CRICKETING LEGEND HOSTS ANNUAL HYATT GOLD PASSPORT MEMBERS CELEBRATION

West Indies Cricketing Star Sir Viv Richards Hosts Prestigious VIP Evening at Grand Hyatt Dubai

Hyatt Gold Passport members enjoyed a spectacular VIP evening last night hosted by former West Indies cricketing legend Sir Viv Richards. Knighted for his contributions to the sport, Richards was chosen by Wisden in 2002 as the greatest One Day International (ODI) batsman of all time, as well as the third greatest Test batsman of all time.

The celebration was held at the iconic Grand Hyatt Dubai and commenced with a meet and greet and autograph signing opportunity with the sporting mogul and a look back at his greatest achievements followed by a question and answer session hosted by fellow retired cricketer Dean Mervyn Jones, alongside special guests from the Hyatt Gold Passport program and sponsors Qantas.

Mark McGoey, Director of Loyalty Marketing, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, EAME/Southwest Asia -  Sir Viv Richards - David Mansfield, General Manager at Grand Hyatt Dubai

Commenting on the event Mark McGoey, Director of Loyalty Marketing, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, EAME/Southwest Asia said “It is an honour to have Sir Richards host the event this evening; having been a close friend and supporter of Hyatt for some time, we welcome the opportunity for him to share his inspirations and history with our loyal Gold Passport Members and guests, many of whom are huge fans of the sport.  

Our Hyatt Gold Passport rewards program offers unparralled deals and benefits for frequent travellers who can amass points to use for complimentary night stays, room upgrades, airline miles, exclusive dining and spa services, as well as offering access to special private events such as tonight.” 

250 VIP guests were presented with a commemorative miniature cricket bat by Sir Richards who, commented; “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed hosting tonight and meeting the local cricket fan community. It is always a pleasure working with Hyatt; I’m a huge fan of everything they have to offer and would be lost without my Hyatt Gold Passport card; I’m continually taking advantage of my membership privileges here in Dubai and my international travels whenever I can.”  

Commenting on the event, Rohan Garnett, Regional General Manager Middle East, Africa, India & South Asia, Qantas Airways Ltd. said: “Hats off to the team at Grand Hyatt for organizing such a fantastic event this evening and of course to the legendary Sir Viv Richards for making it a truly memorable occasion for all guests in attendance.”

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome. Thousands of members of the Hyatt family strive to make a difference in the lives of the guests they encounter every day by providing authentic hospitality. The Company's subsidiaries develop, own, operate, manage, franchise, license or provide services to hotels, resorts, branded residences and vacation ownership properties, including under the Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Andaz®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Centric™, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Zilara™, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Residences® and Hyatt Residence Club® brand names and have locations on six continents. As of June 30, 2015, the Company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 618 properties in 51 countries. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

About Qantas

Qantas flies twice daily to London and Australia from Dubai with the award-winning Qantas A380.  Founded in the Queensland outback in 1920, making it the world’s second-oldest airline, Qantas is Australia’s largest domestic and international airline and is recognised as one of the world’s leading long-distance carriers, having pioneered services from Australia to North America and Europe. The Qantas Group today employs more than 30,000 people and offers services across a network spanning 220 destinations in 53 countries, including Australia and those served by codeshare partner airlines.

Renowned for its excellence in safety, customer service, operational efficiency and technical innovation, the flying kangaroo is a symbol of contemporary Australia. Customer benefits include a global network, up to four travel classes, a leading loyalty program in Qantas Frequent Flyer, award winning inflight meals and entertainment, airport lounges and strong relationships with partner airlines.

Qantas was awarded Best Airline Australia-Pacific in the 2013 Skytrax World Airline Awards and was also ranked in the top ten best airlines globally. They also recently won the award for Best Premium Economy at 2015 Business Traveller Middle East Awards.