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InterContinental Genève: 6 years of Green Globe certification

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Green Globe first certified the InterContinental Genève in 2014.

Ideally located on an oasis of calm in the diplomatic district, InterContinental Genève offers elegantly designed rooms and suites with breathtaking views of Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc.


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This year, the hotel celebrates its 6th year of recertification and remains firmly committed to its many sustainability efforts.

Francois Chopinet, Hotel General Manager explained, “At InterContinental Genève we have included major principles for sustainable development in our daily processes and we continue looking for new ones. We do our best to reduce our footprint and to do this we have put specific systems in place in different areas of the hotel. We are equipping the common areas, the 333 rooms and 2000 m2 of conference facilities with LED lighting and we have developed sustainable business and human resource practices. 

“Our staff has access to ongoing training programs. We promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle, for instance eliminating salt from all cafeteria food, organizing team and individual sport activities, and putting in place a fitness center for employees available at the hotel 24 hours a day. We strongly believe that sustainable human resourcemanagement is healthy for our employees and allows us to provide a high quality service to our customers.”

The InterContinental Genève and the United Nations use water from the lake to cool their buildings as part of the Geneva-Lake-Nations (GLN) project. This project, coordinated by the Services Indutriels de Genève (SIG), allows the InterContinental Genève to use 100% renewable energy to cool its premises thereby achieving significant savings in electricity usage and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, as a member of the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the hotel will be implementing CO2 reduction goals that will further contribute to its sustainability performance.

Over the years, sustainable efforts at the InterContinental Genève continue to be recognized by Green Engage and Green Globe.

Since June 2018, only biodegradable straws are now provided at bars and restaurants in acknowledgement that the impact of plastic waste on the oceans and environment is far too important to be ignored.

To stimulate regional economic activity, IHG has partnered with a local farm, Ferme de Budé, located just 100 meters away from the property. Fresh, local and seasonal food is sourced year round from the farm for restaurant kitchens. Guests are also encouraged to visit the farm on market days to observe how local food is grown and produced. Furthermore, the hotel sponsors a local beekeeper at the property to preserve bee species. The 100% natural honey is served at the breakfast buffet.

Last year, to give back to the community, the InterContinental Genève proudly participated in two campaigns where staff members collected clothing and bedding

for the Geneva Red Cross. Each year, more than 90,000 kg of clothing is discarded or donated to charities. In 2018, the hotel collected a total of more than 130 kg of clothing to be distributed to adults, children and the elderly.

About Green Globe Certification

Green Globe is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries.  Green Globe is an Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). For information, please visit greenglobe.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Bradley Cox, Director of Communications, Green Globe Certification, 5230 Pacific Concourse Drive, Suite 102, Los Angeles, California 90045, U.S.A., phone +1-310-337-3000, fax +1-310-626-9982, Email prlax@greenglobe.com , web www.greenglobe.com

WTTC: Greek tourism sector growing over three times faster than wider economy

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In 2018, the Greek Travel & Tourism sector grew at a rate of 6.9% – over three and a half times the pace of its wider national economy, which grew by 2.0%.

The sector represents 20.6% of Greek GDP compared to the global average of 10.4%. This means that one in every five Euros spent in Greece last year came from the Travel & Tourism sector, worth €37.5bn (USD $44.6bn).

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Meanwhile, one quarter of all employment in Greece is based in Travel & Tourism – equivalent to 988.6k jobs. In 2019, this figure is forecast to surpass one million for the first time since WTTC records began.

Even at the height of economic performance before the financial crisis, Greece still employed less people in Travel & Tourism than they did in 2018 (934.5k in 2006), indicating that not only has the sector economy recovered but it is now outperforming its previous peaks.

The same is true for GDP contribution, which has never before amounted to 20% of total GDP.

These figures come from the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) annual review of the economic impact and social importance of the sector. The research, conducted for almost 30 years by WTTC, which represents the global private sector of Travel & Tourism, shows that in 2018 the Greek sector:

• Outpaced the EU’s regional Travel & Tourism growth rate of 2.4%. Both the EU and Greece’s wider economies grew at a rate of 2.0%, but the Greek travel sector leapt ahead of regional averages.

• Benefitted from €18.5bn international visitor spend, representing 27.9% of total exports.

• Two-thirds of inbound Greek travel spend came from international visitors (66%), and one-third from domestic travel (34%).

• Was driven by leisure spending, which comprised 94% of tourist spend compared to 6% for business.

WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara remarked, “We are hugely impressed by the Greek growth rate, and the government strategies that have spurred it on. Travel & Tourism has had a huge role to play in driving Greek economic recovery, and is a chief employer of people. Greece is an exemplary case study of how valuable an asset Travel & Tourism can be when the government prioritises the sector.”

The Minister of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic, Elena Kountoura remarked: “Our long-term tourism strategy that we implement since 2015 led to outstanding results in Greece’s tourism growth, and supported profoundly the Greek economy in the most difficult years of the crisis. We achieved our target in creating thousands of new jobs, new business activity, new sources of income, and in mobilizing new tourism investments.

With our growth plan for the next day, we intend to maintain Greece’s strong momentum in  tourism and maximize its benefits for the local communities across Greece, acknowledging tourism’s immense value as  a major driving force for employment,  economic and social prosperity.”

About the World Travel & Tourism Council

WTTC is the body which represents the Travel & Tourism private sector globally. Members consist of CEOs of the world’s Travel & Tourism companies, destinations, and industry organisations engaging with Travel & Tourism.

WTTC has a history of 25 years of research to quantify the economic impact of the sector in 185 countries. Travel & Tourism is a key driver for investment and economic growth globally. The sector contributes US$8.8 trillion or 10.4% of global GDP, and accounts for 319 million jobs or one in ten of all jobs on the planet.

For over 25 years, WTTC has been the voice of this industry globally. Members are the Chairs, Presidents and Chief Executives of the world’s leading, private sector Travel & Tourism businesses, who bring specialist knowledge to guide government policy and decision-making and raise awareness of the importance of the secto

Fraport Traffic Figures February 2019:  Positive Trend Continues

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Passenger traffic rises at FRA and Group airports worldwide

In February 2019, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) welcomed more than 4.5

million passengers – an increase of 4.3 percent year-on-year.  During

the first two months of the year, FRA achieved passenger growth of

3.3 percent.

Aircraft movements climbed by 4.7 percent to 36,849 takeoffs and

landings in in the reporting month. Accumulated maximum takeoff

weights (MTOWs) rose by 4.6 percent to almost 2.3 million metric

tons.  Reflecting the ongoing slowdown in global trade, cargo

throughput (airfreight + airmail) contracted by 3.4 percent to

161,366 metric tons.

Group airports in Fraport’s international portfolio continued their

positive performance in February 2019. Ljubljana Airport (LJU) in

Slovenia served 105,470 passengers, a gain of 6.3 percent.  In

Brazil, combined traffic at Fortaleza (FOR) and Porto Alegre (POA)

airports increased by 15.8 percent to 1.2 million passengers.

Fraport’s Greek regional airports recorded overall growth of 13.6

percent to 588,433 passengers. The busiest airports included

Thessaloniki (SKG) with 368,119 passengers (up 24.2 percent), Chania

(CHQ) on the island of Crete with 47,661 passengers (up 19.6

percent), and Rhodes (RHO) with 46,331 passengers (down 13.0

percent).

In Peru, Lima Airport (LIM) saw traffic grow by 4.6 percent to some

1.8 million passengers. The two Bulgarian airports of Varna (VAR) and

Burgas (BOJ), combined, recorded a slight gain of 0.9 percent to

61,580 passengers. Antalya Airport (AYT) in Turkey served 766,068

passengers, up 10.4 percent. Pulkovo Airport (LED) in St. Petersburg,

Russia, grew by 13.5 percent to about 1.1 million passengers. Traffic

at Xi’an Airport (XIY) in China advanced by 6.8 percent to 3.7

million passengers.

Europeans travel to GCC in record numbers: 29% increase by 2023 expected

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Arrivals from Europe to the GCC will increase 29% over the period 2018 to 2023, driven by new and direct flight routes, a growing number of millennial and middle-class travellers and competitive airfares, according to the latest data released ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1 May 2019.

According to ATM’s research partner, Colliers International, as many as 8.3 million EU residents will travel to the GCC in 2023, an additional 1.9 million travelers when compared to 2018 arrival figures.

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Adding to this, figures from ATM 2018 show the number of delegates arriving from Europe increased 5% between 2017 and 2018, while the number of delegates, exhibitors and attendees interested in doing business with Europe increased by 24%.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Historically, Europe and the GCC have enjoyed excellent travel and tourism links and this trend is set to continue over the next four years.

“The UAE and Saudi Arabia are expected to continue to be the preferred GCC destinations for European tourists, welcoming a projected 6.15 million and 1.11 million visitors respectively by 2023. Oman will follow with 720,000 visitors, while Bahrain will welcome 310,000 and Kuwait 140,000.”

Driving this demand in the UAE throughout 2018, Emirates introduced new flights to London Stansted, Edinburgh, Lyon and Paris; Etihad to Barcelona; flydubai to Catania, Thessaloniki, Krakow, Dubrovnik, Zagreb and Helsinki; and Air Arabia to Prague. While in Saudi Arabia, new routes to destinations including Vienna and Malaga were added during the same period.

Looking at the outbound market potential, GCC travel to EU countries is expected to grow by 50%, with 6 million GCC residents projected to visit Europe by 2023. The Colliers data indicates that Saudi Arabia will lead this growth with 2.98 million KSA residents travelling to Europe in 2023, followed by 1.73 million UAE residents, 600,000 Kuwaitis, 340,000 Bahrainis and 210,000 Omanis.

While part of this growth can be attributed to the UAE and Saudi Arabia’s large expatriate populations, GCC nationals are no strangers to European destinations, its culture and history – as well as its retail and luxury hospitality offerings.

Curtis said: “Saudi Arabia is predicted to retain its position as the largest outbound travel market destination in the GCC, with an additional 1.2 million trips forecasted per year by 2023 – a 70% growth on 2018 trips. Driving this growth will be the rising spending power of both millennials and females in the Kingdom.”

According to the Colliers research, the UK, France, Switzerland and Sweden will be the top European destinations for GCC nationals to visit, with the UK expected to account for 890,000 trips by 2023.

“In the UK, Brexit has weakened the British Pound providing an additional incentive for Gulf tourists, while the relaxation of tourist visa requirements and GCC residents’ growing interest in medical tourism is encouraging travel to countries such as Switzerland and Sweden,” Curtis added.

ATM 2019 will welcome more than 100 European exhibitors to the show, with names such as Armani Hotel Milano, the German National Tourism Board, Port Aventura World, the National Tourism Organisation of Serbia and the Austrian National Tourism Office as well as various new exhibitors including Belarus National Tourism Agency, Moscow Committee for Tourism and Montenegro National Tourism Organisation.

Considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa tourism sector, ATM 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.

STEM® Hotel Management Signed on for Belize Ocean Club

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STEM® Announces a new General Manager and Sales and Marketing Director
Belize Ocean Club is being reimagined by a global hospitality management company, STEM®. Lead by CEO Robert van Eerde, protégé of André Balazs, the leader behind the opening of Bono’s Clarence Hotel in Dublin, a consultant for Soho House group and hotels from Miami to Abu Dhabi and China. Specializing in stand-alone “true boutique hotels,” STEM® brings decades of international experience and heightened the quality of service to the destination.

“I’m so excited to be in Belize and proud to have assembled such a star team,” says Robert Van Eerde. “I can’t wait to show guests the experience we’ll be offering.”

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Among the experts on the team are Alistair MacLean, recently appointed as Regional Director of Belize Ocean Club, and Juan Palmada, who will serve as Vice President for Sales, Marketing and Development in the Americas. Maclean brings a strong international background, having led Sixty Hotels in New York City, Le Yaca in Saint Tropez, Serrano Beach in Saint Barth’s and most recently Antsanitia Hotel and resort in Madagascar. MacLean began his career working with the Savoy Group of Hotels and Restaurants in London, went on to become Director of Operations of Andre Balazs Properties, which included the roles of General Manager/Partner at Sunset Beach Hotel on Shelter Island, New York, and General Manager of The Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach. He also served as Managing Director at The NoMad Hotel in NY and Regional General Manager of Chelsea Hotels.

He will be working alongside Juan Palmada, who has extensive experience in hotel operations and global marketing. Palmada began his career leading world-renowned hotels and resorts, such as the Beau Rivage Palace in Geneva, Hotel Condes, Havana and NH in Barcelona, Victoria Hotels & Resorts in Puerto Plata, and the Kimberly hotel in New York City. He also notably founded Epoque hotels, a collection of 300 style-driven boutique hotels located in 101 destinations around the world

Set on the beautiful Maya Beach, Belize Ocean Club is just a short journey away from the quaint village of Placencia and all the activities Belize has to offer. Perfectly situated for access to both jungle and ocean adventures, the resort also offers breathtaking views of the Maya Mountains, lagoon and Caribbean.

As the first new initiatives for the property, STEM® announces two new restaurant concepts and curated experiences for guests. FYAH, local dialect for fire, will be the new main beachside restaurant, serving cuisine rooted in Belizean traditions. All food will be prepared and cooked on an open-flame grill in front of guests. Visitors will lounge under the Palapa in a chic beach bohemian setting, where dining will be offered three times a week.

With the largest living barrier reef off its shores, STEM® is putting a focus on diving experiences, including the creation of an on-site dive certification program. The management team is also creating unique new excursions for adventure travelers – both at sea and in the nearby jungles and Mayan ruins of Belize.

STEM® Hotels is an international “TRUE” boutique hotel management company with offices all over the world. Founded in 2011 by Robert Van Eerde to support and guide the small independent hotel market through effective management. Clients include Hotel Astor, Red Wall Garden Hotel, Time Tunnel Designer Hotel, Sofu Hotel, The Emperor, Savoy hotel Miami Beach, Adria Hotel London, SOHO Beach House Miami, Pelican Hotel Miami, Manor House Nevis and El Ganzo, Cabo San Jose, Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels Qatar.

Source: Power Collective