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Four Seasons launches Bali’s first hotel arrival by river raft

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Famed for its dramatic treetop arrival via a suspension bridge, the World’s #1 Hotel is now offering guests a 180-degree change of perspective, with Bali’s first hotel arrival by river raft.

Submerged in a river valley close to the artistic center of Ubud, Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan has launched the innovative rafting check-in as an option for guests transferring from its sister Resort, the beach-front Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay on Bali’s south-west coast. Instead of the usual 90-minute road transfer, travellers combining a stay at both Resorts can instead be taken by private car (60 minutes’ drive) to the departure point for a two-hour rafting adventure down Bali’s longest river, the Ayung. While they enjoy a leisurely guided adventure through Class III rapids with views of lush jungle, rice terraces and majestic gorges, their luggage continues by car and precedes their arrival at Four Seasons Resort Sayan.

After discovering secluded sites – including a natural holy spring and an historic dam belonging to Bali’s th-century UNESCO World Heritage-listed subak irrigation system – rafters land directly at the Resort’s Riverside Restaurant. Waiting staff ensure a seamless check-in and within minutes guests are relaxing in their room, delivering a hotel arrival unlike any other.

“The Resort is well known for its magical rooftop arrival. Many guests stop in their tracks and are even brought to tears as they cross the bridge, full of wonder and awe, listening to the forest ‘symphony’ and descending into the hotel from the treetops. This new arrival by river offers the opposite view with a slow reveal from under the canopy of trees, making it perfect for repeat guests who have experienced the bridge arrival before,” says Resort Manager Gianni Costa. “It does not feel like a check-in experience, but rather a transition to another world, welcomed by the friendliest people on Earth.”

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PM Hotel Group announces senior leadership promotions

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PM Hotel Group today announced three senior leadership promotions. The company’s executive team is expanding with the promotions of Seon Heo and Fran Owen as Vice Presidents of Sales & Marketing and Chris Macary to the role of Vice President of Hotel Operations.

“The strong portfolio growth we experienced in 2018, opening 3 new properties and taking over management of 3 existing hotels, has continued into Q1 of 2019. These promotions reflect the demonstrated strength of our management team and our well-deserved reputation for creating a culture that develops and promotes professional growth,” said PM Hotel Group President, Joseph Bojanowski. “Seon and Fran have both displayed extraordinary value in their regional sales and marketing roles and will now assume additional portfolio-wide strategic responsibilities. Over the past five years Chris has illustrated operational excellence. We are thrilled to see each of them transition into these newly created positions. Seon, Fran, and Chris tangibly contributed to the record RevPAR growth PM Hotel Group experienced in 2018.”

Together with delivering on the robust 2019-2020 pipeline of projects, ensuring operational excellence continues to be a priority for PM Hotel Group. In Q2 the management company will welcome to its portfolio, the new Home2 Suites by Hilton Silver Spring, the first LEED Platinum hotel in the state of Maryland.

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D.R. Congo: African Tourism Board is a place to be according World Heritage Kahuzi-Biega National Park

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The African Tourism Board welcomes Kahuzi Biega National Park as a new member. The Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a protected area near Bukavu town in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is situated near the western bank of Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border.

“The African Tourism Board is a place to be, we have been undercover for long. When you search for Congo tourism, all you hear is information about Virunga or news about poacher. We want to make a difference. Let’s unite our efforts to promote the African tourism industry.”

These are the word by De Dieu Bya’Ombe, director of the Kahuzi Biega National Park.

He explains on his membership information:

Kahuzi-Biega National Park is home to more species of mammals than Any Other Site Albertine Rift. It is the second major MOST website in the area for Both endemic species and in terms of species richness. The park HAS 136 species of mammals, Including the eastern lowland gorilla is the star and 13 other primates like chimpanzees Including endangered species, red colobus monkey, and monkeys L’Hoest and Hamlyn.

• Other extremely uncommon species of the forests of eastern DRC are present aussi Such As the giant genet ( Genetta victoriae ) and aquatic genet ( Genetta piscivora ). Characteristic mammals of the central African forests aussi live in the park as the forest elephant, forest buffalo, giant forest hog and the bongo.

• The KBNP Is located in significant year endemism zone (Endemic Bird Area) for birds APPROBATION by Birdlife International. The Wildlife Conservation Society HAS compiled a list of birds to the park in 2003 with 349 species Including 42 endemic.
• Similarly, the park aussi Was Recognized As a diversity center for plants by IUCN and WWF in 1994 with at least 1,178 species listed in the high altitude area, the lower portion still remaining in inventory.

• The park is one of The Few sub-Saharan African websites Where flora and fauna transition from low to high altitude is observable. It included courses, in fact, all of the forest vegetation from 600 m to more than 2600 m, bass Moist Forest and medium altitude forest sub mountain up montane forest and bamboo. Above 2600 m to the top of Kahuzi Biega and mountains, Has Developed montane vegetation heather harboring endemic plant Senecio kahuzicus.

• The park houses aussi Generally, not Widespread vegetation Such As swamps and altitude bogs and swamp forests and riparian areas are waterlogged at all altitudes.
Due to all above specificities of the Kahuzi – Biega national park, we are looking forwards to develop eco-tourism activities and sustainable conservancy concept which are going to inspire the next generation.

Kahuzi Biega is a world heritage site created in 1970 for the main purpose of protecting low land gorillas. Kahuzi-Biega National Park is divided into two zones connected by a narrow corridor: Rainforest Mountain (Afro-montane forest gold) on one hand, and the lowland rainforest (Guinea-Congo Relatively wet) on the other hand.

It is a scarce African region where the transition entre thesis two kinds of rain forests remained largely intact. So far, over 1178 plant species have been recorded at high altitude, making it the third Albertine Rift website in terms of species richness partner after the Virunga National Park in DRC and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda. For cons, the lowland flora is still little known. The inventory of species endemic to the Kahuzi-Biega National Park is far from full, and we Even Discovered Many new species Belonging Mainly to the families of Balsam Orchidaceae & Purple Spurge, Araliaceae, Anacardiaceae, and many others families with one Particular species ( Fischer, 1995).

Conservation targets are the wildlife and communities at risk, and critical habitats and declining to protect. The subsidiary or auxiliary targets are a more detailed level of the target to which they are attached (parts of habitat, landscapes, media, etc.). The term key ecological attributes of the main natural characteristics of species, populations or ecosystems developed over time or as a result of natural disturbances and allow maintaining the range of conditions under which species are adapted. Furthermore, the exceptional forest cover KBNP an important carbon sink to contribute to the fight against climate change.

Talking about tourism, we offer gorilla trekking as our main attraction. Hiking, mountain accession and birds watching are complementary to the main attraction. We are proudly the only site where visitors can trek low land gorillas in the wild. We put our efforts to maintain all our tourism activities sustainable and ecological.

More information: www.kahuzibiega.org

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

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UNESCO, African Union and Ethiopia Role Model on World Press Freedom?

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Ethiopian Airlines, has been chosen as the Official Carrier for the 2019 World Press Freedom Day Global Conference to be held in Addis Ababa from May 1-3, 2019.

This conference is not without controversy, however.  According to Journalists without Border, terrorism charges have been systematically used against journalists ever since the 2009 terrorism law took effect. The charges carry long jail sentences and allow the authorities to hold journalists without trial for extended periods. There has been no significant improvement since the purges that led to the closure of six newspapers in 2014 and drove around 30 journalists into exile. On the contrary, another six-month state of emergency was proclaimed in February 2018, which the government could again use to arrest critical journalists and ban the public from watching or listening to certain broadcast media. The Internet and social networks are often disconnected while physical and verbal threats, arbitrary trials, and convictions are all used to silence the media.

The conference is jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union and the Government of Ethiopia under the theme ‘Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation’.

UNESCO Spokesperson Roni Amerlan said: ” The offer by countries to host World Press Freedom Day marks their recognition of the value of the right to press freedom and freedom of expression.

We have often held World Press Freedom Day celebrations in countries in transition and we do not think that we should restrict our support for the recognition of press freedom and their participation in this awareness-raising event to countries which rank at the top of NGOs’ rankings.

Every year, 3 May is a date which celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom, to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession. World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. This in turn was a response to a call by African journalists who in 1991 produced the landmark Windhoek Declaration(link is external) on media pluralism and independence.

At the core of UNESCO’s mandate is freedom of the press and freedom of expression. UNESCO believes that these freedoms allow for mutual understanding to build a sustainable peace.

It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom – a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.

It is a date to encourage and develop initiatives in favour of press freedom, and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide.

3 May acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the pursuit of a story.

The 26th celebration of World Press Freedom Day is jointly organized by UNESCO, the African Union Commission and the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The main event will take place in Addis Ababa, on 1 – 3 May at the African Union Headquarters. This year’s theme“Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”  discusses current challenges faced by media in elections, along with the media’s potential in supporting peace and reconciliation processes.

World Press Freedom Day will also be celebrated worldwide. Events will be organized in several countries to raise awareness about the importance of press freedom and journalists’  safety. More information of events will be available in the Events Map soon.

As the United Nations agency with a specific mandate to promote “the free flow of ideas by word and image”, UNESCO works to foster a free, independent and pluralistic media and the safety of journalists.

As the official carrier, Ethiopian will provide air transport service to the 1000-1500 participants who will be coming to Addis Ababa from around the globe.

Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, remarked, “We are honored to have been chosen to serve as the official carrier for this year’s World Press Freedom Day Global Conference. We are all the more delighted to be part of this noble cause which seeks to advance press freedom around the world.

Global, regional and national media stakeholders, high-level government officials, and journalists from across the globe will take part in the conference which will be held at the African Union Commission headquarters.

https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/worldpressfreedomday

 

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Destinations need new resources to tackle the “invisible burden” of tourism

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A report published today by the Travel Foundation, Cornell University’s Centre for Sustainable Global Enterprise and EplerWood International describes how destinations must uncover and account for tourism’s hidden costs, referred to as the “invisible burden,” to protect and manage vital destination assets worldwide. Failing to do so puts ecosystems, cultural wonders, and community life at increasing risk, and places the tourism industry on a weak foundation that could crack under its own weight.

The range of costs not currently accounted for include those needed to:

  • upgrade infrastructure beyond resident needs, to meet tourism demand;
  • manage and protect public spaces, monuments, the environment and natural habitats;
  • mitigate exposure to climate change risks; and
  • address the needs of locals affected by rising real estate prices, driven by the demand from tourism.

Either residents are left to pay these costs, or they are simply not paid, increasingly leading to environmental crises, spoiled tourism assets, and growing dissatisfaction among local residents. Destination authorities urgently need access to new resources, systems and expertise to ensure that, as tourism grows, the true costs of every new visitor are fully covered.

Amid increasing concern about “overtourism” and calls from within the travel industry for improved destination management, the report, Destinations at Risk: The Invisible Burden of Tourism, was commissioned by the Travel Foundation to better understand the challenges and constraints that national and municipal authorities face. It provides a thorough review of the risks that destinations face and the solutions urgently needed, including:

  • New local accounting systems that capture the full range of costs stemming from the growth of tourism, in place of an incomplete set of economic impact measures.
  • New skills and cross sector collaboration, underpinned by data and technology, to achieve effective spatial planning, manage demand for public utilities and services, and evaluate the availability of vital, local resources.
  • New valuation and financing mechanisms to redress debilitating underinvestment in infrastructure and local asset management and enable the transition to low-carbon destination economies.

Principal report author, Megan Epler Wood, said: “The Earth’s greatest treasures are cracking under the weight of the soaring tourism economy.  New data-driven systems to identify the cost of managing tourism’s most valued assets are required to stem a growing crisis in global tourism management.  With the right leadership, finance and analysis in place, a whole new generation of tourism professionals can move forward and erase the invisible burden while benefiting millions around the globe.”

Salli Felton, CEO of the Travel Foundation, said: “The invisible burden goes a long way to explain why we are now witnessing destinations failing to cope with tourism growth, despite the economic benefits it brings. It’s not enough to call on governments and municipalities to manage tourism better, if they don’t have access to the right skills and resources to do so. Destination managers need support to develop new skills and new ways of working that will enable them to move beyond tourism marketing.”

Dr Mark Milstein, co-author of the report, said: “This is a challenge of investing for the long-term health of a critical global economic sector. Future success will require collaboration among business, government, and civil society so that destinations are managed as the valuable, yet vulnerable, assets that they are.”

The authors conclude that some destinations are more vulnerable to the invisible burden and should be prioritised. For instance:

  1. Where there is a high risk of climate change impacts (which would disproportionately affect a visitor economy) – for instance, island states.
  2. Where the rise of the global middle class is driving tourism growth at unsustainable levels – for instance, in Southern and Southeast Asia.
  3. Where there is a high percentage of economic dependence on tourism – for instance, in the Caribbean.
  4. Where the ability of local government to manage tourism growth is low, in terms of budgets and human capital – a problem that has been found in both advanced and emerging economies.

The analysis draws upon academic literature, case studies, expert interviews and media reports, and provides a wealth of examples of the invisible burden.  Cases are drawn from Thailand, Mexico, and the Maldives, as well as Europe, Africa, and Latin America. The report also gives insights into types of data-driven systems, such as GIS mapping tools and the Smart Cities concept, which can address growth issues and facilitate new forms of investment.

The free report is available at invisibleburden.org.

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