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    UNIVERSAL PARKS & RESORTS PLANS TO BRING NEW CONCEPT FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN TO TEXAS

    Universal Parks & Resorts announces a one-of-a-kind theme park, unlike any other in the world, specifically designed to inspire fun for families with young children. The new park concept, set in a lush green landscape and featuring immersive themed lands, celebrates Universal’s iconic brand of entertainment, humor and innovation and brings to life its beloved characters and stories in ways that will wow even the youngest theme park goers.
    The proposed park will be designed to be more intimate and engaging for younger audiences and will be sized for a regional audience.  It will be full of family-friendly attractions, interactive and playful shows, character meet and greets, unique merchandise and fun food and beverage venues. Although smaller in size, it will still carry the same quality as Universal’s other larger resort destinations.
    Part of 97 acres of land recently purchased by the company, the proposed park also has plans for an adjacent themed hotel and room for expansion. The entire area is intended to have a completely different look, feel, and scale than Universal’s existing parks and will appeal to a new audience for the brand. 
    Universal Parks & Resorts selected the city of Frisco, in North Texas, as the area for this new concept given the city’s growing population and ability to attract businesses to the area. The proposed location for the new concept is ideally situated east of the Dallas North Tollway and north of Panther Creek Parkway.
    “We are excited about the opportunity to partner with the city of Frisco and Mayor Cheney as we work to bring this innovative, new concept to life designed specifically for a younger generation of Universal fans,” said Page Thompson, President, New Ventures, Universal Parks & Resorts. “We think North Texas is the perfect place to launch this unique park for families given its growing popularity within this part of the country.” ADVERTISEMENT“Frisco is one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. and has been recognized as a great place to plant professional roots and raise a family,” said Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney. “This new Universal concept will continue to enhance our tax base, expand employment opportunities and bring even more fun to Frisco benefiting our residents, businesses, and visitors.”
    More details about the project will be revealed over time. To stay informed, visit Corporate.UniversalParks.com.

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    Miami Beach’s Preserved Architectural History Awaits Design Enthusiasts

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    Miami Beach’s Preserved Architectural History Awaits Design Enthusiasts

    The 46th annual Art Deco Weekend will return January 13 – January 15th, 2023, showcasing Miami Beach’s unique collection of Art Deco design and architecture in open-air styleOffering a variety of experiences including live music, a classic car show, guided architectural tours, outdoor film screenings and more, visitors will find inspiration through activations that showcase how Miami Beach became the birthplace of Art Deco design and the most visited Art Deco District in the world.  Created by the Miami Design Preservation League, Art Deco Weekend signifies the distinct effort to preserve Miami Beach’s more than 800 historic, pastel-colored buildings and history of this signature architectural style, saving it for future generations.
    “Art Deco Weekend is an immersive celebration of architecture with national and international appeal.  For 46 years, our city has come together to share the beauty and ingenuity of marquee buildings that have made Miami Beach a pilgrimage for design and architecture enthusiasts,” says Steve Adkins, Chairman of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA). “The MBVCA is proud to continue our support to enhance Art Deco Weekend to help raise awareness of, and show appreciation to, the architects and talents that continue to inspire the design community today.”
    Whether visiting during the official celebration or if Miami Beach is on the travel agenda in the near future, visitors can embrace the essence of Art Deco style easily throughout their stay.  For an artistic and retro hotel experience, signature properties like The Gabriel South Beach and The Breakwater offer comfortable rooms in an ideal location along with Instagram-worthy facades.  For a splurge, visitors can opt for a stay at The Shelborne South Beach, a recreated icon dating back to the 1940’s exuding timeless luxury and elegance with impeccable service delivered in Art Deco architecture on Collins Avenue. Miami Beach is a year-round destination to discover the bevy of geometric-ornamented facades and it’s easy to become a quick study with a visit to the official Art Deco Museum on Ocean Drive. The museum provides a deep dive into the layers of design that serve as the foundation for the city’s glamorous reputation. Discovering design can work up an appetite.  Head to Serena, located on the second-floor rooftop of the Moxy South Beach on Collins Avenue, and take a bite out of a modern interpretation of Mexican cuisine in an open-air and laid-back setting.  Perfect for sunset cocktails, al fresco dinners surrounded by the energy of the Art Deco District or buzzy brunches, diners will taste and feel the cultural inspirations of Mexico right on South Beach.
    The beauty of Miami Beach’s design and architecture stands proud any time of year, making it a vibrant destination to explore solo or with friends and family. Visitors can download the new EXP Miami Beach Tour App now available on Apple and Google and access four marquee itineraries including Art in Public Spaces, Hidden Art, A Day Inside Miami Beach Architectural Wonders and Public Art and Iconic History in Miami Beach.
    “Miami Beach’s Art Deco District is an open-air museum and we invite visitors to easily access information and resources to help plan their next trip and to get an interactive look at what makes Miami Beach the unrivaled crown jewel of Art Deco architecture,” adds Grisette Marcos, Executive Director of the MBVCA. “We are continuously working on new ways to bring experiences rooted in design and architecture to travelers, understanding the ongoing desire to get up, close and personal with the history of what shapes the destinations they visit.”ADVERTISEMENTFor more information about the Art Deco District and to plan a future design-inspired 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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    Accor reveals its thought-leading Health to Wealth white paper

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    Ontario International Airport outperformed pre-pandemic levels with 5.7 million passengers last year

    Southern California’s Ontario International Airport finished 2022 with its highest annual passenger volume since 2008.
    Ontario International Airport (ONT) welcomed more than 5.7 million airline travelers in 2022, outpacing pre-pandemic 2019 by 2.8% as the popular Southern California gateway recorded its highest passenger volume since 2008.At the same time, shipments of air cargo outpaced 2019 volume by nearly 9%, maintaining ONT’s position as a major commerce and logistics hub.
    We experienced great demand for air travel through Ontario International in 2022 with passenger levels exceeding pre-pandemic levels for the entire calendar year,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer, Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “Our airline partners restored air services suspended because of the pandemic while adding new routes and increased flight frequencies to popular destinations, and passengers showed their preference for our hallmark customer-friendly experience.”
    Ontario’s 2022 passenger volume was 27.6% greater than the 2021 total of 4.5 million and was the highest since 2008, when 6.2 million passenger flew into or out of the airport. Since ONT’s return to local control in 2016, passenger volumes are up nearly 36%.
    Ontario also ranks among the fastest recovering airports in the U.S. after the severe disruption in global air travel during the early months of the pandemic.
    That growth is expected to continue into the new year. Based on current airline schedules, ONT will have 6.7% more flights and 12.3% more available seats in the first quarter compared with the same period last year.ADVERTISEMENTMeanwhile, Ontario International has fortified its role as a global air cargo center. For the year, freight and mail that moved through ONT totaled more than 850,000 tons, 8.9% higher than 2019 when the airport handled almost 782,000 tons of cargo.
    Ontario ranks among the 10 largest cargo airports in North America, and according to a recent analysis by Oxford Economics, serves as the hub of a global supply chain network that generates $17.8 billion in economic activity.

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    Choice Hotels CEO Patrick Pacious Named ‘Best CEO’ for Fourth Consecutive Year

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    Choice Hotels CEO Patrick Pacious Named ‘Best CEO’ for Fourth Consecutive Year

    For the fourth year in a row, Choice Hotels International, Inc. President and CEO Patrick Pacious has been named one of the highest-rated CEOs, according to Comparably’s 2022 Best CEO rankings.The accolade, which positions Pacious alongside chief executives of some of the world’s most well-known companies – from Microsoft and Adobe to Google and IBM – comes on the heels of his fifth year at the helm of Choice and reflects the company’s latest period of success.“Choice Hotels has transformed itself these past few years, and this latest recognition is a powerful testament to not just the strength of our strategic investments and growth, but also to the fortitude of all our associates who have gone the extra mile to take our business and brand promise to new heights,” said Pacious. “Together, we’re leading the way – supporting more than 13,000 franchise owners who put their trust in Choice brands each day while continuing to create rewarding experiences for the loyal guests who stay with us – and our future has never been brighter.”
    Pacious has been Choice Hotels’ president and CEO since September 2017, and throughout his successful tenure has established a proven track record of building and strengthening brands. In addition to cementing Choice Hotels’ legacy in the midscale travel segment with the successful transformation of the company’s flagship Comfort brand, Pacious propelled Choice’s extended stay segment with new brands following the strategic acquisition of WoodSpring Suites in 2018 and the launch of Everhome Suites in 2020. In 2021, under Pacious’ stewardship, Choice also became the first hotel company to exceed its pre-pandemic performance. Most recently, Pacious guided the acquisition of Radisson Hotels Americas, the largest transaction in the company’s history, which added nine brands and further extends the company’s reach into the upscale segment.
    In addition to helping empower small business owner success and creating memorable experiences for guests when traveling, Pacious has led an inclusive corporate culture. As a result, he was named the Lodging Magazine 2022 Person of the Year and Choice was also recently recognized as a best-in-class franchisor and leading employer by several groups, including:Top Franchise for Diversity 2022 by Entrepreneur MagazineWorld’s Best Employers 2022 by ForbesAmerica’s Best Employers for Veterans 2022 by ForbesWorld’s Top Female-Friendly Companies 2022 by ForbesComparably determined this year’s Best CEOs through ratings anonymously provided by employees. The final data set was compiled from nearly 15 million ratings across 70,000 U.S. companies on Comparably.com and segmented into two ranked lists: Top 100 CEOs from Large Companies (those with 500 or more employees) and Top CEOs from Small/Mid-Size companies. Choice Hotels is the only hotel company to be recognized on this annual list.
    For information about Choice Hotels’ leadership, visit www.media.choicehotels.com/our-leadership.

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    Munich Airport Sees Massive Growth in All Traffic Figures for 2022

    A busy summer has gifted Munich Airport massive growth in all traffic figures in 2022: Passenger numbers rose by 19 million year on year to a total of 31.6 million.The airport has thus regained two-thirds of its record-breaking pre-pandemic result from 2019. The number of aircraft movements nearly doubled compared with 2021 to more than 285,000 take-offs and landings. The seat load factor of the aircraft in Munich equaled the record figure of 77.5 percent from 2018. With a total of 210 destinations in 63 countries, Bavaria’s aviation hub now has excellent links with the global route network once again.
    Jost Lammers, CEO of Munich Airport, says: “The gradual lifting of travel restrictions has re-awakened people’s desire to travel. This has prompted airlines to significantly expand their flight capacity. The bookings received by the airlines indicate that traffic growth at Munich Airport will continue in 2023.”
    After a weak first quarter, which was still influenced by the pandemic, demand for flights increased enormously. While only four million passengers were counted at Munich Airport over the first three months, the busiest third quarter saw traffic of more than ten million travelers. The pent-up demand has been particularly noticeable in long-haul travel: Since July, traffic between Munich and destinations in the US has already been higher than the 2019 level. Since the flight schedule for winter 2022/2023 came into effect, this has also been true of traffic to destinations in India, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand.Air freight has also benefited from the boom in traffic at Munich Airport. In 2022, freight volume increased by 55 percent to a total of around 259,000 metric tons.

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    Jet2.com and Jet2holidays Announces Biggest Summer Program Ever More

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    Jet2.com and Jet2holidays Announces Biggest Summer Program Ever

    Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have announced that their third summer of operations at Bristol Airport will be their biggest yet, and they are expanding their team to support this huge Summer 23 programme with over 100 positions available.The UK’s leading tour operator to many leisure destinations across the Mediterranean and Canary Islands is looking to recruit passionate and talented individuals to fill Cabin Crew, Ground Operations, Flight Deck and Engineering positions at Bristol Airport. Further information can be found at www.jet2careers.com.
    On the back of strong demand for flights and package holidays, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have announced a significantly expanded programme for Summer 23, in just their third summer of operations at Bristol Airport. This expansion includes two brand-new destinations for Summer 23 – Malaga and Chania (Crete), the latter which is an exclusive destination from the airport.
    In total, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have 32 sun and city destinations on sale for Summer 23 from Bristol Airport – with capacity increasing by 13% compared to last summer. With over 925,000 seats on sale, the companies will operate almost 100 weekly flights during peak periods to destinations including the Canaries, Balearics, Mainland Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Italy, Austria and Malta.
    A seventh-based aircraft will come into operation at the base to support this expansion, with a team of over 400 colleagues helping to deliver the award-winning customer service which just last week saw Jet2holidays recognised as a Which? Recommended Provider for the fifth year running.
    With over 100 positions available ahead of their biggest ever summer programme from Bristol Airport, vacancies include:ADVERTISEMENTFlight Deck roles targeted at experienced Pilots with a strong training record and the commitment, energy and flexibility required to deliver the best service to customers.Ground Operations positions, with colleagues responsible for ensuring that flights depart safely and on time. Working as part of a team of Customer Helpers, they work hard to ensure that customers have the perfect start to a lovely holiday.Cabin Crew positions, with colleagues expected to deliver a consistently high level of safety and a VIP service to customers, working closely with the Flight Deck and the rest of the Crew to make every flight memorable.Engineering roles to perform scheduled, unscheduled and preventative maintenance to ensure that aircraft are kept in the absolute best shape at all times.Key Summer Sun highlights for 2023 from Bristol Airport for Jet2.com and Jet2holidays include:
    32 sun destinations on sale (peak number of flights per week in brackets).Includes BRAND NEW Malaga and Chania (Crete) announced today.Antalya (6), Bodrum (2), Dalaman (6), Tenerife (7), Lanzarote (4), Fuerteventura (2), Gran Canaria (3), Alicante (4), Malaga (4), Reus (2), Girona (1), Palma (Majorca) (9), Ibiza (5), Menorca (3), Faro (Algarve) (6), Madeira (1), Crete (Heraklion) (2), Crete (Chania) (1), Corfu (3), Halkidiki (1), Kefalonia (2), Skiathos (3), Santorini (1), Kos (3), Preveza (1), Rhodes (4), Zante (3), Larnaca (2), Paphos (2), Verona (1), Innsbruck (1), Malta (2).Over 925,000 seats on sale (capacity increase of 13% compares to Summer 22) and almost 100 departing weekly flights during peak periods.A team of over 400 colleagues.
    Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “We are extremely excited about our third summer at Bristol Airport, which will be our busiest and biggest yet. Since launching flights and holidays in 2021, the response from customers and independent travel agents across the South West and South Wales has been enormous and this has enabled us to enjoy the growth we have seen. With such a huge programme on sale for Summer 23 and customers flocking to book their place in the sunshine, we are delighted to be expanding our Bristol Airport team even further. The success of our award-winning business is down to the hard work of our colleagues and we are looking forward to meeting like-minded passionate people to help us delight even more customers from Bristol Airport.”

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    Amanda Joiner appointed as Global Vice President and Head of The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center

    Amanda Joiner takes the helm as the Global Vice President and head of The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center®, a leading global consulting and advisory firm delivering award-winning services that have enabled clients worldwide to improve customer and employee engagement, innovate their culture, and drive competitive advantage.
    Joiner transitions from her role most immediately as General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis and brings over three decades of luxury hospitality experience in which she has driven continued innovation, improvement, and success through the culture of the iconic brand.
    “At a time when disruption drives competition and innovation is essential for long-term success, the Gold Standards of The Ritz-Carlton continue to be a consistent benchmark across industries for the level of customer and employee experience clients are seeking to attain in today’s highly competitive, fast-changing world.” Joiner says. “I am excited for the opportunity to further amplify the brand’s legendary culture and strategy that are so deeply woven throughout my career, as well as to lead this pioneering team.”
    In business for over two decades, The Leadership Center continues to experience and deliver against high demand from brands around the world and across diverse industries seeking to learn from The Ritz-Carlton for their high-profile business launches, innovations, and transformations. “The critical role of culture in driving business strategy can’t be overstated,” says Jessica Lee, Senior Vice President of Global Talent Development at Marriott International and The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center. “For brands wanting to learn from the very best, Amanda’s track record of success in leading with culture first will be a tremendous asset to The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center clients.”
    Joiner and The Leadership Center team leverage the systems and best practices of the award-winning Ritz-Carlton brand to deploy best-in-class organizational strategies at scale in order for clients to retain and attract top talent, outperform the competition, and gain market share.ADVERTISEMENT“A quintessential ambassador of the culture of The Ritz-Carlton, Amanda’s authentic and exceptional leadership success throughout her career will add tremendous value to The Leadership Center and its clients,” says Chris Gabaldon, Senior Vice President of Luxury Brands at Marriott International.
    Joiner’s extensive brand experience will truly transform The Leadership Center’s journey to innovate service excellence and customer engagement, and to transform organizational culture.

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    EVA Air Announces New Nonstop Flights Between Taipei and Clark, Philippines

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    UNWTO, UN Women and German Partners Launch Free Online Gender Equality Training for Tourism Sector

    UNWTO, in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and UN Women has launched a free online training course focused on gender equality within the tourism sector.The course, which is available through atingi.org, is part of the pioneering ‘Centre Stage’ project which is putting women’s empowerment at the heart of tourism development. Aimed at National Tourism Administrations, tourism businesses, tourism students and civil society organizations, it focuses on the importance of gender equality, why women’s empowerment matters and what steps can be taken to advance diversity and inclusion efforts across the sector.
    Education is key to reimagining the future of tourism and although our sector employs a huge number of women, equality is remains a long way off
    UNWTO Secretary General said: “Education is key to reimagining the future of tourism and although our sector employs a huge number of women, equality is remains a long way off. We call on all tourism businesses and organizations to use this free course to train their staff and help us to ensure that tourism continues to be at the forefront of gender-equality efforts.”
    The training course can be taken for free at any time in English, Spanish, Arabic, French and Russian on atingi.org. Users are issued with a certificate upon successful completion of the course. For more information, contact: [email protected]

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