Intern reporter丨Tian Xin
Editor丨Yan Zhijun
The 14 Ritz-Carlton hotels in China will partner with the Escoffi Royal Chef Association to replicate August Eckeffe's culinary and wine feast on October 28, 2022 at The Ritz-Carlton hotels in Beijing, Tianjin, Nanjing, Shenzhen to Sanya. As the father of modern French cuisine, Eckofe opened the curtain on the era of luxury hotels, and founded the first Escoffi food and wine private banquet in 1911. Inspired by Eckofey's creation, the "Eckeffi Chef Night" dinner menu will feature seven French dishes and a selection of wines from each destination.
Marriott Bonvoy recently announced that from now until December 20, 2022, Marriott Bonvoy members around the world can enjoy a 7.5% discount when they purchase or gift 2,000 points or more. Each calendar year, through official channels such as Marriott Bonvoy official website and Marriott Bonvoy mobile app, the total number of points members can purchase or receive is limited to 100,000 points. Members who book accommodation through Marriott.com.cn can purchase up to an additional 100,000 points per year. In addition, members may send points to other Marriott Bonvoy accounts. Members can redeem their points for hotel and residence collections, Marriott Bonvoy Moments experiences, and more.
Recently, the Luxury Collection Hotel's four hotels in China: Yiyi Castle, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dalian Yiyi Castle Luxury Collection Hotel, Changsha Jinmao Luxury Collection Hotel, Hangzhou Greentown Zun Lan Qianjiang Luxury Collection Hotel and Nanning Longguang Nalian Luxury Collection Hotel, provide guests with a deep connection to the destination with the brand essence of "Hotel: Destination Interpretation". Led by the Luxury Collection Concierge service, guests will travel to Dalian to explore its history of diverse urban cultures, experience Changsha's cultural heritage and the poetic inhabitation of Meixi Lake, enjoy the grandeur of the Qiantang River and the charm of Hangzhou Jiangnan in the peaceful and tranquil blue, or embark on a wonderful journey to explore the ethnic customs of Zhuangxiang in Nanning.
Recently, the Board of Directors of Four Seasons Hotels Corporation announced that Mr. Alejandro Reynal will become President and Chief Executive Officer of Four Seasons Hotels, succeeding John Davison. Reynal, 49, has over 20 years of executive leadership experience in the global travel and hospitality, business services and telecommunications industries. Prior to joining Four Seasons, Mr. Reynal served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Apple Leisure Group, Hyatt Hotels Group's luxury resort management and leisure travel group. Between 2011 and 2019, he held the CEO position at Atento, a global customer relationship management company. Earlier in his career, he also held strategic management positions at Telefrengue and The Coca-Cola Company.
5. Marriott Bonvoy released a series of food films "Knowing Chefs and Rice", and invited documentary director Chen Xiaoqing to explore the profound cultural heritage behind the food
Marriott Bonvoy released a series of food films "Knowing the Chef and Rice", in which documentary director Chen Xiaoqing and Marriott Bonvoy's ingenious chefs explore the cultural customs and food culture behind Chinese cuisine. The series of food documentaries is composed of four short films: "Chuan Hai", "Chasing Fresh", "Breaking the Game" and "Across Guangdong", telling the food stories of different regions, telling diners the variety of Chinese food genealogies, and also showing the chef's unique insights and ingenuity in cooking. In the first release of "Sichuan Sea", the audience can follow Qiu Xingwei, executive chef of Lian, the first Marriott Hotel in Chengdu, to explore the diversity and inclusiveness of Sichuan cuisine with Chen Xiaoqing.
Recently, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group announced the appointment of Liang Fazong as the new General Manager and Vice President of Regional Operations of Mandarin Oriental, Pudong, Shanghai, who will be responsible for the overall operation and management of Mandarin Oriental, Shanghai Pudong and Mandarin Oriental, Beijing, Wangfujing. Born in Hong Kong, Leung holds a Bachelor of Tourism Management degree from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and has over 30 years of hospitality experience with internationally renowned brands, including former Vice President of Langham Hotels and Resorts China and General Manager of The Langham, Xintiandi Langham, Shanghai, China, as well as management positions at various Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.
On October 27th, A.T.HOUSE. reached a formal cooperation relationship with Yang Xiaojian, a calligraphy artist known as the "Oriental Ink Beast", and held a cooperative art cocktail party. At the reception, Yang Xiaojian shared his paintings and creative concepts, emphasizing the use of modern visual aesthetic experience to enrich the form of structure in the calligraphy tradition. The relevant person in charge of A.T.HOUSE. said that this cooperation carefully selected many Yang Xiaojian and A.T.HOUSE." Temperament" artworks are displayed in the lobby and guest rooms. At the same time, from October 28, the hotel will select 100 rooms to place replicas of Yang Xiaojian's works including wooden photo frames for guests to enjoy and purchase.
On October 21, 2022, The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin held a celebration of its 9th anniversary with the theme of "Nine Years of The Ritz, Nine Years of History". On the day of the event, violinist Yang Bo and F. Bella Orchestra players brought a candlelight concert to guests in the lobby lounge located on the first floor of the hotel. Nine years ago, The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin opened in the British Style District of Tai'an Road, Tianjin, kicking off the booming luxury hotel industry in Tianjin. On the occasion of the celebration, The Ritz-Carlton, Tianjin has launched a celebration offer with the "Cémoi Chocolate Afternoon Tea" package, which is now available for booking.
9. Baixiangli Wumu Tian celebrated the 2nd anniversary of its opening and launched the "Naturally, Five Mu Tian Art Record" celebration activity
Baixiangli Wumu Field recently celebrated the second anniversary of the opening of the homestay. Located in the five-acre land of Zhenze Provincial Wetland Park, it is Baixiangli's third homestay in Suzhou after Nanjia Lushui and Dongshan Yuhualou. Baixiangli Wumutian takes "naturalness" as the core concept, and integrates Jiangnan culture and Suzhou-style life into the wetland park. At the same time, we pay attention to the ecological relationship with the wetland, understand and explore nature with reverence for nature, and we pay attention to the connection with 34 local villagers, who provide a steady stream of local acquaintance social warmth for the five acres of land. Wetlands, ecology, villages, and villagers give Baixiangli Wumutian a unique travel experience. Since its opening, Baixiangli Wumutian has won the Wetland Area Cultural Tourism File Upgrade Award and the 2021 Suzhou Top Ten Boutique B&Bs.
Recently, the Outer's family of hotels announced that the Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach, the latest addition to its territory, is scheduled to open in the United States, by the end of 2023. Built in collaboration with owner partner Ruben Brothers, the hotel is located in the heart of Palm Beach, just a stone's throw from Voss Avenue, home to designer boutiques, galleries and renowned restaurants. On the first floor of the hotel, The Vineta Hotel will present four different mix-and-match venues, transforming the celebrity-bound nightlife venue "Leopard Lounge" into an elegant, understated and vibrant restaurant. An outdoor courtyard dining area, a "American Bar" with only a few seats and a new Mediterranean-style poolside restaurant are planned.
Recently, Accor Joy has once again increased its weight in the Chinese market, launching a new lifestyle paid membership program tailored for Chinese guests - Accor Rewards Card, which fully responds to the latest travel trends in the Chinese market, such as hoarding travel, multi-scenario and experience-heavy. The Accor Rewards will offer travelers a new alternative to the traditional model, with the biggest advantages of this program being the higher number of participating hotels, guaranteed reservation success and longer validity compared to traditional hotel vouchers with less room inventory, reservations and relatively complex cancellations. In addition to accommodation, the Accor Rewards Card also includes a variety of differentiated experiences, such as free rooms, as low as 50% off room rates and dining discounts, executive lounge benefits, spa discounts, wine and cake at meals, etc., with a total of more than 30 benefits.
12. Shanghai Sheshan Mao Imperial Choice Hotel under Shimao Stara successfully completed the task of receiving foreign VIPs and helped the Expo to be successfully held
Recently, the 5th China International Import Expo was successfully held in the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Shanghai), and political dignitaries and heads of international organizations from many countries visited the scene to attend this "Oriental Covenant" as scheduled. The Imperial Choice Hotel Shanghai Sheshan Mao under Shimao Starland Hotel Group (hereinafter referred to as "Shimao Star") was selected as the "only designated foreign envoy hotel at the 2022 Shanghai Import Expo". During the Expo, the hotel received more than 50 foreign envoys and dignitaries from 39 countries including Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Cuba and South Africa, including not only ambassadors, ministers, counsellors, consuls general, ministers of economy, business representatives, but also business representatives from the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
1. The El Ola Health Festival Sensory Experience Center has been upgraded again to hold a ten-day event
As the flagship experience of the El Ola Health Festival, the Sensory Experience Center has recently been upgraded and returned to El Ola for a 10-day event. The event focused on the healing nature of music and art and the connection between body rhythm and the overall power of the movement of the stars and moons, and invited many international professionals to return, such as Manish Pole, an international classical yoga, mindfulness and enlightenment instructor, and Valentina Adeeva, a psychologist and hand disc musician. The opening event featured face painting and musical experiences, including consciousness meditation music, musical breathing, and more. Poetry and inspiration talks, stress-relieving massages, sound healing, natural facials and foot reflexology will follow.
In October, the Saudi Ministry of Culture held KCON, a Korean pop culture event, in Riyadh, marking the first appearance of KCON in Saudi Arabia. KCON is the world's largest Korean culture and music festival, presenting a variety of Hallyu experiences from K-Pop, K-Movie, K-Drama, K-Webtoon, K-Beauty, to K-Food. At the event site in Riyadh, 6 K-Pop guests each performed on stage each day, and these guests also held local meet-and-greets, taught dance lessons, and attended red carpet events. In addition, the festival also held screenings of K-Movie and K-Webtoon, as well as booths for K-Beauty representative brands. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture said the event aims to create more opportunities for international cultural exchanges by strengthening bilateral relations.
Recently, the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Culture and Tourism launched the "Experience Abu Dhabi. Find Your Pace)". Based on the rich local cultural heritage, the event brings visitors to feel at home with a lively cultural character, and feel the hospitality of the Emirati people at every moment. Year-round experiences include the ancient Hausen Palace, Artisan House Museum, the stargazing mecca of Jebel Hafeth Desert Park, the tranquil Rub al-Khali Desert, the largest indoor theme park, Warner Bros. World Theme Park, the world-famous Yas Marina F1 circuit, CLYMB Adventure Park and Ferrari World theme park. In addition, Abu Dhabi will host a variety of exciting events throughout the year to enrich the travel experience for visitors.
The 9th edition of the French Wine Tourism Exhibition was recently successfully held in Aix-en-Provence, marking the first return of the tourism event after the pandemic hiatus in 2020. A total of 153 French exhibitors participated in this year's wine tourism exhibition, 156 travel agency representatives from 43 countries around the world were invited to participate, and Ctrip International Travel Service was invited to participate on behalf of China's tourism industry. The exhibition specially planned a series of pre-show "stepping on the line" activities, arranging international buyers to visit 17 wine regions in France for in-depth experience. Another highlight of the fair was the special "Innovation Zone", where start-ups were invited to present innovative products and technologies, such as immersive interactive digital experiences on wine culture tours and smart routes for e-bike tours of vineyards.
1. Air France KLM Martinair Cargo launches goSAF to offer new options for CO2 reduction
Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo recently announced the launch of the goSAF initiative, a new step in making the airline industry more sustainable. From now on, Air France KLM Martinair Cargo customers can set the level of contribution to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for each shipment of their choice. Customers will have a four-tier option to reduce CO2 emissions proportionally when booking a cabin. The plan is part of Air France-KLM Martinair's commitment to combat climate change, with the goal of achieving zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Air France KLM Martinair Cargo believes that working with its customers is the best way to achieve a more sustainable future for the air cargo industry.
2. Air France KLM won the 2023 Air Passenger Experience Association Award
Recently, Air France has been certified as a five-star airline for the first time in the official 2023 airline ratings released by the International Air Passenger Experience Association (APEX). More than 1 million flights from nearly 600 airlines around the world participated in the rating, on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. Air France has also been shortlisted in the "Best Inflight Food or Beverage at IFSA" category for its sustainable inflight experience. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, including KLM Cityhopper, won the APEX World Class Awards for the second year in a row, reflecting its outstanding performance in service, customer experience, safety and sustainability.
Recently, Emirates announced that it has officially started its two-year large-scale aircraft interior renovation project, which will fully upgrade the cabin interior of 120 passenger aircraft and add Emirates' latest Premium Economy seats, and the refurbishment of the first passenger aircraft has officially begun. Emirates has invested billions of dollars in the project and hired an additional 190 employees. By 23 May 2024, all 67 A380 aircraft spearheaded by retrofit will be back in service, after which Emirates will begin refurbishing its 53 Boeing 777s. By March 2025, a total of 120 aircraft will have been converted and all will be put back into service.
4. On World Vegetarian Day, Emirates caters to the needs of passengers for vegetarian and healthy eating options
Ahead of World Vegan Day on 1 November, Emirates has announced that it has invested millions of dollars to provide passengers with new options for vegetarian options on board to meet the growing demand for vegetarian meals. Emirates has introduced a new selection of vegetarian dishes in First and Business Class, while the Economy Class vegetarian menu will be updated monthly. In numerous online selections and surveys such as VegNews, Emirates is consistently voted the best airline by vegetarian passengers. The vegetarian menus in First Class and Business Class were developed over a year by Emirates Airline Food, and Vegetarian Meals are also available for advance booking in Economy Class and are well received by passengers around the world.
5. Emirates Skywards frequent flyers are launching this winter holiday special
Recently, Emirates' Skywards frequent flyer programme is now launching this winter holiday special, opening exclusive benefits for customers. The frequent flyer program will offer special monthly offers that will allow members to earn thousands of miles through multiple opportunities such as flights, hotel stays, car rentals and shopping. Emirates Skywards members will have more reasons to start their holiday travel this year, with more surprise offers coming next month, including: Bicester Village, Skywards Everyday, Skywards Online Store (skywardsmilesmall.com), UTU Duty Free App and more.
6. Qatar Airways expands its winter route network and increases the frequency of routes to multiple destinations
Qatar Airways will further expand its network with additional frequencies to a number of popular destinations around the world. From 15 November 2022, Qatar Airways will launch its first flight to Düsseldorf, its fourth destination in Germany. In addition, Qatar Airways Hong Kong routes will increase to 11 weekly flights from 16 January 2023. Qatar Airways is now offering an all-inclusive World Cup package to welcome fans from around the world to Qatar. Fans have the flexibility to tailor their packages to the schedule, including round-trip tickets from Qatar Airways, the official airline partner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
7. Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Visa start a 10-year exclusive global partnership
Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Visa have signed a global strategic agreement, kicking off a new exclusive partnership for the next 10 years. The partnership will launch a new product, the Visa Co-branded Payment Card, which will enable Qatar Airways members to enjoy new services such as complimentary access to airport lounges worldwide, travel insurance, premium concierge services and more. Qatar Airways Privilege Club is Qatar Airways' official frequent flyer programme, the official airline partner of the FIFA World Cup, and Visa, the official payment technology partner of the FIFA World Cup, and will provide an exceptional experience for travellers as we approach the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
8. Saudi Arabian Airlines won the Air Passenger Experience Association World Class Airline Award
Saudi Arabian has been named a "World Class Airline" in the Air Passenger Experience Association's (APEX) Official Airline Rating, the second consecutive top award at the APEX Passenger Choice Awards. In addition, APEX updated the rating of Saudi Arabian Airlines to a five-star airline. Developed in partnership with Yates and Partners, a specialist rating firm in the industry, the award takes into account not only the services and products of the airline, but also its efforts in health and safety and sustainability, reflecting the expectations of today's customers and the main areas of concern of the aviation industry, based on independent verification ratings for more than 1 million air passengers.
In the near future, Delta Air Lines and the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will test ways to eliminate long trails and develop tools. Long wakes, aircraft wake clouds that do not easily dissipate, account for about 10% of all wakes in the air, and are considered one of the biggest environmental factors in aviation. Long wakes can cause a warming climate, avoiding airspace prone to long wakes, and could quickly reduce aviation's climate impact by around 80% in the next few years. The research results and technical means will be publicly released in accordance with the open source license to help industry research and curb the adverse effects of the trail.
Image source: Courtesy of the brand