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Seychelles Tourism Board exhibits alongside Dnata Travel at the ADIB Roadshow

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The Seychelles was prominently seen at the ADIB staff travel day roadshow event alongside Dnata Travel and seven other exhibitors on April 22, 23 & 25 2019.

As Dnata Travel and the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) continue their effort to enhance the great strategic partnership that exists between the two organizations, Dnata offered Seychelles the opportunity to join them for the first time at a travel exhibition in Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank.

The STB was represented by its Tourism Attaché in Abu Dhabi Ms. Aliette Esther, who was present at the event as the face and voice of the destination.

STB’s participation in the in-house travel exhibition offered Seychelles an ideal platform to meet with the staff, bankers, their clients and other visitors that were at the ADIB head office during the event.  The footfall during the travel exhibition is approximately 2000-3000 visitors with a fixed budget.

Dnata being the official exclusive Tourism Management Company for ADIB, it was a definite occasion for the destination to be part of this prestigious event and to place itself closer to its clients including big corporate partners.

Visitors were presented with the chance to learn more about the beautiful islands of Seychelles, the attractions and activities one can participate in.

The STB representative present at the event mentioned that the strategy for the STB’s participation in the event included slowly shifting potential clients’ perception that Seychelles is just for honeymooners and couples.

She stressed that as a tourism board, the STB has been enhancing clients’ knowledge about the destination including the fact that Seychelles also has many activities catering to families and groups.

Ms. Esther also mentioned that as the Holy Month of Ramadan and the school holidays are approaching, it was a perfect time to be promoting Seychelles at ADIB.

“As our clients are getting ready for the holidays, they need to be reminded that Seychelles is a multifaceted destination and that it is very diverse with each island having its own distinct scenery, flora, and fauna.  The fact that it is easy to visit two or three islands in one day was pressed on all the visitors, and evidently, the visa-free policy created a lot of interest”. “Seychelles will continue to strengthen its brand Seychelles Islands-another world in the market while we continue to expand our partnership with key travel trade partners across the UAE,” commented Ms. Esther, STB Tourism Attaché in Abu Dhabi.

Those who visited the Seychelles/Dnata Travel stand did not leave the event empty-handed, and they certainly left with a smile on their faces and a head full of dreams of pristine waters and swinging hammocks in between the coconut trees.

Ms. Esther mentioned that through STB’s participation in the event, she has received various inquiries for the Eid packages to Seychelles.

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

Seychelles Tourism Board records successful participation at 2019 Arabian Travel Market in Dubai

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The Seychelles Islands was represented at the 26th edition of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), in Middle East’s most popular travel trade event held from April 28 to May 1, 2019 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The 4-day event garnered the participation of some 2,500 companies, including the participation of the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) featuring a representation from 150 countries, 65 national pavilions and more than 100 new exhibitors at the fair.

The Seychelles delegation was led by the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Didier Dogley. The Seychelles Ambassador in the United Arab Emirates, Jean-Claude Adrienne, STB Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis.

They were escorted by a strong STB team including the Tourism Attaché at the Seychelles Abu Dhabi Embassy, Ms. Aliette Esther, the STB representative in Dubai, Ahmed Fathallah, and Ms. Stephanie Lablache STB Director for the Middle East and Ms. Vanessa Lucas, Public Relations Officer from the Headquarters.

The team was completed by few trade partners representing local Destination Management Companies and hotels including Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino, Eden Bleu Hotel, Luxury Travel, Satguru Travels and Tours Ltd, Six Senses Zil Pasyon, and Vision Voyages.

The 2019 edition of the ATM travel trade show recorded over 40,000 attendees, highlighting Middle East’s thriving tourism sector and the major opportunity for Seychelles as a destination to increase its clients in the Middle East.  

STB’s participation has generated immense interest at the ATM as numerous partners and travel professionals visited the stand, conducting meetings with exhibiting partners attending the event alongside the STB team.

With the summer season fast approaching, coupled with other upcoming Middle Eastern holidays, the annual event was the ideal platform for the STB and its local partners to personally meet travel professionals to further the awareness of the destination as well as reinforcing its presence in the Middle East market.

The destination, with Six Senses Zil Pasyon as partner, was also one of the presenters at the TTN Travel Trade Competition on the 3rd day of the fair at the Inspiration Theatre on site. The STB Chief Executive Mrs. Sherin Francis showcased the destination through a Pecha Kucha presentation— a story telling format using 20 slides for 20 seconds per slide.

The presentation was followed by a quiz which was the highlight of the event as one lucky travel agent took home a prize sponsored by Six Senses Zil Pasyon by answering the questions correctly.

During the event, Minister Didier Dogley and STB Chief Executive had the opportunity to give several media interviews to share the latest news about the destination.

Aside from providing visibility to the destination and indulging in various promotional activities at the ATM, the STB team, headed by its Chief Executive also signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the renewal of a marketing agreement between the Tourism Board and Emirates Airline. 

Mrs. Francis mentioned her satisfaction following STB’s participation at the ATM, she also thanked the partners who supported the team by their presence on the stand during the event.

“STB’s participation at the ATM was definitely a great success. There was an increased interest from our media partners and our partners in the Middle East to hear about the latest news from our destination. It was vital for the destination to be present at the event, the upcoming holidays in the Middle East opens a window of opportunity to increase visitor’s arrival on the Middle East market. With the efforts contributed by the local trade present at the fair, I am confident that we have made a huge impact on the market,” said Mrs. Francis.

 “We are hopeful and anticipating to surpass last year’s visitor arrivals to the destination by participating in different travel and trade events in the GCC that will serve as a platform to personally meet with new and existing trade partners.” said Mr. Fathallah.

The UAE along with the GCC countries currently being the fourth market feeder to the destination continues to be one of the largest source markets to the destination finishing off the year 2018 with more than 32,000 visitors from the GCC.

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

ATM to launch inaugural M.E. edition of Travel Forward in 2020

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Travel, tourism and hospitality professionals from around the world will have an opportunity to explore the next generation of industry innovations at the Middle East’s first ever edition of Travel Forward, which will take place alongside Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2020.

The travel and hospitality innovation event will connect buyers and suppliers from across the Middle East and beyond, enabling delegates to try out the latest industry tools and take advantage of technologies that could boost efficiency and improve the customer experience.

The event will cover the full spectrum of industry tools, from emerging innovations such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and machine learning, to existing systems such as booking engines, business management software and end-user technology.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “In today’s ultra-competitive travel, tourism and hospitality markets, the effective implementation of innovative technologies is essential to the long-term success of any business. By identifying the right tools to meet their needs, industry professionals can give themselves a competitive edge.

“That is why events such as Travel Forward are so important to our sector’s future. By bringing together buyers and suppliers, and facilitating face-to-face interactions, the show will make it easier for participants to identify and test innovative technologies and applications that could help to achieve their long-term goals.”

Travel Forward will form part of next year’s Arabian Travel Week, an umbrella brand comprising several co-located shows including Arabian Travel Market 2020; ATM Holiday Shopper; CONNECT Middle East, India and Africa; and ILTM Arabia.

The original edition of Travel Forward was launched during World Travel Market 2018 in London. Based on the success of the event to date, organiser Reed Travel Exhibitions rolled out a Latin America edition earlier this year, and plans to introduce both Middle East and South Africa editions in 2020.

Richard Gayle, Event Manager, Travel Forward at WTM London, said: “The London edition of Travel Forward has attracted widespread industry interest since its launch in 2018. The event not only allows technology suppliers to showcase their products and services to buyers on a one-to-one basis, but also enables travel, tourism and hospitality professionals to get hands-on experience with technologies that could transform their operations.

“The Middle East edition of the show will enable industry players from across the Gulf to engage with the latest innovations by bringing these technologies to their doorstep.”

Delegates at the Middle East event will have access to high-profile keynote speakers and a world-class line-up of technology experts, and the event’s organiser plans to limit the number of exhibitors so that suppliers and buyers can be more effectively aligned.

Travel Forward will include a dedicated product theatre, enabling exhibitors to conduct live demonstrations for attendees. The event will also feature ‘Pitch It – Prove It’ start-up challenge, in which suppliers will not only explain the theory behind their innovations but also demonstrate their advantages in real time.

The standalone event will build on the success of ATM 2019’s theme, cutting-edge technology and innovation, which has been integrated across all show verticals and activities, including its focused seminar sessions.

For more information about ATM 2019, visit: https://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com.

To find out more about Travel Forward, visit: https://travelforward.wtm.com.

About Arabian Travel Market (ATM)

Arabian Travel Market is the leading international travel and tourism event in the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. ATM 2018 attracted almost 40,000 industry professionals, with representation from 141 countries over the four days. The 25th edition of ATM showcased over 2,500 exhibiting companies across 12 halls at Dubai World Trade Centre.  Arabian Travel Market 2019 will take place in Dubai from Sunday, 28 April to Wednesday, 1 May 2019. To find out more, please visit: www.arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: NATHALIE VISELE, Director, Shamal Communications, Arjaan Office Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tel: +971 4 365 2711 | Mobile: +971 50 457 6525, E-mail: nathalie.visele@shamalcomms.com , Website: www.shamalcomms.com

Morocco wins Best Stand Design at Arabian Travel Market 2019

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It’s hard to stand out from the crowd when you’re one of 2,800 exhibitors – but the Moroccan National Provincial Tourist Office has been adjudged the Best Stand Design for its authentic representation of a typical Moroccan house at Arabian Travel Market 2019.

Reproducing elements of both a ‘riad’ and a ‘dar’, the Moroccan stand featured a traditional townhouse with pink walls, a courtyard and a fountain, while EXPO 2020 was highly commended for its colorful and engaging stand.

The awards also covered Best Stand for Doing Business; Best Stand within the Travel Tech Show at ATM; Best Stand Feature and Best Stand Personnel.

Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: “Arabian Travel Market would not be the huge success it is, without the incredible amount of effort and investment that exhibitors put into creating and manning these exceptional stands at the show. Since its inception, the annual award program has not only recognized exhibitor’s efforts but has also encouraged exciting, fresh and creative designs.”

Competition in the Doing Business category was tougher than ever but the judges – Faye Bartle, Managing Editor, Hot Media Publishing; Leo Fewtrell, Managing Partner, Gulf Reps; Nicholas Hall, CEO and Founder of Digital Tourism Think Tank; and Matt Gibson, CEO, UpThink – were impressed by the Marriott International stand for its scale and impact.

“The layout of the stand was very inviting and efficient, encouraging both social networking as well as private business meetings. It was exceptionally busy throughout and there was a real buzz and sense of anticipation – it was a stimulating environment,” said Faye Bartle, Managing Editor, Hot Media Publishing.

Babylon Booking’s sleek all-black design and creative use of space meant the Iraqi company won Best Stand within the Travel Tech Show at ATM while Sharjah Tourism’s diverse use of attractions – from a powerboat and photo booths to LED floors and tunnels – meant it was the clear winner in the Best Feature category.

Judges selected The Garden Hotel Company’s stand for Best Stand Personnel and picked out the Guangzhou property for its friendliness and staff knowledge.

Fewtrell, who has never missed an ATM over the past 25 years, said: “It never ceases to amaze me how exhibitors continually manage to raise the bar, improving the appearance and practicality of their stands, in both subtle and significant ways.”

The winners of this year’s awards were announced at a photo-call on the exhibition show floor on Tuesday 30th April.

Launched in 2015, the Best Stand Awards were created to recognize the design creativity and business-friendly appeal of exhibiting companies’ physical presence at ATM.

MEDIA CONTACT: NATHALIE VISELE, Director, Shamal Communications, Arjaan Office Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tel: +971 4 365 2711 | Mobile: +971 50 457 6525, E-mail: nathalie.visele@shamalcomms.com , Website: www.shamalcomms.com

Personalize and remove friction for customers, Gulf travel companies told

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Gulf-based travel and hospitality companies that use disruptive technologies to boost personalization and remove friction for customers are likely to become future market leaders, according to experts speaking at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019.

In a panel discussion titled ‘The Big Picture – Who Will Sell Travel Best in the Future?’, which took place on ATM’s Global Stage, representatives from Booking.com, Sabre Corporation, Google, Facebook and Emirates explored the potential benefits and pitfalls of technology implementation in the Gulf’s tourism sector.

While innovations such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and personalisation technology have the potential to boost efficiency across the industry, panellists emphasised that operators should always consider how new applications are likely to impact the customer experience.

Fouad Talaat, Regional Manager of Partner Services – MEA, Booking.com, said: “Some of us think we’re in an era of disruption but I think we’ve passed that already. I think we’re in an era of powerful customers.

“We think of ourselves as a customer-first AI company. This means that the application of any new technology is done to enhance the experience for our customers. We don’t experiment with emerging technologies for the sake of it. If an innovation doesn’t take friction away, we don’t invest in it.”

Airports and airlines increased investments in information technology (IT) from 5.6 per cent in 2017 to 7.5 per cent in 2018, accounting for an overall investment of USD 30 billion. By implementing IoT technology to optimise flight itineraries, the industry could save the same amount in fuel savings alone over the next 15 years, according to research conducted by Colliers on behalf of ATM 2019.

In addition to efficiency savings, panellists noted that the GCC’s tourism industry must identify areas in which disruptive technologies can be implemented to ensure a seamless customer experience.

Terry Kane, Head of Travel, Auto, Telco and Financial Services – Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, Facebook, said: “In travel today, there is still an enormous amount of friction at every step of the journey and mobile solutions can help to remove a lot of this. Expectations are constantly changing. The moment a company solves a friction-related problem, customers’ expectations are reset.

“For example, if I want the most personal experience possible, it’s probably going to be through WhatsApp or Facebook. We should be able to reserve flights, get our boarding passes and book accommodation through WhatsApp or Facebook directly […] These platforms should be your personal concierge for multiple things in life, and travel is certainly one of those areas.”

The comprehensive implementation of personalisation technology could also lead to significant benefits for the Middle East’s hotel industry, according to Colliers, increasing revenues by more than 10 per cent and reducing costs by more than 15 per cent.

Ben Vinod, Senior VP and Chief Scientist, Sabre Corporation, said: “We live in an AI, machine learning-driven landscape, so a key focus for our sector is intelligent retailing. Consumers want to see content that is relevant for them; they don’t want to see generic information. This is something that will change over the next couple of years.

“One example is that you don’t always have to show the lowest price on your website. You may want to show the best price based on the customer’s preferences. Segmentation is important because it allows you to deliver relevant content to a portion of the population. We also see a need for one-to-one personalisation. We want to be able to give you a tailored response that is meaningful to you – as a segment of one.”

Running until Wednesday, 1 May, ATM 2019 will see more than 2,500 exhibitors showcase their products and services at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Viewed by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) tourism sector, last year’s edition of ATM welcomed 39,000 people, representing the largest exhibition in the history of the show.

MEDIA CONTACT: NATHALIE VISELE, Director, Shamal Communications, Arjaan Office Tower, Dubai Media City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tel: +971 4 365 2711 | Mobile: +971 50 457 6525, E-mail: nathalie.visele@shamalcomms.com , Website: www.shamalcomms.com

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.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Swiss-Belhotel brings special offers to Arabian Travel Market

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Swiss-Belhotel International has created exciting packages for wholesalers and tour operators that will be launched at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) taking place in Dubai from April 28 to May 1, 2019. Targeted at Middle East travelers, the group has put together a fabulous range of offers that will be available across its spectacular properties in New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Laurent A. Voivenel, Senior Vice President, Operations and Development for the Middle East, Africa and India, Swiss-Belhotel International, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of these exclusive packages that have been designed to provide unique experiences along with greater benefits and value to our Middle East partners as well as customers. We have superb properties located in some of the most sought-after destinations that attract large number of travelers from our region. With the summer holiday season around the corner, ATM presents us the ideal opportunity to launch these. Moreover, this year we are very excited about the ATM Holiday Shopper that we believe is a great addition to the show.”

The Special Packages offer a diverse choice of experiences at unbeatable rates: These include the following:

  • Special Golf Packages in Indonesia at various destinations – Jakarta, Batam, Bandung, Bali, Tarakan, Belitung, Surabaya, Jayapura, and in Vietnam in Da Lat.
  • Discounted wholesale rates for hotels in New Zealand and for hotels in Australia.
  • Early Bird discounts in the busiest destination in Australia, the hotel in Sydney offers 15% discounts for booking within April with stays valid till August and 10% for bookings until August with stays valid all throughout the year.
  • In Philippines, book at Makati and get a free room upgrade; and when you book at Manila get to enjoy the amazing introductory offer including breakfast for two.

Visitors to ATM can find Swiss-Belhotel International on stand HC0825 located in Sheikh Saeed Arena in Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

eTN is a media partner for ATM.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Lufthansa makes dedicated staff look bad: The eTN Hero is Patricia Dzai of Swissport Johannesburg

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Lufthansa

“My personal hero today is Ms. Patricia Dzai. Patricia works for Swissport in Johannesburg, South Africa,” said eTN Publisher Juergen Steinmetz. Swissport is one of the largest aviation ground-handling agencies operating in countries around the world.

Major airlines hire Swissport to manage customer relations and logistics when it comes to baggage handling, including lost or misplaced items.

Lufthansa German Airlines’ ground handler in Johannesburg is Swissport. I recently traveled from Nice to Cape Town via Frankfurt and Johannesburg on Lufthansa German Airlines. I am a United Airlines Star Alliance Gold member and traveled on Lufthansa in Business class. Lufthansa is a member of Star Alliance.

When I arrived in Johannesburg, I heard my name called by Lufthansa’s lost baggage office handled by Swissport.

I was told my tube was still in Frankfurt, and they would put it on the next flight to Johannesburg. I explained it was of utmost importance to have the tube for an important trade show event, the World Travel Market in Cape Town, in the morning.

Patricia Dzai, the Swissport agent in Johannesburg, wanted to make sure this would be possible and sent an urgent message to Lufthansa in Frankfurt. The message said:

 

 

 

 

 

I was pleased to know my tube would go on LH 576 directly to Cape Town almost in time for the start of World Travel Market.

I went on to fly to Cape Town and received a text message in the evening saying my tube would be on the Lufthansa flight to Johannesburg, which was different from what Patricia had requested. Since it was late and the Swissport office in Johannesburg was closed, I was able to find a non-published phone number for Lufthansa baggage service in Frankfurt. Lufthansa, like most airlines, is hiding phone numbers to encourage passengers to communicate only by email.

I was told by Lufthansa Baggage Service in Frankfurt no such message to forward my tube to Cape Town was ever received by Swissport Johannesburg. The agent went on to say that passengers are often not told the truth by Swissport agents.

The Lufthansa agent in Frankfurt explained that his job was not to help me, since this was only handled in Johannesburg. I argued my tube is in Frankfurt and not Johannesburg, and the handling agent for Swissport in Johannesburg was closed.

The agent then said he was now doing a one-time exception for me and would reroute my tube on LH576 directly to Cape Town. He said there were 5 hours to get this done, still plenty of time according to him.

The next day I received another message telling me again the tube was on its way to Johannesburg instead of Cape Town.

I called Swissport in Johannesburg, and the news not could have been worse. They told me, apologizing, that my tube was still in Frankfurt for a second day, and they did not know why.

I again called the baggage-handling office in Frankfurt and was again told it’s all Swissport’s mistake for not telling them where to send it.

This time I was angry and called Swissport Johannesburg again. I asked Patricia why she was lying about this. I told her she never sent this request to Frankfurt, according to Lufthansa.

Ten minutes later, I received an email with a time-stamped screenshot from Patricia Dzai showing me exactly what was requested by her in the first place.

Patricia actually had gone out of her way originally to make sure I would be united with my tube on time and in Cape Town. I felt bad thinking she didn’t care and didn’t do anything, when in fact she did.

It shows that big companies like Lufthansa have a serious customer service issue. They hide behind a huge system and are trained to say it’s not their job and simply blame others for company shortcomings.

There was no way I could talk to anyone at Lufthansa about this, and my urgent email to them on the day I was trying to get the tube re-routed was just responded to 2 weeks after I was already back home in Hawaii. Lufthansa offered a 200 euro compensation.

No explanation was given and no apology for accusing Patricia Dzai and Swissport for not doing their job.

I finally received my tube on the last day after the trade show and took it back to the US unopened. When I changed planes in Frankfurt, I asked the agent working in the Senator Lounge to speak to a supervisor in baggage handling about this case and compensation. She told me I have to send an email, which I had already done days ago.

She gave me some chocolate and said they get customers’ complaints all the time and do their best to help and respond, but the back-up system by the airline is not there.

It’s all about a giant non-caring anonymous machine.

I extend my apologies to Patricia Dzai from Swissport, as I now understand she was also a victim of shortcomings created by Lufthansa German Airlines.

Patricia Dzai is the eTN Hero for today.

Travel News | eTurboNews

African Tourism Board Safety and Travel Security Expert Statement on TOPP

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African Tourism Board Safety and Security expert Dr. Peter Tarlow reminded all ATB members, security incidents around the world once again underline the need for African nations to promote and provide the best tourism security possible.

African Tourism Board President Alain St. Ange mentioned that after recent security challenges in Kenya, it remains the duty of Africa to stand with Kenya’s Minister Najib Balala, the CS for Tourism and with the Government of Kenya after the recent kidnapping of Doctors and Bomb Threats.

“Tourism is a success story in Kenya and they need, more than ever, their fellow friends and neighbors to spread this successes story,” the ATB president added.

Dr. Tarlow explained: “The best way for the African tourism industry to aid countries not only Sudan and Kenya as they face new tourism security challenge is by helping each nation in Africa to create a well funded and organized tourism security unit.

Each tourism security unit of TOPPs (tourism-oriented policing and protection services) will be experts not only in security but also safety and seek to protect a nation’s visitors along with its reputation and economies.

These units, be they composed of public or private security agents or private-private partnership, will help to assure tourists from around the world that travel to Africa is safe and secure.

They will be major players in promoting African tourism and when security mishaps occur they will aid their local tourism industry in a demonstration to the world that these are the exceptions and not the norm.

It is important to remember where that security is an essential element in tourism.  It is our moral duty and good business to work with both local governments and international organizations to assure travelers that Africa will receive them with open arms and a loving heart.

“Today, the African Tourism Board confirms that they stand with Africa ans specially now with Minister Balala the Kenyan Government and People of Kenya and will work with them as and when called upon”, concluded St.Ange.

Reference:
www.africantourismboard.com

www.safertourism.com 

Travel News | eTurboNews

MSC Cruises partners with Martha Stewart

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MSC Cruises – the Swiss-based world’s largest privately-owned cruise line – is partnering with internationally acclaimed home and lifestyle expert Martha Stewart on new, exclusive culinary and discovery experiences on board and ashore to make MSC Cruises’ guests vacation moments even more special and memorable. The partnership — themed Celebrate, Discover, Experience — includes specially curated shore excursions, celebration surprise gift packages, and onboard special holiday dinner menus and recipes.

“MSC Cruises is committed to developing enriching guest experiences and as such we partner with world-class experts in their field to create together something truly unique,” said Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises. “Martha Stewart’s philosophy and passion for discovery is a perfect match for MSC Cruises and we are excited to bring her innovation, style and expertise to life in this special partnership designed to help our guests create memorable vacation moments with friends and family.”

“I’ve always enjoyed introducing people to new experiences, and I’m thrilled to be working with MSC Cruises on a partnership that embodies the true celebratory nature of travel, exploration and discovery,” said Martha Stewart. “The excursions showcase some of my favorite activities and help MSC Cruises’ guests discover some of the authentic and hidden treasures of destinations throughout the Caribbean. The holiday dinner menus and surprise gift packages encompass what I believe celebrations should include: good food, good company and commemorating great adventures and inspiration wherever we are.”

Travel News | eTurboNews