The hotel industry has been hugely hit by the economic slowdown and needs some support from the government, essentially in the form of lower taxes.
The luxury tax of 12.5 % levied on the hotels was a big hindrance, not only because it is high but also since it is charged on the card tariff rather than the actual tariff charged.
Dr Palani G Periasamy, chairman, Appu Hotels Ltd, which runs the Le Meridien hotel in Chennai, suggested that both the central and state governments should help in bringing down costs by reducing taxes.
Indian hotel industry had always been looking to the `affluent west` for business. Observing this, Dr Periasamy stressed that there are millions of people elsewhere who want to see India. They also need to stay in good hotels at affordable costs. He said that the governments would only gain in terms of revenue collected if the tax rate was brought down.
Dr Periasamy stated that occupancies in Chennai were normally 70-75%, but now it had come down to 60-65%. He said that Chennai had been less affected than most other cities. Hotels, however, were getting some help in terms of more revenue from food and beverages.
www.jimandaz.com
Monday, March 9, 2009
Britannia to eliminate Trans fats from its biscuits
Britannia, one of the most trusted food brands in India, has decided to remove Trans fats from its range of baked products. A study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on major vanaspati brands and Trans fat level in packaged food products, has led to this decision.
The company claims to be the first bakery to remove Trans fats from its produce in the country. During the last decade conclusive scientific evidence has linked the consumption of industrially produced Trans fatty acids (TFA`s) with alterations of metabolism of blood lipids, vascular inflammation and the development of cardio-vascular diseases.
A statement issued by the company said that in the last 18 months, Britannia has already removed around 8,500 tonnes of Trans fat from its products and moved around 56,000 tonnes of HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) to vegetable oil usage.
The company wants to meet consumers` needs who like health and taste to co-exist in the food and improvise nutrition through removal of unhealthy content (Trans fats) with addition of nutrients through fortification.
Britannia will be manufacturing the brands like Tiger, Milk Bikis, MarieGold, Treat, 50-50, Good Day regular range, Nutrichoice and Little Hearts without Trans fats. The company said that recommendations of international agencies like WHO (World Health Organisation) and PAHO (Pan American Health Organisation) have urged for the replacement of Trans fatty acids in manufactured food with unsaturated fat in the country.
Britannia has initiated basic Trans fat consumer education on brands like Marie Gold and Nutrichoice, which target adults realising the need for consumer education on Trans fats. The company has also planned to focus its efforts on consumer education through declaration on product labels and media.
www.jimandaz.com
The company claims to be the first bakery to remove Trans fats from its produce in the country. During the last decade conclusive scientific evidence has linked the consumption of industrially produced Trans fatty acids (TFA`s) with alterations of metabolism of blood lipids, vascular inflammation and the development of cardio-vascular diseases.
A statement issued by the company said that in the last 18 months, Britannia has already removed around 8,500 tonnes of Trans fat from its products and moved around 56,000 tonnes of HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) to vegetable oil usage.
The company wants to meet consumers` needs who like health and taste to co-exist in the food and improvise nutrition through removal of unhealthy content (Trans fats) with addition of nutrients through fortification.
Britannia will be manufacturing the brands like Tiger, Milk Bikis, MarieGold, Treat, 50-50, Good Day regular range, Nutrichoice and Little Hearts without Trans fats. The company said that recommendations of international agencies like WHO (World Health Organisation) and PAHO (Pan American Health Organisation) have urged for the replacement of Trans fatty acids in manufactured food with unsaturated fat in the country.
Britannia has initiated basic Trans fat consumer education on brands like Marie Gold and Nutrichoice, which target adults realising the need for consumer education on Trans fats. The company has also planned to focus its efforts on consumer education through declaration on product labels and media.
www.jimandaz.com
Hotel Leelaventure promoters pledge stake
According to a report in The Financial Express, Hotel Leelaventure said three of its promoters have pledged 7.98 Crore shares representing a 21.13 per cent stake in the company with lenders. Hotel Leelaventure said in a filing to the BSE that Leela Lace Holdings, a promoter of the luxury hotel chain operator, has pledged 6.12 Crore shares representing a 16.21 per cent stake in the firm.
SIHRA welcomes luxury tax reduction
An unlikely move that comes as a post budget surprise has been welcomed by the South India Hotel and Restaurant Association (SIHRA). As per the announcement made by the Karnataka state government, 10 per cent luxury tax will be levied on actual tariffs as opposed to published rates and the 12 per cent luxury tax levied earlier. The declaration was made during the state interim budget that was announced recently.
A SIHRA official informed Hospitality Biz that the reduction in luxury tax was highly anticipated by south India's hotel fraternity, but the government needs to address the disparate tax structure problem, especially when the industry business is observing a relative slowdown. Likewise, the announcement also suggests a reduction in luxury tax declared on daily rent; from four per cent (room rate within Rs 500 to Rs 100) and six per cent for rooms priced between Rs 1000 to Rs 2000.
Further, the official also spoke about the issue regarding private membership club owners in Karnataka. Previously the state government had included these players under the hotels umbrella and levied luxury tax to the tune of 12 per cent.
Accor SA's Chairman and five Directors quit
Accor SA's Chairman and five other Directors have abruptly quit the company, apparently in protest over a plan to expand the role of CEO Gilles Pelisson. The majority of Accor's board—led by Colony Capital LLC and Eurazeo, which jointly hold about 30 per cent of Accor—wanted Chairman Serge Weinberg's role merged with Pelisson's. Weinberg quit in response, as did five directors: Baudouin Prot (chief of Accor shareholder BNP Paribas SA, France's biggest bank), Aldo Cardoso, Isabelle Bouillot, Roderic Lyne and Augustin de Romanet.
According to Bloomberg News, Weinberg said he and the other former directors were unable to carry out their duties after Colony and Eurazeo moved to unite Accor's top two roles. Pelisson now holds the title of CEO and Chairman of the board for Europe's largest hotelier.
According to the company's official statement, “The Accor Board of Directors met today to approve the resolutions to be submitted to the Shareholders Meeting on May 13th, in particular those concerning the renewal of the Board whose three─year term is coming to an end.
Puri launches new luxury boutique hotel chain
After over three decades in the industry, hotelier MPS Puri has embarked on his latest venture, the development and launch of Nira Hotels & Resorts, a London─based boutique luxury hotel management company. Nira has already signed two projects ── Nira Diwa in Manila, Philippines, and Nira Lahari in Kerala, India ── both of which will open in 2011. Additional projects in the pipeline include existing properties in Brazil, the Maldives and London.
“Nira Hotels & Resorts is a natural progression of my vision of a nomadic, bohemian─chic, hospitality brand. Here, luxury is about your way, a touch of our hand and the passion that binds the two,” says Puri, Chief Executive of Nira.
Nira is looking to expand its portfolio of properties in key global markets. The Nira Diwa in Manila will be located at Fort Bonafacio at the crossroads of business and entertainment in Manila. The hotel will consist of 154─rooms, a rooftop swimming pool, a fully─equipped gym on each floor, and an entire floor of meeting studios. Nira Lahari in Kerala, India, will be a laid─back luxury resort located on Vembanad Lake.
Marriott hotel revenue down 17 per cent : CFO
Room revenue at Marriott International Inc is running 17 per cent below year─ago levels, at the lower end of the hotel operator's recent forecast, according to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Arne Sorenson. The company forecast last month that its revenue per available room would fall by 12 per cent to 17 per cent in 2009. Sorenson said that during the last months of 2008 and heading into 2009, Marriott has seen fewer new commitments for group bookings than in the past.
Marriott, which typically manages hotels instead of owning them, expects to open 30,000 new hotel rooms this year, near the 33,000 opened in 2008. The CFO also said that Marriott still expects this year to sell between USD 250 million and USD 350 million in notes tied to its time─share business.
Kurotel named again most excellent Spa Hotel in South America
Kurotel – Longevity Center and Spa has once again been recognised for excellence by readers, guests and inspectors of Conde Nast Johansens in the guide's 2009 Awards for Excellence. Kurotel was voted Most Excellent Spa Hotel in South America for the third year in succession.
“With an ever─growing list of the world's finest properties in the 2009 Recommended Hotels, Inns, Resorts & Spas – The Americas, Atlantic, Caribbean, & Pacific, the categories now cover 342 hotels, and so were very competitive. Conde Nast Johansens recommends only properties that meet our exacting standards, so the Excellence Awards winners represent the very best of the best,”said Lesley O'Malley─Keyes, Vice President & Publishing Director, The Americas.
Conde Nast Johansens is owned by Conde Nast Publications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Advance Publications and Conde Nast International, which publishes 72 magazines around the world, including Vogue, Conde Nast Traveler, House & Garden, Architectural Digest, The New Yorker, GQ, Tatler, Vanity Fair, Brides, Glamour and Wired.
MakeMyTrip introduces Holiday Homes for rentals for outbound tourists
Online travel agent, MakeMyTrip, now offers travellers the option of booking villas, serviced apartments and holiday homes spread over 60 countries across the world. Both leisure and business travellers can choose from over 110,000 options of vacation house rentals through a few clicks on MakeMyTrip.com. The website carries detailed information on location, property, facilities, activities offered and pictures of the property to enable travellers to make the their decision.
Travellers looking for a unique holiday can log onto the Holiday Homes section of the Hotel Booking section of the website. This option will appeal to vacationers who want to explore alternatives beyond a hotel room when planning their holiday. The serviced apartments will also serve as an option for business travellers who need to stay overseas for an extended period of time. MakeMyTrip offers holiday homes option across categories – ranging from budget properties (USD 70 a night) to luxury accommodations (USD 200 a night).
Millennium to open two hotels in Liverpool
International hotel group Millennium & Copthorne Hotels has completed a deal to open two new hotels in Liverpool's Central Village development. The Millennium and Copthorne hotels will be at the heart of the £160million Central Village joint venture between Merepark and Ballymore. The two establishments, which will create in excess of 360 new hotel rooms in the city, are prominently located within the new development.
The Copthorne Hotel Liverpool, will face onto Newington Square and the Boardwalk public spaces. The four─star deluxe Millennium Hotel Liverpool will be created in the refurbished and extended grade 2 listed Watson Building adjacent to the Lewis's building. The hotels will be aimed at corporate, meetings and leisure customers and will feature conference facilities and function space, a gym/spa, bars and restaurants for both residents and public use and car parking. Both hotels are scheduled to open in 2012 and create more than 200 new jobs in the city.
Goa Tourism Minister joins chorus against offshore casinos
According to a PTI report today, Goa's Tourism Minister Fransisco alias Mickky Pacheco has joined the chorus in protesting against the alleged illegalities by offshore casinos in the state. Pacheco on Monday said that there were gross violations happening on board offshore casinos in Goa.
"The provisions of the Goa Tourism and Trade Act will have to be invoked, if casino owners don't get their act right," stated the Tourism Minister, who is a NCP legislator. The BJP has begun a campaign against offshore casinos with Leader of Opposition, Manohar Parrikar alleging large scale illegalities in granting licenses to these casinos.
Goa has seven offshore casinos, all operating in the Mandovi River adjacent to the capital city of Panaji. "The offshore casinos have to be five nautical miles from the shore. All the casinos are releasing their sewerage in Mandovi River," Pacheco pointed out. The NCP legislator said that the Home Ministry which has given the gambling licenses to these vessels should monitor the operations.
According to a report in The Financial Express, Hotel Leelaventure said three of its promoters have pledged 7.98 Crore shares representing a 21.13 per cent stake in the company with lenders. Hotel Leelaventure said in a filing to the BSE that Leela Lace Holdings, a promoter of the luxury hotel chain operator, has pledged 6.12 Crore shares representing a 16.21 per cent stake in the firm.
SIHRA welcomes luxury tax reduction
An unlikely move that comes as a post budget surprise has been welcomed by the South India Hotel and Restaurant Association (SIHRA). As per the announcement made by the Karnataka state government, 10 per cent luxury tax will be levied on actual tariffs as opposed to published rates and the 12 per cent luxury tax levied earlier. The declaration was made during the state interim budget that was announced recently.
A SIHRA official informed Hospitality Biz that the reduction in luxury tax was highly anticipated by south India's hotel fraternity, but the government needs to address the disparate tax structure problem, especially when the industry business is observing a relative slowdown. Likewise, the announcement also suggests a reduction in luxury tax declared on daily rent; from four per cent (room rate within Rs 500 to Rs 100) and six per cent for rooms priced between Rs 1000 to Rs 2000.
Further, the official also spoke about the issue regarding private membership club owners in Karnataka. Previously the state government had included these players under the hotels umbrella and levied luxury tax to the tune of 12 per cent.
Accor SA's Chairman and five Directors quit
Accor SA's Chairman and five other Directors have abruptly quit the company, apparently in protest over a plan to expand the role of CEO Gilles Pelisson. The majority of Accor's board—led by Colony Capital LLC and Eurazeo, which jointly hold about 30 per cent of Accor—wanted Chairman Serge Weinberg's role merged with Pelisson's. Weinberg quit in response, as did five directors: Baudouin Prot (chief of Accor shareholder BNP Paribas SA, France's biggest bank), Aldo Cardoso, Isabelle Bouillot, Roderic Lyne and Augustin de Romanet.
According to Bloomberg News, Weinberg said he and the other former directors were unable to carry out their duties after Colony and Eurazeo moved to unite Accor's top two roles. Pelisson now holds the title of CEO and Chairman of the board for Europe's largest hotelier.
According to the company's official statement, “The Accor Board of Directors met today to approve the resolutions to be submitted to the Shareholders Meeting on May 13th, in particular those concerning the renewal of the Board whose three─year term is coming to an end.
Puri launches new luxury boutique hotel chain
After over three decades in the industry, hotelier MPS Puri has embarked on his latest venture, the development and launch of Nira Hotels & Resorts, a London─based boutique luxury hotel management company. Nira has already signed two projects ── Nira Diwa in Manila, Philippines, and Nira Lahari in Kerala, India ── both of which will open in 2011. Additional projects in the pipeline include existing properties in Brazil, the Maldives and London.
“Nira Hotels & Resorts is a natural progression of my vision of a nomadic, bohemian─chic, hospitality brand. Here, luxury is about your way, a touch of our hand and the passion that binds the two,” says Puri, Chief Executive of Nira.
Nira is looking to expand its portfolio of properties in key global markets. The Nira Diwa in Manila will be located at Fort Bonafacio at the crossroads of business and entertainment in Manila. The hotel will consist of 154─rooms, a rooftop swimming pool, a fully─equipped gym on each floor, and an entire floor of meeting studios. Nira Lahari in Kerala, India, will be a laid─back luxury resort located on Vembanad Lake.
Marriott hotel revenue down 17 per cent : CFO
Room revenue at Marriott International Inc is running 17 per cent below year─ago levels, at the lower end of the hotel operator's recent forecast, according to Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Arne Sorenson. The company forecast last month that its revenue per available room would fall by 12 per cent to 17 per cent in 2009. Sorenson said that during the last months of 2008 and heading into 2009, Marriott has seen fewer new commitments for group bookings than in the past.
Marriott, which typically manages hotels instead of owning them, expects to open 30,000 new hotel rooms this year, near the 33,000 opened in 2008. The CFO also said that Marriott still expects this year to sell between USD 250 million and USD 350 million in notes tied to its time─share business.
Kurotel named again most excellent Spa Hotel in South America
Kurotel – Longevity Center and Spa has once again been recognised for excellence by readers, guests and inspectors of Conde Nast Johansens in the guide's 2009 Awards for Excellence. Kurotel was voted Most Excellent Spa Hotel in South America for the third year in succession.
“With an ever─growing list of the world's finest properties in the 2009 Recommended Hotels, Inns, Resorts & Spas – The Americas, Atlantic, Caribbean, & Pacific, the categories now cover 342 hotels, and so were very competitive. Conde Nast Johansens recommends only properties that meet our exacting standards, so the Excellence Awards winners represent the very best of the best,”said Lesley O'Malley─Keyes, Vice President & Publishing Director, The Americas.
Conde Nast Johansens is owned by Conde Nast Publications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Advance Publications and Conde Nast International, which publishes 72 magazines around the world, including Vogue, Conde Nast Traveler, House & Garden, Architectural Digest, The New Yorker, GQ, Tatler, Vanity Fair, Brides, Glamour and Wired.
MakeMyTrip introduces Holiday Homes for rentals for outbound tourists
Online travel agent, MakeMyTrip, now offers travellers the option of booking villas, serviced apartments and holiday homes spread over 60 countries across the world. Both leisure and business travellers can choose from over 110,000 options of vacation house rentals through a few clicks on MakeMyTrip.com. The website carries detailed information on location, property, facilities, activities offered and pictures of the property to enable travellers to make the their decision.
Travellers looking for a unique holiday can log onto the Holiday Homes section of the Hotel Booking section of the website. This option will appeal to vacationers who want to explore alternatives beyond a hotel room when planning their holiday. The serviced apartments will also serve as an option for business travellers who need to stay overseas for an extended period of time. MakeMyTrip offers holiday homes option across categories – ranging from budget properties (USD 70 a night) to luxury accommodations (USD 200 a night).
Millennium to open two hotels in Liverpool
International hotel group Millennium & Copthorne Hotels has completed a deal to open two new hotels in Liverpool's Central Village development. The Millennium and Copthorne hotels will be at the heart of the £160million Central Village joint venture between Merepark and Ballymore. The two establishments, which will create in excess of 360 new hotel rooms in the city, are prominently located within the new development.
The Copthorne Hotel Liverpool, will face onto Newington Square and the Boardwalk public spaces. The four─star deluxe Millennium Hotel Liverpool will be created in the refurbished and extended grade 2 listed Watson Building adjacent to the Lewis's building. The hotels will be aimed at corporate, meetings and leisure customers and will feature conference facilities and function space, a gym/spa, bars and restaurants for both residents and public use and car parking. Both hotels are scheduled to open in 2012 and create more than 200 new jobs in the city.
Goa Tourism Minister joins chorus against offshore casinos
According to a PTI report today, Goa's Tourism Minister Fransisco alias Mickky Pacheco has joined the chorus in protesting against the alleged illegalities by offshore casinos in the state. Pacheco on Monday said that there were gross violations happening on board offshore casinos in Goa.
"The provisions of the Goa Tourism and Trade Act will have to be invoked, if casino owners don't get their act right," stated the Tourism Minister, who is a NCP legislator. The BJP has begun a campaign against offshore casinos with Leader of Opposition, Manohar Parrikar alleging large scale illegalities in granting licenses to these casinos.
Goa has seven offshore casinos, all operating in the Mandovi River adjacent to the capital city of Panaji. "The offshore casinos have to be five nautical miles from the shore. All the casinos are releasing their sewerage in Mandovi River," Pacheco pointed out. The NCP legislator said that the Home Ministry which has given the gambling licenses to these vessels should monitor the operations.
Monday, March 2, 2009
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE ARTS WITH MANDARIN ORIENTAL, BOSTON’S ‘MAHJONG’ PACKAGE
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE ARTS WITH
MANDARIN ORIENTAL, BOSTON’S ‘MAHJONG’ PACKAGE
Celebrating the Peabody Essex Museum’s Exhibition: “Mahjong: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Sigg Collection”
February 2009 - Mandarin Oriental, Boston is delighted to partner with the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) for their upcoming exhibition Mahjong: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Sigg Collection. This exhibition presents 100 works from the famed Uli Sigg Collection – one of the world’s most significant and comprehensive collections of contemporary Chinese art.
This package, which is available from February 21 until May 15, 2009, includes one night’s accommodation, a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel’s signature restaurant Asana, tickets to Mahjong and limo service to and from the Museum. The “Mahjong Package” is priced from USD605 per room for double occupancy and includes:
One night’s luxurious accommodation at Mandarin Oriental, Boston
A Mahjong exhibition catalogue upon arrival
Chinese inspired in-room delicacy upon arrival
Private limo service to PEM and back to Mandarin Oriental, Boston
Two tickets admission to Mahjong with additional admission to the renowned Yin Yu Tang, a Chinese House.
Breakfast in Asana for two guests
This is a rare opportunity to view this exhibition at PEM, which is the exclusive East Coast venue for Mahjong. Encompassing a range of media, from paintings, drawings and photographs to video and installations, this exhibition charts China’s artistic transformation over the last 40 years and offers a unique vantage on its artists’ rapidly evolving contributions to contemporary art. As New England’s leading luxury hotel of Asian heritage, Mandarin Oriental, Boston will provide a unique experience for its participating guests with the “Mahjong Package.”
Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel directly on +1 (617) 535-8880, through Mandarin Oriental’s worldwide sales and reservations offices on +1-866-526-6567, or visit the Group’s direct on-line reservations service at www.mandarinoriental.com. Additional room nights are available at prevailing rates.
About Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum presents art and culture from New England and around the world. The museum's collections are among the finest of their kind, showcasing an unrivaled spectrum of American art and architecture (including four National Historic Landmark buildings) and outstanding Asian, Asian Export, Native American, African, Oceanic, Maritime and Photography collections. In addition to its vast collections, the museum offers a vibrant schedule of changing exhibitions and a hands-on education center. The museum campus features numerous parks, period gardens and 24 historic properties, including Yin Yu Tang, a 200-year-old house that is the only example of Chinese domestic architecture on display in the United States.
About Mandarin Oriental, Boston
An intimate, luxurious hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Boston combines classic New England elegance with refined Oriental touches to create one of the most distinctive hospitality experiences in the region. Featuring 148 guestrooms and suites over 14 floors, the hotel delights its guests with the finest facilities and service, innovative dining experiences and an unparalleled holistic spa. A short, 15-minute drive to Logan International Airport, Mandarin Oriental, Boston connects guests to the city’s finest shopping, cultural venues and business institutions from its prime location in the heart of the chic Back Bay on Boylston Street.
About Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world's most prestigious hotels, resorts and residences. Mandarin Oriental now operates, or has under development, 42 hotels representing over 10,000 rooms in 25 countries, with 17 hotels in Asia, 15 in The Americas and 10 in Europe and North Africa. In addition, the Group operates, or has under development, 13 Residences at Mandarin Oriental, connected to the Group’s properties.
MANDARIN ORIENTAL, BOSTON’S ‘MAHJONG’ PACKAGE
Celebrating the Peabody Essex Museum’s Exhibition: “Mahjong: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Sigg Collection”
February 2009 - Mandarin Oriental, Boston is delighted to partner with the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) for their upcoming exhibition Mahjong: Contemporary Chinese Art from the Sigg Collection. This exhibition presents 100 works from the famed Uli Sigg Collection – one of the world’s most significant and comprehensive collections of contemporary Chinese art.
This package, which is available from February 21 until May 15, 2009, includes one night’s accommodation, a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel’s signature restaurant Asana, tickets to Mahjong and limo service to and from the Museum. The “Mahjong Package” is priced from USD605 per room for double occupancy and includes:
One night’s luxurious accommodation at Mandarin Oriental, Boston
A Mahjong exhibition catalogue upon arrival
Chinese inspired in-room delicacy upon arrival
Private limo service to PEM and back to Mandarin Oriental, Boston
Two tickets admission to Mahjong with additional admission to the renowned Yin Yu Tang, a Chinese House.
Breakfast in Asana for two guests
This is a rare opportunity to view this exhibition at PEM, which is the exclusive East Coast venue for Mahjong. Encompassing a range of media, from paintings, drawings and photographs to video and installations, this exhibition charts China’s artistic transformation over the last 40 years and offers a unique vantage on its artists’ rapidly evolving contributions to contemporary art. As New England’s leading luxury hotel of Asian heritage, Mandarin Oriental, Boston will provide a unique experience for its participating guests with the “Mahjong Package.”
Reservations can be made by contacting the hotel directly on +1 (617) 535-8880, through Mandarin Oriental’s worldwide sales and reservations offices on +1-866-526-6567, or visit the Group’s direct on-line reservations service at www.mandarinoriental.com. Additional room nights are available at prevailing rates.
About Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum presents art and culture from New England and around the world. The museum's collections are among the finest of their kind, showcasing an unrivaled spectrum of American art and architecture (including four National Historic Landmark buildings) and outstanding Asian, Asian Export, Native American, African, Oceanic, Maritime and Photography collections. In addition to its vast collections, the museum offers a vibrant schedule of changing exhibitions and a hands-on education center. The museum campus features numerous parks, period gardens and 24 historic properties, including Yin Yu Tang, a 200-year-old house that is the only example of Chinese domestic architecture on display in the United States.
About Mandarin Oriental, Boston
An intimate, luxurious hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Boston combines classic New England elegance with refined Oriental touches to create one of the most distinctive hospitality experiences in the region. Featuring 148 guestrooms and suites over 14 floors, the hotel delights its guests with the finest facilities and service, innovative dining experiences and an unparalleled holistic spa. A short, 15-minute drive to Logan International Airport, Mandarin Oriental, Boston connects guests to the city’s finest shopping, cultural venues and business institutions from its prime location in the heart of the chic Back Bay on Boylston Street.
About Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world's most prestigious hotels, resorts and residences. Mandarin Oriental now operates, or has under development, 42 hotels representing over 10,000 rooms in 25 countries, with 17 hotels in Asia, 15 in The Americas and 10 in Europe and North Africa. In addition, the Group operates, or has under development, 13 Residences at Mandarin Oriental, connected to the Group’s properties.
EXPERIENCE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CULTURE AT
EXPERIENCE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CULTURE AT
MANDARIN ORIENTAL, TOKYO
February 2009 - Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo is delighted to introduce the MO Azuma Odori accommodation package, which includes premium seats for the 85th Azuma Odori geisha dance performances at Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre in Ginza, Tokyo.
Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo is located in the prestigious Nihonbashi area, where 400 years of history and traditions mix with modern urban innovation. The hotel offers award-winning hospitality in an environment resonating with old-world elegance and the sophisticated culture of Japan’s Edo era. This cultural accommodation package provides a rare opportunity for guests to experience the country’s rich traditional traditions first hand.
Founded more than 150 years ago, Shinbashi Karyukai has been renowned since the Meiji era as one of the most exclusive groups of geisha in Japan. When the Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre first opened its doors in 1925, there were dance performances of Azuma Odori, performed by the geisha of the Shinbashi Karyukai. The theatre still stages grand events that give geisha a chance to display their traditional dancing, singing, and shamisen playing skills honed over many years of rigorous training.
In addition to premium seats for the matinee performance of the 85th Azuma Odori, the MO Azuma Odori package provides guests: a shokado bento lunch prepared by six prestigious Japanese ryotei restaurants (well-known for accepting customers primarily by referral only), breakfast for two, and a choice of early check-in or late check-out;
Available from 29 May to 1 June 2009, the MO Azuma Odori package starts from
JPY 85,000 and includes:
One night accommodation for two in a Deluxe Room or a Premium Grand Room
Two tickets for the 85th Azuma Odori geisha dance performances held at the Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre in Ginza, Tokyo
Shokado bento lunches for two prepared by six exclusive ryotei restaurants: Tokyo Kiccho, Shinkiraku, Kanetanaka, Matsuyama, Yonemura and Yamane (served at the theatre restaurant prior to the show)
American breakfast for two at K’shiki all-day dining on the 38th floor
A choice of early check-in from 11am or late check-out until 5pm
For reservations or enquiries, please ring 0120-806-825 (toll free) or +81 03-3270-8950 (9 am to 9 pm). The offer is subject to availability.
The package rates assume double occupancy and are inclusive of a 5% consumption tax. A 10% service charge and a daily municipal accommodation tax of JPY 200 per person will be charged separately. A cancellation charge will apply after 29 April 2009. Please confirm our cancellation policy at time of reservation.
MANDARIN ORIENTAL, TOKYO
February 2009 - Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo is delighted to introduce the MO Azuma Odori accommodation package, which includes premium seats for the 85th Azuma Odori geisha dance performances at Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre in Ginza, Tokyo.
Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo is located in the prestigious Nihonbashi area, where 400 years of history and traditions mix with modern urban innovation. The hotel offers award-winning hospitality in an environment resonating with old-world elegance and the sophisticated culture of Japan’s Edo era. This cultural accommodation package provides a rare opportunity for guests to experience the country’s rich traditional traditions first hand.
Founded more than 150 years ago, Shinbashi Karyukai has been renowned since the Meiji era as one of the most exclusive groups of geisha in Japan. When the Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre first opened its doors in 1925, there were dance performances of Azuma Odori, performed by the geisha of the Shinbashi Karyukai. The theatre still stages grand events that give geisha a chance to display their traditional dancing, singing, and shamisen playing skills honed over many years of rigorous training.
In addition to premium seats for the matinee performance of the 85th Azuma Odori, the MO Azuma Odori package provides guests: a shokado bento lunch prepared by six prestigious Japanese ryotei restaurants (well-known for accepting customers primarily by referral only), breakfast for two, and a choice of early check-in or late check-out;
Available from 29 May to 1 June 2009, the MO Azuma Odori package starts from
JPY 85,000 and includes:
One night accommodation for two in a Deluxe Room or a Premium Grand Room
Two tickets for the 85th Azuma Odori geisha dance performances held at the Shinbashi Enbujo Theatre in Ginza, Tokyo
Shokado bento lunches for two prepared by six exclusive ryotei restaurants: Tokyo Kiccho, Shinkiraku, Kanetanaka, Matsuyama, Yonemura and Yamane (served at the theatre restaurant prior to the show)
American breakfast for two at K’shiki all-day dining on the 38th floor
A choice of early check-in from 11am or late check-out until 5pm
For reservations or enquiries, please ring 0120-806-825 (toll free) or +81 03-3270-8950 (9 am to 9 pm). The offer is subject to availability.
The package rates assume double occupancy and are inclusive of a 5% consumption tax. A 10% service charge and a daily municipal accommodation tax of JPY 200 per person will be charged separately. A cancellation charge will apply after 29 April 2009. Please confirm our cancellation policy at time of reservation.
Tvtrip.com receives USD 9 million in funding
Tvtrip.com, the travel website where travelers get to check out their hotel on video before they book it, announced it has received USD 9 million in Series B financing. The funds were received from its original VC investors Balderton Capital, Partech International and new investor AGF Private Equity. The company has the largest database of professionally filmed hotel videos in the world, currently covering more than 3,000 hotels in over 160 destinations. The website attracted 850,000 unique visitors in January alone.
“This new round of financing will help us film more hotels and continue expanding in the US and Asia, as well as strengthening the various revenue─generating components of our business model. We already have 2,000 additional hotels lined up to film this year that will allow us to maintain and increase our lead in this market,”says Marc Ruff, founder and CEO of Tvtrip.com. TVtrip's primary revenue comes from affiliation,
Emirates Group opens Marhaba lounge at Terminal 3
The Emirates Group has launched its new Marhaba lounge at Terminal 3 of the Dubai International Airport. Operated by Dnata, the lounge has a capacity of 140 customers and is open to passengers of all airlines. While the terminal is exclusively for Emirates flights, passengers from other airlines can also use the lounge as the other concourses are linked. Apart from lounge use, which offers food, beverage, a business centre, the service includes assistance with check─in, immigration, security and escorts with buggy services through the airport. The minimum fee to use Marhaba lounge facilities is Dirhams150. As reported by Gulfnews.com, the company also offers services for long─stay transit passengers, including Visas for the duration and hotel arrangements. Launched in 1991, the Marhaba service currently has a staff of 260, which started from 29. Last year, over 20,000 customers used the services.
Rezidor adds three new countries to porfolio
The Rezidor Hotel Group will open the Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka in Zambia (Q3 2009, 142 rooms), the Radisson Blu Hotel Skopje in Macedonia (Q1 2011, 210 rooms), and the Radisson Blu Hotel Luanda in Angola (Q1 2012, 257 rooms). The group is now present in 58 nations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“We are especially proud to add two countries on the African continent to our business. Rezidor is currently featuring 25 hotels with almost 6,000 rooms in operation and under development in Africa,” says Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka is already under development and located in a prestigious commercial district of Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. Besides 142 rooms, the property will offer a Rezidor signature restaurant, a bar, five conference & meeting rooms, a ballroom, a pool with bar and wellness facilities and a casino.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Skopje will be part of a mixed─use development including a 50,000 square meters shopping mall and 16,000 square meters of high─grade offices. Services of the hotel will include 210 rooms,
McG releases report on Indian food processing industry
The Madras Consultancy Group (McG), Chennai, has released its industry profile on 'The Food Processing Industry in India'. McG's report has been added to the list of an Ireland─based international market research and market data agency's offering.
McG claims that the food processing industry has done to the rural India what IT has to the urban India. It has seen rapid development over the years and is a significant contributor to the country's GDP. The increase in demand for processed food in the country is attributed to the increase in disposable incomes and urbanisation. Processed food in India is expected to grow appreciably and keeping this in mind, McG, Chennai, has released its industry profile.
This researched document provides an insight into the Indian food processing market, industry structure, challenges facing the market and growth opportunities. It also includes an overview of different business segments within the food processing industry. The profile is aimed at informing players about strategic planners, current and prospective investors, international marketing executives
Sarovar Hotels signs on ATS Sarovar Premiere in Punjab
Sarovar Hotels and Resorts today announced the signing of ATS Sarovar Premiere in Dera Bassi, a city in Mohali district in the state of Punjab. ATS Sarovar Premiere will be located on the Chandigarh ─ Ambala national highway, at a distance of 12 kms from Chandigarh. Other Sarovar Hotels scheduled to open by 2012 in Punjab include Park Inn, Ludhiana; Hometel Chandigarh and Sarovar Portico, Mohali.
Commenting on the signing, Anil Madhok, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said, “The business and leisure market in the region is growing by the day and there is a requirement for more hotels and rooms in the state. We are pleased to offer unmatched services and quality accommodation to the people traveling to Punjab and Chandigarh, for both business and leisure.”
Sarovar Premiere hotels are an upscale full service international quality four─five─star hotel brand. The proposed hotel will be built on approximately four acres of land and will form part of a composite township developed by ATS Estates, which is one of the largest realty developers in NCR. The township will include a SEZ,
Pan Pacific Hotels rated the top scorer in MMHI
Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts has emerged as the top scorer in terms of customer satisfaction across all hospitality segments and overall winner of the luxury hotel category with the highest score of 92.6, in the 2008 Annual Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI).
“We are honoured that Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts has been awarded with this esteemed accolade as the overall top performer in customer satisfaction. This recognition wouldn't have been possible without our associates and their dedication is integral to the success of our business. We believe in creating true value for our guests and for instance, our Preferences by Pan Pacific offer empowers guests to create a personalised stay and thus, making it more memorable when they stay with us,” said A Patrick Imbardelli, President and CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts.
In addition to Pan Pacific's user─friendly and award─winning brand website: panpacific.com, the hotel chain has recently launched 'PANTHER', a central reservations and distribution system with enhanced transactional capabilities across all reservations channels.
Marriott eyes 31 new hotels in Mena
Marriott International has announced its global expansions up to 2014 would include 17 new properties in the UAE, nine in Saudi Arabia, three in Qatar, one in Bahrain, and one in Egypt. The company expects nearly 600,000 rooms by year─end 2009. Other hotels in the pipeline include one in Algeria, 19 in China, 23 in India, eight in Thailand, five in the Caribbean and Latin America, five in France, six in the UK and six in Mexico.
Hospitality Vision─2009 was held on February 27─28, 2009
An international symposium called Hospitality Vision─2009 was conducted at the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal on February 27─ 28, 2009. It focused on 'Challenges & Issues in Hospitality and Tourism Industry' and deliberated upon various contemporary issues.
The first day's key note speaker, Dr Susan Horner, Principal Lecturer anf International Coordinator, Sheffield Hallam University, UK, emphasised that service quality and image are initially linked to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Hotels must unify operations, human resources and marketing through customer service. The technology in relationship marketing allows consumers to join together on an international basis to discuss both positive and negative experiences.
Dr John Swarbrooke, Academic Director, Ceasar Ritz Hotel Schools, Switzerland, the key note speaker of the second day, opined that tourism is environmentally sensitive, reducing negative impacts and encouraging positive impacts within destinations. Cultural tourism revolves round historical sites, museums, traditional festivals, religious sites, arts and crafts, gastronomy, sporting events, learning languages,
Accor expands ibis hotels in Singapore
According to AsiaoneBusiness, Accor has officially launched a 538 room ibis Singapore for the country's mid market segment. It has plans to launch an ibis Novena, which is expected to be complete by 2011.
The ibis Singapore, located on Bencoolen Street, targets leisure and corporate clientele. Rates hover around USD 145─150. The 241 room ibis Novena will be owned and developed by Cockpit International. Work on the second property will begin next month. The property will target economy travellers.
Ibis is expanding strongly in China, India, Thailand and Indonesia. Accor might introduce six additional ibis hotels in Singapore and bring its brands, Sofitel and Pullman there, as well.
Gujarat eyes Southern states, West Bengal for increasing domestic tourism
According to a recent report, Gujarat is focusing on domestic tourists, especially in states like West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to aggressively market its destinations, targeting about two crore domestic tourists this year and 2010. Sanatan Pancholi, Resident Manager (Mumbai), Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. (TCGL), who was in Kochi recently to participate at the India International Travel Mart (IITM) said, “Currently our focus is on domestic tourism and effort is to woo more visitors from within the country, especially from Southern states and West Bengal. About five─seven lakh foreign visitors are being targeted during the fiscal.”
He further added that Gujarat is famous for its historical sites, representing 4500 years of ancient and recorded history, holy places, a living tradition of handicrafts that thrive across the state, colourful, fairs and vibrant festivals, including the Navratri and Kite flying festivals. “We are projecting the entire Kutch area as a tourism hub, which is a unique destination.
Tvtrip.com, the travel website where travelers get to check out their hotel on video before they book it, announced it has received USD 9 million in Series B financing. The funds were received from its original VC investors Balderton Capital, Partech International and new investor AGF Private Equity. The company has the largest database of professionally filmed hotel videos in the world, currently covering more than 3,000 hotels in over 160 destinations. The website attracted 850,000 unique visitors in January alone.
“This new round of financing will help us film more hotels and continue expanding in the US and Asia, as well as strengthening the various revenue─generating components of our business model. We already have 2,000 additional hotels lined up to film this year that will allow us to maintain and increase our lead in this market,”says Marc Ruff, founder and CEO of Tvtrip.com. TVtrip's primary revenue comes from affiliation,
Emirates Group opens Marhaba lounge at Terminal 3
The Emirates Group has launched its new Marhaba lounge at Terminal 3 of the Dubai International Airport. Operated by Dnata, the lounge has a capacity of 140 customers and is open to passengers of all airlines. While the terminal is exclusively for Emirates flights, passengers from other airlines can also use the lounge as the other concourses are linked. Apart from lounge use, which offers food, beverage, a business centre, the service includes assistance with check─in, immigration, security and escorts with buggy services through the airport. The minimum fee to use Marhaba lounge facilities is Dirhams150. As reported by Gulfnews.com, the company also offers services for long─stay transit passengers, including Visas for the duration and hotel arrangements. Launched in 1991, the Marhaba service currently has a staff of 260, which started from 29. Last year, over 20,000 customers used the services.
Rezidor adds three new countries to porfolio
The Rezidor Hotel Group will open the Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka in Zambia (Q3 2009, 142 rooms), the Radisson Blu Hotel Skopje in Macedonia (Q1 2011, 210 rooms), and the Radisson Blu Hotel Luanda in Angola (Q1 2012, 257 rooms). The group is now present in 58 nations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“We are especially proud to add two countries on the African continent to our business. Rezidor is currently featuring 25 hotels with almost 6,000 rooms in operation and under development in Africa,” says Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka is already under development and located in a prestigious commercial district of Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. Besides 142 rooms, the property will offer a Rezidor signature restaurant, a bar, five conference & meeting rooms, a ballroom, a pool with bar and wellness facilities and a casino.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Skopje will be part of a mixed─use development including a 50,000 square meters shopping mall and 16,000 square meters of high─grade offices. Services of the hotel will include 210 rooms,
McG releases report on Indian food processing industry
The Madras Consultancy Group (McG), Chennai, has released its industry profile on 'The Food Processing Industry in India'. McG's report has been added to the list of an Ireland─based international market research and market data agency's offering.
McG claims that the food processing industry has done to the rural India what IT has to the urban India. It has seen rapid development over the years and is a significant contributor to the country's GDP. The increase in demand for processed food in the country is attributed to the increase in disposable incomes and urbanisation. Processed food in India is expected to grow appreciably and keeping this in mind, McG, Chennai, has released its industry profile.
This researched document provides an insight into the Indian food processing market, industry structure, challenges facing the market and growth opportunities. It also includes an overview of different business segments within the food processing industry. The profile is aimed at informing players about strategic planners, current and prospective investors, international marketing executives
Sarovar Hotels signs on ATS Sarovar Premiere in Punjab
Sarovar Hotels and Resorts today announced the signing of ATS Sarovar Premiere in Dera Bassi, a city in Mohali district in the state of Punjab. ATS Sarovar Premiere will be located on the Chandigarh ─ Ambala national highway, at a distance of 12 kms from Chandigarh. Other Sarovar Hotels scheduled to open by 2012 in Punjab include Park Inn, Ludhiana; Hometel Chandigarh and Sarovar Portico, Mohali.
Commenting on the signing, Anil Madhok, Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels & Resorts said, “The business and leisure market in the region is growing by the day and there is a requirement for more hotels and rooms in the state. We are pleased to offer unmatched services and quality accommodation to the people traveling to Punjab and Chandigarh, for both business and leisure.”
Sarovar Premiere hotels are an upscale full service international quality four─five─star hotel brand. The proposed hotel will be built on approximately four acres of land and will form part of a composite township developed by ATS Estates, which is one of the largest realty developers in NCR. The township will include a SEZ,
Pan Pacific Hotels rated the top scorer in MMHI
Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts has emerged as the top scorer in terms of customer satisfaction across all hospitality segments and overall winner of the luxury hotel category with the highest score of 92.6, in the 2008 Annual Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI).
“We are honoured that Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts has been awarded with this esteemed accolade as the overall top performer in customer satisfaction. This recognition wouldn't have been possible without our associates and their dedication is integral to the success of our business. We believe in creating true value for our guests and for instance, our Preferences by Pan Pacific offer empowers guests to create a personalised stay and thus, making it more memorable when they stay with us,” said A Patrick Imbardelli, President and CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts.
In addition to Pan Pacific's user─friendly and award─winning brand website: panpacific.com, the hotel chain has recently launched 'PANTHER', a central reservations and distribution system with enhanced transactional capabilities across all reservations channels.
Marriott eyes 31 new hotels in Mena
Marriott International has announced its global expansions up to 2014 would include 17 new properties in the UAE, nine in Saudi Arabia, three in Qatar, one in Bahrain, and one in Egypt. The company expects nearly 600,000 rooms by year─end 2009. Other hotels in the pipeline include one in Algeria, 19 in China, 23 in India, eight in Thailand, five in the Caribbean and Latin America, five in France, six in the UK and six in Mexico.
Hospitality Vision─2009 was held on February 27─28, 2009
An international symposium called Hospitality Vision─2009 was conducted at the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration, Manipal on February 27─ 28, 2009. It focused on 'Challenges & Issues in Hospitality and Tourism Industry' and deliberated upon various contemporary issues.
The first day's key note speaker, Dr Susan Horner, Principal Lecturer anf International Coordinator, Sheffield Hallam University, UK, emphasised that service quality and image are initially linked to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Hotels must unify operations, human resources and marketing through customer service. The technology in relationship marketing allows consumers to join together on an international basis to discuss both positive and negative experiences.
Dr John Swarbrooke, Academic Director, Ceasar Ritz Hotel Schools, Switzerland, the key note speaker of the second day, opined that tourism is environmentally sensitive, reducing negative impacts and encouraging positive impacts within destinations. Cultural tourism revolves round historical sites, museums, traditional festivals, religious sites, arts and crafts, gastronomy, sporting events, learning languages,
Accor expands ibis hotels in Singapore
According to AsiaoneBusiness, Accor has officially launched a 538 room ibis Singapore for the country's mid market segment. It has plans to launch an ibis Novena, which is expected to be complete by 2011.
The ibis Singapore, located on Bencoolen Street, targets leisure and corporate clientele. Rates hover around USD 145─150. The 241 room ibis Novena will be owned and developed by Cockpit International. Work on the second property will begin next month. The property will target economy travellers.
Ibis is expanding strongly in China, India, Thailand and Indonesia. Accor might introduce six additional ibis hotels in Singapore and bring its brands, Sofitel and Pullman there, as well.
Gujarat eyes Southern states, West Bengal for increasing domestic tourism
According to a recent report, Gujarat is focusing on domestic tourists, especially in states like West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to aggressively market its destinations, targeting about two crore domestic tourists this year and 2010. Sanatan Pancholi, Resident Manager (Mumbai), Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. (TCGL), who was in Kochi recently to participate at the India International Travel Mart (IITM) said, “Currently our focus is on domestic tourism and effort is to woo more visitors from within the country, especially from Southern states and West Bengal. About five─seven lakh foreign visitors are being targeted during the fiscal.”
He further added that Gujarat is famous for its historical sites, representing 4500 years of ancient and recorded history, holy places, a living tradition of handicrafts that thrive across the state, colourful, fairs and vibrant festivals, including the Navratri and Kite flying festivals. “We are projecting the entire Kutch area as a tourism hub, which is a unique destination.
Travelzoo Announces the 2009 Travelzoo Award Finalists
94 Companies Honored by Travelzoo for Providing the Best Travel Deals
NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Travelzoo (Nasdaq:TZOO), a global Internet media company, today announced the finalists for the 2009 Travelzoo Awards. The Travelzoo Awards, also known as 'The Tzoos', celebrates the companies behind the best deals in travel, including airlines, hotels, vacation companies, cruise agencies, cruise lines, shows & events, car rentals and destinations. Travelzoo's 85 deal experts around the world evaluated more than 80,000 deals to uncover the companies behind the best deals in 23 categories.
"With such incredible deals in the market we are thrilled to be able to honor and celebrate the top 94 travel companies who have surpassed our deal evaluation criteria," said Shirley Tafoya, President, North America, Travelzoo. "These finalists continue to inspire consumers to take their next trip and ultimately help drive demand for travel within the U.S. and abroad."
Travelzoo Award finalists will be recognized and winners will be announced at the 3rd Annual Travelzoo Awards ceremony taking place on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta. The event also coincides with TravelCom 2009, which attracts more than 700 travel industry professionals and media. For more information visit http://www.travelzoo.com/tzoos.
NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Travelzoo (Nasdaq:TZOO), a global Internet media company, today announced the finalists for the 2009 Travelzoo Awards. The Travelzoo Awards, also known as 'The Tzoos', celebrates the companies behind the best deals in travel, including airlines, hotels, vacation companies, cruise agencies, cruise lines, shows & events, car rentals and destinations. Travelzoo's 85 deal experts around the world evaluated more than 80,000 deals to uncover the companies behind the best deals in 23 categories.
"With such incredible deals in the market we are thrilled to be able to honor and celebrate the top 94 travel companies who have surpassed our deal evaluation criteria," said Shirley Tafoya, President, North America, Travelzoo. "These finalists continue to inspire consumers to take their next trip and ultimately help drive demand for travel within the U.S. and abroad."
Travelzoo Award finalists will be recognized and winners will be announced at the 3rd Annual Travelzoo Awards ceremony taking place on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta. The event also coincides with TravelCom 2009, which attracts more than 700 travel industry professionals and media. For more information visit http://www.travelzoo.com/tzoos.
Governor proposes closing tourism welcome centers
Vacationers escaping to Wisconsin might soon find it harder to locate tourism brochures after crossing our state's borders.
The eight Wisconsin Welcome Centers, where visitors for years have stopped to pick up information about Wisconsin Dells, state parks and other tourist attractions, could be closed by May under Gov. Jim Doyle's budget proposal.
The shutdown will help the Department of Tourism, which operates the centers, meet its target of cutting $1.7 million from its upcoming two-year budget. Closing the centers will save $1.2 million, said Valerie Davis, a department spokeswoman. Doyle has proposed a $29 million department budget.
The Welcome Centers have eight full-time and five part-time employees, along with 30 seasonal workers, according to the department's budget summary. The centers include rest stops operated by the Department of Transportation, which will remain open, said Mike Goetzman, spokesman for that agency.
Fewer tourists have been stopping at the centers in recent years, and have been instead getting information from the Internet. The department's Web site, http://travelwisconsin .com, has seen consistent traffic increases over the past five years, according to the budget summary.
By shutting down the Welcome Centers, the department will be able to preserve other marketing efforts, the summary said. Along with its Web site, the department pays for ads promoting Wisconsin that appear on TV, radio and other media.
The Welcome Centers would be missed, said Doug Neilson, president of Visit Milwaukee, which promotes the Milwaukee area to tourists and other visitors. But he understands why department officials have proposed closing them.
"They have to cut back somewhere," Neilson said. And it makes sense for the department to focus on its ad spending and Internet site, he said.
Visit Milwaukee and other local convention and visitors bureaus throughout Wisconsin could play a bigger role in providing brochures and other information to tourists, Neilson said. That could result in some of the laid-off state workers getting jobs with those groups, said Mark Richardson, deputy tourism secretary.
Brochures also can typically be found in restaurants, convenience stores and other retail businesses near the Dells and other tourism destinations, and at rest stops operated by the Transportation Department.
But the Welcome Centers, the first of which opened in 1962, provide more than just printed information, said John Gulig, who manages the Kenosha center.
They also offer a much-needed dose of human interaction during a time when people are being pushed into the Internet, voice mail and other soulless endeavors, he said.
"They still want that personal touch," said Gulig, who's worked at the center for 14 years. "People want to talk to people."
Soon to close?
The Wisconsin Welcome Centers that would close are in or near Beloit, Hudson, Hurley, Kenosha, Kieler, La Crosse, Marinette and Superior.
The eight Wisconsin Welcome Centers, where visitors for years have stopped to pick up information about Wisconsin Dells, state parks and other tourist attractions, could be closed by May under Gov. Jim Doyle's budget proposal.
The shutdown will help the Department of Tourism, which operates the centers, meet its target of cutting $1.7 million from its upcoming two-year budget. Closing the centers will save $1.2 million, said Valerie Davis, a department spokeswoman. Doyle has proposed a $29 million department budget.
The Welcome Centers have eight full-time and five part-time employees, along with 30 seasonal workers, according to the department's budget summary. The centers include rest stops operated by the Department of Transportation, which will remain open, said Mike Goetzman, spokesman for that agency.
Fewer tourists have been stopping at the centers in recent years, and have been instead getting information from the Internet. The department's Web site, http://travelwisconsin .com, has seen consistent traffic increases over the past five years, according to the budget summary.
By shutting down the Welcome Centers, the department will be able to preserve other marketing efforts, the summary said. Along with its Web site, the department pays for ads promoting Wisconsin that appear on TV, radio and other media.
The Welcome Centers would be missed, said Doug Neilson, president of Visit Milwaukee, which promotes the Milwaukee area to tourists and other visitors. But he understands why department officials have proposed closing them.
"They have to cut back somewhere," Neilson said. And it makes sense for the department to focus on its ad spending and Internet site, he said.
Visit Milwaukee and other local convention and visitors bureaus throughout Wisconsin could play a bigger role in providing brochures and other information to tourists, Neilson said. That could result in some of the laid-off state workers getting jobs with those groups, said Mark Richardson, deputy tourism secretary.
Brochures also can typically be found in restaurants, convenience stores and other retail businesses near the Dells and other tourism destinations, and at rest stops operated by the Transportation Department.
But the Welcome Centers, the first of which opened in 1962, provide more than just printed information, said John Gulig, who manages the Kenosha center.
They also offer a much-needed dose of human interaction during a time when people are being pushed into the Internet, voice mail and other soulless endeavors, he said.
"They still want that personal touch," said Gulig, who's worked at the center for 14 years. "People want to talk to people."
Soon to close?
The Wisconsin Welcome Centers that would close are in or near Beloit, Hudson, Hurley, Kenosha, Kieler, La Crosse, Marinette and Superior.
Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
Friday, February 27, 2009
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 32/156 of 19 December 1977, by which it approved the
Agreement on Cooperation and Relationships between the United Nations and the World Tourism Organization,
Reaffirming paragraph 5 of its resolution 36/41 of 19 November 1981, in which it decided that the World Tourism Organization might participate, on a continuing basis, in the work of the General Assembly in areas of concern to that organization,
Recalling the Manila Declaration on World Tourism of 10 October 1980 adopted under the auspices of the World Tourism Organization,1 the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 2 and Agenda 213 adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development on 14 June 1992, and taking note of the Amman Declaration on Peace through Tourism adopted at the Global Summit on Peace through Tourism on 11 November 2000,
Considering that the Commission on Sustainable Development, at its seventh session, held in April 1999, expressed interest in a global code of ethics for tourism and invited the World Tourism Organization to consider the participation of informed major groups in the development, implementation and monitoring of
its globlal code of ethics for tourism,
Recalling its resolution 53/200 of 15 December 1998 on the proclamation of 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism, in which, inter alia, it reaffirmed Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/40 of 30 July 1998, recognizing the support of the World Tourism Organization for the importance of ecotourism, in particular the designation of the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism, in fostering better understanding among peoples everywhere, in leading to greater awareness of the rich heritage of various civilizations and in bringing about a better appreciation of the inherent values of different cultures, thereby contributing to the strengthening of world peace,
Recognizing the important dimension and role of tourism as a positive instrument towards the alleviation of poverty and the improvement of the quality of life for all people, its potential to make a contribution to economic and social development, especially of the developing countries, and its emergence as a vital force for the promotion of international understanding, peace and prosperity,
1. Takes note with interest of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism adopted at the thirteenth session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization, which outlines principles to guide tourism development and to serve as a frame of refere nce for the different stakeholders in the tourism sector, with the objective of minimizing the negative impact of tourism on environment and on cultural heritage while
maximizing the benefits of tourism in promoting sustainable development and poverty alleviation as well as understanding among nations;
2. Emphasizes the need for the promotion of a responsible and sustainable tourism that could be beneficial to all sectors of society;
3. Invites Governments and other stakeholders in the tourism sector to consider introducing, as appropriate, the contents of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in re l evant laws, regulations and professional practices, and, in this regard, recognizes with app reciation the efforts made and measures already undertaken by some States;
4. Encourages the World Tourism Organization to promote effective follow-up to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, with the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the tourism sector;
5. Requests the Secretary-General to follow up developments related to the implementation of the present resolution based on the reports of the World Tourism Organizaion and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session.
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 32/156 of 19 December 1977, by which it approved the
Agreement on Cooperation and Relationships between the United Nations and the World Tourism Organization,
Reaffirming paragraph 5 of its resolution 36/41 of 19 November 1981, in which it decided that the World Tourism Organization might participate, on a continuing basis, in the work of the General Assembly in areas of concern to that organization,
Recalling the Manila Declaration on World Tourism of 10 October 1980 adopted under the auspices of the World Tourism Organization,1 the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development 2 and Agenda 213 adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development on 14 June 1992, and taking note of the Amman Declaration on Peace through Tourism adopted at the Global Summit on Peace through Tourism on 11 November 2000,
Considering that the Commission on Sustainable Development, at its seventh session, held in April 1999, expressed interest in a global code of ethics for tourism and invited the World Tourism Organization to consider the participation of informed major groups in the development, implementation and monitoring of
its globlal code of ethics for tourism,
Recalling its resolution 53/200 of 15 December 1998 on the proclamation of 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism, in which, inter alia, it reaffirmed Economic and Social Council resolution 1998/40 of 30 July 1998, recognizing the support of the World Tourism Organization for the importance of ecotourism, in particular the designation of the year 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism, in fostering better understanding among peoples everywhere, in leading to greater awareness of the rich heritage of various civilizations and in bringing about a better appreciation of the inherent values of different cultures, thereby contributing to the strengthening of world peace,
Recognizing the important dimension and role of tourism as a positive instrument towards the alleviation of poverty and the improvement of the quality of life for all people, its potential to make a contribution to economic and social development, especially of the developing countries, and its emergence as a vital force for the promotion of international understanding, peace and prosperity,
1. Takes note with interest of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism adopted at the thirteenth session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization, which outlines principles to guide tourism development and to serve as a frame of refere nce for the different stakeholders in the tourism sector, with the objective of minimizing the negative impact of tourism on environment and on cultural heritage while
maximizing the benefits of tourism in promoting sustainable development and poverty alleviation as well as understanding among nations;
2. Emphasizes the need for the promotion of a responsible and sustainable tourism that could be beneficial to all sectors of society;
3. Invites Governments and other stakeholders in the tourism sector to consider introducing, as appropriate, the contents of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism in re l evant laws, regulations and professional practices, and, in this regard, recognizes with app reciation the efforts made and measures already undertaken by some States;
4. Encourages the World Tourism Organization to promote effective follow-up to the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, with the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the tourism sector;
5. Requests the Secretary-General to follow up developments related to the implementation of the present resolution based on the reports of the World Tourism Organizaion and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth session.
India International Travel Exhibition (ITTE) begins in Orissa today
A three─day exhibition to promote tourism and explore tourism potential in Orissa is being held in Bhubaneswar from today till March 3, 2009. India International Travel Exhibition (ITTE) will focus on international and domestic tourist destinations, hotels, resorts, cruises, railways, national and international affiliated service providers. Anurag Gupta, Managing Director, ITTE told UNI recently that delegates from Malaysia, Dubai and four states of the country ─ Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Assam and Orissa – are participating in the exhibition.
Hotels and tourism departments, tour operators have put up 35 stalls in the exhibitions, which display and provide information about different destinations, holiday, travel, tour packages and other services. Gupta said Manoharan Periyaswami, Country Head, Malaysia Tourism is expected to attend the exhibition. Gupta further said that he chose Bhubaneswar for the exhibition as it has high potential for tourism and that China, Russia and South Korea should be explored for inbound tourism.
Movenpick Hotels & Resorts signs management contract in Tunisia
Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has signed a management contract with Compagnie Tunisienne de Developpement Touristique for a new resort and conference property at the Tunisian holiday destination of Sousse. The Movenpick Resort & Thalasso Sousse is the Swiss Hotel Group's second resort in Tunisia and comprises 627 rooms. This beachside hotel is located in the heart of the city and is scheduled to open in July 2009.
The Movenpick Resort & Thalasso Sousse comprises 588 and 39 suites and six restaurants and five bars. Omar Jenayah, CEO of Compagnie Tunisienne de Developpement Touristique, says, “With the Swiss Hotel Group we have found the right partner for this unique holiday resort. Together, we will pursue our objective of becoming the first choice for accommodation in Sousse.”
RedWeek.com announces top 25 Timeshare resorts
The Top 25 list of timeshare rental resorts has been announced by RedWeek.com, a timeshare rental, resales and exchange web site. The site's registered users picked Disney's Beach Club Villas and Disney's BoardWalk Villas as the number one and two top timeshares. Both resorts are located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando and have a five─star traveller rating from RedWeek.com.
Last year's number one pick ─ The Manhattan Club of New York City ─ slipped to the third spot. Another popular resort for timeshare rental is the Harborside Resort at Atlantis. This number four pick on the list is located on Paradise Island, Bahamas, in the Caribbean. Top picks for Hawaii this year ─ filling the five and six spots ─ are Hilton Grand Vacation Club at Hilton Hawaiian Village and Marriott's Maui Beach Club. The top regions featured in the Top 25 list this year include the greater Orlando area, the Caribbean, Hawaii, New York City and Cancun. Companies with the most resorts on the RedWeek.com Top 25 list are Disney, Marriott, and Starwood.
Gloria Jean's plans 250 coffee outlets
Gloria Jean's Coffees International, an Australia─based specialty coffee retailer, plans to invest Rs 100 Crore in India over 10 years. The company aims to open 250 coffee outlets in the country.
The company will open 20 outlets in the next financial year (2009─10) in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad. It will invest Rs 40 Lakh per outlet, which will be a mixture of mall stores and standalone stores. Presently, the Australian company is operating in India through a partnership with master franchisee, City Max India (part of the Dubai─based retailer Landmark Group), with five coffee outlets; three are in Bengaluru and two are in Mumbai.
Mega food park in Satara to begin operations
One of the 10 mega food parks included in the 11th Plan will start operations on February 28, 2009; a Rs 120 Crore project located on 75 acres adjacent to the Western Agri Food Park at Shirwal in Satara, will benefit some 10000 farmers in Pune, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts. Choradia Food Products and Praveen Masalewale will own 49 per cent, the farmers will own 15 per cent and the remaining will be with companies, including Akruti City Ltd, Ashoka Builders, Poona Dal and Besan Mills, among others. The park has begun processing 400 tonnes of tomatoes and 50 tonnes of other fruits per day.
The Centre will contribute Rs 50 Crore towards common facilities in the park and another Rs 500 Crore will be raised from processing units that come up in the park. According to Pradeep Choradia, Chairman of the food park, about 400 products have been listed for entrepreneurs and a business model is being prepared for them. The park will include 10 collection centres in the Pune and Satara districts and five mobile collection centres in other locations. A knowledge centre will be located at Shindewadi on the outskirts of Pune
Crowne Plaza Hotel opens at New Orleans─Airport
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, today announced that the Crowne Plaza New Orleans─Airport has undergone a USD 28 million renovation and conversion from a former Holiday Inn Select. The property had been nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
The Crowne Plaza New Orleans─Airport is owned by 2929 Williams Blvd., LLC, and managed by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group. The five─story 292─room Crowne Plaza New Orleans─Airport offers a variety of amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, business centre and complimentary airport shuttle service.
“We're pleased to bring a Crowne Plaza hotel to the New Orleans airport market. This hotel has undergone a tremendous renovation after receiving extensive hurricane damage, and the owners have delivered a fantastic property that we're proud now carries the Crowne Plaza name,”says Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Brand Management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, the Americas.
IRCTC works on budget hotel project in Chandigarh
With an aim to provide tourists with the budget accommodation, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has started working on its pending budget hotel project to be located near Chandigarh Railway Station. The corporation has already invited an Expression of Interest (EOI) for this hotel project, which will be set up under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) format. The corporation will also launch three additional modular stalls at Chandigarh Railway Station, in order to provide the passengers with cooked and branded products.
Confirming the project Aneet Dulat, Chief Regional Manager, IRCTC, Chandigarh stated that after identifying the Railway Department─approved site, we tenders for this hotel project about one and half years ago. “Many big hotel chains and multinational companies have shown interest in setting up this project. Of these, one company will be short listed soon. Just after approval from the Railway Ministry, the project will begin,” he confirms.
Further, Dulat stated that the hotel will be set up on the Taj group's budget hotel pattern.
HSBC Global ups stake in United Spirits
According to a report in The Hindu Business Line, United Spirits Ltd said that HSBC Global Investment Funds Ltd has raised its stake in the company to 5.03 per cent from 4.78 per cent. HSBC Global bought 245,000 shares in the open market recently and now holds over 5 million United Spirits shares, the spirit and wine maker said in a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange. United Spirits founder UB Group is currently in talks with UK's Diageo PLC to sell a stake in the unit.
India tourism to focus on promoting Visit India campaign 2009 at ITB –Berlin
The Department of Tourism, Government of India (GoI) will focus on promoting Visit India Campaign 2009 at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB─Berlin) programme in Berlin which will be held from March 11─15, 2009, informed Leena Nandan, Joint Secretary (Tourism), GoI. The Visit India Campaign 2009 has been made in collaboration with various tourism stakeholders in the country including hotels and airlines. The campaign offers various complimentary packages developed by airlines and hotels, in consideration with the current scenario of the tourism industry in India.
This year at ITB, the India Tourism pavillion will measure 850 sq. metres and will comprise 81 participants that will include state tourism boards, hotels and airlines. About 70 private players will also participate in ITB─Berlin this year. Last year, the number of participants in the India Tourism pavilion was 85. State tourism boards participating with India Tourism are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Pondicherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.
First Indian contingent to attend 56th Annual Congress of Les Clefs d'Or
The 56th Annual Congress of Les Clefs d'Or 2009, which is being held at Hangzhou in China, will see the first Indian contingent of concierges participating in the event. About nine concierges from the country will attend the event to be held on March 23 to 28, 2009.
The concierges attending the event will include Albert Amanna from InterContinental Marine Drive and President of Concierge Association of India – Western Region (CAI ─ WR); Edwin Saldanha from The Oberoi, Mumbai and Vice President of CAI─WR; Delna Karbhari from The Trident, Mumbai and Assistant PR Officer of (CAI – WR); Ruffino D'Souza from The Trident, Mumbai and Treasurer of CAI – WR; Avinash Tamhane from The Oberoi, Mumbai and executive committee member of CAI ─ WR; Michael Fernandes from JW Marriott also Assistant Secretary for CAI ─ WR; Shaunak Vengurlekar from InterContinental The Lalit, Mumbai and PR Officer for CAI ─ WR; Rajesh Yadav from Taj Palace, Delhi and Sumit Chatterjee from Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai.
Speaking about the participation, Vengurlekar stated, “It is very important for CAI to have a representation at such an international forum which will provide us with recognition.
Major hotel chains to attend PATA Exchange in London
United Kingdom travel agents are being urged to attend the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Exchange in London on March 16, 2009 post the ITB event. Almost 40 suppliers, including hotel chains such as Hilton, Marriott, Langham and Dusit International and the tourist boards of Australia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Tasmania, Sri Lanka, Samoa and Fiji are due to attend the PATA Exchange. Organised by PATA, the event is free to UK agents and other industry buyers and is being held at Australia House.
Participating agents and buyers will be able to schedule appointments ahead of the day, providing an opportunity to meet many of Asia Pacific's key sellers in one manageable forum. Rodney Harrex, General Manager, Tourism Australia, UK and Europe said, “For Australia, we see the PATA Exchange as a great way to bring the diversity of destinations and experiences from the Asia Pacific region together so that agents, operators and product buyers can engage with the suppliers face to face in the one location.”
Giltedge to enter institutional sales in a big way
Giltedge Enterprises, a subsidiary of London─based Giltedge Ltd., has plans to enter into institutional sales for the imported chocolate syrup, Bosco, and Taj Mahal brand's Saffron. While Bosco chocolate syrup is imported from the US, Taj Mahal's Saffron is imported from Spain. The company has appointed a person to take care of the institutional sales of these premium food products in the Indian market.
Informing this, Vipin Aggarwal, Director, Giltedge Enterprises said that they are in touch with a few restaurant chains in this connection. “We have contacted Café Coffee Day, Barista and Moca. We also plan aggressive promotion of Bosco and Saffron in star hotels in the country as the brand is new and it will take some time to capture the market,”says Aggarwal. The institutional sales of these products had been handled some other company earlier. Giltedge has taken over the institutional sales recently. Giltedge, a company specialising in direct import of food products and marketing of domestic products has plans to enter the technical education sector soon.
Jet Airways' joins hands with Carlson and Sarovar
Jet Airways' JetPrivilege, a frequent flyer programme, is collaborating with players in the hospitality, entertainment and banking sectors, in order to offer its customers a broader service spectrum. In the hospitality segment, JetPrivilege has entered into an alliance with Sarovar Hotels and Resorts and Carlson Hotels Worldwide.
Under the partnership with Carlson, Jet passengers will be liable for discounts on stay at over one thousand hotel properties in seventy four countries. JetPrivilege members can earn JPmiles across five brands (in various segments) under the Carlson umbrella; Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Country Inns & Suites Carlson, Radisson Hotels & Resorts and Park Inn.
In the deal with Sarovar, JetPrivilege members can earn up to 250 JPMiles for their stay at any participating Sarovar property. A ten per cent discount on F&B will be provided, as well. JetPrivilege Platinum members can also avail of a room upgrade (subject to availability)
Punjab Govt decides to reduce luxury tax on hotels
Considering the demand of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Punjab (HRAP), the Punjab Government has decided to reduce the luxury tax on hotels from eight per cent to four per cent. The Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal during his visit to Ludhiana also assured the hoteliers that the Government will charge electricity bills on the basis of industrial tariff rather than on commercial basis. In this regard, the State Government has submitted the file to the Punjab Regulatory Commission, which deals with electricity bills, for final approval. After getting the approval, the government will decide as to when to implement it.
Confirming the decision, Amarvir Singh, General Secretary, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Punjab, (HRAP) said, “With this decision, the growing hospitality industry in the state will get a big relief and more hotel chains will set up their projects in the state.”
Ascott opens its first Citadines property in Japan
CapitaLand's wholly─owned serviced residence unit, Ascott, will open Japan's first Citadines─branded serviced residence property Citadines Tokyo Shinjuku on March 1, 2009. This follows Ascott's recent opening of Singapore's first Citadines property, Citadines Singapore Mount Sophia, which achieved an occupancy of about 70 per cent within a month after it opened on January 9, 2009.
Gerald Lee, CEO of Ascott Hospitality, the hospitality management arm of Ascott, said, "This new Citadines in Tokyo is our 11th Citadines property to open in Asia since we brought the brand to the region in 2006. We are increasingly getting requests from property owners for our Citadines brand. This reflects the strong reputation we have built for our management expertise and the brand since its introduction in Asia two years ago. By 2011, we will open 11 more Citadines in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Kazakhstan."
Officials stop houseboat and hotel operations at Dal Lake, Srinagar
Acting on instructions from the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Lakes and Waterways Development officials have begun a drive to stop operations of houseboats, hotels and commercial units in and around the Dal Lake, Srinagar; these are said to be polluting the water body with sewage/liquid effluents. This initiative is taking place in the wake of a state pollution board report that was filed on January 31, 2009, stated an ANI report. All illegal constructions are to be demolished, as well. The move is likely to affect tourst inflow.
The hotel/houseboat owners, who were affected by this move, have protested against the same. They claim that suitable drainage infrastructure has not been provided and that waste from the hotels/houseboats account for only three per cent of the total pollution. Dal Lake water samples show toxic chemical levels.
Jumeirah Beach Hotels receive PADI accreditation
Jumeirah Beach Hotel's Pavilion Dive Centre, has recently been officially recognised by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) as a 5 Star Career Development Centre, PADI's highest rating for Dive Centres.
As a PADI Career Development Centre, the Pavilion Dive Centre can now offer fast track diving resort management programmes. This allows non─diving professionals to take a consolidated course to go professional and gain sufficient resort management to get started in the diving industry. Pavilion Dive Centre is the first and only PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre in the Middle East. The first Instructor Development course of 2009 will start on Friday, 3rd April.
Goa plans Rs 50 Crore marketing campaign
According to a report in The Times of India, Goa's hotels may not be in a position to lower prices as demanded by the Union Finance Minister, but the tourism industry plans an aggressive marketing campaign with a budget of Rs 50 Crore.
According to a leading marketing consultant, the budget to starred hotels, has been increased by five per cent to 10 per cent as compared to last year. This is besides what the Government will be spending on its international marketing campaign. He says that each hotel will spend between Rs 40 Lakh and Rs 70 Lakh this year on advertising, while the rest will be used for other promotional methods. The money, according to the consultant, would be actual cash and hotels would not resort to a barter system.
The State Government is also looking to increase its promotional budget. The state had spent Rs 18 Crore last year on its campaign, and since tourist arrivals were down this year the Tourism Minister had sought a marketing budget of Rs 50 Crore this year.
HVS presents 'Hotels of the Year Awards ─ 2009' at HICSA 2009
Hospitality Valuation Services (HVS), a fully integrated consulting firm focuses on the hotel industry, has announced the 'Hotels of the Year Awards ─ 2009' at the Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA) to be held in April 2009. These awards have been instituted to acknowledge outstanding new hotel developments in the last one year in the South Asia region. The awards will be conferred upon for two main categories: Best Luxury/Upscale Hotel and the Best Mid Market/Budget Hotel.
Various hotels and serviced apartments that opened from July 2007 ─ November 2008 were invited to nominate themselves based on certain criteria. The result was 21 hotel nominations for the Hotels of the Year Awards ─ Budget/Mid Market and eight hotel nominations for the Hotels of the Year Awards ─ Luxury/Upscale. Budget/mid market nominees include Lemon Tree, Ahmedabad; Lemon Tree, Aurangabad; Lemon Tree, Indore; Lemon Tree, Kaushambi; Grand Sarovar Premiere, Mumbai; Lazy Lagoon Sarovar Portico Suites, Goa; Savannah Sarovar Premiere, Bengaluru; Park Plaza, Noida; Taj Gateway, Vijayawada; Taj Gateway, Surat; Ibis, Gurgaon; Seasons, Serviced Apartments.
Kilachands fail to offload Dodsal stake
According to a report in The Economic Times, Dubai─Based Kilachand family's proposed deal to sell 30─40 per cent stake in the Dodsal Group, one of the two large franchises of Pizza Hut and KFC in India, to private equity firm New Silk Route for USD 100 million has fallen through on account of differences on valuations. Dodsal has been looking to exit the restaurant franchise business for some time now to focus on its other businesses that include infrastructure development, engineering, construction and petrochemicals. Since this deal has given way, the group has decided not to invest in expanding operations any further in south and west India, for which it holds franchise rights, at present.
According to sources, Yum! Restaurants, which owns these fast food chains, is now talking to other potential partners to open more outlets in south and west India, which are seen as growth markets. Although Dodsal holds the first right of refusal for the regions, Yum is free to rope in other partners to expand. Dodsal Group is not looking to exit the Pizza Hut franchise and Yum! is in talks with the company for reinvestments into the brand, including store upgradation.
A three─day exhibition to promote tourism and explore tourism potential in Orissa is being held in Bhubaneswar from today till March 3, 2009. India International Travel Exhibition (ITTE) will focus on international and domestic tourist destinations, hotels, resorts, cruises, railways, national and international affiliated service providers. Anurag Gupta, Managing Director, ITTE told UNI recently that delegates from Malaysia, Dubai and four states of the country ─ Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Assam and Orissa – are participating in the exhibition.
Hotels and tourism departments, tour operators have put up 35 stalls in the exhibitions, which display and provide information about different destinations, holiday, travel, tour packages and other services. Gupta said Manoharan Periyaswami, Country Head, Malaysia Tourism is expected to attend the exhibition. Gupta further said that he chose Bhubaneswar for the exhibition as it has high potential for tourism and that China, Russia and South Korea should be explored for inbound tourism.
Movenpick Hotels & Resorts signs management contract in Tunisia
Movenpick Hotels & Resorts has signed a management contract with Compagnie Tunisienne de Developpement Touristique for a new resort and conference property at the Tunisian holiday destination of Sousse. The Movenpick Resort & Thalasso Sousse is the Swiss Hotel Group's second resort in Tunisia and comprises 627 rooms. This beachside hotel is located in the heart of the city and is scheduled to open in July 2009.
The Movenpick Resort & Thalasso Sousse comprises 588 and 39 suites and six restaurants and five bars. Omar Jenayah, CEO of Compagnie Tunisienne de Developpement Touristique, says, “With the Swiss Hotel Group we have found the right partner for this unique holiday resort. Together, we will pursue our objective of becoming the first choice for accommodation in Sousse.”
RedWeek.com announces top 25 Timeshare resorts
The Top 25 list of timeshare rental resorts has been announced by RedWeek.com, a timeshare rental, resales and exchange web site. The site's registered users picked Disney's Beach Club Villas and Disney's BoardWalk Villas as the number one and two top timeshares. Both resorts are located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando and have a five─star traveller rating from RedWeek.com.
Last year's number one pick ─ The Manhattan Club of New York City ─ slipped to the third spot. Another popular resort for timeshare rental is the Harborside Resort at Atlantis. This number four pick on the list is located on Paradise Island, Bahamas, in the Caribbean. Top picks for Hawaii this year ─ filling the five and six spots ─ are Hilton Grand Vacation Club at Hilton Hawaiian Village and Marriott's Maui Beach Club. The top regions featured in the Top 25 list this year include the greater Orlando area, the Caribbean, Hawaii, New York City and Cancun. Companies with the most resorts on the RedWeek.com Top 25 list are Disney, Marriott, and Starwood.
Gloria Jean's plans 250 coffee outlets
Gloria Jean's Coffees International, an Australia─based specialty coffee retailer, plans to invest Rs 100 Crore in India over 10 years. The company aims to open 250 coffee outlets in the country.
The company will open 20 outlets in the next financial year (2009─10) in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad. It will invest Rs 40 Lakh per outlet, which will be a mixture of mall stores and standalone stores. Presently, the Australian company is operating in India through a partnership with master franchisee, City Max India (part of the Dubai─based retailer Landmark Group), with five coffee outlets; three are in Bengaluru and two are in Mumbai.
Mega food park in Satara to begin operations
One of the 10 mega food parks included in the 11th Plan will start operations on February 28, 2009; a Rs 120 Crore project located on 75 acres adjacent to the Western Agri Food Park at Shirwal in Satara, will benefit some 10000 farmers in Pune, Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur districts. Choradia Food Products and Praveen Masalewale will own 49 per cent, the farmers will own 15 per cent and the remaining will be with companies, including Akruti City Ltd, Ashoka Builders, Poona Dal and Besan Mills, among others. The park has begun processing 400 tonnes of tomatoes and 50 tonnes of other fruits per day.
The Centre will contribute Rs 50 Crore towards common facilities in the park and another Rs 500 Crore will be raised from processing units that come up in the park. According to Pradeep Choradia, Chairman of the food park, about 400 products have been listed for entrepreneurs and a business model is being prepared for them. The park will include 10 collection centres in the Pune and Satara districts and five mobile collection centres in other locations. A knowledge centre will be located at Shindewadi on the outskirts of Pune
Crowne Plaza Hotel opens at New Orleans─Airport
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, today announced that the Crowne Plaza New Orleans─Airport has undergone a USD 28 million renovation and conversion from a former Holiday Inn Select. The property had been nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
The Crowne Plaza New Orleans─Airport is owned by 2929 Williams Blvd., LLC, and managed by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group. The five─story 292─room Crowne Plaza New Orleans─Airport offers a variety of amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, business centre and complimentary airport shuttle service.
“We're pleased to bring a Crowne Plaza hotel to the New Orleans airport market. This hotel has undergone a tremendous renovation after receiving extensive hurricane damage, and the owners have delivered a fantastic property that we're proud now carries the Crowne Plaza name,”says Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Brand Management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, the Americas.
IRCTC works on budget hotel project in Chandigarh
With an aim to provide tourists with the budget accommodation, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) has started working on its pending budget hotel project to be located near Chandigarh Railway Station. The corporation has already invited an Expression of Interest (EOI) for this hotel project, which will be set up under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) format. The corporation will also launch three additional modular stalls at Chandigarh Railway Station, in order to provide the passengers with cooked and branded products.
Confirming the project Aneet Dulat, Chief Regional Manager, IRCTC, Chandigarh stated that after identifying the Railway Department─approved site, we tenders for this hotel project about one and half years ago. “Many big hotel chains and multinational companies have shown interest in setting up this project. Of these, one company will be short listed soon. Just after approval from the Railway Ministry, the project will begin,” he confirms.
Further, Dulat stated that the hotel will be set up on the Taj group's budget hotel pattern.
HSBC Global ups stake in United Spirits
According to a report in The Hindu Business Line, United Spirits Ltd said that HSBC Global Investment Funds Ltd has raised its stake in the company to 5.03 per cent from 4.78 per cent. HSBC Global bought 245,000 shares in the open market recently and now holds over 5 million United Spirits shares, the spirit and wine maker said in a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange. United Spirits founder UB Group is currently in talks with UK's Diageo PLC to sell a stake in the unit.
India tourism to focus on promoting Visit India campaign 2009 at ITB –Berlin
The Department of Tourism, Government of India (GoI) will focus on promoting Visit India Campaign 2009 at the International Tourism Exchange (ITB─Berlin) programme in Berlin which will be held from March 11─15, 2009, informed Leena Nandan, Joint Secretary (Tourism), GoI. The Visit India Campaign 2009 has been made in collaboration with various tourism stakeholders in the country including hotels and airlines. The campaign offers various complimentary packages developed by airlines and hotels, in consideration with the current scenario of the tourism industry in India.
This year at ITB, the India Tourism pavillion will measure 850 sq. metres and will comprise 81 participants that will include state tourism boards, hotels and airlines. About 70 private players will also participate in ITB─Berlin this year. Last year, the number of participants in the India Tourism pavilion was 85. State tourism boards participating with India Tourism are Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Pondicherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand.
First Indian contingent to attend 56th Annual Congress of Les Clefs d'Or
The 56th Annual Congress of Les Clefs d'Or 2009, which is being held at Hangzhou in China, will see the first Indian contingent of concierges participating in the event. About nine concierges from the country will attend the event to be held on March 23 to 28, 2009.
The concierges attending the event will include Albert Amanna from InterContinental Marine Drive and President of Concierge Association of India – Western Region (CAI ─ WR); Edwin Saldanha from The Oberoi, Mumbai and Vice President of CAI─WR; Delna Karbhari from The Trident, Mumbai and Assistant PR Officer of (CAI – WR); Ruffino D'Souza from The Trident, Mumbai and Treasurer of CAI – WR; Avinash Tamhane from The Oberoi, Mumbai and executive committee member of CAI ─ WR; Michael Fernandes from JW Marriott also Assistant Secretary for CAI ─ WR; Shaunak Vengurlekar from InterContinental The Lalit, Mumbai and PR Officer for CAI ─ WR; Rajesh Yadav from Taj Palace, Delhi and Sumit Chatterjee from Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai.
Speaking about the participation, Vengurlekar stated, “It is very important for CAI to have a representation at such an international forum which will provide us with recognition.
Major hotel chains to attend PATA Exchange in London
United Kingdom travel agents are being urged to attend the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Exchange in London on March 16, 2009 post the ITB event. Almost 40 suppliers, including hotel chains such as Hilton, Marriott, Langham and Dusit International and the tourist boards of Australia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Tasmania, Sri Lanka, Samoa and Fiji are due to attend the PATA Exchange. Organised by PATA, the event is free to UK agents and other industry buyers and is being held at Australia House.
Participating agents and buyers will be able to schedule appointments ahead of the day, providing an opportunity to meet many of Asia Pacific's key sellers in one manageable forum. Rodney Harrex, General Manager, Tourism Australia, UK and Europe said, “For Australia, we see the PATA Exchange as a great way to bring the diversity of destinations and experiences from the Asia Pacific region together so that agents, operators and product buyers can engage with the suppliers face to face in the one location.”
Giltedge to enter institutional sales in a big way
Giltedge Enterprises, a subsidiary of London─based Giltedge Ltd., has plans to enter into institutional sales for the imported chocolate syrup, Bosco, and Taj Mahal brand's Saffron. While Bosco chocolate syrup is imported from the US, Taj Mahal's Saffron is imported from Spain. The company has appointed a person to take care of the institutional sales of these premium food products in the Indian market.
Informing this, Vipin Aggarwal, Director, Giltedge Enterprises said that they are in touch with a few restaurant chains in this connection. “We have contacted Café Coffee Day, Barista and Moca. We also plan aggressive promotion of Bosco and Saffron in star hotels in the country as the brand is new and it will take some time to capture the market,”says Aggarwal. The institutional sales of these products had been handled some other company earlier. Giltedge has taken over the institutional sales recently. Giltedge, a company specialising in direct import of food products and marketing of domestic products has plans to enter the technical education sector soon.
Jet Airways' joins hands with Carlson and Sarovar
Jet Airways' JetPrivilege, a frequent flyer programme, is collaborating with players in the hospitality, entertainment and banking sectors, in order to offer its customers a broader service spectrum. In the hospitality segment, JetPrivilege has entered into an alliance with Sarovar Hotels and Resorts and Carlson Hotels Worldwide.
Under the partnership with Carlson, Jet passengers will be liable for discounts on stay at over one thousand hotel properties in seventy four countries. JetPrivilege members can earn JPmiles across five brands (in various segments) under the Carlson umbrella; Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Country Inns & Suites Carlson, Radisson Hotels & Resorts and Park Inn.
In the deal with Sarovar, JetPrivilege members can earn up to 250 JPMiles for their stay at any participating Sarovar property. A ten per cent discount on F&B will be provided, as well. JetPrivilege Platinum members can also avail of a room upgrade (subject to availability)
Punjab Govt decides to reduce luxury tax on hotels
Considering the demand of the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Punjab (HRAP), the Punjab Government has decided to reduce the luxury tax on hotels from eight per cent to four per cent. The Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal during his visit to Ludhiana also assured the hoteliers that the Government will charge electricity bills on the basis of industrial tariff rather than on commercial basis. In this regard, the State Government has submitted the file to the Punjab Regulatory Commission, which deals with electricity bills, for final approval. After getting the approval, the government will decide as to when to implement it.
Confirming the decision, Amarvir Singh, General Secretary, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Punjab, (HRAP) said, “With this decision, the growing hospitality industry in the state will get a big relief and more hotel chains will set up their projects in the state.”
Ascott opens its first Citadines property in Japan
CapitaLand's wholly─owned serviced residence unit, Ascott, will open Japan's first Citadines─branded serviced residence property Citadines Tokyo Shinjuku on March 1, 2009. This follows Ascott's recent opening of Singapore's first Citadines property, Citadines Singapore Mount Sophia, which achieved an occupancy of about 70 per cent within a month after it opened on January 9, 2009.
Gerald Lee, CEO of Ascott Hospitality, the hospitality management arm of Ascott, said, "This new Citadines in Tokyo is our 11th Citadines property to open in Asia since we brought the brand to the region in 2006. We are increasingly getting requests from property owners for our Citadines brand. This reflects the strong reputation we have built for our management expertise and the brand since its introduction in Asia two years ago. By 2011, we will open 11 more Citadines in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan and Kazakhstan."
Officials stop houseboat and hotel operations at Dal Lake, Srinagar
Acting on instructions from the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, Lakes and Waterways Development officials have begun a drive to stop operations of houseboats, hotels and commercial units in and around the Dal Lake, Srinagar; these are said to be polluting the water body with sewage/liquid effluents. This initiative is taking place in the wake of a state pollution board report that was filed on January 31, 2009, stated an ANI report. All illegal constructions are to be demolished, as well. The move is likely to affect tourst inflow.
The hotel/houseboat owners, who were affected by this move, have protested against the same. They claim that suitable drainage infrastructure has not been provided and that waste from the hotels/houseboats account for only three per cent of the total pollution. Dal Lake water samples show toxic chemical levels.
Jumeirah Beach Hotels receive PADI accreditation
Jumeirah Beach Hotel's Pavilion Dive Centre, has recently been officially recognised by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) as a 5 Star Career Development Centre, PADI's highest rating for Dive Centres.
As a PADI Career Development Centre, the Pavilion Dive Centre can now offer fast track diving resort management programmes. This allows non─diving professionals to take a consolidated course to go professional and gain sufficient resort management to get started in the diving industry. Pavilion Dive Centre is the first and only PADI 5 Star Career Development Centre in the Middle East. The first Instructor Development course of 2009 will start on Friday, 3rd April.
Goa plans Rs 50 Crore marketing campaign
According to a report in The Times of India, Goa's hotels may not be in a position to lower prices as demanded by the Union Finance Minister, but the tourism industry plans an aggressive marketing campaign with a budget of Rs 50 Crore.
According to a leading marketing consultant, the budget to starred hotels, has been increased by five per cent to 10 per cent as compared to last year. This is besides what the Government will be spending on its international marketing campaign. He says that each hotel will spend between Rs 40 Lakh and Rs 70 Lakh this year on advertising, while the rest will be used for other promotional methods. The money, according to the consultant, would be actual cash and hotels would not resort to a barter system.
The State Government is also looking to increase its promotional budget. The state had spent Rs 18 Crore last year on its campaign, and since tourist arrivals were down this year the Tourism Minister had sought a marketing budget of Rs 50 Crore this year.
HVS presents 'Hotels of the Year Awards ─ 2009' at HICSA 2009
Hospitality Valuation Services (HVS), a fully integrated consulting firm focuses on the hotel industry, has announced the 'Hotels of the Year Awards ─ 2009' at the Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA) to be held in April 2009. These awards have been instituted to acknowledge outstanding new hotel developments in the last one year in the South Asia region. The awards will be conferred upon for two main categories: Best Luxury/Upscale Hotel and the Best Mid Market/Budget Hotel.
Various hotels and serviced apartments that opened from July 2007 ─ November 2008 were invited to nominate themselves based on certain criteria. The result was 21 hotel nominations for the Hotels of the Year Awards ─ Budget/Mid Market and eight hotel nominations for the Hotels of the Year Awards ─ Luxury/Upscale. Budget/mid market nominees include Lemon Tree, Ahmedabad; Lemon Tree, Aurangabad; Lemon Tree, Indore; Lemon Tree, Kaushambi; Grand Sarovar Premiere, Mumbai; Lazy Lagoon Sarovar Portico Suites, Goa; Savannah Sarovar Premiere, Bengaluru; Park Plaza, Noida; Taj Gateway, Vijayawada; Taj Gateway, Surat; Ibis, Gurgaon; Seasons, Serviced Apartments.
Kilachands fail to offload Dodsal stake
According to a report in The Economic Times, Dubai─Based Kilachand family's proposed deal to sell 30─40 per cent stake in the Dodsal Group, one of the two large franchises of Pizza Hut and KFC in India, to private equity firm New Silk Route for USD 100 million has fallen through on account of differences on valuations. Dodsal has been looking to exit the restaurant franchise business for some time now to focus on its other businesses that include infrastructure development, engineering, construction and petrochemicals. Since this deal has given way, the group has decided not to invest in expanding operations any further in south and west India, for which it holds franchise rights, at present.
According to sources, Yum! Restaurants, which owns these fast food chains, is now talking to other potential partners to open more outlets in south and west India, which are seen as growth markets. Although Dodsal holds the first right of refusal for the regions, Yum is free to rope in other partners to expand. Dodsal Group is not looking to exit the Pizza Hut franchise and Yum! is in talks with the company for reinvestments into the brand, including store upgradation.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
11 Hotels, Resorts Sign in For Dubai's Water Taxi Services
01 March 2009 DUBAI - Eleven hotels, resorts and clubs in the emirate have agreed to provide water taxi services to their customers by setting up piers in cooperation with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) , a top Marine Agency official told Khaleej Times on Thursday.
They include Jebel Ali Resort and Spa, Park Hyatt, Sheraton Jumeirah, Inter Continental Hotel, Dubai Festival City, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai Ladies Club, Al Boom Tourist Village and Ottoman Palace Hotel.
Khalid Al Zahid, Director of the Maritime Projects Department at the Marine Agency, said the agency is holding meetings with officials of hotels and establishments along the waterfront to discuss how and when the water taxi service can be launched.
Earlier, Khaleej Times had reported that in addition to the 16 designated water taxi stations, 60 smaller stations or piers would be constructed to provide parking facilities and stops for passengers.
Each pier will have a name and a number which the passenger needs to inform the customer service if he/she wants the water taxi service.
The service, which is expected to be launched by the middle of next year, will be on call. In the first phase, 10 water taxis will be introduced.
"One of the main topics being discussed is cost sharing between the government and the parties who benefit from the service. This will increase the number of water taxi stations, serving the public as well as hotels," Al Zahid said. The cost of building stations or piers will be shared by the RTA RTA and hotels. Stations located in areas which have no hotels or establishments will be constructed by the RTA RTA alone.
The water taxis will have the liberty to sail to any waterfront location a passenger might want to visit, provided that a suitable berth for boarding and disembarking exists.
A pilot run is expected in the middle of next year, the official said.
Earlier, officials had confirmed that the water taxis would have meters like the road taxis.
Khaleej Times 2009
ADFH won 34th Int. Award for Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry
Feb 28, 2009 - 11:47 -
WAM Abu Dhabi, 28th Feb. 2009 (WAM) -- The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital has won the 34th International Award for Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry (New Millennium Award) for its excellent tourism program.
Established in 1999, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (ADFH) is the first public institution in the world providing comprehensive veterinary health care services exclusively for falcons. In the first nine years of its existence, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital has emerged as one of the most reputed falcon hospitals in the Gulf region.
The award was created through the Trade Leaders' Club to honor the most outstanding establishments in the tourism, hotel, restaurant and catering field.
The award ceremony was held during an official gala dinner following a working meeting of the tourism, hotel and catering industry.
Director of Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital Dr. Margit Muller received the award during the ceremony which was attended by Spanish authorities belonging to the tourism industry, ambassadors and members of the Diplomatic corps, tourist and hotel VIPS, press and TV. The Trade Leaders' Club consists of more than 7000 companies of 110 countries.
The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, the largest falcon hospital in the world is dedicated for the highest standard of comprehensive treatment and care of falcons and other raptors with over 4400 patients per year. World-wide known from TV and media articles, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital has opened its doors to visitors to experience the fascinating world of falcons and falconry.
''The Hospital has become one of the most attractive tourist destination in Abu Dhabi with the number of visitors rising by 168 per cent in 2008,'' Muller said.
She added that facilities for conferences would be ready by mid-2009.
According to her, the Hospital was added to the Tourism Guide issued by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.
''Since it was established, the Hospital treated 31,500 falcons and birds, she added.
www.wam.org.ae
Airport International Group participates in Jordan Travel Mart 2009
During a speech to the guests of the Jordan Travel Mart 2009 at the Dead Sea, Mr. Eyad Rashad, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Airport International Group (AIG), a Jordanian company, strategic investor and operator of the Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), highlighted the latest developments at the existing terminals and construction progress of the new terminal.
Mr. Rashad welcomed the international audience drawn from the many tour operators who attract visitors to the Kingdom, saying:
'AIG has undertaken an intensive phase of capital improvement and upgrading of passenger services for the existing terminals with extensive rehabilitation and comprehensive improvement works including the check-in areas, customs hall, restrooms, new Food and Beverage (F&B) offerings and facilities as well as many other functional upgrades; all aimed at delivering a world class travel experience.'
'AIG completed a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) last month aimed at attracting fresh investment and an enhanced F&B offering for the existing QAIA terminals. We received strong interest from many of our existing investors, as well as other local, regional and international operators. We were particularly pleased to see the continued confidence in the QAIA market despite the global economic downturn,' he added.
AIG's Chief Executive Officer, Curtis Grad, added, 'The total investment value to be injected into the new F&B facilities exceeds JD1m, with highly competitive proposals received from a broad cross section of qualified parties. Attesting to the quality and capability of the local F&B industry, the competitive process has resulted in most of our current investors being retained, while attracting several 'new entrants' with strong Jordanian identity, including Zalatimo Brothers and Freeze Creamery, offering exceptional dining concepts created especially for our local market.'
Mr. Grad also pointed out the importance of this investment in the Jordanian aviation sector, as Jordan emerges a major transit hub for international airlines and passengers. Confidence and optimism in the Jordanian market remains strong, buoyed by increased frequencies and new destinations recently announced by Royal Jordanian, Air France, Austrian Airlines, bmi, Emirates Airlines and Air Meditteranee.
The rehabilitation and expansion works at QAIA are well underway with the new passenger terminal extending over 85,000 square meters. AIG, under the terms of a 25-year concession agreement with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is responsible for the operation of the airport, the rehabilitation of existing facilities and the construction of the new terminal. AIG is a Jordanian company with private shareholding by Abu Dhabi Investment Company (UAE), Noor Financial Investment Company (Kuwait), Edgo Group (Jordan), Joannou & Paraskevaides (Overseas) Limited (Cyprus), J&P-Avax (Greece) and Aéroports de Paris Management (France).
www.ameinfo.com
Demand continues to fall in 2009
Friday, February 27 2009
IATA’s international scheduled traffic figures for January 2009 show a deepening year-on-year demand slump. International passenger demand fell by 5.6% in January 2009 compared to the same month in 2008. It is also a full percentage point worse than the 4.6% year-on-year drop recorded in December. The January fall in demand is the fifth consecutive month of contraction. The 5.6% drop in passenger demand outpaced capacity cuts of 2% driving the load factor to 72.8% - 2.8% below what was recorded for January 2008. The alarming collapse in cargo markets in December (-22.6%) worsened in January 2009 with a 23.2% year-on-year demand drop. This is the eighth consecutive month of contraction for freight traffic.
“Alarm bells are ringing everywhere. Every region’s carriers are reporting big drops in cargo. And, aside from the Middle East carriers, passenger demand is falling in all regions. The industry is in a global crisis and we have not yet seen the bottom,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. Asian carriers led the decline in passenger demand with an 8.4% year-on-year drop in January. While this is slightly better than the 9.7% contraction in December, this is positively skewed by Chinese New Year which fell at the end of January 2009 (and which was in February the year before). Capacity in the region contracted 4.3%. With Japan, the region’s largest market for air travel, expected to see its economy contract by an unprecedented 5% in 2009, the prospects for traffic in the region remain dismal. North American carriers posted the second largest passenger decline at 6.2% led by a decline in Trans-Pacific travel. In response, carriers withdrew 2.6% of their international capacity, clawing back some of the expansion of 2008.
European carriers offset a 5.7% decline in demand with a 3.6% decrease in capacity. Demand decreased sharply from the 2.7% fall in December as European economies move into deep recession. Latin American carriers saw a modest decline of 1.4%. Even against a 0.5% increase in capacity, the region turned in the highest load factors at 74.9%. African carriers saw the demand decline slow from an average 4% in 2008 to 2.6% in January. The Middle East was the only region with a positive traffic growth of 3.1%. This is far below both the double-digit traffic growth in 2008 and the 10.8% expansion in capacity. Asia Pacific carriers, representing 43% of the market, led the cargo decline with a 28.1% year-on-year drop. This was followed closely by the other major market players: European carriers (-23%) and North American carriers (-19.3%). While this may appear to be relatively stabilised compared to the precipitous December drop, it is too soon to call a bottom in the air freight market
Manufacturers are still shedding inventory and cutting production which is expected to lead to further falls in freight volumes. “The only good news is that fuel prices remain well below last year’s level. But the drop in demand is much more harmful. The industry is shrinking with revenues expected to fall by US$35 billion to US$500 billion, delivering a loss of US$2.5 billion this year,” said Bisignani. “Airlines remain in intensive care, but while others ask for government bailouts, our demands on Governments are much more modest. First, don’t tax us to death in order to pay for investments in the banking industry. This includes the UK government’s plans to increase its multi-billion pound Air Passenger Duty and the Dutch Government’s misguided departure tax,” Bisignani added. In 2008, even as governments delivered tax breaks to stimulate economic growth, the airline industry took on an additional tax burden of US$6.9 billion. “Second, give airlines the commercial freedoms that every other business takes for granted. With the world’s capital markets in disarray, archaic ownership restrictions are an unnecessary burden that must be lifted. Today’s crisis highlights the need to change the structure of this hyper-fragmented and fragile industry,” said Bisignani, referring to IATA’s Agenda for Freedom initiative.
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Dubai Shopping Festival fails to boost hotel revenue
The Dubai Shopping Festival failed to boost Dubai hotels declining revenue per available room (revPAR) during January, according to new data from STR Global. The hospitality research company said revPAR in Dubai during January fell by almost 40 percent on certain days in January 2009 compared to the previous year.
“We are seeing a classic knee-jerk reaction to a fall in occupancy with waves of panic pricing. The last thing revenue managers want to do is suffer twice. Both from the fall in occupancy and then in rate,” said James Chappell, managing director of STR Global. “The effect of bringing the Dubai Shopping Festival forward by 10 days in 2009 has been of limited effect,” he added.
STR said the success story of Dubai’s hospitality sector, which has witnessed unprecedented buoyancy in recent years, has “gone into reverse” as a result of the global downturn. However, revPAR rates in Abu Dhabi increased during January according to STR.
During the last quarter of 2008, revPAR in the capital increased by around 55 percent compared to the same period the previous year. Hotels in the emirate witnessed increased growth in the hospitality sector as the supply of hotels has been unable to meet demand.
Overall revPAR in the capital was also boosted by the PGA European Tour Abu Dhabi Golf Championship from Jan. 15-18, as well as the increase in average daily rate outweighing the decline in occupancy over the month.
www.arabianbusiness.com
Grand Resort Bad Ragaz completes luxury Spa
Tuesday, February 24 2009
Leading Swiss spa resort, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has completed one of Switzerlands largest and most luxurious Private Spas. Housed over 100 square metres, the impressive circular Andeer Private Spa features a Cuddle Lounge, home cinema, steam room, sauna, whirlpool, hydromassage shower and private dining area. There really is nowhere better to cosy up with your loved one for the ultimate spa experience.
Incorporating local stone and a calming, neutral colour scheme, the Andeer Private Spa is a contemporary open plan space that offers the ideal spa solution for couples, small exclusive parties or those seeking quiet recuperation following treatment at the hotels Medical Health Centre. Total privacy and discretion are assured.
French windows give way to a private garden terrace and breathtaking mountain views which guests can soak up while relaxing in a post-massage haze on a luxurious lounger, glass of champagne in hand. A dedicated team of therapists and Spa Butlers are at guests beck and call to administer spa treatments of their choice and refreshments throughout the day.
Reconnect with your better half in the Andeer Private Spas enticing Cuddle Lounge. Complete with overstuffed sofas, dim lighting and sensual aromas, the Bad Ragaz Cuddle Lounge is a hot spot for reigniting romance. Even the sauna has been designed with a built-in Champagne cooler to ensure a guests favourite tipple remains icy cold while the mercury rises around them.
Small groups, such as hen parties looking for the ultimate pampering treat, will relish the exclusive space the Private Spa offers. A team of manicurists and masseurs will be on hand to pamper and pummel a group of up to 4 guests at any one time.
Guests can select from an extensive range of treatments from international luxury brands La Prairie, Carita, Kanebo, Sisley and Niance.
The Andeer Private Spa at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is available for exclusive use and come with Champagne, flowers, fresh fruit and spa treatments.
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Huka Lodge N.Z. unveils new accommodation
Tuesday, February 24 2009
Within the beautifully manicured 17-acre grounds at Huka Lodge another wonderful new enhancement to this iconic New Zealand retreat has opened. The Alan Pye Cottage, named after the charming Irishman who established Huka Lodge, opened to guests in early 2009. Designed by interior designers Virginia Fisher and Christian Anderson and Sumich Architects, the Alan Pye Cottage builds on and continues many of the themes established in the stunning Owner’s Cottage, which opened on the Huka Lodge grounds in 2005.
Privacy for guests staying in the Alan Pye Cottage is paramount and to this end the property has its own entrance and is gated. It is sited to take every advantage of the unrivaled Huka Lodge aspect of the deep turquoise green waters of the Waikato River. The Alan Pye Cottage has been built to exacting standards using the finest heritage materials – cedar and various heart timbers, stone and brick. It draws on design elements from the 1920s and 1930s and is a slightly eclectic yet very elegant retreat with a definite English Arts and Crafts influence pervading the interior and exterior design.
The Cottage boasts two large and stylishly appointed bedrooms, each with fireplaces, en suite bathrooms and generous dressing rooms. Both bedrooms are superbly decorated and offer a highly considered level of comfort. A generous open plan living room features a large brick fireplace, decadently comfortable furniture and everything guests need to feel this is a true “home away from home.”
A well-equipped kitchen is set up for a personal chef – guests may choose to stay in or to wander over to the main Lodge and dine there. Guests of the Cottage have use of all Huka Lodge facilities and services. A study is tucked away with desk, plasma flat screen television and sound system. This room also has its own complete bathroom should it be required to accommodate and accompanying party. A laundry is also available within the Cottage.
For outdoor pleasures, a heated infinity-style swimming pool and a separate private spa pool have been integrated into the outdoor landscape. There is also a fabulous stone outdoor pavilion within a courtyard garden. The Alan Pye Cottage is certain to carry on the fine tradition of generous hospitality and elegant living established by Alan Pye and his wife at Huka Lodge so long ago. A legacy that drives Huka Lodge to this day to continue to find more ways to define the experience for its guests and to make it extraordinary.
With the recent strength in the U.S. dollar it has never been a better time for the U.S. traveler to visit New Zealand. The NZ dollar has weakened by almost 35% in the last 6 months and is currently almost NZ $2.00 for US $1.00.
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Iglu-Dorf Andorra
Grandvalira, Andorra
An Igloo world in white !!!
Igloo Village in Andorra!
The snow and shopping paradise in the Pyrenees, located between France and Spain, is just two hours by car from Barcelona or Perpignan. For the first time the Iglu-Dorf GmbH is building a snow palace in Grandvalira at 2300 meters above sea level with a fantastic view of a breathtaking mountain silhouette. The guests enjoy untouched nature, the gleaming stars, and cuddling on the sheepskin at night. And all that in the middle of the Pyrenees!
In addition to the Igloo Village, two igloo bars are also available for events and to quench your après-ski thirst. Husky sleigh rides and snowmobile rides are an additional attraction. Discover Grandvalira, the largest ski resort of the country with over 200 kilometers of slopes.
Unique – Different – Andorra!
Adrian Günter built his first igloo in 1996, to better enjoy the mountain and first powder snow of the day. Following an avalanche of interest from friends wanting to sample an igloo night, he increased the number of igloos and opened the “small world in white” in 2005, with 6 villages across Andorra, Switzerland and Germany now accepting guests.
Moving three thousand tons of snow every December to build each village, Adrian invites Inuit artists from Canada to craft sculptures inside each village. With only an ice pick, motor saw and shovel, artists produce seals, arctic wolves, polar bears and whales as well as swirling designs and patterns illuminated by candle light to look over the guests from the walls.
The villages are open from Christmas day through to the beginning of April each year, snow conditions permitting. With 5,600 visitors in 2006, all ages have enjoyed the cosy hospitality of an expedition sleeping bag and sheepskin rug, from the youngest 19mth old baby to an 83 year old lady guest. A variety of igloo options are available in the different villages, from Standard and Group igloos, to Romantic-plus igloos. Each category includes usage of the whirlpool or sauna. The team have even built a church including an altar and baptismal font for a wedding party. Every village is equipped with a large igloo hotel lobby and bar where the evening meal of gruyere fondue and ‘vin chaud’ is served. The top range Romantic igloo suites with a private whirlpool even include their own toilet, although you’ll not want to spend too long sitting on the seat!
www.uhotw.com
Jumeirah Beach Hotel Hosts BIG6 Fishing Tournament for 2009
DUBAI, UAE, March 01, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Jumeirah Beach Hotel has announced that it will once again be spearheading the BIG6 Fishing Tournament which is set to test fishing enthusiasts on 20th March.
The teams of keen fishermen will leave the Jumeirah Beach Hotel Marina to take to the waters of the Arabian Gulf in the hope of catching not only a big fish like a King fish or Hammour, but also to land themselves a big prize.
This year the tournament is again being hosted by Jumeirah Beach Hotel, in association with ART Marine and Riviera, and the competition will allow fishermen and woman of all abilities the chance to put their skills to the test and compete for spectacular prizes in six different categories, with the biggest judged catch receiving the grand prize of a full day yacht charter.
The Tournament is due to commence early in the morning at 7am when the eager fishermen will sail out from Jumeirah Beach Hotel's Marina on a mission to test their skills and luck. After enjoying a great day at sea with family and friends, the teams will have a sumptuous barbeque dinner followed by the prize-giving ceremony which awaits the participants back at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel's North Beach.
Teams of up to 5 members are eligible to take part in the competition and with the fantastic weather, the beautiful Gulf with its stunning Dubai coastline, including the impressive island chains of The Palm, The World, and The Palm Deira, and fun atmosphere, the event has always proved popular with all the participants involved (fish excepted).
www.24-7pressrelease.com
Luxury hotel Shangri-La enters Japan market amid economic gloom
Monday 02nd March, 05:05 AM JST
TOKYO —
Walking past the dazzling chandeliers adorned with crystal ginkgo leaves and the exquisite artwork hanging on the walls, you can almost find a rare haven from the gloom shrouding the global economy. And that is exactly the kind of luxury experience Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts hopes to offer customers when it opens its first hotel in Japan on Monday, after more than a decade-old journey to enter the crowded market. Located in the heart of the Japanese capital just next to Tokyo station, the new Shangri-La hotel occupies the top 11 floors of the 37-story Marunouchi Trust Tower Main Building and offers panoramic views of the bustling city’s prime locations including the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Bay. The 202-room hotel will offer standard prices ranging from 70,000 yen per night to as high as 1 million yen per night for its spacious Presidential Suite on the 36th floor. Depending on the date, a deluxe room can also be booked online at a lower rate of 56,000 yen per night.
A string of high-profile foreign luxury hotel operators such as Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Ltd and Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co have established their presence in the Tokyo market in recent years. One of the challenges for Shangri-La will be to distinguish its product and experience, especially at a time when even the affluent are tightening their purse strings. ‘‘We wanted to make sure that we are not another modern international hotel,’’ Wolfgang Krueger, general manager of Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo, told reporters Thursday ahead of the March opening. ‘‘When you come into this hotel, you know that you are in a Shangri-La hotel,’’ Krueger said, emphasizing its unique identity as ‘‘a real Asian family company.’’
All the hallmarks of the Shangri-La brand are evident, including over 50 chandeliers handmade in the Czech Republic and boldly colored carpets, all tinted with subtle Asian aesthetics. Another key aspect of the Shangri-La experience is the Japan debut of its signature spa brand called ‘‘Chi,’’ a Chinese word for energy. The spa menu includes facial and body treatments using stones, based on traditional Chinese and Himalayan healing techniques.
The hotel also offers an Italian restaurant called Piacere and a Japanese restaurant called Nadaman as well as a lobby lounge offering Asian cuisine and wedding facilities including a chapel and a ballroom. Krueger said the hotel expects Japanese to account for around 65% of its customers with the rest from overseas. The guest portfolio is likely to be roughly split between leisure and corporate clients, although bookings by business travelers have been hit hardest by the global financial crisis.
‘‘Life is tough at the moment,’’ Krueger said. ‘‘We can just hope that the economies around the world will turn around within the next 12 months so that we see better times ahead.’’ Owned by Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok, the company opened its first hotel in Singapore in 1971 and nearly half of its 60 hotels, excluding Tokyo, are based in China. Despite tough economic conditions that have dragged down occupancy rates at many luxury hotels around the world, the Shangri-La hotel group is making an aggressive foray into locations outside of Asia including the United States, Britain, France, Canada and Austria.
Krueger also indicated that Shangri-La may explore opening hotels outside of Tokyo in the future if the right opportunity arises. But such expansion will depend on the success of its debut in Tokyo amid what many see as the worst economic crisis in a century. ‘‘It has been a long journey for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts to enter the Japanese markets,’’ Krueger said. ‘‘We are here for the long term and we will make this hotel a success.’’
www.japantoday.com
W Doha Hotel opens today
01 March 2009 DOHA: The W Doha Hotel and Residences, and its restaurants, will open its doors to guests today.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who opened the Market and Spice Market restaurants, will attend the opening of the hotel, said Zwein.
The W Doha Hotel and Residences will feature 291 guest rooms including 31 suites and 154 W Residences, signature restaurants, a poolside outdoor lounge, a crystal champagne bar, a Bliss Spa, event space and luxury retail space.
W will have the following restaurants, Market by Jean-Georges, Spice Market, La Maison du Caviar, The Living Room, Crystal Lounge and Wahm.
The hotel warmed up its employees by giving out prizes for Who's Best Dressed or who best exemplifies the W look; Who knows W or who can walk-the-walk and is in-the-know about anything about W Doha; Who's Most Welcoming; Who's Most Whatever/Whenever; and Cleanest Villa in the Talent Village.
www.zawya.com
Thailand Waives off Visa Fees for Tourists from the Emirates
28 February 2009 ABU DHABI -- All foreigners living in the UAE will be exempted from tourist and medical tourist visa fees from March 5 till June 4, 2009, the Thailand Embassy announced on Thursday. The move is to promote tourism in Thailand, Pratana Disyatat, first secretary at the embassy, told Khaleej Times.
All visas&can be obtained from the Thailand Embassy in Abu Dhabi and its Consulate General in Dubai. UAE nationals do not need to seek tourist or medical tourist visas as they are already sanctioned to travel there without visas, only their passports need to be stamped at the immigration counters on arrival.
Meanwhile, eligible foreigners who apply for visa on arrival at the designated checkpoints (entry points at ports and borders) of Thailand will also be exempted from the tourist visa fee during this period.
An embassy statement noted that the fees for the non-immigrant visas and transit visas are not exempted during the promotion period.
Citizens of countries entitled for the tourist visa exemption scheme and those whose country has signed bilateral agreement with Thailand on visa exemption, are still able to enter Thailand without visa.
Khaleej Times
South Africa to reap from FIFA 2010
Friday, February 27 2009
Industry experts at Meetings Africa – the annual showcase for South Africa’s business tourism – tackled the issues facing business tourism in today’s current climate.
The panel of experts included Roshene Singh, Chief Marketing Officer South African Tourism, Daniel Levine, industry expert from the USA and Thomas Overbeck, Chairperson of SAACI.
The experts agreed that South Africa had much potential as a business tourism destination and would reap the rewards of the FIFA 2010 World Cup for many years to come. But they also warned that South Africa is likely to suffer in the short-term as a result of the global financial crisis.
Levine said: “The South African MICE market will prove to be resilient with strong partners such as South African Tourism.” He added that although the weaker players in the industry will probably be eliminated, it would be good in the long run, creating businesses that are in stronger positions with less competition.
Zuffi said that at present, the long-haul positioning of South Africa might be a downfall. “At present, companies need to appear transparent and will not be able to justify spending large amounts on long-haul destinations, causing a shift to more regional tourism.
Incentive travel organisers should shift their focus to the local markets, said Thomas Overbeck. “South Africa has over 1,500 associations and companies should look to these to capitalise on.”
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Dubai & China discuss growth opportunities
Friday, 27th February 2009
Officials of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing met a high-level official delegation from the Chinese city of Dalian which was in the emirate to explore growth opportunities in various sectors, including tourism.
The delegation from the business capital of northeast China was headed by Mr. Xiao jing Zhang, Director General of the Economic and Trade Bureau of Dalian Development Area. The other members were Ms. Wang Yanhui, Deputy Director General of Dalian Development Area, Dalian Export Zone, Mr. Zhang Shikun, Director of Dalian Development Area and Mr. Lu Sheng, Director of Trade and Technical Development Bureau.
DTCM Executive Director Operations and Marketing, Mr. Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb, chaired the meeting which was also attended by Mr. Hamad bin Mejren, DTCM Executive Director of Business Tourism, and Mr. Salah Al Ansari, DTCM Director of Visitors Information Bureaus.
The meeting discussed the possibilities of marketing both cities mutually as tourist destinations as well as other business opportunities.
Mr. bin Hareb briefed the visiting delegation about various initiatives of Dubai in general and DTCM in particular, including the opening of three DTCM representative offices in the China last year.
www.4hoteliers.com
Rezidor adds three new countries to portfolio.
Monday, 2nd March 2009
The Rezidor Hotel Group is now present in 58 nations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Rezidor will open the Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka in Zambia (Q3 2009, 142 rooms), the Radisson Blu Hotel Skopje in Macedonia (Q1 2011, 210 rooms), and the Radisson Blu Hotel Luanda in Angola (Q1 2012, 257 rooms). “We are especially proud to add two countries on the African continent to our business.
Rezidor is currently featuring 25 hotels with almost 6,000 rooms in operation and under development in Africa – this emerging region is one of our most important development areas”, comments Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka is already under development and located in a prestigious commercial district of Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. It sits adjacent to the Mulungushi International Conference Centre and across the road from the Arcades Shopping and Entertainment Complex. Besides 142 rooms, the property will offer a Rezidor signature restaurant, a bar, 5 conference & meeting rooms, a ballroom, a pool with bar and sundeck, wellness facilities and a casino.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Skopje will be situated in one of the most modern and vibrant areas of the Macedonian capital. The building will be part of a mixed-use development including a 50,000 square meters shopping mall and 16,000 square meters of high-grade offices. Services of the hotel will include 210 rooms, 2 restaurants, a bar, more than 700 square meters of conferencing & banqueting space and a wellness & spa area. Skopje’s historic heart lies within walking distance.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Luanda will have a prime, beachfront location in the central business district at the entry to the prestigious Ilha de Luanda. Some of the 257 rooms will offer dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean; others will overlook the Luanda Bay. Perfect for conferences, the property will include over 1000 square meters of meeting space, several restaurants with outdoor terraces, a pool and a spa & fitness centre.
www.4hoteliers.com
Australia to focus on 'Green Events' at TABEE 2009
Australia’s capabilities to deliver ‘green’ events will be the focus of the 11th Team Australia Business Events Educational (TABEE) trade mission to Kuala Lumpur next month. The event, which is expected to bring around 40 Australian convention bureaux and industry partners together to meet with 100 corporate meeting and incentive decision makers from across Asia, gets underway from 2 to 4 March.
Tourism Australia Managing Director, Geoff Buckley said the theme for the event this year – ‘meet where the environment and community matter’ – would provide an opportunity to showcase Australia’s CSR credentials. “The Asian business events market is extremely important to Australia and TABEE provides an opportunity to meet face-to-face with the key decision makers across Asia,” Mr Buckley said.
“This year we will be focused on promoting Australia’s ability to deliver world class, sustainable business events with amazing tailor-made experiences. “Tourism Australia recently completed an audit of Australian business events product which provides strong evidence that Australia is leading the way in terms of corporate social responsibility specific to business events.
“TABEE 2009 will provide an opportunity to highlight the results of this new report to our business partners in Asia and in particular the venues and services in Australia that can assist businesses in staging events which have a greater social and environmental focus. “We know that 2009 is going to be a tough year for many businesses and that many will be tempted to focus on short term solutions but our commitment to promoting sustainable business events is a long term strategy aimed at achieving best business practices.”
Tourism Australia’s Head of Business Events Australia, Joyce DiMascio said TABEE was extremely effective in enabling the Australian industry to establish important relationships with corporate meeting and incentive decision makers to boost their profile in Asia. “TABEE provides a fantastic opportunity to ensure that Australia’s strong partnerships with the business events sector in Asia continue,” Ms DiMascio said.
“In the current climate TABEE is a great forum for highlighting Australia’s competitive advantages – whether it’s the world-class facilities, new products and experiences, inspiring programs, or a commitment to corporate social responsibility. “In delivering TABEE this year we are asking all partners to support our ‘green’ focus in big and small ways so that the decision makers can experience first-hand Australia’s creative approach to delivering sustainable business events.
“The program will also include experts on corporate social responsibility specific to the business events industry to assist our partners in making informed choices about future corporate meetings and incentives,” Ms DiMascio said. Guest speakers for TABEE 2009 will include: Scientist and broadcaster, Robin Williams speaking on Environmental Advocacy; President of MCI, Asia Pacific, Robin Loekerman; and Sustainability Consultant, Robyn Joseph. Key Executives from the Asian pharmaceutical, travel and insurance sectors will also speak at the event.
Buyers participating in the event will include agents and corporate end users representing the pharmaceutical, direct selling and insurance industries from 11 key markets in Asia, including China, Korea, India and Taiwan. Australia’s delegation for the trade mission will include: 10 Australian convention bureaux; key business events hotel operators and convention venues including Accor, IHG and Hilton Sydney; incentive product operators such as Dreamworld; production companies such as Offsite Connections; and inbound tour operators such as ATM, JTM and PTC.
www.tourism.australia.com
Growth for Travel Technology Section at ITB Berlin
n times of economic crisis playful innovations are likely to be the main victims. The focus is shifting in travel technology too. In the short term experts anticipate attention being directed towards applications that will help reduce costs and increase revenues. Improving sales efficiency and streamlining back offices will be more important than visionary solutions for mobile applications, social networks or a semantic web.
Thus Travel Technology at ITB Berlin 2009 occupies an interesting role in a contradictory environment, determined by economic recession and market consolidation as well as consistently dynamic growth in e-business and travel technology.
As a result there are highly dynamic developments going on in this section at the global travel industry’s leading trade show. “There has been considerable fluctuation and we have seen many new arrivals,” said David Ruetz, Senior Manager ITB Berlin.
Overall the organisers have registered substantial growth. Many small and innovative technology companies are taking part. Out of approximately 130 exhibitors in the Travel Technology section one-sixth will be at ITB Berlin for the first time. Among them the number of international exhibitors is increasing, with Sweden, Australia and Turkey also participating in this section.
The main products and services will comprise software and search engines for hotels as well as portable applications.
“Travel blogs focus on hotels, more so than on any other service provider,” said David Ruetz. “Nowadays almost every hotel has ratings, images and even videos on the web, which are put up by one or more users. Hotels and search engines must make intelligent use of this content. This social networking capability and the ability to network with various sales channels determines their quality and performance potential.”
Furthermore, the transparency of prices and services offered on the web as well as the integration of mobile services and the increasing relevance of personal recommendations will give both online and offline travel technology, travel agencies and service providers a boost.
On 11 March the tourism industry’s successful Bloggers Summit will be taking place for the second time while The Travel Technology Conference PhoCusWright@ITB Berlin on 12 March 2009 will also be showing ways to make specific use of technology to achieve success in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.
ITB Berlin 2009 will be taking place from Wednesday, 11 to Sunday, 15 March. The period from the Wednesday to the Friday is reserved for trade visitors.
www.asiatraveltips.com
Qantas to Boost Services to India
Qantas has confirmed it is to launch Australia-Mumbai services from 2 June 2009. The airline, including Jetstar, will offer flights from seven Australian cities to Mumbai via Singapore.
“Customers will now be able to fly to Mumbai from Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, further opening up access to the Indian sub-continent from Australia,” said Qantas Executive General Manager, Mr John Borghetti. “India is an important market for Qantas. We will now offer 21 flights from Australia each week which will connect to our three-flights-per-week service between Singapore and Mumbai.”
QF51, originating in Brisbane, will operate from Singapore to Mumbai on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The return QF52 service from Mumbai will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
In addition to its own services from Australia, Qantas also codeshares on Jet Airways flights between Delhi and Singapore, and Mumbai and Singapore, offering customers access to an additional 40 Indian destinations across Jet Airways’ extensive domestic network.
www.asiatraveltips.com
01 March 2009 DUBAI - Eleven hotels, resorts and clubs in the emirate have agreed to provide water taxi services to their customers by setting up piers in cooperation with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) , a top Marine Agency official told Khaleej Times on Thursday.
They include Jebel Ali Resort and Spa, Park Hyatt, Sheraton Jumeirah, Inter Continental Hotel, Dubai Festival City, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dubai Ladies Club, Al Boom Tourist Village and Ottoman Palace Hotel.
Khalid Al Zahid, Director of the Maritime Projects Department at the Marine Agency, said the agency is holding meetings with officials of hotels and establishments along the waterfront to discuss how and when the water taxi service can be launched.
Earlier, Khaleej Times had reported that in addition to the 16 designated water taxi stations, 60 smaller stations or piers would be constructed to provide parking facilities and stops for passengers.
Each pier will have a name and a number which the passenger needs to inform the customer service if he/she wants the water taxi service.
The service, which is expected to be launched by the middle of next year, will be on call. In the first phase, 10 water taxis will be introduced.
"One of the main topics being discussed is cost sharing between the government and the parties who benefit from the service. This will increase the number of water taxi stations, serving the public as well as hotels," Al Zahid said. The cost of building stations or piers will be shared by the RTA RTA and hotels. Stations located in areas which have no hotels or establishments will be constructed by the RTA RTA alone.
The water taxis will have the liberty to sail to any waterfront location a passenger might want to visit, provided that a suitable berth for boarding and disembarking exists.
A pilot run is expected in the middle of next year, the official said.
Earlier, officials had confirmed that the water taxis would have meters like the road taxis.
Khaleej Times 2009
ADFH won 34th Int. Award for Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry
Feb 28, 2009 - 11:47 -
WAM Abu Dhabi, 28th Feb. 2009 (WAM) -- The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital has won the 34th International Award for Tourist, Hotel and Catering Industry (New Millennium Award) for its excellent tourism program.
Established in 1999, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (ADFH) is the first public institution in the world providing comprehensive veterinary health care services exclusively for falcons. In the first nine years of its existence, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital has emerged as one of the most reputed falcon hospitals in the Gulf region.
The award was created through the Trade Leaders' Club to honor the most outstanding establishments in the tourism, hotel, restaurant and catering field.
The award ceremony was held during an official gala dinner following a working meeting of the tourism, hotel and catering industry.
Director of Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital Dr. Margit Muller received the award during the ceremony which was attended by Spanish authorities belonging to the tourism industry, ambassadors and members of the Diplomatic corps, tourist and hotel VIPS, press and TV. The Trade Leaders' Club consists of more than 7000 companies of 110 countries.
The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, the largest falcon hospital in the world is dedicated for the highest standard of comprehensive treatment and care of falcons and other raptors with over 4400 patients per year. World-wide known from TV and media articles, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital has opened its doors to visitors to experience the fascinating world of falcons and falconry.
''The Hospital has become one of the most attractive tourist destination in Abu Dhabi with the number of visitors rising by 168 per cent in 2008,'' Muller said.
She added that facilities for conferences would be ready by mid-2009.
According to her, the Hospital was added to the Tourism Guide issued by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.
''Since it was established, the Hospital treated 31,500 falcons and birds, she added.
www.wam.org.ae
Airport International Group participates in Jordan Travel Mart 2009
During a speech to the guests of the Jordan Travel Mart 2009 at the Dead Sea, Mr. Eyad Rashad, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Airport International Group (AIG), a Jordanian company, strategic investor and operator of the Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), highlighted the latest developments at the existing terminals and construction progress of the new terminal.
Mr. Rashad welcomed the international audience drawn from the many tour operators who attract visitors to the Kingdom, saying:
'AIG has undertaken an intensive phase of capital improvement and upgrading of passenger services for the existing terminals with extensive rehabilitation and comprehensive improvement works including the check-in areas, customs hall, restrooms, new Food and Beverage (F&B) offerings and facilities as well as many other functional upgrades; all aimed at delivering a world class travel experience.'
'AIG completed a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) last month aimed at attracting fresh investment and an enhanced F&B offering for the existing QAIA terminals. We received strong interest from many of our existing investors, as well as other local, regional and international operators. We were particularly pleased to see the continued confidence in the QAIA market despite the global economic downturn,' he added.
AIG's Chief Executive Officer, Curtis Grad, added, 'The total investment value to be injected into the new F&B facilities exceeds JD1m, with highly competitive proposals received from a broad cross section of qualified parties. Attesting to the quality and capability of the local F&B industry, the competitive process has resulted in most of our current investors being retained, while attracting several 'new entrants' with strong Jordanian identity, including Zalatimo Brothers and Freeze Creamery, offering exceptional dining concepts created especially for our local market.'
Mr. Grad also pointed out the importance of this investment in the Jordanian aviation sector, as Jordan emerges a major transit hub for international airlines and passengers. Confidence and optimism in the Jordanian market remains strong, buoyed by increased frequencies and new destinations recently announced by Royal Jordanian, Air France, Austrian Airlines, bmi, Emirates Airlines and Air Meditteranee.
The rehabilitation and expansion works at QAIA are well underway with the new passenger terminal extending over 85,000 square meters. AIG, under the terms of a 25-year concession agreement with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is responsible for the operation of the airport, the rehabilitation of existing facilities and the construction of the new terminal. AIG is a Jordanian company with private shareholding by Abu Dhabi Investment Company (UAE), Noor Financial Investment Company (Kuwait), Edgo Group (Jordan), Joannou & Paraskevaides (Overseas) Limited (Cyprus), J&P-Avax (Greece) and Aéroports de Paris Management (France).
www.ameinfo.com
Demand continues to fall in 2009
Friday, February 27 2009
IATA’s international scheduled traffic figures for January 2009 show a deepening year-on-year demand slump. International passenger demand fell by 5.6% in January 2009 compared to the same month in 2008. It is also a full percentage point worse than the 4.6% year-on-year drop recorded in December. The January fall in demand is the fifth consecutive month of contraction. The 5.6% drop in passenger demand outpaced capacity cuts of 2% driving the load factor to 72.8% - 2.8% below what was recorded for January 2008. The alarming collapse in cargo markets in December (-22.6%) worsened in January 2009 with a 23.2% year-on-year demand drop. This is the eighth consecutive month of contraction for freight traffic.
“Alarm bells are ringing everywhere. Every region’s carriers are reporting big drops in cargo. And, aside from the Middle East carriers, passenger demand is falling in all regions. The industry is in a global crisis and we have not yet seen the bottom,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO. Asian carriers led the decline in passenger demand with an 8.4% year-on-year drop in January. While this is slightly better than the 9.7% contraction in December, this is positively skewed by Chinese New Year which fell at the end of January 2009 (and which was in February the year before). Capacity in the region contracted 4.3%. With Japan, the region’s largest market for air travel, expected to see its economy contract by an unprecedented 5% in 2009, the prospects for traffic in the region remain dismal. North American carriers posted the second largest passenger decline at 6.2% led by a decline in Trans-Pacific travel. In response, carriers withdrew 2.6% of their international capacity, clawing back some of the expansion of 2008.
European carriers offset a 5.7% decline in demand with a 3.6% decrease in capacity. Demand decreased sharply from the 2.7% fall in December as European economies move into deep recession. Latin American carriers saw a modest decline of 1.4%. Even against a 0.5% increase in capacity, the region turned in the highest load factors at 74.9%. African carriers saw the demand decline slow from an average 4% in 2008 to 2.6% in January. The Middle East was the only region with a positive traffic growth of 3.1%. This is far below both the double-digit traffic growth in 2008 and the 10.8% expansion in capacity. Asia Pacific carriers, representing 43% of the market, led the cargo decline with a 28.1% year-on-year drop. This was followed closely by the other major market players: European carriers (-23%) and North American carriers (-19.3%). While this may appear to be relatively stabilised compared to the precipitous December drop, it is too soon to call a bottom in the air freight market
Manufacturers are still shedding inventory and cutting production which is expected to lead to further falls in freight volumes. “The only good news is that fuel prices remain well below last year’s level. But the drop in demand is much more harmful. The industry is shrinking with revenues expected to fall by US$35 billion to US$500 billion, delivering a loss of US$2.5 billion this year,” said Bisignani. “Airlines remain in intensive care, but while others ask for government bailouts, our demands on Governments are much more modest. First, don’t tax us to death in order to pay for investments in the banking industry. This includes the UK government’s plans to increase its multi-billion pound Air Passenger Duty and the Dutch Government’s misguided departure tax,” Bisignani added. In 2008, even as governments delivered tax breaks to stimulate economic growth, the airline industry took on an additional tax burden of US$6.9 billion. “Second, give airlines the commercial freedoms that every other business takes for granted. With the world’s capital markets in disarray, archaic ownership restrictions are an unnecessary burden that must be lifted. Today’s crisis highlights the need to change the structure of this hyper-fragmented and fragile industry,” said Bisignani, referring to IATA’s Agenda for Freedom initiative.
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Dubai Shopping Festival fails to boost hotel revenue
The Dubai Shopping Festival failed to boost Dubai hotels declining revenue per available room (revPAR) during January, according to new data from STR Global. The hospitality research company said revPAR in Dubai during January fell by almost 40 percent on certain days in January 2009 compared to the previous year.
“We are seeing a classic knee-jerk reaction to a fall in occupancy with waves of panic pricing. The last thing revenue managers want to do is suffer twice. Both from the fall in occupancy and then in rate,” said James Chappell, managing director of STR Global. “The effect of bringing the Dubai Shopping Festival forward by 10 days in 2009 has been of limited effect,” he added.
STR said the success story of Dubai’s hospitality sector, which has witnessed unprecedented buoyancy in recent years, has “gone into reverse” as a result of the global downturn. However, revPAR rates in Abu Dhabi increased during January according to STR.
During the last quarter of 2008, revPAR in the capital increased by around 55 percent compared to the same period the previous year. Hotels in the emirate witnessed increased growth in the hospitality sector as the supply of hotels has been unable to meet demand.
Overall revPAR in the capital was also boosted by the PGA European Tour Abu Dhabi Golf Championship from Jan. 15-18, as well as the increase in average daily rate outweighing the decline in occupancy over the month.
www.arabianbusiness.com
Grand Resort Bad Ragaz completes luxury Spa
Tuesday, February 24 2009
Leading Swiss spa resort, Grand Resort Bad Ragaz has completed one of Switzerlands largest and most luxurious Private Spas. Housed over 100 square metres, the impressive circular Andeer Private Spa features a Cuddle Lounge, home cinema, steam room, sauna, whirlpool, hydromassage shower and private dining area. There really is nowhere better to cosy up with your loved one for the ultimate spa experience.
Incorporating local stone and a calming, neutral colour scheme, the Andeer Private Spa is a contemporary open plan space that offers the ideal spa solution for couples, small exclusive parties or those seeking quiet recuperation following treatment at the hotels Medical Health Centre. Total privacy and discretion are assured.
French windows give way to a private garden terrace and breathtaking mountain views which guests can soak up while relaxing in a post-massage haze on a luxurious lounger, glass of champagne in hand. A dedicated team of therapists and Spa Butlers are at guests beck and call to administer spa treatments of their choice and refreshments throughout the day.
Reconnect with your better half in the Andeer Private Spas enticing Cuddle Lounge. Complete with overstuffed sofas, dim lighting and sensual aromas, the Bad Ragaz Cuddle Lounge is a hot spot for reigniting romance. Even the sauna has been designed with a built-in Champagne cooler to ensure a guests favourite tipple remains icy cold while the mercury rises around them.
Small groups, such as hen parties looking for the ultimate pampering treat, will relish the exclusive space the Private Spa offers. A team of manicurists and masseurs will be on hand to pamper and pummel a group of up to 4 guests at any one time.
Guests can select from an extensive range of treatments from international luxury brands La Prairie, Carita, Kanebo, Sisley and Niance.
The Andeer Private Spa at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz is available for exclusive use and come with Champagne, flowers, fresh fruit and spa treatments.
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Huka Lodge N.Z. unveils new accommodation
Tuesday, February 24 2009
Within the beautifully manicured 17-acre grounds at Huka Lodge another wonderful new enhancement to this iconic New Zealand retreat has opened. The Alan Pye Cottage, named after the charming Irishman who established Huka Lodge, opened to guests in early 2009. Designed by interior designers Virginia Fisher and Christian Anderson and Sumich Architects, the Alan Pye Cottage builds on and continues many of the themes established in the stunning Owner’s Cottage, which opened on the Huka Lodge grounds in 2005.
Privacy for guests staying in the Alan Pye Cottage is paramount and to this end the property has its own entrance and is gated. It is sited to take every advantage of the unrivaled Huka Lodge aspect of the deep turquoise green waters of the Waikato River. The Alan Pye Cottage has been built to exacting standards using the finest heritage materials – cedar and various heart timbers, stone and brick. It draws on design elements from the 1920s and 1930s and is a slightly eclectic yet very elegant retreat with a definite English Arts and Crafts influence pervading the interior and exterior design.
The Cottage boasts two large and stylishly appointed bedrooms, each with fireplaces, en suite bathrooms and generous dressing rooms. Both bedrooms are superbly decorated and offer a highly considered level of comfort. A generous open plan living room features a large brick fireplace, decadently comfortable furniture and everything guests need to feel this is a true “home away from home.”
A well-equipped kitchen is set up for a personal chef – guests may choose to stay in or to wander over to the main Lodge and dine there. Guests of the Cottage have use of all Huka Lodge facilities and services. A study is tucked away with desk, plasma flat screen television and sound system. This room also has its own complete bathroom should it be required to accommodate and accompanying party. A laundry is also available within the Cottage.
For outdoor pleasures, a heated infinity-style swimming pool and a separate private spa pool have been integrated into the outdoor landscape. There is also a fabulous stone outdoor pavilion within a courtyard garden. The Alan Pye Cottage is certain to carry on the fine tradition of generous hospitality and elegant living established by Alan Pye and his wife at Huka Lodge so long ago. A legacy that drives Huka Lodge to this day to continue to find more ways to define the experience for its guests and to make it extraordinary.
With the recent strength in the U.S. dollar it has never been a better time for the U.S. traveler to visit New Zealand. The NZ dollar has weakened by almost 35% in the last 6 months and is currently almost NZ $2.00 for US $1.00.
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Iglu-Dorf Andorra
Grandvalira, Andorra
An Igloo world in white !!!
Igloo Village in Andorra!
The snow and shopping paradise in the Pyrenees, located between France and Spain, is just two hours by car from Barcelona or Perpignan. For the first time the Iglu-Dorf GmbH is building a snow palace in Grandvalira at 2300 meters above sea level with a fantastic view of a breathtaking mountain silhouette. The guests enjoy untouched nature, the gleaming stars, and cuddling on the sheepskin at night. And all that in the middle of the Pyrenees!
In addition to the Igloo Village, two igloo bars are also available for events and to quench your après-ski thirst. Husky sleigh rides and snowmobile rides are an additional attraction. Discover Grandvalira, the largest ski resort of the country with over 200 kilometers of slopes.
Unique – Different – Andorra!
Adrian Günter built his first igloo in 1996, to better enjoy the mountain and first powder snow of the day. Following an avalanche of interest from friends wanting to sample an igloo night, he increased the number of igloos and opened the “small world in white” in 2005, with 6 villages across Andorra, Switzerland and Germany now accepting guests.
Moving three thousand tons of snow every December to build each village, Adrian invites Inuit artists from Canada to craft sculptures inside each village. With only an ice pick, motor saw and shovel, artists produce seals, arctic wolves, polar bears and whales as well as swirling designs and patterns illuminated by candle light to look over the guests from the walls.
The villages are open from Christmas day through to the beginning of April each year, snow conditions permitting. With 5,600 visitors in 2006, all ages have enjoyed the cosy hospitality of an expedition sleeping bag and sheepskin rug, from the youngest 19mth old baby to an 83 year old lady guest. A variety of igloo options are available in the different villages, from Standard and Group igloos, to Romantic-plus igloos. Each category includes usage of the whirlpool or sauna. The team have even built a church including an altar and baptismal font for a wedding party. Every village is equipped with a large igloo hotel lobby and bar where the evening meal of gruyere fondue and ‘vin chaud’ is served. The top range Romantic igloo suites with a private whirlpool even include their own toilet, although you’ll not want to spend too long sitting on the seat!
www.uhotw.com
Jumeirah Beach Hotel Hosts BIG6 Fishing Tournament for 2009
DUBAI, UAE, March 01, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Jumeirah Beach Hotel has announced that it will once again be spearheading the BIG6 Fishing Tournament which is set to test fishing enthusiasts on 20th March.
The teams of keen fishermen will leave the Jumeirah Beach Hotel Marina to take to the waters of the Arabian Gulf in the hope of catching not only a big fish like a King fish or Hammour, but also to land themselves a big prize.
This year the tournament is again being hosted by Jumeirah Beach Hotel, in association with ART Marine and Riviera, and the competition will allow fishermen and woman of all abilities the chance to put their skills to the test and compete for spectacular prizes in six different categories, with the biggest judged catch receiving the grand prize of a full day yacht charter.
The Tournament is due to commence early in the morning at 7am when the eager fishermen will sail out from Jumeirah Beach Hotel's Marina on a mission to test their skills and luck. After enjoying a great day at sea with family and friends, the teams will have a sumptuous barbeque dinner followed by the prize-giving ceremony which awaits the participants back at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel's North Beach.
Teams of up to 5 members are eligible to take part in the competition and with the fantastic weather, the beautiful Gulf with its stunning Dubai coastline, including the impressive island chains of The Palm, The World, and The Palm Deira, and fun atmosphere, the event has always proved popular with all the participants involved (fish excepted).
www.24-7pressrelease.com
Luxury hotel Shangri-La enters Japan market amid economic gloom
Monday 02nd March, 05:05 AM JST
TOKYO —
Walking past the dazzling chandeliers adorned with crystal ginkgo leaves and the exquisite artwork hanging on the walls, you can almost find a rare haven from the gloom shrouding the global economy. And that is exactly the kind of luxury experience Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts hopes to offer customers when it opens its first hotel in Japan on Monday, after more than a decade-old journey to enter the crowded market. Located in the heart of the Japanese capital just next to Tokyo station, the new Shangri-La hotel occupies the top 11 floors of the 37-story Marunouchi Trust Tower Main Building and offers panoramic views of the bustling city’s prime locations including the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Bay. The 202-room hotel will offer standard prices ranging from 70,000 yen per night to as high as 1 million yen per night for its spacious Presidential Suite on the 36th floor. Depending on the date, a deluxe room can also be booked online at a lower rate of 56,000 yen per night.
A string of high-profile foreign luxury hotel operators such as Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Ltd and Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co have established their presence in the Tokyo market in recent years. One of the challenges for Shangri-La will be to distinguish its product and experience, especially at a time when even the affluent are tightening their purse strings. ‘‘We wanted to make sure that we are not another modern international hotel,’’ Wolfgang Krueger, general manager of Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo, told reporters Thursday ahead of the March opening. ‘‘When you come into this hotel, you know that you are in a Shangri-La hotel,’’ Krueger said, emphasizing its unique identity as ‘‘a real Asian family company.’’
All the hallmarks of the Shangri-La brand are evident, including over 50 chandeliers handmade in the Czech Republic and boldly colored carpets, all tinted with subtle Asian aesthetics. Another key aspect of the Shangri-La experience is the Japan debut of its signature spa brand called ‘‘Chi,’’ a Chinese word for energy. The spa menu includes facial and body treatments using stones, based on traditional Chinese and Himalayan healing techniques.
The hotel also offers an Italian restaurant called Piacere and a Japanese restaurant called Nadaman as well as a lobby lounge offering Asian cuisine and wedding facilities including a chapel and a ballroom. Krueger said the hotel expects Japanese to account for around 65% of its customers with the rest from overseas. The guest portfolio is likely to be roughly split between leisure and corporate clients, although bookings by business travelers have been hit hardest by the global financial crisis.
‘‘Life is tough at the moment,’’ Krueger said. ‘‘We can just hope that the economies around the world will turn around within the next 12 months so that we see better times ahead.’’ Owned by Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok, the company opened its first hotel in Singapore in 1971 and nearly half of its 60 hotels, excluding Tokyo, are based in China. Despite tough economic conditions that have dragged down occupancy rates at many luxury hotels around the world, the Shangri-La hotel group is making an aggressive foray into locations outside of Asia including the United States, Britain, France, Canada and Austria.
Krueger also indicated that Shangri-La may explore opening hotels outside of Tokyo in the future if the right opportunity arises. But such expansion will depend on the success of its debut in Tokyo amid what many see as the worst economic crisis in a century. ‘‘It has been a long journey for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts to enter the Japanese markets,’’ Krueger said. ‘‘We are here for the long term and we will make this hotel a success.’’
www.japantoday.com
W Doha Hotel opens today
01 March 2009 DOHA: The W Doha Hotel and Residences, and its restaurants, will open its doors to guests today.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who opened the Market and Spice Market restaurants, will attend the opening of the hotel, said Zwein.
The W Doha Hotel and Residences will feature 291 guest rooms including 31 suites and 154 W Residences, signature restaurants, a poolside outdoor lounge, a crystal champagne bar, a Bliss Spa, event space and luxury retail space.
W will have the following restaurants, Market by Jean-Georges, Spice Market, La Maison du Caviar, The Living Room, Crystal Lounge and Wahm.
The hotel warmed up its employees by giving out prizes for Who's Best Dressed or who best exemplifies the W look; Who knows W or who can walk-the-walk and is in-the-know about anything about W Doha; Who's Most Welcoming; Who's Most Whatever/Whenever; and Cleanest Villa in the Talent Village.
www.zawya.com
Thailand Waives off Visa Fees for Tourists from the Emirates
28 February 2009 ABU DHABI -- All foreigners living in the UAE will be exempted from tourist and medical tourist visa fees from March 5 till June 4, 2009, the Thailand Embassy announced on Thursday. The move is to promote tourism in Thailand, Pratana Disyatat, first secretary at the embassy, told Khaleej Times.
All visas&can be obtained from the Thailand Embassy in Abu Dhabi and its Consulate General in Dubai. UAE nationals do not need to seek tourist or medical tourist visas as they are already sanctioned to travel there without visas, only their passports need to be stamped at the immigration counters on arrival.
Meanwhile, eligible foreigners who apply for visa on arrival at the designated checkpoints (entry points at ports and borders) of Thailand will also be exempted from the tourist visa fee during this period.
An embassy statement noted that the fees for the non-immigrant visas and transit visas are not exempted during the promotion period.
Citizens of countries entitled for the tourist visa exemption scheme and those whose country has signed bilateral agreement with Thailand on visa exemption, are still able to enter Thailand without visa.
Khaleej Times
South Africa to reap from FIFA 2010
Friday, February 27 2009
Industry experts at Meetings Africa – the annual showcase for South Africa’s business tourism – tackled the issues facing business tourism in today’s current climate.
The panel of experts included Roshene Singh, Chief Marketing Officer South African Tourism, Daniel Levine, industry expert from the USA and Thomas Overbeck, Chairperson of SAACI.
The experts agreed that South Africa had much potential as a business tourism destination and would reap the rewards of the FIFA 2010 World Cup for many years to come. But they also warned that South Africa is likely to suffer in the short-term as a result of the global financial crisis.
Levine said: “The South African MICE market will prove to be resilient with strong partners such as South African Tourism.” He added that although the weaker players in the industry will probably be eliminated, it would be good in the long run, creating businesses that are in stronger positions with less competition.
Zuffi said that at present, the long-haul positioning of South Africa might be a downfall. “At present, companies need to appear transparent and will not be able to justify spending large amounts on long-haul destinations, causing a shift to more regional tourism.
Incentive travel organisers should shift their focus to the local markets, said Thomas Overbeck. “South Africa has over 1,500 associations and companies should look to these to capitalise on.”
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Dubai & China discuss growth opportunities
Friday, 27th February 2009
Officials of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing met a high-level official delegation from the Chinese city of Dalian which was in the emirate to explore growth opportunities in various sectors, including tourism.
The delegation from the business capital of northeast China was headed by Mr. Xiao jing Zhang, Director General of the Economic and Trade Bureau of Dalian Development Area. The other members were Ms. Wang Yanhui, Deputy Director General of Dalian Development Area, Dalian Export Zone, Mr. Zhang Shikun, Director of Dalian Development Area and Mr. Lu Sheng, Director of Trade and Technical Development Bureau.
DTCM Executive Director Operations and Marketing, Mr. Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb, chaired the meeting which was also attended by Mr. Hamad bin Mejren, DTCM Executive Director of Business Tourism, and Mr. Salah Al Ansari, DTCM Director of Visitors Information Bureaus.
The meeting discussed the possibilities of marketing both cities mutually as tourist destinations as well as other business opportunities.
Mr. bin Hareb briefed the visiting delegation about various initiatives of Dubai in general and DTCM in particular, including the opening of three DTCM representative offices in the China last year.
www.4hoteliers.com
Rezidor adds three new countries to portfolio.
Monday, 2nd March 2009
The Rezidor Hotel Group is now present in 58 nations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Rezidor will open the Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka in Zambia (Q3 2009, 142 rooms), the Radisson Blu Hotel Skopje in Macedonia (Q1 2011, 210 rooms), and the Radisson Blu Hotel Luanda in Angola (Q1 2012, 257 rooms). “We are especially proud to add two countries on the African continent to our business.
Rezidor is currently featuring 25 hotels with almost 6,000 rooms in operation and under development in Africa – this emerging region is one of our most important development areas”, comments Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Lusaka is already under development and located in a prestigious commercial district of Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. It sits adjacent to the Mulungushi International Conference Centre and across the road from the Arcades Shopping and Entertainment Complex. Besides 142 rooms, the property will offer a Rezidor signature restaurant, a bar, 5 conference & meeting rooms, a ballroom, a pool with bar and sundeck, wellness facilities and a casino.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Skopje will be situated in one of the most modern and vibrant areas of the Macedonian capital. The building will be part of a mixed-use development including a 50,000 square meters shopping mall and 16,000 square meters of high-grade offices. Services of the hotel will include 210 rooms, 2 restaurants, a bar, more than 700 square meters of conferencing & banqueting space and a wellness & spa area. Skopje’s historic heart lies within walking distance.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Luanda will have a prime, beachfront location in the central business district at the entry to the prestigious Ilha de Luanda. Some of the 257 rooms will offer dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean; others will overlook the Luanda Bay. Perfect for conferences, the property will include over 1000 square meters of meeting space, several restaurants with outdoor terraces, a pool and a spa & fitness centre.
www.4hoteliers.com
Australia to focus on 'Green Events' at TABEE 2009
Australia’s capabilities to deliver ‘green’ events will be the focus of the 11th Team Australia Business Events Educational (TABEE) trade mission to Kuala Lumpur next month. The event, which is expected to bring around 40 Australian convention bureaux and industry partners together to meet with 100 corporate meeting and incentive decision makers from across Asia, gets underway from 2 to 4 March.
Tourism Australia Managing Director, Geoff Buckley said the theme for the event this year – ‘meet where the environment and community matter’ – would provide an opportunity to showcase Australia’s CSR credentials. “The Asian business events market is extremely important to Australia and TABEE provides an opportunity to meet face-to-face with the key decision makers across Asia,” Mr Buckley said.
“This year we will be focused on promoting Australia’s ability to deliver world class, sustainable business events with amazing tailor-made experiences. “Tourism Australia recently completed an audit of Australian business events product which provides strong evidence that Australia is leading the way in terms of corporate social responsibility specific to business events.
“TABEE 2009 will provide an opportunity to highlight the results of this new report to our business partners in Asia and in particular the venues and services in Australia that can assist businesses in staging events which have a greater social and environmental focus. “We know that 2009 is going to be a tough year for many businesses and that many will be tempted to focus on short term solutions but our commitment to promoting sustainable business events is a long term strategy aimed at achieving best business practices.”
Tourism Australia’s Head of Business Events Australia, Joyce DiMascio said TABEE was extremely effective in enabling the Australian industry to establish important relationships with corporate meeting and incentive decision makers to boost their profile in Asia. “TABEE provides a fantastic opportunity to ensure that Australia’s strong partnerships with the business events sector in Asia continue,” Ms DiMascio said.
“In the current climate TABEE is a great forum for highlighting Australia’s competitive advantages – whether it’s the world-class facilities, new products and experiences, inspiring programs, or a commitment to corporate social responsibility. “In delivering TABEE this year we are asking all partners to support our ‘green’ focus in big and small ways so that the decision makers can experience first-hand Australia’s creative approach to delivering sustainable business events.
“The program will also include experts on corporate social responsibility specific to the business events industry to assist our partners in making informed choices about future corporate meetings and incentives,” Ms DiMascio said. Guest speakers for TABEE 2009 will include: Scientist and broadcaster, Robin Williams speaking on Environmental Advocacy; President of MCI, Asia Pacific, Robin Loekerman; and Sustainability Consultant, Robyn Joseph. Key Executives from the Asian pharmaceutical, travel and insurance sectors will also speak at the event.
Buyers participating in the event will include agents and corporate end users representing the pharmaceutical, direct selling and insurance industries from 11 key markets in Asia, including China, Korea, India and Taiwan. Australia’s delegation for the trade mission will include: 10 Australian convention bureaux; key business events hotel operators and convention venues including Accor, IHG and Hilton Sydney; incentive product operators such as Dreamworld; production companies such as Offsite Connections; and inbound tour operators such as ATM, JTM and PTC.
www.tourism.australia.com
Growth for Travel Technology Section at ITB Berlin
n times of economic crisis playful innovations are likely to be the main victims. The focus is shifting in travel technology too. In the short term experts anticipate attention being directed towards applications that will help reduce costs and increase revenues. Improving sales efficiency and streamlining back offices will be more important than visionary solutions for mobile applications, social networks or a semantic web.
Thus Travel Technology at ITB Berlin 2009 occupies an interesting role in a contradictory environment, determined by economic recession and market consolidation as well as consistently dynamic growth in e-business and travel technology.
As a result there are highly dynamic developments going on in this section at the global travel industry’s leading trade show. “There has been considerable fluctuation and we have seen many new arrivals,” said David Ruetz, Senior Manager ITB Berlin.
Overall the organisers have registered substantial growth. Many small and innovative technology companies are taking part. Out of approximately 130 exhibitors in the Travel Technology section one-sixth will be at ITB Berlin for the first time. Among them the number of international exhibitors is increasing, with Sweden, Australia and Turkey also participating in this section.
The main products and services will comprise software and search engines for hotels as well as portable applications.
“Travel blogs focus on hotels, more so than on any other service provider,” said David Ruetz. “Nowadays almost every hotel has ratings, images and even videos on the web, which are put up by one or more users. Hotels and search engines must make intelligent use of this content. This social networking capability and the ability to network with various sales channels determines their quality and performance potential.”
Furthermore, the transparency of prices and services offered on the web as well as the integration of mobile services and the increasing relevance of personal recommendations will give both online and offline travel technology, travel agencies and service providers a boost.
On 11 March the tourism industry’s successful Bloggers Summit will be taking place for the second time while The Travel Technology Conference PhoCusWright@ITB Berlin on 12 March 2009 will also be showing ways to make specific use of technology to achieve success in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors.
ITB Berlin 2009 will be taking place from Wednesday, 11 to Sunday, 15 March. The period from the Wednesday to the Friday is reserved for trade visitors.
www.asiatraveltips.com
Qantas to Boost Services to India
Qantas has confirmed it is to launch Australia-Mumbai services from 2 June 2009. The airline, including Jetstar, will offer flights from seven Australian cities to Mumbai via Singapore.
“Customers will now be able to fly to Mumbai from Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, further opening up access to the Indian sub-continent from Australia,” said Qantas Executive General Manager, Mr John Borghetti. “India is an important market for Qantas. We will now offer 21 flights from Australia each week which will connect to our three-flights-per-week service between Singapore and Mumbai.”
QF51, originating in Brisbane, will operate from Singapore to Mumbai on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The return QF52 service from Mumbai will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
In addition to its own services from Australia, Qantas also codeshares on Jet Airways flights between Delhi and Singapore, and Mumbai and Singapore, offering customers access to an additional 40 Indian destinations across Jet Airways’ extensive domestic network.
www.asiatraveltips.com
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