Aeromexico unveiled the exterior design of its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
The aircraft will be called Quetzalcoatl for its original livery. The design was selected from proposals submitted by more than 400 Mexican artists.
MEXICO CITY - Aeromexico presents the special livery of its first Dreamliner 787-9. The aircraft will be named Quetzalcoatl (meaning “Feathered Serpent”) after one of the principal deities of pre-Hispanic Mexico.
This is the first time in aviation history in which a design of this type is painted on an aircraft’s livery, offering a unique fusion of tradition and modernity. Aeromexico’s Quetzalcoatl plane left the Boeing Aircraft Paint Hangar after a nine- day process-six days longer than expected-as the engineers found that they needed extra time to add all of the original hues and colours featured in the winning design.
In November 2014, Aeromexico announced the “Design is in the Air” contest via social media and at several universities, inviting participants to submit a creative image to be painted on an aircraft’s fuselage. More than 1,000 participants presented their designs during the four-week contest period, 400 of which were chosen for meeting the requirements established in the rules. The winning design was created by graphic designer Jose Manuel Escudero of the Mexican state of Veracruz.
Aeromexico CEO Andres Conesa said “At Aeromexico, we are very excited about the buzz the Quetzalcoatl design has generated. As Mexico’s flagship carrier, this aircraft will become an icon of our fleet and a reflection of what Mexico is today, with culture and tradition represented in what we consider to be one of the most sophisticated creations of modern aviation engineering.”
Conesa added, “We hope this plane will make our country proud. Quetzalcoatl will fly between major airports in Europe and Asia visited by millions of travellers each year.”
Aeromexico is the second carrier in Latin America to operate the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and plans to continue investing until its fleet has ten 787-9 aircraft, with the purpose of providing a better flight experience to customers. If an airline places an order for a 787 today, it could take between 10 to 15 years for it to be delivered. With a fuselage measuring 20 feet wider than the 787-8, the 787-9 will have the capacity for 48 additional passengers on longer routes (up to 300 more nautical miles) with 20% greater fuel efficiency, and up to 20% fewer emissions than the aircraft this model is replacing.
The airline has said that it will wait until the plane lands in Mexico to unveil the interior of this new aircraft that will change its customers’ travel experience.
Resource:Aggelos Restanis for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
Marriott Rewards launches global portfolio marketing initiative to showcase diverse hotel brands and member benefits
You Are Here campaign stars real loyalty members and their travel stories.
BETHESDA, MD. - Marriott Rewards, Marriott International's award-winning loyalty program, launches a new portfolio marketing initiative featuring loyalty member stories, leveraging key partnerships, and activating at events throughout the year. A key centerpiece of the initiative is a new advertising campaign starring Marriott Rewards members. Using the tagline "You Are Here" across multiple marketing channels, the campaign will debut tonight on U.S. broadcast television during NFL football, followed by placements on Facebook's new, immersive mobile experience, Canvas, and through multi-platform sponsorship with CNN in over 126 countries. You Are Here will expand globally into markets in North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia.
"We are inspired by our Marriott Rewards member stories and are thrilled to showcase their joy of travel in our campaign," said Karin Timpone, global marketing officer, Marriott International. "By having members tell their stories in their favorite locations, they bring our portfolio to life in an exciting way. From diving in the Caribbean, exploring the canals of Venice, and experiencing the natural beauty of South Africa, our members show the allure of travel."
In addition, all Marriott Rewards members will be invited to share their own memorable travel moments at events, on our website, and on Marriott Traveler, the company's digital travel magazine. The members story section on Marriott Traveler will launch with ten member and social media influencer stories with more added throughout the year.
Exclusive partnerships provide unique access for Marriott Rewards members and are another way the portfolio initiative is coming to life. Members can fuel their passions by taking advantage of Marriott's partnerships with the NFL, NBA, Universal Music Group and others. Throughout the year, members can explore the recently introduced Experiences Marketplace which provides once-in-a-lifetime experiences including meet and greets with sports legends, and access to popular concerts, and huge sporting events like the 2017 NBA All-Star and Super Bowl LI.
Throughout the year there will be other opportunities for Marriott Rewards members to capitalize on the partnerships including: - An exclusive concert for Marriott Rewards members on September 22 at L.A. Live featuring multi-platinum artist Demi Lovato and acclaimed funk-pop quartet DNCE.
- An opportunity to make the most of their tailgate at select NFL games by tweeting their tailgating requests to @MarriottRewards using #YouAreHere. Fans can leverage Marriott to replace that broken folding chair, deliver the BBQ tools accidentally left at home, get sideline passes to the game, or even Super Bowl tickets.
- With burgers, brats, and beers, Londoners will get a taste of tailgating American style at the NFL on Regent Street Fan Fest. The Marriott Rewards football fun precedes the kickoff of the NFL International Series game on October 2. Nearly 150 members will get exclusive access to watch the game in style from a luxury suite in the famed Wembley Stadium.
Resource:Theodore Koumelis for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
Tourism in Canada goes green
Green Tourism enters partnership with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada.
KELOWNA, BC - The world's largest sustainability certification program for the tourism industry will now be helping Canadian tourism businesses to reduce their environmental impacts.
Through a regular dose of complimentary webinars, white papers, how-to-guides and checklists, Green Tourism will help the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) grow and develop Canada's tourism sector in a way that helps to meet the growing traveller demand for responsible business, while working to reduce the industry's environmental and carbon footprint.
"We are thrilled to enter into this supplier partner agreement with TIAC" says Angela Nagy, CEO of GreenStep Solutions, the delivery agent for the Green Tourism program in Canada. "Globally, tourism represents about 2% of all greenhouse gas emissions. There are huge opportunities for Canadian tourism businesses to minimize their impacts while also reducing their costs and attracting more guests, making the industry more resilient in today's competitive market."
"TIAC is pleased to offer its members additional tools to enhance their sustainability efforts through our partnership with Green Tourism. We hope these tools and best practices will help Canada's tourism industry increase their sustainability programs to meet growing expectations from today's consumers," says Charlotte Bell, TIAC President and CEO.
As one of the first sustainable tourism certification programs in the world, Green Tourism has always been a leader in making it easy for businesses and travellers to make a difference. In addition to providing assessments and certification, Green Tourism offers educational resources for tourism businesses, helping them to understand the top and bottom line benefits of integrating sustainability practices into their operations, marketing, and other areas. These resources are designed to provide valuable and relevant information to tourism business operators in bite-sized, easy to implement chunks in order to help them improve operational efficiencies, reduce their environmental impacts, and enhance their ability to tell a credible and authentic green story as part of their marketing efforts.
Says Lauren Douglas, Managing Director of Green Tourism Bronze Member Orca Spirit Adventures, "Green Tourism Canada has given our business a better focus on where we need to monitor and has provided excellent mentorship towards becoming a greener company. Customers are looking for green companies and we want to exceed their expectations."
Green Tourism is delivered in Canada by award winning sustainability consulting firm, GreenStep Solutions, which was recently recognized by B the Change Media as "Best for the World for Environment" for the positive sustainability impacts that they have been able to achieve with their customers.
Resource:Vicky Karantzavelou for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
Virgin Group appoints Amy Stirling as Chief Financial Officer
As CFO of the Virgin Group, Amy will be responsible for the Group's overall financial and risk positions as well as accounting, tax, treasury and key portfolio matters.
LONDON - The Virgin Group has announced the appointment of Amy Stirling to become its Chief Financial Officer. As CFO of the Virgin Group, Amy will be responsible for the Group's overall financial and risk positions as well as accounting, tax, treasury and key portfolio matters. Amy will use her expertise and experience to manage the Virgin Group finances as the brand continues to expand in five core industries - mobile telephony, travel and transportation, financial services, leisure and entertainment and health and wellness.
Most recently Amy was the CFO for The Prince's Trust , however much of her career has been in TMT (Technology, Media and Telecommunications). She was the CFO of the public company TalkTalkuntil 2013 following its demerger from the Carphone Warehouse Group. Prior to the demerger, Amy spent ten years working with the telecoms businesses of the Group.
Before working in the telecoms sector, Amy held several finance and commercial roles, including business development at the Rank Group. Amy also has experience as a non-executive and currently sits on the boards of Pets at Home and RIT Capital Partners. Amy replaces JP Moorhead who is joining the investment arm of Fidelity International Limited (FIL), Eight Roads as their Chief Operating Officer.
Josh Bayliss, CEO of Virgin Group said: "It's great to have Amy joining us as Chief Financial Officer. She brings a wealth of knowledge at an important time as we continue to expand Virgin into new sectors such as cruises, hotels, sport, and space."
"With our ambition to grow the brand and further developing our investment strategy, Amy's extensive financial and board level experience will be vital in ensuring we can continue to do this efficiently and effectively."
Amy Stirling, CFO of Virgin Group said: "I'm delighted to join the team at Virgin. The diverse range of global investments and the progressive culture attracted me to the role and I can't wait to get started. There are a number of key milestones on the horizon and I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead."
Resource:Vicky Karantzavelou for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
World’s top travel bloggers arriving in Inverness for Social Travel Summit
The global social media spotlight will be on Inverness next week when nearly 50 of the world’s top travel bloggers arrive for a social media conference.
The Social Travel Summit, this year sponsored by VisitBritain and held in the UK for the first time, brings together popular travel bloggers and the travel industry to explore trends and insights on online travel marketing.
Bloggers from 17 countries including China, France, Germany, India, the Netherlands and the USA will be attending the summit, held from 19 – 21 September and organised by travel network iambassador. The bloggers will also have the chance to see the best of ‘destination Britain’ and share these travel experiences with their social media followers during pre and post event trips.
VisitBritain/VisitEngland Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said: “We know the powerful role social media plays in promoting Britain to overseas visitors so we’re thrilled to be bringing this summit here for the first time. I look forward to seeing some fantastic content created by the world’s top bloggers as they tour the country, sharing their stories online and inspiring more visitors to book a trip to Britain.”
VisitScotland Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead said: "For Inverness to host the first Social Travel Summit to be held in Great Britain is a fantastic achievement for the Highland capital. The digital domain plays a hugely important role in reaching potential and returning visitors and the tourism industry needs to embrace new ways of working to succeed in a competitive global market.”
Social media is at the heart of VisitBritain’s domestic and international #OMGB ‘Home of Amazing Moments’ campaigns which showcase the incredible experiences that can only be had on a trip in Britain. The campaign invites people to share their amazing UK travel experiences using the hashtag #OMGB (Oh My GREAT Britain), which will also be used by the travel bloggers attending the summit.
Figures from last year’s Social Travel Summit held in Hamburg show that more than 500 images and blog posts were created during the summit and shared globally, reaching an estimated four million people.
Research by VisitBritain shows the influence social media has in positioning Britain as a destination of choice for international visitors, offering unparalleled opportunities to engage directly with potential visitors in a timely way, with the right messages, demonstrating an understanding of their world and motivations for travel.
Last year set a record for inbound tourism to Britain on visits and spend with 36.1 million visits, 5% up on 2014, and spending up 1% to £22.1 billion.
Resource:Vicky Karantzavelou for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
Ryanair launches record (+6%) Madrid's and Barcelona's 2017 schedule
Three new routes from Madrid to Luxembourg, Newcastle and Verona. Ryanair launched its Barcelona summer 2017 schedule, with a new summer route to Sofia.
Ryanair launched its biggest ever Madrid summer 2017 schedule, with 3 new routes to Luxembourg, Newcastle and Verona, 4 new summer services to Brussels, Sofia, Toulouse and Wroclaw, and extra flights to Eindhoven and Rabat, which will deliver 6.5m customers p.a. and support 4,900* jobs at Madrid Airport, as Ryanair grows its Madrid traffic by 6% in 2017.
Ryanair’s Madrid summer schedule will see more frequencies to sun destinations for summer family holidays, lower fares as Ryanair passes on lower fuel costs, and an even better customer experience, as it rolls out year 3 of its “Always Getting Better” customer experience programme, and will deliver:
- 3 new routes to: Luxembourg (4 weekly), Newcastle (2 weekly) and Verona (2 weekly)
- 4 new summer routes to: Brussels (2 daily), Sofia (4 weekly), Toulouse (2 daily) and Wroclaw (2 weekly)
- More flights to Eindhoven (4 weekly), Milan B (18 weely) & Rabat (3 weekly)
- 46 routes in total
- 6.5m customers p.a. (+350,000)
- 4,900* “on-site” jobs p.a.
Ryanair will continue to connect Madrid with major leisure and business centres on high frequency, low fare services including Dublin (3 daily), London (4 daily) and Rome (3 daily) with better timings and lower fares, making Ryanair the ideal choice for Madrid business and leisure customers.
In Madrid, Michael O’Leary Ryanair’s said: “We are pleased to launch our biggest ever Madrid summer schedule, which includes 3 new routes to Luxembourg, Newcastle and Verona, 4 new summer routes to Brussels, Sofia, Toulouse and Wroclaw, and extra flights to Eindhoven, Milan and Rabat, which will deliver 6.5m million customers p.a. and support 4,900* jobs at Madrid Airport.
Customers can look forward to even lower fares when they make advance bookings for summer 2017. As our recent guidance confirmed, Ryanair expects average fares to fall by between 10% to 12% in the 6 months to March 2017. There’s never been a better time to book a low fare flight on Ryanair and we urge all customers who wish to book their summer 2017 holidays to do so now on the Ryanair.com website, where they can avail of the lowest fare air travel to and from Madrid.”
Also, Ryanair launched its Barcelona summer 2017 schedule, with a new summer route to Sofia, and extra flights to Porto, which will deliver 6.9m customers p.a. and support 5,200* jobs at Barcelona El Prat Airport.
Ryanair’s Barcelona summer schedule will see high frequency services to sun destinations for summer family holidays, lower fares as Ryanair passes on lower fuel costs, and an even better customer experience, as it rolls out year 3 of its “Always Getting Better” customer experience programme, and will deliver:
- 1 new summer route to: Sofia (3 weekly)
- More frequency to Porto (17 weekly)
- 42 routes in total incl: Dublin (3 daily), London (4 daily) and Rome (5 daily)
- 46 routes in total
- 6.9m customers p.a. (+125,000)
- 5,200* “on-site” jobs p.a.
Ryanair will continue to connect Barcelona with major leisure and business centres on high frequency, low fare services including Dublin (3 daily), London (4 daily) and Rome (5 daily) with better timings and lower fares, making Ryanair the ideal choice for Barcelona business and leisure customers.
In Barcelona, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said: “We are pleased to launch our Barcelona summer 2017 schedule, which includes a new summer route to Sofia, and more frequency to Porto, which will deliver 6.9m million customers p.a. and support 5,200* jobs at Barcelona El Prat Airport.
Customers can look forward to even lower fares when they make advance bookings for summer 2017. As our recent guidance confirmed, Ryanair expects average fares to fall by between 10% to 12% in the 6 months to March 2017. There’s never been a better time to book a low fare flight on Ryanair and we urge all customers who wish to book their summer 2017 holidays to do so now on the Ryanair.com website, where they can avail of the lowest fare air travel to and from Barcelona.”
*ACI research confirms up to 750 ‘on-site’ jobs are sustained at international airports for every 1m passengers. Resource:Vicky Karantzavelou for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
New exhibitors, new education streams and new networking opportunities will enhance the IMEX America experience
First time exhibitors from across the world, the US and from all sectors of the industry will be among more than 3,000 organisations exhibiting at the Las Vegas show this year. A new Senior Planners Open Forum has just been confirmed to run throughout the show for planners with 10+ years’ experience.
Even more business, networking and education opportunities, backed by new CSR initiatives, await the thousands of meetings professionals arriving in Las Vegas for the sixth IMEX America on October 18-20th.
First time exhibitors from across the world, the US and from all sectors of the industry will be among more than 3,000 organisations exhibiting at the Las Vegas show this year.
They include many North American destinations, namely Alabama, Albuquerque, Destination Michigan, Oklahoma, Reno-Sparks CVB, Rochester, Travel Tacoma and Pierce County and Visit Spokane.
Other exhibitors new to IMEX America are Global Gifting, Hanoi Department of Tourism, HB Hospitality, Legends Attractions, Slovenian Tourist Board and World Experts DMC.
As the meetings market’s appetite for technology grows, so does the variety of tech companies exhibiting. This year Bizly, EventBank, Event Collab, Loopd Inc. (winner of last year’s #IMEXpitch tech start-up competition), MeetingHand and Scout20 are all new. They add to the wealth of technology solutions on show for meetings planners, which cover event apps, registration systems, social media, software, video and more. This provides the opportunity to see and experience a whole range of tech solutions in one place.
Other exhibitors stepping up their show floor presence with bigger booths include the Nashville CVB, NYC & Company, San Francisco and Travel Portland together with a bevy of hotels including Commune Hotels & Resorts, FRI Hotels & Resorts, Preferred Hotel Group, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.
New Senior Level Professional Development
IMEX America’s renowned education program runs all week after its usual intensive professional development start on Oct 17, Smart Monday, powered by MPI. The first of the daily MPI keynotes along with a new Association Focus program, PCMA’s Business School and the extended Executive Meetings Forum are among Smart Monday’s big learning opportunities.
A new Senior Planners Open Forum has just been confirmed to run throughout the show for planners with 10+ years’ experience. These facilitated, crowd-sourced sessions will provide senior planners with an opportunity to exchange ideas and challenges on a range of topics from leading a team to proving the value of the meeting department.
Hosted buyer services at the show have been extended with the introduction of three new zones within the hosted buyer lounge. Each zone is supported by an exhibiting sponsor. The Hyatt Regency Recharge Zonewill offer massages, manicures and cell phone recharging while Atlantis is offering a Relax Zone and Turkish Airlines are supporting the reception area and concierge services. Together the zones enhance the quality of the show experience for hosted buyers, allowing them to rest, recharge and refuel before heading off for their next appointment.
Appointment schedule
Online schedules are now open. These give all pre-registered hosted buyers and buyer attendees full access to the show’s appointment system, which provides them with a personal online schedule through which to make exhibitor appointments. The schedules are often booked up quickly, so buyers are being encouraged to confirm key appointments as soon as possible and send RFPs in good time. This will enable them to make the most of their time by arranging all their business meetings and schedule in all the education sessions they want to attend.
Zenvoy’s new ‘buyer to buyer’ networking service which facilitates introductions between buyers who share common attributes is also free for all hosted buyers and buyer attendees. In addition, the hosted buyer lounge will feature a new Networking Hub with the IMEX hosted buyer team facilitating networking sessions at key times throughout the show.
The show’s hallmark hosted buyer program is boosted this year by the addition of 17 new hosted buyer groups, brought to the show by Accor UK & France, ESA Latin America, HB Hospitality, Marriott Canada, Melia Hotels International - Southeast, Sandals, Signature Boston, SmithBucklin and Visit Park City.
First Ever CSR sponsor
CSR has also come of age with the Costa Rica Tourism Board confirmed as the show’s first ever main CSR sponsor, supported by four contributing sponsors: AlliedPRA, Exclusive Destinations & 3D Cruise Partners and GES. Their engagement helps support the show’s CSR & Sustainability Showcase, including a Clean the World Station, the ‘Badge-Back’ recycling program and Garbage Grabbers - Clean Up Las Vegas. This new Monday afternoon volunteer program invites attendees to help clean up Sunset Park.
Finally returning by popular demand - but always bringing fresh energy and learnings - are the Play Room(presented by Play with a Purpose) and the Be Well Lounge (sponsored by Hilton).
Industry ‘giving back’ continues to be a major theme of the week with the MPI Foundation Rendezvous, Site Nite North America and the CEIR Golf Tournament all returning to the show.
Other timeless favorites during the week include Association Evening, CIC Hall of Leaders and Pacesetter Awards, the DMC Network and Ovation Talent Search, the IMEXrun (developed by Case Imagine) and #IMEXpitch.
Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group commented; “We continually research and monitor buyers’ changing requirements and endeavour to respond to them. The online schedules, the enhanced networking opportunities and the new senior education formats are designed to meet their needs, while giving them control over their time at the show. The opportunities to do business, learn and make connections as well as to give back to the local community are greater than ever.”
Resource:Vicky Karantzavelou for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
Boutique Hotel Castell d'Emporda, joins HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts
The 38 bedrooms and suites are lavishly decorated with stylish furniture and textiles, carefully selected by the hotel's owners during their many travels around the world.
The historic Castell d'Emporda is the latest property to join HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts independent hotel portfolio in Spain. HotelREZ, will provide the Catalan boutique hotel with GDS representation under the HO chain code, as well as sales and marketing services, together with local partners, Qualis Hospitality.
The privately owned Hotel Castell d'Emporda is set in a 14th century castle, located in the peaceful rural Emporda region, halfway between Barcelona and the French border, just a few kilometres away from some of the Costa Brava's best beaches. Standing on a property that covers almost 12 hectares of ancient oak and olive groves, Castell d'Emporda offers four meeting and events rooms, two fine dining options, the Drac Restaurant and Tres Margarit, and an outdoor swimming pool offering panoramic views over the fabulous grounds.
The 38 bedrooms and suites are lavishly decorated with stylish furniture and textiles, carefully selected by the hotel's owners during their many travels around the world. In-room facilities and amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, state-of-the-art flat screen TVs, DVD player and a modern en-suite with either a walk-in shower or bathtub, and complimentary luxury toiletries. Most rooms will feature a balcony or large French-style windows boasting views of the garden and mountains. Given its unique surroundings and history, the property has also acquired a reputation as one of the best wedding venues in Spain, offering two beautiful ceremony options: the olive garden and the on-site Remei chapel.
The Castell d'Emporda is now available on the Global Distribution Systems (GDS) under the HO chain code.
Resource:Theodore Koumelis for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
Air China commences Beijing - Warsaw nonstop service
BEIJING - Air China announced that its inaugural Beijing-Warsaw flight will take off on September 21 at a press conference held in Beijing on September 20, 2016.
Warsaw sitting on the bank of the Vistula River is Poland's capital and political, economic and cultural center. It's a quaint, uplifting city. Both Warsaw and Beijing boast rich historical and cultural heritage. Despite their turbulent past, the two cities are still shrouded in poetry and are pulsing with life, like Chopin's music. Statistics show that 106,000 people traveled between China and Warsaw each year from June 2015 to May 2016, up 8.4% over the previous year. After the start of Air China's Beijing - Warsaw nonstop service, in order to meet the ever increasing demand for travel, Air China and LOT Polish Airlines, which are the member airlines of the world's largest airline alliance - Star Alliance, will start code share cooperation, bringing more benefits to Chinese business and leisure travelers to and from Poland and offering more travel options to connecting passengers of Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and Oceania to Central and Eastern Europe.
The Beijing - Warsaw route is Air China's second nonstop long-haul international service linking China to Central and Eastern Europe following the introduction of the carrier's Minsk - Beijing - Budapest nonstop route. It not only expands Air China's global route network with its hub in Beijing, but also is a worthy addition to its route network linking China to Central and Eastern Europe.
At present, Air China is the largest carrier between China and Europe, offering nearly 200 flights per week. The Beijing - Warsaw service brings the number of Air China's routes between China and Europe up to 24, serving 19 important European cities including London, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Vienna, Geneva, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome and Milan.
Flights
The flights, CA737/8, are operated four times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The outbound flight departs from Beijing at 02:30 and arrives in Warsaw at 06:20. The return flight departs from Warsaw at 14:10 and arrives in Beijing at 04:30 the following day. Airbus 330-200 is operated on the route, featuring full-flat seats in Business Class and personal AVOD in all classes of service, guaranteeing passengers truly pleasant travel experiences.
Tatiana Rokou for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
Carnival Cruise Line named 'Most Trusted Cruise Line in America' by Reader's Digest
Carnival continues to enhance its onboard offerings, building upon its brand promise of providing fun, memorable vacations at a great value while keeping up with consumer trends and exceeding the expectations of its guests.
MIAMI - For the second consecutive year, Carnival Cruise Line has been named Most Trusted Cruise Line in America by Reader's Digest.
The award is based on a poll of more than 5,000 Americans nationwide who were asked to rate products they trust across 40 different categories in areas such as quality, value, and reliability. Carnival received more votes than any other cruise line. The awards are featured in the October issue of Reader's Digest.
Carnival continues to enhance its onboard offerings, building upon its brand promise of providing fun, memorable vacations at a great value while keeping up with consumer trends and exceeding the expectations of its guests.
Earlier this year marked the debut of the line's newest, largest and most innovative ship, Carnival Vista, which offers such groundbreaking features as the SkyRide aerial attraction, the first IMAX Theatre at sea, the RedFrog Pub & Brewery that includes the line's first on-board brewery and the fleet's largest water park highlighted by the 455-foot-long Kaleid-o-Slide.
Carnival has also expanded upon its exclusive partnerships with Food Network star Guy Fieri with plans to roll out the new Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse on several ships and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, serving as the Official Seagoing Headquarters for The Cat in the Hat's presidential campaign, part of the fleetwide Seuss at Sea program.
Carnival is also a major supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, raising more than $10 million for the hospital since launching its Care to Play: Carnival for St. Jude Kids program in 2010. As part of its Honor. Family. Fun. program honoring Operation Homefront, an organization that assists military families, Carnival will be hosting an exclusive shipboard concert for military families by seven-time Grammy Award-winning country music superstar Carrie Underwood aboard the new Carnival Vista when it makes its U.S. arrival in November.
The Carnival Journeys enrichment series is also expanding with more than 20 voyages visiting spectacular ports throughout Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and other destinations.
"Vacations are more important than ever and as America's Cruise Line we consider it an honor that our guests entrust us with their well-deserved vacations year after year," said Christine Duffy, Carnival's president. "Being named America's Most Trusted Cruise Line by the readers of Reader's Digest for two years running is a testament to our focus on providing our guests with unforgettable vacations as well as the incredible effort put forth by our team members, both on board and ashore," she added.
Resource:Vicky Karantzavelou for http://www.traveldailynews.com/
Jamaica on track to become major gastronomy destination
Declaring that Jamaica is now ready to take on the world, Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett said that “the important fusion of music, food, sports and entertainment makes this country an irresistible destination.”
OCHO RIOS, ST. ANN, JAMAICA - Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica is now on track to become one of the world’s major gastronomy destinations.
He said gastronomy is a $150 billion dollar business across the world, which Jamaica has already targeted as part of plans to improve the country's earnings from the tourism sector.
Minister Bartlett noted that “Jamaican food, Jamaican rum and Jamaican music are all critical ingredients in the building out of this gastronomy experience” and he described the opening of Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records in Ocho Rios as “a significant step towards achieving this target”.
The Tourism Minister was speaking at the official opening of the first franchise of Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records at the New Pineapple Shopping Centre, Pineapple Place, Ocho Rios, recently. Tracks and Records is a Jamaican-themed sports-entertainment restaurant and bar.
Declaring that Jamaica is now ready to take on the world, Minister Bartlett said that “the important fusion of music, food, sports and entertainment makes this country an irresistible destination.” He pointed out that an enterprise team led by former President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Nicola Madden-Greig has been doing very well in this area and is about to roll out a significant product which will put Jamaica on the map as a gastronomy centre.
Minister Bartlett said he expects Tracks and Records to grow significantly and, as it grows, the brand recognition of Jamaica will definitely improve. He praised the owners of the new franchise Marsha and Joshua Jahmnani for their strong expression of confidence and encouraged other business people to follow their example.
Sports Icon and owner of the Tracks and Records brand Hon. Usain Bolt was full of praise for his business partners, the K L E group, for helping to create this brand and he promised to take the franchise across the globe.
Speaking of the importance of having a Tracks and Records franchise in Ocho Rios, Marsha Jahmnani said “each week we see thousands of tourists coming into the ports, all with a strong desire to experience Jamaica. They all know about Usain Bolt, are interested in our music , our food and overall culture; so having a Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records here in Ocho Rios, will allow us to cater to all those interests.”
Resource:Vicky Karantzavelou for http://www.traveldailynews.com/