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RICHARDSON, Texas–()– #backtobusiness–The enseoCONNECT universal mobile remote allows any hotel guest to navigate the TV and control smart devices in their room using their smartphones.
A new Tourism potential in Tanzania: The Southern Circuit
A new Tourism potential is about to be unlocked In Tanzania. All roads and international air routes will in the near future, be leading to the Southern circuit, as the tour operators have major plans to open new tourism revenue streams.
Complimenting the Government’s drive to transform the Southern tourism circuit, the key tourism players are currently scouting for apt partners to invest heavily in accommodations as part of a strategy to open up the area for travel.
It is understood, the Fifth Government under President Dr John Pombe Magufuli is working overtime to put up hardware infrastructures as it seeks to unleash the full economic potential of the area.
Impressed by the government move to designate Iringa as the Southern circuit hub, Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) last week deployed a delegation led by its Vice-Chairman, Mr Henry Kimambo to identify new potential members in its effort to establish a chapter in the area to cater for the entire Southern circuit.
“We want to replicate the best practices from the northern tourism circuit to Southern shred,” Mr Kimambo told the tour operators in Iringa during the engagement meeting.
He revealed that TATO plans to bring its services close to its members in Southern circuit, comprising Morogoro, Iringa, Njombe and Mbeya anytime soon.
This implies that the 36-year-old advocacy agency for a multi-billion dollar industry, with its base in northern safari capital of Arusha, will soon have a liaison office in Iringa to take care its Southern circuit members.
Mr Kimambo said that his association was aware that the Southern circuit based tour operators not only have their own different issues but also need strong ties with their northern tourism circuit peers if the tourism potential is to be unleashed.
Presenting the benefits before the Southern Circuit tour operators, TATO Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sirili Akko said lobbying and advocacy is a core service offered by his association.
“Members enjoy the conducive business environment as TATO represent a collective voice for private tour operators in lobbying and advocate towards the common goal of improving the business climate in Tanzania” Mr Akko explained.
TATO also provides unparalleled networking opportunities for its members, allowing individuals tour operators or company to connect with their peers, mentors, and other industry leaders and policymakers.
As a member, one is in the unique position to attend conventions, seminars, award dinners and other related events with like-minded professionals in the field. These events are attended by the brightest minds and are a hotbed of ideas and collaborative efforts.
“An association’s annual General meeting represents an incredible opportunity for members to meet and network with the largest gathering of their peers during the year” Mr Sirili explained.
TATO also trains its members on key issues such as labour laws, tax compliance, corporate social responsibility, conservation issues, among others, he noted.
As if that was not enough, TATO members also enjoy the service of having a platform where they channel their operational or policy related challenges to the government for a solution.
Members are also bonded together as they advocate for their peers and share their challenges and triumphs with one another, TATO CEO explained.
“Indeed, TATO provides members with a competitive advantage because they become active, informed members of their industry” Mr Sirili said, stressing that his members also get updates on all issues on tourism and related sectors by providing resources, information, and opportunities they might not have had otherwise.
Thanks to USAID PROTECT Project for building the capacity of TATO, an umbrella organization with over 300 members, for it to become an efficient advocacy agency for the tourism sector.
Project coordinator, Mr Jumapili Chenga said the scaling up membership base for TATO is one of his scheme’s components.
Iringa Region Tourism Officer, Ms Hawa Mwichaga was grateful that at the long last a strategy to unlock the Southern tourism circuit has stepped up a gear.
Tour operators from Iringa, Mbeya and other regions namely Ernest Luwala, Nancy Mfugale, Modestus Mdemu, Serafina Lanzi supported the idea of joining TATO as a concrete step to spur tourism in southern circuit.
Natural Resources and Tourism Ministry’s officer-in-charge for Southern Circuit, Ms Tully Kulanya said her zone has a great potential for tourism business.
“The Southern Parks are the perfect destinations for travelers looking for plentiful and rare wildlife in a remote area of Africa” Ms Kulanya noted.
The national parks namely Mikumi, Udzungwa, Kitulo Ruaha, as well as Selous Game Reserve, have fewer visitors and give the feeling of being all-alone. Activities include game drives in open vehicles, boat safaris, and walking safaris. These safaris include flights between the parks.
Tanzania’s earnings from tourism jumped 7.13 percent in 2018, helped by an increase in arrivals from foreign visitors, the government has said.
Tourism is the main source of hard currency in Tanzania, best known for its beaches, wildlife safaris and Mount Kilimanjaro.
Revenues from tourism fetched $2.43 billion for the year, up from $2.19 billion in 2017, Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa said in a presentation to parliament.
Tourist arrivals totaled 1.49 million in 2018, compared with 1.33 million a year ago, Majaliwa said.
President John Magufuli’s government said it wants to bring in 2 million visitors a year by 2020.
Princess Cruises returns to Tahiti in 2020
In 2020, Princess Cruises guests will enjoy the welcoming spirit and idyllic islands of French Polynesia when the cruise line returns to Tahiti with the intimate Pacific Princess, offering a series of roundtrip cruises for the first time since 2015. Tahiti and French Polynesia cruises open for sale on April 17, 2019.
Guests will discover a trove of unspoiled treasures with sparkling lagoons and white-sand beaches available on five, 10-day Tahiti & French Polynesia departures, sailing roundtrip from Tahiti (Papeete). Every voyage includes overnight calls in Tahiti’s capital Papeete and romantic Bora Bora, as well as a late-night stay in Raiatea. Additional ports includes Huahine, Rangiroa, and Moorea. Cruise vacations begin Oct. 5, 15, 25 and Nov. 4 and 14, 2020 starting at $1,999.
“Tahiti and French Polynesia lure travelers from all over the world seeking pure unspoiled paradise, snorkeling, swimming adventures and relaxation,” said Jan Swartz Princess Cruises president. “With our return to Tahiti in 2020, Princess Cruises offers the best way to explore this remote island life aboard our intimate Pacific Princess.”
Small ship cruising on Pacific Princess with just 670 guests offers casual elegance, signature Princess Cruises features, warm welcoming service and the special camaraderie that guests always find when sailing with others who share their passion for travel.
“Princess Cruises has a long history with Tahiti and is a highly valued partner showcasing the diversity of our islands, the rich authentic local culture, and the great variety of experiences that await discovery,” notes Paul Sloan, Tahiti Tourisme, Directeur Général and CEO. “We are eagerly looking forward to next year and welcoming Pacific Princess back to The Islands of Tahiti.”
With four Grand Adventure & Crossings itineraries, Pacific Princess also offers longer sailings for guests to experience the Aloha spirit of the Hawaiian Islands or discover the treasures of South America, including Easter Island with its mysterious Moai. A 19- or 29-day Hawaii & Tahiti Grand Adventure cruise departs Vancouver Sept. 16, 2020 and a 25- or 35-day Tahiti, South America & Panama Canal Crossing departs Tahiti on Nov. 14 or 24, 2020.
Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive sits on Tourism Panel at the sixth Annual Destination Wedding Planners Congress in Dubai
Seychelles was bestowed with high honours as the destination was represented at the Tourism Panel at the Destination Wedding Planners (DWP) Congress from March 27 to 29 2019, held in Dubai’s iconic five-star hotel and luxury resort, Atlantis the Palm.
The Seychelles delegation at the DWP event comprised of The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis and STB representative in Dubai, Ahmed Fathallah.
The STB Chief Executive who was present at the event as a destination speaker represented on the Tourism Panel, which was moderated by Conde Nast Traveller Editor-in-Chief in UAE Rhea Saran.
The panel also comprised of the Carlotta Ferrari, Director at the Destination Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau; Srisuda Wanapinyosak, Deputy Governor for the Tourism Authority in Thailand and Assistant Vice President for Dubai Tourism, Steen Jakobsen.
The discussions focused on the role of tourism boards in promoting destination weddings, collaboration with local suppliers and partners as well as the enhancement of the wedding industry in every destination.
During her intervention, Mrs. Francis reflected on the tourism board’s standpoint of the destination and its marketing in relations to Seychelles as a wedding and honeymoon destination. Presenting the archipelago as an ideal location to create perfect memories for occasions like wedding, honeymoons, anniversaries or impromptu romantic breaks.
“Seychelles is one place where beauty and year-round tropical warmth ensure that love is always in the air. For the last few decades, our clientele for weddings and honeymoon has been predominantly Europeans specially British, French, German and Italian. It has been a pleasure to note that recently there has been an expansion in our clientele and a shift in trends. We have noted wedding requests from the Americans, from India, and China. As a tourism board, we endeavor to remain one of the top destinations that one would think of to create special memories,” said Chief Executive Sherin Francis.
“Couples and honeymooners remain to be the top segment for getaways bound to Seychelles from the GCC market for the past year.
Thanks to the destination’s naturally romantic and unspoilt surroundings of pristine beaches, calm waters and year-round sunshine, the Seychelles truly offers the perfect location for a truly luxurious wedding or honeymoon destination. The Seychelles is not only well-worth a holiday, but are also the ideal destination for a wedding,” said Fathallah.
It is apparent that Seychelles remain to be a natural backdrop for weddings and honeymoons as the destination evokes romance.
Surrounded by granite outcrops, cloud-white sand and azure waters, this luxurious archipelago offers both romance and adventure for a wedding day. It is deliciously remote; brimming with picture perfect beaches and is quite simply a taste of paradise.
The DWP event is a premium business-to-business networking event and has cemented its position as one the Best Congress in the World for promoting Destination Wedding Tourism.
The DWP Congress industry organized by Dubai based QnA Global is a luxury invitation-only business platform that brings together more than 500 destination wedding specialists from over 70 countries under one roof.
5 places to visit on your bucket list
While everyone’s ultimate travel bucket list is different, there are certain destinations that really shouldn’t be missed, from American and Canadian destinations to places around the world, including these.
Ireland
The Emerald Isle is truly magical, even if leprechauns aren’t real, or are they? You can visit the Leprechaun Museum in Dublin to find out, but the highlight here is the scenery, and the castles, the music, the people. Visit ancient sites like Newgrange, even older than Stonehenge, constructed in 3200 BC, making it older than even the Great Pyramids of Giza too. Haunting castles and castle ruins dot the lush, green landscape, and there are beautiful beaches along the rugged coasts. Some of your favorite times might be found in the pubs, many of which host live music almost every night of the week, along with plenty of Guinness and craic.
Nashville, Tennessee
Music lovers especially should visit Nashville. Known as the “Music City,” it’s home to hundreds of live music venues that draw well-known names as well as up-and-coming artists. And, while you’ll find plenty of country, that’s not all. Its most famous venue is Grand Ole Opry, and at the historic Ryman Auditorium, visitors can even attend a live recording. The city also boasts a booming rock scene, with venues big and small, including The Basement, an intimate venue hosting everything from metal to acoustic shows.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
America’s top attraction with foreign visitors, the Grand Canyon is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Up to 18 miles wide, a mile deep and 227 miles long, the canyon walls are made up of a stunning array of colors and erosional forms, made even more impressive at sunrise and sunset. You’ll want to do more than peer over the edge, though. You can enjoy an unforgettable adventure by riding a mule to the bottom, or head out to explore one of its more remote regions, making the long but rewarding trek to gaze at one of the world’s most breathtaking sights, Havasu Falls.
Antarctica
The ultimate bucket list destination, when your vessel gets through the waters of Orne Harbor, you’ll be welcomed by hundreds of squawking penguins tending their young in a desolate frozen landscape where iceberg peaks soar as much as 300 feet from of the sea. Minke and humpback whales, fur and leopard seals, are just a few of the other creatures you’re likely to encounter in one of the world’s last true frontiers.
Iceland
While its name might lead you to believe that it’s all about icy landscapes here, it’s anything but. The winters are similar to what you’d experience in major cities on America’s east coast, and the summer months are incredible with countless roaring waterfalls and hot springs in an otherworldly place of epic fairytale proportions. Soak in the legendary Blue Lagoon with its milky blue mineral-rich waters, or head to one of the more remote hot springs where you can soak in seclusion.
Nepal Tourism Board CEO: Tourists not affected in deadly storm in remote southern plains
Tourists in Nepal are not affected in today’s deadly storm. The Nepal Prime minister KP Sharma Oli expressed his condolences in a tweet and said that as well as the 25 killed, around 400 were injured in the Bara District.
Deepak Ra Joshi, CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board told eTurboNews: ” This region is in south plain, close to the border with India. It’s not a tourist region and no tourists are hurt. The Government of Nepal is focused on rescue and treatment of those affected.”
Bara lies in Province No. 2. It is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Kalaiya as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,190 km² and has a population of 687,708. Bakaiya, Jamuniya, Pasaha, Dudhaura and Bangari are the main rivers of Bara.
Bara district is famous for the Gadhimai Temple, particularly as every five years it celebrates the Gadhimai Mela. The region is usually not on any visitors itineraries.
At least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured after stormy weather hit southern Nepal, destroying houses, uprooting trees and toppling electricity poles, officials said.
The thunderstorm swept through the district of Bara and adjoining areas late on Sunday (Mar 31), Bara’s police chief Sanu Ram Bhattarai said.
On Sunday night, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said rescue teams from Nepal Police, the Army, and the Armed Police Force had been deployed overnight. The government has been dispatching helicopters to the affected areas.
Meanwhile, hospitals in both districts have been overwhelmed by hundreds of injured. More than 200 victims have been admitted to Kalaiya Hospital, which has only five doctors on duty. The bodies of dead have been piling up at the Narayani Hospital, National Medical College and Healthcare Hospital in neighboring Birgunj district.
More on Nepal Tourism: https://www.welcomenepal.com/
Living as a digital nomad: some unexpected issues you may face
Digital nomad’s life is the one that most people want to have. It seems so easy and fun for a person to work while traveling the world creating new experiences and seeing new places. All this without having to press pause on their paycheck! Of course, there are numerous benefits to this type of living. However, there are also stresses and pressures that aren’t talked as much as the highs of this type of work. The benefits depend on where you come from, where you travel to and what type of work you do. This article will highlight some of the unexpected issues that people are living the digital nomad life experience while living the life. They are going to help you make more informed choices and allow to weight and find out if you can handle these issues, before you choose this type of work.
- You will never have a routine
The unpredictability of freelance work is unsettling and psychologically draining. It can make one more anxious especially if they do not have a reliable and stable source of income. It can be stressful to find cheap prices for anything. If you are a student, you may also want to check out some writing service review where you can get good services for your essays and homework. So keenly go over the edusson.com review and figure out how much it will cost you to have an essay done.
People who work in offices have routines. They know what they will be doing at 5 p.m. a day from today. Most people who start the nomad life are in it because they craved a break from all these routines. They were worried about being slaves to the predictability of life. One of the biggest sacrifices that they need to make is to live a life without any routines whatsoever. In truth, even the smallest forms of routines are great for both mental and emotional health. These routines make you more productive because they create better structure; they eliminate distractions and are helpful to your general rhythms of life.
- Not being taken seriously
This is an issue that affects the mental health of most who love nomadic traveling. People may frequently tell you that you are not struggling because your life is perfect. They may wonder why you are complaining. There seems that there is no way people are going to take you seriously. They assume that your life is full of constant streams of gorgeous places and that you accomplish all your bucket list experiences in a month. They assume that these enviable circumstances cannot possibly be stressful.
In fact, some people might complain about their life and issue that you will feel guilty when you want to talk about your challenges. As a result of this sense of shame, most remote workers will never write honestly about how they feel. They will share amazing captions with their cool selfies from Thailand and act like life could not be better for them. The last thing anyone wants is to appear spoiled and ungrateful. They stop addressing issues that are serious and real, and may even end up in depression and stress since they ignore the real issues they face daily. Studies have shown that one in every four people can experience mental health problems in their lifetime at least once. A quarter of all the people who experience these problems each year are digital nomads. The unpredictable and isolated lifestyle of traveling full time makes them more likely to suffer from this problem. The stigma surrounding these problems makes it difficult to talk about.
- It is a lonely life
Human beings are social creatures. They are meant to create long term friendships. However, these relationships require a person to dedicate time and effort into creating lasting bonds. While traveling is great, it does not allow people to create and maintain these relationships. This is probably why these digital nomads do not have families until they settle down for more predictable lives. When you are only staying somewhere for a short period, it is impossible to create deep connections with people or make any sort of warm enthusiastic friendships that happen between gregarious strangers in a great mood. While these are also fun, they are nor, by definition, true friendships. You may have many short term friends and may likely create relationships that might last a lifetime, but nothing deep. None of them will know you better than you know yourself.
- Unhealthy eating habits
Well, you will definitely want to sample everything. You will want to find out which delicacies are also the best. That is fine. However, because of your unpredictable life, it will be difficult to set time for workouts. You also live in hotels so you may probably not have time to make yourself some healthy homemade meals. Your sleeping patterns will also be all over the place. With these habits, having a healthy life is going to be difficult.
Marriott Hotels brings TED Fellows Salon to Cape Town
Marriott Hotels in partnership with TED, hosted its first TED Fellows Salon in Cape Town, South Africa, sparking conversations around Africa’s beauty, rich heritage and innovative spirit. Held at the Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers, renowned TED Fellows, Kenyan musician Bill Sellanga and South African conservation biologist Steve Boyes, led the innovative and thought-provoking discussion providing guests the opportunity to engage and be inspired.
“At Marriott Hotels, everything we do is guided by our belief that travel expands the mind and triggers new and creative ways of thinking,” said Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, Vice President Premium & Select Brands, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. “Our partnership with TED brings together creative energy and distinct aesthetic. In recent years, Cape Town has shifted its focus to making the city more sustainable, encouraging citizens to innovate while maintaining its rich heritage. Hosting our first TED Fellows Salon at Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers is an opportunity for us to spark intellectual conversations and inspire new perspectives for our guests.”
The speakers at this Marriott Hotels TED Salon represent some of the brightest thinkers of their generation who are working towards making positive, meaningful and lasting change in their communities. Steve Boyes explores, protects and restores some of the most remote wildernesses in Africa, including the threatened Okavango Delta, one of our last remaining fresh watersheds. Working with the Angolan government, Boyes recently established two of the largest protected areas in Sub-Saharan Africa amounting to twice the size of England. A trained ornithologist, he is the Executive Director of the Wild Bird Trust and a Fellow at the National Geographic Society.
Sharing the spotlight with Boyes was TED fellow Bill “Blinky” Sellanga. A prolific Kenyan producer and musician, Sellanga is the frontman of musical collective Just A Band, which mixes genres like hip-hop, electronica and funk to make music for popular radio and to give voice to the Kenyan youth. He recently released his first solo album, Everyone’s Just Winging It and Other Fly Tales, weaving African rhythms together with electronic cuts, hip-hop and funk for a unique-brand of “African cool.”
Held at the Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers, the event was attended by thought leaders, innovators, members of the recently launched travel platform, Marriott Bonvoy and media. Overlooking the Grand Canal in Century City, Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers formed the perfect backdrop for the Cape Town edition of the TED Fellows Salon. Whether you admire the view of Table Mountain from the exquisite outdoor swimming pool or settle down after a busy day in a guest room with sleek furnishings and ultra-soft, plush bedding, a stay at the Cape Town Marriott Hotel Crystal Towers promises to be a journey that inspires brilliance.
The ongoing global partnership between Marriott Hotels and TED is now in its third year, following its launch in 2016, and has been expanded to include more exciting and innovative programming at Marriott Hotels in key destinations worldwide. Marriott Hotels is a brand that’s geared towards a new generation of travelers, who continuously seek fresh inspirations and creative ideas during their own life-changing journeys around the world.
The Cape Town edition is the third TED Fellows Salon to be held within Middle East and Africa with two previous ones being held at Cairo and Abu Dhabi. TED Salons have been hosted in several Marriott Hotels globally, including Bengaluru, Bangkok, London, and Athens. Marriott Hotels also has an Instagram story series which offers viewers original, inspiring content and an inside look at their favorite idea engine.
International Happiness Day: How Abu Dhabi Airports celebrates
In celebration of International Happiness Day on March 20, Abu Dhabi Airports has announced the results of the Abu Dhabi Airport’s “happiness index” for 2018. The company’s happiness indicator revealed that 82% of passengers were happy with their experience at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) last year. In addition, 89% of passengers reported their happiness with the airport’s services in March 2018, and 88% in October 2018, which are exceptionally high monthly figures for an international aviation hub.
Abu Dhabi Airports also measures its customers’ satisfaction through its implementation of the Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airports Service Quality (ASQ) survey program since 2006. The company officially started measuring happiness in October 2017 with the implementation of the Interactive Feedback system and additional surveys, where both results are combined and averaged with the aim of achieving a passenger happiness rate of more than 75% by 2019.
Abu Dhabi Airports records the happiness of its customers by requesting their input at feedback mounts installed throughout Terminals 1 and 3 at AUH, in addition to conducting monthly surveys in the terminals. Both the feedback mounts and surveys ask passersby if they are happy or unhappy with their overall experience at the airport.
Bryan Thompson, CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, said: “Providing our customers and passengers with an exciting experience and making sure they are happy with our services and their overall travel experience is among our foremost priorities. We continue to launch initiatives to ensure the happiness and comfort of our passengers and staff, as this is an important part of our commitment to excellence and forms a part of our vision of becoming the world’s leading airports group.”
Abu Dhabi Airports is committed to enhancing its customer experience by celebrating national holidays, providing travellers with special services and the opportunity to win prizes, and making available exceptional offers at its retail and food and beverage outlets. Furthermore, the company launched last year its Customer Happiness Ambassador Program designed to showcase Abu Dhabi’s unique brand of Arabian Hospitality.
In addition, Abu Dhabi Airports continues to ensure a seamless travel experience through the provision of premium and exclusive services such as ultra-fast Super-Fi internet access, remote check-in, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance services, available exclusively in the region at Abu Dhabi International Airport.