Category: Top Stories

Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hospitality group, has signed a hotel management agreement for two new hotels owned by Al Bandary Hotel Management LLC. The agreement represents the third and fourth Doha properties Centara will manage on behalf of Al Bandary, which also owns Centara West Bay Residences & Suites Doha, an upper upscale property that opened earlier this year and recently earned a 5-star official classification from the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC); and the previously signed Centara Grand Hotel Doha scheduled for opening in 2020. The B Premiere Hotel, a member of the Centara Boutique Collection, is ... Read more

Sri Lankan Tourism Minister John A Amaratunga has expressed interest to join hands with Kerala to promote tourism in a mutually beneficial manner. The Sri Lankan minister said he would extend an official invitation to Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran to visit Sri Lanka for further discussions on the same. “We are keen to increase the number of tourists from South India to Sri Lanka in a big way,” said Amaratunga, while visiting Kochi as part of a road show of the Sri Lankan tourism department. The minister said that the proximity between the two destinations and the cultural relations ... Read more

The nine-day Aadi Mahotsav (National Tribal Festival), a joint initiative of Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India & Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), is all set for a colourful start today at Polo Ground, Leh-Ladakh. The 9 day event from 17th August till 25th August, 2019, will be inaugurated by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik, at 6 pm today in the presence of Arjun Munda, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs; Renuka Singh, Minister for State for Tribal Affairs and R C Meena, Chairman TRIFED. The theme of the festival is : “A ... Read more

Mauritius is firmly established as a favoured destination for South African travellers, and now the Indian Ocean island is attracting visitors from Kenya and East Africa with daily direct flights from Nairobi Intra-African tourism is increasingly attractive for Africa’s emerging middle class and increasingly important for African economies. The type of connectivity created by Kenya Airways flight schedule between Nairobi and Mauritius is a game-changer for the tourism industry. Africa currently only earns 3 per cent of global tourism revenues. Improved connectivity between premium African tourism destinations is a significant step towards growing that figure. While the European market remains ... Read more

The Fern Hotels & Resorts, India’s leading environmentally sensitive hotel chain, has opened The Fern Spazio Leisure Resort at Anjuna in Goa. The Fern Spazio Leisure Resort is a 43-room resort centrally located in the heart of ‘happening’ Anjuna in North Goa. An oasis of peace and tranquility, this beautiful resort is a stone’s throw from Anjuna and Vagator beaches, the flea/night markets, the Sunburn Festival venue and Goa’s famous nightclubs, bars and restaurants. The resort provides guests a first-hand Goan experience, right from the design of rooms that incorporate Goan culture with private balconies, tile paintings, warm hospitality extended ... Read more

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched a new shopping campaign, ‘Give Me 5’, to entice an additional 200,000 visitors from India and six ASEAN countries during the off-peak season of July-September. The campaign will target families, women and incentive groups from 19 cities in India, Indonesia, Lao PDR., Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia and Cambodia, which are served by TAT’s campaign partner airlines, Thai Airways International and Thai Smile Airways. Visitors travelling on the partner airlines on any of their flights between now and 30 September, 2019, will be eligible to receive discounts of 5-50 per cent on a broad ... Read more

Global icon, Bollywood star and former Miss Sri Lanka, Jacqueline Fernandez was spotted checking into Cinnamon Grand Colombo with her family and friends. The actress is currently in Sri Lanka with 15 of her friends and family to launch the ‘Bring a Friend Home’ Campaign by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. This unique initiative by Cinnamon is to encourage Sri Lankans living in the country and overseas as well as expats in the country to nominate their foreign friends to visit the island nation. As a Sri Lankan herself who is proud to support the recovery of the tourism industry, Jacqueline ... Read more

Influencers are having an increasing impact on people’s travel plans, with the majority of travellers now relying heavily on influencer’s recommendations when planning trips. Ellie Shedden, a qualified marketing specialist and owner of THE-OOP.COM, a digital marketing agency that helps small to medium businesses increase their reach and revenue, will speak on the ‘Impact of influential marketing in tourism’ at at the International Conference on Tourism Technology 2019, organized by ATTOI, at Le Meridian in Kochi on September 26. Around 60 per cent of  vacationers are swayed by influencers’ recommendations when deciding where to go, while 50 per cent look to ... Read more

Ramada Khajuraho Wyndham is on an expansion spree – new Ramada hotels to be launched in Kapurthala, Bengaluru, Jaipur and Lucknow. The brand will have hospitality properties in Gandhidham, Aligarh and Thiruvananthapuram by 2020. This expansion is part of the company’s comprehensive plan to bolster its footprint in the wider Indian sub-continent, including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio in region currently includes 46 hotels and more than 4,100 rooms with plans to add 40 hotels and more than 5,000 rooms by 2025, reinforcing its presence in the region’s rapidly growing mid-market hospitality segment. ... Read more

Miss World 2017 fame Manushi Chhillar visited Sri Lanka on an exclusive trip hosted by Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts in a unique initiative to attract global travellers to the scenic island country of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has always been world-renowned for its top-class tourist attractions, innovation and hospitality. In an effort to recover from the decline of tourists due to the recent events, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts have engaged popular celebrities in promoting tourism to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has always been the beautiful and endowed pearl of the Indian Ocean with its rich history, culture and tradition. With ... Read more

Daniele Lago, Simona Fabini, Tomaso Schiaffino and Gian Luca Innocenzi, together with Vito Di Bari, are among the notable designers involved in the formation and establishment of Cocoon, the first design hotel in the Maldives. Cocoon Maldives is influentially a collaborative effort between Alessandro Azzola, Managing Director of Cocoon Maldives and Daniele Lago, CEO and Chief Designer of leading Italian design company Lago. A creative, inventive, and innovative leader, Daniele Lago propelled the success of the Lago brand since its launch. Today, the brand is highly established and recognized worldwide, especially in the furniture sector. The brand even has a ... Read more

With several new holiday firework shows, exclusive events and themed parties, the Theme Park Capital of the World is ready to celebrate the upcoming holidays like only Orlando can. 90 Days to wine and dine in Orlando This year boasts the longest-ever Epcot International Food and Wine Festival on top of other top-notch returning favorites. Beginning with a month-long discount dining program in August, this year offers more than 90 days of foodie-centric events in Orlando – guaranteed satisfy everyone’s appetite. • Guests can dine on haute cuisine without burning through their budget during Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Month (Aug. ... Read more

Travellers can soon enjoy homestays around the iconic Statue of Unity in Gujarat. The administration of Narmada district is planning to introduce homestay facility for tourists visiting the world’s tallest statue, located in Kevadia Colony. A total of 116 houses have been identified in 22 villages around the Statue of Unity, where 252 rooms will be renovated as homestay accommodations for the tourists. The houses were shortlisted based on whether they are pucca houses and whether there is an extra or spare room in the house which can be utilized for the purpose. The condition of pucca houses was kept ... Read more

The National Aquarium at Al Qana in Abu Dhabi is now 70 percent complete and will open in 2020. The attraction is set to be the biggest aquarium in the Middle East, housing 33,000 marine animals. The 7,000-square-metre aquarium, made up of 10 zones, is being developed by Al Barakah International Investment. Home to more than 33,000 marine creatures, responsibly and ethically sourced from around the world, The National Aquarium will be led by a world-class team of 80 qualified marine experts and specialists. Through themed zones of learning, the journey will highlight the conservation required to protect the planet. ... Read more

Detox, restore and rejuvenate with a one of a kind wellness getaway that will soothe your body, mind and soul. Escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life and sign up for the first-ever Cinnamon Wellness Retreat, a ten-day immersive programme that will take you on a powerful journey of self-discovery, healing and cleansing. Set to take place from the 1st to 10th of November 2019 at Cinnamon Lodge Habarana, this all-inclusive wellness programme will offer a full spectrum of daily wellness activities and therapies conducted by world-renowned experts and specialists, who will guide you, mentor you, inspire you ... Read more