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Iranian president urges efforts to boost medical tourism

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has urged sustainable efforts towards developing medical tourism across the country. “Health tourism is of great importance to us, and hospitals located in the border provinces of the country can serve a pivotal role in developing medical tourism by providing medical services to foreign guests and tourists,” Rouhani said on Thursday. He made the remarks on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony of some health projects, urging the need for reinforcing medical and health services in some provinces, including Khorasan (Razavi), Isfahan, Fars, and East Azarbaijan, is an absolute duty. “For the time being, many Iranians living in foreign countries prefer to choose homeland for their treatment or certain surgeries,” he said, adding such a trend indicates great efforts made by “dear doctors and nurses and all the dear ones who work in the health sector”. Medical tourism is booming worldwide as about 20 to 24 million people are traveling for medical treatments annually. Factors such as increased care needs over longer lifespans, rising healthcare costs, and constant pressures on some insurance industries are reasons behind why some opt to travel abroad. Regarding price competitiveness, Iran currently ranks first in the world but the country has not been very successful in attracting potential travelers as other competitors like Singapore and Turkey. People from the Persian Gulf littoral states, Iraq and Syria as well as Iranian expatriates residing in Canada and Germany constituted the majority of medical travelers to the Islamic Republic, who received plastic, cosmetics, open-heart, and orthopedic surgeries amongst other treatments over the past couple of years. The Islamic Republic has set goals to exceed its yearly medical travelers to around two million in [calendar year] 1404 (March 2025-March 2026). Amongst Iran’s trump cards are the presence of credible surgeons and physicians, cutting-edge medical technologies, high-tech medicine and diverse specializations, super affordable procedures, and finally its hospitable people.

Create: Jun 19, 2021 Edit: Jun 19, 2021 Regional News

Tourist Numbers Down 83% but Confidence Slowly Rising

International tourist arrivals were down 83% in the first quarter of 2021 as widespread travel restrictions remained in place. However, the UNWTO Confidence Index shows signs of a slow uptick in confidence. Between January and March 2021 destinations around the world welcomed 180 million fewer international arrivals compared to the first quarter of last year. Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the lowest levels of activity with a 94% drop in international arrivals over the three-month period. Europe recorded the second largest decline with -83%, followed by Africa (-81%), the Middle East (-78%) and the Americas (-71%). This all follows on from the 73% fall in worldwide international tourist arrivals recorded in 2020, making it the worst year on record for the sector. Lack of coordination harms RestartTourism UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili comments: “There is significant pent-up demand and we see confidence slowly returning. Vaccinations will be key for recovery, but we must improve coordination and communication while making testing easier and more affordable if we want to see a rebound for the summer season in the northern hemisphere.” Vaccinations will be key for recovery, but we must improve coordination and communication while making testing easier and more affordable if we want to see a rebound for the summer season in the northern hemisphere. The latest survey of the UNWTO Panel of Tourism Experts shows prospects for the May-August period improving slightly. Alongside this, the pace of the vaccination rollout in some key source markets as well as policies to restart tourism safely, most notably the EU Digital Green Certificate, have boosted hopes for a rebound in some of these markets. Overall, 60% expect a rebound in international tourism only in 2022, up from 50% in the January 2021 survey. The remaining 40% see a potential rebound in 2021, though this is down slightly from the percentage in January. Nearly half of the experts do not see a return to 2019 international tourism levels before 2024 or later, while the percentage of respondents indicating a return to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 has somewhat decreased (37%), when compared to the January survey.

Create: Jun 16, 2021 Edit: Jun 16, 2021 International News

Iran, Turkey reopen land border after 14 months closure over virus

After more than a year of closure following the outbreak of coronavirus, Iran and Turkey have reopened a land border to passengers, ISNA reported on Friday. The Kapikoy-Razi border reopened on May 17 and a group of 41 female Iranian entrepreneurs and artists has recently entered the city of Van in Turkey, where the city’s hoteliers welcomed them with flowers, the report said. Tourists and vehicles are allowed through the border with negative COVID-19 PCR test results issued 72 hours in advance of entry. However, Razi-Kapikoy border from the Iranian side is still closed to tourists, and only diplomats, businessmen, and people who have a residence permit or are studying and living in Turkey are allowed to cross. As Turkey is a country through which many trips of Iranians living abroad and foreign nationals to Iran are made, the coronavirus pandemic prevented several businessmen and students from continuing their activities and even left patients who want to go abroad for further treatment helpless. Some 1.37 million Iranian tourists visited Turkey during the first eight months of 2019, accounting for 4.4% of all international arrivals in the country.

Create: Jun 12, 2021 Edit: Jun 12, 2021 Regional News

Iran, safe and desirable destination for foreign tourists, minister says

Having unique tourism capabilities, Iran is a safe and desirable travel destination for visitors from around the world, Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan has said. He made the remarks during a meeting with Russian and Iranian tourism activists in Moscow on Monday. In recent years, Iran’s tourism sector has flourished because new branches of traveling, such as eco-tourism, health tourism, mining tourism, and agritourism, have all been gaining popularity, the minister said. Iran offers an impressive range of tourist attractions, including historical, cultural, and natural monuments, handicrafts, dense forests, towering mountains, roaring rivers, and beautiful deserts, while there are also over 700 museums that can be visited in different cities, he explained. Tourists can find the country to be one of the pocket-friendly destinations in the world, he mentioned. He also noted that some 400 hotels and over 2,000 eco-lodge units have been established across the country. Iran’s image in the world is being tarnished by the U.S.’s anti-Iran policy, but traveling to Iran could change this image for foreign tourists, he added. Mounesan on Monday signed an action plan to implement a bilateral visa-free agreement for tourist groups. The signing of the agreement, which emphasizes a waiver of visas for tourist groups, was due to the good relations between the two countries as well as the interest of Iranians in visiting Russia and the existing capacity in the country for cultural tourists and history buffs, he noted during the signing ceremony. He also expressed hope that the signing of the joint action plan, as well as the process of increasing vaccination and overcoming the corona crisis, would result in a growth of tourism between Iran and Russia. In 2017, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin inked a visa-free agreement for tourist groups. A joint technical committee has been developing an action plan for the previously agreed visa-free travel arrangements since then, to put the agreement into effect. Based on the 2017 agreement tour groups of 5 to 50 people heading to [easternmost parts of] Russia from Iran or vice versa are granted a visa-free stay of up to 15 days. Earlier this month, Mostafa Sarvari, who presides over the tourism marketing and advertising office of the Iranian Tour Operators Association, announced many Russian tourists are eager to travel to Iran, recounting his Russian counterparts. “Many [potential] Russian travelers are motivated to visit novel and lesser-known destinations such as Iran that could be a safe and attractive destination,” he said. “According to Russian tourism experts, the feedback from Russian tourists who have traveled to Iran has been very positive, and its reflection, especially on social media, has caused a great deal of enthusiasm and interest.” According to Ebrahim Pourfaraj, who heads the Iranian Tour Operators Association, rounds of negotiations have been held between Iranian tour operators, travel marketers, and their Russian counterparts. “We’ve been commenced talks with some Russian travel agents to put Iranian destinations on their itineraries…. And the Iranian Tour Operators Association has also entered negotiations with Russian unions for outbound tours to attract more travelers from Russia.” Pourfaraj says the majority of potential Russian travelers are unaware of the vast tourist attractions that exist in every corner of Iran. “The fact is that Iran’s political and economic relations with Russia are considered as good, but this has nothing to do with attracting tourists because it is directly connected with the Russian people. It is the Russian people who must choose Iran as their destination.” Iran is taking proactive measures in line with the long-term goal of 20 million tourists by 2025.

Create: Jun 9, 2021 Edit: Jun 9, 2021 Regional News

Iran, Russia to remove obstacles on tourism industry

Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, and Head of Russian Federal Agency for Tourism emphasized tourism development between the two countries to remove possible barriers for the tourists. At a meeting on Monday, the two sides called to implementation of tourism agreements between the two countries as soon as possible and remove possible barriers to the tourists from the two countries. Mounesan said: "Facilitating the movement of tourists has been one of the important policies of Iran to calculate the income from it in GDP." Mounesan emphasized Iran moved from historical and cultural tourism to ecotourism because Iran also has eye-catching natural beauties in addition to historical and cultural attractions. The Minister said: "We launched ecotourism and rural and agriculture tourism, and the target countries were also identified. Before Corona, we had 10 million tourists from Iran, 65,000 of whom traveled to Russia. Zarina Doguzova, the head of the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism, also said that it is necessary to increase tourists to the two countries due to the warm relations between the two countries and the excellent tourism capacities. Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Ali Asghar Mounesan arrived in Moscow on Sunday to sign a deal on lifting individual visa requirements for tourist groups, Iran’s Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday. "Today, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Ali Asghar Mounesan is arriving in Moscow to sign an agreement on lifting visa requirements for tourist groups," the ambassador wrote. According to the diplomat, under the deal, tourists of both countries will be able to travel to Iran and Russia through accredited companies, and the entire group will receive one visa. Jalali stressed that tourism is a foundation for developing Iranian-Russian ties.

Create: Jun 8, 2021 Edit: Jun 8, 2021 Regional News

How a Guest-Centric PMS Can Help Hotels Win in the Face of a Labor Crunch

HNI, [۲۶.۰۵.۲۱ ۱۱:۴۱]Hotel technology exists to amplify, not burden, a hotel’s guest experience. Truly guest-centric technology should empower hoteliers to deliver their unique and ideal version of the guest experience. But great hotel technology should not only be guest-focused, it must also be management-focused, by helping hotels scale their business, and staff focused by facilitating operations, streamlining communications, and promoting employee productivity. In the face of a post-pandemic labor crunch, hotels need a mobile and guest-centric PMS to support a lean staff as they look to meet an uptick in travel demand. 2021 Will See the Hospitality Industry Roaring Back… But Hiring Still Lags BehindThe COVID-19 pandemic was devastating for hospitality, setting the industry back over 10 years in terms of occupancy and job losses. According to the ALHA, the pandemic cost the U.S. hospitality industry over 50% occupancy, and over 3.1 million jobs. The good news, however, is that the industry is on the verge of a major recovery. Rising vaccination rates, coupled with rapidly falling case numbers have led to an increase in confidence with the traveling public. According to Destination Analysts,confidence in travel safety is increasing, with over 61.8% of American respondents confident that the pandemic situation will continue to improve, and over 72% of the respondents making travel plans in the previous week. This rising optimism is being seen in job reports indicating that the hospitality sector gained over 331,000 jobs in April 2021 一 the sixth largest gain in the past 50 years. Unfortunately, these gains may not be enough. U.S. hotels are still 600,000 workers short of pre-pandemic levels, but workers don’t seem to be filling the vacancies. This can be attributed to a number of factors, including widespread health concerns, difficulty obtaining childcare, and the recent rise in federal unemployment benefits. The question for hotels is how can they leverage technology to support a lean staff, get new staff up to speed quickly, and help their current employees better engage with and serve their guests, without the burden of physical or technological constraints. PMS Technology Should be Intuitive, Mobile, and Unburden StaffHoteliers joined the hospitality industry because they delight in serving their guests 一 not because they wanted to fight with outdated technology. If hotels want to retain high-performing employees, they should invest in technology that actively empowers them to deliver an exceptional guest experience. What does it mean to have a staff-focused PMS? On the most basic level, PMS platforms should be intuitive and easy to use, and never burden employees when serving their guests. When technology is delivered through an intuitive user interface, hoteliers can spend less time buried in their screens, and more time actively engaging with their guests. Additionally, mobile & guest-centric PMS technology should promote maximum ease of access. Hoteliers should be able to manage their property from any location and device, giving them the freedom to move about the hotel and meet guests wherever they are. This allows staff to have more natural and personalized interactions with their guests, while also freeing any staff member, no matter their specific job title, to help any guest in any section of the hotel. Easy-to-Train On Systems Enable Hotels to Expand their Talent PoolPMS platforms should be easy to train on and easy to master. When technology is easier to understand, hotels can hire staff based on how they actually interact with guests 一 not how well they “get” outdated technology. When a new staff member is hired, it should be easier to train and onboard them to the new technology, thereby increasing adoption throughout your team. HNI, [۲۶.۰۵.۲۱ ۱۱:۴۱]When investing in new PMS technology, hoteliers should also explore what resources the vendor offers in terms of staff training and support. The right PMS technology vendor will view its relationship with its clients as a long-term strategic partnership, and will make sure its clients’ staff have the resources they need to get the most out of their product. Look for a dedicated implementation team, with the option for either in-person or remote implementation, as well as a dedicated client success manager (CSM), who can act as the customer’s voice within the organization. The right PMS vendor will provide robust self-training resources, including a comprehensive product knowledge base, on-demand e-learning courses, and best practice materials which demonstrate how to use the product to enhance the guest journey and operational efficiencies. Mobile Communication Can Streamline Operations and Improve Staff MoraleBreakdowns in team communication can easily lead to breakdowns in team morale. When hoteliers communicate with walkie-talkies and landline telephones, critical information can get lost in the shuffle, resulting in dissatisfied guests and frayed team dynamics. A mobile, guest-centric PMS can streamline staff and guest communications in a number of ways: Instant room updates automatically notify front desk staff when a room is ready or out of order, while analytic dashboards can keep your entire staff updated on key performance metrics. For more sophisticated forms of communication, native-cloud PMS systems can integrate with third-party guest messenger platforms. Guest messaging delivers seamless communication throughout the guest journey using common messaging platforms such as SMS, Facebook Messenger or WeChat. This allows guests to communicate instantly with staff through their mobile device, while also allowing staff members to serve multiple guests through multiple chat windows. Use Advanced Automation to Get the Most Out of a Limited Staf The hospitality industry is facing increased travel demand and heightened expectations for cleanliness and service, as it moves into the peak 2021 summer travel season. Unfortunately, they are still hampered by limitations in resources and staff size. By incorporating robust automation, a mobile PMS can help hotels get the most out of limited staff, while also freeing hoteliers from many of the mundane, repetitive tasks that take them away from their guests. A native-cloud PMS can automate simple but repetitive tasks such as room assignment, bulk check-in, and housekeeping task management. But it can also automate more advanced processes 一 like the entire check-in experience. Guests can have the option of checking in through their mobile device or a guest-facing smart kiosk. Mobile self check-in can not only streamline and personalize the check-in experience for guests, it can free hotel staff from engaging in repetitive and scripted dialogues during the check-in process. This self check-in option can also include automated targeted offers for amenities and room upgrades, giving the hotel an additional stream of ancillary revenue. Instead, they can focus on more natural and personalized interactions, like answering questions about dining options, or greeting guests with tea or champagne in the lobby. Great Technology Should Empower Great HoteliersIn order to succeed in the post-pandemic hospitality market, hotels have to deliver exceptional and personalized service on a limited staff. Therefore, it’s crucial that they invest in technology which is not only guest-centric but staff-centric as well. A mobile, guest-centric PMS delivers on both of these goals, by leveraging a system that is easy to use and easy to learn, while facilitating both staff communication and streamlined operations. Great technology should empower both hoteliers and their employees to deliver the best guest experience possible. And a guest-centric PMS can help them do just that.

Create: May 26, 2021 Edit: May 26, 2021 Hotel Management

Iran could become hub for ‘vaccine tourism

Iran has the potential to become a destination for vaccine tourism regarding considerable efforts the country is making to develop series of domestic COVID-19 vaccines, the tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan has said. There is a capacity to add ‘vaccine tourism’ to the ‘health tourism basket’ of the country after all [Iranian] people are received vaccines…. and the move could fuel a boom in the tourism sector of the country.” In the near future, we will possess the capacity to provide foreigner travelers with the COVID-19 vaccine, especially those from the neighboring countries,” Mounesan said. The Islamic Republic is among the first countries which started developing a vaccine against coronavirus, and now four companies are endeavoring to release their products by September and inoculate the whole population. Out of 16 vaccine production cases, four cases have received a code of ethics and are undergoing clinical trial; it is hoped that another three to four cases will succeed in receiving license by September. According to available data compiled by the tourism ministry, the number of foreign visitors to Iran plunged 94% in the first nine months of the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2021) as the coronavirus pandemic takes a heavy toll on the tourism industry. The coronavirus epidemic has ruined more than 1.5 million jobs in Iran’s travel sector, tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan said in December. “Over 1.5 million jobs have been lost in the tourism sector of Iran due to the COVID-19 disease…. Many of the tourism-insiders are now unemployed or they are staying at home,” according to Mounesan. Tourism [industry of Iran] was growing before the corona [outbreak], its revenues reached $11.7 billion in 2019, which accounted for 2.8% of GDP, near the average share of tourism in the world GDP, which was 3.2 percent, the minister explained. The ancient land embraces hundreds of historical sites such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 24 being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

Create: May 24, 2021 Edit: May 25, 2021 Regional News

Iran considers opening borders to vaccinated travelers

Iran is weighing plans to open its borders to vaccinated tourists though it isn’t yet clear exactly when tourists will be allowed to arrive. The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts have already started extensive consultations with other government ministries for the reopening of borders to vaccinated travelers, the deputy minister Vali Teymouri said on Wednesday. “One of the issues that we are pursuing strongly through various committees is the arrival of international citizens who have been vaccinated so that won’t pose a threat or concern to the Iranian society,” the official said. “We have put forward the proposal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and to the President (Hassan Rouhani) as well.” He went on to say that other countries are planning to open borders to vaccinated tourists. “We estimate that soon, various tourist destinations in the world, including the European Union, will open their doors to international tourists implementing a vaccine-passport approach….” Earlier in March, the Head of the Iranian Tour Operators Association Ebrahim Pourfaraj asked the government to issue tourist visas for the international applicants who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. “The Ministry of Health and the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control can at least agree that the international tourists who have received the [second dose of] coronavirus vaccine would be allowed to enter Iran,” Pourfaraj said. He also lamented that the continuation of such a trend would result in losing international tourist markets more than before. “Or at least they should make it clear so that we can respond appropriately to foreign companies and tourists to not to miss the international tourist markets more than before,” he said. According to available data compiled by the tourism ministry, the number of foreign visitors to Iran plunged 94% in the first nine months of the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2021) as the coronavirus pandemic takes a heavy toll on the tourism industry. “Some 450,000 foreign travelers arrived in Iran for mainly medical or trade purposes during the first nine months of the year… tightened measures to tackle the new coronavirus has reduced international travel to the country by 94 percent,” Teymouri said. The coronavirus epidemic has ruined more than 1.5 million jobs in Iran’s travel sector, tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan said in December. “Over 1.5 million jobs have been lost in the tourism sector of Iran due to the COVID-19 disease…. Many of the tourism-insiders are now unemployed or they are staying at home,” Mounesan said. Smart and responsible traveling should replace “do not travel” recommendations, the minister stressed, adding: “In our country, Corona has caused problems in the tourism industry and the worrying point is the continuation of this trend.” Tourism [industry of Iran] was growing before the corona [outbreak], its revenues reached $11.7 billion in 2019, which accounted for 2.8% of GDP, near the average share of tourism in the world GDP, which was 3.2 percent, the minister explained. The ancient land embraces hundreds of historical sites such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 24 being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

Create: May 24, 2021 Edit: May 24, 2021 Regional News

Some $52.3m allocated to support tourism in Qom

Some 2.2 trillion rials ($52.3 million at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) have been allocated to support tourism-related projects across Qom province. Of the figure, approximately 105 billion rials ($2.5 million) have been loaned to six tourism-related projects so far, provincial tourism chief Alireza Arjmandi said on Wednesday. It would be impossible to complete such major projects without bank financing, he explained. The country’s second-holiest city after Mashhad, Qom is home to both the magnificent shrine of Hazrat-e Masumeh (SA) and the major religious madrasas (schools). Apart from sightseers and pilgrims who visit Qom to pay homage at the holy shrine, the city is also a top destination for Shiite scholars and students who come from across the world to learn Islamic studies at its madrasas and browse through eminent religious bookshops. The city’s antiquity goes back to the Sassanid era (224 CE–651) and several historical mosques, mansions, and natural sceneries have been scattered across the city as well as towns and villages nearby.

Create: May 20, 2021 Edit: May 20, 2021 Regional News

Peachtree Hotel Group Completes Multimillion-Dollar Renovation of Hampton Inn Baltimore

Peachtree Hotel Group (“Peachtree”) has completed a $5.3 million renovation of the Hampton Inn by Hilton Baltimore-Downtown Convention Center. The property-wide renovation of the 8-story, 126-room hotel featured a complete modernization of all guestrooms, public spaces and exterior settings. The hotel, operated by Peachtree Hospitality Management (“PHM”), a division of Peachtree, is located at 550 Washington Blvd. Peachtree acquired the property in 2019 due to its irreplaceable location in downtown Baltimore. The hotel is conveniently located across the street from Oriole Park at Camden Yards and adjacent to the Baltimore Convention Center. The hotel is also a short walk from the University of Maryland Medical Center, M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens, and the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore. “We are pleased with the improvements to the Hampton Inn, making it the most recently renovated hotel in the area,” said Patrick Short, president of PHM. “The top-to-bottom renovations were designed to meet the exacting demands of today’s business and leisure travelers.” The guestroom refurbishments focused on adding comfortable seating, enhanced lighting, contemporary artwork and room furnishings, and new televisions. The guest bathroom renovations included modern vanities and tub-to-shower conversions. To enhance the guest arrival experience, the hotel has new furniture, flooring, contemporary artwork and a reimaged front desk. The exterior setting was enhanced with brickwork and painting, with upgrades to lighting and seating. The hotel also has an updated pool area, corridors, public restrooms, a meeting room and a fitness room with all new equipment. “We have taken great steps to improve the guest experience while ensuring our guests are comfortable with the level of cleanliness throughout the hotel,” Short said.

Create: May 19, 2021 Edit: May 19, 2021 International News

Amara Resort and Spa Embarks on Property-Wide, Multimillion-Dollar Renovation

Amara Resort and Spa, a beloved resort in Sedona, Ariz., announced today that it has embarked on a multimillion-dollar renovation that will bring a new and sophisticated “tree lodge” aesthetic to all 100 guestrooms and public spaces on property. Nestled along the banks of Oak Creek, the renovation will be completed in phases in an effort not to affect the guest experience. Amara’s signature restaurant, SaltRock Southwest Kitchen, and the award-winning Amara Spa will also be enhanced, with the full project slated to be completed in fall 2021 ahead of Labor Day weekend. “When the new design is unveiled later this year, Amara will not only have the newest guestrooms in the market but it will be a destination where locals and world travelers alike will come to be immersed in the local culture through well-appointed design elements and Sedona-centric programming,” said Nick Solomon, general manager of Amara. “With the resort’s panoramic red rock views, its creekside location and its walkability to the dining, shopping and entertainment in Uptown Sedona, there’s really no other property like it in Northern Arizona.” Taking inspiration from the surrounding red rocks, metaphysical energy and fabled vortexes for which the small resort town has become famous, the renovations at Amara will bring the outdoors in by encompassing all five of the natural elements surrounding the resort. Every room will feel like a sanctuary as neutral tones blend harmoniously with organic textures, while a deep blue feature wall will serve as an anchor to promote a sense of connection to the sights and sounds of the nearby babbling creek. Rich wooden elements like headboards handcrafted from local fallen trees, bedside lamps and new furnishings will allow guests to feel one with nature. New artwork, carpet and linens reflect the craftsmanship and traditions of the Hopi and Navajo tribes that are indigenous to Northern Arizona as bold patterns, geometric shapes and handwoven details create a more masculine identity. The bathrooms will also be elevated to introduce a more modern and functional approach with walk-in showers with rain shower heads and large porcelain tile that reflects the look of the sandstone layers. The redesigned experience will begin upon arrival as guests enter a social, comfortable and inviting lobby space that allows travelers to gather and recharge. With a strong connection to place, the dramatic, vaulted ceilings will be adorned with two eye-catching chandeliers inspired by star constellations, while wood accents and bold textures create a variety of subtle statement pieces through furniture, art and accessories. A focal point of the lobby will be an elongated bar that extends from the adjoining SaltRock Southwest Kitchen into the communal area in order to encourage guests to grab a cocktail, mix and mingle. Additionally, alterations to the Amara Spa will reconfigure the entry vestibule for dual access to the spa’s lobby and a brand-new fitness center, allowing the previous center to be converted into a private dining or multipurpose room adjacent to SaltRock. Just outside, guests can enjoy the cool mountain air while gazing out past the resort’s heated infinity-edge pool, playing games on the courtyard lawn or by grabbing a bite on SaltRock’s expansive patio that boasts some of the best views in Sedona. “The tree-lodge concept spoke to us the most for this renovation project as we felt that the high-vaulted ceiling and community environment in the lobby reminded us of an elevated Après-Ski ambience, while the rooms nestled amongst the trees gave us the nostalgia of a backyard treehouse,” said Anissa Mendil, of Mendil + Meyer Design Studio. “Our team is inspired by both the spiritual and adventurous personality of Sedona and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Amara and breathe new life into this celebrated resort.”

Create: May 19, 2021 Edit: May 19, 2021 International News

Dubai International is the largest airport in the world in 2020

Dubai International Airport maintained its position as the largest airport in the world in terms of the number of international travelers, during the year 2020, for the seventh year in a row, according to the annual report of the International Airports Council, which monitors the performance of the air transport sector in the world. "Airports Council": in terms of the number of international travelers ... for the seventh year in a row Dubai International is the largest airport in the world in 2020 Dubai International Airport maintained its position as the largest airport in the world in terms of the number of international travelers, during the year 2020, for the seventh year in a row, according to the annual report of the Airports Council International, which monitors the performance of the air transport sector in the world. Council data, of which Emirates Today obtained a copy, showed that Dubai International Airport handled about 25.9 million international passengers last year, while the annual air freight volume in 2020 reached 1 million 932 thousand and 22 tons. Arrangement According to the data, Amsterdam Airport ranked second with 20.8 million passengers, a difference of more than five million passengers, compared to Dubai International Airport, which came in the forefront, while London Heathrow Airport fell to third place, recording 20.6 million passengers, while it ranked Paris airport ranked fourth with 19 million international passengers, while Frankfurt Airport came in fifth place with 16.8 million passengers. Passenger traffic The International Airports Council revealed that global passenger traffic in the 10 busiest airports in the world decreased by 45.7% over the past year, indicating that, in general, passenger traffic at the world's airports decreased by 64.6%, indicating the impact of the "Covid-19" pandemic. He explained that the impact of the pandemic led to a virtual halt of aviation in 2020, as the published data reveal the challenge that airports still face, stressing that it is still necessary to support the aviation industry through direct support to ensure aviation's ability to cope, rebuild connectivity and feed the global economic recovery. Recover The Council indicated that with some positive signs of recovery, especially in countries with high vaccination rates, a sustainable global recovery will only be achieved through the escalation of vaccination campaigns, the continuous development of digital health corridors, and the coordinated and coherent policy support of governments. Air shipments The Airports Council pointed out that air cargo was less affected by the pandemic, with volumes dropping by only 8.9%, to an estimated 109 million metric tons in 2020, equivalent to 2016 levels (110 million metric tons). He mentioned that airport operators also continue to work closely with their airline partners and other stakeholders to balance the current market realities and the cost of providing infrastructure while overcoming the crisis together. • Dubai Airport handled 25.9 million international passengers last year. • 1.9 million tons of air freight volume through "Dubai International" in 2020.

Create: May 16, 2021 Edit: May 16, 2021 International News