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Global Tourism Industry Mourns the Loss of Peter Wong

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Tourism Icon Peter Wong died on 11 March 2019, at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam, HongKong.


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Peter Wong was Executive Chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism, Vice Chairman of the Global Tourism Economy Forum, and Chairman of several private sector companies including M.K. Corporation Ltd., Culture Resources Development Co Ltd, Silk Road Hotel Management Co Ltd, and Silk Road Travel Management Ltd. Since 1993, he participated as a member of the United Nations multi-agencies Silk Road Project.

Peter was politically active serving on the National People’s Congress as a representative from Hong Kong from 1993 until his death.  Peter Wong was a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and a recipient of the Young Industrialist Award of Hong Kong.

During the UNWTO 22nd General Assembly in Chengdu, China, Peter said: “Tourism is increasingly an important economic pillar for all countries and beyond this, we are now moving into an era of universal values which our industry is in the forefront of championing – like poverty alleviation and environmental protection; and we are an industry that more than any other is dedicated to propagating a message of peace and harmony.”

The founder of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism(IIPT)  Louis D’Amore told eTurboNews: “Peter’s passing was much too soon and will be felt throughout the industry. He continually spoke of the ’PHD‘ role of tourism – a role of Peace, Harmony and Development. And so his philosophy and concept of tourism were totally consistent with the philosophy and goals of IIPT.

Together with Peter as Executive Chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism, we launched the IIPT Global Peace Parks project with the dedication of Sun River National Park, Pu’er China as an IIPT International Peace Park (see photo left and below). We will certainly miss Peter’s collaboration on future projects.”

Peter traveled to Beijing on 2 March 2019 to attend the annual meeting of the NPC, only to return to Hong Kong two days later to treat an illness.

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The Seychelles Tourism Board to host the first Digital Marketing Fair in Seychelles

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The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Digital Marketing team once again brings in its ‘avant-garde’ touch to the industry as  it instigates the first ever Digital Fair for tourism Stakeholders.

The fair, which will be held on Tuesday March 26, 2019 at Eden Blue on Mahé and Thursday March 28, 2019 at Pirogue Restaurant & Bar on Praslin targets at creating a platform for local service providers to interact with their clients.

The first digital marketing fair will be an opportunity given to all to meet various exhibitors in a central location to discuss about the available digital services and experience new digital trends available on the local market.

The fair will also provide the local tourism trade representatives attending with the opportunity to meet the STB digital marketing experts for further interaction regarding how to maximise on digital resources to enhance their business growth opportunities.

The exhibitors include representatives from Intelvision, Hoffman Business Consultancy, Com & Click, CTF Consultancy, Kokonet, Maven, Hotel Link Solutions, VCS Group, K-Radio, Vision 360, Rockit, Multimedia Seychelles, Airtel, Sales & Marketing Seychelles Pty Ltd.

Speaking of the importance of the fair, STB Digital Marketing Director Chris Matombe mentions the necessity to facilitate interaction between stakeholders and digital service providers.

“The aim of this digital fair is for us to have a stronger collective digital presence. Through our interaction with various small partners in the industry, we have noted that there is a lack of communication between the local tourism trade and the digital service providers. Our objective as an organisation is to bridge the gap and open doors for our stakeholders to increase their online presence,” Said Mr. Matombe.

STB Chief Executive Mrs. Sherin Francis mentioned her satisfaction to see the fair being concretised; she commended the team for their efforts and expressed her desire to see more exhibitors join the project in the future.

“Our aim as the STB is to continuously raise the standards when it comes to the quality of service we provide. The fair is a perfect opportunity for all our partners to find a way to better their services. It adds to our marketing value as a destination and creates more visibility for their products and services and Seychelles as a whole,” said Mrs. Francis.

The digital marketing fair will be opened from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on Mahé and Praslin, the public is invited to visit the various stands to see the various products and services on display.

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Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville joins Benchmark Resorts & Hotels portfolio

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Benchmark has added the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville to the company’s Benchmark Resorts & Hotels brand portfolio. The recently renovated, 248-guest room property is located on the University of Florida campus, close to Gainesville’s Central Business District. The property serves a growing market of visiting alumni, parents and students, academics, and guests affiliated with the university. Its IACC-approved conference center, with 25,000 square feet of meeting space, attracts a significant number of meetings and events. The Hilton University of Florida Conference Center at Gainesville is Benchmark’s tenth property in Florida, and the third hotel located on a major college campus within the United States.

“We are honored to be chosen by Hilton Hotels & Resorts to manage this exceptional property,” says Benchmark CEO Alex Cabañas. “We are also delighted to again expand our presence in Florida, where both our Gemstone Collection and Benchmark Resorts & Hotels brands are represented throughout the Sunshine State,” he said. Benchmark recently added two hotels in St. Pete Beach to its portfolio, expanding its presence to Southwest Florida.

Mr. Cabañas also noted the growing importance of conference center hotels to a university. “These hotels serve as a campus ‘guest house’, providing an authentic, on-campus experience while sharing ideas and resources,” he said.

The non-smoking, pet-friendly hotel includes 248 guest rooms and suites featuring HDTV, desks for work/study-related activities, and complimentary WiFi. Guests can enjoy the property’s outdoor pool and whirlpool and a 24-hour fitness center.

The University of Florida is a prominent research university, set on 2,000 acres in Gainesville, in North Central Florida. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in law, medicine, business and engineering.

The University of Florida campus offers an array of services and attractions, including an art museum, concerts, lectures, theater, libraries and sports events. Guests can enjoy collegiate football at the nearby Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, home of the Florida Gators. Other local attractions include the Butterfly Rainforest, the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Gainesville Raceway. The surrounding region offers opportunities for biking, canoeing, paddle boarding, swimming and wildlife viewing at one of seven nearby Florida State parks.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Pierre Dominique Prümm joins Fraport Executive Board

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Pierre Dominique Prümm joins Fraport Executive Board

In its meeting today (Thursday, March 14), Fraport AG’s supervisory board appointed Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm to the company’s executive board, effective July 2019. Prümm will take over board responsibility for Fraport’s “Airside and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security” strategic business unit and the “Corporate Infrastructure Management” service unit.

Fraport AG’s supervisory board chairman Karlheinz Weimar welcomed the addition of Dr. Prümm to the executive board: “The global aviation industry will continue to undergo profound changes in the coming years. This will also bring multiple and significant challenges to Fraport AG as well as other industry players. Therefore, it is essential that we expand and strengthen our company’s executive board to meet the growing challenges and responsibilities.”

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Weimar also referred to the construction of Frankfurt Airport’s new Terminal 3, which is now fully underway, pointing out that “this project will entail strong changes in the existing traffic and terminal utilization structures. This means that we will not only have to optimally market the new Terminal 3, we will also have to redesign and upgrade our existing terminals – and we will have to do this while serving more passengers than ever before and while maintaining during regular operations.”

Therefore, the allocation of Prümm’s respective board responsibilities is a logical consequence of the challenges ahead, explained Weimar: “We need to align the management of our construction measures even closer to the demands and requirements of the market and our customers. We are confident that Dr. Prümm has the right expertise and know-how for this significant task.”

The Fraport Group is committed to further growth, both at its Frankfurt Airport home base and internationally. In the long and medium term, the Group intends to grow the share of revenue gained from its worldwide activities to 50 percent. Weimar added: “Our international activities, which remain under the responsibility of CEO Dr. Schulte, will play an increasingly important role for Fraport’s business.” In addition to the “Global Investment and Management” unit, Schulte’s board responsibilities will continue to include the “Airport Expansion South” unit, as well as the “Corporate Development, Environment and Sustainability” and “Corporate Communications” units.

Because digital transformation has become a decisive factor in all business segments, expertise in this area will be bundled in a new “Digitization and Innovation Management” department. The new organizational unit will be under the responsibility of executive board member Anke Giesen, who will also serve as Fraport’s Executive Director Retail & Real Estate. Giesen will continue to have board responsibility for Fraport’s “Retail and Properties” unit, as well as the “HR Top Executives” and “Legal Affairs and Compliance” units. Furthermore, the “Information and Telecommunications” unit has been newly assigned to her.

Executive board member Michael Müller, who is also Fraport’s Executive Director Labor Relations, will be assigned board responsibility for the new “Cargo and Logistics Management” unit. Three other units continue reporting directly to Müller: “Ground Services”, “Human Resources” and “Internal Auditing”.

Fraport’s Executive Director Controlling and Finance (CFO), Dr. Matthias Zieschang, will have board responsibilities for the following units: “Integrated Facility Management”, “Central Purchasing and Construction Contracts”, “Controlling”, “Finance and Investor Relations”, and “Accounting”.

Alexander Laukenmann will assume Dr. Prümm’s responsibilities as Senior Executive Vice President of the “Airside and Terminal Management, Corporate Safety and Security” unit. Previously holding the position of General Manager at Hamburg Airport, Laukenmann is returning to Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport, where he was employed in various positions from 2000 to 2016.

Supervisory board chairman Karlheinz Weimar concluded: “I am convinced that Fraport’s new executive team is excellently prepared to meet the challenges facing us in the future. The entire supervisory board wishes the executive board and the company’s management team success in ensuring a prosperous future for the Fraport Group and its employees.”

A short biography of Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm

Dr. Pierre Dominique Prümm, who is 45, joined Fraport on June 1, 2006, as head of the “Corporate Strategy” division within the former “Marketing, Corporate Strategy and Committees” department. On January 1, 2007, this function was integrated into the new “Corporate Strategy” unit, reporting directly to Fraport’s executive board chairman.

Following a major reshuffle of the company’s executive structure on October 1, 2010, the “Corporate Strategy” unit became part of the new “Corporate Development” unit headed by Prümm as Senior Vice President. On October 1, 2012, Prümm became Senior Executive Vice President of the “Airside and Terminal Operations, Corporate Safety and Security” unit, before advancing to the position of Fraport AG’s General Manager Aviation on April 1, 2018.

Prümm holds a Doctorate in Economics, as well as university degrees in business administration and political sciences. Before joining Fraport AG, he was a member of the managing board of Flughafen Hannover-Langenhangen GmbH, the company that runs Hanover Airport. Prior to this, Prümm held managerial positions at Start Amadeus GmbH and Kienbaum Management Consultants GmbH.

Meetings Redesigned: Centara Hotel one-stop MICE service

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Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is bringing fresh thinking and new approaches to deliver better meetings with the launch of New Agenda: Meetings Redesigned. Centara introduces a newly innovative ‘Meeting Redesigned’ concept, providing a one-stop MICE service and enhance customer experience.

Winfried Hancke, Corporate Director of Operations Food & Beverage, Centara Hotels & Resorts, says the new programme was conceived in response to customer feedback and a desire to take full advantage of the company’s outstanding venues and prime locations.

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“Our clients told us they were open to bold ideas and innovative ways to engage meeting participants, and we listened,” he says. “We are confident that the ideas and resources at the core of New Agenda: Meetings Redesigned will deliver more stimulating and effective meetings for our clients and their organisations.”

For too long, offsite meetings have followed a cookie-cutter approach that makes one meeting feel identical to another, resulting in bored participants and low engagement. New Agenda is designed to put an end to that, with a one-stop MICE service and enhanced customer experience and helps business to achieve the essential part of MICE: the spread of knowledge and professional practices and a key factor in building better understanding and relations amongst professionals.

The New Agenda programme is built around three main elements:

1. A one-stop Meeting Guru to serve as a single onsite resource and point-of-contact for end-to-end event management, ensuring seamless communication, planning and execution.

2. A redefined approach to team-building led by Centara’s in-house team-building specialists and in partnership with the professionals at Asia Ability, to develop effective new team-building techniques and energising activities.

3. Creative catering to reinforce engagement and strengthen participant involvement, with new ideas brought to life by Centara’s talented Food & Beverage teams such as ‘dinner in the dark’ concept by having Thai dancers enter with each course with dimmed LED Candles in hand or with blindfolds provided to create an ultimate sensory experience for all guests.

New Agenda is being progressively rolled out to a total of 25 operating Centara’s properties through 1st March 2019.