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    Sanya Set for Global Young Visitors with New Approach

    On December 28th, a flight themed on the open-world role-playing game Genshin Impact flew from Shanghai to Sanya.The flight was operated by Juneyao Air, and on the flight, there was a joint live-streaming event collaborated by the Sanya Tourism Promotion Board (STPB), Trip.com, and Genshin Impact.This was part of a drive by STPB to draw in Generation Z (Gen Z) tourists, following its recent effort of luring young tourists by hosting a GenZ Top Model Contest. In addition to bringing live streaming to the skies, the themed flight also included strong elements of the Genshin Impact game and Sanya as part of the plane’s decor, adding a touch of vibrancy to the flight.
    Genshin Impact is an action role-playing game developed and published by miHoYo. The game takes place in an anime-based open world called Teyvat, where characters can roam freely. It saw 23 million downloads on mobile platforms within a week after its debut release in 2020, and has gained a legion of fans, especially among the Gen Z demographic across the world.
    For Sanya, Genshin Impact is an ideal choice to work with as the city is upgrading its tourism resources to grab more attention from young tourists and international visitors. In 2021, the STPB took a similar approach to appeal to younger travelers with a collaboration with Game for Peace (the Chinese version of PUBG Mobile). Now that inbound tourism is expected to recover, the STPB plans to launch a series of initiatives to present Sanya as an international destination to young travelers worldwide.
    Boasting all-year-round warm weather, spectacular scenery, and diverse experiences, Sanya is the perfect backdrop for work, travel, and play. In recent times, the STPB has focused on cultivating new tourism opportunities and hotspots to attract different types of travelers to Sanya, especially young travelers. With surfing, camping, diving, and other trendy sports becoming increasingly popular among young people, the outdoor lifestyle is also more and more associated with Sanya, as the city continues to cater to a younger demographic.
    Tourism destinations represented by Sanya have recently experienced rapid growth. According to data from Trip.com’s FlightAI platform, tourists from various destinations flocked to Sanya from December 20 to December 27, with Sanya Phoenix Airport ranking fifth in China in terms of civil aviation passenger traffic, while the year-on-year recovery rate in passenger traffic ranks the top four of all airports in China.ADVERTISEMENTAs China eases its restrictions for inbound tourists in 2023, the STPB will focus on highlighting new attractions in the tourist destination and preparing an exciting lineup of events to attract new international visitors, global young travelers, as well as enticing travelers who have previously visited to return.

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    Croatia Welcomed 118,000 Foreign Tourists Last November

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    Ras Al Khaimah Set to Dazzle This New Year’s Eve More

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    Hudini set to double growth in 2022

    Global smart hospitality solutions provider, Hudini, is set to close a record year for the business having witnessed unprecedented growth in 2022.Hudini enables hotels to provide a connected guest journey from pre-arrival to post departure, ensuring a faster, contactless, and hyper-personalized service delivery. The company’s hospitality middleware platform connects over 100 hospitality applications in one single guest interface. Driven by data and AI, Hudini’s proprietary software works across all touch points of the guest journey from online booking, mobile check-in and digital room keys to in-room services, communication, check-out, and payments.  With over 300 hotels across 25 countries, Hudini is fast becoming the industry benchmark for digital transformation in the hospitality industry.
    The hospitality industry relies on its ability to connect people and the places they visit to create memorable experiences for its guests. In its revitalization post-pandemic, the industry is realizing the impact that technology can have on a guest’s stay, and the potential it holds to increase customer loyalty and create additional revenue. In fact, a recent study found that 62% of hotel executives said they would have “a fully contactless experience” by 2025.“It’s been an incredibly exciting year for us and we have evolved in so many ways over the past twelve months, from our product offering and team to our partners and customers,” said Prince Thampi, Founder and CEO of Hudini. “The global pandemic has not just accelerated the demand for contactless technology to provide a safe and seamless guest experience, but more importantly, has caused a significant shift in mindset when it comes to digital transformation in hospitality. Hoteliers are increasingly looking for ways to differentiate and personalize their guest experience, achieve better efficiency and productivity, and generate additional revenues through technology, and we help them do that.”Product was a major focus for the business in 2022, which saw the launch of Hudini 2.0, the company’s future-ready product set to enhance every aspect of hotel operations and elevate guest experiences. This year also saw the announcement of several new strategic partnerships, including Incode Technologies for facial recognition, Alcatel’s collaboration, Schneider for guest room controls and communication platform Message Bird.
    Trusted by some of the world’s leading hotel groups across multiple segments and continents, Hudini has doubled its hotel partner portfolio over the past twelve months including Taj Hotels and The Leela group in India, SH Hotels & Resorts in the United States, RCD Hotels in Mexico and the Caribbean and Accor,  in addition to signing a partnership agreement with the Institute of Hotel Technology (ITH), the body that represents Spain’s national accommodation sector encompassing over 16,000 hotels.Through its offices in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia, Hudini is able to serve its global customers locally on the ground. To support the company’s record growth, the team in India moved into new premises this year, the team in Europe expanded with the addition of a permanent base in France. Looking ahead to 2023, Thampi said: “After an incredibly strong year in 2022, we are very well placed to further propel our growth next year. A series of product enhancements is already in the works, and we look to expand our presence in the US and European markets in 2023 and beyond.”
    To learn more about Hudini, visit www.hudini.io

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    New Self-Guided Audio Tours Inspire Visitors to Experience Abu Dhabi at Their Own Pace More

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    Yas Island rounds up a record year with over 80 global awards

    As another successful year comes to a close, Yas Island Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s leading leisure and entertainment destinations, rounds off their action-packed 2022 with over 80 awards and accolades. The destination and its plethora of world-class theme parks, luxury hotels, innovative experiences, resorts and acclaimed eateries, alongside unmatched customer services, has been recognised across a series of global and local awards platforms.
    HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Miral, said: “We are proud with this achievement, witnessing yet another year of incredible work from our teams, all of whom have worked tirelessly to elevate Yas Island’s offering and reputation. The more than 80 local and global accolades received, is testament to Yas Island’s position as a top global destination for leisure and entertainment. Home to award-winning attractions and experiences, the Island is integral to the overall growth of Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry.”
    Global acclaim at The World Travel Awards

    Yas Island and its world-class theme parks, experiences and attractions were recognised with seven awards in the globally renowned World Travel Awards in 2022. In addition to scooping the accolade of ‘World’s Leading Theme Park Destination 2022’, Yas Island received the flagship ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourism Development’ award for the fourth consecutive year, testament to the global reputation Yas Island as the leisure and entertainment hub. Ferrari World Abu Dhabi was yet again named the ‘World’s Leading Theme Park 2022’ and ‘Middle East’s Leading Theme Park 2022’, while the Emirati-themed waterpark Yas Waterworld, was recognised as ‘Middle East’s Leading Water Park 2022’ and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, was named as ‘Middle East’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2022’.  Across the awards, the record-breaking adventure hub CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, boasting the world’s largest indoor flight chamber and the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall, was awarded the accolade of ‘Middle East’s Leading Adventure Tourist Attraction 2022’.ADVERTISEMENTEpic accolades at the Arabian Best of Best Awards
    Yas Island reaffirmed their status with their number of acclaimed awards at the coveted Arabian Best of Best Awards, including Best Family Attraction for Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, Best Indoor Theme Park for Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Best Indoor Adventure Park for CLYMB and Best Entertainment Destination Yas Island.
    Taking the stage at the International Travel Awards
    Yas Theme Parks and attractions were commended in three regional categories in the International Travel Awards, which celebrates global tourism destinations, attractions and hotels. 

    Yas Waterworld received Best Waterpark in the Middle East and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi was recognised as the Best Family Attraction in the Middle East.
    Compelling recognition as a leading motorsports, golfing, lifestyle and dining destination
    Yas Island’s portfolio of hotels, resorts, and lifestyle offerings have received plaudits during 2022 across multiple categories including dining, entertainment as well as motorsports and golf. 
    Yas Marina Circuit and Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Abu Dhabi won gold for Best Sport Event of the Year, Best Sports Marketing Campaign and Best Fan Engagement at a Professional Sports Event at the acclaimed annual Sports Industry Awards (SPIA).

    W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island, also received recognition by the UAE’s coveted What’s On awards, with awards including Highly commended Favourite Luxury Staycation and Highly commended Favourite Brunch. The hotel also achieved Best Business Hotel in Abu Dhabi in the Business Traveller Awards, as well as Best All Day Dining Restaurant for Garage in the Fact Magazine Dining Awards. The hotel’s team were also celebrated in the Hotelier Middle East Awards with Aznive Boghossian receiving Young Hotelier of the Year.
    The What’s On Awards also recognised a number of dining experiences in the happening Yas Bay, from Favourite European Restaurant for The Lighthouse to Favourite Indian Restaurant for Zeera by buddha bar, Favourite Bar for Siddharta Lounge by Buddha-Bar, Favourite Daycation for Café del Mar and Favourite Steakhouse for Hunter & Barrel. The What’s On Awards further recognised Yas Island’s Belgian Café as their favourite restaurant for Pub Grub and Still’s as their favourite ladies night. The coveted Fact Dining Award’s 2022 also took to Yas Island to award Filini Garden as their favourite destination for alfresco dining.
    The Retail & Leisure Industry Awards further recognised Yas Mall as the Most Immersive Attraction and Experience this year, as well as an award for Innovation in Technology.
    Yas Island’s lifestyle and culinary offerings were also recognised by consumer magazines such as What’s On, naming Ferrari World Abu Dhabi as Favourite Attraction and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi being awarded Highly Commended Attraction.

    Yas Marina also achieved recognition in the Blue Flag Awards for their environmental category, as well as the 5 Gold Anchor Platinum’s awarding Yas Marina the Marina Excellence award.
    Garnering industry recognition
    Yas Island’s theme parks continued to dazzle on the industry stage during 2022 with multiple plaudits received for Yas Theme Parks during the annual Stevie Awards. The Stevie Awards which celebrate the best in business recognised Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi’s for Outstanding Achievement in Themed Consumer Experiences, as well as an Outstanding Achievement Award in Live Events for Yas Water World. The Stevie Awards further awarded Ferrari World Abu Dhabi with a Bronze Award for Innovation in Use of Events, whilst Yas Water World received a Silver Award for Innovation in Consumer Events, as well as Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi achieving a Gold Award in Innovation in the Use of Celebrities.

    Yas Island also received recognition in the globally acclaimed Effie’s awards, being awarded Gold for its campaign Stayin’ on Yas and two Silver awards for the Chief Island Officer campaign. The awards for the globally renowned campaigns did not stop there however, with the destination being widely recognized in the Smarties Awards Platform. These awesome feats included a Gold Award for Audio/Voice Sonic Branding for Yas Yas Baby, Gold Award in Cross Platform Digital for Yas Yas Baby, Silver Award for the Chief Island Officer campaign for Short/Long Form Video, Silver Award for Chief Island Officer campaign in Cross Platform Digital, Social & Influencer commerce and Partnerships Marketing. Additionally, the Smarties awarded Yas Island bronze awards for Lead Generation for the Chief Island Officer Campaign and another Bronze Award for Brand Experience for Yas Yas Baby.
    With further industry accomplishments, Yas Island won 1 gold and 2 silver awards at the Middle East PR Awards, with Best Use of Influencer/Brand Ambassador for Kevin Hart, Best Travel and Tourism Campaign for Kevin Hart and Best Consumer Services Campaign for Yas Yas Baby.

    Recognised by consumers worldwide
    Yas Theme Parks and attractions continue to surprise and delight visitors while garnering guest accolades across popular global consumer review platforms such as TripAdvisor.  Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi and CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi each earned the ‘Travelers Choice Award 2022’. Based on millions of reviews and opinions from travellers from around the world, the TripAdvisor Awards recognise and reward the very best tourism establishments in terms of service, quality and customer satisfaction.

    Setting the gold standard with innovative technology and seamless experiences
    Yas Island debuted FacePass contactless technology in 2021 at its theme parks as part of its promise of creating a world-class wall-less destination using the latest technology, which had been recognised this year in the Park World Excellence Awards, as well as a Gold Stevie Award for Best Consumer Product and Innovation.
    The region’s best leisure attractions
    Yas Island received a host of epic accolades at the MENA Leisure and Entertainment Awards, with CLYMB Abu Dhabi being named Best Sport/Adventure-based Entertainment and Best Design of a Facility.
    Source: Zawya.com

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    Germany Sees 180% Increase in Number of Visitors from Gulf States

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    Germany Sees 180% Increase in Number of Visitors from Gulf States

    Nationals from Gulf countries accounted for over 872,000 overnight stays, thus becoming among the most significant markets for Germany in the first nine months of this year.According to the figures provided by the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), Germany experienced a total of 180 per cent surge in overnight stays from nationals from Gulf countries in the first three quarters of this year, in comparison to the same period last year, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
    Last year, the number of GCC nationals travelling to Germany was 311,000, showing significant growth. However, the figures stood well below pre-pandemic levels, marking a decrease of 34.5 per cent.
    In this regard, the German National Tourist Office, the regional office of GNTB, Yamina Sofo, stressed that the country continues to see a strong traction from nationals from GCC countries.
    “Our goal at the moment is to continue to attract visitors from the region and aim to reach the numbers we welcomed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have seen a striking performance this year when compared to 2021, demonstrating that our diverse campaigns and offerings are attractive, and effectively reaching the audience,” Sofo pointed out in this regard.
    According to a report provided by Zawya, the Asian source market registered over 2.9 million overnight stays for a period between January until September this year, thus indicating a surge of 283 per cent compared to the figures of the same period last year. At the same time, this upsurge shows that passengers are eager to travel even more than usual.ADVERTISEMENTRecently, the GNTB presented a campaign in order to bring to the country a large number of international visitors, thus helping the country’s tourism industry recover from the damages caused by the travel bans and other restrictions imposed to stop the further spread of COVID-19 and its new variants.
    Following the easing of the COVID-related restrictions, authorities in Germany have noted a significant improvement in the country’s travel and tourism sector.
    The figures provided previously by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) showed that in October this year, a 2.7 per cent increase was marked in the number of overnight stays registered in Germany, compared to the figures of the same period last year.
    Still, despite the notable increase, the figures continue to remain below pre-pandemic levels before the spread of the virus.
    In addition, the data provided by the Federal Statistical Office also show that a total of 17.5 million overnight stays in German establishments were registered in December 2021, which shows that a significant increase was marked compared to 2020’s figures.
    Source: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

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    Tourism Revenues in Greece Reached €1.5 Billion During October More

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    Tourism Revenues in Greece Reached €1.5 Billion During October

    The Greek Minister of Tourism, Vasilis Kikilias, has revealed that last October tourism revenues reached €1.5 billion, thus exceeding October 2019 by 3.3 per centAccording to Minister Kikilias, this is a result of the increase in arrivals from important markets with which strategic agreements were made this year, including +69.2 per cent from Great Britain, +10.6 per cent from Germany, and + six per cent from France, compared to October 2019, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
    At the same time, arrivals from other countries also increased to impressive levels, with +12.3 per cent from the United States, +28.1 per cent from France, and +83.2 per cent from the United Kingdom as a whole.
    “These performances in the month of October prove de facto that the lengthening of the tourist season has become a reality, and they mean multiple revenues not only for the branded islands, but also for the less popular mainland destinations, Athens and Thessaloniki,” he pointed out in this regard.
    In addition, he also emphasised that the surplus of three billion euros, which will be allocated this year, will be distributed to vulnerable groups, families, and people in need, adding that Greece has proven how much it tries to support society. During the pandemic, the country allocated €44 billion in different forms to its citizens,  €10 billion of which was for energy.
    At the end of last month, the Minister of Tourism revealed that by the end of 2022, Greece’s income from travel would exceed the 2021 budget by three billion euros.ADVERTISEMENTMeanwhile, he noted that in October, Fraport’s airports recorded an increase of +14.9 per cent compared to October 2019. As a result, there was also an increase in the turnover in accommodation and hotels, respectively by 22.1 per cent and 19.8 per cent in the third quarter of this year.
    As Kikilias explains, even the occupancy rate in the travel destination accommodations has experienced very high growth, thus reaching 100 per cent.
    Moreover, the Minister of Tourism said that €100 million would be allocated from the program titled “Save-Operate” in order to support the owners of small hotels and accommodations in mountain destinations that are most affected by the energy crisis. He also confirmed that the contribution to “Tourism for all” will continue until the end of January 2023.
    Noting that Greece is considered one of the main tourist brands around the world, the Greek authorities have announced that this year the income from tourism has already exceeded €18 billion.
    Source: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

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    US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION HAILS STEPS TOWARDS LOWERING VISA WAITS

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    US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION HAILS STEPS TOWARDS LOWERING VISA WAITS

    The US Travel Association has hailed a series of major wins for the country’s travel and tourism sector in the Senate, including a new federal post dedicated to the industry.US Travel Association president and chief executive Geoff Freeman hailed the passing of a US government funding bill, including the Omnibus Travel and Tourist Act, “a tremendous win for travellers, the travel industry and America’s economy”.
    The bill will create a new assistant secretary of travel and tourism role within the US Department of Commerce, meaning the industry will have dedicated representation at American’s top table.
    “The idea to create a presidentially appointed, US Senate-confirmed position to lead federal travel policy has been around for decades,” said Freeman. “Thanks to a bipartisan and bicameral group of congressional leaders, the United States will now join all G20 countries with a senior federal official focused on travel.”
    Freeman said the incumbent would be vital to the association’s ambitions to lobby the US government, in particular, for action on reducing US visitor visa wait times, which it says can run to between 400 and 800 days for would-be arrivals from some key source markets.
    “The assistant secretary will play an important role as we partner with government to lower visitor visa wait times, modernise security screening and leverage new technologies to make travel more seamless and secure,” added Freeman.ADVERTISEMENTSource: https://www.ttgmedia.com/

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    2022 Marks an Award-Winning Year for Miami Beach

    Miami Beach and the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA) celebrate a year of multiple award wins from a notable selection of the industry’s most recognized and respected organizations including Travel Weekly’s Magellan Awards and the World Travel Awards.As an international destination, Miami Beach was recognized as the “World’s Leading Lifestyle Destination 2022” and “North America’s Leading City Destination 2022” by the World Travel Awards, both testaments to the destination’s experiences rooted in arts + culture, wellness and wellbeing, outdoor activities, water sports and recreation and the rising culinary scene. The World Travel Awards also took note of the MBVCA’s work in the year, including the launch of a new experiential app, EXP Miami Beach Tour App, recognizing the MBVCA as “North America’s Leading Tourist Board 2022.” Adding to the year’s wins, Chairman of the MBVCA, Steve Adkins, has also been named “South Florida Tourism Professional of the Year” by the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism/NAF in the awards’ 31st edition.“As advocates for Miami Beach with a dedication to further enhancing our global reputation, we dedicate these awards to the community and those who work tirelessly to deliver stellar experiences to visitors and locals at our city’s hotels, restaurants and attractions,” says Steve Adkins, Chairman of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority. “The passion for hospitality is evident and we are proud to be recognized by our fellow industry professionals for the work we have done and will continue to do in the future.”
    Miami Beach was also a Travel Weekly Silver Magellan Award winner in the Culinary Mecca category, further cementing the city’s position as a travel-worthy destination for foodies. This year, Miami Beach became home to two Michelin star recognized restaurants, Stubborn Seed and Jaya at The Setai. In addition, Miami Beach’s signature and world-famous restaurants, all located within a seven-mile range, include legendary Joe’s Stone Crab, Prime 112, Carbone Miami Beach, Forte di Marmi, Chotto Matte, Nobu and Bagatelle. And, for the first time, the MBVCA won a Travel Weekly Gold Magellan Award for the consumer-facing Instagram handle @experiencemiamibeach, recognized for connecting with social users through authentic and engaging content, in the Social Media – Hospitality category.
    “We look forward to building upon these recent accolades in the areas we know have an impact on driving visitors to Miami Beach in the new year,” adds Grisette Marcos, Executive Director of the MBVCA. “These awards will continue to support our ongoing efforts to innovate and provide unique experiences that appeal to all traveler styles.”
    For more information and to plan a future trip to award-winning Miami Beach, download the Experience Miami Beach and EXP Miami Beach Tour App Miami Beach Apps and follow the @experiencemiamibeach handles on Instagram and Facebook for the most up-to-date details and offerings.

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    Spend the First Day of 2023 Hiking in America’s State Parks

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    Spend the First Day of 2023 Hiking in America’s State Parks

    America’s State Parks are inviting everyone to start the new year off enjoying time spent in nature and tapping into the health benefits of being outdoors.To make it easy, state parks from Maine to California are offering free, First Day Hikes on January 1st. The guided hikes are led by park staff members and volunteers who have expert knowledge of their respective locales.
    The distance and difficulty of the trails vary from park to park, but the hikes are designed to benefit the entire family. This year there are more than 1,300 hikes available!“It’s our way of wishing health and happiness for the coming new year,” said Lewis Ledford, executive director of the National Association of State Park Directors.
    “Recent research is confirming the benefits of just 30 minutes a week spent in nature, and what better way to start a new healthy habit for 2023 than taking advantage of hikes being offered in state parks across the nation,” said Ledford. “Our hope is that this event will stimulate a passion for the outdoors and a desire to explore our local treasures throughout the entire year.”
    Hikers can choose guided hikes that fit their comfort levels, including mountain and hill climbing, walks along lakes, exploring trails that wind through forests, and wildlife expeditions.
    “Each state enjoys unique outdoor features and wildlife on its public lands,” Ledford said. “And no matter your weather preference, whether it be snow in the north and across the Rockies or mild temperatures across the south and southwest, you can experience it all with First Day Hikes.”ADVERTISEMENTFirst Day Hikes began more than 30 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation, which is a state park in Massachusetts.
    America’s State Parks are committed to promoting outdoor recreation to help address mental, emotional and physical health – especially among children. So begin 2023 with a focus on your physical and mental well-being with a First Day Hike in one of America’s State Parks.
    For more information on First Day Hikes at your nearest state park, go to https://www.stateparks.org/special-programs/first-day-hikes/. And use the hashtag #FirstDayHikes.

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