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World Tourism Awards 2019 presented to Matthew D. Upchurch of Virtuoso, Asilia Africa, Nikoi Island/ The Island Foundation and Me to We

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The 2019 World Tourism Awards were presented today, November 4, 2019, during the opening day of WTM London at Excel London. The honorees were Matthew D. Upchurch of Virtuoso, Asilia Africa, Nikoi Island/ The Island Foundation and Me to We (we.org). Peter Greenberg, CBS News Travel Editor and multi-Emmy award-winning investigative reporter and world-renowned travel expert, hosted the Awards presentation.

The World Tourism Awards, now celebrating its 22nd Anniversary, is co-sponsored by The New York Times, United Airlines, The Travel Corporation and Reed Travel Exhibitions. Inaugurated in 1997, the World Tourism Awards were established to “recognise individuals, companies, organisations, destinations and attractions for outstanding initiatives related to the travel and tourism industry, and in fostering sustainable tourism and developing programmes that give back to local communities.”


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Presenting the Awards on behalf of the sponsors were: Patrick Falconer, Executive Director, The New York Times;Shannon Guihan, Chief Treadright and Sustainability Officer, The Travel Corporation; Bob Schumacher, Managing Director Sales, UK, Ireland and Off-Line Sales, United Airlines and Jeannette Gilbert, Head of Marketing & Communications WTM Portfolio, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

The World Tourism Awards honored Matthew D. Upchurch, CTC, Chairman & CEO of Virtuoso, in recognition of Virtuoso’s commitment to sustainable tourism practices; and its mission to make sustainability a greater factor in consumer choice when traveling – to preserve, protect and advance the local culture, environment and economies of the lands they visit and to increase success for those who are dedicated to travel as a force for good. Accepting the Award was Matthew D. Upchurch, CTC, Chairman and CEO of Virtuoso.

A World Tourism Award was also presented to Asilia Africa, in recognition of Asilia’s multi-pronged approach to make a positive impact on the local communities, wildlife and vital ecosystems of East Africa. Through this holistic approach, they are able to empower these crucial wilderness areas as well as the people who call them home. Fiona Herring, Agent Relationship Manager- Europe, accepted the Award on behalf of Asilia Africa.

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Nikoi Island/ The Island Foundation also received a World Tourism Award in recognition of Nikoi Island and its commitment to sustainability by having a positive impact on the local culture, community, conservation; and for establishing the Island Foundation in 2010, which is transforming education for Riau’s island communities through the creation of 8 learning centers. Accepting the Award on behalf of The Island Foundation, Ed Jenne, Chairman.

ME TO WE (WE.ORG) was honored with a World Tourism Award in recognition of ME TO WE’s impact through its partnership with WE Charity; providing more than 1 million people with clean water, building 1,500 schools overseas, and empowering children with access to education; and of course, providing volunteer travel to those looking to change the world. Aaron Sapra,ME to WE, Global Director, accepted the Award on behalf of Me to We.

The Award itself, Caring for Our World, sponsored by VisitMalta, was specially designed and handcrafted on the Mediterranean Island of Malta by Mdina Glass, and celebrates the qualities of leadership and vision that inspire others to care for all people around the Globe.

The Award ceremony was followed by a reception hosted by United Airlines.

Matthew D. Upchurch, CTC, Chairman & CEO of Virtuoso; Asilia Africa; Nikoi Island/The Island Foundation; ME TO WE (we.org) will receive 2019 World Tourism Awards

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The 2019 World Tourism Awards will be presented to  Matthew D. Upchurch, CTC, Chairman & CEO of Virtuoso; Asilia Africa; Nikoi Island/ The Island Foundation; and Me To We (WE.ORG), on the opening day of World Travel Market (WTM) London, November 4, 2019 at ExCel London.  The awards are co-sponsored by The New York Times, The Travel Corporation, United Airlines and host sponsor Reed Travel Exhibitions. Emmy Award-winning journalist, Peter Greenberg, CBS News Travel Editor and world-renowned travel expert, will host the award presentation.

The distinguished 2019 Honorees are being recognized for outstanding initiatives related to the travel and tourism industry, and for fostering sustainable tourism and developing programs that give back to local communities.

The World Tourism Awards will honor Matthew D. Upchurch, CTC, Chairman & CEO of Virtuoso, in recognition of Virtuoso’s commitment to sustainable tourism practices; and its mission to make sustainability a greater factor in consumer choice when traveling – to preserve, protect and advance the local culture, environment and economies of the lands they visit and to increase success for those who are dedicated to travel as a force for good.

A World Tourism Award will also be presented to Asilia Africa, in recognition of Asilia’s multi-pronged approach to make a positive impact on the local communities, wildlife and vital ecosystems of East Africa. Through this holistic approach, they are able to empower these crucial wilderness areas as well as the people who call them home

Nikoi Island/ The Island Foundation will also receive a World Tourism Award in recognition of Nikoi Island and its commitment to sustainability by having a positive impact on the local culture, community, conservation; and for establishing the Island Foundation in 2010, which is transforming education for Riau’s island communities through the creation of 8 learning centers.

ME TO WE (WE.ORG) will be honored with a World Tourism Award in recognition of ME TO WE’s impact through its partnership with WE Charity; providing more than 1 million people with clean water, building 1,500 schools overseas, and empowering children with access to education; and of course, providing volunteer travel to those looking to change the world.

The Award itself, Caring for Our World, sponsored by VisitMalta, was specially designed and handcrafted on the Mediterranean Island of Malta by Mdina Glass.and celebrates the qualities of leadership and vision that inspire others to care for all people around the Globe.

About the World Tourism Awards

The World Tourism Awards, celebrating its 22nd Anniversary, are presented annually at World Travel Market (WTM) London and sponsored by The New York Times, The Travel Corporation, United Airlines and host sponsor Reed Travel Exhibitions. It was inaugurated to “recognize individuals, companies, organizations, destinations and attractions for outstanding initiatives related to the travel and tourism industry, and for fostering sustainable tourism and developing programs that give back to local communities.”  

The Award ceremony will take place on Monday Nov. 4, 2019, at WTM London, 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM, at Excel Centre, London, Platinum Suite 3 Level 3 and will be hosted by Peter Greenberg, CBS News Travel Editor. The Ceremony will be followed by a special reception hosted by United Airlines.

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events include:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

Editorial Contact World Tourism Awards:

The Bradford Group:

Karen Hoffman/ Amanda Benedetto

The Bradford Group

Tel: 212 447 0027

E-mail: info@bradfordglobalmarketing.com

Editorial Contact World Travel Market:

Julia Newbound  

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

E-mail: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

Gabriela Reyes

Account Manager

The Bradford Group

347 Fifth Ave. Suite 1205

New York, New York 10016

T (212) 447-0027

F (212) 725-8253

gabrielar@bradfordglobalmarketing.com

www.bradfordglobalmarketing.com

The Set Hotels announces key staffing changes

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The Set Hotels, comprised of the Hôtel Lutetia in Paris, the Hotel Café Royal in London, and the Conservatorium in Amsterdam announced several key staff changes. Here are the comings and goings:

Matthias Kaesweber, Vice President of Sales & Marketing is leaving The Set Hotels after three productive years to pursue other opportunities. During his time with the company, Matthias successfully created and led a highly effective global sales team, whilst playing a significant role in the continuous business growth of Conservatorium in Amsterdam, Café Royal in London and the highly anticipated re-opening of Lutetia in Paris in 2018.

Ruurd Hooijer has been appointed as Senior Director of Sales & Marketing for The Set Hotels, based in Amsterdam. Ruurd joined The Set Hotels from The Leading Hotels of the World in New York where he held the position of Senior Director, Travel Trade for North America for three-and-a-half years. In his role, Ruurd was overseeing Leading’s global partnerships with American Express, Virtuoso and other agency partners for its 400 independently-owned, luxury hotels worldwide. Prior to this, Ruurd held the position of Director of Sales at Conservatorium.

James Baker, Director of Sales & Marketing, The Americas remains in charge of The Set Hotels in North America, supported by Michal Galili Censor, Director of Sales for North America whose responsibilities have expanded as a result of her success in North America with Mamilla and The David Citadel hotels in Jerusalem, now proudly representing The Set Hotels, too.

The General Managers and Directors of Sales on-property will continue to play an active role visiting The Set Hotels’ valued trade and media partners in North America alongside James and Michal.

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WTTC 19th Global Summit final program: Changemakers including President Obama meet in Seville

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The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) will be heading to Seville, Spain this week to attend the  19th Global Summit of WTTC on April 3 and 4. WTTC members are the chief executives, presidents, or chairs of the 100 largest companies from different sectors and regions within the travel and tourism industry. This year non-members are able to attend for a $4,000.00 ticket per delegate.

The event will be centered on the theme of ‘Changemakers’, harnessing the 500th anniversary of the first circumnavigation of the world from Seville and the world-changing impact of that achievement.

WTTC aims to inspire delegates with change-making individuals and ideas to craft the future vision of Travel & Tourism. Entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation, diversity, and inclusivity will drive the conversation. Delegates invested heavily to bring one of the “changemakers” to the summit. He is former U.S. President Barack Obama.

This is the final version of the program as it stands today:

DAY 1: Wednesday 3 April

0930 OPENING CEREMONY

Christopher J. Nassetta, Chairman, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) & CEO, Hilton

Hon Pedro Sánchez, President, Spain

Juan Espadas, Mayor, Seville

Juan Manuel Moreno, President, The Regional Government of Andalusia

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UNWTO

1010 Opening speech: ‘Shaping the Future’

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC

1025 The Future is …

Three leaders will give short presentations followed by rapid-fire Q&A. The leaders will give their perspectives on what’s next in the world of communications, technology, and sustainability and the challenges and opportunities for Travel & Tourism as a leading force for change.

Keynote: José María Álvarez-Pallete, Chairman & CEO, Telefónica S.A.

Keynote: Michael Froman, Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard

Keynote: Gary Knell, Chairman, National Geographic Partners

Q&A: Kathleen Matthews, Journalist & Presenter

1115 In the Hotseat

Back to back interviews with industry leaders who will share their vision of the future and what it will take for the Travel & Tourism sector to keep ahead of the curve

Hotseat 1: Mark Okerstrom, President & CEO, Expedia Group

Interviewer: Glenda McNeal, President, Enterprise Strategic Partnerships, American Express Company

Hotseat 2: Keith Barr, CEO, IHG

Interviewer: Tanya Beckett, Journalist & Presenter, BBC

1145 BREAK

1215 PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE: Seamless Traveller Journey

WTTC’s Seamless Traveller Journey initiative aims to revolutionise travel security and facilitation by providing a seamless end-to-end journey which incorporates not only airports and airlines but cruise, hotel, car rental and other elements of the journey. Now in its second phase, the focus of Seamless Traveller Journey is on how the private sector and governments can work together to ensure increased security and less friction go hand in hand.

Scene setter: Kevin McAleenan, Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, US Government

Panelists: Sean Donohue, CEO, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Richard D Fain, Chairman, and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises

Tadashi Fujita, Executive Vice President, Japan Airlines

Tony Smith, Former Director General, UK Border Agency

John Wagner, Deputy Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, US Government

Manel Villalante, CEO, Renfe Operadora

Moderator: Isabel Hill, Director, National Travel and Tourism Office, US Department of Commerce

1300 The View from Spain

Reyes Maroto, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Spain

1310 In the Hotseat

Back to back interviews with industry leaders who will share their vision of the future and what it will take for the Travel & Tourism sector to keep ahead of the curve

Hotseat 3: Fritz Joussen, CEO, TUI Group

Hotseat 4: Luis Maroto, President & CEO, Amadeus

Interviewer: Tanya Beckett, Journalist & Presenter, BBC

1335 The Speed of Change…

Geoffrey J W Kent, Founder, Chairman & CEO Abercrombie & Kent, in conversation with Formula One racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart.

1400 LUNCH

Special Lunch Session: Innovating the Traveller Experience

The reality of an integrated, frictionless traveler journey is upon us, paving a path to a seamless experience, improved facilitation and security, operational efficiency for travel providers, and the opportunity for elevated and personalized service throughout the journey. Our panelists are leaders in the fields of biometrics, digital identity, security, and travel technology. They will provide their views on the current state of biometrics and digital identity, paths to implementation broadly across the travel journey, and opportunities that this new technology presents to the future of travel and tourism.

Panelists: Diana Robino, Senior Vice President, Global Tourism Partnerships, Mastercard

Virginie Vacca Thrane, Head of Strategic partnerships – Digital Traveller ID, Amadeus

John Wagner, Deputy Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, US Government

Gordon Wilson, President, WorldReach Software

Moderator: Jimmy Samartzis, Senior Principal, Oliver Wyman

1515 A Conversation with President Barack Obama

Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America

A global political leader will give their perspective on the current state of the world and the important role Travel & Tourism plays as one of the world’s largest economic sectors.

Interviewer: Christopher J. Nassetta, Chairman, WTTC & CEO, Hilton

1615 Ahead of the Curve: The Consumers of Tomorrow

This session will look at different spectrums of the new global consumer and how T&T companies can ensure they are preparing for the consumer of tomorrow.

Part 1: How Young China and its Millennials want to see and feel the world

Zak Dychtwald, Founder & CEO, Young China Group

Part 2: The New Boomer Experiential Consumer

Ken Dychtwald, Founder & CEO, Age Wave

Moderator: Matthew Upchurch, CEO, Virtuoso

1710 PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE: Are Cities Future Ready?

Destination Stewardship is a strategic priority for WTTC. Huge tourism growth in cities over recent years has shone the spotlight on the need for good planning and management. WTTC has partnered with Jones Lang Lasalle on new research on cities and their preparedness for future growth. This session will look at the report’s findings and how cities around the world are planning and engaging communities in future growth.

Keynote: Dan Fenton, EVP, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group

Panellists:

H.E. Ahmed Al-Khateeb, President, Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH)*

H.E. Elena Kountoura, Minister for Tourism, Greece

Steffan Panoho, Head of Tourism. Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development

Enrique Ybarra, CEO, City Sightseeing

Moderator: Mark Wynne Smith, Global CEO, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group

1745 CLOSE

DAY 2: Thursday 4 April

0900 OPENING

0905 PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE: Today’s Traveller: Authenticity, Values and Instagram

This session will explore what iconic landmarks and destinations can and are doing to ensure they connect with the consumers of the future. Today’s traveller has standards for authenticity, wants to do more than just consume, and then wants to Instagram about it. How do destinations adjust to satisfy the market? The discussion will highlight examples of engagement from retail to destination attractions and also cover how sustainability initiatives help tell a compelling story and elevate authenticity in the traveller’s experience.

Keynote: Anthony Malkin, Chairman & CEO, Empire State Realty Trust, Inc

Panellists: Desiree Bollier, Chair, Value Retail

Jean-François Clervoy, ESA Astronaut & CEO Novespace

Jeremy Jauncey, CEO, Beautiful Destinations

Anthony Malkin, Chairman & CEO, Empire State Realty Trust, Inc

Kike Sarasola, President & Founder, Room Mate Hotels & Bemate.com

Moderator: Jacqueline Gifford, Editor in Chief, Travel + Leisure

1000 Africa on the Rise

H.E. Margaret Kenyatta, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya

1015 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards Ceremony

WTTC’s annual Tourism for Tomorrow Awards ceremony will showcase and celebrate the very best in sustainable tourism from around the world.

Fiona Jeffery, Founder & Chairman, Just a Drop and Chair, Tourism for Tomorrow Awards

Jeffrey C. Rutledge, CEO, AIG Travel

1100 BREAK Draft as at: 27 March 2019 (Please note all sessions, times, and speakers may change *=tbc)

1130 Strategic Insight Sessions PART 1

In recent years, the global Travel & Tourism industry has been redefined by changemakers who are constantly evolving and shaping our travel experience. In a special series of Strategic insight sessions, we explore just what these changemakers are doing to shape the industry and what our direction of travel might be in the future.

1) Embracing product diversity and inclusion – making business sense

2) Cyber-threat: you are compromised

3) What does it take to build successful future destinations?

4) The business case for sustainability

Alberto Durán, Executive Vice President, ONCE

Billy Kolber, Founder, HospitableMe

Deepak Ohri, CEO, lebua Hotels & Resorts

Stacy Ritter, CEO, Fort Lauderdale

Moderator:

Prof Graham Miller, Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Surrey

Suzan Kereere, Global Head, Merchant Sales & Acquiring, Visa

Daniel Richards, CEO, Global Rescue

Jeffrey C. Rutledge, CEO, AIG Travel

Earl Anthony Wayne, Public Policy Fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Moderator:

Paul Mee, Partner, Oliver Wyman

Fred Dixon, President & CEO NYC & Company

Aradhana Khowala, Managing Director, Tourism, NEOM

Desiree Maxino, Group Head – Government Policy and ASEAN, Air Asia

Aoife McArdle, Global Head of Business Affairs and Social Impact – Experiences, Airbnb

Eric Resnick, CEO, KSL Capital Partners

Moderator:

Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor, CBS News

Katie Fallon, EVP Global Head of Corporate Affairs, Hilton

Ana Gascón, Director of Corporate Responsibility,

Coca Cola (Spain)

Philippe Gombert, President International, Chairman of The Board, Relais & Châteaux

Simon Heppner, Director, The SRA (Sustainable Restaurant Association)

Geoff Townsend, Industry Fellow, Ecolab

Moderators:

Wendy Purcell and John D. Spengler, Harvard

 

1315 LUNCH

1415 WTTC FOCUS: Climate & Environment Action in Progress

Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, President of Mexico, 2006-2012

1430 WTTC FOCUS: Social Responsibility

This session will feature the latest updates on the WTTC Buenos Aires Declaration & action against the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) followed by the launch of a new human trafficking initiative.

1450 PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE: The Future of Jobs in the Age of Automation

As more and more jobs are at increasing risk of being automated or rendered obsolete by other technological changes in the next twenty years, this session will look at the opportunities and challenges around employment within the sector and wider society.

Keynote: Andrés Oppenheimer, Author & Presenter, CNN

Panellists: Greg O’Hara, Founder &, Managing Partner, Certares

Andrés Oppenheimer, Author & Presenter, The Miami Herald / CNN

Hiromi Tagawa, Chairman of the Board, JTB Corp

Claudia Tapardel, Member of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, European Parliament

Joan Vilà, Executive Chairman, Hotelbeds

Moderator: Kathleen Matthews, Journalist & Presenter

1545 Vision of the Future

A special stream of keynotes will outline their vision of the future from high-speed transport to pushing the boundaries of disruption and innovation

Keynote: Dirk Alhborn, CEO, Hyperloop Transportation Technologies

Keynote: Chandran Nair, Founder & CEO, The Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT)

Keynote: Matthew Devlin, Head of International Affairs, Uber

1630 Closing Ceremony

1645 End

eTurboNews is a media partner with the Summit and will be represented by Elisabeth Lang, who is based in Munich, Germany.

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Malta attracts record-breaking 62,185 tourists from US and Canada in 2018

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Statistics released by Malta’s National Statistics Office for inbound tourism for 2018 show that Malta’s popularity in the North American market is still trending.

The Hon. Konrad Mizzi, Minister of Tourism for Malta, noted that the US was one of the fastest growing tourism markets for Malta, recording a dramatic increase of 31.9% from 2017 to 2018, with a total of 47,170 Americans visitors. The increase from Canada in 2018 was 6.6% (15,015 Canadians) bringing the total arrivals in 2018 from North America (US & Canada) to a record breaking 62,185. This sunny archipelago in the Mediterranean recorded an overall 2.6 million visitors (+14.3% between 2017 and 2018), bringing a record number of tourists to Malta from around the World.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

Malta is turning into one of the Mediterranean’s top all season destinations due to its success in developing a multitude of off-peak events, and mild year round warm, sunny climate. According to Michelle Buttigieg, MTA Representative for North America, “although the dramatic increase in 2018 is due in large part to the yearlong celebrations of Malta’s Capital, Valletta, as the 2018 European capital of Culture, Malta also has a rich and diverse annual calendar of festivals and events that continue to attract visitors for the off-season.”

Buttigieg continued, “if the overwhelming number of people stopping at the Malta Booth last month at the January 2019 New York Times Travel Show is any indication, this market will continue to boom.” The MTA is very proactive in North America, both with travel industry organizations such as the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), and Virtuoso, a network of luxury travel agents.

Buttigieg further stated, “MTA has also garnered major publicity in the US and Canada because of its proactive work with prominent journalists and social media influencers.” Buttigieg added, “an important part of Malta’s appeal to the North American traveler is that English is an official language, and that Malta is a safe, peaceful, and stable EU democracy.”