Tag Archives: First

Anna-Marie-Presutti-President-and-CEO-of-San-Francisco-Travel

San Francisco Travel Appoints Anna Marie Presutti as its First Female President and CEO

The San Francisco Travel Association, the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of San Francisco, has announced the appointment of Anna Marie Presutti as President and CEO, effective immediately. Presutti has been serving as the interim President and CEO since mid-May.

In her new role, Presutti will lead one of the nation’s oldest and largest membership-based tourism promotion organizations. San Francisco Travel works to promote the city globally, attracting conventions, meetings, and leisure travelers. Tourism plays a vital role in San Francisco’s economy, generating significant outside revenue. In 2023, visitor spending reached $9.3 billion, contributing nearly $610 million in tax revenue.

“After an extensive search that spanned the country, the Executive Search Committee realized the best candidate was already in the job. Anna Marie is the ultimate champion of San Francisco and a bold, experienced leader,” said San Francisco Travel Board Chair John Anderson. “As a two-time SF Travel Board Chair, Anna Marie is deeply familiar with the organization, its customers and its culture, and her continued leadership will drive the marketing and awareness of this destination.”

Commenting on her appointment, Presutti said, “I am passionate about this city and have been a part of San Francisco’s tourism industry for over twenty years. As we emerge from this challenging time, we have much to look forward to. My priority is to lean into the momentum building and return our convention business to a healthy level. We will invest in marketing San Francisco’s great strengths, including its culinary scene and arts and culture, and collaborate with other organizations, such as the Bay Area Host Committee, to bring more world-class events here.”

Prior to accepting her new role, Presutti was Vice President and General Manager of Hotel Nikko San Francisco. She made history there in 2006 when she was appointed the first female vice president for Tokyo-based Nikko Hotels International. (Presutti made history again this year; she is San Francisco’s Travel’s first female CEO.)

Presutti is consistently recognized for her work. The San Francisco Business Times named her one of “The Most Influential Women in the Bay Area,” and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) named her Outstanding General Manager of the Year. She was also awarded the Hotel Council of San Francisco’s Peter Goldman Award of Excellence and the Northern California Chapter PCMA’s Legend Award.
Presutti currently serves on the boards of the U.S. Travel Association and the Hotel Council of San Francisco. She also sits on Okura Nikko Management Company’s board of directors and Missouri State University Foundation’s board of trustees.

 

Vistara Becomes India’s First Airline to Provide Complimentary Wi-Fi on International Flights

Vistara, India’s full-service airline and a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, is now offering 20 minutes of complimentary Wi-Fi on its international flights operated by Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and Airbus A321neo aircraft, across all three cabins. This makes Vistara the first Indian airline to provide such a service, highlighting its dedication to enhancing the travel experience for its passengers.

The 20-minute free Wi-Fi allows travelers to stay connected and is particularly useful for those looking to buy additional Wi-Fi time using Indian credit or debit cards. Passengers can receive one-time passwords via email, which facilitates the purchase of extended in-flight Wi-Fi services during the complimentary session.

Speaking on this, Deepak Rajawat, Chief Commercial Officer, Vistara, said, “At Vistara, we are committed to constantly enhancing the experience of our customers. We are, yet again, delighted to lead the way and become the first Indian airline to offer complimentary Wi-Fi on international flights across all cabins. We are confident that customers will appreciate this value addition that aims to make their Vistara journey more convenient, productive, and seamless.”

Plans Complimentary/Paid Details – Cabin/Class
20 Mins Complimentary All Cabins.

Customers using Indian credit and debit cards can purchase extended plans onboard during the 20 mins active session as they will be able to receive an OTP via email.
50 MB Complimentary Business Class & Platinum Club Vistara Members
Free Chat Complimentary To all Club Vistara members of any tier and any cabin class. This package is for throughout the flight.
Chat Paid – Rs.372.74 + GST Only messaging Apps (i.e., WhatsApp, Facebook, Messenger, etc.) with unlimited data (Complimentary for Club Vistara members)
Surf Paid – Rs.1577.54 + GST For embedded audio and video streaming (i.e., content on social media and web, etc.) with unlimited data
Stream Paid – Rs.2707.04 + GST Unlimited data which allows all streaming protocols.

IHCL opens its first Ginger hotel in Kochi

Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company, announces the opening of its first Ginger hotel in Kochi. Located at Kalamassery, the hotel is built around the brand’s design and service philosophy of offering a vibrant, contemporary, and seamless hospitality experience to its guests.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, said, “Ginger has been on a journey of rapid expansion. The opening of this hotel is in line with the brand’s strategy of being present in metros and key commercial hubs across India. We are proud to bring the Ginger brand to the multifaceted city of Kochi, which is Kerala’s leading financial and cultural destination.”

Ginger Kochi, Kalamassery is strategically located on the Kochi-Salem Highway, with convenient access to Cochin SEZ and economic centre with key IT companies and industries. The hotel features 73 rooms,

Café et cetera – the all-day diner, meeting rooms, a rooftop swimming pool and fitness centre.

The port city of Kochi, located on the Malabar Coast, is a key industrial and business destination. Its cosmopolitan culture and rich heritage make it one of India’s leading tourist attractions.

With the addition of this hotel, IHCL will have 13 hotels across brands in Kerala, including three under development.

UPS begins First Direct Flight from India to Europe

A UPS 747 flight is now connecting India directly to Europe and connecting UPS customers to North and Latin American markets five days per week. That doubles the company’s previous capacity to and from India for small and medium-sized business customers looking to grow their revenue base. UPS’s first direct flight from India will connect Delhi to its largest international hub at Cologne, Germany.

Customers have been diversifying their supply chains as they respond to pandemic disruptions. And cargo space in the belly of passenger aircraft – normally reliable and cost-effective – has been significantly reduced. Now, buoyed by market demand and with an eye on business continuity, Indian entrepreneurs are looking for reliable alternatives to import and export products.

“When business demand is increasing and volumes globally are being challenged, what you need is a smart logistics network that can respond to what customers are asking for, in an altered business environment. The agility to connect major economies to India via a direct flight for exports and imports is an example of UPS’s better not bigger strategy and will provide reliability and expanded capacity to UPS’s customers,” said Rachid Fergati, Managing Director Middle East, Central Asia, and Indian subcontinent for UPS.

“India is an integral part of our international growth strategy. It’s why we opened a dedicated express terminal at the Delhi airport last year,” said Deepak Shrivastava, country manager for UPS Express India. “The past months have been an inflection point for international supply chains. But we were ready. We’ve been in business for more than a century, far longer than any of our competitors. If there’s one thing we know how to do, it’s how to turn challenges into opportunities.”

The direct flight between India and Europe will keep supply chains moving, provide better connectivity, and increase predictability for UPS customers.