For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

Where press releases are breaking news

Marriott has a 2020 vision when it comes to expansion in Asia

by

From the 15th Hotel Investment Conference – South Asia, Marriott International  today announced its continued expansion plans in Asia-Pacific with its 2020 vision — an aggressive target to have 1000 hotels open by the end of 2020. This vision also could create up to 50,000 more job opportunities for the region. In 2019 alone, the company expects to add close to 100 new hotels or close to 20,000 rooms in the region, with several brand debuts in Australia, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Nepal and India. Marriott International’s portfolio in Asia Pacific currently encompasses over 710 properties in 23 countries and territories, operating under 23 of the company’s 30 global brands.

“The breadth and depth of Marriott International’s footprint means that we are able to offer travelers opportunities to experience more destinations, brands and experiences, especially through Marriott BonvoyTM, our industry-leading travel program,” said Craig S. Smith, President and Managing Director, Marriott International Asia Pacific.

“As important as our size is our commitment to deliver seamless and quality experiences for our guests at on-brand properties. Today’s traveler demands authentic, personalized and transformative experiences, whether for work or for pleasure, as a way of broadening their individual horizons and achieving a deeper understanding of the world. As the world’s leading hospitality company, it is in our DNA to strive to be part of our guests’ favorite moments and memories. We are dedicated to Marriott International remaining Asia Pacific’s favorite travel company.”

China, India and Southeast Asia as Marriott International’s Growth Drivers in the Region

Marriott International is well positioned to capitalize on global travel trends in China, India, and Indonesia, three of the world’s four most populated nations.

China continues to be the strongest growth driver for Marriott International in Asia Pacific, with more than 300 hotels in the pipeline. This accounts for more than 50 percent of the company’s pipeline in Asia Pacific. This year alone, Marriott International targets to open more than 30 hotels in China, including the first JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in China, the 515-room JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Shanghai Pudong featuring 6 food and beverage outlets; and the first Renaissance Hotel in the Fujian province with the planned opening of Renaissance Xiamen Resort & Spa in the fourth quarter of 2019. Outside of mainland China, the St. Regis brand is set to debut with the opening of St. Regis Hong Kong located in the historic Wanchai district.

With its recent 100th Marriott International hotel milestone celebrated in 2018, India continues to be the company’s second fastest growth engine in Asia Pacific with more than 50 properties in the pipeline. Marriott expects to reach more than 30,000 rooms open in India by end 2023. Given India’s robust economy and rising middle class, the country continues to present exciting growth opportunities, leveraging strong demand for Marriott’s select-service brands and growing demand for its upper upscale and luxury portfolios. The company expects to debut the Tribute Portfolio brand in India, with the opening of Port Muziris, Kochi, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel slated for the second quarter of 2019.

At the recent ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Tourism Forum, the ASEAN National Tourism Organizations revealed their collective efforts to marketing initiatives to inspire travel to Southeast Asia. Marriot International is poised to welcome these travelers, with over 140 signed hotels in its Southeast Asia pipeline, with Indonesia leading growth, meeting the growing demands of travel and tourism. In the Philippines, the company expects to more than triple its hotel portfolio by 2023. Sheraton, Marriott International’s most global brand, recently debuted in the country with the opening of Sheraton Manila Hotel. 

Marriott International continues its growth momentum in the Pacific region, with 50 hotels anticipated to be open by 2020. Australia should see several brand debuts in coming years, including The Luxury Collection and The Ritz-Carlton. The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, expects to open in Hobart in late 2019, and the 205-room The Ritz-Carlton Perth is slated to open in June 2019.  Element Hotels, Marriott International’s eco-conscious brand, is expected to debut in Australia with the opening of Element Melbourne Richmond in Q3 this year.

Marriott International Eyes New Destinations in Asia Pacific with Marriott BonvoyTM

Earlier this year, Marriott introduced Marriott BonvoyTM  — Marriott International’s travel program replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®(SPG).  With Marriott BonvoyTM, travelers can experience the company’s newly introduced Asia Pacific website featuring rich experiential and user-generated content and offering inspiration for the next adventure in Asia Pacific. The company continues to focus on bringing new hotels to unchartered destinations sought out by our guests, with Marriott International’s first foray into Myanmar planned for 2020 with the opening of Sheraton Yangon Hotel.

As the Company Expands, Culture Remains a Bedrock For Success

Marriott International’s Asia Pacific vision could create up to approximately 50,000 new job opportunities in Asia Pacificby the end of 2020. Travel and tourism provide opportunities for experienced people or those new to the hospitality industry.  Research by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) highlighted that 1 in 5 new jobs created globally are attributable to travel and tourism.

As the company continues to grow, this also means that there is an increased opportunity for our associates to develop their careers and thereby improve their livelihoods. This is another way that Marriott International takes care of its associates. With a culture that empowers associates to live their best lives — putting people first has been the company’s core value since Marriott was founded more than 90 years ago. Marriott has built its business on taking care of its associates, who in turn take care of our guests. The company believes that creating a diverse and inclusive environment strengthens culture and community and drives competitiveness. Marriott International has won Aon Hewitt’s best employer for five consecutive years in Asia Pacific.

Travel News | eTurboNews

New Delhi welcomes new Qatar Visa Center

by

At the new Qatar Visa Center in New Delhi, India, work visa applicants for the State of Qatar will be able to sign on work contracts digitally, enroll their biometrics, and undergo mandatory medical test all under one-roof. This will save time and make it hassle free for applicants.

Mandated by the Ministry of Interior, State of Qatar, Qatar Visa Center was inaugurated by His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Khater Al Khater, Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of India in New Delhi. The opening ceremony was attended by Major Abdullah Khalifa Al Mohannadi, Director of Department of Visa Support Services, Ministry of Interior of the State of Qatar.

The move to get work visa applicants to complete the most essential and critical part of their visa processes in the country of origin (India in this case) is aimed at guaranteeing prospective employees their rights in a manner consistent with the best international standards.

The visa center is in sync with international standards guaranteeing greater transparency, traceability and improved anti-fraud measures and security screening mechanisms for the visa applicants. The center will operate between 08:30 am to 04:30 pm from Monday to Friday.

As part of the visa application process, the employer in Qatar will ensure all necessary procedures and make the visa payments on behalf of the applicant. The applicants will only need to book an appointment online and visit the Qatar Visa Center fifteen minutes prior to the scheduled time on a given day. Once at the center and after the identity of the visa applicant is verified and the list of required documents are checked a token gets issued. Once the token is being referred to, the respective visa applicant will be explained the contract terms and can thereby digitally sign the work contract. Biometric enrollment and the mandatory medical tests will be done at the center. Upon completion of the processes at the visa center, the visa applicant then can choose to track the status of his application online or through their employer in the State of Qatar.

On this occasion, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar in India, His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Khater Al Khater, stressed that the State of Qatar, under the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, has witnessed a speedy growth and development over the past years and the Indian community in the State of Qatar has contributed significantly in the development process. His Excellency further stressed upon the keenness of the State of Qatar to protect the rights of the expatriates and facilitate their work procedures while recognizing the contribution of the Indian community. He added that in order to provide better facilities for the Indian community and further strengthening the distinguished relations between the two friendly countries, it has been decided to choose India as one of the most important countries to open the “Qatar Visas Center” in seven different cities of India including New Delhi, it is certain that, a large number of Indian expatriates, travelling to the State of Qatar for work and tourism will benefit through these centers, which will facilitate smooth and hassle-free recruitment process and ensure speedy completion of procedures to obtain the visas and residence permits for the State of Qatar.

His Excellency added that the opening of Qatar visa centers in India comes with celebration of the year 2019 as Qatar-India year of Culture. He also expressed thanks and appreciation to the officials in Ministry of External Affairs, Republic of India, for their continued support to achieve this step goal, and noted that this step reflects Qatar’s keenness to ensure the protection and safety of expatriates, as the Qatar Visa Centres in India will enable the completion of recruitment procedures through one channel easily within a shorter period of time.

“As part of Qatar’s willingness to facilitate the work process and protect the rights of expatriates, Qatar Visa Centers will be opened in a number of countries which include India,” said Major Abdullah Khalifa Al Mohannadi, Director of Visa Support Services Dept at the Ministry of the Interior, Doha, Qatar. “Medical examinations, biometric data enrollment and the signing process of employment contracts will be done through the Qatar Visa Centers in the expatriate country of origin at the 7 Indian centers including the one in New Delhi. All of this, reflects the extent and depth of Qatar’s endeavors to ensure the protection and safety of expatriates under a simplified and effective recruitment regime upheld and facilitated by the visa center,” he added.

Suhail Shaikh. Business Head, said: “We are honored to launch the first Qatar Visa Center in India in New Delhi on behalf of Ministry of Interior, State of Qatar. We take great pride in being able to provide transparent, standardized and streamlined visa services for Indians seeking work visas through a simple process managed by our capable colleagues.”

Six other visa centers in Mumbai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Chennai and Kolkata will be operational shortly.

Qatar Visa Center maintains robust multi-lingual information services for the benefit of visa applicants across multiple touch points. Information on appointment scheduling, requirements and steps at the visa center can be found in English, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Bengali, Tamil and Malayalam through a dedicated website, call center helpline (+91 44 6133 1333) and walk-in at the reception.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Marriott to open South Asia’s first Tribute Portfolio hotel at Cochin International Airport

by

Twenty14 Holdings has announced plans to launch Port Muziris – South Asia’s first Tribute Portfolio hotel, part of Marriott International, near Cochin International Airport.

The 55-room property is all set to be opened to the public in April. “We are thrilled to debut the first Tribute Portfolio in South Asia. At Twenty14 Holdings, we share the vision of offering a unique experience for guests,” said Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director, Twenty14 Holdings. “Kerala has long been one of the most sought-after destinations worldwide, and we are excited to be part of the state’s flourishing tourism sector. We look forward to extending our legacy of providing outstanding hospitality to guests across Kerala and India through our bespoke properties,” he said.

Tribute Portfolio, launched by Marriott, is a collection of independent hotels around the globe with a focus on expressive design moments, vibrant public spaces, and a flexible food and beverage model. “We are delighted to announce the first Tribute Portfolio hotel in India with the opening of Port Muziris hotel in Kochi. This will also mark the debut of our 16th brand to join the Marriott International portfolio in India,” said Neeraj Govil, Area Vice President — South Asia, Marriott International. He added, “We are honoured to partner with Twenty14 Holdings for their first hotel in India. With its unique design and vibrant social spaces, we are sure this hotel will become a preference for leisure travelers.”

Port Muziris is Twenty14 Holdings’ first property in India. Currently, the hospitality investment firm has over $750 million portfolio of properties around the world, including the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh – the Caledonian in Scotland, Sheraton Oman in Muscat and Steigenberger Hotel Business Bay in UAE.

Travel News | eTurboNews