A well-loved adventure park has declared it will ‘cease operations’ at one of its North Wales locations. Zip World’s owners have announced that its Conwy site will close, via a Facebook post on January 21, after giving the matter “careful consideration”, according to Wales Online. The company had only launched the Conwy site, previously known…
A well-loved adventure park has declared it will ‘cease operations’ at one of its North Wales locations. Zip World’s owners have announced that its Conwy site will close, via a Facebook post on January 21, after giving the matter “careful consideration”, according to Wales Online. The company had only launched the Conwy site, previously known…
Brits are ditching their Spanish holiday plans and opting to stay closer to home, with a surge in interest for breaks in South West England. Mark Hutchins from Beachlets revealed: “Staycations have become more than just a passing trend. Since 2004, search interest in ‘staycations’ in the UK has grown by an incredible 9,772 per…
Brits are ditching their Spanish holiday plans and opting to stay closer to home, with a surge in interest for breaks in South West England. Mark Hutchins from Beachlets revealed: “Staycations have become more than just a passing trend. Since 2004, search interest in ‘staycations’ in the UK has grown by an incredible 9,772 per…
Are you a spirit brand looking to grow your presence in Asia? Then let us tell you about the exciting developments planned for The Drinks Business Asia Masters 2025.
Have you submitted your spirits to be judged in The Drinks Business Asia Masters?
The annual blind-tasting series has been revamped for 2025 to make it easier for wine and spirits brands from around the world to enter.
For the first time in the competition’s history, the chairs of The Global Wine Masters and The Global Spirits Masters Competitions – Patrick Schmitt MW, editor-in-chief of the drinks business, and Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business – will be heading to Hong Kong in May to lead the judging process.
All spirits categories – and wine categories – will be judged by an esteemed panel of independent industry experts over several days.
Entries will be assessed according to their respective categories, styles and price points (where applicable) for the chance to secure Bronze, Silver, Gold and, at the highest end of the score table, Master medals.
The results of The Drinks Business Asia Masters 2025 will be published in the drinks business Asia magazine and on thedrinksbusiness.com, with additional spirits coverage scheduled for The Spirits Business.
Additional exposure will be granted through both titles’ social media platforms, which boast tens of thousands of followers. Plus, the medallists will also feature in both the drinks business’ and The Spirits Business’ newsletters, including the Chinese version from the drinks business.
The deadline for entries is Monday 10 February 2025. Samples must be received by 20 February. Entries are being accepted online now.
For further details, contact Sophie Raichura: [email protected].
Kiely said: “Asia is a fascinating landscape in the spirits world, and I know there is a wealth of innovation pouring out of this part of the spirits industry. But not only that, the opportunities for international brands to find success in the Asian market is extremely high.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what both locally made products and international spirits have to offer at this year’s judging.”
Related news
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The Spirits Business launches The GSMC Yearbook
The GSMC Taste Masters 2022
After a record year in 2024, The Spirits Business Awards has locked in the date and venue for 2025.
The SB Awards will return to The Underglobe theatre in London
The Spirits Business Awards ceremony was revamped into a sparkling black-tie event for 2024, hosted by The Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman.
More than 300 guests were in attendance to celebrate a plethora of deserving winners, including Jesús Hernández, master distiller for House of Tequila, who was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
This year, the awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 13 November 2025 at the Underglobe Theatre in London.
“The Spirits Business Awards was a roaring success in 2024 and our team has been busy planning how we can top the celebrations this year,” said Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business and chair of the awards judging.
“The calibre of entries in 2024 was incredibly high, and we were delighted to reward so many talented individuals, brands and companies for their achievements.
“I’m looking forward to judging this year’s entries, and I’ve no doubt we’ll be seeing even more examples of excellence across the spirits industry.”
Claudia Winkleman hosted the 2024 event
Entries for the awards opened just before Christmas, and will be accepted until 27 June 2025.
A number of sponsors have already been confirmed for The Spirits Business Awards 2025.
El Supremo rum will sponsor the Spirits Distributor of the Year Award.
The Spirits Sustainability Award will be sponsored by Encirc Beverages.
Casa Malka Tequila will sponsor Innovation in Production.
Distiller of the Year will be sponsored by Proofworks.
Trade show ProWein will sponsor the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for the second year.
For further information about the awards, to enter, and to hear more about sponsorship opportunities, visit The Spirits Business Awards website.
For a recap of the 2024 awards ceremony, watch the highlights video and read all about the winners online.
Related news
Nominations open for Spirited Awards 2025
Vinexposium confirms shortlists for V d’Or awards
Entries open for The Spirits Business Awards 2025
As Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, only his family stood between him and the tech moguls, among them the three richest men in the world – Tesla’s Elon Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Not since Dwight Eisenhower’s post-war military-industrial complex has there been “such unity of purpose between political and economic power”, says Jeremy Warner in The Telegraph. As Joe Biden warned in his farewell address, “An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms”.In a show of intent, on the day of his inauguration, Trump revoked a 2023 executive order from Biden that sought to reduce the risks of AI. The day after, he announced Stargate, a $500 billion private sector investment in AI infrastructure, says Natalie Sherman on the BBC. The explosion of AI has created a massive demand for data centres, along with water and power. Stargate, which will create an estimated 100,000 jobs over the next four years, is a joint venture by OpenAI, Oracle, Japan’s SoftBank and MGX, a tech investment arm of the UAE government.Trump is not unshackling Big Tech and dangling the promise of “lucrative government contracts” to feed the Bezos/Musk “assault on outer space” in return for nothing, says Warner. For him, the new tech oligarchy is “the means by which he pursues his own place in history as the saviour of the Western world, pushing back on an ascendant China and cementing America’s position as the world’s unrivalled superpower”. Maintaining and enhancing the US lead in AI, robotics, space, weaponry and bioscience is “central” to his “expansionary ambitions”.
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There are “jarring echoes” between the Russian oligarchs who “made out like bandits” in the post-Soviet 1990s and what is happening today, says John Thornhill in the Financial Times. Musk – who may yet end up as owner of TikTok’s US business – has already enjoyed a “stunning return” on the $250 million he spent helping to re-elect Donald Trump. Tesla’s stock market value surged by more than $300 billion following Trump’s victory. And Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos already have huge influence via X, Facebook and The Washington Post.But the “technoligarchs” are far less influential than feared, says The Economist. Firstly, Amazon, Meta and Tesla may account for 10% of the value of all listed US stocks, but their economic contribution is just 1.8% of GDP. To put that in perspective, in 2004 a couple of dozen oligarchs were responsible for around two-thirds of Russian output, while in Hungary “chums” of strongman PM Viktor Orban oversee an estimated 20%-30% of the economy.Secondly, public opinion also matters, and sections of the Maga base “already loathe” the tech billionaires. Thirdly, unlike John D. Rockerfeller, who “wielded near-total control over a critical economic input”, they cannot hold the US economy to ransom.Finally, their interests are often competing (eg, space, social media, advertising). In short, America’s economy is simply too huge, “unwieldy and dynamic to petrify into an actual oligarchy”.Nevertheless, the risks of more personal, transactional relationships between business and government are real, say Filipe Campante and Raymond Fisman in The New York Times. “Political connections, more than economic efficiency” may now have a “bigger hand in policymaking”. The damage will be amplified as businesses increasingly divert effort and resources into cultivating such connections. When power is consolidated in such a way, “accountability becomes much harder, and the quality of governance will suffer”.This article was first published in MoneyWeek’s magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.
Unfortunately, Trump Played the TikTok Ban Perfectly By Caitlyn Clark The TikTok ban saga perfectly captures both Republican cynicism and Democratic incompetence: Trump takes credit for “saving” an app his administration originally moved to ban, while Democrats fumble another opportunity to connect with young people. Donald Trump has not only managed to evade responsibility for…
Travelers may spend their vacation as a time to rest and reset, while others may take the opportunity to indulge in fun.
And more people appear to be taking trips that are alcohol-free, transforming the way in which hotels cater to guests.
At the Pasea Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, California, the staff has seen a 25% year-over-year increase in non-alcoholic beverage sales.
“As we see a growing focus on healthier lifestyle choices from travelers, the surgeon general’s recent warning highlights the evolving expectations within the hospitality industry,” Pasea Regional General Manager Paul Maddison told Fox News Digital.
Maddison added, “We believe the industry as a whole will continue to innovate in ways that prioritize both health and high-quality experiences.”
Earlier this month, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a new advisory linking alcohol to seven different types of cancer.
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States,” said Murthy in the advisory.
More travelers are going on alcohol-free trips, leading to an increase in non-alcoholic beverage sales. Alessandro Biascioli – stock.adobe.com
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer,” U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in an advisory. vaalaa – stock.adobe.com
“The surgeon general’s recent warning highlights the evolving expectations within the hospitality industry,” Pasea Regional General Manager Paul Maddison said. OlegDoroshin – stock.adobe.com
He added that the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk.
Alain Negueloua, vice president and general manager at the Bardessono Hotel & Spa in Napa Valley, California, told Fox News Digital that there’s been a positive response to the hotel’s alcohol-free concierge service.
“This shift reflects a larger industry trend where hotels are leaning into inclusive experiences that cater to every guest’s individual needs. We believe this change will not only improve the guest experience but also encourage a more balanced, mindful approach to travel overall,” said Negueloua.
A hotel’s alcohol-free concierge service is receiving positive responses from its guests. luckybusiness – stock.adobe.com
More than 220 million Americans over the age of 12 have reported drinking alcohol at some point in their life, with 16.4% reporting they drank heavily, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
For adults ages 18 and older, 23%, or 60.4 million, reported that they were binge drinking, according to the NSDUH.
Sober travel, also known as “dry tripping,” was one of 2024’s hottest vacation trends, according to Hotels.com, with more than 40% of travelers saying they are likely to book a detox trip in the next year.
The 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reported that 60.4 million adults ages 18 and older reported binge drinking. dikushin – stock.adobe.com
A NSDUH spokesperson told Fox News Digital that reviews mentioning “mocktails” surged by 50% year over year, “with guests raving about the creative nonalcoholic offerings at top hotels worldwide.”
Bobbie Peppers, general manager of The Memphian in Memphis, Tennessee, told Fox News Digital that there has been a growing interest in more mindful drinking options.
“The surgeon general’s recent guidance highlights the value of offering creative non-alcoholic alternatives. To meet this interest, we’ve introduced a thoughtfully curated mocktail menu and events like a non-alcoholic, three-course meal experience to adapt to changing guest preferences while promoting balance and wellness,” said Peppers.
Travelers may spend their vacation as a time to rest and reset, while others may take the opportunity to indulge in fun.
And more people appear to be taking trips that are alcohol-free, transforming the way in which hotels cater to guests.
At the Pasea Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, California, the staff has seen a 25% year-over-year increase in non-alcoholic beverage sales.
“As we see a growing focus on healthier lifestyle choices from travelers, the surgeon general’s recent warning highlights the evolving expectations within the hospitality industry,” Pasea Regional General Manager Paul Maddison told Fox News Digital.
Maddison added, “We believe the industry as a whole will continue to innovate in ways that prioritize both health and high-quality experiences.”
Earlier this month, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a new advisory linking alcohol to seven different types of cancer.
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States,” said Murthy in the advisory.
More travelers are going on alcohol-free trips, leading to an increase in non-alcoholic beverage sales. Alessandro Biascioli – stock.adobe.com
“Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer,” U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in an advisory. vaalaa – stock.adobe.com
“The surgeon general’s recent warning highlights the evolving expectations within the hospitality industry,” Pasea Regional General Manager Paul Maddison said. OlegDoroshin – stock.adobe.com
He added that the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk.
Alain Negueloua, vice president and general manager at the Bardessono Hotel & Spa in Napa Valley, California, told Fox News Digital that there’s been a positive response to the hotel’s alcohol-free concierge service.
“This shift reflects a larger industry trend where hotels are leaning into inclusive experiences that cater to every guest’s individual needs. We believe this change will not only improve the guest experience but also encourage a more balanced, mindful approach to travel overall,” said Negueloua.
A hotel’s alcohol-free concierge service is receiving positive responses from its guests. luckybusiness – stock.adobe.com
More than 220 million Americans over the age of 12 have reported drinking alcohol at some point in their life, with 16.4% reporting they drank heavily, according to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
For adults ages 18 and older, 23%, or 60.4 million, reported that they were binge drinking, according to the NSDUH.
Sober travel, also known as “dry tripping,” was one of 2024’s hottest vacation trends, according to Hotels.com, with more than 40% of travelers saying they are likely to book a detox trip in the next year.
The 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reported that 60.4 million adults ages 18 and older reported binge drinking. dikushin – stock.adobe.com
A NSDUH spokesperson told Fox News Digital that reviews mentioning “mocktails” surged by 50% year over year, “with guests raving about the creative nonalcoholic offerings at top hotels worldwide.”
Bobbie Peppers, general manager of The Memphian in Memphis, Tennessee, told Fox News Digital that there has been a growing interest in more mindful drinking options.
“The surgeon general’s recent guidance highlights the value of offering creative non-alcoholic alternatives. To meet this interest, we’ve introduced a thoughtfully curated mocktail menu and events like a non-alcoholic, three-course meal experience to adapt to changing guest preferences while promoting balance and wellness,” said Peppers.