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Hilton Hotels in Africa: The big five commitments

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Since Hilton announced its Big Five commitments to drive sustainable travel and tourism in Africa less than a year ago, the company has allocated $626,000 towards community partnerships and projects.  These drive impact and deepen positive social and environmental change in five key areas – Youth Opportunity, Water Stewardship, Anti-Human Trafficking, Local Sourcing, and Wildlife Protection.

Investments include hotel-level project funding as well as contributions through the newly founded Hilton Effect Foundation and Hilton’s global partnerships with the World Wildlife Fund, International Youth Foundation, and Vital Voices.


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Rudi Jagersbacher, President, MEA&T, Hilton said: “Hilton is fully committed to Africa and the sustainable development of its travel and tourism sector. Our teams across the continent are empowered to invest in and scale up initiatives that build skills among young people, mitigate risks in human trafficking, engage local entrepreneurs across our supply chain, improve water efficiencies and promote responsible wildlife-based tourism.”

Examples of Hilton’s collaboration with local organizations in support of its Big Five commitment include:

Youth Opportunity – Hilton Transcorp Abuja, Nigeria partners with ACE Charity on its Business Empowerment Program for Women (BEPW) to provide skills and training opportunities for young women. Their latest project will see the BEPW participants trained in repurposing linen to create hotel uniforms and guest amenity bags saving around 50% on sourcing costs.

Water Stewardship – Hilton Garden Inn Lusaka, Zambia is tackling water access needs in the community by building a water pipe and pump with Village Water Zambia. This will specifically support local school children who are the most at risk from water-related illnesses.

Anti-Human Trafficking – Hilton Yaounde, Cameroon extends its partnership with the Women’s Guild for Empowerment and Development to create integration programs and work experiences for women who have been victims of human trafficking.

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Local Sourcing – Hilton Northolme, Seychelles will invest in a local hydroponic farm and its sustainable farming practices, in order to promote farm-to-table experiences for guests, and reduce the hotel’s reliance on imported vegetables and herbs by 40% and 100%.

Wildlife Protection – Hilton Nairobi, Kenya continues to sponsor six elephants in a local elephant sanctuary which cares for orphaned elephants and supports their reintegration into the wild. This commitment has been sustained now for more than five years.

Hilton has been operating continuously in Africa since 1959 and is committed to long-term sustainable growth across the continent.  It currently operates a total of 47 hotels in Africa and has an active pipeline with a further 52 properties under development.

More information on African Tourism Board: www.africantoursmboard.com

MEDIA CONTACT: TravelMarketingNetwork, 954 Lexington Ave. #1037, New York, NY 10021 USA, PH: (+1) 718-374-6816, marketing@travelmarketingnetwork.com

Jamaica’s Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme to be a Landmark for Global Tourism Social Legislation – says Bartlett

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Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says the Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme will be a landmark plan for tourism social legislation in the world, as it will be the first of its kind to provide a comprehensive pension plan for all the workers of the tourism sector — whether permanent, contract or self-employed.

Speaking at a Jamaica Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme Awareness and Sensitization Seminar at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston yesterday, the Minister noted that “We now as a result of collective efforts over a period of time, have come together with a plan that will be a landmark plan for tourism social legislation in the world. Jamaica will be the only country in the world that has a comprehensive pension plan for all the workers of the tourism sector.”

The Tourism Workers’ Pensions scheme is designed to cover all workers ages 18-59 years in the tourism sector, whether permanent, contract or self-employed.  This includes hotel workers as well as persons employed in related industries, such as craft vendors, tour operators, red cap porters, contract carriage operators and workers at attractions.

The Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme, which will receive $1 billion in funding from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), will see benefits being payable at age 65 years or older.

“This landmark piece of social legislation in the industry is going to represent in time, the largest pool of domestic savings that this economy would have provided. Real growth comes when we are able to convert domestic savings into investments,” he said.

He further noted that the plan will be of particular interest to workers in the industry who have been employed at a number of organizations over the years on short-term employment contracts.

“The plan will protect contract workers by providing them with a social safety net. It will enable them to join as a self-employed person. So you can move from one company to the other, change your contract, knowing that your retirement plans are secure,” said Minister Bartlett.

According to the Tourism Minister, the scheme is the final piece in a four-point human capital development plan to enhance Jamaica’s tourism workers.

The other three initiatives in the human capital development plan are training, capacity building and creating the ability of tourism workers to have knowledge and convert that knowledge into practical applications; providing a pathway to professionalism and jobs; and improving the social conditions around which the tourism worker lives.

“If we are to build the capacity of tourism to deliver on the prosperity agenda, we must build the capacity of the people, the human capital must be enhanced. We think that there is no equity in this game, if this industry is so big, and it cannot secure the safety, future and social requirements of the people who work in it,” he said.

The Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme Bill was passed in the House of Parliament on June 25 and is in keeping with the Government’s focus on creating a social security network within the tourism sector.

The Ministry of Tourism will host three other Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme Awareness and Sensitization Seminars in Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril within the next two weeks, as part of their public awareness campaign.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Corporate Communications Division

Ministry of Tourism,

64 Knutsford Boulevard,

Kingston 5.

Tel: 920-4926-30,

Fax: 920-4944

Seychelles Tourism Minister meets with hotel owners on another official visit

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The Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Didier Dogley and his Principal Secretary for Tourism, Mrs. Anne Lafortune conducted a hotel visit in the south of Mahé on Friday, June 28, 2019. 

The visit was directed in the south; around the region of Baie Lazare, Takamaka and Anse Forbans. The visit featured six hotel establishments, classified as small and medium hotels (containing between four to 32 rooms).

 It started at the 32- roomed Val Mer Resort Hotel, followed by the Green Blue Beach House and Li-Al-Do Maison in Baie Lazare. 

In the region of Takamaka, the delegation visited Villa Baptista Beach Bungalows, alongside Anse Takamaka View and the official call ended in Anse Forban at Chalets D’Anse Forbans.

During his interaction with the hoteliers, Minister Dogley reiterated his satisfaction to have an opportunity to meet the private sector on a regular basis. He mentioned that these occasions allow him to interact with hotel owners and directors, to discuss a broad range of issues. He also said it encourages them to work harder at making Seychelles the number one holiday destination in the region, with regards to services offered.

Minister Dogley further mentioned his interest to see small hotel establishments continue to grow and prosper as he continues to explain that they are key contributors to the local economy.

“It is heart-warming to learn that most of the hotel establishments have done well during the first half of 2019.  However, there is a clear need for the relevant agencies to redouble their efforts and tackle the issues that are impacting negatively not only on our tourism industry, but on our society.  We within the Ministry responsible for tourism will play our part further by ensuring that real tangible progress is made in the right direction,” said Minister Dogley.

Throughout all the meetings, recurring themes have been features such as the access to labour, the social skills affecting the country as a whole and the need to reduce the amount of VAT, which small establishments have to pay. 

For their part, the hoteliers highlighted their satisfaction about their occupancy rate and challenges faced by the industry. They mentioned the quality of services operating cost in Seychelles, hiring, and maintaining local labour.

At the different establishments, Minister Dogley and Mrs. Lafortune also seized the moment to promote the Seychelles Sustainable Tourism Label (SSTL) and inspire the hoteliers to join the ecological movement. They did this by making their respective brand one that is associated with sustainable tourism, as well as empowering their staff.

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, stbnews@seychelles.travel  www.seychelles.travel

Minister Bartlett addresses global tourism leaders at 2019 World Travel and Tourism Council

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As a part of a panel of the 2019 World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), held on Tuesday, June 11 in New York City, Minister of Tourism, Honorable Minister Edmund Bartlett spoke about the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR), and how private-public partnerships serve as catalysts for economic growth and the transformation of local communities in tangible ways.

Minister Bartlett, who participated in a panel discussion titled “From Doing CSR to Being CSR,” said, “CSR must seek to create the balance between the idea of ‘me,’ and the definition of ‘we,’.” The Minister added, “In Jamaica we are working closely with our private sector partners to ensure that the ‘we,’ – meaning the residents of Jamaica – will experience the benefits of social and economic resilience. From our point of view, CSR is about enhancing and improving the quality of our lives locally.”

Minister Bartlett has been an ardent supporter of engaging the private sector to advance the sustainable development of tourism in Jamaica and globally. Under his leadership, Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism has formed private-public partnerships and alliances that span a range of sectors, including transportation, agriculture, health and wellness, manufacturing, and small business. Some of these partnerships have taken the form of foreign direct investment, particularly in the area of accommodation.

In Jamaica and across the Caribbean, several international resorts are engaging in CSR practices in areas such as community outreach, housing renovations and donations to local schools. In Jamaica, Sandals Resorts is an example of how the private sector can take CSR one step further – beyond corporate philanthropy – by developing sustainable projects with direct linkages to local communities.

For example, Sandals Resorts has been working with local Jamaican farmers by donating seeds, and then offering a direct market for the reaped produce. In fact, 90 percent of all produce used in Jamaica is procured locally. Sandals Resorts is also investing in climate-related agricultural training at trade schools and in university programs across the country.

“The people of Jamaica are seeing the benefits of these CSR models, and so we are committed to expanding these social enterprise initiatives with our private sector partners to enhance Jamaica’s capacity to derive more from the growth of tourism in our country,” said Minister Bartlett.

The WTTC represents the travel and tourism private sector globally. Its members include more than 170 CEOs, Chairmen and Presidents of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism companies from all geographies, covering all industries.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

Puerto Rico Tourism: Out with the old, in with the new

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“Since our inception last July, we hit the ground running to accelerate the tourism economy,” said Brad Dean, CEO of Discover Puerto Rico. “This brand campaign follows a strong publicity effort that set up Puerto Rico as the top place to visit in 2019 and a recently revamped website, DiscoverPuertoRico.com.

“The creative highlights our two strongest assets – our culture and our people – and will help us strengthen traveler’s familiarity with what makes our Island one-of-a-kind.”  The campaign officially launches today across digital channels via digital banners, social, pre-roll and a follow-up TV spot that will launch in coming weeks in key markets. Additional marketing support is expected throughout the rest of 2019, to attract visitors to the Island during the summer travel season.”

Discover Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico’s newly-established Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), announced today the rollout of Puerto Rico’s brand campaign called “Have We Met Yet?” which draws inspiration from Puerto Rico’s cultural and natural offerings and at its essence, focuses on the hospitable and welcoming nature of its people. By posing the question “Have We Met Yet?” the creative re-introduces the Island to the world and brings to life the exotic yet familiar essence of Puerto Rico. As the U.S. mainland’s “neighbor to the south,” the new campaign showcases through Puerto Rico’s iconic doors how the Island welcomes visitors with open arms.

Following extensive research that showed that Puerto Rico’s brand identity was neutral in the minds of travelers, this new campaign is this next phase of Discover Puerto Rico’s brand repositioning process, enabling the Island to fully capitalize on its rich tourism product offerings and emerge as a leading Caribbean destination. The creative repositions the island as that neighbor that one dreams of – with the festive flair, the ocean view, the incredible art collection, the delicious food. Puerto Rico is the neighbor you’ll laugh with, celebrate with, and maybe even fall in love with.

“Puerto Rico’s people, its rich culture and unparalleled natural offerings, combined with the fact that it’s a U.S. territory and easily accessible, were key factors that led to this creative. We’re excited to debut this brand campaign as it opens the door, literally, to endless possibilities that showcase the spirit of the Puerto Rican people and everything the Island has to offer,” said Leah Chandler, CMO of Discover Puerto Rico.

Travelers exposed to the new brand campaign will be immediately drawn by the colorful vibrant doors and stunning imagery found throughout the Island. The creative highlights many aspects that make Puerto Rico a unique destination—ranging from its people, its cuisine, its festive spirit, its natural attractions, and much more.

“The campaign invites travelers to visit Puerto Rico and meet us, the neighbor that you can’t live without,” said Chandler. “Puerto Rico was named the #1 Place to Visit in 2019 by the New York Times and has topped over 20 other notable lists of places to visit this year,” she added. “We want to send a message to all travelers that this is THE year to visit Puerto Rico. The entire island is eager to welcome them.”

The creative was ideated and produced by Beautiful Destinations, with support from local production crews who traveled throughout the Island to capture the beautiful scenery, thousands of colorful doors, and welcoming faces of the Puerto Rican people.

To view the “Have We Met Yet?” creative online, visit YouTube.com/DiscoverPuertoRico and be on the lookout for additional campaign creative coming soon.

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