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TIME Hotels to open five new properties across Middle East in 2019

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TIME Hotels, the UAE-headquartered hospitality company and hotel operator, is set to announce plans to open five new properties across the Middle East during 2019 – as it targets 35 properties by 2025.

The properties, which will see the growth and launch of existing as well as new TIME Hotel brands to key territories throughout the region, will be unveiled during Arabian Travel Market 2019, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 28 April – 1 May.

Mohamed Awadalla, CEO TIME Hotels, said: “Our pipeline of hotels and residences meet the demands of multiple value-driven markets by offering a high-quality experience right across all of our branded properties.

“We currently have 15 properties in operation across the UAE and wider GCC with new additions in Dubai, Sharjah and Saudi Arabia scheduled for this year as well as extending our presence to Egypt – further supporting our strategic business plan to increase our total portfolio to 35 properties across the Middle East by the end of 2025.”

TIME Hotels will debut its TIME Express Hotels brand with the opening of a property in Sharjah, during the third quarter of 2019. The three-star TIME Express Hotel Al Khan will feature 55 keys in total and is located 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport, 20 minutes from Sharjah International Airport and a 15-minute walk from Al Khan Beach.

In Dubai, TIME Asma Hotel is scheduled to open during the second quarter of 2019. The four-star property, located in Al Barsha, will feature 232 rooms including 12 suites, a gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, four meeting rooms, a business centre and two restaurants.

“Plans are in place for two floors of the hotel to be reserved exclusively for female travellers, with dedicated services, including: personalised room service, a female-only check-in counter, dedicated ladies-only guest relations, in-house baby-sitting services, and in-room tablets highlighting all of the services offered for women as well as enhanced bathroom amenities in each room,” said Awadalla.

Meanwhile, TIME Hotels’ international openings in Saudi Arabia and Egypt demonstrate the brand’s strength and popularity in markets outside of the UAE.

TIME Hotels opened its second property in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of April. Featuring 28 deluxe apartments – comprising four one-bedroom units and 24 two-bedroom units – TIME Dammam Residence is located 35 minutes from King Fahad International Airport and just minutes from various shopping and dining destinations in Dammam.

Joining TIME Dammam Residence in the kingdom will be TIME Golden Tower Al Khobar. Scheduled to open August 2019, the 65-key property will be strategically located on Al Khobar Main Street and within close proximity to Al Khobar Waterfront. The property will feature a roof-top garden lounge, a gym and a high-tech business centre.

In Egypt, TIME Nozha Beach Aqua Park Hotel & Resort will open its doors during Q3 2019. The four-star property – located in Ras Sudr, on Egypt’s Red Sea Coast – will feature 52 rooms and four suits as well as five castles, 93 villas, 891 chalets and 136 studios.

Located along a 945 metre stretch of white sand beach, the resort will feature the largest aqua entertainment complex in Ras Sudr, complete with various water slides, wave pools and water sport activities.

Awadalla, said: “This is a very exciting chapter in TIME Hotels’ short history as we open TIME Nozha Aqua Park & Resort, our first beach resort and first property in Egypt. Built with leisure and adventure visitors in mind, this resort is fully-equipped with everything the modern traveller requires for the perfect family getaway.”

These scheduled openings follow the signing of a new management agreement by TIME Hotels Management to operate Dunes Hotel Apartments’ three properties located throughout Dubai.

TIME Hotels took over day-to-day operations of TIME Dunes Hotel Apartment Al Barsha, TIME Dunes Hotel Apartments Al Qusais and TIME Dunes Hotel Apartments Oud Metha following the signing of the agreement on 24th January 2019.

“It has been a busy year for TIME Hotels with a raft of properties announced with several of them due to come online within the next 12 months. We have been very strategic with our openings, identifying and assessing the demand within the market and implementing the most suitable brand from the TIME portfolio, that best matches that demand and we’re looking forward to bringing more properties into our portfolio,” added Awadalla.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Time Hotels to open five additional hotels in Dubai, Sharjah and Saudi Arabia

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TIME Hotels, an UAE-headquartered hospitality company and hotel operator, is set to announce plans to open five new properties across the Middle East during 2019 – as it targets 35 properties by 2025.

The properties, which will see the growth and launch of existing as well as new TIME Hotel brands to key territories throughout the region, will be unveiled during Arabian Travel Market 2019.

Mohamed Awadalla, CEO TIME Hotels, said: “Our pipeline of hotels and residences meet the demands of multiple value-driven markets by offering a high-quality experience right across all of our branded properties.

“We currently have 15 properties in operation across the UAE and wider GCC with new additions in Dubai, Sharjah and Saudi Arabia scheduled for this year as well as extending our presence to Egypt – further supporting our strategic business plan to increase our total portfolio to 35 properties across the Middle East by the end of 2025.”

TIME Hotels will debut its TIME Express Hotels brand with the opening of a property in Sharjah, during the third quarter of 2019. The three-star TIME Express Hotel Al Khan will feature 55 keys in total and is located 15 minutes from Dubai International Airport, 20 minutes from Sharjah International Airport and a 15-minute walk from Al Khan Beach.

In Dubai, TIME Asma Hotel is scheduled to open during the second quarter of 2019. The four-star property, located in Al Barsha, will feature 232 rooms including 12 suites, a gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, four meeting rooms, a business centre and two restaurants.

“Plans are in place for two floors of the hotel to be reserved exclusively for female travellers, with dedicated services, including: personalised room service, a female-only check-in counter, dedicated ladies-only guest relations, in-house baby-sitting services, and in-room tablets highlighting all of the services offered for women as well as enhanced bathroom amenities in each room,” said Awadalla.

Meanwhile, TIME Hotels’ international openings in Saudi Arabia and Egypt demonstrate the brand’s strength and popularity in markets outside of the UAE.

TIME Hotels opened its second property in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of April. Featuring 28 deluxe apartments – comprising four one-bedroom units and 24 two-bedroom units – TIME Dammam Residence is located 35 minutes from King Fahad International Airport and just minutes from various shopping and dining destinations in Dammam.

Joining TIME Dammam Residence in the kingdom will be TIME Golden Tower Al Khobar. Scheduled to open August 2019, the 65-key property will be strategically located on Al Khobar Main Street and within close proximity to Al Khobar Waterfront. The property will feature a roof-top garden lounge, a gym and a high-tech business centre.

In Egypt, TIME Nozha Beach Aqua Park Hotel & Resort will open its doors during Q3 2019. The four-star property – located in Ras Sudr, on Egypt’s Red Sea Coast – will feature 52 rooms and four suits as well as five castles, 93 villas, 891 chalets and 136 studios.

Located along a 945 metre stretch of white sand beach, the resort will feature the largest aqua entertainment complex in Ras Sudr, complete with various water slides, wave pools and water sport activities.

Awadalla, said: “This is a very exciting chapter in TIME Hotels’ short history as we open TIME Nozha Aqua Park & Resort, our first beach resort and first property in Egypt. Built with leisure and adventure visitors in mind, this resort is fully-equipped with everything the modern traveller requires for the perfect family getaway.”

These scheduled openings follow the signing of a new management agreement by TIME Hotels Management to operate Dunes Hotel Apartments’ three properties located throughout Dubai.

TIME Hotels took over day-to-day operations of TIME Dunes Hotel Apartment Al Barsha, TIME Dunes Hotel Apartments Al Qusais and TIME Dunes Hotel Apartments Oud Metha following the signing of the agreement on 24th January 2019.

“It has been a busy year for TIME Hotels with a raft of properties announced with several of them due to come online within the next 12 months. We have been very strategic with our openings, identifying and assessing the demand within the market and implementing the most suitable brand from the TIME portfolio, that best matches that demand and we’re looking forward to bringing more properties into our portfolio,” added Awadalla.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Destination Florence CVB partners with City of Florence for international tourism promotion

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Destination Florence CVB is the new official partner of the City of Florence to promote the destination and better the quality of tourism.

The Florence Municipality, The Florentine Chamber of Commerce and The University of Florence signed an agreement to outline new and effective strategies in the tourism field, relying on the governence of tourism and the ability to directly foster agreements between institutions and individuals, while defining and clarifying the roles of various on-site actors.

The agreement is dedicated specifically to the MICE tourism and to better the quality of tourism in all the Florenctine territories and it has the aim of choosing a partner to develop activities and strategies.

Thanks to the winning of a competition notice, Destination Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau has been selected as the unique partner of the City of Florence and its partners to promote the destination all over the world and acquire more conferences and events.

To develop the activities, the Municipality of Florence allocated 320.000 Euros per year for a total period of three years, to be renewed for two more years.

Destination Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau has been operating for over 20 years as a destination agency to attract large events, congresses, international marriages, and individual tourists. It represents a comprehensive outlet for tourism thanks to more than 300 partners, a network that makes it possible to have a synchronized bond with the territory and the operators functioning within, strengthened by signed agreements with trade associations of reference.

The Ministry of Tourism of the city of Florence, Cecilia Del Re, said “We are very proud to have selected a unique partner for the promotion of the city. Florence is a unique city to host conferences and events also thanks to the new tramvia, the huge renovation of our congress centre and the future major enlargment of our airport”.

Destination Florence CVB presented a project to better the tourism within the city of Florence thanks to specific activities and with two main goals: acquire more conferences and events and attract a qualified tourism.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT:

– Increase the number of winning bid and conferences to be held in the city
– Presence at primary Fairs and Events of the sector (ILTM Cannes, ATM Dubai…)
– Augment number of tourists with a qualified profile and high spending capacity
– Increase the average duration of stay within the territory
– Expand and diversify the range of services, products, and experiences
– Qualitatively enhance the image of Florence worldwide
– Promote qualified and certified tourist services in the city, including the greater metropolitan area, to include lesser-known concepts of great touristic value

Carlotta Ferrari, Director of Destination Florence CVB said: “Florence is one of the most attractive destination of the world in fact it is in the top five cities to host conferences and events. We will continue to promote Florence to acquire more conferences and events each year.”

“Also, thanks to the Destination Florence project, we will develop and promote tourism offerings, proposing a benchmark for a single, potential national model. We are working with the most innovative technology as our new chat bot that we will presented in the next months and we are also opening our official account on WeChat to promote Florence in the Chinese market.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive featured at third Esquire Podcast and Seychelles x Esquire Middle East Gentleman’s Evening

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Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis, came aboard to the Esquire Q&A Studio at Dubai Media City for the third Esquire podcast last April 11, 2019 to speak about the tropical destination-Seychelles.

The podcast centered about the Middle East tourism market’s relevance, destination wedding in Seychelles and Seychelles as a sustainable tourism destination. It was followed by media interviews with journalists from Esquire, Rake, CEO and Arabian Business.

The STB Office in Dubai was in collaboration with Esquire Middle East, the leading men’s magazine in the Middle East and local partner Six Senses Zil Pasyon hosted a networking event last weekend at the Palace Downtown outdoor viewing deck under the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa and with the views over the Dubai Fountain.

The event saw the presence of STB Chief Executive Mrs. Sherin Francis and Esquire Middle East Editor Matthew Baxter-Priest along with dapper Esquire readers and the leading names in travel industry.

The astonishing location at The Palace Downtown’s Viewing Deck let guests enjoy stellar views while discussing their favorite travel destinations.

During the evening, Six Senses Zil Pasyon, an all-villa hideaway on a pristine private island, gifted two nights stay at the luxury boutique Indian Ocean Beach Resort.

Mrs. Sherin Francis mentioned her satisfaction to have featured on the third Esquire Podcast to talk about the destination, she further stated that the UAE and the Middle East is an important market for Seychelles and a constant presence on the territories is important for the destination.

“As a small destination it is important that we keep in touch with our clients, we constantly need to find innovative ways to push the Seychelles product. The UAE is only four hours away from the Seychelles and present a great opportunity for quick weekend breaks given we are well connected with double daily flights and we have no visa requirements which provides a great advantage for our visitors,” said Mrs. Francis.

Present at the event, Esquire Editor Baxter-Priest admitted that while he is constantly on the go, “the Seychelles is one of my favorite places. Sun, sea, sand and a whole lot more – it is a delightful place.”

The representative of the STB office in Dubai Ahmed Fathallah, who was present at the event, mentioned, “We are truly elated on the response for Seychelles from this region. The steady growth of interest and knowledge of the people from this region for the destination will not be possible without the help of our trade and media partners. In return and in line with the vision, Seychelles Tourism Board Office in Dubai will continue to implement activities that can gain continuous support and further the awareness for the destination in the region.”

The Palace Downtown regaled the invitees to the finest canapés and drinks, while some of the city’s finest DJs entertained them.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Marriott International official hotel sponsor of Brand USA United Stories international campaign

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Today, Brand USA, the destination-marketing organization for the United States, announces Marriott International across the United States as the official hotel sponsor for United Stories. The sponsorship will help expand the global reach of the United Stories campaign, which aims to inspire international travelers to visit the USA through visual storytelling efforts. This new United Stories collaboration also provides Marriott International, one of Brand USA’s founding and diamond partners, fresh localized content and innovative ways to reach international customers.

Launched earlier this year in partnership with Beautiful Destinations, United Stories utilizes mobile content creation labs to track and share relatable, human stories to inspire lasting emotional connections between international travelers and people and places across the United States. Throughout the year, accomplished content creators, storytellers, and influencers will travel to various points of interest across the country in eye-catching, buzz-worthy vehicles branded with #UnitedStories.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Marriott International on United Stories. Marriott’s strong international brand recognition and ongoing dedication to their customers makes them an ideal partner to expand the reach of this campaign,” said Tom Garzilli, chief marketing officer of Brand USA. “We believe in the power of storytelling to engage global audiences and highlight the diversity of real travel experiences in the USA. Our partnership will help deliver these inspiring stories to an even larger population of international travelers, extending the United Stories campaign to millions of people around the world.”

Marriott Bonvoy will be integrated within the United Stories campaign to generate awareness and create connectivity with its newly launched travel program. This includes branding of the mobile content creation labs and hosting influencers and content creators at hotels across the USA.

“The United Stories mission aligns with our passion for travel, said Kieran Donahue, vice president, marketing, The Americas. “Our sponsorship of United Stories is a great extension of our ongoing partnership with Brand USA. The mobile content labs allow us to show the breadth, depth, and variety of our brands, destinations, and hotels throughout the U.S., and most importantly, connect with our members and guests in a way that showcases how good travel can enrich and unite the world.”

The Marriott Bonvoy travel program is built on the belief that all travel is good travel; it enriches the individual and connects the world. The program offers a global footprint of extraordinary hotel brands, experiences for every passion on Marriott Bonvoy Moments, and the richest rewards and benefits.

The United Stories mobile content lab launched in January and has traveled to nine U.S. states and territories: Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont. At each destination, United Stories content creators spotlight first-person perspectives of American culture via locals, influencers, and travelers.

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Marriott’s Arne M. Sorenson named 2019 CEO of the Year

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Chief Executive magazine announced today that Arne M. Sorenson, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International, has been named 2019 Chief Executive of the Year by his peer CEOs.

“He’s a global leader, a man with a conscience, a person who connects with his people,” said Fred Hassan, the former Chairman of Bausch & Lomb and Partner at Warburg Pincus, and a member of this year’s selection committee.

“I have tremendous respect for Arne Sorenson, for his global leadership and for his outstanding track record amid a very challenging marketplace,” said Marillyn A. Hewson, the Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation and 2018 CEO of the Year, who also served on the selection committee.

Mr. Sorenson joined Marriott in 1996 and held a number of positions before serving as President and Chief Operating Officer. He became Chief Executive Officer in 2012, the first person to hold the post without the Marriott family name.

Since becoming CEO, Mr. Sorenson has led a vast expansion of the business, including the acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide in 2016. The company now has more than 7,000 properties across 130 countries and territories and 30 brands. An outspoken corporate leader, he has advocated for environmental sustainability, a more open, safe and inclusive workplace, and a welcoming culture around the world.

“I am deeply honored by this tremendous recognition, and I thank my peer CEOs for the nomination,” said Mr. Sorenson. “I stand on the shoulders of an icon, Bill Marriott, and the 730,000 people around the world who wear a Marriott name badge. Together, we work each day to uphold a legacy of creating opportunities—for our guests, our associates and the local neighborhoods where we operate.”

The selection committee cited Sorenson’s outstanding performance running one of the most complex, global businesses in the world in the face of daunting cultural and technological change.

“There are few people who have driven innovation in the way that Arne has and…been able to lead such a large organization, and to be able to keep them focused on excellent execution and also the responsibilities that they have for each other, the environment and on social issues,” said Neal Keating, President and CEO, Kaman.

Over the past 33 years, Chief Executive of the Year winners have been a who’s who of American business leadership, including Bill Gates, Jack Welch, Michael Dell, A.G. Lafley, John Chambers, Bob Iger, Anne Mulcahy, Larry Bossidy, Andy Grove and Herb Kelleher, among others.

The Chief Executive of the Year was selected by a committee of distinguished peer CEOs in a meeting held in March at the Nasdaq MarketSite. The 2019 committee consists of Marillyn A. Hewson (Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation), Dan Glaser (President and CEO, Marsh & McLennan), Neal Keating (President and CEO, Kaman), Fred Hassan (former Chairman, Bausch & Lomb; Partner, Warburg Pincus), Tamara Lundgren (President and CEO, Schnitzer Steel), Max H. Mitchell (President and CEO, Crane Co.), Bob Nardelli (CEO, XLR-8), Tom Quinlan III (Chairman, President and CEO, LSC Communications), Jeffrey Sonnenfeld (CEO, The Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute) and Mark Weinberger (Global Chairman and CEO, EY Global). Ted Bililies, Ph.D., Chief Talent Officer, Managing Director, AlixPartners, is the exclusive advisor to the 2019 Selection Committee.

Sorenson’s selection as 2019 CEO of the Year will be celebrated at an invitation-only event hosted by Chief Executive Group at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York in late July.

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UNWTO Convenes Cities in Lisbon to Cooperate on a Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Tourism Agenda

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The first UNWTO Mayors Forum for Sustainable Urban Tourism, co-organized by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Ministry of Economy of Portugal and the Lisbon Municipality concluded Friday in Lisbon, Portugal. The event gathered Mayors and high-level city representatives from around the world, UN agencies and the private sector, to design a shared leadership aimed at ensuring that tourism helps creating cities for all.

Under the theme ‘Cities for all: building cities for citizens and visitors’, the forum explored issues and solutions for developing and managing tourism in cities in a way that promotes economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability.

In a time of intense debate over the growing number of tourists and the livability and sustainability of cities, the forum exchanged ideas and good practices on urban tourism and destination management, discussed innovative tools and public policies on urban tourism at the national and local levels and way of promoting the integration of tourism into wider national and local urban development agenda.

“The income generated from tourism contributes significantly to the socio-economic and cultural development of many cities and its surroundings. Yet, the growth of urban tourism also creates important challenges in terms of the use of natural resources, socio-cultural impact, pressure on infrastructure, mobility, congestion management and relationship with host communities. Tourism policies should thus be designed as integrated urban policies that promote a well-balanced city economically, socially and environmentally” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili opening the event.

The Portuguese Minister of Economy, Pedro Siza Vieira, acknowledged that “tourism is a major driver for the Portuguese economy. Portugal welcomes this first Mayors Forum as an international stage for discussing the challenges that urban tourism faces and how local communities can benefit the most from tourism. The Lisbon Declaration is a firm commitment from all participants so that tourism contributes materially to the Sustainable Development Goals”.

The Portuguese Secretary of State for Tourism, Ana Mendes Godinho, added that “social sustainability in tourism is one of the main priorities in our 2027 Tourism Strategy. We launched a Sustainability Program for the development of projects by the civil society that involve local populations and tourists so that tourism leaves value in the territories”.

The Mayor of Lisbon, Fernando Medina, said “The growth of tourism has important and positive economic impacts. Yet for managing such growth, ensuring sustainability and safeguarding the quality of life of Lisbon’s citizens requires more investment in infrastructure. In Lisbon, we are implementing measures such as increasing transport capacity and investment in urban infrastructure catering for residents and tourists.”

Issues discussed include big data and innovative solutions, new business models, creative cities and events, infrastructure, resources and planning, local community engagement and empowerment and how to ensure the full inclusion of tourism in the wider urban agenda.

Participating in the Forum were Gustavo Santos of Argentina, Secretary of State for Tourism of Argentina, Ana Mendes Godinho, Secretary of State for Tourism of Portugal, Isabel Oliver, the Secretary of State for Tourism of Spain, Mayors and Vice Mayors of 16 cities around the world (Barcelona, Bruges, Brussels, Dubrovnik, Helsinki, Lisbon, Madrid, Moscow, Nur-Sultan, Paris, Porto, Prague, Punta del Este, Tbilisi, Sao Paulo and Seoul), UNES>CO, UN Habitat, the World Bank, the European Committee of the Regions as well as Amadeus, Airbnb, CLIA, Expedia, Mastercard and Unidigital.

The Forum adopted the Lisbon Declaration on Sustainable Urban Tourism, in which participants reinforced their commitment to align urban tourism policies with the United Nations New Urban Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, namely Goal 11 – ‘Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable’.

The Lisbon Declaration on Sustainable Urban Tourism will be presented at the twenty-third session of the General Assembly of UNWTO, to be held this September in St. Petersburg, Russia.

During the event, UNWTO Secretary-General and the Mayor Bakhyt Sultanov of Nursultan (Kazakhstan) signed an agreement for the hosting of the 8th UNWTO Global Summit on Urban Tourism, to be held on 9 to 12 October 2019.

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Marriott has a 2020 vision when it comes to expansion in Asia

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From the 15th Hotel Investment Conference – South Asia, Marriott International  today announced its continued expansion plans in Asia-Pacific with its 2020 vision — an aggressive target to have 1000 hotels open by the end of 2020. This vision also could create up to 50,000 more job opportunities for the region. In 2019 alone, the company expects to add close to 100 new hotels or close to 20,000 rooms in the region, with several brand debuts in Australia, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Nepal and India. Marriott International’s portfolio in Asia Pacific currently encompasses over 710 properties in 23 countries and territories, operating under 23 of the company’s 30 global brands.

“The breadth and depth of Marriott International’s footprint means that we are able to offer travelers opportunities to experience more destinations, brands and experiences, especially through Marriott BonvoyTM, our industry-leading travel program,” said Craig S. Smith, President and Managing Director, Marriott International Asia Pacific.

“As important as our size is our commitment to deliver seamless and quality experiences for our guests at on-brand properties. Today’s traveler demands authentic, personalized and transformative experiences, whether for work or for pleasure, as a way of broadening their individual horizons and achieving a deeper understanding of the world. As the world’s leading hospitality company, it is in our DNA to strive to be part of our guests’ favorite moments and memories. We are dedicated to Marriott International remaining Asia Pacific’s favorite travel company.”

China, India and Southeast Asia as Marriott International’s Growth Drivers in the Region

Marriott International is well positioned to capitalize on global travel trends in China, India, and Indonesia, three of the world’s four most populated nations.

China continues to be the strongest growth driver for Marriott International in Asia Pacific, with more than 300 hotels in the pipeline. This accounts for more than 50 percent of the company’s pipeline in Asia Pacific. This year alone, Marriott International targets to open more than 30 hotels in China, including the first JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in China, the 515-room JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Shanghai Pudong featuring 6 food and beverage outlets; and the first Renaissance Hotel in the Fujian province with the planned opening of Renaissance Xiamen Resort & Spa in the fourth quarter of 2019. Outside of mainland China, the St. Regis brand is set to debut with the opening of St. Regis Hong Kong located in the historic Wanchai district.

With its recent 100th Marriott International hotel milestone celebrated in 2018, India continues to be the company’s second fastest growth engine in Asia Pacific with more than 50 properties in the pipeline. Marriott expects to reach more than 30,000 rooms open in India by end 2023. Given India’s robust economy and rising middle class, the country continues to present exciting growth opportunities, leveraging strong demand for Marriott’s select-service brands and growing demand for its upper upscale and luxury portfolios. The company expects to debut the Tribute Portfolio brand in India, with the opening of Port Muziris, Kochi, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel slated for the second quarter of 2019.

At the recent ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Tourism Forum, the ASEAN National Tourism Organizations revealed their collective efforts to marketing initiatives to inspire travel to Southeast Asia. Marriot International is poised to welcome these travelers, with over 140 signed hotels in its Southeast Asia pipeline, with Indonesia leading growth, meeting the growing demands of travel and tourism. In the Philippines, the company expects to more than triple its hotel portfolio by 2023. Sheraton, Marriott International’s most global brand, recently debuted in the country with the opening of Sheraton Manila Hotel. 

Marriott International continues its growth momentum in the Pacific region, with 50 hotels anticipated to be open by 2020. Australia should see several brand debuts in coming years, including The Luxury Collection and The Ritz-Carlton. The Tasman, a Luxury Collection Hotel, expects to open in Hobart in late 2019, and the 205-room The Ritz-Carlton Perth is slated to open in June 2019.  Element Hotels, Marriott International’s eco-conscious brand, is expected to debut in Australia with the opening of Element Melbourne Richmond in Q3 this year.

Marriott International Eyes New Destinations in Asia Pacific with Marriott BonvoyTM

Earlier this year, Marriott introduced Marriott BonvoyTM  — Marriott International’s travel program replacing Marriott Rewards®, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®, and Starwood Preferred Guest®(SPG).  With Marriott BonvoyTM, travelers can experience the company’s newly introduced Asia Pacific website featuring rich experiential and user-generated content and offering inspiration for the next adventure in Asia Pacific. The company continues to focus on bringing new hotels to unchartered destinations sought out by our guests, with Marriott International’s first foray into Myanmar planned for 2020 with the opening of Sheraton Yangon Hotel.

As the Company Expands, Culture Remains a Bedrock For Success

Marriott International’s Asia Pacific vision could create up to approximately 50,000 new job opportunities in Asia Pacificby the end of 2020. Travel and tourism provide opportunities for experienced people or those new to the hospitality industry.  Research by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) highlighted that 1 in 5 new jobs created globally are attributable to travel and tourism.

As the company continues to grow, this also means that there is an increased opportunity for our associates to develop their careers and thereby improve their livelihoods. This is another way that Marriott International takes care of its associates. With a culture that empowers associates to live their best lives — putting people first has been the company’s core value since Marriott was founded more than 90 years ago. Marriott has built its business on taking care of its associates, who in turn take care of our guests. The company believes that creating a diverse and inclusive environment strengthens culture and community and drives competitiveness. Marriott International has won Aon Hewitt’s best employer for five consecutive years in Asia Pacific.

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Clarion Hotel The Hub: Choice Hotels announces opening of its largest hotel

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Choice Hotels International, Inc. announced the opening of the largest hotel in its portfolio – the Clarion Hotel The Hub in Oslo, Norway. The hotel offers 810 rooms, unique design, two bars, and a premium rooftop restaurant with stunning views in the heart of Norway’s capital city.

“Clarion Hotel The Hub is a destination for those seeking creativity, inspiration, and enriching experiences in the center of Oslo. This is the largest hotel in the city, but it still curates a warm atmosphere, with people who are passionate about diversity, sustainability and going the extra mile for guests,” said the hotel’s General Manager Andre Schreiner.

The Clarion Hotel The Hub is one of 20 Clarion hotels open in Scandinavia, all of which are owned by Nordic Choice, Choice’s Master Partner in the Scandinavian region who develops, markets and supports Choice’s brands in their territories. They currently own, manage or franchise more than 180 properties representing more than 30,000 rooms. Their portfolio consists of Comfort, Quality, Clarion and Ascend Hotel Collection-branded hotels, and the company has plans to open several other hotels under the Choice Hotels umbrella throughout the region in the next year.

“Our focus has always been forging long-term relationships with high-quality developers and operators to grow our international footprint through proven brands,” said Mark Pearce, senior vice president, international division, Choice Hotels. “We’ve been fortunate to work closely with Nordic Choice for many years to bring several outstanding hotels to fruition, and we know the Clarion Hotel The Hub – a true jewel in our family of Choice Hotels – is yet another outstanding addition to the Scandinavian market.”

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