Cross Hotels & Resorts is delighted to announce another important appointment in Thailand. Christopher Cribbs has been appointed the new Cluster General Manager of Itz Time Hua Hin Pool Villas by Cross Collection, an all-pool villa resort in a tranquil setting in Hua Hin, and Haven’t Met Bangkok Silom by Cross Collection, a contemporary city hotel located in central Bangkok. Cribbs, an American citizen, has 25 years of experience managing hospitality operations, including cruise ships, 5-star luxury resorts, and boutique hotels. He has a background in management and marketing, and analyses business processes to boost sales and satisfy customers. From 20-room boutique hotels to 1,000-room metropolitan hotels, he has played a key role in pre-opening operations for a variety of different properties. He graduated from the University of Miami in Florida with a Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management and from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management in New York with a Master’s in Business Administration. With its prime location at the base of the BTS Skytrain Chong Nonsi steps and the appeal it will have across a wide spectrum of people who prefer to explore Bangkok, “Haven’t Met Bangkok Silom represents a potential to build this Cross Collection brand and property,” says Cribbs. And for Itz Time Hua Hin Pool Villas by Cross Collection, which are in a prime beachfront location and come in one, two, and three-bedroom options, this is a wonderful getaway with potential as a site for incentives and events. This is an exciting moment to be in Thailand because international travel has recently resumed there and domestic tourism is booming. He has demonstrated proficiency in marketing, branding, business operations, and strategy. More than 26 hotels are …

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman hosted six Indian CEOs, two MBR Company officials, and one Oman Air-India representative on a FAM trip to Oman from 8 October to 11, 2022. They conducted onsite inspections in and around Muscat. They also stopped at the Chedi site, Birkat Al Mouz, Nizwa Souq, and Wadi Bani Khalid. The group then proceeded for hotel inspections, local cultural events, and culinary tours. Oman provides a selection of hotels and locations for various events. The group visited reputed hotels such as Jebel Akhdar, W Hotel, and Desert Rose Camp among others, which were elegant and appealing and were of the highest international standards. The CEOs were delighted to experience delicious Indian food in Oman. They found the food at various locations exceeded their expectations. The food given to vegetarians during the tour came for special mention, especially the breakfast buffet at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar. All hotels, without exception served a wide variety of food, especially the vegetarian spread. The CEOs were informed that Oman can be reached in about 2-3 hours via flights from many Indian cities. The CEOs were happy with the hospitable behaviour of the personnel at the mammoth Muscat International Airport. The tour guides and drivers who took the visitors to various destinations were courteous and informative. They had a thorough understanding of the geographical and cultural context of the respective destinations. The group received a variety of comments, beginning with one from Guldeep Sahni of Weldon Tours and Travels. He said, “Thanks to the Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman for putting together a terrific schedule. The country was truly a delight to visit”. “Truly a …

Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, provides tourists with a plethora of accommodation options and access to numerous activities and experiences. Through this webinar, we will showcase Zurich and it’s various touristic offerings. Attend all webinars for a chance to win a trip to Switzerland. For more information, write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532.

While everyone deserves a break over the holidays, it is difficult not to be concerned about our impact on the environment in the current climate, given all the news about how traveling is damaging our fragile world. The good news is that we can still enjoy a well-earned getaway, while reducing the carbon impact and reaping the benefits of our downtime. Cross Hotels & Resorts offer a ton of inspirations and ideas for that this month, called traveling mindfully. Cross Hotels & Resorts priceless natural resources are benefited by the vital and kind partnership between Meaningful Travel and Socialgiver. The Big Trees Project will benefit from your package purchases through the Socialgiver website by receiving 50 per cent of your money, which will go towards nature preservation and the preservation of green spaces all around Thailand. This project is gratifying and makes you feel wonderful. The hotels have some fantastic suggestions for taking part in September’s World Car Free Day. A project that allows for thinking on how to lessen our reliance on cars. Although they are practical and beneficial, cars nevertheless produce a worrying quantity of pollution. World Car Free Day is a way to highlight these issues and contribute to reduce CO2 emissions. So, we are urging everyone to take the initiative by stepping up, to start their day by leaving their car keys at home. People are becoming more aware of what they eat, and hotels are thrilled that Moreganic, a world-class vegan restaurant, is reopening at Away Chiang Mai Thapae Resort. It offers a calm and serene atmosphere and is tucked next to the hotel’s tropical grounds. The restaurant creates the tastiest cocktails, including the Banana, …

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, hosted six journalists from across India, including from Delhi, Mumbai, and Aurangabad on a FAM trip to Oman from September 23 to September 29, 2022. The group had onsite inspections in and around Muscat, and other locations across the country. The guests visited renowned hotels and resorts such as Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, dusitD2, W, the View, Al Hamra, Jumeirah Muscat Bay, Shangri-la Hotel, Golden Tulip Nizwa, and Crowne Plaza Muscat among others and shared their experiences. The Indian journalists, who were transported to the villages of Saiq and Wadi Bani Habib, were sang paeans about the country. They also had onsite inspections at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar and clicked photographs of the Nizwa Fort before visiting the souq (market). The group also traveled to Wahiba Sands. After having an incredible experience, they went to Sur, including a temporary halt at Wadi Bani Khalid en route. The guests visited the fish jetty and the dhow factory after arriving in Sur, a town charmingly wrapped in a natural bay. Later, the Indian media conducted an onsite inspection at the Ras Al Jinz Scientific Center, followed by an overnight stay at the turtle reserve. Another was a trip to Muscat with a stopover at the marine museum. They were also invited to Sur, Sinkhole, and a photo shoot in Muscat (the Royal Opera House, the Grand Mosque from the outside, the Souq Muttrah). The tour was then followed by a site visit and dinner at The Chedi and followed it up by a visit to Jumeirah Muscat Bay, before moving on to Al Bustan Palace to see Al Alam Palace. On …

High Commissioner of India to UK Vikram Doraiswami has laid out steps that are being taken to ramp up capacity and address the difficulty in getting an Indian visa by travellers from Britain in a video message on Twitter.

Through this webinar, Switzerland will showcase unique offerings of some of its popular products: BLS Interlaken, Aletsch Arena, Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, Swissminiatur and FoxTown. Attend all webinars for a chance to win a trip to Switzerland. Write to jaspreet.kaur@ddppl.com or 9650196532. 

Travelers understand the power of their money and make choices that align with their own worldview. Travel advisors have an opportunity to help people connect with a trip that validates their own values.   According to recent Expedia Group research, most people (90%) look for sustainable options when shopping for travel, but many (70%) feel overwhelmed about how to be a more sustainable traveler. Advisors who understand sustainable travel can be an invaluable source for those actively seeking guidance about how to make more responsible travel choices. The rise in sustainably can be a benefit for traveler providers, too. Nearly two-thirds of travelers (59%) are willing to pay more to make their trip more sustainable.  Plus, nearly half (49%) will choose a less crowded destination to lessen the impact of over tourism.  Expedia Group is proactively tracking travelers’ opinions about sustainability and will continue to publish additional research results to its Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP) members. Environmental protection is not the only personal value shaping travel. The healing effect of travel is also important for many who are searching for a sense of contentment and mental well-being. Whether it’s reconnecting with old friends, a nature retreat, a spa or digital detox, traveling for mental health is on the rise. In fact, Expedia Group research reveals that more than a third of travelers (36%) say they would trade a pay raise for more vacation days. Finally, travelers value their financial safety. The uncertainty of the pandemic made flexibility and the ability to get a refund the most valued consideration when purchasing travel, even more than price. One in four people most value the ability to get a full refund across …

Naveen Kundu MD, EbixCash said that India needs to reposition itself as the biggest MICE destinations in the world. India is trying to demonstrate the government’s intention to market the country as a tourist destination in the world. 

Ministry is employing locally trained professionals at tourist sites, providing employment to locals there near their homes. “Employment generation in the tourism sector is one of the key agendas of our ministry.” said Secretary Tourism Arvind Singh.