Tag Archives: Chief Executive Officer

Radisson Jodhpur opened its doors to the magnificent city of Jodhpur with 96 rooms. The hotel is the first Radisson to open in the city. Spread over around 70,000 square feet, the hotel constitutes 96 rooms across Superior, Business Class, Studio Suites, Single Bedroom Suite, Two Bedroom Duplex Suites and Presidential Suite categories. The hotel boasts over 30,000 square feet of total meeting space comprising three banquet halls. It also features a state-of-the-art fitness center with modern equipment and a spa service with two treatment rooms. The banquet facilities at the hotel also feature a party lawn spread over an area of approximately 14,000 square feet for organising stylish parties. “I am delighted to welcome our first Radisson hotel to Jodhpur. The hotel’s architectural grandeur combined with the brand’s service ethos will enthrall guests travelling to the city. We appreciate the commitment that Madhav Heritage has made in this hotel and the trust they have demonstrated in the Radisson brand,” said Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Positioned to be a preferred hotel in the upscale segment and the first choice among leisure and business travelers, the hotel is situated two kilometers from the airport and four kilometers from the railway station. It is situated within a radius of five kilometers from international tourist attractions like Ummaid Palace, Birkha Bawri Step Well, Merangarh Fort, Ghanta Ghar and Mandore Garden.

Desaru Coast, the newly created integrated premium destination in Malaysia, met the Indian trade recently in New Delhi and held an exclusive showcase to inform about their varied offerings and developments. The new destination is located at the south-eastern region of Malaysia, spanning over 3,900 acres along an unspoiled 17 km beachfront facing the South Coast Sea, and is easily accessible via land, ferry and air. “Desaru Coast’s India tour will open doors for us to connect with buyers of all sectors within the travel-value chain commerce whilst positioning Desaru Coast as the destination of choice amongst holidaymakers and business travellers alike within the region. We look forward to sharing a preview of the destination that will appeal to international travellers with its myriad offerings,” said Muhammad Zainal Ashikin, Chief Executive Officer, Desaru Development Holdings One Sdn Bhd. He further informed that they are opening in stages currently, and will be fully open in June 2018.

MSC Cruises has announced the opening of sales of its second world cruise, setting sail in 2020. With a halt in Mumbai, the 2020 MSC World Cruise has a new itinerary that includes exotic destinations with 43 destinations and 23 countries on board MSC Magnifica. Other destinations include Ushuaia in Argentina, Rapa Nui in Easter Island, Darwin in Australia, Valparaiso in Chile and Salalah in Oman. Gianni Onorato, Chief Executive Officer, MSC Cruises, says, “Following on from the successful launch of our first MSC World Cruise last year due to set sail in January 2019, we are now delighted to open sales for a new world cruise for 2020 developed to offer unforgettable experiences and destinations to guests. In addition, the experience onboard MSC Magnifica been designed to reflect the cultures and cuisines of the countries that the ship visits, giving guests the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a true around-the-world voyage of discovery both on board and on shore.” Guests embarking from Civitavecchia/Rome, Genoa, Marseille and Barcelona on January 4-7, 2020 respectively will cross five continents on a three-month voyage of discovery to some of the world’s most talked-about destinations.

The Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) started its Penang Sales Mission to India with an objective to promote Penang as the preferred destination for corporate and association meetings, incentives and leisure travel. Led by Ashwin Gunasekeran, Chief Executive Officer, PCEB, the mission is supported by a Penang delegation of 17 partners, including the state bureau for leisure travel – Penang Global Tourism, hotels, destination management companies, event experts and PCEB’s official airline partner, Malaysia Airlines. “India is one of the top five markets for business events in Penang, and over the past year, we have received encouraging interest from event planners and conference organisers. India is the sixth highest generator of tourists to Malaysia. This mission is joined by some of Penang’s finest offerings in the hospitality, travel and events sectors, and will showcase the best of what Penang can offer to the Indian market.”  said Ashwin Gunasekeran, CEO, PCEB. The mission kicked off in Kolkata on January 17, 2018, moving on to New Delhi on January 19, Mumbai on January 22 and Bengaluru on January 24.

Country Inns & Suites By Carlson has announced that it has renamed itself to Country Inn & Suites by Radisson. This strategic name change will allow the brand and individual hotels to leverage the global recognition and strength of the Radisson brand. Changes will include a new visual identity, updated logo and refreshed marketing and hotel collateral. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson is a part of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which also includes Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza and Park Inn by Radisson. The consumer-facing changes will be made in stages throughout the first half of 2018. Katerina Giannouka, President, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, “We are delighted that our Country Inn & Suites brand will be taking on a new name to leverage on the strength of the Radisson brand, drive awareness and increase marketing efficiency. Country Inn & Suites hotels deliver modern country warmth and heartfelt experiences, through inviting design, products and services.” “Country Inn & Suites is a market leader in the mid-scale segment in India. Identification with our core brand Radisson will lend further strength to its brand identity and appeal to investors and promoters in the fast growing mid-scale segment”, added Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, South Asia, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.  

The Annual General Meeting of the World Travel & Tourism Council, India Initiative (WTTCII) held at New Delhi on December 12 saw new appointments for the year 2018. Sunder G. Advani, Chairman & Managing Director, Advani Hotels & Resorts (India) Limited has been appointed as board’s Chairman while Rajeev Talwar, Chief Executive Officer, DLF has been named as the Vice Chairman of WTTCII. Advani said, “As WTTCII members facilitate the movement of millions of people around India every year,  we see the growth of tourism in generating economic opportunity, social cohesion and pride. While GST has been a welcome move, we urge the government to reconsider the GST on hospitality and bring it at par with India’s competing destinations like Sri Lanka, Thailand, etc.” Talwar said, “WTTCII has been championing convergence between Government of India and states to facilitate tourism in India. Our role will be to encourage the state governments – the political leadership and bureaucracy – to take a more favourable stance towards the tourism sector. We will continue to work with the states to improve access, address infrastructural gaps and remove policy bottlenecks for tourism to flourish, and most importantly create jobs, employment and provide a vigorous boost to tourism’s contribution to the state’s GDP.”

Hoping to cash in on the growing leisure travellers in the city of the Taj, VITS Hotels Worldwide has launched a four-star property, VITS Agra. Chandrakant Shetty, Chief Executive Officer, VITS Luxury Business Hotels says, “Agra is a world renowned tourist destination, home to the Taj Mahal and also called city of love. We are delighted to launch our property in the city that would enable us tap the growing potential of tourist inflow.” VITS Agra offers 60 rooms with three categories- deluxe, suite and executive deluxe, each boasting of tastefully adorned décor, luxurious ambience and modern services. Each room is replete with amenities ranging from Wi-Fi connectivity, 24-hour room service, tea/coffee maker and an attached bathroom with complimentary toiletries. With major tourist attractions namely the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Akbar Tomb and Jama Mosque in close proximity, the hotel boasts of aesthetically designed rooms and suites ideal for business and leisure alike. VITS Luxury Hotels currently operates nine properties located and has an inventory of 600 rooms with host of banqueting, conferencing, restaurant and lifestyle facilities.

Etihad Airways has announced the suspension of its Abu Dhabi-Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) route effective March 25, 2018, as it will become commercially unsustainable following American Airlines’ unilateral decision to terminate its codeshare agreement with the airline. Peter Baumgartner, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said, “The unfortunate decision by American Airlines to terminate a commercial relationship that benefited both carriers has left Etihad with no choice but to suspend flights between our Abu Dhabi home and Dallas/Fort Worth. “We are open to American Airlines reversing its decision to cancel our codeshare agreement so that Etihad Airways can continue the route and together protect and support American national interests and global connectivity while driving commercial value for both airlines.” Etihad Airways has invested heavily in the DFW route since its launch in December 2014. The route commenced with three flights a week and was upgraded to a daily service in February 2017, providing travellers in the US and across the airline’s network with access to more US cities through American Airlines’ primary hub. More than 235,000 travellers have flown on the route since its launch. Almost half of Etihad Airways’ DFW customers connect on US codeshare flights operated by American Airlines. Baumgartner added, “The cancellation of the Dallas route is one of several adjustments that we are making to our US network in 2018 in order to improve system profitability. Further changes are possible as we monitor the full impact of the American Airlines codeshare cancellation on summer 2018 bookings. Etihad Airways currently operates 42 non-stop flights a week to five US gateways – Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York and Washington. Additionally, Etihad Cargo operates twice weekly Boeing 777F freighter …

Global hospitality group Carlson Rezidor announced the entry of Radisson in Mumbai with the signing of a 112-key property called Radisson Mumbai Andheri MIDC. The hotel is being developed in partnership with GHV Hospitality India and will be managed by Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. Raj Rana, Chief Executive Officer, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, South Asia, said, “We are delighted to sign the management agreement for Radisson Mumbai Andheri MIDC, which is significant to us in many ways. Radisson is a firmly established global brand with over 200 hotels in operation and development throughout the world.” Source: PTI

The Executive Board of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has extended the contract of Chief Executive Officer Dr. Mario Hardy for a period of three years commencing January 1, 2018. Dr Hardy said, “I am delighted to have an opportunity to work with our outstanding management team in building upon the PATA successes of the past three years. We still face many challenges as a membership organisation but our determination to add value to the many benefits of PATA membership is being recognised in the public and private sectors. We shall continue with our primary mission of promoting sustainable and responsibly tourism development throughout the world as we encourage travel to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.” Mario Hardy joined PATA in 2012 as Chief Operating Officer and was appointed Chief Executive Officer on November 1, 2014. He is a past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PATA Foundation, a non-profit organisation with a focus on the protection of the environment, the conservation of culture and heritage, and support for education. He worked for 26 years in specialised aviation businesses with a focus upon data analytics and technology, occupying leadership roles in Montreal, Vancouver, London, Beijing and Singapore. In 2016, he received an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Capilano University for his philanthropic work in Cambodia where he helped develop a school for underprivileged children and for his support in the development of a Community Based Tourism (CBT) project in Vietnam. In January 2017 Mario Hardy graduated from the Singularity University, Executive Program on the subject of Exponential Technologies. PATA Chairperson Sarah Mathews said, “I am delighted that Mario has agreed to continue as our Chief …