially in technology.” He also urged ministers to boost sustainability and help tackle the world’s climate-related problems, such as rising carbon emissions.

Education was also highlighted as an element making investments more attractive. “Education allows technology to root into societies and contribute to making tourism more inclusive for communities,” said Benjamin Liberoff, Vice-Minister of Tourism of Uruguay.

“We have brought the public and private sector together in a unique format, and hope it will deliver real change in the sector. As tourism grows, then technology will play a key role,” said Simon Press, Senior Exhibitions Director of WTM London.

Moderated by Richard Quest of CNN International, the summit contributed to UNWTO’s ongoing priority to place tourism at the centre of the global innovation agenda.

Contacts:
UNWTO Communications Department
Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100
Fax: +34 91 567 8218
Email: comm@unwto.org

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 7, 2018 (travelindex) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invites all nature-loving divers to help preserve Thailand’s marine environment through the activity “Upcycling the Oceans”. This is an online activity in which Thai and foreign divers share their experiences of scuba diving and ocean conservation in Thailand through the website www.tourismthailand.org/7greens, to educate people about the situation and inspire young divers to preserve the marine life and the beauty of the underwater world in Thailand.

All entrants have a chance to win special prizes from leading companies, such as a 44,600 Baht gift voucher from the Similan Seven Sea Club, a 39,000 Baht gift voucher from Beach Club by Haadtien Scuba Club, and more! Join the activity Upcycling the Oceans by registering through the website From today till 16 November 2019 only. The winners will be announced on 23 November 2019.

How to participate
1. Participants must register through the website www.tourismthailand.org/7greens
2. All participants must own a valid diving license. The participants must express briefly their experience of diving and marine conservation.
3. Nine winners will be chosen by the committee from the most impressive entries. The winners will be announced on the website.
4. The winners must verify their identities by the specified date (30 November 2018).

Find out more details at www.tourismthailand.org/7greens or at our Facebook fanpage: 7greensthailand

Osaka (Japan) – November 7, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels and Resorts has revealed plans to launch another modern international hotel in the heart of Osaka, Japan’s second largest city, commercial center and culinary capital.

Scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2019, Best Western Plus Osaka Kitahama is a newly-constructed property in the city’s Chuo-ku ward, just a one-minute walk from Kitahama Station. From there, travelers can connect to the entire city and beyond via the Osaka Subway and Keihan Main Line.

Best Western Plus Osaka Kitahama is located close to the Aji River and surrounded by key business and leisure attractions such as the Osaka Securities Exchange, Nakanoshima Park, Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library and the Museum of Oriental Ceramics. Other major locations including Osaka City Hall, Goryo Shrine, Osaka Castle and the Osaka Museum of History are within easy reach.

Upon opening, this new upper-midscale hotel will feature 80 sleek and contemporary rooms. All of the rooms are fully equipped with international standard services and facilities such as high-speed Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, electric kettles, refrigerators, toiletries, hairdryers and working desks. Guests will be able to dine at the onsite restaurant or grab 24-hour snacks and drinks from a vending machine. A laundry service is also available.

This new property will become the third Best Western hotel in Osaka, following Best Western Hotel Fino Osaka Shinsaibashi and Best Western Osaka Tsukamoto. It will also mark the debut of the upper-midscale Best Western Plus® brand in the city.

“Japan is one of the largest and most important Asian markets for Best Western, so we are delighted to secure yet another impressive property in this dynamic country. As Japan’s second largest city, commercial hub and the heart of the Kansai region, Osaka has a huge amount of potential for international travel, as well as the thriving domestic market. By offering a collection of globally-recognized hotels in strategic locations across the city, Best Western is perfectly placed to meet this demand” commented Olivier Berrivin, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

“Best Western Plus Osaka Kitahama will harness our company’s timeless values of world-class hospitality, service, connectivity and value-for-money, allowing guests to stay in comfort and style. I look forward to introducing this new era of upper-midscale hospitality to guests in Osaka when the hotel opens early next year” Olivier added.

A major port city and commercial hub, Osaka is famous for its architecture, nightlife and street food. It is also home to enchanting cultural landmarks such as Osaka Castle and Sumiyoshi-taisha, one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines. The city’s two airports, Kansai and Itami, handle more than 40 million passengers per year.

Today, Japan is home to more than 15 Best Western properties, ranging from urban hotels in key cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Hokkaido, to beach resorts in Okinawa, convenient airport hotels and more.

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers 13 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb®, GLō®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, Sadie HotelSM, Aiden HotelSM, BW Premier Collection® by Best Western, and BW Signature Collection® by Best Western, as well as its recently launched franchise offerings: SureStay® Hotel by Best Western, SureStay Plus® Hotel by Best Western and SureStay Collection® by Best Western. 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-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, 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 nine 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 58 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first in breakfast (food and beverage category) for midscale; and second in overall guest satisfaction. Over 35 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.
* All Best Western and SureStay-branded hotels are independently owned and operated.
* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

Contact information:
Marketing Communications Department
Best Western Hotels and Resorts – Asia
Tel: +66 2 656 1260

Sirimanas Maungrod
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com

Orapan Sornnuwat
Email: orapan.sornnuwat@bestwestern.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 6, 2018 (travelindex) – In Thailand, tourism industry is one of the main industries that generates huge amount of income to the country. It is an industry that is relevant to many people from various sections. Tourism Authority of Thailand, the organization that is responsible for the promotion of Thailand’s tourism market, realized that to create an effectiveness, all sectors including stakeholders in the travel industry must be consistent to be able to make Thailand’s tourism industry sustainable.

“When the tourism sector is larger, it is inevitable that more people will be involved. So, we need to understand the context of the work and who are we going to work with. In addition, we need to know the needs of those involved in the work and stakeholders who help TAT to be in line with the objectives; How will TAT be the leader in tourism promotion and how will TAT make Thailand a popular tourist destination? To be in line with these objectives, TAT need to adjust an organization structure to be a well-rounded organization to step up as a leading state enterprise.” said Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), who revealed the process of an organization adjustment to be in line with TAT 360.

TAT has adopted the TAT 360 model, a model of developing workers to be “knowledgeable” means that they can be able to improve and disseminate the knowledge on tourism information nationally and internationally, and “well-rounded” means they are paying attention to natural resources, social impact and stakeholders in the tourism industry.

TAT 360 is considered as the strategy to increase work efficiency of the organization that will contribute to the sustainability of the Thai tourism industry, and for TAT to become a leading state enterprise according to the criteria of the State Enterprise Policy Office (SEPO).

“The TAT 360 model does not really differ from the traditional way but more like an addition to it. It creates a more concentrated work in order to achieve the efficiency and effectiveness of the tasks that TAT has assigned including building a strong national economy through the tourism industry and distributing wealth to the community. It is a work that does not leave anyone behind like the government policies.”

Mr. Yuthasak added that the work structure does not change but will be more concentrated in terms of collaboration of the people in the organization. Every part of the organization, including employees at all levels, involves in creating a quality organization such as sharing opinions, creating organizational awareness, or exchanging information between the parties to achieve good coordination.

“The activities will be implemented in form of online activities and there will be a central space to be a platform for creative expression. For example, we have an activity called Share Your CG that everyone can forward their favorite CG or an activity called TAT Hero a quiz activity that aims to raise awareness about good governance.

When we have adjusted all the sides of our work, I think it would have a positive impact toward the customers, civilians and those who are involved. They would have been impressed if they know we take care of them. It can be a mark that would guarantee professionalism in working together. I think that’s important.”

Not only adjust the work process, but the new TAT also adds new projects and missions under the direction of Mr. Yuthasak who believes that every change will contribute to the development.

“As of now, we are working on the projects to create unity with employees in the organization, support good governance, and encourage participation in the TAT 360. We have opened a public space for employees which is the board called Your Ideas. All employees are able to contribute their ideas for the organization. We have activities to promote knowledge on good governance such as TAT Hero, Share your CG and other activities. We also have environmental activities such as Wasteless Day activity. Networking and collaboration with external partners are established as well. These activities show that we are progressing continuously. We will move forward with quality and efficiency to strengthen the economy of the country like we have done in the past.”

Whether it is to adjust the work process by implementing TAT 360 model or to create activities that instill TAT’s vision to people in the organization, the main goal is to develop the organization to become a leading state enterprise with quality work, quality people, strong network and transparency. Mr. Yuthasak emphasized that TAT wants to be a recognized as a leading state enterprise.

“Finally, we want to make the concept of TAT 360 be recognized as the Key Success Factor of being a good state enterprise employee that will make us the leading state enterprise in the future.”

La Manga, Murcia (Spain) – November 6, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Tobs Kenya Golf Safaris managed to take over the Leadership in Africa as its best Golf Tour Operator 2018 in stiff competition with 9 other African Companies. The Golf Operator’s recognition comes as a major boost to Kenya’s Golf Tourism Industry, especially now that the Kenya Open has become part of the PGA European Tour.

Kenya with more than 40 golf courses and excellent golf weather conditions all-year-long, has the potential to attract tens of thousands of golfing tourists per year. Ten years ago, in 2008 in Marbella Spain, Kenya became the world’s best Undiscovered Golf Destination, the IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) prestigious award for new excellent golf tourism destinations.

At the World Golf Award Ceremony, held at the 5-star La Manga Golf Resort in Murcia, Spain, Tobs Kenya Golf Safaris became Africa’s Best Golf Tour Operator, and also, for the 4th time in a row, Kenya’s Best Inbound Golf Tour Operator at a star-studded gala event on Saturday the 3rd of November 2018

“This award represents a great honor and recognition for our company, but even more so to Kenya’s Golf Tourism Industry. I sincerely hope that the KTB uses this opportunity to develop a 5-year marketing plan, including strategy and budget to put Kenya finally on the map as a World Class Golf Tourism Destination.” Tobs Cohen said when asked for his comment.

He continued:
“South Africa gets 100.000 golfing tourists, while Thailand, Spain and Portugal receive more than 750.000 golfing tourists each year. Kenya has the potential to attract at least 50.000 golfers yearly, if marketed properly. In combination with the award winning Masai Mara, award winning beaches, a friendly English-speaking population, Kenya can do so much more to get its share in this very lucrative niche of the tourism industry. I also would like to congratulate Emirates Airlines with winning Airline of the Year 2018, at the Air Transport Awards in March 2018 and also express my gratitude for sponsoring my flights to La Manga Club in Spain”

Covering an area of 1400 acres, La Manga Club in Murcia – located in South West Spain, is a luxurious resort including a 5-star hotel, villas, a wellness centre and 15 bars and restaurants. It boasts three 18-hole golf courses, 28 tennis courts, 8 natural grass football pitches, the best cricket facilities in Spain, rugby and a host of other sports. Founded 45 years ago, La Manga Club clearly displays that Golf and Sports Tourism is worth investing in.

Chris Frost, the Managing Director of World Golf Awards, when presenting the award to Tobs said:
“I would like to congratulate you on this remarkable achievement! Throughout the year a record number of votes have been cast by leading golf tourism professionals, as well as hundreds of thousands of golfers, in more than 100 countries. Golf tourism’s highest accolade is truly deserved and rewards your commitment to excellence and determination to become the undisputed market leader in Africa.”

Registered as a company in 1991, Tobs Kenya Golf Safaris is a Specialized Golf Tour Operator organizing Golf Safaris into Kenya, Golf Travel Experiences around the world and luxurious Golf Events, the largest being the Kenya Golf Trophy.

For more information, contact
Tobs Cohen
Tobs Kenya Golf Safaris, Travel & Events
+254-721-601480
+254-020-2687117
tobs@kenya-golf-safaris.com
www.kenya-golf-safaris.com

Astana (Kazakhstan) – November 6, 2018 (travelindex.com) – The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is set to organise PATA Travel Mart 2019 in Astana, Kazakhstan in September. The event will be hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kazakh Tourism National Company JSC, the key organization in the tourism industry effectively promoting the tourist brand of Kazakhstan and contributing to attracting investments to the industry.

“We are excited to hold the first-ever PATA event in Central Asia in the Republic of Kazakhstan. As the destination stands at the crossroads between Asia and Europe, it is the perfect venue to organise the Association’s signature travel trade exhibition in a uniquely transformational city that blends various cultures and heritages of both the East and West,” said PATA CEO Dr. Mario Hardy. “We look forward to working with the host in showcasing this truly unique destination.”

Vice Minister of Culture And Sport of The Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Yerlan Kozhagapanov, said, “We are honoured to be the bid winner and are grateful for the opportunity to host PATA Travel Mart 2019. We are positioning Astana as a MICE hub for Central Asia and looking forward to welcoming PATA members, hosted buyers and visitors at PATA Travel Mart 2019.”

Kazakhstan is the heart of Eurasia. Located simultaneously in two parts of the world – Europe and Asia, it is at the junction of several of the world’s largest civilizations and borders with China, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Russian Federation. Due to its key strategic location, it is among the strongest supporters of the Belt and Road Initiative strategy adopted by the Chinese government. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the country received a total of over 7.7 million total visitors in 2017.

Kazakhstan has a unique geography with a rich and diverse landscape, which includes numerous lakes, lowlands, deserts and valleys framed by mountains in the east and southeast. Due to the large territory and variety of natural conditions, there are over 6,000 species of plants, 172 species of mammals, 500 species of birds, 52 species of reptiles, 12 species of amphibians, and 150 species of fish.

The country’s new capital, Astana, has become a showpiece for 21st-century Kazakhstan, with a fantastical skyline marked by landmark buildings designed by leading international architects in a variety of Asia, Western, Soviet and futuristic styles.

Astana, also known as the ‘Singapore of the steppe’, is a growing city with a young, forward-looking vibe, where Kazakhstan’s ambitious and talented youth are increasingly drawn. This ever-growing city – host to the Expo 2017 world fair – offers a glimpse into a town of tomorrow.

Special discounts are available for sellers located within Central Asia, while early bird discounts are available for those registering before December 31, 2018.

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 a hundred 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 21 PATA Student Chapters globally. Their local activities underpins PATA’s membership in Uniting Travel, a coalition of the world’s major Travel & Tourism organisations dedicated to ensuring that the sector speaks with one voice and acts in unison on the major issues and includes ACI, CLIA, IATA, ICAO, WEF, UNWTO and the WTTC. 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. Visit www.PATA.org.

About Kazakh Tourism National Company JSC
Founded in 2017, Kazakh Tourism National Company JSC is the country’s destination marketing organization, fully owned by the Government of Kazakhstan. The main activities of Kazakh Tourism National Company JSC include marketing and promotion, attracting foreign investments to the tourist field, information and analytical support and capacity development of tourism professionals of Kazakhstan.

PATA
Paul Pruangkarn
Director – Communications
+66 (02) 658-2000 | communications@PATA.org | Bangkok, Thailand

Kazakh Tourism National Company JSC
Ms. Ainura Zhumatayeva
Manager
+7 7172 47 60 17 | a.zhumatay@qaztourism.kz | Astana, Kazakhstan

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 5, 2018 (travelindex) – Best Western Hotels and Resorts has appointed David Calvet as the General Manager of Tawaravadee Resort, BW Signature Collection by Best Western, its impressive new up-country retreat in Thailand’s Prachinburi province.

A highly-experienced hotelier with extensive knowledge of Thailand’s hospitality industry, David has worked for a series of international hotels in Bangkok and Phuket over the last 20 years. Most recently, he was General Manager of ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 50. Previously, David held senior management roles with a series of well-known hotel brands, including Novotel and Sheraton. He also spent more than three years as Directeur Général of École d’Hôtellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule, an international hospitality school located in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

He will now be tasked with overseeing the successful operations of Tawaravadee Resort, which becomes Best Western’s first BW Signature Collection by Best Western property in Asia. Nestled in the stunning Thai countryside, approximately 160 km from Bangkok, this expansive low-rise resort is suitable for every occasion, from romantic leisure breaks to major corporate functions.

“David Calvet is a talented hotel professional with a wealth of experience. Having lived and worked in Thailand for almost two decades, he is also completely familiar with the unique characteristics of this market and instinctively able to motivate his teams. I can think of no better person to lead our first BW Signature Collection by Best Western hotel in Asia,” commented Olivier Berrivin, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ Managing Director of International Operations – Asia.

“I am honored and delighted to have been named as General Manager of this exceptional resort. Located less than two hours’ drive from Bangkok and with an extensive range of facilities, including large conference spaces, Tawaravadee Resort is perfect for any occasion. I look forward to working with the entire team at Best Western to make this hotel a huge success and create incredible experiences for every guest,” said David.

About Best Western Hotels & Resorts:
Best Western Hotels & Resorts headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is a privately held hotel brand with a global network of 4,200* hotels in more than 100* countries and territories worldwide. Best Western offers 11 hotel brands to suit the needs of developers and guests in every market: Best Western®, Best Western Plus®, Best Western Premier®, Vīb®, GLō®, Executive Residency by Best Western®, BW Premier Collection® by Best Western, and BW Signature Collection® by Best Western; as well as its recently launched franchise offerings: SureStay® Hotel by Best Western, SureStay Plus® Hotel by Best Western and SureStay Collection® by Best Western. 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-mid-price and mid-price hotel brands, 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 nine 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 58 million members in the U.S. and Canada. Best Western-branded hotels were top ranked in J.D. Power’s 2017 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study – ranking first in breakfast (food and beverage category) for midscale; and second in overall guest satisfaction. Over 35 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.
* All Best Western and SureStay-branded hotels are independently owned and operated.
* Numbers are approximate, may fluctuate, and include hotels currently in the development pipeline.

Contact information:
Marketing Communications Department
Best Western Hotels and Resorts – Asia
Tel: +66 2 656 1260

Sirimanas Maungrod
Email: sirimanas.maungrod@bestwestern.com

Orapan Sornnuwat
Email: orapan.sornnuwat@bestwestern.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 5, 2018 (travelindex) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invites everyone who would like to see sustainable tourism in Thailand to express their ideas about green tourism and provide information that supports the needs of Eco-conscious travelers on the website www.tourismthailand.org/7greens.

By answering our questionnaire about website usage, you can help TAT improve and develop its website to meet the needs of nature-loving travelers. Moreover, you’ll have a chance to win a reusable water bottle.

Join the activity at

Answer the questionnaire then share the activity on your Facebook timeline, set the post as public and keep your fingers crossed!

Offer open until 15 November 2018. Winners will be announced on 22 November 2018.