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The St. Regis San Francisco Welcomes New Executive Chef Joseph Tiano

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The St. Regis San Francisco, the city’s premier address for relaxed luxury and timeless elegance, is pleased to announce the appointment of Chef Joseph (Joe) Tiano to the position of executive chef.  Chef Tiano joins the team with close to 20 years of culinary experience working with Marriott International. He will oversee all culinary operations for the property, including The Grill, the Lobby Lounge and banquets.

“Chef Joe is exceptionally talented.  His passion for culinary arts, creativity and international experience will elevate the hotel’s culinary offerings,” said Jacqueline Volkart, general manager of The St. Regis San Francisco. “We are thrilled to welcome him to our team.”


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In his new role, Chef Tiano, a California native, plans to create and introduce seasonal menu items that focus on the freshest, finest California grown ingredients while adding a Mediterranean and Asian flair.

The son of a restaurateur, Chef Tiano’s early life experiences in the kitchen with his family fueled an innate passion for the culinary arts.  He graduated from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and later moved to Italy to participate in the ICIF Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners master’s program. In 2002, Chef Tiano began his career at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel as a cook and over the years held various culinary positions at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain and The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne. Eventually, he became executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch. Before joining The St. Regis San Francisco team, Chef Tiano spent a year traveling throughout the United States working at various Marriott International properties as a temporary executive sous chef through the company’s Operations Support Resources (OSR) program. 

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“Through the OSR program I was able to travel to 11 different properties all over the United States, experience different cultures and culinary influences and styles,” said Chef Tiano. “I didn’t want to stop moving until I was placed on assignment at The St. Regis San Francisco.  It was just the perfect team, the perfect property, the perfect city, the perfect place for me to take all that I learned in my travels and incorporate it into the California style of cooking. I feel incredibly honored to be part of this extraordinary team.”

When Chef Tiano is not in the kitchen, he enjoys hiking, running and snowboarding in the winter.

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

Media contact:  Hwee Peng Yeo, Laura Gigounas, Danyelle Simpkins or Grecia Corleto at Glodow Nead Communications, 415.394.6500 or stregispr@glodownead.com.  

Seychelles participated in 110th Session of UNWTO Executive Council

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The 110th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council met in Baku, Azerbaijan from June 16-18, 2019. More than 40 Member States joined by representatives from the public and private sectors attended the meeting. Seychelles was represented by Minister Didier Dogley, Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine and Mrs. Anne Lafortune, Principal Secretary for Tourism.

The objectives of the UNWTO Council meeting are to bring together Member States for high level discussions on the direction of the global tourism sector, provide overview of UNWTO’s activities and progress over the previous year, and make key recommendations on the way forward.

The key priorities of UNWTO were presented during the meeting by the Secretary-General, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili. This includes closer alignment with the wider United Nations system, financial sustainability and a focus on the role innovation, digital transformation and entrepreneurship can play in the global tourism sector. Another of UNWTO’s priorities is to make tourism a leading source of more and better jobs and a top provider of education and training.

In his intervention Minister Dogley welcomed the progress made in the newly launched ‘UNWTO Agenda for Africa’. “This four year plan will play a major role in realizing the potential of tourism for Africa if well implemented, focusing on tourism as a driver of poverty alleviation, job creation and professional development,” said Minister Dogley.

The Executive Council also endorsed the latest financial results and structural reforms implemented under the Secretary-General, which reflect the ongoing effort to guarantee the economic sustainability of the Organisation.

In the margin of the council meeting, the Minister and Principal Secretary for Tourism also met with Spain’s Secretary of State, Mrs. Isabel Maria Oliver Sagregas to discuss the possibility of a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of tourism between the Seychelles Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Kingdom of Spain. Spain has a well-developed tourism industry and signing an MOU with their Ministry responsible for Tourism can assist Seychelles to learn and benefit from Spain’s experience in the areas of training and exchange programs, sharing of best practices in fields such the Tourism Satellite Account, Management of tourism risks, Product Diversification and Cruise Tourism.

The meeting in Baku will be followed by the 23rd Session of UNWTO General Assembly, due to take place in Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation, in September 2019. Held every two years, the General Assembly is the most important high-level meeting of global Tourism Ministers and the private sector in the world.

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

Bartlett attends UNWTO Executive Council Meeting Welcome Reception

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Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, seen left in the main photo, is keeping the Hon. Didier Dogley, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine for the Seychelles and Dr. the Hon. Charles Banda, Chairman, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council, amused during the welcome reception for delegates to the 110th UNWTO Executive Council Meeting.

The event took place on Sunday, June 16, at the Mugham Club Restaurant in Baku, Azerbaijan. The UNWTO Executive Council meeting is taking place June 16-18 in Baku.

Above, the Jamaica Minister of Tourism Bartlett, seen on the left, poses for a photograph with Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary General, and Mr. Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Tourism Agency. The three gentlemen met at the welcome reception for delegates.

The Executive Council, in consultation with ‎the Secretary-General, works to implement its own decisions and ‎recommendations of the Assembly.‎ The Council meets at least twice a year.‎

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

State of the Air: Hawaii boasts some of the best air quality in the nation

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The American Lung Association’s 2019 “State of the Air” report found that Hawaii has some of the cleanest air in the U.S. and Honolulu and Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina are two of the cleanest areas in the country. Honolulu County had a new record low for an annual average of particle pollution, and less than half the highest ever level recorded in 2009-2011.

Each year the “State of the Air” provides a report card on the two most widespread outdoor air pollutants, ozone pollution, also known as smog, and particle pollution, also called soot. The report analyzes particle pollution in two ways: through average annual particle pollution levels and short-term spikes in particle pollution. Both ozone and particle pollution are dangerous to public health and can increase the risk of premature death and other serious health effects such as lung cancer, asthma attacks, cardiovascular damage, and developmental and reproductive harm.

“People in Hawaii are breathing some of the cleanest air in the nation, but increasing climate change is threatening our air quality,” said Kahala Howser, Executive Director for the American Lung Association in Hawaii. “While we are very happy with this report, Hawaiians must remain vigilant when we have vog episodes. Additionally, more than four in 10 Americans are living with unhealthy air, and we’re heading in the wrong direction when it comes to protecting public health and people’s lives.”

Honolulu had no unhealthy air days for ozone pollution. Nationally, this year’s report showed that ozone levels increased in most cities nationwide, in large part due to the record-breaking global heat experienced in the three years tracked in the report.

While the report examined data from 2015-2017, this 20th annual report online provides information on air pollution trends back to the first report. Learn more about Hawaii’s rankings, as well as air quality across and the nation, in the 2019 “State of the Air” report at Lung.org/sota. For media interested in speaking with an expert about lung health, healthy air, and threats to air quality, contact Holly Harvey at Holly.Harvey@Lung.org or 206-512-3292.

2019 Cleanest Cities

Cleanest cities in the U.S (on all three categories of cleanest cities described below)

• Bangor, ME
• Burlington-South Burlington, VT
• Honolulu, HI
• Lincoln-Beatrice, NE
• Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
• Wilmington, NC

Cleanest for Ozone Pollution (zero unhealthy air days – all counties)

• Anchorage, AK
• Bellingham, WA
• Casper, WY
• Fairbanks, AK
• Idaho Falls-Rexburg-Blackfoot, ID
• Honolulu, HI

Cleanest for Short-term Particle Pollution (zero unhealthy air days – all counties)

• Honolulu, HI

Cleanest Cities for Year-Round Particle Pollution (twenty-five cities with the lowest annual levels)

1. Cheyenne, WY (tie)
1. Honolulu, HI (tie)
1. Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI (tie)
4. Casper, WY (tie)
4. St. George, UT (tie)
6. Elmira-Corning, NY
7. Duluth, MN-WI (tie)
7. Pueblo-Canon City, CO (tie)
9. Bismarck, ND (tie)
10. Bellingham, WA (tie)
10. Syracuse-Auburn, NY (tie)

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South African Tourism appoints Trade Relations Officer

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Sherwin Arends joins South African Tourism (SAT) as Trade Relations Officer, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role following 12 years’ experience working within the travel industry.

Originally from Cape Town, Sherwin moved to the UK six years ago after travelling the world as a member of cabin crew for Qatar Airways. His most recent role was Senior Product Executive for Audley Travel.

Sherwin will be tasked with building and maintaining relationships with key travel trade contacts in the UK and Ireland while utilising South African Tourism’s research and insights to ensure the agents are provided with all the tools and support to confidently sell South Africa.

Sherwin says: “I’m very passionate about my birth country and proud of my South African heritage so I am thrilled to be joining the South African Tourism team in the UK. I’m looking forward to showcasing South Africa as a leading tourist destination, with a focus on promoting the well-known areas and experiences and helping to uncover and educate the trade on the destination’s hidden gems.”

Tolene van der Merwe Hub Head for the UK & Ireland at South African Tourism says: “We are delighted that Sherwin will be joining our growing team. His wealth of industry knowledge combined with his personal experience of South Africa will be invaluable as we collectively promote the destination to holidaymakers through the UK and Irish trade.”

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