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Accommodating Covid Patients | Bangkok Hotels Turned Into ‘Hospitals’

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BANGKOK: Many hotels in Bangkok have been converted into ‘hospitals’ makeshift hospitals to accommodate Covid-19 patients – following the recent surge in infections after the Songkran festival.

Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, President of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said the “hospital” idea was initiated by THA, Ministry of Public Health and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to deal with the shortage of beds at government and private hospitals.

Pullman Bangkok Hotel G among hotels in Bangkok that have been turned into “hospitals”

The move is aimed at accommodating local Covid-19 patients, unlike the government’s alternative state quarantine (ASQ) programme which is designed for arriving foreign visitors to serve their mandatory self-isolation at government-accredited hotels.

The latest Covid-19 spike comes after locals travelled across the country to celebrate the major national Songkran holidays from April 12-15, with Bangkok recording the most number of infections among the provinces.

Local media reported that at least nine hotel operators in Bangkok have turned their guestrooms into “hospitels”, including Malaysia Hotel (100 beds), Ozone Hotel @ Samyan (40 beds), Rattanakosin Hotel (150 beds), Indra Regent Hotel (455 beds), Sinsiri Ramintra Hotel (69 beds), Chiva Hotel (75 beds), Pullman Hotel (324 beds), Synsiri Hotel (52 beds), and Cheer Hotel (200 beds).

It has also been reported that a few more hotels are awaiting approval to join the scheme within this week. Prior to that, their properties will be accessed to evaluate if they meet the medical requirements, and they must also receive permission from their neighbours.

Staff at hotels turned into “hospitels” will receive mentorship and guidance from medical frontliners at public and private hospitals such as Phyathai Hospital, Paolo Hospital, and BDMS Group of hospitals.

Meanwhile, UHG Group, a hotel and real-estate developer which operates many mid-scale hotels is offering beds and amenities to be used at field hospitals in Bangkok.

Marriott Int’l Rolls Out | Co-Branded Hotel Credit Card

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MARYLAND: Marriott International has launched the Marriott Bonvoy ‘The BEST Shinhan Card’, offered exclusively by Visa, enabling cardholders to accelerate the number of Marriott Bonvoy points they earn, which can be redeemed for free nights at the brand’s hotels around the world.

Touted as “the first hotel industry credit card in South Korea”, cardholders can earn Marriott Bonvoy points and enjoy member benefits that come with elite status.

For an annual fee of 267,000 won (US$236), with Marriott Bonvoy ‘The BEST Shinhan Card’, cardholders enjoy rich earn ratios and become a Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite member upon sign-up.

Platinum Elite Status is also more achievable with cardholders enjoying 5,000 bonus points after spending 10 million won, and 10,000 bonus points after spending 20 million won. Cardholders will immediately be awarded Platinum status upon 60 million won spend in an accounting year.

Projecting Hospitality Growth | Saudi Arabia Leads The World

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LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector is the fastest-growing among the 50 most populated countries in the world, reporting 73,057 rooms across the three phases of the hotel pipeline, and projecting a 67.1 percent increase in room supply over the next three years, according to STR’s AM: PM platform.

Of the total rooms in the pipeline as of March 11, 16,965 were scheduled to come online over the duration of 2021. The 67.1 percent increase assumes completion of all projects in construction, final planning, and planning.

“Saudi Arabia’s growth aspirations, along with the strength of other Middle East hospitality markets such as Qatar and the UAE, is further validation that the region continues to emerge as a global tourist destination,” said Philip Wooller, STR’s area director for the Middle East/Africa. “Such growth is a testament to the strength and prospectus of the nation’s strong cultural and economic resources.”

While a significant portion of Saudi Arabia’s pipeline activity is concentrated in Makkah (28,052 rooms under development), several other submarkets across the country are expected to increase hotel supply by 50 percent or more.

  1. Makkah: 28,052 rooms (+81 per cent)
  2. Saudi Arabia Regional: 13,996 (+80 per cent)
  3. Riyadh: 13,165 rooms (+75 per cent)
  4. Jeddah: 11,198 (+97 per cent)
  5. Al Khobar & Dammam: 5,418 (+47 per cent)
  6. Madinah: 1,228 (+7 per cent)

Hashoo Group to Open | Another ‘Hotel One’ In The City Of Nawabs

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ISLAMABAD: To recreate the charm of travelling to a contemporary city with a royal past, the new Hotel One will be opening its doors soon to travellers in Bahawalpur, the City of Nawabs.

In this connection, a ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Mr Haseeb Gardezi, Chief Operating Officer – Hashoo Group Hospitality Division, Mr Waqar Qureshi, Director Development – Hotel One, and Mr Makhdoom Murtala Muhammad, the franchisee of Hotel One in Bahawalpur.

Hashoo Group is the leading and largest chain of hotels in Pakistan that own and operates the five-star Pearl-Continental, Marriott and the select-service Hotel One brands in Pakistan.

Located on Ahmedpur Road, this will be the second Hotel One in the City of Nawabs and will feature 50 elegant rooms, offer all-day dining at an in-house restaurant and cater to banquet and conference facilities at multi-purpose halls. Moreover, the upcoming hotel will be located in the business district of Bahawalpur. Upon construction, the hotel will reflect the historic architectural heritage that the iconic city of Bahawalpur is famous for.

Bahawalpur was once a princely state of Pakistan located in Punjab, famous for its timeless grandeur and was the city of residence for the royal families. Bahawalpur is now known for its monuments dating back from that glorious era. The city lies at the edge of the Cholistan Desert and serves as the gateway to the nearby Lal Suhanra National Park and to various desert motorsports events such as the famous Cholistan Rally.

History buffs, adventure enthusiasts, and travellers can explore the city for its rich heritage, comprising royal palaces such as Noor Mahal and Darbar Mahal, Derawar Fort, Tomb of Bibi Jawindi, and Abbasi Jamia Masjid Qila Derawar and much more.

The launch of this hotel will not only contribute to domestic employment but will also provide tourists’ quality lodging facilities within their reach.

The Winners Awarded | First Derajat Off-Road Jeep Challenge Race Concludes

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PESHAWAR: A top official said on Monday, March 29, that more cultural festivals and traditional games would be organized in Dera Ismail Khan to attract domestic and foreign tourists to the area and boost tourism in the province.

Speaking at the awards distribution ceremony of the first Derajat off-road jeep and motorcycle challenge race, Secretary Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums, and Youth Affairs Department Abid Majeed said that the second leg of Derajat Festival was postponed owing to the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

He said that the cultural festival would now be held in the upcoming September.

“The government is taking tangible steps for the promotion of local cultures, traditional games, and boosting tourism in every nook and corner of the province to lure more tourists and visitors,” the official said, adding that it would help create employment opportunities for the local populace as well.

Federal Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA), Frontier 4×4 Club, and Dera Ismail Khan District administration had jointly organized the three-day event.

Sahibzada Sultan was declared the top winner of Derajat off-road jeep challenge race followed by Zain Mahmood and Nadir Magsi.

In the Women’s category, Tushna Patel clinched the first position while Maheem Sheraz stood second and Salma Marwat third.

Trophies, medals, and cash prizes were given away to the positions of all categories.

Twenty-eight racers, including Jaffar Magsi, Nadir Magsi, Babar Khan, Salma Khan Marwat, Maheem Sheraz, Laila Akhunzada, Irshad Kakakhel, Zain Mahmood, Raza Saeed, Asif Fazal Chaudhry, Faisal Khan Shadi, Bewarigh Mazari, Awais Khakwani, Malik Qadir Nawaz, Shahab Haider, Asad Khan, Nauman Saranjam Khan, Saud Majeed, Umar Iqbal Kanju, Sheryar Khan, Zafar Khan Baloch, Nasir Khan, Gohar Sangi, Tushna Patel, Jamila and others participated in the pre-peered category and covered 118 kilometers track from Yarak to Gloti.

The racers performed well during the 118km race on the track from Yarak to Gloti after passing through Paniala, Rahmanikhel, and Abdulkhel.

Twenty-nine drivers participated in the stock category while 22 racers performed in the professional pre-peered category.

‘Nowruz’ Celebrations | Serena Hotels Organizes The Event

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ISLAMABAD: Serena Hotels held a colorful Nowruz celebration event in collaboration with the diplomatic missions of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the banner of its Cultural Diplomacy Initiative.

Nowruz – which means ‘new day – is an ancient celebration of spring dating back to around 3000 years; today is celebrated by around 300 million people belonging to different faiths and ethnicities across the world. In 2010 the United Nations adopted a resolution to officially recognize the International Day of Nowruz.

The event included beautiful cultural performances as well as stalls by the participating countries featuring their local handicrafts and heritage products. The First Lady Mrs. Samina Arif Alvi was the Chief Guest at the occasion. A number of notable dignitaries from the Diplomatic Corps, Government, and Corporate Sector also attended the event.

CEO Serena Hotels South and Central Asia Mr. Aziz Boolani thanked the First Lady and the collaborating countries as well as the attendees for their participation. “At Serena Hotels, we believe in creating positive linkages that can bring value to the society, and our various Diplomacy initiatives follow this overarching mission. The Nowruz event at Serena Hotels has become a yearly feature and a unique platform for the Nowruz celebrating countries to come together to celebrate this UN-recognized festival collectively,” he said.

“Nowruz, a spring festival that has been celebrated across different regions for centuries, reminds us of what we have in common,” said H.E. Atadjan Movlamov, Dean of Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Turkmenistan, thanking the First Lady Mrs. Samina Arif Alvi for her participation. “Today’s event shows that Pakistan stands for peace, development, and progress.”

Cooking Competition Concludes | KP Officials Award Winner Teams

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PESHAWAR: Secretary Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums, and Youth Affairs Department Abid Majeed on Saturday, March 20, said that the hospitality sector played a pivotal role in the promotion of the tourism industry, adding that more events would be arranged to encourage the youth of the province.

Speaking at a ceremony held in connection with the awards and prize distribution among the winning teams of the four-day cooking skills competition at Peshawar Services Club, he said that the tourism industry contributed 1.5 shares to the GDP and the hospitality and food sector was playing an important role in this contribution.

“There is a great scope in the hospitality sector as a number of excelling youth were offered jobs and internship opportunities in the cooking field at this event,” the secretary said, adding that it was an ideal platform for the cooking talents to exhibit their skills and promote the hospitality sector in the province.

Additional Secretary Tashfeen, Chief Planning Officer Asif Shahab, Director Youth Affairs Salim Jan, Director Tourism Merged Districts Ishtiaq Khan, Director Directorate of Tourist Services Ghulam Said, and other stakeholders were present as well.

Abid Majeed said that more such events would be arranged to further polish the cooking and other skills of the youth so they could get employment in the country and abroad.

It would, he said, pave the way for the government, industries, and businessmen to jointly devise a strategy to provide employment to the youth on the basis of their skills and talents.

Organized by the Directorate of Youth Affairs under the aegis of Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums, and Youth Affairs Department, the activity was aimed at providing an opportunity to the youth to exhibit their cooking skills and come forward to further excel in this field and promote the hospitality sector in the province as well.

Over 70 male and female chefs from Peshawar, Swat, Malakand, Chitral, Abbottabad, Battagram, Orakzai, Khyber Mardan, Kohat, Charsadda districts, and other parts of the province participated in the cooking skills competition.

In the grand finale, Beenish and Abbas clinched first position, Sharif and Huraira second, Saad Illahi and Azan Zia third, Shadab and Dua fourth, and Abu-Bakr grabbed the fifth position.

Directorate of Youth Affairs gave away commendation certificates and prizes while five stars hotels offered jobs and internships to the excelling chefs.

Dr. Zaheer Anjum, assistant professor Home Economics College, Peshawar, University of Peshawar, Muneeba Usman, professional chef trainer, William Asghar, executive chef Peshawar Services Club, performed as judges.

Yes To Corporate Social Responsibility | Legend Islamabad Initiates Trees Plantation Campaign

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ISLAMABAD: As a part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, Legend Hotel Islamabad has initiated a tree plantation campaign, starting with its hotel in Islamabad on the 16th March 2021. In the same context, the management of the hotel has invited some of our celebrities and the press to join them in this environmental activity, and make it memorable. After the tree plantation ceremony, there was an environmental awareness press conference by Mr. Azeem Qureashi and Ms. Laila Zuberi.

“We regard our media as the real tool to motivate the masses and another corporate sector to participate in such drives, making Pakistan Green,” said Azeem.

The event was followed by a sumptuous lunch in honor of the guests and media.

International Women’s Day | Serena Collects Women Empowerment initiatives

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ISLAMABAD: Serena Hotels hosted a Women’s Day Breakfast and Crafts Bazaar to acknowledge the trailblazing women of society and to provide support and representation to women social enterprises.

The wife of the President of Pakistan Mrs. Samina Arif Alvi was the Chief Guest at the occasion which was attended by prominent women leaders from politics, sports, healthcare, and charities as well as other segments of society including journalists and members of the Diplomatic corps and their spouses.

An exhibition of social enterprises for women empowerment as well as organizations working to support persons with disabilities and social justice was set up which included a colorful crafts bazaar. The exhibitors included the Pakistan Foreign Office Women Association (PFOWA), Behbud Crafts, Indus Heritage Trust, Mashal Association, Andaaz, Rozan, Nomad Gallery, Care for Special Persons Foundation, Aga Khan Economic Planning Board for Pakistan, and Pakistan Air Force Women’s Association (PAFWA).

CEO Serena Hotels South and Central Asia Mr. Aziz Boolani said that Serena Hotels is working to create a workplace where everyone can advance, and a culture of equality that unlocks human potential. “We are proud to be the first EDGE (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality) certified hospitality company in Pakistan. Today we celebrate the achievements of women and pledge to collectively create an inclusive world.”

Senior Hotelier | Qasim Jafri is New Cluster GM Avari Lahore

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LAHORE: Renowned hotelier with thirty-five years of industry experience, Mr. Qasim Jafri, has taken charge of Avari Hotel Lahore, Avari Xpress Gulberg, and Avari Xpress Faisalabad as the Cluster General Manager. A Cornell University Alumni who speaks five languages, Mr. Jafri also attended hotel schools in Europe and Asia.

He is a seasoned professional who has worked with known hotel chains in Europe, Middle East, Canada, and Pakistan, namely; Hilton International, Marriot International, Pearl Continental, and Avari Hotels International. He was General Manager of various 5-star hotels around the world and also Director Hospitality Division of Orient Group, CEO Imperium Hospitality, and COO of Nishat Hotels and Properties. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Tourism Development Corporation PTDC, on the steering committee of the World Bank-funded program of Tourism uplift in Punjab, Member Foreign Minster’s Core Group on Cultural Diplomacy, and Member advisory council of Lahore and Taxila Museums.

Mr. Jafri is a man of multiple passions like preservation and promotion of poetry, literature, music, environment, and heritage. He is also President of the Board of Governors of Goethe Institute Lahore and a member of the Board of Directors of Dabistan e Iqbal, Faiz Foundation, Joy of Urdu’ and a life member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.