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  • News: Oetker Collection appoints two senior vice presidents

    The Oetker Selection of masterpiece hotels has made two significant promotions to new roles in the senior leadership team, because it continues its strong expansion. The Oetker Collection has recently added Palais Namaskar in Marrakech and Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France to its portfolio, and should be opening L’Apogée Courchevel later this year, on 11.12.13.

    Philippe Perd, President and Managing Director of Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc and castle Saint-Martin, and who’s also project managing the launch of L’Apogée Courchevel, is to become Senior Vp Operations and Project Development; while Didier Le Calvez, President and Managing Director of Le Bristol Paris, who’s also overseeing Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France, turns into Senior Vp Operations and Sales & Marketing.

    Since 2001, Philippe Perd has played a key role throughout the Oetker Collection, starting within the position of Managing Director of the Château Saint-Martin & Spa in Vence. In 2005, he took over the management of the legendary Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on the tip of the Cap d’Antibes before being appointed, two years later, as President and Managing Director of the 2 masterpiece hotels within the French Riviera. In 2011, he drove probably the most ambitious renovation projects to successful completion on the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. A graduate of Harvard Business School and Inchbald School of Design with a Certificate in Interior Design, his new role includes the conceptual development of latest hotel projects for the Oetker Collection starting with the outlet of L’Apogée Courchevel on 11.12.13. Philippe Perd will supervise the operations of the brand new masterpiece within the French Alps and continue to supervise the running of castle Saint-Martin & Spa and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Philippe Perd may even get the support of Frédéric Picard, who will start in early April in his new role as General Manager for Château Saint-Martin & Spa and L’Apogée Courchevel.

    Didier Le Calvez joined the Oetker Collection in 2010 as President & Managing Director of Le Bristol Paris. Under his leadership, the Parisian palace implemented a lot of major new projects which include the outlet of the new Bar du Bristol, the Spa Le Bristol by La Prairie and Epicure, the three Michelin-star restaurant. From the recent York Plaza to the Four Seasons George V in Paris, via the Regent in Singapore and New York’s Pierre Hotel, throughout his 35 year long career, he has demonstrated his talents within the exclusive world of luxury hotels, in addition to his want to make every hotel wherein he has worked a “one-of-a-kind” place. Didier Le Calvez will keep his responsibility at Le Bristol Paris and in his new role supervise Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France in addition to sales & marketing activities for the Oetker Collection.

    Frank Marrenbach, CEO of the Oetker Collection, commented: “These appointments express our trust and gratitude towards a team of exceptional and award-winning hoteliers. With this great team, i’m confident that our vision to create a set of 15 masterpiece hotels inside the coming years should be achieved”.

  • IHIF: Waldorf Astoria Berlin celebrates opening

    Some 800 high-profile guests from the arena 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 special 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 luxurious presidential suite at the top floor, the Zoofenster and Waldorf Astoria Berlin are a very magnificent addition to the skyline of Berlin’s City West.

    The hotel’s interior design was 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 renowned tourist attractions.

    This includes the historic church, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, built as a memorial to Kaiser Wilhelm I, the primary 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 solely minutes away and features a plethora of designer fashion houses.

    Waldorf Astoria Berlin boasts a powerful range of dining and drinking experiences in numerous 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 probably the most highly in demand of the Berlin restaurant scene.

  • Global travel habits are changing says WAYN

    A recent travel survey of over 38,000 members of leading travel social network, Where are you presently (WAYN), has revealed some interesting changes in how its users favor to travel. 

    The introverts guide to travel The outcomes suggest that travellers increasingly seek solitude when on holiday, with most people – 33% – claiming that they might decide to travel solo. The second one finest travel companions (26%) are friends, in preference to partners or spouses.

    Independent Travel vs. Tours Traditional guided tours seem like falling from favour with 49% of travellers opting to make their very own sightseeing plans as opposed to join a particular tour.  Travellers appear to trust social media and other web research tools to arm them with enough detail to devise their trips, without the desire of a guide.

    Luxury or less WAYN members prefer budget and mid-range accommodation to luxury hotels, with most members claiming that cost will be the only thing that will deter them from visiting the region: crime and disease weren’t considered deterrents.

    Setting new standards in South America The survey, which serious about questioning travellers about visiting South America, showed that WAYN members are clearly an adventurous bunch.  Brazil was the hottest country within the continent with 49% of respondents saying it might be their first choice in South America, while a perfect break would combine city and beach.  90% said they’d travel widely while on holiday, visiting numerous cities and countries to reap the benefits of having travelled to the continent.

    Peter Ward from WAYN said: “We believe the web accounts for these kinds of changes with increased amounts of available and relevant information empowering travellers to travel alone, stay in additional diverse accommodation and plan visits to previously unconsidered destinations. I’m a large advocate of independent travel and our site gives users a chance to make friends at home before they travel so even though they do choose to go solo, they’ve got a virtual friend to explore their destination with.”

    WAYN is the brainchild of Jerome Touze and Peter Ward who came up with the concept after getting back from backpacking in 2002.  It truly is currently the world’s largest travel and lifestyle social media platform with 21 million members in 193 countries.  The focal point of WAYN is to help people with making the foremost out of life by discovering where to move, what to do and who to satisfy.

  • News: ITB Berlin 2013 mirrors the increasingly dynamic trends within the global travel industry

    10,086 exhibitors from 188 countries – exhibition grounds booked up – record collection of two-tier stands – 120 exhibitors representing the partner country Indonesia – comprehensive market overview and fast-growing niche markets – first-time matchmaking event for bloggers and record numbers of bloggers – Travel Technology, Gay & Lesbian Travel and Adventure & Sustainable Travel continue to expand – demand from Asia remains high – all countries from Africa represented in two display halls – all countries from South America are present – unprecedented levels of international attendance on the tenth anniversary edition of the ITB Berlin Convention

    The internet and virtualisation have accelerated the pace of development within the global travel industry. From 6 to ten March 2013 ITB Berlin might be mirroring the industry’s increasingly dynamic market trends and providing a representative overview of world travel products and engaging niche markets. On the 47th edition of ITB Berlin 10,086 companies from 188 countries should be presenting their services on a display area covering 160,000 square metres. The 26 halls at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds are booked up. A record choice of exhibitors are represented on two-tier stands. The focal point is on Indonesia, the official partner country of ITB Berlin, that is participating with 120 exhibitors. Indonesia is represented in Halls 26 and four.1, where visitors can witness colourful spectacles performed on stage. South Sudan, an independent state since 2011, is a newcomer to ITB Berlin. For the primary time, exhibitors and travel agencies can be offering tours on to the patron at the weekend of the show.

    Dr. Christian Göke, COO, Messe Berlin: “More than one thousand million travellers worldwide and the increasing approval for easy-to-find internet products have totally fragmented demand. People’s travel motivation and travel products became increasingly diverse. The industry’s information and business needs are growing for all time. At ITB Berlin exhibitors and trade visitors can gain a representative and up-to-the-minute overview of the travel industry’s entire value chain. They’ll find growth and niche markets, find information on exploring new markets and concepts for innovative sales strategies.“

    Bloggers at the march
    ITB Berlin is bringing international bloggers and exhibitors together at numerous panel discussions, workshops and lectures. a complete of 250 bloggers from Germany and abroad are expected to wait. For the primary time ITB Berlin is featuring a matchmaking event, with the intention to be happening on 7 and eight March from 4.30 to six p.m. respectively in Hall 7.3. It gives 100 exhibitors a chance to satisfy the identical variety of international bloggers representing the journey, luxury and family travel markets. This free service by ITB Berlin is geared toward helping exhibitors to enhance their marketing of destinations and products.

    Travel Technology is transforming the market
    ITB Berlin features the most important range of travel technology products anywhere on the earth. For years this section was constantly expanding. As a result of high variety of bookings this year hotel portals also are exhibiting in Hall 25. Around 150 companies from 25 countries are represented in Halls 6.1, 8.1 and 10.1, in an effort to be exhibiting their IT-related services and product innovations for front and back offices within the travel industry in addition to hotel software solutions and hotel booking portals. Exhibitors representing social media networks and mobile and analysis services are attending in particularly large numbers. Companies within the Mobile Travel and Social Media sections are presenting their innovations on the eTravel World in Hall 7.1c. That is where experts can be discussing industry topics along with “The opportunities and risks of the social web for the travel industry“ and ”More efficient travel using eTravel, navigation and mobile travel guides.“ The supporting programme of the eTravel World (Hall 7.1.c from 6 to 9 March) will feature greater than 50 papers and workshops on two stages. Resulting from high demand, for the primary time eTravel World events can also be happening at the Saturday of the show (9 March).

    Pink Pavilion: Gay & Lesbian Travel
    This is the fourth year that businesses exhibiting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender tourism (LGBT) products shall be represented of their own section in Hall 2.1. 56 companies from around the globe are represented inside the Pink Pavilion, including the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) and lots of co-exhibitors. Visitors to the pavilion will find the world’s largest display of travel products for this market. They include city tours of Vienna, Prague, Tel Aviv in addition to holidays in Argentina, Bulgaria, Florida, Gran Canaria, Maspalomas, Greece, India, Thailand and Cyprus. a colorful supporting programme featuring Queer Tango from Argentina and the Vienna Gay Café will round off the display.

    Travel and Adventure & Sustainable Travel
    The Adventure & Responsible Tourism Hall is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a colorful programme of events regarding socially responsible tourism. This year the main focus in Hall 4.1b is on “Earth’s Wetlands & Geoparks – Celebrating Earth Heritage, Sustaining Local Communities“. Presented in English, the subject headings on the workshops, panel discussions and lectures are Wetlands, Wildlife Watching and Biodiversity. Various parks from different regions of the arena would be introducing their eco-friendly concepts. Protecting wildlife is additionally among the topics. Events within the Adventure & Responsible Tourism section in Hall 4.1b include discussions and lectures on human rights, tours for the deaf and developments in Haiti three years after the earthquake disaster. Azerbaijan, this year’s Convention & Culture Partner of ITB Berlin, would be presenting its sustainable tourism concept.

    CSR also features prominently at ITB Berlin. On 7 March 2013, the foremost think tank of the world’s leading travel trade extravaganza will again be holding its own CSR Day and highlighting strategies, best practices and the market potential of sustainable tourism. On the ITB Berlin Convention practical experts and leading scientists could be discussing and providing information at the latest developments in corporate social responsibility. Topics include tourist encounters with local residents, conflicts over water, a significant human resource, and protecting children from sexual exploitation. By printing zero-carbon copies of the ITB Berlin catalogue and Quickfinder Messe Berlin is demonstrating social responsibility and supporting a geothermal project in Indonesia, this year’s partner country.

    High demand from Asia, South America and the Arab countries
    Once again, demand from Asia is especially high at this year’s ITB Berlin. Countries including Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and China are represented on larger stands. Indonesia, the partner country, are available in Halls 26 and four.1. Hall 5.2b, where India is represented, can be booked up, in order that exhibitors from this country also are occupying Hall 5.2a. Destinations similar to Nepal and Bhutan have gotten increasingly popular and will be present in Hall 5.2a together with various independent exhibitors. Regulars at ITB Berlin include North Korea, which already attended last year. African countries are represented in Halls 20 and 21, among them South Sudan, which only gained independence from Sudan in 2011 and is a newcomer to ITB Berlin 2013. Arab countries corresponding to Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates have also booked their places on the world’s largest travel trade extravaganza. Iraq occupies an excellent larger stand compared with last year. Yemen and Libya are back after a scarcity from ITB Berlin. Every country from South America is represented at this year’s show.

    The travel industry’s international think tank
    This year the ITB Berlin Convention is celebrating its tenth anniversary. During the last decade it has become the world’s largest event of its kind. This year the convention features an unprecedented choice of leading international speakers. At 200 sessions greater than 420 speakers, half them from Germany, might be presenting the newest expert knowledge from the fields of tourism, politics and society. Examples of best practices will highlight ideas and solutions for current and future challenges. This year’s topics include Muslim travel, changes affecting the marketplace for coach tours, water shortages that could potentially spark conflict between tourists and residents, and new technologies, a serious trend.

    Azerbaijan, the Convention & Culture Partner of ITB Berlin 2013, may be hosting a colorful and numerous programme of events and spanning a bridge between Europe and Asia. On the world’s largest travel trade event Azerbaijan should be highlighting the great thing about its natural landscapes and cultural wealth. This can even be promoting itself as a good looking destination for culturally interested tourists in addition an excellent venue for MICE events. On the ITB Berlin Convention, the international travel industry’s leading think tank, Azerbaijan will feature prominently at panel discussions attended by high-profile speakers as a way to do something about the country’s economic progress.

    The success of the ITB Berlin Convention brought about the format being adopted last year in Brazil. The ITB Berlin Convention was the information partner of the travel trade event A Feira de Turismo das Américas (ABAV) in Rio de Janeiro and presented a comprehensive programme of events on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender tourism, corporate social responsibility, in addition to MICE and business travel.

  • News: London Overground stations offer Wi-Fi

    Arriva’s three way partnership rail business LOROL is providing passengers with Wi-Fi access at 50 stations at the London Overground network.

    The service, from Wi-Fi provider The Cloud, is free for the 1st 60 minutes at each station and enables passengers to make use of their mobile devices to browse the net, use social networks and get free, real-time travel information from Transport for London (TfL).

    The final seven stations at the London Overground network may be connected by the tip of June.

    Peter Austin, managing director of LOROL, which delivers London Overground services on behalf of TfL, signed the contract with The Cloud.

    Peter said: “We are always searching for tips on how to make the London Overground much more convenient than it already is and believe the introduction of free Wi-Fi can only improve and enhance our passenger journeys.

    “It complements the trendy commuting railway service we already offer and can be fitting for what’s among the finest performing railways within the UK.”

    Vince Russell, managing director on the Cloud, said: “London Overground stations are a hive of activity for folk travelling inside and outside of London.

    “This is mainly true of workers commuting into town.

    “For these people, the power to examine emails or even access work documents at the go is very important.

    ‘Relying on 3G or 4G connection in locations where network traffic is available in peaks signifies that passengers are often left frustrated at slow connection times during busier periods.

    “We’re delighted to be working with London Overground to present this service in order to offer a quick, reliable internet connection to people as they anticipate their trains.”

    Howard Smith, chief rail operating officer for TfL London Rail, which manages the London Overground service, said: “We have modernised many areas of London Overground – the train fleet, the stations and the signalling. It’s now the best performing railways within the UK.

    “TfL supports the introduction of this new facility as we see direct communications between passengers as perfectly complementing our own information services.

    “In recent years the cost of passenger-to-passenger communication during service disruptions have been well demonstrated and we’re happy to further enable and support that phenomenon as an enhancement to our modern, 21st century railway within the capital.”

    London Overground passengers may have 60 minutes free internet access daily, at each station, through a one-time registration process.

    Major stations at the network now Wi-Fi-enabled include:

    • North London: Willesden Junction and West Hampstead
    • South London: New Cross Gate, Forest Hill, West Croydon and Norwood Junction
    • East London: Surrey Quays, Dalston, Wapping and Hackney Central
    • West London: Kensington Olympia and Shepherd’s Bush