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      Celebrate Creative Art, Food and Performances at EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

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      Global visual, culinary and performing arts create a tapestry of wonder during EPCOT International Festival of the Arts presented by AT&T at Walt Disney World Resort, now until Feb. 20, 2023.EPCOT becomes the stage for this 39-day festival, with extraordinary artwork, culinary creations inspired by art movements and Broadway stars singing beloved Disney songs. The celebration of the arts is sure to delight festivalgoers with magic that only Disney can create.
      The festival is just one of the many exciting events occurring during the Walt Disney World Resort 50th Anniversary celebration, happening now through March 31, 2023.
      Performing Arts: Take Center Stage
      A kaleidoscope of live entertainment takes place throughout the festival, including show-stopping performances by some of Broadway’s brightest stars as they share songs from beloved Disney musicals in the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series. Shows take place three times daily throughout the festival at America Gardens Theatre.
      Dining packages for lunch and dinner are available at seven EPCOT locations with guaranteed seating at the DISNEY ON BROADWAY Concert Series. Visit ArtfulEPCOT.com for the lineup of concert performances and dining package availability.ADVERTISEMENTGuests will also delight in other musical acts performing multiple times daily in Showcase Plaza. Beyond music, festivalgoers can thrill to feats of acrobatic strength and agility by Art Defying Gravity and be mesmerized by artists who paint beloved Disney characters in high-energy shows that combine performance and fine arts.
      Culinary Arts: Treats for the Senses
      More than 15 unique Food Studios located throughout the park will offer delectable bites and sips crafted with a creative twist, including many new food and drink items.
      Figment’s Inspiration Station at the Odyssey: Art, Food and Little Sparks of Magic joins the lineup this year with an array of vibrant and playful food and beverage items guaranteed to ignite guests’ imaginations.
      Also new in 2023, Moderne invites guests to explore an avante-garde menu that promises to inspire and delight. Selections include Angry Crab, a whole, crispy soft-shell crab served with green papaya salad, mango-Sriracha fluid gel and coconut-lime foam with pomegranate and mango crush pearls – perfect for pairing with a J. Lohr Riesling – in addition to other tempting treats.
      The Artist’s Table in the American Adventure pavilion also boasts a new menu of artistically elevated comfort foods, including Duck and Dumplings with smoked duck breast, ricotta dumplings, petite vegetables and duck jus, with other delicious items to savor as well.
      In addition to providing a roadmap to navigate the bounty of culinary sensations, the Festival Passport also guides guests through The Wonderful Walk of Colorful Cuisine, a fun food stroll highlighting seven tantalizing sweet and savory offerings. A complimentary Artist Palette Cookie is available for those who collect five stamps from locations listed in the Festival Passport.
      Visual Arts: Create Your Own Magic
      New Figment-inspired festival merchandise features an expressive and colorful collection perfect for the whole family. The new festival Spirit Jersey, Figment Chalkboard Framed Mug, Figment Munchlings and Figment CORKCICLE Tumbler embody the festival’s full array of vivid colors and creativity.
      More than 100 Disney and visiting artists will participate in the festival, immersing guests in colorful and expressive artwork at every turn:
      The lineup features many new faces, including husband and wife photography team Kahran and Regis Bethencourt as well as returning favorites such as Dylan Bonner, Fenway Fan, Jerrod Maruyama, Ashley Taylorand more.Guests can catch a glimpse of artists at work with a peek inside the Disney Artist Gallery or the WonderGround Gallery.From Figment to Jiminy Cricket, Chalk Full of Characters features charming chalk drawings in tucked away corners throughout EPCOT.Kids can create their own chalk art masterpieces at Kid’s Chalk Art, while families can leave their creative mark on a larger-than-life mural at Expression Section: A Paint by Numbers Mural.Guests learn from an animation artist how to draw a Disney character at Animation Academy.An outdoor art wall features stories and characters that reflect the imaginative and innovative spirit of EPCOT at Drawing on Inspiration: Celebrating EPCOT.Across World Showcase, guests can step into some of the most iconic artwork from around the world at unique Artful Photo Ops Figment’s Brush with the Masters takes guests on a scavenger hunt around World Showcase to spot the lovable purple dragon as he hides in famous works of art. Redeem your completed map of Figment sightings to receive a small artful keepsake.In addition to enjoying the festival, guests can explore the endless possibilities that EPCOT has to offer. Guests can help save the galaxy on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, shrink to the size of Remy on Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, dine among the stars at Space 220 and so much more.
      The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is included with valid theme park admission and a park reservation for the same date. Guests can visit DisneyWorld.com for more information about planning their visit.

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      AUSPICIOUS DELIGHTS AT SI CHUAN DOU HUA AT PARKROYAL ON KITCHENER ROAD, SINGAPORE

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      THE SEYCHELLES, THE NEXT NEW DESTINATION FOR MELIÁ HOTELS INTERNATIONAL More

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      TAT introduces “THE MICHELIN EXPERIENCE @ ISAN”

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      The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is introducing “THE MICHELIN EXPERIENCE @ ISAN” activity to promote Thai-Isan food culture and congratulate 33 entries from four representative cities of the Northeast or “Isan” region included in the Bib Gourmand list in the new MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2023 edition.
      Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, said “Thailand’s fantastic culinary scene indeed helps strengthen the kingdom’s status as a world-class dining destination. Food also forms part of the kingdom’s soft-power foundations that continue to be highlighted in the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2023 Amazing New Chapters’ campaign.”
      With Northeast Thailand featured for the first time, The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2023 now features 441 dining venues in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phuket and Phang-nga, and four new Isan provinces of Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, and Udon Thani.

      THE MICHELIN EXPERIENCE @ ISAN activity shined a spotlight on Thai-Isan food culture, and celebrated the inclusion of the region in the sixth edition of the MICHELIN Guide Thailand.ADVERTISEMENTOut of 69 entries from the four Isan cities, 33 are highlighted in the Bib Gourmand list. These are nine entries in Nakhon Ratchasima, 11 in Khon Kaen, six in Ubon Ratchathani, and seven in Udon Thani.
      As well as presenting congratulatory certificates to new entries from Isan, the event also promoted popular menus from Bib Gourmand-listed restaurants in Udon Thani;, namely VT Namnueng, Matcha Pha Suk, Krua Khun-Nid Restaurant, Peng Duck Noodle, Madam Pahtehh 2515, Arunee Namnueng, and Larb Nua.

      The partnership between TAT and The MICHELIN Guide began in 2017 with the launch of The MICHELIN Guide Bangkok 2018. The success throughout the first five years resulted in the project being extended for another five years from 2022 to 2026. This guarantees continued promotion of gastronomy tourism in Thailand to the highest international level.
      Two papers – one by Kenetixs Consulting on Gastronomy Tourism in Thailand and the other an assessment by Ernst and Young of The MICHELIN Guide Thailand from 2017-2020 – similarly concluded that economic value had been created for the country on several fronts.
      This included an increase in food spending by foreign tourists by double in 2019 to 842.4 million Baht and the creation of 4,800 additional jobs in the food-related sector. Also seen was the attraction of more foreign chefs coming to work in Thailand, and encouragement of investment in fine-dining in the country.
      In addition, the latest assessment by Kenetixs Consulting on Gastronomy Tourism in Thailand and of The MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2022 found positive impressions from foreign tourists who had experienced MICHELIN restaurants. For example, 98% of them would recommend dining at a Michelin restaurant to others, and 94% of them would travel to dine at other Michelin restaurants around Thailand.
      Last but not least, in line with the kingdom’s increased drive towards more sustainable and inclusive tourism, TAT also places emphasis on promoting the MICHELIN Green Star distinction – given to those restaurants that embody and embrace sustainability in their day-to-day operations. Currently, there are three MICHELIN Green Star restaurants; namely, PRU, Haoma, and Jampa.

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      HKTB Announces 2022 Full-Year Visitor Arrivals More

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      HKTB Announces 2022 Full-Year Visitor Arrivals

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      The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced that 2022 recorded a provisional full-year visitor arrivals of 600,000. Since the Government gradually lifted various pandemic-related inbound control measures, visitor arrivals have picked up gradually in the past few months, with most visitors coming from the Mainland and Southeast Asian markets.
      In addition to overnight stopover and family reunion, business travellers also start to increase in number. HKTB expected that Hong Kong’s tourism will be revived progressively, and has gradually stepped up promotions in advance in selected visitor source markets to broadcast the positive message that Hong Kong is welcoming back visitors. HKTB will also launch a large-scale global promotion in phase (see appendix) to drive the swift revival of the tourism industry jointly with the travel trade.

      HKTB to Launch Large-scale Global Promotions Next Month in Phases with Three Strategies to Welcome Visitors
      • Hong Kong’s doors of tourism has been opened. Recent figures reveal that daily visitor arrivals to Hong Kong has increased from between 2,400 and 4,500 per day during the Amber Code period to over 10,000 per day after the lifting of Amber Code.• The major sources of visitors are, in order, the Mainland, the Philippines, Taiwan, the United States and Thailand.• In terms of purpose of visit, apart from overnight stopovers, family visits, business trips or essential travels, there was also a slight increase in leisure arrivals since the lifting of all COVID-19 inbound control measures at the end of December.ADVERTISEMENTTourism expected to take time to recover• HKTB expects that Hong Kong’s tourism will gradually recover , subject to the following factors:1. Airline capacity has not yet been fully restored2. Shortage of manpower in the tourism and related sectors3. Uncertain economic outlook and concerns arising from current exchange rates4. Some markets still impose inbound control measures on visitors arriving from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, which travellers may find inconvenient when returning home
      • In light of the latest situation, it is expected that visitors mainly come from certain markets, including the Mainland and Southeast Asia.• Therefore, HKTB will timely step up its promotion efforts in phases according to the actual situation of individual markets to ensure that the resources are well spent and maximise the effectiveness of promotional initiatives.Continuous Promotions of Hong Kong’s Appeal
      • The HKTB has stepped up publicity in some markets in advance to spread the message that all sectors in Hong Kong are welcoming back visitors.1. HKTB has invited travel trade, media, KOLs and Hong Kong Super Fans from around the world to enjoy the Hong Kong experience first-hand (Seeing is Believing).2. HKTB has organised a number of mega familiarisation trip for overseas travel trade since mid-December, hosting about 100 travel trade representatives from Southeast Asia, South Korea and other markets with more than 250 business appointments lined up with the local travel trade.3. HKTB has lined up about 1,300 travel trade appointments, connecting 840 local travel trade members with buyers and trade representatives from 140 regions/ markets.4. HKTB has invited K-pop sensation Jeong Ji-hoon (Rain) and arranged attraction visits for internationally renowned DJ Alan Walker to explore Hong Kong.5. HKTB has been promoting Hong Kong’s arts and culture, sports, culinary and festive events and experience continuously to attract global media reports and strengthen positive exposure. Large-scale global promotions to launch next month• HKTB will launch large-scale global promotions next month with three strategies to drive tourismrevival:

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      PATA inducts travel industry pioneer Alwin Zecha into the Gallery of Legends

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      PATA inducts travel industry pioneer Alwin Zecha into the Gallery of Legends

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      L/R: Alden Zecha (son), Cathy Bakey (daughter-in-law, Alden’s wife), Jennifer Chun (PATA Hawaii Chapter Chair), Alison Zecha (daughter), Avery Zecha (grandson, Alison’s son), Blossom Hoffman (ex-wife)
      The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is pleased to announce that Alwin Zecha, founder of the Pacific Leisure Group, has been inducted into the PATA Gallery of Legends. The Gallery of Legends Award is a special honor bestowed once every few years to recipients who were true pioneers in the travel and tourism industry in the Asia Pacific region. A ceremony was held today on Jan. 5, 2023 at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport where Zecha’s plaque was mounted joining the other honorees on the north side of the open-air walkway to the E Gates. Attendees included PATA Hawaii’s chair and board members and Zecha’s family. PATA CEO Liz Ortiguera’s remarks were delivered through PATA Hawaii Chair, Jennifer Chun.
      Zecha was a pioneer who contributed greatly towards the growth of tourism in the Asia Pacific region. He was well respected by the industry for his extraordinary contributions and was unanimously voted by PATA’s Honors Committee to be included into the Gallery of Legends. Zecha was the founder and executive chairman of the Pacific Leisure Group, a leading destination management company with offices in 38 countries worldwide. During his illustrious career, he also served as a board member and Chairman for numerous other organizations.
      He first joined PATA in 1961 and had been actively involved with the association through positions on the board and at the committee level. He was elected PATA president for two consecutive terms in 1985 and 1986 and played a major role in the decision to relocate PATA headquarters from San Francisco to Bangkok in 1998.
      Founded in 1951, PATA is a nonprofit, membership-based association that acts as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.  The association provides aligned advocacy, insightful research, and innovative events to its member organizations, which include government, state and city tourism bodies; international airlines and airports; hospitality organizations, and educational institutions, as well as thousands of Young Tourism Professional (YTP) members across the world. Thousands of travel professionals belong to the 32 local PATA Chapters worldwide, while hundreds of students are members of the 28 PATA Student Chapters globally.
      ADVERTISEMENTThe PATA Hawaii Chapter conducts events featuring quality speakers and industry professionals providing relevant, actionable and timely information relating to Hawaii’s visitor industry. In addition, there are networking and educational opportunities for members to engage in relationships that could enhance jobs and careers. PATA Hawaii is also committed to supporting the future generation of Hawaii’s visitor industry leaders by sponsoring its annual Student Forum providing college students with opportunities to hear from and network with industry experts. For more information, visit patahawaii.org.

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      Singapore’s tourism sector recovers strongly in 2022, visitor numbers expected to double in 2023

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      Singapore’s tourism sector recovers strongly in 2022, visitor numbers expected to double in 2023

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      Singapore’s international visitor arrivals reached 6.3 million in 2022 (~33 per cent of 2019 IVA), exceeding STB’s forecast of between 4 and 6 million visitors. Tourism receipts (TR) are estimated to reach $13.8 to $14.3 billion[1] (~50 per cent to 52 per cent of 2019 TR). Barring unexpected circumstances, tourism activity is now expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2024.Mr Keith Tan, Chief Executive, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said: “Our 2022 tourism performance underscores Singapore’s appeal as a leading business and leisure destination for post-pandemic travellers. To sustain our growth in 2023 and beyond, we will expand our partnerships, build up a rich year-round calendar of events, ramp up investment in new and refreshed products and experiences, and continue to support industry efforts to build the capabilities they need to meet consumer demands.”
      2022 Tourism Performance
      Visitor arrivals were driven by strong demand from Singapore’s key source markets, led by Indonesia (1.1 million), India (686,000) and Malaysia (591,000).
      TR reached $8.96 billion between January to September 2022. The top TR generating markets were Indonesia, India and Australia, which contributed $1.1 billion, $704 million, and $633 million respectively in TR (excluding Sightseeing, Entertainment and Gaming)[2].
      Visitors are also spending more time in Singapore compared to before the pandemic. For the last three quarters of the year (April-December 2022) when Singapore no longer required quarantine for fully-vaccinated travellers, the average length of stay was approximately 4.81 days[3]. This is a significant increase compared to 3.36 days for the same period in 2019.ADVERTISEMENT
      Key Industry Performance
      MICE and Leisure Events
      The resumption of MICE[4] events picked up pace in 2022, following the easing of border restrictions and safe management measures.
      Marquee international events returned to Singapore, including Food and Hotel Asia – Food & Beverage and Food and Hotel Asia – HoReCa, which took place as two dedicated trade shows for the first time, ITB Asia, and Singapore Fintech Festival, which attracted a record turnout from over 115 countries. STB also secured new events like FIND: Design Fair Asia as well as Global Health Security Conference 2022 and the 14th World Stroke Congress, which reinforced Singapore’s leadership in key industry clusters.
      Singapore’s calendar of leisure and sporting events also recovered strongly. The Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2022 – held after a two-year hiatus – drew a record attendance of 302,000; the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium also made its Southeast Asian debut. Regular crowd-pleasers such as the Singapore Food Festival, Christmas Wonderland, Christmas on A Great Street at Orchard Road, the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown and ZoukOut Singapore were all organised successfully and drew visitors from around the world.

      Hotels Industry Performance
      Singapore’s hotel industry also posted an encouraging year due to stronger demand for leisure and business travel. From April to December 2022[5], the Average Occupancy Rate (AOR) was 79.1 per cent, compared to 87.3 per cent recorded in the same period in 2019. Average room rates during this period increased by 17 per cent to $260, while Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) increased by 6.2 per cent to $206.
      Singapore welcomed a total of 465 new keys in 2022 with the opening of new hotels like the Citadines Connect City and Garden Pod @ Gardens By The Bay Centre. New brands like Hotel Telegraph (formerly known as SO Singapore), Pullman Singapore Orchard (formerly known as Grand Park Orchard), voco Orchard Singapore (formerly known as Hilton Singapore at 581 Orchard Road) and Vibe Hotel Singapore Orchard (formerly known as Elizabeth Hotel) were also introduced. These investments underscored the private sector’s confidence in Singapore’s tourism prospects.
      Cruise Industry Performance
      Singapore’s position as a regional cruise hub strengthened in 2022 with more than 230 ship calls. Passenger throughput was 1.2 million, which is about two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The return of cruising was supported by the year-round deployment of Resorts World Cruises’ Genting Dream and Royal Caribbean International’s Quantum/Spectrum of the Seas. Following the resumption of sailings with ports of call in July, two new cruise lines made Singapore their seasonal homeport[6]:
      ·    STB’s new three-year partnership with Silversea Cruises will see its ships homeport seasonally in Singapore till the 2024/2025 season, with Silver Muse kicking off the first sailing from Singapore in December 2022.
      ·    TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 5 also returned to Southeast Asia in December 2022, starting their three-year seasonal homeport from Singapore and taking passengers to ports in Southeast Asia.
      Singapore also welcomed the return of transit and turnaround sailings[7] from Cunard, Seabourn Cruises, Viking Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2022.

      2022 Highlights
      Branded Collaborations and Strategic Partnerships
      To keep Singapore top-of-mind and rebuild demand, STB scaled up its SingapoReimagine campaign across 17 markets. It also increased Singapore’s appeal to consumers through innovative partnerships.
      For example, STB collaborated with media and entertainment companies such as Warner Bros. Discovery and Studio Dragon, as well as celebrities Billie Eilish, Charlie Puth and Jackson Wang to inspire travel to Singapore through authentic and creative storytelling. STB also forged strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as Singapore Airlines, Scoot, CapitaLand, Expedia, Klook and Visa to promote Singapore, exchange insights and enhance the visitor experience.
      Enhanced Destination Attractiveness
      Singapore welcomed new and enhanced experiences, including the Children’s Museum Singapore; Avatar: The Experience at Gardens by the Bay; Sentosa’s Night Luge, Scentopia, Wings of Time and Central Beach Bazaar; a new gallery at ArtScience Museum’s Future World: “Exploring New Frontiers”; A Minion’s Perspective Experience at Resorts World Sentosa; Mr Bucket Chocolaterie at Dempsey; and the Singapore Night Safari’s new amphitheatre and refreshed Creatures of the Night show. The Changi Bay Park Connector and the Rifle Range Nature Park were also opened, strengthening Singapore’s attractiveness as a City in Nature.
      Singapore’s tour operators continued to introduce new and innovative tours, including the Seadog Kayak Sailing Tour by Kayak Fishing Fever, Letters From Blakang Mati by Woopa Travel as well as Hawker Fare: Little India Street Food Tour.
      Becoming an Urban Wellness Haven and a Top Sustainable Destination
      To meet increasing demand for holistic wellness offerings, STB organised the inaugural Wellness Festival Singapore (WFS) in June 2022, which featured over 130 wellness activities and experiences over 10 days. STB also inked a partnership with global wellness platform ClassPass, onboarding more than 90 new wellness businesses across 167 locations.
      To make wellness a key component of Singapore’s tourism offerings, STB launched an Expression-of-Interest (EOI) in November to develop a wellness attraction on the southern coast of Singapore.​
      STB also made strides to help the tourism sector become more sustainable. A destination sustainability strategy for the tourism sector was developed in 2022 in line with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and our ambition to become a sustainable urban destination. Industry-specific roadmaps were developed for hotels[8] and the MICE ecosystem[9], while the Tourism Sustainability Programme[10] was launched to support tourism businesses in all stages of their sustainability journey.
      2023 Outlook
      STB expects the tourism sector to continue its growth momentum this year, on the back of increasing flight connectivity and capacity, and China’s gradual reopening. International visitor arrivals are expected to reach around 12 to 14 million visitors, bringing in approximately $18 to 21 billion in tourism receipts – around two-thirds to three-quarters of the levels in 2019.
      In the meantime, STB will continue efforts to increase Singapore’s destination attractiveness. STB will support the development of new and refreshed offerings in 2023, such as Bird Paradise @ Mandai Wildlife Reserve, and new experiences in Orchard Road such as the Trifecta integrated sports facility.
      To support tourism recovery, STB will front load $110 million of the $500 million set aside for Singapore’s tourism recovery to ramp up business and leisure events over these two years.
      STB will continue to attract more high-quality MICE events, such as the Herbalife APAC Extravaganza 2023 and the 25th World Congress of Dermatology 2023. On the leisure events front, 2023 has already kicked off strongly with Art SG, Southeast Asia’s largest ever art fair as part of the Singapore Art Week, and Sail GP, which made its Asian debut last week. New events like the Olympic Esports Week and Professional Triathletes Organisation Asian Open will also take place in Singapore for the first time.
      To increase Singapore’s mindshare, STB will ramp up the SingapoReimagine campaign in all our key markets through creative activations, content and partnerships. This will be augmented by the SingapoReimagine Marketing Programme (SMP)[11] to help local tourism and lifestyle businesses promote Singapore while also raising their marketing capabilities.
      To support the pace of recovery, STB will continue to help the tourism sector ramp up hiring. As of September 2022, the total tourism workforce is around 65,000 – about 78 per cent of 2019 levels. STB will continue to support manpower needs through the Tourism Careers Hub, which has placed more than 500 workers in the tourism sector since its launch in 2022 by providing career coaching, skills upgrading and job matching. STB will also continue to support digital transformation for the industry through Tcube[12], which has already helped more than 1,000 local tourism companies through its various programmes.

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      THE PENINSULA HOTELS’ “PENINSULA PERSPECTIVES” CAMPAIGN SPOTLIGHTS EMPLOYEES’ PERSONAL JOURNEYS

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      Vietnam welcomed over 3.6 million inbound tourists in 2022

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      2022 was the year that saw the much anticipated return of inbound travel to Vietnam, as the country welcomed over 3.6 million tourists. Building on the success of last year, 2023 is projected to be an exciting year, as Vietnam is expecting to see this number boost to approximately 8 million inbound tourists.With an incredible year-round climate, an abundance of vibrant cities, and stunning coastline, it’s no surprise that the number of tourists choosing to visit Vietnam is growing year upon year. In 2022, the United Kingdom was Vietnam’s top European market, with a total of 93,794 British visitors.

      Kien Tran Trong, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board, stated, “last year’s strong visitor numbers speak for themselves, and are a testament to the quality of product that Vietnam has to offer tourists. After a quieter couple of years due to the pandemic, it’s been a pleasure to welcome back such a large number of tourists to the country, so that we can continue to show our visitors all Vietnam has to offer. From a vibrant culinary scene and rich culture to countless stunning beaches and bustling cities, there really is something for everyone in Vietnam. In 2023, we look forward to continuing to welcome international travellers to our destination, as we continue to focus on improving our tourism offering throughout the year.”

      As part of Vietnam’s endeavour to make the destination increasingly accessible and attractive to tourists in the year ahead, leaders within the travel and tourism industry have been focusing on improving competitiveness within the tourism products that are on offer. This is being reflected in a number of exciting, new hotels that are set to open in 2023 including: Nobu Hotel Danang, Avani Cam Ranh and Mandarin Oriental Saigon, just to name a few. Additionally, there have been developments of multiple new domestic and international flight routes, to make getting to, and around Vietnam, easier than ever before.ADVERTISEMENT
      Vietnamese airlines and destinations were named among the winners at the award ceremony of the World Travel Awards 2022 – Region: Asia & Oceania, which took place in Ho Chi Minh City on September 7 evening.
      The national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines won the titles of Asia’s Leading Airline – Economy Class and Asia’s Leading Airline Brand; while Vietravel Airlines was accredited as Asia’s Leading New Airline.
      Meanwhile, the Ville De Mont Mountain Resort in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai’s Sa Pa town and Premier Village Ha Long Bay Resort in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh were called onto the stage as Asia’s Leading Lifestyle Resort and Asia’s Leading Family Villa Resort 2022, respectively.
      Last year, Vietnam received a series of nominations for different categories at the WTA 2022. The country was nominated for awards in the Asian region for Leading Destination, Leading Sustainable Tourism Destination, Leading Heritage Destination, Leading Cultural Destination, Leading Nature Destination, Leading Youth Travel Destination and Leading Beach Destination.
      The capital city of Hanoi was shortlisted as Asia’s Leading City Break Destination and Asia’s Leading Cultural City Destination.

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      Jamaica is the number destination in the Caribbean for British travellers

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      Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre promotes Tijana Lazarov More

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      Jamaica is the number destination in the Caribbean for British travellers

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      Jamaica is now the number one destination in the Caribbean for UK travellers. Known for its warm hospitality, bold personality and larger than life spirit, the vibrant Caribbean island continues to welcome a record number of UK visitors with 2022 visitor arrivals surpassing previous records, catapulting the island to the top spot in the Caribbean for British holiday makers. 
      Jamaica’s bullish tourism recovery plan, which has led to historic levels of visitor arrivals from the UK market, has highlighted the island’s unique culture, cuisine, music, breath-taking nature, and wellness offerings in an environmentally sustainable way. 
      With still more room for growth and to meet expected demand, which continues to rise, Jamaica is welcoming more exciting hotels brands to the island growing its room stock offering another 8,500 rooms by 2025. New hotel openings will include Hard Rock Hotel, RIU, Dreams, Secrets, Planet Hollywood, Viva Wyndham, UNICO and Princess.
      “We are working on our most ambitious tourism development and expansion plan in Jamaica’s history to meet the continued demand and interest in our beautiful island.” Hon. Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett.
      The Jamaica Tourist Board won the title of Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board 2022 at last years World Travel Awards.ADVERTISEMENTThe island is easily accessible from the UK with daily direct flights on Virgin Atlantic Airways from London Heathrow launched in December 2022, British Airways from London Gatwick and TUI from Birmingham, Gatwick and Manchester.
      “We are very happy that Jamaica it the top Caribbean destination of choice for travellers from the UK and would like to thank all our industry partners for their continuous support and faith in our beautiful island.  As we look ahead, our team has an exciting line-up of plans for 2023 and are confident that we can continue to grow our destination favourability among UK travellers in 2023,  Our campaign this year is “Come Back to Jamaica”, come back to relax, come back to adventure, come back to romance,  and the Brits certainly continue to do so.”  Elizabeth Fox, Regional Director, UK & Northern Europe

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      Saga Holidays releases 2023 trends report

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      Saga Holidays releases 2023 trends report

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      As the experts in the over-50s market, Saga Holidays asked nearly 3,000 of its customers how they expected to travel in 2023.Fantastic experiences, solo escapes, multiple holidays a year, a huge range of destinations and some stark gender differences are set to feature. This group is also well insulated against the cost-of-living crisis and they plan to invest well in their holidays with trusted brands.
      Most of those surveyed (66 per cent) said they were planning to take between two and four holidays in 2023. A huge 25 per cent also said they plan to take five or more trips in 2023. And they are forward planning with nearly six in ten (57 per cent) already having booked a trip for 2023 and a third (34 per cent) having secured more than one holiday.
      Cost of living
      The majority (55 per cent) of respondents said that the cost-of-living crisis has not affected their holiday plans. In fact, 14 per cent are planning to spend more than £5,000 per person on their main holiday for 2023.
      They do expect real value for that money though, which is a focus for Saga Holidays as evidenced through its new ‘Tailor-Made Travel by Saga’ holidays, which enable travellers to build their perfect, personalised itinerary with the help of the expert in-house team. Saga and its sister company Titan Travel also offer touring holidays to hundreds of destinations with exciting experiences and flexible options included as standard; and Saga Cruises offers all-inclusive ocean and river itineraries in beautiful, boutique ships built especially for its customers.ADVERTISEMENTDestinations and activities
      In a multiple-choice question, an average of 61 per cent said they’ll definitely take a UK holiday in 2023, while 31 per cent of over-50s are planning a touring holiday, and 30 per cent are looking forward to an ocean cruise.
      In terms of when they travel, the over-50s take full advantage of off-peak periods with September, May and June featuring as the top three months to get away, while December, November and August are the least likely.
      Beach holidays are most popular with 50-to-59-year-olds with 44 per cent planning a relaxing break in the sun. This group is also most likely to want to spend time holidaying with family, whereas 20 per cent of those aged 70 and above want to meet new people.
      Top long-haul destinations for 2023 are the USA, Canada and Australia, and short-haul favourites will be France, Mainland Spain and Italy, but many are also keen to visit destinations such as Japan, South Africa, Costa Rica, India, the Galapagos, Mongolia, South Korea, the Antarctic, Namibia and Botswana.
      When they get to their destination, 47 per cent said the opportunity to learn about local culture, see a natural phenomenon and visit places of historical and archaeological interest was important. But, within those stats, women are keener to explore than men (51 per cent versus 43 per cent). They are also significantly more likely to take a solo trip with 29 per cent saying they plan to travel alone as opposed to just 12 per cent of men.
      Top considerations
      Other key considerations for over-50s travelling include the ease of transfer and getting around the destination (46 per cent), as well as the climate (45 per cent). Activities such as wine tasting (23 per cent) and music events (22 per cent) proved more popular than intense physical endeavours, and 43 per cent want flexibility on holiday, saying they like to have a mix of things organised in advance, as well as some downtime to fill as they choose.
      John Constable, CEO of Saga Travel Group, said:
      “Our Saga 2023 travel trends research shows some real differences in how our experienced customers want to travel. And yet, people over 50 often get banded together as one group in a way society doesn’t do with any other ages. Recognising customers as individuals with different ambitions and travel plans means offering choice, flexibility and a host of incredible experiences, be that on a personalised safari of Botswana, a rail journey across the Rockies, a tour of the Golden Triangle, or a cruise around the Caribbean.”

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