Category: News

  • News: CEO of Qatar Airways to take part in World Routes Strategy Summit

    Today saw the official launch of the 19th World Route Development Forum in order to turn up on October 5-8, 2013 co-hosted by Las Vegas Convention&Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.

    World Routes is the most important and most vital commercial aviation networking forum of its kind, and 2013 will see Routes head to the usa for the primary time ever when the development happens inside the entertainment capital of the arena, Las Vegas, Nevada. Tourism is the #1 industry in Las Vegas, with record visitation of nearly 40 million visitors last year, and town may be a thriving business destination hosting greater than 21,000 annual meetings and trade shows with almost 5 million attendees in 2012.

    The event attracts all manner of airlines with low-cost, charter, regional, and flag carriers all in attendance and represented by delegates who’re liable for making decisions on both new and existing routes. Early registrations indicate a powerful presence from all regions with greater than 100 carriers already registered to wait, including Air Canada, British Airways, AirAsia X, easyJet, UPS, Delta Air Lines, Southwest, Emirates, Allegiant, Etihad, COPA Airlines, Virgin America, Volaris, and American Airlines.

    This year’s event will see quite a few content streams running through the four days, including the realm Routes Strategy Summit, held in partnership with ICAO and the sector Bank; the arena Tourism Summit, held in partnership with the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP), and TTG; Invest and Manage; and a program of social media briefings.

    The summits assemble senior leaders and key stakeholders from aviation, tourism, and load to take part in discussions for you to set the economic and political agenda for the industry. The events attract airline and airport CEOs, Ministers of Tourism, and leaders of industry associations worldwide comparable to Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways; Alain St.Ange, Minister for Tourism&Culture for the Seychelles; Angela Gittens, Director General of ACI World; Sani Sener, President&CEO of TAV Airports; and Rossi Ralenkotter, President/CEO of the Las Vegas Convention&Visitors Authority, who’ve all confirmed their participation.

    “Las Vegas is honored to host the primary World Route Development Forum inside the Usa,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, President/CEO for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “As the entertainment and convention capital of the realm and an emerging international business center, Las Vegas offers a very unique experience to the world’s aviation leaders. From our new US$2.4 billion state-of-the-art international Terminal 3 to our ability to repeatedly reinvent Las Vegas as a world tourism destination, Las Vegas is the ideal stage for industry leaders to attach and gain key insight into what the way forward for travel and tourism holds.”

    David Stroud, Executive Vp, Routes, said: “For Routes, taking the development to the usa for the 1st time will further strengthen our position inside the world’s largest aviation market. We predict over 3,000 delegates to affix us in Las Vegas this year, including senior representation from over 300 carriers from world wide. McCarran International Airport’s expansion offers airlines new opportunities, and hosting World Routes will allow town to extend their air services that’s fundamental to the prosperity of the region.”

    “Last year, McCarran International Airport opened its doors to increasingly more travelers from all over the world once we opened our fantastic Terminal 3 expansion,” said Randall H. Walker, Director of Aviation for Clark County, Nevada, which owns and operates McCarran. “This fall, we glance forward to welcoming Routes attendees from world wide, providing each guest a primary-hand opportunity to experience all that our airport and community must offer.”

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  • Willow Stream Spa arrives at Fairmont, The Palm

    Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont, The Palm, Dubai has arrived on the iconic Palm Jumeirah.

    The newest addition to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ award-winning spa collection, the energy of the spa draws from the basis of the Willow Stream brand with its connection to nature and encouraging energy for all times. 

    The spa’s maxim is “alive by nature,” drawing its character and principal elements from its location inside the Persian Gulf.

    Brought alive by the mixing of the colourful, vitality of urban Dubai with the character of the sand and sea, endless sky and desert heat, the Willow Stream Spa offers an urban oasis for spa goers to socialise and reenergize.

    Natural elements of Dubai are reflected within the spa’s colour palette, including attributes along with sand and the ocean, and within the spa experiences, which use local products and spa traditions.

    The design of the spa comes alive with its contemporary strategy to traditional facilities, luxury treatment rooms and social spaces.

    The impressive 17,200-square-foot spa boasts 13 treatment rooms, including separate massage, facial and treatment rooms, and a duet suite for a standard Arabian rasul experience, that’s a cleansing ritual that uses mineral-rich mud, heat and steam.

    The spa also offers a grand suite with two single suites connected by an enormous lounge.

    Overlooking the water and beach, the ladies’ area provides indoor and outdoor spaces to unwind and luxuriate in the quiet before or after treatments.

    There also are great spaces perfect for small groups or girlfriend gatherings, with healthy spa refreshments available.

  • News: American Airlines announces leadership changes

    American Airlines has revealed that Bev Goulet was promoted to senior vp and chief integration officer for American Airlines.

    Last month, Goulet was appointed to steer the merger transition planning and integration coordination efforts with US Airways on behalf of yank. Immediately just before her appointment, she served as vp of corporate development, treasurer and chief restructuring officer.

    “For American, Bev has led the foremost successful airline restructuring in history, leading to savings of greater than $2 billion around the enterprise, and in addition played the lead role inside the merger evaluation process,” said Tom Horton, chairman, president and chief executive officer, American Airlines.

    “Bev is a skilled leader who will play a major leadership role in helping to set up a framework for the recent American to be very successful.”

    With Goulet’s move to the hot position, Peter Warlick have been promoted to vp and treasurer for American Airlines.

    “We are fortunate to have a person of Peter’s caliber on our team who’s capable of step into this key role.  Peter has the depth and breadth of expertise, having served in various key financial functions at American and having led major company-wide initiatives,” said Bella Goren, chief financial officer, American Airlines.

    Previously, Warlick served as managing director of fleet development, where he has played a key role in helping to execute on American’s historic aircraft fleet order in July 2011. Sooner than his role in leading American’s fleet development strategy, Warlick served in a number of leadership positions in the Finance organization, including managing director of treasury and managing director of corporate finance and banking. Warlick joined American in 1994 as a financial analyst.

    Warlick holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of industrial and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Denison University. 

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  • News: Miami set for record visitors in 2012

    Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) President & CEO William D. Talbert, III, CDME announced today that overnight visitors to bigger Miami and the Beaches increased +3.5% to a record-breaking 13.9 million overnight visitors in 2012, fueled by a +5.2% increase to a record 6.8 million international visitors and a rise of +1.8% to a record 7.1 million domestic visitors. 

    This marks the third consecutive year of record overnight visitors to the destination.         

    A record $21.8 billion in visitor expenditures was generated in 2012, a rise of +5.1% over the former year with international expenditures representing 70% of the full vs domestic. 2012 marked the fourth consecutive year of records on records for visitor spending. 

    “For the third year in a row, the strength of the Miami brand continued to draw record overnight visitors, generating record employment within the leisure and hospitality industry,” says Steven Haas, Chairman of the GMCVB Board of Directors. 

    “With a brand new record high of 112,300 industry jobs in 2012, Travel and Tourism continued to set the pace for the community’s recovery from the recession with three consecutive years of increased employment.”     

    In July 2012, the GMCVB unveiled its new branding campaign to capture its evolution by launching the “It’s So Miami” program in top global markets, including Big apple, Brazil and Germany. 

    The new tagline and eye-catching imagery showcases contrasting visuals of iconic destination scenes juxtaposed with people making the most of cultural attractions.  The hot campaign captures the vibe and diversity of way of life in Greater Miami and The Beaches.  “

    The Bureau’s aggressive marketing and expansion of the preferred summer and shoulder season promotions, including Miami Museum Month, Miami Romance Month, Miami Spice Restaurant Month, Miami Spa Month, Miami Attractions Month and Miami Live Music Month were enjoyed by more visitors and residents than ever in 2012,” says Talbert.       

    During 2012, the GMCVB continued its international expansion to 40 locations in 30 countries, which included extensive expansion within the Brazil market.  Cities/countries added to the worldwide network in 2012 included Ny, San Francisco, Jamaica, Bahamas and further cities in Brazil. 

    Among the end 25 hotel markets inside the U.S., Greater Miami and the Beaches’ ranked #4 for revenue per available room (RevPar), a rise of +7.9% in 2012 to a record $124.92.  Hotel room occupancy also ranked #4 with a rise of +1.3% to a record annual average of 76.4%, and average daily room rate (ADR) ranked #4 with a rise of +6.6% to an all time high of $163.59. 

    A record 13.4 million hotel room nights were sold in 2012, representing a +2.5% increase over the former year.  These sales generated a record $60.4 million in Convention Development Tax (CDT), a +8.5% increase over 2011 CDT collections.

    A record 19.8 million passengers were welcomed on the new Miami International Airport (MIA) in 2012, a +3.0% increase over 2011, which incorporates a record 9.8 million international passengers up +5.3% over 2011 and a record 10 million domestic passengers up +0.9% over 2011. 

    With 96%of overnight visitors to bigger Miami and the Beaches arriving by air in 2012, Miami International Airport is important to the success and growth of the travel and tourism industry.

    “Both MIA and the PortMiami are pillars of our travel and tourism industry,” states Talbert.  Within the last quarter of 2012, PortMiami welcomed an unprecedented seven new cruise ships in eight weeks further solidifying the port’s ranking as Cruise Capital of the sector.

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  • Hilton moves into Myanmar with Yangon property

    Hilton Worldwide has marked its entry into the Burmese market with the signing of a management agreement with LP Holding to control Hilton Yangon in Kyauktada Township, Yangon, Myanmar.

    The first Hilton Worldwide property in Myanmar, the 300-room Hilton Yangon can also be the 1st Hilton Hotels & Resorts branded hotel and is scheduled to open in 2014.

    “This agreement is a vital milestone for us because it represents both Hilton Worldwide’s and the Hilton brand’s entry into Myanmar.

    “Following the social and economic reforms the rustic has revamped the past year, Myanmar has seen visitor arrivals grow by 45.1 per cent in comparison to the former year1.

    “Yangon, particularly, is positioned to grow much faster than many other emerging markets in Asia. Backed by a robust partner like LP Holding, we’re very confident that because the first internationally branded hotel in Yangon, Hilton Yangon will set the benchmark for quality hospitality experiences catering to both domestic and international travellers,” said Andrew Clough, senior vp, development, Middle East & Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide.

    The 21-storey Hilton Yangon is 14.3 kilometres far from Yangon International Airport and is a part of Centrepoint Towers, a mixed-use development which include high-end retail boutiques and a premium office tower.

    Located at No. 65, the corner of Sule Pagoda Road and Merchant Street inside the Kyauktada Township, the hotel is found opposite Yangon’s iconic High Court building and the famous Independence Monument Park.

    As the only of the tallest commercial buildings within the city, hotel guests will enjoy impressive 365-degree views of greater Yangon and simple accessibility to the downtown Colonial quarter and business district of the town.