Starfish Travel Corporation Team

Travel is going through a similar metamorphosis at the same time that fashion is moving away from flashy logos and labels as the definition of luxury. A new trend known as “Quiet Luxury” is emerging today, gently altering how we perceive the world. Gone are the days when luxury was only defined by excess.  Imagine waking up to the tranquil sounds of nature and enjoying first-rate service during your stay. The hidden getaways offered by IHG Hotels & Resorts are created to provide visitors the ideal fusion of peace, first-rate service, and remarkable experiences.  Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Regent   On the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc, Regent Phu Quoc, a lesser-known paradise, celebrates the aspects of calmness and stimulation to give all visitors an uplifting and enjoyable stay. The resort, which is surrounded by white sand beaches, crystal-clear oceans, and tropical vegetation, fuses Asian hospitality with Western luxury to provide mindful experiences.   The hotel’s distinct personality is defined by its signature style, which elevates modern luxury to new levels by balancing the rawness of authentic locations with luxurious comforts. Choose between suites or villas, take use of the bar and dining options, cutting-edge fitness center, and a private spa where visitors may book opulent treatments and practice rooftop yoga at the Pavillion.    Thailand’s Koh Samui and the Kimpton Kitalay Samui   The Kimpton Kitalay Samui on Koh Samui offers luxurious island charm with contemporary Thai influences over the stunning seas of Choeng Mon Beach. The hotel, whose name combines the Thai words for “song” and “sea” (Kita and Lay), exudes a feeling of place and pays homage to Samui’s unique culture. It is the ideal place to enjoy calm luxury. Enjoy five creative restaurants and bars, explore the island on a bike, and listen to island mythology in Lanai Coves, all of which are situated in a neighborhood-like enclave with accommodations, suites, and villas. The hotel’s infinity pool has bean bags for visitors to lounge on in addition to rooms and dining options.    New Caledonia’s InterContinental Lifou Wadra Bay   The brand-new resort, which will open in late 2023 and was developed in close consultation with the local tribes, is the first large hotel to be built on the uninhabited Lifou Island in New Caledonia. It features six hectares of lush green gardens. 50 different bungalows and villas are available, along with two on-site restaurants and a bar that is influenced by both French and Melanesian culture.  Imagine unspoiled, lush tropical woods, immaculate beaches, precipitous cliffs, and crystalline waters. Through enriching activities like open-ocean snorkeling and hiking, you can find a refuge of tranquility and immerse yourself in regional customs and cultural history.   Dominica’s InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa  A five-star eco-resort in Dominica that is tucked away in Cabrits National Park, designed to blend in with the island’s surroundings, and has a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea. Visitors can visit miles of unspoiled emerald paradise, immerse themselves in nature and adventure, explore mountains covered in tropical rainforest, or unwind in a natural hot spring thanks to the region’s high mountains, lush green forests, and winding rivers.  Enjoy upscale accommodations such as suites and villas as well as regional eateries and bars that are inspired by the island. Visitors have access to the Cabrits Spa and Wellness Center, outdoor swimming pools, and fitness center. Visitors with four legs are also cordially welcomed.   Source- Travel daily

As of September 2023, Trevolution Group, the industry leader and operator of Asaptickets Skyluxtravel, Dreamport, and other travel brands, will begin using New Distribution Capabilities (NDC) in its airline ticket distribution. By the end of the month, Trevolution Group will provide its customers with instant access to personalized travel content from over 15 international airlines, including several major carriers like Lufthansa Group, United Airlines, Emirates, Finnair, Air France-KLM, American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, and others. This is made possible through a partnership with AirGateway, a leading NDC aggregator in the world. NDC has lately come to light as a true game-changer as the travel industry continues to develop and adapt to the needs of customers throughout the world. It is a more advanced industry standard that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) established to enable direct data sharing between the major industry participants, revolutionizing the way air products are sold to businesses, leisure travelers, and business travelers. The NDC aggregator, on the other hand, is essentially a third-party technology provider that acts as a centralized platform between airlines and travel agencies to provide immediate connections to multiple airlines’ NDC contents, such as flight inventory, supplemental services, and pricing, including those options that may not be accessible through traditional distribution channels. The ability to provide a transparent purchasing experience with personalized offers is another benefit of introducing NDC. By using the data, Trevolution Group’s travel brands can now offer customized travel packages that are specific to each customer based on their travel preferences, past travel experiences, behavior, and airline loyalty information, making the booking process more convenient and painless. Airlines can also respond to these tailored offers using NDC technology, apply loyalty-based discounts, or offer different payment methods like miles. Mr. Vazan The NDC standard offers real-time information, unlike the widely used global distribution system (GDS) paradigm, which only allows airlines to show prices and timetables. A full variety of NDC services will be introduced and made available to Trevolution Group’s customers in the coming months as it continues to implement the new integration. As a result, real-time updates and seamless integration will enable air travelers to make immediate adjustments to their bookings, such as seat upgrades or changes to their itineraries, without having to wait for airline confirmation. The introduction of NDC will also offer immediate flight updates, ensuring that clients are always informed of any alterations to their travel arrangements. In order to inform customers about in-flight services and facilities, offer upgrade possibilities, or inform them of flight delays or gate changes, airlines will send direct alerts to passengers. Following the signing of the collaboration agreement with AirGateway, the travel brands under the Trevolution Group will have quick and simple access to the full range of prices and ancillary items from numerous airlines at once through a single integration. No matter where in the world they are going to, we are thus able to provide our customers the best flight options that meet their needs and budget. We anticipate selling over 20,000 airline tickets using NDC by the end of the year, with a target of selling 150,000 seats by 2024. We are prepared to make investments in the future, even if it will need a sizable infrastructure expenditure. Trevolution Group’s EVP of Industry Relations, Peter Vazan, offers his opinion. The Dyninno Group of Companies, which offers goods and services in the financial, tourism, and entertainment industries, includes the Dyninno Group of Companies in Trevolution Group. The visiting friends and family area is where Trevolution Group has distinguished itself as the market leader in the travel industry. Trevolution Group ranked seventh among US travel consolidators in 2022 after selling over 730,000 airline tickets and holiday packages. Source- travel daily

The biggest privately held hotel management company in Southeast Asia, Archipelago International, has announced a strategic technological relationship with STAAH, a leading cloud-based distribution platform. Archipelago International manages more than 350 hotels and residences in more than 200 locations. The benefits of STAAH’s cutting-edge online distribution technology will be combined with Archipelago’s mission to run “best in class” properties that surpass the expectations of patrons, owners, and staff members thanks to the tech relationship. The agreement will help Archipelago’s plug-and-play solution gain traction, generating more leads and income for its clients. The audit and fix method used by Archipelago’s plug-and-play service aims to improve online connectivity for all of its clients and turn every connected channel into a money-making machine. To make this vision a reality, STAAH’s strong and flexible online distribution and booking capabilities will be vital. “Driving better revenue through automation and innovation has been a core principle for us,” says John Flood, President and CEO of Archipelago International. John Flood, President and CEO of Archipelago International, and Tarun Joukani, Commercial Director of STAAH “We have always sought out technology partners with strong performance, scalability, adaptability, and user-friendly interfaces. STAAH delivered on all fronts, and we are enthusiastic about the possibilities this relationship opens up for our customers. Since 1997, Archipelago has earned a solid reputation as a hotel management company with more than 45.000 keys, 350+ hotels, and customers in more than 200 locations around Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Oceania.ASTON, ASTON Collection Hotels, Alana, Huxley, Kamuela, Harper, Quest, Hotel NEO, favehotels, Nordic, and Powered by ARCHIPELAGO are among the company’s several award-winning brands. The organization strives to fulfill its purpose of exceeding guests’ expectations in all of its hotels, fostering employee career growth, and assisting owners in planning, building, and successfully running a “best in class” hotel they can be proud of. According to Tarun Joukani, Commercial Director – STAAH, “This partnership brings together two aligned visions for the expansion of Archipelago’s customer base into the world of online commerce and the transformation of travel through smarter technology.” The traveler of today is highly tech-savvy and seeks seamless connections from booking to service, according to numerous surveys. We are convinced that by combining Archipelago’s in-depth knowledge of its clients’ demands with STAAH’s cutting-edge digital platform, we will be able to attract more of these travelers to the front doors of Archipelago-managed hotels. Source- Travel daily

While other contestants are racing in a famous and historic UK-wide hot air balloon tournament, Stonham Barns Park is hosting a tandem launch for Eastern Region Balloon Club members. The Queen’s Cup will test British participants to see how far they can fly in a special sporting competition that takes place in October (the exact date will depend on the weather).  The national race will formally take off from Gloucestershire, with balloons taking off simultaneously in tandem across the nation. The pilot and crew that land the farthest away from their takeoff location on the evening will win this UK-wide competition. The tandem balloon launch will take place on the same weekend in October (weather permitting), with the Eastern Region balloon pilots and their crews taking off from Stonham Barns Park and traveling in the direction of the winds.  Our Eastern Region pilots will be participating in the “Great British Balloon launch” in order to assist the main Queen’s Cup competition. Members are sought after by Eastern Region Balloons from Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, and Essex.  Members of the group, which is associated with the British Balloon and Airship group (BBAC), regularly attend ballooning events across the nation. ‘This is one of the most important dates in the club’s calendar to date, one which significantly elevates our profile,’ said Jo Scott of Eastern Region Balloons about The Queen’s Cup. ‘We are delighted to be able to use the parklands at Stonham Barns Park for our tandem launch this year.  The location provides everything we need, including outstanding viewing options for spotters and photographers, and we have previously utilized it as a launch site. The Queen’s Cup balloon race will put pilots’ expertise, endurance, and teamwork to the test.  For those interested, the competition regulations are available on their website.  The meteorological data for the entire United Kingdom, the expected strategies of the opposing teams, and refueling and landing arrangements are just a few of the elements that pilots and their crews must immediately analyze and calculate.  Everything is pretty exciting.  We anticipate every flight, but this one is especially significant because it is the oldest and most renowned athletic prize in the UK. Despite the fact that we adore nothing more than a peaceful balloon ride through our stunning countries, we are thrilled to be a part of this thrilling endeavor. The late Queen Elizabeth II, who served as the Royal Aero Club’s patron and who received the Queen’s Cup as a wedding present in 1947, gave the trophy, which is typically kept at the Royal Air Force Museum, to the club. The event’s date is flexible because it is impossible to anticipate the weather more than 24 hours in advance.  It can’t be fixed beforehand.  In the week leading up to the event, the official “go-ahead” will be announced on social media. Source- Travel daily

Club Med is providing exclusive sailing excursions on the legendary Club Med 2, a French yacht. One of the largest sailing boats in the world, Club Med 2, has been renovated as a member of Club Med’s Exclusive Collection to provide an opulent experience evocative of the French Riviera. In the previous three years, more Indians have taken cruise vacations than ever before, according to a new CLIA report. Iconic ships like Club Med 2 are always making adjustments in response to these changing trends, strengthening their position as a tempting option for contemporary travelers. For Indian honeymooners, couples, and those organizing bachelor/bachelorette getaways, Club Med 2 presents an elite option. It comes complete with a club lounge, two pools, and a sizable balcony dangling over the ocean. It provides a customized mix of activities, including relaxing spa services, Heberson Yoga, and a variety of water sports, including water skiing, wing surfing, and Tiwal sailing. Club Med 2 offers a distinctive combination of serenity and excitement under the starry night skies, making it the ideal choice. Sailing itineraries range from a 21-day voyage from Nice to Athens via Turkey, Israel, Egypt, and Greece to shorter 4-day cruises in spring and fall. As Club Med 2 sets sail, we are strengthening our commitment to providing exceptional experiences far from home. “This iconic yacht invites travelers to explore the world’s wonders while embracing the all-inclusive excellence Club Med is known for,” said Rachael Harding, CEO of Club Med for East and South Asia & Pacific. Source- Travel biz

In collaboration with Clean Up The Lake (CUTL), Mammoth Lakes Tourism (MLT) has launched a new fundraising initiative to clean up the lakes in the area. MLT will match every dollar raised over the following four years (up to $100,000). Over the past year, pilot research dives in Lake George, Twin Lakes, Lake Mary, and Lake Mamie in the Mammoth Lakes Basin led to a better understanding of the environmental issues present and the remediation needed to ensure the wellbeing and continued protection of the region’s namesake treasures. Beginning this week, CUTL volunteers will start a comprehensive cleanup and aquatic invasive species survey of Lake George’s 2-mile perimeter in collaboration with volunteer scuba divers, free divers, and kayakers to remove fishing debris, plastic pollution, and understand other environmental threats. This fall, I’m working in the Mammoth Lakes Basin, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it, said Colin West, founder and executive director of CUTL. Action is required to assure the continued conservation of the Sierra’s most important resource since there is a significant litter problem that has gone unaddressed for decades. Over the following four years, CUTL will also collaborate with MLT to engage visitors and members of the neighborhood in order to promote education and expand volunteer initiatives aimed at resolving the current problems. The partnership’s primary objectives are the elimination of submerged litter, the documentation of any and all aquatic invasive species threatening the lakes, the protection of animal species above and below the water, and the averting of further pollution. “Our investment in this program is a commitment to the natural resources that make this place so special,” said John Urdi, executive director of MLT. Not only will this work immediately affect our magnificent alpine lakes, but it will also emphasize how crucial it is to preserve our recreational spaces for both locals and tourists. Just below the surface, a significant impact on our environment is taking place. Out of sight and out of mind, much of this trash is. Source- Travel biz

Seven additional prominent e-wallets and payment apps from Asia have been formally accepted by Ant Group into the “Alipay+-in-China” Program (A+China Program). Users of mPay (Macao SAR, China), Hipay (Mongolia), Changi Pay, OCBC, Naver Pay, Toss Pay, and TrueMoney (Thailand) will be able to use their familiar home e-wallet on their own phone to enjoy seamless mobile payment experience across Alipay’s vast merchant network in the Chinese mainland. With the recent acquisitions, there are now 10 foreign e-wallets that are recognized on the Chinese mainland. In late 2022, the Program was piloted by Touch ‘n Go eWallet (Malaysia), Kakao Pay (South Korea), and AlipayHK (Hong Kong SAR, China). In Southeast and East Asia, various payment options are used by around 175 million people. Wherever Alipay is accepted, users of these e-wallets can use their own payment app to make secure, easy, cashless purchases at fair exchange rates. Through Alipay+ Rewards, a digital cross-border marketing hub connected into particular wallet apps, they can also take advantage of additional promotional offers. The teams behind the wallets are also offering their roaming users accustomed customer service, supported by Alipay+’s advanced smart payment technology. With the A+China Program, Alipay+ also formally welcomes five new mobile payment partners to its extensive merchant network, including Hipay, Changi Pay, OCBC, Naver Pay, and Toss Pay.Alipay+, a collection of international mobile payment, marketing, and digitalization products created by Ant Group’s International Business Group, enables payment partners to link local and international retailers with international digital consumers. Alipay+ works with more than 20 mobile payment partners across Asia, who together serve more than 1.4 billion customer accounts, and serves 5 million merchants in 56 regions outside of China. With the help of the A+China Program, Alipay+ may now access China’s vast merchant network and tens of millions of points of sale (POS). The People’s Bank of China’s direction, along with assistance from NetsUnion Clearing Corporation, e-wallet partners, international card associations, and other Chinese partner financial institutions, make the A+China Program possible. In order to use mobile payment and digital life services in China, tourists can also decide to link their foreign bank cards to an updated international Alipay version. To welcome Asian athletes, supporters, and tourists, Ant Group is launching massive merchant education and marketing operations across the Chinese mainland, particularly in the most popular tourist towns. According to Douglas Feagin, Senior Vice President of Ant Group and Head of Alipay+ Cross-Border Mobile Payment Services, Alipay+’s future strategy will focus on growing its partner and merchant network as well as improving the digital operational capabilities of SMEs. “A rising number of mobile payment service providers, including mobile wallets, banking apps, independent merchant apps, and super-apps, are joining this ecosystem of international digital trade. To assist our partners and merchants in achieving solid, omni-channel growth, we will invest more quickly and heavily in payment and digital marketing technology, according to Feagin. “As the People’s Bank of China’s chartered clearing institution, NetsUnion Clearing Corporation offers fast, secure fund clearing and transaction information interchange services for Ant Group’s international digital wallets and cross-border mobile payments. The NetsUnion Clearing Corporation of China stated, “We are committed to offering strong support for significant cross-border mobile payment scenarios and events, such as the Hangzhou Asian Games, to help foster an open and inclusive cross-border consumption environment in China and promote high-quality dual circulation of domestic and global economic cycles. According to Eric Jing, chairman and CEO of Ant Group, “We are deeply grateful for the leadership of the People’s Bank of China, the assistance of the NetsUnion Clearing Corporation, and the support of major international card organizations, for helping to bring the world’s mobile wallet users and overseas bank card users to China as the Official Payment Partner of the Asian Games.” “It is tremendously encouraging to see how a regional multi-party partnership is enabling small firms to flourish in cross-border trade with unheard-of innovations, and travelers to enjoy more choice and ease. To achieve our shared goal of using digital technology to improve the world, we look forward to expanding and deepening our relationship. Between March and August 2023, the total number of payments made in China using the pilot A+China wallets Kakao Pay, Touch ‘n Go eWallet, and AlipayHK increased 47 times. The most popular destinations for tourists from South Korea, Malaysia, and Hong Kong SAR are Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. The three most frequent contexts for these transactions are in the food and beverage industry, retail, and transportation. PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that by 2030, there will be a roughly double- to triple-growth in cashless transactions. While China dominates the region in terms of the use of digital wallets, Southeast Asia has emerged as the region with the fastest-growing mobile payment sector globally. According to FIS research, between 2018 and 2023, digital wallets in the area (except from China) would have more than doubled their share of e-commerce transaction value and increased by six times their proportion of point-of-sale payment transaction value. Source- Travel daily

Passengers traveling to this year’s UN World Climate Conference COP28 in Dubai can take advantage of a special fare with Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS, and Brussels Airlines that includes a 100 percent offset of flight-related CO2 emissions via Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This offer package was created by the Lufthansa Group. A free rebooking option and a ticket for a weeklong bike rental in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are additional features. The usage of an e-limousine for an airport-to-hotel trip is also available to Business Class passengers. The Lufthansa Group targets challenging sustainability objectives. By 2050, the Lufthansa Group hopes to achieve a CO2 balance that is neutral. This is one of its lofty climate preservation objectives. By 2030, the Lufthansa Group already hopes to have cut its net CO2 emissions in half from what they were in 2019. In August 2022, the independent Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) approved the reduction target for 2030. With a scientifically supported CO2 reduction target in line with the objectives of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, the Lufthansa Group was the first airline group in Europe. The Lufthansa Group is concentrating in particular on accelerated fleet modernization, the use of SAF, ongoing flight operations optimization, and offers for its corporate and private customers to make a flight or the transport of cargo more environmentally friendly. The Lufthansa Group has also long been a proponent of international climate and weather research. Source- Travel daily

The legendary party town of Magaluf is going to show off its cultural side during the annual Festival Literatura Expandia Magaluf (FLEM), which runs from Thursday, October 5, through Sunday, October 8, in 2018. This cultural festival, now in its third year, illustrates the changing perception of Magaluf and shows that the dynamic town is more than just a destination for package vacations and partying. FLEM is a special partnership between rata corner, Palma’s most innovative cultural space, and INNSiDE by Melia, an innovative hospitality brand. Together, they want to transform regional culture by providing a cutting-edge and powerful mix of workshops, discussions, concerts, and immersive events with a diverse lineup of writers, artists, musicians, and creatives from across the world. At the design hotel INNSiDE Calviá Beach, creatives gather for four days to share their experiences and thoughts with locals and visitors from around the world. The lineup consists of: Author of the bestselling book Call Me By Your Name, André AcimanNotes to Self, by renowned Irish author and professor Emilie Pine, was widely praised. Eve Fairbanks, an American author and former activist who is now a compelling radio showPopular Spanish author, director, and filmmaker David Trueba Bringing cultural closer to new audiences, FLEM 2023 participants can anticipate seeing: Immersive workshops: Take part in stimulating, immersive classes that foster creativity and give artists a stage to express themselves.Educative panels: delve into the complexities of your craft with renowned international artists, writers, and creatives.Engaging performances: Throughout the weekend, enjoy a wide variety of musical performances, from electric DJ sets to acoustic performances with the ocean as a backdrop.Events that are immersive and interactive, covering the arts, books, music, and literature, and that question norms and celebrate the spirit of creation Source- Travel dailyLink- https://www.traveldailymedia.com/magaluf-mallorca-hosts-the-third-annual-magaluf-literature-festival-from-5th-to-8th-october/