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Tony Potter, CEO
and managing director, CHI The World Tourism
Award inaugurated in 1997 and celebrating its 11th
Anniversary, was established to recognize "the
extraordinary initiatives by individuals,
companies, organizations, destinations and
attractions for outstanding accomplishments in the
travel industry." The Ceremony itself will
take place on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at Excel
Centre, London. The 2008 Honorees
are being recognized for their dedication to the
preservation of natural and cultural heritage, one
as an organization and the other as an individual.
The first Award will honour UNESCO World
Heritage Centre, in rrecognition of
"its outstanding guidance, support
and encouragement to 185 countries around the world
by establishing and monitoring 878 World Heritage
Sites that will protect and preserve their
irreplaceable natural and cultural heritage for the
future of all the people of the
world." The Second
Award will honour Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary
General, Egypt's Supreme Council of
Antiquities, in recognition of "his dynamic
and committed leadership,
in developing and implementing,
innovative management plans to care for and protect
Egypt's world famous ancient attractions,
including several UNESCO World Heritage
Sites." Past World Tourism Award
Recipients 1997 Award:
"World Peace Through Tourism" Honorees: Member
countries of MEMTTA (Middle East Mediterranean
Travel & Tourism Association): Cyprus, Egypt,
Israel, Jordan, Malta, Morocco, the Palestinian
Authority, Tunisia and Turkey. 1998 Award:
"Outstanding Economic Development Through
Tourism" Honorees: "The
new emerging Europe - Croatia, the Czech Republic,
Hungary and Poland" 1999 Award:
"Outstanding Impact of Travel and Tourism on
Generating Employment Growth" Honorees: China
National Tourism Administration and the Hong Kong
Tourist Association 2001 Award: "The
newly forged public / private sector partnership
and the dramatic increase in
tourism." Honorees: the
Mexico Ministry of Tourism and the Mexico Tourism
Board 2002
Award: "Training the Next Generation in
Travel & Tourism" Honorees: The New
York Academy of Travel & Tourism, Virtual
Enterprises, International™ (career programs
within the New York City Department of Education)
and the Institute for Virtual Enterprise at
Kingsborough Community College of the City
University of New York. 2003 Award: "In
recognition of its leadership role in the rescue
and preservation of imperiled works of art and
architecture, and its devotion to onsite
conservation of monuments and sites worldwide,
crossing geographic, cultural, and national
boundaries to preserve the world's diverse and rich
heritage for generations to come." Honoree: World Monuments
Fund 2004 Award: "Its
extraordinary vision and pioneering work in opening
the door to 'the world" for travelers with
disabilities, the mature and elderly, through
educational programs for all sectors of the travel
industry on how to cater to the special needs of
this lucrative and rapidly expanding niche
market." Honoree: Society for
Accessible Travel & Hospitality
(SATH) 2005 Award: "Their
extraordinary vision in forging a historic
Asia-Africa Bridge of Tourism, Friendship and
Collaboration", announced at the 3rd IIPT Global
Summit on Peace Through Tourism in Pattaya,
Thailand, Oct. 2005. Honorees: Africa
Travel Association (ATA) and Pacific Asia Travel
Association (PATA) 2006 Award: In
recognition of Travel Guard International's
value-based approach to business and its
philanthropic mission to give back to both the
global and local communities it serves, and to
encourage its employees to both raise/donate money
for these global projects through its Make a Mark
Foundation. Honorees: John
Noel, President and CEO of Make a Mark
Foundation. 2007 Award: The
2007 Award recognized the leaders of the American
Tourism Society (ATS): ATS, Alex Harris, CTC
Honorary Chairman, and member of the Board of
Directors, ATS and Chairman General Tours, and one
of the Co-Founders of ATS; Michael Stolowitzky,
Immediate Past President & CEO and member of
the Board of Directors, ATS; and H.E. Senator Akel
Biltaji, of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,
Chair, Red/Mediterranean Sea Council and
Member of the Board of Directors, ATS. They were
recognized for "their extraordinary vision and
inspiring leadership in their respective roles as
leaders in the American Tourism Society, through
which they have fostered the establishment of
emerging destinations into the main stream of
tourism; supported the training and development of
local tourism companies and organizations; and have
contributed to tourism becoming a vital factor in
the fast-paced growth of employment in local
economies." . ABOUT CORINTHIA
HOTELS Corinthia Hotels is
an internationally acclaimed Brand of luxury hotels
in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Libya, Malta,
Portugal and Russia. Founded by the Pisani family
of Malta in the 1960s, the Corinthia brand stands
in that proud tradition of Mediterranean
hospitality and its signature services communicate
the 'Warm smiles, Inspired Flavours and Pleasant
Surprises' of its Maltese heritage. All Corinthia
hotels feature state-of-the art conference areas,
extensive leisure and business traveller
facilities, and are each renowned for their
uniqueness of character. Corinthia Hotels'
portfolio includes two award-winning
properties: The Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal In
Budapest, Hungary - winner of Europe's 'Best Hotel
Architecture Award' and member of 'The Most Famous
Hotels in the World' and The Corinthia Hotel
Prague in the Czech Republic - the first hotel ever
to win Best Gastronomy Concept in the Czech
Republic and a recipient of the '5 stars and 6
stripes' designation from renowned US reviewer
Seven Stars and Stripes. The Corinthia Hotels
portfolio also features the elegant Corinthia
Palace Hotel and Spa and the splendid Corinthia
Hotel St Georges Bay in Malta, The superior
five-star Corinthia Bab Africa Hotel in Tripoli,
Libya, the modern Corinthia Hotel Lisbon in
Portugal and the renowned Corinthia Nevskij Palace
Hotel in St Petersburg, Russia. The Corinthia
Hotels brand is associated with the 'Wyndham Grand
Collection' tier of upscale hotels
worldwide. ABOUT CHI HOTELS
& RESORTS Based in Malta, CHI
Hotels & Resorts (CHI) is a leading hands-on
hotel management company that provides the full
range of technical assistance and management
services to hotel owners worldwide. CHI is the
exclusive operator and developer for the luxury
Corinthia Hotels brand as well as the Wyndham and
Ramada Plaza brands in Europe, Africa and The
Middle East. CHI draws on a
heritage of over 45 years in delivering high
quality services to hotel guests and an optimum
rate of return to owners and investors in diverse
business environments. Our experience across our
three brands extends to management of luxury and
upscale properties in city and resort locations and
products ranging from boutique to conference and
Spa hotels. CHI also operates various restaurants
under brands such as 'Rickshaw' and has its own Spa
division. CHI Hotels &
Resorts is a joint venture between International
Hotel Investments plc (IHI) &endash; 70% and The
Wyndham Hotel Group (WHG) &endash; 30%. For more
information on Corinthia Hotels visit:
www.corinthiahotels.com For more
information about the World Travel Market:
www.wtmlondon.com 1 . From Left:
Tony Potter, CEO and Managing Director, CHI Hotels
& Resorts, and Mr. Sayed Khalifa, Director,
Egyptian Tourist Authority, USA and Latin America
based in New York, who represented Dr. Zahi Hawass,
Director General, Egypt's Supreme Council of
Antiquities, one of the 2008 World Tourism Award
Honorees, at the Press Announcement in New York
City. 2. Tanzania,
which has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, was
represented at the Corinthia Hotels press breakfast
in New York where the announcement of the 2008
World Tourism Awards Honorees was made
and UNESCO World Heritage Centre was one
of the 2008 World Tourism Award Honorees. From
Left: Paul Underhill, CHI Hotels & Resorts USA;
Peter Mwenguo, Managing Director, Tanzania Tourist
Board; Tony Potter, CEO and Managing Director,
CHI Hotels & Resorts; Blandina Nyoni, Permanent
Secretary, Tanzania's Ministry of Natural Resources
& Tourism (MNRT); Bernard Murunya, Conservator,
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (a World
Heritage Site); Mary Mmari, Director of Tourism,
MNRT; and Gerald Bigurube, Director General,
Tanzania National Parks (two World Heritage
Sites). Editorial Contact
in US: Karen Hoffman/Fran
Levine The Bradford
Group Tel: (212)
447-0027 Fax: (212) 725
8253 E-mail:
bradfordmktg@aol.com |
Hotels
& Resorts, the management company for Corinthia
Hotels, announced that UNESCO World Heritage Centre
and Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General, Egypt's
Supreme Council on Antiquities, are the 2008 World
Tourism Award Honorees. Corinthia Hotels, together
with American Express, International Herald Tribune
and Reed Travel Exhibitions, co-sponsor this
prestigious Award presented annually at World
Travel Market in London. This announcement
was made at a Corinthia Hotels Press Breakfast at
Tavern on the Green in New York City.