Two Leading DMC’s Merge to Produce One Powerhouse Global Experience Company

Buffalo Tours Asia and Olympus Tours Americas, announced today the merging of their collective destination management companies (DMCs) to create one all-encompassing, global experience company now known as Discova.

Buffalo Tours, a leading provider of tailor-made tours in Asia, and Olympus Tours, a celebrated ground operator for Mexico, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, will now operate under the Discova brand. Continuing to deliver turnkey solutions to their business partners around the world, Discova provides seamless, engaging, rewarding and authentic local travel experiences built on fun, creativity and a passion for exploration.  

“Our knowledge base, our people and our love of travel is at the heart of our business,” said Greg Kitchen, Managing Director of Discova.  “This merger is not about changing who we are – it’s about underscoring our core values and strengthening the alignment between our businesses.  This will allow us to expand our global reach so that we can remain at the forefront of in-destination travel services and connect our partners and customers to a world of possibilities through discovery and adventure.

 “The repositioning of Buffalo and Olympus businesses into Discova reaffirms our commitment to being a business to business (B2B) DMC.  Discova delivers a range of services to our partners that includes day touring, transportation, extended touring, educational travel and MICE.

“Discova is also able to create tailor-made in-destination solutions.  The strong position Buffalo Tours has had in responsible tourism will be carried into the new brand and strengthened through further initiatives and implementations across Discova’s expanding number of destinations.

“The new brand positioning will be completed in the back end of the current year showcasing at World Travel Mart in London in November 2019.”

Discova currently operates in 14 countries in Asia, Mexico, Latin America, and the Caribbean. To learn more about Discova’s locations and the types of products and itineraries on offer, visit www.discova.com  

KIS International School Welcomes New Head of School

KIS International School in Bangkok welcomes their new Head of School, Paul Johnson, for the start of the 2019-2020 academic year.

Paul’s appointment results from a rigorous international search, headed by the Council of International Schools Leadership Searches, who carefully evaluated the qualities of the candidates against the needs of the school. School stakeholders, from board members to staff, parents and students, were also involved in his recruitment process.

Paul’s passion for nurturing a safe and vibrant learning environment, combined with his experience and his personality makes him well suited to the international culture at KIS, which combines a strong sense of community with high academic standards.

Paul will be coming in from the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India. He has also previously worked at international schools in Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, Morocco and the USA and has over 20 years of experience in education leadership.

Paul will be replacing Sally Holloway, KIS’s founding Head of School, who has served in her position for 21 years. Sally will be taking on a position as Deputy Director General of the International Baccalaureate.
 
KIS interviewed Paul during his recent visit to the school.
 
1.    What were your first impressions of KIS?
Positive energy, friendliness, warmth - these are the immediate impressions I had of KIS. I spent time in all areas of the school and met a number of students, parents, and school staff. That first day sent me away with a good feeling about KIS in which I thought, “Oh wow! This school has really got their act together!”. I can’t say I was completely surprised after having had some sense of that already but it was comforting confirmation that the community was strong and that students and faculty were happy. When I met with the student council members, one elementary student exclaimed, “I love being here as much as my own home!” Parents I met with clearly loved the school. Teachers were engaging and students were learning. I felt like everyone is really working towards a common goal and that the school is student-centered. It is pretty easy to tell when schools are not focused on students and their experiences and, in my view, KIS delivered.
 
2.    How do you feel the school matches your personality?
My sense is that my calm and reflective approach and style is a match for KIS. Additionally, my sense of humor and my ability to empathize should fit well in the close-knit, family-friendly community here. The personal traits I mention have worked well for me in various schools in Morocco, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, and India. Working in all of these schools has emboldened me to keep a strong commitment to internationalism alongside strong respect for the host culture. Diversity brings out the best in everyone. Additionally, there is a part of my personality that drives me to achieve and this desire for continuous improvement is aligned with schools that have chosen a rigorous and holistic curriculum. This matches with what I see in KIS.
 
3.    What do you look forward to about joining KIS?
Being the Head of School allows me to take KIS to a future where it is not only well respected within Thailand but also within the top international schools in the region. My experience in a variety of respected international schools and with the organizations that support schools like ours is extensive and wide-reaching and my commitment is to lead KIS in its journey of self-reflection and continuous improvement. I’m impressed with what KIS has to offer and all schools have the responsibility to continue their growth. This is an exciting process and I look forward to my leadership and partnership in it. It was evident to me that KIS is a school on the move and I am excited to be part of that and to lead efforts to make the experience for students, teachers, and families a great one. All of my previous schools have had a strong relationship with the IBO and so there is a comfort between the aims of KIS and the curriculum the school has chosen. I’m drawn to being part of a full IB continuum school.

Green Globe Certifies ANANA Ecological Resort

Green Globe has awarded ANANA Ecological Resort its inaugural certification with the property achieving a commendable compliance score of 84%.

SoLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, May 26, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Escape the frenetic pace and chaos of everyday life at the luxurious ANANA Ecological Resort, Krabi in Thailand. The resort - in harmony with nature and the environment - is located amidst panoramic green surroundings at the foot of one of the famous Aonang Cliffs.

Green Globe has awarded ANANA Ecological Resort its inaugural certification with the property achieving a commendable compliance score of 84%. ANANA is the province’s second certified Green Globe resort, following Pimalai Resort on Koh Lanta.

Hotelier Wolfgang Grimm first opened the resort in December 2018. The property adheres to best practice principles in sustainable management, social and economic involvement, supporting cultural heritage and environmental protection. 

Environmental Initiatives

Dubbed the Eco Angels, ANANA staff closely monitor energy and water consumption, carbon emissions and purchasing practices to ensure continuous improvements are made and sustainability leadership is integrated in daily operations. To minimize environmental impacts, all rooms have biodegradable straws and toothbrushes, recycled paper products and complimentary glass bottled water. In addition, in-room guest amenities are all natural and presented in refillable bottles. ANANA has achieved an almost perfect single use plastic-free score whilst also setting standards in integrated waste management and recycling practices such as composting and BioGas production. Furthermore, in line with the property’s environmental policy, all cleaning products used by the housekeeping department are biodegradable.

Permaculture Garden

The resort’s carbon footprint is offset by 400 of the 10,000 square meter property with the majority of the area dedicated to preserving biodiversity, gardens and edible landscapes including an onsite permaculture farm. The farm-to-table concept provides organic produce for select dishes in each of the three onsite restaurants, one of which is completely vegan. Guests are invited to join the chefs for the daily harvest of cooking ingredients and then create their own salad, or take the pickings to the resort’s cooking school where secrets are shared on how to create delicious Thai dishes.

The permaculture farm also demonstrates how protecting nature can yield immediate benefits. At the moment, guests are invited to tour the farm discovering the unique tastes of leafy greens and locally grown fruit and vegetables. In future, school children along with the elderly and local community members will be invited to participate in quarterly seminars to learn about the importance of hands-on ecology. 

Eco-friendly Transportation

ANANA has further reduced its footprint with the creation and launch of the area’s first electric longtail boat. The e-boat will contribute to the preservation of the Krabi River ecosystem and potentially assist in saving this iconic Thai mode of transport from becoming outmoded when the currently used converted truck engine powered boats are banned. The resort also offers a complimentary Eco -TukTuk Shuttle service.

Source: https://www.einpresswire.com/article/486326443/green-globe-certifies-anana-ecological-resort?fbclid=IwAR0LU7-eHCaWBpEGBNE6WhAlbh7Tq2ykgG3yFWUqo2myTnD-XWY4YjqF8p8

Best Western® Hotels & Resorts Appoints Venushe Wickramarathne as New Regional Director of Commercial – Asia

Best Western Hotels & Resorts is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Venushe Wickramarathne as Regional Director of Commercial – Asia, effective immediately.

A highly skilled and experienced hospitality professional, Wickramarathne graduated from the Business Hotel Management School in Lucerne, Switzerland, with a BA Honors Degree in Hotel & Hospitality Management. Since he embarked on his career, Wickramarathne has worked in a series of roles in Europe and Asia, rising from Night Manager at an AccorHotels property in Zurich to Deputy Head of Sales – Events & Banqueting for the popular Cinnamon Grand hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

In 2017 he joined Centara Hotels & Resorts, initially as Area Director of Sales & Marketing for Colombo, before he moved to Thailand in January 2018 to become the company’s Area Director of Sales & Marketing for Krabi.

Wickramarathne now brings his impressive industry expertise to Best Western Hotels & Resorts, where he will oversee the sales and marketing activities for the group’s entire collection of hotels and resorts in Southeast Asia and Japan, encompassing all 16 of the company’s diverse and distinct brands.

“Venushe is exciting true talent with a proven ability to deliver results. His creative vision and detail-oriented approach will allow us to devise strategic sales and marketing campaigns, while his charisma, leadership and communication skills will help to implement them effectively. I am confident that Venushe will become an integral member of our executive team in Asia,” said Olivier Berrivin, Best Western's Managing Director of International Operations - Asia.

“I am personally very honored to join the Best Western Hotels & Resorts Asia team at a moment when the company is set for unprecedent growth in the Southeast Asia region. With a clear focus on expansion, Best Western Asia currently has a pipeline of properties under development in the region, including Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan to name a few. I am extremely excited to contribute towards this growth and add value to our hotel members and clients alike in the months and years ahead,” Wickramarathne commented.

Venushe Wickramarathne is now based at Best Western’s Regional Head Office in Bangkok.

CBRE Appointed as Sole Leasing Agent for Sunny

CBRE Thailand has been appointed by BHIRAJ BURI GROUP as the sole leasing agent for SUNNY at Summer Lasalle, a new 2-storey shopping centre located on Sukhumvit 105 (Lasalle), which is only 5 minutes away from Bearing BTS Station. The project has a total lettable area of approximately 3,600 sq.m. and is expected to be completed in Q4, 2019. Pictured are Mr. Pitiphatr Buri (2nd from right), Managing Director of BHIRAJ Management Co., Ltd., Ms. Sarocha Buri (Right), Deputy Chief Financial Officer of BHIRAJ BURI HOLDING Co., Ltd., Ms. Aliwassa Pathnadabutr (2nd from left), Managing Director of CBRE Thailand, and Ms. Jariya Thumtrongkitkul (Left), Associate Director and Head of Advisory and Transaction Services - Retail, CBRE Thailand.

Baker McKenzie Named Number One Legal Brand in Asia Pacific For Third Straight Year

Baker McKenzie has been named number one legal brand in the Asia Pacific region for the third consecutive year, according to the Acritas Asia Pacific Brand Index 2019.

The Firm has also grown their lead at the top of the table significantly. Awareness and favorability growth in Hong Kong/China has helped to drive this increased lead, although Baker McKenzie has generated favorability amongst buyers in all of the key Asian Pacific markets where the survey was run.

According to Acritas, expertise is still setting firms apart from their rivals, with clients favoring quality of advice and specialist knowledge. Speed, responsiveness and partner accessibility are also becoming increasingly important in the region for legal buyers.

Say Sujintaya, Partner, commented "As Thailand's largest law firm, we are dedicated to providing the very best legal services for our clients. We are constantly investing in new technologies to ensure we can adapt to rapidly changing markets and industries. As the world becomes globalised and legal matters more complex and cross border, we are able to offer our clients the finest solutions to ensure their businesses are protected and can flourish."

Legal departments are spending more of their budget on international work in the Asia Pacific region overall, much of focused on work between various Asia Pacific jurisdictions, for example between Japan and Australia. The demand for cross border support is regularly a driver of favorability, and breadth of support remains key to clients in the region, with spending also set to increase in comparison to clients in other global legal markets.

Lebua wins Travel + Leisure “World’s Best 2019” award for

No. 1 Hotel in Bangkok

In what is a great feat for lebua Hotels & Resorts, lebua scooped top honors in the Travel + Leisure (USA edition) “World’s Best 2019” awards, earning the No. 1 spot in the category Top 5 Hotels in Bangkok. In addition to being selected as the best hotel in Bangkok in the latest T+L readers’ survey, lebua also won two more prestigious “World’s Best 2019” awards: The 10 Best City Hotels in Asia (fifth place) and  The Top 100 Hotels in the World (90^th place).

“Travel + Leisure readers explore far and wide, and the hotels that impress them reflect not only their high standards but also their ever-expanding sense of curiosity and adventure,” the announcement from T+L reads. “Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe – to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value.”

According to lebua Hotels & Resorts’ CEO, Mr. Deepak Ohri, the group is overjoyed with these prestigious awards. “At lebua, absolute guest satisfaction is our priority, first and foremost. To receive this great acknowledgement from Travel + Leisure is an immense honor for us, and I would like to thank all the readers for their vote of confidence. There is no greater reward for us than knowing we have exceeded expectations, which makes this recognition – voted for by actual guests – all the more special.”

He adds, “We are creating the world’s first vertical destination at lebua with an impressive collection of iconic restaurants and bars that have elevated the food and beverage scene in Bangkok and beyond. This, combined with our world-class hotels and superlative service, has earned a place for lebua in the hearts and minds of our guests.”

The latest accolades for lebua were described by Travel + Leisure as follows: “This year’s winner stands out for its location in one of Bangkok’s tallest high-rises, which makes it a perfect spot for sunset cocktails. From here, the entire city stretches out in all directions. The guestrooms, meanwhile, attract readers who value space – standard rooms clock in at a huge 710 square feet, which would make them suites almost anywhere else. As you’d expect from one of the highest hotels in Asia, the views are a big selling point. And while lebua doesn’t have the secluded garden setting of other Bangkok hotels, amenities here include an expansive swimming pool and a spa, where travelers can enjoy traditional Thai massages.”

UOB Heartbeat Run/Walk

Tractus Thailand Gives Time and Energy to More Responsible Living ‘Keep the Good Going’ 7 th July 2019 

Source: https://www.bangkokpost.com/

Outstanding results achieved by our IB Diploma students for the 2018/19 academic year

Every Nord Anglia international school supports its students to achieve more than they may have thought possible. We believe there is no limit to what students can achieve socially, personally and academically. This year, our students’ academic results reflect our shared commitment to excellence in this area.

Our entire school community is proud to share our students at Regents International School Pattaya  achieved exceptional results in this year’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). 

For the 2018/19 academic school year, Regents students achieved a pass rate of 88 percent this year and an average score of 31 points, once again higher than the IB global average. One student scored 40 points which is a fantastic achievement.  

“We are very proud of our graduates and their achievements. Once again, we are above the world average, a remarkable result for a non-selective school. The results mean that our students will be able to go to their first-choice university where many of them have already received unconditional offers. Our students have been accepted to top universities on four continents to study disciplines ranging from architecture to economics, engineering to medicine, and many more. Amid the fantastic results, fourteen students earned prestigious bilingual diplomas studying courses in Croatian, Korean, Thai, Chinese, German, Hindi and Russian. We also had incredible scores of 39 and 40 points for three students. This is the level required to gain admission to the world’s elite universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and Stanford.” Sarah Osborne-James, School Principal said. 

“Year after year, I am so proud of our Nord Anglia students who — through their dedication — achieve results that exceed global averages for the IB Diploma,” said Andy Puttock, Group Education Director, Nord Anglia Education. 

“This year’s results powerfully show how our students benefit from world-leading teachers who go beyond traditional education to inspire them toward success,” he said. “I’m proud of what our IB-offering schools have achieved this academic year and wish our graduating seniors a fantastic summer as they begin preparing for life after leaving their Nord Anglia school.” 

IBDP, is a two-year education programme for students age 16-19. The programme is a widely accepted and recognised qualification for entry into higher education and universities worldwide. 

All of us here at Regents would like to congratulate our graduating seniors from the 2018/2019 academic year. These students have put in incredible hard work over the years and we can’t wait to see what they do in the future. 

Every Nord Anglia international school supports its students to achieve more than they may have thought possible, so a huge congratulations to all our graduates and IBDP achievers for a job well done!

source: https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/

Angsana Phuket Meetings & Events

The comfort and quality that defines Angsana Laguna Phuket is seamlessly carried over to its facilities and function rooms for professional visitors. As Phuket’s ideal venue for specialised meetings and events, we routinely host corporate meetings, conferences and product launches with the tropical ocean as the perfect backdrop. Just 20 minutes away from the town of Phuket and Phuket International Airport, Angsana Laguna Phuket’s fully-equipped and modern resort is easily accessible for small or large corporate events.

Angsana Laguna Phuket is able to host meetings and events for every occasion. This resort includes a spacious ballroom, meeting rooms, boardrooms, and is able to host large scale functions at the beachfront area. This resort recently has been recognised by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) for Thailand MICE Venue Standard Designation (TMVS) and ASEAN MICE Venue Standards certification to host international-standard MICE events, our venues within a hotel setting, which have met key indicators in the areas of Physical Setting, Technology and Services.

This beachfront resort features a total of 12 function rooms with sizes ranging that can comfortably accommodate a seating arrangement of anywhere between 30 to 120 guests. Boardrooms are also available for those who seek a more private meeting arrangement. In addition, a 358-square-meter ballroom is on site with a capacity of 400 guests, which is ideal for any business function or special event. Each room is fully functional and equipped to ensure a comfortable and productive experience for professional gatherings and presentations.

XANA features a large function space that can accommodate up to 2,000 guests and can be split into four tiers. The beach front area offers a front row view of the Andaman Sea. The second storey rooftop deck offers a spectacular perch for taking in sunsets and is suited for small event groups for 120 guests. The lawn and lagoon deck, featuring a picture-perfect view of the lagoon as a back drop and an expansive view of Bangtao bay beyond, can accommodate up to 600 delegates. The bar and restaurant area has a covered area suitable for sit down functions.

For a more serene setup, the outstanding lush Poolside Garden, located right next to the lagoon, is ideal for casual cocktails, wedding receptions and gala dinners. Angsana Laguna Phuket has a total of 6 dining venues with top-rated chefs from around the world. Choose from our plethora of menu sets ranging from modern European, traditional Thai, or even an elegant seafood experience.

For other recreational side activities, Angsana Laguna Phuket provides a gym on site with modern equipment and many opportunities for sports. For those who wish to experience outbound events, tours of the lagoon are available by boat or shuttle bus. Team-building experiences are a special feature of Angsana Laguna Phuket’s corporate services team, which has developed a specialized program in the form of adventure quests suitable for any corporate background. Alternatives for a more quiet and relaxed form of leisure include Angsana Spa, Gallery as well as a golf course located nearby.