NEWS
INDUSTRY
FIVE MINUTES WITH AMFORHT’S PRESIDENT PHILIPPE FRANÇOIS What role does AMFORHT play? Created 53 years ago by UNWTO, AMFORHT is an NGO recognized by the United Nations. With around 700 members from 78 countries, our goal is to promote training and education by bringing together hotel schools, universities and hotel groups.
What are some of AMFORHT’s major achievements and what do you have in store for 2022?
Philippe François, an international expert in tourism, specialist in sustainable development for the hotel industry and president of AMFORHT, gives us an overview of the future of tourism and his role at the non-governmental organization.
Every week, we receive copies of agreements between hotel schools all over the world: student exchanges, research projects, partnerships with hotel groups and so forth. Our forum will take place in Switzerland in October, and we invite everyone to be part of it.
When do you believe tourism will bounce back? Tourism is one of the most robust industries in the world; it is slow to start and is just as slow to stop. All economic indicators, and especially sociological ones, place the sector in good stead for the relaunch of activities. amforht.com Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH COOKING WITH DINA SAOUDI Why did you embark on this particular project? I started this project to feed people and give them the necessary tools to feed themselves and their loved ones.
What can you tell us about the Empowering Women through Cooking books? Empowering Women through Cooking are cookbooks that belong to Empowering through. Since 2017, we have been creating an impact in more than 10 countries, with a portion of the proceeds from every cookbook going toward the UN World Food Programme.
Do you have any new books in the Dina Saoudi, the copipeline? founder of Seven Circles, The Jordan and Lebanon cookbooks have co-developed Empowering been published, while the Egypt, Turkey and UAE versions are in the works. Next year, we through, a model that adopts hope to have books for South Africa, KSA an ecosystem approach, and elsewhere, but I don’t want to spoil the encouraging stakeholders to surprise. We also publish books that focus work together to empower the on painting, healthy living, parenting and individual both economically much more. and socially. empoweringthrough.com Read the full interview on hospitalitynewsmag.com
12
HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | APR-MAY 2022
TRENDING ON
HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM IATA: accelerating easing of travel restrictions is a must
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged governments to accelerate the relaxation of travel restrictions as Covid-19 continues to evolve from the pandemic to endemic stage. IATA called for the removal of all travel barriers, including quarantine and testing for those fully vaccinated with a WHO-approved vaccine. iata.org Corporate travel will attract more investment this year
Business travel expenditure in the Middle East is forecast to rise by 32 percent this year, according to a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). The WTTC report Adapting to Endemic Covid-19: The Outlook for Business Travel was compiled in collaboration with McKinsey & Company and draws on research, analysis and in-depth interviews with travel and tourism business leaders to enable organizations to prepare for corporate travel in the post-pandemic era. wtm.com/atm World’s largest safari outside Africa is now open in Sharjah, UAE
Sharjah Safari, the largest safari in the world outside of Africa, recently opened its doors to the public. Located in Al Dhaid region, the safari includes 12 different environments inspired by different parts of Africa, and extends over an area of eight square kilometers. Work on the project began five years ago. It cost approximately one billion dirhams and has provided 300 job opportunities for the region’s workforce. UAE Iceberg Project will change the map of water distribution around the world
The National Advisor Bureau Limited announced that the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has patented its “Iceberg Reservoirs” invention. The patent marks a significant development for the “UAE Iceberg Project,” which is expected to change the map of water distribution around the world. The patent was granted to Emirati inventor Abdulla Alshehhi, founder of the UAE Iceberg project, which will boost investor confidence in the concept’s technical and economic feasibility. The invention, dubbed one of the most significant inventions of the century, will use an advanced technology to tow the icebergs to the coasts of the UAE.