Pioneering Transformation: Unveiling the Trailblazing Winners of the Inaugural WiT Travel Changemakers Awards 2023

SINGAPORE, Oct 5, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The Asia Travel Technology Industry Association (ATTIA) and Web in Travel (WiT) are delighted to announce the winners of the inaugural Travel Changemakers Awards 2023.

From over 100 entries, 10 were selected as representing best practice. The Awards seek to recognise innovators who have harnessed technology to usher in a brighter future for the Asia Pacific region. The winners were revealed at the WiT Singapore Conference held on 3 October 2023.

The Travel Changemakers Awards 2023 are organised by WiT in conjunction with ATTIA to celebrate innovators in the Asia Pacific who seized the opportunity to introduce new initiatives and programs to transform their organisations and impact the entire industry.

“Bringing action to our thoughts, we focused on common elements – the environment, empowering local communities, nurturing talent – which led to the creation of the Travel Changemakers Awards 2023. We are thrilled to have the Asia Travel & Tech Industry Association’s support for this inaugural event. As I read through all the entries, I was inspired by the creativity, innovation, and the remarkable individuals making positive changes in the world,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, founder of Web in Travel.

These changes are marked by the imaginative and clever use of technology at their core.

Chris Kerin, Managing Director of Asia Travel Technology Industry Association (ATTIA), shared, “ATTIA is primarily trying to drive collaborative relationships between members, governments and the rest of the industry. We want to promote the good work that is being done by everyone – government departments, NGOs, not-for-profit enterprises, and the private sector. If we can highlight all the good that is happening, it is a clear way for us to strengthen relationships and demonstrate our support for the industry.”

The 11 esteemed judges are recognisable leaders in their field and represented all aspects of the industry from tourism to hospitality, aviation to ground transportation.

Honours List

Comprising five distinct categories, Environmental Awareness and Action, Local Community Engagement, Hidden Gems, Regenerative Tourism, and Diversity & Inclusion, those honoured for each category are listed as follows. Many of the programs used technology to communicate their message and reach new audiences.

1. Environmental Awareness & Action Award

Cempedak Island Seven Clean Seas, for clearing over 780 tonnes of plastic on Bintan island inIndonesia while at the same time creating formalised jobs for local communities.
All Dreams Cambodia, for its #ONESTEPNOPLASTIC grassroots initiative, in which it teamed up with the country’s leading social media platform to combat plastic pollution in Cambodia and raise awarenessamong youths. About 15,000 kg of plastic was collected across five cities.

2. Local Community Engagement

The Island Foundation, for their Learning for Sustainability Framework, which is inclusive of the values, experiences and languages of children who live in remote small island and coastal communities, and isdelivered by people brought up in the communities they serve.
Khiri Reach for its #OpenThailandSafely campaign to address the pressing needs of Thailand’s economically tourism-dependent communities. The campaign rejuvenated the inbound tourism economyin Thailand and saw the collaboration of 60 Thailand-based inbound organisations working together.

3. Hidden Gems

Sentosa Development Corporation for SentoSights, a wide-ranging nature and heritage guided tour where participants explore Sentosa’s hidden gems as they discover the island’s natural and historicalheritage.
Tribe Tours, for their gamification and storytelling product, Chinatown Murders, a new form of game tour, where participants are thrown into a scenario to solve puzzles.
JOALI Maldives, for their JOALI Reef Restoration Programme (JRRP), which aims to restore the reef ecosystem by using coral nurseries that are later transplanted to the existing house reef using innovative Mineral Accretion Technology (MAT) to enhance coral growth with low-voltage direct current.

4. Regenerative Tourism

Pan Pacific Hotels Group, for repurposing the Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay’s 1985 architecture into a “garden-in-a-hotel” with regenerative features like an Urban Farm with over 60 types of greens.
Asian Oasis, for leading the regeneration of an abandoned tea plantation into the Araksa Tea Garden to a thriving, experience-based destination with tea-based workshops.

5. Diversity & Inclusion

JOALI Being, for a program that has empowered over 310 women, 65 school girls, and 11 artists in theMaldives.

Message from the Judges

The distinguished judges who supported the inaugural awards have honoured as visionaries those applicants whoturned their ideas into action. The judges were impressed with how the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries leveraged the lessons learned from the pandemic to map out a more promising journey for all travellers in thefuture.

Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive of Marketing Group at Singapore Tourism Board: “Being part of the judging panel for the WiT Travel Changemakers Awards has been an eye-opening experience. The entrants showcased remarkable innovation and dedication, and their impact on the industry is tangible. As we move forward, I anticipate even more transformative initiatives, as these awards inspire continuous growth and a future where travel remains dynamic, sustainable, and accessible for all. I am also proud to recognise these creative and meaningful innovations here in Singapore, where we bring together forward-thinking partners to meet, exchange ideas, and forge global connections.”

Loic Dujardin, Head of ESG at Traveloka: “We have seen some impressive submissions at the inaugural WiT Travel Changemakers Awards that comprise innovative, tech-driven programs that deliver a positive and tangible impact on the ground. With today’s consumers seeking more green experiences, Traveloka is heartened to see the industry embed sustainability in all that we do as we strive for a more equitable future.”

Rod Cuthbert, Chairperson at Jayride and Board Member of Veltra (Tokyo) and Tourism Tasmania; Founder of Viator: “The Hidden gems category was just that: some really surprising and thoughtful projects that have not only been very successful, they’ll definitely serve as examples for similar communities and businesses throughout the region.”

Aya Aso, CEO of SAVVY Collective: “I am honoured to have had the opportunity to learn about many of your initiatives, and at the same time, I am impressed by your energy. I know that many initiatives are still halfway to the success goal you may have set, but it is wonderful to see your powerful initiatives that start from small things and with something you are facing in front of you. A real changemaker is someone who does not stop here, but keeps going until the world is acting spontaneously. Good luck with your continued journey.”

For further information about the Awards, please kindly access this link.

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PINPOINT PR
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HotelRunner Acquires PayPad in a Strategic Move Into On-Premise Sales Operations

LONDON, ENGLAND / ACN Newswire / September 19, 2023 / Founded in 2016, PayPad is a cloud-based, smart sales system designed exclusively for restaurants, hotels, and retail stores. PayPad expanded into the global market with a client base in the United Kingdom, Spain, the United States, and Türkiye. This strategic acquisition marks a significant milestone in HotelRunner’s mission to offer a comprehensive, all-in-one solution with a specific focus on the hotels’ on-premise sales and payments.

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HotelRunner Acquires PayPad in a Strategic Move into On-Premise Sales Operations

With its new and advanced identity, HotelRunner POS presents an effortless and effective way to run food and beverage operations, offering accommodation businesses a fresh avenue to enhance their revenue streams. Fully integrated with HotelRunner PMS, HotelRunner POS allows accommodations to manage their on-premise sales and payment operations with ease. Hoteliers can accept payments in multiple methods, analyze every aspect of their business, and take AI-driven, intelligent, and automated actions resulting in enhanced productivity and increased profitability. This development represents a momentous shift for HotelRunner as it delves into on-premise sales operations for the first time, highlighting its sales-first approach in the hospitality and travel technology landscape.

In January 2023, the company closed a successful Series A round and stated that the funds would be used to continue to build a solid global presence, grow the team, and invest heavily in delivering cutting-edge technology. Standing behind its commitment, over the past year, HotelRunner has achieved remarkable product launches, including Insights, Autopilot, and Review Center, all of which have been instrumental in advancing toward its goal of providing a holistic platform powered by innovative technology. This milestone marks the third acquisition in HotelRunner’s ongoing acquisition spree aimed at consolidating the industry under its roof while proudly extending its offerings to serve the diverse needs of its partners.

Arden Agopyan, Founder and Managing Partner of HotelRunner, said, “Our strategic acquisition of PayPad and the birth of HotelRunner POS aren’t merely about enhancing our product offerings; it’s a bold leap toward our vision of building a bigger travel economy. As we welcome HotelRunner POS into our expansive ecosystem as a foundational part, we solidify our presence in the payments and sales verticals in travel and hospitality. We’re proud to shape the path toward industry consolidation and usher in a transformative era, reinforcing our brand’s legacy.”

Ali Beklen, Founder and Managing Partner of HotelRunner, added, “With PayPad seamlessly integrated into the HotelRunner’s unique market-network, we’re spearheading a technology revolution that forms the cornerstone of a unified digital travel ecosystem. Beyond elevating the guest experience and optimizing operational efficiency for accommodations, this strategic move underscores the power of frictionless all-in-one platforms as the key to success. This acquisition unlocks a new untapped opportunity and sets a path to delivering unrivaled value and pioneering innovation for our partners.”

Veysel Berk, the Founder of PayPad, also shared his thoughts on the acquisition: “HotelRunner is democratizing the use of technology for every player in the global ecosystem. As both teams share the same values, culture, and product principles, we are thrilled to join forces with HotelRunner and become part of its broad vision. PayPad, revamped as HotelRunner POS, will play a pivotal role in adding exponential value to properties worldwide, ushering in a new era of advanced sales solutions in travel and hospitality.”

HotelRunner POS will be gradually rolled out worldwide to offer the best experience to all accommodation businesses, starting with existing HotelRunner partners. For more information, you can visit here.

About HotelRunner

HotelRunner is a data-driven SaaS-enabled unified sales, operations, and distribution management platform and B2B network for accommodations, travel agencies, and payment providers. HotelRunner has thousands of accommodation and travel agency partners globally. HotelRunner is a Booking.com Premier Connectivity Partner and Best Overall Performing Partner, Expedia Preferred Connectivity Partner, Airbnb Software Partner, Agoda Innovative Supplier, Oracle, Hotelbeds, trivago, and Google Hotel Ads strategic partner.

For more about HotelRunner, visit the website.

Media relations contact: media@hotelrunner.com

Contact Information

Suheyla van Taarling
Head of Brand
suheyla@hotelrunner.com
00905314010303

Air India Express unveils vision and differentiators, charting the path ahead in the run up to its brand launch

SINGAPORE, Sept 4, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Air India Express today unveiled the vision for the organisation that would be formed with the merger and integration with AIX Connect, currently operating as AirAsia India. The airline also charted the path forward, building on the key milestones already achieved as part of the Air India Group’s ongoing 5-year transformation journey, Vihaan.AI.

The vision and key differentiators build on the shared brand purpose of Air India and Air India Express, ‘to transform a national institution into national inspiration‘. Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express and AIX Connect, articulated the airline’s Vision ‘to inspire new possibilities and make meaningful connections with unmatched warmth‘ in a town hall to employees of both airlines, elaborating on the focus areas of integration, growth and transformation, the inflection point that the airline is on, and the aspirations and ambitions for growth.

Talking about the vision, differentiators and path ahead, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express and AIX Connect, said, “Our resolute vision encapsulates our key differentiators – making meaningful connections, delivering unique experiences and providing best-in-class value with Indian warmth. Our ambitions will ride upon our huge fleet and network expansion, in the domestic India market as well as short-haul international region – Unlocking synergies with the merger of the two entities, and network integration with Air India; Growth and expansion, for a meaningful market presence as well as cost-efficiencies; and Achieving excellence in all areas, becoming a preferred brand for a confident new India.”

The differentiators detail the airline’s business model and brand promise in the run up to the brand launch of Air India Express, expected to be unveiled within the next couple of months:

Meaningful Connections: Nurture ‘meaningful connections’ that transcend borders, bringing people, communities, and cultures closer together, to embody the spirit and diversity of India, making every journey a delightful and memorable travel experience.

Unique Experiences: Curate and deliver ‘unique experiences’ with unmatched Indian warmth, leveraging technology to make journeys frictionless and personalised. The product offerings and service experience will embody the warmth of Indian hospitality, with services like Gourmair, the airline’s award-winning in-flight dining brand, curated to cater to diverse culinary preferences with a wide range of regional and healthy hot meals and lite bites.

Best-in-Class Value: The pursuit of ‘best-in-class’ value goes beyond the fundamentals of cost and business model, offering customisable and relevant services for each guest and journey, based on their preferences and aptitude, while retaining consistent and reliable operational efficiency.

Specific projects have been identified to achieve these aspirations, focussing on enhancing the guest experience, optimising the network for market dominance, streamlining operations with a digital-first approach, fostering talent with an innovative and winning culture, and creating value for all stakeholders through sustainable practices, transparent decision-making, and prudent governance.

Earlier this year, AIX Connect and Air India Express launched the unified website, airindiaexpress.com, allowing users to book and manage services from both airlines on domestic and international sectors; common social media handles (airindiax) and support channels; and an integrated Passenger Service System. Both airlines have also synergized a host of other ancillary add-on services and sub-brands, including Gourmair in-flight dining, Xpress Prime seats, and Xpress Ahead priority services. The airlines also recently announced the harmonisation of new grades, compensation, and benefits with Air India, enabling a unified structure and streamlining career paths across the Air India group.

About Air India Express and AIX Connect

Air India Express and AIX Connect, are subsidiaries of Air India, together operating over 300 flights daily across 30 domestic and 14 international airports, with a fleet of 54 aircraft, comprising 26 Boeing 737s and 28 Airbus A320s. The airlines offer comfortable seats, Gourmair hot meals and Xpress Ahead priority services, with the promise of fast bookings, fab deals and fantastic value on its award-winning website, airindiaexpress.com.

Established in 2005, Air India Express is the market leader on routes between India and the GCC, with a network spreading over 34 destinations, including India, the Middle East and Singapore. In January 2022, Air India Express, together with Air India, was successfully privatised, with ownership returning to the Tata group that had initially founded Air India.

AIX Connect Private Limited (currently operating as AirAsia India), was launched in 2014, operating as a joint venture between Tata Sons and AirAsia Aviation Group. The airline flies over 50 direct and 100 connecting routes across 19 destinations in India, offering pioneering in-flight entertainment AirFlix, and a host of exclusive loyalty benefits for members of the Tata NeuPass rewards program. In November 2022, AIX Connect became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India.

For media queries, please contact:

Air India Express
PG Prageesh
pg.prageesh@airindiaexpress.com
Rohit Kumar
rohitkumarsingh@airasia.co.in

Adfactors PR
Abreshmina Quadri (National): +91-8826721799
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airindiaexpress@adfactorspr.com

New Premium Application Centre for UK Student Visas Opens at Sunway Resort Hotel in Selangor

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, Aug 1, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – VFS Global, the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions, entered into a strategic partnership with the Sunway Resort Hotel in Selangor, Malaysia. Through this alliance, VFS Global aims to offer UK student visa services through its UK Premium Application Centre at the Sunway Resort Hotel in Selangor.

UK student visa customers can now book appointments at the Premium Application Centre to submit their applications and enrol biometrics. This partnership will provide customers residing in and around Selangor with a new location option in addition to the existing free-to-use Visa Application Centres located in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

This is a premium location for customers wishing to apply for their visa in the ambience and comfort of a 5-star hotel. There is a fee of MYR 250 to apply at this location, which includes courier and SMS updates. The fee for this service must be paid online while booking your appointment, before attending the Visa Application Centre.

Jeanne Chan, Director of Commercial, Sunway Resort Hotel, said, "We are delighted to partner with VFS Global for a strategic initiative that offers convenience to UK student visa applicants at our hotel. Through the opening of this new visa centre, we look forward to extending the warm hospitality and exceptional services of the Sunway Resort Hotel and providing customers with convenient access to plan their international travel."

Kaushik Ghosh, Head ? Australasia, VFS Global, said, "The partnership with the Sunway Resort Hotel in Selangor provides additional and conveniently located touchpoints to our customers. UK student visa customers will continue to enjoy the same comfort, convenience, and best-in-class services at this new location that they do at our Visa Application Centres, as well as experience the comfort and hospitality offered by the Sunway Resort Hotel."

VFS Global has enjoyed a long-standing relation with UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in Malaysia since 2004, offering UK visa services through centres in Kuala Lumpur.

For more information, please visit https://visa.vfsglobal.com/mys/en/gbr.

Student visa applications from Malaysia in 2022 rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, reiterating early recovery in international travel. According to VFS Global, student visa application in 2022 were 4% higher than the volumes in 2019. Applications were 38% higher in comparison to 2021 as many international borders were closed with pandemic-induced travel restrictions and international university campuses operated hybrid schedules.

More than 7,220 Malaysian nationals were issued a Student visa to study in the UK in 2022 (www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-december-2022), just shy of pre-pandemic numbers in 2019. Given the travel restrictions in 2020 and 2021, the number of visas issued in this category in 2022 rose by 3,000 and 500, respectively.

About VFS Global

VFS Global is the world's largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions. VFS Global is the trusted partner of 68 client governments, operating a global network with more than 3,300 Application Centres in 145 countries. The company has processed over 264 million applications since its inception in 2001. The company manages non-judgmental and administrative tasks related to applications for visa, passport, and consular services for its client governments, enabling them to focus entirely on the critical assessment task. VFS Global has its headquarters in Zurich/Switzerland and Dubai/United Arab Emirates.

VFS Global is majority-owned by funds managed by Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager. Blackstone seeks to create positive economic impact and long-term value for their investors, the companies in which they invest, and the communities in which they work. Blackstone's USD 991 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets, and secondary funds, all on a global basis.

The Swiss-based Kuoni and Hugentobler Foundation and EQT, a global investment organisation, headquartered in Stockholm/Sweden, hold minority stakes in VFS Global.

Media Contact
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azim@preciouscomms.com

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

H World Announces Preliminary Q2 Operating Results, RevPAR Recovers To 121% Of The 2019 Level

HONG KONG, Jul 26, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – H World Group Limited ("H World" or "the Group", NASDAQ: HTHT and HKEX: 1179) announced its preliminary results for hotel operations in the second quarter ended 30 June 2023 ("Q2 2023").

As of 30 June 2023, H World operates 8,750 hotels with 844,417 rooms in 18 different countries. For the Legacy-Huazhu business, the RevPAR recovered significantly to 121% of the 2019 level, benefiting from the strong recovery of demand for domestic travel. The RevPAR in April, May and June 2023 recovered to 127%, 115% and 123% of the 2019 levels, respectively. The hotel closures were mainly attributed to closures that were carried over due to the impact of COVID-19, and continuous effort to eliminate lower-quality and underperforming economy hotels. Legacy-Huazhu opened 374 new hotels, which was broadly in line with growth expectations. Meanwhile, Legacy-Huazhu maintained strong growth in new hotel signings, reaching over 1,000 new hotels during this quarter, which reflected the rising confidence level of franchisees.

Steigenberger Hotels GmbH and its subsidiaries ("DH" or "Legacy-DH"), driven by an increase in the ADR, recorded restorative growth in Q2 2023, with RevPAR having recovered to 111% of the 2019 level.

As a leading player in the hotel industry, H World has maintained a steady momentum of growth as it continues to seek certainty in a market full of uncertainties. The Group has been adhering to a sustainable quality growth strategy and has continued to expand its hotel network through its anchor brands in the economy and midscale segments. Moreover, its multi-brand strategy in the upper midscale segment has also experienced the same boost in growth. Through the continued upgrades made to the platforms organization and digital operation systems, better products and services were consistently made to its customers and franchisees, leading the hotel industry to experience new vitality. In addition, H World continues to fulfil its social responsibility as an industry leader and to create value in the areas of sustainable development, social welfare and talent cultivation, to create sustainable and high-quality growth for investors and the entire ecosystem and bring long-term stable returns to shareholders.

About H World Group Limited:
Originated in China, H World Group Limited is a key player in the global hotel industry. H World's brands include Hi Inn, Elan Hotel, HanTing Hotel, JI Hotel, Starway Hotel, Orange Hotel, Crystal Orange Hotel, Manxin Hotel, Madison Hotel, Joya Hotel, Blossom House, Ni Hao Hotel, CitiGO Hotel, Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, MAXX, Jaz in the City, IntercityHotel, Zleep Hotels, Steigenberger Icon and Song Hotels. In addition, H World also has the rights as master franchisee for Mercure, Ibis and Ibis Styles, and co-development rights for Grand Mercure and Novotel, in the pan-China region.

H World's business includes leased and owned, manachised and franchised models. Under the lease and ownership model, H World directly operates hotels typically located on leased or owned properties. Under the manachise model, H World manages manachised hotels through the on-site hotel managers that H World appoints, and H World collects fees from franchisees. Under the franchise model, H World provides training, reservations and support services to the franchised hotels, and collects fees from franchisees but does not appoint on-site hotel managers. H World applies a consistent standard and platform across all of its hotels.

For more information, please visit H World's website: https://ir.hworld.com.

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

ATTIA Announces the Travel Changemakers Awards Judges Panel

SINGAPORE, July 20, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The Asia Travel Technology Industry Association (ATTIA) and Web in Travel (WiT) announce who is participating on the Judges Panel for the inaugural Travel Changemakers Awards 2023.

The Awards seek to recognise innovators that have used technology to build back better, post-pandemic, with the winners to be announced at WiT Singapore, 2-4 Oct 2023. Those awarded will demonstrate how they have had respect for the environment, created meaningful engagement with local communities or unearthed hidden gems for travellers to discover. They laud the repurposing of assets rather than building new, and how they demonstrate that diversity and inclusion are critical to building back better.

The prestigious panel consists of imminent industry leaders, as follows.

Aya Aso, CEO, SAVVY Collective
Rod Cuthbert, Chairperson, Jayride; Board Member, Veltra (Tokyo); Board Member, Tourism Tasmania; Founder, Viator
Loic Dujardin, Head of ESG, Traveloka
Fred Barou – Senior VP, Online Travel and Market Strategy, Amadeus
Kelly Kolb – VP for Government Affairs, Travelport
Steven Liew – Director of Public Policy, APAC, Airbnb
Choe Peng Sum, CEO, Pan Pacific Hotels Group
Aloke Bajpai, Co-Founder, Group CEO and Managing Director, ixigo
Elaine Tan, Director, AirAsia Foundation
Daniel Gelfer, Director of Global Government Affairs, Agoda
Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive of Marketing Group, Singapore Tourism Board

Chis Kerin, Managing Director, ATTIA says, “We are delighted by the support demonstrated by the travel tech industry for these awards, and are equally thrilled to have assembled such an esteemed judging panel. With their collective expertise, we are confident that the submissions will be held to the highest possible standards.”

“We are delighted with the calibre of judges that have embraced these awards in its first year,” says Yeoh Siew Hoon, Founder, WiT. “It is an honour to recognise those who turned ideas into action and initiated programmes to build back better during the pandemic. They will deservedly get their heyday with these awards, which will demonstrate exactly how the travel, tourism and hospitality industries has taken lessons learned over the pandemic to plan and create a better future for all travellers”.

To enter the Awards, click here

MEDIA CONTACT:
Sheree Tan
Senior Associate, Pinpoint PR
sheree@pinpointpr.sg
+65 8313 9472

HotelRunner Introduces AI-Powered Review Center for Enhanced Reputation Management in the Travel and Hospitality Industry

LONDON, Jun 14, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – HotelRunner, the leading travel and hospitality technologies platform, has launched HotelRunner Review Center, an innovative solution that will fundamentally change the way properties manage their online reputation and form the building blocks of technological transformation fueled by artificial intelligence.

HotelRunner Review Center
HotelRunner Introduces AI-Powered Review Center for Enhanced Reputation Management in the Travel
and Hospitality Industry

In the highly competitive world of hospitality, reputation management is more critical than ever. Guests rely heavily on reviews when making decisions and hold the power to drive a property's successful reputation and exponential revenue growth.

As a company that draws its strength from its agility, HotelRunner proudly delivers an innovative solution to its partners and the industry after extensive research and development by observing the latest trends and anticipating the future that will be shaped around them.

HotelRunner Review Center is an advanced product that centralizes guest reviews, empowering properties to take control of their online reputation from a single user-friendly dashboard.

Thanks to HotelRunner's strategic partnerships and certified integrations with Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb, Review Center allows properties to view and reply to all their reviews in one place. The AI technology generates unique and personalized replies to guest reviews within seconds. This ensures that each review receives timely and tailored responses, leading to improved guest satisfaction, and a steady revenue stream. The product also helps overcome language barriers effortlessly with built-in Google Translate functionality, translating guest reviews into more than 133 languages instantly, and facilitating effective communication. Another great benefit is saving hoteliers valuable time and effort. They can save their favorite replies for future use, easily fine-tune the replies, and deliver customized messages to each guest. Last but not least, the Review Center provides comprehensive performance tracking. Since the product gathers all reviews in one dashboard, it offers properties a HotelRunner score across various categories, allowing properties to identify areas for improvement, monitor progress over time, and continuously enhance their service offerings.

Yigit Can Bacakoglu, Director of Engineering at HotelRunner, said, "The introduction of HotelRunner Review Center marks a pivotal moment in the fiercely competitive hospitality industry. Through its integrated AI assistance, properties can streamline the consolidation of their reviews, address guest feedback, and elevate guest satisfaction and loyalty. We take great pride in spearheading the deployment of this cutting-edge technology and will continue to enrich our platform with homegrown AI-based products."

Cihan Coskuntuncel, Director of Supply at HotelRunner, added, "Effective reputation management is the key to a lucrative sales strategy. We are delighted to unveil the HotelRunner Review Center, an AI-driven solution that empowers hoteliers to seize control over their online reputation. Equipped with advanced features and multilingual translation capabilities, Review Center ensures properties can promptly respond to reviews, enhance their online reputation, and never miss another reservation."

HotelRunner Review Center is now available to properties worldwide to take advantage of AI-powered reputation management. Click here to get detailed information about the HotelRunner Review Center.

Contact Information
Suheyla van Taarling
Head of Brand
suheyla@hotelrunner.com
00905314010303

Copyright 2023 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. http://www.acnnewswire.com

Vivid Fire Kitchen Heats Up Vivid Sydney 2023 With A Sizzling Local Line-Up

SINGAPORE June 12, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – The Vivid Food program presents a stellar line-up of local culinary heroes along with internationally acclaimed pitmasters for Vivid Fire Kitchen, a barbecue of epic proportions taking place at The Cutaway, Barangaroo for three weeks of flame-fuelled festivities set alongside the immersive splendour of Vivid House.

Chef Dave Pynt

Visitors to Vivid Fire Kitchen will be spoilt for choice, with Ross Lusted from Woodcut at Crown Sydney; revered chef and fire connoisseur Tim “Chef Tonto” Yates; Danielle Alvarez; one of Australia’s most celebrated chefs, who was previously at Fred’s, and Jordan Walker Toft from Mimi’s all set to showcase their primal cooking skills.

Festival-goers can grab a free spot by the fire pit to watch pitmasters take to the coals, purchase exclusive dishes and discover tips and tricks from the best of the barbecue trade.

Vivid Fire Kitchen will also host an exciting line-up of street food, trailblazing restaurants and innovative dining concepts, including Alibi Bar & Dining; modern Indian offering Don’t Tell Aunty; NOLA Smoke House and Bar; social dining enterprises Kabul Social, Colombo Social and Coyoacán Social; low’n’slow specialists BlackBear BBQ; Brazilian Parilla barbecue specialist Pampa Flame; Asian American barbecue fusion Smok’n Blues; and the Catalonian inspired Bar La Salut, as well as the delicious brainchild of three junior fine-dining chefs, Burger Head.

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini said the culinary creations on offer at Vivid Fire Kitchen and throughout the Vivid Food program perfectly complemented the visual, ideas and musical experiences the festival offers.

“For the first year of Vivid Food, we couldn’t be happier with the line-up assembled across the whole program, and the latest additions to Vivid Fire Kitchen. These pitmasters and dining concepts are showcasing the best of Sydney’s culinary scene in an accessible way,” Ms Minervini said.

“With all Vivid Fire Kitchen events taking place at The Cutaway in Barangaroo, festival-goers can round out their Vivid Sydney experience here before or after experiencing the 8.5km Vivid Light Walk, along with the incredible offering from our Vivid Music and Vivid Ideas program.”

The additions to the Vivid Fire Kitchen line-up join previously announced pitmasters Lennox Hastie of Firedoor,MasterChef Australia 2021 runner-up Pete Campbell, Singapore-based, Michelin-starred chef Dave Pynt and raw fire cooking connoisseur Pip Sumbak. World Barbecue Champion Sterling Smith and Pitmasters Brasil founder Daniel Lee will also take to the coals, plus Aussie-born Jess Pryles will be bringing her innovative Texan flair to smoking and grilling.

It won’t all be about the food at Vivid Fire Kitchen: guests can also try a Fire + Ice cocktail, topped with a flaming marshmallow and served in an edible ice cup, or slake their thirst with delectable drinks from Tempus Two, 4 Pines Brewing Co. and Unexpected Guest Gin, among other leading local producers. When the sweet cravings call, head to the hot chocolate and s’mores bar or, for something stronger, drop by Mr Black for an espresso martini.

Vivid Fire Kitchen is free entry for visitors to Vivid Sydney, complementing other free festival events; the 8.5km Light Walk from Circular Quay to Central Station, including DJs at the Goods Line; thought-provoking talks at the Powerhouse and Australian Museums; and the Tumbalong Nights concert series.

Vivid Fire Kitchen is being produced by IMG, the global events company behind Gourmet Escape, Taste Festivals, The Big Feastival, New York Fashion Week: The Shows and Frieze art fairs.

For more information and to keep updated about the program, go to vividsydney.com

About Vivid Sydney

Vivid Sydney is Australia’s largest festival celebrating creativity, innovation and technology, and transforms Sydney into a kaleidoscope of colour and events for 23 nights. Staged for its 13th year in 2023, Vivid Sydney will bring together mesmerising displays from the world’s brightest light artists, exhilarating live music performances, deep-dive discussions with thought leaders, and innovative experiences from food creatives. Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.

About IMG

IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media. The company manages some of the world’s greatest athletes and fashion icons; owns and operates hundreds of live events annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specialises in licensing, sports training and league development. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company.

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Calling Travel Changemakers Who Built Better with Tech

WiT collaborates with ATTIA to launch new awards

Singapore, June 1, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – WiT (Web in Travel), Asia Pacific’s leading travel tech news and events platform, will launch an awards series, the Travel Changemakers Awards, at its signature conference in Singapore this year. The Awards aim to recognise travel innovators that have used technology to build back better, post-pandemic. Award winners will be announced at WiT Singapore, 2-4 Oct 2023.

The Travel Changemakers Awards are supported by ATTIA (Asia Travel and Technology Industry Association), an association which represents companies that operate in the travel and tourism sector in Asia Pacific and have technology and innovation at their core. Its members include Agoda, Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia Group, Amadeus, Travelport and Skyscanner.

About the Awards

Travel Changemakers Awards recognises innovators in Asia Pacific who have seized the opportunity to introduce new initiatives and programmes to transform not only their organisation but also the industry, with the imaginative and clever use of technology at the heart of the change.

There are five Awards categories:

Environmental Awareness & Action: Spreading the message of environmental awareness through a specific programme/activity
Local Community Engagement: Deepening engagement with local communities through a specific programme/activity
Hidden Gems: Uncovering hidden gems in a destination through a specific programme/activity
Regenerative Tourism: Repurposing of assets or regenerating a destination through a specific programme/activity
Diversity & Inclusion: Empowering under-represented segments of the population through a specific programme/activity

The Awards are open to nominations by all in the travel industry, be it a tourism board, NGO, NPO (not-for-profit), social enterprise, public sector enterprise or private sector organization. The submission should describe programmes and activities that were launched between May 2020 and December 2022.

A panel of experts, curated by WiT and ATTIA, will form the jury and will be announced at a later date. The deadline for entries is July 31, 2023.

Conceiving the Awards

“Since the reopening of travel in Asia Pacific, there have been lots of calls made in the travel industry to build back better, to take the lessons thrown at the industry by the Covid-19 pandemic, to plan and create a better future,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, Founder, WiT.

“We felt it was time to honour those who actually did it – who turned ideas into action and initiated programmes to build back better.

“The idea for the awards also came from the Global Travel Tech Thinktank, held at WiT Singapore last year, when leaders gathered to brainstorm for a better future for travel. It was clear that respect for the environment, meaningful engagement with local communities, unearthing hidden gems for travellers to discover, repurposing of assets rather than building new as well as diversity and inclusion were critical to building back better.”

Commented Chis Kerin, Managing Director – ATTIA, “Our focus within ATTIA is to establish and promote productive relationships across the travel tech industry. Having the opportunity to work with WiT and to support the Travel Changemakers Awards is a perfect way for us to help showcase the positive and productive initiatives that have developed across the industry from various organisations in a post pandemic environment.

“ATTIA hopes that the sharing of ideas, creation of relationships and productive discussions will not only accelerate the recovery of the industry, but also drive further change to improve our industry as a whole in each of the awards category areas. These categories were specifically chosen as fundamental areas that could apply to most organisations in the travel tech industry and we are genuinely excited to see how creative, impactful and meaningful these initiatives are that our industry has to offer.

“Something like the Travel Changemakers Awards takes a lot of planning, time and effort to be executed and ATTIA are very excited and proud to be working with WiT for such an initiative in our industry. The WiT conferences are always at the top of the priority list for most organisations in the travel tech industry each year and to have an opportunity to formally recognise some of the great contributions made within the industry is long overdue.”

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The 5th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Greater Niseko) 2023 celebrate popularity of Japan’s alpine market

TOKYO, May 31, 2023 – (ACN Newswire) – Organisers of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards have opened the call for entries for Greater Niseko at an opportune time for the world-renowned Japanese holiday property market.

The 5th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Greater Niseko) is now open for entries until 15 September 2023

The 5th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Greater Niseko) are now accepting entries ahead of their presentation on Friday, 8 December 2023. The awards will be announced on an international stage at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok in Thailand, where the best of the best in the region's real estate will gather to celebrate industry excellence. Submissions are accepted online via: https://asiapropertyawards.com/

The emergence of increasingly upscale communities and easy access for Asian tourists and second-home buyers continue to contribute to Niseko's ascent, according to research from Property Report by PropertyGuru, the official magazine of the Awards.

With significant infrastructure developments in the pipeline, including a bullet-train route from Tokyo and a new regional highway, as well as a bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics, Greater Niseko is bound for greater prominence in the coming years. While foreign families and individual investors continue to be the primary property buyers in the area, Greater Niseko is seeing renewed interest from Japanese individual and corporate buyers, many of whom are increasingly drawn to the area's emerging enclaves.

Jules Kay, general manager of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, said: "With its world-class hotels and hospitality projects, Greater Niseko continues to be a significant player in Asia's property landscape, capturing the attention of investors, as well as the judges for the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards. As cross-border travel resumes in Japan, we eagerly anticipate the rebound of tourism in Greater Niseko, and are pleased to recognise and award the development and design firms that are revitalising one of the world's premier ski resort destinations."

Key dates for the 2023 edition:
15 September 2023 – Entries Close
2-13 October 2023 – Site Inspections
18 October 2023 – Final Judging
8 December 2023 – Gala Event and Awards Ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand
8 December 2023 – Regional Grand Final Gala Presentation in Bangkok, Thailand

The public are encouraged to submit their nominations before the deadline of entries on 15 September 2023 here: https://asiapropertyawards.com/nominations

New chairperson elected

Experts in real estate consultancy, design, and other fields have been assembled to form a panel of judges who will participate in a fair, transparent process of selecting the award recipients. This year, Eddie Guillemette, CEO of Midori no Ki (MnK), will serve as the new chairperson of the independent panel of judges, succeeding Bill Barnett, founder and managing director of C9 Hotelworks, who will remain on the panel.

Eddie Guillemette said: "I'm delighted to announce the resumption of the search for outstanding developments, companies, and design practices in Greater Niseko through the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, in collaboration with an esteemed panel of independent judges. With the revitalisation of Japan's tourism sector and its close association with the real estate industry, we hold a positive outlook for the Greater Niseko property market this year."

Bill Barnett said: "Niseko is Asia's leading alpine real estate market and on the cusp of even greater things with a pipeline of international hotel brands such as Six Senses and Capella adding traction to the branded residences sector. We are optimistic of a significant market uplift this year based on very strong fundamentals."

The nominees shortlisted by the judges will be able to showcase their companies and projects to a wide network of property seekers, real estate agents, banks and valuers, and enterprises served by PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), Southeast Asia's leading property technology company.

Supervised by HLB, the global network of independent advisory and accounting firms, the awards programme makes full use of a professionally run judging system, with an established reputation for credibility and integrity.

Representation for Greater Niseko

Main winners of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Greater Niseko) will qualify to compete with the region's best at the 18th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, which will also be held in Bangkok, Thailand on 8 December 2023.

Greater Niseko was represented last year at the 17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final with Andaru Collection Niseko by Blue Waves Group winning both the Best Completed Housing/Landed Development (Asia) and Best Housing/Landed Interior Design (Asia) awards. Also representing Greater Niseko, HakuVillas by H2 Group won the Best Completed Condo Development (Asia) award.

Established in 2005, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards continue to reward high-calibre work within the industry, encompassing property development, construction, architecture, interior design, and sustainable building practices. The series initially covered Southeast Asia and has expanded over the years to include the region's dynamic property markets, including Australia, China, and India.

Organised by PropertyGuru Group, the 5th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Greater Niseko) are supported by official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; media partner Powderlife; supporting association Niseko Tourism; and official supervisor HLB.

For more information, email awards@propertyguru.com or visit the official website: https://AsiaPropertyAwards.com.

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU ASIA PROPERTY AWARDS:

PropertyGuru's Asia Property Awards, established in 2005, are the region's most exclusive and prestigious real estate awards programme. The Asia Property Awards are recognised as the ultimate hallmark of excellence in the Asian property sector. Boasting an independent panel of industry experts and trusted supervisors, the Awards have an unparalleled reputation for being credible, ethical, fair and transparent.

In 2023, the Awards series is open to more than a dozen key property markets around the region. The exciting gala events welcome senior industry leaders and top media, as well as reach property agents and consumers via live streaming. Recognising excellence within each Asian market with a variety of categories, including green and sustainable development, each local awards programme will culminate in the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, which takes place after the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit during 'PropertyGuru Week' in December 2023.

For more information, please visit https://AsiaPropertyAwards.com

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU GROUP

PropertyGuru is Southeast Asia's leading(1) PropTech company, and the preferred destination for over 41 million property seekers(2) to connect with more than 63,000 agents(3) monthly to find their dream home. PropertyGuru empowers property seekers with more than 3.2 million real estate listings(4), in-depth insights, and solutions that enable them to make confident property decisions across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

PropertyGuru.com.sg was launched in Singapore in 2007 and since then PropertyGuru Group has made the property journey a transparent one for property seekers in Southeast Asia. In the last 15 years, PropertyGuru has grown into a high-growth PropTech company with a robust portfolio of leading property marketplaces across its core markets; award-winning mobile apps; mortgage marketplace, PropertyGuru Finance; and a host of enterprise solutions now under PropertyGuru For Business, including a high-quality developer sales enablement platform, FastKey, DataSense, ValueNet, Awards, events and publications across Asia.

For more information, please visit: https://PropertyGuruGroup.com; PropertyGuru Group on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/propertyguru).

(1) Based on SimilarWeb data between July 2022 and December 2022.
(2) Based on Google Analytics data between July 2022 and December 2022.
(3) Based on data between July 2022 and December 2022.
(4) Based on SimilarWeb data between July 2022 and December 2022.

PropertyGuru Contacts:

General Enquiries:
Richard Allan Aquino, Head of Brand & Marketing Services
M: +66 92 954 4154
E: allan@propertyguru.com

Media & Partnerships:
Piyachanok Raungpaka, Media Relations & Marketing Services Executive
M: +66 94 887 5163
E: piyachanok@propertyguru.com

Sponsorships:
Kanittha Srithongsuk, Regional Manager, Awards Sponsorship
M: +66 93 293 9794
E: kanittha@propertyguru.com

Sales & Nominations:
Nyan Zaw Aung (Jordan), Solutions Manager
M: +66 964 575088
E: jordan@propertyguru.com

NOTE: Use of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards logo is limited to the publication of this article only.

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