Warwick International Hotels Finalizes Purchase of Paradise Island Harbour Resort, Nassau, Bahamas

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Warwick International Hotels is pleased to announce the acquisition of the 250-room Paradise Island Harbour Resort.  The transaction was completed Dec. 6, 2012. Warwick International Hotels will be undertaking a complete and extensive renovation of the resort, which is planned to begin in the latter part of 2013. With easy access from… Read the full press release

RCI Renews Affiliation Agreement for Six Petchey Leisure Properties

Kettering, Northampton, U.K. – 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Petchey Leisure’s six properties in Europe will continue to be a part of the RCI network of affiliated resorts through a new affiliation agreement between Leisure Dimensions Ltd and RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange. Petchey Leisure, one of Europe’s leading timeshare brands, was recently acquired by… Read the full press release

St. John’s International Airport, PSAC Ignoring Authority’s Latest Proposal

Authority’s latest offer of a 4.8% weighted average wage increase each year over a 7 year term receives no response from PSAC ST. JOHN’S, NL – 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — On November 21, 2012, the Authority presented to PSAC a new collective bargaining proposal that includes a 33.8% weighted average wage increase over 7 years, or… Read the full press release

MELIA HOTELS INTERNATIONAL PROMOTES TONY CORTIZAS TO VP GLOBAL BRAND MARKETING

• FORMER VP OF MARKETING FOR MELIA HOTELS INTERNATIONAL’S PREMIUM PORTFOLIO, CORTIZAS’ NEW ROLE EXPANDS TO ALL BRANDS UNDER THE COMPANY’S UMBRELLA Palma de Mallorca , 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Melia Hotels International announces the promotion of Tony Cortizas to VP Global Brand Marketing effective immediately. Previously acting as the VP Brand Marketing – Premium Portfolio &… Read the full press release

SKYTRAX Airline Star Ranking is poised to announce upgrade for several Airline Star Ranking levels in early 2013

London, UK , 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Official Skytrax Airline Star Ranking programme is the Quality Analysis system that ranks airline product and service standards worldwide, with professional evaluation conducted by Skytrax airline audit specialists. Before a Star Rating level is awarded, SKYTRAX conduct a detailed Quality analysis across more than 800 different areas of product… Read the full press release

Iberia cambia su política comercial y de rutas para recuperar la rentabilidad y asegurar su futuro

La nueva política comercial y de rutas es vital para que Iberia vuelva a ser rentable y pueda mantener su liderazgo. El Plan de Transformación contempla que Iberia se centre en las rutas más estratégicas, rentables y en las que hay mayor margen de crecimiento. Potenciará las conexiones de largo radio donde pueda ofrecer un… Read the full press release

HYATT ANNOUNCES COLLABORATION IN TRAINING PROGRAM TO PROMOTE URBAN SUSTAINABILITY IN CHINA

CHICAGO, 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ —  Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced a sponsorship arrangement with The Paulson Institute, which is partnering with the China Association of Mayors to enhance urban sustainability practices and policies in China.  The collaboration signifies Hyatt’s commitment to furthering China’s sustainable urban growth and underscores Hyatt’s commitment to local contributions that tackle global… Read the full press release

Reunión Iberia-sindicatos: La compañía volverá a convocarles para la próxima semana

El SIMA ha citado a las partes para una mediación el próximo lunes Esta huelga agrava la de por sí difícil situación de la compañía. Madrid, 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — A lo largo de esta mañana, la dirección de Iberia ha mantenido reuniones con el Comité de Huelga y las Comisiones Negociadoras del Convenio Colectivo de Tierra… Read the full press release

London City Airport, Time Is Money For Airport Passengers

London City Airport Apron

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — It’s a well-known saying that time is money, and now we know how much for business travellers. Research by London City Airport [LCY] has found that the average person travelling through the airport values one hour of their time at £189.25. That’s roughly the price of a return flight to Paris, dinner… Read the full press release

Rising star’s latest single takes off at Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Rising star’s latest single takes off at Doncaster Sheffield Airport

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Up and coming singer-songwriter Jake Bugg has used Doncaster Sheffield Airport as a backdrop for his most recent music video. Jake, from Nottingham, used the airport as the location to the climax of his video for his latest track Two Fingers, which sees him and his band mates strolling through the airport… Read the full press release

Virgin Trains, More London trains confirmed

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — The biggest operator of cross-border long-distance trains to and from Scotland will add even more services to the timetable from Monday (10 December). Two more tilting Virgin Pendolinos a day in each direction will deliver a train every hour between Glasgow Central and London Euston for the first time. There will be… Read the full press release

Travelzoo Awarded Best Travel Website & Best Place to Work

NEW YORK, 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Travelzoo Inc. (NASDAQ: TZOO), a global Internet media company, is celebrating early this holiday season after winning the 2012 EPPY Award for best travel website, and being named among the top 20 in Crain’s Best Places to Work in New York City. Now in their 17th year, the EPPY Awards are presented… Read the full press release

Passenger numbers at Gatwick up by 4.2% in November

Gatwick's North Terminal Extension entrance

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Passenger numbers at Gatwick up by 4.2% in November 89,000 or 4.2% more passengers flew from Gatwick compared to the prior year. This was driven in part by the timing of the autumn half-term holiday, which resulted in more passengers in early November this year Long haul carriers contributed 24,000 of the… Read the full press release

SAS Group’s November 2012 traffic figures

· SAS Group carried 2.4 million passengers in November, up 2.7%. · SAS Group’s capacity (ASK) increased by 6.5% and the Group’s traffic (RPK) increased by 6.3%.  · The SAS Group’s load factor decreased slightly by 0.1 p.u. to 68.6%. 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Group market trends, RASK and yield development Traffic growth continued to be… Read the full press release

Ethiopian to Fly B787 Dreamliner Daily to Johannesburg ahead of Africa Cup of Nations

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Ethiopian Airlines is pleased to announce that it will start serving its Addis-Johannesburg route using its Dreamliner ahead of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations to be held in South Africa. Passengers traveling to South Africa for the Africa Cup of Nations from Ethiopian extensive destinations in the continent will have the… Read the full press release

Virgin Trains demands immediate improvements in track performance

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Virgin Trains today voiced concerns over the lack of progress made in improving infrastructure performance. As the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) published its quarterly report on Network Rail performance, Virgin Trains expressed dismay that Network Rail has again fallen short of its performance targets over the last year. More than 70%… Read the full press release

Hilton Worldwide’s Commitment to Diversity Shines in 2012

National Minority Supplier Development Council Names William F. Kornegay, Jr. to Board of Directors’ Executive Committee MCLEAN, Va. – 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Hilton Worldwide announced today the appointment of William F. Kornegay, Jr., senior vice president, supply management, to the executive committee of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) Board of Directors. In this… Read the full press release

Tourism key for jobs and exports says President of Portugal accepting the UNWTO/WTTC Open Letter on Travel and Tourism

Lisbon – Madrid, 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — The President of Portugal, Anibal Cavaco Silva, has highlighted the importance of tourism to the country’s jobs and exports on the occasion of the presentation of the UNWTO / World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Open Letter on Travel and Tourism which aims to rally support for tourism among world leaders… Read the full press release

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Announces New Resort in Turkey’s Cesme Peninsula

Kathleen Taylor and Dilek Sabancı

Partnership marks first luxury resort of its kind in the Mediterranean and Aegean basin *Corporate – 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — The world is about to discover one of Turkey’s best kept secrets asFour Seasons Hotels and Resorts announces plans for a new resort property in Cesme, near Alaçati. The picturesque Aegean town, located on the coast of… Read the full press release

TravelClick, Group Travel Growth Flattens

Group Demand and ADR Show Declines NEW YORK – 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — After a large comeback in 2011 and continued growth through the first half of 2012, group room sales and ADR are leveling off,  according to data from the November 2012 TravelClick North American Hospitality Review (NAHR). When looking at Q4 2012 through Q3… Read the full press release

GEORGE BEST BELFAST CITY AIRPORT IS THE AIRPORT OF CHOICE IN NORTHERN IRELAND

2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — A recent poll carried out by Lucid Talk for the Belfast Telegraph reveals that 63.2% of people in Northern Ireland prefer to fly from George Best Belfast City Airport. Furthermore, the poll reveals that in those areas of Northern Ireland, where over 80% of the population are based, Belfast City Airport is… Read the full press release

Hampton Hotels Activates 200 Team Members during Inaugural Global Week of Service

Hampton Hotels engaged more than 200 employee-volunteers from three countries in more than 800 hours of service during Hilton Worldwide's inaugural Global Week of Service, held November 11-18. Credit: Hampton Hotels

Hampton hotels from around the world give back through the new Hampton Helps program MCLEAN, Va. – 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Hampton Hotels engaged more than 200 employee-volunteers from three countries in more than 800 hours of service during Hilton Worldwide’s inaugural Global Week of Service, held November 11-18. Throughout the Global Week of Service, Hampton… Read the full press release

Abu Dhabi Air Expo to double exhibition space for 2013 event

Abu Dhabi Air Expo to double exhibition space for 2013 event Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Abu Dhabi Air Expo 2013, hosted by Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), will be doubling its exhibition space in its second year running, to accommodate the increasing number of exhibitors that are keen to take advantage of… Read the full press release

Travel Industry Adds Jobs for Twelfth Consecutive Month in November; Employment Growing 17 Percent Faster than Rest of Economy

Washington, D.C. – 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — David Huether, senior vice president of economics and research at the U.S. Travel Association, provides analysis on today’s Labor Department report that the unemployment rate was 7.7 percent for November 2012: “Similar to recent months, today’s Labor Department report indicated a modest increase of 146,000 jobs added to non-farm… Read the full press release

Marriott International Introduces Two New Brands to the Brazilian Hotel Market

Marriott International Introduces Two New Brands to the Brazilian Hotel Market

Bethesda, MD –2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) announced today plans to introduce two of its mid-market hotel brands, the Fairfield Inn and Courtyard by Marriott brands in Brazil. The company will open a new 165-room Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, and a 160-room Fairfield Inn by Marriott… Read the full press release

Aberdeen Airport Inchgarth scoops £50,000

An Aberdeen community centre is set to benefit to the tune of £50,000. 2012-12-10 — /travelprnews.com/ — Inchgarth Community Centre has been announced as the winner of the Aberdeen Airport Trust Challenge Fund 2012. Members of the Airport Community Panel were on hand at a special meeting of the centre’s membership last night to give them… Read the full press release

O’Hare “Airport Watch” Recognized by National Law Enforcement Group

O'Hare "Airport Watch" Recognized by National Law Enforcement Group

CHICAGO, 2012-12-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Safety and Security Division, Chicago Police Department (CPD) and Bensenville, IL Police Department recently received the inaugural 9/11 Commendation Award from the InterPort Police organization. The award was presented in New York City on November 28, 2012 for the “Airport Watch” Program at  O’Hare International Airport. The program, based on… Read the full press release

Southwest Airlines Applies For Additional Slots At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport To Serve Houston Hobby

Airline Launches Website For Travelers to Voice Their Support DALLAS – 2012-12-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) today announced it has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for slot exemptions that would allow Southwest to offer nonstop service between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).  The proposed… Read the full press release

Commissioner Andolino Discusses Sustainability and Technology at Latin American & Caribbean Summit

CHICAGO, 2012-12-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino was a guest speaker today during a plenary session at the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Summit in Miami, FL. During the session, entitled “Aviation IT Management/Green Technologies in the LAC Region”, Andolino discussed sustainable initiatives that the CDA currently has in place and is… Read the full press release

Four Seasons Invites Food and Drink Aficionados to Taste New Epicurean Website

Heirloom apple and lobster carpaccio

Interactive site offers gourmands, amateur cooks and culinary voyeurs a new meeting place to share the love of all things delicious *Corporate – 2012-12-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — Imagine an apple as it travels the globe; stopping first in Boston where it’s transformed into a Berkshire pork taco with honey crisp apples, then on to Riyadh where it matures into… Read the full press release