UN General Assembly adopted resolution on “Sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America”

Madrid, Spain, 2014-1-6 — /travelprnews.com/ — Sustainable tourism is an ally of poverty eradication in Central America and the three dimensions of sustainable development – social, economic and environmental – as reflected in the UN resolution on “Sustainable tourism and sustainable development in Central America”. The 193-member UN General Assembly adopted the resolution unanimously during its… Read the full press release

GBTA announced registration is open for GBTA Convention 2014 in Los Angeles, Calif., July 26-30

Alexandria, VA, USA, 2013-12-16 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the voice of the global business travel industry – announced today registration is open for the GBTA Convention 2014 in Los Angeles, Calif., July 26-30. The annual convention is the largest, most comprehensive annual gathering of business travel and meetings managers, meeting planners,… Read the full press release

Travel professionals gathered at the PATA Engagement Hub in Bangkok for the first PATAcademy-HCD, December 11-14

Bangkok, Thailand, 2013-12-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — Twenty-five rising star travel professionals from 13 destinations gather today for the first PATAcademy-HCD on December 11-14, 2013 at the PATA Engagement Hub in Bangkok. The PATAcademy demonstrates PATA’s next generation commitment to lifetime Human Capital Development (HCD). Twenty-five rising stars nominated by their organisations, with, on average, five years’ work… Read the full press release

17 Portugal tourism associations signed the Private Sector Commitment to the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism

Madrid, Spain, 2013-12-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — Seventeen of Portugal´s foremost tourism associations have signed the Private Sector Commitment to the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, pledging to implement the ethical principles of the Code in their policies and operations. The signing took place coinciding with the 3rd UNWTO International Conference of Tourism and the Media (Estoril,… Read the full press release

PATA runs CNN and TIME fundraising adverts to deliver help to the Philippines via PATA Foundation Disaster Relief Fund

Bangkok, Thailand, 2013-12-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — PATA has partnered with longstanding media partners TIME and CNN to drive donations to the Philippines via the PATA Foundation Disaster Relief Fund. On newsstands from December 13, PATA has taken a full page advert in TIME to encourage people to donate their money to the Philippines and continue with business… Read the full press release

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and Georgia Business Travel Association renewed their partnership

Alexandria, VA, 2013-12-04 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the voice of the global business travel industry – and the Georgia Business Travel Association announced today that Georgia BTA is renewing its affiliation with GBTA. “We look forward to working together with Georgia BTA to create more robust opportunities for education and networking… Read the full press release

Thailand Political Developments update by Tourism Authority of Thailand (2 December 2013)

Bangkok, Thailand, 2013-12-02 — /travelprnews.com/ — The ongoing anti-government protests in Bangkok, which had been normal to peaceful for 32 days since 30 October 2013, has turned volatile as of yesterday but are contained within one location near Government House and the Parliament where riot police fired tear gas canisters and used water cannon to hold off… Read the full press release

UNWTO and UNESCO to cooperate on sustainable tourism and the protection of natural and cultural heritage

UNWTO and the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) forged a new cooperation agreement consolidating efforts on sustainable tourism and the protection of natural and cultural heritage (26 November 2013, New York, USA). Madrid, Spain, 2013-11-29 — /travelprnews.com/ — Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai and UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, in… Read the full press release

Bath’s tourism leaders gather in The Holburne Museum for the opening of the Bath Christmas Market

Bath, UK, 2013-11-27 — /travelprnews.com/ — A festive drinks reception for Bath’s tourism leaders will take place at The Holburne Museum on the evening of 28th November, as they mark the start of the Christmas season in style.  Representatives from Bath Tourism Plus (BTP), B&NES and tourism led businesses in the city will gather at the museum prior… Read the full press release

The World Heritage city of Ayutthaya, Thailand to host the Ayutthaya Marathon 2013 on 15 December

Ayutthaya, Thailand, 2013-11-27 — /travelprnews.com/ — The World Heritage city of Ayutthaya is set to become unique running grounds for runners from all over the world during the Ayutthaya Marathon 2013 on 15 December. In celebrating the Thai-Japanese relationship in Ayutthaya on the occasion of “100 Years of the Japanese Association in Thailand”, the Ayutthaya Provincial Administration,… Read the full press release

Las Vegas’s travel and tourism industry leaders attend Connecting America Through Travel (CATT) conference in Washington D.C.

Washington D.C., United States, 2013-11-21 — /travelprnews.com/ — Leaders from Las Vegas’s travel and tourism industry and business community participated in today’s inaugural Connecting America Through Travel (CATT) conference in Washington D.C. The forum was organized by the U.S. Travel Association and was co-chaired by Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) President/CEO Rossi Ralenkotter, former chairman… Read the full press release

Australia’s business events industry to showcase the very best the country has to offer at EIBTM in Barcelona 19 – 21 November 2013

Key quotes “We are delighted to see confidence returning to key markets, including Europe, and we anticipate this will have a positive impact on business confidence and ultimately the business events industryPenny Lion, Tourism Australia” ‘Exceptional experiences and world-class destinations are two of the main reasons Australia consistently ranks as a preferred business events destinationPenny… Read the full press release

Tourism Authority of Thailand updates on political situation as of 20 November 2013

Bangkok, Thailand, 2013-11-20 — /travelprnews.com/ — The demonstrations in Bangkok remain normal and are mainly taking places at the Democracy Monument, Phan Fa Bridge and Makkawan Bridge on Ratchadamnoen Avenue and Rajamangala Stadium on Ramkhamhaeng Road. Security has been stepped up at the four protest sites and at the Constitutional Court of the Kingdom of Thailand on Chaengwattana Road…. Read the full press release

Laos Prime Minister receives UNWTO/WTTC Open Letter on Travel and Tourism from UNWTO Secretary-General

Madrid, Spain, 2013-11-18 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Prime Minister of Laos, Thongsing Thammavong, acknowledged tourism as central to the agenda of the government of Laos when accepting the UNWTO/WTTC Open Letter on Travel and Tourism from UNWTO Secretary-General, in support of mainstreaming the sector in the national and international agendas. Prime Minister Thammavong said, “Tourism development is… Read the full press release

Air Partner’s tour operator division announced very successful summer 2013 season

London, UK, 2013-11-15 — /travelprnews.com/ — Air Partner, the air charter broker and Royal Warrant Holder, is delighted to announce that its tour operator division has had a very successful summer season. Between May and October 2013, the two Air Partner chartered Germania aircraft have: Flown over 3,800 hours Carried over 100,000 passengers CAA statistics for the… Read the full press release

China’s top travel agents selling Australian holidays to converge on the Gold Coast next year for the inaugural Corroboree Greater China

Key quotes “This is the first time Tourism Australia has ever held a Corroboree China event in Australia. These Aussie Specialists are at the frontline, selling travel experiences directly to our consumers, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for the Gold Coast to give them a taste of our world’s best tourism experiences in the Sunshine… Read the full press release

Tourism Authority of Thailand issued update on The Temple of Phra Viharn (Cambodia v. Thailand) Case

Bangkok, Thailand, 2013-11-14 — /travelprnews.com/ — The situation along the Thai-Cambodian border surrounding the Temple of Phra Viharn remains peaceful. The two countries’ military forces have agreed to strive to maintain peace along the border after the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) ruling on Monday (11 November 2013). Life along the Thai-Cambodian border has returned to normal…. Read the full press release

PhoCusWright founder Philip C. Wolf shared his travel industry insights with PATA HQ Staff and Associates

Bangkok, Thailand, 2013-11-8 — /travelprnews.com/ — On 31st October 2013, Philip C. Wolf, founder of PhoCusWright (USA) shared his insights about the travel industry with the PATA HQ Staff and Associates; below are important developments taken from the session: The business world has always been centered on the ‘Business, Customer, and Government’ matrix model; in today’s world, the focus is… Read the full press release

Tourism Authority of Thailand: UK is now Thailand’s second largest market out of Europe

London, UK, 2013-11-8 — /travelprnews.com/ — The United Kingdom is now Thailand’s second largest market out of Europe. In January-June 2013, Thailand welcomed more than 410,538 UK visitors, up 3.07 percent over January-June 2012. Given the recent economic conditions in the UK, that is a very acceptable result. In 2013, TAT is projecting 838,000 visitor arrivals and… Read the full press release

Tourism Australia to expand its award-winning program Aussie Specialist Program (ASP) to include Australia-based inbound tour operators (ITOs)

The way we distribute and sell Australian tourism product is something we’ve been looking at closely in recent months, to see whether there are areas we can improve. Given its popularity and success with agents and wholesalers overseas, we know the Aussie Specialist Program works and see a real opportunity to extend the resource to… Read the full press release

Vancouver and Guangzhou tourism industry professionals signed cooperation agreement

Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2013-11-7 — /travelprnews.com/ — Tourism industry professionals from Vancouver and Guangzhou signed a five-year commitment yesterday to share research, compare best practices, and provide mutual support for continued efforts to drive tourism demand between the sister cities. Tourism is a vital industry for Vancouver with an estimated value of $6.1 billion. It produces 69,000… Read the full press release

WTTC forecasts slower growth for the global travel & tourism industry in 2013

London, UK, 2013-11-5 — /travelprnews.com/ — The global Travel & Tourism industry will grow marginally slower in 2013 than previously indicated, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). WTTC forecasts that the total contribution from Travel & Tourism to the world economy will be 2.9% in 2013, down from the 3.2% growth initially forecast in… Read the full press release

Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives named in TOP 10 NEW HOTELS for 2014 by Destinology UK

Maldives, 2013-10-30 — /travelprnews.com/ — ‘Opening in December 2013, Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives has been selected as part of the TOP 10 NEW HOTELS for the year or 2014, by Destinology UK – a leading Luxury Tour Operator in the United Kingdom. Destinology UK is one of the strongest tour operators to the luxury segment in the Maldives…. Read the full press release

Culture conference to examine cultural links between Jersey and France

Jersey, 2013-10-22— /travelprnews.com/ — This year’s Council for Culture conference will examine cultural links between Jersey and France. Topics for discussion include: attitudes to the arts and heritage projects linking the Island with Normandy and Brittany the importance of the Jèrriais language Visiting speakers are Dr Mari Jones, Reader in French Linguistics and Language Change at the… Read the full press release

Jersey Heritage launched Ice Age Walking Guide

Jersey, 2013-10-22— /travelprnews.com/ — Walkers can now discover Jersey’s Ice Age history whilst exploring its scenic coastline. Jersey Heritage has launched an Ice Age Walking Guide, which includes three dedicated Ice Age Trails at key locations around the Island. The guide forms part of the tourism and educational resources produced by Ice Age Island, the three year… Read the full press release

GBTA survey: ongoing government shutdown and potential default could impact business travel

Final GBTA BTI™ Outlook of the Year Shows Rising Momentum, But GBTA Sees Serious Concerns from Business Travel Professionals Alexandria, VA, 2013-10-16 — /travelprnews.com/ — Business travel spending is expected to see a robust year in 2014 fueled by steady corporate profits, increases in business investment and an improving U.S. economy. However, the ongoing government shutdown… Read the full press release

Visa facilitation top priority for UNESCO/UNWTO Silk Roads Heritage Corridors Workshop

Madrid, Spain, 2013-10-16 — /travelprnews.com/ — Tourism and heritage experts called for more effective visa systems to support tourism development at the UNESCO/UNWTO Silk Roads Heritage Corridors Tourism Strategy Workshop. The workshop aimed to define a tourism management roadmap for two UNESCO Silk Road Heritage Corridors crossing China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (7-8 October 2013, Almaty,… Read the full press release

Tourism Authority of Thailand released update on the political developments in the country

Bangkok, Thailand, 2013-10-15 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Royal Thai Government’s Centre for Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) has lifted the temporary closure of 14 roads surrounding the Government House from late evening of 14th October 2013 to ease traffic situation. All 14 roads were completely reopened from around 21.00 hours. The temporary closure of 14 roads… Read the full press release

Toronto area travel agency owners and senior managers invited to Travelport Connect 2013 Toronto Showcase on October 31 at Toronto Metro Convention Centre

Takes Place Oct. 31st at Toronto Metro Convention Centre Toronto, Canada, 2013-10-11 — /travelprnews.com/ — Travelport, a leading distribution services and e-commerce provider for the global travel industry, today invites travel agency owners and senior managers in the Toronto area to the Travelport Connect 2013 Toronto Showcase taking place Oct. 31st at the Toronto Metro Convention Centre…. Read the full press release

New Zealand tourism industry won multiple awards at 2013 World Travel Awards

New Zealand, 2013-10-09 — /travelprnews.com/ — The New Zealand tourism industry is in celebration mode after a swathe of victories at the 2013 World Travel Awards – also known as the ‘Oscars of the Travel Industry’. Air New Zealand celebrated a double victory when the Australasian awards were announced in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Double joy … Read the full press release