Quote of the Week
Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names. F. KennedyTweet of the Week
"Who paid for you?" he whispered. But the old wall keeps her secrets. @Jackie Jennings View full tweet News of the Week
MASTER OF CULINARY ARTS 2017SEMI-FINALISTS REVEALED The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts has announced the semi-finalists for its 2017 Master of Culinary Arts. Now in its 30th year, the awards celebrate those who display the mastery of the complex and specialised knowledge and skills in culinary arts. Amongst those reaching the final stages are top chefs, pastry chefs and restaurant managers from some of the best culinary establishments in the UK. Winners of the MCA will be announced at a Gala Presentation Dinner on the 5th October at Claridge’s, London.Story of the Week
VoucherCodes.co.uk has released new research exploring UK consumers’ holiday plans for 2017. The results found that despite concerns around Brexit uncertainty, travel is something people remain committed to spending their money on, with 74% of consumers confirming that their travel plans will not be altered this year considering Article 50 and the unpredictable political landscape. The research also showed that: 26 million Brits are set to go on holiday this year, spending an average of £1,253 per person, per tripLast year, only 21.9 million holidaymakers went away, spending an average of £1,31523% of holidaymakers using voucher or deal websites to source the best online dealOver 50% of holidaymakers book a trip based on the lowest priceNearly one third (28 per cent) of UK adults are opting to go on a staycation in the UK this year, spending a total of £667, with more over 55’s planning a trip on home turf than any other age group.
Interestingly, the research found that UK country escape staycations were netting a higher average spend than a city break abroad, with an average of £301.45 spent in the country, as opposed to £292.66 abroad – great news for UK travel providers and local businesses alike.eHotelier Hospitality News
Google.ai launched in push towards an AI-first world. As it continues to further its core mission of “organizing the world’s information”, Google is moving from a mobile-first to an artificial intelligence (AI) first world, said CEO Sundar Pichai at the Google I/O 2017 Developers Conference at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. Read moreLuxury hotel projects finding it harder to attract financing. As performance metric growth slows and supply grows, hotel projects find themselves under greater scrutiny. This is especially true for more high-profile, high cost luxury and upper-upscale developments.Read more AccorHotels CEO sees bright future ahead. In less than four years, AccorHotels Chairman and CEO Sébastien Bazin has changed the direction and perception of a French hotel company that not too long ago was considered budget-focused and not very forward-thinking. Read moreGlobal Hospitality News
The Ritz London named Best Hotel in Europe for 2017 at the annual Ultra Awards for the second consecutive year. Upon receiving the prestigious award from HRH Princess Eugenie of York, The Ritz London’s General Manager Sal Gowili commented; “We are extremely proud and honoured to have been awarded the highest of accolades by Ultratravel’s discerning, experienced and well-travelled readers. This award is recognition of the team’s continued commitment to offering the very best levels of service and luxury to every Ritz guest”. CH&Co Group strengthens learning and development with new team structure and key appointments. Independent catering and hospitality group, CH&Co Group, has strengthened its commitment to the training and progression of its employees with a new learning and development team structure and key internal and external appointments. Read more Lodging demand increases in the US according to PWC. Encouraged by the prospect of a strengthening economy, US lodging performance continued to improve in the first quarter of 2017 according to the updated lodging forecast released today by PwC US. Read more Corners of the world
Actor Sir Roger Moore, best known for playing James Bond, has died aged 89, his family has announced. He played the famous spy in seven Bond films including Live and Let Die and the Spy Who Loved Me. Read more French diplomat 'Sarko Boy' goes on trial over bag stuffed with banknotes. Boris Boillon, a former adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy, faces tax fraud and forgery charges after being stopped with a bag stuffed with cash. Read more Hong Kong police arrest 21 Uber drivers. Police arrested 20 men and one woman between the ages of 21 and 59 for illegally driving a car for hire and driving without third-party risk insurance. Read more For more information on EP please contact Natalia.latorre@epmagazine.co.uk