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Cayman Hotels' green initiative From this month - seven resorts in the Cayman Islands are piloting a new initiative, being put in place jointly by the destination and its private tourism sector, to bring about improved environmental performance within the industry. The Sunshine Suites and Cobalt Coast on Grand Cayman, Southern Cross Club, Little Cayman Beach Resort and Pirates Point on Little Cayman, and Brac Reef Resort on Cayman Brac, are all pilot properties for the scheme. full text Etihad Airways to exhibit Latest Destinations and Services at Oman Travel Market Etihad Airways is to exhibit its latest destinations and services at the Oman Travel Market (OTM) which takes place at Muscat’s Oman International Exhibition Centre from 15 to 17 April. The Abu Dhabi-based airline, a diamond sponsor of the OTM, will promote its new flights to Beijing as well as the four new Indian cities of Chennai, Jaipur, Kolkata and Kozhikode. full text Hilton inks multiple Indian development deal DLF and Hilton Hotels Corporation in India have signed management agreements involving seven new hotel developments in the pipeline. This marks the second stage in the DLF-Hilton Joint Venture Company’s overall strategic development plans to build and develop 75 hotels in India in the next five to seven years. full text Hyatt's new summer splash value card Because a vacation is built on memorable experiences, the Summer Splash package includes a value card worth hundreds of dollars in savings for resort activities including discounts on spa treatments, golf, tennis, dining and more. Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla. and Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs, Fla. offer family summer savings with the popular Summer Splash promotion, now in its fourth year. full text Fairmont receives Green Certificate The Fairmont Miramar is thrilled to announce that it has been named one of the first hotels in Southern California, to receive the Green Hotel Certification. With over 207 certification requirements focusing on environmental issues, energy, corporate responsibilities and conservation, The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows is taking one more step to preserve the environment. full text Kimpton's $246 million acquisition The largest and most successful player in the boutique/lifestyle hotel segment, has closed its third institutional real estate fund and its follow up fund to Kimpton Hospitality Partners, L.P. (“KHP Fund”). Kimpton Group Holding, LLC is the parent company of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants. full text New Gatwick routes launched The new routes are to Alicante, Antalya, Faro, Genoa, Gibraltar, Ibiza, Malaga, Malta, Palma, Paphos, Poznan and Tunis. British Airways is launching a dozen new routes from Gatwick to European hotspots this summer .... British Airways' commercial director Robert Boyle said: "As one of the only shorthaul, full service carriers at Gatwick, we combine low fares with complimentary food and drink, pre-allocated seats and the opportunity to join the BA Executive Club. full text Doubletree earns Energy Star Energy Star is awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency and is the US national symbol for protecting the environment, through superior energy performance. The Doubletree Hotel Boston-Downtown is proud to announce that they have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) prestigious ENERGY STAR, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy performance. full text New Gatwick Hotspots for British Airways this Summer This summer, British Airways is launching new routes from Gatwick to the following European hotspots, Alicante, Antalya, Faro, Genoa, Gibraltar, Ibiza, Malaga, Malta, Palma, Paphos, Poznan and Tunis. British Airways' commercial director Robert Boyle said, "As one of the only shorthaul, full service carriers at Gatwick, we combine low fares with complimentary food and drink, pre-allocated seats and the opportunity to join the BA Executive Club. full text Women only at the Luthan Luthan is today the only all Women’s Hotel and Spa in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Endorsed by the Minister of Tourism, Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin AbdulAziz and Prince Turki Bin Mohammed BinFahad– the launch of this unique hotel heralds a new beginning for women residents and travellers through The Kingdom. Affording an unparalleled sense of security to the local women and the international traveller alike. full text Qantas: Email and SMS in the sky New technology will enable customers to send and receive email and SMS via mobile phone or personal electronic device during flight. Qantas announced today it would roll out new technology on its domestic aircraft from late 2008. Qantas Executive General Manager, Mr John Borghetti, said the airline had lead the industry in evaluating the technology on a B767-300 aircraft between April 2007 and January 2008. full text IHG's first property in Cartagena The new 32-story hotel will be part of a mixed-use complex located in the center of modern downtown Cartagena, just 20 minutes away from the Rafael Nuñez International Airport. IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s largest hotel groups by number of rooms, today announced plans to open the Holiday Inn Express Cartagena Hotel & Suites, the first IHG hotel property located in Cartagena, Colombia. full text Emirates expand to Hollywood Gateway to Hollywood advances American expansion for the Dubai-based, international airline. Emirates will fly its brand new Boeing 777-200LR offering eight luxurious private suites in First class, 42 of its latest lie-flat seats in Business class, and generous space for 216 passengers in Economy. full text PATA gold awards 2008 now open Industry stakeholders who have made outstanding contributions to responsibly develop and successfully promote travel and tourism in Asia Pacific can now submit entries to the 2008 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards programme. full text Carlson Hotels opens Portuguese-themed Country Inn & Suites in Goa Carlson Hotels, one of the world's largest privately owned hotel companies, has opened the Portuguese-themed Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Goa on the western coast of India. Owned by multinational conglomerate Phoenix Group Global, the 106-room resort off Goa's Benaulim Beach is approximately 35 minutes from Dabolim Airport. The resort has two impressive banquet halls with the latest audio visual equipment and business support services. full text Fairmont music store debuts in spring Fairmont partners with EMI Music and launches the Fairmont Music Store - a new online retail initiative that will provide guests access to digital music, exclusively from EMI Music’s catalog. Through the new music portal, guests will be able to browse an extensive catalog of music and downloadable songs from top-selling EMI artists such as such as Coldplay, Norah Jones, Keith Urban, Anne Murray and Lenny Kravitz. full text 140 Hotels expected to Join Marriott System in Next 48 Months In anticipation of the one billion international tourism arrivals expected by 2010, Marriott International is planning to add more than 140 hotels and resorts outside the U.S. and Canada, representing more than 34,000 rooms in 43 countries over the next four years. full text IHG dominates Russian hotel market There are a total of 16 hotels open or in the development pipeline in six of Russia's 13 largest cities, 2,000 Moscow hotel rooms are target by 2010 and the IHG Russian language website has been launched. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), the biggest hotel operator in the booming Russian international-branded hotel sector, continues its Russian expansion with the announcement of the signing of a further Moscow property, its 7th Holiday Inn in the city. full text 120,000 cruise tourists in Dubai The aggressive initiatives of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) to promote and market the emirate as ultimate cruise destination in the region, has yielded impressive results with Dubai’s state-of-the-art cruise terminal playing a host to over 120,205 tourists in 2007, far more than the projected 105,000. full text Mongolia targets US travellers Mongolia, is the emerging destination for Americans seeking experiences from the adventurous to the luxurious. The Mongolia National Tourism Organization (MNTO) and Mongolia’s Ministry of Roads, Transport, and Tourism (MRTT) hosted the first ever U.S. press event. full text Swire launches boutique hotels Swire Properties announced the formation of Swire Hotels and the launch of its first of four hotels in Greater China. Opening this summer, The Opposite House, Beijing, will be the first property to be managed by the new company. Swire Properties has extensive experience of developing properties for world class hoteliers, both in Hong Kong and overseas. full text Turkey sets $50 bln target in tourism revenues Already a powerful player in the global tourism market, Turkey is eyeing much higher targets in terms of both number and tourism revenues by 2023, when it will celebrate the100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic’s foundation. full text Tourism by car in a time of climate change Making its debut at the world’s largest travel trade fair - ITB Berlin: the motoring organisation ADAC is participating with its own tourism forum, for the worldwide travel industry. Europe’s largest motoring organisation has invited some leading experts to Berlin to join distinguished participants in discussions about the prospects for “Tourism by car in a time of climate change”. full text Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Signs Premier Partnership with PATA Global family entertainment leader Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) have forged a new strategic partnership, both organisations announced today. Effective immediately, Disney becomes a PATA Premier Partner, gaining exclusive access to a range of co-operative opportunities including market intelligence, business development and co-branded events and products. full text Marriott alone on Top 12 Green list Marriott started to recylce computers and electronics up to nearly 400000 pounds of hardware, therefore Computerworld Magazine names Marriott among 'Top 12 Green IT Companies'. full text Barcelona's First Indoor/ Outdoor Spa Debuts at the Casanova Hotel The hip Casanova Hotel with 124 design-conscious rooms and a sexy restaurant has now added another jewel to its crown, this one related to wellness. The Stone Spa is available to anyone seeking a rarified spa experience that combines pampering with innovative therapies. full text Emirates expands India network to 10 cities Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, today announced it will launch six-weekly non-stop services to the south Indian city of Kozhikode (Calicut), starting 1st July 2008. Boosting air connections between the booming Indian and Arabian Gulf economies, Kozhikode will become the third city in the state of Kerala to be served with non-stop Emirates flights from Dubai, after the airline introduced services to Kochi in 2002 and Thiruvananthapuram in 2006. full text Mandarin & Jet Airways partner Jet Airways’ JetPrivilege, India’s largest frequent flyer programme, has tied up with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. JetPrivilege members can now earn JPMiles during their stay at the Group’s 18 select premier properties across Asia, Europe and America. full text InterContinental debuts First Hotel in Vietnam Perched on the edge of a fabled city lake, the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake officially opens its doors March 6 as the UK-based hotel group’s first property in Vietnam. After a soft opening in mid-December, the 359-unit hotel shows off its polish in a market where the demand for upscale accommodation has never been greater. full text Banyan Tree to open Hainan, China Banyan Tree is pioneering a brand new sub-tropical hideaway on China’s Hainan Island, one hour’s flight south of Hong Kong. Scheduled for soft opening in April 2008, the exclusive Banyan Tree Sanya Resort and Spa, located at Luhuitou Bay, on the southern coast of Hainan Island, will be the first all-pool villa resort in China and will complement the Group’s two highly-acclaimed properties located in the depths of China’s Yunnan province. full text ITB Asia commissions Study on SMEs in Asia Pacific Travel and Tourism Messe Berlin (Singapore), organisers of the ITB Asia, the region's newest travel trade show, have commissioned a study on the future of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Asia Pacific travel and tourism industry. The study is designed to underscore the important role played by the thousands of travel and tourism SMEs in developing creative products, upgrading standards, improving services and facilities as well as job creation and environmental preservation. full text SHOWTIME Hosts Premiere of Highly Acclaimed 'The Tudors' in More Than 50,000 Sheraton Hotel Rooms Nationwide Guests Check-in to Sheraton Hotels for a Sneak Peek of Entertainment Content Made Possible Through Hotel Industry Exclusive SHOWTIME Partnership. Sheraton Hotels & Resorts is celebrating the second season of the highly acclaimed SHOWTIME original series, The Tudors, by providing a sneak preview for guests in more than 50,000 hotel rooms across the country beginning March 16. full text Sheraton & Four Points smoke-free Starwood announced today that its Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton hotel brands will implement a smoke-free policy at more than 300 hotels and resorts throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada. Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton have begun converting all smoking guestrooms to non-smoking in preparation for the new policy. In addition, all public areas will also be 100% smoke-free*. full text Dusit to manage Mega Project on The Palm Jumeirah Al Osaimi Investments and Real Estate, a leading Kuwait-based developer, has unveiled details of the 'Dusit Emirates Saray - The Palm Jumeirah Hotel Resorts & Residence', an AED 1.5 billion luxury resort, spa and residence project located on the Crescent of The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. full text PhoCusWright@ITB Berlin to focus on Travel E-Business Following the successful launch of Travdex@ITB in 2006 and PhoCusWright@ITB in 2007, Messe Berlin has confirmed that for the third year running, another information-packed technology programme will be available from the renowned market research and travel intelligence company, PhoCusWright Inc. full text Another Moevenpick for Turkey An upscale Mövenpick Hotel has officially opened its doors in the vibrant Turkish city of Izmir and is now the Swiss group's third hotel in Turkey, after Istanbul and Bodrum. The 5-star business hotel, which has been extensively refurbished over the past two years, offers 185 rooms and suites, all perfectly tailored to the needs of business travellers. full text Thailand bans Smoking in Pubs, Restaurants, Clubs and Market Places Thailand has further extended a national ban on smoking in public areas to include pubs, restaurants, discos and market-places, both open-air and air-conditioned. Previously, the regulations applied only to public buildings and closed air-conditioned areas. The regulations took effect February 11, 2008, but from the few establishments we called, do not yet seem to be fully in effect. full text Sanctuary unveils Yangzi offering MICE delegates can now experience the Yangzi onboard the first environmentally friendly boat on the river, thanks to operator Sanctuary Cruising. With a maximum capacity of 124 passengers, The MS Yangzi Explorer will be the smallest boat on the river, when it sets sail on its first voyage on 20th April 2008. full text Britain gets new business tourism partnership In a move designed to broaden the scope of industry representation for the increasingly important UK Events industry, the Business Tourism Partnership is set to change its name to the Business Visits and Events Partnership. full text Microsoft and Emirates to set up 'Innovation Lab' in Dubai Microsoft and Emirates are to set up an Innovation Lab in Dubai to develop new products and services for the travel industry using Microsoft's cutting-edge technologies and tapping on Emirates' expertise and experience in developing IT solutions for the aviation and travel industry. full text Dubai World Trade Centre Projects to Add 10,000 Hotel Rooms Dubai World Trade Centre’s (DWTC) two major commercial destination projects – Dubai Exhibition City and Dubai Trade Centre District – will add over 10,000 hotel rooms to the UAE’s overall capacity when all phases of development are completed by 2015. The hospitality offerings within these pioneering DWTC projects will exponentially increase the number of rooms available to Dubai’s visitors. full text Jumeirah Phuket villas go on sale The Jumeirah Hotel Beach Villas on the Jumeirah Private Island in Phuket have been released for sale. Jumeirah Private Island Phuket is an 80 acre exclusive island resort of 105 pool villas. All villas command open views of scattered islands. The resort is scheduled for completion in late 2009/2010. full text Carlson Hotels Worldwide Adds 74 Hotels to its Global Portfolio in 2007 - Reports Record Systemwide Revenues Eight New Properties Added in December, More than 270 Hotels in Development. Carlson Hotels Worldwide today announced strong growth and financial results for 2007, adding a total of 74 hotels to its five brands globally and achieving record systemwide revenues of nearly $7 billion, a 13 percent increase over the previous year. full text Chinese flock to Japan in tourism boom The number of Chinese visitors to Japan exceeded the number of Americans for the first time in 2007, data published on Monday showed, highlighting a boom in regional tourism fuelled by Asia’s growing wealth. The Japan National Tourist Organisation, a government-supported body, said the total number of tourists entering Asia’s wealthiest and most expensive destination climbed 14 per cent to a record 8.35m. full text Value Added Packages from Hyatt Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has launched Hyatt Retreats, a new collection of value-added packages available worldwide. Whatever mood strikes, Hyatt’s Amour, Balance, Awaken and Explore packages offer a solution, accentuating the special offerings and distinct location of each participating Hyatt hotel in over 45 countries. full text Over 31 million tourists visit Austria in 2007 Austria, a country which has a population of 8.2 million, registered a record 31.1 million tourists in 2007, a 3.3 percent increase over the previous year, the Austrian statistics office said on Friday. According to the office, two thirds of the tourists, or 20.76 million, were foreigners. full text Asian markets lead world tourism growth In line with the continuing shift in economic power to Asia, particularly to India and China, and boosted by the upcoming Olympic Games being held in Beijing this summer, the Asia Pacific region will continue to lead world tourism growth in 2008. This was one of the conclusions of the three-day annual Pisa Forum, organised by IPK International. full text Plaza Athénée Bangkok, a Royal Méridien Hotel launches Travel Industry Promotion The Plaza Athénée Bangkok, a Royal Méridien Hotel has launched a special Travel Industry Promotional rate of THB 3,500++. The hotel is centrally located on Bangkok's Wireless Road, close to the Ploenchit Sky Train station. It offers a total of seven restaurants and bars serving culinary delights from Asia and Europe. full text New water bus to offer tourists breathtaking views of Dubai Creek Residents and tourists in Dubai can now take a breathtaking view of the Dubai Creek by riding a new tourist water bus. The Marine Agency of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority on Tuesday launched a new water bus service called the Tourist Line between Al Shindagha Station [near Heritage Village] and Al Seef Station. full text Embassy brand launches Business Balance Embassy Suites Hotels is launching Business Balance (businessbalance.com), a new initiative designed specifically to help business travelers stay on their “A Game” while traveling. Accredited sources on nutrition, exercise and sleep will offer business travelers guidance and tips to help maintain balance on the road. full text Tourism for Tomorrow Announce 2008 Shortlist The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today announces the 12 finalists for the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2008. Responsible tourism management no longer just caters to a niche market but is a catalyst for successful development and improvement of quality of life in many destinations. full text Jumeirah Beach named best hotel For the third year in a row, readers of one of Germany's leading business travel magazines, Business Traveller, have chosen Jumeirah Beach Hotel as the 'Best Hotel in the Middle East'. Jumeirah hotels are a clear favourite of German business travellers visiting the Middle East, with previous editions of the award being presented to Burj Al Arab (2004) and Jumeirah Emirates Towers (2003, 2002), said an official spokesman. full text Hotel installs organic waste converter to help the environment In its endeavour to minimise waste generation, ITC Grand Central, Mumbai has announced the operation of the odour-free organic waste converter (OWC) Model No 130, at full capacity. Food waste comprising of vegetable waste, bone waste and other organic waste, will be completely processed through the OWC. It is converted into manure, which is being used by the hotel for horticulture. full text City Hall may designate entire city as official tourism area City Hall is considering designating all of Toronto as an official tourism area, which would allow stores throughout the city to remain open almost every day of the year. The Post's Chris Wattie reports: The city is holding a public meeting tonight to allow residents and business owners to comment on the proposal, a recommendation made by economic development officials. full text Hong Kong voted Best MICE City in Asia Pacific Hong Kong has won the Best MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition) City Award in the 2008 Industry Awards organised by CEI Asia Pacific Magazine. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) was also voted one of the best NTOs providing support services for convention and tourism. The Hon James Tien, Chairman of the HKTB said that the awards were the accomplishment of a concerted effort of the Government and the travel trade. full text IHG inks major Abu Dhabi deal InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and ALDAR Properties have signed a Development Agreement detailing a strategic partnership between the two companies which will result in the development of a number of new IHG-branded hotels in Abu Dhabi. In addition to the Development Agreement, three individual Management Contracts were signed between the parties at a ceremony held in the United Arab Emirates capital on 13 January. full text AHIC delegates set to break 1000 mark Delegate registration for the fourth Arabian Hotel Investment Conference looks set to break the 1,000 barrier mark, up an amazing 100% in just four years. His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai's Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman & CEO, Emirates Group has confirmed his ongoing patronage of the 2008 event. full text Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel celebrates Lunar New Year with Spring Dinner Package Hong Kong Disneyland has launched a magical ‘Year of the Mouse’ Spring Dinner Package to help businesses and community groups mark the successes of the past year with their staff and business partners. Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, the stars of the upcoming Year of the Mouse, will wish Spring Dinner guests an auspicious and magical start to the new Lunar Year in their new Chinese New Year outfits designed by fashion guru Vivienne Tam. full text Booking Levels High for ITB Berlin 2008 The outlook for this year's ITB Berlin is once again strong as final preparations get under way for an event which between 5 and 9 March will be taking place for the 42nd time. "Compared with 2006 the number of bookings at the ITB Berlin 2008 has remained consistently high. full text China to see 22 million people travel by air during Spring Festival An estimated 22 million passengers are expected travel by air during the Spring Festival, 10 percent more than the same period a year ago, according to the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC). The seven-day Spring Festival holiday, also China's traditional lunar new year, is the busiest time for transport companies as many Chinese will go back to their hometowns for family reunions. full text PATA CEO Challenge Leading by Example The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) today signed a new agreement with EC3 Global, managers of the Green Globe brand, to help significantly reduce the carbon footprint of its landmark new event, the PATA CEO Challenge: Confronting Climate Change. Green Globe is the leading international environmental benchmarking and certification programme for the travel and tourism industry. full text $3.6 tn earmarked for Middle East hotels A massive $3.63 trillion is being invested in hotels, leisure projects, aviation developments, cruise lines, tourism promotion and supporting infrastructure, across the Middle East. This is according to the preliminary results of a research programme recently unveiled. full text $1.5 million to promote Ukraine’s winter tourism The Culture and Tourism Ministry has embarked on an ambitious international advertising campaign to promote winter tourism in the country. The campaign, called “Ukraine invites,” features ads on popular European television channels such as Euronews and National Geographic. Advertising on billboards in major European cities will be part of the effort intended to beef up tourism. full text Malaysia extends health tourism visa to 6 months The visa for health tourists to Malaysia has been extended from 30 days to six months effective immediately, Malaysian deputy prime minister Najib Tun Razak said in Putrajaya, the administrative center of Malaysia, on Tuesday. The cabinet committee on tourism agreed with the Home Ministry's suggestion that health tourists be given a longer stay and multiple entries in their visas, Najib said after chairing the committee's meeting. full text Dubai unveils plans for fashion island Dubai is to create the world's first fashion island on the manmade "The World" development off the coast of the Emirate. It will be the world's first dedicated fashion island with resorts and hospitality offerings. It is the brainchild of investment group Dubai Infinity Holdings (DIH). full text New UK Survey Looks at Cruise Virgins The British cruise market is experiencing an unprecedented boom - never before has there been such a huge variety of ships, themes, ports and price points. Cruising proved to be a huge growth area for the travel industry last year and the pace looks set to continue in 2008. More than 1.35 million took to the seas in 2007, according to Passenger Shipping Association (PSA), an 11 percent growth on the previous year. full text Hilton seeks 2008 brand boost Hilton has undertaken more than 50 renovations, 18 new builds and eight conversions since 2006 and they are looking to propel their brand to the forefront in 2008. In 2006 Hilton Hotels & Resorts announced a plan to reinvigorate the brand with the acquisition of Hilton International and more than US$1 billion in physical improvements to the brand’s more than 500 hotels worldwide. full text New rules leave airline passengers facing chaos and confusion Passengers flying from UK airports today face chaos and confusion at check-in desks with the introduction of complex new rules on hand-baggage allowance. From today, the Department of Transport is allowing two items of hand luggage to be carried through 22 UK airports, including Glasgow, Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Heathrow, London City, Manchester, Newcastle, Plymouth, Southampton, Southend and Stansted. full text Qatar to have 10,000 new hotel rooms in three years Qatar is expected to have 10,000 new hotel rooms and 3,600 tourist apartments by 2010, according to industry sources. Of these, nearly 7,000 hotel rooms and nearly 3,000 apartment rooms will be added this year. The new properties which will open this year are: The W (340-rooms), Marriott Courtyard (200 rooms), Marriott Renaissance (257), Grand Hyatt (300), Hilton (320), Shangri-La (272), Rotana (204) and Holiday Hotel Villa and Residence (754). full text QE2 sets sail on last world cruise One of the world's most famous cruise ships -- the Queen Elizabeth 2 - set sail Sunday on its final global voyage before being turned into a floating hotel, media reported. The vessel left with a fireworks send-off from the southern English port city of Southampton for her last winter trip, the domestic Press Association news agency said. full text BAA urges fliers to check bag policy BAA is urging passengers to double-check airline baggage policies before travelling to its airports once new UK government baggage rules come into effect on Monday 7th January. From Monday, the one-bag restriction will be lifted at six of BAA's seven UK airports, with Gatwick following early in 2008. full text Raffles Dubai gets music makeover Raffles Dubai is the latest five star luxury hotel brand to enhance and extend their brand experience through the use of "music styling", thanks to sensory brand consultant Equal Strategy. Occupying a pre-eminent position in Wafi City, Dubai's ultra exclusive lifestyle complex, the 248-room Raffles Dubai is part of the Raffles International group, present in 19 locations worldwide including Paris, Macau and Beverly Hills. full text Mobile phone boarding pass scheme ready for takeoff Airline passengers in Australia could soon be able to use their mobile phones as boarding passes under a new scheme to be trialled this year. We can already watch movies, take photographs, read newspapers and play games, but airlines have now agreed on a new type of technology to allow the phone to be used to board aircraft. full text Middle East air travel is all set to take off As Bahrain Air, the baby of the Middle East's aviation industry prepares for take-off, one of its main rivals reckons the sector is poised for significant, sustained growth. Currently accounting for eight per cent of the global air transport industry, Middle East-based airlines are collectively growing at 10 per cent annually, double the global average of five per cent, according to the Arab Air Carriers Organisation's (AACO) latest report. full text New Park Plaza Hotels in Qatar & Morocco Park Plaza Hotels has announced the signing of franchise agreements for new hotels in Qatar and Morocco. The hotels- located in Doha and Marrakech- will be operated by a local subsidiary of Global V Hospitality Inc. Park Plaza Hotels has announced the signing of franchise agreements for new hotels in Qatar and Morocco. The hotels, located in Doha and Marrakech, will be operated by a local subsidiary of Global V Hospitality Inc, the territorial sub-license partner for the Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand in Morocco, Egypt and the Gulf States, under franchise agreements with Park Plaza Hotels. full text Hyatt looks to expand in Middle East Hyatt Hotels is setting a new standard in tourism across the Middle East region for 2008 with the opening of three key properties: Grand Hyatt Doha, Park Hyatt Istanbul, and Park Hyatt Jeddah. With nine Hyatt properties in full operation throughout the region, the opening of the additional three hotels will add over 400 rooms across three countries - positioning Hyatt as one of the leading hotel operators in the Middle East. full text 'Eye On Malaysia' to remain as Tourism Product The "Eye on Malaysia" giant ferris wheel at Titiwangsa Lake Garden, which is now a major attraction in the capital city, will remain a tourism product as it has become an icon for Kuala Lumpur. Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the wheel, like the "London Eye", had received encouraging response from the public, attracting over one million visitors until September compared to the targeted 300,000 in a year full text Oman to build three airports in tourism drive Oman is planning to build three new domestic airports to boost the tourism industry in the Gulf Arab state, government officials said on Tuesday. The new airports will be built in the country's southern towns of Adam, Haima and Shaleem, economy minister Ahmad Mekki told a news conference. "This will help the tourism sector," said Darwish Al-Balushi, secretary general of the Ministry of Finance. full text DOT places lithium battery limits in carry-on baggage on passenger aircrafts from January 1, 2008 Passengers will no longer be able to pack loose lithium batteries in checked luggage beginning January 1, 2008 once new federal safety rules take effect. The new regulation, designed to reduce the risk of lithium battery fires, will continue to allow lithium batteries in checked baggage if they are installed in electronic devices, or in carry-on baggage if stored in plastic bagsas the DOT stated. full text Indonesia launches VIY 2008 to promote tourism The Indonesian Culture and Tourism Ministry has launched "Visit Indonesia Year (VIY) 2008" in an effort to attract more foreign tourists to the country, the Antaranews agency reported late last week. It is projected that 7 million foreign tourists will visit Indonesia during the VIY 2008, and the VIY 2008 was aimed at improving the people's welfare through the development of the tourism sector, the report quoted the minister as saying. full text | ||||
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