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MINOR HOTELS CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENTIAL LUXURY WITH ANANTARA HOTELS & RESORTS

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5 months ago

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Anantara Hotels & Resorts, the experiential luxury brand of Minor Hotels, marks its 25th anniversary with the launch of a global campaign: 25 Years of Unforgettable Journeys. From a single resort in Thailand to a global portfolio spanning over 50 hotels and resorts across 24 countries, the milestone celebrates the destinations, team members and guests who have shaped the brand since its creation.

A Brand Born in Thailand

The Anantara brand was founded in 2001 by William Heinecke, Chairman and Founder of Minor International, parent company of Minor Hotels, to address the need for a luxury hotel brand offering immersive, experience-led stays. He envisioned a brand that enables cultural discovery through indigenous design, local cuisine and unique destination experiences. The name Anantara comes from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘without end’, evoking discovery, new horizons and the celebration of life’s journey.

“Creating Anantara remains one of my proudest professional accomplishments,” explains Mr Heinecke. “Building the brand from the ground up gave us the opportunity to apply what we learned from operating hotels in Thailand for more than 20 years and satisfy the growing demand from discerning travellers who want memorable local experiences and adventures while having luxurious accommodations to come back to each evening.”

The first Anantara resort, Anantara Hua Hin Resort, opened to guests on 4 March 2001 in the seaside town of Hua Hin, three hours from Bangkok, Thailand’s capital city. Its design, inspired by a traditional Thai village, draws architectural heritage into tropical gardens, embodying Anantara’s ethos of cultural immersion from the outset.

Purposeful Expansion

From Hua Hin, the brand extended across Thailand, with Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in the north and Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort in the south, each shaped by landscape architect Bill Bensley, whose eye for locale gave the early portfolio its distinct continuity.

International expansion followed in 2006 with Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, the brand’s first venture outside Thailand and the proof of concept that opened the door to the Middle East, Africa, Asia and, in later years, Europe. The 2015 rebranding of a landmark Bangkok property as Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel was a personal milestone for Mr Heinecke and a strategic one for the brand, signalling its evolution from resort brand to a hospitality brand equally at home in the world’s great cities. In recent years, Minor Hotels has expanded Anantara into iconic European cities, adding new properties in Amalfi, Amsterdam, Budapest, Dublin, Nice, Rome and Vienna.  

Anantara’s expansion into extraordinary destinations continues with upcoming debuts in Australia, Japan, Egypt, Argentina, Croatia, Turks & Caicos and the United States. The brand will also introduce Anantara Tented Camps in 2026, beginning with Anantara Tented Camp Kafue River in Zambia, adjacent to Kafue National Park, the country’s largest and oldest reserve.

“Anantara has played a defining role in shaping Minor Hotels’ luxury portfolio over the past 25 years,” said Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International. “Our focus remains on thoughtful, disciplined expansion that stays true to Anantara’s foundations, with immersive experiences, a strong sense of place and genuine cultural connection guiding how and where the brand evolves.”

Curating Unforgettable Experiences

For a quarter of a century, Anantara has been deeply committed to enabling journeys of discovery, authenticity and indulgence. To commemorate the milestone, the brand launches a global programme of signature experiences and activations to immerse guests in the destination’s surroundings and culture.

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Qatar Airways Unveils Onboard Signature Music Created in Partnership with Award-Winning Composer Hans Zimmer

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4 hours ago

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November 7, 2026

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Qatar Airways today unveiled its new onboard signature music, created in partnership with world-renowned composer Hans Zimmer.

Inspired by Qatar and its culture, Qatar Airways’ new onboard music brings a distinctive sound identity to the passenger experience through its collaboration with the iconic composition of Hans Zimmer. The music is also featured on the ‘Burgundy Symphony’ album, a bespoke five-track album that encapsulates the airline’s wider sound identity and signature sound elements.

The collaboration brings together Zimmer’s acclaimed cinematic storytelling and Qatar Airways’ commitment to delivering memorable experiences, creating a recognisable sound that reflects the emotions, moments and memories that define travel.

The launch was celebrated at Hans Zimmer’s highly-anticipated concert in Doha on 6 November, where audiences were given an exclusive first look at the story behind the collaboration through a specially created film on the creative process and inspiration behind Burgundy Symphony, alongside a preview of the music. Qatar Airways passengers can experience the new composition onboard from today.

The Burgundy Symphony album captures the rhythm of travel through five original tracks, each reflecting a different stage of the journey:

Dawn opens the collection with a sense of anticipation and possibility experienced when stepping beyond the daily routine and discovering new horizons.

Dusk reflects the tranquillity of flight as daylight fades and travellers are carried above the clouds beneath a sky illuminated by stars.

The Orchard introduces a restorative pause, inspired by moments of calm and reflection amidst the pace of everyday life. The inspiration for the composition is drawn from the sense of escape offered by the ORCHARD – one of Hamad International Airport’s most distinctive passenger experiences.

Homecoming reflects the quiet gift of returning home and the small but lasting ways travel enriches life. The track encapsulates the adventure continues beyond touchdown, with memories of places and skies keeping moments of wonder alive long after the journey ends.

An Ode to Qatar, concludes the album with a tribute to the nation’s rich heritage and forward-looking vision. The piece brings together a sense of history, culture, and ambition, reflecting a country where tradition and progress exist in harmony.

Following the unveiling, Burgundy Symphony is now available on the Qatar Airways YouTube channel, inviting audiences around the world to experience Hans Zimmer’s original compositions inspired by the journey of travel and the spirit of Qatar Airways.

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Coral Beach Resort Sharjah Wins Sustain Sharjah Award for Second Year Running

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1 day ago

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November 6, 2026

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Coral Beach Resort Sharjah has won the Sustain Sharjah award for Hotel Properties at the Sharjah International Travel and Tourism Forum 2026, organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). This marks the resort’s second consecutive recognition under the initiative.

The accolade acknowledges the property’s progress at Level 2 of the programme’s Explorers journey, structured around four core pillars: Guest, Experience, Local, and Story. Across each pillar, the resort has prioritised measurable, practical measures that engage guests, support the surrounding community, and ensure transparent sustainability reporting.

Central to this achievement are three primary operational initiatives:

  • Onsite water bottling plant: Replaces single-use plastics with reusable glass bottles, eliminating approximately 300,672 plastic bottles annually.
  • Winnow AI food-waste system: Weighs and monitors kitchen waste in real time, enabling culinary teams to curb excess directly at source.
  • Onsite biodigester: Installed in 2026, making the property the first hotel in Sharjah to process organic waste entirely on site.

Commenting on the achievement, Iftikhar Hamdani, Area General Manager of Coral Beach Resort Sharjah, said: “Securing the Sustain Sharjah award for the second consecutive year is an honour for our entire team. Initiatives such as our water bottling plant, AI-driven waste monitoring, and onsite biodigester reflect our daily operational commitment—one shared with our guests, partners, and the local community. We thank the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority for this recognition and for their steady leadership in advancing sustainable tourism across the emirate.”

Coral Beach Resort Sharjah is a signatory to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and continues to align its operations with broader international climate targets.

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Qatar Airways Connects Doha to Caracas, Venezuela, and Bogotá, Colombia with First Flight

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1 day ago

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November 6, 2026

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Qatar Airways has inaugurated its new twice-weekly service connecting Doha with Caracas and Bogotá. The service represents a significant milestone for the airline, as Qatar Airways becomes the first Gulf carrier to serve Venezuela, and the first airline to operate nonstop services from the Middle East to both Bogotá and Caracas. The new route underscores the airline’s commitment to strengthening global connectivity for the region and is operated on Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.

Qatar Airways flights to Caracas (CCS) and Bogotá (BOG)

Qatar Airways’ flight schedule has been designed to provide smooth onward connections through Hamad International Airport to key markets including Australia, China, Japan, Lebanon, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. This offers passengers greater flexibility and seamless transfer options across Qatar Airways’ global network of over 170 destinations.

Departing every Wednesday and Sunday:

Doha (DOH) to Bogotá (BOG) – Flight QR783: Departure 07:35; Arrival 16:25

Bogotá (BOG) to Caracas (CCS) – Flight QR783: Departure 17:55; Arrival 21:00

Caracas (CCS) to Doha (DOH) – Flight QR783: Departure 23:30; Arrival 20:35

The addition of Caracas and Bogotá marks the 16th and 17th destinations in the Americas served by Qatar Airways. The airline began serving South America in 2010 with its inaugural flight to Brazil’s São Paulo.

The airline has recently expanded its partnership with LATAM to include LATAM Airlines Colombia, offering travellers greater access to the region. Qatar Airways will place its code on LATAM-operated flights between Bogotá and key domestic destinations including Cartagena, Armenia, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cúcuta, Ibagué, Leticia, Medellín, Montería, Neiva, Pereira, Pasto, Riohacha, San Andrés Island, Santa Marta, and Yopal.

Qatar Airways continues to strengthen global connectivity, serving more than 170 destinations this winter. Bookings can be made at qatarairways.com or through the airline’s mobile app.

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