Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island opens – the Middle East’s 1st Radisson Resort

Written by Traveltalksteam on December 16, 2021. Posted in Destination news, Hotel.

December 16, 2021 – Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island – Radisson Hotel Group is delighted to announce the opening of the Middle East’s first Radisson Resort, Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island – a perfect beach getaway just a 45-minute drive from Dubai, offering direct beach access and panoramic views of the surrounding waters.

Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island features 388 rooms and suites with sea views or balconies to enjoy the fresh sea air and spectacular vistas of the picturesque Marjan Island, a group of four man-made coral-shaped islands in Ras Al Khaimah spanning 4.5 kilometers into the sea. The unique landscape covers an area of 2.7 million square meters.

Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island

The resort has a scenic panorama of the Arabian Peninsula and the surrounding Yanis and Jais Mountains, conveniently situated close to a range of activities and attractions including the world’s longest zipline, the Jebel Jais Flight, the terracotta dunes of Al Wadi and Ras Al Khaimah’s National Museum. The emirate is home to magnificent landscapes, breathtaking coastlines, vast desert plains and 64 kilometers of white sandy beaches.

Tim Cordon, Area Senior Vice President, Middle East, and Africa at Radisson Hotel Group, says, “We are honored to end the year with the opening of the Middle East’s first Radisson Resort right here in the UAE, and our first hotel in Ras Al Khaimah. The opening of Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island means that we are now present in six of seven Emirates and the new resort perfectly complements our existing hotel portfolio of 15 hotels across the UAE. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism has been doing a fantastic job promoting the destination and we look forward to contributing to the destination’s attraction with our new resort.”

Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island’s leisure facilities include a private beach, two swimming pools, a designated kids pool, an indoor fitness center with a fully-equipped gym, and a spa, as well as two meeting rooms and a ballroom perfect for larger corporate events and private events like weddings. The resort also offers a diverse selection of dining options across its six restaurants; RBG Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner serving a selection of international dishes. The beach-facing sports bar, RBG Bar, is the perfect place to relax with its retro-inspired décor, and serves signature comfort foods. For fresh seafood dishes, a raw bar, and live-fire barbecue, The Seafood Shack is the perfect place to enjoy sunset drinks on the terrace. La Med serves up a wide array of dishes from around the Mediterranean on its sunlit terrace. Guests can enjoy a drink, snack, or coffee at the lobby café Bake House which is open all day, or relax poolside with refreshing drinks and quick bites without having to leave the comfort of the pool at The Shelf Pool Bar.

David Allan, Cluster General Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Waterfront, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Canal View, and Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island, comments: “We are excited to be launching the first Radisson Resort in the UAE. Our new Radisson Resort is designed to be a place to relax, recharge and reconnect while delivering memorable moments – the perfect choice for staycations, couples and families alike. We are looking forward to taking care of every guest with the style of friendly service for which we are renowned.”

Radisson Hotel Group’s highest priority remains the health and safety of its guests and employees. Radisson Resort Ras Al Khaimah Marjan Island is implementing the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol program of in-depth cleanliness and disinfection protocols developed in partnership with SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, which are designed to ensure guest safety and peace of mind from check-in to check-out.

Read more about the hotel, on the hotel website.

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Sanlucar de Barrameda – Spain’s designated Capital of Gastronomy 2022

Written by Traveltalksteam on December 15, 2021. Posted in Destination news, Restaurant.

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December 15, 2021 – Sanlucar de Barrameda – The Andalucían city of Sanlucar de Barrameda, located in the northwest of the Cádiz province, has been designated the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy for 2022 providing food lovers with the opportunity to explore one of Andalucía’s most coveted gastronomic destinations.

Sanlucar de Barrameda

The city will run several events to celebrate this special announcement inviting visitors and residents to enjoy Sanlúcar’s delicious cuisine and unique wine. This programme seeks to showcase the region highlighting its high standards of quality-of-life thanks to its geographical location and climate, which provide a world-class sun and beach proposition for visitors. The city is rich with natural resources thanks to its proximity to the Guadalquivir River and the natural reserve of the Doñana National Park, which are both an inspiration for the city’s food culture and the legendary horse races that take place on a long stretch of beach in August.

Two elements of the food culture of Sanlucar which have been highlighted in the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy celebrations are Sanlúcar king prawns and the region’s Manzanilla wine (straight from the heart of the Jerez Region). Sanlúcar’s king prawns are one of the most renowned gastronomic treasures of Andalucía and are farmed in the mouth of the Guadalquivir River adjacent to the Doñana National Park.

This prawn carries an intense and rich flavour mainly thanks to the characteristics of the waters in which it grows. At present, these delicate prawns have an official quality brand called Langostino de Sanlúcar (King Prawn of Sanlúcar) which recognises the prawns caught on the coast of the lower Guadalquivir River. In 2020, 146,00 kilograms of these prawns were sold in the Sanlúcar de Barrameda fish market.

The celebrated counterpart, the Manzanilla wine, is a variety of fino sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and is produced under the Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) of Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda DOP since 1964. In Spanish, chamomile infusion is called “manzanilla”, and thus this wine gets the name because of its flavour said to be reminiscent of such an infusion. The sherry is manufactured using the same methods as a fino and results in a very pale, dry wine.

Visitors looking to discover the city and its culinary scene during its year as Spanish Capital of Gastronomy should look out for its main gastronomic treasures:

Tortillitas de camarones: This simple yet delicious tapa uses small fresh prawns to create fritters that are best served piping hot.
Acedías and tapaculos: two of the city’s most famous fish best served fried and to be eaten by hand.
Arroz con Pato: one of the lesser-known dishes that are popular among the locals of Sanlúcar. It is made from products sourced in the estuaries and areas bordering the river. The star is blue duck that is eaten in sauce or with rice hence the name ´Rice with Duck’.
Guisos Marineros: seafood stews are especially famous in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. They come in many shapes and sizes made with cuttlefish, king prawns, monkish and many other delicacies caught just off the coast.
Las Papas Aliñás: one of the most recognised potato dishes in Cádiz. Its main characteristic is that it is served “warm” and not cold like most potato salads. It is a type of potato salad that optimises simple, local ingredients.

The title of Spanish Capital of Gastronomy will be held by Sanlucar de Barrameda from 01 January to 31 December. Huelva (2017), Leon (2018), Almeria (2019) and the region of Murcia (2020 and 2021) are among the Spanish cities that have previously held this annual recognition that celebrates food and tourism since its first edition in 2012.

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New routes United Airlines – New Partnership announced with Virgin Australia Group

Written by Traveltalksteam on December 15, 2021. Posted in Airline, Destination news.

December 15, 2021 – New routes United Airlines through partnership with Virgin Australia Group

Australia has always been a key part of United’s network as demonstrated by United being the only carrier to maintain passenger service between the U.S. and Australia throughout the pandemic. In addition, United offers more flights to Australia than any other U.S. carrier and now extends its presence by adding Virgin Australia Group’s comprehensive network.

“The United States and Australia share a special bond and I’m especially proud that United was the only airline to maintain a vital link between these two countries throughout the pandemic,” said United CEO Scott Kirby.

“Looking ahead, Virgin Australia is the perfect partner for United. Our partnership provides considerable commercial value for both airlines and a shared commitment to offer the best travel experience for our customers.”

New routes United Airlines

United currently offers daily direct flights from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Sydney, while other services including flights from Houston and direct services to Melbourne are expected to resume later in 2022. Under this new partnership, United’s customers will now have access to top Australian destinations including Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

In addition to the ability to redeem and earn points/miles, eligible premier MileagePlus and Velocity members will also receive the following benefits when flying on United and Virgin Australia worldwide:

Priority check-in
Priority boarding
Priority baggage delivery and additional baggage check allowance
Priority security clearance
Lounge access

The partnership will also triple Virgin Australia’s reach into the U.S., with customers accessing United’s vast domestic and international network, connecting at United’s multiple Australian gateways.

The partnership is another significant customer enhancement for the relaunched Virgin Australia, that will also see the airline resume the sale of codeshare flights at virginaustralia.com, starting with United services in early 2022, followed by the airline’s other international partners. Virgin Australia first paused the sale of codeshare flights on its website at the height of the pandemic, and today’s announcement will open a new gateway for travel between Australia and the U.S. and beyond.

“We are grateful to have such a strong partner in United,” said Virgin Australia Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka. “They have proudly been one of Australia’s most loyal and long serving aviation partners and their market strength both to Australia and in the United States brings great value to our guests. We look forward to innovating together on behalf of our guests to ensure they have the very best travel experiences to over 90 destinations in the U.S.”

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Radisson Hotel Group to open 11 Radisson Individuals hotels across Russia

Written by Traveltalksteam on December 15, 2021. Posted in Destination news, Hotel.

December 15, 2021 – Radisson Hotel Group and Cosmos Hotel Group (part of the AFK Sistema company) signed an agreement under which part of Cosmos Hotel Group’s hotels will benefit from the international hotel chain Radisson Hotel Group, while maintaining their own brand and identity.

Radisson Hotel Group

Under the agreement, 7 existing hotels currently in the Cosmos Hotel Group’s portfolio will join the Radisson Individuals brand. Another 4 hotels are committed to open by 2025 under this dual branding. In the future, the number of Cosmos Hotels that will be a member of Radisson Individuals could increase. Radisson Individuals offers independent hotels and regional chains the opportunity to be part of the global Radisson Hotel Group platform, and benefit from the Group’s global reach, while retaining the freedom to maintain their own uniqueness and identity.

Alexandr Shvein, Cosmos Hotel Group President, says: “Together with Radisson Hotel Group, we are launching a product that is unique for the Russian market: on the one hand, it is the development of a domestic brand and, on the other hand, support from a major international player. These hotels, which are part of the agreement, will operate under the Cosmos Hotels brand and affiliate to Radisson Individuals. At the same time, using the Radisson Rewards loyalty program, we will gain a new sales channel and access to Radisson Hotel Group’s worldwide client base. And, of course, we are ready to offer third-party owners who are considering us as a management company for their hotels to connect them not only to the Cosmos brand, but also to Radisson Individuals. We see this “symbiosis” between Cosmos HG and Radisson Hotel Group as a rethinking of our approach to developing the hospitality sector in Russia”.

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