Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Wins Forbes Five-Star Awar

Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Earns Forbes Five-Star Honors for Kai and Aji Spa

By Nishang Narayan

Published on February 24, 2025

Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass continues to shine in the luxury hospitality scene, with both Kai Restaurant and Aji Spa receiving Forbes Travel Guide’s prestigious Five-Star rating in the 2025 Star Awards. The resort itself maintains its Recommended status, reaffirming its excellence in service and cultural authenticity.

This marks the 17th consecutive Five-Star win for Kai, solidifying its place as the only restaurant in Arizona with this distinction. Additionally, Aji Spa earns its sixth Five-Star rating, recognizing its commitment to providing a unique Native American-inspired wellness experience.

A Legacy of Excellence

Located on the Gila River Indian Community in Phoenix, Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is renowned for its deep connection to indigenous heritage. The resort’s recent multi-million-dollar renovation has further elevated its luxurious offerings, while maintaining its commitment to cultural authenticity.

Expressing his pride, Bunty Ahamed, General Manager, Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, shared:
"Receiving Five-Star recognition from Forbes Travel Guide once again for Aji Spa, and for the seventeenth consecutive year for Kai, is an incredible honor. Our commitment to providing every guest with a personalized and exceptional experience is unwavering, and these accolades are a testament to our team’s outstanding efforts."

Kai: Arizona’s Culinary Crown Jewel

With only 79 restaurants worldwide receiving a Five-Star rating this year, Kai’s achievement is particularly remarkable. A James Beard 2025 semifinalist in the Outstanding Hospitality category, Kai merges contemporary flavors with time-honored Native American culinary traditions, featuring locally farmed ingredients from the Gila River Indian Community.

Aji Spa: An Authentic Native Sanctuary

Aji Spa, meaning "sanctuary" in the Pima language, provides a holistic wellness experience deeply rooted in the traditions of the Pima and Maricopa tribes. Offering signature Indigenous treatments curated by Cultural Caretakers, the spa reflects the area’s rich history through art, architecture, and storytelling.

A Resort Steeped in Heritage

Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass is more than a luxury resort—it is a living representation of Native American culture, offering:

36 holes of championship golf at Whirlwind Golf Club
Guided equestrian experiences through the 1,000-acre Koli Equestrian Center
Four swimming pools and a waterslide inspired by ancient ruins
Water activities along the scenic Gila River

Maintaining its Recommended status in 2025, the resort meets Forbes’ rigorous 900-point evaluation, ensuring world-class service and hospitality.

As Forbes Travel Guide’s esteemed Five-Star list continues to set the global benchmark for luxury, Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass proudly represents Arizona with its unparalleled culinary, wellness, and cultural experiences.

Atlas Ocean Voyages Introduces Enhanced Explorer’s Choice with Double Amenities for 2026 Voyages

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on January 5, 2026

Atlas Ocean Voyages has announced an enhanced version of its Explorer’s Choice offer, giving guests double the amenities on a limited selection of its 2026 voyages. Under this enhanced promotion, guests booking these select expeditions can choose two complimentary amenities from a curated list, regardless of stateroom category, further elevating the expedition cruising experience.

Alongside the enhanced offering, the company has also confirmed the return of its standard Explorer’s Choice promotion across its remaining 2026 and 2027 sailings. Under the standard programme, guests reserving a stateroom may select one complimentary amenity, while suite guests can choose up to two amenities, allowing travellers to personalise their journey based on individual preferences.

Both the enhanced and standard Explorer’s Choice offers can be combined with bonus savings of up to 40 percent on select sailings. This applies across Atlas Ocean Voyages’ Polar, Epicurean, and Cultural Expeditions, providing added value while maintaining the brand’s focus on immersive and enrichment-led travel.

The Explorer’s Choice amenities are designed to offer flexibility and convenience. Options include air credits for guests arranging their own flights, pre-expedition hotel stays or land programmes, and Enhanced Unlimited Wi-Fi to ensure seamless connectivity while at sea. The offer is capacity controlled and may be combined with select promotional savings, enabling guests to prioritise what matters most to their expedition experience.

The enhanced double-amenity benefit is available on a limited number of select 2026 departures, subject to availability. Featured voyages span Epicurean expeditions with curated culinary programming, Cultural expeditions led by expert hosts and onboard entertainers, and Polar expeditions featuring Zodiac landings, guided shore excursions, and scenic cruising through remote regions.

With this enhanced Explorer’s Choice offering, Atlas Ocean Voyages continues to strengthen its position in the luxury expedition cruise segment by delivering personalised experiences, added flexibility, and exceptional value for discerning travellers and travel advisors.

Nepal Launches Online System to Track Foreign Nationals and Enhance Visitor Safety

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on January 4, 2026

Nepal has introduced the Foreign Nationals Management Information System (FNMIS), a new digital initiative developed by the Department of Immigration to enhance the safety of foreign nationals visiting the country and to strengthen oversight of activities involving foreign visitors.

The FNMIS is a nationwide digital database that captures real-time information on foreign nationals, beginning from their visa application process and continuing until their departure from Nepal. The system is designed to improve monitoring, prevent visa misuse, and support law enforcement and emergency response efforts.

Under the new framework, all service providers catering to foreign nationals are required to register with the system. This includes hotels, airlines, travel and trekking agencies, money exchange counters, and other tourism-related service providers. The registration process is aimed at ensuring accurate data collection and seamless coordination across the tourism and hospitality ecosystem.

According to the Department of Immigration, a significant number of tourism service providers have already registered on the platform. The system is being rolled out in phases, beginning with star-rated hotels, airlines, tour and travel operators, and authorised money exchange services, before being expanded to cover all hotels, guest houses, and relevant public and private institutions nationwide.

Officials stated that one of the key objectives of the FNMIS is to track the movement and activities of foreign nationals in Nepal, helping authorities prevent potential criminal activities and ensure compliance with visa conditions. The system also aims to enable faster rescue and response operations for foreign tourists, particularly in remote and difficult-to-access regions of the country during emergencies.

The department noted that there have been instances where foreign nationals were found engaging in activities beyond the scope of their visa categories, including unauthorised financial operations, misuse of technology platforms, and religious activities not permitted under their visa terms. The FNMIS is expected to help address such issues by improving transparency and accountability.

Overall, the introduction of the Foreign Nationals Management Information System marks a significant step towards strengthening visitor safety, responsible tourism, and regulatory oversight, while supporting Nepal’s growing tourism sector with improved data-driven governance.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals to South Korea Rise 17 Percent, Near Record High for the Year

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on January 2, 2026

South Korea witnessed a significant increase in foreign tourist arrivals, reflecting the continued recovery of its tourism sector to pre-pandemic levels. Official data released by the Korea Tourism Organization showed that international visitor numbers rose sharply, marking one of the strongest months for inbound travel in recent years.

Approximately 1.6 million foreign tourists visited the country during the month, representing a year-on-year growth of over 17 percent. The figure also exceeded visitor levels recorded during the same period before the pandemic, highlighting South Korea’s growing appeal as a global travel destination.

China continued to remain the largest source market for inbound tourism, followed closely by Japan. Other major contributors included Taiwan, the United States and the Philippines. While arrivals from China recovered to nearly three-quarters of pre-pandemic levels, visitor numbers from Japan showed particularly strong momentum, recording a sharp surge compared to earlier benchmarks.

Cumulatively, foreign tourist arrivals during the year reached over 17 million, registering double-digit growth compared to the previous year and surpassing pre-pandemic totals. Chinese visitors accounted for nearly one-third of the total arrivals, underlining the importance of the market to South Korea’s tourism ecosystem.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has projected that total foreign tourist arrivals for the year will reach a new all-time high, moving close to the symbolic 20 million mark. If achieved, this would surpass the previous record set before the pandemic and reinforce South Korea’s position as one of Asia’s fastest-recovering tourism markets.

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Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Earns Forbes Five-Star Honors for Kai and Aji Spa

A Legacy of Excellence

Kai: Arizona’s Culinary Crown Jewel

Aji Spa: An Authentic Native Sanctuary

A Resort Steeped in Heritage

Most Read In News

Atlas Ocean Voyages Introduces Enhanced Explorer’s Choice with Double Amenities for 2026 Voyages

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Nepal Launches Online System to Track Foreign Nationals and Enhance Visitor Safety

Most Read In News

Foreign Tourist Arrivals to South Korea Rise 17 Percent, Near Record High for the Year

Most Read In News