Travel firms boycott Dorchester over links to Brunei
Virgin boss Richard Branson has joined celebrities including Stephen Fry and US chat show host Ellen DeGeneres in boycotting the luxury Dorchester Hotel chain.
Online travel agents cruise.co.uk also announced today that it is joining the boycott over the owner’s ties to Brunei, which has adopted a strict from of Sharia law that calls for stoning to death for adultery or homosexual acts.
It said it would refuse to book clients into any of hotels in the Dorchester Collection. "Any guests asking to book one of these hotels will be politely told why we are unable to fulfil their request and offered a suitable alternative," said managing director Seamus Conlon.
Branson tweeted "No @Virgin employee, nor our family, will stay at Dorchester Hotels until the Sultan abides by basic human rights".
The Dorchester Collection, which includes the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Bel Air Hotel, The Dorchester and several other luxury-level properties around the word, is owned by the Brunei Investment Agency, a branch of the Ministry of Finance of Brunei.
The oil rich state last week adopted a form of Sharia law that calls for the severing of limbs for theft, as well as stoning to death for adultery and homosexuality. Enforcement would be limited to within the borders of Brunei.
Actor, author and TV presenter Stephen Fry tweeted that he had cancelled his reservation at Coworth Park Hotel after finding out "in the nick of time" that it was part of the Dorchester collection.
However, the Dorchester Collection’s chief executive Christopher Cowdray rejected the boycotts and dismissed the protests against the company as misguided.
"American companies across the board are funded by foreign investment, including sovereign wealth funds," he said in a statement.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports