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Single-use plastic ban, food waste and local produce top priorities in Centara’s 2019 Sustainability Plan

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Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is focusing on three key sustainability initiatives as part of the company’s recently announced 2019 Sustainability Plan: eliminating single-use plastic products; reducing its food waste footprint; and expanding its support of local farming and produce-growing communities.

  1. No Single-Use Plastic Products by end-2019

The elimination of single-use plastic items is part of the “Centara Earth Care” program aimed at encouraging hotel guests and tourists to be proactive about energy saving, waste reduction and sustainable environmental tourism. The sustainability plan covers five types of single-use plastic items, including drinking straws, laundry bags, take-away food containers, fitness center and poolside plastic bottles, and plastic guest room amenities. They are being replaced with items made from materials designed to minimize environmental impact.

“Centara strives to operate ethically and sustainably in a balanced manner across the entire portfolio whilst providing an exceptional level of Thai hospitality,” said Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Officer. “We are committed to selecting environmentally friendly produce which, in turn, enables us to further incorporate sustainable strategies and development into our products and services, creating shared value at an environmental, social and economic level wherever we operate. We are also committed to ensuring a respectful, safe and healthy environment to the larger society and our future generations.”

Centara began phasing in its elimination of single-use plastic products in 2018 across all 39 of its operating properties. Under the plan, alternative products which are reusable and made from environmentally friendlier materials, including plant-based, compostable and bio-degradable plastics, will be fully phased in by year-end.

  • Phase I, targeting the elimination of plastic straws, began in August 2018. The single-use plastic straws being eliminated take up to 200 years to decompose; the new bio-straws replacing them decompose within six months. Once the change is fully enacted throughout all Centara properties, the reduction in plastic straw consumption will total nearly 2.2 million straws per year.

 

  • Phase II, eliminating the use of plastic laundry bags, began in December 2018. Moving forward, these practices will also become Centara’s standards for all existing and new properties.

  1. Food Waste Reduction

Centara’s new and continuing food-related sustainability initiatives include:

  • further reducing food waste and minimizing each property’s carbon footprint with expanded purchasing of fresh local foods from herb, fruit and vegetable growers
  • making same-day donations of surplus food to charities located near each property
  • providing local farms with pre-separated organic waste for composting
  • transforming waste at select properties into biogas fuel, a blend of mostly methane and carbon dioxide gases which can be used in place of fossil fuels.

In 2018, Centara supported the Bangkok-based foundation Scholars of Sustenance (SOS Thailand) by making same-day donations of more than 28,000 kilograms (kg) of quality surplus food. The donations provided over 86,000 servings to those in need, while the reduction in Centara’s food waste saved over 54,000 kg of GHG equivalent emissions.

Both Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien and Centara Grand Beach Resort Phuket have biogas machines on-site capable of converting 30-100 kg of organic waste each day into an equivalent number of litres of organic compost and biogas comparable to nearly five kg/day of LPG fuel. Since July 2018, the Cowtec Composting & Biogas Production Machine installed at Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien has been processing organic waste from the property’s kitchens, staff canteens and landscaping works. By the end of 2018, the machine had composted more than 5,700 kg of organic waste and produced 262 kg of biogas equivalent LPG.

  1. Strengthen Local Communities

Centara’s 2019 Sustainability Plan further expands the company’s support for local communities’ small farms and producers who grow food for Centara hotels and resorts in their area.

The company attributes much of its carbon footprint reduction to making approximately 70% of total produce purchases from local sources. Beyond the economic benefits to the community, expanding farm-to-table dining enables each property to provide the freshest available food items to guests.

The company’s ongoing engagement with EarthCheck, the world’s leading scientific benchmarking, certification and advisory group for travel and tourism, continues to yield consequential improvements in key sustainability metrics. To date, 15 Centara hotels and resorts have achieved EarthCheck certification and another four properties are enrolled in  EarthCheck’s Evaluate Plus program, leading to significant reductions in carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions across a number of Centara’s certified properties.

Most recently, the company’s leadership in environmental sustainability was recognized by the Stock Exchange of Thailand, which awarded Centara Hotels & Resorts (CENTEL) its “Thailand Sustainability Investment (THSI)” designation, an annual recognition for listed companies that operate with responsibility for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects.

Further recognition for properties includes the “Green Hotel 2018 Award” from the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion at Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, awarded to Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin and Centra by Centara Maris Resort Jomtien.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading hotel operator. Its 68 properties span all major Thai destinations plus the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, China, Oman, Qatar and the UAE. Centara’s portfolio comprises six brands – Centara Grand Hotels & Resorts, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Centara Boutique Collection, Centra by Centara, Centara Residences & Suites and COSI Hotels – ranging from 5-star city hotels and luxurious island retreats to family resorts and affordable lifestyle concepts supported by innovative technology.It also operates state-of-the-art convention centers and has its own award-winning spa brand, Cenvaree. Throughout the collection, Centara delivers and celebrates the hospitality and values Thailand is famous for including gracious service, exceptional food, pampering spas and the importance of families. Centara’s distinctive culture and diversity of formats allow it to serve and satisfy travelers of nearly every age and lifestyle.

Over the next five years Centara aims to double its size with additional properties in Thailand and new international markets, while spreading its footprint into new continents and market niches. As Centara continues to expand, a growing base of loyal customers will find the company’s unique style of hospitality in more locations. Centara’s global loyalty program, Centara The1, reinforces their loyalty with rewards, privileges and special member pricing.

Find out more about Centara at www.CentaraHotelsResorts.com

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Travel News | eTurboNews

Italy travel: Extraordinary opening of hidden treasures to the world

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An extraordinary opening is about to take place of over 1,100 sites in 430 locations in Italy, from the Palazzo della Consulta in Rome to the Castle of Melegnano (MI), from the Center for Space Geodesy in Matera to the city of Pontremoli (MS). This is the Italian Environmental Fund (FAI), the National Trust of Italy.

The organization was founded in 1975 on the model of the British National Trust. It is a private non-profit organization with 60,000 members in early 2005. Its purpose is to protect elements of the Italian physical heritage that could otherwise be lost.

The splendid paradox of Italian beauty is being together both every day and extraordinary, sometimes sumptuous and explicit, others hidden and wounded, but always so deeply Italy’s as to define who the country is and remind of the countless plots that have woven the nation’s origins, leaving footprints in Italy’s cultural heritage as if they are clues.

On Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24, 2019, the FAI invites everyone to participate in the FAI Spring Days to look at Italy as never done before and build an ideal bridge between cultures that will make travel around the world a goal and a delight.

Now in its 27th edition, the event has turned into a grandiose mobile party for a vast public, which awaits every year to take part in this extraordinary collective ceremony, an unrepeatable appointment in the cultural panorama that since 1993 has enthralled almost 11 million visitors.

Year after year, the FAI Spring Days exceed themselves: this edition will see 1,100 places open in 430 locations in all regions, thanks to the organizational thrust of the 325 groups of delegates scattered in all regions – regional, provincial, and youth group delegations – and thanks to the 40,000 Cicerone Apprentices.

Hundreds of sites and thousands of people that the soul of the FAI lights up, will take everyone by the hand and accompany the Italians to reflect themselves in the astonishing variety of the most beautiful country, opening places that are often inaccessible and exceptionally open to visitors this weekend, during which it is possible to support the Foundation with an optional contribution or with registration.

For 2019, the novelty of the largest square festival dedicated to the cultural heritage of Italy will be a FAI bridge between cultures, the FAI project that aims to amplify and tell the different foreign cultural influences scattered in open goods throughout Italy. Many of these places bear witness to the wealth derived from the encounter and the fusion between Italy’s tradition and that of European, Asian, American, and African countries.

This is why in some of these sites and in some FAI assets the visits will be handled by over a hundred volunteers of foreign origin who will tell the historical, artistic, and architectural aspects typical of their culture of origin which, in contact with Italy’s, contributed to give life to the country’s heritage.

Examples are the Carlo Viganò Library of the Catholic University in Brescia, a “journey” between the Latin, Greek, Arabic, and vernacular languages through manuscripts, sixteenth-century works, and printed works that document the development of algebra, astronomy, the physics, and other sciences.

There is the Piazza Sett’Angeli in Palermo, an open book where one can read the millennial history of the city, and the Chinese Cabinet of Palazzo Reale in Turin, covered with lacquered panels  from China. Also, there is the connection between Venice and the Dalmatian School of Saints George and Trifone, which still maintains the spiritual and cultural bond between the Dalmatians and Venice.

The catalog of goods that can be visited during the FAI Spring Days is available at giornatefai.it and contains a proposal so varied and original that it is impossible to summarize.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Italy travel: Destination Baia and Latina steps into the video limelight

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In 2017,  “The Year of the  Borghi” was celebrated in Italy. According to the directive of the former Minister, Dario Franceschini, the initiative was created with the intention of enhancing lesser-known cultural tourist destinations among small towns and cities characterized by a broad historical and cultural heritage, representing ideal destinations for slow  and sustainable tourism.

Among the lesser-known villages is Baia and Latina, a smaller village rich in history and a historical and cultural heritage celebrated by Pliny the Elder for the pure air and the quality of the land. The municipality located between the Trebulani mountains and the course of the Volturno river, a crossroads of goods and cultures between Lazio, Campania, and Sannio, preserves the cultural characteristics of its own tradition favorable to evaluate and insert its presence in the list of the minor Borghi of Italy.

 

Baia and Latina, in the province of Caserta, the ancient belonging to an Etruscan colony has attributed the credit that Enea would have stayed in Latina and his father Latino would have built a temple sacred to Minerva and given the name to the village.

Other versions trace the origins of the borgo back to the Samnite period. The two villages today form a single municipality, a decision dating back to the period of French domination (1806-14) and the subsequent one, during the Bourbon domination.

The houses of the borgo have medieval conformations highlighted in part by the important structures: towers and castles perched to guard its territory. Together with the numerous palaces and archaeological finds dating back to the period of its origins.

 

What remains of the past reflects a historical reality that can be read on the stones of its houses, churches, noble palaces and castles. Structures that climb upwards through alleys and narrow streets that sometimes seem to disappear inside the houses and then re-emerge in an open space or a small square where the sunlight is finally free to radiate.

The doors of the houses maintain characteristics that evoke distant times. And therefore  charm, pleasure of being immersed in the lifestyle unchanged over time. Imagine living in distant ages just 50 km from the nearby metropolis: Naples and 25 from Caserta with its majestic Royal palace.

The Year of Italian Villages met with great interest by Italian municipalities from North to Sicily and developed promotional initiatives with highly encouraging results, creating new sources of tourism that have decreed success: the statistics published at the end of the Borghi year indicate an increase in 7% of national tourism and foreigners in particular from Asian countries – China and Japan.

 

The ambitious plan of the mayor of Baia and Latina, Giuseppe Di Cerbo, in office since June 2016 is to bring his borgo to the attention of an increasingly high number of visitors, more than those who arrived on the occasion of the celebration of ” Living Nativity “celebrated at Christmas 2018, artistically improved under his direction. And, create initiatives to stimulate daily visits, even to the extent of raising the destination slowly to success. Then enter triumphantly in the official catalog of the Italian minor villages.

With a visit to the borgo, the opportunity to get more information from the mayor presented itsel.

eTN: In the area of the ancient village, many houses have been identified in a state of abandonment and decay. Is there a plan for their recovery?

Mayor: The request for subsidies for the restoration was sent to the European Union (UE) without result as the granting of EU funds requires the participation of private capital to the extent of 25% of the total value for the restoration.

The owners of the buildings are unable to invest. But, we have obtained regional funding with an EU contribution to the settlement of water shortage.

eTN: What is your program to improve the life of the borgo?

Mayor: Among the priorities stands  the creation of a receptive system, that is the Bed & Breakfast and the expansion of the sewerage network. For this we are waiting for funds from the region. The redevelopment of the Volturno river, improving aid to buffalo farmers through the Rural Development Program (PSR) [is also a priority].

Baia and Latina the first small town in Italy equipped with video surveillance.

A historical plaque affixed to a building tells: “Here in the tormented years of the new kingdom of Italy, November 10, 1863, the mayor, Antonio Scotti, and his wife, Francesca Lacracchi, after heroic resistance disdaining surrender to the brigaders horde that had set fire to the house perished among the flames.”

eTN: Mayor, is this what motivated your project of video surveillance of the village?

Mayor: The project, in fact, was started by my predecessor as prevention of the national problem on the small delinquency that has also affected our territory. We believed it right to continue and delegated the public works councilor Antonio Brancaccio to finalize it to be active on the 24 hours, round the clock, with great satisfaction of the inhabitants (about 2,400).

The security cameras will be connected to the data reception center of the Carabinieri barracks. My plan includes the Internet system entrusted to the architect Christian Itri.

The village produces dairy products:  mozzarella cheese, salami, and honey. Vegetable production is mainly at the individual level: only private gardens! Visitors can take advantage of small dining options and a larger one in Baglio, the Arco restaurant, whose cuisine offers specialties utilizing local products.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Hainan Airlines launches nonstop service between Guiyang, China and Paris, France

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Hainan Airlines will launch nonstop service between Guiyang, China and Paris on March 24, its fourth nonstop route from mainland China to Paris following Xi’an-Paris, Chongqing-Paris and Shenzhen-Paris.

The once weekly Guiyang-Paris route will be serviced by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and takes off every Sunday.

Hainan Airlines has to date launched 20 European routes servicing Berlin, Brussels, Edinburgh, London, Madrid, Manchester, Moscow, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Zurich. Hainan Airlines provides many value-added services to passengers, among them, package tickets, options for premium seating, car shuttle service for business class passengers, prepaid luggage, class upgrades and other services to make sure the flight is a smooth one and meets the diverse needs of our passengers.

More:
http://tass.com/press-releases/1049521

Travel News | eTurboNews

Global Tourism Industry Mourns the Loss of Peter Wong

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Tourism Icon Peter Wong died on 11 March 2019, at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam, HongKong.

Peter Wong was Executive Chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism, Vice Chairman of the Global Tourism Economy Forum, and Chairman of several private sector companies including M.K. Corporation Ltd., Culture Resources Development Co Ltd, Silk Road Hotel Management Co Ltd, and Silk Road Travel Management Ltd. Since 1993, he participated as a member of the United Nations multi-agencies Silk Road Project.

Peter was politically active serving on the National People’s Congress as a representative from Hong Kong from 1993 until his death.  Peter Wong was a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and a recipient of the Young Industrialist Award of Hong Kong.

During the UNWTO 22nd General Assembly in Chengdu, China, Peter said: “Tourism is increasingly an important economic pillar for all countries and beyond this, we are now moving into an era of universal values which our industry is in the forefront of championing – like poverty alleviation and environmental protection; and we are an industry that more than any other is dedicated to propagating a message of peace and harmony.”

The founder of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism(IIPT)  Louis D’Amore told eTurboNews: “Peter’s passing was much too soon and will be felt throughout the industry. He continually spoke of the ’PHD‘ role of tourism – a role of Peace, Harmony and Development. And so his philosophy and concept of tourism were totally consistent with the philosophy and goals of IIPT.

Together with Peter as Executive Chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism, we launched the IIPT Global Peace Parks project with the dedication of Sun River National Park, Pu’er China as an IIPT International Peace Park (see photo left and below). We will certainly miss Peter’s collaboration on future projects.”

Peter traveled to Beijing on 2 March 2019 to attend the annual meeting of the NPC, only to return to Hong Kong two days later to treat an illness.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Bots, A.I, wearables and VR to create billion-dollar savings in the tourism industry

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The impact of disruptive technologies on the tourism industry is set to create multi-billion dollar savings through the use of IoT, robotics, artificial intelligence (A.I), Virtual Reality (VR) and wearable technology according to data published ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1 May 2019.

The latest research from Colliers International, in partnership with ATM 2019, reveals that in addition to vast cost savings, the customer experience is set to be more streamlined with travel set to become better, smoother and more personalised with travel bookings on VR platforms, AI chatbots guiding customers through the booking process and IOT providing internet based inter-connectivity between everyday devices.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Technology, and the use of technology, is evolving every day. The tourism industry is at the very forefront of tech innovation with companies investing huge sums of money to improve the customer journey and experience.

“Airports and airlines accounted for US$30 billion of investment in IT in 2018, however this will be offset by the implementation of technology that will see fuel savings alone top US$30 billion in the next 15 years.

“We’ve seen incredible developments in recent years, SITA, the multinational tech company to the air transport industry for example, is using robots to check travelers onto flights and to transport their luggage, while, although in the infancy stage, robots have been used in some hotels to welcome guests and show them to their room.”

ATM 2019 has adopted cutting-edge technology and innovation as its main theme and this will be integrated across all show verticals and activities, including focused seminar sessions.

Running throughout the event, professionals from across the industry spectrum will discuss the ongoing unprecedented digital disruption, and the emergence of innovative technologies that will fundamentally alter the way in which the hospitality industry operates in the region.

Discussing the defining evolutions of hospitality technology, the Travel Tech Show will return to ATM 2019 with 45 dedicated international exhibitors and an influential agenda of discussion and debate in the Travel Tech Theatre – sponsored by Sabre Corporation.

Launching this year will be the inaugural Arabian Travel Week, an umbrella brand which comprises four co-located shows: ATM 2019; CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa – a new route development forum, ILTM Arabia and new consumer-led event – ATM Holiday Shopper.

Curtis said: “The success of both ATM and ILTM Arabia has provided us with the platform to not only introduce two new events for 2019 – but to create a travel week which encompasses the Middle East’s inbound and outbound markets for general leisure tourism and luxury travel as well as providing a dedicated networking forum, CONNECT  Middle East India & Africa 2019 for the region’s top airline specialists, aviation authorities, tourism boards, airports and tour operators.”

Another debutant this year is the Arabia China Tourism Forum at ATM which takes place on the Global Stage on Sunday 28th April. With China set to account for a quarter of international tourism by 2030, an expert panel will discuss how destinations around the world can capitalise on this growth. The forum will also include a 30-minute networking session with over 80 Chinese buyers.

Once again, we are delighted to be working with our partners UNWTO and welcoming back the UNWTO Ministers Summit which will also take place on the Global Stage on Sunday 28th April.

Other Global Stage highlights will include a focused seminar on Saudi Arabia’s tourism potential, the Global Halal Tourism Summit and the debut ATM Hotel Industry Summit which will host various expert panels to debate and provide an insight on the latest hotel developments and innovative digital infrastructure shaping the future of the hospitality sector.

Following a successful launch last year, the second edition of ATM Student Conference – ‘Career in Travel’ will return on the final day of ATM. This programme allows students and graduates to listen to a range of guest speakers and travel industry leaders. It will also help provide a greater understanding of the industry and potential career paths.

As well as the ultra-innovative Travel Tech Show at ATM, other features returning to the show repertoire this year include the Digital Influencers and Buyers’ Speed Networking Events which will feature 20 Chinese buyers for the first time, the ATM Best Stand Awards and the Travel Agents Academy.

ATM, considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, welcomed over 39,000 people to its 2018 event, showcasing the largest exhibition in the history of the show, with hotels comprising 20% of the floor area.

For more information on Arabian Travel Market 2019, please log on to:  https://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com/.

 

Travel News | eTurboNews

Mandarin Oriental opens first hotel in Beijing

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Hongkong Land today announced the completion of its prestigious WF CENTRAL premium lifestyle retail destination, located in the capital city’s historic Wangfujing area, with the opening of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing. Executives from Hongkong Land and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group celebrated the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new hotel, Mandarin Oriental’s first hotel in Beijing.

Seamlessly connected with WF CENTRAL, the hotel features 73 rooms and suites which are among the largest in Beijing. The rooms are designed with a contemporary residential style combined with subtle traditional Chinese elements, an array of luxury amenities and expansive, spa-like bathrooms. Many rooms have superb views towards the Forbidden City. The hotel is also home to stylish restaurants and bars, including the signature Mandarin Grill + Bar, casual dining restaurant Cafe Zi, and the sleek, sophisticated MO Bar — all of which have direct access to an expansive rooftop garden terrace.

Those seeking rejuvenation in the heart of the city may visit The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing, which offers a range of curated wellness and beauty treatments as well as a 25-metre indoor lap pool with natural light and a comprehensive gym.

“Since its opening in May 2018, WF CENTRAL has been playing a crucial role in the redevelopment of the historic Wangfujing area of Beijing into one of the city’s premium lifestyle retail destinations,” said Mr Raymond Chow, Executive Director of Hongkong Land. “The opening of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing, completes our work and exemplifies this strategy, as we are bringing Mandarin Oriental’s legendary hospitality together with a compelling mix of retail and dining, all nestled within one of the world’s most important and historic cities.”

Mr Richard Baker, Chief Relationship Officer, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, said, “Mandarin Oriental is delighted to partner with Hongkong Land in the creation of Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing. This is our third successful collaboration and we are immensely proud to be part of WF CENTRAL, Beijing’s preeminent lifestyle retail destination. We look forward to introducing the Group’s legendary hospitality to China’s capital and to welcoming guests through our doors.”

WF CENTRAL, Hongkong Land’s flagship development in Beijing, is a US$1.2 billion retail-led project designed to be the city’s premier shopping and lifestyle destination. It is also expected to be a major contributor to the transformation of Beijing’s historic Wangfujing area into a hub for retail, dining and business. The complex has a total gross floor area of more than 150,000 sq. m., including 43,000 sq. m. of retail space that hosts an exciting, diverse mix of tenants according to five core categories: “Luxury”, “Fashion”, “World-class Gastronomy”, “Lifestyle & Wellness” and “Art & Culture”.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Ecological tourism in China takes leadership position in Yunnan

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Rich in natural resources and recognised as one of the world’s most biodiverse hotspots, Yunnan Province in China attracts more than 400 million domestic and international visitors seeking bespoke travel experiences immersed in culture, nature and adventure-based activities.

The APEC International Centre for Sustainable Tourism (AICST), EarthCheck and Yunnan Vinetree Tourism Development Co., Ltd (Vinetree) has announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will provide specialist research and development work to enhance sustainable tourism practices for enterprises and destinations in China.

The research partnership will focus on social responsibility and environmental best practice and provide capacity building and educational resources on climate change, risk management, sustainable tourism and workforce development.

Managing Director of AICST and EarthCheck CEO, Mr Stewart Moore, said the MOU would provide opportunities for both organisations to contribute to improved planning and management of tourism in remote areas and promote international understanding of different races, cultures and beliefs.

“Visitors are becoming increasingly engaged and seeking out destinations with rich cultural, environmental and heritage values,” Mr Moore said.

“Tourism is becoming more about journeys of discovery with a strong interest in local culture and lifestyle.”

Vinetree CEO, Ms. Koko Tang, said local people and communities, business operators and visitors are key to the continued conservation and protection of China’s natural and cultural environment.

“When people experience our rich culture and diverse landscape the understanding they gain can translate into support for conservation efforts and the protection of the things that we value in Yunnan”

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VFS Global wins contract to provide Germany visa services in 14 countries in Asia Pacific

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VFS Global wins contract to provide Germany visa services in 14 countriesin Asia Pacific

VFS Global has been awarded the Regional Contract to provide Germany visa services in the Asia Pacific region, by the Government of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office. As per this new contract, VFS Global will operate Germany Visa Application Centres in 36 new locations across 14 countries.

Residents of Brunei, Fiji, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea,

Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, P.R. China and Thailand will soon be able to apply for Germany visas through VFS Global.

VFS Global is expected to start operations in the new Visa Application Centres during the first quarter of 2019. The People’s Republic of China alone will see the addition of centres in 15 cities*, further  strengthening access to Germany’s visa services across the country.

In addition to these facilities, VFS Global will also offer a Mobile Biometric Service in 24 locations throughout the region. The Mobile Biometric Service enables applicants to submit their documents and biometric information from a location of their choice, e.g. from their home or office, eliminating the need to visit a Visa Application Centre.

VFS Global currently operates 59 Germany Visa Application Centres across 16 countries.

Said  Zubin Karkaria, Chief Executive Officer, VFS Global Group, “We are grateful to the client governments who have shown their faith in our ability to maintain the highest levels of excellence in visa services. With the new contract, Germany visa applicants across 14 countries in Asia Pacific can enjoy streamlined and efficient visa services at VFS Global centres and avail of innovative services like the ‘doorstep’ visa service.”

Meanwhile, in August and September VFS Global has signed new contracts with seven other client             governments to provide visa services in varous regions, reaffiriming its position as a market leader in the visa application outsourcing business.

As per the renewed/extended contracts, VFS Global will provide visa services for:

  • Belgium in Rwanda;
  • Estonia in China, India, Belarus, Turkey, and Russia;
  • Hungary in India, Belarus, Kazakhstan;
  • Italy in Bahrain and Ecuador;
  • Lithuania in Ukraine;
  • Slovenia in 13 countries (Australia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Canada, Iran, Kosovo, Mexico, New Zealand, Serbia, South Korea, Taiwan, UAE, UK, USA); and
  • The Czech Republic in Vietnam, Mongolia and Uzbekistan

* Germany  Visa Application Centres in China will be located in Beijing; Chengdu; Guangzhou (Kanton); Shenyang; Shanghai; Xi’an; Wuhan; Changsha; Jinan; Kunming; Chongqing; Fuzhou; Shenzhen; Nanjing; Hangzhou

About VFS Global

VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. VFS Global, headquartered in Dubai, UAE, has Swiss parentage and is a portfolio company of EQT, a leading global private equity firm headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.

With 2763 Application Centres, operations in 141 countries across five continents and over 182 million applications processed as on 30 September 2018, VFS Global is the trusted partner of 61 client governments.