Daily News & Opinion

Popular rooftop bar Hacienda Sydney will become the third Hyde venue to open in Australia next month when it relaunches as Hyde Hacienda Sydney Bar + Lounge. The opening follows that of Hyde Perth Kitchen + Cocktails in October this year and Hyde Paradiso on the Gold Coast this April. Hyde is a brand operated by lifestyle hospitality group sbe along with Accor. The new venue will retain the vintage vibe of the space, while increasing seating capacity.

Beginning November 1, 2019, BridgeClimb Sydney will operate a Japanese Climb with a guided expert climb leader and a Japanese translator. The new offering was inspired by the recent International Visitor Survey, which confirmed that visitor numbers from Japan are on the rise. BridgeClimb has seen a 50 per cent increase in climbers from Japan over the last five years. The Japan climb has a duration of two-and-a-half hours, with a maximum of 14 people per group.

Raffles Hotel Singapore celebrated its official re-opening on October 18, in the presence of guests from Singapore’s business and cultural community. The hotel is owned by Katara Hospitality, a global hotel owner, developer and operator based in Qatar, and managed by Accor. The re-opening was celebrated with a traditional lion dance ritual followed by a commemorative ribbon cutting ceremony. Raffles Singapore offers 2500 sqm of event space.

Not one but two speakers will fill the third keynote speaker slot at IBTM World, set to take place in Barcelona between November 19 and 21. The speakers are founder of strategic think tank Temptus.Motu Aric Dromi, and professor of leadership at IE Business School in Madrid Margarita Mayo. The former will discuss future trends and new technologies, while the latter will explore remaining authentic in leadership and in life.

This week, 150 tourism industry professionals gathered at the Parisian Macao for the annual TravMedia Summit. The conference played host to a line-up of speakers including Barry Neild from CNN Travel and Benoit Badufle from the Monaco Government Tourism Office. A series of intensive sessions took place, covering topics such as the changing media landscape, metrics to measuring successful PR, effective pitch tactics, media authenticity and sustainable tourism.

Former fighter pilot and lead flight director of Apollo 13 Gene Kranz has been announced as a keynote for 2020 PCMA Convening Leaders, set to take place between January 5 and 8 in San Francisco. Mr Kranz will share strategies, solutions and inspiration on creating an environment for excellence, and share his Apollo 13 story which involved an explosion in the spacecraft’s service module that threatened the safety of the three-man crew.

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre general manager Ross Steele has been recognised as a Life Member of Tropical North Queensland Tourism – the organisation’s highest honour – reflecting his contribution to tourism during his time in the region. Ross Steele was appointed earlier this year to lead the team running the purpose-designed Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, following 12 years as general manager of the Cairns Convention Centre.

Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites has debuted in New Zealand’s capital with the launch of Oaks Wellington Hotel. Formerly the Ford vehicle assembly plant – originally constructed in 1922 – the building is one of Wellington’s most prominent buildings on Courtney place. The site has since undergone a multi-million dollar transformation into a 226-key, nine storey hotel. Oaks Wellington Hotel offers executive meeting rooms and function spaces, as well as a business hub located in the foyer with high-speed internet.