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  • WTTC calls on cruise industry to unite

    “The cruise industry must play its part in fighting visa bureaucracy and deterring more taxation,” based on World Travel & Tourism Council president David Scowsill.

    Speaking on the Cruise Shipping Miami Conference, Scowsill complimented the cruise sector for creating a vital and rapidly growing contribution to the worldwide tourism industry but called on it to return including other sectors of the industry to talk with “one voice”.

    He also referred to as at the industry to make certain visa processing and taxes, which support growth, remain high at the agenda when discussing policy with governments around the globe.

    Scowsill explained: “Visa processes are needed that are transparent, least expensive and streamlined to enable travellers to transport worldwide quickly, efficiently and with minimum hassle.

    “The cruise sector is calling to open up new markets including China, where a growing middle class is expressing a like to cruise and spot the sector.

    “Lengthy and complex visa processes for potential Chinese, Russian and Indian passengers will hamper that growth.”

    WTTC recently undertook a joint study with United Nations World Tourism Organisation to ascertain the commercial value and job creation potential of improvements in visa procedures and policies.

    The research showed that improvements within G20 countries could generate as much as 112 million additional tourists, increase tourism receipts by as much as US$ 206 billion and add five million jobs over three years.

    The findings were tabled on the meeting of the G20 ministers of tourism on the WTTC meeting in Mexico last May and the declaration from that meeting was submitted to the G20 Leaders.

    It was the primary time tourism were included within the G20 World Leaders’ Declaration.

    Scowsill added: “Leaders are starting to get the message but Governments should know the way much revenue they’re missing out on by not having progressive visa policies.”

    He went directly to congratulate the cruise industry on being the fastest-growing sector of tourism.

    CLIA industry outlooks forecasts 20.9 million passengers will take a cruise in 2013 – a rise of three.3 per cent on passenger numbers in 2012.

    The worldwide cruise marketplace for 2013 is estimated to be worth US$36 billion – up 4.8 per cent on last year.

    Total worldwide cruise capacity in 2013 shall be around 439,000 passengers – a rise of 3 per cent on 2012.

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  • News: Ryanair announces new Dublin path to Bremen

    Ryanair, Europe’s only ultra-inexpensive airline (ULCC), today announced it should launch a brand new route from Dublin to Bremen in September 2013. Ryanair celebrated its new Irish route by launching a 100,000 seat sale at prices ranging from €19.99 for travel across its European network on Mon, Tues, Wed and Thur in April, that are available for booking until midnight Mon 4 March.

    Ryanair’s Maria Macken said:

    “Ryanair is pleased to announce a brand new Dublin path to/from Bremen in Northwest Germany. This new service will operate thrice weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 18 September 2013 and can go on sale on www.ryanair.com tomorrow. Passengers in Ireland now have a call of four German destinations (Berlin Schonefeld, Bremen, Frankfurt Hahn and Memmingen) from Dublin giving them much more choice than ever.

    To celebrate our new Dublin flight, Ryanair is launching a seat sale with 100,000 seats on sale at prices ranging from €19.99 for travel across Europe on Mon, Tues, Wed and Thur in April, which might be available for booking until midnight Monday (4 Mar).

  • IHIF: Ernst & Young: Capital remains a prime focus for hospitality

    Ernst & Young has released Global Hospitality Insights: Top thoughts for 2013, its annual outlook for the global hospitality industry.

    This year’s publication highlights several key trends prone to affect hotel development, financing and operations over the subsequent one year.

    Among the foremost crucial for the industry, in step with Ernst & Young:

    Finance: For the hospitality industry, 2013 shall be shaped by an emphasis on controlling costs in any respect levels of the business in addition to maximizing capital. This may mean continued deferral of overdue maintenance spending and the scaling back of capital improvement projects, as owners decide where best to take a position limited resources.

    Hotel companies also are watching the right way to restructure and reposition for tax purposes, with some again contemplating IPOs for REIT transformation so they can both reduce the general tax burden and in addition unlock value of their real estate. At the investment front, despite increased regulatory hurdles and constrained capital in certain markets, global private equity and sovereign wealth funds will find quite a few opportunities within the sector.

    Cities: Increased infrastructure spending by city governments, especially in rapid transit to facilitate the movement of travellers from airports to downtown locations, seems to be paying off, as a brand new class of stylish travellers flock to statement-making urban hotels, many offering luxury and upper tier amenities to guests.

    Development: While access to financing continues to be difficult in lots of markets all over the world, new project announcements have risen to the best level in 18 months, reflecting cautious but growing optimism among investors and hotel brands within the trajectory of the worldwide economy.

    Look for brand new hotels to rise in both emerging markets and prime downtown urban locations. New construction is additionally expected in all market segments, particularly within the upper end of the market and among select service brands appealing to the price conscious traveller.

    Markets: Africa may be the next major focus for global hotel brands, as more investors target sub-Saharan nations rich in natural resources comparable to Nigeria, Gabon and South Africa, for expansion. Globally, most markets experienced steady growth in 2012, with the notable exception of Europe, where economic challenges were, and stay, the best.

    Commenting at the report, global hospitality services leader Michael Fishbin, said:
    “Hospitality companies continue to guage the capital agendas and concentrate on the very basics in their businesses – maintaining stability and creating operational efficiencies.

    Owners, investors and executives of hospitality assets who sufficiently addressed their capital needs and the changing preferences of guests witnessed an improvement in operating fundamentals over the process the year; hence, those companies would be within the strongest position to further capitalize at the upturn available in the market.”

  • News: IHIF: Waldorf Astoria Berlin celebrates opening

    Some 800 high-profile guests from the realm of showbiz, society, business and media have attended the exclusive grand opening of Waldorf Astoria Berlin.

    Famous German performers including Elisa Schmidt, Claudia Lahmann & Orchestra, Malvin Louis & Band and DJ Chan entertained guests on the glamourous event which also featured breathtaking performances by aerial dancers who illuminated the brand new landmark hotel.

    Setting a brand new standard in luxury for Berlin and the broader German market, Waldorf Astoria Berlin marries the timeless elegance of the legendary flagship, Waldorf Astoria Ny, with a different design inspired by Berlin’s vibrant and contemporary personality.

    Featuring 232 luxury guestrooms and suites, the hotel sits inside the spectacular new Zoofenster skyscraper, designed by renowned German architect, Professor Christoph Mäckler.

    With a complete of 32 floors and a height of 118 meters all crafted with stone and glass and the city’s highest suite, the sumptuous presidential suite at the top floor, the Zoofenster and Waldorf Astoria Berlin are a really magnificent addition to the skyline of Berlin’s City West.

    The hotel’s interior design have been conceived by the renowned Parisian agency, Inter Art Etudes, in a timeless yet contemporary interpretation of art deco style.

    From the lobby to the guest rooms and suites, the hotel’s interior design, is worthy of the celebrated legacy of the famed Waldorf Astoria, which opened its doors in 1931 on New York’s Park Avenue.

    The hotel’s enviable location puts guests at the doorstep of a few of the city’s most famed tourist attractions.

    This includes the historic church, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, built as a memorial to Kaiser Wilhelm I, the 1st man to become emperor of a united Germany. The glamour of the premium shopping boulevard, Kurfürstendamm, known to locals as Germany’s Champs Elysées is simply minutes away and includes a plethora of designer fashion houses.

    Waldorf Astoria Berlin boasts an excellent range of dining and drinking experiences in a lot of settings and styles.

    The outstanding attraction is the restaurant run by world-renowned French chef, Pierre Gagnaire.

    Boasting 12 Michelin stars at restaurants around the globe, Gagnaire requires little introduction and tables on the opulent “Les Solistes by Pierre Gagnaire” are set to be amongst the main highly widespread of the Berlin restaurant scene.

  • Sports tourism in Tshwane to take center stage

    The city of Tshwane, South Africa, is pursuing sports and events tourism if you want to reposition town’s brand and introduce the city to the worldwide sports tourism industry.

    The city’s wonderful climate, well-kept sports venues, passionate spectators, and a wealth of sport champions makes town an ideal host for any sporting code.

    Nomasonto Ndlovu, Strategic Executive Director for the Communication, Marketing and Events Department of the Tshwane Metro, says the town is moving directly to a brand new fairway, so that you could speak, in its destination marketing. “Independent research has shown that the sports event arena is growing faster than the national gross domestic product rates around the globe, and as a municipality we feel that for the town – its residents and businesses – the prospects for the longer term during this sports tourism market are promising.”

    Setting the town in this path was the inaugural Tshwane Open on the end of February on the Els Club Copperleaf Golf Estate in Centurion. The inaugural Tshwane Open 2013 was co-sanctioned by the eu Tour in association with the light Tour. In the course of the golf tournament, held from February 28 to March 3 on the Els Club at Copperleaf, a field of 156 players all chased the 1.5 million euro prize money.

    It is the largest single investment town has ever made because the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup and is a sign that town recognizes sports tourism as a strategic platform to construct the destination brand of the Cithat Tshwane, an event the town will host for 3 years.

    Tshwane has over 15 golf courses which are on par with the smartest on the planet, and it has hosted numerous professional and amateur events. The town is renowned for its blue skies and delightful natural surroundings and a favourite meeting place for a lot of golfers who want “to break out from all of it.”

    The Union Buildings will later this year come to life with the roar of bike engines when the world’s most prestigious and challenging freestyle motocross competition, the Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour, expands to South Africa. The long-lasting Union Buildings will play host to the tour within the year this famous Sir Herbert Baker architectural landmark celebrates its centenary.

    The city of Tshwane may be the last stop at the six-stop tour and may bring something to the Union Buildings that not many South Africans tend to have seen of their lifetime – the world’s best freestyle motocross riders performing gravity-defying, breathtaking tricks inside the air above what many consider Sir Herbert Baker’s greatest achievement.

    Tshwane has also played host to lots of other local, national, and international sports. The various more memorable ones were the Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup, All Africa Games, World Tug of War Championships, World Junior Chess Championships, and the International Karate Championships. Probably the most memorable of all of them was the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when Tshwane was named by FIFA as the most effective host cities to 1 of essentially the most spectacular physical activities ever at the African continent.

    Tshwane boasts world-class sporting facilities such as:

    – SuperSport Park Cricket Stadium – during this venue with a 22,000 capacity in Centurion, the Proteas wrapped up their test series against Pakistan with a three-0 white wash last month.

    – Loftus Versfeld Stadium – this can be the house ground of the Blue Bulls and Mamelodi Sundowns. The Bulls, who’re topping the log of the Super Rugby (South African Conference), recently hosted Australian Western Force and the Stormers and won both matches. The Premier Soccer League, struggling to out fit the Sundowns, also play their home games at this ground.

    – High Performance Centre – The HPC on the University of Pretoria is Southern Africa’s first elite one-stop sports facility. It was launched in 2002, and the heart is the learning ground for tomorrow’s sporting champions and the venue of choice for sport professionals and enthusiasts alike, including the hot Olympic Champions like Cater Semenya and the South Africa four – James Thompson, Matthew Brittain, John Smith, and Sizwe Ndlovu – that stunned the sector by winning gold on the 2012 Summer Olympics.

    From the learning facilities to medical services, accommodation and food, the HPC offers everyone the chance to enjoy its awe-inspiring environment. The role of the HPC may be divided into two inter-related parts: the TuksSport Academies and to give a venue for top-profile international and native athletes and teams for pre-season and pre-event training.

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