Travel and Leisure Tips

Mortage Calculator

2012-01-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

The monthly payment mortgage calculator with taxes and insurance estimates the monthly house payment based on the value of the home. The calculator sets default values for property taxes, mortgage insurance (PMI), and homeowners insurance. These estimates may be high or low depending on your location, but can be adjusted in the Advanced section. They are provided to help give you a better sense of your total monthly payments (instead of just the principal and interest payments). The mortgage calculator provides a mortgage amortization schedule that breaks down payments into interest and principal.

Things To Look for in Travel Insurance

2011-12-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that no matter where your destination, travel insurance should be the first thing you pack when heading on holiday. However, with all the policies out there, it can sometimes be confusing to know exactly what you need when buying insurance.

Emergency medical and repatriation costs are a must with any policy. While the majority of holidaymakers enjoy their long-awaited trip abroad without incident, if something does go wrong travel insurance medical policies can provide invaluable help in a time of need. In an emergency money should be the last thing on your mind; not only do travel insurance policies cover medical costs in an emergency, they also pay for you to fly back to the UK if necessary.

Furthermore, those travellers that are worried about going abroad with a pre-existing medical condition can get cover for this. It is important to seek out a policy that will cover any treatment that could become necessary when on holiday due to a pre-existing illness to ensure you're not caught short.
Cancellation cover is another great feature of many policies, which is particularly important for travellers who have shelled out a lot of money for a top-notch holiday.

One aspect that all Brits should look for from their travel insurance is access to English speaking medical experts. Trying to access medical help in a foreign country can be difficult and daunting, but with 24-hour English speaking experts to hand, travellers can get all the help and support they need.

When picking a travel insurance policy, it is important to take into consideration what type of trip you are embarking upon. Different policies are available for different types of trip such as wedding or golfing, while a range of diverse activities also have various types of cover, that can often be added on top of a standard policy.

Airline News » British Airways Christmas Getaway Begins

2011-12-20T06:04:00.000-08:00

Tens of thousands of people are taking advantage of British Airways’ network to more than 150 destinations to get away over the holiday period.

The great escape will begin in earnest on Thursday, December 22, 2011 as a peak 95,000 customers jet off around the globe with the airline.

Even Christmas Day will see nearly 30,000 people travelling, thanks to British Airways’ 365 day-a-year operation.

Thousands of British Airways staff including cabin crew, pilots and customer service staff will be looking after customers all over the world.

Homebound customers peak on January 2, 2012 with 94,000 people flying on the airline’s network.

The top ten destinations for Christmas and New Year are:
1. New York
2. Geneva
3. Edinburgh
4. Barcelona
5. Manchester
6. Glasgow
7. Miami
8. Dubai
9. Cape Town
10. Amsterdam

Richard Tams, head of UK&I sales, said: “Christmas is an exceptionally busy time of year for us and we’ve already welcomed tens of thousands of customers on board. December 22 is our next peak with people maximising their time off and we’re looking forward to carrying half a million people home in the first week of the new year.”

source: British Airways

Technology News » eRevMax International appoints Ms. Anupama Dasgupta as Vice President-HR

2011-12-20T06:02:00.000-08:00

eRevMax Internationa, has appointed Ms. Anupama Dasgupta as Vice President-HR, to spearhead its Indian and international expansion plan.

As the Head of Human Resources in India, Anupama will be responsible to further develop the recruitment, HR and training strategy to continue eRevMax’s strong commitment towards nurturing future leaders within the industry sector.

Announcing the appointment, Mr. Udai Solanki, Managing Director - India, eRevMax International said, "With increasing demand for our products, services and expertise, it is essential we continue to further invest in our internal processes to help execute our growth plans over the next few years. As we proceed to scale up our Indian and global operations, we are pleased to have Anupama in our leadership to oversee this endeavor. Her vast people management experience will contribute to our overall recruitment strategy and develop the training tools, initiatives and internal employee support networks to grow our people in-line with the growth of the business."

Celebrating a decade in business, eRevMax recently announced its ambitious plans to aggressively increase employee headcount across several key functions including technology, sales and marketing as it prepares to deliver new services and support while entering new territories.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms. Anupama Dasgupta, VP-HR, eRevMax India said, "As a global company, eRevMax International has an excellent existing HR-function and proves to invest in the best minds across the world. It is an exciting opportunity for me to leverage eRevMax’s intrinsic strengths to further build upon its reputation as a preferred employer and replicate this in new regions worldwide."

Source – RateTiger

Tourism News » Giant Olympic Rings unveiled to mark 20/12 Day

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

A giant set of Olympic Rings has been unveiled on the entrance to Channel Tunnel in France to celebrate 20/12 Day.

The Rings have been placed at the entrance of the Tunnel in Coquelles near Calais in northern France, which will be one of the main gateways from Europe to the London 2012 Games.

The Rings will be seen by hundreds of thousands of fans who are travelling from Europe on Eurostar trains to St Pancras International and who will be able to take the Javelin® train to the Olympic Park during the Games.

The manufacturing and placement of the Rings has been privately financed by Eurotunnel, who have worked closely with the Comité National Olympique et Sportif Français (the French National Olympic Comittee).

The Rings, which measure 9.4m wide and 4.6m high, were built in Lille and transported in segments to the Channel Tunnel entrance near Calais. They were assembled and installed in situ over two nights by a team of five rock climbers. Each ring is fixed to the wall with ten anchor points to hold it in place against the aerodynamic effect generated by trains entering the tunnels at up to 160kmh.

The Rings will be revealed on December 20, 2011 at a special event to mark 20/12 Day where Jonathan Edwards will be joined by athletes Kelly Sotherton and Lawrence Okoye to introduce a film of the making of the Rings to athletes and children from the London 2012 Children’s Promise Scheme in the Stadium Suite at John Lewis Stratford City.

The Olympic Rings are one of the world's most recognisable symbols. The five Rings – coloured blue, yellow, black, green and red – express the activity of the Olympic Movement and represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games.

Seb Coe, LOCOG Chair, said: 'The Olympic Rings are an iconic symbol, inspiring athletes and uniting people around the world. To athletes they represent the culmination of thousands of hours of training and reaching the highest level in sport. To visitors travelling from Europe they will excite and inspire them about the Olympic Games taking place in London, and demonstrate that we are ready to welcome the world in 2012.'

Source - London 2012

Tourism News » Cancun search more tourists from Russia in 2012

2011-12-20T05:59:00.000-08:00

Tourism officials in Quintana Roo in 2012 made a strong campaign to attract more tourists to Cancun from emerging markets like Brazil, China, Russia and India, based on the international consolidation of destination thanks to its extensive air connectivity.

Undersecretary of State Development in the Ministry of Tourism (SEDETUR), Raul Marrufo Gonzalez, said the project involved the consolidation of Quintana Roo destinations worldwide and opening new flights to Cancun, as is the case of Aeroflot and Aerolineas Argentinas companies from Moscow and Buenos Aires.

Russia, China, Brazil and India represent a market with high purchasing power for destinations in Quintana Roo, generate an economic impact as high above the averages provided by other markets, he said. "The Brazilian and Russian tourists are very similar, they perform an average of five trips during your stay and stay an average of 7 nights."

These markets have registered a notable increase in 2011, so that the state government in
2012 made a strong campaign toattract more walkers in these countries, he said.

Source: MITT

Hotel News » IHG returns to Russia with the opening of Intercontinental Moscow Tverskaya

2011-12-20T05:58:00.000-08:00

InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) luxury brand returns to Russia after a decade away with the opening of InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya at the end of 2011.

Owned by Business Centre on Tverskaya LLC and managed by IHG, InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya is part of a new business complex. The 203 room hotel has 16 junior and executive suites, along with three penthouse suites named after famous Russian ballet dancers Galina Ulanova, Isadora Duncanand Vaslav Nijinsky. The hotel has 10 meeting rooms spanning over 600 square metres and a ballroom for private dining and events. The spa is scheduled to open early next year and will house a gym.

The 126 seat Chekhonte restaurant serves traditional Russian cuisine with a European twist. The P-Square lounge bar is situated in the lobby, serving cakes and pastries during the day and cocktails at night.

Oliver Horn, General Manager, InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya, comments: “We’re in the heart of Moscow which is the perfect location for our guests because they can take in the local sights and sounds. Our guests can discover this fascinating city through our concierge who has the local expertise to help them experience Moscow as the locals do."

Source - IHG

Hotel News » Dusit International Names New Corporate Director of Rooms

2011-12-20T05:54:00.000-08:00

Dusit International announced the appointment of Aloysius Michael to the newly created position of Dusit International’s Corporate Director of Rooms. Michael will be responsible for all Dusit properties' room operations and standards as well as security matters. Michael was previously the Resident Manager of Dusit Thani Pattaya.

Michael, a Singaporean national, has an extensive background in the hotel industry, having held both operational and management roles at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore where he began his career in hospitality more than eight years ago. Prior to joining Dusit International, he had expanded his wealth of experience in Rooms, Sales and Marketing as well as Human Resources. This earned him the position of Human Resource Manager for the 2008 pre-opening of the Dusit Residence Dubai Marina, the company's first branded residence outside of Thailand.

Source - PATA

Airline News » Air France to offer three weekly flights between Marseille and Marrakech

2011-12-20T05:52:00.000-08:00

Air France will offer three weekly flights between Marseille and Marrakech. The new route, which will operate Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, is part of Air France’s regional commercial offensive.

Flight times (all times local):

    * AF4338: Marseille 7:35 a.m. - Marrakech 8:20 a.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays
    * AF4339: Marrakech 9:15 a.m. - Marseille 1:50 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays

The new route is the fourth destination served from Marseille being opened for the summer season (March-October 2012):

    * Barcelona, two weekly flights,
    * Hamburg, four weekly flights,
    * Marrakech, three weekly flights,
    * Venice, five weekly flights.

Currently, Air France serves 30 destinations directly from Marseille:

    * France: Ajaccio, Bastia, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Brest, Calvi, Figari, Lille, Lyon, Mulhouse, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Paris-Orly, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg, Toulouse;
    * Europe: Amsterdam, Athens, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Eindhoven, Milan-Malpensa, Moscow, Prague, Rome;
    * Mediterranean: Algiers, Beirut, Casablanca, Istanbul and Tunis.

Successfully launched in Marseille in October 2011, Air France’s commercial offensive in the regions is directed at regaining market share in the short and medium haul market. In a highly competitive environment, the company has reorganized its network, optimizing aircraft use and improving productivity. The strategy will be deployed in Toulouse beginning April 1, 2012 and in Nice beginning April 3, 2012.

source: Air France

Tourism News » Tourism Australia to lead marketing push on quality

2011-12-20T05:51:00.000-08:00

Travel-Ticker announced the results of its 2012 Travel-Ticker Traveler Intentions Survey, which revealed the opinions of over 2,300 U.S. consumers on their travel intentions for the upcoming year. The results indicated that travel is on the rise: 44 percent of respondents plan on taking more leisure trips in 2012 than they did in 2011, a five percent increase from last year. And that number may even go up because a whopping 96 percent of respondents are looking to fit more travel into 2012 if they are able to find good deals in the New Year.

"We are thrilled to see that folks are willing to fit more travel into 2012 and are looking for good deals to help them do so," said L. Jasmine Kim, General Manager of Travel-Ticker. "Here at Travel-Ticker, we are committed to inspiring travelers to make their vacation dreams come true. To do that, we continually handpick the best, most affordable deals to destinations across the globe."

The Travel-Ticker Traveler Intentions Survey was conducted from November 14 until November 22, 2011, online among Travel-Ticker users, with 2,301 completed responses. More information on the survey is available upon request.

According to the 2012 Traveler Intentions Survey:

Wanderlust Is Rising, Especially for Sunny Skies
•   Of the 86 percent of respondents that intend to take the same or more leisure vacations in 2012, 33 percent gave credit for their travel situation to the fact that they'll have more free time to travel, 24 percent touted a better economic situation and 22 percent felt confident that better deals will be available.
•   The majority of respondents (61 percent) listed a beach getaway as their most desired vacation in 2012, followed by a big city getaway (34 percent) and an outdoor adventure (28 percent).

Value Is Always Top of Mind
•   When booking a vacation, 43 percent of respondents stated that they look for deals and discounts to help drive their decision.
•   71 percent agreed that "extras" such as dining credits, complimentary upgrades, excursions and activities are important when making a hotel decision for a vacation.

Travelers Plan to be More Flexible – Letting the Deal Inspire
•   Only 30 percent of respondents this year stated they have a specific destination in mind when planning a vacation, down significantly from last year's 53 percent. The majority of folks appear to be looking for deals and discounts to guide them on where and when to travel. 57 percent of travelers said they would fit more leisure travel into 2012 if they found a great deal, up nearly 10 percent from last year.
•   67 percent identify themselves as "Flexible Travelers" when it comes to vacation planning.

In this survey, Flexible Travelers are defined as being fairly organized and usually set out with a good idea of what kind of vacation they want to take, and while they keep a loose list of things to do and places to see, not every hour of the vacation is planned. Flexible Travelers like to allow time to explore their destination and not stress over a strenuous itinerary.

Source - Hotwire

Travel Events News » Second annual Young Leaders Conference delivers collaborative educational program

2011-12-20T05:49:00.000-08:00

The 2nd annual Young Leaders Conference, held in conjunction with Luxury Travel Expo, brought together over 80 young travel professionals for dynamic networking and education. The event took place on December 5 & 6, 2011 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The programming featured additional networking opportunities including interactive roundtables, breakout group projects and a welcome reception.

“Agents shared that networking was their number one reason for attending, so we added activities that encouraged collaboration amongst attendees, namely our Roundtable Series and the Interactive Group Projects,” stated Bernadette Mari, conference chair, Young Leaders Conference and senior marketing manager, Questex Travel Group. “We are receiving phenomenal feedback regarding the 2011 event and are confident it will continue to be the preeminent conference for the 'under 40' travel professional.”

"I don't think there was one person who I didn't get to meet and who didn't show the enthusiasm that we would hope to see from young professionals in the industry," says Joe Pike, senior editor, Questex Travel Group. "If these are the type of leaders the travel industry is producing, agents have no fear about ever becoming extinct."

Guided by the 2011 Steering Committee, the program addressed relevant topics affecting today's young travel leaders including best practices, success stories, social media and revenue generation.

Source: Luxury Travel Expo

Airline News » Travelport boosts Austrian Airline connections

2011-12-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

JetBlue Airways and Singapore Airlines, one of the world's most respected carriers, announced the launch of a new interline agreement that will offer customers new travel options from JetBlue destinations in the United States to Europe, Singapore and beyond.

Singapore Airlines offers the convenience of all-business class service each day from Newark to its hub at Changi International Airport in Singapore - the world's longest nonstop commercial flight - with connections throughout Southeast Asia. In addition, the airline also flies daily from New York/JFK to Singapore via Frankfurt. Beginning January 16, 2012, Singapore Airlines will deploy the A380 superjumbo on its daily service to JetBlue's home at New York/JFK.

Through this partnership, customers will now be able to book a single combined ticket for JetBlue and Singapore Airlines-operated flights with one stop check-in and baggage transfer between the two airlines. Customers may purchase JetBlue-Singapore Airlines travel via travel agents, online, or through Singapore Airlines' reservations call center.

source: JetBlue airways

Airline News » airberlin Christmas Special on long-haul flights

2011-12-20T05:46:00.000-08:00

On 20th and 21st December, with its Christmas Special, airberlin is offering its passengers additional tickets on long-haul flights at prices to celebrate the festive season. These bargain flights can be booked for departures to long-haul destinations between 1st January and 30th June 2012.

You can book long-haul flights to destinations such as Miami departing from Berlin or Düsseldorf from 269 euros one way or from Düsseldorf to San Francisco from 349 euros per trip. The Christmas Special also includes flights to Caribbean beach holiday destinations. airberlin flies passengers to Punta Cana from Düsseldorf; Germany’s second largest airline offers additional tickets to Varadero in Cuba from Berlin and Düsseldorf; feeder flights are also available from other airports including Dresden, Hamburg and Stuttgart.

The Christmas Special covers flights departing between 1st January and 30th June 2012 to a large number of destinations on airberlin’s flight network in Germany and Europe. Tickets can be booked on the Internet at airberlin.com, through the Service Centre (Tel. 01805 - 737 800; €0.14/min. from a landline, call charges from mobile phones max. €0.42/min.) or at a travel agents. Prices are inclusive of all taxes and charges and include topbonus miles.

source: airberlin

Travel Events News » World Tourism Organization to hold a string of activities at FITUR 2012

2011-12-20T05:44:00.000-08:00

Signalling the beginning of the international tourism calendar for 2012, UNWTO will hold a number of activities at the International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR, addressing key issues facing the sector in times of uncertainty (Madrid, Spain, 18-22 January, 2012).

UNWTO Press Conference – Latest International Tourism Figures and Outlook for 2012 (16 January, 12.30 – 13.30, UNWTO Headquarters)

FITUR 2012 will be preceded by UNWTO’s annual press conference at the Organization’s headquarters in Madrid, at which UNWTO will present the latest edition of its World Tourism Barometer, providing an overview of international tourism results for 2011 and forecasts for 2012.

Exceltur’s 6th Tourism Leadership Forum – Tourism Driving Growth and Employment: Policies to Stimulate Competitiveness (17 January, 09.15 – 18.30, Rooms N104-N105)

Organized by Exceltur and UNWTO on the eve of FITUR, the Forum will bring together leading tourism experts to debate policies adopted by countries in which tourism has been identified as a priority to drive growth and create employment; consider new public/private partnership models in tourism; as well as outline the tourism trends expected for 2012 and the impact of the current economic situation on tourism demand.

Tourism Investment Forum for the Americas (18 January) and Africa (19 January) – INVESTOUR

The Americas will hold their first Tourism Investment Forum (INVESTOUR) event at FITUR 2012, with business-to-business meetings taking place on 18 January in the Hall of the Americas (time to be confirmed).

INVESTOUR for Africa, organized by UNWTO together with FITUR and Casa Africa, will hold its third edition at FITUR 2012, promoting sustainable tourism development in Africa (19 January, 09.30 – 19.30, Rooms N115-N116).

The event, consisting of a seminar and business-to-business meetings, positions the African continent to attract tourism investment, allowing destinations to present their offer to potential investors. At the same time, the event highlights the importance of investment for economic growth, sustainable development and job creation across the region.

Women’s Empowerment in the Tourism Sector – An Engine for Development, Panel Discussion (19 January, 11.00 – 12-30, Room N101)

In early 2011, UNWTO and UN Women released the Global Report on Women and Tourism, the first study to map women’s participation in the tourism sector worldwide. At FITUR 2012, experts will debate tourism’s capacity to foster gender equality and women’s independence, while examining current challenges and opportunities in the sector in light of the five main themes of the report – Employment, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Education and Community.

FITUR Green 2012 – Hotel Energy Solutions (HES) (19 January, 11.30 – 12-00, Hall 10)

Following the success of previous editions, FITUR Green, organized in collaboration with UNWTO, the Hotel Technological Institute (ITH) and the Madrid Tourist Board, will once again be showing the tourism sector how it can cut costs by becoming more sustainable.

The UNWTO-initiated Hotel Energy Solutions (HES), which provides hoteliers with tools to measure their energy consumption and provides solutions to reduce their carbon footprint while boosting business profits, will be presented during FITUR Green.

Joint UNWTO/FITUR Silk Road Gymkhana (21 January, Silk Road Stands)

Visitors at FITUR 2012 will have the opportunity to participate in a treasure hunt, moving from stand to stand and taking part in a number of tests in order to win prizes. Silk Road destinations will be among those stands participating and using this opportunity to showcase their tourism attractions.

Source: UNWTO

Airline News » Ryanair launches Travel Insurance Plus

2011-12-20T05:42:00.000-08:00

Ryanair advised passengers to protect their gadgets when travelling abroad as it launched Travel Insurance Plus which delivers cover of up to €500 against theft and accidental damage on ‘gadgets’ such as laptops, smartphones, tablets/ipads, games consoles and much more, for the duration of the passenger’s trip.

Travel Insurance Plus is now available, on www.ryanair.com during the booking process to all Irish residents, and will be available throughout Europe in the coming months.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said, “Ryanair passengers know that the lowest fares are only available on www.ryanair.com which is why our tech savvy passengers are increasingly the proud owners of ipads, smartphones and laptops, which many bring on holiday with them. These gadgets are a target for opportunistic thieves so we have developed Travel Insurance Plus to allow customers insure their valuable gadgets against theft or accidental damage while they are abroad, from just €5.”

source: Ryanair

Association News » U.S. Travel Association Applauds Congress for U.S. Visa System and Traveler Facilitation Reforms

2011-12-20T05:39:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Travel industry worked with Congressional appropriators to secure significant victories related to U.S. visa system and traveler facilitation reforms in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012. The legislation reflects 2011 advocacy efforts by the U.S. Travel Association to improve the U.S. economy, remove barriers to travel and improve the travel process.

“This legislation is an acknowledgment by Congress that reforms to the U.S. visa and entry systems and passenger screening process are key to improving our nation’s economy,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Clearly, the travel community is being heard, and we applaud Congress for addressing these issues.”

The Act mirrors a number of recommendations put forth by the U.S. Travel Association in a May 2011 report on the U.S. visa system. That report identified visa wait times, visa validity periods and videoconferencing technology as keys to improving a system that cannot meet demand in emerging economies with growing markets of international travelers.

source: US Travel Association

Airline News » Etihad Airways increases network size to 269 destinations

2011-12-20T05:36:00.000-08:00

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates announced its purchase of a stake in airberlin, a deal which brings to 269 the total number of destinations it serves, either directly or with partner airlines.

The announcement means Etihad Airways now offers guests a route network more than 80 destinations larger than that offered by any other Gulf carrier.

As part of its deal with airberlin, Etihad Airways will sign codeshare agreements with the airberlin group for all European activities including NIKI, the Austrian airline and Belair, the Swiss airline.

source: Etihad

Association News » UNWTO organizes crisis communications training programme for the Middle East and North Africa

2011-12-20T05:35:00.000-08:00

The UNWTO Themis Foundation, jointly with the Euro-Arab Institute Foundation for Education and Training (INSTEA), launched the autumn session of the 2011 UNWTO Practicum, a specialized training course for tourism officials of UNWTO Member States, focusing on crisis communications (Madrid/Granada, 20- 26 November 2011).

This session of the UNWTO Practicum was specifically designed to assist UNWTO Member States from the Middle East and North Africa region in building their knowledge and practical experiences in communication in times of crises. Under the coordination of the UNWTO Risk and Crisis Management Programme, this was the first ever Practicum to address the issue of crisis communications, recognizing this area as a crucial element of any effective crisis management system.

The Practicum put to test the new UNWTO Crisis Communications Toolbox. This recently released handbook serves as a practical guide for travel and tourism stakeholders, to effectively address the communications challenges posed by crises. The Toolbox, which includes templates for press releases and other crisis communications formats, covers issues stretching from interviews and press conference to the use of social media.

Overall, the programme provided a forum to strengthen knowledge in crisis communications and examine its implications in overall tourism policy. During a day-long training session, participants from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan, also had the opportunity to put their acquired knowledge into practice. High-pressure interviews and press conferences under real-life conditions completed the pragmatic approach of this newly initiated Practicum format.

source: UNWTO

Travel News » Celebrity Cruises’ kicks off ‘Excite the Senses’ Food And Wine Extravaganza

2011-12-20T05:08:00.000-08:00

The visual feast that comes to life in the pages of Celebrity Cruises’ new lifestyle book, Excite the Senses, has inspired a new series of food-and-wine-themed cruises that will offer guests a unique, behind-the-scenes experience and a rare opportunity to get to know the Celebrity culinary team through intimate demonstrations, tastings and dinners. Developed and hosted by the talent behind the cruise line’s award-winning culinary program, Celebrity’s “Excite the Senses Culinary Theme Cruises” will kick off on March 24, 2012, on a seven-night sailing headlined by Celebrity’s Master Chef and Vice President of Culinary Operations, the James Beard Foundation Award-nominated Jacques Van Staden.

“Every Celebrity cruise is a modern luxury vacation, and a large part of that is the culinary experience,” said Van Staden. “The culinary-themed activities at the heart of Celebrity’s Excite the Senses cruises are designed to appeal to everyone from the novice to the sophisticated oenophile – just like the book itself – and shine a spotlight on all the elements of Celebrity’s culinary experience, from outstanding service to innovative menus to cutting-edge trends and more.”

Each of the eight cruises scheduled for 2012 will showcase the various culinary disciplines featured in Excite the Senses – “Captivate” (dining), “Accentuate” (wine, spirits, coffee and tea), and “Illuminate” (entertaining). Each voyage will be led by a member of Celebrity’s culinary team, along with partners from Celebrity’s award-winning wine and spirits program.

The March 24 cruise, which will take place on the stylish, luxurious Celebrity Eclipse, will feature not only Van Staden, but also the other members of Celebrity’s culinary team who will later host their own cruises. Special guest “The Liquid Chef” and Master Mixologist Junior Merino also will share his expertise, along with various partners from a variety of wineries. The kickoff cruise will offer guests an extravaganza of special culinary-themed activities including an exclusive cocktail and Qsine pairing dinner hosted by Van Staden and Merino, a “Corporate Star Chefs” cooking demonstration and question-and-answer session with Celebrity’s food and beverage team, mixology demonstrations, hands-on cooking classes with chefs in the galley and an Excite the Senses book signing event, and more.

“The Excite the Senses cruises offer even more insight into the amazing operation here at Celebrity Cruises, where the food and beverage experience is an essential part of every guest’s vacation, and will help them discover ways to enhance not only their palates but also their home entertaining,” said Scott Steenrod, Associate Vice President, Food and Beverage Operations.

Activities during Excite the Senses Culinary Theme Cruises will range from exclusive dinners in Celebrity’s chic specialty restaurants, cooking demonstrations focused on the importance of using locally sourced ingredients, wine tastings, sessions on how to host elegant afternoon teas and unique cocktail parties, ways to enliven holiday traditions with modern twists, tips for creative table settings, and more.

Celebrity’s 2012 Excite the Senses Culinary Theme Cruises’ dates and hosts are:

•March 24 – 7-night Caribbean cruise on Celebrity Eclipse, roundtrip from Miami, Florida, hosted by Van Staden and team; activities will focus on food, wine, mixology, and entertaining at home.
•April 10 – 12-night Caribbean cruise on the brand-new Celebrity Silhouette, roundtrip from Cape Liberty (Bayonne), New Jersey, hosted by Celebrity Cruises Traveling Pastry Chef Thierry Houlbert; activities will focus on baking, pastries and sweets.
•May 5 – 8-night wine cruise on Celebrity Century from San Diego, California, to Vancouver, British Columbia, hosted by Celebrity Cruises Senior Traveling Executive Chef W. Thomas Szymanski; activities will build on the popular cruises with an even greater focus on food.
•May 27 – 7-night Bermuda cruise on Celebrity Summit – which will have emerged from an extensive drydock revitalization known as ‘Solsticizing’ several months prior – sailing roundtrip from Cape Liberty and hosted by Celebrity Cruises Traveling Executive Chef Steve van der Merwe; activities will be themed around culinary exploration and Bermuda culinary traditions.
•June 29 – 7-night Alaska cruise on Celebrity Infinity, which has just been “Solsticized,” roundtrip from Seattle and hosted by Celebrity Cruises Director of Culinary Operations John Suley and his wife and Celebrity’s wine expert Chanelle Duarte, who serves as Celebrity’s Beverage Development Consultant. Activities will focus on local ingredients, food and wine pairing and more.
•July 10 – 12-night Mediterranean cruise on Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity’s flagship vessel, sailing roundtrip from Barcelona and hosted by Corporate Executive Chef Rufino Rengifo. Activities will celebrate Mediterranean cooking.
•August 12 – 12-night Baltic cruise on Celebrity Constellation, the first of Celebrity’s Millennium Class ships to be Solsticized, sailing roundtrip from Amsterdam and hosted by Lorenzo Davidoiu, Celebrity’s Restaurant Operations Manager, who will focus on easy, modern entertaining tips.
•September 14 – 8-night wine cruise on Celebrity Millennium, which will be Solsticized in May 2012, sailing from Vancouver to San Diego and hosted by Celebrity’s Traveling Restaurant Manager and former star maitre d’ Dominique Gamba, who will focus on specialty cheeses from around the world, the art of tea service, table settings and entertaining tips.

Each cruise will feature an expert from the wine or spirits industry, in addition to Celebrity’s culinary team members. Participating beverage partners, who will offer talks on their products, include representatives from Jack Daniel’s, Jackson Family Wines, St. Francis Vineyards and Marchesi Antinori.

About the hosts

Jacques Van Staden is a native of South Africa who began his culinary career at the age of 14. He held positions at several Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas restaurants before joining Celebrity Cruises, where he has evolved the guest experience to a series of world class restaurant, bar and lounge experiences blending global influences, classic culinary fundamentals and contemporary trends with a keen eye for detail and artistic flair.

Top up-and-coming chef John Suley joined Celebrity in 2011 as Director of Culinary Operations. Previously, Suley worked at several highly regarded restaurants in New York, Miami and Las Vegas, alongside some of the world’s most well-known chefs. Among Suley’s accolades are being named 2010 James Beard Foundation “Rising Star Chef” nominee and 2007 “Rising Star Chef of American Cuisine.”

Renowned mixologist Junior Merino, who encourages people to “drink with all the senses,” began his career as a busboy at age 16. The potential to combine food and drink inspired him to pursue a career in the field. He formed “The Liquid Chef Inc.” with the mission of showcasing the artistry and mixability of ingredients and liquors. His “Molecular Bar” concept on Celebrity’s Solstice Class ships is one of the most unique beverage experiences at sea.

Rufino Rengifo received his American Culinary Federation Executive Chef Certification in 2002, and has since worked in restaurants in New York, Miami, Boca Raton, Caracas and Milan. Rengifo also represented Latin Fusion Gastronomy at The World Food Festival in Europe and opened several restaurants before becoming the Executive Chef for Celebrity Cruises.

Steve Van der Merwe learned what his true passion would be in a small pizzeria in South Africa, which eventually led to him working in all levels of culinary positions, to where he reached Master Chef as recognized by Chaine des Rotisseurs. Steve joined Celebrity in 2008.

W. Thomas Szymanski fell in love with the culinary arts while helping his grandparents in the butchery. Poland-born Szymanski grew up in Germany, joined Celebrity Cruises in 1997, and eventually became the chef responsible for traveling to ships around the world to train kitchen staff on the creation of Celebrity’s award-winning cuisine.

Thierry Houlbert discovered a passion for baking on his grandmother’s farm. After a dozen years spent baking in Paris, St. Tropez and Monaco, Houlbert joined Celebrity Cruises in 1994, and today is responsible for the fleet’s pastry and bakery departments.

Having previously worked with several luxury dining venues, certified sommelier Chanelle Duarte has successfully assisted in developing and implementing unique onboard beverage concepts, including the environmentally conscious Blu wine menu and the Michael’s Club craft beer experience that debuted on Celebrity Silhouette earlier this year.

A native of Romania, Lorenzo Davidoiu began his career with Celebrity Cruises as an assistant waiter. Fifteen 15 years at sea led him to his current role as Manager of Restaurant Operations. He supervises the execution of Celebrity’s impeccable dining experience, including crew training efforts as well as the design and development of Celebrity’s unique restaurant concepts.

Dominique Gamba attended culinary school in Provence, France, before working on a Seine river boat which offered gourmet dining. He took his career to land for an experience in a Michelin-star restaurant in Paris before joining Celebrity Cruises, where he has dazzled countless guests with his highly attentive focus on details and service delivery.

Airline News » Gulfstream International Airlines rebrands as Silver Airways

2011-12-20T04:15:00.000-08:00

Gulfstream International Airlines has announced its adoption of a new name and brand: Silver Airways.

The name, along with its crisp and distinctive logotype, exemplify the airline’s dynamic growth potential, as well as its unwavering commitment to providing highly professional, safe and efficient operations.

Gulfstream International Airlines was founded in May 2011 when Victory Park Capital, a Chicago-based investment firm, acquired select assets from the former Gulfstream International Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in November 2010.

Silver Airways continues the evolution of the carrier under Victory Park.

“Starting in May, we hit the ground running with a mandate to transform this airline from top to bottom,” said Darrell Richardson, chief executive of Silver Airways.

“Our goal: to create the dream airline – one that’s financially sound, safe and professional, but also fun to fly and a great place to work. Adopting the Silver Airways brand is the latest step.”

The new Silver Airways logotype is derived from the spinning propeller blades of a turboprop engine like those found on the Saab 340Bplus and Beechcraft 1900D aircraft that comprise the Silver Airways fleet.

The use of metallic silver and dark grey evokes grace and professionalism, while the deep fuchsia speaks to the brand’s vibrancy and dynamic growth potential.

The new name and brand officially became effective on December 15th, 2011 when Silver Airways welcomed the first of six recently purchased Saab 340Bplus’ to its fleet.

The aircraft, which will be deployed along the carrier’s Florida-Bahamas routes, will feature the new Silver Airways logo and a completely re-designed livery.

Tourism News » Hussein Massoud takes over as Egyptian minister of civil aviation

2011-12-20T04:12:00.000-08:00

Hussein Massoud has been sworn in as the Egyptian minister of civil aviation, after being commissioned by the Egyptian prime minister Kamal El Ganzoury.

After accepting the responsibilities of the new position, Massoud said: “The priorities in the next period will be directed towards organising the internal structure of the ministry and creating a homogeneous teamwork system.

“All the Ministry of Civil Aviation employees have full awareness, high knowledge and optimum loyalty to the aviation sector, the matter which certainly shall take part in overcoming this critical period.”

Massoud has held many leadership positions internationally and locally; he has been the chairman and chief executive of EgyptAir Holding since September 1st 2009, is a member in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Strategy and Policy Committee, a member in the Nomination Council and a member in the board of governors in the same association.

In addition to this, Massoud is the African Airlines Association “AFRAA” chairman in its current session and for the second consecutive period, and he was the chairman of the Arab Air Carriers Organization “AACO” in the previous session.

Airline News » Airbus delivers 7,000th aircraft to industry

2011-12-20T04:10:00.000-08:00

Airbus’ delivery of its 7,000th aircraft marked a new achievement as the company continues to accelerate the production output of its single-aisle and widebody jetliners in meeting demand from a widening global customer base.

The delivery was very appropriately a member of the A320 Family, which is one of the world’s best-selling commercial aircraft product lines – with over 4,900 provided from the more than 8,250 ordered by 340-plus customers around the globe.

The other Airbus aircraft contributing to this delivery milestone were its cornerstone medium-haul A300 and A310, of which 816 were supplied
during their successful production run; the long-range A330 and A340, with 1,200-plus provided through the end of November 2011; along with the more than 60 very large A380 jetliners received by airlines through early December 2011.

Overall, Airbus’ production output has been increasing since the company handed over its very first aircraft in May 1974: an A300B2.

In March 1993, the 1,000th delivery landmark occurred with an A340-300, followed by the 2,000th handover in May 1999 – which also was an A340-300.

Underscoring its rapid growth with an expanded aircraft family, the 3,000th Airbus aircraft delivery was an A320 provided in July 2002, while only three years later – in September 2005 – an A330-300 became the 4,000th aircraft supplied to a customer.

Just two years afterward, the 5,000th milestone was achieved in December 2007 with an A330-200.

The 6,000th delivery in January 2010 – involving an A380 – further confirmed the company’s continued leading role as a provider of highly efficient
aircraft to airline operators and customers around the world.

For the 7,000th jetliner handover in December 2011, the aircraft was an A321 provided to United States-based US Airways – which is one of

Airbus’ biggest single airline clients, and also has the distinction of flying the largest A320 Family inventory of any carrier.

Airline News » Kingfisher Airlines set to join oneworld in February

2011-12-20T04:08:00.000-08:00

Kingfisher Airlines is set to become part of the oneworld airline alliance on February 10th 2012.

It will be the first carrier from the subcontinent to join any of the global airline groups - and the first of three airlines to join oneworld in its biggest membership expansion drive for five years.

airberlin will to follow shortly afterwards and Malaysia Airlines later in 2012.

Kingfisher Airlines received its green light to board oneworld after successfully completing a thorough review of its readiness conducted by British Airways, which is sponsoring its entry into the alliance, with the oneworld central team.

For Kingfisher Airlines, joining oneworld will strengthen its competitive offering and its financial position, enabling it to offer customers an unrivalled alliance global network served by partners including some of the best and biggest airlines in the world.

Its addition will extend oneworld’s global coverage to nearly 800 destinations in almost 150 countries, served by a total of almost 8,500 departures a day operated by a combined fleet of more than 2,250 aircraft, carrying 305 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of US$94 billion.

With the addition soon of airberlin and later this year Malaysia Airlines, the oneworld network will expand to more than 850 destinations.

oneworld chief executive Bruce Ashby said: “Kingfisher Airlines will expand oneworld’s network substantially in a key region of growing travel demand, with a carrier that matches our demanding requirements, while enabling Kingfisher Airlines to offer its customers a truly global network on quality partners.

“We are look forward to welcoming them to the oneworld alliance in February.”

Kingfisher Airlines was invited to join oneworld in June 2010 after gaining approval from India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation to become part of the alliance.

Kingfisher Airlines chairman Vijay Mallya said: “Kingfisher Airlines takes great pride in its track record for quality and innovation.

“By becoming part of oneworld in February, we will be flying as part of the world’s leading quality airline alliance - and the first carrier from the subcontinent to be accepted into any of the global airline groups,” he added.

Earlier this month Tom Horton assumed leadership of the oneworld alliance.

It is considered the World’s Leading Airline Alliance by the World Travel Awards.

Airline News » ANA bumps back Dreamliner introduction

2011-12-20T04:06:00.000-08:00

Just when it all seemed to be going so well for All Nippon Airways (ANA) further delays have struck with the introduction of its the new Boeing 787.

Boeing announced earlier the next Dreamliner due with ANA will not be delivered as scheduled due to a “productivity” problem.

The third Dreamliner was due to be delivered to ANA – still the only carrier to operate the plane – in November.

However, this has now been pushed back until later in December.

Staff at Boeing are expected to work through the Christmas holidays, with at least five more aircraft presently on the production line.

”ANA will continue urgent negotiations with Boeing to deliver the 787 as early and as close to the original schedule as possible,” explained a statement from the Japanese carrier.

ANA had expected to launch services to Beijing and Frankfurt this month.

Following the latest delay, services from Tokyo Haneda International Airport to Beijing will now begin on January 14th.
Departures to Frankfurt will following on January 21st.

ANA received its first Dreamliner in September this year, some three years later than expected because of delays caused by the use of new technologies, materials and production techniques in its production.

Tourism News » Scissor Sisters bring flamboyant live show to Abu Dhabi

2011-12-20T04:05:00.000-08:00

The chart topping Scissor Sisters will be bringing their widely loved and infectious dance floor anthems to Yas Island Abu Dhabi at the FLASH Forum on January 12th.

FLASH Entertainment has announced tickets for the Grammy-nominated band will go on sale today and are expecting fans right across the region to snap them up well ahead of their Middle East debut.

The New York duo will be joined by MOBO award & Mercury Music Prize winning singer, Ms. Dynamite, who is revered for introducing UK garage music to the mainstream with her 2002 debut album, A Little Deeper.

Known for their humorous and often controversial performances, the Scissor Sisters’ unique mix of disco, electro and good old fashioned Elton John-era rock n’ roll is widely loved right across the globe.

Shatha Al Romaithi, FLASH Entertainment spokesperson, said: “Scissor Sisters have a huge following and they are known to appeal to just about all music lovers out there.

“We are very excited to be bringing them to Abu Dhabi and the region for the very first time. We are expecting an incredible performance.”

The band, which was founded in 2000, sprung out of downtown New York clubs and Brooklyn, a launch pad for the modern electroclash sound.

Led by vocalists Jake Shears and Ana Matronic, along with multi-instrumentalist ‘Babydaddy’ and lead guitar Del Marquis, the heart of the Scissor Sisters is shaped around the exuberance of nightlife.

Since launching, their success has spilled out far past the New York club scene and into the global mainstream.

The band’s debut album became an international smash — eventually scoring a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Record for ‘Comfortably Numb’, becoming the top-selling album of 2004 in the UK and sweeping the Brit Awards for that year.

Despite becoming chart toppers and festival headliners throughout the world, the Scissor Sisters have never turned away from the all-inclusive magic of their former downtown stomping ground.

They have filled venues from New York’s Bowery Ballroom to London’s O2 Arena and in 2010 stole the show at Glastonbury when they performed a duet with Kylie Minogue for their single “Any Which Way”.

The show will take place at the FLASH Forum on Yas Island, with doors opening at 21:00.

Yas Island is fast becoming one of the region’s hottest entertainment destinations, attracting various international talent to the Capital as well as entertainment lovers locally and from across the region.

Tickets are available here priced at AED295 : http://www.thinkflash.ae/

Hotel News » Millennium & Copthorne enter serviced apartment for first time in Dubai

2011-12-20T04:03:00.000-08:00

Millennium & Copthorne has revealed it will be moving into the deluxe serviced apartments sector when it opens a modern and stylish property in the popular Dubai Marina area in the coming six months.

The brand is already one of the world’s largest owned-and-managed hotel companies, with more than 120 hotels across 20 countries.

Once open, this Marina Promenade property will boast 151 spacious and contemporary serviced apartments, comprising 91 one-bedroom, 36 two-bedroom, 13 three-bedroom units, two penthouse apartments and eight villas.

The serviced apartments cater to professionals and families attracted to a range of nearby shopping, dining and entertainment venues.

With a spa, health club and two swimming pools for guests, the serviced apartments are expected to appeal to both long term residents and short term leisure and business travellers.

The project, currently under development by owner ARJ Properties, is expected to enter its soft opening phase in the second quarter of 2012.

Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi, president and chief executive of Millennium & Copthorne Middle East and Africa, commented: “We are delighted to bring one of our brands to this desirable area of Dubai.

“The entire development is of the high quality standard our guests expect from a Millennium & Copthorne property and it is the perfect vehicle for our first foray into the serviced apartments arena in the region.

“Bringing together excellence in service, value and location, we foresee a good level of demand from the start.”

Travel News » Eurostar to offer direct train tickets to Avignon

2011-12-20T04:00:00.000-08:00

Eurostar’s direct summer services to Avignon will open for sale from December 20th to cope with traveller demand for services to the Provence region of France.
Holidaymakers are advised to book early for the weekly direct services that will run from July 7th to September 1st 2012.

With direct journey times of less than six hours from St Pancras International in London and Ashford International in Kent, the summer service is a perennial favourite with travellers with tickets selling fast every year.

Customers enjoy the convenience of boarding a Eurostar service in the UK, then travelling non-stop through the magnificent French countryside, direct to Avignon in the heart of Provence.

Nick Mercer, commercial director for Eurostar commented: “Our direct Avignon summer services grow in popularity each year, as people across the country see how easy and enjoyable it is to travel across Europe by high-speed rail.

“By opening sales to Avignon earlier than usual we are giving customers even more flexibility when planning their summer trip to Provence.

“Journeys with Eurostar avoid the summer scramble at the airports and increasingly, passengers see their journey as part of the holiday itself.”
Direct Eurostar tickets are available from only £109 return in Standard class and £249 return in Standard Premier.

Tickets for the Avignon direct summer service and for connecting services all year round are available here : http://www.eurostar.com/

Airline News » Etihad Airways takes stake in airberlin

2011-12-20T03:58:00.000-08:00

Etihad Airways has confirmed it will increase its stake in airberlin to 29.21 per cent, becoming the largest single shareholder in the carrier.

The strategic move, announced in Berlin by Etihad Airways chief executive James Hogan and airberlin chief Hartmut Mehdorn, connects the airlines’ extensive networks and frequent flyer programs to offer travellers 239 destinations across 77 countries.

Hartmut Mehdorn said: “The strategic partnership with Etihad Airways opens up enormous opportunities for the future of our company.

“This applies especially to future market development and the realisation of synergies.

One of the key components of the new partnership is the launch of airberlin services to Abu Dhabi, which will become our new gateway to Asia and Australia.

“The agreement with Etihad Airways will also dramatically improve the global connectivity of our customers in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and throughout the GCC and Middle East,” added Mehdorn.

airberlin chief executive Hartmut Mehdorn, right, with Etihad Airways chief James Hogan earlier today in Berlin

James Hogan said the deal was one of the most important in Etihad Airways’ history.

“This new partnership expands our network reach, gives us access to 33 million new passengers, and provides us with a real opportunity for global growth,” he enthused.

“Through airberlin, we gain immediate access to a broad and complementary European market, with outstanding connectivity options for customers of both airlines.

“Our partnership strategy has been integral to our success over the past eight years, and the returns we have seen from this strategy have confirmed its value.

“We are always looking for ways to grow and partnerships are a smart way to enhance our ability to compete on the world stage.”

Etihad Airways and the airberlin group carry a combined total of more than
40 million passengers a year, operate 233 aircraft, and employ 18,000 people.

Together, the companies generate more than US$9 billion in revenues.

Under the Partnership

airberlin will shift its Middle East operation from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and will operate four A330-200 flights a week between Berlin and Abu Dhabi from January 15th, 2012.

The airlines will implement an extensive codeshare agreement, with Etihad Airways code sharing on 36 of airberlin’s 171 destinations and airberlin code sharing on 24 of Etihad Airways’ 82 passenger destinations.

Etihad Airways will sign codeshare agreements with the airberlin group for all European activities including NIKI, the Austrian airline, and Belair, the Swiss airline.

The two companies will seek anti-trust immunity, which would allow greater coordination of route networks and of sales and marketing activities.

Etihad Airways’ minority stake will consist of 27.03 per cent from a new share issue by airberlin, funded from operational cash flow, and an existing interest of 2.99 per cent (pre-dilution), which will amount to a total interest of 29.21 per cent.

The new shares will be issued at a price of EUR 2.31.

Etihad Airways is considered the World’s Leading Airline by the prestigious World Travel Awards.

Tourism News » New challenges await in Tshwane as Lindiwe Kwele steps down as JTC head

2011-12-20T03:55:00.000-08:00

Lindiwe Kwele has resigned as chief executive of Johannesburg Tourism Company after three years at the helm of the destination marketing organisation.

Kwele will be taking up a position as one of three deputy city managers in the city of Tshwane at the beginning of January 2012.

The strategy and implementation portfolio for which she will be taking responsibility is sizeable and includes managing the city’s special framework, planning and economic development.

“We are all enormously saddened by Lindiwe’s departure, as she has made enormous strides to really put Joburg Tourism on the map during her tenure,” said acting chief executive Phelisa Mangcu, who also heads up the Joburg Tourism Company’s Visitor Services Bureau.

“However, she leaves behind a closely knit team and a culture of fearless dynamism, for which we are enormously grateful.

“She will be sorely missed on the Joburg scene, but has JTC’s every good wish for success in her new role.”

Tourism News » Fine dining at Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa

2011-12-20T03:53:00.000-08:00

The five star Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa, situated on its own private 800 metre, palm lined beach, overlooking the golden shores of the Arabian Gulf, is considered the Middle East’s Leading Golf Resort by the prestigious World Travel Awards.

Renowned for its relaxed holiday atmosphere, guests are offered the option to stay in one of two beachfront hotels - the recently refurbished Palm Tree Court & Spa and the original Jebel Ali Hotel.

Both offer great flexibility for families.

Located just 15 minutes from Dubai Marina, this fabulous 128 acre resort features a private beach, lush gardens complete with waterfalls, three temperature-controlled swimming pools with swim-up bars and dedicated childrens’ pools, as well as a range of family-friendly activities.

There is also a varied culinary choice with over 15 restaurants and bars to choose from, ranging from an Asian-fusion restaurant with its own Teppanyaki table to pure Italian fare at La Traviata.

Both Ibn Majed and La Fontana offer a superb buffet arrangement and specialise in daily theme nights ranging from seafood to Arabian.

For a more relaxed dining experience enjoy light bites at one of the two beachfront bars or catch a snack while watching the latest sports action in Sports Café.

For a unique dining experience, dine onboard DiVAZ, the latest addition to the award-winning Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa.

Envision the breathtaking waters of the Arabian Gulf, the brisk sea breeze and the stunning architecture of full length glass windows ideally paired with modern, chic and cosmopolitan interiors.

Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa also offers guests the perfect all inclusive offer which includes all meals, snacks, soft drinks and house pouring beverages, on a full dine around basis.

Tourism News » Qatar National Convention Centre attracts international attention

2011-12-20T03:49:00.000-08:00

Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey and director Sam Mendes were among an all star cast who flew into Qatar earlier this month to stage Shakespeare’s Richard III at the brand new
Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).

Qatar was the only Middle Eastern destination included on the production’s global tour.

Doha’s newest convention centre which opened earlier this month, is a member of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, advancing the destination’s objective to become the new global hub for ideas and innovation.

On opening the centre, QNCC’s General Manager, Adam Mather-Brown described the occasion as “exhilarating”.

“The QNCC is not just a meeting place, it’s a vision that has materialized from years of hard work and dedication involving many multi-skilled teams,” he said.

The stunning venue has already played host to two major international forums including the 4th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Forum (UNAOC) and the 20th World Petroleum Congress (WPC), marking the first congress ever hosted in thee Middle East and the largest oil and gas gathering in the world.

Major events that are set to take place in QNCC next year include Waterworld Middle East, Power Gen Middle East and The SPE International Production and Operations Conference and Exhibition (POCE).

With its state-of-the-art facilities, cutting edge technology and iconic design, the QNCC today is one of the most sophisticated convention and exhibition centres in the world.

The project was given the go-ahead in 2004, with construction commencing two years later. Now, after five and a half years of construction and planning, the QNCC is ready to welcome the world.

Designed by renowned Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, the Centre boasts a stunning signature façade, a 250 metre long, curved steel tree structure reaching up to support the exterior canopy. The design of the building was inspired by the local Qatari icon, the Sidra tree, symbolizing

Qatar Foundation’s three key pillars of education, science and research, and community development. The tree is a beacon of learning and comfort in the desert which traditionally provided shelter for scholars and poets to gather, and to
exchange and share knowledge.

The opening of the QNCC is expected to advance Qatar in the field of infrastructure and build human capacity on a global scale, according to Engineer Saad Al Muhannadi, Qatar Foundation, Vice President of Capital Projects and Facilities Management,

With a 2,300 seat lyric theatre, three auditoria, a multipurpose conference hall for 4,000 guests, 40,000 square metres exhibition space and 52 meeting rooms, the Centre could accommodate 27,000 people in the venue at one time. QNCC is the first of its kind built to the gold certification of the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED).

World Travel Awards Grand Final Ceremony

After a rigorous selection procedure, Qatar was chosen as the host of the WTA Grand Final Gala Ceremony, reflecting the Arabian nation’s rapid emergence as a tourism hotspot. The prestigious event will take place on January 11th at the Katara in Doha.

Qatar is recognised as the Middle East’s Leading Business Destination by the prestigious World Travel Awards.

Graham Cooke, president and founder, World Travel Awards, highlights how his organisation selects host destinations that are driving the industry to new heights through innovation and experimentation.

He said: “We are delighted to host our Grand Final Gala Ceremony in Qatar as it is such an exciting place to be right now with incredible opportunities within the luxury sector.

“Our Grand Final will see the winners of our five regional heats, who represent the cream of the global travel and tourism industry, compete head to head for the ultimate travel accolade.”

Airline News » Sabre Airline assists Ethiopian Airlines with Star Alliance membership

2011-12-20T03:44:00.000-08:00

Sabre Airline Solutions has delivered a number of new capabilities to Ethiopian Airlines to enable its entrance today into the Star Alliance airline network.

Last year Ethiopian renewed its SabreSonic Customer Sales and Service (CSS) contract and in line with this agreement work began to incorporate the alliance integration requirements.

The enhancements will provide Ethiopian with the capabilities essential for alliance membership, such as the ability for passengers to earn and redeem frequent flyer points on Star Alliance member carriers for free tickets and upgrades.

SabreSonic CSS will also enable Ethiopian and other Star Alliance members to efficiently work together using interactive passenger and operational data critical to successful travel.

Ethiopian Airlines recently became the 28th member of the Star Alliance.

Hugh Jones, president of Sabre Airline Solutions, said: “This project demonstrates how quickly and efficiently Sabre Airline Solutions can implement the technology required by carriers joining airline alliances, or those who are already alliance members.

“We recognise the importance of Star Alliance membership to Ethiopian’s growth strategy and with SabreSonic CSS the airline has the tools it needs to be successful.”

SabreSonic CSS is the industry’s first real intersection of customer-focused solutions and revenue generation in every distribution channel, helping airlines meet their revenue goals and get closer to customers.

Travel News » Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin gets renovation

2011-12-20T03:42:00.000-08:00

An extensive renovation and upgrading programme for Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin has been completed prior to the official adoption of the hotel’s new name on 1st January 2012.

The renovated facilities include 100 rooms and suites in the Colonial Wing, the installation of a new fully equipped Health Club, and also of a new Kids Club.

The Railway Restaurant, which evokes the era of the 1920s when the hotel was originally built, has also undergone renovation to the decor and has a fresh new menu to complement the restaurant’s stylish new appearance.

The renovation and upgrading has been undertaken as part of the rebranding operation for the hotel’s change of name from Sofitel Centara Grand Resort & Villas Hua Hin to Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin which will be effected on 1st January 2012.

Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s largest operator of hotels, with 38 deluxe and first-class properties covering all the major tourist destinations in the Kingdom. A further 16 resorts in the Maldives, Philippines, Vietnam, Bali Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Mauritius Indian Ocean, brings the present total to 54 properties.

Brands and properties within Centara ensure that specific categories such as couples, families, individuals and meetings and incentives groups will all find a hotel or resort that is appropriate to their needs. Centara operates 25 branches of Spa Cenvaree, one of Thailand’s most luxurious and innovative spa brands, and the company’s Kids Club is available at all the family-friendly resorts to ensure that the youngsters and teens are taken care of. Centara Hotels & Resorts also operates two state-of-the-art convention centres in Bangkok and one in Udon Thani in northeastern Thailand.

Airline News » Boeing celebrates 737 milestone with flydubai delivery

2011-12-20T03:39:00.000-08:00

Boeing has delivered the 7,000th 737 to come off the production line to Dubai-based flydubai.

The model is the best-selling commercial jetliner of all time with total orders exceeding 9,300 airplanes, including orders for the new 737 MAX.

The airplane becomes flydubai’s 14th Next-Generation 737-800 with the new Boeing Sky Interior.

“It is incredible to be delivering our 7,000th 737,” said Beverly Wyse, vice president and general manager of the 737 program.

“We thank flydubai and all our customers who have made the 737 the world’s most popular jet airliner.

“This success is due to the years of expertise that thousands of employees continue to build into every Boeing 737 used in private, government and commercial service.”

In November 2010, flydubai had the distinction to be the first airline in the world to offer passengers an enhanced onboard experience with the brand new Boeing Sky Interior.

The latest delivery will be the 21st in flydubai’s fleet and the airline has an additional 30 737-800s on order.

“We are proud to be a part of this important milestone for the 737,” said Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive, flydubai.

“With its continuous innovations, the Next-Generation 737 brings the right combination of operational and environmental performance to address the requirements of our markets.”

Ghaith added: “The Next-Generation 737 is a major cornerstone to flydubai’s modern, fuel-efficient and economical portfolio of commercial jets.”

With more than 5,400 airplanes in service, the 737 represents more than a quarter of the total worldwide fleet of large commercial jets flying today.

More than 358 airlines in 114 countries fly 737s.

Airline News » British Airways reveals New York as top festive holiday idea

2011-12-20T03:37:00.000-08:00

New York
Geneva
Edinburgh
Barcelona
Manchester
Glasgow
Miami
Dubai
Cape Town
Amsterdam

Richard Tams, head of UK and Ireland sales, said: “Christmas is an exceptionally busy time of year for us and we’ve already welcomed tens of thousands of customers on board.

“December 22nd is our next peak with people maximising their time off and we are looking forward to carrying half a million people home in the first week of the New Year.”

Tourism News » VisitEngland reveals increase in domestic tourism

2011-12-20T03:35:00.000-08:00

VisitEngland has revealed the number of overnight domestic holiday trips in England increased by four per cent year on year between January and August this year.

The national tourist board also announced domestic tourism figures spend grew by 12 per cent.

Over the three months from June to August, which includes the key school holiday period, a total of 17.8 million holiday trips were taken in England - up three per cent from 2010.

As witnessed throughout the year, tourism spend has grown much faster than trip volumes; however, VisitEngland advised that this in part reflects inflationary pressures, with many operators seeing profit margins squeezed by mounting operating costs.

VisitEngland’s chief executive James Berresford said: “It is heartening that the number of people choosing to take a holiday in England remains above pre-recession levels.

“It is vital that we continue to work very hard together to maintain this trend as we approach one of the most potentially exciting years for English tourism.”

Travel News » UK train fares set to increase by 5.9 per cent

2011-12-20T03:33:00.000-08:00

Train fares in the United Kingdom will rise by an average of 5.9 per cent in January 2012, the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said earlier.

From today, fares valid from 2nd January 2012 can be found at National Rail Enquiries so travellers can check how much the cost of their ticket will increase next year.

ATOC officials said this is a few weeks later than usual following the government’s decision on November 29th to lower the average rise it had set for season tickets and some other fares in 2012.

In his Autumn Statement chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne capped fare increases at six per cent, instead of the expected eight per cent.

Attemptng to quell what is likely to be a furious public reaction to the increases Michael Roberts, chief executive of ATOC, said: “Money raised through fares helps pay for new trains, faster services and better stations.

“The long-standing government approach to sustaining rail investment is to cut the contribution from taxpayers and increase the share paid for by passengers.

ATOC launched a new website for passengers explaining why many fares are going up, where money from fares goes and how to save money on rail travel.

Airline News » Kingfisher Airlines forced to ground aircraft as costs mount

2011-12-20T03:32:00.000-08:00

Kingfisher Airlines has been forced to ground aircraft in its fleeting as it continues to battle a severe shortage of cash.

A Kingfisher executive told reporters the airline had grounded 15 of its planes as speculation mounted the carrier was unable to meet maintenance and overhaul expenses.

An article in the Economic times revealed the airline was now operating just 40 of its 69 planes.

“We are trying to help Kingfisher,” State Bank of India chairman Pratip Choudhuri told Reuters earlier.

Kingfisher – which is controlled by drinks tycoon Vijay Mallya - has seen its share price fall 67 per cent since the start of the year, cutting its market value to about USD$202 million.

A Kingfisher spokesman declined to comment.

Kingfisher has never made a profit and has seen its market share continue to fall in recent months.

All the morning worrying for future oneworld partners, with Kingfisher expected to join the airline alliance early in 2012.

In November Kingfisher chief executive, Sanjay Aggarwal, warned of future cuts.

“The airline industry in India is going through a tough period due to high costs and lower yields.

“This is evident by the unprecedented losses recently reported.

“To counter these pressures and leveraging its strengths, Kingfisher decided to rationalise network, drop unprofitable flights and expedite its fleet reconfiguration.

“This initiative will improve the long term profitability of the airline.”

Cruise News » P&O Cruises operated Oriana back at sea as adult-only vessel

2011-12-20T03:30:00.000-08:00

P&O Cruises has welcomed Oriana back into Southampton after a month-long dry dock refurbishment which transformed the ship so it is exclusively for adults.

The re-fit saw the addition of 27 new cabins and the introduction of an Ocean Grill restaurant by Marco Pierre White, now proving very popular on P&O Cruises Adonia.

The multi-million pound overhaul to the ship named by HM The Queen in 1995, also includes the addition of Sorrento, the new Italian restaurant concept also launched on Adonia, but this time with an outdoor dining area; a newly designed aft deck with bar; refreshed decoration in the public areas and Oasis Spa, which also now features thermal loungers and a dedicated aerobics floor; and a new look to the Al Fresco Mediterranean cafe.

Oriana departs today on a 17 night western Mediterranean Christmas and New Year cruise, before departing on a 97 night world cruise on January 5th, 2012.

P&O Cruises managing director, Carol Marlow, said: “It is wonderful to welcome Oriana back into the fleet today with a fresh new look including
new cabins, new dining options and all exclusively for adults.

“Oriana is the most established ship in our fleet, having been named by HM The Queen in 1995.

“Since then she has carried hundreds of thousands of British cruisers all over the world and I know that everyone will be excited to see her after her latest make-over.”

Hotel News » Spa breaks in Dubai with Jebel Ali Golf Resort

2011-12-20T03:28:00.000-08:00

The five star Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa, is situated on its own private 800 metre, palm lined beach, overlooking the golden shores of the Arabian Gulf.

The property is renowned for its relaxed holiday atmosphere and the option to stay in one of two beachfront hotels – the Palm Tree Court & Spa and the original Jebel Ali Hotel.

Both offer great flexibility for families.

Located just 15 minutes from Dubai Marina, this fabulous 128 acre resort features a private beach, lush gardens complete with waterfalls, three temperature-controlled swimming pools with swim-up bars and dedicated childrens’ pools, as well as a range of family-friendly activities.

However, it is the spa that really sets Jebel Ali apart from competitors in Dubai.

Between the dining options and choice of leisure activities is the wonderfully relaxing Spa, neatly nested between both hotels.

The Spa offers a choice of over 40 treatments, tailored for both men and women in 10 treatment rooms, with dedicated rooms available for couples’ treatments.

Guests can unwind after your treatment in the ‘Relaxation Lounge’ with delicious fruits and a choice of herbal teas.

The Spa also has a wet-spa facility with the use of a Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room available for guests.

Alongside the exquisite cuisine and wealth of sporting options it is not hard to see why Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa is recognised as the Middle East’s Leading Golf Resort by the prestigious World Travel Awards.

Driving Holiday Checklist: Five Checks You Need to Make

2011-12-19T09:40:00.000-08:00

Heading abroad in your own car can be an incredibly effective way of seeing the sights. Not having to rely on public transport while you’re away can open up the opportunity to see and experience more of the country in question than you could have otherwise hoped for.

That said, taking your own transport comes with its own issues. If a train or bus breaks down while you’re away then it’s a minor inconvenience -- but if your own vehicle takes a turn for a worse then it could become a major headache working out how to get it back home again. To avoid such issues it’s an idea to double check a number of things before you set off.

Tyre Depth/Pressure

If you’re going to be putting in some major mileage during the weeks that you’re away then you owe it to yourself to check that your tyres are up to scratch. Grab a tread depth checking tool to ensure that the tread on your tyres is well within the legal limit -- and refer to your vehicle’s handbook to check that they’re inflated to optimum levels.

Oil and Water

Both of these might be something you generally take for granted but it’s vital that you check the levels of both before you set off -- and several times while you’re away. If you’re unsure of where your levels should be, don’t take any chances. Consult a professional at your local garage to give the all clear before you leave.

Local Laws

Remember that things like the speed limit or maximum legal blood alcohol limit may differ in your destination country than in the UK. Ignorance of local laws won’t be a good enough excuse if you get caught breaking the law, so read up well in advance.

Insurance details

Does your car insurance policy cover you in the country you’ll be driving in? If you’re not sure, get on the phone to your provider and find out. It may be that you have to pay extra to get covered while you’re away -- if so, don’t be tempted to skip it and save some cash. It really isn’t worth the risk.

Breakdown Blues

Similarly, your breakdown cover won’t necessarily stretch to the country you’ll be visiting -- although some providers will happily cover you in Europe, for instance. Check with the company you have cover with and extend your cover to the country in question if needs be.

The Capetown Castle and Waterfront

2011-12-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

Today, we spent the day in the city as tomorrow we go to a safari for a few days. We headed for the waterfront only to realize when we arrived there that I have not placed the battery back in my camera. Tom left his purse in the hotel so we were far from happy. We decided to go back to the hotel and got everything we needed.

After recovering from our lapses, we went to the castle first and that was great as we were just on time for the noon hour cannon. What a show that was but what was more interesting was our encounter with Michael. When we arrived in the castle, we were so exhausted from our memory lapses of the morning that we just plopped ourselves on one of the empty tables in the coffee area. And Michael inherited us so we started talking. He told us he came from the same village as Mandela and described this for us. I twas quite interesting but Michael unhappily was called.

The castle museum is worth visiting as it tells the story of how the Cape was settled and the presence of the San people in the area.

After spending some time learning about the Cape history, we moved on back to the waterfront to enjoy fresh oysters and sushi. Our lady server is from New Jersey. What a pleasant surprise. We enjoyed the boats we can see from the restaurant coming in and out of the harbour. It was an enjoyable experience. Tomorrow will be the animal world.

Italy Amongst Best Holiday Destinations in Europe

2011-12-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

Italy is a truly beautiful country to visit and offers a range of unforgettable holiday destinations -whether you are travelling to see the fantastic historical buildings you would find in the country’s capital Rome, the great shopping experiences available in modern Milan, the unique canals and side streets found in Venice or the outstanding natural rural beauty that typifies the region of Tuscany. Put together, all of these places make Italy one of the best holiday destinations in all of Europe.

The country draws in visitors from all over the world for a wide variety of reasons – some will travel to Italy on backpacking trips, some on romantic breaks and others will visit Italy on family holidays. However, regardless of the type of holiday on which you are travelling, you are always going to need somewhere to stay.

While backpackers may choose to find more budget accommodation such as a youth hostel, others may seek to stay in one of the stunning old hotels. If you are looking for accommodation in Italy, the best way of finding it is by searching online as this can result in great discounts and save a lot of time searching travel agents in the high street.

Best Stag Weekend Activities in Europe

2011-12-19T03:00:00.000-08:00

If you’re set to be a best man in summer 2012 then you’ve probably already been nominated with the all-important task of organising a stag weekend for your brother or best mate and all of the other lads in the new year – and of course there is therefore always a lot of pressure to create one of the best activity weekends that you’ll never forget. With that in mind here are some great stag weekend activity ideas to get the creative juices flowing...

Quad Biking – Get a great adrenaline rush as you cruise around in the dirt at high speeds for some fast and furious and seriously laddish fun. Race your mates and see who comes out on top.

Military Vehicles – Lets be fair now, is there anything more manly than driving a tank? Well now you can make all those boyhood dreams come true and drive a range of military vehicles around specialised designed courses in great locations across Europe.

Snowmobiles – Fancy something a bit different on your winter stag do? You can now find snowmobile driving opportunities in great European locations like Krakow and Riga.

Hermanus

2011-12-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

Hermanus was today's destination in our drive around the Western Cape. We followed the route by the water and the smell of the ocean is quite a change from the rose's and rosemary's. Once a small fishing village, it has now become a major resort because of the presence of large numbers of southern right whales from June to early December. As it was a Sunday, the beaches were full. We found a beautiful open restaurant right on the waterfront and enjoyed mussels cooked in sauvignon blanc with lots of thyme, celery, and onions.

You can dive here, kayak, rent a boat and go fishing or just do some crayfishing. We were welcomed by a group of seals as the whales are no longer around.

Airline News » FedEx Express orders 29 aircraft from Boeing

2011-12-17T16:31:00.000-08:00

Boeing has announced FedEx Express has ordered 27 767-300 Freighters and exercised existing options for two additional 777 Freighters.

The new 777 Freighters will support FedEx’s growth in the international cargo market.

The 767 Freighter will be a new model for the Memphis, Tennessee-based freight carrier’s fleet of more than 690 airplanes.

The addition of the 767 Freighters will enable FedEx to replace its less efficient, medium widebody cargo airplanes with freighters that provide fuel, maintenance and other cost savings.

“FedEx Express is one of the industry’s premier air-freight carriers,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president Jim Albaugh.

“The way they have operated the 777 has demonstrated to the world its capabilities as a freighter.

“We are excited they have chosen to further expand their 777 fleet.

The 767 Freighter is based on the popular 767-300ER (extended range) passenger airplane.

Able to carry approximately 58 tons (52.7 tonnes) of revenue cargo with intercontinental range, the 767-300 Freighter is ideal for developing new long-haul, regional or feeder markets.

The 777 Freighter is the world’s longest range twin-engine freighter that can fly 4,900 nautical miles (9,070 kilometers) with a full payload.

FedEx is the largest operator of 777 freighters with 17 aircraft in operation and with orders and options for an additional 41 aircraft.

This order builds on a record year for the 777 program bringing the 2011 net order total to 200 airplanes.

Airline News » Etihad links with Hainan Airlines to boost China offering

2011-12-17T16:29:00.000-08:00

Etihad Airways has signed a codeshare agreement with Hainan Airlines, the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s first codeshare with a Chinese carrier and its 35th with world airlines.

Subject to regulatory approvals, from January 10th 2012, Hainan Airline’s will place its ‘HU’ code on Etihad Airways flights between Abu Dhabi and the airline’s three gateway cities in China: Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai.

The arrangement will extend to Etihad Airways flights beyond Abu Dhabi to Khartoum International Airport in Sudan.

Etihad Airways chief executive, James Hogan, said the codeshare with Hainan Airlines would help strengthen Etihad’s position in the competitive Chinese market.

“Working with a major player like Hainan Airlines will increase Chinese passenger numbers on our China-Abu Dhabi services and beyond to popular destinations in Africa, Middle East and Europe.

“We look forward to expanding the relationship to include more destinations over time.”

President of Hainan Airlines, Tie Li, said: “The codeshare cooperation with Etihad Airways will reinforce Hainan Airlines’ development in the Middle East and Africa region.

“We have great expectations of the partnership, and believe that through mutual creativity, we will be able to bring synergy and hopefully value to our customers.”

The reciprocal agreement will integrate the Etihad Guest and Hainan Airlines Fortune Wings Club loyalty programs, enabling travellers to earn miles on each other’s flights.

The new codeshare services will go on sale from January 10th 2012, for travel from that date for Beijing and Chengdu flights, and from March 1st 2012 for Shanghai.

Etihad Airways is considered the World’s Leading Airline by the prestigious World Travel Awards.

Airline News » Star Alliance appoints Mark Schwab as new CEO

2011-12-17T16:27:00.000-08:00

The chief executive board of Star Alliance has appointed Mark Schwab to head the central organisation, based in Frankfurt, Germany.

Schwab comes from Star Alliance member United where he was responsible for the company’s alliances as senior vice president Alliances.
In this capacity he also served as a member of Star Alliance’s management board.

He succeeds Jaan Albrecht, who was appointed as chief executive of Austrian Airlines on November 1st, 2011.

“With Mark Schwab we have secured an internationally renowned airline executive, who has all the qualifications required to lead our alliance into the next chapter of its success story,” said Rob Fyfe, chief executive of Air New Zealand and chairman of the Star Alliance Chief Executive Board.

“This appointment follows a worldwide search resulting in the comfortable situation of having several high calibre candidates to choose from.

“Mark convinced us with his vast industry know-how and his tremendous international experience.

“Having served our business in several executive positions across the globe gives him that specific background that we need for this challenging
position.”

Mark Schwab held numerous executive positions in the airline industry at United Airlines, US Airways and American Airlines.

He began his aviation career in 1975 with Pan American World Airways in Rio de Janeiro.

As a global citizen he spent most of his career outside his home country, the United States of America. Schwab headed organisations in Latin America, Europe and Asia.

Being fluent in Portuguese and in Spanish language he holds a bachelor’s degree in Latin American affairs from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville.

The Star Alliance Services GmbH, based in Frankfurt, Germany, serves as the central organisation of the world’s most experienced airline alliance.

It coordinates the projects and activities of its 28 member airlines, aiming at improving the seamless service experience for its international customers when travelling on any of their more than 21.000 daily flights as well as achieving synergies beyond the members’ individual capabilities on a global scale.

Tourism News » Singapore spa report finds unprecedented changes

2011-12-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

Intelligent Spas’ new Singapore Spa Benchmark Report identified the spa industry underwent significant changes between 2009 and 2010. “Unprecedented changes have occurred in the Singapore spa market which are the most dramatic seen by Intelligent Spas within any spa industry it has studied over the last 10 years”, explained Julie Garrow, Managing Director of 100% independent research company Intelligent Spas.

“The number of spas, level of annual visits and breakdown of treatment revenue recorded for 2009 and 2010 have changed significantly and altered the performance platform for all spa operators. These research findings are very timely to help guide the short to medium term decisions of spa operators and other types of businesses competing in the spa industry in Singapore.”

Overall, the Singapore spa industry is forecast to generate SGD134 million (approximately USD111 million) in revenue in 2011. This updated benchmark report presents an extensive range of business intelligence and key performance indicators to assist businesses operating in, or interested in, the Singapore spa industry. The full report is available for immediate download at www.IntelligentSpas.com.

Nancy Lim, President of the Spa Association Singapore stated “the Spa Association Singapore (SAS) is pleased to support Intelligent Spas’ publication of the Singapore Spa Benchmark Report. This report serves as a good reference for our Singapore spa operators to gain better insights on the industry trends as well as the performance of the spa and wellness industry in Singapore. The findings presented in the report are useful for spa operators in identifying new business opportunities, business planning and implementing new strategies to maximise their performance. This report is definitely a useful guiding tool for our Singapore spa operators. SAS congratulates Intelligent Spas for the conscientious effort in compiling the industry report.”

“On behalf of the Spa & Wellness Association Singapore (SWAS), we would like to congratulate Intelligent Spas for the release of the report”, stated Susan Teng, Acting President. “As always, the report provides immense wealth of knowledge and ideas for those who are in the spa industry. It provides information that will enable our members to update themselves on the trends and understanding the opportunities and risks for their operations locally. As an association, this report will also enable us to continue to play a vital role in strategic planning, providing assistance and engaging our members to discuss their business needs.”

Intelligent Spas is the only 100% independent research company specialising in the spa industry. Founded in Singapore in 2001, it has pioneered statistically reliable and comparable research for the global spa industry and continues to publish a range of Spa Operations Manuals and Spa Benchmark Reports to assist the performance and growth of this essential industry.

Intelligent Spas’ Global Spa Benchmark Program is currently underway in over 100 countries and aims to produce usable statistics to help spas maximise their performance, provide business intelligence to assist other organisations to better understand, service and support the spa industry, plus generate greater awareness of the spa industry to increase spa visits. Spa owners and managers may join Intelligent Spas’ free Global Spa Benchmark Program and receive their full market report free of charge by registering at www.IntelligentSpas.com.

Travel News » Hundreds feared dead following Philippines floods

2011-12-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

More than 200 people are feared drowned following flash floods in the southern Philippines.

Hundreds more are still missing after a tropical storm struck Mindanao island, many in Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro.

Many thousands of people have fled to higher ground.

Benito Ramos, head of the national disaster rescue agency, told the BBC flood waters were still rising with more deaths expected.

“Massive flooding had been reported over the region, especially in Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City,” he said in an interview.

Residents were trapped in their homes as floods struck overnight.

Rivers burst their banks after 25mm of rain fell in 24 hours.

Swathes of the country were left without power.

Domestic flights in and out of the region were cancelled as winds hindered rescue efforts.

Airline News » Airbus delivers 7,000th aircraft

2011-12-17T16:19:00.000-08:00

Travel News » Agencies must adapt to customer expectations around social media

2011-12-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

Social media is exerting an increasing influence on how individuals choose to travel, although a large percentage of travel agents in the UK admit that it does not form part of their working practice. A survey of UK clients carried out by Amadeus , a leading transaction processor and provider of advanced technology solutions for the global travel and tourism industry, analysed the impact social media has had on the travel sector, providing a snap shot of sentiment across the UK. Addressing both business and leisure travel, Amadeus questioned how individuals, companies, and customers, were using social media as part of the booking process. The findings show that:

· 52 per cent of those surveyed said that they had dealt with customers who had obtained travel advice through social media before consulting a travel agency.

· 40 per cent of agencies polled admitted they had yet to integrate social media into their working practices.

· 67 per cent of respondents stated they would make use of social media to inform their own choice of hotel and travel provider.

However, company-managed aspects of social media were uniformly praised. Sixty-four per cent stated that social media channels are employed within their company to engage with existing customers. While 60 per cent of agencies are using social media to generate new business.

Rob Golledge Head of Marketing and Communications, Amadeus UK stated: “Many agents are still sceptical of the validity of information obtained from social media sites. However, one of the principal barriers seems to be the sheer amount of data available online. Travel agents have a key role to play here in accessing this information and using it to provide specialist knowledge and insight.”

Rob Golledge continued: “Travel agencies have been quick to identify the positives that come from using social media to engage with customers and generate new business. Our research shows that many acknowledge the potential role which social media can play in the travel industry. But if it is to play a significant role in the booking process, companies need to be able to extract useful and trustworthy information.”

Cruise News » Limited space on Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Caribbean sailings

2011-12-17T16:15:00.000-08:00

Luxury cruises to the Caribbean this winter are nearly sold out says Regent Seven Seas Cruises because airfare, gourmet meals, wine, premium spirits, sightseeing tours in every port and a Fort Lauderdale hotel stay before departure are included in the price.

“Most of our guests book these sailings to escape cold weather in the Northeast and Midwest,” says Mark Conroy, the line’s president. “There is limited space left on our Caribbean cruises not only because of the warm weather, but travelers are taking advantage of our bonus savings of up $2,000 per suite.”

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is the world’s most inclusive cruise line. Rates include gourmet dining, open bar throughout the ship, free sightseeing in all ports, all onboard gratuities, roundtrip air from more than 25 North American cities and a luxury hotel stay in Fort Lauderdale before the cruise.

Depending on the itinerary, guests can choose from as many as 51 complimentary shore excursions, which include learning to scuba dive in Cozumel and rappelling through caves in Belize.

The cruise line’s 10 “Tropical Escapes” are offered from January through April 2012. Two-for-one fares start at $4,999 per guest and include free round-trip air and bonus savings of up to $2,000 per suite on select sailings when booked by December 30, 2011.

Highlights include:

•Caribbean Tapestry, departing Jan. 6, 2012, 10 nights, visiting San Juan, Tortola and St. Barts. Save up to $1,000 per suite.
•Tropical Hideaways, departing Jan. 26 and March 8, 2012, 11 nights, midnight departures from San Juan, St. Maarten and St. Barts allow time to enjoy local nightlife. Save up to $1,500 per suite.
•Realm of the Maya, departing Jan. 16, Feb. 6, 27 and March 19, 2012, 10 nights, best of the Western Caribbean, including Cozumel, Belize City and Santo Tomas, gateway to Copan and Tikal, which consists of over 3,000 Mayan temples. Save up to $1,500 per suite.
•The Essential Caribbean, departing Feb. 16, 2012, 11 nights, best of the Eastern Caribbean including, Eleuthera, San Juan, St. Barts and Cayo Levantado. Save up to $1,000 per suite.
•Sun-Splashed Sea Breezes, departing April 3, 2012, 11 nights, combine Caribbean and Bermuda with Southern charm of Savannah, Charleston and Wilmington. Save up to $1,000 per suite.
•Panama Canal, departing April 14, 2012, 17 nights, from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco via the Cayman Islands, Cartagena, ports in Costa Rica, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and San Diego. Save up to $2,000 per suite.

Travelers cruise the Caribbean aboard the all-suite Seven Seas Navigator. With one of the highest space and service ratios in the cruise industry, the 490-guest Seven Seas Navigator is considered to be one of the most luxurious cruise ships afloat. All suites include ocean views, 90 percent with private balconies, and range in size from 301 to 1,173 square feet.

Airline News » Aer Lingus announced new routes and increased frequencies

2011-12-17T16:12:00.000-08:00

Aer Lingus has announced the addition of new routes and increased frequencies to its summer 2012 schedule.

The airline will introduce flights to Verona and Stockholm to the already extensive summer schedule on offer which has holiday options for everyone, whatever the individual’s budget or taste.

Along with these fresh new sun and city break destinations, Aer Lingus is also set to increase frequency on thirteen of its other routes, including Faro, Perpignon and Zurich.

Travellers can visit Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet, and enjoy its world famous summer opera festival. For those who wish to take in a few days by the water, Verona provides the perfect gateway to the scenic Lake Garda, less than an hour away. Aer Lingus will be flying to the Italian city twice weekly.

Aer Lingus will also offer new flights to Stockholm four times weekly. Describing the stylish Swedish capital as ‘cosy yet cosmopolitan and effortlessly picturesque’, ‘Lonely Planet’ listed the Swedish capital in its top ten cities to visit in 2012. The city boasts world-class museums and art galleries, most of which are accessible by foot for an easy, relaxing holiday.

Director of Communications at Aer Lingus, Declan Kearney said: “In keeping with our commitment to providing customers with excellent choice and great value, we have increased our flying schedule on thirteen routes and are introducing Stockholm and Verona as new routes, with more announcements to follow later this month. We look forward to welcoming our customers on board in summer 2012.”

Aer Lingus continues to offer great value and excellent service including advance seat selection; caring and friendly staff to welcome travellers and airports situated in central, convenient locations to make holidays as seamless as possible.

Airline.City.Mobi
To access all the latest information about the world’s major airlines via one mobile platform visit Airline.City.Mobi

Travel News » Expedia launches new and improved trip companion Facebook app

2011-12-17T16:10:00.000-08:00

Leading online travel booking site, Expedia.co.uk, today announces a major upgrade of its Expedia Trip Companion app, allowing people to access even more unique content, share trips and recommendations with friends and view in-depth destination advice from experts and other travellers.

The updated facebook application lets travellers explore their holiday destination like a local and discover places to go and things to see and do that go beyond the guidebook. In addition to expert content from Frommers, the recent updates bring together recommendations and reviews from other travellers via TripAdvisor and even insights and advice from locals, via Yelp.

Expedia Trip Companion is a facebook based planning tool that enables travellers to keep all details of their holiday stored safely in their facebook account. Once they have consulted the range of expert and insider advice available, travellers can go on to personalise a ‘Trip Guide’ of things they want to do and see on their trip and update it while they’re away to include their own hidden gems and discoveries. Once back home, they can even share their findings with friends and family via facebook, or make a note of them for return visits.

The updated Expedia Trip Companion app maintains core content from the original beta version but with the following updates:

1. Users can compile their own Trip Guide (aka a ‘To do List’ or ‘Wish List’), which can be shared on facebook or printed off to take with them on their holiday
2. Users can enter notes and recommendations and assign them to a location using the interactive map
3. Users can select a focal point such as a hotel location from which to filter content
4. Recommendations from Frommers and Yelp to research local points of interest
5. Hotel recommendations in the chosen location
6. A 5 day weather forecast and current exchange rate
7. Browse previous trips and share current/past Trip Guides with friends and family

“We’re constantly investing in new innovations and technologies which inspire people to get the most out of their travels and encourage them to share their experiences with the people that matter to them most,” comments Andy Washington, Managing Director for Expedia in the UK and Ireland.

“Our goal is to offer greater flexibility in catering for their differing needs and interests of UK travellers and the Expedia Trip Companion tool is just one example of the, inspirational and useful services we have been developing.” concludes Washington.

The app is currently available across Europe and can be downloaded on Facebook and at https://www.expediatripcompanion.com.

Airline News » Air China launches direct rotations Beijing - Lhasa

2011-12-17T16:07:00.000-08:00

Beijing and Lhasa on December 15, the first time that direct scheduled flights between the two cities are available.

Air China uses its A319s which have been retrofitted to acclimatize to the plateau conditions on the route. The crew has rich experiences of flying over the Roof of the World. The flights are operated on a daily basis and the flight numbers are CA4125/6. One journey takes just 4 hours, which means the flight takes 2 hours less than the previous one that had to stop over in the city of Chengdu. For the time being, the service is the only non-stop flight between the two cities. In high season, Air China will use larger Airbus330 aircraft on the route.

Air China has been actively involved in promoting the formation of the air transport network serving Tibet and helping further the progress of the autonomous region in areas of economy, culture and tourism. Now, Air China offers flights between Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing and Kathmandu (the capital of Nepal) and Tibet where Lhasa, Linzhi and Bangda are served. Factor in the direct rotations introduced on December 15, and Air China now operates over 100 flights a week into and out of Tibet. The introduction of the new rotations gives travelers more travel options and will play an instrumental role in bringing more travelers to Tibet and thusly promoting local economic growth.

Hotel News » Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria, Egypt hosts annual wedding fair

2011-12-17T15:11:00.000-08:00

The annual wedding fair at Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria, Egypt takes place January 22, 23 and 24, 2012 in the San Stefano Ballroom. The “Alexandrian Wedding Fair” is sure to be the one event in the city that makes wedding planning easier and more enjoyable with the experience of completing all shopping in one place. At Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria, the experience is both comfortable and unforgettable. Wedding experts offer their best tips and latest trends, whether for intimate wedding ceremonies, small receptions or a large and lavish event. Brides will find all they need for their special day from hairdressers and jewelry to honeymoon planning.

The Hotel's expert catering team can assist couples with their latest customised wedding packages, specially designed to make the most of the big day, including Diamond, Platinum, Gold and Silver packages. Each of the experiences offer a special menu with an extensive range of salads, main courses, desserts and a list of additional stations to choose from.

With the Diamond experience, the happy couple is entitled to enjoy a one night stay in the Presidential Suite with a luxurious bedroom with sweeping views of the sea, and a living room and a dining area, all in the comfort and elegance reflected by its classic design accented with warm Mediterranean overtones.

On the third day of the Wedding Fair, all couples who have booked their wedding with the Hotel will be enrolled in a raffle with a number of prizes. For the grand prize, this year Farouk Shousha Jewelry will offer a half-carat diamond for one lucky couple.

Source: Four Seasons

Tourism News » Record month for London 2012 Shop driven by Christmas rush

2011-12-17T15:09:00.000-08:00

The official London 2012 Shop has experienced its biggest ever month of sales, with its festive range proving a huge success. The London 2012 Shop stocks a great range of products and gifts for every occasion. Shops around London and the UK, as well as the official online shop, have proved hugely popular for Christmas shopping, with the rush for London 2012-themed gifts seeing many product lines sell out completely.

Sold-out Christmas gift favourites include London 2012 teddy bears from UK manufacturer Merrythought, and official Olympic and Paralympic art posters. London 2012 Christmas baubles are also selling fast, while the London 2012 mascots Wenlock and Mandeville have become two of the best-selling characters this festive season.

Simon Lilley, Head of Retail and Licensing at the London 2012 Organising Committee, said, 'As it is the final Christmas before the Games, we've seen a sudden rush from collectors and Games enthusiasts alike who see this as a great opportunity to get a piece of collectable memorabilia and show support for the Games.'

Beyond Christmas gift shopping, unprecedented Olympic and Paralympic ticket sales have driven demand for merchandise. For example, tickets released this month for Football fixtures next summer have helped deliver strong sales for the Team GB supporter shirt. In total, the online shop has recorded a 400% sales increase since the one year to go celebrations in July.

Source: London Olympics

Association News » ASTA Calls on Travelport Management for Open Forum on Agility Issues

2011-12-17T15:06:00.000-08:00

In the wake of a recent announcement from Travelport regarding its Agility program--which has generated unanswered questions and concerns among travel agent users of Travelport GDS brands and which is being applied globally--ASTA has issued the following statement:

ASTA has been in touch with Travelport’s top management to express member concern regarding three critical issues related to Travelport’s announcement of the Agility program.

First, Travelport subscribers believe they have a contracted right to features, now bundled as part of the Agility program, that are expressly “fee-waived” in their current contract.

Second, subscribers believe they should not have to pay for essential core features--such as profiles and queues--that have always been included as part of the core product and that define the essence of a Global Distribution System.

Third, subscribers have also expressed concern over the timing of the announcement, as they have already concluded their 2012 budgets. Travelport’s Agility announcement, released in early December, to be implemented Jan. 1, 2012, has given subscribers little time to adjust their businesses.

ASTA has urged Travelport’s top management to open communication lines directly with ASTA members in a dialogue to resolve these issues, as well as to explain the asserted value of both the new products and the enhancements of existing features. Just as important, Travelport needs to provide its subscribers with the opportunity to voice any unanswered concerns directly with Travelport.

Source - ASTA

Tourism News » Brusselicious 2012, a celebration of gastronomy to be launched

2011-12-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

For its tri-annual theme years, the Brussels Capital Region's Government has decided to highlight gastronomy in 2012. With Brusselicious, coordinated by VISITBRUSSELS, Brussels' art of living comes under the spotlight. Both visitors and local people will be offered a series of experiences based on this common theme. In total, Brusselicious 2012 will include around a hundred events associated with gastronomy.

Brusselicious XXL is an exhibition of 35 monumental sculptures some five metres high, representing several very popular Belgian products (mussels, chips, Brussels sprouts, chocolate bars and a glass of beer). These will be 'customised' by Belgian artists and dotted around the Region's 19 districts from March onwards. This exhibition will be held from the end of March to the end of June, before works are collected together and displayed from July to September in the alleys of the Brussels Park.

A call for tenders was therefore launched to many different kinds of artist. They had to come up with a project based on 3D images of five objects. Over 120 projects were submitted to a professional jury, which then selected 35 works. The selection was made 'blind', as the works were presented anonymously with just a short description of each project and a rough sketch, so as not to influence the decision of the jury members! Several Brussels art schools as well as fashion and design institutions took part in the project. Starting in January, the selected artists will work with moulds created by Jurgen Van Overwaele. These will be made in 3D, and produced with gel coat, polyester laminate and sometimes reinforced with silicone, depending on the model.

Airline News » Airlines for America (A4A) Comments on Department of Transportation (DOT) Request For Airline Emissions Data

2011-12-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Department of Transportation requests for information identifying European and U.S. airlines’ compliance under the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS).

“The information the U.S. government is requesting is intended to assist in countering the illegal application of the EU ETS to U.S. airlines. We applaud the government efforts to turn back the application of the unilateral scheme and to bring the EU and its member states back to the international negotiating table to implement the global sectoral approach framework provisionally agreed last year by the International Civil Aviation Organization.”

Source - A4A

Hotel News » Four Seasons Hotel Baku, Azerbaijan Set to Open in Early 2012

2011-12-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

Oil. That’s the first word that usually comes to mind when thinking of Baku, an ancient city at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains on the shores of the Caspian Sea. In recent years, a new vocabulary has emerged: ancient archaeology and rich museums; beautiful landscape and natural wonders; abundant local produce; designer shopping and white-hot nightlife. And now there’s one more reason to plan a trip to this fascinating city: opening very soon, the new Four Seasons Hotel Baku, Azerbaijan.

“Baku remains a business hub and capital of the oil and gas industry for this region, and while the country’s economy is growing rapidly, it’s also very stable. Four Seasons will welcome the discerning traveller who wants a place that is ideal to do business, and to call home while in the region,” says Tarek Mourad, general manager of the new 171-room Hotel. “As international travellers are exposed to all that the city and surrounding region have to offer, we expect to welcome more and more leisure guests who come for the history and culture, shopping and nightlife.”

Located at the city’s most prestigious address on the strollable waterfront promenade, the new Four Seasons Hotel Baku has been designed in the ornate French Beaux Arts style, harkening back to the period a century ago when Azerbaijan was the world’s second largest oil producer. Taking its place among the classical buildings of the promenade, Four Seasons is just steps from the charming Old City , a UNESCO World Heritage Site. “Although it’s a new building, it looks and feels as though it’s always been part of Baku,” notes Mourad.

With 171 bright, airy rooms including 29 suites, Four Seasons Hotel Baku is as intimate as one of the city’s historic oil barons mansions, with its welcoming Old World-style lobby and sweeping staircase to the meeting room floor. Decorated in graceful residential style and averaging a generous 52 square metres (560 square feet), rooms offer an sophisticated décor with a modern, high tech functionality. Nearly all rooms open to balconies with views of the Old City or Caspian Sea. The sumptuous Khazar and Liman Presidential Suites are each approximately 285 square metres (3000 square feet), with private elevator access.

As with all Four Seasons hotels and resorts around the world, the cross-cultural staff have been meticulously selected for their ability to offer warm, caring and personalised service to international and local guests. Perched on the top floor with panoramic sea views, Kaspia will offer mixed grill and seafood. Reached directly via private elevator from the Lobby, it promises to be Baku’s newest choice for see-and-be-seen dining. The adjacent Private Dining Room a more discreet space for those doing business or celebrating more intimate occasions. Zafferano is the Italian word for saffron, the rare, locally cultivated spice that will perfume many dishes on the central Italian menu at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also at street level, Piazza will serve morning coffee and pastries inside or on a terrace at the edge of Philharmonic Park, while in the evening, Bentley’s will come alive. A club-like bar ideal for meeting colleagues or friends for an after work drink, it will boast a large selection of whiskies and fine cigars from the walk-in humidor. “Before I arrived I imagined luxuriant dishes scented with saffron and accented with caviar, but I soon found out that there’s so much more possibility here using the abundance of local ingredients – particularly the fresh herbs so prevalent in local cooking – and many intriguing culinary traditions to inspire us,” says Executive Chef Marco Bax, an Italian by birth and training recently arrived in the city from the UK. “In a nod to Baku’s longstanding position as a crossroads of trade, we also intend to bring the best international ideas and ingredients to the city.”

Source: Four Seasons

Tourism News » WTTC predicts a rosy future for Montenegro's travel & tourism

2011-12-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

Since it re-emerged onto the world tourism stage at the end of the 1990s, Montenegro has given top priority to the redevelopment of its Travel & Tourism industry – an industry which, prior to the Balkan conflict of the 1990s, earned it worldwide fame and prestige due to its outstanding natural attractions.

“The government’s priority focus on Travel & Tourism, not least its investment in providing required infrastructure, is clearly paying off,” said Jean-Claude Baumgarten, Vice-Chairman of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), at the launch this week in Podgorica of WTTC’s latest economic impact study. “Montenegro is expected to be one of the fastest growing Travel & Tourism economies in the world over the next ten years.”

Presenting the main findings of this latest study, Baumgarten stressed the positive outlook for the country’s Travel & Tourism industry to the public and private sector stakeholders gathered for the launch, led by Predrag Sekuli?, Minister for Sustainable Development & Tourism.

“Despite the global 2008-09 economic recession and credit crisis, which resulted in a slowdown in the growth of tourism demand and investment in 2009 and 2010, demand has picked up this year and the outlook is considerably brighter,” Baumgarten noted. “Indeed, we are extremely optimistic about the growth prospects.” Travel & Tourism’s contribution to GDP, employment, visitor exports and investment should rise sharply from 2011 to 2021, in some cases more than doubling in share.

By way of example, one third of all capital investment in the country (33.4%) will be made in the Travel & Tourism industry in 2011, according to WTTC’s research – one of the highest shares in the world. And this is forecast to rise to 50.8% by 2021, or €876.4 million.

“Although the global economic crisis resulted in the postponement, and even suspension of some new Greenfield projects,” Baumgarten noted, “as well as delays in upgrading existing hotels and resorts, private investment has now started to pour into major projects – such as Sveti Stefan, Porto Montenegro and Orascom’s integrated Luštica resort development.

“This explains why WTTC predicts an average annual rate of growth in Travel & Tourism investment for Montenegro of 16.4% a year from 2011 to 2021 – higher than for any other country in the world, and twice as fast as that for India and China.”

Montenegro has everything a country needs to develop as a leading tourism destination, the study concludes – spectacular natural resources, including beautiful beaches and unspoilt nature, as well as a fascinating history and culture.

Source - WTTC

Tourism News » London Launches Pride House For Summer 2012

2011-12-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

On 26 July 2012, Pride House London will open its doors in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) community. Continuing the great work realised by Pride House Vancouver and Whistler at the 2010 winter games, this will be the second Pride House to join the line-up of Olympic houses and the first to be present at a summer games, representing a significant milestone for the LGBT community. As one of the largest houses in London next summer, Pride House is expecting more than 250,000 visitors over seventeen days. A diverse programme is being developed with a number of partners to be announced in the New Year. Some highlights visitors can expect to find include live music and entertainment, an art exhibition featuring LGBT artists, sports tournaments and demonstrations with special appearances by professional athletes and big screens stationed around the venue showing televised broadcasts of Olympic events and highlights of Pride House.

“Next summer Pride House will welcome athletes, dignitaries, media, Londoners and visitors from around the world with a dynamic and entertaining programme in support of the LGBT community”, said Chad Molleken, executive director of Pride House London. “It has been extremely rewarding to see the interest and engagement from organizations and individuals from around the world and today we are proud to announce partnerships with the It Gets Better Project, UK Pride Sports, LGBT History Month and Diversity Role Models.”

Stephen Fry commented on his support for the project: “I’m very proud and pleased to be an ambassador for Pride House London. All eyes will be on London for the 2012 games and Pride House is an idea that brings together so many of the elements that make London of the very the greatest cities in the world and a beacon of tolerance, diversity and pride. Pride House London is a symbol of how London remains one of the most truly cosmopolitan and accepting cities in the world.” Gordon Innes, ceo London & Partners commented, “We are really excited about the prospect of Pride House in London – it’s a fantastic opportunity for the capital to celebrate our diverse community. The House will be a wonderful addition to the array of cultural experiences and other Houses which will be opening up across the city next year.”

Source: London Tourism

Cruise News » Windstar's Wind Surf Debuts New Look For Accommodations and Corridors

2011-12-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

Windstar Cruises, which operates a fleet of three luxury sailing yachts that explore hidden harbors and secluded coves of the world’s most treasured destinations, announces the completion of the first phase of Wind Surf’s refurbishment encompassing the yacht’s staterooms, suites, bridge suites and corridors.

Wind Surf welcomed guests December 10 in Philipsburg, St. Maarten and set sail for the start of its Caribbean season with a new luxurious, classic, stylish yacht look for its accommodations and corridors. Wind Surf’s staterooms now feature leather headboards, stately arm chairs, linen wall coverings, new lighting features, elegant window coverings, plush wool carpeting, art work and stylish bed cushions. Suites were additionally outfitted with new furniture that converts easily to lounging, dining, or accommodating a third occupant. Corridors were completely renovated from floor to ceiling with new wall coverings, carpeting, ceiling finishes, lighting and art work.

“The new look enables us to provide an unparalleled guest experience and dramatizes Windstar’s brand position of providing a unique, boutique yacht vacation that is 180 Degrees from Ordinary,”said Hans Birkholz, President and CEO of Windstar Cruises. The second phase of Wind Surf’s refurbishment will take place in the fall of 2012 and focuses on the yacht’s public spaces including the Lounge, The Restaurant, Degrees, Veranda, Compass Rose, WindSpa, Yacht Club and Pool Bar.

•   In the Lounge, wall-to-wall carpeting will be replaced with hard flooring accented with inset rugs, a contemporary mix of furniture, lighter color palette and improved sound insulation around the casino.
•   The Restaurant will be completed with a new seating layout, all new soft goods, and state-of-the art wine display and storage.
•   Degrees Restaurant will be transformed into a Mediterranean bistro, anchored by a central wine bar for counter dining as well as an inviting area to relax before and after dinner. Wine tastings and cooking demonstrations will also be conducted here.
•   The Veranda’s outdoor seating will be significantly expanded, creating an ideal mid-ship area for enjoying breakfast and lunch alfresco. The interior will include a new buffet, new lighting, and epicurean style display counters.
•   The Compass Rose will be reconfigured to open up expansively to the adjoining outdoor deck, and its interior completely renovated to reflect the sophisticated elegance of a private club.
•   The Pool Bar will sport new awnings for additional shade, new deck furniture, and improved outdoor dining layout for Candles Grill.

Wind Star and Wind Spirit will undergo complete refurbishments of staterooms, owner’s suite, and corridors along with public spaces including The Restaurant, Veranda, Lounge, WindSpa, Library, Reception, and Pool Bar following their respective Costa Rica and Caribbean seasons. After the completion of work, both yachts begin their Mediterranean seasons with Wind Spirit starting April 15, 2012, and Wind Star beginning April 29, 2012.

Source: Windstar

Travel Events News » HSMAI Unveils 2011 Gold Adrian Award Winners

2011-12-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is proud to announce the 2011 Gold Adrian Award winners, representing this year's top advertising, public relations and digital marketing campaigns from across the hospitality industry.

With nearly 1,000 entries, judging for this year's Gold Winners category was very competitive. From the entries, HSMAI awarded 29 advertising gold awards, 74 public relations gold awards and 50 digital marketing gold awards.

"This year's Adrian Awards call for entries saw a shift to more digital work and campaigns integrating digital marketing mediums," said Fran Brasseux, executive vice president of HSMAI. "Judges from this year's competition remarked on the overall high level of creativity displayed in the entries, with those that also delivered strong results rising to the top."

The judges' panel shared a variety of key trends and themes amongst the winning entries that distinguished them from the rest of the field.

Gold Adrian Award winners become finalists for Platinum Adrian Awards, and the coveted "Best of Show" award. Both awards will be announced at the 55th Annual Adrian Awards Dinner Reception and Gala, a black-tie event taking place Feb. 27, 2012, at the New York Marriott Marquis.

Source - HSMAI

Travel News » Mangrove Mission: Protecting and Restoring Natural Habitats with Four Seasons Resort Langkawi

2011-12-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, Langkawi, is a 400-million year old maze of limestone cliffs and tangled mangroves that houses otters and dolphins, monkeys and eagles, fish that walk (mudskippers) and colourful tree-climbing crabs. Just minutes by boat from the beach of Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, these threatened forests between land and sea have become the Resort’s main environmental focus.

In addition to housing many protected species, mangrove forests act as nurseries for many juvenile fish; filter sediments and toxicants that would otherwise harm coral reefs; stabilise and protect coastlines; and retain more carbon than most other forests. As part of its ongoing commitment, the Resort’s Mangrove Preservation and Rehabilitation Program leads guests, media and documentary teams alike on Mangrove Safaris by boat or kayak to discover the wider ecological purpose of these undervalued ecosystems. New Photographic Mangrove Tours teach valuable camera skills alongside an enhanced appreciation of the mangrove’s majestic eagles and kites, comical crabs and mischievous macaques. Meeting groups and families are encouraged to participate in their own mini mangrove cleanups, while Kids For All Seasons runs Mangrove & Monkeys adventures, opening children’s eyes to these mysterious forests and the sustainable practices necessary to safeguard them.

The Resort kick-started its support of Four Seasons 50th Birthday pledge to plant 10 Million Trees worldwide by taking a group of local school children on a mangrove-planting mission on World Environment Day on June 5, 2011. It has also established a dedicated mangrove nursery where young saplings are regularly tended. On Earth Day this year the Resort also initiated an annual mangrove clean up mission that saw a team of 150 staff, guests, residents and local agency volunteers collect more than 90 kilos (200 pounds) of rubbish.

Source: Four Seasons

Hotel News » the noodle house Earns Superbrand Status

2011-12-17T14:38:00.000-08:00

the noodle house, the flagship brand of Jumeirah Restaurants LLC serving cuisines from South-East Asia, announced that it has been awarded Superbrand status for 2012.

The Superbrand status is assigned to a company or a brand based on market dominance, quality, trust, longevity, goodwill, customer loyalty and market acceptance.

the noodle house was voted a Superbrand by the Superbrands Council which consists of eminent industry figures including Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade, Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free, and Laila Sohail, CEO, Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment.

Phil Broad, Managing Director of Jumeirah Restaurants LLC, said: “We are extremely proud to be awarded the Superbrand status for 2012. This achievement reflects our hard work and continuous efforts towards developing the noodle house brand in the course of the past ten years. It is a great honour to be recognized by an international award-giving body for achieving high standards of excellence and quali Jumeirah ty services.”

Source - Jumeirah

Alternative Holiday Destinations You May Not Know Of

2011-12-17T11:09:00.000-08:00

Many people who travel to Europe will often visit big famous cities like Paris, Barcelona or Rome - but have you considered an alternative holiday destination - perhaps somewhere you may not know much about and is perhaps internationally less well known? In this blog post we look at the fantastic skiing destination Tsakhkadzor in Armenia and examine the intrigues and charms of exploring Castles in Denmark.

Skiing in Tsakhkadzor

There are many great ski resorts in Europe in countries like Austria, France, Switzerland and Italy but if you are looking for something a bit different why not take a trip to Tsakhkadzor, Armenia. Located approximately a 1 hour drive away from Armenia’s capital Yerevan and standing over 1800 metres above sea level on the South Eastern edge of Mount Teghenis, Tsakhkadzor offers excellent snow for skiers and snowboarders as well all the facilities you would expect from a great ski resort - such as great bars and restaurants. However, the city is also steeped in history and offers some great architectural attractions such as churches and monasteries dating back to the Middle Ages.

Visiting Castles in Denmark

If you fancy something a bit different from your city break why not pack your bags and head to Copenhagen to check out some of the stunning historical buildings of the city? The country is filled with some fantastic castles and other historic buildings dating back to the 1300s and in Copenhagen you can find some of the best. Amalienborg for example is the home of the Danish royal family and comprises of 4 separate palace buildings - each of which are superb to behold in their own right. As with Buckingham Palace in London, tourists flock to Amalienborg to see the ceremonial changing of the guard and enjoy a key piece of the country’s history and culture.

The Penguins of Simons Bay

2011-12-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

It was really the penguins that brought us to Simons Bay and Cape of Good Hope. How can you not love them? The penguins found this bay a worthwhile residence in 1987 and since the price of real estate in this area has really been rising and tourist numbers as well doing the same, why move? All they have to do is some usual tricks for the tourists and they are given comfortable five star nests and an audience so delighted with them. What more could they ask for?

Cape of Good Hope, Kalk's Bay, Cuba to Cape

2011-12-17T08:09:00.000-08:00

Remember your World History Lesson? I could very well remember memorizing this for the test and here I am standing right here looking at the ocean watching for those Spanish Galleons circumnavigating the world.

We then had lunch at Kalk's Bay. The waterfront all the way from Capetown was full as it was the weekend so it was hard to find parking but we were determined to have a taste of the fish and seafood fresh from the area so patiently we went on our hunt for parking and found one as someone was just leaving. And lo and behold, just below where we parked is the famous new year party restaurant called Cuba to Cape.

The interior is like that of a Paladar, those old houses transformed into restaurants with the servers wearing the Cubana outfits and Che Guevara tshirt and hat.

The menu is like an old newspaper in Cuba.

The food is superb. I had Paella and Tom had Boulliabaise and we truly enjoyed these.

Railway News » Network Rail Closes 500th Level Crossing

2011-12-16T20:42:00.000-08:00

Network Rail has closed 500 level crossings across Britain since April 2009 and intends to close a further 250 by 31 March 2014.

This marks a significant milestone in the company’s programme to close as many user worked crossings as possible and reduce the level of risk on the network where roads and pathways cross the railway.

User worked crossings are mostly private crossings, not public rights of way, and while mainly located in rural areas, many cross busy main lines. The barriers or gates need to be operated by the person crossing and not the railway and warning measures include miniature warning lights, signs or telephones. In many cases an alternative access for the user is either available or has been provided to secure closure.

Robin Gisby, managing director for network operations for Network Rail said: "In closing these 500 crossings we have removed the risk of a vehicle or person being struck by a train at these locations and improved safety across the network for everyone working or travelling by rail.

While this is good progress, there is much more to be done. We aim to close a further 250 by April 2014 and we will work to further improve other crossings across the network and continue to raise awareness of the dangers of misuse.

"Closing a level crossing is not always an easy process, and we often need the support of land owners, local authorities and users. I hope we can count on their continued support as we look to improve safety and modernise the rail network for the future."

Source: Network Rail

Association News » ACTE delegates learn new methods of problem solving and stragety setting at London Forum

2011-12-16T20:40:00.000-08:00

Thinking differently and approaching travel purchasing issues and communications challenges from a different perspective were the key outcomes from the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) London Executive Forum at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel.

The ACTE London Executive Forum, which saw 60 leading corporate buyers and travel professionals attend, looked specifically at the PESTLE model of problem solving and how to apply that to the world of corporate travel. PESTLE, which is widely used in strategic marketing sectors, is relatively unknown within the fields of corporate procurement and business travel. Standing for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental it is a model designed to create a structured but different approach to strategy development and problem solving.

The majority of delegates said that they would now incorporate PESTLE thinking into their travel procurement strategies.The session, which was led by Corin McGrath, Best Practice Director, Group Procurement, Royal Mail, saw delegates address specific, but typical, challenges facing them and to use the model to create solutions or strategies.

Commenting on the session, Caroline Allen, ACTE Regional Director (North East Europe & Russia) said: “ACTE is committed to bringing new, fresh and innovative sessions to our members at these Executive Forums. The introduction of the PESTLE model did just that and the delegates were very receptive to this approach. It will be interesting to see how the approach to problem solving and strategy development changes in business travel and procurement changes going forward”.Corin McGrath added: “The PESTLE model we presented and the feedback we received from delegates showed a real desire amongst corporate travel buyers and travel professionals to look for new ways to approach old challenges”

Source - ACTE

Hotel News » NYC & Company Launches Third Night Promotion with 20 Signature Collection Luxury Hotels This Winter

2011-12-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

NYC & Company announced that all 20 hotels in The Signature Collection, a group of New York City's luxury hotels, will participate in The Signature Collection Third Night promotion this winter. The program gives visitors a complimentary Third Night at participating hotels after they book and pay for two consecutive nights between January 2 and February 29, 2012. In addition, NYC & Company also announced that, for the first time ever, Third Night customers will receive a special Key to Madison Avenue card, providing access to special offers from the luxury retail district on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Detailed booking information for the winter promotion can be found beginning today at nycgo.com/thirdnight.

"This winter we invite both visitors and residents to experience our City’s most luxurious hotels while enjoying unprecedented value," said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. "We are pleased to be partnering this winter with the businesses along Madison Avenue to offer Signature Collection Third Night guests more reasons to experience the best of New York City in January and February.”

The 20 hotels—all part of The Signature Collection—participating in this winter’s Third Night program are: The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel; The Chatwal New York; Hôtel Plaza Athénée New York; Jumeirah Essex House; Loews Regency Hotel; The London NYC; Mandarin Oriental, New York; The New York Palace; The Peninsula New York; The Pierre New York; The Plaza Hotel; The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park; The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park; The Setai Fifth Avenue; The Sherry-Netherland; The St. Regis New York; The Surrey; Trump International Hotel & Tower New York; Trump SoHo New York; and The Waldorf Towers.

An added bonus of booking a stay at a hotel within The Signature Collection this winter is the Key to Madison Avenue card, which provides exclusive access to more than 70 special offers on everything from boutiques and spas to restaurants and art galleries. Offers include VIP services, complimentary gifts, private shopping and more. Visitors who check in as a Third Night guest will receive one Key to Madison Avenue card per room at check-in.

Association News » GBTA Submits Testimony in Support of Visa Waiver Program Expansion

2011-12-16T20:37:00.000-08:00

GBTA submitted written testimony to the House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary, Immigration Policy and Enforcement Subcommittee in support of expanding the Visa Waiver Program(VWP).

Expanding the program that currently allows a reciprocal 90-day, visa-free travel with the 36 countries that currently qualify for visa waiver status, would be a huge boon to the struggling economy. GBTA supports the continued expansion of the VWP because it promotes global business. Global business travel spending fuels the U.S. and global economies. In 2011, global business travel spending will reach nearly $1 trillion.

One of the primary objectives of the VWP is to facilitate legitimate travel without jeopardizing security. The program has more than met this objective. It is estimated that from fiscal year 2005 through fiscal year 2010, over 98 million visitors were admitted to the United States under the VWP—both leisure and business travelers. As an example, since Korea joined the program, the number of Korean nationals traveling to the U.S. jumped 49 percent last year from 2009, surpassing the 1.1 million mark for the first time.

“International business travel continues to be one of the few growth areas of our economy. Expanding the Visa Waiver Program will allow more inbound international travel which will be a tremendous boost for the economy,” commented Michael W. McCormick, GBTA executive director and COO. “There has never been a more important time to make it easier for business travelers which will ultimately lead to even more travel. Expanding this program is a win for the U.S. economy.”

As part of its work, GBTA actively tracks business travel trends through the GBTA Business Travel Quarterly Outlook (BTQ). The latest projections show business travel maintaining an upward trajectory in 2012. While the U.S. economy faces challenges, many markets abroad, particularly in Asia, continue to grow at a much faster pace. U.S. companies operating globally are enjoying export booms and gains in their overall competitiveness. GBTA is projecting that corporations are expected to book 3.3% more trips abroad in 2012 and increase their international travel spend 7.7% to $34.3 billion. This follows 2011 growth of 9.1% in international travel spend as currently forecast.

In addition to the BTQ, GBTA has conducted an analysis of the relationship between the GBTA Business Travel Index™, a proprietary measure of business travel spending derived from the BTQ, and U.S. non-farm civilian employment from the year 2000 to the present. Our analysis shows the GBTA Business Travel Index™ is a leading indicator of U.S. employment:
•If the GBTA BTI™ increases during a particular quarter, there is a very high likelihood U.S. employment will also increase during the following quarter.
•During the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011, the GBTA BTI™ saw a significant increase; three months later, U.S. employment increased by 658,000.

McCormick concluded: “It’s a logical analysis: when businesses are confident in a growing economy, they send their employees on the road to secure even more business. This results in an increase in sales for companies, necessitating the hiring of more staff to fill those sales, more employees to accommodate the needs of business travelers and a ripple effect throughout the economy.”

Source - GBTA

Airline News » JAL Maintains International Fare Fuel Surcharge for February to March 2012

2011-12-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

Japan Airlines (JAL) will maintain current levels of fuel surcharge on all international passenger tickets issued between February 1, 2012 and March 31, 2012.

JAL sets fuel surcharge levels bimonthly based on the 2-month average price of Singapore kerosene-type jet fuel. The price of Singapore kerosene-type jet fuel during the two month period of October and November 2011 averaged US$125.75 per barrel. With reference to the fuel surcharge benchmark list for the fiscal year of 2011 (see below), this corresponds to Zone G of fuel surcharges which range from 2,500 yen on a Japan - Korea ticket to 25,000 yen on a Japan - USA ticket per person per sector flown, on tickets purchased in Japan.

This level of surcharge will be applied to all international passenger tickets issued between February 1, 2012 and March 31, 2012.

Source: JAL

Association News » Compass Edge Unveils GoHotelsGo.com

2011-12-16T20:32:00.000-08:00

Compass Edge, an online travel portal representing a collection of independent hotels in Asia, has launched GoHotelsGo.com.

Unlike most online travel portals that focus on the lowest nightly rate, Compass Edge carefully selects the best promotion packages from its member hotels and offers them through GoHotelsGo.com so travellers can enjoy their vacation with the best value. GoHotelsGo.com redirects valuable inbound traffic links to the hotels own website for bookings, enabling hotels to engage their customers directly and not rely on third parties. Additionally, all Compass Edge hotels featured on GoHotelsGo.com pay no additional commission to Compass Edge, allowing hotels to feature their best valued promotion on this B2C venue that ultimately benefits both the hotels and the travellers.

Compass Edge COO Wing Lee was quoted as having said that with a centralized approach enabling travellers to find numerous hotel promotion packages for key destinations in Asia, hotels will have a better chance to get incremental or new business through Compass Edge.

Source - PATA

Technology News » PSAV Develops 'Express App' for Meetings

2011-12-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort is among the first convention and meetings venues in the country to offer the new "Express App" from PSAV® Presentation Services to its meeting planners and event delegates. The mobile app -- enabling meeting attendees to access important event data, such as the conference agenda, speaker listing, event sponsors, a virtual property map and a listing of offsite venues -- helps to turn ordinary events into extraordinary and unforgettable experiences for event goers. For hoteliers and meeting planners, PSAV's Express App replaces the paper-based meeting prospectus' with an interactive mobile tool that is quick to build, simple to implement and easy to afford.

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe was one of the first PSAV customers to implement the app. Director of Catering and Convention Services Brian Lang worked side-by-side with PSAV's onsite technicians to customize the mobile tool for a Hyatt Hotels & Resorts regional Familiarization (FAM) Trip. Lang said the event was the ideal venue to demonstrate to Hyatt's Corporate Customers how his property is using mobile technology to deliver event content

"In the beginning I was skeptical that an easy-to-use mobile meeting app actually existed," Lang said. "Typically a lot of man hours go into building an app that meeting planners may not have in their budgets. But the Express App from PSAV was really easy for me to build and attendees to use.

Carl Mahnke, CMP and Hyatt Director of Corporate Events who orchestrates about 65 events for the brand every year including the FAM Trip at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, said he was unaware that a mobile app was going to be provided for this event, but he said it was "a great idea."

"Using mobile apps to support an event is the way of the future," Mahnke said. "Going forward we will attempt to offer it at every venue when possible. Being able to eliminate the cost and waste of paper is a huge benefit to both meeting planners and those attending the conferences. This is a demand trend that I expect to grow over time, especially as more tablet computers hit the market. Using an iPad vs. an iPod Touch, for example, will enable attendees to not only read documents and maps, but also take also take detailed notes. Interactivity is key, and mobile apps is making that possible."

Tourism News » Macau to Publish Room Rates on Permanent Basis

2011-12-16T20:28:00.000-08:00

Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) announced that starting December 15 it will publish the rates of different hotels and guesthouses room categories on its website on a permanent basis. This new development will make it more convenient for both residents and visitors to search for accommodation.

MGTO expressed that for guests who reserve rooms directly with the hotels, the price cannot exceed the limit of the rates published. However, if bookings are done through any other channels, namely travel agencies or online reservation services, the room rates published on the website can only be taken as reference.

Guests can check hotel information and the published room rates at MGTO website.

Source - PATA

Hotel News » W Hotels Unveils Innovative Design Concept of the Soon-to-Open W Paris - Opera by Acclaimed Rockwell Group Europe

2011-12-16T20:25:00.000-08:00

W Hotels Worldwide will mark its debut in France on February 14, 2012 with the opening of W Paris - Opéra hotel. Owned by Barcelona-based Meridia Capital, the hotel is set inside an elegant 1870s Haussman-era heritage building. W Paris - Opéra has been designed jointly by W Global Brand Design and Rockwell Group Europe (RGe) led by Diego Gronda, its Managing and Creative Director.
Situated across the street from the renowned Opéra Garnier, W Paris - Opéra is certain to become a buzzing landmark in the city.

Inspired by the creative idea of “The Spark,” the hotel was conceptualised to create a dynamic dialogue between the following: the historic façade of the building, Paris as the “City of Light” and W’s DNA by infusing a sense of energy into the quintessential Parisian neighbourhood. This approach results in a stimulating fusion of New York’s dynamism and its never-ending energy with the sophistication and culture of Paris.

“Taking the W brand into Paris, a global fashion capital, will mark a true milestone in W’s global expansion into the world’s most exciting and vibrant destinations,” said Eva Ziegler, Global Brand Leader, W Hotels Worldwide and Le Méridien. “Unique lifestyle programming within a cutting-edge designed environment will bring a new and distinctive experience to Paris and the Parisians alike.”

Elaborating on the design concept, RGe’s Diego Gronda said, “For the first W Hotel in Paris, we wanted to provide guests with an unforgettable experience of the light and sophistication present all over this amazing city. Our design feeds off the elegance, richness and radiance of Paris, “La Ville Lumière,” while layering in the contemporary cool and free-spirited energy of New York.”
The hotel design revolves around an oversized backlit digital undulating wall that defines the central core of the building and weaves through the public and private spaces. The “spark” will appear as a dotted pattern that forms abstract clouds. This wall will be set at various tempos to create different moods to match the season, event, time of day, and location within the hotel, bringing the historic building to life with a glowing vibrancy. The elevators, DJ booth and staircases will be cloaked in red to give the illusion of being inside an epicentre of energy.

The five-storey hotel will have 91 stylish guest rooms, including 20 suites and two Extreme WOW Suites (W’s interpretation of the Presidential Suite). With soaring ceilings up to three and a half metres in height, the guest rooms and suites offer a contemporary, spacious design and stunning views of Opéra Garnier and the Parisian streets.

Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Airline News » Emirates doubles its flights to Venice

2011-12-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

Emirates’ flights to Venice will go double daily from 25th March next year. The airline, which started flying to Venice in July 2007, is still the only carrier to offer a non-stop passenger service to and from Dubai.

The second daily flight, EK 137, will leave Dubai at 1545hrs and arrive in Venice at 2000hrs. The return flight, EK 138, will leave Venice Marco Polo Airport at 2150hrs, landing in Dubai at 0535hrs the next day.

The Venice flight will be serviced by an Airbus 340-300.
A 267-seat Airbus 340-300 will operate the route in a three class configuration; First, Business and Economy.

“Since launching our third gateway into Italy four years ago, Venice has gone from strength, both on the passenger and cargo side, said Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Europe & Russian Federation. “There is clearly a need for another daily service and we will help to satisfy that demand,” added Mr Obaidalla.

Venice is one of the world’s best known tourist destinations and the area surrounding the city in Italy’s north east is an important commercial region, bustling with small and medium sized companies. The Emirates’ service out of Venice also provides a useful alternative for travellers in neighbouring Slovenia.

Emirates has a special treat for First Class and Business Class passengers in Venice as the only airline in the world to offer a water limousine airport transfer service, whisking passengers through the Venetian Lagoon.

Source: Emirates

Technology News » Hilton Garden Inn Washington DC/Greenbelt Chooses Target Net

2011-12-16T20:22:00.000-08:00

The Knowland Group has signed the Hilton Garden Inn Washington DC/Greenbelt for Target Net. Conveniently located minutes away from BWI airport in Baltimore, Maryland, the Hilton Garden Inn will be able to maximize group business with Knowland’s innovative sales & catering system.

The Hilton Garden Inn in Greenbelt, Maryland features 3,800 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate groups from 10 to 350. They offer complete on-site catering with high quality and varied menus to compliment any budget. Their convenient location just off I-95 and Hwy 495 makes it even easier for guests and attendees alike.

“Target Net is the perfect fit for the Hilton Garden Inn in Greenbelt,” said Knowland CEO Michael K. McKean. “Our sales force automation and meetings management tool will help them track down groups that are perfect for the property and manage each event from meeting space to menus.”

Target Net provides true sales force automation. Operating from the cloud, it is browser-based and does not require expensive installations and maintenance like other archaic software systems. The platform includes more than 40 reports standard – including Activity Reports, Rooms Pace and Sales Manager Production.

With access to the world’s largest group database, Target Net puts the hotel sales team in contact with solid leads supplemented with verified contact information for meeting planners. From there, employees can execute events from start to finish. Target Net includes a user friendly BEO interface, allowing hotel staff to share necessary information quickly – from the sales team to the front desk to the housekeeping staff.

Hoteliers can also stay connected with their Facebook fans through the Target Net Social tab. In fact, they can keep tabs on all their property’s social media accounts and post pictures, links, status updates and videos without ever leaving the system. With Target Net, the Hilton Garden Inn’s sales team can pursue, book and deliver on every group account.

Target Net provides true sales force automation. Operating from the cloud, it is browser-based and does not require expensive installations and maintenance like other archaic software systems. The platform includes more than 40 reports standard – including Activity Reports, Rooms Pace and Sales Manager Production. With access to the world’s largest group database, Target Net puts the hotel sales team in contact with solid leads supplemented with verified contact information for meeting planners. From there, employees can execute events from start to finish.

Target Net includes a user friendly BEO interface, allowing hotel staff to share necessary information quickly – from the sales team to the front desk to the housekeeping staff. Hoteliers can also stay connected with their Facebook fans through the Target Net Social tab. In fact, they can keep tabs on all their property’s social media accounts and post pictures, links, status updates and videos without ever leaving the system. With Target Net, the Hilton Garden Inn’s sales team can pursue, book and deliver on every group account.

Source - Target Net

Airline News » airBaltic secures future with government programme

2011-12-16T19:59:00.000-08:00

Officials in the Latvian government have agreed to a capital increase for airBaltic to enable the future development of the Latvian national carrier and fleet modernisation.

The cabinet of ministers approved a capital increase by LVL57.6 million (US$107 million).

As part of the plan presented to the government today, airBaltic will modernise its fleet to operate two types of aircraft – Bombardier Q400 Next Gen turboprop for regional flights, and either Airbus 320 or Boeing 737 New Generation.

All in all, the operational fleet will consist of 24 aircraft in 2012.

The modernised fleet will allow airBaltic to operate more efficiently and retain focus on affordable tickets to Europe, Middle East, Russia/CIS, and increase flight frequencies to the highly demanded destinations.

airBaltic serves over 60 destinations from its home base in Riga, Latvia.

From every one of these, airBaltic offers convenient connections via North Hub Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, CIS and the Middle East.

Travel News » New focus for Expedia Trip Companion app

2011-12-16T19:56:00.000-08:00

Online travel booking site Expedia.co.uk has announced a major upgrade of its Expedia Trip Companion app.

The new design will allow people to access unique content, share trips and recommendations with friends and view in-depth destination advice from experts and other travellers.

The updated Facebook application lets travellers explore their holiday destination like a local and discover places to go and things to see and do that go beyond the guidebook.

In addition to expert content from Frommers, the recent updates bring together recommendations and reviews from other travellers via TripAdvisor and even insights and advice from locals, via Yelp.

Expedia Trip Companion is a Facebook based planning tool that enables travellers to keep all details of their holiday stored safely in their account.

Once they have consulted the range of expert and insider advice available, travellers can go on to personalise a ‘Trip Guide’ of things they want to do and see on their trip and update it while they’re away to include their own hidden gems and discoveries.

Once back home, they can even share their findings with friends and family via Facebook, or make a note of them for return visits.

The updated Expedia Trip Companion app maintains core content from the original beta version but with the following updates:

“We are constantly investing in new innovations and technologies which inspire people to get the most out of their travels and encourage them to share their experiences with the people that matter to them most,” commented Andy Washington, managing director for Expedia in the UK and Ireland.

“Our goal is to offer greater flexibility in catering for their differing needs and interests of UK travellers and the Expedia Trip Companion tool is just one example of the, inspirational and useful services we have been developing.” concludes Washington.

The app is currently available across Europe and can be downloaded here.

Cruise News » Royal Caribbean launches major new advertising campaign

2011-12-16T19:54:00.000-08:00

Royal Caribbean has launched a new brand campaign which seeks to embody the most inspirational element of its core offering, the sea.

The campaign is aimed at reawakening consumers to the sights and sounds of the sea and conveys the relaxation, romance and adventure that only can be had on the open waters aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation.

The campaign will kick off with playful imagery of a conch shell as a phone – dubbed the ‘Shellphone’ - and communicates the campaign’s decree: “The Sea is Calling. Answer it Royally.”

Through the new campaign, Royal Caribbean is addressing the emotional aspects and motivations for taking a vacation with the award-winning cruise line.

“The Sea is Calling. Answer it Royally.” engages consumers and invites them to explore their individual best selves on a Royal Caribbean ship.

“We are tapping into the sea’s powerful, emotional force to reframe the context of cruising for consumers who don’t understand what a Royal Caribbean cruise vacation offers,” said Betsy O’Rourke, senior vice president, marketing, Royal Caribbean.

Created by Royal Caribbean’s lead advertising agency, JWT New York, in partnership with media agency Mindshare, the campaign will unfold over the coming weeks and officially launch in North America in January 2012, and then deploy globally throughout the new year.

The Shellphone will began appearing on December 19th in a series of wild postings in major cities including New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and Miami.

The official kick-off will be the airing of aspirational television commercials of everyday people interacting with the “Shellphone” (30-second and 60-second versions) beginning January 9th, 2012.

Tourism News » London Olympics outlines ticket resale procedures

2011-12-16T19:52:00.000-08:00

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) has confirmed details of its ticket resale process for Olympic and Paralympic ticket holders.

Those who have bought tickets directly from LOCOG before January 6th 2012 will be able to resell their tickets via the London 2012 ticketing website from this date until February 3rd 2012.

The resale process will allow those who are no longer able to attend or no longer want their tickets to sell them to other sports fans and help ensure that venues are full next summer.

How the process works

Those who purchased tickets from LOCOG will be able to choose which tickets they wish to resell via their ticketing account on the ticketing website.

Tickets submitted for resale will be made available online for other customers to purchase on an ongoing basis.

If sold, the seller will receive the full face value of the tickets.

If the tickets remain unsold they will be returned to the ticket holder’s account.

A further opportunity for ticket holders to try and resell any unwanted tickets will open in spring 2012.

Secure sales

LOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton said: “This resale programme will give those who wish to use it an opportunity to securely sell their tickets to others who wish to go to the Games, or purchase more tickets and help us to achieve our aim of having full venues.”

Remaining tickets for the Olympic Football Tournament and the Paralympic Games are currently on sale until February 6th 2012, when the seat allocation process will begin.

Contingency tickets and those not sold by this date will be made available for sale from spring 2012.

For more information on visiting the capital check out London: http://london.mobi/

Tourism News » Obama administration reveals hundreds of millions in transport spending

2011-12-16T19:49:00.000-08:00

United States transportation secretary Ray LaHood has announced 46 transportation projects in 33 states and Puerto Rico will receive a total of $511 million from the third round of the TIGER program.

The announcement comes ahead of schedule and will allow communities to move forward with job-creating infrastructure projects including road and bridge improvements; transit upgrades; freight, port and rail expansions; and new options for bicyclists and pedestrians.

The DoT received 848 project applications from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC, requesting a total of $14.29 billion, far exceeding the $511 million made available for grants under the TIGER III program.

“The overwhelming demand for these grants clearly shows that communities across the country can’t afford to wait any longer for Congress to put Americans to work building the transportation projects that are critical to our economic future,” said secretary LaHood.

“That’s why we’ve taken action to get these grants out the door quickly, and that is why we will continue to ask Congress to make the targeted investments we need to create jobs, repair our nation’s transportation systems, better serve the travelling public and our nation’s businesses, factories and farms, and make sure our economy continues to grow.”

In November, President Obama directed DOT to take common sense steps to expedite transportation projects by accelerating the process for review and approval and by leveraging private sector funding to promote growth and job creation.

As part of that initiative, DOT accelerated the TIGER III application review process and has announced the awards before the end of 2011 – months ahead of the planned spring 2012 announcement.

The grants will fund a wide range of innovative transportation projects in urban and rural areas across the country:

In 2009 and 2010, the department received a total of 2,400 applications requesting $76 billion; greatly exceeding the $2.1 billion available in the TIGER I and TIGER II grant programs.

In the previous two rounds, the TIGER program awarded grants to 126 freight, highway, transit, port and bicycle/pedestrian projects in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

TIGER grants are awarded to transportation projects that have a significant national or regional impact.

A complete list of grant recipients can be viewed here: http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/FY2011TIGER.pdf

Cruise News » Costa Cruises’ flagship Costa Favolosa arrives in Dubai for cruise season

2011-12-16T19:46:00.000-08:00

Costa Cruises opens its sixth consecutive season in the Emirates with the inaugural call in Dubai of the flagship Costa Favolosa.

The arrival of the vessel at the port was celebrated with a welcoming ceremony attended by Awah Al Ketbi, chief executive of AL Ketbi Consultancy, the company which runs the Costa representative office in Dubai, Captain Mauro Muratore and government officials and VIP guests from Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, tourism and maritime sectors.

Costa Favolosa - 114,500 gross tonnage and 3,800 total guests - is the largest and most advanced ship ever deployed in the Emirates, a world-first cruise destination offered by Costa in 2006.

From today until April 6th 2012, Costa Favolosa will be sailing on seven-night cruises in the exotic seas of the Arabian Gulf, with two days in Dubai, one-day stopovers in Muscat (Oman), Fujairah (UAE), Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Khasab (Oman) and ending with a further overnight stay in Dubai.

The Jewels of the Emirates cruise has an itinerary reminiscent of A Thousand and One Nights, offering a tantalizing mix of past and future, unspoiled oases and stunning futuristic architecture, dune surfing, mosques and skyscrapers.

This year’s route features the additional port call of Khasab (Oman), which boasts towering cliffs and deep blue waters.

Thanks to the positioning of Costa Favolosa, Costa will make 58 port calls in the United Arab Emirates in winter 2011/2012 and expects to clock up approximately 233,000 passenger movements.

Hotel News » Dukes London rejoins Small Luxury Hotels of the World

2011-12-16T19:45:00.000-08:00

The independently owned five star luxury boutique hotel Dukes London has announced it will be re-joining Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

It brings to close an exciting year for the London property, with Dukes having taken the title of England’s Leading Boutique Hotel at the World Travel Awards earlier this year.

Dukes, which originally left the organisation five years ago, is now live on the SLH website.

General manager Debrah Dhugga is delighted to be re-joining the prestigious SLH family commenting: “Small Luxury Hotels of the World is a perfect fit for Dukes; ‘a small luxury boutique hotel’ being exactly what we are.

“We offer absolute service and style without compromising on character, something that is sometimes lost at larger properties.

“SLH is a fantastic brand and one with which we are delighted to be re-associated with.”

From January 1st 2012, Dukes can be booked via the SLH website here.

Some 65 per cent of reservations made through Small Luxury Hotels of the World’s booking channels are done by agents using the dedicated GDS code ‘LX’ for LuXury.

The website is designed to serve as a ‘one-stop-shop,’ providing access to the most up-to-date information about the brand, including:

VIP services and special offers.
Assistance with commission payments.
Details on the SLH sales team.

The SLH brand is a portfolio of some of the world’s finest small independent hotels.

Comprising over 520 hotels in more than 70 countries, the diversity of the individual hotels, and the experiences that they offer, is exceptional.

Airline News » SkyTeam co-located check in at Beijing Capital International Airport

2011-12-16T19:40:00.000-08:00

SkyTeam has unveiled its brand new check-in co-located area at Terminal 2 Beijing Capital International Airport.

The new facility brings together Air France, Aeroflot, Alitalia, China Eastern, China Southern, Delta Air Lines, Korean Air, KLM and Vietnam Airlines, as part of the global airline alliance’s efforts to collaborate in order to improve customer experience.

This is the first time that SkyTeam has operated out of a common location in China.

SkyTeam’s Beijing facility includes 50 check-in desks, with a further ten self-service kiosks available by the end of the year.

Premium passengers benefit from dedicated check-in counters.

“The co-location of SkyTeam carriers worldwide is an integral part of our strategy as it offers tangible benefits to both our customers and our members,” said Gordon Humpherys, SkyTeam’s vice president of Airport Services.

“With so many SkyTeam members serving Beijing, the shared facility strengthens our brand in this region and makes travelling through the airport easier for passengers, while enabling airlines to realize a number of important synergies.”

Airline News » Steep rise in self-service check-in at India’s leading international gateway

2011-12-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

The growing popularity of web, kiosk and mobile check-in has helped trigger a steep rise in passenger self-service check-in at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai over the last twelve months, up from 36% on the day of the survey in 2010 to 65% this year.

The 2011 SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service Survey found that the web check-in rate was higher in Mumbai than at any of the other airports included in the survey. At Mumbai, 70% of passengers said they use it occasionally or frequently compared to a global average of 65%.

Mumbai passengers also have the highest user rates across several self-service options and the demand was high for new services, according to this year’s survey which also found that the mobile phone is now an integral part of the passenger experience in India.

A total of 98% of Mumbai survey respondents were carrying either a mobile phone (56%) or a smartphone (42%). Smartphones are most popular with 66% of first/business class respondents and 44% of frequent flyers (ten or more trips per year) and is fuelling a high demand for self-service options and Wi-Fi access. The Blackberry was the choice for 48% of those carrying a smartphone.

The rising influence of the smartphone is a key finding from the 6th annual SITA/Air Transport World Passenger Self-Service Survey carried out with a representative sample of the 283.5 million passengers who pass through six of the world’s leading airport hubs including Abu Dhabi International Airport, Beijing International Airport; Frankfurt International Airport; Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta; Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai; and São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport.

The majority of smartphone carriers, 80%, would like to connect to a free airport Wi-Fi network while 38% would be willing to pay for access compared to 10% globally. Services that are of particular interest to Mumbai smartphone carriers are: information on gate changes, flight delays and boarding status, 78%; time to reach departure gate, 25%; location of nearest lounge, 23%; wait times at security, 15%; and information on airport parking, 7%.

There is a high demand also for SMS notifications of flight information; 68% of frequent flyers have already signed up for such services. Among all passengers carrying a mobile device, 48% already receive SMS notifications and a further 46% would like to receive them. At 30%, there is also above average interest in Mumbai in receiving shopping deals on mobile devices; the global interest is just 19%.

At 63%, online booking was the most popular form of booking among Mumbai passengers compared to a global rate of 57%. Online travel agencies were used by 59% of those who booked online. Airline websites accounted for 34% of this online traffic and among these survey respondents there was much higher usage rate of airline websites for non-air offers than at any other airport in the survey.

Actual usage rates of airline websites for non-air offers among Mumbai passengers are as follows with the global figures in brackets:

Modify reservation, 68%, (45%)
Purchase preferred seating, 64%, (30%)
Book a hotel room, 26%, (25%)
Rent/hire a car, 21%, (19%)
Book a vacation, 36%, (12%)
Buy products and gifts, 23%, (12%)
Purchase additional transportation, 31%, (8%)

Meenakshi Agrawal, Vice President - IT, Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd, said: “This year’s survey shows that passengers really appreciate the degree of self-service which the airport and the airlines have made available to them over the last year. Our strategy around passenger facilitation has been validated and we have gained a very useful insight into how this might evolve in the future.”

Mr Vikram Sethi, Vice President and Head of Terminal Operations, Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd, who is a key driver of the self-service strategy, said: “The key aspect was understanding passenger perceptions and placing self check-in kiosks at locations where passengers found it convenient to access them. The next step was to provide bag drops adjacent to self check-in kiosks and we then saw a significant increase in usage.

“There will be a further increase in offsite check-in/self check-in as the government requirement for airlines to stamp boarding cards generated from kiosks is being discontinued and airlines will have to conduct identity checks at the boarding gate. MIAL has a target of increasing Common Use Self Service (CUSS) usage to 30% this year, from the 20% of passengers who use self check-in facilities at the moment.”

Maneesh Jaikrishna, SITA Country Director for India and Subcontinent, said: “It is great to see that the investment in passenger facilitation made by Mumbai International Airport and its customer airlines is paying off so dramatically. It is now one of the most efficient airports in Asia when it comes to passenger self-service and the travelling public clearly wants to have more control over the different steps of the journey. This is good news for everyone.”

Travel News » Travelzoo reveals 70 percent of its subscribers prioritise leisure travel over luxury

2011-12-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

Travelzoo Asia Pacific, a licensee of Travelzoo Inc. a global Internet media company, today released the findings of its subscriber survey. The results revealed that 70 percent of Travelzoo subscribers would spend more on travel rather than luxury goods. This finding indicates a major shift in consumer spending habits, with preference on travel and experiences.

Specifically, when respondents were asked what they would give up in order to travel more, the figures showed that 60 percent of respondents in Australia, 69 percent in Mainland China, 74 percent in Hong Kong, 79 percent in Taiwan, and 66 percent in Japan were willing to spend less on luxury goods.

These survey findings were gained from interviewing 6,500 Travelzoo subscribers in Asia Pacific between 27 October and 28 November 2011.

The results also show that Travelzoo subscribers are upbeat about their travel prospects in 2012. In all markets across Asia Pacific, at least 65 percent expect to spend more on travel in 2012 than they did in 2011. Australian subscribers plan to spend the most per person per leisure trip, at an average of USD 2,456. Mainland Chinese subscribers continue to outspend Greater China compatriots, with an average spending of USD 1,415 per person per leisure trip. Hong Kongers, Taiwanese and Japanese will spend an average of USD 969, USD 785 and USD 1,431 per person per trip respectively. In addition, Hong Kong subscribers plan to travel the most frequently, at an average of five leisure trips per year.

Travel Frequency and Spending in 2012

	Australia	Mainland China	Hong Kong	Taiwan	Japan
Plan to Increase Spending	84%	74%	65%	71%	94%
Average Spending per Person per Leisure Trip (USD)	$2,456	$1,415	$969	$785	$1,431
Frequency of Leisure Travel per Year	2.8	4.2	5	2.8	3.4

Travel News » ezRez Software acquires Topguest

2011-12-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

ezRez Software, Inc., a software-as-a-service provider of travel, loyalty and payment solutions, today announced it has acquired Topguest, a San Francisco-based startup company providing loyalty and social network engagement products to travel companies. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Topguest enables members of leading travel loyalty programs, such as United MileagePlus, Continental One Pass, IHG Priority Club and Hilton HHonors, to earn reward points for geo-located check-ins via their mobile devices. Powering direct links to Facebook, Foursquare, Instagram and Twitter, Topguest helps travelers build their reward balances and receive exclusive offers and bonuses for simply using some of these popular social services. For example, a Virgin America Elevate member waiting to board a flight can take a couple of minutes to check-in on Foursquare and earn bonus Elevate points.

“Topguest has tapped into an exciting niche in the loyalty space, enabling members to generate tangible value from their daily interaction with Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks,” said Daniel Farrar, CEO of ezRez. “Loyalty programs, in turn, can leverage this increased engagement to help build stronger brand loyalty and enhance their direct marketing efforts.”

“We created Topguest to help travel companies tap into the social behavior of consumers, while enabling these consumers to earn more rewards and receive offers relevant to them,” said Geoff Lewis, CEO and co-founder of Topguest. “The team at ezRez shares our philosophy that loyalty programs can and should go beyond their traditional models and we’re excited about joining forces to make a long-term impact on the industry while also bringing tangible benefits to consumers.”

Topguest recently announced a white label product that will enable traditional loyalty programs to implement a fully branded social network component. Based on data derived from their members’ social networking activity, loyalty programs can carefully target and customize offers that are relevant to each member. The white label product is currently in beta with select Topguest partners.

The acquisition complements ezRez’s existing product suite for loyalty programs. The combined company will offer a complete SaaS-based technology platform for loyalty programs, with the ability to comprehensively manage how program members earn and redeem loyalty points. Loyalty points can be earned through Topguest’s social engagement tools and ezRez’s existing travel booking platform for airlines, hotels and online travel agencies. Points can then be redeemed for travel via ezRez’s loyalty travel platform, or for merchandise via ezRez’s new digital wallet product that allows points to pay for merchandise and services across the internet. The digital wallet product was announced in October with inaugural partners PayPal and United MileagePlus, and will launch in 2012.

All Topguest employees are joining the ezRez team and will continue to operate Topguest.com and its white label B2B loyalty platform under the current brands. Both companies are based in San Francisco.

Cruise News » Hotwire reveals first cruise savings indicator

2011-12-16T19:18:00.000-08:00

To kick off wave season, Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today announced their first ever Cruise Savings Indicator. An extension of their already popular Travel Savings Indicator, the Cruise Savings Indicator features the top five cruise destinations where prices have dropped the most. This guide is aimed to help cruisers score some of the best deals during wave season, which runs from December through March and is prime booking time as cruise lines are competing to fill cabins far ahead of embarkations.

“Recently, there has been significant shift as to where many cruise lines are sailing causing some stiff pricing competition to destinations that are seeing more traffic. This prompts some significant price drops, and lately we’ve seen them in destinations like Australia/New Zealand, Hawaii and Europe,” said Clem Bason, president of the Hotwire Group. “Unfortunately, there aren’t many resources that surface this kind of trend information for cruisers and sometimes customers miss out on these great deal opportunities. To help, we decided to sift through our extensive pricing data and create our new Cruise Savings Indicator, a guide that pinpoints the exact destinations where you can save the most.”

Below are the Top Five Cruise Destination Price Drops from Hotwire.com*:

1. Australia/New Zealand
The land from down under comes in at first place as this popular cruise destination has seen more than a 35 percent increase in sailings being offered vs. last year. This rise in popularity has driven prices down, leading to double-digit savings on Royal Caribbean. Compared to this year, the average daily rates in 2012 for Balcony cabins on Royal Caribbean are down a whopping 25 percent.

2. Hawaii
Always a prime destination, Hawaii remains at the top of cruisers’ wish lists for 2012. Hawaiian cruises have seen more than a 20 percent rise in sailings in the upcoming year, resulting in some fantastic deal opportunities. Prices for Interior and Oceanview cabins on Celebrity Cruises have fallen 25-30 percent for sailings in 2012 as compared to this year.

CONTINUES BELOW

3. Caribbean
Rich with sandy beaches and blue waters, cruises throughout the Caribbean have remained stable over the last two years, but the prices have not. Travelers can find great savings to these islands this wave season with average daily rates down 25 percent versus last year on Norwegian Cruise Line.

4. Pacific Coastal
Pacific Coastal cruises are becoming increasingly popular, ferrying cruisers from the sandy shores of Southern California to some of the most beautiful ports in Canada. These sailings offer accessible and flexible options for duration and locations, but more importantly they offer stellar savings. On Celebrity Cruises you can find double digit savings on most cabins, and the average daily rates for 2012 have dropped 20 percent compared to 2011.

5. Repositioning Cruise
Not exactly a specific destination so much as a type of sailing, these cruises happen when ships change the regions they service. They also offer opportunities to experience a blend of exciting cities or ports that typically don’t get sailings. Repositioning cruises make the price drop list because travelers can book this type of cruise while netting some of the biggest discounts of the year. For 2012, Princess Cruises is offering double-digit savings on all cabin types and average daily rates are down more than 35 percent versus last year.

* The Cruise Savings Indicator analyzed six cruise lines – Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean. The pricing comparisons are based on average prices between 11/30/10-12/4/10 for 2011 sailings as compared to average prices between 11/30/11-12/4/11 for 2012 sailings.

Travel News » Transat executive elected Chair of Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development

2011-12-16T19:16:00.000-08:00

Michel Lemay, Vice-President, Communications and Corporate Affairs and Chief Brand Officer of Transat A.T. Inc., is the new Chair of the Board of Directors of the Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development (TOI), a non-profit organization that fosters best practices in sustainable tourism development. Mr. Lemay, who has served on the TOI Board since 2008, was elected by member companies on December 2, in Madrid. Other board members include Vice-Chairman Andreas Müseler (REWE Touristik), Matthias Leisinger (Kuoni), Antero Kaleva (Aurinko), and Othman Cherif Alami (Atlas Voyages).

Founded in 2000, the TOI is a non-profit organization for tour operators and travel companies from around the world, regardless of their size and geographical location. Together they represent more than 50 million international travellers. With this initiative, tour operators are moving toward sustainable tourism by committing to the concepts of sustainable development in their operations.

TOI members are Accor (France), Andes Nativa (Chile), Atlas Voyages (Morocco), Aurinko-Suntours (Finland), Steppes Discovery (UK), Dynamic Tours (Morocco), Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd., NES Travel (Turkey), REWE-Touristik (Germany), Sahara Tours International (Morocco), Settemari (Italy), TLB Destinations (Lebanon), Transat A.T. Inc., Travel Walji’s PVT (Pakistan) and TUI Travel plc.

“The TOI provides a strong voice to travel companies who believe in the role of tourism as a driver of economic growth, poverty alleviation and environment and heritage protection,” said Mr. Lemay. “With the support of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), TOI member companies work together at promoting the best practices in sustainability and corporate responsibility.”

Transat introduced a comprehensive sustainable tourism and corporate responsibility program in 2007 (see www.resp.transat.com). In 2011, Air Transat, a wholly-owned business unit, was ranked first worldwide (long-haul category) by the environmental performance indicator “Atmosfair Airline Index” for its responsible management of greenhouse gas emissions, and its headquarters received a LEED-EB Platinum certification. Also in 2011, Transat began implementing a program to combat child sex tourism, in partnership with Canadian NGO Beyond Borders. Transat also supports sustainable tourism projects that generate economic activity and jobs, with a program put in place in 2007. To date, the company has supported 15 projects in 10 countries. Mr. Lemay was recently awarded a Green Living Award for his contribution to sustainable tourism.

Travel Events News » Delegates set to spend 211,200 days (and counting) in Sydney in 2012

2011-12-16T19:13:00.000-08:00

Australia’s number one convention bureau, Business Event Sydney (BESydney), has secured conferences, congress and incentive programs that will see over 211,200 delegate days spent in the harbour city in 2012. Worth an estimated $191 million to the New South Wales economy, the strong pipeline of business is a clear sign that the Sydney remains a strong player in the global business events market.

The events range from small incentive groups, mid-size congresses and international mega events and are testament to the strong relationships built across the BESydney global network with both association and incentive clients.

“The 2012 calendar year is going to be a bumper year for the business events industry here in Sydney. With thousands of delegates spending 211,200 delegate days in our harbour city, the economic and social legacies of these events will be substantial,” says Lyn Lewis-Smith, Acting Chief Executive Officer of BESydney.

“Some of these bids were secured by Business Events Sydney over five years ago! Seeing all the cogs in motion – all our Ambassadors, stakeholders, strategic partners and government supporters – working together to make these events a success is going to be fantastic, and an opportunity to profile why the Sydney event experience is like no other.”

The events are spread throughout the year, although March is looking to be a stand-out month with eight international events scheduled. In total 9,500 delegates will spend over 39,700 delegate days in Sydney in March attending events BESydney secured. These events include the 3,200 delegate-strong USANA Asia Pacific Convention, the XVI International Symposium on Atherosclerosis that is expected to attract 1,500 delegates and a 1,500 delegate Tupperware Indonesia Manager’s Incentive Trip.

Lyn Lewis-Smith concludes, “The strong pipeline of business for 2012 is testament to the strength of BESydney’s ongoing strategy. From growing our Asian business and targeting events that fall within government priority sectors, to providing valuable post-bid support and supporting activities that find leverage from the New South Wales Master Events Calendar, we are well-positioned to maximise the business event opportunities for the harbour city.”

Sydney.mobi
To find out all the latest news and information whilst in St Sydney. City.Mobi has launched its new guide to the city.

Sydney.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.

Hotel News » ebookers strengthens its mobile offering with new hotels app for iPhone

2011-12-16T19:10:00.000-08:00

Leading online travel agent, ebookers.com, today announces the launch of the ebookers Hotels app for iPhone. The announcement marks the next stage in ebookers’ ambitious mobile push which has seen the company set the standard on high quality apps through simple, convenient and secure options to book from their mobile devices.

The new application enables customers to easily search and book hotels whilst on the move. Designed specifically for the iPhone, the app offers travellers the entire selection of ebookers’ 100,000+ hotels, powerful comparison tools and secure hotel booking in just three steps.

Travellers can find nearby hotels using iPhone’s GPS capabilities – particularly convenient for those in need of a last minute place to rest their heads. The app also allows travellers to search by city, address, postcode or landmark, so whether they are taking in the sights of Paris or strolling through Central Park in New York, they can pinpoint their nearest hotel with ease.

With so many hotels to choose from, the ebookers Hotels app for iPhone also offers:

Thousands of genuine hotel reviews as well as filter and sort capabilities by hotel price, star rating, review score and neighbourhood

Handy comparison tools enabling them to pick a hotel that best suits their needs

The ability to compare hotels and prices on an interactive map

Complete hotel details, including hotel and room descriptions, photographs and amenities

ebookers is also launching Mobile Deals, exclusive hotel discounts, available from January 2012, for customers using its mobile site (m.ebookers.com), as well as ebookers hotels apps for iPhone and iPad.

Tamer Tamar, President of ebookers, comments: “We are very proud to be leading the industry with our diverse mobile portfolio. Throughout 2011, we have invested heavily in mobile innovation and the new ebookers Hotels app for iPhone, which extends our services to a greater and wider audience, is yet another step in building and strengthening our mobile portfolio.

“Our mobile offering has been going from strength to strength. We recently won the Travolution Award for Best Mobile App in the UK and the Lovie Award for the Community and Social category through our social mobile app, ebookersExplorer. Similarly, our mobile site has proven to be popular among customers looking for last minute hotel stays on the go, with 60% travelling within 24 hours of booking. We are confident that our latest iPhone app and exclusive Mobile Deals will continue to enable customers to book easier and travel happier with us.

The ebookers Hotels app for iPhone is downloadable for free at the Apple App Store worldwide and will be available in six languages: English, French, German, Finnish, Dutch and Norwegian.

Cruise News » Modern offers drive new marketing platform for Celebrity Cruises

2011-12-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

The New Year is driving a new look for Celebrity Cruises as the cruise line celebrates a new marketing platform and it’s first ever sale on flight prices to make cruises more affordable than ever.

‘Modern Luxury’, the new marketing platform for the brand, will be featured in all new point of sale materials for agents highlighting the strong turn-of-year offer from Celebrity Cruises. Agents can take advantage of selling the first ever flight promotion from the cruise line as part of the new ‘Modern Luxury’ activity including subsidised European flights from £49 per person and complimentary balcony upgrades when customers book an ocean view stateroom on selected sailings in 2012.

Cruises departing the UK onboard the hugely popular Celebrity Eclipse, and the new wine themed cruises onboard Celebrity Constellation also based from Southampton for the first time in September and October 2012, will feature accommodation upgrades and complimentary car parking or coach transfers.

Modern Luxury is a new marketing platform to showcase Celebrity Cruises’ contemporary attributes and differentiate it from traditional cruising. The concept sums up the experiences that Celebrity Cruises’ target market already aligns themselves to, and looks for in their holiday. Its key principles are built around matching and exceeding the aspirations of guests including via an innovative and young fleet, distinctive and exquisitely presented cuisine, personalised service and the range of activities and experiences available on board. Many of the fleet’s quirky features are in response to modern life, such as providing iPad menus in Qsine. Celebrity Cruises has launched a new training module dedicated to the ‘Modern Luxury’ platform, providing agents with the tools to understand and sell the concept to clients.

Michael English, head of sales, Celebrity Cruises, explains:

“The Celebrity Cruises fleet is undergoing a huge revamp to add popular features found onboard Solstice Class ships to many of our other ships. This investment delivers new restaurants, bars and accommodation that all complete what we term as a ‘Modern Luxury’ holiday experience. We hope that the strong offers for the peak turn-of-year period help to get agents behind selling what is exciting and different about Celebrity Cruises. The number of cruises from the UK increases in 2012 and we remain commitment to training and incentivising agents to ensure they are best placed to sell.”

To support the turn of year offer and ‘Modern Luxury’ marketing platform, Celebrity Cruises is also running an agent incentive including a goody bag prize draw with the chance to win an iPod nano, itunes voucher, champagne and chocolates. Agents simply need to sell any Celebrity Cruises 2012 itinerary and complete the new Modern Luxury training module between 12 December 2011 and 31 January 2012 to be entered into the daily goody bag prize draw. Plus, once a week there will also be the chance to win an iPad 2. The two agents who make the most entries to the prize draw during the incentive period, and therefore make the most sales, will also win a 14 night European cruise for two people from Celebrity Cruises.

Offers available for agents to sell from 12 December 2011 to 31 January 2012 include:

· 12-night Mediterranean Venice cruise departing Barcelona onboard Celebrity Silhouette in May 2012 with a fly cruise starting from starting from £1,499 per person
· Upgrade to balcony accommodation for the same price as an oceanview stateroom on an eight-night Norwegian Fjords cruise onboard Celebrity Eclipse from Southampton in May 2012. Prices, including a free balcony upgrade, start from £1,199 per person
· Immersive wine cruise during the Autumn harvest directly from the UK. A 12 night crusie from Southampton on board Celebrity Constellation departing 7 September starts from £1,099, including a free balcony upgrade and complimentary car parking or coach transfers to Southampton.

As part of the new ‘Modern Luxury’ marketing platform, agents are also receiving a fully updated sales and marketing support pack detailing new logos, images, brand guidelines and template marketing material to use with their own databases. Plus, simple selling guides include details on the offers and applicable sailings.

Cape Agulhas, Southernmost Tip of Africa

2011-12-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

Today, we went driving once again and enjoyed the beautiful mountains of the Overburg. Route 62 is just so beautiful and along the way we passed by Montagu, a tiny, pretty town with hot springs. Here, we loaded up on dried fruits which we enjoyed in the car. Then, we had lunch in Swellendham in an old prison that was converted into a restaurant. The fish and chips was to die for. The fish has an almost tempura type coating.

But the big find of the day was Cape Agulhas. We saw the sign: Southermost Tip of Africa and just headed for it. When we arrived there we also saw the sign on one side is the Indian Ocean and on the other, the Atlantic Ocean. The Great Divide of the two oceans that we really wanted to see.

Airline News » Fly With Etihad Airways and See the 'Giants of Golf' In Abu Dhabi

2011-12-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

Guests of Etihad Airways holding a boarding pass from December or January flights will receive complimentary admission to see the biggest names in golf playing in Abu Dhabi.

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and Etihad Airways have partnered to offer guests of the airline free access to the event, which runs frol January 26 to January 29, 2012.

Guests may present their boarding pass at the gate of the Championship on any given day to gain free entry and the opportunity to see the strongest field ever assembled at a Middle East golf tournament.

German Martin Kaymer will be back to defend his title and will take on the top players in the world, including world number one Luke Donald, Major winners Charl Schwartzel (US Masters), Rory McIlroy (US Open) and Darren Clarke (British Open), along with former world number ones Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The Championship is now positioned as one of the leading sporting events in the Middle East and we are very pleased to be offering our guests the opportunity to see the game’s best players right on our own doorstep.

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship is a European PGA Tour-sanctioned event, with a US$2.7 million prize fund on offer, making it the richest purse in the region.

Launching under ‘The GIANTS of golf are coming’, organizers have revealed an improved program of entertainment and events in the expanded Championship Village.

Peter German, Tournament Director, said: “The partnership with Etihad is another example of the exciting improvements and additional benefits we are offering fans ahead of and during the 2012 event. Etihad has been a long-time supporter of the Championship and this promotion is a way of taking it to a wider audience and hopefully not only attracting golf lovers but also those who are just looking for a wonderful day out.”

The 2011 event saw 40,000 spectators attend, up 20 per cent on 2010 figures, and initial reaction to the 2012 player line-up is expected to bring record crowds when the Championship tees off at the famous National Course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Source: Etihad