For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

Where press releases are breaking news

Moscow selected to host annual GSMA Mobile 360 Series event

by

Eurasia conference, a regional event held as part of the activities of GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association), will be held in Moscow, October 8-9 2019.

The decision to host the event in Moscow was adopted as a result of an active work of the Russian Convention Bureau which provided the proposal for venues, and organized an inspection visit for representatives of the international association.

The event will be held in Moscow for the second time, following the successful launch in 2018 which gathered over 600 attendees from 21 countries and 52% were Director-level and above.

In 2019, the conference and exhibition will bring together over 600 policymakers, regulatory authorities, international organisations, Mobile Network Operators, mobile technology solution providers and broader ICT ecosystem players from Russia, the CIS region and the international market leaders in 5G technology. The event will be held at the Lotte Hotel Moscow.

Anton Kobyakov, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, said: “The sphere of mobile and high technologies plays a key role in stimulating economic growth, attracting foreign investments and increasing global competitiveness through development of science and technology. Adding more industries to the list of events organized by the Russian Convention Bureau will not only facilitate the development of corresponding areas of the real economy sector but also help create the image of the country on the international arena as one of the most meaningful players on the market of the event industry.”

Alexey Kalachev, Director of the Russian Convention Bureau, said: “We use various tools of working with international associations as we work to attract various business events to Russia. We are ready to offer universal and customized solutions that will correspond to the needs and expectations of conference organizers of various scale in different industries.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

A dog’s paradise unveiled at Melia Orlando Suite Hotel

by

Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel at Celebration, a hotel near the magic of Disney World and Universal Studios, has just opened a dedicated Dog Recreation Park that’s perfectly designed to ensure our furry friends get a vacation too.

The recreation park includes:

• 2 sections for the dog park
• 1 large dog section
• 4 obstacles
• 1 fire hydrant (to both pee and play on!)
• Picnic table with umbrella
• Dog poop station
• Trash can
• 2 adirondack chairs
• 6-8 dog capacity

• 1 small dog section.
• 2 obstacles
• Fire hydrant
• 2 adirondack chairs
• 4 -6 dog capacity

Meliá Orlando Suite Hotel offers an old-world charm meets new world design and contemporary comfort. Wild orchids grace tabletops and large-scale impressionist paintings combine with mosaic walls, that sets an atmosphere that is both European – an homage to its Spanish brand roots – and American Chic. In addition to the dog park, the hotel offers a 360-degree vanishing pool with a zero-entry point for kids to play in and around, perfect for sunset relaxation while the dogs play.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Global Tourism Industry Mourns the Loss of Peter Wong

by

Tourism Icon Peter Wong died on 11 March 2019, at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam, HongKong.

Peter Wong was Executive Chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism, Vice Chairman of the Global Tourism Economy Forum, and Chairman of several private sector companies including M.K. Corporation Ltd., Culture Resources Development Co Ltd, Silk Road Hotel Management Co Ltd, and Silk Road Travel Management Ltd. Since 1993, he participated as a member of the United Nations multi-agencies Silk Road Project.

Peter was politically active serving on the National People’s Congress as a representative from Hong Kong from 1993 until his death.  Peter Wong was a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and a recipient of the Young Industrialist Award of Hong Kong.

During the UNWTO 22nd General Assembly in Chengdu, China, Peter said: “Tourism is increasingly an important economic pillar for all countries and beyond this, we are now moving into an era of universal values which our industry is in the forefront of championing – like poverty alleviation and environmental protection; and we are an industry that more than any other is dedicated to propagating a message of peace and harmony.”

The founder of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism(IIPT)  Louis D’Amore told eTurboNews: “Peter’s passing was much too soon and will be felt throughout the industry. He continually spoke of the ’PHD‘ role of tourism – a role of Peace, Harmony and Development. And so his philosophy and concept of tourism were totally consistent with the philosophy and goals of IIPT.

Together with Peter as Executive Chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism, we launched the IIPT Global Peace Parks project with the dedication of Sun River National Park, Pu’er China as an IIPT International Peace Park (see photo left and below). We will certainly miss Peter’s collaboration on future projects.”

Peter traveled to Beijing on 2 March 2019 to attend the annual meeting of the NPC, only to return to Hong Kong two days later to treat an illness.

Travel News | eTurboNews

“Plan For Our Kids” and “African Earth Lung” to launch at WTM Africa

by

eTN Publisher Juergen Steinmetz talks to Professor Geoffrey Lipman Co-Founder of SUNx – STRONG Universal Network, about the development of “Plan For Our Kids” and the signature “African Earth Lung” to be launched during WTM Africa.

Steinmetz  

Hey Geoffrey, I wanted to get an update from SUNx for  WTM Africa

Lipman

Hi Thomas, we’re just rolling out “Plan for Our Kids” (PFOK)  launched at WTTC’s COP 24 event in Poland at the end of last year. Its goal is to create 100,000 STRONG Climate Champions by 2030 across all UN States. It’s a low cost, CSR linked program, with lifetime learning, from school through graduation into corporate training programs, and it will support Climate Friendly Travel ~ measured to manage: green to grow & 2050 proof to innovate. It will provide cloud connected online education, analytics and a heavy emphasis on innovation, to spread best practice around the system.

Steinmetz

Why is this different from what other organizations like WTTC or UNWTO do ?

Lipman

It’s complementary to all the excellent SDG related sustainability initiatives, of industry and government organizations – across the mobility, hospitality, technology spectrum.  PFOK is just totally focused on responding to eXistential Climate Change. Because if we don’t fix that, all the other stuff won’t matter. So, it targets the next generation of decision makers. And we are appealing to companies and communities who connect with them for the strategic engagement and financing support to make it happen. Industry leaders, financial services, technology innovators all have a massive stake in the future. SUNx is just a catalyst.

Steinmetz 

Why the next generation……… What about now?

Lipman

Climate change is a multi-generational issue. The last generation defined it: This generation recognized it. The next generation will be in the middle of it. They don’t have the institutional baggage and they will have the mindset to implement solutions.

But we have to start now – that’s the climate scientists’ message: that’s the economists’ message and that’s the Greta Thunberg message.

I kind of like the Titanic analogy.  At the end of the day we have to avoid the iceberg and if we do that the ship sails on, life carries on and evolves. But the ship takes a long time to change course – in the case of the Paris Agreement 5 years from 2015 inception to 2020 coming into force. 2030 to ramp up and integrate with the SDG’s And 2050 to stabilize at liveable weather conditions.

Steinmetz

OK why 100,000 STRONG Champions– or did you pull the number out of the air.

Lipman

Well it’s a significant target of educated thought leaders – even for a global  movement – but it’s basically the equivalent of 500 for every UN State. Even for a small island that’s not huge. For a big State we know it will spawn more. And we have a decade to put them in place. They’ll be the Greta Thunberg support system for our sector – helping ensure that Paris targets are met. What’s exciting is that we will be able to provide them with dynamic lifetime learning from our web portal, focused good practice from across the global climate resilience spectrum and a capacity to spread innovation on a real time basis.

Steinmetz    How Will you Finance such an Ambitious Program

Lipman

Visionary Corporate Sponsors from the Travel & Tourism sector and supporting industries, as well as far thinking public sector sources; will take it to scale, country by country. We have a Sponsor and Impact Investor program, as well as a country initiative that costs just 5000 Euro. And we operate as an NGO with low costs and high focus.

We’ve been fortunate to find our first Anchor Sponsor, of 12 we are seeking worldwide for 2019/2020 – and we are grateful to Robin Ingle for his willingness to step up to the plate so quickly. Our plan calls for one from each sub-sector – Transport: Hospitality: Travel Services: from each of 3 regions. Americas: Europe / Middle East/ Africa: Asia/Pacific. As well as one leader per UN State.

Our signature African Earth Lung will of course  require a much bigger Alliance, with much greater finance. But frankly it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to do something that can have such clear global and local significance. I  saw it before at Rio 92 when Maurice Strong mobilized so much for the planet and a focus on the Amazon. We think this is our chance to help the world and the Congo Basin.

Steinmetz Will you ever stop this kind of corporate campaigning

Lipman

I doubt it.  I worked for IATA for the first 20 years of my career – a wonderful organization that instilled a sense of purpose –  its first Director General told a journalist when he was in his 90’s, that his days began by crawling out of bed to get the Times Newspaper from the doormat. He turned to the obituary column and if he wasn’t there, he got dressed & carried on with life. I’m kind of from that school of thought.

For more information on SUNx, please visit: https://www.thesunprogram.com/

3 min Video About SUNx

 

Travel News | eTurboNews

Brand USA Board of Directors approves committee assignments

by

On Wednesday, March 13, members of the Brand USA board of directors convened for a quarterly meeting in Washington, DC where they welcomed newly appointed and reappointed members and approved members to officiating positions and committees.

The confirmed committee assignments are as follows:

Finance Committee

Chair: Kyle Edmiston, deputy director/chief operations officer for Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau

Committee Members

• John Edman, director of Explore Minnesota
• Noel Irwin Hentschel, chairman and chief executive officer of AmericanTours International, LLC
• Mark Hoplamazian, president and chief executive officer of Hyatt Hotels Corporation
• Alice Norsworthy, chief marketing officer of Universal Parks & Resorts
• Barbara Richardson, chief of external relations of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro)

Conflict of Interest Committee

Chair: Tom O’Toole, senior fellow and clinical professor of marketing at the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University

Committee Members

• Andrew Greenfield, managing partner of the Washington, DC office of Fragomen
• Barbara Richardson

Audit Committee

Chair: Tom O’Toole

Committee Members

• Paul Brown, chief executive officer of Inspire Brands
• Noel Irwin Hentschel

Governance & Nominating Committee

Chair: Andrew Greenfield

Committee Members

• John Edman
• Mike Gallagher, co-chairman and co-founder of CityPASS

Marketing Committee

Chair: Alice Norsworthy

Committee Members

• Kristen Branscum, commissioner of Kentucky Department of Tourism
• Paul Brown
• Kyle Edmiston
• Mike Gallagher
• Noel Irwin Hentschel
• Tom O’Toole

Full recordings of the board meetings can be found here. For more information about the newly appointed members, please access the press announcement here. A complete list of the board of directors and their bios is available here. The next board meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 22, 2019.

Thank you to all staff, board members, partners, and stakeholders for their continued support.

Together, we are marketing the USA!

Travel News | eTurboNews

IMEX Frankfurt: Education speakers include former monk, game developer and ‘tech geeks’

by

Learning opportunities delivering fresh perspectives from inside and outside the industry

What do a former monk, a game developer and a self-confessed ‘tech geek’ have in common? They’re all speakers at IMEX in Frankfurt, taking place 21 – 23 May.

There are over 250 complimentary learning sessions in both English and German taking place throughout the three days of the show plus EduMonday, an afternoon dedicated to personal development, taking place the day before the IMEX show begins.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

Meet Germany’s most widely-read mindfulness author

The importance of mindfulness in talent management will be explored by Jan Esswein, one-time monk and now Germany’s most widely-read author on the subject of mindfulness. His session The mindfulness code: four improvements for a new quality of work will share tips on using mindfulness to improve employee communication, collaboration and creativity.

Following in the footsteps of 3M, SAP and Siemens

With diversity and inclusion being such a hot topic across both the events sector and worldwide, it forms an integral part of many learning sessions at IMEX in Frankfurt this year. For example, experts from the Association of Destination Management Executives International will explore Cultural differences and their impact on destination management, digging into cultural nuances as well as wider global traits.

Similarly, executive coach Melissa Lamson will pass on the best practice and communication models she has shared with global heavyweights including 3M, LinkedIn, SAP, and Siemens in her session Industry best practices on how to be an inclusive leader.

The role of events in supporting universal design, diversity and inclusion will be championed by the Events Industry Council in Redesigning inclusive events by overcoming unconscious bias – where planners can uncover their unconscious bias and learn practical ways of designing events to be more welcoming for all.

Emotional engagement in event design is explored by experts including James Morgan, Founder of Event Tech Lab. Morgan will discuss the role and importance of activating emotions through good event design in his session Emotional triggers, attendee participation and positive memories.

Separately, research by Cvent will help planners to get Inside the mind of the event attendee, with data detailing not only the differences each region faces, but also the differences in generational needs and some unexpected networking traits.

What a (food) waste

Also new for this year is the Red Lab where experts from outside the events sector will deliver fresh perspectives. Sigurd Ringstad, business developer from game-based learning platform Kahoot, joins facilitator Majbritt Sandberg to share the benefits of social learning to boost teamwork and innovation in Social learning: Connect. Share. Learn. Another session likely to draw a big audience will focus on taking a collaborative approach to sustainability. Collaboration lies firmly at the heart of What a waste! Finding solutions for world problems using co-creation – a session delivered by Laure Berment from Too Good To Go, the world’s number one app for fighting food waste.

Meet the geeks

Technology – and how to deal with information overload – will top the agenda in Meet the geeks – technology trends to enhance your skills in the 21st century where self-confessed ‘tech geeks’ and founders of Canvas Planner will show planners how to benefit from today’s innovations. They’ll also share wisdom on how to use technology to create a healthy work-life balance.

As usual IMEX is offering all attendees FREE education sessions designed across 10 tracks, including business skills, creative learning, research and trends, sustainability and health and wellbeing – all delving into the current issues and challenges faced by planners.

Finally, attendees can also learn about the latest in technology and experiential concepts at the show’s new Discovery Zone. This specially curated area will be packed with education and experiences to fire up the imagination of event planners and exhibitors alike, helping them question the conventional and be inspired to explore new approaches.

Guyana Tourism together with SUNx to bring Climate Change education

by

Guyana which has been named the #1 “Best of Ecotourism” destination and one of the world’s Top 10 Sustainable Destinations at this week’s ITB Berlin is teaming up with SUNx to bring Climate Change education into its Travel & Tourism sector.

Guyana’s ITB Award reflects its authentic Green Tourism, its holistic approach to sustainable destination management, and integration into the quality of life for all its citizens.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

“Being recognized as a leading sustainable destination is a great honour and it’s very timely, with the potential the government to advance development, modernize the economy, and positively transform the lives of all citizens” stated Brian T. Mullis, Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority. “ The Green State Agenda gives a tremendous lead and we will do all we can to strengthen inter-ministerial and multi-stakeholder collaboration to maximize the positive socio-economic and conservation outcomes from tourism.”

As an immediate step Mullis announced an SDG17 Partnership between the Guyana Tourism Authority and the SUNx Program – a legacy program for Maurice Strong, the father of Sustainable Development – to kickstart its “Plan For Our Kids” in Guyana.

Professor Geoffrey Lipman, co-founder of SUNx noted its lifetime learning system for Climate Friendly Travel ~ measured: green: 2050 proof.  SUNx plans to use it to create 100,000 STRONG Climate Champions by 2030, across all UN States to support transformation to the New Climate Economy. “We will enrol a top Guyanese Student, as a beach head for the program in the country and  work with the stakeholders in the sector to boost membership in  the years ahead. Our strategic vision is for the sector to conform to Paris Climate Targets by 2030 and we believe that the “Plan For Our Kids” will make a big difference”.

The Strong Universal Network SUNx is a program of the EU-based, not for profit Green Growth and Travelism Institute, and a legacy to the late Maurice Strong – Sustainable Development Pioneer.  Its goal is to promote Climate Friendly Travel with good & bad effects measured and managed coherently: with Green Growth at the core and, 2050-proof in line with the Paris Accords, and the W.E.F. 4th Industrial Revolution.
www.thesunprogram.com/

The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is a semiautonomous governmental organisation responsible for developing and promoting sustainable tourism in Guyana through collaboration with sister agencies and the tourism private sector in order to maximise local socio-economic and conservation outcomes and improve the visitors’ experience.  GTA is focused on Guyana becoming recognised locally and internationally as a premier destination for protecting its natural and cultural heritage, providing authentic experiences, and maximizing local economic benefits. For more information, visit www.guyanatourism.com



SUNx & Ingle International Announce SDG-17 Climate Resilience Partnership

by

A Climate Resilience partnership, focussed on creating 100,000 Strong Climate Champions by 2030 was announced today at COP 24 in Katowice, Poland.

The partnership, which was made in the spirit of SDG-17, is between leading Canadian-based global travel risk management and travel insurance provider Ingle International Inc., and SUNx (Strong Universal Network), which focusses on Climate Friendly Travel. The partnership is founded on a shared commitment to develop the Maurice Strong Legacy Scholarship Program, with Ingle International as its first global sponsor.

Speaking from COP 24 – the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Professor Geoffrey Lipman, Co-founder of SUNx, said:

“We are honoured to announce our partnership with Ingle International to launch the global rollout of the Maurice Strong Legacy Scholarship Program. This will create 100,000 “Strong Climate Champions” by 2030, in every UN State, to help to drive the behavioural change and influence the fundamental government and industry actions needed to tackle Climate Change.

We need to realize the exposure to our children and grandchildren. We need to stop talking amongst ourselves and engage directly with future generations. SUNx – a legacy initiative for Maurice Strong, the father of global Sustainable Development Action – will spearhead a movement for 100,000 climate activists by 2030, responding creatively to the Paris Accords and SDG-13.

By the simple act of a Scholarship Plan for graduates committed to help society take action towards more stable temperature levels, we can empower the next generation, who are the ones that will have to really deal with the transformation to the New Climate Economy.”

Robin Ingle, CEO of Ingle International said:

“As a global travel risk management and insurance provider, we specialize in assessing risk, and there is no greater risk to our civilisation than Climate Change, as Sir David Attenborough pointed out at the start of the COP 24 meeting. At the same time, we identify ways to mitigate and respond to these risks positively, and we see no better means in doing this than to empower the next generation with the knowledge base that they will need to take action. Also, as a Canadian, I recognise the immense contribution that Maurice Strong made for half a century to help put in place the actions we are taking today. These are some of the reasons why Ingle International is proud to be the first global sponsor of this important program.”