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Vote for the finest spa and wellness brands in World Spa Awards 2019

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Spa and wellness industry professionals are invited to vote in World Spa Awards 2019 for the brands they consider the finest in their fields.

With the crucial 16-week voting period entering its final weeks, World Spa Awards has recorded a surge in year-on-year votes, reflecting the awards program’s reputation as the most trusted in the spa and wellness industry.

Voting is taking place across the full spectrum of the global spa and wellness industry, with world-level categories including Best Destination Spa, Best Spa Design, Best Cruise Spa, Best Detox Program, Best Eco Spa and Best Medical Spa.

New categories in 2019 include a technology focus with Best Wellness App. Country and regional-level categories include Best Hotel Spa, Best Resort Spa, Best Wellness Retreat and Best Day Spa. Within the USA, a number of state-level categories have been introduced. View the full list of 2019 finalists here.

Spa industry professionals – senior travel executives, luxury buyers, tour operators and media – along with spa consumers, are eligible to vote for the brands they consider to have performed at an exceptional level over the last 12 months.

Voting closes at midnight on 19 August. The winners will be unveiled at the red carpet 5th annual World Spa Awards Gala Ceremony 2019, taking place on 21 October at Armani Hotel Dubai, UAE. Industry leaders from around the world will attend the spa tourism event of the year. Guests can participate in an exclusive three-day spa and wellness networking program staged around the red-carpet World Spa Awards Gala Ceremony.

Launched in 2015, World Spa Awards aims to drive up standards in spa and wellness tourism and foster global growth by rewarding the leading organizations in their respective fields. A World Spa Award is the industry’s ultimate hallmark of excellence.

World Spa Awards is the sister event to World Travel Awards, currently celebrating its 26th anniversary.

For more information about World Spa Awards and to register to vote, visit worldspaawards.com.

About World Spa Awards

World Spa Awards was developed in reaction to overwhelming demand from the spa industry for a program that was fair and transparent; a program with a mission to serve as the definitive benchmark of excellence, and to help to foster a new era of growth in spa tourism.

Media Contact:

World Spa Awards™ Public Relations

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7925 0000

Email: pr@worldspaawards.com
Web: worldspaawards.com
Social: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi prepares to host World Travel Awards

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Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, the latest addition to Yas Island’s series of world-class attractions, is stepping up to host the World Travel Awards (WTA) Middle East Gala Ceremony 2019 on Thursday 25 April.

The gala ceremony will be the premier gathering of the Arabian hospitality industry, with the key players and VIPs from across the region attending.

Opened last summer, Warner Bros. World is the world’s first-ever Warner Bros. branded indoor theme park, and represents another milestone in Abu Dhabi’s remarkable journey to establish itself as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations.

Located on Yas Island, the 1.65 million sq. ft. indoor theme park features six immersive lands with 29 state-of-the-art rides, interactive family-friendly attractions and unique live entertainment shows, as well as a variety of themed dining and retail outlets.

The park is the latest addition to Yas Island’s award-winning theme parks, joining Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld.

The red-carpet evening will form the second leg of the WTA Grand Tour 2019 – a global search for the finest travel and tourism brands in the world.

Graham Cooke, Founder, WTA, said: “We are deeply honoured to host our Middle East Gala Ceremony at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, an enthralling new addition to Abu Dhabi’s incredible roster of tourist offerings.

He added: “WTA has maintained its position as the industry leader for the past 26 years, consistently proving its value as the global benchmark for acknowledging excellence in travel and tourism. I greatly look forward to welcoming the most senior decision-makers of the Arabian travel industry for what promises to be a most memorable evening at this phenomenal new attraction.”

Don Strickler, General Manager, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, said: “We are delighted and honored to welcome the prestigious World Travel Awards Middle East Gala Ceremony at Warner Bros. World for the first time this year. The choice of our Park as host for this coveted industry event is a testament to the growing appeal of theme parks within the leisure and entertainment sector in the region. We look forward to bringing together some of the world’s leading travel industry professionals and organizations for an evening full of many successes and celebrations.”

As part of the Grand Tour 2019, WTA is also hosting ceremonies in Montego Bay (Jamaica), Mauritius, Madeira, La Paz (Bolivia) and Phu Quoc (Vietnam), with the winners progressing to the Grand Final in Muscat (Oman).

Travel News | eTurboNews

Antigua and Barbuda launch new global summer campaign: #WhatCoolLooksLike

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The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority has unveiled its new global summer campaign, #WhatCoolLooksLike, which is expected to convey the trendiness of the destination and its appeal as the ideal summer vacation spot for visitors looking for enjoyable experiences. The campaign draws on what makes the country special and seeks to depict in a creative and engaging way the “coolness” of the destination.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism & Investment, The Honorable Charles ‘Max’ Fernandez has high praises for the creative team, adding that the new campaign is timely and reinforces the messages the islands have been promoting in recent years. “Antigua and Barbuda’s weather during the summer is so much cooler than in other regions, our beaches are serene, and while there are numerous events to enjoy, the pace remains unrushed. The #WhatCoolLooksLike summer campaign brings to life what we have been saying for years, and we thank the team for helping us convey this message in a vivid and imaginative way to potential visitors across the globe. The campaign is being executed in all our major source markets with consumers being enticed to visit Antigua and Barbuda to take advantage of the cool summer savings on offer, as well as the destination’s cool climate,” notes Fernandez.

The multi-faceted summer campaign includes a combination of traditional and digital media and will utilize a variety of tactical trade and consumer activations to ensure the success of the initiative.

The #WhatCoolLooksLike Summer Campaign offers consumers major savings on their vacation to Antigua and Barbuda for travel during the periods April-October 2019.  The savings will be available at participating tour operators, airlines and hotels.

A key element of the campaign is the #WhatCoolLooksLlike Ambassador Program, which comprises a carefully curated selection of local influencers who the Authority believes encompass what “cool” looks like. These Ambassadors have been commissioned to utilize their social media presence and their country, Antigua and Barbuda as their backdrop during the six-month run of the campaign, to share the wealth of awe-inspiring experiences provided in the twin-island state.

Another initiative is the Global Sweepstakes launched today which runs through May 21. Entrants will be asked to opt-in by location in order to upload a video or photo that depicts what cool looks like. At the end of the two-month contest, two random winners will be chosen: One from our overseas source markets will win a complimentary 4-day/3-night stay at the Verandah Resort and Spa in Antigua; while one local will win a 2-night, 3-day stay at the Harbour Island Residences in Jolly Harbour. The local element of this campaign was so designed to allow for local participation and engagement, creating a platform where local Antiguans and Barbudans become advocates for the destination.

The Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority will host a variety of events, including The Antigua Sailing Week, The Optimist World Championships, The Antigua and Barbuda Sportfishing Tournament, Antigua and Barbuda Restaurant Week and Antigua’s Carnival: The Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival, providing additional enticements for visitors to travel this summer.

Antigua (pronounced An-tee’ga) and Barbuda (Bar-byew’da) is located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. Voted the World Travel Awards  Caribbean’s Most Romantic Destination, the twin-island paradise offers visitors two uniquely distinct experiences, ideal temperatures year-round, a rich history, vibrant culture, exhilarating excursions, award-winning resorts, mouth-watering cuisine and 365 stunning pink and white-sand beaches – one for every day of the year. The largest of the Leeward Islands, Antigua comprises 108-square miles with rich history and spectacular topography that provides a variety of popular sightseeing opportunities. Nelson’s Dockyard, the only remaining example of a Georgian fort a listed UNESCO World Heritage site, is perhaps the most renowned landmark. Antigua’s tourism events calendar includes the prestigious Antigua Sailing Week, Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, and the annual Antigua Carnival; known as the Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival. Barbuda, Antigua’s smaller sister island, is the ultimate celebrity hideaway. The island lies 27 miles north-east of Antigua and is just a 15-minute plane ride away. Barbuda is known for its untouched 17 mile stretch of pink sand beach and as the home of the largest Frigate Bird Sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere.  Find information on Antigua & Barbuda at visitantiguabarbuda.com and follow us on: Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

For information on our #WhatCoolLooksLlike Ambassadors, go to visitantiguabarbuda.com.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Denis Private Island of Seychelles shortlisted for World Travel Awards

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It has been confirmed that Denis Private Island is in the running for one of the world’s most prestigious honors in the professional tourism trade.

Its nomination in the 26th World Travel Awards (WTA) for the Indian Ocean’s leading private island resort category is a first for the locally-owned property.

Seychelles prides itself on having some of the best tourism accommodation properties, and seeing such nominations for the 26th World Travel Awards (WTA) only confirms the achievements of the local hospitality industry.

Travel News | eTurboNews

26th annual World Travel Awards opens for submissions

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World Travel Awards

World Travel Awards (WTA) is pleased to announce its annual “call for entries” for inclusion in the most prestigious awards and recognition initiative in travel and tourism.

Each country’s very best brands and products are now invited to submit their applications to participate and stand a chance to win the ultimate industry accolade.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

WTA’s annual quest is to identify and reward travel and hospitality excellence – those organisations that are driving the industry to new heights by creating greater and more innovative customer experiences.

Nominees this year range from a broad spectrum of categories covering Aviation, Tourist Attractions, Car Hire, Cruise, Destinations, Hotels & Resorts, Meetings & Events, Travel Agencies, Tour Operators and Travel Technology – to name but a few.

Graham Cooke, Founder, WTA, said: “We have been overwhelmed with the tremendous early response to industry entries, which have grown at a phenomenal rate in recent years.

“The worldwide interest shown in our Grand Tour 2019 is already significantly higher than this stage last year and serves to illustrate the importance of winning at the WTA when seeking to differentiate a brand in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

“We are seeing more companies than ever spearheading their global marketing campaigns with their award victories and we are humbled by reports of how triumph at the WTA has helped to bolster growth and revenues,” he added.

Celebrating its 26th anniversary in 2019, WTA is acknowledged across the globe as the ultimate travel accolade.

In the quest to identify and reward excellence, the organisation invites those brands that are pushing the boundaries of industry excellence to participate in the annual programme. Entry forms can be submitted here.

PM, Bartlett welcome return of EP hotel model to Jamaica

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Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett have welcomed the return of the EP (European Plan) model of hotels as part of the expanding tourism industry.

Sunday’s official opening of S Hotel along Montego Bay’s Hip Strip was the first significant hotel of its kind to open its doors using this model, in more than three decades. Large all-inclusive hotels make up about 80 percent of resort destination’s room stock.

eTN Chatroom: Discuss with readers from around the world:

Minister Bartlett described S Hotel as special “because the S is bringing back the model of tourism that has escaped us for a while, the EP model which offers an opportunity for more involvement and more participation

This sentiment was endorsed by Prime Minister Holness who said, “We must find ways to make tourism inclusive and beneficial to all the people of Jamaica.”

According to Prime Minister Holness, the strategy for tourism must be to ensure connectivity with the rest of the economy. He said, “The benefit of tourism must be shared with the people, because all tourism is, if you take away the block and steel, it is the people, it is the culture, it is our music, it is our language, it is our dance. It is all of that put together to form a package that distinguishes us from the rest of the world that makes people want to come here and enjoy.”

The Prime Minister expressed the view that the industry must create an instrumental approach to ensuring that the benefits are shared. “Buy more Jamaican, employ more Jamaicans as entertainers; put them in your package, make people see them because that is what is going to create the value for your product,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister Bartlett was elated “that tourism in Jamaica is outstanding,” stating that the new hotel signalled the start of a momentous week for tourism in Jamaica “because the opening of this very critical addition to the room stock and more so the variety of offering that we are providing in the accommodation subsector, begins a week of tourism celebration and marketing.

Outlining several activities planned, he said Jamaica would take centre stage Monday night at the World Travel Awards and Tuesday morning “we welcome the world with the second Global Conference on Job Creation and Inclusive Growth with emphasis on small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs).”

Sunday’s opening of S Hotel was also attended by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen; former prime ministers P.J. Patterson and Portia Simpson Miller; Opposition Leader Dr Peter Phillips and Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Dr Wykeham McNeil.