Serena Hotels receives ecotourism award and other news

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Hotels bankrolled by Muslim spiritual leader eyeing locations in Syria, other conflict zones

Billionaire investor and moderate Muslim leader Prince Aga Khan (C) is shown herewith Princess Zara Aga Kahn (R) congratulating Irish jockey John-Patrick Murtagh after winning the 163rd Prix de Diane horse racie with Aga Khan's horse Valyra (L), on June 17, 2012 in Chantilly, northern Paris. AFP PHOTO

THOMAS SAMSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Stephanie Findlay
Staff Reporter

A location in Syria isn’t the first choice for most hoteliers — unless they are working for Serena Hotels. Then, it’s ideal.

Serena Hotels runs a network of “luxury resorts, safari lodges and hotels,” across East Africa and Southern Asia. Part of its unconventional business plan is opening five-star destinations in war torn places.

The chain is run by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, an agency that “focuses on building enterprises in parts of the world that lack sufficient foreign direct investment” by making “bold but calculated investments in situations that are fragile and complex,” according to its website.

The fund is bankrolled by Aga Kahn, a billionaire investor, moderate Muslim leader and believed descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, who acts as leader to some of the world’s 15 million Ismailis. He is the son of a playboy prince, Aly Khan, once married to the Hollywood starlet Rita Hayworth.

“If you travel the developing world, you see poverty is the driver of tragic despair, and there is the possibility that any means out will be taken,” said Aga Khan in a rare interview with the New York Times. By assisting the poor through business, he said, “we are developing protection against extremism.”

There are Serena Hotels in Kigali, Rwanda, and Islamabad, Pakistan, but the chain is eyeing locations in Damascus, Syria, and two more in Afghanistan, reports Der Spiegel, a German newspaper.

“They have calculated that countries like that will require and do eventually require westerners,” said Seth Jones, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, an American think tank, who recently stayed at a Serena Hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan.

“If you're used to staying at a Ritz-Carleton or an Intercontinental, they're not that dissimilar,” said Jones.

Running a westernized hotel in the heartland of terrorist organizations and in the middle of civil wars calls for expansive security.

After the Kabul location was bombed by the Taliban in 2008, a concrete perimeter wall was erected. Today, swarms of armed guards patrol the grounds. It’s reported guests dine in bullet-proof vests.

The east-west tension is present inside as well. In 2007, Laszlo Barna screened Shake Hands with the Devil, a film based on Gen. Romeo Dallaire’s book about the Rwanda genocide, in the country’s capital at the Serena Hotel.

“It was probably one of the most nerve-wracking screenings I’ve ever had,” said Barna at the time.

Still, if the Islamabad location is anything to go by, future Serena Hotels will have no problem attracting foreigners, said Jones, the political scientist.

“It (the Islamabad Serena Hotel) has got beautiful grounds, these little cafes, like a little bakery you can sit out and have coffee,” he said.

“It's very sort of un-Islamabad now.”

http://www.thestar.com/business/article ... lict-zones
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TPS Eastern Africa profits dip

By GRIFFINS OMWENGA gomwenga@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, July 26 2012 at 15:31

The Euro zone crisis and security risks have eroded profits for hotels and lodges company TPS Eastern Africa, which has posted a 35 percent drop in its profits after tax for the last six months.

TPS Eastern Africa net profits declined to Sh120 million in the last six months from Sh185 million over a similar period last year, impacted negatively by media reports and travel advisories that reduced the number of tourists into the country from traditional source markets.

“The business was supported by the Eastern Africa domestic tourists and other non-traditional markets like China, Scandinavia and Thailand,” said TPS in a statement Thursday.

TPS, which is well known through its Serena Group of hotels, said the US and other Western governments travel advisory warnings about terrorist attacks in Kenya had eroded their profitability.

Kenya crossed over to Somalia in October 2011 in pursuit of the Al-Shabaab militia that it accuses of a series of kidnappings especially in the coastal region.

TPS also said the volatile economic environment in East Africa characterised by inflationary pressures associated with increased energy and interest costs affected business negatively. The group’s interest costs increased 51 per cent to Sh63.9 million from Sh42.4 million in a similar period last year.

However, the group has its thumbs up for the Tanzanian market, saying it expects a positive performance from the region between July to October.

"The forecast business outlook for the peak season from July to October (for east Africa) is at healthy levels", TPS said in the statement.

http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/T ... index.html
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Silver Eco-rating Certificate for Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp.

Committed to protecting and conserving the natural environment whilst promoting responsible tourism practices, Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp has been awarded a Silver Eco-rating certificate.

The certificate, awarded by Ecotourism Kenya, recognizes best practices in environmental conservation, responsible resource use and socio-economic investment among tourism accommodation facilities. Qualified applicants are awarded with a Bronze, Silver or Gold
eco-rating certification based on their performance.

The certificate was issued following a site visit which assessed the camp’s performance in nature conservation, environmental management, community development, education and awareness and environmental health and safety. This included inspection of key departments, including the kitchen, laundry, guest rooms, and staff quarters alongside interviewing hotel personnel and guests.

Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp is the latest property in the Serena portfolio to be awarded with the Silver Eco rating Certificate. Kilaguni Serena Safari Lodge, Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge and Serena Beach Hotel and Spa have all been rewarded with a Silver rating for their marked environmental efforts.

Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp which is situated in the Soysambu Conservancy and overlooks the shores of Lake Elmenteita, a soda lake in the Great Rift Valley, located between Lake Naivasha and Lake Nakuru.

Lord Delamere established Soysambu ranch in 1897; A great adventurer, Delamere arrived in Kenya on foot after a 1000 mile walk from Somalia. He was the third Baron Delamere, and dedicated his foresight and fortune to pioneering farming methods in the Rift Valley, before passing away in 1913. Soysambu remains a working cattle ranch and the fifth Baron, today’s Lord Delamere, still lives on Soysambu, with some of the best Boran cattle in Kenya.

Declared a RAMSAR site (wetland of international importance) in 2005, Lake Elmenteita is home to over 450 species of bird including the rare Jackson’s Widow and the Grey – Crested Helmet – Shrike while the lake is the last breeding place in East Africa for the Great White Pelican.

In 2008, part of the ranch was transformed into a 48,000 acre exclusive conservancy, covering the north, west and part of the southern shores of Lake Elmenteita. Sharing a boundary with the famous Lake Nakuru National Park, Soysambu plays a major role in the Elmenteita-Nakuru Eco system, protecting over 50 mammal species including leopard and caracal and is home to 10% of the world’s entire population of the endangered Rotschild giraffe.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the great lakes, Lake Elmenteita and the surrounding environs are a place of natural importance, providing an important and significant natural habitat for biological diversity.

With 25 tents, Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp has initiated a re-afforestation program involving the local community, charities and primary schools, including Kiboko Primary School, Echariria Primary School, Kasambara Youth Group, Soysambu Conservancy, Lions Club International and Elmenteita Serena Staff. So far, the initiative has planted over 1000 indigenous tree seedlings provided by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED). In addition, the camp sponsors a routine monthly litter collection exercise along the busy Nakuru-Naivasha highway.


With 30% of the staff trained in first aid and about 80% having acquired firefighting skills the camp has a health and safety committee, which meets once a month, and undertakes quarterly risk analysis at the work place to spearhead health and safety issues at the facility. The camp has subscribed to SGS (SociétéGénérale de Surveillance), the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and a certification Company audits for its food safety and hygiene.

Enhancing support of the local communities Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp buys vegetables and fish from a local group, the Majimoto Youth Group, and supports the group by sending visitors to a spring managed by the group at a cost of Ksh.500 per person, payable to the youth group. All unskilled and semi-skilled labor is sourced from the neighboring Kasambara and Mbaruk villages. The camp promotes a community health education program for HIV awareness, a program managed by the resident nurse in Mbaruk Village. The camp also has a staff welfare committee established to cater for the employee’s needs, they are provided with free medical care, accommodation, food, uniform and transport.

Congratulations to the team at the Lake Elmenteita Serena Camp on this achieving this wonderful accolade.

http://www.theserenaexperience.com/silv ... rena-camp/
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Nairobi Serena Hotel bags a double!

The Nairobi Serena Hotel added its name to the list of Serena Hotels lodges and hotels that have been on a winning streak for the past two months, after being bestowed with two certificates from SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and Certification Company and a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.

Nairobi Serena Hotel, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World was accorded the Hygiene Monitored Certificate by SGS Kenya Limited, the local body that represents SGS, the World’s leading inspection, verification, testing and Certification Company.

The audit, which was divided into four phases entailed inspection, testing, certification and verification, saw the Nairobi Serena manage to score more than 75% in the findings, a benchmark for their quality.

The SGS’s hygiene monitored approval scheme is a hygiene audit system that delivers measurable improvements to good hygiene practices and helps those in the food operations in the hospitality and retail sectors comply with international food hygiene regulations, an exercise that saw Nairobi Serena Hotel achieve a score of more than 75%.

The team at Nairobi Serena extended its winning by being awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence after earning 4.5 out of a possible 5 points. The Certificate is awarded to businesses that maintain an average rating of four or higher out of a possible five as reviewed by travelers on TripAdvisor.

Justly famed for its exceptional standards of efficiency, service and five-star hospitality, the elegantly sophisticated Nairobi Serena is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World group and is consistently voted ‘Best Hotel in Nairobi’ by airlines and international travel magazines alike.

Summing up their winning, General Manager, Mr. Daniel Kang’u said “Let us now give it our all and achieve the five full STARS in 2013. We can do it!”

http://www.theserenaexperience.com/nair ... -a-double/
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Kigali & Kampala Serena Hotels win in World Travel Awards.

Kigali Serena Hotel and Kampala Serena Hotel are this year’s winners of the prestigious World Travel Award-2012 as the Leading Hotels in Rwanda and Uganda respectively, bagging the award for the very first time. The announcement which was made on September 20, 2012 from London via the World Travel Awards website saw these two hotels emerge winners among a competitive list, some who have won in the category more than once.

This was the first time Kigali Serena Hotel earned a nomination, as the Kampala Serena Hotel shared a nomination with another Serena Hotels gem, the Lake Victoria Serena Resort. Kampala Serena Hotel, a member of the Leading Hotels of the World had previously been nominated for the leading Hotel in Uganda in the year 2007.

At its 19th year, the World Travel Award serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel, tourism and hospitality industry, with 180,000 industry professionals from around the world participating in the voting process.

Ideally located at the very heart of Kampala, the Kampala Serena Hotel stands amidst 72 acres of landscaped grounds and water gardens. An oasis of cool and green, encircled by the seven hills of Kampala, this 152-room world-class hotel is the focal point of national, regional, business, political and social life.

The five-star Kigali Serena Hotel is built around a polished granite atrium, which showcases the very best of Rwandese cultural art. Relaxed yet elegant, the hotel centres on the Executive Lounge and Bar, which opens onto a wide sundeck overlooking the newly refurbished swimming pool. Also overlooking the pool, the popular Milima Restaurant offers a wide range of all-day buffet choices, while the relaxed Sokoni Café offers inside and outside poolside seating.

Other Serena Hotels properties that had been nominated for this years awards include Dar es salam, Nairobi Serena Hotel, Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, Serena Mountain Lodge, Polana Serena Hotel, Serena Kirawira Camp, Lake Victoria Serena Resort and Zanzibar Serena Inn.

http://www.theserenaexperience.com/kiga ... el-awards/
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Celebrated Indian Chef Visits East Africa

He wears many hats: a celebrated chef, author, restaurant consultant and an entrepreneur and hosts one of the longest running shows in Asia, which boasts of more than 500 million viewers in 120 countries!

Meet Sanjeev Kapoor, the most celebrated face of Indian cuisine today, who in the year 2008 was honored with the National award for ‘Best Chef of the Year 2008’ by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India among numerous accolades and was listed in the list of 100 of India’s Most Trusted persons by the March 2010 issue of Reader’s Digest.

His popularity has also spilled online, with his Facebook page garnering 446,261 likes and growing, and his popular Youtube channel for culinary video tips ammasing more than 33, 550, 000 views . Sanjeev was featured on CNN by Richard Quest on a programme on celebrity chefs (crème de la crème) chosen from around the world.

Enough of the introductions…are you aware Sanjeev was in town with his Tv crew…and sampled the gem that is East Africa? Below are photos from his stay at Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel, Zanzibar Serena Inn, Ngorongoro and Serengeti Serena Safari Lodges where he stayed while in Tanzania. In Kenya, our staff at the Nairobi Serena Hotel and Sweetwaters Tented Camp had the chance to learn from the master himself as well as staff from the Kampala Serena Hotel in Uganda.

http://www.theserenaexperience.com/cele ... st-africa/

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Serena Hotels wins in Condé Nast Traveler 2012

Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp led a number of Serena Hotels properties in being featured at this year’s Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. The awards by the world’s premier travel magazine lists hotels chosen by a team of editors, writers and experts and recognizes them for their best service, location, food, rooms, leisure facilities and ambience & design.

Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp earned three slots after making it to the Top 100 Hotels and Resorts of the World and the Platinum Circle which was launched to celebrate 25 years of Condé Nast Traveler. This circle recognizes the superstars of the Gold List and consists of hotels, resorts, and cruise lines that have made the list every year for the past five years running.

Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp made it’s cut alongside other Serena properties in the Top 25 Resorts & Safari Camps in Africa, which rates the top resorts and safari camps in South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Zambia. Amboseli Serena, Serengeti Serena Lodge, Mara Serena Safari Lodge and Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge made it to this list, with Zanzibar Serena Inn and Arusha Mountain Village featuring in the
Top 15 Hotels in Africa, where Condé Nast Traveler readers rated the top hotels in South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Tanzania, and Kenya. The Zanzibar Island was listed in theTop 5 Islands in the Indian Ocean. Sweetwaters Tented Camp earned a slot Kenya’s Top Hotels and Resorts.

Below is a breakdown of each Serena Hotels property that made it to the Condé Nast Traveler as well as what travelers had to say about the various lodges and camps.

http://www.theserenaexperience.com/sere ... er-2012-2/
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Serena Hotels Celebrates World Responsible Tourism Day in Gilgit-Baltistan

http://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2012/1 ... ilimail%29
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… and behold, Serena Forest in Rwanda

In Rwanda, it is mandatory for every citizen to participate in the community service day every last Saturday of the month, where they clean up their neighborhood and engage in community development projects. This practice, which dates back to colonial times is known as Umuganda and is intended to build community involvement and strengthen cohesion between persons of different background and levels.

The last Saturday for October was however different for the staff from Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, as they participated in Umuganda in a different way. Led by the country General Manager Charles Muia, the staff took part in a tree planting initiative in the 20 hectares area in Bwize on the banks of River Sebeya, where more than 8, 000 tree seedlings were planted on a single day to add forest cover in years to come. The Minister of State in Charge of Primary and Secondary Education, local area Member of Parliament, Mayor of the District, area residents joined Serena Hotels staff in this event.

The initiative is part of Serena Hotel’s commitment to going and staying green in all the regions where Serena Hotels are situated, and once the tree seedlings mature the forest will be named “Serena Forest”

Charles Muia also announced that at least four areas will each year get Serena’s support with tree planting, as part of Rwanda’s wider policy to extend forest cover from the present 23 percent to 30 percent across the country by 2020.

It is said that “Every great oak tree was once a nut that stood its ground”, congratulations to the Kigali Serena Hotel’s team on going green.

http://www.theserenaexperience.com/and- ... in-rwanda/
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and the award for the Ecotourism Enterprise of the Year 2012 goes to…

*drum roll*


Serena Beach Hotel & Spa earned itself a deserving spot on the Serena Hotels wall of fame, after bagging the Ecotourism Enterprise of the Year 2012 – Villas & Holiday homes at the Eco Warrior Awards which took place on November 16 at the Nairobi Serena Hotel. This was the first time that Serena Beach Hotel and Spa was nominated for the award.

Through the Eco-Warrior Awards, Eco Tourism Kenya recognizes the efforts, innovations and exceptional achievements of credible individuals or groups, who actively promote responsible and sustainable tourism, by promoting mutually beneficial and equitable partnerships which directly conserve the natural environment and support local communities.

http://www.theserenaexperience.com/and- ... r-2012-is/

http://ecotourismkenya.org/news.php?newsid=160
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Serena Hotels in Plant Your Age Initiative. [Photos]

Serena Hotels made another mark in “Going Green” by participating in the second phase of the Plant Your Age initiative by joining in a tree-planting initiative at the Nairobi National Park in November.

The initiative which had participants of different ages witnessed 10,000 tree seedlings planted on a single day, with Serena Hotels donating 2,000 of the tree seedlings towards the campaign. The initiative aimed at encouraging young people to plant the number of trees that were equivalent to their age to increase the country’s forest cover.

Serena Hotels also donated a cake to crown the event and to celebrate participants who were celebrating their birthdays on that auspicious day.

Below are photos from the event.

http://www.theserenaexperience.com/sere ... ve-photos/
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More than a place to hang your hat: The Awali Adventure — Day Six

The message card left by housekeeping staff on my pillow was simple and beautiful: “Lala salama.” It’s a Swahili phrase that means sleep well and it’s just one of the many lovely touches offered by the Serena Hotel Group in Africa.

More....

http://blogs.calgaryherald.com/2013/04/ ... in-africa/
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Serena Hotel donates iron sheets to Genocide survivors

http://focus.rw/wp/2013/04/serena-hotel ... survivors/

Serena staff at Kiziguro church. (photos Farouk Kaweesi)
Kigali Serena hotel on Saturday joined the rest of the country in the 19th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsis by donating 200 iron sheets worth approximately Frw 1m to Gatsibo survivors.

This took place during a visit by the hotel’s staff to Kiziguro Memorial Site in the same district. The group of about 50 people was led by country manager Charles Muia who highlighted Serena’s concern for the plight of the survivors. “We have done this for the last six years, each time donating different items like clothing or towels to different survivors. But this year we decided to donate something to provide shelter for the survivors,” Muia said.

The hotel is also involved in other projects to improve the livelihoods of survivors, especially the youth and widows. The widows under their care are given food stuff and recently they have been given Frw 300,000 to buy materials for their project.


Serena country manager Charles Muia lays a wreath on one of the graves.
As for the youth project, youngster get the chance to go to school after which they get a job at the hotel. So far, Muia remarked, four of them are already employed and 12 will be completing school in May after which they will begin work with Serena immediately.

He added that on April 23, together with the Kenyan High Commissioner in Rwanda and members of the association of Kenyans in Rwanda, they will revisit the Kiziguro site and make more donations. That will be in addition to two more planned visits to other sites on April 27 and at the end of the month.

Feliciene Niyonzima, the president of Ibuka in Gatsibo, expressed appreciation for the visit, and called upon people to stand up to avoid a repetition of the 1994 Genocide by emphasizing forgiveness and reconciliation. Taking the visitors through the history of the site, Niyonzima said about 4500 people were killed in the district and this year alone 69 newly found bodies have been accorded a decent burial. He however noted that the remains of 2000 people are yet to be found.


The hotel’s staff at Kiziguriro Memorial Site.
The Serena staff also visited nearby Kiziguro Catholic Parish Church where Tutsis were taking shelter in 1994 before on April 11 Interahamwe militias forced the door open and started shooting, killing most of the refugees. At the site, a big hole in which about 400-500 bodies are said to be buried is preserved by a glass wall hut. It is said that the first Tutsis would be killed and thrown there until the hole filled up. Later, 12 people were found alive among the bodies in that hole.

The tour was concluded by the laying of wreaths at one of the graves.
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Serena Board Meeting in Mombasa.
Prince Amyn Aga Khan arrived at 6:30pm to Serena Hotel Sunday 12 May 2013.

He is scheduled to depart Wednesday.

MyFlag on his plane which is parked at Mombasa airport visible from far ;-)
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Eight Serena Hotels Establishments make it to World Travel Awards Nominations.

Eight Serena establishments have made it to the nominees list of the World Travel Awards, with Serena Hotels earning a nomination in the Africa’s Leading Hotel Brand category. Nairobi Serena Hotel led other Serena Hotels Establishments after bagging two nominations in the Africa’s Leading Green Hotel category and Kenya’s Leading Business Hotel categories.

Last year’s winners of the Leading Hotels in Rwanda and Uganda have also earned a nomination in the same category, with Kampala Serena Hotel sharing a nomination with Lake Victoria Serena Resort for the leading Hotel in Uganda 2013.

This brings to ten the number of nominations where Serena Hotels in both Africa and Asia have been entered. Below is the list of the respective Hotels nominated for the awards together with their categories?

•Uganda’s Leading Hotel 2013 : Kampala Serena Hotel & Lake Victoria Serena Resort
• Kenya’s Leading Business Hotel 2013: Nairobi Serena Hotel
•Africa’s Leading Green Hotel 2013: Nairobi Serena Hotel
•Tanzania’s Leading Hotel 2013: Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel
• Rwanda’s Leading Hotel 2013: Kigali Serena Hotel
• Mozambique’s Leading Hotel 2013: The Polana Serena Hotel
•Afghanistan’s Leading Hotel 2013: The Kabul Serena Hotel
•Pakistan’s Leading Hotel 2013: Islamabad Serena Hotel
At its 20th year, the World Travel Award serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel, tourism and hospitality industry, with 180,000 industry professionals from around the world participating in the voting process.

The winner and 2 runners up from 2012 prequalify for the 2013 award and the full 2013 nominee list will be published on 27th May 2013 when voting opens for Africa. Voting will be online on the World Travel Awards website and is open to the public, with votes cast by travel trade professional counting as two points, and those by the public as one.

We take the opportunity to congratulate our colleagues in the Serena Establishments and wish them all the best with their nominations.


.This entry was posted in Awards, Communication, CSR, News and tagged Africa's Leading Green Hotel, Africa's Leading Hotel Brand category, Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel, Islamabad Serena Hotel, Kabul Serena Hotel, Kampala Serena Hotel, Kenya's Leading Business Hotel, Kigali Serena Hotel, Lake Victoria Serena Resort, Leading Hotel in Rwanda, Leading Hotel in Uganda, Nairobi Serena Hotel, Polana serena hotel, Serena Hotels, World Travel Awards. Bookmark the permalink.

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5th June 2013

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

____________________________________________________



WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY CELEBRATED BY

SERENA HOTELS GILGIT-BALTISTAN

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QfJ ... sp=sharing

******
Serena Hotels Marks World Environment Day [Photos]


http://www.theserenaexperience.com/wed2013/
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Prince Amyn aga Khan opens Serena Sweet Water October 2013

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Prince Amyn aga Khan opens Serena Sweet Water October 2013

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Serena Hotels Flood Relief Campaign Raises Rs. 4 Million for Flood Affectees

Jehanzeb Ghafoor - Islamabad, September 7, 2015 – Serena Hotels successfully completed their Flood Relief Campaign, “Spirit of Compassion” on August 31, 2015 under the umbrella of their Corporate Social Responsibility Program SEED (Social, Environmental and Educational Development Programme) by collecting over Rs. 4.0 Million under this initiative. Serena Hotels, collected from their guests 5% of the restaurant bill and contributed 200% of the guests’ contribution towards the flood affectees in various parts of Pakistan.

“We are humbled and grateful for the generous participation of our guests in this effort. Insha’Allah, these funds will go some ways in providing much needed relief to the affected areas.” said Corporate Strategy Director, Dr. Moin Uddin. The monsoon rains have decreased through various regions in Pakistan as August comes to a close, allowing for authorities to focus on rehabilitation efforts across the country.

http://pamirtimes.net/2015/09/07/relief ... affectees/
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“Pakistan has much to offer in terms of culture, heritage, hospitality and above all, scenic views and nature”


Mr. Aziz Boolani

CEO of Serena Hotels Pakistan

United World sits down with Mr. Aziz Boolani, CEO of Serena Hotels Pakistan, talking about Pakistan, challenges of the tourism sector, and much more.

Recently Pakistan has been named the ‘next success story’ by Forbes, similar to Colombia’s reformation in the 90’s. Just two years after the first historic democratic transition of power, Pakistan continues on a journey of a much overdue transformation. How would you evaluate Pakistan’s growing pains over the last two years? And how do you see the next three years developing for further growth and development?

Let me begin by saying that I have always been optimistic about Pakistan’s potential for growth as I believe this country is blessed with rich resources including but not limited to the sea, the mountains, historical buildings, a rich culture and talented artisans and musicians. A large portion of the Pakistani population are young adults below the age of 35 who are imbued with energy, hence we have to look inward for change instead of reaching out to outsiders. This will strengthen our human resource capability for taking the country to a higher platform.

Economically, we are on the path to progress. The recent drop in oil prices has also helped the country’s economy. Pakistan’s reserves continue to improve and the stock market’s performance has been exceptional. Our macroeconomic indicators are on the right track.

There is still a need to concentrate on the education and health sectors, which are root causes for poverty in the country. I hope the years to come see these sectors benefitting from the government’s focused approach. Private organisations also have to take the responsibility in supporting health and education under their Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes.

The process of growth will always be hindered by minor setbacks particularly when you are fighting on many fronts. Pakistan has great potential for growth in all major sectors: manufacturing, service, tourism and hospitality. However, progress has been hindered by the negative perception of Pakistan portrayed by the international media. Historically, countries are greatly affected by the narratives assigned to them by the media. Luckily, Pakistan has succeeded, to some extent, in fighting this narrative. The government and the people of Pakistan are working closely with international organizations, the media, particularly journalists to highlight the country’s achievements. The concerted effort is slowly becoming a movement that will benefit the country in the years to come.

What are the main challenges faced by your industry?


Our industry’s main challenge, in view of security challenges across the region, has been the safety and security of guests and staff. Addressing this challenge is important, particularly from our guests’ perspective so that they remain comfortable while staying at the hotel.

Serena Hotels continues to make progress due to the large, talented pool of our human resource bank. We channel a major part of our energies in training and development because we feel that it positively effects our institution and, indirectly, our country. We train people and after a while of working with the Hotels, they are offered employment in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. This is a challenge at the institutional level, but at a macro level, we understand that our training enables our colleagues to procure a skillset that helps them improve their earning capacity and their living conditions. The trainings, development and mentorship programs thus create a positive effect on our communities. Even though we face this challenge of turnover; we are determined to continue to train the new workforce.

We want to know about your new projects. You mentioned your new hotel in Lahore. Could you tell us little bit more about it and the company´s future plans?

Lahore Serena Hotel and Business Complex is under construction and is expected to start operations in mid 2017. The Hotel will have 235 rooms with six food and beverage outlets, meeting rooms, banquet and conference halls, a state of the art Health Club and Spa, retail area and a dedicated Business Complex attending to the need for quality office spaces. We are also looking at the possibility of expanding to cities like Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Chitral and the Gilgit Baltistan region with the aim of creating a tourism circuit. Pakistan has much to offer in terms of culture, heritage, hospitality and above all, scenic views and nature.

We would also like to know your point of view as an experienced businessman in Pakistan. There are many business opportunities here, and especially in the tourism and hospitality sector. Which areas do you foresee having the best investment opportunities for foreign players?

Tourism has been one of the major drivers of economy in most developed countries. Pakistan has the potential to nurture its economy through tourism by providing enabling conditions to investors, particularly when it comes to tourism infrastructure development projects. Foreign investors have the opportunity of investing in quality hotel projects in the main and secondary cities of Pakistan. Their presence and investment will encourage local and international tourists to visit the cities, creating fallout benefits for the government and the people of Pakistan.

News headlines about Pakistan gloss over the progress this country is making on the security front, the increased political stability, and incremental progress on the economic front. In spite of this progress Pakistan still continues to be seen as a country in turmoil, which is far from the realities on the ground. How do Serena´s services define and support Pakistan’s brand worldwide and to what extent do you feel as an ambassador for the country abroad?

Serena Hotels’ global philosophy has been to respect and promote local culture and heritage while working with the people and the government, wherever we are located.

In Pakistan, we also project and promote the rich culture and heritage through the Hotels’ interior design elements without compromising on international standards. The reflection of culture and heritage is also part of our operating standards and we firmly believe in promoting the right image of Pakistan to international travellers. If you look around any corner of any area of our Hotels in Pakistan, they depict Pakistan’s artistic and historical heritage. The motifs we use in our textiles, carpets, wood carvings, the inlaid marble in the lobby and rooms, the hand painted ceilings, furniture, even the staff uniforms all reflect local traditions. We use indigenous materials which support the local economy. These values of Serena Hotels make us distinct from other hotel chains. Serena Hotels across the globe mirror this philosophy that supports and transmits local cultures and values.

In addition to this, we have also launched various Diplomacy Initiatives to promote the softer image of Pakistan amongst the international community. We initiated the formation of the Adventure Diplomacy Group (ADG) that included the ambassadors of the USA, the Argentine Republic, Indonesia, Russia and Nepal. The intent was to promote and support the young mountaineer, Samina Ali Baig in her quest to summit 7 peaks in 7 continents. With the combined efforts of all the ADG members, Samina became the first Pakistani woman and the youngest Muslim to accomplish this task. Later on, she was recognised by the government of Pakistan and was conferred with the Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan.

The SerenArts Program, under the umbrella of our Cultural Diplomacy Initiative promotes talented young artisans by connecting them to the right audiences. The Satrang Art Gallery, as part of this Initiative, regularly features a mix of traditional and contemporary artists that are going on to break new ground on the artistic front. An interesting aspect of this gallery is that the art is not hidden behind closed doors and is very much a part of the Hotel lobby.

Under the Cultural Diplomacy Initiative, we also collaborate with Foreign Missions to host renowned world musicians and performing troupes. The aim is to provide entertainment to local residents while simultaneously generating revenue from sale of tickets to donate to charitable organizations working with the humanitarian, health and education sectors to effect positive change in Pakistan. These events also serve the dual purpose of helping bridge cultural gaps between communities.

Our Sports Diplomacy Initiative encourages people from various segments of society including the Corporate sector, NGO’s, Government functionaries and diplomats to participate in annually organised invitational tournaments for golf, tennis, squash, polo and cricket. The tournaments allow community members to engage with each other in an informal setting, while promoting the universal language of Sports. We are humbled by the overwhelming and whole hearted participation by the local communities and expatriates living in Pakistan.

These Initiatives are basically part of our Corporate Social Responsibility efforts and they serve the function of working toward the betterment of our society while promoting the true image of our country. My team and I are determined to continue our work for the development of our society in general, and Pakistan’s image in particular.

http://www.theworldfolio.com/interviews ... ture/3701/
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Serena Hotels honoured by World Travel Awards

Muhammad Saleh Zaafir

- Saturday, October 31, 2015 - From Print Edition


ISLAMABAD: Serena Hotels — South and Central Asia — was honoured with huge accolades by the World Travel Awards at the Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremony 2015 held at the Inter Continental Grand Stanford in Hong Kong on Thursday (October 29, 2015). Islamabad Serena Hotel won in two categories in Pakistan, a big honour for the country.

The five star Hotel was awarded Pakistan’s Leading Hotel & Pakistan’s Leading Hotel Suite. The Kabul Serena Hotel was awarded Afghanistan’s Leading Hotel and Dushanbe Serena Hotel was awarded Tajikistan’s Leading Hotel. The World Travel Awards™ are voted for by travel and tourism professionals worldwide, and the awards recognise industry leaders in tourism and hospitality.

CEO Mr Aziz Boolani, who spoke at the ceremony said, that Serena Hotels’ philosophy centres on its guests, associates and the neighbouring communities where we are located. We aim to maximise comfort and luxury in traditionally hospitable settings, he said.


Serena Hotels across the world, work under the umbrella of the Aga Khan Foundation for Economic Development. They are a hospitality brand of international repute, owned and operated by Tourism Promotion Services, that has within its portfolio a collection of 35 luxury hotels, resorts, safari lodges, resorts and heritage properties in Afghanistan, Kenya, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Uganda.


The Islamabad Serena Hotel, Kampala Serena Hotel and Nairobi Serena Hotel are members of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World and Zanzibar Serena Hotel and Kirawira Serena Camp are members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2 ... vel-Awards
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Synergy | Serena Hotels, Sahaara Group, Pink Ribbon & Diplomatic Community gathers to support Pakistan’s first Breast Cancer Hospital

Pakistan’s first Breast Cancer Hospital


28 October 2015, Islamabad: The Sahaara Group and Pink Ribbon, Pakistan in collaboration with Serena Hotel hosted a ‘Pink Coffee Evening’ to support and raise funds for Pakistan’s first Breast Cancer Hospital.

Ambassador of France, H.E. Martine Dorance was chief guest at the event while multiple diplomats, including President International Foreign Women Association Jasmina Makarevic attended the evening to pledge their support for the cause and the hospital.

The awareness event highlighted that Pakistan has the highest rate of female breast cancer in Asia, as one out of nine Pakistani women are likely to suffer from breast cancer at some point in their life. Approximately 90,000 cases of breast cancer are reported every year in Pakistan and an estimated 40,000 women die from this deadly ailment. 90% of diagnosed women have a chance of surviving breast cancer with early diagnosis; however due to a lack of awareness and medical facilities, women are diagnosed at later stages, which is one of the main causes of the high mortality rate.

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2015/ ... -hospital/
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Serena Hotels Annual Classic Car Show 2015

Jehanzeb Ghafoor, Serena Hotels, December 01, 2015 – Serena Hotels under its Adventure Diplomacy Initiative hosted Serena Hotels Annual Classic Car Show 2015 at Islamabad Serena Hotel today. These classic cars had made their way into the capital all the way from Karachi after show casing them at Lahore this weekend. More than fifty elegant cars were displayed above 80 years of age. The oldest car being a Triumph Super 7 from 1927.

People from all walks of life gathered on a beautiful winter afternoon to witness classics that have only been seen on the silver screen. . The entire afternoon, enthusiasts engaged with the guests fascinating them with tales of how they managed to get such unique car’s in perfect running conditions from rust and scrap

Serena Hotels has been a firm supporter of Cultural, Sports and Adventure initiatives through which it gives back to the community by promoting such healthy activities and giving them a platform to showcase their talent.

The VCCCP was formed in 1987 to provide a ramp to classic and vintage car enthusiasts all over Pakistan. The club has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last ten years due to the passionate involvement of all connected to the vintage and classic car scene in Pakistan.

H.E. David Hale Ambassador of the United States of America to Pakistan graced the occasion. He praised Serena Hotels and VCCCP for given them the opportunity to witness these legendry classics this afternoon.

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2015/ ... show-2015/
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The restored gardens at the Polana, Maputo.

Excerpt:

The hotel fell into decline, when 250,000 Portuguese left hurriedly in 1975 and a civil war ensued, but happily was rescued by the Aga Khan Foundation for Economic Development in 2002.

http://jardindesign.org/2015/01/09/the- ... na-maputo/
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Gilgit Serena Hotel celebrate Tree Plantation Day in Gilgit

Tree Plantation Day at Mehnaz Fatima Montessori & Inclusive Educational Centre, Gilgit

Gilgit Serena Hotel under the SEED Programme, celebrated “Tree Plantation Day” on March 11, 2016, at Mehnaz Fatima Montessori & Inclusive Educational Centre Gilgit. Besides the Hotel staff, the children and the staff of the School participated in the event. The management of School has highly appreciated the activity undertaken by Gilgit Serena Hotel.

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... in-gilgit/
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Navroz Family Mela at Gilgit Serena Hotel

Gilgit Serena Hotel is celebrating Navroz by organizing a Family Mela. The event will be held from 19th and 20th March 2016. Festivities will include the taste of Serena food, Nouroz cakes, music, kid’s friendly activities, different types of stalls and much more.

For more details, call 05811-455894-99 or visit their website.

Related Ismailimail posts on Navroz

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... ena-hotel/
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Gilgit Serena Hotel participates in “World Water Day”


March 22, 2016: Gilgit Serena Hotel Pakistan participated in the “World Water Day” movement Under its SEED Programe, with the collaboration of respective government organizations, educational institutions and NGOs.

Serena Hotels GB teamed up with Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GBEPA), Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), Karakoram International University (KIU), Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Mountain Areas Farmer Support Organization (MAFSO) and various local communities to mark the day.

The theme for 2016 World Water Day celebration was “Water and Jobs – Empowering Young Professional” which was addressed by various experts from government and NGOs.

United Nation’s World Water Day is an international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water related issues. World Water Day dates back to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development where an international observance for water was recommended. The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. It has been held annually since then. Each year, UN-Water — the entity that coordinates the UN’s work on water and sanitation — sets a theme for World Water Day corresponding to a current or future challenge. The engagement campaign is coordinated by one or several of the UN-Water Members with a related mandate.

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2016/ ... water-day/
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Serena Hotels celebrate Tree Plantation session at Al Amyn Model School Gulmit

Asghar Khan, March 27, 2016: Every year Serena Hotels celebrate tree plantation session with community Schools, this year Hunza Serena Inn carried out a tree plantation awareness second time for the students of Al Amyn Model School Gulmit, Gojal Hunza to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests and of trees outside forests. The Management of Hunza Serena Inn along with Green Team members, Mr. Nazir Ahmed Bulbul, Principal, Al Amyn Model School Gulmit, Teachers and students planted fruit tree for the beautification of the new school hostel complex. As part of Serena Hotels responsible tourism philosophy to encourage all stakeholders to plant more trees in a planned way and only indigenous trees be planted for the environment.

After tree plantation a session was set with students three kind of grafting of Cherry, Apple and different colors / kind of roses flowers by the hotel Gardner, the student appreciated the new technique of grafting. Hunza Serena Inn will continue such session for school students and community, the ways in which forests and trees sustain and protect us .

www.serenagilgitbaltistan.com
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Serena Hotels named Africa’s top hotel brand at world gala

By Adam Ihucha @AdamsIhucha news@tz.nationmedia.com

Arusha. Serena Hotels has taken the title of Africa’s leading hotel brand, during the World Travel Awards Africa and Indian Ocean gala ceremony 2016.

The recent red carpet event was hosted by Diamonds La Gemma dell’Est on the northern tip of Zanzibar, with hundreds of industry leaders in attendance.

“It was a memorable night for Serena Hotels, East Africa’s leading hotel group, after scooping 12 awards including the top Award, Africa’s Leading Hotel Brand at the 2016 World Travel Awards,” reads the Serena Hotels’ statement. Regarded as the “Oscars” of the travel industry according to the Wall Street Journal, the World Travel Awards acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global tourism and travel industry.

Serena Hotels bagged top honours with Nairobi Serena Hotel named Africa’s Leading Green Hotel. This is the second time that the hotel has won this award, an acknowledgement of the hotel’s and the group’s continued commitment to sustainable business practices.

In Uganda, Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa won the award for Uganda’s Leading Presidential Suite. And now guests staying at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa can look forward to a whole new experience with the opening of its state of the art golf course facility, 9-hole soon to 18-hole with spectacular views of Lake Victoria.

In Tanzania, Serena Tanzania stands tall with four awards, with Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel recognized as Tanzania’s Leading Business Hotel, besides the honour of having “Tanzania’s Leading Hotel Suite”. Zanzibar Serena Hotel, in Stone town on the island of Zanzibar is ’Zanzibar‘s Leading Hotel’ and Tanzania’s ‘Leading Boutique Hotel’.

In Rwanda, for the 5th year in a row, Kigali Serena Hotel retained its top position as Rwanda’s Leading Hotel. In Mozambique, the Polana Serena Hotel, one of Maputo’s most majestic architectural gems, won two awards Mozambique’s Leading Hotel as well as Mozambique’s Leading Presidential Suite.

http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/-/1840 ... index.html
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Hunza Serena Inn celebrates World Environment Day

Gilgit: Hunza Serena Inn celebrated World Environment Day 2016, to raise awareness under the theme, “Join the race to make the world a better place”. A Cherry Jam making, processing, session for Girl Guides and local female residents was also held in Karimabad, Hunza, to enhance their skill in organic food Cherry jam making and source of income for the local communities.

Hunza Karimabad is the main hub for the leisure market in Gilgit-Baltistan but it is polluting by domestic and local tourists during their leisure or picnic and every time the Ismaili Boys Scouts and Girls guides has shown their role to keep clean Hunza, the Manager Hunza Serena Inn address to the participants on the role of Responsible Tourism of Serena Hotels, and community actively participation to become an active agent in developing environmental safety measures of the region, to make nearby surroundings safe and clean to enjoy safer, cleaner always the community has shown their role. He also pointed on the huge wastage and losses of fruits during the season, like the cherry has been started in Hunza but wasting the fruits, by making jam, the organic food can be sell in the local market and generate source of income for the local community. The participants thanks the management for arranging session and the support.

The World Environment Day is being celebrated as an annual event on every 5th of June since 1973 in order to raise awareness about the importance of healthy and green environment in the human lives, and to solve the environmental issues by implementing some positive environmental actions. On this day events are also held to aware the public worldwide that everyone is responsible for saving his environment and not only somebody, government or organizations working for it.

http://pamirtimes.net/2016/06/05/hunza- ... nment-day/
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Aga Khan professor calls on Ugandan architects to take inspiration from local culture
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Published on Oct 14, 2016

Renowned Islamic Studies professor Azim Nanji has urged Uganda’s physical infrastructure developers to embrace the culture of their society as they construct buildings. Nanji was speaking at an exclusive lecture at the Serena Hotel geared towards addressing cultural development and architecture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_0wyofQ6XM
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Serena Hotels win four awards at WTA

ISLAMABAD: The Serena Hotels in South and Central Asian region won four awards at the World Travel Awards (WTA) held in Danang, Vietnam.

According to reports, Serena Hotel, Islamabad, won in two categories, Pakistan's Leading Hotel and Pakistan's Leading Hotel Suite for the year, Serena Hotel, Kabul, was awarded Afghanistan's Leading Hotel and Serena Hotel, Dushanbe, was awarded Tajikistan's Leading Hotel for 2016.

The WTA are recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality in travel and hospitality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire to reach.

The WTA are voted for by travel and tourism professionals worldwide, and the awards recognise industry leaders in tourism and hospitality. The Serena Hotels across the world, work under the umbrella of the Aga Khan Foundation for Economic Development. They are a hospitality brand of international repute, owned and operated by Tourism Promotion Services (TPS), that has within its portfolio numerous luxury hotels, resorts, safari lodges, resorts and heritage properties across Asia and Africa.

Serena Hotels CEO Aziz Boolani, attended the Awards Ceremony and said, "Serena Hotels have always aspired to provide our guests with a holistic experience of the best that cultures and communities offer. Each Hotel is both luxurious with all modern amenities and true to the traditions of hospitality that are certainly a hallmark of Asia."

TPS Pakistan was certified for ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System and Serena Hotel, Islamabad, the flagship property, has successfully implemented Food Safety Management System ISO 22000. It is the only hotel in Pakistan that has been awarded the certificate for OHSAS 18001, the International Occupational Health and Safety Standard and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard.

A similar benchmarking exercise was being carried out in other properties of TPS Pakistan. Serena Hotel, Faisalabad, has been certified for ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System in the year 2016. Serena Hotel, Quetta, would be certified towards last quarter of 2016. World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said, "It has been an honour to recognise some leading hospitality providers from Asia and Australasia tonight and I offer my heartfelt congratulations to each of them."

The WTA celebrated its 23rd anniversary this year and was acknowledged across the globe as the ultimate travel accolade. Attended by senior executives from major travel companies, operators, destinations, WTA events are universally respected as providing established, top level networking opportunities, regionally and globally.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/business/22-Oc ... rds-at-wta
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