SAP, Bolt and an ex-Premier League footballer are part of a stellar line-up of global game-changers speaking at IMEX’s Exclusively Corporate. The dedicated event for corporate meeting professionals takes place on Monday, May 30, the day before IMEX in Frankfurt, May 31 – June 2.

From sustainability to sport

The program of case study-led education, peer-to-peer discussion and networking has been designed to support corporate event planners during a busy and pivotal moment, as they power their organizations to post-pandemic recovery.

The theme of the sessions – building back better – is explored by headline speaker Paul McVeigh who shares his perspective on business recovery from the world of elite sport. As a Premier League and international football player for Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City and Northern Ireland, Paul competed with and against the best players in the world, which has shaped his understanding of high performance and the psychology of success. In his session, The psychology of thriving and surviving in 2022, he will explore techniques to achieve improved mental performance and thrive at work.

Performance Psychologist, ex-Premier League Footballer

Paul explains: “My intention is that everyone who comes to hear me will finally and fully understand how their psychology, their mindset and their habitual thinking patterns 100% dictate their lives. The truth and the shame is that most people only think about their psychology or mindset when they’ve hit rock bottom or had a massive setback. My philosophy is why wait for that moment? Why not try and improve your life now?”

Stefanie Dubois, Head of Global Event Operations at SAP, looks at the journey to net zero in 2050 – specifically what measures the industry can implement and how to measure and track impact in Building sustainable events for the future.

Count Me In Founder, Shane Feldman

As the founder of a youth-led leadership organization that has impacted 10 million young people in 104 countries, Shane Feldman knows a thing or two about creating communities. The founder of Count Me In will deliver the keynote at Exclusively Corporate – Relationship passport: Build better relationships and create engaged communities. He’ll advise on how to break out of the constraints of old models and learn how to use technology as an advantage to make customers an integral – and loyal – part of a company’s community and story.

The pandemic has given the industry an opportunity to reset and Tanesha Moody, Former Director Field and Events Marketing at Bolt Financial, details how planners can manage the moment by revamping skills, celebrating challenges and channeling creativity in Pivot, Change, Recreate – the Evolution of Corporate Events.

With dozens of corporate planners and industry leaders coming together, the emphasis is on shared discussions and debate. Two interactive breakout sessions invite contributions on harnessing new technology to deliver brand impact and delve into organizing innovative, sustainable and engaging experiences that deliver shared value.

Google continues the conversation in virtual follow-up

Exclusively Corporate is only the start of the conversation. Planners can progress discussions at a follow-up, virtual Exclusively Corporate. The session held on June 28 is open to attendees of the in-person event and will be led by a truly ground-breaking expert.

Megan Henshall, Global Events Strategic Solutions Lead at Google, will discuss Events Re-imagined, sharing how Google have been re-imagining analogue and virtual experiences to create opportunities for authentic human connection and transformation. Attendees can expect a (virtual) preview of her highly anticipated session as part of Exclusively Corporate on May 30.

Exclusively Corporate is sponsored by Los Cabos and Hubilo and takes place on Monday 30 May, the day before IMEX in Frankfurt. For more details on how to attend click here.

IMEX in Frankfurt takes place May 31 – June 2, 2022 – the business events community can register here. Registration is free.

eTurboNews is a media partner for IMEX.

MEDIA CONTACT: Emma Blake: emmablake@clareville.co.uk

Worldly marketing tour to boost arrivals

Elated by the rate at which Jamaica’s tourism industry is recovering from the devastating COVID-19 fallout, Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, is all set to embark on a global marketing tour to boost visitor arrivals.

Arrival figures indicate that “this winter, closing at the end of April, is going to see in excess of a 70 per cent recovery in tourism in Jamaica,” Minister Bartlett disclosed at yesterday’s (April 20) ground-breaking for RIU’s seventh hotel in Jamaica – the 753-room RIU Aquarelle. Inclusive of cruise passengers, Jamaica is looking at just under one million visitors and earnings of about US$1.5 billion.

Additionally, “bookings for summer are now looking better than pre-COVID in 2019 and we’re just hitting the market,” said Mr. Bartlett as a prelude to disclosing that this Friday (April 22) he leaves the island with a team “to start a mega marketing campaign across the world.”

The first stop is in the United Kingdom this weekend when he will join Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia “Babsy” Grange in promoting activities to mark Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of independence.

The tourism team will move on to New York to stimulate travel from the US Northeastern Seaboard, inclusive of New Jersey, Connecticut, extending to Boston.

“And then we leave from there and we hit the new market of the Middle East. We’re meeting with all the mega airlines, including Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, S.A.L. and we’re going over to Riyadh as well to meet with King Khalid, their big aviation company, which wants to open 225 new gateways and we want Jamaica to be in that,” said Minister Bartlett.

The itinerary also includes a meeting with representatives of Royal Jordanian Airlines, as a plan is rolled out to establish Jamaica as the hub for the Middle Eastern market for the Caribbean and the Americas.

With breaks in between, the marketing tour will also go on to Africa, Canada, Europe and Latin America.

At the end of the global marketing blitz in October, Minister Bartlett expects to have agreements signed for an additional 8,000 new hotel rooms in Jamaica.

Delivering the keynote address at the ground-breaking ceremony, Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, lauded RIU Hotels for investing in seven hotels in Jamaica in 21 years, describing it as a remarkable achievement.

He invited the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Carmen Riu to explore building an eighth hotel on the south-eastern coast, which Jamaica is developing for a different kind of tourism experience.

“Tourism and hospitality have become very important to us here in Jamaica which, thanks to investments like (that of) the Riu family, our tourism product has become a sought-after destination in the Caribbean region,” expressed Mr. Holness. He said over the years the tourism industry had taken on increased significance “because the truth is that the government has focused on the industry, giving leadership and direction and emphasis to the industry.”

Señora Riu said the company currently has 3,500 rooms in Jamaica and employs 2,200 workers. During the COVID-19 pandemic induced shutdown, the RIU Montego Bay and RIU Ocho Rios hotels were refurbished, and all their hotels in Jamaica have now been updated with new services being offered.

SEEN IN PHOTO: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (center) introduces Chief Executive Officer of RIU Hotels, Señora Carmen Riu (right) to Prime Minister, the Most Hon.  Andrew Holness on his arrival for the ground-breaking ceremony for RIU Aquarelle, the company’s seventh hotel in Jamaica, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. – image courtesy of Jamaica Ministry of Tourism

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Corporate Communications Division

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Telephone: 920-4924,

Fax: 906-1729

Or

Kingsley Roberts

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Tel: 920-4926-30, ext.: 5990

Cell: (876) 505-6118

Fax: 920-4944

International fair in Cape Town

Present at the World Travel Market (WTM) Africa event, Tourism Seychelles representatives and a small delegation of local partners were in Cape Town to reconnect with trade partners from the South African region.

The 3-day international fair, which took place at the (CTICC) Cape Town International Conference Centre between April 11-13, 2022, was the first in-person event for the region since the pandemic.

Tourism Seychelles team comprised of Mr. David Germain – Regional Director for Africa and Americas, Ms Christine Vel – Director for South Africa and Other Africa and Mrs. Ingride Asante – Marketing Executive for South Africa and African market.

Representing the local trade Ms. Amy Michel and Mr. Kevin Albert attended the event on behalf of Mason’s Travel and Summer Rain Tours respectively while Ms. Jordyn Erasmus and Ms. Gina Arntzen were present as Blue Safari Travel spokespeople.

The team met with several trade partners from all over the world, tourism professionals from the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the rest of Africa visiting the Seychelles stand and had series of business to business (B2B) meetings with the exhibitors and Tourism Seychelles to discuss the features of Seychelles as a destination.

Speaking of the event Christine Vel, the director for South Africa said that the fair was a successful one for the destination.

“We are quite satisfied with the outcome of the WTM Africa as we have seen that our trade partners still had much enthusiasm and interest in the destination,” said Ms. Vel. 

As part of Tourism Seychelles’ participation at the WTM Africa, Mr. David Germain was chosen as a panelist for the live edition of the World Travel Market Africa moderated by Chris Mears, CEO of African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA). The panel composed of the CEO of Tourism Business Council of South Africa, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa and Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, Chief Destineer: Destinate, discussed the revival of the African tourism sector after the pandemic.

Launched in 2014 under the Africa Travel Week umbrella, WTM Africa is a key trade Rendezvous for the travel industry. The 2023 edition of WTM Africa will take place between April 3-5, 2023.

MEDIA CONTACT: Tourism Seychelles, stbnews@seychelles.travel 

The post-pandemic world represents a markedly changed landscape for business event professionals with a greater focus than ever on the value of meetings and events in driving economic regeneration, reconnecting workforces and reigniting stakeholder relationships. There’s now a laser focus on how meetings can truly deliver success and impact across the realms of healthcare, scientific progress, and business and economic development.

The IMEX Policy Forum has been designed to address these issues head-on, with the aim of identifying and building consensus on the most critical advocacy issues. Taking place on Tuesday, May 31, the first day of IMEX in Frankfurt, the Policy Forum brings together policy makers, destination representatives, business events association executives and other thought-leaders for a half-day of intensive, perspective-challenging discussion.

The Forum aims to create a roadmap that benefits and unites both policymakers and industry leaders; to help set the agenda for future high-level conversations and in-depth research and to help build better partnerships and understanding of the value, relevance and impact of business events.

Dedicated discussions for local and national policy makers

With the emphasis on active discussion and input from all, the Policy Forum hosts two concurrent discussion groups prior to the Open Forum. One is a workshop designed for local, municipal and regional policy makers and destination representatives, facilitated by Professor Greg Clark CBE, Global Urbanist and leading advisor on cities and businesses. The other brings together national government ministers and representatives of travel and tourism and economic affairs to discuss the national agenda, chaired by Martin Sirk, from Sirk Serendipity.

During the Open Forum, where destination representatives and industry leaders join policymakers, interactive round table discussions will draw on innovative case studies, research studies and whitepapers, bringing everyone together to debate different viewpoints and challenge perspectives.

Destinations and policy makers unite

Over 30 destinations have already confirmed their attendance along with significant interest from policy makers.

Ray Bloom, Chairman of the IMEX Group, comments: “We invite all destinations joining us at IMEX in Frankfurt to invite their policy makers – whether local, regional or national – to attend the Policy Forum and the show.

“Never has it been more important for government decision makers and industry leaders to harness the power of the global meetings and events industry to bring about change and influence future business recovery and direction.”

“Business events are capacity builders. They are the main route to transfer of intellectual capital,” adds Natasha Richards, Head of Advocacy & Industry Relations at the IMEX Group. “The Policy Forum opens up a dialogue between our industry and policy makers to show them how to harness the sector to achieve their vision and aims.”

The IMEX Policy Forum takes place on Tuesday, May 31, at the Marriott Hotel in Frankfurt and is part of IMEX in Frankfurt held May 31 – June 2. The IMEX Policy Forum is organized in collaboration with City Destinations Alliance (formally European Cities Marketing), the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), Meetings Mean Business Coalition, Destinations International and German Convention Bureau, under the auspices of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) and Events Industry Council (EIC).

IMEX in Frankfurt takes place May 31 – June 2, 2022 – the business events community can register here. Registration is free.

eTurboNews is a media partner for IMEX Frankfurt.

MEDIA CONTACT: Emma Blake, emmablake@clareville.co.uk

Bath Fountain one of the tourism ministry’s eight public bodies

Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has expressed profound sadness at the passing of the General Manager of Bath Fountain Hotel, Mr. Desmond Blair, who had headed the St. Thomas attraction since 2001.Bath Fountain isone of the tourism ministry’s eight public bodies.

“I am deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Mr. Blair. On behalf of the entire tourism fraternity, I would like to offer my condolences to his family.  He was a thorough and astute manager who used best practices that led to great improvements at Bath Fountain,” said Minister Bartlett.

“He was passionate about seeing improvements to the health and wellness facility that would cement its status as a world-renowned mineral bath and was looking forward to impending developments that would do so.  I am saddened that Mr. Blair will not see these changes come to fruition but very grateful for his many years of dedicated service to the local tourism industry. May his soul rest in peace,” the Jamaica Tourism Minister added.

The St. Ann native was a stalwart in the hospitality industry.

He honed his skills over the decades in management positions at various Montego Bay and St. Ann properties, including Quality Inn, Montego Bay Club Resort, the Gloucestershire Hotel, Americana Hotel and Runaway Bay Hotel.  From 1975-1981, he was the Hotel Inspector at another of the Ministry’s public bodies, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo).

In 1972, Mr. Blair was awarded a scholarship by the Federal Republic of Germany to pursue studies in hotel and tourism management at the Carl Duisberg Hotel & Tourism Institute in Munich, Germany.

SEEN IN PHOTO: Desmond Blair – image courtesy of Jamaica Ministry of Tourism

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Corporate Communications Division

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Tel: (876) 920-4926-30

Or

Kingsley Roberts

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Tel: 920-4926-30, ext.: 5990

Cell: (876) 505-6118

Fax: 920-4944

The Shepherd’s Treasure and Dropenling Designed Puppets

All Sustainable, Environmentally Friendly Creations Available for Sale in Songtsam Hotels’ Boutiques

Songtsam Hotels, Resorts & Tours, an award-winning boutique luxury hotel chain in the Tibet and Yunnan Provinces of China, is proud to announce that their latest sustainability effort is to support two collections of handmade, locally designed and crafted toys. One collection supports 13 tribes consisting of Tibetan herdsmen of Ganga Grassland, a pasture located in the east of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The second collection consists of handmade puppets designed by Dropenling, and made by nomadic women in Northern Tibet. Songtsam has made both collections available for purchase in their hotel boutiques to support the local Tibetan craftsmanship and culture.

Zobelloro, The Shepherd’s Treasure

Zobelloro, meaning The Shepherd’s Treasure, is the Ganga handicrafts collection which hopes to draw attention to the fragile environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, while at the same time increasing income for the herdsman’s families. Ganga’s handicrafts were developed and designed by an environmental protection team, together with these tribes. All agreed that Ganga handicrafts were the best way to develop creative, environmentally friendly cultural toys that combine both traditional and modern elements. Folktales passed down from generation to generation have greatly influenced the patterns and adornment of these handicrafts.  The creative team decided to focus on unique wild animals handmade from wool as the theme for the toy collection, to relate the unique grassland stories, nomadic culture, and the wisdom of nature. They integrate traditional culture into modern art including a pony with a flower ball, a lamb with a scarf, and a little monkey in green clothes.

Traditional Tibetan Puppets Created by Nomadic Women

The second collection, designed by Dropenling, is made by the “real” Tibetan craftswomen, the nomadic women of the local tribes in the North. Starting from a small age they learn how to make puppets and toys using smooth woolen cloth and delicate stitches. Puppet making is also a common activity that provides an opportunity for the women of the family to get together and chat about family stories. Handicrafts have become the source of income for many families. A very inclusive project, local low-income women and people with disabilities are also taught how to design and produce these sustainable toys. Since most of them live in remote villages and pastures, it is difficult for them to travel to local markets to sell their crafts. With the help of Songtsam, these creative sustainable toys will be accessible to visitors from all over the world, providing them with the opportunity to support the development of the remote villages surrounding Songtsam’s properties.

Contact info@songtsam.com to facilitate orders from the U.S.

About Songtsam

Songtsam (“Paradise”) is an award-winning luxury boutique hotel group of Hotels Resorts & Tours located in Tibet and Yunnan Province, China. Founded in 2000 by Mr. Baima Duoji, a former Tibetan Documentary filmmaker, Songtsam is the only collection of luxury Tibetan-style retreats within the wellness space focusing on the concept of Tibetan meditation by combining physical and spiritual healing together.  The 12 unique properties can be found across the Tibetan Plateau, offering guests authenticity, within the context of refined design, modern amenities, and unobtrusive service in places of untouched natural beauty and cultural interest. Songtsam Tours is a Virtuoso Asia Pacific Preferred Supplier and provides guests an opportunity to curate their own experiences by combining stays at its different hotels and lodges designed to discover the region’s diverse culture, rich biodiversity, incredible scenic landscapes, and unique living heritage.  Songtsam was on the 2018 & 2019 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List China Edition, and the 2022 Condé Nast Traveler Gold List USA Edition.

For more information, please click here.

About Songtsam Tours

Songtsam Tours, a Virtuoso Asia Pacific Preferred Supplier, offers curated experiences by combining stays at its different hotels and lodges designed to discover the region’s diverse culture, rich biodiversity, incredible scenic landscapes, and unique living heritage. Songtsam currently offers two signature routes: the Songtsam Yunnan Circuit, which explores the “Three Parallel Rivers” area (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the new Songtsam Yunnan-Tibet Route, which merges the Ancient Tea Horse Road, G214 (Yunnan-Tibet highway), G318 (Sichuan-Tibet highway), and the Tibetan Plateau road tour into one, adding unprecedented comfort to the Tibetan travel experience.

About Songtsam Mission

Songtsam’s mission is to inspire their guests with the diverse ethnic groups and cultures of the region and to understand how the local people pursue and understand happiness, bringing Songtsam guests closer to discovering their own Shangri La. At the same time, Songtsam has a strong commitment to sustainability and the preservation of the essence of Tibetan culture by supporting the economic development of the local communities and the environmental conservation within Tibet and Yunnan.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

U.S. Contact for Songtsam

Florence Li, Director of International Sales and Marketing

Email: liyingnian@songtsam.com  

U.S. Editorial Contact for Songtsam

The Bradford Group

Karen Hoffman/Amanda Marconi

Tel: (212) 447-0027

E-mail: songtsam@bradfordglobalmarketing.com

Immediate and Long-Term Investment Highlight Significant and Sustained Commitment, Strategies to Strengthen Links Between Private and Public Sectors, and Develop Workforce to Meet Demand

Sandals Resorts International (SRI), which owns and operates three of its luxury all-inclusive resorts in St. Lucia including Sandals Halcyon Beach, Sandals Regency La Toc, and Sandals Grande St. Lucian, as well as the Greg Norman-designed Sandals St. Lucia Golf & Country Club at Cap Estate, offered a glimpse of its forward-looking St. Lucia investment strategy today. The plans, which will be unveiled in 2023, mark with fanfare Sandals Resorts’ 40th Anniversary and 30th year of operation in the island of St. Lucia.

According to plans revealed by SRI Executive Chairman Adam Stewart, Sandals Halcyon will add 25 stunning new rooms in February 2023. The new development consists of 20 beachfront, two-story villa rooms featuring large balconies and five Rondoval™ suites, the signature Sandals category featuring soaring conical ceilings, expansive bathrooms and private water features. An even more ambitious expansion will be underway at Sandals Regency La Toc. 

Here, first phase plans call for the introduction of a new Sandals Resorts innovation, a village, comprised entirely of 20 Rondoval suites with seven of them offering open air rooftop decks. Set to open in 2023, the village is a “resort within a resort” concept of highest category Rondoval suites built adjacent to the golf course, each with their own golf cart for navigating the course as well as the larger property, and featuring luxury amenities including Sandals Resorts’ unprecedented butler service, and dining and entertainment options designed for guests of the village. Later phases will include additional spa facilities, new suite categories and a reimagination of the current golf course offerings.

“Since opening our first property, Sandals Regency La Toc, nearly three decades ago, our commitment to working alongside government to make real the promise of tourism in St. Lucia has been unwavering. My father loved St. Lucia and, like so many, was originally captivated by its beauty. But he quickly came to understand that the real treasure of St. Lucia are its people – friendly, hardworking, and industrious. People are the inspiration and the source that make investment possible, and the reason Sandals Resorts will continue to grow here,” said Stewart.

Sandals Resorts International first planted its flag in St. Lucia in 1993 with the introduction of Sandals Regency La Toc. Since then, SRI has introduced two more luxury-included resorts, Sandals Grande St. Lucian, located on its own peninsula, and Sandals Halcyon. Together, guests can enjoy Sandals’ exclusive “Stay at One, Play at Three” program, which provides complimentary exchange privileges and transportation between all three resorts, giving guests a myriad of choices.

Why Expansion Matters

With new builds comes a thriving economy. These projects alone will add over 350 construction and tradesman jobs into the local workforce. The addition of these high-end room categories into the Sandals resorts inventory also means the creation of 120 illustrious butler positions in the St. Lucia system, with training by the Guild of Professional English Butlers. Stewart is emphatic about the impact room category has on local economies and the ability to raise the standard of living.

“As we expand, we will grow from the top down. That means we lead with the development of suites, and here, Sandals is by far and away the most innovative resort company. Concepts such as our signature Skypool Suites, with their infinity plunge pools that seem to blend in with the horizon, Over the Water Bungalows with their incredible views and glass floors, and our Rondovals, are suite categories that drive demand and generate the longest stays. That is good news for St. Lucia and good news for team members who train and earn the butler role,” said Stewart.

About Sandals Resorts International

Founded in 1981 by the late Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon “Butch” Stewart, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is the parent company of some of travel’s most recognizable vacation brands. The company operates 24 properties throughout the Caribbean under four separate brands including: Sandals® Resorts, the Luxury Included® brand for adult couples with locations in Jamaica, Antigua, the Bahamas, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia and a resort opening in Curaçao; Beaches® Resorts, the Luxury Included® concept designed for everyone but especially families, with properties in Turks & Caicos and Jamaica, and another opening in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; private island Fowl Cay Resort; and the private homes of Your Jamaican Villas. The company’s importance in the Caribbean basin, where tourism is the number one earner of foreign capital, cannot be underestimated. Family-owned and operated, Sandals Resorts International is the largest private employer in the region.

MEDIA CONTACT: 1-888-SANDALS, info@sandals.com

Partners with WEX to raise funds

Sandals Foundation’s Lessons Alive campaign has joined with WEX to raise funds for over 80 digital tablets to help low-income students participate in virtual schooling.

WEX, the global commerce platform that simplifies the business of running a business, fundraised an impressive US$15,290 over a 4-month period to offset the costs of the digital devices.

Anthony Hynes, Executive Advisor at WEX, expressed how crucial it was for the WEX Travel team to support vulnerable students in the Caribbean. “It is important for us to help the communities who are really missing the support that tourists and the travel industry provided prior to the pandemic.”

Hynes noted that the WEX team was happy to come on board when Pack for a Purpose introduced them to the Sandals Foundation’s Lessons Alive campaign. “When Pack for a Purpose contacted us, we knew that we had to help.”

“The digital tablets will improve the learning opportunities for the children, giving them another way to gain knowledge while also improving the welfare within the community,” he added.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Sandals Foundation to make a difference.”

Rebecca Rothney, Chairperson of Pack for a Purpose, a non-profit organization that allows global travelers to donate much-needed supplies to local communities they visit, noted: “This donation, confirms that there is great corporate generosity waiting to be matched with worthwhile projects around the globe. Connecting travelers and business to community-based needs so that meaningful contributions can be made is our mission. We are delighted that in this match there was a tremendous outcome!”

Hynes was elated with the outcome of the contribution, noting: “Our team planned and executed numerous fundraising activities organized by our employees, for our employees globally. It was great to see everyone work together to raise the much-needed funds and have fun along the way.”

Some 81 digital tablets (Logic T10L) were delivered to students aged 9-11 years old at Vauxhall Primary School and St. Lawrence Primary School in Barbados. Karen Zacca, Operations Director at Sandals Foundation, indicated that the devices were distributed to students based on a needs assessment.

“When we received the donation from WEX, we were able to pull from our database, students at these two schools who needed the support, and fill that gap. With the increasing digital transformation of our education system across the Caribbean, it is important for us to ensure that our children are digitally literate and have equitable access to technological tools to advance their learning,” Zacca explained.

In August 2020, the Sandals Foundation intensified its digital support to the region’s educational sector as part of its Lessons Alive campaign which raised funds for the purchase and distribution of digital tablets to vulnerable primary school students across the Caribbean.

Together with continued support from partners, this initiative will help to lessen the digital divide.

MEDIA CONTACT: 1-888-SANDALS, info@sandals.com

Recognized for efforts within travel and tourism

With the tourism recovery in full swing in the Mother City and South Africa lifting its State of Disaster regulations at midnight on April 4, 2022, the Skal International Cape Town club was thrilled to host a members networking event on April 12, 2022, at the iconic Cullinan Hotel. This event was hosted during the first in-person international trade show to be hosted in South Africa since the start of the pandemic in 2020: WTM Africa 2022.

Premier of the Western Cape, Premier Alan Winde, was instrumental in guiding the recovery program of the Western Cape over the last 24 months and placed strategic pressure on various bodies and arms of government to ease restrictions and allow for accelerated tourism industry rehabilitation – in a sector that provides major jobs throughout its interconnected value chain.

Therefore, at this prestigious event that brought together Skal International members and delegates from all over the globe, Skal International, together with its South African oversight division and Cape Town club was honored to present the globally recognized Karl Twiggs Award to Premier Alan Winde for his efforts within the travel and tourism industry.

The annual floating trophy was presented by the President of Skal International Cape Town, Dawn Smith, together with Lavonne Wittmann, Past Skal International World President 2019.

This award comes at a key milestone.

Premier Winde noted that “it was a team effort to coordinate all Provincial resources to fight for every job and every possible recovery opportunity. We value the importance of this sector, not just in the Western Cape, but globally, and while we fully understand the impact of the virus on the health of our people, it is equally important to push for economic stability. This award comes at a key milestone just as South Africa announced the end of the two-year State of Disaster. A special thanks also goes to our Minister Nomafrench Mbombo.”

Dawn Smith of Skal International Cape Town added that she is “hoping to see the industry boom as the sector reignites its passion for people! Tourism is about relationships and the people that work in it, who are resilient beings in every sense of the word, made up of strength, compassion and inspiration. It’s a brand-new day for the tourism industry.”

Skal International was founded in 1934 and is the largest community of travel and tourism professionals that gather monthly on city club level and leverage global connections and networks to promote tourism: doing business amongst friends.

The Karl Twiggs Award is named after the 2004 President of Skål International who introduced the accolade to be bestowed on an individual and/or group that has made an invaluable contribution to the sector.

Delegates at the event on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, shared recovery stories and strategies of the last two years, reconnected at a personal level and discussed the roadmap to full recovery while WTM Africa was hosted at the Cape Town International Convention Center from April 11-13, 2022.

SEEN IN MAIN IMAGE: Premier Alan Winde and Lavonne Wittmann, SkalWorld President 2019 – image courtesy of Skal

MEDIA CONTACT: Skål International, Avenida Palma de Mallorca 15, 29620 Torremolinos, SPAIN, Tel: +34 952 38 9111, Fax: +34 952 37 0013 skal@skal.org

Vibrant New Design of Iconic Hotel Welcomes Today’s Traveler While Showcasing St. Regis’ Famed Heritage of Art and Culture

The St. Regis San Francisco, a 5-star hotel renowned for redefining luxury hospitality in San Francisco, is pleased to share that it has recently completed an elegant update of its guestrooms, meeting spaces, lobby, and bar as part of a multi-phase property redesign. In addition to the property-wide new design elements, the space has been reconfigured to encompass a dynamic new restaurant slated to open in Spring 2022.

The St. Regis San Francisco, situated in a 40-story architectural landmark designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, brought the famed St. Regis elegance of design to the city when it opened in 2005. The 260-room luxury hotel is one of the most celebrated properties in the world, and has long been recognized for its ideal location, bespoke services, exquisite art collection, and timeless elegance.

“The St. Regis San Francisco prides itself on being ahead of the curve, and the reimagined interior spaces reaffirms its position as one of the most art and design-focused properties in the world,” said Roger Huldi, general manager of the hotel. “We’re excited for guests to experience the fresh interiors, new ambiance, and beautiful art.”

Located in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood and considered the crown jewel of the Yerba Buena cultural corridor, The St. Regis San Francisco is the premier hotel for arts and culture enthusiasts. The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is located within the property’s ground floor, and SFMOMA, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Union Square, Oracle Park, Chase Center, the Ferry Building Marketplace, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and Moscone Convention Center and more are located within blocks of the property.

A Bar That Excites the Senses and Adds Dynamism to Downtown

The reimagined St. Regis Bar experience creates a welcoming atmosphere that epitomizes Northern California luxury, with rich textures and soft metallics that pay tribute the city’s unique vistas. The award-winning London-based design firm Blacksheep imbued the space with a colorful, lively, and stylish personality designed to captivate the imaginations of travelers and locals alike. The characteristics of the region, from the city’s rolling hills and cable car lines to the mountain ranges and serene landscapes of Napa Valley, informed Blacksheep’s design.

With floor-to-ceiling windows, the bar and dining spaces bring in gentle natural light and frame dynamic street scenes. The design speaks to a place where technology and design merge with storied architecture and the remnants of a bygone era, with patterns and linework gesturing to engineering feats of the past and hinting at the city’s later incarnation as a modern tech hub. A color palette of Pacific Ocean blues and warm pastels evokes sunrises and sunsets over the Bay.

The mood is light in the main bar, where a sweeping brass trellis inspired by the city’s iconic trolley lines rises overhead from the back bar before forming a series of beautifully illuminated display boxes and floating glass shelves. The bar’s illuminated backdrop, visible through the large windows, is artfully placed to capture the gaze of guests in the lounge and to beckon passersby. Dark green and dusty rose-pink upholstery is set off by sharply defined black furniture legs. Custom tables with sculptural stone bases and brass detailing add contemporary touches in counterpoint to the modern noir ambiance, with traces of the past suggested by the bar’s sophisticated shapes and millwork.

Unparalleled Access to Nearby Museums and a Captivating Art Collection Inside the Hotel

In keeping with the hotel’s celebrated art collection, the design refresh integrates new pieces in the reception, bar, and dining spaces. In the reception area, a painting titled “Solitude” by Randy Hibberd depicts an abstracted city nestled within the San Francisco. Gold accents depict hints of golden sunlight reflecting off the Bay.

The Blacksheep team graced the reception area with enlivening touches, such as a signature contemporary chandelier, metal detailing, and the curved framing of a decorative wall installation that mirrors the sweeping forms of the main bar.  Intimate seating encourages conversation.  In the dining area, a dreamy landscape titled “Mountain Mist” by Janie Rochfort reflects a unique watercolor style, rich olive greens and lighter pinks, that captures the fluid colors of a sunset reflecting off San Francisco’s hills. Much like the artwork in reception, Rochfort’s painting illustrates a distinct sense of place, from the misty fog to the robust surrounding geography that contribute to San Francisco’s distinctive character.

Remodeled Guestrooms, Suites and Meeting Spaces Merge History with Contemporary Touches

The newly refreshed ultra-luxe guestrooms and suites uphold the modern sophistication and rich heritage that are the hallmarks of every St. Regis address while capturing San Francisco’s unique innovative spirit, rich history, and natural beauty.

Toronto-based Chapi Chapo Design, a prominent, multidisciplinary design firm whose principals were instrumental in the original design of the hotel, imbued the guestrooms and suites with new energy by leveraging new customized furniture, exclusive to the hotel, and thoughtful choices in color palette and materials. Headboards, picoted with rich leather paneling suggestive of a luxury sports car interior, house outlets that power the sophisticated technological upgrades. San Francisco’s iconic hills and valleys are subtly referenced in the wall covering’s soft curves, while California’s glorious panoramas, as captured by landscape photographer Ansel Adams, are visible through layered smoked desk glass.

Honoring the California Gold Rush of 1849 that put San Francisco on the map, a color palette of silver, copper and iron adds an alluring luster to the rooms’ ambience. These subtle references to San Francisco’s history are balanced by distinctive, custom 3D computer graphic applications created by Christo Saba.  The artwork by Saba pays homage to the innovative spirit of San Francisco with subtle visualizations of past luminaries and today’s tech industry giants.

In addition to the guestrooms and suites, theredesign by Chapi Chapo also enhanced The St. Regis San Francisco’s 15,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces, creating sophisticated yet approachable areas designed to facilitate conversation and collaboration. Both the meeting and event spaces and new bar are designed to make guests feel a sense of belonging, whether visiting the city for the first time or longtime San Francisco residents.

For more information about The St. Regis San Francisco, please click here.

About The St. Regis San Francisco:

The St. Regis San Francisco opened in November 2005, introducing a new dimension of luxury, uncompromising service, and timeless elegance to the city of San Francisco. The 40-story landmark building, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, includes 102 private residences rising 19 levels above the 260-room St. Regis Hotel. From legendary butler service, “anticipatory” guest care and impeccable staff training to luxurious amenities and interior design by Chapi Chapo of Toronto, The St. Regis San Francisco delivers an unmatched guest experience. The St. Regis San Francisco is located at 125 Third Street. Telephone: 415.284.4000.

Media contacts:  Hwee Peng Yeo, Laura Gigounas, and Danyelle Simpkins at Glodow Nead Communications, 415.394.6500 or StRegisPR@glodownead.com