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  • Fred Smits appointed general manager of Westin Dublin

    Westin Hotels & Resorts announces the appointment of Fred Smits as General Manager of The Westin Dublin.  Fred joins The Westin Dublin from the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel & Conference Center where he was Executive Assistant Manager.

    Born inside the Netherlands, Fred began his career with Starwood Hotels & Resorts on the Westin Rotterdam in 2001 as Executive Chef, working his way as much as become Director of Food & Beverage in 2005, a job he held until February 2007.

    In 2007, Smits was promoted to Executive Assistant Manager of the 406-room Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel where he oversaw all daily operations and held responsibility for the 30-room Conference Center and 4 food and beverage outlets.  During his time on the Sheraton Amsterdam, Fred also played a key role within the renovation of the hotel and the introduction of Sheraton signature guest experiences which includes the Link@Sheraton experienced with Microsoft, Sheraton Fitness by Core Performance and the Sheraton Club Lounge.

    Before joining Starwood, Fred studied kitchen techniques and kitchen management within the Netherlands, beginning his career in 1992 as a Chef de Partie on the former one-Michelin starred restaurant De Trechter in Amsterdam.  Following a stint with Embassy Suites in Denver within the USA, Fred returned to Europe in 1995 to tackle a food and beverage role with Hyatt Hotels on the Lowndes Hotel in London.  Between 1997 and 2001, he worked at a good number of other Hyatt properties, including holding positions at hotels in Baku, Azerbaijan and the Dead Sea and Jerusalem in Israel.

    Reporting to Colin Bennett, Area Manager UK & Ireland, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Fred will now manage the 163-room Westin Dublin, including the hotel’s stunning Banking Hall, beautiful Atrium lounge, Exchange restaurant and renowned Mint Bar.

    Colin Bennett said of the announcement, “We are delighted to welcome Fred to the team within the UK & Ireland.  i’ve indisputably that The Westin Dublin will benefit immensely from his extensive operational experience.”

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  • News: World Travel Awards unveils glittering line up for Europe Gala Ceremony

    World Travel Awards has unveiled its Europe Nominees for 2013 as voting opens for the Gala Ceremony.

    The event, that allows you to happen at Cornelia Diamond Resort in Turkey, is ready to become the most well liked ticket at the agenda during this busy tourism region.

    World Travel Awards is celebrating a landmark 20th year in 2013, with the development sometimes called the ‘Oscars of the travel industry’.

    More than 1,300 travel, tourism and hospitality companies will compete for the distinguished through the ceremony.

    Online voting has now opened and the organisers of the awards are encouraging both trade and consumers to submit their votes.

    World Travel Awards Grand Tour will include regional legs inside the Maldives, Dubai (UAE), Antalya (Turkey), Kenya, Peru, Antigua and Singapore all year long.

    The winners of those regional heats will progress to the Grand Final, if you want to turn up on the end of 2013.

    The ceremonies are widely thought to be the precise networking opportunities within the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international media.

    Nominees for the Europe Gala Ceremony may be seen here.

    Votes could be cast here.

  • News: SAS opens the door to america West Coast

    North America is a vital and growing marketplace for SAS, which already flies to Big apple, Chicago and Washington. Scandinavia is a market that has no direct flights to the usa West Coast and there has therefore been demand from several Nordic and international companies for a smooth connection to this component of the realm. SAS is now fulfilling that wish.

    “SAS was flying to the united states for over 60 years and we’ve got an excellent understanding of what customers need after they fly long-haul. We’re pleased to provide an immediate service from Copenhagen and a travel experience where customers can enjoy all of our services that are designed to make the adventure easier and less complicated,” says Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO of SAS.

    “San Francisco is a fine looking destination in itself, however the city also is the proper start line for the united states West Coast. From San Francisco, customers have access to many other destinations within the Star Alliance network,” says Rickard Gustafson.

    By scheduling the flight departure time from Copenhagen at 12.25 within the afternoon, SAS has created excellent opportunities for good connections from Stockholm, Oslo and lots of other destinations in Scandinavia and northerly Europe.

  • Britain’s parks attract overseas visitors

    National tourism agency VisitBritain has released research which reveals that a staggering £7.8 billion was spent by tourists enjoying a garden within the UK, with a big chunk coming from younger visitors.

    A VisitBritain study identified that of the 31 million those that are likely to visit Britain annually, around a 3rd (11.1 million) enjoy a park or garden, with around 2.4 million aged between 25-34 against just 1.4 million aged between 55-64.

    There were 2.1 million visits from those aged 35-44 involving parks or gardens, while nearly three-quarters of one million were aged 65+. Overall those aged under-35 were particularly more likely to visit a park or garden, with 41% of visits doing so in comparison to 33% of visits from those aged over 35.

    The latest figures confirm that going to a park or garden is without doubt one of the most excellent activities for our overseas guests, accounting for 36% of all visitors, placing only behind eating out, going to pubs and shopping. It means visitors are surprisingly likely to spend time in a park or garden than a museum, castle, historic house or art gallery.

    Over half all ‘holiday’ visitors (54%) explore our green surrounds every year, a favorable indication that admiration is growing internationally for Britain’s attractive scenery and wonderfully crafted gardens. It remains an activity which visitors can enjoy whatever their age group, from Bodnant Gardens with spectacular views across Snowdonia to the intriguing Muncaster inside the Lake District or the realm famous world-famous historic gardens at Inverewe within the Scottish Highlands. London has also just celebrated 100 years of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and is home to 8 Royal Parks and the globally acknowledged UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kew Gardens.

    Unsurprisingly the most well liked time of year to go to gardens is the summer months, with July to September accounting for 4 million of the yearly tally. In contrast, just 1.6 million visited gardens within the first quarter of 2011.The rationale visitors come here plays a powerful role in determining what they do during their trip with tourists on ‘holiday’ making up the majority of visits (6.4 million) followed second by those here to work out their family and friends (3.2 million).

    The French, as our largest market, appear to prefer our parks and gardens over the other country with 1.25 million visits, spending £406 million inside the process. Visitors from America are second within the table with 1.23 million visits, but they spend nearly triple the volume of the French during their visits, at around £1.1 billion. Completing the highest three are the Germans, 1.15 million were enchanted by our array of natural beauty and likewise spent more within the UK than top placed France at £629 million.

    Looking at length of stay and propensity to go to a garden produces similarly interesting results. We discovered that almost all of visits are by those holidaying in Britain for between 1 and three nights, but that the longer the duration of stay, the greater the chance of a trip to a garden, with 56% of 15+ night stays including time in a garden or park.

    The Brazilians (61%), Russians (51%) and Chinese (45%) have among the highest propensity to go to our gardens than any market, which shows the growing and prominent interest from Britain’s increasingly important BRIC markets.

    Recent post-2012 Olympic Games NBI research seems to back up the claim that our parks and gardens are as popular as ever. In a study where Britain’s ‘Overall Nation Brand’ and ‘Welcome’ saw significant improvements, much was also said about tourists now desirous to see ‘more than simply London’. A staggering 75% of respondents the world over agreed that the Games coverage made them desire to venture out and make the effort to go to other parts of the rustic. In a separate question a big 70% of respondents claimed that once watching the Olympics, they agreed that Britain had ‘lovely countryside’.

    In an Ipsos MORI study for VisitBritain in 2013, work was done to evaluate the impact of Britain’s GREAT image campaign internationally. Findings indicated that the activity helps showcase the entire of england. Across all the survey cities, many respondents strongly agreed that the promotional work made them wish to visit places outside of London, and to enjoy our natural scenic beauty.

    Sandie Dawe, Chief Executive of VisitBritain said: “We’ve completed three big pieces of study which all indicate that our parks, gardens and natural beauty are a valuable tourism asset, admired internationally and enjoyed by our visitors.

    “It’s hugely encouraging to work out our gardens are as well liked by the more youthful generation as they’re with 55-plus age groups. Post-Games perceptions of england have shifted for the easier and time spent in any of our glorious parks is something to be cherished- especially when the sun is out.”

  • News: Best Western Premier celebrates grand opening in Haiti

    The opening of the most effective WESTERN PREMIER Petion-Ville marks the primary U.S. branded full-service hotel to open in Haiti and marks a vital milestone within the revitalization of the rustic.

    The 106 room full-service hotel is found within the business corridor north of Port-au-Prince and can provided lodging and meeting space for financial and government institutions, humanitarian organisations, non-government organizations and business and leisure travelers visiting the rustic. “The opening of one of the best WESTERN PREMIER Petion-Ville, provides critically needed hotel rooms, creates jobs and revenue for the local economy and is a mirrored image of the ongoing progress being made towards the recovery of Haiti,” said Mark Williams , vp of North American Development for Best Western International at Thursday’s official grand opening celebration. “This hotel is proof that Haiti is indeed open for business and it’ll help encourage additional business investment in Haiti.”

    Best Western International initially signed a development take care of Carabimmo SA in 2008 and was scheduled to start construction within weeks of when the devastating earthquake hit in January 2010. Williams credits the local ownership group’s tenacity, drive and wish to bring positive growth to Haiti with with the ability to overcome incredible obstacles and move this project forward to completion. “We are pleased with not just the positive economic impact this project has had within the area people and in Haiti, but in addition what it means for a twin of Haiti and its recovery as a business and leisure travel destination within the Caribbean,” stated Stanley Handal of Carabimmo SA.

    The full-service luxury hotel project, funded by two Haitian banks, Unibank and Capital Bank, broke ground in 2011 with the goal of investing within the area people, providing jobs and sourcing Haitian goods and services to construct and furnish the hotel. The result’s the creation of 130 local hospitality jobs and the work of greater than 100 local artisans and craftsmen utilized in the design and décor of the hotel and in addition available on the market within the hotel’s art gallery. “With global support from our partner Best Western, not just will this hotel be successful in Haiti, however it will attract additional investment into Haiti and help drive expansion of the Haitian market globally,” added Handal.