New GM rolls out plans to reposition former Ibom Le'Meridien hotel

New GM rolls out plans to reposition former Ibom Le'Meridien hotel

THE new General Manager of Ibom Hotels & Golf Resort (formerly Ibom Le Meridien Hotels & Golf Resort) Mr. Ronald Stilting has stated his plans to reposition the property for increased patronage and improved profit for the state.

Speaking with newsmen yesterday at the Hotel Stilting said the first steps which have already been taken to improve the hotel and its marketing would be launched soon.

He added, "This will include improving the golf course, golf tournaments, a face-lift for the hotel and new concepts. The golf course is an important aspect of this property and we are determined to make it work.

"Our vision is to make the hotel become one of the top-5 hotels in Nigeria before the end of 2018. And we intend to achieve this through proactive service in a unique environment.

"I strongly believe that Ibom hotel & Golf Resort is a property with great potentials which can surely reach former glory."

The Dutch National whose African experience in Hotel management stretches from Ghana, Tanzania, Liberia, Kenya and Nigeria, noted that the new concepts of Eat & Swim family lunch buffet at weekends, Valentine's Day and Special dinner as well as a new website would be launched in February this year.

He added that also key to improving upon the hotel was intensifying guest interaction through the social media and Messenger.

He also identified staff training as another aspect of the action plan, even as he disclosed that no staff was laid of in the course of recent changes.

"In recent developments all the good things remain the same. For instance 99percent of the staff still remain. Only the weak aspects will be improved upon.

"Incentives will be given to staff as a way of motivation especially those at the lower rank. We are going to embark on serious staff training because we inherited them. We have identified lapses because they were not trained"

"We are also going to embark on massive marketing and publicity. We are interested in achieving results", he said

Ronald Stilting was appointed by Akwa Ibom State government on January 1, 2018 after Starwood Groups former managers of the property were dismissed.   

Delta Air Lines flies 1.2m passengers in 10 years of operations in Nigeria

1.2 million passengers have been flown between Lagos and Atlanta by American carrier, Delta Air Lines, in its 10 years of operations in Nigeria.

Mr Bob Cortelyou, Senior Vice President, Network Planning, Delta Air Lines, made this known at a news briefing in Lagos , yesterday , to mark the airline’s 10 years anniversary in Nigeria.

Cortelyou, who noted that Delta had operated 6,300 non-stop flights on the Lagos-Atlanta route, said Nigeria remains a very key market to the airline.

He said :“I am very pleased to announce to you that we are launching a second route from Lagos to JFK Airport, New York, starting from March 25,2018.

Delta Airline

“Delta Air Lines is the only foreign airline operating non-stop flights between Nigeria and the United States and we have carried over 1.2 million passengers between the two nations since our inaugural flight on Dec. 4, 2007.”

According to him, the non-stop flight option has made travelling between both nations very convenient for passengers.

Also speaking, Mr Shane Spyak, Delta Air Lines’ Vice President, Sales, Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, said the projections for the Nigerian market had a positive outlook.

Bobby Bryan, Commercial Manager, East & West Africa at Delta Air Lines (M) flanked by Olufemi Adefope, Managing Director, Skylogistics (L) and Salami Omeiza, Station Manager, Delta Air Lines (R)

Spyak said the Nigerian economy was getting out of recession while the issue of not being able to repatriate funds due to lack of foreign exchange had been resolved.

“Repatriation of funds was difficult for a period of one and a half years but I am pleased to say those issues are fully behind us.

“As at now, we are able to repatriate any amount we want and that is one of the reasons for our route expansion in Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Bobby Bryan, Commercial Director, East and West Africa and Mr Olufemi Adefope, Delta General Sales Agent, who also spoke at the event, thanked the Nigerian people for their support and patronage.

They both assured customers that the airline would continue to invest in modern aircraft towards ensuring their comfort and safety.  

Kigali Marriott Hotel Clinches Two Awards at the World Travel Awards, Africa

The award was presented at a glittering award ceremony attended by eminent industry leaders and VIPs from across Africa at the World Travel Awards Africa 2017, Annual Gala at Kigali, Rwanda

KIGALI, Rwanda, October 12, 2017/ -- Kigali Marriott Hotel (www.KigaliMarriott.com) was recognized as Rwanda’s Leading Business Hotel and Rwanda’s Leading City Hotel at the prestigious World Travel Awards, Africa 2017. The award was presented at a glittering award ceremony attended by eminent industry leaders and VIPs from across Africa at the World Travel Awards Africa 2017, Annual Gala at Kigali, Rwanda. Voted by travel and tourism professionals worldwide, this accolade underpins the hotel’s commitment to excellence and recognizes the commendable achievement of the hotel within its very first year of opening.

According to Rex Nijhof General Manager Kigali Marriott Hotel, “We are truly honored to win this coveted award and be recognized for our efforts to create experiences that meet the needs of the modern traveler. We remain committed to enabling our guests to think differently when they travel by offering aesthetically inspiring spaces, and forward thinking experiences that spark their creativity together with the acclaimed Marriott service.”

World Travel Awards serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. Regarded as one of the highest accolades in the travel and tourism industry today, the selection process for these awards consists of public voting as well as recommendations by professionals from travel, tourism and hospitality industry worldwide.

Conveniently situated along KN3 Avenue in the city center, near the financial district and Kigali City Hall, Kigali Marriott Hotel provides a luxurious home away from home for business and leisure travelers. The hotel offers 254 spacious and elegantly appointed rooms including 25 suites, an executive club lounge and over 11,000 square feet of flexible event space with 10 meeting rooms. The hotel also offers an array of dining options from the all-day dining Soko, to Italian specialty restaurant Cucina and the Iriba Bar and Terrace. Recreational facilities include an outdoor pool, fitness center, Saray Spa, and gift shops.

AfDB joins international community in supporting sustainable tourism development in Africa

This World Tourism Day, September 27, 2017, the African Development Bank has called for collaborative actions from all stakeholders for sustainable tourism development in Africa. The Bank recognizes that Africa’s tourism and travel industry can serve as an engine of progress for socioeconomic transformation.

The United Nations’ World Tourism Day, with the theme ‘Sustainable Tourism − a Tool for Development’, presents a unique opportunity to raise awareness about the contribution of sustainable tourism among public and private sector decision-makers and the international community.

In addition to its investments in tourism infrastructure (ports, airports, roads and rail, among others), the AfDB is promoting the creative and cultural industries to diversify the economic base of African countries and attract tourism. 

The Bank has, through various initiatives, given tourism development a new focus.

Through its Fashionomics Africa initiative, the AfDB is supporting the development of creative industries that utilize local products, especially cotton, in Africa. The Bank’s Food Cuisine Africa platform connects key players and newcomers in the food industry in Africa.

Omoyemi Akerele, founder of Lagos Fashion and Design Week, stressed how the fashion industry fuels sustainable tourism.

“Fashion weeks [fashion industry events] generate considerable foot traffic for cities like Lagos, which hosts the annual Lagos Fashion and Design Week. But there needs to be a deliberate attempt on the part of African governments to tap into the potential that fashion has to grow the tourism industry,” Akerele said.

AfDB’s Visa Openness Index measures how open African countries are when it comes to visas by looking at what they ask of citizens from other countries in Africa when they travel.

Visa openness blends with AfDB’s ‘Integrate Africa’ agenda, which seeks to make Africa more open, prosperous and interconnected.

After adopting a visa-on-arrival policy, Rwanda witnessed a 22% annual increase in the number of tourism arrivals for meetings, conferences and events. Many visitors in turn have become investors in the country.

“Of course, visa openness is not the solution to all problems, structural aspects such as the size of the market, infrastructure connectivity, and purchasing power are as important. Visa openness is really a quick-win,” said Jean-Guy Afrika, Principal Policy Expert at the AfDB.

The 2017 Africa Tourism Monitor – an annual research publication by the African Development Bank in collaboration with New York University Africa House and the Africa Travel Association – highlights the importance of developing a sustainable and resilient tourism industry through innovation, entrepreneurship and technology.

The AfDB has for many years highlighted infrastructure development as one of its focal priorities to facilitate accessibility and trade across the continent.

The Bank is also supporting the construction of a new terminal at Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport. The project is expected to make the country a destination of choice with a yearly target of 5 million passengers.

World Tourism Day 2017 celebrated on the theme Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development

This year’s World Tourism Day, held on 27 September, will be focused on Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development. Celebrated in line with the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the Day will be dedicated to exploring the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

World Tourism Day has been celebrated since 1980 on September 27, the day in which the Statutes of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) entered into force. Peace and Dialogue, Energy, Accessibility, World Heritage and Water and Tourism have been some of the topics tackled on the 37 previous editions of World Tourism Day.

“Last year alone, 1.235 million travellers crossed international borders in one single year. By 2030, this 1.2 billion will become 1.8 billion. The question, as we celebrate World Tourism Day 2017, is how we can enable this powerful global transformative force, these 1.8 billion opportunities, to contribute to make this world a better place and to advance sustainable development in all its three pillars. This World Tourism Day, whenever you travel, wherever you travel, remember to respect nature, respect culture and respect your host,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai.

The official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2017 will be held in Qatar, as decided by the UNWTO General Assembly.

The event will be structured around two sessions, focused on ‘Tourism as a driver of economic growth’, and ‘Tourism and the Planet: committed to a greener future’. In addition, a high-level think tank will be conducted with the aim of opening the debate on the potential of the sector to enhance cultural preservation and mutual understanding.

On the Agenda will also be the presentation of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy, which advances sustainable approaches.

The initiative is aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030, which focuses on Economic, Social and Human Development and prioritizes tourism as a catalyst to progress towards a more diversified economy.

Sun Aqua Vilu Reef to host World Travel Awards Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony

World Travel Awards (WTA) has revealed that the five-star Sun Aqua Vilu Reef will host its prestigious Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2017 on the 8th July.

The event will take place on Meedhuffushi Island in the Maldives' South Nilandhe Atol, with hospitality leaders from across the region expected to be in attendance.

Sun Aqua Vilu Reef offers 103 luxurious rooms and suites - all of which come with deep soaking tubs, complimentary Wi-Fi and 24-hour room service.

Beyond the bedrooms, guests can indulge in signature spice-scented scrub at the spa or borrow a book to read while soaking up the sun on the pristine beach.

When night falls, sample one of Sun Aqua Vilu Reef’s restaurants serving a range of international cuisine, before enjoying a sundowner cocktail while listening to DJ spun tunes.

Ahead of the Indian Ocean Ceremony, WTA Founder and President Graham Cooke said: “It is an honour for us to reveal Sun Aqua Vilu Reef as the host for the World Travel Awards Indian Ocean Ceremony 2017.”

“This is a wonderful resort in a picturesque tourist hotspot. It will be genuine pleasure for us to welcome nominees to the event in July.”

Cooke added: “With voting still open there is a chance for members of the tourism industry and general public to make their voices heard in the build up to the event.”

Voting for the World Travel Awards Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony is open until 22nd May 2017, with more information here.

A full list of nominees can be seen here.

World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.

Each year, World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.

World Travel Awards Gala Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international print and broadcast media.

Nigeria Wins Right To Host African Tourism Ministers in 2018

Nigeria on Wednesday won the right to host, in 2018, the 61st meeting of African Ministers in charge of Tourism, tagged the UN World Tourism Organisation (WTO) Commission for Africa (CAF).

Nigeria won the hosting right by acclamation following the presentation of a five-minute video, entitled ''Simply Nigeria'', to delegates at the ongoing 59th edition of the UNWTO CAF Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The compelling video, which highlighted Nigeria's rich cultural heritage and tourism destinations, was greeted by a prolonged applause.

Responding, the Chairman of the UNWTO Commission for Africa and Zimbabwean Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Dr Walter Nzembi, said: ''Procedurally, when a member state offers its destination for the host of the next CAF, we all put that request to a test, do I take the applause of the Minister’s presentation to mean your approval of Nigeria as next destination call?''

The question was greeted by a more resounding applause, confirming Nigeria as the host of the 2018 meeting.

Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed (left) with his counterpart from Niger at the 59th edition of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday.

Making a case for Nigeria's bid, which was launched at the 58^th edition of the UNWTO CAF Meeting in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, in 2015, the Minister said it presents an opportunity for the country of almost 200 million people ''to showcase our rich cultural heritage and to promote Nigeria as a leisure and business destination''.

He described Nigeria as a ''fascinating country'' which previously hosted the UNWTO CAF Meeting in 2003, 2008 and 2012, in addition to hosting the Second World Festival of Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture in 1977.

Alhaji Mohammed said Nigeria is a country of peaceful and hospitable people, and that the 2018 UNWTO CAF Meeting will be a practical demonstration of the government's commitment to developing the tourism sector as an alternative source of revenue.

Earlier in the day, he told the delegates that the Nigerian government has defeated the Boko Haram insurgency, noting that occasional attacks on soft targets by the insurgents who are now on the run do not amount to a resurgence of the group.

Ethiopian airlines lands airbus in Abuja

Ethiopian Airlines says it will land a brand new Airbus 8350 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday to mark the reopening of the airport on Wednesday.

The Airline’s Traffic and Sales Manager, Mrs Firiehiwot Mekonnen, said that the aircraft land in Abuja on its first day of operation from Addis Ababa and that it would remain on Abuja route.

She particularly stated that the arrival of the aircraft in Abuja marks the first time an airbus would be permanent on the Abuja route.

She said that the decision to celebrate the inaugural flight to Abuja was because of the airline’s commitment to the Nigerian market.

According to the manager, the 313-passenger capacity aircraft that landed at 11.15 am is the first aircraft to land at the newly rehabilitated Abuja runway.

“The Ethiopian’s brand new Airbus 8350 is landing in Abuja airport is the first aircraft to land on the newly rehabilitated runway and first airbus to land in Abuja.

“From now on, we are going to operate airbus on Abuja route,’’ she said.

Recall that when Abuja airport was closed on March 8 for repairs on its runway and flight operations diverted to Kaduna International Airport, Ethiopian Airlines was the first to land its new Boeing 787 in Kaduna.

The airline, being the only international carrier that agreed to operate at Kaduna, had maintained consistent operation at the airport since the beginning of the six weeks operation.

Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State had also requested that the airline maintained its Kaduna operations even after the reopening of Abuja airport.

Mokennen said that the airline was seriously considering the governor’s request.  

Africa will produce next UNWTO Secretary-General – Lai

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, has expressed optimism that Africa will take the job of Secretary General of United Nation World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in January 2018.

The minister said this on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in an interview with newsmen at the 59th Meeting of UNWTO Commission for Africa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Mohammed is leading Nigeria’s delegation to the four-day conference of Africa Ministers of Tourism, the highest UN advisory body on tourism globally.

“The UNWTO Secretary General, Mr Taleb Rifai, a Jordanian will be leaving after a very successful two terms and we all believe that it is the turn of Africa to occupy this post.

“Of course, intensive lobbying has been going on, but the most important thing for us is to ensure that we use all available opportunity to ensure we produce the next Secretary General.

“There are candidates from Africa, Europe and Brazil but for us who are ministers from Africa, we want to ensure that an African emerged as the next Secretary General of UNWTO,’’ he said.

Mohammed said that Nigeria would use the ongoing meeting with the theme: “2017 as Year of Sustainable Tourism’’, to leverage on the achievements recorded so far on tourism sector.

He recalled that the 58th Edition held in Cote d’Ívoire last year was used to re-launch the country back to the UNWTO fold and it had yielded fruits.

“After the meeting in Abidjan last year, Nigeria was invited to the headquarters of UNWTO in Madrid, Spain where a session was dedicated exclusively to address Nigeria’s challenges on tourism.

“It is as a result of the meeting that UNWTO sent experts to Nigeria to review our Tourism Development Plan.

“We hosted them for five days in December last year, and during the meetings, the experts met with cross section of all the major stakeholders in the industry.

“We are already implementing recommendations from the engagements and they are yielding results,’’ he said.

The minister said that the second leg of the meeting –a High Level Meeting on Chinese Outbound Tourism in Africa will strengthen cultural relation between China and African countries with Nigeria in particular.

He said that the meeting would review the proposal by China to Africa on facilitating cultural exchange and visit of Africans to China.  

Argungu fishing festival to hold in March 2018, polo to feature — Emir

Alhaji Samaila Mera, the Emir of Argungu on Sunday said the popular Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival would hold in March 2018 and feature polo as one of its events.

Mera made the remarks during a courtesy call by Francis Ogboro, the President of the Nigeria Polo Federation (NPF) and his officials to the Emir’s palace.

The four-day yearly festival held in Kebbi State is one of Nigeria’s internationally recognised tourism attractions.

But unfortunately, it has not been held since the last edition in 2009, posing a huge revenue loss to the local economy and the country.

The Emir, however said plans were on ground to ensure the festival holds next year.

“We are working together with the State government to make sure that the festival is staged next year.

“We are in the process of appointing a Director-General for the festival, create a Secretariat and start making contacts with our various sponsors as well as the various stakeholders.

“As you know, the festival has now been inscribed in the World Heritage list which makes the United Nations a stakeholder in the festival.

“So, immediately the director-general is appointed, we will have a tripartite meeting between the State, the Federal Government and the United Nations, who are the major stakeholders in the festival.

“From that meeting, we should be able to announce to the world when the next festival will hold which will definitely be sometime in March next year Insha Allah,” he said.

He also noted that there was great potential in the polo tournament being part of the festival, adding that the tournament has continued to evolve and grow over the years.

“The festival started with just the main even, which is the grand fishing.

“Today we have like seven to eight major events making the entire festival.

“Therefore, this has huge potential in my opinion of becoming one event amongst so many to hold during the festival,” he said.

He explained that the reason for the lengthy delay in holding festival was largely due to the security situation the country had been faced with for quite a while.

“You know the festival is such that attracts people like no other festival in the country.

“In our wisdom, we felt that it was a kind of opportunity the miscreants in our society will want to take advantage of to attack and cause maximum damage.

“So, we were not prepared to take that chance.

“Alhamdullahi, peace has come to most part of the country and we felt it is safe enough to stage it at this time.

“Hopefully, next year Insha Allah it will hold,” he said.

In his response, Ogboro said he and the entire NPF family were very honoured to have been personally invited by the Emir to witness the maiden Argungu polo tournament.

“I am very excited that polo has come to Argungu for the first time in the history of the state and I am proud to have been part of this historical event, ” he said.

He said the NPF would work harmoniously with NSK Farms, the sponsors, as well as the state government to ensure that the dream becomes a reality.

He added that the game of polo would indeed be a plus to the festival as it had the potential of attracting people from all over the world.

“The benefits are indeed numerous for this part of the country as well as the entire nation,” he said.

The Argungu Polo Tournament which was organised by Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, the patron of the NSK Farms galloped on Friday and ended on Sunday.  

NIGERIA’s CULTURAL HERITAGE, HUGE EXPORT POTENTIAL - Ooni

The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has described Nigeria’s cultural heritage as a huge export potential capable of igniting economic rejuvenation.

Ooni Ogunwusi said this in Ile-Ife at the weekend during the joint celebration of Alafere, Oya and Ijugbe festivals which attracted a huge crowd of participants from within and outside Ile-Ife, especially the Bariba and Nupe people in Niger and Kwara states of Nigeria.

The African foremost monarch who is the spiritual leader of Yoruba race stated that the celebration is to give glory to God Almighty who he described in Yoruba language "Oba ti a ko ri, ti a n ri ise owo e"(the unseen God but whose impact is being felt always.

The Ooni wondered why cultural festivals and heritage are not getting necessary attention from citizens of the country, saying this has been affecting the growth of the local festivals and culture in the country.

He also expressed displeasure that foreigners were beginning to appreciate the African culture, mysteries and festivals than indigenes of the continents.

“Our heritage is so strong. All the things that we are celebrating may be strange to a lot of people living in Nigeria and Yorubaland but in the Western World, I just returned from the UK where I met with the British royal family and visited the British museum, they don’t joke with our culture. All these things are so important to them. They traced the origin of mankind to Africa and all these facts are displayed in their libraries and museums. They believe in the potency and power of all these festivals. It is about time for us (Africans) to nurture what we have.

We should celebrate what nature has given to us. Our culture is a very huge export potential and tourism is one of the biggest trades in the world. It is bigger than a lot of investments that you can think of because it has a lot of people’s movement. With tourism, people are able to establish a common heritage and ancestral background.” Ooni said.

He added a call on government at all levels to improve the level of infrastructure, noting that government needed to support drive to project the Yoruba culture to the world.

“It is about time for us to focus on tourism by improving our infrastructure and for us to package these entire heritages. Most of the heritage and festivals are very timely and yield benefits.

Government should pay serious attention to our heritage. We are blessed here because our tourist centres and attractions are natural. We don’t need to create any form of artificial tourism. They are very natural tourism potentials and that is why we need to display them. We hope that at one point, government will appreciate us." He added.

The Obalejugbe of the source, High Chief Abiodun Akinrefon, declared that worshipping IJUGBE god of rain in Ile-Ife would boost the economy of the community.

He acknowledged the Ooni of Ife for resusitating the ignored deities in Ile-Ife which the foreigners cherish so much, saying that Obarese (IJUGBE) is the custodian of rain for mankind.

According to him, as the priests went to make sacrifice to Obarese at Idi-Aje shrine, rain that refused to fall for long in the ancient city started falling with immediate effect.

The Obalejugbe ascertained that Ijugbe festival led to heavy rainfall in Ile-Ife and failure to celebrate the diety annually causes scarcity of rain which led to famine on the land, while small Pox will be rampant and cause death in the town.

Also, the High Chief Oyarekun Oyaro, the Balogun of Famia who doubles as Oya priest attributed the rain that poured to the spiritual performance of Oya festival in Ile-Ife.

Oyaro said that the invoked rainfall gave a landmark for the beginning of planting and plenteous harvest.

He admonished the citizenry to value their tradition and culture, adding that they all have important roles to play in the life of mankind

Oya- Igunnuko/Alafere/Ijugbe festival is a transition festival to welcome raining season and all the nature associated with raining season - rain, wind, thunderstorm.

The festival is basically to show the workings of Olodumare and to make the season to be of high benefit to mankind. to bless the soil for multiple achievement during the season, and for the season not to become a calamity for the people.

The festival witnessed a heavy downpour with wind blowing and thunderstorm which lasted for 2hours to signal the commencement of the celebration.

While Ijugbe also known as Obarese is the deity of rainfall, Oya(Igunnuko) and Alafere are the co-deities of wind. They are all of ORANFE(Sango)'s family and were among the Yoruba's 401 deities that started the mankind.

World Travel Awards set for Latin America Ceremony at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya

World Travel Awards will host its much anticipated Latin America Ceremony 2017 at the glittering, all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya on 9th September.

Located on Mexico's breathtakingly beautiful Pacific Coast, the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya consists of 687 rooms and suites in the family-friendly Hacienda section and 577 rooms and suites in the adult-only Heaven section, catering for families as well as adults seeking a child-free break.

“We are beyond excited to be hosting the World Travel Awards Latin America Ceremony for the very first time at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya,” commented Frank Maduro, VP of Marketing for the AIC Hotel Group of which the all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya is a part.

“It is a great honour and true pleasure to welcome the region's best-of-the best in hospitality. With the World Travel Awards being a pinnacle in the travel industry and a benchmark of success, we're thrilled to be a part of such a monumental event.”

The all-inclusive Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya also boasts a private white sand beach on its door-step, in addition to six swimming pools (two family pools and four adult only pools), endless dining options, a first rate fitness centre and the Rock Spa® - the largest in the Caribbean with 75 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy current pools and steam rooms.

Further afield, the delights of Mexico’s Riviera Maya - think Mayan ruins, world-class diving sites, tropical forests and eco parks - reward exploration.

World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said: “The Latin America Ceremony is always a highlight of the Grand Tour for World Travel Awards, and the team and I are excited to be bringing the event to the Mexican Riveria for the first time since 2009.”

“We look forward to welcoming industry leaders and luminaries to the all-inclusive five-star Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in September, and I know it will be a night to remember.”

Voting for the World Travel Awards Latin America nominees will open on 22nd March 2017 and conclude on 19th July 2017.

World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire. Each year, World Travel Awards covers the globe with a series of regional gala ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective success within each key geographical region.

World Travel Awards Ceremonies are widely regarded as the best networking opportunities in the travel industry, attended by government and industry leaders, luminaries and international print and broadcast media.

Tourism and economic growth under the spotlight at UNWTO & Arabian Travel Market Ministerial Forum 2017

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are expected to welcome 195 million international tourists by 2030. Between 25 million and 50 million new jobs will be required in the region over the next decade. Over 20 Ministers and industry leaders will gather at the Ministerial Forum to discuss how tourism can play a role in the future of the MENA region.

Visitors to the MENA region will total 195 million by 2030, growing at a rate higher than the world average, according to figures by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The rapid development of the sector will form part of the discussion at the UNWTO & ATM Ministerial Forum at the Arabian Travel Market, taking place on April 24 in the Dubai World Trade Centre, United Arab Emirates. The Forum, an official event of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 returns to ATM this year, with a particular focus on the contribution of tourism to sustainable economic growth and economic diversification of the MENA region.

“Tourism is an increasingly important sector to support the economic diversification of the region. In addition to generating foreign exchange earnings and creating jobs, tourism promotes trade and investment and significantly contributes to the development of other sectors of the economy - such as construction, manufacture, retail and financial services.” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM, said: “The Middle East has experienced huge changes since the UNWTO Ministers Forum was last held at ATM back in 2015. This year will reflect the pace and level of that development, uniting more than 20 ministers with industry leaders in the MENA region to consider methods of capitalising on tourism growth and building a sustainable ecosystem for the sector to unlock its potential within each country’s National Agenda. Specific areas of focus will include GDP growth and economic diversification, innovation, entrepreneurship and productivity, job creation, human capital and infrastructure development, investment and export promotion.”

The Forum is one of a number of events in the year-long programme of official activities of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.

In his message on the occasion of the Year, United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said: “Tourism has become a pillar of economies, a passport to prosperity, and a transformative force for improving millions of lives. The world can and must harness the power of tourism as we strive to carry out the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Taking place on Monday, 24 April from 3.30pm, the Forum will be held under the patronage of H.E. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates. This will follow the 42nd meeting of the UNWTO Commission for the Middle East which is being held at 10am in the morning.

The Forum will address the following issues:

- Empowering evidence based decision making and accurate measurement of the contribution of tourism to current and future economic growth - particularly as regards GDP, jobs and exports - and its multiplier effect on other sectors of the economy.

- Enhancing the contribution of domestic tourism alongside international tourism (especially intra-regional) in delivering sustainable economic growth from the sector.

- Main challenges and opportunities for securing investment in tourism (FDI and domestic investment).

- Strategies and measures to strengthen tourism’s resilience to external shocks.

- Ensuring that economic growth due to tourism leads to the sustainable and inclusive development of host communities and the transition towards a green economy.

- Investing in technology - driven innovations to enhance performance and improve competitiveness.

- Policies to promote job creation and entrepreneurship

- Strengthening the sector’s institutional framework, engaging and aligning key governmental role players on tourism policy issues and targets and developing result driven partnerships with local and international stakeholders.

UNWTO clears seven for Secretary-General position

By Jimoh Babatunde 

At the end of the deadline for the submission of candidatures for the Secretariat of the World Tourism Organization, seven candidates have been cleared to contest the election for post the Secretary-General for the period 2018-2021.

Seven other applications which were not accompanied by the required documents were not cleared, “consequently, the applications will not be submitted to the 105th session of the Executive Council.

The following candidatures were completed and duly accompanied by the required documents (letter of the candidate, curriculum vitae, statement of policy and management intent and a certificate of good health signed by a recognized medical facility), along with the letter of support from the Government of the country endorsing a candidate (listed in alphabetical order of the Member State):

Armenia:

Mr. Vahan Martirosyan submitted with the support of the Government of Armenia and received on 10 March 2017;

Brazil:

Mr. Márcio Favilla submitted with the support of the Government of Brazil and received on 6 March 2017;

Colombia:

Mr. Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente submitted with the support of the Government of Colombia and received on 6 March 2017;

Georgia:

Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili submitted with the support of the Government of Georgia and received on 2 December 2016;

Republic of Korea:

Mrs. Young-shim Dho submitted with the support of the Government of the Republic of Korea and received on 24 February 2017;

Seychelles:

Mr. Alain St. Ange submitted with the support of the Government of Seychelles and received on 18 January 2017;

Zimbabwe:

Mr. Walter Mzembi submitted with the support of the Government of Zimbabwe and received on 4 March 2017;

The Secretariat received seven other applications which were not accompanied by the required documents. Consequently, the applications will not be submitted to the 105th session of the Executive Council.

Tourism opens our hearts and our minds: UNWTO Secretary-General at ITB Berlin

Tourism can transform our world and build better understanding in a world living a deficit of tolerance said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, at the opening ceremony of the 2017 edition of ITB Berlin (Berlin, Germany, 7 March 2016).

“We live the worst of times and the best of times. Times when we wake up every other day with the threat of terrorism at our doorstep and the glooming numbers of unemployment. Times of isolationism and ill-conceived actions like travel bans, which do not lead to increased security but just to growing tension. Despite all these complex and interlinked challenges, despite acts against the freedom of travel, the power of tourism continues to shine through the darkness” said Mr Rifai.

Quoting the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, he said, “Beyond the measurable advances that tourism can make possible, it is also a bridge to better mutual understanding among people from all walks of life.”

In this context, Mr Rifai recalled the declaration of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations is a clear recognition of the potential contribution of tourism to social progress, equality and prosperity and peace and that tourism must be at the forefront of the 2020 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“In a world that seems increasingly short of tolerance and generosity, we should cherish tourism as a precious pillar of peace amongst communities and nations.“ he said.

“We all need to ensure that, as our sector grows, it contributes to the wellbeing of the world and not to its peril. Tourism must fulfil its responsibility to contribute to all 17 universal Sustainable Development Goals” he added.

Ethiopian Airlines says U.S. travel ban causing confusion for passengers

Ethiopian Airlines chief executive said on Tuesday that a U.S. order temporarily halting immigration from seven Muslim-majority states was creating confusion for passengers.

Tewolde Gebremariam told Reuters in Addis Ababa that although the directive was confusing, it was yet to have much impact overall on the operations of the airline.

“It is affecting air travel because people are nervous and confused. There is no clarity in the executive order,” Tewolde said.

“It has led to a few cancellations and refunds by Ethiopian Airlines to passengers.

“Operationally it has not created any disruption to us, either on our schedule or our customer service.”

An Ethiopian official said last week that nine Yemenis were deported from America on an Ethiopian Airlines flight after President Donald Trump’s travel ban for seven countries.

Yemen, which lies a short distance from Ethiopia and Somalia, which shares a land border are among the seven nations on the list whose citizens are affected by the ban.

He, however, said the airline’s revenue rose 10.3 per cent to 54.5 billion birr ($2.43 billion) in the 2015/16 fiscal year, while passenger numbers climbed 18 per cent to 7.6 million.

He said net profit was up 70 per cent at 6 billion birr.

He said 2015/16 produced record revenue and net profit but the airline still faced challenges, particularly in African states where foreign exchange shortages meant it could not repatriate earnings held in local currency.

He said the airline had local currency holdings worth $220 million in Nigeria, Angola, Sudan, Egypt and some other states.

According to him, this is losing value as the local currency depreciated, partly because lower oil prices had hit oil-producing economies.

“This is a huge challenge for us. We saw tremendous pressure on our revenue from these countries,” he said.

He added that the issue undermined benefits of an oil price fall during 2015/2016.

The state carrier is Sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest by revenue and has been rapidly expanding with regular plane orders in its bid to become a global player through its increasingly crowded hub in Addis Ababa.  

UNWTO Statement on US Travel Ban

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations Specialized Agency for Tourism, expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation over the recently announced travel ban by the United States of America (USA) to nationals of seven countries (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen).

The travel ban, based on nationality, is contrary to the principles of freedom of travel and travel facilitation promoted by the international tourism community and will hinder the immense benefits of the tourism sector brings in terms of economic growth and job creation to many countries, including the USA. 

“Global challenges demand global solutions and the security challenges that we face today should not prompt us to build new walls; on the contrary, isolationism and blind discriminatory actions will not lead to increased security but rather to growing tensions and threats”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

“Besides the direct  impact, the image of a country which imposes travel bans in such a hostile way will surely be affected among visitors from all over the world and risk dumping travel demand to the USA” added Mr Rifai.

IATA seeks clarification on US executive order on travel

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has asked the United States Government to clarify the recent Executive Order issued on travelling into the country.

IATA said the order was issued without prior coordination or warning, causing confusion among both airlines and travellers.

The apex aviation body made this known in a statement released on its website and obtained in Lagos on Monday.

The Executive Order was signed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 27 amidst criticisms from opponents of his administration.

For 120 days, the order bars the entry of any refugee who is awaiting resettlement in the U.S. It also prohibits all Syrian refugees from entering the U.S. until further notice.

Additionally, it bans the citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries—Iraq, Iran, Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, and Yemen—from entering the U.S. on any visa category.

These countries were named in a 2016 law concerning immigration visas as “countries of concern.”

But the executive order also makes clear those seven countries are just a starting point for a likely broader ban.

The order exempts diplomats and members of international organizations from the ban.

The order also directs the secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a 30-day review to determine which countries do not provide “adequate information” for its citizens to be issued visas to enter the US.

Trump also stopped the admission of all refugees to the United States for four months.

However, IATA in the statement, said the order had changed entry requirements for the US immediately and significantly.

The statement said :”It also placed additional burdens on airlines to comply with unclear requirements, to bear implementation costs and to face potential penalties for non-compliance.

“We ask for early clarity from the US administration on the current situation.

“Moreover, we urge all governments to provide sufficient advance coordination of changes in entry requirements so that travelers can clearly understand them and airlines can efficiently implement them.​”

According to the statement, IATA is working with its 265 member airlines for safe, secure, efficient and sustainable global air transport links.

It said as a matter of principle, the organisation works for the free movement of trade and people across borders.

“IATA also recognises that states have the right and duty to protect their citizens by enforcing their borders.

“Where this has implications for air travel, we work with our member airlines to help them comply with these requirements efficiently and effectively.

“Global systems and procedures exist to support this activity. IATA’s Timatic online solution, for example, is a global database for travel document requirements.

” It is updated constantly and used by airlines and travel agents around the world.

“These systems can only support the efficient implementation of any government’s directives by the global air transport industry with advance coordination as well as with detailed and consistent operational information,” the statement said.  

Airline changes rosters on U.S. flights after Trump’s order

Emirates airline has changed pilot and flight attendant rosters on flights to the U.S. following the sudden U.S. travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries, the report said on Sunday.

However, it said that U.S. flights continue to operate as scheduled.

According to the report, “the world’s largest long-haul carrier, who flies daily to 11 U.S. cities, has made the necessary adjustments to our crewing to comply with the latest requirements”, Emirates spokesperson said.

President Donald Trump had on Friday temporarily suspended the entry of people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

According to the International Air Transport Association, “the decision caught airlines off guard.’’

The ban applies to pilots and flight attendants from the seven countries, even though all flight crew who are not U.S. citizens already needed a special visa to enter the country.

Another Emirates spokesperson said the impact of the ban on operations would be minimal.

The airline employs over 23,000 flight attendants and about four thousand pilots from around the world, including the U.S., Europe and the Middle East.

Meanwhile, an Etihad Airways spokesman said the airline has “taken steps to ensure there will be no issues for flights departing over the coming weeks.”

However, amid confusion over enforcing the ban, it is unclear if the ban applies to dual nationals who hold one passport from a country on the list and another from a non-U.S. country that is not.

Etihad said on its website that dual citizens could travel to the U.S. using their non-banned passport.

According to the report, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), has told its members that the ban does not apply to dual nationals if they have a passport not on the list.

However, the Guardian reported on Saturday, quoting State Department officials, that dual nationals were banned.

Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways are both owned by the governments of the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. ally and Muslim-majority country.

Both carriers said they would continue to comply with the new rules on U.S. immigration but where possible would offer to refund or rebook affected passengers.

Emirates and Etihad have also said that passengers were affected by the ban over the weekend but their flight crews had not been impacted.

Qatar Airways declined to comment on the impact of the ban on flight operations.

Although, on Saturday, it issued a statement on its website that passengers would need a green card or diplomatic visa to enter the U.S. Emirates and Etihad issued similar statements.

NTDC in pictures

Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh (right), exchanging pleasantries with the Director-General of Export Promotion Council, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, at the Japanese Embassy day, held at Nicon Hilton Hotel, Abuja. 

DSC_4600 - from right, Acting Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh; Director-General of Export Promotion Council, Mr Olusegun Awolowo, and Under Secretary Economic and Consular, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Regina Eduzuwah, at the Japanese Embassy day, held at Nicon Hilton Hotel, Abuja.