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Somatheeram, world’s first Ayurvedic resort, will join anniversary 25th edition of OTDYKH Leisure 2019

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Somatheeram will, once again, participate at the leading B2B travel exhibition OTDYKH Leisure, which will take place September 10-12, 2019.

Held in Moscow each year, OTDYKH leisure is a perfect start for the upcoming winter season on the Russian inbound and outbound market.

Somatheeram Ayurveda Group in Kerala, India is the foremost resort group in the world for authentic Ayurvedic treatments, Yoga and Meditation.

Founded by Baby Matthews in 1985, today Somathreeram has five deluxe Ayurvedic resorts in Kerala and enchanting houseboats in the backwaters.  The mission of the Group is “to offer the essence and soul of the ancient medical science of Ayurveda and the art of Yoga and Meditation.”

AYURVEDA is a 5000 year old Indian traditional system of medicine. The healing power of Ayurveda has the answer to almost every known ailment.   It is considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world. Ayurveda maintains good health and corrects unstable health. It ensures an honest balance between you, your body and nature.  Ayurveda medicines and supplements are composed only of substances taken from nature. Because they have no side effects, patients do not become physically or psychologically dependent on them.

Somatheeram offers all Ayurveda clinical treatments and treatment packages.  You can choose from rejuvenation therapy, detoxification/body purification, slimming/weight reducing, anti-stress/stress management and beauty care.

Somatheeram is one of over 900 companies participating in the exhibition from every corner of the globe. Once again, OTDYKH team is expecting an outstanding Indiana exposition. In 2018 the expo welcomed India with a record-breaking number of companies. The country was represented by the collective stands of India Tourism and by regional stands of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation as well as by private resorts, hotels, hospitals and companies such as Caper, Sita Somatheeram etc.

Every year Somatheeram is using its presence at OTDYKH International Travel Market to showcase its wide and varied spectrum of Ayurveda treatments procedures.

Somatheeram team is looking forward to meet you at OTDYKH Leisure 2019, Moscow, Expocentre Fairgrounds, Pavilion 2, Hall 1.

Download a Somatheeram brochure.

If you are considering attending the show from September 10-12, 2019, please register free of charge online.

For information on exhibiting please contact Ms. Anna Huber at a.huber@euroexpo-vienna.com, International office: +43 1 230 85 35

eTN is a media partner for OTDYKH.

Travel News | eTurboNews

United: Top-ranked LGBTQ airline

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United Airlines today announced that for the eighth consecutive year, it has received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2019 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a premier benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.

“United is proud to receive this recognition as it speaks to our focus on building a more inclusive and caring workplace and customer experience,” said Human Resources and Labor Relations Executive Vice President Kate Gebo. “We believe that advocating for inclusion is at the heart of connecting people and uniting the world, and United is determined to continue working with organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign to help champion LGBTQ inclusion.”

“The top-scoring companies on this year’s CEI are not only establishing policies that affirm and include employees here in the United States, they are applying these policies to their global operations and impacting millions of people beyond our shores,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.

The 2019 CEI evaluates LGBTQ-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBTQ community. United’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria results in a 100 percent score and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

United has worked with the Human Rights Campaign on its training initiatives including teaching employees about preferred pronouns and the persistence of gender norms and other steps to make United an inclusive space for both customers and employees. The airline’s latest efforts include developing comprehensive training modules and exercises to continue employee education on how to be a better ally in both the workplace and to customers. Over the past year, United has also opened more LGBTQ Business Resource Groups across the country, reaching more employees.

This recognition follows the airline’s recent announcement that United became the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all booking channels in addition to providing the option to select the title “Mx.” during booking and in a MileagePlus customer profile. United customers and employees have the option to identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passports or identification.

Alongside partner organizations, customers and employees, United will continue working to build the world’s most inclusive airline. For more information on United’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, click here.

Every customer. Every flight. Every day.

In 2019, United is focusing more than ever on its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers’ best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to today’s announcement, United recently released a re-imagined version of the most downloaded app in the airline industry and made DIRECTV free for every passenger on 211 aircraft, offering more than 100 channels on seat back monitors on more than 30,000 seats. The multimillion-dollar investment in improving inflight entertainment options will benefit the more than 29 million people expected to fly United’s DIRECTV-enabled planes this year.

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Crime is out of control and rampant in Waikiki: Let’s make it unwelcoming for homeless

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The perception is that crime is out of control and rampant in Waikiki. We want to make Waikiki unwelcome and uncomfortable for homeless people.

Crime is not out of control, according to Susan Ballard, Chief Honolulu Police Department.”Waikiki is a safe location for visitors and residents.”

However, the police chief together with Jerry Dolak, president of the Hawaii Hotel Visitors Industry Security Association wants to make sure Waikiki is an unwelcoming and uncomfortable place for the homeless to hang out.

Today the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association Security Conference at the Hawaii Prince Hotel in Honolulu brought security experts and leaders of the Waikiki hotel business together.

“Our Competitive edge is safety and security. One incident can change this,” said Mufi Hannemann, Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, President & CEO.

The Honolulu Police Department is training officers in communication, conflict resolution, and re-de-escalation. Crisis intervention training (CIT) of the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) officers is to identify individuals in crisis or living with mental disabilities, like many within the homeless community.

The HPD emphasizes building relationships with the community and businesses. They encourage officers to get out of their cars and talk to the community and businesses to facilitate open communication and relationships, this can reduce crimes.

There are groups, not gangs in Waikiki. There is no organized crime, however, there are delinquent juvenile groups from other parts of Oahu.

Most of the discussion this morning was about the homeless problem. Lack of mental health care, the attractiveness to receive handouts the State of Hawaii doesn’t have but most homeless people on the Island of Oahu love is in Waikiki. Tourists do not want to see them, but many feel sorry, but businesses see them as a pest.

Bob Finley, chair of the Waikiki Neighborhood Board felt the hotels are trespassing  “them” and now “they” are on our doorstep at residential condominiums buildings.

Police officers explained how a homeless person could effectively have trespassed, so HPT could arrest such a violator. A member of the audience suggested for the courts to trespass any homeless convicted of such a crime to be no longer allowed in Waikiki altogether. This would slowly clean and isolate the 2-mile long tourist center from those that have no home to go home to.

Justin Philipps, the Homeless Outreach Manager of the Institute for Human Services explained the success of a program to provide transportation for homeless people to leave the State. He explained the homeless person has to pay half of the airline ticket, and we provide the other half.

Jessica Lani Rich, president, Visitor Aloha Society documented two cases where homeless with mental conditions attack tourists, in one case almost killed a visitor who came to attend a wedding and instead ended up in a hospital and is now disabled for the rest of her life.

“Tourism is everyone’s business in this State, even if you don’t live in Waikiki or work directly in this business.”, said Juergen Steinmetz, a long time resident of Hawaii and CEO of the eTN Corporation. “Chasing homeless people from one street to another, not forcing seriously mentally ill people to get treatment is putting our economy and our visitors at risk.

“The State has to find the money needed to help a homeless person and provide a chance to enter society. Tourism stakeholders must push legislators to provide the money and methods to help resolve this issue once and for all. The tourist industry should use its power and profits to push the State to act effectively. Someone has to take ownership of the problem, and it cannot be only well-meaning charities, churches, and other nonprofit organizations.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Cyclone Idai: What the African Tourism Board is doing?

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“The situation is terrible,” Jamie LeSueur of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Tuesday in a press statement. “The scale of devastation is enormous. It seems that 90 percent of the area [in Beira] is completely destroyed.

This is the result of Cyclone Idai, a devastating storm that caused more than 1000 death, severe flooding in Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Mozambique early this week.

Catastrophic damage occurred in and around Beira in southern Mozambique. The African Tourism Board today endorsed the Global Giving project of dedicated local organization in the disaster region to assist the local population and visitors with relief.

African Tourism Board teamed up with GlobalGiving, a U.S. based local nonprofit partners supporting their local established relief agencies in Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. GlobalGiving with the support of the newsy established African Tourism Board is responding to survivors’ immediate needs.

The projects below, as part of GlobalGiving’s Cyclone Idai Relief Fund, will provide emergency funding to locally driven relief efforts, providing food, medicine, and other essential supplies to help people impacted by the storm.

Projects responding to Cyclone Idai

Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi
Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi
by ActionAid USA
Cyclone Idai just hit Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, causing widespread destruction, flooding, and displacement. Local ActionAid offices and community partners are coordinating immediate relief, including supplies like food, fuel, hygiene kits, and school books.
CYCLONE IDAI- MOZAMBIQUE
CYCLONE IDAI- MOZAMBIQUE
by Afrilanthropy
The Cyclone Idai began as a tropical depression in the Mozambique channel on 4 March, dropping heavy rain over Mozambique and Malawi before heading back eastward in the direction of Beira, by which time it had become a cyclone. This in known as the worst weather-related disaster to hit the southern hemisphere, and the UN says more than 2 million people have been affected whereas 1 000 people may be at risk of death. The Storm-surge floods of up to six metres have caused widespread devastation.
Cyclone Idai Emergency Response
Cyclone Idai Emergency Response
by IsraAID
IsraAID will deploy an Emergency Response Team to Mozambique following the devastation of Cyclone Idai. IsraAID’s team will distribute relief supplies, deliver Psychological First Aid & psychosocial support, restore access to safe water & assess further needs.
Cyclone Idai damage in Zimbabwe
Cyclone Idai damage in Zimbabwe
by Kidzcan Children’s Cancer Relief
The Damage from Cyclone IDAI in Zimbabwe Summary The violent Cyclone Idai has been and is now dissipating but it has left a trail of destruction and devastation. People all over the Province of Manicaland Zimbabwe have suffered heavy losses, in terms of property, livestock, homesteads including human life and are now struggling to recover and rebuild. This project aims to assist the reconstruction and rehabilitation of a village that has been devastated by the cyclone.
Cyclone and Flood Recovery in Malawi
Cyclone and Flood Recovery in Malawi
by Partners In Health (PIH)
Catastrophic rains and floods caused by Cyclone Idai killed at least 50 and displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Malawi. Partners In Health is working to rebuild homes, deploy mobile clinics, and ensure families are safe, housed, and fed in the rural Neno district–where we have worked in partnership with the government providing high-quality health care since 2007.

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