New Australian airlines
Australia’s main airline Qantas says it plans to start a long-haul “value based airline” this December. This will operate under the group’s Jetstar name, launching flights no later than January 2007. Read more.
Lufthansa increased the number of seats sold on its Middle East/Africa routes by 4.5% in 2005. That was a better result for the airline than its Europe and North America routes (no change), but below its 5.8% growth on Asia Pacific routes.
In January, Air Tanzania signed a code-share agreement with Oman Air to boost passengers flows between both countries. Under the agreement, Oman Air would transport international passengers who want to visit Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. According to both airlines, promotional campaigns will focus on selling combined package tours of Oman and Zanzibar to European markets, especially to France, Germany and the UK.
Doha, the capital of Qatar, is building a new US$5.5 billion airport. The first phase is due to open in 2009 – to coincide with the arrival of the first double-deck A380 of Qatar Airways. Around two thirds of the new airport will be built on reclaimed land. It is expected to be capable of handling 50 million passengers a year, when fully operational – scheduled for 2015.
The Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has just been upgraded at a cost of US$225 million. Nearly 40% of the total cost was for enhanced safety and security. Other improvements include a new luggage screening system, new overhead signage and displays, faster baggage claim carousels, and improved lighting and acoustics of public areas. Some 32 international airlines currently operate international services to/from the terminal, which has a passenger turnover of over 9 million annually.
The OneWorld airline alliance is likely to get two new airline members this year: Royal Jordanian has been accepted, and Japan Airlines has applied to join. Both are likely to become full operating members before year-end.
According to preliminary data from Airports Council International (ACI), member airports handled over 4 billion passengers in 2005, a new record for the industry, despite high fuel costs and terrorism threats. Compared with 2004, total passenger traffic grew by 5.5% in 2005, with increases 6.7% for international traffic and 4.4% for domestic traffic.
Brussels Airport awarded best European airport
Brussels Airport was awarded “Best Airport in Europe” for 2005, at the occasion of the Airport Service Quality Conference of the Airport Council International (ACI),held Monday night in Abu Dhabi. Brussels shares the first place with the airport of Copenhagen. Read more
Mesa Air Group to Expand Partnership With Delta Air Lines
PHOENIX, March 7 -- Mesa Air Group today announced an expansion of its strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines. Under this new agreement Freedom Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mesa Air Group, will fly twelve, 37-seat, De Havilland Dash 8 aircraft in support of Delta Air Lines expanding operations at its New York-JFK hub. The term of the new agreement is three years. The aircraft will be operated under a capacity purchase arrangement similar to Mesa's existing Delta Connection agreement under which Freedom Airlines flies 50-passenger regional jets. The Dash 8s covered under this agreement will be incremental to the 16 Dash 8 aircraft currently operated by Mesa Air Group.
Boeing Projects $770 Billion Market for New Airplanes in Asia-Pacific
BANGKOK, March 07, 2006 -- The Boeing Company detailed its Current Market Outlook for the Asia-Pacific region today, forecasting a market for about 7,200 new airplanes worth $770 billion over the next 20 years. Over the forecast period, Asia-Pacific will remain the largest market outside North America for new commercial airplanes. Read more.
SEATTLE, March 07, 2006 -- Boeing and Ryanair, Europe's largest and most profitable low-cost carrier, yesterday celebrated the delivery of the airline's 100th Boeing Next-Generation 737, nearly seven years after receiving its first 737-800.
Since taking delivery of its first 737-800 on March 19, 1999, Ryanair has become Boeing's largest European customer for the Next-Generation 737. It has ordered a total of 239 Next-Generation 737-800s, and today has 139 remaining to be delivered. The Dublin-based carrier currently operates its all-Boeing fleet on 301 routes into 22 countries. Ryanair previously operated Classic 737s, taking delivery of its first Classic 737 in January 1994.
Continental Airlines Names Luc Geerts Senior Country Director, Belux & Germany
BRUSSELS, March 7, 2006 - Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today named Luc Geerts Senior Country Director, Belux & Germany. In this position Geerts, 46, will have overall management responsibility for the airline's sales and marketing in both countries.
Geerts was previously Continental's Senior Country Director, Benelux, a position he held since 2000. His responsibilities in the Netherlands will be assumed by Pascal Chatelain, Continental's Senior Country Director, France, who will in future combine this role with that of Senior Country Director, Netherlands.
Read more.
Air France - KLM : February 2006 Traffic
Buoyant passenger activity: strong increase in traffic (+8.5%) and improved load factor (+1.1 points to 77.7%) and a similar increase at the cargo activity. Read more.
Adapting to oneworld pricing and booking class structure !
Malév joins the world's leading quality airline alliance oneworldÍ by 2007.
One of the conditions of membership is harmonization of the reservation systems in order to simplify bookings and allow total synchronization between oneworld alliance members.
Therefore, Malév is introducing a new RBD (Reservation Booking Designator) structure from 26th March 2006 and asks all distribution for their support in this important change.
Reservation classes: main changes.
Service classes as such (business/economy) remain unchanged. However, the RBD structure will change. In total there will be 23 reservation classes (more than at present):
Business classes J, C, D, I, Economy classes Y, B, H, K, M, L, V, S, N, Q, O, G
and Malév-specific Economy classes R, X, U, E, Z, W, T.
The cutover schedule
Migration of reservation classes and PNR's will start on 24th March 2006 at 13:00 CET.
New RBD's will from then on be added continuously to the reservation systems for flights departing from 26th March 2006 (Schedule/Availability).
Pricing
Validity of current fares expires on 25th March 2006; trips booked but not yet paid are to be recalculated on the basis of new fares valid from 26 March 2006.
Ask for collaboration
In order to successfully get through this important change, Malév asks its distribution partners to observe the following guidelines :
- TICKET ALL MALEV PNRs BEFORE 24th MARCH 06 at 13:00 CET
- FOR NEW BOOKINGS, ASK PASSENGERS TO BUY THEIR TICKET BEFORE 24th MARCH 06
- AVOID CREATION OF PNRs DURING THE CUTOVER 24MAR 13:00 CET - 26MAR 06:00 CET
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Northwest Airlines Reports February Traffic
EAGAN, Minn. -- (March 03, 2006) -- Northwest Airlines (OTC: NWACQ:PK) today announced a systemwide February load factor of 81.8 percent, 4.2 points above February 2005. Northwest flew 5.1 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) and 6.21 billion available seat miles (ASMs) in February 2006, a traffic decrease of 7.6 percent and a capacity decrease of 12.4 percent versus February 2005.
The Supervisory Board of Austrian Airlines decided in its meeting of 27 February 2006 after a proposal of the Austrian Management Board, to award Franz Zoechbauer, Vice President Austrian Cargo, full power of attorney.
 
British Airways Offers Return Flights To London From HK For US$526
LONDON - British Airways is offering a return airfare from Hong Kong to London in World Traveller class from HK$4,080 (US$526). It also offering as a bonus a 15 per cent online discount for land bookings, with savings on hotel rates starting from HK$419. Travellers must book online at ba.com before March 31st, and travel from Hong Kong must commence by this date. A minimum purchase of HK$2,000 per adult is required for land bookings, and the above fare does not include tax and airport surcharge.
American Airlines To Launch Daily Chicago-Shanghai Service
BEIJING - American Airlines will from early April commence a daily nonstop service to China. Flight AA289 will depart Chicago O'Hare International Airport at 11.05 a.m. on April 2nd and arrive at Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 2.15 p.m. on April 3rd. The return flight, AA288, will depart Shanghai at 4.25 p.m. on April 3rd and arrive in Chicago at 5.00 p.m. the same day.
Far East : Major New Costa Routes For Winter 2006/2007
Winter season in the Far East with departures from Singapore for the Costa Marina
Five cruises departing from Singapore will visit Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and Indonesia. Two spectacular positioning cruises scheduled from Savona to Singapore.
Another major Costa innovation for the 2006/2007 winter season following the announcement of the Costa Classica's itineraries out of Dubai. Read more.
Vietnam, Southeast Asia’s rising star
With 3.5 million arrivals in 2005, Vietnam is fast becoming a leading destination in Southeast Asia thanks to average growth rates of 20% per year. According to Dr Pham Tu, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the country expects to continue to grow by 10-20% annually until 2010 and reach 6 million international visitors by 2010. Read more.
Asean members agree on a joint marketing approach
Asean’s ministers of tourism – who represent Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malay¬sia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – have agreed to speed up visa-free access for Asean citizens and to work towards the development of a single Asean visa for foreign visitors. Read more.
FIT travel from China
Growth in the number of individual leisure travellers from China into Hong Kong levelled off in 2005. Started in July 2003, there were 670,000 arrivals counted in Hong Kong under the scheme (known as the Individual Visit Scheme).
That increased 538% (sic) in 2004 over the whole year – or 298% over the months July-December – but slowed to 30% in 2005, although the figure reached a substantial number, 5.6 million.
Zanzibar attracted 125,500 international tourists in 2005, up 36% on 2004’s total. The UK, Spain and the USA were notably fast-growing sources markets in 2005, says the Zanzibar Tourism Commission, but Italy still remains by far the biggest source, with around 45,000 arrivals in 2005 – over a third of the total count. “Tourism is a new industry for the islands (total international visitor count was just 87,500 in 2002), and although numbers are still tiny, this recent growth means we must focus on keeping the right balance between maintaining our environment, upgrading our tourism facilities and encouraging visitor growth,” said a spokesman at ITB.
Indian Ocean suffers from the Chikungunya virus
According to the French Association of Tour Operators, CETO, the Chikungunya epidemic, which first started in the Reunion Island in January, has begun to have a significant impact on reservations from French tourists to the island. CETO is expecting a drop in bookings of around 30-40%. Read more.
More budget for the Moroccan tourism board
Morocco enjoyed an excellent year in 2005 as the kingdom recorded 5.84 million foreign visitor arrivals, a growth of 7% over 2004. The Moroccan tourism authorities now say that the country is on target to reach 10 million arrivals by the end of 2010. Of these, 70% are expected to be foreigners. France is Morocco’s largest incoming market with 1.33 million visitors in 2005 (+15%), followed by Spain with 0.37 million (+16%) and the UK with 0.19 million (+29%). Overnights reached 15.2 million (+16%) in registered hotels and tourism revenues grew by 18% to EUR3.7 billion. Read more.
Mali unveils a new tourism master plan
Mali currently receives 150,000 international tourists per year, mostly from France, Germany and the rest of Western Africa. However, it recently launched a strategic masterplan to boost the destination, and this will be officially presented during the first half of the year. The government, with the help of the UNWTO and the World Bank, has already identified the main weakness of the destination: inadequate hotel capacity (3,000 beds only) and insufficient air links. Read more.
The city of West Hollywood is launching a pilot project – visitors and inhabitants will all enjoy free wireless internet access. No more tangle of wires or phone lines. From the road, computer users can turn on their internet-enabled laptops and research the local restaurants they have been dying to try. This new Wi-Fi service, scheduled to be launched in 2007, will be available along Santa Monica Boulevard between La Brea and Fairfax Avenues.
Colombia discovers the benefits of tourism
With a 24% growth in arrivals in 2004 and an 8.2% increase in receipts, Colombia is fast beginning to make its mark in tourism, said Carlos Alberto Zarruk, Deputy Minister of Business Development at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism. Read more.
Mexico overcomes Hurricane Wilma and 9/11
Mexico should be extremely pleased with its tourism performance in 2005. It achieved an overall growth in arrivals for the year of 6.5% – a particularly pleasing result given the ravages of hurricanes at the end of 2005 – particularly in the Yucatan peninsula. Read more.
Québec City plans to celebrate its 400th anniversary in 2008
Québec City is already preparing for 2008 when the capital city of the province of the same name will celebrate four hundred years of existence. The city was recorded for the first time as the capital of Québec Province by the French in 1608 and became the cradle of French civilisation in North America. Read more.
Record year for Miami in 2005
The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) has announced that 2005 was another record-breaking year for Miami as overnight visitors to the Florida metropolis grew by more than 3% to reach a record 11.3 million. Growth was sustained by a record 6.1 million domestic visitors and stable international markets. The GMCVB is particularly happy about the growth during the low season as summer business has grown by 9% from June through August over the past three years. Read more.
Visitor arrivals in the Netherlands during the first three quarters of 2005 increased by 4% over the same period in 2004, according to the latest UNWTO figures. This follows growth of 5% in 2004 when 9.6 million international tourist arrivals were recorded in the country. The signs are that 2006 will be another year of growth for Netherlands, with a comprehensive and innovative series of year-round Rembrandt exhibitions and events to celebrate 400 years since the painter’s birth.
Copenhagen’s world famous Tivoli Gardens – always a major tourist attraction – now has facilities for a wide range of events following the opening in November last year of its completely renovated Concert Hall. The new foyer has a spectacular 28-metre long salt water aquarium – a miniature version of Australia’s great barrier reef with 1,500 tropical fish including 20 sharks – and this area is for hire for both seated and cocktail events. The revamped concert hall seats 1,900 people; the new rehearsal room 300 and the aquarium foyer 180.
Brussels’s famous Atomium, the most visible symbol of the 1958 Universal Exhibition held in the Belgium capital, reopened in mid-February to the public, after being closed for two years due to extensive renovations. The government invested EUR27.5 million to renovate the 102 metre high monument with its nine iron spheres. Each sphere welcomes a different exhibition. A permanent exhibition pays a marked tribute to the spirit of the Fifties in the arts, the design and the architecture. One of the spheres is dedicated to children and another one has a panoramic restaurant and a bar.
Madrid has been outperforming Spain as a whole, according to data from the city’s Economic Barometer. In the first eleven months of 2005, the number of nights in the capital’s hotels increased by 9.5% over 2004, while hotel nights for the whole of Spain rose 4.8%. The city attracted 5.5 million visitors who stayed in its hotels from January through November 2005, and passenger numbers at Madrid’s Barajas Airport increased by 9% over the same period of 2004. And now, of course, the airport has just doubled capacity with the opening of Terminal Four, designed by Richard Rogers, and two new runways.
Another year of stagnation for France
France’s international tourist arrivals seem to have stuck at the 75 million mark. According to preliminary results released by the French Minister of Tourism, Léon Bertrand, last year saw no real growth – “arrivals totalled roughly 75 million – implying a loss of market share for the country since Europe overall was up more than 4%. Read more.
Malta moves upmarket
Malta’s bid to position the island as a top-end leisure destination and as a meetings and events venue is reaping rewards. More five-star accommodation is opening up, and the island is attracting a growing number of prestigious events, most notably hosting the Commonwealth heads of government meetings in November last year, during which 3,000 delegates from 53 countries were presided over by HM the Queen. Read more.
EU markets boost Bulgaria’s overall growth in 2005
International tourist arrivals in Bulgaria increased by 5% over the first eleven months of 2005. Europe is the major generator of tourism for Bulgaria and the share of the European Union (EU) in the total count has increased to 55% thanks to a higher than average 6% rise in arrivals from member countries, and more than 7% from new EU member markets.
Read more.
Growing air access gives Latvia double digit growth
Latvia experienced a bumper year in 2005, with tourist arrivals up by more than 20% according to World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) data. Tourism receipts in the first three quarters of 2005 were up by an even more impressive 30%. This followed an excellent 2004 – the year when Latvia entered the EU – when tourist arrivals increased by 11% to 1.1 million. Read more.
Spain celebrates Picasso
Not to be outdone by Mozartmania, Spain has put together a year-long celebration to mark the 125th anniversary of Picasso’s birth. Exhibitions, ballet and opera perform¬ances using sets and costumes designed by Picasso, lectures, workshops and activities for children and families will take place around the country. In Malaga, Picasso’s birthplace, the Museo Picasso will showcase 73 works from the Musée Picasso, Antibes (the French museum is currently being refurbished), none of which have been seen in Spain before. From October 2006 to February 2007, a special exhibition, ‘Picasso: The Female Figure’, with paintings from private and public collections around the world, will be shown. Read more.
San Francisco's 100th Anniversary of Great Earthquake and Fire in April
It’s rare that a destination would point out its faults, but in the case of San Francisco there’s one in particular that will be getting a lot of attention this April. The 290-mile rupture along the San Andreas Fault, at 650 miles California’s longest and most notorious zone for earthquakes, caused San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake and fire. Geologists are quick to point out, however, that the tremor that “shook San Francisco like a wet dog” was, in fact, felt from Humboldt County in the north all the way south to Hollister, San Benito County. Read more.
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- ITB Berlin 2006: Record number of participants
- 10,856 exhibiting companies from 183 countries
- ITB Berlin continues to grow
- India, Arab states, South America have larger display areas
- New: “ITB Supply“ and “Immovest“
– ITB Convention Market Trends & Innovations includes Hospitality Day and TRAVDEX@ITB for first time
– Five Business Travel Days
– Many attractions for the public
Read more. |
Another year, another ITB and, despite the ever increasing competition, it is already clear that this bumper 40th edition of the Berlin travel trade fair is going to confirm ITB once again as the world’s biggest and best. In terms of exhibitor numbers, 2006 will be a record year, with 10,856 firms, enterprises and institutions from some 180 countries and territories around the world – up 4.3% on 2005’s level.
ITB Berlin 2006 welcomes a number of new countries and exhibitors, too, among which Timor Leste and Afghanistan are exhibiting here for the first time. Following a long absence Macedonia is also back, as is North Korea – exhibiting at the PATA stand in Hall 26.
After its very successful first two years, the scope of the ITB Congress: Market Trends & Innovations looks to be even more comprehensive this year – if that were indeed possible. Rumour also it that it will be the largest tourism conference in the world with some 180 speakers at 60 separate events. And the speaker’s list reads like a ‘Who’s Who of the travel and tourism industry.
ITB’s growing stature is reflected in the number of other important events that have sprung up around the annual Berlin fair. The International Hotel Investment Forum, now in its seventh or eight year, takes place from 6-8 March. Preliminary estimates suggest it has attracted a record 1,300 participants this year, making it the biggest hotel investment forum in the world. And many of its participants – among whom leaders of the hospitality from all over the globe – will also be exhibiting and/or attending ITB as trade visitors.
In yet another sign of ITB’s appeal, the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) has specifically chosen this week and Berlin to hold its first joint annual meeting of its National Association Chief Executives (NACE) and Hotel Chains Councils. The two Councils met together yesterday in a combined session for reports from IH&RA Global Councils focused on: e-commerce and e-distribution; corporate social responsibility; copyright and neighbouring rights; food service; human resources; standards; and security, crisis and risk management and prevention. One issue of great concern that was on the agenda are the initiatives to establish security standards for hotels being proposed by national governments such as Singapore. The danger is that mandatory standards proposed by governments could be next if the industry does not react now, the IH&RA says.
FITUR 2006 a proposé une nouvelle fois à l'industrie touristique un forum d'affaires de qualité
L'événement a clôturé sa vingt-sixième édition en enregistrant des chiffres record : la participation de 149 791 professionnels, 12 415 entreprises et 842 exposants directs. En savoir plus.
Hyatt plays catch-up in China
Of the 22 hotels that Hyatt International currently has in development, ten are in China – a country where the group has been sparsely represented compared with several of its top-end competitors. After making a brave entry into the China 20 years ago with the Hyatt Regency in Tianjin, only four hotels have been added to Hyatt’s China portfolio since then (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) – in Xian, Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou. Read more.
Five stars in China
A new measurement for five-star hotels in two Chinese cities, Beijing and Shanghai, has been started by Travel Business Analyst. Estimates for the whole year of 2005 (based on results for the first eleven months) showed occupancy in Beijing at 80%, and average room rate at US$165. That compares with 78% at US$122 for the city’s three-, four- and five-star hotels.
In Shanghai, estimates for the year were 73% at US$210, compared with 75% at US$157 for the city’s four- and five-star hotels. (Rates should not be compared across cities because the Beijing rates include three-star hotels.)
The grand opening of Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah resort complex in Oman was celebrated late last month. The complex comprises three-in-one resorts – the 180-room top-of-market Al Husn (the castle), 198-room Al Bandar (the town) with meeting facilities, and the family-oriented 302-room Al Waha (the oasis). The resort is set in 50 hectares, 40 minutes from the airport and 20 minutes from central Muscat.
Mövenpick Hotels has opened a hotel in Sana’a, capital of the Yemen. The 338-room hotel is located in the newly developed area of Dhahar Hemyer, seven minutes from the city centre and 20 minutes from the airport. In the 1990s, the group had a hotel in Aden.
Libyan success story for well-connected Corinthia
Maltese hotel group, Corinthia Hotels International, says the best-performing hotel in its entire portfolio of 20 properties is the Bab Africa Hotel in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Average occupancy in 2005 was 83%, buoyed by a strong business clientele during the week, and a growing number of cultural leisure groups at weekends. High-end tour operators, such as Cox & Kings and Abercrombie & Kent, have started to promote cultural programmes to Libya’s spectacular and little-visited Graeco-Roman sites, and Corinthia anticipates that 2006 will be another profitable year. Read more.
Jamaica’s hotel room count is set to increase by almost 2,000 rooms in the next three years with the construction of the US$200 million Bahia Principe Resort by Grupo Pinero of Spain. At present, the island has about 25,000 rooms. Ground¬breaking for the construction of the 1,918-room hotel complex took place in Octo¬ber last year. The project will be undertaken in three phases with the first involving the construction of a 734-room hotel, which is due this November. The other phases include two more beachfront hotels.
Philadelphia’s hotel industry is currently embarking on a US$50 million renovation and upgrading of city hotels. Five city-centre hotels are currently undergoing reno¬vations: the Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel spend US$15 million to improve guest rooms, public areas and meeting space and to convert a third of its rooms into con¬dominiums apartments. The Wyndham Philadelphia is spending US$12 million to upgrade its lobby and guest rooms. The Four Seasons will put new artwork, furni¬ture and fabrics into its 364 rooms at a cost of US$10 million. And the Park Hyatt and the Loews Philadelphia are both planning US$5 million makeovers. In 2005, hotels in Philadelphia City recorded an average occupancy of 74.5%, up by 5.4 points over 2004, and an average room rate of US$143, up 8.3%.
Bucharest will add another 3,000 more hotel rooms by 2009, the Romanian National Tourist Authority announced at ITB. Over 70% of these will be in three- and four-star hotels, and around 1,000 of them will be in internationally managed properties. Among these will be a Radisson SAS, which has confirmed it will open in the capital in 2007 across from the Hilton Athenee Palace in the former Bucharest Hotel which is undergoing major renovation.
Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts is coming Paris
Paris will be the first city in Europe to have a Shangri-La hotel. The opening of a prop¬erty in the French capital in 2008 is a major step forward for the group, which has been keen to develop its portfolio outside the Asia Pacific region for at least three years. Read more.
Hilton’s hotels, reunited after a 40-year split, are together again at ITB
After a split-up over 40 years ago, when Hilton International was spun off from USA-headquartered Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) back in 1964, a long-drawn out process to bring the two portfolios back together again was completed last week and the Hiltons are together again at ITB. The re-unification – one of the hotel sector’s longest-running sagas – has been achieved through HHC buying Hilton International from its former owner, the Hilton Group (which also has betting operation Ladbrokes), for around EUR 4.8 billion. The Hilton Group has now changed its name to Ladbrokes, and will focus on the gaming and betting sector. Read more.
Phenomenal year for Marriott International, says Ed Fuller
At Marriott’s 20th annual briefing at ITB, president and managing director of international lodging, Ed Fuller, outlined Marriott International’s phenomenal results for 2005, and forecast more growth over the next few years. Systemwide revpar rose 10.4% last year and revenues from continuing operations totalled US$11.6 billion, he said. The company’s portfolio expanded by 134 hotels (22,000) rooms, 40% of which are full service. The aggressive growth will continue into 2006 with some 70,000 rooms in the pipeline – either already under construction, awaiting conversion or awaiting approvals. Read more.
An intimate spa sanctuary opens at Rocco Fortes Browns Hotel
Rocco Fortes newly-refurbished Browns Hotel, in the heart of London?s Mayfair, is delighted to announce the opening of its spa. Read more
MUSCAT - Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa grand opened on February 27th. The three-hotel luxury resort includes the Al Husn "the Castle" with 180 suites and guestrooms, Al Bandar "the Town" with 198 rooms and meeting facilities, and the family-oriented Al Waha "the Oasis" with 302 rooms. The resort and spa is located some 40 minutes from the international airport and 20 minutes from downtown Muscat.
Intercontinental Hotels To Manage World's Tallest Hotel In Nanjing
SHANGHAI - InterContinental Hotels Group has signed four new management contracts with Shanghai Greenland Group, a leading real estate and property management company in China. They include an InterContinental hotel in Nanjing, one Holiday Inn property in Xi'an and two Express by Holiday Inn hotels in Shanghai, representing over 1,400 rooms in total. Slated to open in 2010, InterContinental Nanjing, a 450-room luxury hotel, will be the world's tallest hotel, offering conference and business facilities, three food and beverage outlets, spa and pool. Scheduled to open in 2007, Holiday Inn Greenland Xi'an, a 380-room mid-scale hotel, will offer meeting facilities, food and beverage outlets, health club and pool. Express by Holiday Inn Putuo Shanghai, a 230-room convenience-sector hotel, is slated to open late this year. Express by Holiday Inn Minghang Shanghai, a 350-room convenience-sector hotel, is scheduled to open early 2007.
Maritim pleases Non-Smokers
Bad Salzuflen, 3rd March 2006 - With immediate effect, Maritim Hotels in Germany have reduced smoking in all their hotel restaurants. During breakfast, all restaurants of the hotel chain are now complete non-smoking areas. Those who cannot do without their usual cigarette in the morning may sit down in the lobby over a free coffee. At noon and in the evening fresh air is also guaranteed for all who are bothered by cigarette smoke - at lunch and dinner 50 percent of all Maritim restaurants are reserved for non-smokers. This arrangement becomes a rule in all 36 German Maritim hotels.
By this step Maritim points the way ahead, fulfilling already today the Dehoga (German Hotel and Restaurant Association) non-smoking guidelines, which will have to be put into practice by 2008. Website : www.maritim.com
 
Dubai Launches Third Edition of Meeting & Planner's Guide
As Dubai fast emerges as a popular choice for Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE), the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) -Dubai Convention Bureau has launched the third edition of its flagship promotional publication 'The Definitive Meeting & Event Planner's Guide'.
The 2006 edition of the guide contains updated information about the different leisure and business options that are available in Dubai. More than 10,000 copies will be distributed.
New Melbourne Convention Centre Scheduled To Open In 2009
MELBOURNE - The Victorian government has appointed Multiplex/Plenary Consortium as the successful tenderer for the Melbourne Convention Centre contract. The proposal includes a 5,000 seat, six-star energy rated convention centre, a five star Hilton Hotel, an office and residential tower, a riverfront promenade of retail shops, and a retail complex. Construction is slated to begin after the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, with the centre set to to start operations in 2009. The Convention Centre will also feature a ball room, a gala seating system in the Plenary Hall for flexible seating configurations, 32 meeting rooms and a ground foyer for 11,000 guests.
Global Travel & Tourism exceeds US$6 trillion in 2005
During a press conference on Monday at the start of the International Hotel Investment Forum, and scheduled to tie in with ITB, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) President, Jean-Claude Baumgarten, released the results of WTTC’s annual tourism satellite accounting research. Read more.
BritRail has woken up to the growing size and value of the international visiting friends and relations (VFR)) market for the UK, and introduced a special BritRail Guest Pass. Overseas visitors who buy a BritRail Pass to tour the country by train will now be able to invite their British host to come along with them. To date British residents have not been permitted to buy these excellent, cost-saving BritRail tickets. All overseas visitors with a BritRail Pass will be given the option to buy an adult first class BritRail Guest Pass at a 50% discount. The cost of a BritRail pass starts at EUR86, with the guest pass at EUR43.
After a record 2005, Eurostar anticipates a ‘Da Vinci Code’ boost in 2006
Last year was a record year for Eurostar, with overall ticket sales up 7% (preliminary figures) on 2004 to around EUR673 million, and a14% increase in ‘business premier’ ticket sales. Increasingly, Eurostar appears to be the preferred means of travel for business travellers. Read more.
ATLANTA, March 8 -- SAS, the leading group of airlines serving Denmark, Norway, Sweden, North America, Asia and many European destinations outside of Scandinavia, has finalized a full content agreement with Worldspan. Through the agreement, SAS provides the Worldspan global distribution system (GDS) with all fares, schedules and availability, including published low-fare classes and Web fares, that are available through SAS's own reservations and ticket agents, as well as SAS Group carriers' web sites.
Full content from the following SAS Group airlines is available to Worldspan travel agencies, travel Web sites and corporate travelers worldwide through the Worldspan GDS: Scandinavian Airlines Danmark, SAS Braathens, Scandinavian Airlines Sverige, and Scandinavian Airlines International. Also available is full content from Wideroe's Flyveselskap, the Norwegian regional carrier which is another SAS Group airline.
Amadeus delivers next generation travel agency technology
•• Amadeus deploys award-winning browser-based point of sale technology to 200,000 of its 246,000 travel agency points of sale
•• 99% of Amadeus travel agents now access Amadeus using an Internet Protocol connection
•• Amadeus Selling Platform (Vista) named best Agency Desk Top Tool by TravelMole Vilvoorde,
Read more.
US tour operator offers North Korea tours
US tour operator Geographic Expeditions plans to run tours to North Korea this year – the first time in the last 50 years that a major US tour operator has been allowed to operate trips to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The trips will coincide with the so-called ‘Mass Games’ – which is a main attraction of two the San Francisco-based GeoEx trips in August 2006. Read more.
Le Passage to India makes its presence at ITB
One of the country’s youngest travel agencies with a runaway success, Le Passage to India is making its presence felt at ITB in a new avatar as a joint venture with TUI. In just four years since its inception it has notched up revenues of Rs1,400 million and now ranks among the top destination management companies in the country.
The agency was originally led by the veteran Ghulam Naqshband, who is now its chairman emeritus and the young Arjun Sharma, former managing director of Sita World Travels recently took over as its chief. Sharma is leading a team of eight senior executives at ITB.
After its success with inbound tourism, Le Passage has acquired an outbound company, Select Holidays, and with TUI’s support will spread its wings in both directions. Le Passage specialises in luxury tours of India.
TUI starts the 2005/2006 travel year with increased bookings
Turnover growth in key source markets / Online turnover up by 44 per cent
Hanover/Berlin, March 8, 2006 -- TUI AG, Europe’s leading travel group, has started the 2005/2006 travel year with solid growth. In the current winter business, TUI has recorded Europe-wide growth in booked turnover of 2.4 per cent and an increase in customer numbers of six per cent. For the 2006 summer season, booked turnover and customer numbers are two per cent up on last year’s very high levels. Read more
Mozartmania spreads all across Europe
Mozart is undoubtedly the major tourism draw in Europe this year. Not only it will be the best -selling tourism product in Austria, but it will also be celebrated in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany and even as far away as Singapore! Read more.
Space Adventures in the UAE
Space Adventures, the US company that organised the trips of the first three ‘space tourists’, plans to develop what it calls “a commercial spaceport” in Ras Al-Khaimah (one of the emirates in the United Arab Emirates). Other potential spaceport locations include Asia, specifically Singapore, as well as North America. Read more.
Tsunami recovery: more than one year on
More than 14 months after the Indian Ocean seaquake and tsunami that devastated parts of South and Southeast Asia, countries affected are optimistic that a strong winter season 2005/06 will finally put an end to the crisis that has dragged down arrivals and tourism revenues. Read more.
WHO human Influenza Pandemic Meeting Makes Progress on Containment Plan
Geneva -- An operational plan to contain an initial outbreak of human pandemic influenza moved closer to final form when 70 public health experts concluded three days of discussion in Geneva today. Read more.
Léon de Bruxelles a ouvert ses portes le 16 février dernier, dans la zone commerciale d'Orléans Olivet.
Situé dans la zone commerciale du Parc d'Activités des Provinces à Olivet, ce restaurant offre aux amateurs de moules un nouveau lieu de prédilection à fréquenter sans modération, en famille ou entre amis. Il reprend l'ambiance unique des restaurants Léon de Bruxelles, construits autour du concept "brasserie belge" qui mêle tradition, authenticité et convivialité. Un aménagement spécialement conçu pour privilégier le confort à table des clients et le travail de l'équipe. En savoir plus.
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