SYDNEY – The travel industry has moved quickly to support the Haiti earthquake relief effort.
Best Western Rewards members can contribute rewards points.
Frequency programme members can go to www.bestwestern.com/haitirelief to make a donation of 5,000 points, which translates to $20 or more to World Vision, Best Western’s official charity partner.
Best Western hoteliers will also be able to donate via their monthly member statements to relief efforts being implemented by World Vision, and employees of Best Western International will be able to donate cash and vacation time.
In addition, on behalf of the Best Western membership, Best Western’s North American development team made a substantial donation yesterday through World Vision in support of the Best Western hotel that was about to break ground in Port-au-Prince.
“We are rallying at the hotel, employee and guest levels to contribute to this critical humanitarian mission, “ said David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western.
Etihad Crystal Cargo will operate a special Red Crescent and Khalifa Welfare Foundation charter flight to Haiti tomorrow, carrying medical and humanitarian supplies to the earthquake hit country.
The MD11 aircraft, which will use its full capacity of 88 tonnes, will fly first to Casablanca and then onto Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. The cargo will be unloaded there and taken to neighbouring Haiti.
The charter flight is part of the “Care By Air” initiative, founded by Maximus Air Cargo, Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Airport Services, which provides cargo space ‘at cost’ to deliver relief aid to disaster-stricken areas around the world.
Carnival Corporation and its affiliated cruise brands are donating at least US$5 million toward relief efforts following the devastating earthquake in Haiti.
The funds will be forwarded to several different international organisations coordinating relief efforts within the country.
The $5 million donation includes a large corporate contribution along with monies raised from a variety of fundraising efforts coordinated by Carnival Corporation’s cruise brands, both in their offices in North America, Europe and Australia, and throughout the fleet.
