Aria Hotels - Libra Group | Entry into the Colombian Tourist Market in Cartagena de Indias

 

Aria Hotels, Libra Groups' s Greek born hospitality subsidiary headquartered in New York City with a curated collection of boutique hotels and villas dedicated to authentic Hellenic hospitality privately owned by Logothetis family, whose members fill several key roles in the organization has recently announced the future opening of a hotel in Cartagena de Indias in Colombia marking his first expansion outside of Greece.

The announcement of Aria Hotels' expansion in Latin America was announced on 23th September during the Concordia Annual Summit, a symbolic meeting that recognizes the deep cultural and economic ties between Greece and Colombia, attended by Libra Group Executive Chairman George Logothetis and former President of Colombia Iván Duque.

The transactions also saw the cooperation of Onirius Hospitality Advisors, a leading firm in real estate development, consulting and investment for Hotels and Branded Residences based in the capital of the country Bogotá which facilitated and supported the entry of Aria Hotel – Libra Group into the Colombian market.

Aria Hotels continues to expand its portfolio of properties in location of natural beauty, chosen to appeal the discerning travellers and Cartagena de Indias, historic port city on Colombia's Caribbean coast is undoubedtly a great destination, by the sea is the iconic walled Old Town, a centre founded in the 16^th century highlighted by picturesque cobblestone streets,  charming squares, splendid, colourful colonial buildings, a popular beach destination with a tropical climate.

At Aria Hotels luxury and authenticity go hand – in hand reflecting an important milestone for the international growth of the group that will transform two historic sites of the Colombian city into a luxury hotels and villas perfectly blending, loyal to its philosophy as the Greek hospitality with modern comforts.

The renovations will enhance the appeal of the sites while celebrating the cultures of Greece and Colombia and this hotel is expected to begin welcoming the first guests from mid-2026.

One of the first hotels will be called "Aria Maria", named in honor of the bond shared between the CEO of Libra Group Logothetis and the former Colombian President Duque sanctioned by a visit by the former premier of Colombia to the Greek island of Spetses, in the Saronic islands group situated at just 54 nautical miles from Athens, a picturesque,  car – free island higlighted by a unique architecture, culture and naval history.

During this visit these two people also discovered a mutual appreciation for a beloved Greek folk song from their childhood entitled "Maria Me Ta Kitrina" which translated means Mary Dressed in Yellow and for that the name of the hotel.

This shared memory inspires the name of the property, to signify a bond that undoubtedly mixes a solid link between two people and the cultural legacies of both nations.

Cartagena de Indias Secretary of Tourism Teresa Londoño welcomed Aria Hotels to Colombia and said that the hotel group's next project will not only restore historic sites and create tourist destinations, but will promote strong cultural ties between the two nations.

Aria Hotels CEO Makis Pantazatos declared that the company is proud to bring the authentic experience of Greek hospitality to Latin America and that the company's goal is to create distinctive properties that honor the local culture in all its essence and at the same time reflect Greek roots.

By developing the hotel group's presence in Cartagena de Indias, the aim is also to create properties that showcase the rich Colombian history combined with the warm hospitality of Greece.

Link https://www.expreso.info/noticias/hoteles/102714_aria_hotels_entra_en_el_mercado_turistico_de_colombia

Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil | Campaign to Relaunch Tourism Sector after the April 2024 Floods

 

Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil southernmost state, bordering Argentina and Uruguay highlighted by the splendid mountainous Serra Gaucha, home to the Vale dos Vinhedos, emblematic wine regions known for picturesque natural settings including suggestive German – style resorts, verdant plains and a long Atlantic coastline has developed a campaign to relaunch the tourism sector significantly damaged by the severe floods that devastated the local territory at the end of April 2024.

The State Government has launched a tourism campaign named Plano Rio Grande with the slogan "todos nós por todos nós", all of us for all of us, considered the largest market in the history of Rio Grande do Sul which aims to position the state as one of the main destinations in Brazil, especially after the terrible floods that have strongly affected the flow of visitors.

The relaunch campaign includes a series of actions ranging from advertising in Brazilian airports, audio and video publications in specialized media and with national coverage.

At the launch ceremony of this initiative, the video protagonist of the campaign was presented, whose theme is "Brazil has embraced Rio Grande do Sul, which now wants to embrace Brazil", a very profound phrase that is inspired by the message promulgated by the Governor of the State Eduardo Leite after the sad events of the floods. 

The Governor himself emphasized that the great skills of the people of Rio Grande do Sul in overcoming and reacting to the challenges that the state is facing and that this tourism campaign is in addition to various initiatives developed in recent years, among which the recovery of the state's investment capacity and other large-scale initiatives throughout the territory stand out.

The campaign basically focuses on promoting the resilience, security and attractiveness of the State by highlighting the natural beauty of the State, in different Brazilian regions by promoting the tourism sector as one of the important pillars of the economy with a message also launched by the Secretary of Tourism of the State Ronaldo Santini who emphasized that Rio Grande do Sul is ready to receive the tourists.

The Governor added that what is being experienced today is very important, as now the State has t5he opportunity to show all those who have dedicated time and resources to help and support Rio Grande do Sul in its recovery which is ready to welcome visitors.

A special invitation is to all of Brazil and the whole world to visit this land, enjoy its unique landscapes, experiencing its culture in all its diversity, get to know and taste the flavors of the local cuisine and much more.

As a final additional note, it was communicated that from the main gateway, as the Salgado Filho International Airport in Porto Alegre, one of the main hubs in Brazil, the state must demonstrate that it is prepared, ready and receptive to relive its touristic rebirth.

Link - https://www.expreso.info/index.php/noticias/internacional/102711_la_brasilena_rio_grande_do_sul_busca_estimular_su_turismo

El Salvador | UN Tourism Highlights and Congratulates the Country's Excellent Tourism Growth

El Salvador country in Central America bordered on the nortwest by Guatemala, northeast by Honduras and on the south by the Pacific Ocean, known as the "Land of Volcanoes" due to its impressive number of volcanoes, the smallest and most densely populated of the seven Central American nations has experienced an exponential increase in terms of the number of visitors according to a detailed report issued by UN Tourism that highlights and congratulates the country's excellent tourism growth.

The UN Tourism former UNWTO specialized agency of the United Nations which promotes responsible, sustainable and universally - accessible tourism founded in 1975 and headquartered in Madrid - Spain has shown a great growth of El Salvador compared to the data collected in 2019 regarding tourists who visited the Central American country with an increase of 168%.

On the occasion of the latest edition of the United Nations Tourism Barometer designed to regularly monitor short-distance tourism trends in order to provide tour agents with an updated analysis of international tourism with specific and accurate data up to the first half of 2024, 47 out of 63 countries analyzed confirmed a recovery in income levels recorded before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019.

The data that stand out see Saudi Arabia as the leader in the ranking, which recorded an increase of 207%, Qatar in second position and El Salvador in third position, a ranking that highlights the notable performances of the Central American country with positive prospects in the future of further growth in terms of incoming tourism.

Link - https://www.expreso.info/index.php/noticias/internacional/102706_onu_turismo_subraya_el_avance_del_turismo_en_el_salvador

Hyatt Hotels & Resorts | Landing in Australia with the Captivating Andaz Brand

 

Hyatt Hotels Corporation commonly known and marketed as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts renowned American hospitality company with its headquarters in Chicago - Illinois - U.S., managing and franchising resorts, luxury and business hotels and vacation property has announced the first Andaz brand opening in Australia.

Hyatt, already present in the Australian market for over 40 years, as informed by travelmole.com, famous portal and first online community for the Travel and Tourism, has entered into agreements with Destination Gold Coast Consortium, a joint venture between The Star Entertainment Group, Far East Consortium and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises for the opening of the Andaz Gold Coast hotel which will be part of an integrated resort masterplan with opening scheduled for mid-2025.

This hotel will mark the debut of luxury lifestyle brand Andaz in Australia and the Pacific Region situated at the Star Gold Coast, an exclusive mixed – use development on Broadbeach Island with easy access to rainforests, sandy beaches, theme parks with a multitude of recreation, entertainment and dining options with upscale shopping at the nearby Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and direct connectivity to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Hotel will feature 202 rooms and suites, a fitness centre and three food and beverage outlets, overlooking Broadbeach with a cocktail bar, a beach club with private cabanas and al al fresco dining with another highlight the will be the Andaz Lounge, a signature touchpoint at Andaz hotels offering an inviting all – day space for guests to enjoy a snack or a drink.

The captivating brand Andaz in its name translated from Hindi means "personal style" but it means much more than that. It's about who you are, fully, your personal essence, your being and it's about what makes you unique and having the freedom to pursue it. The brand in its concept is a calling to provide space for those looking to find and express their andaz.

Andaz's philosophy is based on fundamental special features that make it a one-of-a-kind hospitality brand with a design reimagined, inspiring social spaces, artfully crafted guest rooms and a buzzworthy cocktail culture.

Every Andaz hotel is a true extension of its surrounding neighborhood with the singular flavors, textures, sights and sounds that define a place and the rooms of the brand boast imaginative interior, artwork and amenities that reflect local sensibilities.

Andaz with fluid space designs and without common room barriers, with environments that share colors and materials with their natural surroundings and without standardized hotel décor is created with a very special essence to surprise and delight the guests at first sight.

Link - https://www.ttgitalia.com/hotel/hyatt-il-brand-andaz-approda-in-australia-KD21228552

The Leading Hotels of the World | Goal of Conquering the Young High – Spending Segment

 

The Leading Hotels of the World renowned, marketing organization representing more than 400 luxury hotels in the globe in over 80 countries, established in 1928 by European hoteliers and headquartered in New York City, launches itself into the conquest of a new clientele linked to the young High - Spending segment.

On the occasion of the Luxury Hospitality Conference, the first event dedicated to luxury in the hospitality industry which took place in Milan with the aim to interchange opinions, ideas, experiences, visions and new trends with the purpose to bring together leaaders of luxury hospitality including brands, design, development, operations and ownership the Vice President Member Experience of the Leading Hotels of the World Deniz Omuronulsen explained how this market segment seeks experiences that are not only Instagrammable but also authentic.

The Vice President of the organization underlined that the hotels in Italy belonging to the network of The Leading Hotels of the World are perfect for this type of clientele who are looking for distinctive values and to effectively capture their attention it is necessary to be very flexible also in services.

On the staff front, a fundamental aspect is that of skills and to increase it, employees must be given opportunities for cross-training related to the so-called "cross skilling".

With this strategy, team members are trained with skills that go beyond their role, professional activities that are linked to adjacent or interdependent roles and in the case of The Leading Hotels in the World by giving them work experience in the network's facilities in over 80 countries.

With this process the company will give the opportunity to see as many realities as possible and to be sufficiently flexible and able to satisfy the clients with also those belonging to the young high - spending segment.

Link - https://www.ttgitalia.com/hotel/the-leading-hotels-of-the-world-conquisteremo-la-fascia-giovane-altospendente-HK21188528