Nouvelles destinations d'été pour SN Brussels Airlines
Bruxelles, le 15 décembre 2005 -- A partir de la saison d'été 2006, SN Brussels Airlines ajoutera Dubrovnik et Gênes à son réseau. Quant aux vols vers Bari, lancés avec beaucoup de succès en 2005, Naples et Saint Pétersbourg, ils seront à nouveau offerts en 2006. Les vols intercontinentaux vers Toronto, Abu Dhabi et Dubai apparaîtront pour la première fois dans l'offre estivale de SN. En savoir plus.

Austrian Airline Group : High Traffic Growth Continues In November. Read more

Air France And TAM Are To Strengthen Their Partnership, With Key Benefits For The Customer
Air France and TAM have decided to strengthen their partnership begun in 1999 with both airlines' chairmen signing a new agreement on 12 December. Read more.

SEATTLE, Dec. -- The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) and El Al Airlines of Israel have signed an agreement for the purchase of two Boeing 777-200ER (Extended Range) jetliners. The airplanes, together valued at $362 million at list prices, are scheduled for delivery in 2007. The new 777-200ERs will help El Al expand service to meet growing demand for air travel in the Israeli market.

A compter du 24 janvier 2006
Nouvelles informations requises par les autorités américaines
Les autorités américaines et canadiennes exigent que toutes les compagnies aériennes leur transmettent, avant le départ du vol, des données relatives aux passagers transportés de, vers et via les Etats-Unis, et à destination du Canada.
Les informations demandées sont celles qui figurent dans les zones encodées du passeport :
- le nom,
- le prénom,
- la date de naissance,
- le sexe,
- la nationalité,
- le numéro, le pays émetteur, et la date d'expiration du passeport.
En plus de ces informations, à compter du 24 janvier 2006, les autorités américaines imposent aux passagers voyageant de, vers et via les Etats-Unis, de leur fournir :
- les données de la carte verte s'il y a lieu,
- le pays de résidence,
- et pour ceux d'entre eux* qui vont vers les Etats-Unis, leur adresse de destination.
* sauf les citoyens américains et les possesseurs d'une carte verte.
Air France signale encore que les clients concernés sont invités, lors d'une nouvelle réservation, à fournir les informations requises par les autorités américaines, et/ou à contacter tout point de vente afin de compléter ou modifier leur dossier de réservation déjà créé.

SEATTLE, December 13, 2005 - The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Qantas announced today that the airline has selected the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and plans to buy up to 115 787s for renewal and expansion of its long-haul fleet.
Boeing and Qantas are finalizing an agreement that will include orders for 45 Dreamliners, with 20 options plus purchase rights for an additional 50 airplanes. The announcement by Qantas is the largest to date for the Dreamliner in terms of the total package.

LOS ANGELES, December 12, 2005 - Darwin Airline based in Lugano, Switzerland has joined the EuropebyAir FlightPass program. The well-established EuropebyAir FlightPass program was founded in 1998, and is a unique product that combines the route structures of geographically dispersed airlines into a vast pan European network of over 177 destinations.

swITch to be merged with BIAC
On the first of January, 2006, the Brussels based airport ICT company swITch nv/sa will merge with BIAC nv/sa. The merger between both companies will result in simplified structures. Read more.

BERLIN, December 9 -- Today, Air Berlin announced it will increase capacity on its London Stansted-Hanover route from March 3rd 2006. The timing of expansion is planned to take advantage of CeBit, the biggest computer trade show in the world, which takes place in the German city. Hanover is Air Berlin's fastest growing destination and the airline expects to carry 850,000 passengers to and from the city, up from 630,000 in 2004. The city attracts primarily business travellers.
The move comes after Air Berlin began flying UK domestic services - from Glasgow and Manchester to the airline's Stansted hub - earlier this month. This has opened up Hanover and Air Berlin's other European connections to the Scottish and North West markets. Scheduling and baggage transfer service at the airline's Stansted hub, ensure fast transfer times.

SEATTLE, Dec. 8, 2005 -- The 10th Boeing 777 to be delivered to Vietnam Airlines concludes a test flight prior to delivery to Vietnam's flag carrier. The airplane is carrying a cargo of textbooks collected by Seattle University students and staff for donation to Vietnam National University.

Le Commandant Charles Boutry nommé Directeur de l’Armement SeaFrance Eudes Riblier, Président du Directoire de SeaFrance, a nommé le Commandant Charles Boutry, Directeur de l’Armement. Il remplace le Commandant Pierre Jean qui prend sa retraite. Charles Boutry est entré chez SeaFrance en 1999 comme Lieutenant. Promu Second capitaine, il a suivi pendant un an la construction du SeaFrance Rodin en Finlande. Il a ensuite été affecté en qualité de Commandant sur le SeaFrance Cézanne. Depuis janvier 2005, il occupait le poste d’adjoint au Directeur de l’Armement. Diplômé de l’Ecole de la Marine Marchande du Havre, Charles Boutry est âgé de 32 ans et père de 2 enfants.

Costa Crociere Signs An Agreement With An Indian University To Train Shipboard Cooks
New partnership between the Italian company and the Indian Academy of Catering Technology & Culinary Arts in Hyderabad to hold two shipboard chef training courses.
In 2006 Costa Crociere will hire about 75 students who successfully completed the courses to work on board. Read more.

World Championships in Ice-Hockey will take place in Riga from 5-21 May, 2006
May, 2006 is absolutely reserved for the World Championships in Riga. All restaurants, hotels and shops are preparing for this international event when teams their fans, journalists from at least 16 countries will come to Riga for this special event. The games will be held in two halls - a newly built multifunctional hall "Latvija" and in "Skonto" hall.

De Malta Tourism Authority heeft TMC (Travel Marketing Company) aangesteld als representatiekantoor voor de Benelux. TMC zal als full service tourist office door middel van PR, sales en marketing Malta onder de aandacht van travel trade en de consument gaan brengen, met als doel het imago van de eilandengroep te versterken en uit te bouwen en het aantal bezoekers te vergroten. Malta staat bekend als een diverse vakantiebestemming met een enorm cultureel erfgoed en zeer gastvrije bevolking.

Award 'Site van het Jaar': top 30 voor West-Vlaamse toeristische en recreatieve websites
De officiële toeristische portaalsite voor de Kust heeft zopas in de prestigieuze award 'Site van het jaar 2005' van Clickx Magazine de 26ste plaats behaald in de top 100. Hiermee is www.dekust.org de beste toeristische website. Ook de nieuwe website www.fietsen-wandelen.be van Westtoer behaalde een uitstekend resultaat met de 28ste plaats.

The last newsletter for the Languedoc-Roussillon region is now on line on: http://www.sunfrance.com/newsletter/index.php3?id_gmenu=11159&code_menu=december&langue=en
Languedoc-Roussillon with its extraordinary climate of over 300 days of sunshine per year and with its variety offers a privileged place for those who want to get out of the beaten track for a long week end.


Nouvelles d'Allemagne
Sur les traces des Romains à Mayence
Bienvenue en Allemagne en hiver
Mariage sur un siège papal
La « Diemelsteig », nouveau circuit de randonnée
La Coupe du Monde se déroule aussi à Gelsenkirchen
En savoir plus

Luxembourg et Grande Région, Capitale européenne de la Culture 2007
L’envol d’un cerf bleu – Etat des lieux à J-365
À très exactement 365 jours de l’ouverture officielle de Luxembourg et Grande Région, Capitale européenne de la Culture 2007, la Coordination Générale propose une présentation exhaustive de son avant programme. En savoir plus.

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that visits abroad by UK residents rose by 3 per cent during the 12 months ending October 2005, from 63.8 million to 66.0 million. Over this period, visits to Western Europe remained broadly the same (at 49.8 million), to North America by 6 per cent (to 5.0 million) and to other parts of the world by 19 per cent (to 11.3 million).
In the same 12-month period, visits by overseas residents to the UK rose by 10 per cent, from 27.2 million to 30.0 million. Although visits from residents of North America showed a decrease of 2 per cent (to 4.3 million), there was an increase in visits from residents of Western Europe of 11 per cent (to 19.5 million), and from other parts of the world of 17 per cent (to 6.2 million).

SINGAPORE, -- Raffles International has today signed a management contract with Gulsan Insaat, Sanayi, Turizm, Nakliyat ve Ticaret A.S., to manage a new hotel development in Ankara under the Swissôtel brand. The 150-room deluxe hotel will be named Swissôtel Ankara and is scheduled to open in April 2006.

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group, today signed an agreement with TriGránit Development Corporation to manage the Shangri-La Resort and Spa, Seychelles, opening 2007.
The luxury resort will occupy its own private island the nine-hectare (23-acre) Long Island off the coast of Mahe in Northeast Seychelles.
Shangri-La Resort and Spa will be 25 minutes from the airport and 10 minutes by boat to the capital city of Victoria.

ARTEH® - Hotels and Resorts amongst the greatest Hotel Chains Worldwide
Lisbon, December the 8th, 2005 - According to Alexa - www.alexa.com - an Amazon.com Company, the hotel chain ARTEH® - Hotels and Resorts is today one of the most sought after Hotel Chains worldwide. Read more.

Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau (SCIB)
c/o Switzerland Tourism
P.O. Box 1600 - 1000 Brussels - Phone: +32 (0)2 345 83 57 - Fax: +32 (0)2 345 35 52
scib.benelux@switzerland.com
MySwitzerland.com/mice


Are you planning a congress in Switzerland?
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Prices:
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For more information: www.swiss.com

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Costa Cruises and Sabre Travel Network, a Sabre Holdings business, today announced that all Costa cruise programs are now available for sale through the Sabre system. With Sabre CruiseDirector, travel agents in the U.S. will now be able to book Costa's signature "Italian Style" cruises aboard its fleet of ten ships for sailings in the Caribbean, Europe and Transatlantic efficiently and effectively 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

Amadeus: proven best technology for online low-fare search
Vilvoorde, Belgium, 14 December 2005: Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, today announced the results of a study into the effectiveness of a number of low-fare search tools. Data for the study was gathered using world leading online fare analysis technology and services provided by an independent third party, SITA. The study found that online travel agencies using Amadeus technology were much more likely to find the lowest fares for their customers. Read more.

Amadeus Benelux expands cruise distribution with Norwegian Cruise Lines, Seabourn Cruise Lines and Cunard.
Vilvoorde, Belgium, 12 December 2005: Travel agents authorized by Norwegian Cruise Lines, Seabourn Cruise Lines and Cunard can now book their cruises through the Amadeus Cruise Reservation application, offering their customers larger cruise content and will have:... Read more.

FABERGE
Juwelier van de Romanovs
ING België organiseert in het kader van het Festival europalia.russia de eerste tentoonstelling over Carl Fabergé ooit in België gehouden. Ze is toegankelijk tot 5 februari 2006 in het ING Cultuurcentrum, Koningsplein 6 te Brussel. Er werden al meermaals tentoonstellingen over Fabergé in het buitenland georganiseerd, maar het is in Brussel dat Rusland voor het eerst zoveel meesterwerken van deze juwelier toont. Sinds de Revolutie werden ze in nationale en provinciale musea bewaard. Lees meer.