Category: Holidays

  • CHTA begins look for new chief executive

    The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is looking for a certified candidate to fill the organization’s top position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with responsibilities for the total operation of the Association.

    CHTA is a Federation of National Hotel Associations (NHA) around the Caribbean Region. The CEO will direct the advance and execute plans to incorporate support of the member National Hotel Associations and its Allied Members, membership development and support, advocacy programs, regional marketing, internal and external communications and public relations, events management, liaison with other tour and travel industry associations, maintenance of sound fiscal policies and revenue generation streams.

    The CEO will report on to the elected CHTA President and makes all decisions and takes all actions in reference to the operation of CHTA in compliance with directives from the Board of Directors.

    The primary responsibilities include managing day-to-day office operations, networking with Strategic Partners to make sure their maximum ROI and retention and serving as liaison with Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC) and other regional or global associations to develop synergies, cooperation, and mutual support.

    Candidates have to be pleased with public speaking and feature the power to have interaction audiences because the CEO will function the “primary voice of CHTA” on regional advocacy matters. The CEO must have highly developed written and interpersonal communication, negotiation and collaboration skills. The CEO will monitor regional and global events and trends, keep the NHAs advised of relevant issues and oversee the services of the CHTA PR firm to make certain effective communication of CHTA advocacy positions in the course of the region.

    The CEO must have keen analytical skills and information management abilities so that it will monitor Caribbean region hotel and tourism performance data and identify needs and areas of opportunity in developing incremental business to the region.

    As a Director of CTDC, the CEO will monitor the performance of CTDC, its marketing activities, in addition to the patron-facing website www.caribbeantravel.com  and interact the web site developer, marketing committee and members, to make sure maximum participation and effectiveness.

    The successful candidate should have the facility and sensitivity to address diverse regional cultures, the flexibility to travel extensively, and at least ten years’ experience in association or similar management role. Previous experience in development and effective execution of annual strategic plans in addition to successful organizational financial accountability are required. Candidates should have a demonstrated ability to control on-site and remote teams for success of annual objectives.

    Previous work experience and/or working knowledge of the Caribbean tourism industry are a desired plus. The candidate ought to be willing and ready to work inside the USA.

  • British woman found dead in Kashmir

    A 24-year old British woman have been found dead on a houseboat in Kashmir, in line with reports.

    It is believed that the girl was stabbed at the boat at popular tourist destination Srinagar’s Dal Lake.

    The British High Commission in Delhi and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are investigating the reports to set up additional information.

    A Dutch national who fled from the houseboat along with his passport within the night was arrested. He left his belongings at the boat, in step with reports.

    The incident is probably going to have a negative impact at the struggling tourism industry in Indian-administered Kashmir.

  • UK recession fails to dampen appetite for overseas holidays

    The recession isn’t ruining the UK’s appetite for an awesome holiday. More people than last year are saying they’ll take a chief holiday overseas (73% in 2013 vs 66% in 2012) and there’s a growing intention to book a vacation of seven nights or more (95% in 2013 vs 89% in 2012).

    These are two of the insights from BDRC Continental’s annual Holiday Trends survey.

    For the primary time in four years, however, the number planning a ‘staycation’ has dropped. After a dreary 2012, ‘the weather’ is the principle cause of the united kingdom being thought to be less appealing than many years ago. But London bucks this booking trend, boasting a rise in holidays already booked within the capital in 2013 compared with the identical period last year. The Olympic legacy evidently lives on, with almost a 3rd (31%) of these who were either considering London as a vacation destination or had already booked a visit to the capital citing the Games as having a good influence in this decision.

    The research also reveals that travellers don’t take their holiday decisions lightly. Two fifths of respondents (41%) stated that they use review sites for many / each of the holidays they take, rising to just about half (49%) among people with children. Trust in review sites is robust, with over half (52%) trusting the review to be a correct overall reflection of the destination. And this trust seems to be well placed – evidence means that review writing is just not generally dictated by the standard of the vacation experience, with propensity to write down one similar whether the experience was positive or negative.

    Steve Mills, Director at BDRC Continental, says: “Following several dire domestic summers for weather, apparently we’re finally starting to see a softening of the staycation effect and stronger consideration of trips abroad.  Our findings are supported by a robust begin to the year for a lot of outbound tour operators and travel agents. With the rage towards late bookings, the market is increasingly volatile, so it’ll be interesting to peer how these trends pan out inside the coming months and the impact that the elements and current weakening of Sterling have that can be purchased.”

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  • Destinations where hotels are the star attraction

    We all travel for our own reasons; whether it’s to get a break from everyday life, to take a look at local cuisine, or to take a look at a well-liked attraction. But have you travelled simply to visit a selected hotel Well, if you’re searching for a break from the tried-and-true chains, or one more reason to take a holiday, the travel experts at Hotels.com® have you ever covered. For a completely unique sleeping experience Hotels.com looked to its Hotel Price Index™ (HPI™) as inspiration for this list of eight hotels where an overnight stay is also as memorable because the trip itself.

    Hotel:Featherbed Railroad Company
    Location: Nice, California, U.S.
    What makes it stand out In case you grew up with Thomas the Tank Engine, this hotel will make your childhood dreams come true. The hotel features nine railway cabooses, all individually decorated in themes starting from Las Vegas bordello to Easy Rider, which actually comes with an “Easy Glider” chair with saddlebags, Harley Davidson touches and a headboard with handlebars. In line with the HPI, if you’re Canadian you would already be planning a visit to this popular state, which has two Californian cities at the Top 10 International Destinations list. So we predict a trip to “Nice” just is sensible!

    Hotel: Capsule Hotel and Sauna Cosmo Plaza Akabane
    Location: Tokyo, Japan
    What makes it stand out Because the name suggests, it’s not a gigantic space. In point of fact it’s just large enough for travellers to crawl in and get caught up on sleep. Not for the claustrophobic traveller, this contemporary sleeping area is worth sorting out for those searching for a futuristic experience – plus if you’re on a good budget, this feature is amazingly wallet-friendly. This city is likewise increasingly popular among Canadians, cracking the end 50 International Destinations list in 2012 to take a seat at number 31.

    Hotel: Hotel Im Wasserturm
    Location: Cologne, Germany
    What makes it stand out A stay on this cool hotel gets you an inside view, literally, of a few of Germany’s history. This landmark is the largest water tower of the 1800s and even though it was redesigned inside to deal with 88 rooms, it maintains its classic heritage.

    Hotel: Jumbo Stay
    Location: Arlanda, Sweden
    What makes it stand out The Ice Hotel has some serious competition, as this pick is constructed from a grounded 747 (that’s a jumbo jet for non-plane enthusiasts). The décor and colors are an homage to the 1970s – called the golden era of air travel. There are 25 guest rooms with one located within the cockpit, plus the rooms come equipped with LCD TVs where you are able to view the schedule of exits.

    Hotel: Sarah Cruise
    Location: Venice, Italy
    What makes it stand out There’s no better solution to get into the Venetian mood than by sleeping at the water. This eco-friendly, 25-room boat is basically a bed and breakfast so that you can spend your mornings dining at the deck (weather permitting needless to say). Ever popular Venice is a go-to for love. The town sailed up four spots in 2012 at the HPI Top 50 International Destinations list to number 26.

    Hotel: Madonna Inn Resort & Spa
    Location: San Luis Obispo, California, U.S.
    What makes it stand out Contrary to its name, this property was not named after the famous entertainer – even though it is simply as unique. It includes 110 guest rooms with names like “Austrian Suite,” “Safari Room,” and “Jungle Rock” that feature a lot of eclectic designs to cater to quite a number tastes. Fans of “The Bachelor” might recognize this property because it was featured in Season 14.
    Hotel: Burj Al Arab
    Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
    What makes it stand out While this hotel isn’t for the budget-conscious (it’s upwards of $2,000 per night), it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to feel like royalty. Shaped like a sail and found on a personal island with a non-public beach, this hotel takes luxury to new levels. While we predict this extravagant city would entice everyone, it has experienced increased interest from Canadian travellers and in 2012 entered the head 50 International Destinations list at number 44.

    Hotel: Dream Cave Pension
    Location: Goreme, Turkey
    What makes it stand out This hotel is found in a place of Turkey known for its unusual rock formations, so it only is sensible that they’d build one right into a hotel, right Although the encircling area is amazingly beautiful, the choice of staying in a fairy chimney makes it an excellent enough selling point for us.

    It’s time to get inspired and simply because you sleep in a hotel, doesn’t mean it ought to be boring. For more travel inspiration, the HPI is a superb resource. Whether you’re trying to find five-star hotels that won’t leave you broke, or the following up-and-coming destination, this report and website will provide you with the interior scoop. So get packing.

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  • Tourism Council of Bhutan launches new website

    The Tourism Council of Bhutan has launched a brand new website, offering travel information and advice to all visitors to the rustic.

    The website includes an interactive map, which breaks the rustic down into Eastern, Central and Western regions, providing information and locations of all available trekking routes, Dzongs, monasteries, hotels and attractions in each.

    It also will give visitors an overall impression of what to anticipate in Bhutan, from trekking inside the Himalayas, to festivals, bird watching, meditation, cycling, rocking climbing and fishing.

    Practical travel advice from the tourism council, comparable to visa applications, money, customs and languages is out there and all visitors are encouraged to ascertain the web site before travelling.

    Tourism is one in all Bhutan’s largest economies and a concern for the Bhutanese government.

    Founded at the principle of sustainability, tourism in the country is environmentally and ecologically friendly, socially and culturally acceptable and economically viable.

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