TODAY: F1 coming to Vietnam in 2020, World Expo to Osaka, bright young chefs add sparkle to hotels and the good old GDS.

F1 coming to Vietnam in 2020
Wednesday, 12th December 2018

In a multi-year deal signed between Vietnam-based real estate development company, Vingroup and Formula 1, Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam will be the next new street race venue for the F1 Grand Prix from April 2020.

This deal is viewed as an opportunity for Vietnam to showcase Hanoi as a tourist destination, as well as its ability to host events on a global scale >>

2025 World Expo to be hosted in Osaka, Japan
12 Dec 2018 : Japan’s second largest metropolitan city, Osaka, was selected to host the 2025 World Expo on 23 November 2018, edging out Russia’s Yekaterinburg and the Azerbaijan capital of Baku >>

Booking.com is promoting its home listings while expanding partnerships in China
12 Dec 2018 : As one of the largest travel e-commerce companies in the world, Booking.com is playing catch up in homes category by showcasing more homes and apartments than traditional accommodations >>

Safety, competitiveness, infrastructure key to aviation’s benefits in Africa
4 Dec 2018 : The IATA urged governments in Africa to maximize the positive social and economic power of aviation by working together to promote safe, sustainable and efficient air connectivity >>

News from around the APAC region
12 Dec 2018 : Hotel industry and travel news from around the Asia Pacific region: Ovolo The Valley opens in Brisbane, Australia, first Radisson Blu hotel opens in Henan Province of China and more >>

HIGHLIGHT ARTICLE

Bright Young Chefs Add Sparkle to Hotels
Wednesday, 12th December 2018

Hotels and fine dining have long been a near-perfect pairing but in today’s food conscious culture, the addition of an acclaimed chef at the kitchen helm can really put it on the foodie trail.

It’s no longer just the small number of household names, like Gordon Ramsay who set up shop at Claridge’s for 12 years, who draw in foodie fans >>

The GDS = Good, Darn Sense
Today, hoteliers spend most of their time trying to 'beat the OTAs' by focusing primarily on increasing their direct bookings; that’s a fantastic tactic BUT it’s not the only one that you should be using to boost your property’s occupancy, ADR and RevPAR, while cutting the cost of acquisition >>

What Causes Friction
Anything that doesn’t save the customer time, or wastes their valuable time, is friction. Here are 10 ways companies (and employees) create friction, these are the 'convenience infractions' that potentially drive away customers >>

What We Have Learned From Travelers and The Digitization of Travel
Just like fingerprints, no two travelers are alike: It’s that diversity that makes working across the Western Europe, Middle East and Africa region so fascinating and not only are travelers unique, but so are their aspirations when it comes to creating the perfect trip >>

The Connection Between Hotel Design and Personal Wellness
Exploring the relationship between health, architectural design, and hospitality trends: Wellness isn’t just a trend; it’s a vital aspect of living and while maintaining a healthy lifestyle at home may be easy, the stress of the outside world can make it difficult >>