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New air service makes island of St. Helena accessible to more American travelers

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New flights are making it easier for curious Americans to visit one of the world’s most off-the-beaten-track destinations – the island of St. Helena.

Far flung in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, St. Helena (pronounced St. Hel-EE-na) is one of the planet’s most remote inhabited islands: 1,200 miles from Africa, and 1,800 miles from South America. And, it is its remoteness that is its charm and the source of its rich history.

The 47-square-mile volcanic island was – until very recently – accessible only by sea. But United Airlines’ new nonstop flights from New York to Cape Town, and new SAA Airlink flights from Cape Town (in addition to Johannesburg) are making a 3-, 4- or 7-day (or longer) visit to St. Helena a reality. An increased flight schedule is set for December through February.

Discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, St. Helena has been under British rule since 1657 and is, after Bermuda, the second oldest territory of the British Commonwealth. Its remoteness is what brought St. Helena fame; after the French defeat at the 1815 Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled to the island until he died there in 1821. His home is one of the most visited sites of St. Helena. Until 2017, St. Helena was reachable only by its very own Royal Mail Ship, RMS St. Helena, offering five-day voyages from Cape Town approximately every three weeks.

Today, St. Helena has a population of 4,500 and is eager to welcome visitors. It is dedicated to the conservation of its diverse and unique animal, plant, and marine life. And its capital, Jamestown, is considered one of the most authentic Georgian-period towns on earth.

St. Helena is a member of African Tourism Board.

Marriott Bay Area Business Council Organizes 2nd Annual San Francisco Torch Relay Benefiting UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals on Sunday, October 6, at Oracle Park

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The St. Regis San Francisco is pleased to announce its support for the annual Torch Relay for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a local 5k marathon benefiting UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland that will take place Sunday, October 6 starting at Oracle Park. The St. Regis General Manager Jacqueline Volkart serves as Chair of the Marriott Bay Area Business Council, a coalition of more than 100 Marriott properties in the Bay Area which are organizing and sponsoring The San Francisco Torch Relay.

The Torch Relay for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is a unique multi-day event where participants can walk or run a segment of The Torch Relay at events throughout the country to raise money for their local CMN Hospital, locally, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland. Since its beginnings in 2002, The Torch Relay has raised more than $15 million for children’s hospitals across the country.

“I am delighted to be part of the Marriott Bay Area Business Council team that has brought this event to San Francisco,” said Jacqueline Volkart. In her capacity as Chair of the Marriott Bay Area Business Council, together with Yoke Yong, Chair of the Next-Gen, BABC brought the first Torch Relay to San Francisco in 2018. “It’s an inspiring event on so many levels. The Torch Relay helps build and strengthen a community of people who support our local hospitals. Everyone can do a little something to help, whether they walk, run, volunteer or donate. And, all of the funds we raise are kept local, helping Bay Area kids and their families meet health challenges.”

The Marriott Bay Area Business Council is comprised of the leadership from more than 100 Marriott hotels in the Bay Area. As Chair of the Council and General Manager of the St. Regis San Francisco, Ms. Volkart helps lead several projects that give back to the local community, including The San Francisco Torch Relay, Coastal Cleaning, Earth Hour and Earth Day, Women in Leadership Series, SF Love our City, Cultural Days, Oakland Pride, Bridges and HARF, among many others.

The San Francisco Torch Relay will be held on Sunday, October 6 starting and finishing at Oracle Park. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and the relay begins at 10:00 a.m. and includes a walk/run along the waterfront of San Francisco’s Embarcadero. For more information and to register or donate, please visit The San Francisco Torch Relay.

About The St. Regis San Francisco

The St. Regis San Francisco opened in November 2005, introducing a new dimension of luxury and timeless elegance to the city of San Francisco.  The 40-story landmark building, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, includes 100 private residences rising 19 levels above the 260-room St. Regis Hotel.  From legendary butler service, “anticipatory” guest care and impeccable staff training to the signature Remède Spa, luxurious amenities and interior design by Yabu Pushelberg of Toronto, The St. Regis San Francisco delivers an unmatched guest experience.  The St. Regis San Francisco is located at 125 Third Street. Telephone: 415.284.4000. Website: stregissanfrancisco.com  

Media contacts:  Hwee Peng Yeo, Laura Gigounas, Danyelle Simpkins and Grecia Corleto at Glodow Nead Communications, 415.394.6500 or [email protected] .

Norwegian Cruise Line Announces Holiday Cruises 2019

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During the holidays, a vacation should put the family at ease, and cruising offers travelers stress-free planning, the opportunity to experience multiple destinations and the flexibility to cater to individual budgets and activities. With Norwegian’s philosophy of vacationing your way, guests can spend their holiday out-at-sea, stress-free, doing what they want, whenever they want with whoever they want.

With that said, below are some of Norwegian’s holiday cruise offerings:

  • Norwegian Dawn Holiday Cruises to the Western Caribbean are perfect for the whole family! Guests enjoy Christmas on board with festive, family activities including sing-a-longs, caroling, gingerbread house making and a meet & greet with Santa Claus all while visiting the beautiful islands of the Caribbean including Costa Maya, Cozumel, Mexico and more.
  • Norwegian Gem Holiday Cruises go to the Southern Caribbean from New York. Escape the winter blues and visit and explore some of the most beautiful ports in the Caribbean for Thanksgiving, New Years Eve and Christmas!
  • Pride of America Holiday Cruises sails year-round from Honolulu, Oaho on a seven-day inter-island cruise with nearly 100 hours in port time and the one’s in December are great for those who would enjoy a longer vacation during the holidays. Guests can partake in four-day pre-cruise tours in Honolulu and Oahu to experience traditions of the Polynesian Culture Center & Kualoa Ranch, wander through the surfing town of Haleiwa and honor lives lost at Pearl Harbor’s USS Arizona Memorial.

For more information about Norwegian Cruise Line and to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, or visit ncl.com.

About Norwegian Cruise Line

As the innovator in global cruise travel, Norwegian Cruise Line has been breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising for over 52 years. Most notably, the cruise line revolutionized the industry by offering guests the freedom and flexibility to design their ideal vacation on their preferred schedule with no assigned dining and entertainment times and no formal dress codes. Today, its fleet of 16 contemporary ships sail to nearly 300 of some of the world’s most desirable destinations, including Great Stirrup Cay, the company’s private island in the Bahamas and its resort destination Harvest Caye in Belize.  Norwegian Cruise Line not only provides superior guest service from land to sea, but also offers a wide variety of award-winning entertainment and dining options as well as a range of accommodations across the fleet, including solo-traveler staterooms, mini-suites, spa-suites and The Haven by Norwegian®, the company’s ship-within-a-ship concept. For additional information or to book a cruise, contact a travel professional, call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784) or visit ncl.com. For the latest news and exclusive content, visit the media center and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @NorwegianCruiseLine; and Twitter and Snapchat @CruiseNorwegian.

MEDIA CONTACT: Hwee Peng Yeo, Executive Vice President, Glodow Nead Communications, E: [email protected]

British Africa or South America? African Tourism Board welcomes St. Helena

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The African Tourism Board declares St. Helena as part of Africa and welcomes Destination Management Company Island Images as their first member on that remote British Island Territory in the Atlantic Ocean. St. Helena is an important stopover for ships sailing to Europe from Asia and South Africa for centuries, and adds a unique unexplored component to the African Travel and Tourism Industry.

The Island of St Helena, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom is located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It’s of volcanic origin and has an area of 47 square miles. It is almost 5,000 miles from the UK, 700 miles south-east of Ascension Island, and 1,900 miles NNW from South Africa (Cape Town).  2,500 miles east of Rio de Janeiro and 1,210 mi west of the mouth of the Cunene River, which marks the border between Namibia and Angola. The island’s total population is around 4,000, of whom about 900 live in the capital, Jamestown.

With its uniquely rich diversity of heritage-based attractions, both built and natural, St Helena offers many things to see and lots to do — from visiting the Georgian town to the rugged coastline, from the rolling hills to the stark yet striking geology at Sandy Bay. That’s the thing about this destination here’s so much more to the island than you may think. St Helena is home to the most varied heritage and nature, breathtaking views from the highest peaks, inviting waters, and 100% quaintness. St Helena beckons you to a true discovery.

The first member joining the African Tourism Board is Island Images.

Island Images is a locally owned and operated Destination Management Company, delivering a number of services, including a Receptive Tour Operator and are professionally qualified by and affiliated to the South African Tourism Services Association.

Director Derek Richards told eTN: Whether you’re simply looking for somewhere off the beaten path St Helena offers adventure for everyone.  The Island biodiversity has fascinated and influenced scientists and explorers Walking, rambling and hiking are amongst the most popular activities St Helena is home to over 1,000 species, of which over 400 are endemic to the Island.”

Marine life is equally outstanding, from a variety of dolphins, whales and the whale sharks.

Alain St. Ange, president of the African Tourism Board voiced his excitement to add St. Helena to the organization fast-growing portfolio of countries and regions. African Tourism Board is where Africa Becomes One Tourism Destination of choice in the world.

More information on African Tourism Board and how to become part of the organization visit www.africantourismboard.com

MEDIA CONTACT: TravelMarketingNetwork, 954 Lexington Ave. #1037, New York, NY 10021 USA, PH: (+1) 718-374-6816, [email protected]   

St. Martin shines at CTO’s Caribbean Week in New York City

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The Caribbean Tourism Organization’s, (CTO) Caribbean Week in New York is the largest regional tourism activity in North America. Artists, celebrity chefs,  investors and other strategic partners join government officials and the media for a week of festivities designed to promote the region and for tourism leaders, to conduct bi-lateral meeting on the industry.

In that regard, the Hon. Valérie Damaseau attended the CTO Board of Directors Meeting, the Council of Tourism Ministers and Commissioners Meeting, and the Marketing Conference that was hosted by CTO Allied Members, who presented the latest cutting-edge marketing trends.  During the seminars and other business development meetings Minister Damaseau raised awareness on St. Martin’s tourism product and gave critical updates to further enhance the destination.

At Media Marketplace, representatives from St. Martin had the opportunity to discuss destination updates with trade and consumer media and share information on new developments on island, sharing that 75% of the hotels have reopened, which accounts for approximately 1,200 rooms, while some 65% of the villas have been renovated. St. Martin saw an impressive 118% increase in the total number of stayover arrivals for the month January 2019. In January 2018, the island welcomed 12,028 visitors and that number more than doubled, reaching 26,258 visitors in 2019. 

Hon. Valérie Damaseau participated in one-on-one interviews with select media outlets and television journalists. In speaking with the media, the Minister shared,  “I would like to congratulate our team at the St. Martin Tourist Office as well as our esteemed partners at CTO for their dedication and continuous support in promoting our country.  Participating in these meetings allow us to network, exchange ideas, and help ensure a successful year in the tourism industry”.  She continued, ‘Success comes from hard work so we will always apply ourselves to guarantee that the momentum in visitor arrivals continues”. She also provided information on new brands that are coming to the destination in 2020 and 2021 such as Secret Resorts, Planet Hollywood & The Morgan.

ABOUT ST. MARTIN

With duty-free shops, an eclectic array of restaurants, properties and loads of water sports, St. Martin is for action-oriented vacationers. With its blend of warm hospitality and European style, St. Martin is one of the Caribbean’s more attention-grabbing spots. The destination offers visitors the opportunity to discover beautiful beaches, savor traditional French and West Indian cuisine, and explore an abundance of attractions.

To find information on St. Martin please visit: https://www.st-martin.org/  or follow on

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iledesaintmartin/

Instagram: @discoversaintmartin Twitter @ilesaintmartin

MEDIA CONTACT: Nana Delatour, [email protected]