MINOR HOTELS ANNOUNCES UPCOMING DEBUT OF ANANTARA IN INDIA

Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor, currently with a portfolio of 530 hotels and resorts in 56 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Indian Ocean, announces the upcoming debut of its luxury Anantara brand in India. The new-build Anantara Jaipur Hotel will launch in Q4 2023 and is set to become a spectacular venue for weddings and celebrations.

Anantara Jaipur Hotel will feature 150 luxurious guest rooms and suites, including four Terrace Suites with private plunge pools and a 160-sqm Royal Suite with a large terrace and private pool. Dining options will include a specialty Indian fine dining restaurant and terrace, a rooftop bar and restaurant with views over the surrounding landscapes, all-day dining with a show kitchen and a hotel bar lounge and terrace. Leisure and wellness facilities will range from a full-service Anantara Spa with five treatment rooms and a beauty salon, a gym with a semi-outdoor pool and garden area, and a kids’ club.

LIFESTYLE EATERY ‘LA SIRÈNE’ SET TO LAUNCH AT AVANI PALM VIEW DUBAI HOTEL & SUITES THIS APRIL

La Sirène, a new urban lifestyle eatery and terrace, has opened its doors in April 2023, bringing a piece of Lebanon to Avani Palm View Dubai Hotel & Suites. Dubai’s latest destination for stylish casual dining, La Sirène’s menu draws inspiration from Beirut’s contemporary café culture melded together with flavourful Mediterranean cuisine.

Core specialities in the stylish new restaurant are a mix between tradition and modernity, playing on the Levant region’s classics with some bold and unexpected twists. There is a focus on stunning seafood, refined Lebanese street food, and international classics as a nod to the region’s deep culinary roots. Portions are generous with platters designed for sharing and inviting guests to traverse the gourmet landscape of Lebanon. Delicious desserts and hubbly bubbly on the terrace come highly recommended, paired with the stunning scene of Dubai’s skyline that features the triple threat of the Ain Dubai, Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab views.

Internationally celebrated Chef Ritu Dalmia is set to take the Middle East by storm as she prepares to open her inaugural restaurant, Atrangi, in the growing gastronomic hotspot of Dubai. Soon-tobe nestled in the iconic Jumeirah

Al Qasr, Atrangi prepares to bring a unique twist on traditional cuisine, channelling the many culinary traditions found across India to present Indian gastronomy in an authentic yet contemporary light.

Known globally for her trailblazing efforts in introducing Italian cuisine to India and Indian cuisine to Italy and Central Europe, Dalmia brings a wealth of culinary knowledge and experience to Atrangi. Notable venues include Cittamani in Milan and Diva in Delhi, India. With a passion for showcasing lesser-known regional dishes, Dalmia promises to delight diners with her fresh and vibrant twist on traditional Indian cuisine.

LPM RESTAURANT & BAR APPOINTS NICOLAS BUDZYNSKI AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

LPM Restaurant & Bar, the home of celebrated French Mediterranean cuisine, is pleased to announce the appointment of Nicolas Budzynski as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Nicolas, who previously served as the Global Operations Director of LPM Restaurant & Bar, will now lead the company's strategic direction and oversee operations on a global level. With a distinguished career in the hospitality indus- try spanning nearly two decades, Nicolas is widely recognised for his dynamic leadership style, his drive to deliver unique guest experiences, in addition to his expertise in project and change management. Since joining LPM Restaurant & Bar in March 2019, Nicolas has played a pivotal role in driving the brand's growth and success, while considerably improving the financial performance of an already successful business.

Wego has emerged as the #1 travel app for flight search and booking in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region with a year-overyear (YOY) growth of over 157.7%. Additionally, the app had 143,002 downloads in February 2023, according to data from data AI. This data was gathered by analysing the download rates of 1,062 travel apps that offer flight and hotel search capabilities. Wego has also earned the distinction of being the most downloaded travel app for flight-focused brands in the MENA region. Secondly, it is the most downloaded travel app under Meta and OTA categories in Kuwait since September 2022. With holidays such as the 2023 Eid Fitr just past, the app’s popularity is expected to rise steadily.

Wego is an award-winning travel app and one of the largest online travel marketplaces in the MENA & Asia Pacific. With its extensive network of airline and hotel partners, Wego offers travellers a comprehensive range of travel options, allowing them to find the best deals and make informed decisions about their travel plans.

WYNDHAM HOTELS & RESORTS PROMOTES PANOS LOUPASIS TO MARKET MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR TÜRKIYE, THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company with approximately 9,100 hotels spanning more than 95 countries, has announced the promotion of Panos Loupasis to the role of Market Managing Director for Türkiye, the Middle East and Africa. In his newly expanded role, Panos Loupasis will be at the helm of driving brand operations, business development, as well as owner relations and commercial leadership across the region.

As an integral part of Wyndham’s leadership and development team for more than ten years, Panos Loupasis has played a key role in driving the Company’s expansion across the Middle East, Eurasia and Africa region. In the Middle East and Africa region alone, Wyndham has reached approximately 70 properties. In his new role, Panos Loupasis will also be responsible for Türkiye, a key growth market for Wyndham with a portfolio of approximately 100 hotels across more than 40 cities, supported by Murat Özel, Wyndham’s newly appointed Country Director of Türkiye.

Thynk, a global provider of advanced technology solutions for data-driven hotel sales and operations management, today announced details on its latest successful round of investment, resulting in $13 million received in Series A funding. The injection of capital combined with Thynk’s impressive revenue growth will further fuel the company’s accelerated R&D efforts In addition, this will also drive its ongoing global expansion, with teams and customers already present in European, American and Middle East hospitality markets.

Led by Singular, the $13 million equity investment also featured contributions from a New-York based fund managed by Itai Tsiddon, and Belgian investment firm CNP (Groupe Frère). With Thynk continuing to experience rapid growth and success in meeting hotel industry operational needs, returning investors such as Fly Ventures also took part in the latest funding round.