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Amwaj on the World Map ART Rotana Amwaj Islands took the gong for Bahrain’s Leading Hotel at the Middle East gala ceremony of the 2016 World Travel Awards (WTA) recently held in Dubai. WTA is the most prestigious awards programme for the global travel industry, rewarding inspirational leaders in the tourism, airline, hotel and hospitality sectors. The art-inspired property bagged the award for the second year running and will go forward to compete in the WTA Grand Final taking place in the Maldives on December 2. “We are honoured that ART Rotana Amwaj Islands has been recognised as the Leading Hotel in the Kingdom for the second year running,” says general manager Lilian Roger.
The Ultimate in Luxury Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa triumphed at the recent World Luxury Hotel Awards, being recognised as the country’s leading thalasso and resort spa. These awards are pinnacles of recognition for hotels in the luxury hospitality industry, with awards voted by the public in more than 60 wide-ranging categories. The hotel’s management and team are delighted, with GM Sami Boukhaled saying: “It is very gratifying to be honoured with one of the exclusive awards in the hotel industry, on such a global level. The award encourages us and inspires us further to continue delivering the best of French elegance combined with local hospitality.”
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Flying High Bahrain’s national carrier, Gulf Air, recently took home three awards for its information technology achievements: Technology Innovation of the Year at the Aviation Business Awards 2016, the leading awards programmes for the Middle East aerospace industry; Hospitality and Tourism Deployment of the Year, at the seventh annual Computer News Middle East ICT Achievement Awards; and Best Airline in Technology - Middle East at the Global Enterprise Connect Awards 2016, one of the region’s biggest celebrations of IT excellence. Commenting on the wins, Gulf Air CEO Maher Salman Al Musallam says: “Information technology is a critical aspect of any airline and, at Gulf Air, our IT department continually strives for innovation while remaining on the cusp of latest developments. By continuously improving our IT services we are ensuring a more efficient organisation and a more seamless offering to our passengers – essential in today’s fast-paced digital world.” www.bahrainthismonth.com
Telecom operator Zain Bahrain was recognised for its reputation as an employer of choice, being named among the GCC winners at the GCC Best Employer Brand Awards. The term ‘employer brand’, coined in the early 1990s, refers to an organisation’s reputation as an employer; winners are chosen based on their distinctiveness in employee hiring, training, and retention, as well as their commitment to being a social and equal opportunity employer. Other criteria include the organisation’s focus on innovation and learning and development initiatives for employees. The awards are hosted by the Employer Branding Institute and Stars of the Industry Group, and winners were selected by a jury of senior leaders, researchers and academics conducting independent research to identify the Best Employer Brand in each GCC country.
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