Events, Tourism, Organisations & Operators,

The City of Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced the full lineup and programming highlights for the 2024 edition of the beloved Chicago Blues Festival, taking place June 6 – 9 as part of Millennium Park’s milestone 20th anniversary season.
Established in 1984, the largest free Blues festival in the world returns to Chicago with four days of top tier talent performing in Chicago’s Millennium Park, plus a special opening night performance at the historic Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport. Throughout the weekend, three stages set up across Millennium Park will welcome more than 35 performances and more than 250 artists celebrating the city’s renowned Blues legacy, including a special Sunday evening performance by Buddy Guy as part of his “Damn Right Farewell” tour, marking one of his final Chicago performances.
“Blues is the foundation of numerous genres of music and is deeply ingrained in the soul the fabric of our city’s culture and history,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “The Chicago Blues Festival is a testament to Chicago’s rich musical heritage, and we are thrilled to welcome the legendary Buddy Guy to this year’s lineup.”
“I can’t wait to hit the stage at the Chicago Blues Festival!” said Buddy Guy. “There’s something special about playing in the city where it all started. The energy, the history, the soul of Chicago blues—it’s in the air, and I’m excited to be a part of it once again.”
Additional headliners include: Award-winning blues, soul and Americana singer Shemekia Copeland; “The Mississippi Blues Child,” Mr. Sipp; GRAMMY-nominated Memphis-based Soul and Roots band Southern Avenue; and Centennial Tributes to Jimmy Rogers, Dinah Washington and Otis Spann.ADVERTISEMENTThe festival will culminate with a Sunday evening performance by living legend Buddy Guy in one of his final Chicago concerts as part of his “Damn Right Farewell” tour. One of the most prolific and influential artists of all time, Guy is the quintessential Chicago Blues artist, having influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards and John Mayer. Throughout his career, Guy has earned 8 GRAMMY Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and much more.
In recognition of Buddy Guy’s immeasurable impact on music in Chicago and around the world, the City of Chicago plans to honor Guy and his legacy in light of his Chicago Blues Festival engagement; more details to be announced.
Back by popular demand, the festival elevates its food options with a Blues-inspired smokehouse experience called “Wally’s BBQ Pit” in the North Promenade Tent of the Park with delicious BBQ fare and specialty drinks catered by Eleven North Hospitality. In between Blues sets, guests can stop to enjoy their BBQ, cornbread and drinks on picnic tables alongside whiskey barrels and smokers.
Chicago Blues Festival is sponsored by Visit Mississippi, Chicago Transit Authority, Rosa’s Lounge, 90.9FM WDCB, Chicago Jazz Publishing and Entertainment and Millennium Garages.
For more information, visit ChicagoBluesFestival.us

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Cuba received for the fourth consecutive year the award for Best MICE Organizer at the World MICE Awards 2023, in the field of tourism for meetings, congresses and incentive trips,The note from the tourism authorities of this country reflects satisfaction and the reference to the fact that it is an incredible testimony of efforts and hard work.
Precisely, the organizers of events and meetings in Cuba this Wednesday showed gratitude to the judges and the industry in general for the valuable recognition.
First of all, they said jointly, they are committed to providing unique inspiring experiences and the best service in Cuba, fully supported by the insular office of said specialty in Europe.
The World MICE Awards seek to recognize and celebrate excellence in the MICE industry. As for the meaning of this last term, it is an acronym in English used to refer to different segments of events and tourism.
The nominees for the occasion, in addition to Cuba as a nation, were Solways, CubaGrouPlanner, and Green Alligator Travel and Events.ADVERTISEMENTIn 2022, Solways was the winner, in 2021 MICE Cuba, and in 2021 also Solways. On other previous occasions, entities and facilities on the island were also recipients of this recognition.
For example, in previous versions in the Best New MICE Hotel in the Caribbean category, the winner was the Paseo del Prado in Havana, managed by the Accor company and which competed with other prestigious establishments such as the Koi Resort Saint Kitts, Curio Collection by Hilton (St. Kitts and Nevis) and the Provincial Palace of San Juan.
For its part, in the Best MICE Hotel in Cuba section, the award went to the Paradisus Varadero Resort & Spa, managed by Meliá Hotels International Cuba. The Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana, the Hotel Nacional de Cuba and the Meliá Cohiba were also nominated in the category.
The MICE Cuba agency was previously selected as Best Event Organizer in the largest of the Antilles, an award for which CubaGrouPlanner and Green Alligator Travel & Events were also nominated, the spokespersons reiterated.
MICE Cuba is a DMC (Destination Management Company) that uses its knowledge and experience about the destination to organize and manage events and their associated activities such as accommodation, transportation, optional tours, among others.
The World MICE Awards recognize and reward the excellence of tourist facilities that promote tourism for events, conferences and conventions at an international level. They are based on the renowned World Travel Awards, considered the Oscars of tourism.
Created in 1998, MICE Cuba is highly experienced, dynamic and creative, providing a comprehensive portfolio of services to one of the most unique and fascinating destinations in the world, its own documents point out.
Source: https://www.cadenagramonte.cu/

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MADEIRA IS, FOR THE 10TH TIME, THE BEST ISLAND DESTINATION IN EUROPE. PORTO SANTO IS THE BEST BEACH DESTINATION AND THE MADEIRA PROMOTION ASSOCIATION THE BEST TOURISM ENTITY.Funchal will host two international World Travel Awards galas in November this year.
The Region obtained triple distinction at the 31st European Gala of the World Travel Awards taking place tonight at The Ritz Cartlon, in Berlin, Germany.
Madeira was considered for the 10th time as the best island destination in Europe, Porto Santo was distinguished as having the best beach and the Madeira Promotion Association was classified as the best Tourism entity.
The Region took the award from the other 12 islands that were also in the vote. In the race with Madeira which has now won the award were the Azores, the Canary Islands, Ibiza, Mallorca (Spain) Crete, Cyclades (Greece), Sardinia, Sicily (Italy), Malta, Cyprus, Guernsey and Jersey (United Kingdom).
The region had already won the award for Best Island Destination in Europe in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023. On December 1, 2023, Madeira received the award for Best Island Destination of the World, in the world edition of the WTA, which happened for the ninth time.ADVERTISEMENTFor the first time in these awards, Porto Santo won in the category of ‘Best Beach Destination in Europe’, surpassing the Algarve and also Cannes (France), Corfu and Costa Navarino (Greece), Mallorca and Marbella (Spain) and Sardinia (Italy).
Also awarded was the Madeira Promotion Association as “Best Tourism Entity in Europe”, in an award that competed with 13 other nominees such as Tourism of France, Tourism of Austria, Tourism of Croatia, Tourism of Ireland, Tourism of Germany, Greek Tourism, the Spanish Tourism Institute, Italian Tourism, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Slovenian Tourism, Portuguese Tourism and Visit England.
At the ceremony that took place this evening in Berlin, it was also announced that Madeira will host two international World Travel Awards galas next November. This is the World Golf Awards gala, scheduled for November 22nd, and the World Travel Awards global gala, which will take place on November 24th. Both will take place at the Savoy Palace. 
The ‘World Travel Awards’ were created in 1993 and are awarded annually to recognise, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. The World Travel Awards are considered the “Oscars” of Tourism and the most prestigious prizes awarded in the sector.
Source: https://www.madeiraislandnews.com/

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Athens Crowned Europe’s Top City-Break Destination at World Travel Awards 2024

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Athens has clinched a prestigious title in the tourism realm, emerging as Europe’s Leading City-break Destination at the World Travel Awards 2024.The announcement came during a glittering ceremony held in Berlin on Wednesday, coinciding with ITB Berlin, a major tourism exhibition. Athens, represented by its special pavilion at the EOT Pavilion, took centre stage at the event.
The honour was accepted by Ioannis Georgizas, Managing Director of the Development and Tourism Promotion Company of the Municipality of Athens (EATA), who expressed pride in the achievement. “We are thrilled to receive this important recognition, which puts our city among the best city-break destinations in Europe,” Georgizas remarked. “Athens offers a vibrant and inviting atmosphere, with new attractions for short getaways. It’s not just about our rich cultural heritage and sunny days; it’s also about our museums, modern cultural venues, fine dining, and authentic experiences in our neighbourhoods. At EATA, we’re committed to enhancing quality, sustainable tourism while ensuring Athenians’ quality of life.”
The accolade crowns Athens’ decade-long efforts, led by This is Athens, a project of the Municipality of Athens, to position the city as a competitive year-round city-break destination. In 2023, Athens welcomed over 7 million international visitors, setting a new record.Athens was also nominated in five other categories at the World Travel Awards, including Top Cultural Destination, Top Meeting and Conference Destination, Top Cruise Destination, Top Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Top Sight for the Acropolis.
This isn’t the first time Athens has been recognised by the prestigious awards. In 2018, the Greek capital bagged the same title, beating out renowned cities like Amsterdam, Venice, and Paris. Over the past decade, Athens has earned several accolades at the World Travel Awards, including leading Cultural Destination worldwide in 2022 and 2023, and best Convention and Visitors Bureau in Europe for 2018 and 2022. The iconic Acropolis has also been celebrated as a top Tourist Attraction in 2014 and 2018.
Source: https://greekcitytimes.com/ADVERTISEMENT

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Jamaica has been named Global Destination of the Year at the renowned travel trade show, ITB in Berlin. The award was presented yesterday by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA). The PATWA is a nonprofit international media organization of travel writers founded in 1999 and the awards seek to recognize organizations, destinations/brands and individuals achieving the highest standards in their field.In accepting the award on behalf of the destination, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett said, “Jamaica is known for its food, music and indeed love so we are humbled to be recognized for these experiential offerings to our visitors that provide meaningful memories.”
The PATWA awards are held during ITB and are among the most coveted recognitions where nominees are evaluated on various standards with an extensive internal evaluation for each category.
The Minister of Tourism is participating in the 2024 staging of ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel tradeshow. With over 20 thousand participants expected for this year, ITB Berlin is viewed as a critical platform for the international tourism industry, fostering networking and facilitating knowledge exchange.
“PATWA remains one of the highest honours you can receive in tourism and travel and Jamaica continues to punch above its weight to excel in its products and services. It is truly the perfect backdrop for all things romance – engagements, weddings, honeymoons – you name it,” added Minister Bartlett.
Jamaica has received several awards based on its authentic and unique tourism offerings. Last year, the island was named ‘Caribbean’s Best Culinary Destination’ at the World Culinary Awards. In the same year, Jamaica won 33 World Travel Awards, chief among them was being named the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Destination.’ADVERTISEMENTThis award also comes on the heels of phenomenal arrivals and earnings for the island last year. The destination welcomed over 4 million international visitors and earned US4.2 billion.

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Travel from Germany to the United States of America has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Speaking at ITB Berlin, on Wednesday the US ambassador to Germany, Amy Gutmann, stated that the two million mark has again been exceeded, and is now within 85 per cent of the 2019 figure.
Initial booking results for this year reveal that it will approach 100 per cent in 2024, Gutmann added. The aim is to achieve a total of 2.59 million tourists from Germany by 2028. In tourism to the United States itself sustainability has been assigned the utmost priority. One example that the ambassador gave was of Springville in Utah, where stargazing has been included in the list of tourism activities. Throughout the country the state of Utah is renowned for its dark skies, which remain largely “unpolluted” by lighting produced by human activities, which is further enhanced by the natural and very dry air.
A Democratic supporter and political scientist, Gutmann emphasizes that the government of the United States actively supports tourism promotion, because this provides an excellent basis for growth and development and can help to reduce the division of the world resulting from different political systems.
The presentations at ITB Berlin have clearly shown that the efforts being made by many US cities, including those far from the major conurbations on the west and east coasts, are using new and unique features in an effort to attract vacationers. As the second largest metropolis on the east coast, Philadelphia describes itself as the “World Capital of Murals”. Attempts to replace illegal graffiti by more artistic paintings, with the active support of the city authorities, has resulted in the creation of over 4,000 examples of such work. House owners with walls suitable for painting can advertise for artists. “There is a long list of such owners”, according to Dayana Gschechowiak from the marketing agency WTS which has been commissioned by the city for this purpose.
St. Louis is not only promoting its Gateway Arch, a world heritage site, but also its location on Route 66 and the authentic American lifestyle, as represented by both the National Blues and National Automobile Museums.ADVERTISEMENT

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Israel’s tourism minister promotes travel to and in Israel

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Israel’s Tourism Minister Haim Katz has appealed for travellers to visit Israel again. Travellers were safe in the country, he said in front of the press on Tuesday at ITB Berlin. He would be urging the German government to drop the travel warnings for Israel issued by the German Foreign Office.
As proof of the country’s safety, the minister said that the 150,000 residents of the area bordering the Gaza Strip, which had been evacuated after the terrorist attacks by Hamas on 7 October 2023, had been accommodated in hotels for tourists. “That is not something we would have done if the hotels had not been safe.” In the meantime around 80 per cent of the residents had been able to return home.
Germany, Austria and Switzerland are among the leading countries for tourism to Israel. According to Ksenia Kobiakov, director of Israel’s government office for tourism, 402,000 visited in 2019. In 2022, after the pandemic, the figure was 207,500, and by 7 October 2023 it was 213,302. After that, tourism came to an abrupt halt. All in all, 13,000 tourists arrived in Israel daily before the pandemic. On 8 October 2023 they still numbered 23. In the meantime the numbers fluctuated at around 2,700 to 3,400, she said. “For the time being we are not counting on 13,000, but perhaps nine to ten thousand visitors“, was Kobiakov’s hope.

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Albania is the Host Country of ITB 2025

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Albania has been announced as the Official Host Country of ITB Berlin 2025. On Wednesday, 6 March 2024, Albania’s Minister of Tourism and Environment Mirela Kumbaro and Dr. Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, signed a partnership agreement on the Albanian stand in Hall 1.1. Afterwards, the minister introduced the CEO to various regions and local specialities.
Whenever Mirela Kumbaro talks about her home country Albania, she finds it hard not to enthuse about it. “Albania is a hidden gem in the Mediterranean with a good tourism infrastructure“, she commented during the signing ceremony. “People are in search of new destinations and experiences. Albania doesn’t fit any of the usual stereotypes, but instead is a small and sort of mystical country where travellers can gain new experiences.“
According to Mirela Kumbaro, there is more to visit than just the sea and mountains, which together with the rivers and forests cover three-quarters of the country. It is the “Albanian spirit“ and the hospitality of the locals that make Albania so attractive. That has always been firmly part of Albanian culture, and not something just invented for the modern tourism age. “In Albania the house belongs to the guest and God“, said Mirela Kumbaro, quoting a common saying in her country. In Albania, visitors could expect to be treated like royalty, she added.
Furthermore, distances between tourist attractions in Albania are short. It takes only a few hours to reach the mountains from the coast. The Vjosa is part of Europe’s recently declared Wild River National Park. In the north, the Albanian Alps await with many hiking trails and pristine mountain villages, where visitors can find accommodation.
The latest statistics are proof that tourism in Albania is taking off. Last year, 10.1 million people visited Albania from abroad. According to UN Tourism (UNWTO), during the first six months of 2023 tourism in Albania experienced the third-highest growth worldwide and the highest in Europe. One million tourists have already visited Albania from abroad this year, 50 per cent more than over the same period last year.ADVERTISEMENT

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