Hyatt Rolls Out Room Keys in Apple Wallet

Hyatt Rolls Out Room Keys in Apple Wallet

Available today at several participating U.S. properties, the new contactless key technology enables World of Hyatt Guests to seamlessly and securely tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock

CHICAGO (December , 2021) – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today the introduction of room keys in Apple Wallet across the first six participating U.S. hotels: Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa, Hyatt House Chicago/West Loop-Fulton Market, Hyatt House Dallas/Richardson, Hyatt Place Fremont/Silicon Valley and Hyatt Regency Long Beach. As the first hotel brand to offer room keys in Apple Wallet, World of Hyatt guests at participating locations can now seamlessly and securely tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to unlock guestrooms and key card-protected common areas like gyms, pools, and elevators – no need to open an app or handle a traditional plastic room key.* This marks an important milestone as Hyatt continues to reimagine the guest experience through digital innovations, offering more control and flexibility during their stay.

“Like everything we do at Hyatt, our approach to technology always includes listening to our guests and members. We heard that they want access to be near-instantaneous. Room keys in Apple Wallet is an easy, convenient and secure room key option for our guests when they travel,” said Julia Vander Ploeg, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Digital and Technology, Hyatt. “We are proud to work with Apple to launch this game-changing digital experience. Many consumer technologies evolve through a ‘tipping point’ that drives a change in adoption. We believe our collaboration with Apple on this new approach to room keys in Apple Wallet can be exactly that.” 

How it Works:

Hyatt room keys in Apple Wallet help deliver an easy and contactless experience from check-in to check out, while also providing additional security and privacy benefits for guests. 

• Seamless Set-up and Check-In: From the World of Hyatt app, members can add their room key to Apple Wallet after completing a reservation. Once added, the room key in Apple Wallet will be updated to let them know when it’s time for check-in. Once a guest is checked in and the room is ready, the room key in Apple Wallet will be activated, will note the guest’s room number and can be used immediately. The room key will not activate until the guest is checked into the hotel and a guestroom has been assigned.

• Safe, Easy and Contactless Experience: If a World of Hyatt guest needs to change rooms, extend a stay or access late checkout, the hotel can update the guest’s room key in Apple Wallet remotely – bypassing the need to visit the front desk. When it’s time to check out, guests can simply do so through the World of Hyatt app. The guest’s room key in Apple Wallet will then be remotely deactivated and archived in Apple Wallet.

• Simply Tap iPhone or Apple Watch to Unlock: Room keys in Apple Wallet give World of Hyatt guests easy and secure access to their room and common areas around the hotel such as the gym, spa, pool and more, with a simple tap of their iPhone running iOS 15 or Apple Watch running watchOS 8. Once a room key is added to Apple Wallet on iPhone or Apple Watch, guests can hold their device near the door’s NFC-enabled lock to access key card-protected areas. With Express Mode, guests don’t need to unlock their device to use their room key in Apple Wallet. If their iPhone needs to be charged, they can still use the device to unlock their room or common areas for up to five hours with automatic Power Reserve.

• More Secure and Private: Room keys in Apple Wallet are stored on your device and take full advantage of the privacy and security built into iPhone and Apple Watch. When or where a World of Hyatt guest uses a room key in Apple Wallet is never shared with Apple or stored on Apple servers. If an iPhone or Apple Watch is misplaced, the guest can promptly use the Find My app to lock the device and help locate it.

Hyatt room keys in Apple Wallet are supported by ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions door locks and their Vostio Access Management cloud-based solution. Vostio Access Management provides the digital key information that is securely delivered to guest devices.

Additional Digital Solutions Hyatt Offers:

Guided by its purpose of care, Hyatt continues implementing digital solutions throughout the travel journey to reimagine and enhance the guest experience:

• Digital Key in the World of Hyatt App: Hyatt’s digital key in the World of Hyatt mobile app utilizes Bluetooth technology that allows guests to use the World of Hyatt app on their iPhone or Android phone as a digital key. Offering Hyatt room keys on multiple digital platforms provides members with more choices during their stay. Hyatt digital keys in the World of Hyatt mobile app are currently available at more than 600 participating hotels.

• Two-Way Hotel Chat: Hyatt is deploying Medallia Zingle-powered intelligent messaging technology across its global portfolio, offering personalized communication between guests and hotel colleagues. This integration seamlessly supports any pre-arrival and in-stay questions, in guests’ preferred language and method of communication, via SMS text, in-app, web chat or popular social messaging apps like WhatsApp.

• Hyatt Collaboration with Gopuff: Hyatt recently introduced a pilot program at participating Hyatt Place properties, offering guests fast, free delivery on thousands of everyday items directly to their hotel from Gopuff’s local micro-fulfillment centers, adding a one-of-a-kind convenience for travelers.

• Together by Hyatt: Earlier this year, Hyatt launched Together by Hyatt, a new suite of events offerings for the re-imagined approach to meetings, building on Hyatt’s deep-rooted expertise in meetings and events to advance care for planners as they navigate the new normal.

• Hyatt Together: Hyatt introduced the Hyatt Together digital platform featuring custom streaming content for guests, members and colleagues. The content is inspired by signature Hyatt experiences from around the globe and designed to inspire wellbeing while traveling, or at home.

• Connect with Chromecast: In-room Chromecast enables guests to pair a personal device to the guestroom TV to stream their favorite shows and movies using preferred apps like YouTube, Netflix, Disney+ and thousands more. Available at participating hotels.

The room key in Apple Wallet feature is now available at the six participating U.S. properties. Looking ahead, this technology is expected to be rolled out across Hyatt’s global portfolio.

For more information about Hyatt room keys in Apple Wallet, visit hyatt.com.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

*Requires an iPhone running iOS 15 and Apple Watch running watchOS 8

For further information:

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of September 30, 2021, Hyatt’s portfolio included more than 1,000 hotel and all-inclusive properties in 69 countries across six continents, and the acquisition of Apple Leisure Group added 96 properties in 10 countries as of November 1, 2021. Hyatt’s offerings include the Park Hyatt®, Miraval®, Grand Hyatt®, Alila®, Andaz®, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination by Hyatt™, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Zilara™, Thompson Hotels®, Hyatt Centric®, Caption by Hyatt, JdV by Hyatt™, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Place®, UrCove, and Hyatt Residence Club® brands, as well as resort and hotel brands under the AMR™ Collection, including Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Breathless® Resorts & Spas, Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Alua® Hotels & Resorts, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. Hyatt’s subsidiaries operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar DMC destination management services, and the Trisept Solutions® travel technology platform. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Marriott International Signs Agreement to Debut the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Brand in Eleuthera

Marriott International Signs Agreement to Debut the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Brand in Eleuthera

Island Resort expected to feature 90 rooms and 60 residences and to blend seclusion and sophistication with unspoiled natural beauty

Marriott International, Inc. today announced it has signed an agreement with Cotton Bay Holdings to introduce a Ritz-Carlton Reserve on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. A highly personalized leisure experience that blends intuitive service with local design and stunning natural landscapes, the resort joins an exclusive collection of only five Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties around the world.

“We are thrilled to bring the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand and service to this pristine island in the Great Bahama Bank” said Laurent de Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer, Caribbean and Latin America, Marriott International. “We are excited to partner with Cotton Bay Holdings in developing this luxury resort, where the original Cotton Bay Club was built in 1959.”

Located on the southern end of the island, the Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Eleuthera is expected to feature an open-air resort including 90 intimate rooms forming part of the community once known as the iconic Cotton Bay Club. A range of select luxury amenities and exceptional services are slated to include an 18-hole golf course, a lavish spa and swimming pools, and restaurants all surrounded by pristine beaches, azure waters and tropical flora and fauna.

Plans also call for the inclusion of 60 Ritz-Carlton Reserve-branded residences, which are expected to include a mix of two to five-bedroom villas. Designed in the same unique architectural style of the resort, each privately owned residence will offer refined design and a one-of-a-kind luxury experience for owners.

“We are pleased to work with Marriott International to bring the Ritz-Carlton Reserve brand and experience to one of the most exotic and secluded destinations in the Caribbean”, said Daniel Zuleta, Manager for Cotton Bay Holdings. “We are excited to make this project a prime example of business, environmental and social excellence. Our plan for the project takes into strong consideration the role of the local communities and their active participation for its success.”

Ritz-Carlton Reserve is a complete escape to the unexpected – a private and transformative travel experience that is centered around human connection and brings together unique elements of the local culture, history, heritage and environment. For the most discerning travelers seeking a personalized and luxurious escape, Reserve properties are tucked away in the rarest corners of the world, featuring chic, relaxed and intimate settings that weave native flavors with highly responsive and individualized service. Marriott International currently operates five properties under the Reserve brand across Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. currently operates more than 100 hotels in 34 countries and territories. For more information or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com, for the latest company updates, visit news.marriott.com and to join the live conversation, use #RCMemories and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR). The Ritz-Carlton is proud to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, the global travel program from Marriott International. The program offers members an extraordinary portfolio of global brands, exclusive experiences on Marriott Bonvoy Moments and unparalleled benefits including free nights and Elite status recognition. To enroll for free or for more information about the program, visit marriottbonvoy.com.

About Marriott International

Women-run food brand Naario raises pre-seed funding from a group of women angel investors & entrepreneurs

Women-run food brand Naario raises pre-seed funding from a group of women angel investors & entrepreneurs

The group of Angel Investors also include Sairee Chahal of Sheroes, Harshita Singh of Times Prime, Ankit Mehrotra of Dineout, amongst others

New Delhi, December 8th,2021 In its bid to build scale and a diverse pan-India presence, women-led and run organic food brand Naario has raised an undisclosed sum in pre-seed funding from a group of angel investors led by women entrepreneurs.

Started by a young and dynamic Anamika Pandey, 24, Naario is India’s first women-led and run food product brand that offers organic cereals, condiments, and beverages. An engineering graduate from NIT Warangal and a Booth School of Business and BigBasket Alum, Anamika started Naario in January 2021 out of her hometown, Gorakhpur, in eastern Uttar Pradesh, over a cup of tea with her mom.

Some of the notable members of the group of Angel Investors included Sairee Chahal of Sheroes, Harshita Singh of Times Prime, Ankit Mehrotra of Dineout, amongst others. The pre-seed funding will help Naario invest in brand building, develop tech-based solutions to scale operations and expand distribution channels as it chases growth in a highly fragmented D2C market.

Commenting on the pre-seed funding, Anamika, Founder and CEO, said: “Naario is a brand built for women whose passion for cooking goes unrecognized. It was built with the mission to touch the lives of millions of women who have talent but no resources to realize their dreams. Ever since the launch, Naario has grown fast and this round of funding will help us to move rapidly in a highly competitive market,” explains Anamika Pandey, Founder and CEO, Naari

Commenting on the investment, Sairee, said: “Our strategic investment in Naario is in line with our endeavour to create a wide and diverse ecosystem of women entrepreneurs, who are working towards supporting women’s and their aspirations. In a short period, Anamika and her team have built something truly commendable.”

Within a few months of launch, Naario has expanded its product range from four to seven and its reach from Gorakhpur, a small city in Eastern UP, to more than 10 states across the country. The current product portfolio includes everyday favourites like 9-in-1 flour mix, South Indian Filter Coffee decoction, All Rounder Garam Masala, Lucknowi Masala, Classic Muesli, Jaggery powder with Chai Masala, South Indian Filter Coffee decoction and Rose Sherbet to name a few.

Naario combines the essence of two words- Naari and Opportunity - happens to be one of India's first women led and run food brands. Naario is democratising good food while building a community of women who are more than ready to tie their creative talents to their identity. Naario, as a brand, comes in at a time when health has become an average Indian’s prerogative and women have realised that they need their own identity and financial freedom.

CII and ITC Hotels Join Hands with EHL Group to Offer Swiss Professional Diploma in Hospitality

CII and ITC Hotels Join Hands with EHL Group to Offer
Swiss Professional Diploma in Hospitality

• The 18-month Professional Diploma program, VET by EHL, is a product of the renowned EHL Group of Switzerland

• The Program will be delivered at four ITC Hotels across the country,by the best of industry experts as faculty at the luxury properties

• Students who have finished schooling can enroll in the program. There is assured job placement after successful completion

• 50 students to be trained at ITC Sonar and ITC Royal Bengal (Kolkata)

KOLKATA / December , 2021: In a significant initiative for skill development in Indian hospitality undertaken by industry body CII, an 18-month Vocational Education &Training (VET) Professional Diploma program by the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne(EHL) Education Group of Switzerland will be delivered at four ITC Hotels across the country.

A total of 200 students who have passed 12th standard in school will be enrolled in the first batch across four luxury properties including ITC Maurya (New Delhi), ITC Sonar and ITC Royal Bengal (Kolkata), ITC Maratha (Mumbai) and ITC Grand Chola (Chennai). Fifty students will be taught at each hotel. CII has assured 100% placement to students upon successful completion of the ‘VET by EHL’ Professional Diploma program that is recognized by all major hospitality chains worldwide.

Said Sougata Roy Choudhury, Executive Director, CII: “At CII, we intend to address the need of the Indian hospitality industry for skilled, globally benchmarked talent. Hence this partnership with the127-year-old EHL Group, which is ranked as the No. 1 hospitality and leisure management school in the world. We also wanted to partner with stalwarts of Indian hospitality to impart training to the students, and ITC Hotels was the natural choice. India not only has a sizable youth population conversant with English, but also exponentially growing accommodation offerings across tourist destinations in the country.”

He added:“The current demand-supply gap of trained workforce in the Indian hospitality sector is at a shortfall of about 80%. Hospitality employers find the workforce being supplied below the industry's high expectations. There is a definite need in India for globally recognized vocational training that can create a pool of talented hospitality professionals. The VET by EHL program will bridge the skills gap and strengthen India's position as the global hospitality workforce supplier of choice. It will train the youth to world-class standards for careers in hospitality, including hotels, airlines, cruise lines, catering and travel industry, not only in India but around the world. This is a unique training model in partnership with the industry, delivered at industry premises and facilitated by industry experts, to prepare the youth for quality employment within the industry. Nothing like this exists in India currently.”

The VET by EHL program, including training, will be delivered at ITC Hotels by the best of industry experts as faculty. Said Nilesh Mitra, Vice President, Talent Management, ITC Hotels: “We have an excellent faculty for this program. At ITC Hotels, we consistently upgrade the training skill set and integrate new learnings to the modules. Our faculty at each ITC Hotel has been trained and certified by EHL and CII. They bring with them immense experience and knowledge. Moreover, students will be able to learn through interactions with guests in real work settings at ITC Hotels. The programme will enable us to strengthen our talent pipeline as we continue to expand our presence in the country. We intend to add more hotels to this programme in 2022.”

He added: “This program provides students from West Bengal a splendid opportunity to skill and reskill themselves with an international curriculum closer to home and contribute to the immense hospitality and tourism potential of the state. This Swiss Professional Diploma programme will place them on par, if not above, with students from leading hospitality schools, with benefits ofOn-the-Job training.”

Said Aman Aditya Sachdev, Director & Regional Head at EHL Advisory Services for South Asia, Middle East & Myanmar: “The VET by EHL program is based on principles of the world-renowned Swiss Competency Framework. It has been developed over a two-year period by EHL subject matter experts and faculty members,with global industry feedback.The objective is to prepare the youth for frontline job roles in hospitality at global standards. Students of the program in India will be at a significant advantage with future employers, in global mobility and in career progression. They will acquire knowledge and competencies required by the industry at par with international programs.”

Added Praveen Roy, Associate Director and Regional Head of VET by EHL for South Asia, Middle East & Myanmar: “India has always been a high priority country for the EHL Education Group due to several factors like the demographic dividend, the pro-hospitality mindset of the youth, the current size and projected growth of the hospitality industry resulting in high levels of demand for a qualified workforce, India’s unique position in the global supply of skilled manpower for the hospitality industry, and the quality of the current skilling programs available to the Indian youth.”

About the Program

The VET by EHL Professional Diplomas is spread over 18 months, divided into three levels of learning - Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced. The Program will offer learning in three distinct streams: ‘Culinary’, ‘Food & Beverage Service’ & ‘Rooms’ that follow VET by EHL’s world-renowned quality-assurance standards. Each certificate level builds skills on top of the previous and culminates into a Professional Diploma.

Students will get online access to the world-class global Learning Management System developed by EHL. They will be assessed on both theoretical knowledge on the Swiss Learning Management System as well as on practical skills acquired during training. On completion, the students will become a part of the prestigious VET by EHL Global Alumni Network. Furthermore, they are also offered an option to enrol for and pursue a UGC recognized degree.

The students are assured of 100% placement after successful completion of the programme. Backed by the international diploma, being job ready in 18 months and with real-life learning experience at luxury hotels of ITC, they will be sought after by all 5-star hotels in the country and abroad. 

The total fee for the program is Rs 300,000 (plus taxes).

Student must have cleared 12th standard from a recognized board in India with minimum 50% marks in English.

For more details about the program: 

Call: 8700554435

Email: admissions@ciiskills.in

Website: www.ciiih.com

About CII 

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the development of India, partnering industry, Government and civil society through advisory and consultative processes. CII works closely with the top 86 hospitality member organizations. 

About ITC Hotels

ITC's Hotel Group is India's leading luxury hotel chain with more than 100

hotels in over 70 destinations in India. Embodying ‘Responsible Luxury’ as its guiding premise, ITC’s hotel group operates under six distinct brands; ‘ITC Hotel’ at the Luxury end, ‘Welcomhotel’ in the 5-star segment, ‘Fortune’ in the mid-market to upscale segment and ‘WelcomHeritage’ in the heritage leisure segment. Brand Mementos in the Luxury segment and brand Storii in the premium segment are the latest addition to the ITC Hotels portfolio. Learning from the experts at ITC Hotels will provide the best experience to students. ITC Hotels have become synonymous with Indian hospitality, which ensures top-notch quality of education.

About Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL

EHL is the world's leading hospitality university that has pioneered the methods of Swiss hospitality education for over 125 years. The VET programs used a balance learning approach that combines hands-on courses with blended learning courses to develop operational skills for the industry and transferable skills for future growth and learning. 

Malaysia bans entry of travellers from 8 countries amid Omicron scar

Malaysia has imposed travel restrictions on travellers from eight countries in a bid to stop the new Omicron variant from spreading to the country, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Wednesday.

The countries affected are South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi, with non-citizens from these countries being barred from entering Malaysia, he told a press conference. The restriction will also apply to migrant workers as well as international students from the affected countries.

The Minister also said the list would be updated regularly and countries added or removed as needed. He said that while Malaysian citizens, permanent residents and long-term passholders were not barred, they would be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine on arrival, Xinhua news agency reported. Khairy also said plans to introduce vaccinated travel lanes with countries afflicted with Omicron would be put on hold.

The Omicron variant was first reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) by South Africa last week. So far, several European countries as well as countries and regions including Australia, Canada, Israel and China's Hong Kong have confirmed infections of the variant.

Gordon Ramsay opens pizza restaurant at Atlantis, The Palm

Gordon Ramsay has opened his third restaurant in Dubai – Gordon Ramsay’s Street Pizza. Envisioned as a more relaxed venue, Street Pizza offers unlimited pizza by the slice and will host live DJ performances every night of the week.

The new outlet will be next to his existing Bread Street Kitchen in Atlantis, The Palm. Made in the showcase central pizza oven, guests can choose from five pizza combinations. Signatures include Margherita, pepperoni, charred aubergine, and corn and chorizo, along with a daily special, with options including pulled lamb or wild mushroom.

Ramsay said: “Pizza doesn’t need to be complicated, and I’m ready to introduce Dubai to simple, delicious bottomless pizza – served by the slice so guests can enjoy as much of our signature toppings as they like. I believe in supporting growth, and more importantly, opening really great places for people to eat and have fun. I invite everyone to come and enjoy fantastic pizza, listen to the best DJs, and have an amazing time.”

His other Dubai restaurant – Hell’s Kitchen – is at Caesar’s Palace on Bluewater’s Island and is at a different price point to his two Atlantis outposts. His new outlet offers bottomless pizza for AED95.

Atlantis has 35 individual restaurants, bars and a beach club, with venues from Gordon Ramsay, Nobu Matsuhisa and Giorgio Locatelli. The resort serves 4.4 million dining guests every year and, with the addition of Atlantis, The Royal in 2021, Atlantis Dubai will be home to more celebrity chef outposts than any hotel in the world. 

Burj Al Arab creates dedicated spaces for tour guide visitors

The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah looks to distinguish its new tour guide offerings from its existing hospitality offerings. In its latest move, the hotel has announced new dedicated areas for tour guide visitors to use during these visits.

Burj Al Arab’s new Exit Lobby opens this month and the space will be soon welcome the public for the first time. This installation will add to the list of Sans Souci’s projects in the Middle East which includes the W Hotel The Palm and KCA achievements including Dubai Metro and Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai.

Designed by KCA International for Jumeirah Group, the newly renovated Exit Lobby features a striking spiral chandelier as the bespoke centerpiece for the interior.

London-based interior designer Khuan Chew of KCA International created the original designs for the Burj Al Arab lobby – an environment of ornate grandeur with an explosion of color.

“Burj Al Arab is a globally-recognized symbol of Dubai and luxury so we were delighted to work on this project,” said Elie El Khoury, managing director of Sans Souci Middle East. “We wanted to create a unique installation for the new interior that embodies the opulence of this iconic hotel.”  

Jiří Krišica, head of design at Sans Souci, added: “The core design for this piece is taken from our Symphony collection and we then worked with the design team to create a truly unique chandelier that highlights the stunning interiors of the hotel. The final effect is an installation that plays with light and shade, creating a beautiful focus for the space.”  

Jumeirah Group has announced guided tours for its flagship hotel – Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. The ‘Inside Burj Al Arab’ tour promises to show the ins and outs of the famous property.

The tour lasts 90 minutes and is guided by one of the property’s butlers. It includes a visit to the hotel atrium and royal suite as well as an experience suite. There will also be digital interaction, allowing guests to see the history with the original architectural designs of the hotel.

Marriott News | Marriott Bonvoy Logs into the Metaverse with Debut of Travel-Inspired NFTs

Marriott Bonvoy Logs into the Metaverse with Debut of Travel-Inspired NFTs

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program featuring 30 extraordinary hotel brands and endless experiences, has teamed up with up-and-coming digital artists – TXREK, JVY, and Erick Nicolay – to create three Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Marriott Bonvoy will become one of the first hospitality brands to create its own NFTs and will unveil the digital art, inspired by the travel program’s recent global “Power of Travel” campaign, on Saturday, December 4 at Art Basel Miami Beach 2021.

“We are excited to bring our extraordinary portfolio of hotel brands and endless experiences into this growing platform,” said Brian Povinelli, Senior Vice President, Brand, Loyalty, and Portfolio Marketing, Marriott International. “We continuously seek opportunities to defy what is conventional and, with our entry in the digital goods space, we are further igniting the transformative power of travel in the virtual world, while supporting this growing community of incredibly talented artists.”

NFTs are one-of-a-kind digital collectibles that can be traded on the blockchain, often referred to as the “key” to the metaverse. The metaverse is a hypothesized iteration of the internet, supporting 3-D virtual environments through conventional personal computing. Each of the NFTs created for Marriott Bonvoy are an interpretation of travel from the artists’ own unique experiences, illustrating how travel has an unmistakable impact on the human spirit.

• MΞMORIED, created by Tarek Mustapha a.k.a. TXREK (Tarek Em), uncovers the magic envisioned from new experiences. Each destination provides its own adventure, with each experience logged into a memory that adds to the previous one as if they are connected. The digital art incorporates Marriott Bonvoy’s path connector as a pathway to the magical journeys ahead and the peace of mind in staying at any of the approximately 7,900 properties within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio.

• The Emotional Journey, designed by Jared “Jay” Richardson (JVY), was inspired by the ability of environmental travel to evoke different emotions, whether seeking inspiration escaping reality, or fulfilling one’s curiosity to explore. The digital art travels between three environments, each expressing a different point of time – from the forest where one can feel lost and the utopia where everything is perfect to the futurism which conveys a postmodern reality.

• THE EXPERIENTIAL IN BETWEEN, developed by Erick Nicolay, explores the duality between the curated elegance of indoor travel experiences and the awe-inspiring scenic exploration of outdoor traveling experiences, with Marriott Bonvoy as the final destination. The digital art merges his appreciation for interior design and love for external nature only made possible through 3D surrealistic depictions.

On Saturday, December 4 at 10:30 p.m., the NFTs will be unveiled at the FaZe Forever Powered by MoonPay event during Art Basel, the world’s premier art show for modern and contemporary art. A countdown clock will draw attendees to the reveal of the NFTCODE where three lucky individuals will each win one of the NFTs as well as 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Marriott Bonvoy’s global Power of Travel campaign executed several industry and company firsts including the first-to-market moment for a hospitality brand with TikTok, the first to employ Pinterest’s technology and real-time trends in an out-of-home placement, and more. Looking ahead to 2022, Marriott Bonvoy aims to continue building a presence within the metaverse and engage with consumers in an impactful and inventive way.

To explore more with Marriott Bonvoy, visit marriottbonvoy.com.

About Marriott Bonvoy®
Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program and marketplace, gives members access to transformative, eye-opening experiences around the corner and across the globe. Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary brands offers renowned hospitality in the most memorable destinations in the world. Members can earn points for stays at hotels and resorts, including all-inclusive resorts and premium home rentals, as well as through everyday purchases with co-branded credit cards. Members can redeem their points for experiences including future stays, Marriott Bonvoy Moments, or through partners for luxurious products from Marriott Bonvoy Boutiques. With the Marriott Bonvoy app, members enjoy a level of personalization and contactless experience that allows them to travel with peace of mind. To enroll for free or for more information about Marriott Bonvoy, visit marriottbonvoy.com. To download the Marriott app, go here. Travelers can also connect with Marriott Bonvoy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Bookbanquetroom.com to power The Fern Hotels & Resorts’ Online Banquet Bookings

Bookbanquetroom.com is proud to announce that it will be powering The Fern Hotels & Resorts online banquet booking services. The unique venue booking software developed by ​​Bookbanquetroom.com facilitates booking a banquet hall online for meetings and events in a matter of under 2 minutes.

The Fern is one of the first chains of hotels to have partnered with Bookbanquetroom.com. The Fern Hotels & Resorts (managed by Concept Hospitality Pvt. Ltd) is amongst the fastest growing hotel brands in India. The Fern is a collection of upscale and midscale hotels and resorts. They offer a unique experience with premium accommodation and services. The Fern group currently has over 80 hotels under its management and several more properties are going to open soon in the coming months. 

Of the 84 hotels currently under management, The Fern Hotels & Resorts has installed the banquet booking engine for 58 hotels that have extensive meetings and events facilities. 

Speaking about this new feature, Mr Noshir A Marfatia, Senior Vice President, The Fern Hotels & Resorts mentioned, “In our endeavour to make it easier for our customers to make their banquet bookings, we have decided to deploy this unique banquet booking engine across our group of hotels. We see great value in this booking engine developed by bookbanquetroom.com. In phase I, our customers can now view their preferred venues and check for availability and directly receive a quote for their events. And going forward our customers can book their events online 24/7 in a matter of 2 minutes. This booking engine will offer great convenience to our customers and will help them save time and effort. We see this booking engine solution as an easy-to-use software not only for the end consumers but also for the hotels as it assists bookings, maintains records and data in a matter of seconds.”

Speaking about the partnership with Book Banquet Room, Mr Sarosh Khatib, Founder & CEO said “BBR is one step towards revolutionizing an otherwise technologically limited hospitality sector. It is a software for a more user-friendly and convenient tomorrow. The partnership with a brand like The Fern is proof that the hospitality sector is ready for a technological revamp. I am glad that The Fern saw great potential in BBR and I look forward to a fruitful and profitable partnership with them!”

About Bookbanquetroom.com:

Bookbanquetroom.com is a booking engine that provides white-labelled solutions and offers customized policies and procedures with all the branding of the hotels/ banquet halls. It can help make bookings of a small meeting of 6 people to a large event of 2000+ people. It can also be deployed for Private Dining rooms in restaurants. It is the need of the hour as it addresses all COVID protocols. 

The booking engine simplifies the business process for banquet hall/ hotel managers and owners and helps in increasing revenues, profits and saves manpower costs. Hotel managers can manage their banquet diaries 24/7 from any mobile device.  

About The Fern Hotels & Resorts:

The Fern Hotels & Resorts is India’s leading environmentally sensitive hotel chain and amongst the fastest growing hotel brands in India, with 84 hotels & resorts currently operational under management or opening shortly across 69 locations in India and internationally, under The Fern, The Fern Residency, The Zinc by The Fern and Beacon Hotels brands, with 15 hotels opened during the pandemic lockdowns of 2020 & 2021. The company is a part of CG Corp Global, a multi-dimensional Nepalese conglomerate.

Karnataka: International tourism expo slated for February shelved

In September, the government had announced that Karnataka will host the state tourism international expo in February 2022. This was after it assessed that international flights would resume normal operations by November 15.

However, now with the onset of Omicron, Karnataka has been forced to postpone the mega event, which was aimed at reviving the struggling tourism industry.

“The Karnataka International Travellers Expo (KITE), scheduled to be held from February 23 to 25, 2022 has been postponed to April,” said tourism secretary Pankaj Kumar Pandey.

Pandey, however, said the government had taken a call to postpone the event two to three weeks prior to the news of the fast-spreading Omicron strain as normal operations of international flights weren’t resuming anytime soon. “We had made a guesstimate of normal flights not resuming soon and thus took a call to postpone the event...,” said Pandey.

Sources, however, suggested that KITE could be postponed beyond April too as resumption of international flights looks unlikely before March/April next year.

Though ranked eighth on India’s list of states dependent on international travellers, Karnataka has a high footfall of foreign tourists. KIA, as per state government data, was ranked fifth in footfall between January 2019-January 2020.

“Though foreign tourism is next to nil, revival of domestic tourism has helped the industry experience a semblance of recovery as many people who were cooped up in their homes for over a year are suddenly out and travelling,” said tourism director Sindhu B Rupesh.

“With Karnataka recording the first cases of the new variant, we worry if the situation will once again deteriorate,” said a department official.

Co-living startup Settl raises $500K in seed round from ah! Ventures, others

Settl, a technology-driven managed accommodation platform, has raised $500,000 in seed round. The funding round witnessed participation from We Founder Circle, ah! Ventures, and other angel investors like Saurabh Jha, director- growth and analytics, Housing.com; Ashu Dubey, (principal product manager-Linkedin; Mahesh Pillai, senior vice president, Pierian Services Pvt Ltd; and Abdul Paravengal, ex CBO, Shipper.

Settl plans to deploy the funds to enhance its technology stack and acquire more supplies. It also plans to expand aggressively across cities, including Delhi-NCR, Pune, and Chennai, targeting an inventory of more than 2000 beds in the next six months for urban professionals.

“Settl is disrupting the co-living concept by offering fully managed living spaces using their years of experience in this domain. They offer multi-city multi-location beautiful 1&2 BHK options at your fingertips using smart tech…" said Neeraj Tyagi, co-founder and CEO, We Founder Circle.

“We are building a network that caters to the modern needs of flexi living where Settl brings thoughtfully designed spaces and curated experiences with a bunch of amenities that makes city living effortless" said Bharath Bhaskar, co-founder, Settl.

"There are competitors in the space, but the space still has a lot of potential. Since covid and work from home are coming into play - a lot has changed for the real estate world and in the rental space. Hence, a lot of people are investing to enter the market at its lowest…", said Karn Rajani, venture partner, ah! Ventures.

In a little over a year, Settl has locked 1,200 beds in two cities. It has been witnessing 30% rise in demand quarter on quarter. Following the fresh fund infusion, it aims to serve over 3,000 clients per month, the startup said.

Fortune Hotels adds property in pilgrimage destinations

Fortune Hotels adds property in pilgrimage destinations

Fortune Hotels, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Ltd announced the signing of two individual operating agreements for hotels in Katra (Jammu & Kashmir) and Amritsar (Punjab), thereby strengthening its growth strategy in key pilgrim locations and adding over 100 new rooms to its existing inventory.

Speaking about the group’s current business development strategy and new alliances, Samir MC, Managing Director, Fortune Park Hotels Limited, said: “We are pleased to announce our entry into two of the most revered pilgrimage centres of India- Katra & Amritsar. These additions further strengthen our focus on pilgrimage destinations and add more depth to our existing portfolio of operational and hotels in pipeline in various locations like Tirupati, Madurai, Haridwar, Dharamshala, Deoghar, Shirdi and Ajmer.”

“We thank our new partners for their trust in us and seek to affiliate with more such like-minded Owning Boards to bring the Fortune Advantage to their hotels and our reputed brand to their towns. Fortune Hotels today purvey a very interesting mix of business and leisure hotels, thereby offering a gamut of new experiences to guests who stay with us. We thank our Owner Partners for entrusting us with their hotels,” he further added.

Fortune Park The Atrium, Katra set in the heart of Katra city home to the Holy shrine of Maa Vaishno Devi. This 58-room spacious hotel with a glass pyramid-shaped atrium roof, is poised to open in the summer of 2022 with refreshed contemporary interiors, modern facilities and impeccable services that promise to offer homelike comfort to leisure traveller looking to explore this popular tourist destination. The aesthetic property is owned by M/s Swastik Resort.

Expressing delight at the alliance, Nishant Sharma of Swastik Resort said: “This is our maiden venture with a branded hotel chain and we are delighted to bring Fortune Hotels to Katra. With the Indianness, efficient world-class management and culinary strength they bring, our guests are sure to delight in the renewed us. We hope for new success with the Fortune Team and are certain to become the most preferred hotel amongst business and leisure travelers in the city in our segment.”

Fortune Inn Heritage Walk, Amritsar, is a 50-room boutique hotel conveniently located in close proximity to Jallianwala Bagh, just off Heritage Street and a 5-mins walk from the sacred Golden Temple. This gratifying property is undergoing a refurbishment programme and is anticipated to open towards the mid of 2022

Samir MC, managing director, Fortune Park Hotels Limited with Inderpal Singh and Navinderpal Singh, Owner partners of Fortune Inn Heritage Walk Amritsar at the signing of the MoU.

Highlighting the momentous signing Inder Pal Singh and Navinder Pal Singh of M/s Hotel City Park said: “We are delighted to partner with Fortune Hotels for our onward journey. Their operational acumen, service standards and warm hospitality backed by the ITC legacy are hidden from none.”

Strategically located in their respective destinations both hotels enjoy a distinct positioning and address the growing accommodation demand for branded hotels in these high potential markets by offering quality stay options at an attractive value.

With these signings, the premier domestic chain now adds over 100 new rooms across 2 key cities of India, bringing their existing inventory to over 4000 rooms across 46 cities.
.

New Executive Committee of PHA Elected for 2021-22

New  Executive Committee of PHA  Elected for 2021-22

Poona Hoteliers Association, a body representing 60+ Star Hotels of Pune, 11 Hotel Management Institutes, and 10 Hospitality Vendor Members, elects Mr Sharan Shetty as President for 2021-22 at the Annual General Meeting held on 30th September, 2021 at Amanora The Fern Hotel. He continues his 3rd Year as President. 

The Executive Committee (Office Bearers) of the Poona Hoteliers Association 2021-22 is as under :

President of Honour - Mr. Suresh Talera

Immd. Past President - Mr Neerav Panchamia

President - Mr. Sharan Shetty

Vice President - Mr. Amit Sharma

Hon Secretary - Mr. Vikramraj Shetty

Jt Hon. Secretary - Mr Vinay Nair

Hon Treasurer - Mr. Shrinivas Chaphalkar 

Jt. Hon. Treasurer - Mr. Sumit Sharma

Secretary General - Ms. Prapti Deshpande

Members - Mr Suju Krishnan, Ms Mahua Narayan, Mr Biswajit Biswas, Mr Akhil Agarwal, Mr Sumit Kumar 

Past Presidents - Mr Arun Nayar, Mr Sanjay Singh

Patrons - Mr MPS Anand, Mr Satish Bakre 

Note from President - I am thankful to the members for having elected me for the year as their President. The past two years have been very tough for the Hospitality Industry due to the Pandemic situation . The PHA has been in the forefront , engaging local as well and state authorities about a number of issues  such as Industry Status, MSEB charges , waiver for Property Tax, taking on the Novex , IPRS & PPL amongst a host of other issues . The Poona Hoteliers Association has been an active voice in Maharashtra in highlighting and working towards these issues along with the Regional Associations and the government. It also took up the successful recovery of all dues owed by the State Govt to the hotels which were taken for the front line workers during the first wave . We also have many activities planned for members such as Educational Seminars, Training Programmes, Blood Donation Camp, PHAPL 4.0 (Cricket Tournament) and many more for the year.

In Photo - Complete Executive Committee - Sitting Left to right - Mr. Arun Nayar, Mr. MPS (Pali) Anand, Mr. Neerav Panchamia, Mr. Sharan Shetty, Mr. Amit Sharma, Mr. Sanjay Singh, Standing left to right - Mr. Akhil Agarwal, Mr. Vikramraj Shetty, Mr. Biswajit Biswas, Mr. Suju Krishnan, Ms. Prapti Deshpande, Mr. Shrinivas Chaphalkar, Mr. Vinay Nair, Mr. Sumit Sharma. 

Indian government puts a brake on scheduled international flights

The directorate-general of civil aviation (DGCA) in a notification announced the government’s decision.

With the new Coronavirus variant disrupting the world yet again, the Government of India has withdrawn its decision to allow scheduled international flights into India from December 15.

The aviation regulator, directorate-general of civil aviation (DGCA) in a notification on December 1, 2021, announced that the government has decided to postpone its earlier decision (released on November 26, 2021) to open the Indian skies for international scheduled flights with conditions.

“In view of the evolving global scenario with the emergence of new variants of concern, the situation is being watched closely in consultation with all stakeholders and an appropriate decision indicating the effective date of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services shall be notified in due course,” DGCA informed.

The Prime Minister himself had voiced his concern on the new variant Omicron, and asked the agencies to review the decision to start the international scheduled flights a couple of days back.

Various countries of the world including Israel, Japan, Australia, among others, have already imposed similar restrictions on international flights as a precautionary measure.

The health ministry has already issued strict vigilance, testing and monitoring of international passengers at airports. Meanwhile, the presence of the new variant has been reported in new geographies, including Saudi Arabia.

FHRAI joins hands in Siliguri hotel owner’s case against OYO in Supreme Court

This will enable the federation to represent many other aggrieved budget hotel owners with their cases

The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has been allowed to join the party in the appeal of the Siliguri Hotelier, Mona Agrawalla’s in the apex court against OYO, the budget hotel aggregator. This will help the federation to represent the cause of many aggrieved budget hotel owners in the case.

According to a press statement issued by the federation, based on the civil appeal filed by FHRAI under Section 62 of the IBC, challenging the final order dated July 07, 2021 passed by the NCLAT, the Supreme Court has allowed its plea to be tagged along with the appeal of Mona Agrawalla of Dabriwal Enterprises of Siliguri against OYO. The case will come up for hearing next on December 15, 2021.

This development comes after the NCLAT vide its July 7 order had allowed the withdrawal of application filed by an operational creditor, Rakesh Yadav on his reaching a settlement with OYO. The federation in its plea to the SC had stated the withdrawal application was accepted by the NCLAT without taking into account the 110 other operational creditors with dues of over INR 225 crore.

“The latest development has offered several hoteliers especially, those operating in the budget and mid-market segment a ray of hope of recovering the dues owed by OYO. Aggrieved by the NCLAT’s impugned order, several members approached FHRAI to file a civil appeal against the order and to also be impleaded in the appeal matter of Agrawalla. Many hoteliers including our members are facing hardships due to COVID19 and have scarce resources to file individual and costly litigations in the SC on their own. These hoteliers just can’t leave their businesses to go to Delhi especially, during pandemics and hence FHRAI filed a civil appeal challenging the judgment passed by the NCLAT. The SC has allowed our association to be tagged along with the Siliguri-based hotelier’s appeal. This is a big breakthrough,” says Gurbaxish Singh Kohli, vice-president, FHRAI.

The FHRAI was also an intervenor in the NCLAT and represented around 50 members with claims of approx. INR 100 crores..

TAAI appeals to Maharashtra Govt to synchronise new covidprotocols with Central Govt

TAAI appeals to Maharashtra Govt to synchronise new covidprotocols with Central Govt

Travel Agents Association of India(TAAI) in its communication to Shri Aditya Thackeray, Minister of Tourism, Govt of Maharashtra has appealed to synchronise the new covid protocols, for Domestic and International Travellers, coming to Maharashtra, in line with the directive of the Central Government.

Domestic Travel:

As per the new guidelines and directions issued for Maharashtra by the the Chief Secretary on 30th November’21, it has been made mandatory for all travellers to carry a RT-PCR test report 48 hours prior to departure, before entering Maharashtra, irrespective of being dually vaccinated.

Due to this we shall be facing a huge challenge since travellers will cancel their bookings to Maharashtra, where we were seeing gradual revival of business and enhancement to the economy of the state. Refunds from airlines, hotels, etc, shall also become a huge burden and further aggrevate huge losses to the trade and overall economy, stated Smt Jyoti Mayal, President of TAAI.

The travel trade and economy has taken a big hit in the past 2 years and during this revival stage when the numbers are well curtailed and controlled, it is our humble appeal to maintain Uniform Regulations set by the Central Government, she stated.

International Travel:

Jay Bhatia, Vice President of TAAI states that, as per the new guidelines and directions issued for Maharashtra by the the Chief Secretary on 30th November’21, it has been made mandatory for all arriving from At Risk Countries (as per GOI list) to undertake institutional quarantine for 7 days.

Due to the said directive, travellers have panicked and are planning re-routing through other states and cities out of Maharashtra and shall stay for a day obtain RT-PCR and then arrive into Maharashtra.

This shall create a huge challenge to monitor as well for the Government. The purpose to check, monitor and adhere shall get totally defeated, he added.

Hence by permitting them to arrive into Maharashtra and follow universal protocols across the country shall not only enable but also assist the government in appropriately monitoring the situation, stated Bhati

Further, the list of Instiutional quarantine accommodations is not yet released by the state, citywise and travellers arriving from tomorrow night, 3rd December’21 shall be stuck at the airports.

We have appealed in this regard that the State of Maharashtra, vide the Chief Secretary, Shri Debashish Chaktrabory,Dr Pradeep Kumar Vyas Additional Chief Secretary- Dept of Health, as well as Smt Valsa Nair Singh, Principal Secretary Tourism of Maharashtra Govt,  in the interest of its citizens safety as well as the economy, immediately consider our request to follow standard universal protocols in sync with the Central Government for International as well as Domestic travellers arriving into the state, stated the TAAI communication.

Suryadatta Group of Institutes of Hotel Management ink pact with Eclat Hospitality to ensure global careers for students.

From Left to Right

Mr.Atul Deshpande , Mr.Ulhas Chaudhari, Mr.Vikas Mehra, Ms.Anuradha Khot

Suryadatta Group of Institutes of Hotel Management ink pact with Eclat Hospitality to ensure global careers for students.

Pune: Suryadatta Group of Institutes of Hotel Management inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Eclat Hospitality for training and placement opportunities for its students.

The MoU was signed by, Mr. Vikas Mehra, Director of International placement, Eclat Hospitality and Ulhas Chaudhari Principal in Incharge of Suryadatta Institutes of hotel management said that this will help students remain in sync with the ever-changing

From Left to right

Mr. Atul Deshpande TPO Suryadatta Group of Institutes of Hotel Management

Mr. Ulhas Chaudhari Principal Incharge Suryadatta Group of Institutes of Hotel Management

Mr. Vikas Mehra Director of International Placements Eclat hospitality

Ms. Anuradha Khot Senior Advisor - Institutional Tie-ups Eclat hospitality

Dr. Kaviraj Khialani was invited as Guest of Honor- Industry Expert at ICOHOST 2021- International Conference on Hospitality and Tourism- GNA University, Punjab.

Looking at the welcome back and some of the safe to move trends in the Hospitality and Tourism business and the way forward approach to create a synchronised formulae towards achieving success and stability one of the recent initiatives taken include the ICO-HOST 2021, international conference held on 27th November 2021 at the GNA University campus. Among many noted dignitaries and well known academicians from around the world the event also saw a good number of students from hospitality and tourism management course who chose to be a part of the full day highly informative and valuable seminar.

The use of technology in hospitality industry and its pros- cons along with its functional aspects, guest satisfaction grid rate, adaptability and accessibility aspects etc were a few of the many points spoken and discussed during the sessions. Dr. Kaviraj Khialani highlighted the need of the hour of being mentally and physically strong to start with and to work on the sync with technology which surely can be beneficial for hospitality professionals but not to overlook the importance and merits of basic know how and foundation knowledge of our technical subjects and departments. His deliberation included the thought process to be clear, the mind set to be positive and the balance factor which makes it easy for us to accept, adapt and acknowledge the use of technology in a highly effective manner which can help us see happy guests coming back to our hotels and restaurants more often.

“It is important to have the correct combination of clarity of mind with a synchronised approach towards building a better professional delivery and professional approach on a day to day basis in order to offer quality service with the highest possible standards of safety and well- being to our valued and esteemed guests who will always keep in mind the experience they went through while visiting or during the course of their stay at our hotels” – Chef Kaviraj also concluded by saying that the students looking forward to graduating in the near future have a very good scope and varied openings to choose from in various verticals in the hospitality industry and with an open mind and zeal to perform it would be a great professional journey for all. The grand event saw its end with a special felicitation ceremony in which Chef Kaviraj was presented and awarded a memento and certificate of appreciation by the vice- chancellor, dean and head of department at GNA University.

Overall the one-day international conference was a great success and it shared a lot of important facts and created awareness among the attendees as well on various aspects attached to the world of hospitality.

Cake Mixing ceremony heralds Xmas season at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore

Cake Mixing ceremony heralds Xmas season at DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore

With exactly a month to go for Christmas and New Year, DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bangalore ushered in good tidings and happiness with the traditional cake mixing ceremony.

The fanfare witnessed guests, hotel staff, and teachers from prominent hospitality institutes get together to combine all the ingredients- massive varieties of candied fruits, assorted nuts, mixed spices, fruit peels all soaked in rum, wine and other alcoholic beverages. The day of the event was rung in under the watchful eyes of newly appointed Executive Chef Ajith Cheruvattath and Pastry Chef Kaushik Mitra.

“The heady mix of exotic ingredients will now be allowed to rest for at least a month. The more the ingredients get soaked in good quantity of spirits, the better the taste. We will combine flour with this mixture for the dough, to be baked to perfection for some finest Christmas Cakes, Carrot Cakes, Dundee Cakes, Stollen breads and other festive indulgences..richer, yummier and blissful in taste,” Chef Ajith said.

“Last year, we hosted one-of-a-kind virtual cake mixing ceremony with the digital mavericks of Bengaluru. However, this time we celebrated in an even bigger way with our in-house guests, Chefs as well as team members. Through this fruit soaking ceremony, we also invited educators from reputed institutes to express our appreciation for adapting, engaging, planning, and most importantly showing compassion to students when they needed it the most. It was truly ecstatic to watch them participate in the mixing, thereby, celebrating the onset of festive season”, said hotel’s General Manager Subhabrata Roy.

A takeaway counter for traditional delicacies along with Christmas Hampers will be available to guests closer to the festival. “As we usher in the season of joy and festivities, we have plans to ring in Christmas and New Year in style. The cake mixing ceremony is just the beginning of the celebrations,” Subhabrata Roy added.

TAAI and Expo 2020 Dubai tie-up turns out to be a great success, Delhi roadshow was a big hit: TAAI

TAAI and Expo 2020 Dubai tie-up turns out to be a great success, Delhi roadshow was a big hit: TAAI

The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and Expo 2020 Dubai team organised a presentation for its members in Delhi to inform and educate members on the mega-trade show. The event was led by Anoop Kanuga, Managing Committee Member & Chairman of the Tourism Services Council, association’s Northern region and Charson Advisory, who is the official sales & marketing representative for Expo 2020 Dubai in India. Present on the occasion were members of TAAI along with National President, Jyoti Mayal at the Delhi Roadshow on November 25, which turned out to be a huge success. Earlier, the association had also organised a successful roadshow in Mumbai.

The entire travel trade industry and representatives of airlines including Emirates and Etihad (who made their presentation) alongside Vistara, and IndiGo representatives also attended the event. Flydubai was there as well, whose representatives shared their views about the opportunity with Expo 2020 Dubai, which can be encashed with the re-start of tourism.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayal congratulated everyone for making the event in Delhi a big hit and requested the entire travel trade & consumers to visit the Expo 2020 Dubai to have an eye opening experience and understand how the world envisages the future. “Last month, TAAI also organised a virtual session on Expo 2020 Dubai for its members. Vice president Jay Bhatia, Hon Secretary General, Bettiah Lokesh and Anoop Kanuga, Managing Committee Member & Chairman of the Tourism Services Council had attended the webinars and briefed members about the benefits of the partnership. This is our moment the travel business stakeholders to reap the benefits for ourselves and cater for the needs of our customers in the best way possible. This is the time to encash this golden opportunity,” she said.

Acknowledging the efforts and the presentation given by Carl Vaz, Chairman & CEO, Charson Advisory Services on Expo 2020 Dubai, Kanuga commented, “This is the turning point for the tourism sector and the re-opening of tourism at such a healthy pace will definitely add to the revival and restructuring of it.”

“The Dubai Expo 2020 is expected to attract over a million Indian visitors in the span of six months, from October 2021 till March 2022,” anticipated Vaz talking about the event. On the occasion, Neeraj Malhotra, Chairman, TAAI Northern Region informed, “TAAI and Charson Advisory have tied up to promote Expo 2020 across its member, travel and tourism companies through continuous presentations, roadshows, and webinars.

--

Dr. Himanshu Talwar

Executive Director, TAAI