Daily News & Opinion

Visitors to Dreamworld can now get up close and personal with tiger cubs in Tiger Island. The two resident tiger cubs – Javi and Zakari – are now seven weeks old and have had their necessary vaccinations, permitting them to socialise with guests. The cubs are ambassadors for wild tigers, and a portion of every Tiger Cub Experience will go towards the Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation.

Hospitality giant Accor has announced five new general manager appointments across Australia. These include Joshua Lusty, who will head up ibis Budget Wentworthville; Maria Seroukas, who has made the move from Mantra St Kilda Road to Mantra Central City; Alison Baker, who will lead BreakFree Adelaide; former operations manager at Fraser Suites Sydney Tate Manduku, who will head up BreakFree on George; and Cameron Baker, who will take the reins at Mantra Lorne.

Marriott International has today announced the opening of Element Melbourne Richmond, a 163-room hotel located in the new Botanicca Corporate Park on the banks of the Yarra River. The hotel has been designed by award-winning Melbourne architects Rothelowman, and features a curved façade reflecting the winding Yarra River and tones inspired by native flora. The hotel also boasts four modern meeting spaces spanning 265 sqm, and is suitable for events with between 12 and 250 guests.

Senior digital producer for CNN Travel’s Asia Pacific Covergae Karla Cripps has been announced as keynote speaker for The TravMedia Summit set to take place in Macao this October. Karla has been heavily involved in the production of various successful CNN Travel series’, including Culinary Journeys, Hanoi POV and Destination India. Additional confirmed media speakers include digital projects editor for Hong Kong Tatler Pearl Yan and editor on chief of DestinAsian Christopher Hill.

On June 13, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour held ‘A Night in Marseille’, a showcase of its diverse meeting and events spaces and a preview of its new menu by executive chef Eric Costille. Guests toured through the hotel’s nine meeting and boardrooms as well as the Magnifique Ballroom, which have state-of-the-art audio visual capabilities and unique design touches. Some of the cuisine sampled from the new French-inspired menu included canapés of mini onion pissaladière, mini pan bagna buns and seared red mullet.

Based on survey results from 9000 Chinese consumers, Adina Apartment Hotels has been named the overall top Australian brand and the number one tourism brand in China. Adina Hotels also received the highest scores for social responsibility, practicality, value and the second-highest score for perceived quality, beating out Qantas and XXXX for the overall top spot. TFE Hotels chief revenue officer Shaizeen Contractor said it was pleasing to see such strong recognition from one of the largest travelling markets in the world.

From today until October 2019, Crowne Plaza Coogee Beach Sydney will embark on a multi-million dollar refurbishment. All 209 guest rooms are being fit-out with bathrooms and re-imagined with premium beds, carpet and drapes in a subtle colour palette. Upon completion, guests will also enjoy a new lobby, all-new restaurants and bars and flexible, tech-savvy meeting rooms. During the renovation period, the hotel will remain open, however it will operate with limited facilities.

Interior design firm CHADA, which is helmed by renowned designer and TV judge Juliet Ashworth, has unveiled how the hotel rooms and lobby at SKYE Suites will look when they open in Green Square this year. Ms Ashworth has created a mix of textured furnishings in a palette of navy, indigo, charcoal and oatmeal with accents of polished brass and hammered metal chrome lampshades. SKYE Suites Green Square will offer 90 studio, one and two bedroom apartments.