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    Melanie C kicks off Pitch View Penthouse Experience at Wembley Stadium

    Melanie C popped into Wembley this week, ahead of England’s appearance in Sunday’s UEFA Women’s EURO 2022™ Final, to open Booking.com’s spectacular Pitch View Penthouse, the most coveted spot in the stadium for the big match against Germany.
    Singer and Musician Melanie C, who is partnering with Booking.com for the second year in a row said: “I’m so excited that England are in the final of UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 and I can’t wait to watch the match. Whoever is cheering on the Lionesses from the private terrace of Booking.com’s Pitch View Penthouse, will have the best seats at Wembley on Sunday! It’s such an amazing space and the lucky guests that have booked this, are going to have a truly unforgettable experience. Let’s hope our fearless girls bring home the trophy! Come on England! #GirlPower.”
    Musician and Spice Girl Melanie C was the first guest to visit the football-themed penthouse, though she didn’t get the chance to stay the night. The amazing space has been specially created by and listed on Booking, for a one-night-only sleepover experience for two lucky guests to watch the final. The stay was booked within minutes of the listing going live on Booking.com, when the tournament began on 6 July.
    Booking.com is the Official Accommodation Booking Partner of UEFA Women’s EURO 2022™, which has taken place across nine cities in England, from 6 –31 July.
    The ultimate overnight football experience will kick off with a chauffeured drive to Wembley Stadium, followed by a behind-the-scenes stadium tour.ADVERTISEMENTThe guests will then meet former England football player, Karen Carney, before checking into Booking.com’s Pitch View Penthouse, where they will enjoy the final, before retreating for the night, surrounded by unhindered views of the pitch. The morning after the final, guests will be invited to an exclusive pitch-side breakfast.
    Booking.com’s partnership with the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022™ is part of the travel brand’s global strategic partnership with UEFA, in which Booking.com is the exclusive accommodation booking partner for all UEFA National Team Football events.

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    LVCVA Names Lisa Messina New Chief Sales Officer

    Lisa Messina is joining the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as Chief Sales Officer to lead and help grow meeting, convention and tradeshow sales for Las Vegas and for the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), the LVCVA has announced. She will start in early September.
    Messina joins the LVCVA from Caesars Entertainment, where she was Senior Vice President of Sales responsible for driving revenue strategy and leading a team of 120 sales directors.
    Prior to Caesars Entertainment, she served as Executive Director of Intermediary Group Sales for Hilton Worldwide, in addition to a past leadership role with ConferenceDirect. Messina’s breadth of knowledge and well-rounded perspective will allow her to forge meaningful connections with existing customers, attract new meeting and convention business to Las Vegas and collaborate with resort partners. She is a highly collaborative and respected leader with a proven track record in the hospitality and meetings industry, but it is the diversity of her experience and her customer-focused sales acumen that sets her apart.
    “We are very excited to welcome Lisa to the LVCVA team,” said Steve Hill, CEO and president of the LVCVA. “Lisa brings real expertise, deep experience and a proven track record of producing results. She knows Las Vegas, knows our customers and has earned the respect of the entire industry. Lisa is clearly the right person to be the LVCVA’s first-ever Chief Sales Officer.”
    “I am thrilled to join the LVCVA and represent Las Vegas, the number one name in tourism,” Messina said. “There is tremendous history to celebrate in Las Vegas but there are also opportunities to make history. We are at a pivotal moment where the landscape is evolving in a fun and transformative way. It gives business and leisure travelers even more reasons to return.”ADVERTISEMENTA 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s Board of Directors.

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    Emirates Islamic’s profit sharply increases 23%

    Emirates Islamic’s net profit jumped 23% to AED 701 million for the first half of 2022 on higher funded and non-funded income with a significant reduction in the cost of risk reflecting improved business sentiment.
    Key Highlights – First Half 2022
    Strong operating performance on higher funded and non-funded income coupled with disciplined cost management action
    – Total income up 16% y-o-y driven by higher funded and non-funded income
    – Expenses increased 13% y-o-y as EI invests for future growthADVERTISEMENT- Impairment Allowances reduced 12% y-o-y reflecting improved business sentiment
    – Operating profit improved 19% y-o-y
    – Net profit increased 23% to AED 701 million on the back of higher funded and non-funded income, coupled with lower impairment allowances
    – Net profit margin at 2.92% reflecting the increase in profit rates in the first half of 2022
    Strong capital and liquidity combined with a healthy deposit mix enabled the Bank to support customers
    – Total assets grew strongly by 14% to AED 74 billion in H1 2022
    – Customer financing at AED 47 billion, increased 11% from end 2021
    – Customer deposits at AED 54 billion, increased 15% from end 2021 with CASA balances at 76% of deposits
    – Credit Quality: Non-performing financing ratio improved to 7.1%. Coverage ratio strong at 120%
    – Capital: Tier 1 ratio at 17.2% and Capital adequacy ratio at 18.3% reflect the strong capital position of the Bank
    – Headline Financing to Deposit ratio at 87% reflects continued healthy UAE liquidity
    Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, Chairman said:
    “We are delighted to announce a strong set of half yearly financial results, delivering a net profit of AED 701 million for the first six months of 2022. Our solid performance was based on higher funded and non-funded income, and higher customer financing reflecting the UAE’s positive economic sentiment. We have also benefitted from a significant reduction in the cost of risk supported by a strong economy.
    We were pleased to support the TECOM and DEWA IPOs on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) by enabling key clients to participate and benefit from these landmark listings in our role as Receiving Bank. Being a leading UAE bank and a prominent long-term player in the region’s banking sector, we were delighted to support the UAE leadership’s plans to list state-owned entities on the DFM, further boosting UAE capital markets.
    We play a pivotal role in the UAE’s growing Islamic banking sector and remain committed to supporting the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the global capital of Islamic economy. The Emirates Islamic Charity Fund continues to support various humanitarian causes in the UAE through charitable contributions.”
    Salah Mohammed Amin, Chief Executive Officer said:
    “Emirates Islamic’s total assets grew by 14% to AED 74 billion during the first half of 2022, demonstrating our support for a strong UAE economy.
    Emirates Islamic was among the first Islamic banks to integrate digital innovation and our digital focus continues to reap us rich rewards in terms of customer loyalty and market share. In the first half of 2022, we further enhanced our digital channels and offerings across multiple fronts, including ATM / CDM transformation and added features on our Whatsapp Banking.
    A superior customer experience is at the heart of everything we do. We proudly uphold the highest levels of customer excellence as we set new benchmarks for innovation-driven Islamic banking in the region. 
    We expanded our product offerings with the launch of the Emarati Family Savings account, Emarati Business Account and Super Savings Etihad Guest Account. We continue to invest in new technologies and strengthen our offerings to expand our appeal across the wider UAE population.”

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    SITA unveils eVisa and ETA to transform borders and boost growth

    SITA has announced the launch of SITA eVisa and SITA Electronic Travel Authorization to meet the rapidly growing demand from governments for digital visa systems to stimulate national economies after COVID-19, strengthen security and improve the travel experience.
    Governments globally are shifting to modern travel authorisation solutions, like electronic visas and Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs). According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), traditional visas – applications made via a consulate or embassy – decreased from 77% in 2008 to 53% in 2018. There is a growing demand for digital travel solutions.
    The advantages of digital authorisation solutions include improved security, reduced administrative burden, easier travel, and increased visitor flows, promoting spending that benefits local economies and creates employment. For example, one government’s introduction of an eVisa scheme covering 40 plus countries in 2014-2015 led to a 21% increase in international visitor arrivals and the creation of 800,000 jobs accounted for around 20% of the growth seen in the country’s travel and tourism over the period.
    SITA has deployed border management solutions for over 25 years to support cross-border mobility while safeguarding borders, helping over 70 countries today. In 1996, SITA pioneered the first ETA system for the 2000 Sydney Olympics. The aim was to give authorities advance visibility into the huge influx of tourists crossing the border, helping to reduce immigration bottlenecks.
    For one major government customer in Asia Pacific today, SITA’s ETA system enables over three million ETAs to be issued each year, 96% of applications result in the automatic issuance of an authorisation, and 99% of all applications are successfully processed in less than 12 hours.ADVERTISEMENTThe mobile capability of SITA’s new eVisa and ETA capability allows travelers to make applications and provide their biometric information using their personal devices before they travel. For travelers, this is simpler, more convenient, and less time-consuming than applying for more complex traditional or on-arrival visas. For governments, they can biometrically verify the applicant’s identity. The mobile app also creates ICAO-compliant Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs) – a development in digital identity for travel that may replace physical passports in the future.
    SITA’s eVisa and ETA solutions provide visas containing ICAO’s Visible Digital Seal (VDS), an encrypted bar code that enables visas and ETAs, paper or electronic, to be digitally verified for authenticity, offering enhanced security and fraud prevention.
    Jeremy Springall, Head of SITA AT BORDERS, said: “Adopting eVisa and ETA supports national prosperity. We’ve productised our proven and robust travel authorisation systems to benefit more nations around the world as they shift to digitalise and future-proof their borders. The solutions help countries to cope with growing passenger volumes, improve security and efficiency, and deliver a more seamless travel experience that travelers demand, removing the complexities of applying for traditional visas”.
    Springall added: “The adaptability of these two solutions means that they are fully interoperable with existing border control and airline systems. And, they comply with international standards and best practices.”

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    IHG announces new partnerships to combat human trafficking

    Source: Eric Ward
    IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced partnerships with two leading anti-human trafficking organisations, ECPAT-USA and Polaris, to strengthen the company’s on-going efforts against trafficking and support survivors. The launch of these engagements coincides with the United Nations’ July 30 observance of the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, designed to call attention to the millions of individuals who are trafficked each year.
    Through support of ECPAT-USA and Polaris’ programs, IHG will amplify awareness of the prevalence and dangers of human trafficking through education and advocacy. Senior advisors from both organisations will also join IHG’s anti-human trafficking steering committee and provide subject matter expertise for the company’s initiatives to deter criminal behavior through identification and reporting. In addition, IHG will continue supporting ECPAT-USA and Polaris through the donation of IHG One Rewards loyalty points, which will help the organisations provide refuge for human trafficking survivors escaping dangerous situations.
    Elie Maalouf, CEO, Americas, IHG Hotels & Resorts, said: “IHG’s partnerships with ECPAT-USA and Polaris are a next step in our relationship with these leading organisations. This effort, in addition to our ongoing industry-wide collaborations, underscores our deep commitment to making progress against trafficking’s horrible crimes. Working together more closely will help us focus on the most impactful initiatives, as well as help us support and learn from trafficking survivors to strengthen prevention measures.”
    As an extension of its engagement with Polaris, IHG will serve as the only hospitality sponsor for its partner’s National Survivor Study. A core component of Polaris’ evidence-based efforts to fight human trafficking, the Study will include feedback from surveys, interviews and focus groups with anti-trafficking leaders and survivors across North America. Polaris anticipates concluding this research in December 2022.
    Jen Jinks, Chief Strategy and Impact Officer, Polaris, said: “The National Survivor Study (NSS) is a scientifically rigorous, qualitative and quantitative study co-created and co-delivered with victims and survivors. The first of its kind, the NSS will lift up new and different insights from the experts themselves – victims and survivors. Polaris is thrilled to partner with IHG and our other funders on this innovative and survivor-centered work.”ADVERTISEMENTYvonne Chen, Director of Private Sector Engagement, ECPAT-USA, said: “ECPAT-USA is incredibly grateful for the leadership role IHG has taken in combatting human trafficking across the hospitality industry and for this new partnership to raise awareness of these issues and support our programs. We look forward to continuing to work together in the creation of meaningful and impactful steps to protect all children from exploitation.”
    IHG also continues to work closely with a variety of organisations to coordinate efforts and share anti-human trafficking best practices. In addition to its partnerships with ECPAT-USA and Polaris, IHG is a proud partner of international nonprofit organisation It’s A Penalty, which works to stop trafficking around sporting events, and Atlanta nonprofit organisation Wellspring Living in the U.S., which focuses on transforming the lives of those at risk for or victimised by sexual exploitation.
    Working together with industry trade groups such as the American Hotel & Lodging Association and its foundation to support its “No Room for Trafficking” program, as well as offering free anti-human trafficking training for all IHG hotels and colleagues, are additional ways the company is working to effectively fight these exploitations that plague communities across the globe.
    A global company with a presence in more than 100 countries across more than 6,000 hotels, IHG considers addressing human trafficking a key component of its larger commitment to responsible business. Read more about the company’s position and its consistent standard across every market in its global Human Rights Policy. 
    IHG Hotels & Resorts is nominated as Middle East’s Leading Hotel Group 2022 by World Travel Awards.

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    UNWTO sets out shared goals and opportunities for tourism in Paraguay

    The President of Paraguay Mario Abdo Benitez, welcomed this week UNWTO’s support as the county works to make tourism a central pillar of economic growth and social opportunity.
    Leading an official UNWTO delegation to Paraguay, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili met with President Abdo Benitez to discuss the biggest challenges and opportunities for tourism in Paraguay and identify ways of working together to grow and the sector in both size and relevance. Paraguay currently serves as Chair of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas and is a member of its Executive Council. Such an active role in the mission of UNWTO underscores the government’s commitment to establishing the country as one of the region’s top tourist destinations and the sector as a driver of sustainable development.
    Making tourism a priority for Paraguay
    Secretary-General Pololikashvili noted that Paraguay is already “on the world map as a destination”, and that, working together, UNWTO and the government can “make this beautiful country better known and make tourism a priority for creating jobs and opportunities for economic growth”.
    Opening a special session on Renewable Energy and Sustainable Tourism, held against the backdrop of the UNWTO visit, President Mario Abdo Benítez, said: “The task of the National Government is to promote Paraguay as a destination as part of our strategy to generate income, strengthen our culture and give opportunity to a large number of young people who, as the UNWTO Secretary General said, have the potential to be tourism’s greatest strength.”ADVERTISEMENTAlongside meeting with the President, the UNWTO delegation also met with Minister of Tourism for Paraguay Sofía Montiel de Afara, with the National Tourism Advisory Council of Paraguay, as well as with representatives from the World Bank and from across the private sector. The presence of high-level representatives from the Ministries of the Interior, of Industry and Commerce and of Education and Sciences, underlined the cross-cutting importance of tourism for Paraguay and for the wider region. The Minister of Tourism stated her desire to build on her Ministry’s existing work with UNWTO and develop a new series of capacity-building initiatives to guide tourism in sector out of the pandemic and towards a more resilient future.
    Youth empowerment and rural development
    Reflecting one of UNWTO’s core priorities, as illustrated by the recent inaugural Global Youth Tourism Summit, Secretary-General Pololikashvili also met with young tourism leaders and advocates from every part of Paraguay to hear their thoughts on the future of the sector and to ensure that they are part of the decision-making process. The UNWTO delegation also visited the historic community of San Cosme y San Damián, named one of UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages in 2021 in recognition of its significance preserving the country’s unique cultural heritage and as a provider of rural development.

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    GBTA Foundation relaunches to Advance People and Planet Initiatives

    Helping the global business travel industry create a positive impact and a better future for people and the planet is the mission behind the Global Business Travel Association’s relaunch of its charitable arm, the GBTA Foundation. The GBTA Foundation will focus on the strategy and execution of GBTA’s global sustainability programs, supporting initiatives related to climate action, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and other talent-related topics via education, research, and advocacy.
    “We are excited to re-establish the GBTA Foundation within a fine-tuned scope of ‘people and planet,’” said Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA. “It’s an important moment in GBTA’s 54-year history, as we renew our commitment to creating lasting, positive impact. The GBTA Foundation, along with its newly appointed Board of Directors, will focus on making a positive impact in our industry and beyond.”
    Paul Abbott, CEO for American Express Global Business Travel, will serve as the Chairperson of the GBTA Foundation Board of Directors for the next two years. “I’m very pleased to lead the GBTA Foundation at this critical time − to pave the way for progress via ambitious programs and initiatives focused on sustainability,” he said.
    GBTA’s new Sustainability Program initiative, which launched in late 2021 to build a greener future for business travel and help reduce its climate impact, will now be managed under the Foundation, as will GBTA’s existing people-related programs, WINiT by GBTA and GBTA Ladders.
    Appointed by the GBTA Board of Directors, the Foundation Board will help ensure ambitions are large enough for the environmental and human sustainability challenges at hand, and to elevate the work of GBTA in research, advocacy, and practitioner learning – to reach those beyond the industry.ADVERTISEMENTLeaders from across the global travel industry with distinct interests and strengths in key ESG (environmental, social and governance) areas will serve as the Board of Directors for the Foundation for staggered terms of one and two years:
    Paul Abbott, CEO, American Express GBT (two-year term)
    Leslie Andrews, Director of Global Travel Category, JLL (two-year term)
    Erica Gordon, Senior Vice President, Global Head of Public Affairs and ESG, Hilton (one-year term)
    Scott Kirby, CEO, United Airlines (two-year term)
    Darragh Ormsby, Global Travel Manager, Google (one-year term)
    Tyronne Stoudemire, Senior Vice President, Global Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Hyatt (one-year term)
    Caroline Strachan, Managing Partner, Festive Road (two-year term)
    Denise Truso, GBTA Board President (as per Foundation bylaws)
    Suzanne Neufang, CEO, GBTA (as per Foundation bylaws)
    Delphine Millot, Managing Director, GBTA Foundation (ex-officio)
    The Board held its first meeting this month and is prioritising Foundation governance, providing guidance on GBTA’s existing people and planet program efforts, and determining strategic areas of focus and priorities within environmental and human sustainability initiatives for 2023.
    Delphine Millot, hired by GBTA in January 2022, will administer the Foundation as its Managing Director and Senior Vice President-Sustainability. According to Millot, “This is an important opportunity for GBTA to create lasting impact via relevant research, education, and other programs that not only benefit our industry but bring the general public and policy makers closer to us on these relevant topics.”
    The GBTA Foundation was originally formed in 1989 as a US 501c3 charitable arm of GBTA. Until early 2018 when it was put on hiatus, the GBTA Foundation was the center of all GBTA education and research. The education and research areas of GBTA were subsequently moved to the core GBTA organisation’s 501c6 tradeshow arm where they will continue to reside when not related to the “sustainability of people + planet” focus of the Foundation.

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    Trip.com announces long-term green tourism goals

    Trip.com Group, a leading global travel service provider, has announced its long-term goal to build green tourism, covering three key areas, including: working with partners to launch over 10,000 low-carbon travel products; promoting sustainable travel concepts and engaging 100 million travellers in low-carbon practices; and, aiming to further reduce carbon emissions across its own operations.
    Launching 10,000 low-carbon travel products
    Trip.com Group aims to launch over 10,000 eco-friendly travel products, with several initiatives already underway in the Group’s long-term plan. Trip.com and Skyscanner, sub-brands of Trip.com Group, have partnered with CHOOOSE, a company dedicated to offsetting the CO2 emissions for flights by supporting impactful climate solutions worldwide and enabling customers to seamlessly address their CO2 emissions as part of the customer experience. Users from over 35 different Trip.com sites are now able to purchase this carbon offsetting option across almost all flight inventory.
    In mainland China, Trip.com Group’s sub-brand Ctrip, has been working with suppliers to offer a wide variety of eco-friendly travel products, such as zero waste camping and eco hiking. Trip.Biz, a corporate travel brand of the Group, has recently conducted a campaign to promote “Green Hotels” and “Green Flights” in mainland China. The corporate travel brand was also awarded a Silver rating by EcoVadis, an internationally recognised corporate social responsibility (CSR) rating platform in 2022. In its car rental business, Ctrip advocates travel with alternative fuel vehicles and through this promotion has seen related orders grow at an annual rate of approximately 140%. According to the current order assessment, compared with traditional vehicles, renting alternative fuel vehicles will reduce carbon emissions by about 10,000 tons in 2022.
    Promoting sustainability awareness and inspiring 100 million travellersADVERTISEMENTAs part of the Group’s long-term commitment to improving sustainability awareness, consumer brand Trip.com surveyed its customers to learn more about user sentiment towards sustainable travel and how the pandemic has impacted consumer opinion. Crucially, the survey revealed that travelling sustainably is essential to most respondents.
    Trip.com Group continues to build upon its content marketing strategy to provide awareness of more sustainable options. Trip Moments, the home of user-generated traveller content on Trip.com, encourages users to review, recommend and share their travel content with over two million travellers worldwide. Building up to World Environment Day 2022, Trip.com South Korea held various events and activities to encourage users to think more sustainably and share content on Trip Moments with the hashtag ‘sustainable travel’ – driving awareness among users.
    In promoting sustainable tourism, Ctrip is using its self-produced variety show to advertise eco-friendly travel. The green travel variety show is a collaboration between Ctrip and National Geographic featuring environmental experts and travel professionals who accompany special guests to explore sustainable lifestyles whilst discovering the beauty of China’s cities and countryside. It is China’s first travel variety show focusing on ecological awareness.
    Reducing carbon emissions across operations
    As a one-stop travel service provider with more than 30,000 employees and businesses across the world, Trip.com Group continues to value operational practices that look after the environment. The Group pledges to further reduce carbon emissions across its own operations in the near future.
    The Group has adopted several environmental initiatives, including building intelligent energy management system, solar hot water system, and renewable heating system to reduce energy consumption. Its headquarters in Shanghai has been awarded LEED Gold certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. From 2019 to 2021, a new round of energy saving investment was made in the Trip.com Group Shanghai headquarter offices, this upgrade resulted in a 45-50% reduction in energy used for lighting the buildings.
    In 2021, Trip.com Group announced to establish its ESG Committee and joined the UN Global Compact, committing to create a more sustainable future for tourism and society.
    Jane Sun, Trip.com Group CEO commented, “We have always adhered to the vision of ‘pursuing the perfect trip for a better world ’ and will work with our users and partners to further reduce carbon emissions in a more holistic and systematic manner. We still have a long way to go and much more to do.”

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