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Dusit International makes its grand debut in Qatar

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With a view to capture major market share in Qatar’s hospitality sector, Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, is set to make its Qatar debut with the launch of Dusit Doha Hotel on 25 April 2019.

Located in the heart of Doha’s vibrant West Bay area, adjacent to the breezy Corniche, Dusit Doha Hotel is a five-star modern oasis only 20 minutes by car from Hamad International Airport, and just a five-minute walk from Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, the City centre Mall and The Gate Mall, making it a perfect stopover for business and leisure travellers alike.

Designed to provide luxury experiences at excellent value, the full-service property comprises 261 well-appointed guestrooms and suites and 96 elegant apartments for short- and long-stay guests. Dusit’s unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, honed and developed over more than 70 years, ensures guests can expect memorable, personalised service delivered with genuine care, warmth and respect. Rooms and suites at Dusit Doha Hotel are designed to provide the utmost in comfort and convenience, with expansive living areas ranging in size from 41 sq m for a Superior Room to 131 sq. m for a Suite. Apartments are available in one-to three-bedroom configurations and provide spacious living areas ranging from 95 to 193 sq. m.

Leisure and recreation facilities include a rooftop swimming pool, children’s pool, and a sundeck area offering panoramic views of West Bay. Guests will also find a wealth of dining outlets to choose from, including three restaurants, a classic French café, and a relaxing rooftop lounge.

Ready to welcome guests by the hotel’s opening date is Taste, a contemporary all-day dining restaurant serving tantalising dishes from around the globe and also hosting regular theme nights. This will soon be joined by Dusit’s signature Thai restaurant, Benjarong, which serves Royal Thai cuisine made using the finest local and imported ingredients.

Other upcoming outlets include Antoinette’s Café, bringing a taste of Europe to Doha via fresh French pastries and other baked treats, and The House, offering premium steaks and seafood.

Ideal for weddings, corporate meetings, and memorable social gatherings, the hotel also offers a versatile 574 sq. m ballroom which can accommodate up to 500 people. Spacious and bright with abundant natural light, this atmospheric venue features its own private terrace and can be divided into two smaller venues, each with a separate entrance.

Dusit’s signature Devarana Spa is also set to open at the hotel, offering a wide range of luxury massage therapies and wellness treatments conducted in elegant, private treatment rooms. Designed to promote maximum relaxation, the elegant spa will occupy the entire 29th floor of the hotel, offering separate male and female sections.

“A modern oasis for people to meet, dine, stay and relax, Dusit Doha Hotel delivers the ultimate in luxury and comfort for locals and international visitors alike,” said Mr Gerhard Stutz, Cluster General Manager, Dusit Doha Hotel. “Qatar is one of the fastest growing countries in terms of tourism, and its reputation as a destination of choice is only set to be cemented further when the FIFA World Cup is held here in 2022. As such, there could not have been a more opportune time to launch Dusit Doha Hotel. We now look forward to delighting guests with our unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality while positioning the hotel as the market leader in Doha.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Two Australian Heroes killed when saving a tourist from drowning

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Tourism and Dairy are popular in  Port Campbell, a coastal town in Victoria, Australia. The town is on the Great Ocean Road, west of the Twelve Apostles, in the Shire of Corangamite and has less than 500 residents.

Two of these residents a father and son today drowned trying to rescue a tourist from rough on Sunday have been described as selfless members of the local community and “like peas in a pod”.

Ross, 71, and Andrew Powell, 32, were life-long members of the Port Campbell Surf Life Saving Club and were prominent figures in the local dairy farming industry.

They, along with one other lifesaver, were attempting to save a tourist at Sherbrook River, near the Twelve Apostles on Victoria’s south-west coast, on Sunday morning when their boat flipped.

The father and son were declared dead at the scene, while the third lifesaver was seriously injured and airlifted to The Alfred hospital.

Ross was an inaugural member of the lifesaving club when it was formed in 1965 and maintained it his whole life putting his community first.

A 30-year-old male tourist got into trouble wading near the entrance to the Sherbrook River, a 10-minute drive from the Twelve Apostles, about 11am.

Rough surf caused the rescue boat to flip, tossing the three lifesavers into the ocean in an area Cr Trotter said was notoriously dangerous.

An emergency helicopter managed to safe one of rescuers and the tourist out of the water, however, the father and son’s bodies were later found.

The surviving rescue worker, a man in his 50s, has injuries to his back and legs and was airlifted to The Alfred hospital in a serious condition. He remained in a serious but stable condition on Sunday evening.

The tourist who was swept into the water suffered hypothermia and was taken by road ambulance to the Warrnambool hospital in a stable condition.

 

A flipped rescue boat at Port Campbell on Sunday.

Mr James said initial investigations found all three lifesavers had been wearing life jackets.

Earlier reports suggested the tourist was taking photographs when he was swept off a rock at the mouth of the river, but emergency services say this was not the case.

Another rescue boat near Port Campbell.

The Port Campbell Hotel said on Facebook that live music at the venue had been canceled due to the “heartbreaking tragedy in our community”.

Police are preparing a report for the coroner

Travel News | eTurboNews

Seychelles receives honor of hosting FINA CNSG Open Water World Series 2019

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The excitement was palpable at Beau Vallon Beach on Saturday, April 13, 2019, almost a month before the Seychelles hosts for the second consecutive year the FINA CNSG Open Water World Series 2019.

This year’s event is being held in collaboration with Chinese based company CNSG and Seychelles is once again the second leg in the series of eight.

The organizing committee’s partners including the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), officials and local swimmers gathered at Beau Vallon Beach where a trial run was organized to test out the facilities, the technical requirements and of course, the local swimming talents.

Principal Secretary for Sports, Fabien Palmyre present at the trial run mentioned his satisfaction to see that the FINA CNSG Open Water World Series 2019 is materializing with the support of all local partners.

“I am excited to again, be part of such an event. I am proud of all our young swimmers who have made an effort to be present today. I am grateful to all the partners and volunteers and I am definitely looking forward to this year’s event,” said PS Palmyre.

15 swimmers competed in the Beau Vallon waters in three main races, 2.5 km, 5 km and 7.5 km. According to the Seychelles Swimming Association (SSA) officials, the reasoning behind the distances selected is to enable the swimmers to test out their abilities to see which category would suit them best for the May 11, 2019 event, which will be opened for the public and other swimming enthusiasts.

The 2019 Mass Open Water event will take place on Saturday May 11, one day prior to the Elite event.

The May 11 Mass event will comprise of four distances, Group A (500 m), Group B (1 km), Group C (3 km) and Group D (5 km). The only age restriction will be for Group A where students aged 13 years and under can participate. The others will be open to all ages and there will be two races, a male and a female race for each distance.

“Mass participation is crucial in making the Mass event a success and the Seychelles Swimming Association is calling on all swimmers to register for the event,” said David Vidot, SSA Chairperson.

Mr. Vidot indicated that the forms for registration are available on the SSA Facebook page and website. The deadline to return the registration form to the Swimming Association is May 1, 2019.

The Seychelles is honored this year to have four Seychellois swimmers qualified to take part in the Elite 10 km race, which will take place on Sunday May 12, 2019.

Joining the 2018 swimmers, brothers Bertrand and Damien Payet, will be Matthew Bachmann and Alain Vidot, both of whom completed the 7.5 km race finishing second and third consecutively behind Damien who crossed the finishing line on Saturday first.

The Elite event which is broadcast to a global audience via the FINA network, exposes Seychelles in another light, similar to that of the annual Eco-Marathon event, which strengthens Seychelles’ potential as a Sports Tourism destination.

“It is such a privilege to be hosting the event again on our shores; as announced earlier this year, STB is committed to promote Seychelles as an ideal sports destination. Our collaboration with Seychelles Swimming Association and other partners for FINA CNSG Open Water World Series 2019 is an ideal platform for us to showcase our beautiful destination and its pristine waters,” said Mrs. Sherin Francis, Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive.

In May 2018, open water swimming made its debut in Seychelles, as the small island nation became the second host in the FINA World Cup Series 2018. The iconic Beau Vallon beach was the chosen venue to launch Seychelles in the open water swimming world, making it the first country in Africa to host an event of this caliber.

As part of the FINA mandate, the host country is required to host a mass event alongside the elite 10k m event, in order to encourage and mobilize the local community to appreciate and take part in the sport.

Travel News | eTurboNews

A Japanese castle, Sanjuro the cat, and a remarkable recovery in tourism

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Bitchū Matsuyama Castle, also known as Takahashi Castle, is a castle located in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. It is not to be confused with Matsuyama Castle in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture.

The Takahashi City Tourist Association is upbeat, with an official of the association saying: “We want to liven up the whole city with Sanjuro.”

A feline “lord” of Bitchu Matsuyama Castle in Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture, is contributing to a recovery in tourism that was dealt a heavy hit from natural disasters last summer.

The name of the cat lord of the popular castle, which is nicknamed “castle in the sky”, is Sanjuro. He settled in the precincts of the castle in the wake of torrential rains in western Japan in July last year.

Because Sanjuro is super-friendly to people, he has attracted attention on social media.

The number of tourists coming to the castle, that fell at one point after the torrential rains, recovered rapidly, thanks to Sanjuro. He is now serving as a living “beckoning cat”, the auspicious cat statue often displayed in stores and other businesses.

Sanjuro is a male with white and brown fur. He is thought to be three or four years old.

On July 21 last year, castle cleaner Ryoichi Motohara found the cat wandering in the castle’s Sannomaru area. “At the time, I thought he was an abandoned cat, because he was very skinny.”

After observing the cat for several days, the cleaner started feeding him. From then, he began appearing in the castle’s Honmaru main area, mingling with tourists.

The cat never got angry when people would touch him. He responded to people with cute manners while purring. He became widely known through word of mouth and via online sites.

The tourist association gave the cat the name Sanjuro in tribute to Tani Sanjuro, a samurai warrior of the Bitchu Matsuyama clan who served as a troop captain of Shinsengumi, a samurai squad in the last years of the Edo period (1603-1867).

As the number of newspaper articles and TV programmes reporting about Sanjuro grew, his owner was identified around October last year.

Ms Megumi Nanba, 40, who lives in the city about 6km from the castle, said that she had been searching for her cat, who ran away from their home on July 14.

As she loved her cat and he was also was attached to her children, Ms Nanba at first wanted to take him back home. Eventually, though, Ms Nanba and her family members discussed the matter and decided to hand over their cat to the tourist association.

“I was really relieved when I found out he was alive. If he likes living in the castle, it is good for him (to stay there),” she said.

In November last year, an official of the tourist association took him home to prepare for a media presentation, and Sanjuro ran away again.

Although the association tried to find him by distributing leaflets and other means, Sanjuro could not been found, which made officials of the association increasingly worried.

Sanjuro was finally found 19 days later. Since then, the officials have kept him inside the castle’s administrative office building in the Honmaru area so as not to have such a painful feeling again.

In December last year, the association officially appointed Sanjuro to the post of “castle lord cat”. His duty as the castle lord is to stroll around in the castle twice a day, with officials holding him on a leash.

Sanjuro is highly popular for his friendliness towards visitors, such as rubbing against people’s legs and neatly sitting down on their knees.

According to the tourist association, the number of visitors in July last year in the wake of the torrential rains fell to about 20 per cent compared with that in the previous year. But in February this year, the number passed 4,000 – 40 per cent higher than that in the previous year.

The association designated March 16 as the “Day of Sanjuro” as a play on words – 3 (san), 10 (ju) and 6 (roku) – and held an event.

Tourists from across the nation swarmed to take photos of Sanjuro that day.

Ms Miho Hatanaka, 44, from Otake, Hiroshima Prefecture, said: “He is so friendly and tame. I wish I could hug him a long time.”

Her daughter Nanami, a nine-year-old elementary school student, said: “He’s so cute. I hope he keeps playing the role of castle lord.”

The association produces official items with his photo such as key chains and postcards, as well as digital stamps which can be used on LINE, a free communication app.

Manager of the tourist association Hideo Aihara said: “With Sanjuro at the core, new movements including developments of items and event plans have been occurring.

“We want to expand this positive trend while cooperating with various entities.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Seychelles recognized as world’s Most Beautiful Island at GQ Travel Awards Russia

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Destination Seychelles was cited as “The Most Beautiful Island” in the world after walking away with the title at the GQ Travel Awards, a ceremony that took place on March 15, 2019, at the Metropol Hotel, in Moscow, Russia.

The GQ Travel Awards ceremony recognizes the leading companies, hotels, and destinations from the elite travel industry. The winners in the 17 different categories including Seychelles were chosen by GQ readers who voted online on the magazine’s website.

The island destination was presented with the award during a ceremony attended by some 250 prominent guests including industry professionals, representatives of host countries, Russian celebrities, and famous travelers, and was followed by a gala dinner.

Ms. Diana Sarkisyan, PR & Marketing representative from the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) for the Russian and CIS region, accepted the award on behalf of Seychelles.

Seychelles remains a high-end destination, popular among Russian visitors for its sandy white beaches, warm turquoise waters, and diverse unique flora and fauna. Various beaches such as Anse Lazio on Praslin have been seen as being among some of the most beautiful in the world.

The island nation is one of the world’s leading actors when it comes to sustainable tourism and sustainable development, a concept to which the Russian visitors are very responsive.

Speaking about the latest recognition received by the destination at the GQ Travel Awards, Mrs. Sherin Francis, STB Chief Executive, mentioned that it is an honor for the destination to have been voted by the readers of GQ magazine.

“It is such a privilege to feature as the most beautiful island; as a destination, we are conscious of our inestimable resources, and we strive to demarcate ourselves by our uniqueness, and it is rewarding to see that our efforts have not gone unnoticed,” said Mrs. Francis.

The STB Chief Executive further stated that the achievement is the result of hard work and congratulated the various partners for their constant support towards building the destination’s reputation.

GQ is a men’s magazine offering analytics and current reports of international quality with the latest men’s fashion and style news. It is the number one magazine for male visitors of luxury department stores.

GQ’s regular authors are the best of the best in their industry, from both Russia and abroad, and has a close access to celebrities unlike any other Russian magazine in its niche. It is an unrivaled guidance and companion for a successful man.

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.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Attention Airport Officials: Naked man on the tarmac

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Is this the new way to fly? Naked? A male passenger dressed only in his birthday suit was spotted trying to board his flight completely naked while walking across the tarmac at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

The bizarre scene happened just days after a similar incident saw another traveler attempt to board a plane without any clothes on.

A tweet, which was shared by ORD Airport Insider, reported that the passenger was allegedly detained at Gate C10 after walking from E12 at Chicago O’Hare’s Terminal 1. According to the tweet, the naked individual had been attempting to board a Delta flight – although this hasn’t been confirmed.

In the photo, the man appeared to have been given a safety vest to wear around his waist to cover himself up.

Another tweet said: “Multiple witnesses say he walked off a Delta flight at Terminal 2, but that hasn’t been confirmed. He was quickly apprehended by airport authorities. ”

It is unclear how the man got onto the tarmac or when he got naked.

Travel News | eTurboNews

United Airlines: Non-binary gender booking options

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United Airlines today announced it has become 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. Customers now have the ability to identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passports or identification.

“United is determined to lead the industry in LGBT inclusivity, and we are so proud to be the first U.S. airline to offer these inclusive booking options for our customers,” said United’s Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist. “United is excited to share with our customers, whether they identify along the binary of male or female or not, that we are taking the steps to exhibit our care for them while also providing additional employee training to make us even more welcoming for all customers and employees.”

As part of implementing these new changes, United has worked with the Human Rights Campaign and The Trevor Project on employee training initiatives. These initiatives include teaching employees about preferred pronouns and the persistence of gender norms, LGBT competency in the workplace and other steps to make United an inclusive space for both customers and employees.

“At the Human Rights Campaign, we believe being acknowledged as the gender you identify with is part of treating everyone with dignity and respect,” said Beck Bailey, acting director of the Workplace Equality Program. “By providing non-binary gender selection for ticketing and the gender-inclusive honorific ‘Mx’ in user profiles, United Airlines is taking an important step forward for non-binary inclusion.”

“The Trevor Project is grateful for United Airlines’ support of our life-saving work on behalf of LGBTQ youth,” said Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director of The Trevor Project. “We are thrilled to bring Trevor’s expertise on the mental health of LGBTQ people to United to ensure its employees maintain safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ employees and guests.”

Alongside partner organizations, customers, and employees, United will continue working to build the world’s most inclusive airline. The changes to the booking process are now currently available.

Travel News | eTurboNews

IMEX shines a light on diversity and inclusion

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IMEX shines a light on diversity and inclusion

“Organizations which embrace diversity will see positive repercussions throughout their business – from staff motivation and engagement, heightened innovation and a boosted bottom line. Diversity means diversity of people, minds, ideas, and approaches and it’s something we value at IMEX and recognize as crucial to the future success of the events industry – that’s why it forms a core part of our offering at IMEX in Frankfurt this year”, Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, explains the show’s spotlight on diversity ahead of International Women’s Day this Friday, 8 March.

IMEX in Frankfurt, taking place 21 – 23 May, offers a wide range of experiences, education and experts enabling planners to discover the latest best practice in business, as well as developments in diversity and inclusion.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

A session taking place on EduMonday, a dedicated afternoon of education taking place the day before the show on Monday 20 May, focuses on cultural diversity. Cultural differences and their impact on destination management explores how to prepare for a culturally different client as well as the principles that should guide planners globally, regardless of local customs.

She Means Business

Also taking place on EduMonday is She Means Business, created in partnership with tw tagungswirtschaft, a conference celebrating the role of women in the events industry. As one of the inspiring speakers debating the crucial issues facing women today, Gernot Sendowski, Director of HR Global Diversity & Inclusion at Deutsche Bank AG, delivers a male perspective on gender equality and female empowerment as well as exploring the German and European diversity charters. Angela Dern, Head of Diversity & Inclusion at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), talks about gender equality as an economic imperative and details the UN Women 10x10x10 Impact Commitment, an initiative engaging 10 governments, corporations and universities around the world.

Inspiring inclusivity

Developing leadership skills to manage and motivate a diverse team is covered in Industry best practices on how to be an inclusive leader, one of the many education sessions taking place on the show floor during the three days of the show. The session at the Inspiration Hub explores the best practices and communication models required to become an inclusive leader.

The design of an event can impact inclusivity and this is discussed in Redesigning inclusive events by overcoming unconscious bias. The session shows planners how to uncover their unconscious bias and discover practical ways of designing events to embrace diversity and inclusion.

Planners, buyers and other visitors can explore destinations, venues, tech providers and more at IMEX in Frankfurt from 21 – 23 May 2019. Among the many exhibitors already confirmed are New Zealand, Senses of Cuba, Barcelona Convention Bureau, Visit Brussels, Kempinski Hotels, Meliá Hotels and Latvia.

During the three days of the IMEX trade show, buyers can meet and making appointments with more than 3,500 suppliers from every sector of the global meetings and events industry.

She Means Business, part of EduMonday, takes place on Monday 20 May, the day before IMEX in Frankfurt, 21 -23 May 2019. It’s free to enter once you’ve registered for IMEX in Frankfurt.

Registration for the show is free of charge and open to all in the meetings, events and incentive travel industry.

International Women’s Day is on 8 March and celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.