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Seychelles Tourism Board participation at EmQuest Cricket Mania 2019 – Dubai UAE

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The Seychelles has been seen on the Dubai Social scene this March as the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) participated in the EmQuest Cricket Mania 2019 which took place at the InSportz Indoor Cricket in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on March 22 and 29 2019 respectively.

The STB representative, Ms. Aliette Esther was present at the event on both days and seized the opportunity to showcase the beauty of the Seychelles Islands.

The EmQuest Cricket Mania 2019 – Dubai UAE, which is affiliated to Emirates, was organised for the 5th year and implicates cricket tournaments targeting the front staff/travel consultants of travel agencies across Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

The event, which provides the travel trade professionals with the occasion to compete against each other as well as participate in team building activities, is  attended by more than 50 teams, 500 players, comprising of the front-line travel agents and over 1000 guests.

Ms. Aliette Esther expressed her satisfaction to have been part of the event. She further explained that the STB’s participation in the Cricket Mania enabled the destination’s brand to be visible along other partners.

She reiterated on the importance of STB’s association with such events, as cricket is one of the biggest sports in countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, which are very important markets for Seychelles.

“The STB’s participation in the EmQuest event has contributed in providing a platform for the tourism board to interact directly with the players, their families, the other sponsors and exhibitors at the event. The event definitely profited the Seychelles by increasing its reach and exposure to new clientele in the UAE market,” said Ms Esther.

Visitors included the travel agents, exhibitors, sponsors, families and other guests, were all welcome to the Seychelles kiosk. A video of the destination was played throughout the 2-day event displaying enticing activities taking place in the Seychelles.

The STB participation to the EmQuest Cricket Mania 2019 has unquestionably enhanced brand awareness and increased media exposure for the destination.

Seychelles andEmQuest have collaborated in previous events to increase the destinations visibility and the last event together was the “Sell Seychelles See Seychelles “campaign with Ethiopian Airlines and Constance Group of Hotels.

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Brexit uncertainty, but LHR is doing well

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Despite Brexit uncertainty, Heathrow remains a bright light for the UK, with the role we play in keeping people and products moving evident. Our new domestic connections will be pivotal in linking more regions and nations to global opportunities, benefiting all corners of this great country and we look forward to announcing many more of these as part of the expansion programme,”  Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said

  • Heathrow’s passenger numbers continued to climb in March, with over 6.5 million passengers travelling through the UK’s only hub airport, ringing in the 29th consecutive month of record growth for the airport. Notable spikes in the previous month were St Patricks and Mother’s Day, attitudes towards travel remain strong despite ongoing uncertainty around Brexit’.
  • Africa performed especially well over the past month, increasing by 6.2% compared to the same time last year. Domestic connections also saw a slight uplift (+0.2%) with British Airways launching its 2nd service to Inverness and Flybe growing their loads by more than a fifth (23%) with an inaugural flight to Cornwall on March 31.
  • More than 149,000 metric tonnes of cargo travelled through the UK’s biggest port by value, further demonstrating the importance of Heathrow in a post Brexit world.
  • Both Latin America and Africa saw remarkable double digit growth with the former up 23% on 2018 due to additional services to Brazil and increased volumes to Mexico. Freight to and from Africa grew by 11%, thanks to Virgin’s growth on routes to the continent.
  • Two of Heathrow’s Terminals made it into the top five globally, with Terminal 5 taking top spot. In addition, Heathrow was voted amongst the world’s top 10 airports overall and won “Best airport in Western Europe” and “World’s Best Airport Shopping”.
  • In March, Heathrow launched the airport’s new Innovation Prize to fund ideas and solutions addressing aviation environmental impact. The prize is sponsored by Heathrow’s new Centre of Excellence for Sustainability, which connects experts and offers Heathrow as a living laboratory to test and develop ideas that encourage sustainable aviation.
  • The expansion project reached another significant milestone, as the names and locations of the 18 shortlisted sites in the running to become offsite construction centres for Britain’s new runway were revealed. Shortlisted sites will now pitch to airport bosses for their chance to become one of the final four construction centres, to be announced early next year.
  • Heathrow announced the launch of their 10th domestic route. The route is operated by Flybe and links the hub airport to Cornwall in Newquay for the first time since 1997.

Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:

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Antigua and Barbuda strengthens its partner relations for win-win solutions for the upcoming cruise season 2019/2020

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Antigua & Barbuda’s Tourism Delegation led by the Hon. H. Charles Fernandez held a series of meetings with the country’s critical cruise line Partners  at Seatrade Cruise Global, the cruise industry’s largest annual conference being held at the newly rebuilt Miami Beach Convention Center.

The annual Seatrade Cruise Global Conference presented Antigua and Barbuda with a not to be missed opportunity to showcase its products and services to the cruise industry buyers and decision makers. It provided unique networking opportunities with industry leaders from all facets of the industry, and exposed its tourism executives to the conference’s educational industry programs, which allows participants to stay ahead of the curve.

The Country’s vibrant destination booth was a hub of activity as Antigua and Barbuda tourism officials conducted a series of one-on-one meetings, and media interviews.

In its communication to the major cruise lines the destination provided updates to its industry partners on its recently announced partnership with Global Port Holdings (GPH) and the Government’s strategic plans to expand the St. John’s Port facilities, to position the destination to take advantage of the growing industry trend towards larger cruise ships.

GPH also used the opportunity to announce its partnership with its two new Caribbean destinations Antigua and Barbuda and the Bahamas at a gala reception attended by over 600 cruise industry stakeholders.

In meeting after meeting Cruise-line executives reconfirmed their support for the initiative taken by Antigua & Barbuda to improve its infrastructure to offer the best possible service to cruise passengers. This more than anything else will ensure it remains well positioned as a premier cruise destination of choice within the Caribbean on many of the cruise line itineraries.

A major increase for the destination comes from a Key European cruise line partner TUI Cruises whose new ship the Mein Schiff 2, will increase calls to the destination after an absence of three years. Mein Schiff 2 will visit the destination on its inaugural call on November 6th with a total of 13 calls for season 2019/20 bringing over 37,000 passengers.

Another key Partner Norwegian Cruise Lines will return with the Norwegian “Epic” which was a diversion that has now become permanent, along with the Norwegian “Bliss” in the breakaway plus class. This ship will make its inaugural call on December 9th with over 4,000 passengers.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) one of the Country’s key partners confirmed that larger ships will be serving the destination this upcoming season and we will see an increase to approximately 250,000 passengers this year from its various lines. Antigua and Barbuda continues to record strong customer satisfaction scores of 8.8 out of a maximum of 10 with RCCL guests.

MSC cruise lines the world’s fastest growing cruise line, indicated Antigua is and will continue to be a key port of call as the company has 10 new ships on order and will be increasing its fleet to 29 ships with the delivery of one new ship per year up to 2027.

In a joint meeting with representatives for all the Carnival Corporation Cruise Lines the commitment was given at the highest level by all the attendee member lines to continue to work together with Antigua and Barbuda to our mutual benefit.

The Country’s presence at Seatrade also facilitates local stakeholder partners to also meet cruise line executives to increase their tours and excursion business. Local partners included Wadadli Cats, South American Ventures Ltd, The Rendezvous Company and Tropical Adventures.

Minister of Tourism the Hon. Charles Fernandez in all meetings thanked our cruise line partners for their support over the years and reconfirmed our commitment to work with all partners for win-win outcomes as the country continues on its development path to be a premier port of call for all cruise lines visiting the Caribbean.  “The Industry leaders have  reported that 2018 was the best year for profitability and have forecasted that, with a record orderbook for 70 new ships over the next three years and a record 25 million set to cruise in 2019, the Caribbean continues to be the world’s number one cruising destination. The renewed focus on improving our infrastructure by the Government has now positioned the destination to increase its share of this business,” said Minister Fernandez.

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Tourists are cashing in on Argentina’s economic woes

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International travelers are flocking to Argentina, taking advantage of the poorly performing peso to boost the value of their holiday spending money, according to latest data.

Bookings for March to May are ahead 11.2% compared to last year. For South America as a whole, bookings are ahead 5.8%.

In the preceding year to February, international arrivals in Argentina were up 3.9%, compared to 5.5% for the entire region.

Europe and Latin America are the fastest-growing markets for travel to Argentina. There is also an increasing number of travelers from China (+21.9%) and Israel (+15.9%), among the top ten countries by growth.

Heading the list is Uruguay with bookings ahead 34.3% on last year, for travel between March and May. The UK is showing a strong 33.5% growth for the same period.

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Vietjet launches new service to Indonesia with Ho Chi Minh City-Bali route

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Vietjet today opens ticket sales for its new international route connecting the biggest city of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City with Bali (Indonesia). Vietjet is the first and only airline to operate this route, which will better link the two tourist-attraction cities to meet the increasing travel demands of local people and tourists as well as boosting the regional trade promotion and integration. Hongkognese will be more convenient to travel these two cities.

The Ho Chi Minh City– Bali route will operate five return flights per week, on every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday starting from May 29, 2019. Flying time is around 4 hours per leg. The flight departs from Ho Chi Minh City at 08:05 and arrives in Bali at 13:05. The return flight takes off from Bali at 14:05 and lands in Ho Chi Minh City at 17:05 (All in local times).

Vietjet Vice President Nguyen Thanh Son said: “Vietjet has the advantages of an expanding flight network and comfortable, friendly aviation services; therefore, I believe that the new route will not only create opportunities for people to travel by safe, civilized and modern air transport, but also connect two cities as known as two economic, cultural centers of Vietnam and Indonesia. The route will contribute to promoting tourism and economic integration in the region as well as introduce the images of Vietnam to the world.”

Bali – the popular tourist island of Indonesia and Asia is often called among travelholics as ––“Island of the Gods”, “Tropical Paradise” or “Dawn of the World”. Voted as the best tourist island in the world, Bali is a wonderful blend between the pristine, beautiful landscape with the local cultural, artistic and religious quintessence. Besides visiting Ubud Palace, discovering the famous town Bedugul with large Bratan lake, tourists can go surfing, ‘snorkeling’ diving or visiting endless terraced fields.

Vietnam, the country of thousand years of culture was always a favorite destination of many international tourists. If Hanoi capital is a representative of ancient culture, bold identity; Hue ancient capital is dreaming or Da Nang, Quang Binh are impressive wonders, Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s largest economic, financial central, vibrant and modern travel destination. The culture exchange trend and retaining characteristics make image and beauty of one of the most dynamic cities of the S-shaped country.

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Islands & climate change: Storm surges & coral bleaching affecting tourism

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Since Greta Thunberg, a Swedish schoolgirl and climate activist, brought the topic of climate protection onto the political and social agenda with her strikes, the negative effects of climate change have been discussed more and more. While climate change affects all areas of life, rising sea levels combined with storms that are steadily increasing in severity pose a direct threat to islands. Recently, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has announced that the average sea level in 2018 was 3.7 millimeters above that of the year before and has reached the highest level since satellite measurements.

In recent years, rainfall, storms, floods, and coastal erosion have increased in intensity and frequency due to climate change. While not all islands are affected to the same extent by the shifting weather patterns, most are aware of significant changes – including the Green Pearls® Island Partners. Instead of sitting idly by and waiting for the land to literally be washed away from under their feet, they are actively working to protect their homelands and their fragile ecosystems from the effects of climate change.

Climate Neutral in the North Sea

The North Sea island of Juist has set itself an ambitious yet necessary goal: to be completely climate-neutral by 2030. Even today, the consequences of climate change are already being felt on Juist. The increasing number of dikes intended to protect the land from storm surges is a tangible measure, and the island is also actively avoiding greenhouse gases by switching to car-free transport. For some time now, the city has been offering projects and activities that bring the concept of climate protection closer to visitors, both young and old, such as the “Juistus Climate Saver” program and the “University for Children.”

Colorful Coral Gardens for the Maldives

Climate change has also left its mark on the Indian Ocean. According to marine biologist Smrutica Jithendranath, responsible for the underwater world around the Reethi Faru eco-resort, rising sea levels have so far had little impact on the Maldives. However, the consequences of climate change can be clearly seen in the corals. In particular, rising water temperatures and increasingly fierce storms are causing severe damage to these tiny, sensitive animals, leading to coral bleaching and even coral death.

Based on these observations, the Reethi Faru Resort has launched a coral conservation project on Filaidhoo. In specially created underwater gardens, the resort propagates corals and plants them back into the house reef after about a year. The underwater gardens and house reefs also provide protection for the beaches and prevent them from being washed away. Within another of the many atolls of the Maldives, the North Malé Atoll, guests from the eco-resort Gili Lankanfushi can plant young corals under water in the gardens themselves and actively participate in the resort’s Coral Lines Project. After the guest’s departure, they also have the opportunity to follow the development of their corals on the resort’s blog.

Koh Samui Against Climate Change

The sustainable resort The Tongsai Bay on Koh Samui focuses on strategies to avoid greenhouse gases including non-motorized water sports, bicycle rental for island tours, carpooling, and avoiding cars on the hotel grounds. The resort has also supported the Green Island Foundation since its inception ten years ago. The organization’s main objectives are to protect the island’s climate and valuable ecosystems. For example, the Green Island Foundation has already organized car-free weeks on Koh Samui with the help of partners, such as The Tongsai Bay, to raise awareness of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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BD Hotels plans rapid expansion, hires Head Of Acquisitions & Development

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BD Hotels today announces the appointment of Rani Gharbie as the Head of Acquisitions & Development for The Pod Hotels, BD Hotel’s highly profitable micro-hotel concept. The Pod Hotels currently has five properties in the portfolio, three of which opened over the past two years (the brand’s flagship Pod Times Square opened in January 2018; Pod DC and Pod Brooklyn opened in 2017), with the brand recently announcing two more hotels in the direct pipeline (Pod Philly opening in fall 2019 and Pod LA slated for 2020). Now, The Pod Hotels hires Gharbie to replicate this successful business model in even more key markets including Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, Boston, Nashville, Seattle, Montreal, Toronto, and Mexico City, amongst others. Gharbie formerly oversaw development and acquisitions for North America at Virgin Hotels where he actively contributed to grow the brand’s footprint in key markets.

The Pod Hotels addresses the rapidly increasing demand for affordable lifestyle hotels targeted at progressive minded and budget conscious travelers who are creative and ambitious and who maintain high expectations when it comes to authentic experiences, smart design and intuitive technology. With its functional guestrooms, vibrant communal space and flexible design, The Pod Hotels presents superior investment returns when compared to legacy hotel brands of similar positioning.

As Head of Acquisitions & Development working closely with BD Hotels owners Richard Born and Ira Drukier, Gharbie will be responsible for identifying potential investment opportunities and bringing together strategic partners and investors to fund future projects in numerous markets. He will leverage BD Hotels’ expertise in hotel development, investment and operations to expand The Pod Hotels brand across the country and eventually globally.

“Rani joins us at a pivotal time as we scale The Pod Hotels portfolio exponentially in North America” said Richard Born, Owner of BD Hotels. “He will undoubtedly be a tremendous asset as he brings over 20 years of experience in hotel acquisitions, development and operation.”

“I’m looking forward to expanding the profitable model Richard and Ira created to key markets nationwide,” said Gharbie. “I see great growth potential for the brand as there is an increased desire from today’s travelers to stay at smart, innovative brands like The Pod Hotels.”

Prior to joining Virgin Hotels, Gharbie was the Managing Director and Founder at Cedar Funds, a New York City based development and investment firm with a focus on progressive hotel and real estate assets, as well as regional Director of Development with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). In addition, Gharbie is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia’s Masters in Real Estate Development program, where he teaches the spring course Private Equity Development, Hotel Focus. He holds a Masters Degree from the program, an MBA from the HEC Business School in Montreal, a Bachelor degree in Hotel Management from the Glion Hotel School in Switzerland, and a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University in New York.

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U.S. Travel honors its 2019 Travel Champions

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The U.S. Travel Association on Wednesday announced the recipients of the sixth annual Distinguished Travel Champion Award: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Sen. Rob Portman (D-OH), Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC) and Acting Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Manisha Singh
Each is being honored for his or her exceptional leadership in advancing and protecting policies that strengthen travel to and within the United States.

U.S. Travel will present the awards today at U.S. Travel’s Destination Capitol Hill—the travel and tourism industry’s premier legislative fly-in event dedicated to educating policymakers about the power of travel and showcasing the industry as one of America’s most vital economic sectors.

“We always say that travel is neither a red or blue issue,” said U.S. Travel President and CEO Roger Dow. “This year’s Distinguished Travel Champions have a deep understanding of travel’s contributions to the American economy, and have consistently reached across the aisle to advance sensible policies that grow travel, enhance security and trade, and keep our economy moving.

“Our winners’ dedication to securing Brand USA’s long-term reauthorization, overhauling America’s infrastructure systems, preserving our national parks, rebranding and expanding the Visa Waiver Program, and upholding our nation’s Open Skies aviation agreements strengthen travel’s role as job creator and economic engine.”

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)

Since entering Congress just two years ago, Cortez Masto has quickly become an advocate for the travel industry and a top congressional champion of Brand USA. Her tireless work and dedication to ensuring the reauthorization of Brand USA, a program crucial to the United States’ travel promotion and planning, is invaluable.

Said Cortez Masto: “I’m honored to receive the 2019 Distinguished Travel Champion Award. I say it all the time, Nevada is the gold standard for tourism and hospitality. We draw tourists to the Las Vegas Valley and from the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe to the scenic peaks of the Ruby Mountains. I’m so proud to support our $60 billion tourism economy and the jobs it supports in Nevada. As Senator, I’ll continue to fight for policies like Brand USA and those to increase efficient travel that strengthen our tourism industry for years to come.”

Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR)

DeFazio’s commitment to overhauling infrastructure systems within our country is crucial to increasing connectivity and facilitating travel growth across America. He has also undertaken laudable efforts to end the practice of diverting “9/11” security fees to other programs unrelated to air travel security.

DeFazio’s dedication to his home state’s $11.8 billion travel and tourism industry is commendable, as is his work to ensure local travel leaders have a voice in the state’s transportation planning.

Said DeFazio: “I am proud to be this year’s recipient of the U.S. Travel Association’s Distinguished Travel Champion Award. Travel and tourism promote economic prosperity, create jobs, and strengthen our national security through improved international relations. As Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am working hard to modernize our nation’s airports, increase federal investment in infrastructure, and ensure we remain on the cutting edge of innovation as it relates to transportation. All of these improvements will help encourage increased travel and tourism.”

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH):

Portman’s leadership on national parks issues, as well as many other important fiscal issues facing the country, is vital to the preservation of our public lands and the continued growth of the American economy.

Portman led efforts to pass the Restore Our Parks Act and to establish a dedicated source of funding for the $12 billion deferred maintenance backlog that will help ensure the viability of our parks for generations to come. Our national parks are some of the biggest draws for domestic and international travelers, and countless “gateway” communities across the country rely on well-maintained parks and robust visitation.

“It is an honor to receive the U.S. Travel Association’s 2019 Distinguished Travel Champion Award,” said Portman. “If we want our national parks to be here for generations of travelers to come we must address the nearly $12 billion backlog in long-delayed maintenance projects at the National Park Service. I’ve seen this maintenance backlog firsthand at national park sites in Ohio, and it underscores why we must pass my bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act to ensure that that the National Park Service has the resources to continue preserving American treasures. I look forward to working to get this legislation across the finish line.”

Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC):

Rice’s co-sponsorship of the JOLT Act and commitment to strengthening and expanding the Visa Waiver Program is crucial to enhancing U.S. security and economic competitiveness.

Rice’s efforts to support towns and cities in his district devastated by Hurricane Florence, including tourism-dependent communities such as Myrtle Beach, have been critical.

“I am honored to receive the U.S. Travel Association’s 2019 Distinguished Travel Champion Award,” said Rice. “I will continue to advocate for policies that will support American jobs, strengthen national security, and grow South Carolina’s tourism economy.”

Acting Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Manisha Singh:

Singh has undertaken crucial efforts to uphold our country’s vital Open Skies aviation agreements, increase financial transparency and protect the interests of all U.S. aviation stakeholders. She has worked hard to elevate the travel industry as an essential export and economic driver.

Said Singh: “I’m honored to receive U.S. Travel’s 2019 Distinguished Travel Champion Award. The U.S. State Department is pleased to support the U.S. travel industry and American jobs by negotiating and helping to enforce Open Skies aviation agreements that bring flights, travel, and business to the United States from around the world.”

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Marriott International opens its 7,000th property

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Marriott International, Inc. today celebrated the opening of its 7,000th property – The St. Regis Hong Kong. The stunning, 27-story luxury hotel, which features butler service, and multiple restaurants, is emblematic of Marriott’s global expansion strategy which disproportionately focuses on the highest lodging tiers as well as fast-growing international markets such as Hong Kong. The company’s first property, the Twin Bridges Marriott, opened in 1957 and was a four-story motor hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

“It’s thrilling to open our 7,000th property, an incredible milestone for a company that began as a nine-stool root beer stand in 1927 and didn’t even open its first hotel until decades later,” said Arne Sorenson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International. “I can’t think of a more fitting property to hold the honor than The St. Regis Hong Kong which underscores the benefits of our merger with Starwood, the importance of luxury and the tremendous opportunity in Asia.”

Today, Marriott’s pipeline is growing with an increasing number of legacy-Starwood branded hotels with brands such as St. Regis, Luxury Collection and W.

“Our newest luxury hotel – The St. Regis Hong Kong – is a testament to our well-defined global growth strategy,” said Tony Capuano, Marriott’s Executive Vice President and Global Chief Development Officer. “By leveraging our industry-leading luxury brands, including those we gained from the Starwood merger, our robust relationships with multi-unit owners and our expertise in identifying strategic opportunities in global gateway markets such as Hong Kong, we are well positioned to expand our global footprint by 25 percent in the next three years.”

The milestone follows Marriott’s announcement in March that it expects to add more than 1,700 additional hotels by the end of 2021, including about 320 hotels in Asia Pacific. According to STR data, Marriott’s overall open hotels and signed pipeline at the end of 2018 totaled a combined 1.69 million rooms, which exceeds that of its next competitor by 36 percent.

Marriott estimates that these 1,700 properties expected to be added by the end of 2021 could provide up to 150,000 jobs around the world. In Asia Pacific alone, the company’s additions in the region over the same time period could provide up to 56,000 jobs.

“As we look at adding an expected 1,700 properties to our system, hiring and retaining talented people has never been more important to our continued success,” said Dr. David Rodriguez, Chief Global Human Resources Officer, Marriott International. “As our footprint grows more global, workers in our hotels – from bartenders to housekeepers – will have ever-growing choices and opportunities as they grow their careers with Marriott International and its franchisees. For over 90 years, we have focused on building a company that puts its people first and this value remains at the forefront as our global growth continues.”

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Saudi tourism sector worth over $70 billion in 2019

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Saudi Arabia’s travel and tourism sector is expected to contribute $70.9 billion (SAR 263.1 billion) in total to the country’s GDP in 2019, according to data from the World Travel and Tourism Council, as exhibitors prepare to showcase what the Kingdom has to offer at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1 May 2019.

According to data from ATM’s research partner Colliers, international arrivals to Saudi Arabia are expected to increase 5.6% per year from 17.7 million in 2018 to 23.3 million in 2023. Religious tourism is expected to remain the bedrock of the sector over the next decade, with a goal of attracting 30 million pilgrims to the Kingdom by 2030, an increase of 11 million from the 19 million Hajj and Umrah pilgrims that visited the country in 2017.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “At ATM, we are witnessing this growth first hand with the total number of delegates arriving from Saudi Arabia increasing 42% between 2017 and 2018, while 33% of delegates, exhibitors and attendees were interested in doing business with the Kingdom.

“More relaxed access to visas, through online portals such as the ‘Sharek’ and the growth of the Umrah plus market – combining religious and leisure travel – are expected to be key drivers in the growth of international tourism in the Kingdom.”

Vision 2030 has set aside $64 billion to invest in culture, leisure and entertainment projects over the next decade, which will significantly add to the attractiveness of the country as a touristic destination, according to a recent report from real estate firm Savills.

The first phase of the Red Sea project, which is estimated to grow the kingdom’s GDP by US$5.86 billion (SAR22 billion) and will consist of an airport, marinas, up to 3,000 hotel rooms and various recreational activities, is expected to complete during 2022.

Additionally, last year Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced the development of Amaala, a new ultra-luxury tourism megaproject which is earmarked for completion in 2028. The development will add 2,500 hotel rooms – further boosting the accommodation offering for both domestic and international visitors alike.

“Saudi Arabia will see a vast expansion of its hotel and resort inventory during 2019, with over 9,000 keys of three, four and five-star international supply expected to enter the market despite major cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah experiencing an overall drop in ADR during 2018.

“While, this new supply will place additional competitive pressure on hotels performance across the country, the projected growth in visitor numbers in both the domestic and international markets is expected to boost occupancy levels throughout 2019,” added Curtis.

Looking ahead to ATM 2019, Saudi exhibitors, who will highlight what the Kingdom has to offer and the exciting developments in the pipeline, include The Red Sea Development Company, Saudia – Saudi Arabian Airlines, Makarem Hotels, AlfaOne Concierge – and of course the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage who will have a major presence too.

A focused seminar titled ‘Why Tourism is Saudi’s new ‘White Oil’ will take place on the Global Stage on Monday 29th April between 14.50 – 15:50.  The session will discuss Saudi Arabia’s tourism potential as the Kingdom undergoes a period of rapid economic diversification and forges ahead with its Vision 2030 blueprint.

The upbeat tourism forecast is also being driven, by domestic tourism with the number of local tourist trips inside Saudi Arabia exceeding 47 million in 2018. The latest research from Colliers forecasts this figure to increase 8% per year to 70.5 million by 2023.

“Plans are already afoot in Saudi, to achieve the projected increase in domestic visitors, with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 blueprint forecast to double the number of UNESCO heritage sites and increase household spending on cultural and entertainment activities inside the country from 2.9% to 6%.

“Meanwhile, the Quality of Life Vision Realisation Programme (VRP) and the General Entertainment Authority are both working to create new attractions and recreational activities within the country,” added Curtis.

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.

Brand new for this year’s show will be the launch of Arabian Travel Week, an umbrella brand comprising four co-located shows including ATM 2019, ILTM Arabia, CONNECT Middle East, India & Africa – a new route development forum and new consumer-led event ATM Holiday Shopper. Arabian Travel Week will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 27 April – 1 May 2019.

For more news about ATM, please visit: https://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com/media-centre/Press-Releases/.

About Arabian Travel Market (ATM)

Arabian Travel Market is the leading, international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2018 attracted almost 40,000 industry professionals, with representation from 141 countries over the four days. The 25th edition of ATM showcased over 2,500 exhibiting companies across 12 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre.  Arabian Travel Market 2019 will take place in Dubai from Sunday, 28th April to Wednesday, 1st May 2019. To find out more, please visit: www.arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: NATHALIE VISELE, Director, Shamal Communications, Arjaan Office Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tel: +971 4 365 2711 | Mobile: +971 50 457 6525, E-mail: nathalie.visele@shamalcomms.com , Website: www.shamalcomms.com

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