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Oman Airports to host World Travel Awards Grand Final 2019 at Royal Opera House Muscat

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World Travel Awards (WTA) has partnered with Oman Airports to host its highly-anticipated Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2019 on 28th November at the Royal Opera House Muscat. Leading figureheads and decision-makers of the global travel industry will attend the red-carpet gala reception in the beautiful Sultanate of Oman.

Dramatically wedged between soaring mountains and the Arabian Sea, the ancient city of Muscat is home to old forts, flower-filled parks and rich traditions.

Oman Airports, a government entity established as one of the key pillars in Oman’s tourism sector, will proudly host the prestigious ceremony at one of the country’s landmarks, The Royal Opera House Muscat. As an important arm of the Oman Aviation Group Companies, hosting the anticipated WTA event will further strengthen the tourism and transport sectors in the Sultanate.

Graham Cooke, Founder, WTA, said: “We are honoured to host our Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2019 in the Sultanate of Oman. From magnificent mountains and paradise beaches to beautiful deserts, Oman offers a wealth of incredible landscapes and travel experiences. I look forward to welcoming the world’s most senior decision-makers for our first ceremony in this incredible country.”

He added: “WTA has maintained its position as the industry leader for the past 26 years, consistently proving its value as the global benchmark for recognising excellence in travel and tourism. I greatly look forward to welcoming the world’s most senior travel industry figures to this incredible country for the culmination of our year-long search to find the world’s finest travel brands.”

Joining forces with renowned international bodies such as the WTA will further enhance the Sultanate’s position as a key regional player in the travel and tourism industry for both the business and leisure segments.

Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Airports said: “Hosting the WTA Grand Final Gala Ceremony also enables us to bolster our support for the Oman Aviation Group to strengthen the tourism and transport sectors and achieve the strategic goals of Oman 2040. Having approached international markets and strengthened our relationships with key players in the travel and tourism sectors over the years, we felt it our responsibility to support and host international events of such magnitude here in Muscat. Our sponsorship of this grand event will further enable us to attract global travel and tourism brands to visit Oman and see first-hand its true beauty and potential.”

Over the past year since the opening of its new terminal, Muscat International Airport, the Jewel of Oman, has witnessed considerable shifts in its prevailing approach to high-level service and travel experiences, which have enhanced the airport’s reputation at international levels. Significant achievements have led to the airport being awarded multiple times for its outstanding performance, winning ‘Middle East’s Leading New Tourism Development Project Award 2018’, ‘World Leading New Airport 2018’, and ‘Middle East’s Leading Airport 2019’.

Regional ceremonies on the WTA Grand Tour 2019 include Montego Bay (Jamaica), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Mauritius, Madeira (Portugal), La Paz (Bolivia), Phu Quoc (Vietnam). The winners of these regional ceremonies progress to the Grand Final in Oman when the winners of the prestigious World categories will be unveiled.

Good news for The Bahamas

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The Islands Of The Bahamas continue to be a leading destination for travelers around the world. While the Caribbean, as a whole, is showing a positive forward booking situation for the next three months, The Bahamas is showing even more demand than expected, with new airlift to Nassau being added from major hubs across the globe. In other exciting news, The Bahamas was recently named Top Island in The Caribbean by Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards.

NEWS

The Bahamas Have Rebounded – The latest ForwardKeys survey showed The Bahamas are rebounding faster than expected following Hurricane Dorian. Just one month after the hurricane, The Bahamas’ tourism numbers reached 80% when compared to pre-hurricane tourism volumes. The Caribbean, as a whole, is expecting a 1.4% increase in arrivals from November – January compared to last year.

Grand Bahama Island Is Open for Business – One of the islands hit by Hurricane Dorian is ready to welcome tourists. The Grand Bahama International Airport will re-open to international flights on November 15, 2019. Many hotels on the island have re-opened and cruise ships resumed calling to the island as early as September 27.

United Airlines Adds Non-Stop Service between Denver and Nassau – United Airlines have added Saturday-only non-stop service from Denver to Nassau. The service begins March 7, 2020 and continues through August 15, 2020.

British Airways Increases Non-Stop Service between London and Nassau – Beginning March 29, 2020, British Airways will operate non-stop service between London Heathrow and Nassau every Tuesday. British Airways will now offer non-stop service between London and Nassau Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line’s New Nassau Offering – Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line introduced its popular cruise and stay program to Nassau. Departing from the port of West Palm Beach, passengers can choose from a two or six night stay at participating resorts in Nassau, including SLS Baha Mar, The Melia Nassau Beach All-Inclusive or Comfort Suites Paradise Island. Over 250,000 stayover guests are expected to arrive to in The Islands Of The Bahamas in the next year.

MOT POST DORIAN OPEN FOR BUSINESS COVERAGE

• PR Results By The Numbers:

60+ media interviews and requests fulfilled
200+ placements pitched and secured featuring “Islands Open for Business” messaging
917MM+ positive media impressions generated, and counting.

AWARDS

The Bahamas Awarded in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards – The Islands Of The Bahamas placed tenth in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards for the Top 10 Islands in The Caribbean & Atlantic. Despite the trying hurricane season, The Islands continue to be a leader in Caribbean travel.

Winners announced for the International Travel & Tourism Awards

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The lucky sixteen winners of the second International Travel & Tourism Awards, presented by WTM London, were revealed last night (Tuesday 5 November) at a glittering awards ceremony in London.

The award winners were honoured in front of an audience of almost 500 senior industry professionals at the brand new venue Magazine London, overlooking Canary Wharf.

Judged by an independent panel of experts from around the world, the 16 awards showcase the best in class of the global travel and tourism industry.

Supported by UNWTO and WTTC, more than 90 awards entries were shortlisted, which was almost 20% more, compared to 2018.

The winners are:

Best National Tourism Board

Gold: #GetNZontheMap by Tourism New Zealand
#GetNZontheMap was a courageous campaign that made people all over the world put New Zealand on their bucket list map.

Silver: Revitalising Tobago Tourism by Gravity Global

Highly Commended: Feel Slovenia, Experience Croatia by Slovenian Tourist Board and Croatian National Tourist Board

Most Innovative Use of Technology within a Destination

Gold: Mare the Witch – Get to know Svetvincenat by Delta Reality & Tumpic Prenc
The project Mare the Witch – Get to know Svetvincenat presents a global innovation that will serve as a prime example for the use of modern technologies for tourism purposes and showcases how the future of tourist sight seeing will look like.

Silver: Legends of Catalonia, the land of Barcelona by Catalan Tourist Board

Best Tourism Marketing Agency

Gold: Recovery for ReDiscovery – Resilience for Dominica by Brighter Group, a Finn Partners Company
After Hurricane Maria subsided and with over 90% of the island’s resources being destroyed, Brighter took immediate action and launched the Recovery for ReDiscovery – Resilience for Dominica campaign to include fundraising, relief support, diaspora engagement, trade engagement and advertising in order to support the nation in crisis and generate visitors.

Silver: Connecting Communities & Transforming Perceptions by AM+A Marketing & Media Relations
Highly Commended: iClick Interactive x Palazzo Versace Hotel: Expanding Brand Presence in Digital China by iClick Interactive Asia Limited

Highly Commended: The Postal Museum Tourism Marketing Campaign Jan 2018 – Dec 2018 by made Tourism Marketing
Highly Commended: 1841, A Creative Agency for Planet Earth by Thomas Cook Group

Best Destination Campaign – City

Gold: Vilnius – The G-Spot of Europe by Go Vilnius
Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania, wanted to attract more attention among millennials in Western Europe and around the world, to invite them to experience all the pleasures the city has to offer.

Silver: Visit Dallas & Fort Worth – Activating Americanophiles by MDSG

Highly Commended: Christmas Tree Wonderland by Bournemouth Coastal BID

Best Destination Campaign – Country

Gold: #CoverTheProgress by Ketchum and Discover Puerto Rico
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico. One year later, the island braced for another crisis: 90% of anniversary coverage for disasters is negative. To counteract this, Ketchum challenged media to #CoverTheProgress instead.

Silver: Wales Reimagined: Reviving Post Industrial Landscapes with Adventure Tourism for Visit Wales by Smörgåsbord, Weber Shandwick and iCrossing

Highly Commended: Revitalising Tobago Tourism by Gravity Global

Best Destination Campaign – Region
Sponsored by Discovery

Gold: US Civil Rights Trail by Luckie and the Alabama Tourism Department
The US Civil Rights Trail was created by the Alabama Tourism Department to motivate people to learn more, see more and experience more about the American Civil Rights Movement.

Silver: Not Winter Games by BBDO España/DEC BBDO on behalf of Canary Islands Tourism

Highly Commended: Legends of Catalonia, the land of Barcelona by Catalan Tourist Board

Best PR Campaign

Gold: We’ve Come a Long Way by Jago and Tourism NI
A highly integrated public relations campaign for Tourism Northern Ireland, capitalising on surprising research that identified that over 50% of consumers in the Republic of Ireland had never visited.

Silver: #CoverTheProgress by Ketchum and Discover Puerto Rico

Best Digital Campaign in Tourism

Gold: Discover Your South Africa by Ginger Juice for South African Tourism
South Africa is nothing if not diverse. But as a traveller, this can make it difficult to choose the perfect trip. South African Tourism (SAT) tasked Ginger Juice to create an engaging digital campaign, to inspire people to travel to South Africa and venture off the beaten track to discover some of the country’s lesser-known hidden gems.

Silver: Wanderers – Powered by G Adventures by G Adventures

Silver: Tourism and Events Queensland – #GoForGold with the Queensland Games by MDSG

Highly Commended: #keyframe19: Plenty of influencers – and no ads, please by Hamburg Marketing GmbH

Highly Commended: TBC Asia 2018 by Cinnamon Hotel Management Ltd

Best Digital Influencer Campaign

Gold: #LoveAntiguaBarbuda 2018 by Brighter Group, a Finn Partners Company
Through innovative and creative tactics of hosting the first-of-its-kind influencer conference for 40 top global influencers, the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority successfully generated over 4,500 pieces of social media using the #LoveAntiguaBarbuda with a reach of over 3 million to key target audiences.

Silver: Abu Dhabi Destination Campaign by Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi

Best in Wellness

Gold: Santani Resort and Spa – Best in the World by Santani Resort and Spa
Located in the misty mountains, Santani Resort and Spa is Sri Lanka’s first purpose built luxury wellness resort. Since its opening in September 2016 Santani has been celebrated for its one-of-a-kind setting, architecture, cuisine, service and world-class Ayurveda-focussed spa treatments.

Silver: Navarino Challenge by Active Media & Costa Navarino

Best in Responsible Tourism
Sponsored by Red Sea Development The Red Sea Development Company

Silver: Turizem Bohinj – Creating & Marketing a Sustainable Destination Model by AM+A & Mindbrand
Over the past decade, Bohinj Tourism has set a global benchmark for sustainable tourism initiatives that has been reproduced internationally.

Best in Adventure
Sponsored by History

Gold: Women’s Expeditions by Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest adventure travel company, launched a new range of Women’s Expeditions in the Middle East which became one of the company’s fastest-selling product ranges in its 30-year history.

Silver: Guyana as a Leading Sustainable Adventure Destination by LOTUS

Highly Commended: Getting off the beaten track in Northern Thailand… by The Tuk Tuk Club

Best Food Destination

Gold: Discover Hong Kong’s Food Scene Like a Local by Hong Kong Tourism Board
An integrated PR and marketing initiative to showcase Hong Kong as one of the culinary capitals of the world, from fine dining to street food and local eateries.

Silver: The ultimate dining experience by Patronat de Turisme Girona – Costa Brava

Highly Commended: Green Supply Chains by Ljubljana Tourism

Best in Luxury

Gold: The Art of Celebration by CNBC Catalyst
The Art of Celebration sought to, and achieved, the lofty ambition of positioning Raffles as the number 1 hotel brand associated with luxury.

Silver: Carpe Diem Exclusive Boutique Resort Santorini by NEEDaFIXER

Best Attraction

Gold: Spike Island by Spike Island Development Company
Spike Island Cork has sensitively redeveloped and reopened the ‘Irish Alcatraz’, a 104 acre island with 1300 years of rich Irish history.

Silver: Sengan-en, Shoko Shuseikan Museum, and Satsuma Kiriko Glassworks Renovation Project by Shimadzu Ltd

Highly Commended: The Making of Harry Potter by Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Outstanding Contribution to the Industry as voted for by WTM London Media Partners

Iberostar Group nominated by Hosteltur, Spain

The Wave of Change campaign, implemented across their entire value chain, has become one of the core values of the brand identity. It works through three areas – the elimination of single-use plastics, the responsible consumption of seafood and the improvement of coastal health.

Nicole Smart, ITTAs organizer commented: “The ITTAs awards ceremony was a celebration of the best in class for the travel and hospitality industry. It was a great night.

“And I look forward to seeing more creativity and outside-the-box thinking for 2020.”

The Seychelles Islands Excels at the Ninth Edition of Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards

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In the ninth edition of the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards, The Seychelles Islands won the runner up award for the Favorite Emerging Overseas Country.

Held at the ITC Maurya, New Delhi- India on November 19, 2019, the ceremony was hosted by the esteemed Bollywood actress, Bhumi Pednekar, and attracted the likes of industry leaders, influencers and recognized names in the travel and tourism industries as well as government bodies.

As an increasingly popular tourist destination, Seychelles situated in Indian Ocean region is a promise of pristine paradise and beautiful adventure. The Seychelles islands, absolutely another world, as its brand would say it, is an ultimate holiday destination of some colorful 115 islands sprinkled with warm browns, striking turquoise and other hues found in the color spectrum.

Speaking about the latest recognition received by the destination, Mrs. Sherin Francis Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive mentioned that it is an honor for the destination to have been voted by the readers of the Condé Nast Traveller magazine.

“The task of creating visibility for such a small destination is not always an easy one, this is why being recognized as the Favorite Emerging Overseas Country is even more significant for us. It is a collective effort on our part as the tourism board and on the part of our trade partners and usual collaborators.

We strive to demarcate our destination by its uniqueness and it is rewarding to see that our efforts have not gone unnoticed,” said Mrs. Francis.

Rewarded by the Readers’ Travel Awards, Seychelles has been chosen through a readers’ voting process spanning over two months sans any nominations. The Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards also recognizes the best in the travel industry, namely hotels, destinations, airlines, spas, websites, apps, cruise lines and more. 

Several eminent personalities present at the ceremony included; Mr. Alexander Laloo Hek, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Meghalaya, Shri-Ram Gau-riya, Member of Legislative Assembly, Nagaur, Rajasthan, Shri Sampath Kumar, Commissioner and Secretary to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Ms. Sanme Marak, Additional Resident Commissioner, Meghalaya, His Excellency Mr. Thomas Selby Pillay, High Commissioner of Seychelles, Mr. John Madew, Minister, Commercial and Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner, Austrade, Mr. Sanjay Pandey, Additional Director, Rajasthan Tourism, Mr. Deniz Ersoz, Culture and tourism Counsellor, Turkey Embassy, Mr. Fabio Subia, Second Secretary and Head of the Consular Section and Cultural Attaché, Embassy of Peru to name a few. 

Since its establishment in 1989 in the United States of America, the Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards has set the benchmarks in the hospitality and travel industry worldwide.

The Readers’ Travel Award 2019 winners will be featured in Condé Nast Traveller India’s December 2019 — January 2020 issue.

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, stbnews@seychelles.travel  www.seychelles.travel

Vote for the finest spa and wellness brands in World Spa Awards 2019

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Spa and wellness industry professionals are invited to vote in World Spa Awards 2019 for the brands they consider the finest in their fields.

With the crucial 16-week voting period entering its final weeks, World Spa Awards has recorded a surge in year-on-year votes, reflecting the awards program’s reputation as the most trusted in the spa and wellness industry.

Voting is taking place across the full spectrum of the global spa and wellness industry, with world-level categories including Best Destination Spa, Best Spa Design, Best Cruise Spa, Best Detox Program, Best Eco Spa and Best Medical Spa.

New categories in 2019 include a technology focus with Best Wellness App. Country and regional-level categories include Best Hotel Spa, Best Resort Spa, Best Wellness Retreat and Best Day Spa. Within the USA, a number of state-level categories have been introduced. View the full list of 2019 finalists here.

Spa industry professionals – senior travel executives, luxury buyers, tour operators and media – along with spa consumers, are eligible to vote for the brands they consider to have performed at an exceptional level over the last 12 months.

Voting closes at midnight on 19 August. The winners will be unveiled at the red carpet 5th annual World Spa Awards Gala Ceremony 2019, taking place on 21 October at Armani Hotel Dubai, UAE. Industry leaders from around the world will attend the spa tourism event of the year. Guests can participate in an exclusive three-day spa and wellness networking program staged around the red-carpet World Spa Awards Gala Ceremony.

Launched in 2015, World Spa Awards aims to drive up standards in spa and wellness tourism and foster global growth by rewarding the leading organizations in their respective fields. A World Spa Award is the industry’s ultimate hallmark of excellence.

World Spa Awards is the sister event to World Travel Awards, currently celebrating its 26th anniversary.

For more information about World Spa Awards and to register to vote, visit worldspaawards.com.

About World Spa Awards

World Spa Awards was developed in reaction to overwhelming demand from the spa industry for a program that was fair and transparent; a program with a mission to serve as the definitive benchmark of excellence, and to help to foster a new era of growth in spa tourism.

Media Contact:

World Spa Awards™ Public Relations

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7925 0000

Email: pr@worldspaawards.com
Web: worldspaawards.com
Social: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

Compass Edge wins 2019 CTW Chinese Tourists Welcoming Award in Innovation Category

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Since 2004, the CTW Chinese Tourist Welcome Award has been organised by COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute. Evaluated by an international jury of experts including Ctrip, the award is recognised inside and outside China as the most important quality sign for the international Chinese outbound market. Compass Edge was presented with the award during ITB China on May 16th, 2019 in Shanghai, for providing innovative products for the growing Chinese Outbound Tourism market. Other awards recipients include Viking Cruises, Dubai Duty Free, Manchester Airport, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, etc.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Chinese tourists made 149.72 million outbound trips in 2018, up 14.7 percent over the previous year, more than half of these trips were outside Greater China regions. Chinese tourists will venture off the beaten path to visit new destinations. A recent report by China Luxury Advisors and Coresight Research saw a surge in independent travelers from 20.7% in 2017 to 26.8% in 2018. This trend will continue in 2019 and beyond.

Compass Edge was founded in 2008, originally just as a reseller of best-of-the-breed hotel online solutions. In 2014, Ms. Anita Chan was appointed CEO of Compass Edge. Recognising Chinese Outbound Tourism especially Free Independent Travel (FIT) is an important uprising trend yet China online market is so complex and fundamentally different from the West, Anita led the company to launch its own Go China Online Branding Solution in 2015 to help overseas hotels to establish a China-Visible strategy. In March 2018, Anita co-founded LN Hotel Alliance with Ling Nan Hospitality, China Southern Airline and GZL Travel Services, a first-of-its-kind Chinese centric loyalty program with 46Million+ loyalty members. Later in 2018, in addition to the digital agency business, Anita transformed Compass Edge to be a technology provider, developing B2B2C WeChat Mini Program solving pain points for both Chinese travelers and overseas tourism and hospitality partners. Compass Edge has successfully implemented over 120 China-Ready strategic projects.

COTRI congratulates Compass Edge for the Silver Award Innovation of the CTW Chinese Tourist Welcome Award 2019. “The award reflects the fact that Compass Edge has for a long time supported hotel companies around the world with innovative services to create satisfied customers and a healthy margin”, says Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Georg Arlt FRGS FRAS, founder and director of COTRI.

According to Anita, “while most overseas hospitality and tourism companies want a piece of Chinese outbound business, the China market is fundamentally different. It requires deep dive expertise, time and huge money resources to start. Before, it is always a “big boy game” and it is hard for smaller companies to have the same playing field. This pushes me to come up with creative and cost-effective programs like Go China branding solution and WeChat Mini Program to help smaller companies to have the chance to be in game for the China FIT market.” “All these efforts have paid off with the recipient of this CTW Silver Innovation Award,” Anita concluded.

About Compass Edge

Compass Edge is a company offering online solutions to independent hotels. It is a niche service provider offering cost-effective branding solutions for overseas hotels to establish an online presence for the booming Chinese FIT market. Its latest WeChat Mini Program offers solution to solve Chinese travelers pain points and capturing ancillary revenue for hospitality and tourism companies.

2019 Billboard Music Awards Winner and Headliner at ISLE of MTV Malta 2019

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MTV’s annual open-air summer music festival – ISLE of MTV Malta – is back and 2019 Billboard Music Award winner and Grammy nominated singer, songwriter and record producer, Bebe Rexha, has been named a headliner. A few of the superstar’s top hits that fans can get excited to sing their hearts out to will include, “Last Hurrah,” “Meant to Be,” and “I’m a Mess.” Her latest album was so successful, it brought her to the number 13 spot on Billboard’s 200 chart. Bebe’s collaboration with Florida Georgia Line on the song “Meant to be” just won Top Country Song at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. MTV’s partnership with the Malta Tourism Authority will be returning to the sun-lit island for what is now its 13th consecutive year.

The Isle of MTV Malta is one of Europe’s largest free live music festivals, which attracts thousands of visitors every year and even more watching on MTV at home. The Isle of MTV will be held on July 9, 2019, during Malta Music Week which runs through July 13th.

Martin Garrix is no novice to the festival scene. He has performed at music festivals such as Coachella and Tomorrowland and became the youngest DJ to headline Ultra Music Festival at the age of 17. Ranked number one on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list for three consecutive years (2016, 2017, and 2018), Garrix will be sure to perform his top hits such as, “Animals,” and “Scared to be Lonely.” Since Bebe Rexha is headlining this year’s festival as well, fans can be hopeful for a joint performance of Rexha and Garrix’s top single “In the Name of Love.”

Isle of MTV Malta will be filmed and edited into a 60-minute special that will broadcast across 20 MTV channels throughout Europe. The show will also be supported across all MTV social media platforms as well as via a bespoke website. As part of an extensive integrated marketing campaign, the Isle of MTV Malta concert will be supported by marketing initiatives, all of which will drive awareness of the event as well as leverage MTV’s world renowned brand and unique youth insight, to further cement and promote Malta’s position as a holiday destination for young people. Over the 12 years that Isle of MTV has been held in Malta, the number of millennial visitors to the island has increased.

According to Michelle Buttigieg, MTA North American Representative, “the Isle of MTV Malta is fast becoming a huge draw for millennials from the US & Canada. This year especially, with headliner 2019 Billboard Winner and New York native, Bebe Rexha, the festival will attract even more North Americans.  

For more information, visit: www.visitmalta.com, http://www.visitmalta.com/en/isle-of-mtv

Media Contacts:

Malta Tourism Authority

Michelle Buttigieg

Tel: (212) 213-0944

Fax: (212) 213-0938

E-mail: michelle-margaret.buttigieg@visitmalta.com

MTA US Editorial Contact

The Bradford Group

Karen Hoffman/ Bianca Pappas

Tel: (212) 447-0027

Fax: (212) 725 8253

E-mail: info@bradfordglobalmarketing.com

Russian Aeroflot remains China’s ‘Favorite International Airline’

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Russia’s Aeroflot has been once again named the Favorite International Airline in China. The award was given to Aeroflot for the third consecutive year at the Flyer Award Ceremony 2019. The award ceremony was held today in Shanghai, the economic capital of China.

The awards are supported by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Winners are selected by the jury and by votes from frequent flyers and travelers.

The awards recognize outstanding participants in China’s dynamically developing tourism market. Previous winners include leading global airlines, including carriers that hold Skytrax 5-Star Airline status.

Aeroflot retained the title of Favorite International Airline at the competitive Flyer Awards due to its key competitive advantages: high service quality and flexible fare policy.

“The recognition of Aeroflot as the Favorite International Airline in China is confirmation of the effectiveness of our strategic efforts in China,” Aeroflot CEO Vitaly Saveliev said. “We offer our customers a wide route network and one of the youngest fleets in the world. Millions of Chinese passengers choose our airline for affordable ticket prices, convenient transit via our hub airport Sheremetyevo and high-quality service. Further development of service on Europe-Asia transit routes – one of the most competitive aviation markets globally – is one of Aeroflot’s key goals, along with the active expansion of the domestic route network.”

Aeroflot’s convenient routes encompass four key locations in China: Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Aeroflot continuously adds new services oriented at the Chinese market. Earlier Aeroflot signed a partnership agreement with Alipay, China’s most popular payment system.

Aeroflot’s official website has a Chinese-language interface. Passengers receive menus in Chinese, and the in-flight entertainment system is available in Chinese. Onboard announcements are made in Chinese and the menu offers a special Asian set.

Aeroflot consistently enjoys wide recognition and popularity among consumers in the Chinese market. In January, Aeroflot was named Best China – Europe Transit Airline at the 2019 Stars Awards in China.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi prepares to host World Travel Awards

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Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, the latest addition to Yas Island’s series of world-class attractions, is stepping up to host the World Travel Awards (WTA) Middle East Gala Ceremony 2019 on Thursday 25 April.

The gala ceremony will be the premier gathering of the Arabian hospitality industry, with the key players and VIPs from across the region attending.

Opened last summer, Warner Bros. World is the world’s first-ever Warner Bros. branded indoor theme park, and represents another milestone in Abu Dhabi’s remarkable journey to establish itself as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations.

Located on Yas Island, the 1.65 million sq. ft. indoor theme park features six immersive lands with 29 state-of-the-art rides, interactive family-friendly attractions and unique live entertainment shows, as well as a variety of themed dining and retail outlets.

The park is the latest addition to Yas Island’s award-winning theme parks, joining Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld.

The red-carpet evening will form the second leg of the WTA Grand Tour 2019 – a global search for the finest travel and tourism brands in the world.

Graham Cooke, Founder, WTA, said: “We are deeply honoured to host our Middle East Gala Ceremony at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, an enthralling new addition to Abu Dhabi’s incredible roster of tourist offerings.

He added: “WTA has maintained its position as the industry leader for the past 26 years, consistently proving its value as the global benchmark for acknowledging excellence in travel and tourism. I greatly look forward to welcoming the most senior decision-makers of the Arabian travel industry for what promises to be a most memorable evening at this phenomenal new attraction.”

Don Strickler, General Manager, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, said: “We are delighted and honored to welcome the prestigious World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony at Warner Bros. World for the first time this year. The choice of our Park as host for this coveted industry event is a testament to the growing appeal of theme parks within the leisure and entertainment sector in the region. We look forward to bringing together some of the world’s leading travel industry professionals and organizations for an evening full of many successes and celebrations.”

As part of the Grand Tour 2019, WTA is also hosting ceremonies in Montego Bay (Jamaica), Mauritius, Madeira, La Paz (Bolivia) and Phu Quoc (Vietnam), with the winners progressing to the Grand Final in Muscat (Oman).

Travel News | eTurboNews

Delta Air Lines offsets most carbon emissions for over 300K customers on Earth Day

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In celebration of Earth Day today, Delta is offsetting the emissions of all domestic leisure and business travel into and out of New York, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, Raleigh-Durham and Atlanta for over 300,000 customers across the country.

Plantable seed paper cutouts shaped like airplanes will be distributed on these selected flights to let customers know the environmental impact of their flight has been offset and inspire them to offset additional travel on delta.com/co2. Once planted, this special paper airplane will sprout non-invasive wildflowers.

“Delta led the U.S. aviation industry by launching the first carbon offset program in 2007, making it easy for customers to reduce the environmental impact of their travel,” said John Laughter, Senior Vice President – Corporate Safety, Security and Compliance. “Delta is also the only major airline to voluntarily cap carbon emissions at 2012 levels by purchasing carbon offsets.”

Since 2013, Delta has voluntarily purchased over 12 million carbon offsets, which is equivalent to the emissions from 1.7 million cars or electricity use for one year in nearly 2 million homes. This is more than any other U.S. airline. Today alone, Delta will buy almost 50,000 carbon offsets. To put this in perspective, 50,000 offsets will equal the emissions from more than 10,000 cars driven for one year.

Delta’s carbon offsets to benefit Conservation Coast project in Guatemala

Every offset Delta purchases today will benefit the Conservation Coast offset project, which provides environmental protection from deforestation and sustainable livelihood opportunities for communities in Guatemala. These offsets will help conserve over 400 bird species and 54,000 hectares of threatened rainforests situated along the Caribbean coastline of Guatemala.

The Conservation Coast project also supports sustainable livelihoods within local communities by teaching things like economically viable and environmentally sustainable agricultural practices that work with the environment rather than against it. To date, over 700 jobs are being supported by the project, 30 percent of which are held by women.

“At Delta, we believe connecting the world begins with caring for it,” said Laughter. “The offset projects we support are holistic, going beyond addressing the environmental impact of travel to provide resources, empowerment and financial opportunities to underserved communities like those involved in the Conservation Coast project.”
Offsetting is affordable. A roundtrip ticket from Atlanta to New York emits 0.28 metric tons of CO2, which can be offset for less than $5.

These offsetting efforts and more are why Delta was honored the Vision For America Award by Keep America Beautiful in 2017, recognized with Captain Planet Foundation’s Superhero Corporate Award in 2018, named to the FTSE4Good Index for four consecutive years, included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for eight consecutive years, given an honorable mention in Fast Company’s 2019 World Changing Ideas Awards and named one of America’s 100 most sustainable companies according to an in-depth Barron’s study.

Travel News | eTurboNews