American Express Travel recently surveyed a group of its experts – nearly 300 travel counselors – to get the scoop on what is trending with their customers for this upcoming summer season (travel between June 1 and August 31). When looking at where customers are heading to this summer, based on bookings made at amextravel.com and through its travel counselors, most travelers will continue to flock toward popular destinations. The top ten include London, Paris, Rome, Orlando, New York, Kahului (HI), San Francisco, Cancun, Los Angeles and Honolulu.
While cities like London and Orlando are longtime favorites, bookings at destinations with the greatest year-over-year growth indicate a more adventurous streak amongst this year’s travelers. From a top sporting destination to national parks to an island retreat, the top growing summer destinations for 2014 include Brazil (Manaus, Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo); Santorini; Hilton Head, SC; Grand Junction, CO; Milan and Bucharest.
Nearly half (45%) said their summer travel bookings, relative to their bookings from last year, have increased. This is despite the fact that 67% percent said the cost of travel is up when compared to 2013.
Travel counselors cited rising costs in key travel categories – airfare and hotel stays – as main reasons for the increase in the cost of summer travel. However, 35% indicated costs are up because customers are choosing to spend more on amenities such as excursions and other activities. When further asked about what is most important to travelers when booking summer travel, the findings show customers are prioritizing perks over price:
33% said customers want added value such as upgrades
26% responded the destination is most important to customers
20% indicated budget as their customers’ top consideration
“After one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record, it’s no surprise people are itching to get away this summer,” says Laura Fink, vice president of American Express Travel. “That long, cold winter has fostered a demand for travel where customers are placing a premium on perks and amenities to upgrade their trip experiences despite rising costs.”
The survey also indicated the average duration of summer trips are 10 days. When asked what type of experience most customer are looking for, 43% responded relaxing experiences such as an all-inclusive beach vacation while another 34% said customers are looking to immerse themselves in the culture of the destination. Cruise vacations remain popular as well; nearly one third of the travel counselors surveyed said clients are booking cruises for the summer.
While the majority of travel counselors (81%) are planning vacations for clients and their immediate family, 35% report curating trips for multi-generational families and 29% are planning experiences for their clients traveling with friends or a significant other.
Foto cedidaRussell Sharon, Ninoska Huerta and Ronnie Olabarrieta. Photo: Leo Di Tomaso. Artists Russell Sharon & Ronnie Olabarrieta Open Joint Show at Biscayne Art House
Modern art patrons gathered at Biscayne Art House on Brickell, Miami, on Thursday April 3 to celebrate the abstract works of Ronnie Olabarrieta and Russell Sharon. The crowd shared their love for art as they mingled with the artists.
“We are so pleased that both artists were able to fly in for the opening,” said Ana Maria de Piña, manager of Biscayne Art House. “Our shows are really special when the artists are here to share their experiences and their works of art.”
Ronnie Olabarrieta is a Puerto Rican painter and architect. His paintings consist of abstract expressionism and impressionism using vibrant colors and energetic movement in his brushstrokes. His latest works are a playful story of his inner expressions.
Russell Sharon is an American painter, who was born on a farm in Minnesota and studied in Mexico City, Boston and New York. His abstract paintings reduce landscapes into simplistic forms. The latest exhibit was inspired by wetlands and horizon lines.
Biscayne Art House is sponsored BiscayneCapital™, a boutique wealth assessment firm and one of the preeminent providers of banking services to high-net-worth individuals and families in Latin America.
The exhibition will be shown through May 9, by appointment only. For more information email info@biscaynearthouse.com.
Foto cedida. Chilean Artists in New York: 12 Women Honor Gabriela Mistral & Isabel Allende
The Gabriela Mistral Foundation US is pleased to announce a unique initiative presented by ArsFactus, an Artists Association that will feature the works of a group of women artists. The goal of this project is to honor two women of letters Gabriela Mistral and Isabel Allende by bringing together literature and the visual arts and promoting the works of these two great authors.
The artists will work with a total of 12 titles -six by Mistral, and six by Allende-, (each ArsFactus member will chose a specific title), the artists will have two copies of each book. One will be intervened creatively, resulting in one and only signed artwork to be treasured and displayed; the second “twin” book will be for reading pleasure.
The project is curated by Ms. Rocio Aranda- Alvarado, Chief Interim Curator at El Museo del Barrio, New York, and Gloria Garafulich-Grabois, Director of the Gabriela Mistral Foundation & Founder of the Chapter in Chile of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington D.C.
ArsFactus is an independent association of twelve Chilean visual artists that project contemporary art works and curatorial programs that reflect the multiple interactions between life and art; art and the public sphere; creative artistic capital and gender empowerment. The group is conscious of regional cultural developments as well as the importance of the scope of international views, and promotes their projects with exhibitions, auctions, conversations and other venues of contemporary art, urban planning, architecture, music, literature, and cultural heritage
The ArsFactus’ artists are Denise Blanchard, Ximena Cousiño, Amelia Errázuriz, Maite Izquierdo, Catalina Mena Urmenyl, María José Mir, Alejandra Morales, Carolina Oltra, Catalina Prado, Eliana Simonetti, Guadalupe Valdés and Angela Wilson. The project manager is Fernanda Meza.
Foto cedidaPhotos: Biscayne Art House. Spanish Celebrities Shine at Biscayne Art House’s “Faces” Opening
Spanish celebrities gathered at Biscayne Art House last Friday March 14 to celebrate the opening of “FACES,” an exhibition showcasing the work of renowned Spanish actor and artist Jordi Mollà and guest artist Antonio Del Prete. Guests at the opening night cocktail included Nacho Cano, former member of the famous ´80s rock band “Mecano;” Shaila Dúrcal, singer, composer and daughter of singer Rocío Dúrcal; Antonio (el Junior) Morales, singer and actor; and artist Ana Obregón.
Jordi Mollà wowed the crowd on Friday with his “FACES” collection, a series of mixed media pieces depicting his face in various states of emotion with graffiti-like markings over the pictures. Mollà is known not only for his art, which he has shown in prominent art fairs such Art Basel, but also for his roles in films like Blow, Bad Boys II, Colombiana and other Spanish titles.
Italian artist Antonio Del Prete joined the exhibition, showcasing his version of serious classical paintings with a whimsical twist of pop culture and political commentary, which he uses to critique the contradictions of today´s society.
“It is an honor for us to host artists like Jordi and Antonio. We love enriching Miami’s art scene with the works of international artists,” said Ana Maria de Piña, manager of Biscayne Art House.
Biscayne Art House is sponsored by BiscayneCapital™, a boutique wealth assessment firm and one of the preeminent providers of banking services to high-net-worth individuals and families in Latin America. “We are proud to sponsor such a unique art center that shares international culture with its community” said Roberto Cortes, CEO of Biscayne Capital.
Foto cedidaCarla Goyanes. Carla Goyanes, Director of the Fashion Management MBA Program of Esden Business School in Miami
Carla Goyanes is the new Director of the MBA in Fashion Management of Esden Business School in Miami, USA. She holds a degree in Business Administration and has an MBA in Fashion Management.
Esden Business School will inaugurate its first program in Miami by the end of the year with the launch of the MBA in Fashion Management, ‘’in a bet to enter in a key market for the Fashion Industry’’, states Alberto Isusi, CEO of Esden Business School.
To achieve that goal, Isusi explains ‘’we count with the valuable contribution of Carla Goyanes. Not only she has great experience in industry but also she will be leading a talented team of professionals of the Fashion Industry with strong Marketing and Communication backgrounds. Their main objective is to ensure that students acquire the most advanced knowledge and specific skills related to Management in this field.’’
The Fashion Management MBA program from Esden Business School will start this coming October and will last for 10 months. It is aimed to those interested students in deepening and/or learning the specific business management characteristics of a rising industry. The basic requirements to apply are getting a bachelor’s degree, standard English level and a clear passion towards to the Fashion world.
Alvaro Dantart, Institutional Relations Director of Esden Business School explains ¨it is a MBA program focused on business management within the Fashion Industry. It is a unique opportunity available now in Miami, as there is no similar academic offer in any other Business Schools or Universities in Florida¨.
The program combines online sessions-taking advantage of the opportunities that new technologies provide as a didactic support- with classes at our campus -given by renowned professionals of the Fashion Industry such as managers, designers or creative directors-.
Esden Business Schools brings renowned faculty in the Fashion Industry from Europe, latam and United Statessuch as Juan López –Saks Fith Avenue Director-, Mónica Gómez-Cuétara –founder of Personal Shopper School-, Federico de Marin –Human Ressources Director for Latamn of Swarovski-, Jose María Arellano – 10 year General Director and creative director of JJA Group and now presiden of JAM Design USA and JAM Fashion Co LTD Hong Kong-, Manel Echevarría –Vicepresident for Latam an Caribbean areas-.
Carla Goyanes, MBA director assures ‘’students will not only learn skills such as economic, financial or team management but also essential matters related to integral communication, coolhunting or the crucial influence that the web 2.0 has in business development, everything focused on the Fashion and Beauty Industry.’’
Students will have the opportunity to attend a specialized training at The Marangoni Institute of Milan dedicated to ‘’Fashion Production and Luxury Brand Strategies’’.
The Fashion Management MBA program from Esden Business School responds to the industry´s needs of highly qualified professionals in these fields of expertise. The program provides students with skills in management that are applicable to the fashion environment, incorporates specific concepts related to design management, product development, marketing and communication strategies, and logistics in the fashion industry.
Lastly, Carla Goyanes explains ‘’nowadays studying Fashion is a rising trend and in an increasingly competitive environment, a better choice than enrolling in a specialized masters that promotes and facilitates professional integration, development and success for its students.’’
. The First Funds Society Golf Tournament in Miami Kicks off with 50 Participants
The First Funds Society Golf Tournament was held at the Biltmore Hotel’s golf course in Miami last Thursday, the 27thof February. The tournament was attended by over 50 participants of the Wealth Management sector in Southern Florida and was supported by the Henderson management company and by Goldman Sachs AM.
Although the weather was not in our favor for a few days leading to the tournament, and it seemed that the golf tournament would be a wet affair, the rain held off on the date, and all participants were able to enjoy a great day of golf.
The session was preceded by a presentation by fixed income managers Jason Singer, Managing Director of Global Fixed Income at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and Stephen Thariyan, head of Global Credit at Henderson Global Investors. Both speakers exposed the reasons why they believe it is important to participate in this asset class and answered the questions of those present, who were especially interested in the reality of emerging markets and in particular in Latin American countries.
The tournament’s kick-off was held just after midday, and it was played under the Stableford system in two separate categories. The first category was for players with handicaps of 0 to 18.4, and the second for those with handicaps from 18.5 to 36.
Following is the list of winners of the Funds Society First Golf Tournament:
Flight 1:
1º – Daniel Eulate – Andbank Wealth Management – Director
2º – Luis Cardenas – Banco Sabadell Miami Branch – Assistant VP Credit Department
Flight 2:
1º – Javier Martín Pliego – Santander International – VP Business Development
. Cirque du Soleil and Grupo Vidanta Partner to Introduce a Spectacle in Riviera Maya
Cirque du Soleil, an entertainment company, and Grupo Vidanta, a developer of world-class resorts and tourism infrastructure in Mexico, have announced plans to introduce a new brand of cultural and culinary entertainment to Mexico and Latin America. Housed in a custom-designed theater now under construction in Riviera Maya, the first-of-its-kind intimate dinner and spectacle will be Cirque du Soleil‘s first resident show operating outside Las Vegas or Orlando.
“We believe the entertainment offerings for our region’s guests and visitors should rival any in the world,” said Grupo Vidanta founder Daniel Chavez Moran. “Through our partnership with Cirque du Soleil we will deliver an entertainment experience beyond what currently exists in Mexico or the world in the Vidanta Theater in Riviera Maya. This entirely new category of entertainment will be an experience one must see, hear and taste. We are extremely proud to bring this dream to life.”
“This is the marriage of two creators of unique entertainment and world-class experiences,” said Daniel Lamarre, president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil. “We were asked four years ago by Grupo Vidanta to imagine something different, something new, something unprecedented for this destination. We’re excited that our partnership will unveil a new intersection for us between performance and culinary creativity. The setting is the most intimate custom-built theater of all the Cirque du Soleil resident theaters in the world.”
The Vidanta Theater in Riviera Maya is a 600-seat architectural marvel planned and built by Grupo Vidanta to house this new and unique Cirque du Soleil production. Grupo Vidanta’s chief architect, Arturo Hernandez, designed the theater to deliver a level of intimacy between audience and performance never before seen in a Cirque du Soleil show. World-class dining and champagne service will be integrated with the spectacle.
This unique partnership was imagined to build new tourism offerings in Mexico. The Premiere is scheduled for November 2014.
Foto cedidaArmando Vidal, gerente general de Fondos SURA. SURA Investment Management fue reconocido por la administración de inversiones en Fondos Mutuos en Perú
With the aim of recognizing, strengthening, encouraging and disseminating Mexican art, FEMSA announces an open call for the 11th Monterrey FEMSA Biennial, to be held at the Centro de las Artes in Monterrey, N.L. Since it was instituted in 1992, the Monterrey FEMSA Biennial has become established as the most important visual arts contest at the national level, also gaining international recognition.
There are several awards:
FEMSA Great Acquisition Prize: 200,000.00 Mexican pesos in the category of two-dimensional format. 200,000.00 Mexican pesos in the category of three-dimensional format.
Acquisition Fund for Selected Artworks: Up to 200,000.00 Mexican pesos. The winning works and those which are acquired will be incorporated in the FEMSA Collection.
Two Cultural Residencies: One for each of the artists awarded Honorable Mention in each format, granted by the School of Arts and Design of Saint-Étienne, France, through the sponsorship of the Alliance Française, Monterrey.
In addition, the 11th Monterrey FEMSA Biennial will stage one or more exhibitions to present the award-winning works, in Mexico or abroad.
To reinforce the objectives of the contest and foster dialogue among creative artists, the present edition of the Monterrey FEMSA Biennial will include the participation of artists from Colombia. However, as invited artists, they will not be eligible to compete for prizes at the Biennial.
The call closes on February 21, 2014. The terms and conditions of the Call, in the following link.
. Close to a Hundred People Celebrate Funds Society's I Anniversary in Miami
Last week Funds Society celebrated its first anniversary hosting a cocktail party in Miami. Close to 100 professionals of the asset and wealth management industry attended, coming from Genève, London, Miami, Mexico, New York and Zurich.
In 2013, Funds Society had an average 12% month over month growth, highlighting a strong support from its readers, the wealth and asset management community throughout the Americas region.
Moreover, Funds Society is currently working with more than 10 international asset and wealth management firms. Funds Society’s team has also grown, adding a new senior journalist, Alicia Miguel, covering the European asset management scene from Spain.
In 2014, Funds Society will be dedicating more resources to the website’s English version launching a daily newsletter in English during the first quarter of the year. Funds Society will also launch a mobile version of its website.
The MIT Sloan School of Management celebrated last Tuesday, December 10th, the opening of its Latin America Office in Santiago, Chile, during an event there that commemorated the 100th anniversary of the founding of Course XV: the beginning of management education at MIT and the precursor to the Sloan School.
The commemoration of Course XV is being marked with a series of events both on campus and in cities around the globe. The events pay tribute to people at MIT Sloan whose ideas and work changed thought, theory, and practice in the world of management.
The MIT Sloan Latin America Office (LSMAO) is made possible by a gift from Andrónico Luksic. He is a member of the MIT Sloan Latin American Executive Board, the MIT Sloan Latin America Office Advisory Council, and the school’s Visiting Committee.
The office promotes the school’s programs to potential students in Latin America, develops channels for faculty and student research, and creates opportunities for action learning through MIT Sloan’s signature experience-based education program where students translate classroom knowledge to solve real-world problems.
MIT Sloan’s new office also expands the scope of its international training programs. This January, for instance, 16 companies based in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia will host MBA students in conjunction with the school’s Global Entrepreneurship Program. Additionally, the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) group runs more than 30 projects in the region.
