For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

Where press releases are breaking news

Dusit International makes its grand debut in Qatar

by

With a view to capture major market share in Qatar’s hospitality sector, Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, is set to make its Qatar debut with the launch of Dusit Doha Hotel on 25 April 2019.

Located in the heart of Doha’s vibrant West Bay area, adjacent to the breezy Corniche, Dusit Doha Hotel is a five-star modern oasis only 20 minutes by car from Hamad International Airport, and just a five-minute walk from Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, the City centre Mall and The Gate Mall, making it a perfect stopover for business and leisure travellers alike.

Designed to provide luxury experiences at excellent value, the full-service property comprises 261 well-appointed guestrooms and suites and 96 elegant apartments for short- and long-stay guests. Dusit’s unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, honed and developed over more than 70 years, ensures guests can expect memorable, personalised service delivered with genuine care, warmth and respect. Rooms and suites at Dusit Doha Hotel are designed to provide the utmost in comfort and convenience, with expansive living areas ranging in size from 41 sq m for a Superior Room to 131 sq. m for a Suite. Apartments are available in one-to three-bedroom configurations and provide spacious living areas ranging from 95 to 193 sq. m.

Leisure and recreation facilities include a rooftop swimming pool, children’s pool, and a sundeck area offering panoramic views of West Bay. Guests will also find a wealth of dining outlets to choose from, including three restaurants, a classic French café, and a relaxing rooftop lounge.

Ready to welcome guests by the hotel’s opening date is Taste, a contemporary all-day dining restaurant serving tantalising dishes from around the globe and also hosting regular theme nights. This will soon be joined by Dusit’s signature Thai restaurant, Benjarong, which serves Royal Thai cuisine made using the finest local and imported ingredients.

Other upcoming outlets include Antoinette’s Café, bringing a taste of Europe to Doha via fresh French pastries and other baked treats, and The House, offering premium steaks and seafood.

Ideal for weddings, corporate meetings, and memorable social gatherings, the hotel also offers a versatile 574 sq. m ballroom which can accommodate up to 500 people. Spacious and bright with abundant natural light, this atmospheric venue features its own private terrace and can be divided into two smaller venues, each with a separate entrance.

Dusit’s signature Devarana Spa is also set to open at the hotel, offering a wide range of luxury massage therapies and wellness treatments conducted in elegant, private treatment rooms. Designed to promote maximum relaxation, the elegant spa will occupy the entire 29th floor of the hotel, offering separate male and female sections.

“A modern oasis for people to meet, dine, stay and relax, Dusit Doha Hotel delivers the ultimate in luxury and comfort for locals and international visitors alike,” said Mr Gerhard Stutz, Cluster General Manager, Dusit Doha Hotel. “Qatar is one of the fastest growing countries in terms of tourism, and its reputation as a destination of choice is only set to be cemented further when the FIFA World Cup is held here in 2022. As such, there could not have been a more opportune time to launch Dusit Doha Hotel. We now look forward to delighting guests with our unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality while positioning the hotel as the market leader in Doha.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Air Seychelles gets ready for delivery of their first Airbus A320NEO

by

Air Seychelles has over the past few months started to implement its training calendar in preparation for the delivery of the A320neo set for July 2019.

Last week, key staff members from the Technical Operations and Project Management including the Flight Operations team, as well as representatives from the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, attended the A320neo general familiarization training held in-house at the Air Seychelles head office in Pointe Larue.

The training held over four days, delivered by Mr. Michael Mahn, an experienced engineer from Airbus, provided the participants a general overview of the airframe that is the whole mechanical structure of the new aircraft. Currently another batch of staff members from similar areas within the business are also taking part in the training which commenced on Monday, April 15, and lasted until Thursday, April 18, 2019.

During the month of February, the Airbus Hamburg Training Centre welcomed the first group of Air Seychelles aircraft engineers as part of its comprehensive A320neo training program. The agenda composed of both theory and on-the-job experience provided the technical operations team further knowledge on how to conduct maintenance on the A320neo besides having the chance to view the Airbus assembly line.

Held from Monday, February 18, until Wednesday, February 27, the sessions in Hamburg were attended by engineers Clyne De -Letourdis, David Saminaden, and Denys Assan.

In addition to that, as of Tuesday, February 5, until Thursday, February 7, Manager of Cabin Safety Standards, Magdalena Hubert, and Manager for Cabin Safety Training Programs, Dereck Charlette, also had the chance to participate in the Airbus A320neo safety training held at the Airbus Training Centre Europe in Toulouse.

The training will proceed over the next upcoming months as part of the entry into service program of the new Air Seychelles A320neo aircraft.

The Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority in the meantime is progressing the type approval of this new aircraft which had not been registered in the Seychelles before and, therefore, requires additional regulatory approvals and licensing measures.

Travel News | eTurboNews

American Airlines to keep its Boeing 737 MAX jets grounded until August

by

American Airlines has chosen to keep its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX grounded until at least August 19, even if it means canceling 115 flights a day in summer season, as probes into the troubled jet continue and new sales have frozen.

The company, which owns 24 of the embattled jets that were involved in two recent deadly crashes, announced the decision in a letter to employees and customers. AA wants to ensure reliability “for the peak travel season and provide confidence to our customers and team members when it comes to their travel plans,” Chief Executive Doug Parker and President Robert Isom wrote.

The 737 MAX 8 airliners were grounded worldwide after a fatal crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight, which killed 157 people on board. The incident came months after a crash of the same model operated by Lion Air was apparently linked to the same faulty flight control system.

Parker and Isom have at the same time expressed confidence in Boeing’s ability to fix the problem through software updates and changes to pilot training procedures. The US airline has 24 MAX planes in its fleet and is expected to get 16 more delivered this year. The grounding has already resulted in the cancelation of about 90 flights per day through early June, and the extension may put a strain on American’s ability to meet demand for seats during upcoming peak travel season. As many as 115 daily flights will have to be canceled in August, according to the letter.

The crashes have left Boeing open to criticism over the way it certified the fast-selling model, conducting some of the tests in-house with the permission of the Federal Aviation Authority. Critics say the producer cut corners to fast-track the new model to the market, compromising flight safety as a result.

Travel News | eTurboNews

France remains world’s top tourist destination despite ‘Yellow Vests’ nuisance

by

According to France’s national statistics institute (INSEE), the number of nights foreign tourists spent in the country’s hotels, campsites and youth hostels reached 438.2 million, marking an increase of nine million visitors against the previous year.

Neither torched shops, nor tear gas on the Champs Elysées during the months of Yellow Vest protests could deprive France of remaining the world’s most visited country by tourists, breaking another record in 2018.

The report excludes numbers for home-sharing platforms such as Airbnb.

The impressive growth was seen in a year “marked by large-scale nationwide social movements on two occasions,” including two months of rolling rail strikes between April to June, and the Yellow Vest demonstrations that started in late November against fuel prices, the high cost of living and tax reforms.

Despite political upheaval in the final months, last year delivered a promising outlook for the country’s tourism industry. In December, the Yellow Vests crisis put a dent in tourism with the number of travelers visiting France falling by 1.1 percent. In Paris alone, the protests dragged down the number of visitors by 5.3 percent.

Among the most visited sights are the Paris-based Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum, as well as the Palace of Versailles.

The rise is largely thanks to non-EU tourists. Visits from the US rose by 16 percent, while arrivals from Japan saw an 18 percent increase.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Sea cruise 2019-2020: What is the Italian trend?

by

Sea cruising in Italy is starting to grow again, aligning itself with the international trend. This is the message of the president of Cemar Agency Network of Genoa, who presented – during the Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami – the 2019 and 2020 forecasts for the cruise sector in the Italian ports.

An increase of around 7.13% is expected in terms of passengers  (for a total of 11,911,000 of cruise passengers) and a further +7.88% is expected on 2020 with the expectation expected to total up to 13 million passengers.

“I believe that such a positive result must be mainly attributed to the new units that are becoming part of all the most important fleets of cruise ships,” reflects the president, Senesi. In detail, this year, the ships will increase to 4,860 units, while 149 ships will be in transit in Italian sea ports representing 46 shipping companies.

Among the 70 ports involved in cruise traffic, the primacy of Civitavecchia (Italy) will be confirmed in 2019, with 2,567,000 passengers (+5.13% compared to 2018). Venice will follow with 1,544,000 passengers (-1.06%) and Genoa in third place with an excellent result of 1,343,000 passengers (+32.79%).

It will then be the turn of Naples with 1,187,000 (+20.35%), followed by Livorno with 812,000 (+3.29%). The ranking of the top 10 Italian ports closes with Savona, Bari, La Spezia, Palermo, and Messina.

Among the companies that this year will handle the largest number of tourists in Italy’s sea ports, the podium is held by MSC Cruises (3,622,000 passengers), Costa Crociere (2,725,000 pax) and Norwegian Cruise Line (863,000 pax). Looking instead at the Cruise Groups, the first place goes to Carnival Corporation with 4,117,000 passengers, followed by MSC, Royal Caribbean with all its brands (including Silversea) with 2,115,000 pax, and NCL Holding with over 1 million cruise passengers.

The busiest months will be October (1,744,000 passengers and 781 stopovers), June (1,505,000 pax and 614 stopovers), September (1,497,000 pax and 627 stops), and May (1,488,000 pax and 687 stopovers), while the least trafficked will obviously be the winter ones, with February and January in the lead.

“The positive forecasts for the two-year period 2019-2020 must not lead us to lower our guard. Italy is in fact the first cruise destination in the Mediterranean, and thanks to the upcoming new ships being delivered during this two-year period, increasingly green ships, there will be further space for growth. The incognita remain on Venice which to date has not been resolved and which creates strong doubts about future planning for the entire Adriatic,” concluded Senesi.

Travel News | eTurboNews

United Airlines Chief Digital Officer named one of 2019 Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology

by

Today, United Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Linda Jojo, was recognized by the National Diversity Council as one of the 2019 Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology. This prestigious list recognizes women who are shaping the future of technology with their insight and leadership. Jojo is the only airline executive to receive this award.

Since joining United in 2014, Jojo has played a critical role in differentiating the company’s operations and customer experience by using innovative data analytics, digital products and e-commerce. Under her leadership, United has issued over 60,000 mobile devices to its pilots, flight attendants, gate agents and technicians to increase mobility and arm employees with real-time data in order to provide more personal and caring service to its customers while improving the airline’s operation. Her team has also recently redesigned united.com and released a new, upgraded mobile app to provide intuitive assistance along every step of their journey. These enhancements have maintained United’s status as the number one downloaded app in the industry and delivered accelerative revenue growth through digital channels.

“The entire United family is incredibly proud of Linda for being recognized as one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology,” said United’s Chief Executive Officer, Oscar Munoz. “This award is a true testament to her outstanding leadership abilities and the impact she is making not only at United, but across the corporate landscape. She has accomplished a lot in her time at United, and I look forward to all she and her team will do in the future as our airline continues to grow and excel.”

Jojo was selected for the 2019 Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology Award based on the following criteria:

• Top leader in her organization and profession
• Directly contributes to business growth or strategic direction of the organization
• Effective role model who inspires other women and is active in mentoring
• Operates with the highest integrity and ethical behavior
• Demonstrates a commitment to corporate citizenship

In addition to her work at United, Jojo is passionate about preparing young people for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). She is vice chair of the Board of Trustees of the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, an organization with a mission to connect young people to STEM fields through exploration of space and the stars. She is also a member of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute board of trustees. Jojo holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Celebrity Cruises orders fifth Edge-Class cruise ship

by

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. today announced that it has entered into an agreement with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique to order a fifth Edge-class ship for delivery in the fall of 2024.

“Edge class made an immediate hit with Celebrity Cruises guests and is a state-of-the-art example of technical excellence and elegant design,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “We can’t wait to build the next one.”

“Celebrity Edge has delighted our guests and affirmed Celebrity Cruises as the leading modern luxury brand. Chantiers de l’Atlantique has been a brilliant partner and we look forward to creating another amazing vessel with them,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, President and CEO, Celebrity Cruises.

“We are really proud and happy to have built such an outstanding relationship with our customer, based on mutual trust and driven by the spirit of innovation,” said Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique. “After the four Millennium-class ships at the beginning of 2000’s and the four Edge-class ships, this is the ninth ship ordered by Celebrity Cruises at our shipyard and it will be the 24th vessel built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique and operated by RCL. This is a real testimony of the exceptional level of cooperation we reached together.”

Celebrity Edge was delivered in 2018. Three other Edge-class ships were ordered earlier and are scheduled for delivery in 2020, 2021 and 2022. This new order is contingent upon financing.

Travel News | eTurboNews

WTTC Summit 2019 Seville: The Untold Story

by

The World Travel and Tourism Council just finished their annual summit 2019 in the Spanish City of Seville.

A record number of delegates listened to presentations from top leaders in the largest industry in the world. All of this was live streamed except for the conversation everyone had waited for with former US President Barak Obama. Perhaps the $4,000.00 price tag for non-members required the organizer to shield the former president from public listeners.

eTN reached out to about 100 of the CEO’s, delegates and ministers that attended the 2-day event last week and everyone said the networking opportunities at WTTC summits to have top people meet with other top people is the real value here. Some delegates only attended the opening and the Obama session and met in the hallways, at side venues with business partners, fellow ministers.

Big business is done this way. It starts often with an exchange of ideas and can trickle down to billion-dollar transactions.

This is the place a CEO can have a cup of coffee with a fellow CEO from a competing company.

Former Seychelles Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine of Seychelles Alain St. Ange, who now leads his own consulting company met with Kenya Tourism Minister Najib Balala consolidating the working cooperation between the two tourism personalities.
St.Ange and Balala have been friends for a number of years and both men are seen as continent leaders in the field of tourism.  Alain told eTN about his exchange with the First Lady of Kenya who delivered her speech at the WTTC summit.
St.Ange said:  “Minister Najib Balala of Kenya and me are expected to meet again in Nairobi shortly to discuss tourism and the development of tourism in Africa.”
WTTC is a different event, an event of changemakers and networking hiding behind the facade of top-notch presentations and opportunity for every destination that is hosting such a high-level event.

 

 

Travel News | eTurboNews

Airbus received 58 orders for jets in March

by

Airbus received orders for 58 jetliners in March – led by the A350 XWB widebody family in transactions that included a new customer; while delivering 74 aircraft to 40 customers from across its A220, A320, A330, A350 XWB and A380 product lines.

Pacing the month’s new business was Lufthansa Group’s order for 20 additional A350-900s, bringing its total A350 XWB orders to 45. Lufthansa Group is the biggest operator of Airbus aircraft.

Also in March, STARLUX Airlines of Taiwan signed a firm order for 17 A350 XWBs, comprising 12 A350-1000s and five shorter-fuselage A350-900 versions – becoming a new Airbus customer. The airline plans to deploy the aircraft on its premier long-haul services from Taipei to Europe and North America, as well as to selected destinations within the Asia-Pacific region.

Completing the month’s widebody new business was an order for one A350-900 from a private customer.

The single-aisle transaction in March involved 20 A320neo jetliners for an undisclosed customer.

Deliveries in March were composed of 57 A320 Family aircraft (13 in the CEO configuration and 44 NEO versions), eight A350-900s/A350-1000s, five A220s, three A330s (all in the NEO version) and one A380.

Among the month’s notable deliveries was the first A350-900 delivered to Evelop Airlines. With this aircraft – leased from Air Lease Corporation – the Spanish carrier of Barceló Group’s Ávoris travel division becomes the initial holiday/leisure carrier to operate an A350 XWB.

Other milestones in March included the first A380 delivery to Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA), which is the 15th operator of the world’s largest passenger aircraft. Additionally, Airbus delivered the no. 1 A330neo for an African airline, with Air Senegal receiving its first A330-900.

In the VIP sector, Airbus provided the first of three ACJ320neo aircraft for Comlux, which will now begin its cabin outfitting by the Comlux Completion centre in the United States. Comlux is the largest customer for Airbus Corporate Jets’ ACJ320neo Family.

Taking the latest orders and cancellations into account, Airbus’ backlog of jetliners remaining to be delivered as of 31 March stood at 7,357 aircraft.

Travel News | eTurboNews

2nd annual Africa Business and MICE Tourism Master Class to be held in Johannesburg this June

by

The 2nd edition of the Africa Business and MICE Master Class will be held in Johannesburg at the BDO South Africa offices from June 10-12, 2019. The African Tourism Board is a supporting partner for this event. This program will grant industry professionals and practitioners from across Africa an opportunity to learn from renowned industry experts, connect with like-minded individuals and benefit from first-hand advice on how to advance growth in their organisations, businesses and destinations. This class will be presented by Africa Tourism Partners and its lead strategic partners, BDO South Africa and South Africa Conference Association Industry (SAACI). “Collaboration is integral to the growth of the MICE industry across Africa. BDO is proud to be associated with the Africa MICE Masterclass program where not only newcomers benefit from the expertise of established industry players, but the experts also learn from each other,” highlights Christelle Grohmann, Director, BDO Advisory. “We look forward to hosting you from June 10-12 at our office in Johannesburg,” she adds.

This year’s program has been designed in response to the high interest and recognition that the 2018 Africa Business and MICE Master Class received, making it a sought-after Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Capacity Building program among practitioners and professionals. The inaugural course was held at the same time last year and featured illustrious industry experts and attendees from 14 African countries including Botswana, Ghana, Madagascar, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Swaziland, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. “Many attendees at the Africa MICE Masterclass 2018 voiced their satisfaction with the event indicating that the intimate and interactive format and the depth and range of knowledge of the speakers kept them absorbed throughout. Even the speakers commented on it being a well-rounded learning experience that also benefited them. This is industry learning from industry from real working examples,” states Lee-Anne Bac, Director, BDO Advisory & Masterclass 2018 Attendee.

Considering the increased number of African exhibitors and buyers who participated at the 2019 Meetings Africa held in February this year, it is apparent that more countries, tourism boards, convention bureaus, conference facilities, professional conference organizers and the entire African Business and MICE Tourism community now appreciate the significance of the sector. Speaking at the 2019 Meetings Africa, South Africa Minister of Tourism, Mr. Derek Hanekom stated that Business Tourism has earned its place at the economic table. He also revealed that the sector earned R71 billion revenue and contributed R115 billion to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This buttresses the sector’s relevance in African economies.

The Master Class is a two-and-a-half day CPD program designed with a variety of theory and practical sessions and the opportunity for further engagement in the form of business-to-business meetings. It will be conducted in conjunction with BDO South Africa, and key industry associations, including SAACI. The course is delivered by faculty experts through a practical and interactive Action-Learning methodology. This approach allows attendees to gain fresh industry insights and global best practices, learn from industry experts and connect with executives from across the continent.

To register, for Business-to-Business or sponsorship opportunities please contact: Ms. Aretha Nozipho Bohlela at: aretha@africatourismpartners.com or +27 81 303 7030.

Travel News | eTurboNews