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Kenya tour operator UNIGLOBE Let’s Go Travel attains global certification for sustainable practices

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UNIGLOBE Travel International member UNIGLOBE Let’s Go Travel in Nairobi, Kenya, has become one of the first tour operators in East Africa to be Travelife Certified. Accredited by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Travelife for Tour Operators is one of the world’s leading green certification programs.

UNIGLOBE Let’s Go Travel is also a five-time winner of the Ecotourism Kenya Eco-Warrior Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to ecotourism practice in Kenya.


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 “Everyone in our organization is passionate about preserving this magical country for future generations,” says owner Alan Dixson. “From prohibiting single use plastics to booking tours using only eco-friendly hotels and suppliers, our commitment to sustainability is embedded in everything we do.”

Says UNIGLOBE Travel founder and CEO U. Gary Charlwood, “In a region that is largely dependent on tourism, it is important that we work with local organizations and government to keep it sustainable. UNIGLOBE Let’s Go Travel sets the bar for other tour operators, and we are proud to have them in our global family.”

UNIGLOBE Let’s Go Travel offers these tips for travelling responsibly:   

Book with an eco-friendly tour operator

There are literally thousands of safari tour companies in Kenya. Look for these signs that an operator is committed to tourism sustainability and responsibility:

  • A member of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO)
  • A member of Ecotourism Kenya
  • Travelife Sustainability certification for Tour Operators

Take personal responsibility

  • Respect and obey all game laws and regulations, and report companies who ignore them.
  • Keep a distance of at least 25 metres from wildlife and don’t pressure your driver to approach animals too closely.
  • Avoid making loud noises that may disturb animals.
  • Never give food to any animal in the wild.
  • Take photos instead of picking plants and flowers.
  • Take out what you pack in. Don’t leave garbage behind.
  • Support local farmers and artisans by buying locally crafted souvenirs.
  • Do not buy, or trade for, any articles covered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) including ivory, turtle products, rhino horn, furs, butterflies and many plant species.
  • Use biodegradable soaps and beauty products, and reusable packaging.

UNIGLOBE Let’s Go Travel does not support any tours or activities that condone unethical animal interactions.

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About UNIGLOBE Travel International

Working globally to serve clients locally across more than 60 countries, UNIGLOBE Travel International leverages current technologies and preferred supplier pricing to save clients time and money on business and leisure travel services. Since 1981, corporate and leisure travellers have depended on the UNIGLOBE brand to deliver services beyond expectations. UNIGLOBE Travel was founded by U. Gary Charlwood, CEO and has its world headquarters in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Annual system-wide sales volume is $5.0+ billion.

Media contact: media@uniglobe.com

About UNIGLOBE Let’s Go Travel

Let’s Go Travel Uniglobe is one of East Africa’s best known and long established Tour Operators and Travel Agents, started in 1979 by Alan Dixson, who has managed the company ever since. It is IATA accredited. Let’s Go Travel Uniglobe is a Corporate destination management company giving hands on professional, personalized attention, with cutting edge technological support. Also, Let’s Go promotes sustainable tours, wildlife safaris and adventure holidays in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, all of which are part of East Africa. The company is a five-time holder of the Ecotourism award and is Travelife certified for best sustainable tourism practises. 

Media contact: ad@letsgosafari.com

Go Global Travel seals the deal with Brazilian B2B accommodation provider

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Leading global B2B travel product consolidator and technology powerhouse Go Global Travel Ltd. (“Go Global Travel”) has completed the acquisition of a Brazilian B2B accommodation, transfer and other tourism services provider.  This is the seventh acquisition made by Go Global in the last 18 months.

Go Global Travel maintains 17 offices around the globe providing 24/7 local service in over 20 different languages.  This recent acquisition will further expand Go Global’s presence in Latin America.  

Commenting on the acquisitions, Ophir Ben-Ezra, CEO of Go Global, said: “This new acquisition is a continuation of our strategy of enhancing our service and product for the travel agents and strengthening Go Global in more geographies. Our M&A activity complements our robust organic growth and positions us to become the provider of choice for travel agents. I am also thrilled to welcome to the Go Global family the experienced management team of this acquired company.”

Go Global Travel is a portfolio company of funds advised by Apax Partners.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Han Yang yang.han@goglobal.travel 

UNIGLOBE Travel South Asia grows to 60 locations with the addition of a new agency in Hyderabad

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UNIGLOBE Focus Travel & Tours is the newest member of UNIGLOBE Travel South Asia.

Located in Hyderabad, the state capital of Telengana in southern India, UNIGLOBE Focus Travel & Tours has been in business since 2002. The agency offers a broad range of services including corporate and group travel management, visa services, and a network of personal travel managers serving clients across India.

“UNIGLOBE shares our company philosophy and helps us to bring more savings and choice to our clients through global fare technology and preferred group pricing,” says UNIGLOBE Focus Travel & Tours CEO Venkatesh Muthigi. “As well, I have known Regional President Ritika Modi and the leadership at UNIGLOBE for many years. They are highly trusted and knowledgeable in India markets and business travel trends.”

UNIGLOBE Travel South Asia now has offices in 29 cities in India. With the addition of UNIGLOBE Focus Tours and Travels, the region now has four locations serving clients in Hyderabad.

Says UNIGLOBE Travel International founder and Chief Executive U. Gary Charlwood, “All of us at UNIGLOBE congratulate Ritika and her team on reaching the 60 location milestone. It is our pleasure to welcome Venkatesh and his team to our global family.”

About UNIGLOBE
Working globally to serve clients locally across more than 60 countries, UNIGLOBE Travel leverages current technologies and preferred supplier pricing to save clients time and money on business and vacation travel planning. Since 1981, corporate and leisure travelers have depended on the UNIGLOBE Travel brand to deliver services that go beyond expectations. UNIGLOBE Travel was founded by U. Gary Charlwood, CEO and has its world headquarters in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The annual system-wide sales volume is $5.0+ billion.

Media contact: media@uniglobe.com

Top Singapore Travel Company in Seychelles for a familiarization visit

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The successful visit organized through the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) with the support of various local partners, followed a sales visit earlier this year by the Mrs. Amia Jovanovic-Desir, the Director for India, Australia and South East Asia in Singapore.

Ms Crystal Sims, the CEO of the international Travel Agency Albatross World, made a special effort to see the Seychelles on a familiarization for ten days by the end of October 2019. This trip was the prime opportunity for her to also experience the products and services.

During her working visit to Seychelles, Ms. Sim had the opportunity to have an overview of the destination through the diverse attractions available on islands of Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, which are the most frequented island- including the pristine beaches and the Vallée de Mai.

As part of her explorations of the islands and tourist attractions, Ms. Sims also had the chance to stay at the Four Seasons Resorts on Desroches Island and Hilton Seychelles, LaBriz Resort and SPA on Silhouette.

Several meetings with core tourism stakeholders including key Destination Management Companies (DMC) in Seychelles, through which the representatives presented their products and services providing the Singapore professional with a clearer idea of what holidaymakers would expect while in Seychelles.

Ms. Sims also met with the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Mr Didier Dogley, Mrs. Sherin Francis, STB’s Chief Executive and her Team during which discussions were centered towards the strategic approach of how to tap into the Singaporean market. Throughout the debates all partners agreed that further collaborations with the tourism trade partners on both end need to be encouraged.

Ms. Sims mentioned that her perception of Seychelles has surpassed her expectation. She added that she was impressed to see the natural beauty of the islands and the strong commitment of the Seychellois people including its government to preserve the environment.

“The world will love travelers who roam beautiful places with ease, and one corner of the globe not yet fully appreciated is the Seychelles.  We will become better people if we know the Seychelles, truly another world,” said Ms. Sims

Speaking of the visit from the Singaporean partner, Mrs. Amia Jovanovic-Desir mentioned that she is pleased to see that the continuous efforts done by STB to meet with international partners being rewarded.

“As a prime collaborator to several international partners, such collaborations add to our marketing strategy and what we are currently doing to further position on the market. FAM trips are one of the most cost effective marketing activities for the destination to engage more agents to boost their knowledge on the Seychelles and its products and to push more interest to be converted into sales, added Amia Jovanovic- Desir.

Mrs. Jovanovic- Desir expressed STB’s sincere appreciation to all the partners who have supported in making this FAM trip a success, she extended special thank you to the Four Seasons Resort at Desroches, Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort and SPA, Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and SPA, Double Tree by Hilton Seychelles, Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove and Patatran Hotel.

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

2020 Great Abaco Classic to be played at The Royal Blue Golf Club at Baha Mar

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bdG Sports, an international sports management company, announced today that the 2020 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic will be moved to Royal Blue Golf Club at Baha Mar due to Hurricane Dorian’s impact on Great Abaco.

The Korn Ferry Tour tournament, which features 132 professionals vying in the year-long series to earn their PGA TOUR card, will be played Jan. 16-22 in its traditional role as the second event of the new season, following The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic, which is played the week before at Sandals Emerald Bay.

“We look forward to welcoming The Great Abaco Classic to The Royal Blue Golf Club in January,” said Graeme Davis, President, Baha Mar. “Everyone at Baha Mar is committed to the recovery and rebuild of the Abacos and we knew how important it was to keep this tournament in the beautiful nation of The Bahamas until its return to Great Abaco.

Hurricane Dorian created catastrophic damage as a Category 5 hurricane – the strongest storm to ever hit The Bahamas – when it slammed into the Abacos on Sept. 1. The Abaco Club, where the event has been played the past three years, officially re-opened this month, but the hurricane took aim on Marsh Harbour, the island’s largest town, and left nearly every home and business damaged. Progress on rebuilding Abaco is underway, as evidenced by the reopening of Maxwells last week, one of the island’s only grocery stores. But the island needs time to recover before housing nearly 500 visitors for a week, which includes golfers, caddies, tournament officials, broadcast production staff, and fans.

Of the relocated tournament, Bahamas Minister of Tourism & Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar remarked, “In ensuring that the Great Abaco Classic takes place, in spite of the devastation to its original venue, Abaco, our partners, the PGA TOUR and bdG Sports, have shown genuine commitment to The Bahamas and our people, a gesture which we deeply appreciate. The relocated Great Abaco Classic will find a welcome home at Baha Mar’s Royal Blue Golf Club and will certainly live up to the reputation it has established as Abaco’s premier golf tournament.”

The resort destination of Baha Mar is situated across 1,000 acres along the north shore of New Providence Island, in Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas. Baha Mar is home to three iconic hotel brands, Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, SLS Baha Mar and Rosewood Baha Mar, as well as a collection of unparalleled offerings and experiences including the largest casino in the Caribbean; over 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges; luxury shopping, and more.  The Royal Blue Golf Club at Baha Mar is the first and only Jack Nicklaus design in The Bahamas. Spanning nearly 7,200 yards, Royal Blue Golf Course’s front nine features water-lined fairways and glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean, while the back nine navigates dense jungle until the island green at the par-3 16th hole on Lake Cunningham.

“Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin and her team at the PGA TOUR were adamant about making the necessary investments to ensure this tournament happened,” said Brooks Downing, Chief Executive Officer at bdG Sports. “And thanks to the tremendous support of both Mr. Davis and Minister D’Aguilar, we are going to utilize this platform to make sure that the Abaco rebuilding effort remains front and center.”

As in years past, and mirroring the Great Exuma Classic, the event is played using a unique Sunday-Wednesday format, allowing for maximum exposure while also appealing to the guests who can participate on the weekend in the official pro-am, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18.

With the change, the event will officially be called “The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar.” And in addition to the global exposure, proceeds from the event will be donated to relief efforts in Abaco.

Bahamas Showcase Basketball Moved to Baha Mar

The Islands of the Bahamas Showcase, an NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, has been moved from Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium to the Baha Mar Convention Center, organizers announced today.

The eight-team tournament, now in its third year in Nassau, is scheduled to be played Nov. 22-24, 2019, but has been relocated given that Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium has been serving as a shelter for a number of people from Abaco and Grand Bahama who were displaced by Hurricane Dorian. The Category 5 hurricane hit the northern Bahamas on Sept. 1, damaging a large number of homes and businesses with gusts up to 220 mph, sea surge that rose to 24 feet and more than 48 inches of rain in some areas.

“With the national gymnasium serving a greater purpose, we are fortunate that Baha Mar was in a position to welcome this event at the resort on the same dates,” said Brooks Downing, CEO of bdG Sports, the event owner and operator. “For the prior two years, we have housed our eight participating teams at Baha Mar, so our teams will love the convenience of a stay-and-play model. We’re also fortunate that Baha Mar has recently made an investment and plans to do more basketball programming at the resort, so the move has been seamless.”

The resort played host to the Memphis men’s basketball program in August, as it played games there on a foreign exhibition tour.

“Basketball, both collegiate and professional, is close to the hearts of many Bahamians, and teams from the U.S. have been some of the strongest supporters of Baha Mar since the resort first opened,” said Graeme Davis, President, Baha Mar. “We could not pass up the chance to partner with Ministry of Tourism to Showcase and continue to host this incredible event at home in the Bahamas.” 

The tournament’s first-round action on Friday, Nov. 22, will feature Liberty vs. Morgan State, Rice vs. Milwaukee, UMKC vs. George Washington and Evansville vs. East Carolina. The semifinals and consolation will follow on Saturday with the championship, third-place, fifth-place and seventh-place games on Sunday.

About Baha Mar

Baha Mar is a master planned $4.2 billion integrated resort development operated by Hong Kong-based conglomerate Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Limited (CTFE). The white sand beach destination includes three global brand operators – Grand Hyatt, SLS, and Rosewood – with over 2,300 rooms and 40 restaurants and lounges, the largest casino in the Caribbean, a state-of-the-art convention center, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Royal Blue Golf Course, the Caribbean’s first and only flagship ESPA spa, and over 30 luxury retail outlets. Baha Mar is a breathtaking location with dynamic programming, activities and guest offerings in one of the most beautiful places in the world – The Bahamas. For more information and reservations, visit www.bahamar.com.

About bd Global

bd Global, LLC is a representation, event management, and public relations firm operating on an international platform within the sports marketing industry. bdG manages multiple college basketball and college hockey events across North America and the Caribbean, highlighted by tournaments in Southwest Florida, Las Vegas, Canada and The Bahamas as well as two Korn Ferry Tour events and a Nike Golf Invitational series. For more information, visit www.bdglobalsports.com  or follow on @bdGlobalSports on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jon Albaugh, bdG Sports, jda@bdglobalsports.com , 859-492-6794