Category: Latest Travel News

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 22, 2017 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in partnership with Gault & Millau, recently released a bilingual Tasty Thailand guidebook supplement alongside the new Gault & Millau restaurant guide Belux edition 2018. The launch gala dinner was held in Brussels, Belgium, on 13 November, 2017, and was attended by more than 600 who’s who in the Belux’s fine-dining scene.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said the new Gault & Millau restaurant guide Belux edition 2018 included a 70-page supplement entitled Tasty Thailand sponsored by TAT with an aim of presenting the delights of Thai food to an even wider international audience.

“The promotion of Thai cuisine is one of TAT’s top-most priorities because it builds bridges with the agriculture sector, which is Thailand’s largest overall industry, and goes hand in hand with the great branding job being done by Thai restaurants the world over.

“There is also a focus on health and wellness, with many Thai dishes placing great importance on high-value herbs and other highly nutritional ingredients. And because we believe a country’s cuisine is a wonderful way in which to experience its culture, heritage and ways of life,’ Mr. Yuthasak added.

The Gault & Millau restaurant guide was founded by food critics, Henri Gault and Christian Millau, in 1965. The guide rates restaurants from 1 to 20 with awards based entirely on the quality of the food. There are now Gault & Millau guides for the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and Poland, as well as France, Canada and Australia. The Gault & Millau restaurant guide Belux edition has a circulation of 35,000 copies.

The 70-page bilingual Gault & Millau Belux 2018’s Tasty Thailand guidebook supplement is printed in French and Dutch, and profiles the kingdom’s flourishing fine-dining scene and critically-acclaimed restaurants in Thailand and Belgium, famous Bangkok’s street food, products from the Royal Projects, key tourist destinations, and unique Thai local experiences in Thailand. It is expected to achieve a readership of five million.

In 2016, Thailand welcomed a total of 112,140 travellers from Belgium, up 4.13 per cent year-on-year. Belgian travellers visit Thailand on an average length of stay of 17 days, and are interested in nature, culture and food.

During the launch gala dinner, Boo Raan Thai Restaurant in Belgium was awarded “Asian Restaurant of the Year” by the Gault & Millau restaurant guide. Seen in the picture, Boo Raan’s owner and chef, Mr. Patrick D. Eigenaar (left) and the head chef, Ms. Dokkoon Kapueak (middle) received the prize from TAT Governor, Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn (right). Chef Eigenaar and Chef Kapueak also cooked the first appetizer dish, Tom Yum Cod Fish, for 600 guests during the gala dinner.

International Public Relations Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
1600 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevi
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2250 0246

For more information about culinary tourism in Thailand and to discover the best restaurants in Bangkok, please visit www.Top25Restaurants.com

For all your hotel bookings in Brussels, Benelux, Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Samui and worldwide go to HotelWorlds.com

Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR) – November 22, 2017 (travelindex.com) – World Dream, the newest mega ship of Asia’s luxury cruise line Dream Cruises, will soon make history as the first-ever cruise ship to be christened in Hong Kong.

In celebration of this monumental occasion, Dream Cruises launched an innovative TogetherWeBuildDreams campaign, which engaged cruise enthusiasts from around the world to build a large-scale replica of World Dream, in attempt to break the current world record of the largest LEGO® ship. After two months of relentless effort, the giant ship model, collectively built by over 1,000 cruising guests, members of the public, as well as Mr. Andy Hung and Legend Creative, the first LEGO® Certified Professional in Greater China region and his team, was officially unveiled at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal today. The attempt was declared successful upon onsite adjudication and the official Guinness World Records certificate presentation.

Prior to verification by the official Guinness World Records adjudicator, honourable guests completed the model by placing the final LEGO blocks onto the ship, symbolizing the collaboration between Dream Cruises and the citizens of Hong Kong to set the new world record.

The unveiling of the World Dream ship model also served as the kick-off for the festivities surrounding World Dream’s inaugural and christening in Hong Kong.

Mr. Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines said, “It is with great excitement with which we anticipate the inaugural launch of World Dream and make history as the first-ever cruise ship to be christened in Hong Kong. Today we celebrate the first milestone achieved by World Dream – the successful breaking of a Guinness World Record, an honour that we share with cruise enthusiasts from around the world who joined us as we turned this dream into reality.”

Mr. Anthony Lau, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) said, “The fact that Genting Cruise Lines selected Hong Kong again as the home port for its international cruise and is organising a large-scale christening ceremony in the city is indeed a testament to the international cruise trade’s great confidence in Hong Kong and the regional cruise market, as well as recognition of Hong Kong as an appealing cruise travel destination. The HKTB will continue to work closely with Genting Hong Kong and our other cruise partners through joint promotions and regional alliances to drive more arrivals and enhance local cruise and tourism development.”

The excitement began with Dream Cruises’ innovative “#TogetherWeBuildDreams” campaign, which engaged consumers in the building of the world’s largest LEGO® cruise ship, an 8.44-meter replica of World Dream. Constructed from over 2.5 million LEGO® blocks, the ship model weighs over 2,800kg, measures 8.44m in length, 1.33m in width, and 1.53m in height. The LEGO® ship model will be on public display at Hall B, 2/F of Kai Tak Cruise Terminal from 19 Nov onwards; an open-day event will be held on the first day of public display, where members of the public can have a close-up view of the giant ship model and enjoy activities including LEGO® building workshops and speed challenges against LEGO® Certified Professional.

World Dream is the second vessel of Dream Cruises, purpose-built to cater to the Asian market. World Dream will start sailing from Hong Kong on 17 November and from Guangzhou, Nansha on 19 November, taking guests on two weekly alternating 6-day/5-night itineraries to exotic and popular destinations including Boracay and Manila in the Philippines and Ho Chi Minh and Nha Trang in Vietnam, as well as 3-day/2-night Warm Weekend Vacation cruises from Hong Kong in the South China Sea.

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 21, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Haute Grandeur is synonymous with status, luxury and acclaim. This year, the prestigious Awards event was even more distinguished, proving yet again why it is considered one of the most anticipated occasions on the hotel and spa industry calendar. “Our annual Awards Gala provides a platform for dignitaries to network and celebrate their outstanding achievements,” said Founder and Managing Director of Haute Grandeur, Marinique de Wet.

Splendor and sophistication set the tone for the evening, as owners and general managers of top global hotel and spa groups joined influencers, industry leaders and the media in celebration of the best. More than 105 companies were represented at the black-tie event, and 522 Awards issued in total.

Among the VIP guests were key speakers, including the President of the Thai Hotels Association, Ms. Supawan Tanomkieatipume. “The growth of the Thai Tourism Industry has expanded rather rapidly,” said Tanomkieatipume. “Thailand is a country with high potential and capability in this business. The Royal Thai Government has a policy to magnify tourism, and it is therefore a great pleasure to be selected as the host destination for this year’s distinguished Haute Grandeur Awards Gala.”

Haute Grandeur is recognized as the world’s leading Awards initiative, acknowledging the finest hospitality experiences across 7 continents and more than 60 countries. Each year, the world’s premium luxury hotel and spa brands compete for the ultimate accolade in overall excellence and greatest contribution to the industry. Brilliance is recognized by means of a rigorous rating process, based on a unique concept exclusive to Haute Grandeur. By relying on quality feedback from guests rather than a quantity of votes by the general public or judges, fairness, transparency and unbiased results are guaranteed.

“A Haute Grandeur Award is a guaranteed golden stamp of excellence, and powerful in its ability to amplify marketing, guest perception and revenue,” said De Wet. “Participating establishments emphasize the value and importance of continuously striving for excellence, and set the standard in the industry. Haute Grandeur promises to raise the bar by awarding only the most exceptional hotels and spas, thereby inspiring establishments to reach even greater heights.”

Excellence was at the heart of the event, with De Wet delivering an inspiring speech about the vision, commitment and purpose of the Awards. “Excellence is the drive to exceed all expectations, when it is least expected,” said De Wet. “Haute Grandeur Awards celebrate values of leadership, hard work, dedication, ambition and success. The nominees are shining examples of what it means to be superlative.”

Adding to the allure of the event was charismatic celebrity MC, Able Wanamakok, who led the evening’s proceedings in style. The dynamic Hong Kong born, US-raised star is a national television host, news anchor for NBT, Thailand, and international presenter for Fashion One Television Network.

Haute Grandeur chooses a leading destination to host the prestigious Awards Gala Ceremony every year. “Selection of the perfect host property is key to the succcess of the Awards,“ said De Wet. “Thai hospitality is world-renowned and we were delighted to bring the world’s most esteemed global hotel and spa Awards to Thailand. Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, the south-east Asian flagship of Sofitel Hotels & Resorts, was chosen as the ideal host venue because of its unwavering dedication to raising the standards of service excellence in a highly competitive industry.” The 32-storey state-of-the-art hotel is situated in a vibrant cosmopolitan district of Bangkok, fusing French elegance with Thai culture to offer discerning guests a magnificent experience.

“It was a great honor for us to win the bid to host this prestigious Awards event,” said General Manager of Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, Oliver Schnatz. “This trusted Awards system reflects our commitment to excellence and recognizes the talent and ambassadors who work with unwavering dedication.”

“To win a Haute Grandeur Award takes will and determination,” said De Wet. “An establishment must excel on all levels. Therefore, the winners truly attained the ultimate in excellence; recognized with the highest accolade a hotel or spa can receive.” Among the victors were top global luxury hotel and spa brands – One&Only Resorts, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, Banyan Tree Hotels, Resorts & Spas, Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, Sofitel Luxury Hotels, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Ritz Carlton Luxury Hotels, Park Inn Hotels, ESPA Spas and Raffles Resorts, among others.

The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the overall winner, Rosewood Beijing. “Rosewood Beijing is deserving of this coveted Award in every way. It is an exquisite establishment, renowned for its passion and commitment to impeccable service,” said De Wet. “This was evident from the high customer rating score the property received during the 2017 Awards rating season.” Rosewood Beijing reflects the history, art and vibrancy of Beijing, seamlessly blending culture, architecture and tradition with contemporary style. The property is situated within one of the world’s most fascinating destinations, and is intimately connected to its natural surroundings, inviting guests to embark on a personal, authentic journey of discovery.

Another highpoint was Haute Grandeur’s announcement of the launch of a restaurant Awards division in 2018. “Our aim is to identify and applaud overall excellence in restaurants, measured against stringent Haute Grandeur standards,” said De Wet. “This is an opportunity for restaurants to compete, excel and be recognized for exceptional achievement.”

Accolades and triumphs were not the only highlights on the evening. Other delights included live entertainment, with a riveting performance by Kool Gong & The Band – a modern pop music cover band from Thailand, featuring award winning lead singer, Susana Tatniyom.

After the formalities, winners enjoyed their moment of fame “red-carpet style”. Among the media covering the event were Travelindex.com, Bespoke International, Destination Thailand News, Global Travel Media, Exquisite Media, Travel Daily Media, Gaya Travel Magazine, Hotelier Maldives, Maldives Insider, Luxurious Magazine and People Publishing Media Group.

Haute Grandeur collaborated with global event partners like Etihad Airways, and Uber, which offered Haute Grandeur members free rides throughout Thailand in celebration of the Awards. Contributors comprised of Spice Up Thailand, Sofitel Hotels and Resorts, Thai Hotel Association, Thailand Incentive & Convention Association, DHL, Voya and La Prairie.

Association with Haute Grandeur ensures participating hotels and spas are perceived as elite – recognized as game-changers who are setting the benchmark in the industry.

The 2018 Haute Grandeur Global Hotel and Spa Awards Ceremony will be held in Dubai.

The Haute Grandeur Global Hotel and Spa Awards is a leading, respected and globally trusted Awards initiative, honoring remarkable contributions by outstanding luxury establishments; hotels, lodges, casinos, resorts, private island retreats and spas worldwide.

Winners are those hotels and spas that set themselves apart through excellence on all levels, discerning between hospitality and luxury – offering inspiring guest experiences that are incomparable and truly memorable,

Association with Haute Grandeur guarantees recognition, credibility and influence. The Awards are regarded as the highest accolade in the hotel and spa industry – a promise of quality, a distinct symbol of excellence.

For more information, visit www.hautegrandeur.com

Enquiries:
Haute Grandeur Global Hotel and Spa Awards
Email info@hautegrandeur.com or call +27 (0)861 AWARDS

For all your hotel bookings in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Samui and around the world go to HotelWorlds.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 20, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Following an extensive 6-month renovation, The Sukhothai Bangkok unveiled the exciting new La Scala, marking the return of the award-winning restaurant to own center stage in Bangkok’s culinary scene.

La Scala first opened doors on November 24, 2002 serving classic Italian cuisine to food connoisseurs in a setting of innovative interior design. The first in Bangkok to introduce internationally-acclaimed guest chefs to local gourmands, La Scala was second home to a long list of Michelin and celebrity chefs featured in the Sukhothai’s signature series “The Art of Dining”. The restaurant has since served 220,000 guests from around the world in its 15 years of operation.

Unique, one of a kind and clearly in a class of its own, the new La Scala is a triumph of innovative interior design paired with inspired Italian cuisine. Chef David Tamburini introduces a menu that is “all-new, still legendary”: Pure, traditional Italian recipes with unparalleled creative flair, a veritable culinary tour de force that captures the essence of contemporary Italian dining.

Interior design distinguishes the new La Scala. Light and contemporary, the new La Scala exudes the style, luxury and confidence that promises to surpass the success of the former La Scala.

Drawing inspiration from its namesake the grand La Scala Opera Theatre in Milan, the concept for the new La Scala is “The Great Theatre for Marvelous Moments”, where extraordinary moments engage patrons in a full sensory experience of cuisine, design, glamour and service. The space is designed to stage the culinary team’s performance, showing the chef as their lead performer. At this point the “lead role” belongs to the guests, who eagerly anticipate moments of pleasure as they take their cues from the wide open theatre-like kitchen.

The shimmer of mosaic tiles complements a new bar and a well-presented grand wine cellar that covers an entire wall as one of the focal points. In keeping with the attention to detail that makes La Scala special, great care is taken to ensure that the extensive wine list offers options most suitable to match menu offerings.

The most characteristic design feature is the oval ceiling at the centre. The perfectly balanced layout alludes to the La Scala Opera Theatre, with five black pillars connecting the oval ceiling to the open kitchen space. The contrast of the black colour and the traditional relief on the pillars present a fine balance of lightness and heaviness, with the symmetry and overall colour scheme reminiscent of the theatre’s interiors.

Another new addition is a private dining room, set off from the main dining area by translucent screens that offer space that is at once enclosed yet light and airy.

The white walls of the reception area and pizza kitchen are clad in Bianco Carrara, a famous marble from Italy. Is it used to emphasize the perpendicular line characteristic of Sukhothai architecture, and designed to harmonize the Italian nuances of La Scala with the design aesthetics of Thailand’s 13th century capital.

The interiors are designed by spinoff co., ltd. in Tokyo, widely acclaimed for spaces that provide a calm, quiet atmosphere where people can feel comfortable amid a delicate balance created by carefully selected materials and well-edited design.

For further information, please contact:
Chutima Limpasurat – Marketing Communications Manager
Tel: +66 (0) 2 344 8671

For more information about culinary tourism in Thailand and to discover the best restaurants in Bangkok, please visit www.Top25Restaurants.com

For all your hotel bookings in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Samui go to HotelWorlds.com

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 20, 2017 (travelindex.com) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), in collaboration with the UD Town Shopping Complex, is organising a pioneering ‘Udon Thani Chef’s Table: Isan Modern Twist Cuisine’ gastronomy tourism event next week, from 25 to 26 November.

Thailand’s own Iron Chef, Thanarak Chuto (Chef ‘Pom’), will create innovative dishes using locally sourced ingredients indigenous to the province at Udon Thani’s trendy 89 Upper Cafe & Restaurant located in UD Town.

Known for adding his own passionate flair to every dish, Chef Pom personally interprets tradional Isan dishes by infusing them with diverse and unusual local ingredients, throwing an exciting modern twist into one of Thailand’s most popular regional cuisines. Menu ingredients sure to excite the palates of visitors in attendance include Ban Dung Rock Salt Golden Seabass, which is bred in the nearby salt farms of Ban Dung district, and lotus stems hand harvested from the Red Lotus Lake in Kumphawapi district.

Mr Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said: “This important gastronomy tourism event harnesses the natural synergy of two powerful global brands: the reality television sensation ‘Iron Chef‘ combined with Thailand’s internationally beloved Isan cuisine, both of which are famous worldwide.

“Udon Thani is a culinary capital of Isan, which combined with Chef Pom’s charismatic gastronomic genius, makes it the perfect destination to host such a high profile and fun event.”

One hundred lucky guests will be admitted to the highly interactive sessions and have the chance to watch Chef Pom work his culinary magic during the event that takes place from 18.00-20.00 Hrs. on both days. They will see first-hand how Chef Pom works, getting an up-close-and-personal view of this celebrated master chef, as he goes about his business of food preparation up until the final creation of each dish. Participants are invited to personally sample each dish during tasting and discussion sessions that will follow.

The Udon Thani Chef’s Table: Isan Modern Twist Cuisine by Chef Pom is one of the many activities taking place concurrently during the ‘Art of the Legend 2017 – UD Town International Art and Talent’ exhibition, also scheduled to be held from 25 to 26 November.

International Public Relations Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
1600 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevi
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2250 0246

For more information about culinary tourism in Thailand and to discover the best restaurants in Bangkok, please visit www.Top25Restaurants.com

For all your hotel bookings in Udon Thani, Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Samui go to HotelWorlds.com

Shanghai (China) – November 20, 2017 (travelindex.com) – New levels of ASEAN-China tourism cooperation were lauded as a success and an indication of more to come, at the closing ceremony of the ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation Year 2017, which took place in Kunming, China on 17 November.

Since the official launch of the ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation Year in Manila in March, the two tourism blocs have grown closer together on tourism matters.

As a result of the cooperation year, Mr Pongpanu Svetarundra, Thailand’s Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, said that ASEAN and China had established high level cooperation on tourism matters, shared data and tourism statistics at multiple levels, promoted quality tourism through the enhancement of standards, encouraged participation at travel trade shows and tourism festivals through the ASEAN-China Centre, boosted links between tourism education institutions, facilitated greater liberalised air connectivity, and created a framework for better cruise and yacht tourism cooperation.

Speaking at the closing ceremony in Kunming on 17 November, Mr Pongpanu said, “The inaugural ASEAN-CHINA Tourism Cooperation Year has successfully laid the foundations for enhanced two-way tourism cooperation between ASEAN and China. Many mutual tourism benefits have been achieved. ASEAN and China can now look forward to further deepening and broadening their tourism cooperation.”

China is the biggest source of foreign tourists for ASEAN. Tourism growth between the two blocs is already huge.

In 2016 the number of tourist arrivals from China to ASEAN was 19.8 million, an increase of 6.4% over 2015. While the number of ASEAN tourists to China recorded 10.34 million, an increase of 57.8 %.

The ASEAN-China Tourism Cooperation Year was launched in March in the Philippines. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte fully endorsed the initiative.

Further information
ASEAN Tourism Competitiveness Committee:
contact: atmcwg@gmail.com
ASEAN Secretariat:
contact: eddy@asean.org

Bangkok (Thailand) – November 17, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Anantara Hotels and Resorts has announced the dates for the 2018 King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament. The event will be held by the banks of Bangkok’s mighty Chao Phraya River from March 8th – 11th, 2018 and promises to have a full range of fun elephant festivities for the whole family including an impressive opening parade, children’s educational day, Ladies Day known as The ‘Bangkok Ascot’. Other entertainment will include a pop up foodie market and a host of popular bands and DJs

Now in its sixteenth year, the festival has become one of the biggest charitable events in Southeast Asia with over US$1.5 million (BHT 50 million) raised and donated to projects that better the lives of Thailand’s wild and domesticated elephant population.

Funds from this year’s event were donated to various projects including the Zoological Parks Organisation of Thailand which supports veterinary and educational projects to improve the year-round lives of elephants and mahouts in the Surin Province where ex-street elephants face ongoing hardship. The donations have also funded South East Asia’s first ever workshop to teach mahouts and vets the benefits of Environmental Enrichment to keep elephants happy as well as the construction of a watch tower in a village whose crops are raided by elephants, allowing villagers to watch and warn other villagers of approaching elephants in a safe manner for both people & elephants. Donations also funded a conservation education trip to a National Park for the children and next generation of hereditary mahouts to learn the importance of elephants in the wild; the transport of Thai elephant vets to international conferences; funding Thai Government aid to teach mahouts to act as veterinary assistants and provide basic first aid and other medical care to their elephants; as well as community based Human Elephant Conflict mitigation projects in two Thai and one Tanzanian National Parks and the purchase of equipment for anti-poaching rangers in a Cambodian National Park.

Other significant benefits from the money raised by the tournament include: the ongoing Thai
Elephant Therapy Project which has been underway since 2009 in conjunction with Chiang Mai University’s Department of Occupational Therapy, with future clinics to include children with Down’s syndrome and other conditions now committed until the end of 2018 as well as the funding of Asia’s first workshop to show traditional elephant trainers and camp owners the benefits of Positive Reinforcement Training for captive elephants with additional workshops this year in Myanmar reaching teams responsible for over 200 elephants. Past projects include the donation of a THB 500,000 gantry to the Thai Elephant Conservation Centre (TECC) to help lame elephants stand which is still in operation; and the planting of an elephant corridor of 4,000 trees in Hua Hin to stop farmer vs. elephant conflicts.

A total of 20 unemployed ex-street elephants will take part in the event, during which they will receive full veterinary checks from the Zoological Parks Organisation of Thailand, under the patronage of His Majesty the King of Thailand and the Department of Livestock Development. In addition, all elephants are given essential vitamins, food and care which are not available to them during their normal daily lives.

The welfare of the elephants that participate in the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament is of paramount importance, with strict rules ensuring that the pachyderms are well cared for at all times. By imposing a “no micro-chip, no game” rule, Anantara guarantees that all participating elephants have been domestically bred and not captured from the wild or smuggled in from neighbouring countries.

The annual event was awarded a silver medal for Sports CSR Initiative of the Year at the Asia Sports Industry Awards in 2016. Anantara has long been associated with elephant conservation efforts with the formation of The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, which has performed over 60 rescues of elephants off the streets of Thailand. For more information on the 16th Annual King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament, please visit www.anantaraelephantpolo.com.

About Anantara
Anantara is a luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, connecting them to genuine places, people and stories through personal experiences, and providing heartfelt hospitality in the world’s most exciting destinations. The collection of distinct, thoughtfully designed luxury hotels and resorts provides a window through which to journey into invigorating new territory, curating personal travel experiences.

From cosmopolitan cities to desert sands to lush islands, Anantara connects travellers to the indigenous, grounds them in authentic luxury, and hosts them with passionate expertise. The portfolio currently boasts over 35 stunning properties located in Thailand, the Maldives, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zambia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman, with a pipeline of future properties across Asia, the Indian Ocean, Middle East and Africa.

For more information:
Mark Thomson
Director of Public Relations and Communications
mthomson@minor.com
+66 (0) 2365 7678

Jularak Cholharn
Director of Public Relations (Thailand)
jularak_ch@minor.com
+66 (0) 2365 7677

Berlin (Germany) – November 19, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Germany largest source market and leading destination – Outside of Europe, USA most popular destination for health vacations and medical tourism – “Reducing stress” main motive – ITB Berlin and IPK International analyze travel behavior of health-oriented and medical tourist

Reducing everyday stress and taking time off is an important aspect in today’s fast changing world. Hence, an increasing number of people is becoming more and more aware of the importance of staying healthy and energetic and therefore go in increasing numbers on health-oriented and medical trips.

In 2016, the world population undertook some 11.4 million international health-oriented and medical trips, resulting in a market share of 1.4 per cent on all outbound trips worldwide. According to findings of the World Travel Monitor®, conducted by IPK International and commissioned by ITB Berlin, nearly 70 per cent of all international health & medical outbound trips have been made mainly for health-oriented reasons such as wellness and spa holidays. The share of trips for medical purposes (including cure, hospital rehab and stays in medical clinics) was around 30 per cent.

Germany biggest source market followed by USA
With more than 1 million foreign health & medical trips, Germany strengthened its position as the world’s leading source market for health-oriented and medical tourism. In Europe, Russia follows second before third-placed France and Italy. The most important source market in this niche-segment outside of Europe are the USA. On second, third and fourth place follow Asian source markets, namely South Korea, China and Japan.

Destination ranking also led by Germany
Germany is not only the most important source market but also the number one destination in the overall segment of health-oriented and medical tourism, closely followed in Europe by Hungary, Austria and fourth-ranked Spain. Outside of Europe, the USA are the most popular destination for health & medical tourism, followed by Mexico and Japan. While Austria is the third most important European destination with respect to the whole segment, it is the leading destination in Europe with regard to wellness / spa holidays only.

Reducing stress and relaxing most important motives
When on a health-oriented trip, travelers especially want to “reduce stress” combined with “relaxing” and “switching off”. These are the most important factors while being on a health-oriented trip, followed by spa / wellness treatments. The treatment of diseases, pains and other health problems is for about 40 per cent of all health-oriented and medical tourists of high relevance.

Every second health-oriented / medical tourism traveler between 35 and 54 years
When looking at socio-demographics there is nearly an equal distribution between male and female health-oriented and medical travelers. However, there are differences regarding age distribution. The percentage of travelers between 35 and 54 years is by far the biggest group with a share of around 50 per cent, followed by travelers up to 34 years and the age segment 55+.

For the second time ITB Berlin will be fully devoting a platform to medical tourism, which has become an important fast-growing market. Medical service providers, hotels and destinations will be able to exhibit their products and services In the Medical Tourism Pavilion in Hall 3.2. Presentations and workshops will be held so that visitors can find out more about the latest trends and developments in this growth market: www.itb-berlin.com/medicaltourism.

About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention
ITB Berlin 2018 will be taking place from Wednesday, 7 to Sunday, 11 March, and from Wednesday to Friday will be open to trade visitors only. ITB Berlin is the World’s Leading Travel Trade Show. In 2017 a total of 10,000 companies and organizations from 184 countries exhibited their products and services to around 169,000 visitors, who included 109,000 trade visitors. Parallel with the show the ITB Berlin Convention, the largest event of its kind, will be held from Wednesday, 7 to Saturday, 10 March. Admission to the ITB Berlin Convention is free for trade visitors and exhibitors.

Contacts:
Messe Berlin
Emanuel Höger
Press Spokesman and
Press and Public Relations Director
Corporate Communication
Messe Berlin Group
Messedamm 22
14055 Berlin

ITB Berlin / ITB Asia /
ITB China:
Julia Wegener
PR Manager
Messedamm 22
14055 Berlin
T: +49 30 3038-2269

IPK International:
Fenja Weberskirch
Marketing Consultant
Gottfried-Keller-Str. 20
81245 München
T: +49 89 8292370

Management Board:
Dr. Christian Göke (CEO),
Dirk Hoffmann (CFO)
Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Wolf-Dieter Wolf
Commercial Register:
Amtsgericht Charlottenburg (District Court)
HRB 5484 B

Solin (Croatia) – November 19, 2017 (travelindex.com) – Three international tourist, film festivals and landscapes events: 24th INTERSTAS / International Festival of Tourism, Film and Landscape, – International Club for Merited in Tourism, 20th jubilee ITF’CRO / International Tourfilm Festival, and 15th KEA-CRO / presentation of Croatian cities and places / villages for the INTERNATIONAL GOLDEN FLOWER AWARD and a special prize “Dr. Lucija Čikeš “, held for the eighth time (on 8th, 9th and 10th of November, 2017) at Hotel President, Solin. Along with the main hotel host, the event is supported by; Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Croatia, Croatian National Tourist Board, World and European Federation of Tourism Journalism, Film and Sustainable Development – FIJET, FEST, ITCO, CiB. The sponsors are: County of Split, City of Solin and under the high patronage of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mrs. Kolinda Grabar Kitarović.

On the 24th INTERSTAS 2017, for prizes from five different categories awarded to individuals and institutions; Golden INTERSTAS, Chart FEST, special Recognition INTERSTAS, Special Award “Dr. Lucija Čikeš “, Certificate – KEA for International Golden Flower Award, from  28 countries of the world there have been 136 proposals regarding participation. Based on the received proposals International Commission of Tourism Journalists and Writers accepted 75 candidacies and nominated  37 candidates for one of the awards. Out of all five different categories from Croatia and the world, the Event Director and the Central Committee of the FEST / European Federation of Travel Journalists have decided for 28 Laureates, of which  7 are Laureates for the most prestigious international tourist award FOR Excellence In Tourism – Golden INTERSTAS Award 2017. The main focus of Golden INTERSTAS Award, founded in 2003, is dedicated to selected tourist destinations of local, regional, national destinations, responsible tourism and introducing best practice examples for other destinations around the world.

The Council of Events, Directory and the FEST Board, based on the received candidacies from all five different categories, and with the explanations of the Committee of Tourism Journalists and Writers for each individual and organization, decided on the Laureates and handed them these prestigious international tourist awards. special Recognition INTERSTAS ‘2017 went to: Josip ŠARIĆ, mayor of the city of Otok, Matija Posavec, County Prefect of Međimurje, Ivo Dujmić, the mayor of Opatija, HFD Jadro, Solin, Tourist Board of City of Split, Tourist School Split, PD Marjanke, Split. Chart FEST ‘2017 went to: academic Nikola Bašić, Zadar, academic Dinko Kovačić, Split, academic Jakša Fiamengo, Split, and to Vesna Jurić Rukavina, journalist, Zagreb, Eduard Kišić, journalist, Rijeka, Kamenko Milenković, journalist, Novi Sad, Krešimir Šakić, director of JU „NP Krka“, Šibenik, Branko Uvodić, tv editor and anchorman, Zagreb, Mirjana Žugec Pavičić, journalist, Zagreb, Željko Žutelija journalist, Zagreb, Andrew Muscat, President of FIJET, Malta and members of acappella group Klapa Intrade, Zadar.

For each Laureate, individual and organization, from all five different categories that have been awarded with these prestigious international tourist, film festivals, landscape-flower awards at the final ceremony, their nominations are explained by the Committee for: excellence, high quality of work, and recognition of their creativity and individual contribution by individuals and organizations who through their professional, scientific and practical work activities and their projects development programs, tourist offer and presentation, promote, enhance, enrich the tourist and cultural offer and thus contribute to the integrity of the development of tourism on the local, regional or national level. This is one of the most prestigious international tourist awards. This certainly contributes to prosperity, quality, better living, better understanding between peoples, and thus confirms the justification for awarding these prizes to the international club responsible for tourism development. Selected Laureates from each of the five categories, according to the prize-giving propositions, are presenting themselfs within the framework of the two-day exhibition program of the event – INTERSTAS.

At the 2th. jubilee International Tourfilm festival – ITF’CRO, from  80 world countries from all continents, arrived 301 films. There has been nominated  104 film from 56 countries. Of that  92 foreign and  12 from Croatia in a competition for some of the festival awards, the national prize “Baldo Čupić” and the Grand Prix. By the decision of the International Jury of the Festival, with Special Recognitions and Diplomas, the main awards were awarded; for the best director, screenplay, music, picture and editing and also TROPHY „DUJAM“ and GRAND PRIX – ITF’CRO ‘2017.

For the 15th Certificate For KEA-CRO / International Golden Flower Award, and Special Award “Dr. Lucija Čikeš “, out of a total of 9 Croatian candidates and 5 nominees, by the decision of the Directory of the Event one candidate, in each category was selected, with the explanation of excellence.

Certificate KEA-CRO, Special Recognitions, Chart FEST, Golden INTERSTAS, Festival Awards and Grand Prix ITF’CRO, were presented and awarded to the Laureates at the closing ceremony in Hotel President Solin on Friday, November 10th, 2017.

Dubai (Unitd Arab Emirates) – November 14, 2017 (travelindex) – Global hospitality management software company Xn protel Systems today announced that it is showcasing its new xnPOS Kiosk technology, for the first time, at HITEC Dubai on the 14th – 15th November 2017. Xn protel Systems (ME) will demonstrate, at HITEC Dubai, how its new xnPOS Kiosk technology simplifies F&B ordering and payment processing. Designed to optimize F&B operations and reduce queuing/ordering cycles, the xnPOS Kiosk expands on the capabilities of Xn protel’s xnPOS enterprise product line. It has been developed by Xn protel Systems and is the first of several new product releases aimed at expanding the adoption of guest-facing, F&B ordering technology.

xnPOS Kiosk allows customers to use self-order touch kiosks to view the menu and place orders without having to join a queue at the cashier or service counter. It supports quick payment processing, using the customer’s preferred payment method. xnPOS Kiosk is fully integrated with the xnPOS enterprise system, so once an order is placed on the Kiosk it is immediately transmitted to the Kitchen Display System (KDS). When ready to collect, a notification is sent from the KDS to a Customer Tag screen marked ‘ready for collection’.

The efficiency and accuracy of F&B order-entry are directly linked to customer satisfaction, therefore xnPOS Kiosk has been designed to enhance a diverse range of F&B operations. It reduces queuing, controls the accuracy of order-entry, drives upselling and enhances operational productivity.

xnPOS Kiosk can be used with a variety of open, touch kiosk hardware. It also has a customer friendly touch-ordering user interface, which was developed and optimized by Xn protel’s in-house xnPOS software development team.

The xnPOS Kiosk was initially developed for a Singapore-based customer of Mediatech Marketing Pte Ltd, one of Xn protel Systems’ global resellers. To handle the full range of local payment modes required in Singapore, the xnPOS Kiosk was integrated with the NETS Payment Gateway module. This allows customers to make payment by NETS Debit, NETS Flash Pay and also use various credit card devices, including standard chip credit cards, payWave, Apple Pay and Android Pay.

Emmanuel Clave, VP GCC & India, Xn protel Systems comments: “The productivity value of kiosk technology has long been proven in the Quick Service Restaurant and Travel industries. By implementing xnPOS Kiosk the ROI can be measured in faster F&B preparation cycles and increased upselling.

Emmanuel continues, “xnPOS Kiosk provides hospitality outlets with a multi-lingual, specialized F&B Kiosk technology that solves queuing issues. Its customer-friendly ordering screens will begin to drive a broader adoption of kiosk technology into mainstream hotel/hospitality F&B operations, especially in retail F&B outlets, located in hotel lobbies and breakfast restaurants. xnPOS Kiosk will deliver strong business value by offering a customer-friendly touch-ordering process, which is fully integrated to the wider capabilities of our xnPOS enterprise system.”

About Xn protel Systems
Xn protel Systems is a global hospitality management software company specializing in property management, central reservations, point of sale and activity management solutions. Our business-critical, highly functional, cloud-native and open systems provide the latest technology and flexibility. They help world-class hospitality companies in over 50 countries to optimize revenue generation, simplify service operations and enhance the quality of guest communications.

We are committed to:
Creating open systems. Working closely with our customers and partners we adopt industry standard protocols to break down traditional integration barriers. Creating truly open, flexible solutions that support guests’ growing appetite to be more in control of their stay.

Developing cloud-native products. Our newest technologies are born in the cloud. That means our customers benefit from the latest innovations, can take full advantage of mobile and achieve a lower cost of ownership.

Being easy to do business with. We understand the frustration that comes with unresponsive and inflexible suppliers. We’re not like that. And we don’t take our customers for granted. A customer-centric approach is in our DNA, from preparing quotations through to resolving support calls.

Our next generation, global solutions are backed by outstanding customer service and support. Our dedicated team of highly experienced hotel, hospitality and technology experts work hard to understand customers’ needs and the issues they face. Located across our extensive network of offices, our specialists provide the best advice, solutions and support to make sure customers meet the needs of local markets and achieve their business goals.

The Company was formed in the UK in 2002, as Xn Hotel Systems. It was then renamed in 2015 as Xn protel Systems when protel hotelsoftware became a shareholder.

www.xnprotel.com

Xn protel media contact:
Terry Osborne
Head of Marketing
Terry.osborne@xnprotel.com
+44 (0) 7788 280434

Xn protel sales contact:
sales@xnprotel.com