International News

International News

Saranac Waterfront Lodge Celebrates Opening in Saranac Lake, New York

Saranac Waterfront Lodge, the only full-service waterfront property on Lake Flower in the village of Saranac Lake, officially opened its doors on May 1, 2021 to welcome travelers for the summer season. Inspired by the prominent philosophers, literary icons, artists, and performers who flocked to the Adirondacks in the early days as a reprieve from city life, Saranac Waterfront Lodge offers a nature-connected design and high-level guest service, along with an ideal location on the shores of Lake Flower’s Pontiac Bay. With 93 spacious guestrooms designed in an “Adirondack Modern” aesthetic, the hotel also offers three waterside dining options, an indoor heated pool and hot tub, lakeside firepit, 3,000 sq. feet of waterfront meeting and event space, and full lake access by kayak, canoe or motorboat. A private marina with 24 boat slips will open later this summer. Located within walking distance of downtown Saranac Lake, just a few miles from Lake Placid and 20 miles from Tupper Lake, Saranac Waterfront Lodge truly offers something for everyone, whether guests are searching for a quiet, restorative wellness retreat or an adventure-packed getaway. In celebration of the opening, Saranac Waterfront Lodge is rolling out a “Stay More, Save More” package that offers up to 20% off nightly rates. “Just in time for the summer season, we are thrilled to officially open our doors and welcome travelers to discover the beauty and adventure of the Adirondack High Peaks with a stay at Saranac Waterfront Lodge,” said Anura Dewapura, Managing Director, Saranac Waterfront Lodge. “With our waterfront location and our private marina, we look forward to welcoming locals to pull up their boat and enjoy our ‘dock and dine’ options, while providing our guests ample opportunities to explore the surrounding lake and mountains. With luxurious accommodations and comfortable spaces inspired by our natural surroundings, as well as the philosophers and artists who created our region’s storied past, there is no better place to relax and rejuvenate after a day of exploration.” Designed by Baskervill, Saranac Waterfront Lodge is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts and is the epitome of “lake meets mountain” style, with the outdoors woven into every aspect of the hotel. With soft, neutral colors and pops of plaid throughout, the interior spaces of the hotel provide a serene ambience, with artwork that pays homage to the surrounding flora and fauna of the area. Featuring pale greys and off-whites with forest green and deep navy accents, the hotel’s accommodations are designed to accentuate the views of the surrounding lake, mountains, and town. Offering either king or queen beds, Saranac Waterfront Lodge’s guest rooms average 335-square-feet in size. Those looking for even more space can reserve one of five suites that feature separate living rooms and walk-out balconies overlooking the lake. The hotel is pet-friendly, welcoming dogs up to 50lbs for an added fee, a portion of which is donated to the Tri Lakes Humane Society. Dining and drink options at Saranac Waterfront Lodge are plentiful. Overlooking Lake Flower, the hotel’s all-day dining venue, Boathouse, offers elevated gastropub fare and regional craft brews. Boathouse, which boasts a modern industrial design and a large, boat-shaped bar, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, as well as brunch on weekends. The menu is complemented by views of the lakeside, plus a seasonal patio for outdoor, waterfront dining. A more intimate dining experience is available at Harvest, Saranac Waterfront Lodge’s upscale venue set to open later this year with a concept that highlights locally sourced ingredients. Guests can enjoy coffee or cocktails in Navigator’s Lounge, the lobby bar that invites visitors to kick-back and relax will soaking in panoramic views of the Adirondack waterfront. With more than 3,000 square feet of event space, Saranac Waterfront Lodge offers a variety of options for weddings, meetings and social events, surrounded by the lake and mountains at every turn. Featuring one of the only four-season waterfront spaces in the region, the hotel offers event planning and customizable packages, with catering menus inspired by the local region and changing seasons. Health and safety features were designed into the hotel’s spaces, including the layout and furnishing of the bar, restaurant, and ballroom. The dining room of the Boathouse was designed to allow for natural physical distancing between tables, the hotel’s ventilation system uses the most updated technology available, and housekeeping incorporates BIOPROTECT™ antimicrobial technology in its “Peace of Mind” cleaning program.

Create: May 8, 2021 Edit: May 8, 2021

Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon Reveals Extensive Renovation in 2021

So much more than a room renovation announcement, this is a serendipitous story that begins in 1959, when the Hotel first opened its doors. “We have welcomed guests from all over the world here, with most returning again and again, year after year,” says Guilherme Costa, General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. “And given the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, we thought this was an ideal time to carry on the much anticipated vision of the future for this Hotel.” When highly acclaimed Portuguese architecture studio OITOEMPONTO was entrusted in 2019 to breathe new life into guest rooms and suites at the Hotel, design duo Artur Miranda and Jacques Bec baulked at the idea of modernising the classic Hotel. Old photos stirred memories of Artur’s former stays in the iconic Ritz, an experience he didn’t want to deny to modern guests. Together, the two set about re-imagining the “past for the present,” embarking on a journey to evolve the Hotel’s roots – in style and substance, aesthetics and ambience – for 21st century visitors. “It was fascinating to delve into the history of the Hotel – and realise that its essence hasn’t changed much in 60 years,” shares Artur. “Not only is it an emblematic architectural piece of 1950s Portugal, it also remains at the creative forefront of classic meets cutting-edge. The Hotel has always been very sure of itself, so it’s no surprise that it dictated the parameters for this visionary-vintage reincarnation.” Inspired by the Hotel’s pure fifties style room #44, the new vibe is authentic yet still pioneering 1950s: a Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon trademark, and while successfully evoking the past, it proudly steps into the present, with each room featuring the most advanced technology for light, vision and sound. Already blessed by the generous balconies, they are now much cosier and perfect for breath-taking views of this beautiful capital. According to Guilherme Costa: “This is a time of great excitement for the community of Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon. After sixty years of proud existence, we honour our great heritage, maintaining our legendary service and continuing to evolve our offer to make it the most-beloved hotel in the city.” “We have enjoyed a strong partnership with Four Seasons since 1998 and we are delighted to have embarked on this renovation program togethe,r” adds Filipa Queiroz Pereira, member of the board of Hotel Ritz S.A. From spring 2021, guests will be able to experience: Redesigned guest rooms and suitesA new outdoor swimming poolA new outdoor barNew terrace of the Ritz Bar Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon remains open with operations as usual throughout the transformation period and welcomes guests to enjoy its accommodations, ballroom and meeting spaces, CURA Restaurant, Varanda Restaurant the the Ritz Bar, O Japonês and other Hotel facilities including the Ritz Spa, indoor pool and rooftop fitness centre.

Create: May 8, 2021 Edit: May 8, 2021

New Report Shows Value of IP to the Tourism Sector

A new report published jointly by WIPO and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on the value of intellectual property in boosting tourism shows how the IP system creates a favorable ecosystem for innovation, entrepreneurship and investment in the sector. The publication, entitled “Boosting Tourism Development through Intellectual Property,” highlights good practices, features case studies and recommendations for policymakers and other tourism stakeholders on how to ensure that creativity, innovation, traditions and cultural heritage in tourism are properly protected and commercialized and that the benefits are shared by all. In a joint Foreword, WIPO Director General Daren Tang and UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili, predict that while the tourism sector has taken a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will recover and “contribute to reigniting hard-hit economies and societies thanks to its capacity to adapt to changes and offer innovative solutions to new challenges.” “In this context, IP rights are powerful tools that can be used to boost tourism development and competitiveness. The IP system is designed to promote creativity and innovation and support efforts by individuals, businesses and other actors to differentiate themselves and their products and services in the marketplace, whether through trademarks, geographical indications, copyrights or patents,” they added. The publication provides practical guidance for non-IP specialists on how to include IP in tourism product development – from destination branding to tourism policies. It shows how different IP rights can be leveraged to raise funds. And it showcases successful experiences and demonstrates how stakeholders around the globe are using IP rights to add value to tourism services and products, as well as to protect and promote local knowledge, traditions and cultural heritage. Through examples of producing cheese, tea, pepper, wine or other products, the publication shows how geographical indications and appellations of origin can be used to support the growth of rural tourism and provide benefits to local communities. To leverage the full potential of the IP system, the report recommends inclusion of IP strategies in national tourism plans and tourism policy strategy for regional and local destinations. Not only does good IP knowledge and management help to make use of the protected intangibles, but it also attracts investments and leverages fundraising opportunities. Finally, tourism authorities are encouraged to raise awareness among tourism and destinations stakeholders on the importance of appropriate IP knowledge and management to foster the sector’s growth in these challenging times.

Create: May 8, 2021 Edit: May 8, 2021

Malaysia Airlines says all A380s will be retired

Malaysia Airlines has become the latest airline to sound the death-knell for the Airbus A380, with confirmation today that all six of its superjumbos would be retired over the coming months. "We are cognizant of the challenges to sell this aeroplane, but we are still looking at ways and means to dispose of our 380 fleet," CEO Izham Ismail said in an online press briefing on Tuesday. "At the moment, the management is convinced that the 380 doesn't fit the future plan." That plan will however see the Malaysian flag-carrier and Oneworld member restart the delivery schedule for its Boeing 737 MAX jets from 2024, although Ismail added "we are also exploring the possibility of taking it earlier."Malaysia Airlines aims to have 83 aircraft in total by 2025, with the beleaguered carrier aiming to break even in 2023, in line with a full recovery of demand for air travel. Malaysia Airlines was among Airbus' final customers to sign up for the superjumbo, taking its first delivery in 2012 – the last, which arrived in 2013, was the 100th A380 produced. The A380's sported eight open first class suites (later rebranded as business suites) at the front of the lower deck, with 66 business class seats (in an outdated 2-2-2 layout) on the upper deck and 420 economy seats spread across both decks, with children under 12 controversially banned from the small upper-deck economy cabin.The viability of the airline's A380 was often called into question, and at various stages over recent years Malaysia Airlines has considered measures such as selling off the double-decker jets or spinning them out into a seperate airline which would charter the A380s to bring Muslims across south-east Asian on the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia. "The aim is to establish an air transport system and infrastructure dedicated for Hajj and Umrah for Muslims not just from these three countries but also other ASEAN countries" Ismail remarked in February 2019, adding that the new airline would be called Amal. Less than two weeks ago, Etihad Airways CEO Tony Douglas announced the Gulf carrier would keep its ten Airbus A380s grounded "indefinitely", admitting the superjumbos – adorned with the extravagant three-room Residence suite and nine spacious first class Apartments – were "a wonderful product, but they are no longer commercially sustainable."(Douglas also dropped the bombshell that Etihad would axe its entire Boeing 777-300ER fleet, charting a future with the fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350 to become a smaller and more streamlined 'boutique' operation.) Air France and Lufthansa have also called an end to the Airbus A380; Qatar Airways will retire five of its ten A380s, but the fate of the remaining A380s remains in limbo. However, Qantas and British Airways both intend to bring their 12-strong A380 fleets back as demand for international travel rebounds. "We think we will reactivate all of the A380s," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce forecast last month, although he doesn't expect they'll all return to the skies until demand for international travel reaches 2019 levels "in 2024." British Airways' CEO Sean Doyle is of a similar mind, remarking in March 2021 that the A380 "is in our plans for the future rebuild of the airline – although he allowed that "exactly when we will put the A380 back into service is something that we’re not clear on." As for A380 champion Emirates, airline president Sir Tim Clark believes there's plenty of life left in those superjumbos. "The A380, of which we have 118 at the moment and five more on delivery, will continue in the plan until the mid '30s," Clark predicts, at which point they'll be fully replaced by the Boeing 777X. By the end of this decade and the beginning of the next, Emirates' heavy-duty fleet strategy will involve "using the A380s on the trunk routes, barreling through from east to west and north to south... with the 777X gradually slipping in to replace the A380s that eventually retire."

Create: May 7, 2021 Edit: May 7, 2021

SpaceX Successfully Launches and Lands Newest Starship SN15 Prototype Rocket

The SpaceX Starship SN15 prototype rocket lifted off at 6:24 PM EDT and performed a belly-flop before managing a soft landing, with just a fire at the bottom of the spacecraft caused by the methane fuel it uses. This marks the first successful landing after four previous prototypes ending in explosions. SpaceX will use the data gathered from these prototypes to develop a much larger Starship that will one day transport humans to the Moon, Mars and beyond. To prevent the explosions of its predecessors, the SpaceX team upgraded several parts, including the rocket hardware, communication / navigation systems, software and the Raptor engines. This fully reusable, two‑stage‑to‑orbit super heavy‑lift launch vehicle is comprised of a booster stage named Super Heavy, and a second stage, also called “Starship.” The second stage will be designated as a long‑duration cargo and passenger‑carrying spacecraft. On long-duration trips, Starship will serve as both the second stage and the in‑space long‑duration orbital spaceship.

Create: May 6, 2021 Edit: May 6, 2021

Aemilia Hotel Deploys BeyondTV GuestCast to Cater to Latest Demands in Contactless Guestroom Entertainment

BeyondTV (BTV), a full-service provider of guestroom entertainment services and solutions for the hospitality industry, has announced the successful implementation of its BeyondTV GuestCast streaming solution at the Aemilia Hotel in Bologna, Italy. Installed by LB Sistemi, one of the first LG Business Solutions vendors to receive BeyondTV dealer Certification in the region, BeyondTV GuestCast will ensure that the Aemilia Hotel can securely meet growing industry demands for personalized in-room entertainment. A new 125-room property situated in the heart of Bologna, Aemilia Hotel seeks to provide its guests with the latest in modern amenities and comforts, with guestroom entertainment being no exception. By leveraging BeyondTV’s Certification Program which provides Italian hotels with straightforward access to the company’s technology via LG Business Solutions, Aemilia Hotel can now offer instant compatibility with thousands of mobile-based streaming apps. Engineered specifically to address the unique needs of the hospitality industry, BeyondTV GuestCast significantly allows guests to cast virtually any content of preference from personal devices onto guestroom televisions without ever requesting personal login information. The platform is also designed to be fully compatible with existing hotel television and Wi-Fi network hardware, eliminating the need for complex integrations or equipment replacement. “In the current market environment, it is more important than ever for hotels to enhance their competitiveness by adopting technologies that can safely address guest expectations for personalized experiences,” said Luca Bibolini, General Manager at Aemilia Hotel. “As a modern 4-star hotel, we were committed to identifying the industry’s leading platform for personalized in-room entertainment, with BeyondTV GuestCast offering precisely the kind of flexible functionality, ease-of-use and enhanced security that today’s guests expect.” In addition to sidestepping the need for guests to enter-in sensitive login information, BeyondTV GuestCast also utilizes advanced device isolation capabilities to prevent cross-room communication. This feature significantly prevents both the inadvertent and malicious casting of content to televisions located in other rooms, and serves as yet another vital layer of protecting guest privacy. BeyondTV GuesCast is also backed by 24/7 support services that can swiftly address any suddenly arising performance issues before they can negatively impact hotel stay experiences.

Create: May 6, 2021 Edit: May 6, 2021

NOUN Hotel Breaks Ground in Norman, Oklahoma

Managing partner Scott Lambert is pleased to announce NOUN Hotel, a premiere four-story boutique hotel, has broken ground and is expected to welcome its first guests in summer 2022. Located in downtown Norman at 542 South University Boulevard on Campus Corner next to the University of Oklahoma, NOUN Hotel will feature 92 modern guest rooms, including two luxurious 900-square-foot suites, a signature restaurant and bar, an intimate speakeasy bar, a banquet room for up to 150, boardroom, an outdoor/indoor bar, and on-site parking. NOUN Hotel will be managed by Lambert, who will drive the hotel’s development, implementation, and execution. Lambert said, “This is something that the community and the University of Oklahoma have wanted for years, so this is an exciting time for us and the city. We look forward to providing our guests with the highest level of service and hospitality in true Oklahoma fashion.” Designed by GH2 Architects, NOUN Hotel’s exterior elements will include a classic, timeless look that reflects the architecture of Norman and the University of Oklahoma. As guests enter the hotel on the first floor, they will be drawn in by the hotel’s spacious lobby with 15-foot ceilings, high-end lighting and a 3,000-square-foot upscale restaurant and bar with a plaza area offering scenic views of University Boulevard as well as a room for private dinners and meetings. Outdoor and indoor seating will be available, including a patio bar with a fire pit and water feature that will serve the restaurant and lobby area. NOUN Hotel guest rooms will emphasize comfort featuring soft neutral tones and clean, modern lines. The second floor will include a 3,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor covered bar featuring a stylish and contemporary bar overlooking the University of Oklahoma and Campus Center where guests can take advantage of beautiful Oklahoma sunsets. The bar will offer limited food service and handcrafted cocktails. The food and beverage program will be supported by Hal Smith Restaurants. In addition to dining and guest rooms, the hotel will feature multiple meeting spaces, including a 150-person banquet room and a hotel boardroom that seats 25 people. With a flexible, connected layout, the space can accommodate intimate business meetings and a range of special events or private parties.

Create: May 6, 2021 Edit: May 6, 2021

The world’s tallest hotel, Dubai’s Ciel Tower

The skyline of Dubai is likely to be adorned with Yahya Jan’s creative work. He is president and design director of architectural and engineering firm NORR, responsible for some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, including the Infinity and Atlantis Hotels. Now he is working on his most ambitious project, due for completion in 2023. The Ciel Tower will be home to more than 1,000 hotel rooms and suites and rise more than 1,200 feet (365 meters) above ground. For the project, Jan was tasked with designing the skyscraper on a triangular plot of land at Dubai Marina with an area of just 2,500 square meters — small for a building of that height. “It’s a property that’s very compressed. It’s like what you would face in Manhattan or London. The constraints were tremendous, and yet we had to make it work.” Yaya says. An observation deck that offers 360-degree views of Dubai and iconic landmarks such as the Palm Jumeirah will be built according to the First Group developer. From the restaurant and rooftop pool, visitors will be able to catch a glimpse of the city. Jan said the project appeals to the senses and is energy efficient, using 25% less energy for air conditioning than typical similar buildings. “This project is not just about architecture. It’s about architecture and engineering coming together. That’s why I love the project so much. It … is my passion, the convergence of science and art,” Yaya added. Twelve floors have been completed, but Jan said he remains “extremely involved” in work even this far into the build. “When you design a project as complex as the Ciel, you can never let your guard down, and you can never say it’s over,” he said. “It’s a continuous process.” Originally from Karachi in Pakistan, Yaya moved to the US when he was 18 on a scholarship and studied structural engineering at Princeton. He then did an MS in architecture. For the next nine years, Jan worked in the US and wasn’t planning to leave until he was offered a job as a senior designer for the Emirates Towers complex. The 57-year-old architect said he never imagined he would stay in Dubai for so long. “It’s been an amazing 25 years living here,” he said. As for the Ciel Tower — which is named for the French word for the sky — Jan hopes the building will be considered timeless, just like the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building in New York City. “The reason I like the fact that it’s called Ciel is that I believe in our own lives the sky is the limit, and that’s the case certainly in my own life. I’ve had a chance to grow, to do things that I didn’t think I would get a chance to do. So it’s been amazing.” HE said.

Create: May 5, 2021 Edit: May 5, 2021

VISA will focus on 5 key crypto areas

This is just the start but it is progress towards the solidification of the crypto movement! The first of the five areas mentioned by the VISA CEO is enabling consumers to purchase these currencies or Bitcoin, noting that they are exerting effort to ensure that they are facilitating the use of Visa cards to buy. The second one is allowing digital currency cash-outs to fiat, which means converting digital currency to fiat on a Visa credential, making the funds available for shopping at any of the 70 million Visa merchants. The third area is enabling financial institutions and fintech partners to offer crypto options for their customers. Kelly said they have created APIs that give customers of financial institutions the ability to purchase, hold and even trade digital currencies held by the first federally charted digital asset bank in the U.S., Anchorage. Meanwhile, the fourth area is settlement. With this regard, Kelly said, “We’ve upgraded our infrastructure to allow a financial institution to settle with these in a digital currency with stablecoin, starting with USDC.” Kelly said the last area of opportunity and, perhaps one of the most challenging, in the crypto space that they are focusing on is working with central banks.

Create: May 4, 2021 Edit: May 4, 2021

Stratolaunch flies world's largest airplane on 2nd test flight

The biggest airplane ever built now has two flights under its belt. Stratolaunch's Roc carrier plane, which is being groomed to haul hypersonic vehicles aloft, conducted its second-ever test flight Thursday morning (April 29). The giant aircraft, which features a wingspan of 385 feet (117 meters), took off from Mojave Air and Space Port in southeastern California at 10:28 a.m. EDT (1428 GMT; 7:28 local California time) on a data-gathering shakeout cruise that lasted three hours and 14 minutes. Roc reached a maximum altitude of 14,000 feet (4,267 m) and a top speed of 199 mph (320 km/h) during Thursday's test flight, which Stratolaunch deemed a success. "We're very pleased with how the Stratolaunch aircraft performed today, and we are equally excited about how much closer the aircraft is to launching its first hypersonic vehicle," Stratolaunch chief operating officer Zachary Krevor said during a postflight news conference today. Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen established Stratolaunch in 2011 with the idea that Roc would be used to launch satellites in midair. But Allen died in October 2018 without seeing that vision become reality, or even seeing the twin-fuselage Roc get off the ground. The plane didn't make its first — and, until today, only — test flight until April 2019. The company was sold in October 2019 to its current owners, who recast Roc's role. The plane will now serve as a mobile launch platform for hypersonic vehicles, maneuverable craft that travel at least five times faster than the speed of sound. Stratolaunch is developing its own family of hypersonic vehicles, including a reusable 28-foot-long (8.5 m) craft called Talon-A, which will be the first to fly with Roc. But that won't happen for a while yet; Roc needs to make a number of additional solo flights first, company representatives said today. If all goes according to plan, the first drop tests with Roc and a Talon-A test article will occur early next year. An expendable version of Talon-A will reach hypersonic speeds later in 2022, and the first flight with the reusable Talon-A variant will follow in 2023, said Stratolaunch chief technology officer Daniel Millman. The data gathered during Talon-A flights might be of interest to the U.S. military, which has been developing its own hypersonic vehicles for years now, though none are operational yet. (Hypersonic vehicles are good weapon-delivery systems, because their maneuverability makes them tougher to counteract than traditional ballistic missiles.) "One of the areas that we're looking at is, how can we help the Department of Defense in mitigating risks for a lot of their expensive flight testing?" Millman said. "Our testbed has the ability to carry payloads. It has the ability to test materials. It has the ability to fly a variety of profiles that are of interest to folks across the spectrum both offensively and defensively in terms of hypersonics."

Create: May 4, 2021 Edit: May 4, 2021

Hunden Partners Leads Solicitation Process for Food & Beverage Operator at Fort Worth Will Rogers Memorial Center

Hunden Strategic Partners (Hunden) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the exclusive food and beverage operator at the Will Rogers Memorial Center (WRMC) in Fort Worth. Hunden is managing the solicitation and selection process on behalf of the City of Fort Worth (City), Texas. The City is seeking a qualified firm or team for the exclusive food and beverage operations (including concessions, catering, cafes, etc.) at the WRMC complex. The brand and experience of Fort Worth is intertwined with the catering and concession experience at the WRMC and as such, the new vendor must align with the vision for the WRMC as the premier venue of its kind in the world. Respondents ideally will have experience with equestrian or similar venues and a history of successfully curating a local F&B experience that best serves the customer base and supports a locality’s brand as a destination. Will Rogers Memorial Center is a world-class facility hosting more than one million visitors a year,” said Mike Crum, Director of the Public Events Department for the City of Fort Worth. “Our chosen food and beverage partner will elevate the operation to create a truly memorable, unique Fort Worth experience.” The F&B contract is expected to be negotiated and approved by December 31, 2021. The term of this contract, which will go into effect on January 13, 2022, is ten (10) years with five, one-year renewal options.

Create: May 1, 2021 Edit: May 1, 2021

Hilton Launches Female Development Program in Sri Lanka

Hilton announced its partnership with the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (SLITHM) to launch Hilton Liya Diriya – a specially curated female development program in Sri Lanka. Translating to ‘female courage,’ Hilton Liya Diriya aims to provide training opportunities for local female students keen to build a career in hospitality. Selected participants will undergo two training phases to pick up practical knowledge, skills and experiences, involving a one-month period dedicated to theoretical training with SLITHM and a six-month industrial traineeship at one of Hilton’s properties in Sri Lanka. The establishment of the program is in line with Hilton’s Travel with Purpose 2030 goal of doubling its social impact investment, and underscores its continued commitment to ensuring inclusive growth, sustainable solutions and economic opportunities for all, even during these unprecedented times. Furthermore, by empowering its female participants and enabling them to pursue a career in hospitality, Hilton Liya Diriya also aims to create a positive impact on the community by increasing the historically lower1 labor force participation rate for women in Sri Lanka. On top of the training, participants will receive support from Hilton throughout the duration of the program, in the form of accommodation, allowance and mentoring. Upon graduation, they will also be awarded certifications, as well as employment opportunities at a Hilton property in Sri Lanka or abroad. Sri Lanka has shown immense potential for us over the years, evidenced by the resilience of the country, its promising tourism sector and ongoing improvements to infrastructure which have laid a strong foundation for us to kickstart our robust expansion plans,” said Paul Hutton, vice president, operations, Hilton in South East Asia. “Despite the challenges caused by the health pandemic, we continue to recognize its long-term prospects and have doubled down on our commitment to putting Sri Lanka on the global roadmap with the recent opening of DoubleTree by Hilton Weerawila Rajawarna Resort in November – our third Hilton property in the country.” Commenting on the opportunity to further extend the Hilton Effect in Sri Lanka, Hutton added: “In line with our growing presence in the country, we also want to continue honoring our founder, Conrad Hilton, and his ambition to be the most hospitable company in the world, by doing our part for the communities we operate in. Through the introduction of Hilton Liya Diriya, we hope to leverage our scale and capacity to advance women’s economic empowerment in the country by identifying and developing the best local talents, and I look forward to seeing them excel in their careers with us.” Kimarli Fernando, chairperson of Sri Lanka Tourism, said: “We aspire to achieve a higher level of female participation in Sri Lanka’s hospitality industry, especially in the skilled and value creation areas, which would provide more opportunities for them to further their careers in the longer term. Currently, women make up less than 10 percent of the hospitality workforce locally, compared to 54 percent globally. This is a strategic change Sri Lanka Tourism is striving for and we are delighted to partner with Hilton on the Hilton Liya Diriya program, which is a major step forward to champion the strategic change in our workforce.”

Create: May 1, 2021 Edit: May 1, 2021