For Immediate Release | Official News Wire for the Travel Industry

Where press releases are breaking news

Dusit International makes its grand debut in Qatar

by

With a view to capture major market share in Qatar’s hospitality sector, Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, is set to make its Qatar debut with the launch of Dusit Doha Hotel on 25 April 2019.

Located in the heart of Doha’s vibrant West Bay area, adjacent to the breezy Corniche, Dusit Doha Hotel is a five-star modern oasis only 20 minutes by car from Hamad International Airport, and just a five-minute walk from Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, the City centre Mall and The Gate Mall, making it a perfect stopover for business and leisure travellers alike.

Designed to provide luxury experiences at excellent value, the full-service property comprises 261 well-appointed guestrooms and suites and 96 elegant apartments for short- and long-stay guests. Dusit’s unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, honed and developed over more than 70 years, ensures guests can expect memorable, personalised service delivered with genuine care, warmth and respect. Rooms and suites at Dusit Doha Hotel are designed to provide the utmost in comfort and convenience, with expansive living areas ranging in size from 41 sq m for a Superior Room to 131 sq. m for a Suite. Apartments are available in one-to three-bedroom configurations and provide spacious living areas ranging from 95 to 193 sq. m.

Leisure and recreation facilities include a rooftop swimming pool, children’s pool, and a sundeck area offering panoramic views of West Bay. Guests will also find a wealth of dining outlets to choose from, including three restaurants, a classic French café, and a relaxing rooftop lounge.

Ready to welcome guests by the hotel’s opening date is Taste, a contemporary all-day dining restaurant serving tantalising dishes from around the globe and also hosting regular theme nights. This will soon be joined by Dusit’s signature Thai restaurant, Benjarong, which serves Royal Thai cuisine made using the finest local and imported ingredients.

Other upcoming outlets include Antoinette’s Café, bringing a taste of Europe to Doha via fresh French pastries and other baked treats, and The House, offering premium steaks and seafood.

Ideal for weddings, corporate meetings, and memorable social gatherings, the hotel also offers a versatile 574 sq. m ballroom which can accommodate up to 500 people. Spacious and bright with abundant natural light, this atmospheric venue features its own private terrace and can be divided into two smaller venues, each with a separate entrance.

Dusit’s signature Devarana Spa is also set to open at the hotel, offering a wide range of luxury massage therapies and wellness treatments conducted in elegant, private treatment rooms. Designed to promote maximum relaxation, the elegant spa will occupy the entire 29th floor of the hotel, offering separate male and female sections.

“A modern oasis for people to meet, dine, stay and relax, Dusit Doha Hotel delivers the ultimate in luxury and comfort for locals and international visitors alike,” said Mr Gerhard Stutz, Cluster General Manager, Dusit Doha Hotel. “Qatar is one of the fastest growing countries in terms of tourism, and its reputation as a destination of choice is only set to be cemented further when the FIFA World Cup is held here in 2022. As such, there could not have been a more opportune time to launch Dusit Doha Hotel. We now look forward to delighting guests with our unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality while positioning the hotel as the market leader in Doha.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Russia to use Fan-IDs (again) as visas for 2020 UEFA Euro Cup visitors

by

Upper house of the Russian parliament, the Federation Council, have passed on Monday a bill allowing foreign tourists with Fan-IDs to travel to Russia without entry visas for matches of the 2020 UEFA Euro Cup.

Last week, the bill was passed in the third and final reading by lawmakers from the State Duma, the parliament’s lower house, and following today’s approval by the senators, it must be signed into law by the Russian president.

“Within the period, which begins 14 days prior to the first match of the 2020 UEFA Euro Cup in Saint Petersburg and ends on the day of the last match [in St. Petersburg], the entrance to Russia for foreign citizens and stateless persons, who come to Russia to watch 2020 UEFA Euro Cup matches, will not require issuance of visas based on identification documents,” according to the explanatory note.

Addressing a government’s session in mid-March, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that the country planned “to employ the same mechanism we used in the past regarding the issuance and operational rules of Fan-IDs.”

Russia came up for the 2018 FIFA World Cup with an innovation, which was the so-called Fan-ID and was required for all ticketholders. This innovation was successfully tested during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia and earned high marks from the world’s governing football body of FIFA.

The Fan-ID played an important security role during the major football tournament in Russia as it granted admittance to the stadiums and also served as visa for foreign visitors to enter the country.

A Fan-ID holder was allowed to enter the country without having a Russian visa and stay for the duration of the global football tournament. Fan-IDs were obligatory, in addition to purchased tickets, in order to attend matches of the 2018 World Cup tournament in Russia.

2020 UEFA Euro Cup

The matches of the 2020 Euro Cup will be held at stadiums in 12 different cities across Europe, namely in London (England), Munich (Germany), Rome (Italy), Baku (Azerbaijan), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Bucharest (Romania), Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Dublin (Ireland), Bilbao (Spain), Budapest (Hungary), Glasgow (Scotland) and Copenhagen (Denmark).

Russia’s second largest city of St. Petersburg was granted the right to host three group stage matches and one of the quarterfinals of the 2020 UEFA Euro Cup.

The decision to hold the 2020 Euro Cup, which will be celebrating its 60th anniversary that year, in various European countries instead of in one or two hosting countries was made at the UEFA Executive Committee’s meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, on December 6, 2012.

A total of 24 national football teams will be playing in the final tournament of the 2020 Euro Cup. All 55 UEFA national member teams, including 12 teams from the hosting countries, will have to play in the qualifying matches to vie for the berth in the final 24-team lineup of the quadrennial European football championship.

It is possible that some of the national teams from the hosting countries of the 2020 Euro Cup will not be playing on home soil in case they fail to clear the qualifying stage.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Seychelles receives honor of hosting FINA CNSG Open Water World Series 2019

by

The excitement was palpable at Beau Vallon Beach on Saturday, April 13, 2019, almost a month before the Seychelles hosts for the second consecutive year the FINA CNSG Open Water World Series 2019.

This year’s event is being held in collaboration with Chinese based company CNSG and Seychelles is once again the second leg in the series of eight.

The organizing committee’s partners including the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB), officials and local swimmers gathered at Beau Vallon Beach where a trial run was organized to test out the facilities, the technical requirements and of course, the local swimming talents.

Principal Secretary for Sports, Fabien Palmyre present at the trial run mentioned his satisfaction to see that the FINA CNSG Open Water World Series 2019 is materializing with the support of all local partners.

“I am excited to again, be part of such an event. I am proud of all our young swimmers who have made an effort to be present today. I am grateful to all the partners and volunteers and I am definitely looking forward to this year’s event,” said PS Palmyre.

15 swimmers competed in the Beau Vallon waters in three main races, 2.5 km, 5 km and 7.5 km. According to the Seychelles Swimming Association (SSA) officials, the reasoning behind the distances selected is to enable the swimmers to test out their abilities to see which category would suit them best for the May 11, 2019 event, which will be opened for the public and other swimming enthusiasts.

The 2019 Mass Open Water event will take place on Saturday May 11, one day prior to the Elite event.

The May 11 Mass event will comprise of four distances, Group A (500 m), Group B (1 km), Group C (3 km) and Group D (5 km). The only age restriction will be for Group A where students aged 13 years and under can participate. The others will be open to all ages and there will be two races, a male and a female race for each distance.

“Mass participation is crucial in making the Mass event a success and the Seychelles Swimming Association is calling on all swimmers to register for the event,” said David Vidot, SSA Chairperson.

Mr. Vidot indicated that the forms for registration are available on the SSA Facebook page and website. The deadline to return the registration form to the Swimming Association is May 1, 2019.

The Seychelles is honored this year to have four Seychellois swimmers qualified to take part in the Elite 10 km race, which will take place on Sunday May 12, 2019.

Joining the 2018 swimmers, brothers Bertrand and Damien Payet, will be Matthew Bachmann and Alain Vidot, both of whom completed the 7.5 km race finishing second and third consecutively behind Damien who crossed the finishing line on Saturday first.

The Elite event which is broadcast to a global audience via the FINA network, exposes Seychelles in another light, similar to that of the annual Eco-Marathon event, which strengthens Seychelles’ potential as a Sports Tourism destination.

“It is such a privilege to be hosting the event again on our shores; as announced earlier this year, STB is committed to promote Seychelles as an ideal sports destination. Our collaboration with Seychelles Swimming Association and other partners for FINA CNSG Open Water World Series 2019 is an ideal platform for us to showcase our beautiful destination and its pristine waters,” said Mrs. Sherin Francis, Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive.

In May 2018, open water swimming made its debut in Seychelles, as the small island nation became the second host in the FINA World Cup Series 2018. The iconic Beau Vallon beach was the chosen venue to launch Seychelles in the open water swimming world, making it the first country in Africa to host an event of this caliber.

As part of the FINA mandate, the host country is required to host a mass event alongside the elite 10k m event, in order to encourage and mobilize the local community to appreciate and take part in the sport.

Travel News | eTurboNews

How safe is travel to Africa? African Tourism Board appoints SaferTourism

by

African Tourism Board, (ATB)  has travel and security on its top agenda when attracting visitors to the continent.

At the upcoming ATB Launch on April 11, the organization will be announcing their appointment of SaferTourism.com to provide support and guidance to keep African Tourism Safe.

The man behind SaferTourism.com is no other than one of the best global experts available in this field.

Dr. Peter Tarlow, seen as a world-renowned expert in travel and tourism will be the keynote speaker at the African Tourism Board Launch Event on April 11.

ATB members and WTM visitors will be able to meet Dr. Tarlow at the African Tourism Board Stand (AP 12). His goal is to provide proactive guidance and hands-on approach to keep African destinations, hotels and attractions safe and available specifically for North American Visitors.

Dr. Tarlow is leading SaferTourism’s  Visitor Surety approach, meaning:

• The providing of a safe and secure environment for visitors and for those who work in its visitor industry
• Protection of tourism sites and infrastructure
• Perceptions, including how these perceptions impact its reputation
• The Protection of the economy vis-à-vis its tourism industry

Dr. Tarlow has been working on projects around the world and is known to include feedback from the US State Department in many of his international projects.

Dr. Peter Tarlow will be a speaker at the ATB Launch event on April 11,2019 during WTM Cape Town.

He is a world-renowned speaker and expert specializing in the impact of crime and terrorism on the tourism industry, event and tourism risk management, and tourism and economic development.  Since 1990, Tarlow has been aiding the tourism community with issues such as travel safety and security, economic development, creative marketing, and creative thought.

Tarlow has worked with numerous US government agencies including the US Bureau of Reclamation, US Customs, the FBI, the US Park Service, the Department of Justice, the Speakers Bureau of the US Department of State, the Center for Disease, US Supreme Court police, and the US Department of Homeland Security.  He has worked with such US iconic locations as the Statue of Liberty, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, the Empire State Building, St. Louis’ arch, and the Smithsonian’s Institution’s Office of Protection Services in Washington, DC.

Tarlow has been a keynote speaker for governors’ tourism conferences around the nation including those for Illinois, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington State and Wyoming.

He has addresses large-scale US government meetings for such agencies as:

  • The Bureau of Reclamation
  • The US Center for Disease Control
  • The US Park Service,
  • The International Olympic Committee

On the international scene, he has addressed conferences such as:

  • The Organization of American States (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Panama City, Panama),
  • The Latin American Hotel Association (Quito Ecuador, San Salvador, El Salvador and Puebla, Mexico),
  • The Caribbean Chiefs of Police Association (Barbados),
  • The International Organization for Security and Intelligence – IOSI  ((Vancouver, Canada),
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottowa
  • The French Hotel Association CNI-SYNHORCAT (Paris)

Additionally, Tarlow is a featured speaker for numerous US embassies and with foreign tourism ministries around the world. For example, in his role as an expert in tourism security he has worked with:

  • Vancouver’s Justice Institute  (2010 Olympic games)
  • The police departments of the state of Rio de Janeiro (2014 World Cup Games)
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police,
  • The United Nation’s WTO (World Tourism Organization),
  • The Panama Canal Authority,
  • Police forces in Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Serbia, and Trinidad & Tobago.

In 2013 the Chancellor of the Texas A&M system named him his Special Envoy.  In 2015 the Faculty of Medicine of Texas A&M University asked Tarlow to “translate” his tourism skills into practical courses for new physicians.  As such he teaches courses in customer service, creative thinking and medical ethics at the Texas A&M medical school

In 2016 the international engineering firm Gannet-Fleming appointed Tarlow its Senior Security and Safety Specialist  Also in 2016, Governor Gregg Abbot of Texas named Tarlow as the Chairman of the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission. As such he has wide experience in dealing with protest marches and other public events that touch upon that theme.

Tarlow organizes tourism security conferences around the world, including the International Tourism Safety Conference in Las Vegas along with conferences in St. Kitts, Charleston (South Carolina), Bogota, Colombia, Panama City, Croatia, and Curaçao

Tarlow lectures and trains tourism professionals and security personnel in multiple languages on a wide range of current and future trends in the tourism industry, rural tourism economic development, the gaming industry, issues of crime and terrorism, the role of police departments in urban economic development, and international trade.  Some of the other topics about which he speaks are: the sociology of terrorism, its impact on tourism security and risk management, the US government’s role in post terrorism recovery, and how communities and businesses must face a major paradigm shift in the way they do business.

Tarlow publishes extensively in these areas and writes numerous professional reports for US government agencies and for businesses throughout the world.  He has been asked to be an expert witness in courts throughout the United States on matters concerning tourism security and safety, and issues of risk management.

As a well-known author in the field of tourism security, Tarlow is a contributing author to multiple books on tourism security and publishes numerous academic and applied research articles regarding issues of security including articles published in The Futurist, the Journal of Travel Research and Security Management.  Tarlow’s wide range of professional and scholarly articles includes articles on subjects such as: “dark tourism”, theories of terrorism, and economic development through tourism, religion and terrorism and cruise tourism.  Tarlow also writes and publishes the popular online tourism newsletter Tourism Tidbits read by thousands of tourism and travel professionals around the world in its English, Spanish, and Portuguese language editions.

Among the books that Tarlow has authored are:

  • Event Risk Management and Safety (2002).
  • Twenty Years of Tourism Tidbits: The Book (2011)
  • Abordagem Multdisciplinar dos Cruzeiros Turísticos (co-written 2014, in Portuguese)
  • Tourism Security: Strategies for Effective Managing Travel Risk and Safety (2014)
  • A Segurança: Um desafío para os setores de lazer, viagens e turismo, 2016 published (in Portuguese) and republished in English
  • Sports Travel Security  (2017)

At numerous universities around the world Tarlow lectures on security issues, life safety issues, and event risk management. These universities include institutions in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East.  Tarlow earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Texas A&M University.  He also holds degrees in history, in Spanish and Hebrew literatures, and in psychotherapy.

Tarlow has appeared on national televised programs such as Dateline: NBC and on CNBC and is a regular guest on radio stations around the US.   He is the recipient of the International Chiefs of Police highest civilian honor in recognition for his work in tourism security.

Tarlow is a founder and president of Tourism & More Inc. (T&M).  He is a past president of the Texas Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA).  Tarlow is a member of the International Editorial Boards around the world.

Travel News | eTurboNews

African Tourism Board tackles visitor surety to keep Africa safe for visitors

by

The official launch of the newly-founded African Tourism Board is only two weeks away, and the U.S.-based interim Chairman Juergen T. Steinmetz explained the organization’s commitment to keep Africa safe for visitors.

“Knowing weak points and confronting problems is the best approach.”

The African Tourism Board is working with Dr. Peter Tarlow to offer his decades of knowledge and workable approach to African members in the public and private travel and tourism industry.

ATB invited Dr. Tarlow to deliver a keynote address at the upcoming African Tourism Board launch event on April 11 during World Travel Market.

A variety of international speakers are on the impressive list of the launch event. ATB will be introducing an African-based president, while the US-based interim chairman Juergen Steinmetz will stay on as an advisor as he hands over leadership to the new president.

Among the speakers are Dr. Peter Tarlow, head of certified.travel, which had recently merged activities with eTN Corporation.

Dr. Peter Tarlow has been working for over two decades with hotels, tourism-oriented cities and countries, and both public and private security officers and police in the field of tourism security.

Tourism and More international staff includes some of the leading experts in the field. Dr. Peter Tarlow is a world-renowned expert in the field and a highly-published author.

Dr. Peter E. Tarlow is an internationally-recognized speaker and expert specializing in the impact of crime and terrorism on the tourism industry, event and tourism risk management, and tourism and economic development. Since 1990, Dr. Tarlow has been aiding the tourism community with issues such as travel safety and security, economic development, creative marketing, and creative thought.

Dr. Tarlow is currently consulting the travel security team for the Jamaica Ministry of Tourism.

Peter Tarlow has worked with numerous US government agencies including the US Bureau of Reclamation, US Customs, the FBI, the US Park Service, the Department of Justice, the Speakers Bureau of the US Department of State, the Center for Disease, US Supreme Court police, and the US Department of Homeland Security. He has worked with such US iconic locations as the Statue of Liberty, Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and Liberty Bell, the Empire State Building, St. Louis’ arch, and the Smithsonian’s Institution’s Office of Protection Services in Washington, DC.

Dr. Tarlow has been a keynote speaker for governors’ tourism conferences around the nation including those for Illinois, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington State, and Wyoming.

He has addresses large-scale US government meetings for such agencies as:

  • The Bureau of Reclamation
  • The US Center for Disease Control
  • The US Park Service
  • The International Olympic Committee

On the international scene he has addressed conferences such as:

  • The Organization of American States (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Panama City, Panama)
  • The Latin American Hotel Association (Quito Ecuador, San Salvador, El Salvador and Puebla, Mexico)
  • The Caribbean Chiefs of Police Association (Barbados)
  • The International Organization for Security and Intelligence – IOSI  ((Vancouver, Canada)
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottowa
  • The French Hotel Association CNI-SYNHORCAT (Paris)

Additionally, Dr. Tarlow is a featured speaker for numerous US embassies and with foreign tourism ministries around the world. For example, in his role as an expert in tourism security, he has worked with:

  • Vancouver’s Justice Institute  (2010 Olympic games)
  • The police departments of the state of Rio de Janeiro (2014 World Cup Games)
  • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • The United Nation’s WTO (World Tourism Organization)
  • The Panama Canal Authority
  • Police forces in Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Curaçao, Colombia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Serbia, and Trinidad & Tobago

In 2013, the Chancellor of the Texas A&M system named him his Special Envoy. In 2015, the Faculty of Medicine of Texas A&M University asked Dr. Tarlow to “translate” his tourism skills into practical courses for new physicians. As such, he teaches courses in customer service, creative thinking, and medical ethics at the Texas A&M medical school.

In 2016, the international engineering firm Gannet-Fleming appointed Dr. Tarlow its Senior Security and Safety Specialist. Also in 2016, Governor Gregg Abbot of Texas named Peter as the Chairman of the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission. As such, he has wide experience in dealing with protest marches and other public events that touch upon that theme.

Dr. Tarlow organizes tourism security conferences around the world, including the International Tourism Safety Conference in Las Vegas along with conferences in St. Kitts, Charleston (South Carolina), Bogota, Colombia, Panama City, Croatia, and Curaçao.

He lectures and trains tourism professionals and security personnel in multiple languages on a wide range of current and future trends in the tourism industry, rural tourism economic development, the gaming industry, issues of crime and terrorism, the role of police departments in urban economic development, and international trade. Some of the other topics about which he speaks are: the sociology of terrorism, its impact on tourism security and risk management, the US government’s role in post terrorism recovery, and how communities and businesses must face a major paradigm shift in the way they do business.

Dr. Tarlow publishes extensively in these areas and writes numerous professional reports for US governmental agencies and for businesses throughout the world. He has been asked to be an expert witness in courts throughout the United States on matters concerning tourism security and safety, and issues of risk management.

As a well-known author in the field of tourism security, Dr. Tarlow is a contributing author to multiple books on tourism security, and he publishes numerous academic and applied research articles regarding issues of security including articles published in The Futurist, the Journal of Travel Research, and Security Management. His wide range of professional and scholarly articles include subjects such as: “dark tourism,” theories of terrorism, economic development through tourism, and religion and terrorism and cruise tourism. Dr. Tarlow also writes and publishes the popular on-line tourism newsletter Tourism Tidbits read by thousands of tourism and travel professionals around the world in its English, Spanish, and Portuguese language editions.

Among the books that Dr. Tarlow has authored are:

  • Event Risk Management and Safety(2002).
  • Twenty Years of Tourism Tidbits: The Book (2011)
  • Abordagem Multdisciplinar dos Cruzeiros Turísticos (co-written 2014, in Portuguese)
  • Tourism Security: Strategies for Effective Managing Travel Risk and Safety (2014)
  • A Segurança: Um desafío para os setores de lazer, viagens e turismo, 2016 published (in Portuguese) and republished in English
  • Sports Travel Security (2017)

At numerous universities around the world, Dr. Tarlow lectures on security issues, life safety issues, and event risk management. These universities include institutions in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East. He earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Texas A&M University and also holds degrees in history, in Spanish and Hebrew literatures, and in psychotherapy.

Dr. Tarlow has appeared on national televised programs such as Dateline: NBC and on CNBC and is a regular guest on radio stations around the US. He is the recipient of the International Chiefs of Police highest civilian honor in recognition for his work in tourism security.

Peter is a founder and president of Tourism & More Inc. (T&M). Tourism & More recently joined forces with the eTN Corporation under certified.travel.

He is a past president of the Texas Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA), and Dr. Tarlow is a member of the International Editorial Boards around the world.

For more on the African Tourism Board and the launch event in Cape Town on April 11, visit africantourismboard.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
TravelMarketingNetwork
954 Lexington Ave. #1037
New York, NY 10021 USA
PH: (+1) 718-374-6816
marketing@travelmarketingnetwork.com

Travel News | eTurboNews

Centara celebrates Grand Opening of Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha

by

Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, has celebrated the grand opening of its dramatic new waterfront hotel in Doha, introducing the company’s elegant Thai hospitality to the State of Qatar for the first time.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

The 265-key Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha is a striking new hotel located in the city’s West Bay district, which is home to many of downtown Doha’s most stunning skyscrapers. Overlooking the Arabian Gulf, the hotel is just moments away from the lively Doha Corniche and 25-minutes’ drive from Qatar’s Hamad International Airport.

The launch of this new landmark marks a major milestone for Centara, as the company continues to expand its international footprint. One of the Middle East’s most eagerly-anticipated new hotels, Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha harmoniously blends luxurious interiors and facilities with the timeless charm of Thai hospitality, while also showcasing authentic Qatari culture.

The grand opening event featured traditional Thai and Qatari performances, including a falconry show, plus executive speeches, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and VIP dinner created by Michelin starred chef, Alfred Prasad.

“Doha is one of the most dynamic destinations in the world today, and we are delighted to enter this important market with such a spectacular new hotel. Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha is an iconic addition to the city’s skyline. With spacious accommodation, luxurious facilities and gracious Thai service, this hotel will cater for all types of guest, from leisure visitors and large family groups to long-stay business travellers. We look forward to welcoming all guests to Doha in the future, as the city embarks on an exciting new era of international prominence and prosperity,” commented Thirayuth Chirathivat, Chief Executive Office, Centara Hotels and Resorts.

Guests have a choice of stylish and spacious accommodation, comprising studios, suites, one- to three-bedroom apartments and four-bedroom penthouses, all featuring floor-to-ceiling windows with breath-taking views of the Gulf. Residences range in size from a generous 45 square metres to an opulent 365 square metres and come fully equipped with comfortable bedrooms, separate living and dining areas, kitchens, and cutting-edge technology, including Smart TVs.

Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha features a collection of contemporary F&B outlets, including Caprice, a café-inspired restaurant showcasing exquisite Thai cuisine and international fare; Dalchini, which promises progressive Indian from creative Chef Alfred Prasad cuisine; plus a chic Lobby Lounge and a refreshing Pool Bar. In-room dining is also available and residences have their own cooking and dining facilities.

There are many opportunities for relaxation, including an indoor pool with panoramic views of the Gulf, a spacious fitness centre and aerobics studio. There is also a kids’ club and children’s pool for younger guests, plus a gift shop, prayer room and two flexible meeting rooms.

A key cultural and economic hub for the entire Middle East region, Doha is home to a wealth of cultural attractions including the historic Souq Waqif market, Museum of Islamic Art and State Grand Mosque, plus major shopping malls and soft sandy beaches. It is also rapidly emerging as a global sporting destination, hosting the annual season-opening Qatar Open tennis tournament, the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships and of course, the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Middle East is a key strategic part of Centara’s five-year development plan, which aims to double the company’s global portfolio of hotels and resorts by 2022. Centara Muscat Hotel opened in 2017, and following this week’s grand opening of Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha, the group further plans to launch Centara Grand Hotel Doha in the first half of 2020.

For more information about Centara Hotels & Resorts, please visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com. Alternatively, to book your stay at Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha, please visit www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centara/cwq.

OTDYKH Leisure to mark 25 years of success

by

OTDYKH Leisure

OTDYKH Leisure is back September 10-12 2019 with its 25th edition of the world-renowned travel expo. The expo will showcase an impressive 900 exhibitors from over 80 countries and Russian regions, providing a fantastic opportunity for international companies in the travel industry looking to tap-in to the flourishing and lucrative Russian travel market.

The Russian tourist industry has faced a difficult few years due a number of factors including the 2014 devaluation of the Russian ruble which increased foreign travel costs by over 20%. However, government statistics show that Russian outbound tourism has grown exponentially and has now almost reached peak pre-crisis levels, with Russian travellers making close to 40,000 trips abroad in 2017.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

Turkey has firmly regained its position as Russia’s favourite tourist destination with the number of visitors rising by 25% in 2018. In 2017 alone, Turkey received 4.72 million Russian visitors, with total statistics for 2018 expected to stand at six million.

Other top tourist destinations for Russian holiday-makers include Greece, Cyprus, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, France and the United Arab Emirates.

Domestic tourism also heavily increased last year when Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup. An estimated seven million tourists visited Russia from hundreds of countries all over the world, strengthening Russia’s international profile and breathing new life into the country’s tourism industry.

At the heart of the Russian travel industry, and a major driving-force behind the growth in the market is the annual world-renowned OTDYKH fair, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The name OTDYKH means “leisure”, and since the expo’s inception that has been the focal point of the annual event. The OTDYKH Leisure trade fair was founded in 1994 in order to facilitate networking between businesses and representatives in the tourism industry, and to showcase the potential in the Russian market. In 2008 the OTDYKH Leisure trade fair was awarded a Quality Label by the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs (RUEF), cementing its status as Russia’s leading travel and tourism event.

Last year’s expo was a resounding success with over 38,000 visitors over the three days, and 287 media attendees from 80 media partners, expertly combining the B2B areas of Leisure Travel, Medical, Spa and Health Tourism and Luxury Travel including Gourmet & Wine tourism.

The Dominican Republic – a major winter holiday destination with over 240,000 Russian tourists visiting in 2017 – were the proud partners of the 2018 OTDYKH leisure trade fair. The Ministry of Tourism for the Dominican Republic and thirteen co-exhibitors hosted a 200m² stand (twice the size of 2017) delighting visitors with a series of cultural and artistic performances, traditional music, dances and Caribbean cuisine.

This year the expo promises dozens of exciting events across multiple conference halls, hundreds of expert guest speakers and thousands of visitors from across the travel industry.

Exhibitors are invited to participate and celebrate the 2019 OTDYKH Leisure trade fair and celebrate 25 years of the expo’s continued success. Early-bird offers are available on a first-come-first serve basis to those looking to get involved in this extraordinary event, a veritable cornerstone of the Russian travel industry.

Seychelles to host FINA World Junior Open Water Championship in 2020

by

Seychelles will next year host the FINA World Junior Open Water Championship 2020, making it the first African country and small island nation to organize this event. Additionally, following the resounding triumph of the first-ever FINA/Hosa Marathon Swim World Series held on our beautiful shores in 2018, Seychelles will once again host the second leg of the prestigious swimming competition in May this year.

These official announcements were made during a press conference held on January 17, 2019, at the Savoy Resort and Spa in the presence of Mr. Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, the Minister for Finance, Trade, Investment, and Economic Planning, Principal Secretary for Youth and Sports Mr. Fabian Palmyre.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

The press conference hosted by the chairperson of the Seychelles Swimming Association (SSA), Mr. David Vidot, also saw the participation of the two core governmental partners in the presence of Mrs. Sherin Francis the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive and Mr. Jean Larue, Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC).

The FINA World Junior Open Water Championship is an international swimming competition that brings together boys and girls between the age of 14 and 19, to race at the highest level.

“This is another historical moment for Seychelles as we are pioneering open water not only in Seychelles but also in the African continent,” said Mr. Vidot.

During her intervention STB Chief Executive Mrs. Francis commented that as a faithful partner of the open water competitions, STB will give its support to the event, adding that such sports competitions provide a great boost to the tourism industry.

“Such big events are broadcasted by major television channels and this is a way for people to indirectly discover the destination for the first time. We have noticed in the past that having international press cover such events has allowed us to receive more leverage and visibility as a small country with little resources,” said Mrs. Francis.
She added that all stakeholders in the tourism industry stand to benefit from such an event.

Commenting on the financial commitment of the event, the Minister for Finance, Trade, Investment, and Economic Planning stated that the government of Seychelles is giving its full support for the hosting of the event. He also took the opportunity to invite local businesses to join the initiative as sponsors and partners.

“It is important that Seychelles hosts such events to make sure that it remains relevant on the international scene as a country that is serious and engaged in sport. Sport brings about peace and most of all it develops the youth and places them on the right track in life,” said Mr. Loustau-Lalanne.

Mr. Loustau-Lalanne also added that the exact costing for the event has not been established yet, but that for the moment an estimation of about five to six million Seychelles rupees has been made for the event.

Mr. Vidot mentioned that ongoing discussions are still being held with FINA to establish the exact date that the junior championship will take place. He explained that the junior championship might be hosted during the week that follows the final race of the FINA/Hosa Marathon Swim World Series’ second leg. There will be three age groups and three distances – 3km, 5km, and 7.5km – under which participants will be able to compete.

The FINA/Hosa Marathon Swim World Series, which is anticipated for May 11 and May 12 this year, will be the second event of a four-year agreement with FINA for the international swimming event.

“At the moment, we are hoping to host it back to back with the world cup series as both events will be hosted at Beau Vallon. This will allow us to make the most out of our resources,” said Mr. Vidot.

In 2018, the first Seychelles edition of the FINA/Hosa Marathon Swim World Series was won by an Italians duo Arianna Bridi and Simone Ruffini who came out as the winners of the women’s and men’s race, respectively; leaving around 50 other world class swimmers from around the world envious of winning in the pristine waters.