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Celebrity Travel : Leila Janah is a social entrepreneur and a world traveller to developing countries

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There is no place where poverty has to exist best sums up Leila Janahs world view.

As founder and CEO of Samasource a non-profit microwork organization which connects people in developing countries with companies that require small computer-based jobs performed as well as Samahope, which uses crowd sourcing to fund surgeries for women and children in poor countries, Janah logs a lot of miles.

The Harvard grad and social business entrepreneur, who previously worked at the World Bank and as a management consultant, likes to travel light. Unless shes carrying medical supplies or other important cargo, Janah never even checks a bag. Its a trick she learned as a student, writing for the Lets Go travel guides, in Brazil, Borneo, the Philippines, Mozambique and Malawi.

The tech-savvy 30-year-old, who sits on a number of boards, also recently partnered with Canadian bootmaker Sorel for its Get Your Boots Dirty campaign featuring women entrepreneurs.

We caught up with the Buffalo native at her home in San Francisco.

Q: Youve been to over 80 countries; have you estimated how far youve travelled over the years?

A: Well over a million miles, I would say, (but) I tend to go, go, go and not take stock.

Q: Do you have a favourite place to visit? Is there one thats stood out?

A: Just one? There are so many I love Haiti: Port-au-Prince. Its an incredible city and people are scared to go there or think its really poor; it is quite poor but it is an incredibly rich city culturally.

You have the old French Colonial architecture and a lot of Latin influences from the Dominican Republic, which shares the island with Haiti. And the people there have been through so much; theres resilience and this sense of faith that permeates the culture there that I find really interesting.

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Celebrity Travel : Leila Janah is a social entrepreneur and a world traveller to developing countries

Jozi Tourism the world ‘s best?

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The Johannesburg Tourism Company (JTC) has been nominated as World's Leading Tourist Board at the World Travel Awards 2012.

"This being the second time Joburg Tourism has been nominated, we're thrilled with the news, and call on all our stakeholders to please support our nomination by voting online for JTC," acting JTC CEO Phelisa Mangcu said in a statement on Tuesday.

Now in its 19th year, the World Travel Awards is regarded as the highest achievement in travel, tourism and hospitality.

The awards recognise, acknowledge and reward excellence in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry world-wide.

Votes for the awards are cast by travel, tourism and hospitality professionals and the consumer traveller.

A vote cast by a registered travel agency employee carries a weighting of two, while the consumer vote counts as one vote.

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Jozi Tourism the world 's best?

Optimism for 2013 despite economic gloom

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World travel and tourism will continue to grow next year despite the gloomy economic environment, according to leading international organisations and market researchers.

Chinese tourists remain a growth driver. Foto: iStockphoto

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced this week that international tourist arrivals grew by 4% to 705 million between January and August 2012 and confidently predicted that one billion international tourists will have travelled the world by the end of the year. The UNWTO expects growth of 3% to 4% for the year as a whole and currently forecasts a slight slowdown in demand for 2013 (+2% to 4%).

This growth is a very positive result in view of the global economic situation. We must remain cautious, however, as we have also observed some weaker months during the year, a trend that might return in the remainder of the year, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

Emerging economies (+5%) have clearly regained the lead as compared to advanced ones (+4%), according to the UN agency. By regions, growth was stronger in Asia and the Pacific and Africa, followed by the Americas and Europe. The Middle East continues to show signs of recovery, with particularly promising results in Egypt.

Similarly, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) also predicted that the global travel & tourism industry will see robust growth this year and grow again in 2013. The organisation forecast growth of 2.7% this year, only slightly lower than its original 2.8% prediction made at the start of this year.

David Scowsill, WTTC President & CEO, said: The latest figures from WTTC confirm the resilience of the Travel & Tourism industry around the world. Despite some specific and regional downgrades to short-term economic and industry forecasts, the longer-term prospects for Travel & Tourism remain very positive, and continue to be boosted by strong growth and rising prosperity in emerging markets. We expect the direct contribution of Travel & Tourism to global GDP to grow by an average of 4% per annum between 2011 and 2021 with North East Asia making up a growing share of the overall Travel & Tourism contribution to GDP.

German-based market researchers IPK International reported in their World Travel Monitor 2012 that global travel is likely to increase by 2.5% to 6.8 billion trips this year, with domestic travel up 2% at 5.8 billion trips and international travel increasing by 4% to top the one billion mark. For 2013, IPK sees international travel growing slightly more slowly by about 2-4%.

IPK chief Rolf Freitag said the continuing upward trend in the global travel industry is due mainly to an economic boom in the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and in other developing countries. Significant income growth in countries such as Russia and India and the emergence of a new middle class in almost every BRIC country has sparked a desire to travel which prevails in times of crisis, he commented.

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Optimism for 2013 despite economic gloom

The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh Celebrates Double Wins at World Travel Market 2012 Awards

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RIYADH, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA--(Marketwire - Nov 15, 2012) - The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh -- the company's flagship Saudi Arabia property -- picked up two high profile International Hotel Awards at this year's World Travel Market exhibition and hospitality showcase, which took place in London in early November.

The palatial 493-room luxury hotel, set in 52 acres of landscaped gardens in the heart of the Saudi capital, walked away with the regional title in two eagerly contested categories -- 'Best New Hotel Construction & Design Saudi Arabia' and 'Best Convention Hotel Saudi Arabia.'

Recognising excellence in the global hospitality sector, the inaugural International Hotel Awards were launched to acknowledge and reward hotel design, performance and reputation on five continents, and seek out the best properties in each participating country.

Accepting the awards at a gala dinner ceremony, hotel General Manager, Jean-Franois Laurent, said: "In just 12 months of operation, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh has established itself as a flagship hotel both for the brand and for the region.

"The fact that we have been acknowledged in not one, but two important categories, is a fantastic way to celebrate our first anniversary. I would like to dedicate the awards to all our ladies and gentlemen, in recognition of their continued excellence and dedication in ensuring that we remain the Kingdom's premier gateway to luxury hospitality."

A new initiative by the organisation behind the annual International Property Awards, the International Hotel Awards encompass 13 categories covering excellence in design, operations, marketing and sustainability, with regional winners chosen from Arabia to Asia Pacific.

The 24-person judging panel, led by Chairman Sir David Michels, President of the Hilton foundation, cited the five star hotel's green credentials, architectural merit and uniquely opulent design interpretation of a Middle Eastern palace as the success factors in naming The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh regional winner in the design and convention hotel categories.

About The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh is a majestic and elegant oasis located within 52 acres of luxuriantly landscaped gardens. The luxury hotel's stately architecture is modeled on traditional palaces and elegant Arabian residences, with ochre facades blending gracefully with the verdant landscape of the gardens.Native palms, 600-year old olive trees from Lebanon, and water fountains abound on the property, providing an oasis of serenity amidst the city centre. The palatial hotel, which offers 493 rooms and suites, 5,800 square meters of meeting and event space, and numerous onsite fine dining options, is prominently situated next to the Diplomatic Quarter and adjacent to the King Abdul Aziz Convention Centre, one of the largest in the region and host to international summits and conferences. For additional information on The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh please call +966 1 802 8020 or visit http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Riyadh/Default.htm

About The Ritz-Carlton The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 80 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company website at http://www.ritzcarlton.com. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. ( NYSE : MAR )

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The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh Celebrates Double Wins at World Travel Market 2012 Awards

Millbrook, Spire finalists in 2012 World Travel Awards

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Two Queenstown businesses have been shortlisted in the 2012 World Travel Awards, being announced in the United States next month.

Millbrook Resort is one of 18 finalists in the World's Leading Golf Resort Awards and the only New Zealand contender.

Other finalists in that category include St Andrews Old Course Hotel Golf Resort and Spa in Scotland; The Lodge at Pebble Beach, in California; and Half Moon, Montego Bay, in Jamaica.

Meanwhile, The Spire has been named a finalist in two categories - World's Leading Boutique Hotel and World's Leading Ski Resort.

In the boutique hotel category it is one of 17 finalists, also including The George Christchurch, while in the ski resort category it is one of 12 finalists.

The other finalists include Gstaad Palace, Switzerland; St Regis Resort Aspen, Colorado; and The Fairmont Chateau in Whistler, Canada.

New Zealand has also been named a finalist in the World's Leading Sports Tourism Destination, along with Abu Dhabi, Australia, Brazil, China, Dubai, England, Jamaica, Korea, Malaysia, Qatar, South Africa, the United States and Vancouver, while Air New Zealand is a finalist in the World's Most Innovative Airline and World's Leading Airline Business Class categories.

"New Zealand - 100% Middle Earth" is a finalist in the World's Leading Destinational Marketing Campaign, along with "Australia - There's Nothing Like Australia"; Morocco's "Movement for more summer"; and Spain's "I Need Spain".

The World Travel Awards, founded in 1993, recognise excellence in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Votes were cast by travel, tourism and hospitality professionals and consumer travellers.

Online voting at http://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote is open until November 25.

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Millbrook, Spire finalists in 2012 World Travel Awards

Stas Misezhnikov, Minister of Tourism, Israel – TravelBiz.ie – Video

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Stas Misezhnikov, Minister of Tourism, Israel - TravelBiz.ie
Gerry Benson, Publisher and Editor, TravelBiz.ie talks to Stas Misezhnikov, Minister of Tourism, Israel at World Travel Market 2012 in London. http://www.travelbiz.ieFrom:travelbizieViews:2 0ratingsTime:04:09More inTravel Events

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Stas Misezhnikov, Minister of Tourism, Israel - TravelBiz.ie - Video

Jack Ferguson President and CEO Philadelphia CVB – TravelBiz.ie – Video

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Jack Ferguson President and CEO Philadelphia CVB - TravelBiz.ie
Gerry Benson, Publisher and Editor, TravelBiz.ie talks to Jack Ferguson President and CEO Philadelphia CVB at World Travel Market 2012 in London. http://www.travelbiz.ieFrom:travelbizieViews:3 0ratingsTime:02:29More inTravel Events

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Jack Ferguson President and CEO Philadelphia CVB - TravelBiz.ie - Video

NCsoft kills off a City of Heroes: The lonely cat-girl. – Video

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NCsoft kills off a City of Heroes: The lonely cat-girl.
A once famous cat-girl Commie Cat, looks out to an empty Pocket D, a place where so many players enjoyed roleplay and hero talk. Where "the Cape" radio played for years and held almost nightly dances on the center stage. Where you there once? Farewell city of heroes, you will be missed. I plan to boycott anything ncsoft does in the future because of their decision to advertise that city of heroes is "the world #39;s most popular super-powered MMO" even after they planned to cancel it. I don #39;t know details and perhaps they were losing money on the game but it drips of poor management and it certainly was a rude way to treat it #39;s customers with such short notice. I cannot trust ncsoft with any other game, i wont support them until if feel they have shown respect to their customers again. I have heard people say that COH became just a place for "nerds to roleplay cat girls" . Well, judge how you wish, this game was ground breaking for the MMO industry in many ways, not just casual roleplay. Whatever your fancy in COH it lasted this long for a reason, it is still an amazing game! This was a place for nerds to play what they wished. Take note game developers, COH is being killed at a mature age by a greedy father but you could learn a lot about the features that were in this game that made many customers happy. (costume options, camera controls, roleplay aspects, character controls, refined world and world travel so much more...) To all of my friends who I played the game with ...From:amy millerViews:0 0ratingsTime:01:55More inGaming

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NCsoft kills off a City of Heroes: The lonely cat-girl. - Video


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