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SBC Travel Group announces new Chief Digital Officer

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SBC Travel Group, a technology company, has officially appointed Chief Digital Officer Anthoney Jayasekera. He steps into this role with more than 18 years of experience within the hospitality sector, having worked in digital marketing and online distribution for several leading global brands including Minor Hotels, Crown Melbourne and Aitken Spence Hotels where he was in charge of driving digital strategies.

“SBC Travel excites me as they have a passion for embracing new technology and building solutions for travel,” Mr. Jayasekera says. “Being with hospitality and travel for the last 18 years, I’ve been able to see the paradigm shift from traditional to digital platforms.  It’s exciting to see the transformation from then to now. However, there’s still more opportunity to improve and disrupt current processes so they can be secure, faster, novel, and cost-effective with the use of new advancements in technology.”

In his new role with SBC Travel Group, Mr. Jayasekera will direct the overall digital strategy for all business units within SBC Travel, manage the website and social presence and manage all digital marketing initiatives.

For more information on SBC Travel, please visit sbctravel.io.

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Jamaica’s Tourism Minister: Use art for community renewal

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Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has challenged the local art community to take art out of the educational institutions and art galleries and into Jamaica’s inner city communities as a vehicle of social and economic renewal.

“We need to consider new and innovative approaches to bring art out of Edna Manley into the wider community and bring art out of the Nation Gallery into Trench Town and into Barret Town and Granville and some of the harsher inner city areas,” Minister Bartlett said.

He was speaking at the closing ceremony for internationally acclaimed Jamaican artist Bryan McFarlane’s “New Beginnings” exhibition and the official launch of the Gene Pearson Gallery at The R Hotel, New Kingston, on the weekend.

Internationally acclaimed Jamaican artist Professor Bryan McFarlane (2nd left) discusses his abstract “Like The Weather When It’s Gray” with (l-r) Canada’s High Commissioner to Jamaica, Her Excellency Laurie Peters; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith; R Hotel owner Evan Williams; and Head of Chancery, Nigerian High Commission in Jamaica, Mrs. Anthonia Akunne. The occasion was the closing ceremony for Professor Bryan’s “New Beginnings” exhibition and the opening of the Gene Pearson Gallery at The R Hotel, New Kingston, on Saturday, April 13.

Reiterating a commitment given earlier this month to disburse J$300 million to 63 communities across the country to boost Community Tourism, Minister Bartlett encouraged Jamaica’s artists to use some of the money to develop creative placements in these communities.

Expanding on the idea, he said, “The concept of creative placement might be something that we can borrow. The United States does it quite well by utilizing relic buildings, underused and abandoned playing fields and almost every facility that seems lacking in its asset value within communities to become creative placement centers. It gives a sense of pride and creates a feeling of cultural connection.”

Minister Bartlett said he would like to see the transforming effect that art and culture has on the lives of people demonstrated. “While we reflect on the beauty of this exhibition and the aesthetics that will fill our hearts as we move around, I want us to use this opportunity to think beyond the art. Let us think development, let us think transformation, let us think innovation and see if there is another remedy for the social disruptions that we are having in our communities across Jamaica,” he concluded.

Paraphrasing French poet Gaston Bachelard, Professor Bryan McFarlane said there is immensity in minuteness and “Jamaica, the place where I have most been inspired throughout my life, is immense.”

He encouraged patrons to look at his art and see the “immense kind of spaces and ideas and metaphors and images that are there and try to read them with your heart and institution.”

Professor McFarlane teaches at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in the United States. He has exhibited his work at numerous museums and lectured as a visiting artist at universities throughout the United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and has won numerous awards.

The 14 pieces exhibited, constituting watercolors and oil on linen, were from McFarlane’s collections and touched on themes when he lived in China, Turkey and Africa.

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

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The place to visit today is Thailand: Happy Songkran 2019

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If there was a better time to explore the uniqueness of Amazing Thailand, the Thai New Year, known as the Songkran Festival from April 13 to 16 is an event where an all-out water battle and ancient traditions somehow blend in an annual celebration. The country is coming to a business standstill, turning into a national party.

It’s unlike anything else in the world. And it’s wet. Venturing out onto Thailand’s streets on April 13 is an open invitation to have a bucket of water thrown at you or a loaded water super-soaker aimed in your direction. You WILL get wet.

For tourists, the event offers a huge water party breaking out in the streets of Thailand’s towns and villages. For locals, it is a time when they can spend moments with their families and visit temples to  make merit – and then get involved in the water fights as well.

This Songkran 2019 the Tourism Authority of Thailand has organized celebrations in three  tourist destinations – Tak, Mukdahan and Ranong – and is supporting activities in eight other provinces (Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Lampang, Ayutthaya, Phuket and Songkhla).

 

 

 

 

 

Songkran is the Thai New Year’s national holiday. Songkran is 13 April every year, but the holiday period extends from 14 to 15 April. In 2018 the Thai cabinet extended the festival nationwide to five days, 12–16 April, to enable citizens to travel home for the holiday. In 2019, the holiday will be observed 12–16 April as 13 April falls on a Saturday. The word “Songkran” comes from the Sanskrit word saṃkrānti ,literally “astrological passage”, meaning transformation or change. The term was borrowed from Makar Sankranti, the name of a Hindu harvest festival celebrated in India in January to mark the arrival of spring. It coincides with the rising of Aries on the astrological chart and with the New Year of many calendars of South and Southeast Asia, in keeping with the Buddhist/Hindu solar calendar.

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Malaysian airline Firefly signs agreement with Sabre

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Sabre Corporation today announced a new content distribution agreement with Firefly, a leading regional carrier in Southeast Asia, and a subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines. As average tourism growth in Southeast Asia continues to exceed international averages, Firefly will take advantage of Sabre’s extensive global travel marketplace to enhance their presence throughout the region.

“Firefly plays an instrumental role in introducing travelers to the wonders of Southeast Asia. Joining Sabre’s leading Global Distribution System (GDS) will enable us to reach our growth objectives, and to improve our distribution metrics, beyond the markets where we’ve been operating in recent years,” said Philip See, CEO, Firefly.

Based out of the Penang and Subang hubs in Malaysia, Firefly provides connections to various points within Malaysia, Southern Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. Under this agreement, Firefly will further strengthen its alignment with the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) agenda, a cooperation initiative to accelerate economic and social transformation across the three countries. The increased presence that Firefly will enjoy by joining the Sabre GDS will certainly deliver benefits to international travelers and travel agents alike.

“Sabre is pleased to develop a strategic alliance with Firefly, who have selected us as their first GDS. By connecting the airline to our rich global travel marketplace, reaching over 425,000 Sabre-connected agents around the world, this new agreement will directly contribute to expanding the airline’s presence across the region and the globe,” said Rakesh Narayanan, vice president, regional general manager, South Asia and Pacific, Travel Solutions Airline Sales.

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Airbus names Julie Kitcher EVP Communications and Corporate Affairs

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Airbus has appointed Julie Kitcher as Executive Vice-President Communications and Corporate Affairs, effective immediately. In this role, she joins the Airbus Executive Committee leading all external and internal communication activities, reporting to Guillaume Faury, Airbus Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

In her new role, Julie will steer and co-ordinate the transformation agenda of Airbus and manage Audit, Performance Management, Responsibility and Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, in addition to her position as the Chief of Staff to the CEO.

Previously, Julie was Head of Investor Relations and Financial Communication at Airbus, a role she held since May 2015.

“Julie brings the right mindset, skills and background to lead Airbus’ global communication activities and further strengthen the Company’s brand and reputation worldwide,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO. “As Head of Investor Relations and Financial Communication, she proved her ability to build trust within the financial community and deliver clear and timely information to the markets. In her new role, she will coordinate the Company’s transformation efforts to help shape the story of Airbus as we open the next chapter in our journey.”

In her Head of Communications role, Julie Kitcher will take over from Rainer Ohler, who is leaving Airbus after 24 years in the Company, including more than 13 successful years as Head of Communications.

“I’m excited to be appointed in this new role at such an important moment in the history of Airbus,” said Julie Kitcher. “I feel honoured to have the opportunity to lead a world class Communications and Corporate Affairs team that – within the functions I have been entrusted to lead – will boost the dialogue with employees and stakeholders across the globe as well as help shape and transform the Airbus of the future.”

Julie joined Airbus in December 2000 as a Financial Analyst in Airbus in the UK and has held a number of roles within Finance since. She is a Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA) with an MSc in Accounting, ESC Skema (Lille).

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