SAWAH ONLINE blog

radar: Sharjah, UAE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 15:48:00 +0000

Sharjah wants to shake things up. But first an introduction may be in order. The world knows the Emirates brand name largely because it is seen daily, emblazoned in red letters, on a fleet of globe-girdling luxury airliners coursing to and from Dubai. But there is much more to United Arab Emirates beyond Dubai’s formidable 24-hour air hub. Sharjah, the often quiet but third-largest of seven UAE members, is inviting new attention, starting with a blue-ribbon trade and tourism mission to the United States in September and October. Even seasoned globetrotters may have overlooked Sharjah until now. Situated near Dubai on the peninsula that juts north into the Strait of Hormuz, Sharjah is the only emirate with shoreline on both the Persian Gulf, to the west, and the eastward Indian Ocean. It styles itself the “cultural capital and industrial hub of the UAE,” with some justification; Sharjah’s economy is based on chemicals and plastics manufacturing, mining, and financial services as well as oil and gas. (In fact, Sharjah has exported oil only since 1974.) Economic growth is robust at more than 13% per annum through most of the last decade. The 800,000 citizens are remarkably productive and well-educated – the national literacy rate is 92 percent, above both UAE and global averages. Sharjah was the first UAE member to educate women, and the University of Sharjah attracts more than 10,000 students from across the UAE and the Arab world. The UAE is the United States’ largest trading partner, taking in $22.5 billion in US exports in 2012. “The United Arab Emirates has truly emerged as a global crossroads,” said US Ambassador to the UAE Michael Corbin, “fueled by the country’s transportation links, world-class tourist facilities, and the energy of its entrepreneurship.” Still, however, there’s a sense that Sharjah’s own story has gone largely untold overseas, and that many American business interests have yet to assess this well-situated base for operations in the Middle East and North Africa. The current trade mission to Washington, D.C. and New York marks a new, explicit attempt to carve a unique identity for Sharjah within the UAE, and a direct appeal to US interests to consider the merits of Sharjah in particular. It’s a direct awareness tactic similar to those used by entrepreneurially-minded American states like Alabama and South Carolina to woo European auto factories. The mission is led by Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, of Sharjah’s royal family; Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority; and Ameera BinKaram, President of the Executive Committee of the Sharjah Business Women Council. “It may surprise Americans that women are playing a big role in Sharjah’s economic resurgence,” said BinKaram. “We invite our friends in America to come to Sharjah, set aside any preconceptions, and discover for themselves all that Sharjah has to offer.” How does Sharjah distinguish itself from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the best-known UAE states? Mission leaders emphasize Sharjah’s ready, qualified workforce and quantitative economic advantages for investors, including tax-friendly economic free zones and lower capital requirements and customs duties. Then there’s a cultural dimension largely undiscovered by the West. A visitor expecting another futuristic needle-spiked Middle Eastern skyline will find plenty of modernity in Sharjah City, but the real estate’s been settled for 5,000 years and antiquities abound. Heritage areas are well-preserved and open for inspection. In the context of history, Sharjah’s 16th century Portuguese forts are a comparatively recent landscape feature. Industrious, ambitious, welcoming, simultaneously modern and ancient: this is the Sharjah most Westerners have yet to discover. Perhaps it is high time. If this fall’s trade delegation to US media centers inspires even a few Americans to Google Sharjah, scan the skyline, admire the beaches, and weigh the benefits of investing, selling or working there, it will have begun to fulfill its mission – and Sharjah’s potential. )

اخر الاخبار

experiences working with the wrong online

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 14:51:00 +0000

As many hoteliers have learned through past negative experiences

working with the wrong online marketing companies, hotels need to exercise caution in selecting an online marketing partner. Every online marketing vendor operates differently, but being able to spot the warning signs of a bad partnership before you sign on the dotted line can save you a lot of headaches in the end. Here are 7 warning signs that your hotel may be working with the wrong marketing agency: Lack of Transparency - Avoid vendors who fail to disclose how much time they commit to your account each month and don't provide details regarding the actual tasks they are performing. We're in the service industry, and we are providing our time and that must be budgeted each month. I can't tell you how many times I've spoken with a potential client who is comparing us to a competitor and they say, "Well they're providing the same services, but their cost is $200 per month." The response that is immediately triggered in my mind is: "Really!?! Hmmm. Something doesn't add up. How it is possible that my competitor is providing the exact same services each month yet can execute the services in a fourth of the time Blue Magnet is budgeting?" I've been in the marketing business a long time and I will tell you that for $200/month, they are not putting in the hours necessary for your hotel to be successful in any one online marketing channel (SEO, social, website management, etc), let alone a campaign that focuses on all channels. The bottom line is that this stuff takes time and there is NO automated system that completes all these tasks at a push of a button. Spread Too Thin - Avoid vendors that assign you to an account manager who services 15+ other hotels. Unless the account manager is providing an extremely focused level of services for 15+ hotels (i.e. just link building), there is no way your campaign is going to receive the level of dedication needed for success. My advice is to ask your potential vendor if you will have a dedicated account manager and how many accounts each manager handles at any given time. Proprietary Content Management Systems - Avoid vendors that box you into a proprietary content management system. Most likely you will need a scalable and transferable solution. Over time, the needs of your organization will change, and potentially so could your online marketing vendor. If your website is powered by a proprietary CMS, should you need to transition to a new vendor or bring website management in-house, you will likely have torebuild your entire website since you will be extremely limited in the content, aesthetic, and SEO updates that you can make on the proprietary CMS. Stick with open source CMS solutions like Joomla, Drupal, or Wordpress instead--they're flexible and can be migrated anywhere you decide to move your business. Expensive Website Hosting Fees - Be careful with vendors that charge you $200+ for their in-house hosting solution. Instead, ask your marketing agency to consider using a 3rd party hosting provider which could cost as little as $10-$50/month depending on your needs. In most cases your hotel website will only require basic hosting services. For $10-$50/month, this cost includes all the server maintenance, account login, and customer service support that you need. More demanding sites will certainly require more powerful hosting needs, but many basic hotel websites can succeed with some of the more inexpensive options. Unrealistic Guarantees - Avoid vendors that guarantee first place organic rankings in the major search engines. There are no guarantees in SEO and any company that offers them is likely using spammy/black-hat SEO tactics that will hurt your site's search engine ranking in the long run. While Blue Magnet has years of experience understanding how a hotel website can gain high rankings on search engines, no vendor has ultimate control of how Google displays and ranks hotel websites. That will continue to be in the hands of Google. A reputable vendor will be upfront about the personalization of search and the constant changes that the search engines institute which will affect your rank. For this reason, your SEO strategy should not be a "set it and forget it" strategy. Success comes from consistent and continual focus on all aspects of SEO. Automation Only - It is true that there are many wonderful tools that hotel internet marketers use as a means to maximize the potential of our internet marketing campaigns and in some instances streamline/automate our efforts. This, however, in no way means that these tools remove the necessity of the human element in implementing successful hotel internet marketing campaigns. As I stated above, there are no tools that will successfully automate your entire online marketing campaign. Level of Service/Response Time - This doesn't take a lot of explanation. If it is taking your vendor 7+ days to respond to you, I wouldn't consider that a true partnership. Blue Magnet account managers typically respond same day or at least within 24 hours. More importantly, it is not all about your vendor waiting for you to contact them. I think it is important for a vendor to be proactive in their account management, which means that in more cases than not, the vendor is reaching out to you even when you have not made a request. Blue Magnet always ensures that our team is proactive in its management of your account, consistent in our communication with your hotel, and innovative in the way we test new marketing channels and strategies. Above all, a successful online marketing partnership should be mutually beneficial for both the hotel and the vendor. It is crucial that you choose a vendor that will become a long-term partner for you and your online marketing crusades. Turning over vendors frequently will only stall your success, as you look to build your campaign back up from where the old vendor left off. Looking for the right online marketing vendor is much like looking for the right life partner--you want someone who is honest and transparent, someone who makes time for you, and someone who always sticks to their word. When those conditions are met, the revenue will be sure to follow...and, of course, the love.

اخر الاخبار

resources and information Google+, please visit Google+.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 13:09:00 +0000

1 Google+ is a social media platform created by Google, which has many benefits for hoteliers—both in communicating with potential customers and increasing a property’s online visibility. While many people choose not to use Google+ when it initially launched in June 2011, 27% of worldwide Internet users are now active on the site - a number that continues to increase every month1. Today, Google+ is the second largest social networking site, so hotels who are not using Google+ could find that they are losing many bookings to the competition.

Find out more about the features of Google+ here.

Creating a profile

When creating your profile, ensure that you create a Google+ Business Profile, instead of a Google + profile, which is for personal use. Keep in mind that business profiles require the administrator to have a personal profile in order to manage the page but your personal details will not be shared publically on the Business Profile page. If you choose to become your property’s Business Page administrator, your business profile will be linked to your personal profile, making it easy to switch back and forth. You can always add or remove additional administrators to your page whenever necessary.

The first step in creating your profile is to select ‘Local Business or Place’, which will allow you to show a physical address of your property. Selecting this category will also show your Google+ Page on Google Maps, making it easy for customers to find you when doing a Google search. If Google is unable to find your address automatically when you are creating your profile, just click ‘Add your business to Google.’ From there, you will be able to add the basic contact information about your business.

After you’ve registered your business, you can begin to add information and images to make your page reflect your property’s brand. By adding your property’s tagline, you are letting the world know who your business is. In addition, adding a photo of your property will make you more recognizable to your customers and entice them to come visit.

Now that you are recognizable on Google+, it’s time to start engaging with your customers. Other Google+ users can only see your posts in their newsfeeds if they have added you into their circle, meaning that you must take the time to develop your network or else your posts will go unnoticed by other Google+ users. Using relevant hashtags will also help you show up in searches and be discovered by users. To maximize your online presence, always cross-promote your social media profiles by asking your followers on other sites to add you to their Google+ circle. Always include your Google+ profile info/link on your property’s website as well. Friends in your Google+ circle can be divided into segments based on demographic info (including gender, geographic location and special interests) that can be useful for marketing your property – as you can tailor your messages to each specific demographic or all of them for each post.

Now, let’s look at some of the benefits this channel offers for hoteliers:

Public Recommendations

People using Google+ or Google search can find your posts by looking for hashtags or using Google’s search engine itself. If your posts are publicly shared or given a “+1”, they will be shown to people connected to whomever originally shared or gave the post a “+1”. Therefore, the more interesting your post is and the more engagement that it creates, the more people will be able to see your post.

Create Meaningful Conversation

Google+ allows you to write longer and more meaningful posts, which is useful for encouraging interaction and increasing engagement. Ask questions, respond to your friends’ answers and, as always, share the most beautiful photos of your property and destination. Creating conversations will give your followers more insight into your property’s “personality” and will make your consumers feel more engaged and loyal to your brand – a first step increasing your bookings.

Build Credibility by Interacting with Top Industry Influencers

Google+ will help you create relationships with industry influencers—people who have a strong online following and whose opinion has the most potential influence on their followers to take action. Building relationships with these experts will extend your reach and visibility online drastically. An endorsement from a popular industry influencer on Google+ will build credibility for your property and will inspire trust in the minds of potential customers.

As you can see, Google+ is a fantastic tool for hoteliers to maintain your competitive advantage, earning you additional bookings, ADR and RevPAR. So have you joined Google+ yet?

For additional resources and information Google+, please visit Google+.

Not delegating kills your business in several ways

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:52:00 +0000

lisen the artical writen by ahmed korra
Audio recording software >>

اخر الاخبار

start planning your next trip

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:43:00 +0000

اخر الاخبار

Record and upload voice >>

memorable ‘touches

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:31:00 +0000

Audio recording >>

اخر الاخبار

what about Service Appreciated?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:25:00 +0000

Audio recording software >>

اخر الاخبار

Tourism Exchange between Thailand and Kyushu

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 May 2013 18:48:00 +0000

ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation, the Symposium on Mutual Tourism Exchange between Thailand and Kyushu was held in Fukuoka on May 8. Participants included representatives of Kyushu’s tourist businesses and Thai government officials. Led by Mr. Thanatip Upatising, Thai Ambassador to Japan, and Mr. Suraphon Svetasreni, Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Thai side met with the Japanese delegates to map out a plan to increase two-way tourist traffic. Though Thailand received 1.3 million Japanese visitors in 2012, only 10% of that total came from Kyushu. Conversely, of the more than 260,000 Thais who visited Japan last year, about 8% went to Kyushu, most having made cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto their holiday destinations. The symposium focused on enhancing bilateral Thai-Japanese relations at the national level, then examined channels to improve marketing activities to increase two-way traffic. Over 500 Japanese representatives of Kyushu’s tourism industry participated, including the local government leaders of Fukuoka Prefecture and executives of Japan’s Transport Bureau and Japan Railway. The event highlighted the need for active involvement of the Thai and Japanese governments in facilitating travel between Kyushu and Thailand. Marketing routes considered were more frequent media and travel agent familiarization trips and better exposure in each country’s travel shows. In 2012, Japanese tourists to Thailand totalled 1,371,253, an increase of 21.58 percent. In Jan - Apr 2013, Japanese arrivals totalled 520,415, up 19.16% over the same period of last year. In 2013, TAT is expecting 1.42 million Japanese visitors, generating an estimated 55,690 million baht in tourism revenue. Japan is Thailand’s largest trading partner, while Thailand is Japan’s sixth largest trading partner. In terms of investment, Japan is the largest group of investors in Thailand, with investment value of 312 billion baht, accounting for 63 percent of the total foreign direct investment in Thailand. There are about 7,000 Japanese companies operating in Thailand.

اخر الاخبار

Carlson-Rezidor boosts APac portfolio in Q1, 2013.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 May 2013 17:13:00 +0000

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group kicks off the second quarter of the year with the signing of Radisson Blu Zhengzhou Huiji, China, after a strong first quarter, which saw the opening of two new hotels and the addition of three hotels to its pipeline in Asia Pacific. Another significant success is a joint venture to establish a network of 20 Radisson and Park Inn by Radisson hotels in Indonesia. As of today, Carlson Rezidor has a total of 163 hotels in operations and under development in Asia Pacific. “Carlson Rezidor is achieving steady growth in Asia Pacific, especially in high-growth markets like China, India and Indonesia. We have opened 35 new hotels and added 48 hotels to our pipeline over the last two years. We have had a strong start in 2013 and will carry that momentum into the rest of the year. Apart from two new hotel openings in Mumbai and Davao, we are expecting to add 13 more hotels before the end of the year, bringing our operating portfolio to 101 in Asia Pacific. The joint venture agreement with Indonesia’s Panorama Group will significantly boost our portfolio growth in this region as well as accelerate our development in Indonesia, which is rapidly growing to become one of the world’s largest economies,” said Simon C. Barlow, president, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group. New Deals Radisson Blu Zhengzhou Huiji is a 300-key hotel in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province in central China. The hotel is located close to Henan Huiji Economic Development Zone, Zhengzhou Information Creative Industrial Park and has easy access to Zhengzhou International Exhibition and Convention Centre as well as Zhengzhou High and New Technology Industry Development. Owned by Zhengzhou Mao Feng Real Estate Co. Ltd., the hotel is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2014. Park Inn by Radisson Mohali is a 160-key hotel located close to the upcoming business hub of Chandigarh and Mohali. Park Inn by Radisson Gurgaon Sector 88 is a 200-key hotel located near the business hub of Gurgaon. These hotels are the result of the Joint Venture between Carlson Rezidor and Bestech Hospitalities Pvt Ltd (Bestech), which formed a strategic partnership in 2012 to develop 49 Park Inn by Radisson hotels in central and north India by 2024. Park Inn by Radisson Mohali and Park Inn by Radisson Gurgaon Sector 88 are expected to open in the second quarter of 2016. Park Inn by Radisson Bhiwadi is a 100-key hotel, located in the city of Bhiwadi. Bhiwadi, an upcoming industrial town within the Delhi NCR region, is 75km from the city center of New Delhi and is also known as the gateway to Rajasthan. Owned by EOS Hospitality Pvt. Ltd, the hotel is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2015. In addition, Carlson Rezidor also signed a joint venture agreement in February with Indonesia’s Panorama Group to develop 20 Radisson and Park Inn by Radisson hotels in Indonesia over the next seven years. These hotels will be located in top tier Indonesian cities including Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya and Yogyakarta, as well as emerging cities such as Manado, Makassar, Palembang and Medan. New Hotel Openings Park Inn by Radisson Davao is a 204-room hotel in Mindanao, Philippines. The hotel is located next to SMX Convention Centre and SM Lanang Premier Mall, and is close to the airport, the city center and major tourist attractions. Owned by the SM Group, the hotel opened in March 2013. Park Inn by Radisson Davao bears the distinction of being the first Next Generation Park Inn by Radisson hotel in the region. Country Inns & Suites By Carlson Navi Mumbai is a 94-room hotel located in the commercial and business district of Mahape, in the city of Navi Mumbai, which is known as the twin city of Mumbai and which is also one of the biggest planned cities in the world. The hotel, opened in March 2013, is owned by Lotus Pond Hotel Pvt. Ltd.

اخر الاخبار

the world’s largest vacations rental site,

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

HomeAway’s expansion has largely been driven by acquisitions. Yeoh Siew Hoon catches up with Carl Shepherd, co-founder & chief strategy and development officer of the world’s largest vacations rental site, to find out more about its plans for Asia.

Q: What’s the state of the overall vacation rental market in the US and Europe currently? What kind of growth is it seeing?

The vacation rental industry primarily consists of second-home owners and small vacation rental management companies (overseeing 10 or fewer properties). As evident by HomeAway’s year-over-year paid listing increase of 11% and the 22.1% increase in website visits, the market continues to grow. However, awareness remains the biggest obstacle to consideration among travelers.

Q: Where is demand coming from and what kind of content is most in demand?

The typical owner on HomeAway is generally married and over 46 years old (a “baby boomer”). The traveler booking a vacation rental is typically female, age 45-64, with 1 to 2 children and they are booking, on average, a weeklong stay at a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom rental for approximately US$1,500. Currently we have more demand than supply for destinations in South-east Asia. Demand for select cities follows the profile one would find for international travel from Europe and the US: the best known destinations attract the most interest.

Q: Can you also share content split – in US, Europe, Asia?

We don’t disclose the content percentages by region because travel is a global industry; a property in England is equally attractive to an American, German, or Brazilian if that family is traveling to the UK. As a proxy, we can note that about 40% of our revenue originates outside the United States, although this metric can be impacted by swings in the exchange rates from time to time. Revenues from Asia would be a small percentage, as we are only now beginning our work in those markets.

Q: What are HomeAway’s plans for Asia, other than opening an office in Bangkok?

HomeAway’s mission is to make every holiday rental in the world available to every potential holiday rental traveler in the world. As such, our first goal for our Asia operation is to generate supply for the more than 44 million monthly visitors to our website, and to have high quality options for them when they want to travel to South-east Asia.

As for the office in Bangkok, the initial team is sales based: charged with finding the best vacation rental supply and to generate high quality listings for distribution to the US, EU, SA and Oceania. We also plan to partner with the nascent but growing STR industry in Asia, and have already found a productive relationship with travelmob.

We are also pleased with our partnership with Tujia in China. We are already seeing bookings by Chinese into homes in South-east Asia, the US and Europe, and we look forward to having Tujia’s inventory on HomeAway. (It has also signed a partnership agreement with Tripvillas, which gives it access to more than 2,000 holiday homes across APAC.)

Q: What’s the over-riding vision for HomeAway in Asia – to take vacation rentals mainstream? How would you define that, and how long would this take?

HomeAway’s over-riding vision is global and it is that vacation rentals supplant hotels as the preferred choice for family and group travel worldwide. With this lofty vision comes the understanding it will take the vision will take years to achieve.

Q: How do you intend to tackle the cultural issue that generally, people in Asia don’t like to stay in people’s homes or that they don’t like other people to stay in their homes?

We are not sure that the cultural issue is as firmly rooted as one might have supposed even two years ago; the recent success of companies like travelmob, tujia, and roomarama, and even to some extent Airbnb are proving that Asians grasp the concept. Additionally, there is already a great deal of inventory managed by professional managers in SE Asian travel markets. Over time, we will need to drive demand from inside the region, but we have many options for serving internal Asian demand for Asian properties, as our partnership with travelmob illustrates.

Q: Do you think the market needs education – in terms of what vacation rental is and how different is this from social stay sites such as AirBnb, 9flats or wimdu?

Yes, there is a great opportunity to increase awareness about vacation rentals through education, but education needs are different based on the market. For example; in the US the need focuses around building awareness around the industry and highlighting the benefits of vacation rentals for families and groups that have never stayed in a vacation rental before, or at least don’t realize they have.

Media and those less familiar with HomeAway’s business will sometimes mistakenly identify AirBnB (and their clones) as direct competition. However, the businesses are actually very different. HomeAway’s inventory is second homes in vacation markets whereas the aforementioned companies’ inventory are primary homes located in major metropolitan areas. Plus HomeAway’s primary customers are not individuals searching for a hotel replacement for a weekend, but instead are families and groups, with an average stay of seven days.

Overall, vacation rentals are not commonly thought of when travelers consider their lodging options. A recent PhoCusWright survey of the industry cites awareness as the biggest barrier to growth of the industry. We recognize that the process is further along in the US and EU, but our experience in markets like Brazil illustrates when the option is made available, the public responds to the value, space, and privacy afforded by vacation rentals.

Q: What are the challenges you think you will face coming into Asia?

We very much respect the cultural differences, and believe this challenge is particularly acute in Asia. Americans, Europeans, Australians and South Americans share a core cultural background, and there is no doubt that this commonality has lowered the hurdles in establishing growing businesses in those countries. We feel that finding the right partners and the right management team will be our best defense against being perceived as clueless Americans.

The next known challenge is building demand within Asia. As you note, there is not a culture of traveling this way, so that demand may take a while to build. However, history shows that Asians are fast to adopt new business models on the internet, so we don’t view this as a long term challenge.

Q: You mentioned you’ve done 16 acquisitions since start-up, so Homeaway is an acquisition story.

It’s true that in our early years, HomeAway acquired local market leaders in markets where the vacation/holiday rental industry was well established. Like any other online marketplace, the goal was to develop the largest possible network of buyers and sellers in the shortest amount of time.

In more recent years we have focused on building out a common infrastructure and technology platform that can scale to new geographies. This has resulted in the creation of the world’s leading marketplace for holiday rentals. We are only just beginning to make this inventory available to Asian travelers and property owners, but the combination of the worldwide network and a scalable platform will ultimately benefit our Asian customers.

Q: Why didn’t you just acquire Tujia then instead of just taking an investment?

We believe that the unique political and cultural environment in China is best served by a local team, creating a local product, matching local laws and customs. We believe that American companies trying to “become Chinese” is a failed concept, and we find partnering with Tujia to be far more consistent with our mission.

Q: So acquisitions would be a natural way to grow in Asia?

We are constantly evaluating acquisition opportunities, and companies in Asia are no different in that regard. Our business model generates significant free cash flow and enables us to react accordingly when opportunities arise.ر

British Airways jet makes emergency landing at Heathrow

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 May 2013 16:44:00 +0000

, England - A British Airways plane with 75 passenLONDO Ngers on board made an emergency landing at Heathrow airport today after one of its engines caught fire. Eye-witnesses reported seeing a fire in the right-hand engine of the Airbus 319 as it was forced to land just minutes after it took off at 8.17am bound for Norway’s capital Oslo. Residents on the Heathrow flight path said there was an "almighty blow-out" from the aircraft as it flew at just a few thousand feet above them. BA said the jet, which is now being examined by investigators, had developed a "technical fault". Suggestions that it was grounded by a bird strike will form part of the investigation. Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft, BA flight 762, using emergency slides and up to 10 fire crews raced to extinguish the flames. At least three passengers were treated by ambulance crews for minor injuries. The emergency landing forced the closure of both runways for half an hour, as incoming flights were diverted to other airports in the South-East and many others were cancelled. Clive Cook, who lives on the flightpath, said: "The actual engine itself was on fire. This plane was coming over and suddenly the tone of its engine changed dramatically. I’d almost say it sounded as if it was like a blow-out or an explosion." Another eye witness, an armed forces member calling himself only Aiden, said he saw smoke "swirl off the wing tip" as he drove near the airport. He added: "The plane was coming right over my head and I had to brake because when I saw the starboard engine it was all blackened. "The reverse thrusters, the flaps on the side of the carriage were open. The port engine was all clean and normal. The starboard one was all flames inside and fully blackened." A third eyewitness, named only as Jamie, was working in his garden near Stamford Bridge in Chelsea. He said: "All of a sudden we heard this almighty noise. We could see the right engine on fire — it was horrendous. You don’t see things like that every day. "Your thoughts are with the people. If we could hear it that badly then what were the passengers going through?" The stricken aircraft had taken off on the southern runway but performed an emergency U-turn on to the northern runway, which remained closed today as it was blocked by the jet. Passengers faced severe delays as the airport operated both arrivals and departures with only one runway — effectively running at half capacity. The drama happened on a very busy day for Heathrow as about 100,000 travellers pass through it for the start of the bank holiday getaway. BA will be carrying more than 463,000 customers over the entire bank holiday weekend, with 128,000 travelling tomorrow and another 116,000 flying on Monday. The inquiry will be carried out by BA, the Air Accident Investigation Board and the Civil Aviation Authority.

اخر الاخبار

TSA US SKI SAFER

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:06:00 +0000

What we need TSA for? Nearly 12 years after helping to create the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Rep. John Mica, urged Orlando International Airport officials Tuesday to dump the agency in favor of private contractors. "We probably can do more with less in the private sector and provide better service to the people of Orlando," Mica, R-Winter Park, told an airport committee considering whether to bring in a company that would screen passengers before they board. As the chairman of Congressional aviation subcommittee after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, Mica was instrumental in drafting and passing the legislation that created the TSA. Mica said his intent was to make the sky safer, not create an agency that he contends is bloated and overly bureaucratic. He predicted contractors would be more efficient in staffing, which he said would shorten the time passengers spending waiting in security lines. Before TSA, the airlines were responsible for ensuring passengers did not bring weapons or contraband on planes. Jerry Henderson, TSA's director in Orlando, was supposed to appear before the airport panel Tuesday, but he canceled. Dean Asher, who chairs the TSA services committee, said "some things happening on the national level" made Henderson unavailable. A TSA spokeswoman declined comment on why Henderson did not attend. In his stead, Henderson sent a two-page letter defending the agency. In 2011, he wrote, TSA officers confiscated almost 18,000 prohibited items, not including liquids, and referred 481 passengers to law enforcement, resulting in 57 arrests. He also noted that 95 percent of passengers surveyed during spring break said they satisfied with their TSA experience, down 3 percent from 2010. Asher said no decisions have been made about TSA by the 10-person panel. A recommendation to the seven-member airport board of directors would be made in September, he said. If Orlando International decides to hire private contractors, they still would be supervised by TSA and operate under federal rules.

اخر الاخبار

LGBT survey (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender).

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:01:00 +0000

US Gay and lesbian hotel guests spend an average 57 per cent more on their travels than their heterosexual counterparts. That is the result of the latest survey by Community Marketing Inc., a partner of ITB Berlin. Rika Jean-Francois, ITB Berlin’s CSR officer and member of the board of the International Gay & Travel Association (IGLTA) presented the findings at the ITB Berlin Convention and at the recently held strategy conference of Wien Tourismus in Vienna. Late last year, in a survey conducted in the USA by Community Marketing Inc., 5,700 interviewees were asked about their travel habits. According to the survey, it is not only hotels but entire destinations that benefit from LGBT travellers (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender). Sunshine and relaxation the main reasons for holidaying

اخر الاخبار

Boeing to make fixes to the battery system of the 787

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 20:49:00 +0000

EVERETT, Wash. - The Federal Aviation Administration today cleared Boeing to make fixes to the battery system of the 787 Dreamliner. Today's approval clears the way for Boeing and its customers to install the approved modifications and will lead to a return to service and resumption of new production deliveries. "FAA approval clears the way for us and the airlines to begin the process of returning the 787 to flight with continued confidence in the safety and reliability of this game-changing new airplane," said Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney. "The promise of the 787 and the benefits it provides to airlines and their passengers remain fully intact as we take this important step forward with our customers and program partners." The FAA's action will permit the return to service of 787s in the United States upon installation of the improvements. For 787s based and modified outside the United States, local regulatory authorities provide the final approval on return to service. Approval of the improved 787 battery system was granted by the FAA after the agency conducted an extensive review of certification tests. The tests were designed to validate that individual components of the battery, as well as its integration with the charging system and a new enclosure, all performed as expected during normal operation and under failure conditions. Testing was conducted under the supervision of the FAA over a month-long period beginning in early March. "The FAA set a high bar for our team and our solution," said McNerney. "We appreciate the diligence, expertise and professionalism of the FAA's technical team and the leadership of FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood throughout this process. Our shared commitment with global regulators and our customers to safe, efficient and reliable airplanes has helped make air travel the safest form of transportation in the world today." Boeing, in collaboration with its supplier partners and in support of the investigations of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Japan Transport Safety Board, conducted extensive engineering analysis and testing to develop a thorough understanding of the factors that could have caused the 787's batteries to fail and overheat in two incidents last January. The team spent more than 100,000 hours developing test plans, building test rigs, conducting tests and analyzing the results to ensure the proposed solutions met all requirements. "Our team has worked tirelessly to develop a comprehensive solution that fully satisfies the FAA and its global counterparts, our customers and our own high standards for safety and reliability," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. "Through the skill and dedication of the Boeing team and our partners, we achieved that objective and made a great airplane even better." Boeing also engaged a team of more than a dozen battery experts from across multiple industries, government, academia and consumer safety to review and validate the company's assumptions, findings, proposed solution and test plan. The improved battery system includes design changes to both prevent and isolate a fault should it occur. In addition, improved production, operating and testing processes have been implemented. The new steel enclosure system is designed to keep any level of battery overheating from affecting the airplane or even being noticed by passengers. "This is a comprehensive and permanent solution with multiple layers of protection," said Conner. "The ultimate layer of protection is the new enclosure, which will ensure that even if a battery fails, there is no impact to the airplane and no possibility of fire. We have the right solution in hand, and we are ready to go. "We are all very grateful to our customers for their patience during the past several months," said Conner. "We know it hasn't been easy on them to have their 787s out of service and their deliveries delayed. We look forward to helping them get back into service as quickly as possible." Boeing has deployed teams to locations around the world to begin installing improved battery systems on 787s. Kits with the parts needed for the new battery systems are staged for shipment and new batteries also will be shipped immediately. Teams have been assigned to customer locations to install the new systems. Airplanes will be modified in approximately the order they were delivered. "The Boeing team is ready to help get our customers' 787s back in the air where they belong," said Conner. Boeing will also begin installing the changes on new airplanes at the company's two 787 final-assembly plants, with deliveries expected to resume in the weeks ahead. Despite the disruption in deliveries that began in January, Boeing expects to complete all planned 2013 deliveries by the end of the year. Boeing further expects that the 787 battery issue will have no significant impact to its 2013 financial guidance. Boeing 787 Dreamliner orders (by customer): All Nippon Airways launched the 787 Dreamliner program with an order for 50 aircraft in 2004. Currently, the carrier has the most orders for the airplane by an airline Customer 787-8 787-9 Total Orders GE RR Deliveries Aeroflot 22 22 Aeroméxico 2 6 8 2 Air Astana 3 3 * Air Berlin 15 15 * Air Canada 37 37 * Air China 15 15 * Air Europa 8 8 * Air France-KLM 25 25 Air India 27 27 * 6 Air New Zealand 10 10 * Air Niugini 1 1 * ALAFCO 8 8 * ALC 12 12 All Nippon Airways 36 30 66 55 17 American Airlines 12 30 42 * Arik Air 7 7 * Avianca 15 15 * Aviation Capital Group 5 5 Azerbaijan Airlines 2 2 * Biman Bangladesh Airlines 4 4 British Airways 8 16 24 * Business Jet / VIP Customer(s) 3 3 6 5 Camair-Co 2 2 * China Southern Airlines 10 10 * CIT Leasing Corporation 10 10 2 Delta Air Lines 18 18 Ethiopian Airlines 10 10 * 4 Etihad Airways 41 41 * Gulf Air 16 16 Hainan Airlines 10 10 * Icelandair 1 1 * ILFC 33 41 74 12 19 Japan Airlines 25 20 45 * 7 Jet Airways 10 10 Kenya Airways 9 9 * Korean Air 10 10 * LAN Airlines 22 4 26 * 3 Lion Air 5 5 * LOT Polish Airlines 8 8 * 2 Nakash 2 2 * Norwegian Air Shuttle 3 3 * Oman Air 6 6 PrivatAir 2 2 Qantas Group 14 14 Qatar Airways 30 30 5 Republic of Iraq 10 10 Royal Air Maroc 4 4 * Royal Jordanian 7 7 * Saudia 8 8 Scoot 20 20 Transaero Airlines 4 4 * Travel Service 1 1 TUI Travel 13 13 * Unidentified Customer(s) 7 17 24 5 5 United Airlines 36 14 50 25 6 Uzbekistan Airways 2 2 * Vietnam Airlines 8 8 Virgin Atlantic Airways 16 16 * Total

اخر الاخبار

Chinese FRA Web site

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:23:00 +0000

(Forimmediaterelease.net) Fraport AG has launched a Chinese version of its Frankfurt Airport Web site [ www.frankurt-airport.com ] to meet the special information needs of the growing number of passengers from China. This latest service follows other recent new offerings such as the FRA WebApp in Chinese and Shopping Assistants, airport service staff who give assistance in Mandarin Chinese. The new Chinese FRA Web site [ cn.frankurt-airport.com ] provides passengers flying to or from China with information and tips to make their stay at Germany’s biggest aviation hub as easy and comfortable as possible. Not simply a one-to-one version of the information existing on the German and English sites, the Chinese FRA Web site addresses the specific needs of Chinese passengers. Along with essential airport and travel topics, there is information about the diverse shopping and service facilities, the wide range of fashionable European and international brands, as well as details on how and where to obtain value-added tax refunds directly in the terminals at Frankfurt Airport. The Chinese aviation market, which is one of the fastest growing in the world, is particularly important for Frankfurt Airport. Germany is already the most popular destination in Western Europe for Chinese travelers. In 2012, Frankfurt Airport welcomed approximately one million passengers traveling on routes to and from China. With the help of the online Chinese FRA Web site, Fraport is expanding . Frankfurt’s role as a preferred international gateway for Chinese travelers and is further enhancing travel comfort and the “quality of stay” for the steadily rising number of passengers from China. When planning their next trip to Germany and Europe, Chinese passengers should remember the following key information sources in Mandarin: FRA’s Web site at: cn.frankurt-airport.com; and the FRA WebApp for mobile smartphones at: www.webapp.frankfurt-airport.cn . MEDIA CONTACT: Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide, Robert A. Payne, B.A.A. – International Spokesman and Head of International Press/PR & External Activities Team, Press Office (UKM-PS), Corporate Communications, 60547 Frankfurt, Germany; Tel.: +49 69.690.78547; E-mail: r.payne@fraport.de ; Internet: www.fraport.com ; www.airportcarbonaccreditation.org

اخر الاخبار

the 10th Routes Europe in 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:31:00 +0000

of Routes Europe 2015 April 18, 2013 in Events (Forimmediaterelease.net) It was announced today that Aberdeen City and Shire will host Routes Europe 2015. The announcement, which took place during a press conference at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), where the event will be held from April 12-14, 2015, was attended by Cllr. Barney Crockett, Leader of the Council, Aberdeen City Council; Dawn Schultz, City Promotions Manager Economic&Business Development, Aberdeen City Council; Cllr. Peter Argyle- Chair of the Infrastructure Services Committee Aberdeenshire Council; Brian Horsburgh, Managing Director, Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre; Maya Rousen, Project Manager, Scottish Enterprise; Martin Ritchie, Aviation Officer, Transport Scotland; Steve Harris, Chief Executive, VisitAberdeen; Shona Anderson, Regional Director, VisitScotland; David Stroud, Executive Vice President of Routes and Katie Bland, Future Hosts Director for Routes. Routes Europe is the region’s largest route development forum and enables the aviation industry’s decision makers from across Europe to examine air services, discuss new market opportunities and developments and get up to speed on potential new destinations. The announcement of Aberdeen as the Host destination for Routes Europe 2015 represents the culmination of a successful bid to host the event which was initiated by Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) in which all of the region’s key stakeholders were involved in supporting the proposal. These stakeholders include: Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association, Aberdeen City and Shire Economic Future, AECC, Aberdeen International Airport, National Trust for Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Travel Scotland, VisitAberdeen, VisitScotland Business Tourism Unit and VisitScotland. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The Scottish government is working to secure more direct international flights from Scotland and hosting events such Routes Europe supports this ambition. This event is a great opportunity to showcase the continuing strength of the economy of the Northeast and the dynamic nature of Aberdeen International Airport as one of the fastest growing airports in the UK. It is also an opportunity to showcase what Scotland as a whole has to offer airline operators, namely an ambitious, forward-looking country keen to do business with our international neighbours.” Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council's Infrastructure Services Committee, Peter Argyle, commented: “Bringing this significant tourism event to the Northeast is an excellent achievement, and another demonstration that local authorities and their partners are working hard to make the most of what the area has to offer. It is another chance to highlight to those in the travel trade and airline industry just what we have to offer in this area and try to secure even more of the global tourism market. We hope that one of the outcomes will be increased flights and routes to and from Aberdeen International Airport, with one of the major benefits being increased visitors to the region." “Aberdeen is one of the very few cities in Europe showing sustained year on year growth,” said Steve Harris, Chief Executive of VisitAberdeen, he continued: “To have 1000 of the European aviation industry’s most senior decision makers coming here, to see not only our vibrant economy but our historic city and fabulous countryside, is a wonderful opportunity. We will be able to demonstrate to airlines the business opportunities that links with Aberdeen could bring them and any new routes that we can gain as a result will benefit us all and further strengthen our industries.” Carol Benzie is the Airport’s Commercial Director. She said: “Securing Routes Europe in 2015 is a major achievement for everyone involved. The profile that this conference will bring to the region is hard to overstate. The event brings airlines and industry leaders from around the globe to the city and will ensure that the delegates get a chance to see what the wider region has to offer.” Ms. Benzie went on to say: “Our ability to host major events and showcase our area will be one of the key outcomes of Routes Europe in 2015, and will provide a lasting legacy within the industry. As a team, we are very much looking forward to playing our part in what will be a milestone event.” Council leader Barney Crockett said: “Routes Europe is quite simply the most prestigious and significant conference in its class. As the beating heart of Europe's oil and gas economy, Aberdeen has taken a big step forward onto the travel and tourism industry stage in attracting this huge travel event. Part of the attraction of the city has clearly been the Team Aberdeen approach, and I thank all of our partners. The airport plays a central role in our economy, and I believe the conference opens a way to extend Aberdeen's offer of air travel." Aberdeen is the gateway to Scotland’s castle and whisky country. Scotland’s Castle trail runs through the heart of Aberdeenshire, and the region is home to 13 of the world’s most unique castles. Aberdeen is also known as “the Granite City” named for its sparkling buildings, built from locally-quarried grey granite and elegant architecture. The city’s old town, Old Aberdeen, dates back to the 1400s and is home to the oldest granite cathedral in the world, St. Machar’s Cathedral. The city, which is home to around 250,000 inhabitants, is within 15 minutes of the stunning countryside which surrounds Aberdeen and is also the capital of the Grampian Highlands with the majestic Grampian Mountains dominating the skyline to the west and miles of unspoiled coastline to the east. “We are delighted to announce Aberdeen will be our host city forthat the 10th Routes Europe in 2015. Delegates will experience the economically vibrant region of the Northeast of Scotland and the myriad of business and leisure opportunities on offer,” commented David Stroud, Executive Vice President for Routes, who went on to say: “Aberdeen International Airport is already well connected across Europe and will allow easy access for delegates. Routes Europe has experienced substantial year on year growth, and the AECC will offer plenty of scope for further growth in 2015. The Aberdeen partners demonstrated a highly-unified and aligned approach in their bid to host the event, and we look forward to working with Team Aberdeen towards Routes Europe 2015 to further develop air service into ABZ.” Aberdeen provides a great example of the interconnection between air connectivity and economic growth. Aberdeen International Airport operates over 80 daily scheduled routes and recently went through a runway extension allowing for new international and national flights into the city. Over 60% of the airport’s passenger traffic is business traffic predominantly driven by the energy industry, and the airport also has one of the biggest commercial helicopter operations in the world, carrying over 500,000 passengers per year. Improving international air connectivity continues to be a key area for the development of Scotland’s globally-competitive business environment, and Routes Europe is an ideal opportunity for Scotland to showcase its economic development potential and the opportunities that exist for the development of new air links to Europe. With daily services to many regional destinations, such as London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt, Aberdeen International Airport provides the highest level of hub connectivity of any UK regional airport. MEDIA CONTACT: Victoria Jones, PR Executive, UBM Aviation Routes Limited, T: +44 (0) 161 234 2730, E: pr@routesonline.com

اخر الاخبار

IT&CM China 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:42:00 +0000

> SHANGHAI - IT&CM CHINA 2013 - REPORT: First day of show kicked off with certification courses and culminates in Opening Ceremony and Welcome Dinner. Meanwhile exhibitors and buyers were also briefed about the new on-site appointment scheduling format where delegates can schedule additional appointments during the Buyers-Meet-Sellers session today. SHANGHAI - IT&CM CHINA 2013 - REPORT: IT&CM China 2013 delegates and the rest of the world can now watch highlights of the event on Youku (China’s own video streaming site) as video clips of show are released daily beginning today, till the 19 April 2013. YouTube videos will be available after the event. “Thanks to technology, we are able to bring video highlights of the event from the day before, right to our delegates. These video dailies not only capture the essence of the key sessions that took place, but also give delegates or other industry professionals who are not present, a glimpse into what took place. Complementing the existing printed TTG Show Daily: IT&CM China 2013, this is our way of taking communication with our delegates and the industry to another level” said Mr. Darren Ng, Managing Director of TTG Asia Media. Videos for the 17 April 2013 can be viewed here. Key events taking place at the first day of IT&CM China include two established certification programmes: “Fundamentals of Business Travel Management Course – Associate Level” by Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) Academy for Corporate Travel Managers, and the “Association Professionals Competencies Briefing” by Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) and Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) for Association Executives. A total of 36 international and local participants are expected to attend both courses. “Our very own 3-day GBTA China Conference, which we have organised in conjunction with IT&CM China as part of the Shanghai Business Events Week, concludes today. Dovetailing the conference and the Certification Course provides tremendous value, allowing trade professionals that deal with Corporate Travel and MICE responsibilities, a convenient avenue in terms of location and dates, to attend both events” said Mr. Welf Ebeling, Regional Director of GBTA Asia. Mr. Simon Pryor, Principal Professional Learning and Certification Advisor of Australasian Society of Association Executives, shared “This year, the Association Professionals Competencies Briefing has targeted more domestic associations. Introducing an added facilitator Ryan Xia, Office and Finance Manager of Tenpin Bowling Association of Queensland - who has the experience of managing both international and Chinese associations will help participants relate better to the takeaways that he’ll be sharing”. Meanwhile exhibitors and buyers were also briefed about the new on-site appointment scheduling format where delegates can schedule additional appointments during the Buyers-Meet-Sellers session tomorrow. The successful implementation of the new Online Diary has allowed delegates to schedule up to 100% of their business appointments prior to the event. Finally, Kerry Hotel Pudong will play host to delegates at tonight’s Opening Ceremony and Welcome Dinner. Set in Shanghai’s largest pillarless ballroom, the highly anticipated performance “Peony Pavilion” is unquestionably the entertainment highlight of the evening. Being one of the first intangible cultural sites in China to have made it to UNESCO’s World Intangible Culture Heritage List, Peony Pavilion boasts of romantic story, poetic words, aesthetic expression, fabulous costumes, dreamlike performance, elaborative stage background as well as the mythical allure that never fails to make a deep impact on its audience. Performed by the greatly respected Kunqu Opera, the evening is set to impress with this exquisite classic literature. Delegates will also be treated to a specially brewed and bottled beer that has been prepared by the hotel exclusively in honour of this event. The Guest-of-Honour for the evening is Mr. Yang Jin Song, Vice-Chairman of Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration (SMTA).

اخر الاخبار

Aviation Day Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:19:00 +0000

. Some 6.7 million African jobs and nearly $68 billion in African GDP are supported by air transport. “The benefits of aviation connectivity go far beyond these figures. With a few kilometers of runway the most remote region can be connected to the global community. And that could mean access to vital sources of health care and emergency assistance; jobs selling products in global markets or welcoming tourists; or opportunities for education, exploring the world or creating business,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO. Tyler’s comments were made at the opening of IATA’s Aviation Day Africa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Safety Safety continues to be the biggest challenge for African aviation. In 2012 airlines averaged one hull loss for every five million flights on Western-built jet aircraft while the African average was one for every 270,000 flights. However, there were no Western-built jet hull-losses among the 380+ airlines on the registry of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), including 25 airlines in sub-Saharan Africa. “World-class safety is possible in Africa. The safety record of African carriers on the IOSA registry tells us that the key to this is integrating the best safety practices of the industry as captured in the IOSA standards. IATA is committed and actively engaged in helping to enhance African aviation’s safety performance to reach worldwide levels based on the African Strategic Improvement Action Plan,” said Tyler. IATA, the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and others cooperated to develop the African Strategic Improvement Action Plan, which is based on five objectives: Establishment of independent and sufficiently funded civil aviation authorities. Implementation of effective and transparent safety oversight systems by all African States. Completion of an IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) by all African carriers. Implementation of accident prevention measures focused on runway safety and loss of control in-flight. Implementation of Flight Data Analysis (FDA). Implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) by all service providers. These objectives garnered political support when they were incorporated in the Abuja declaration adopted by African Ministers for transport. This commits African aviation stakeholders -government and industry- to achieve a safety performance on par with the global average by the end of 2015. Early this year, it was endorsed by the African Union Summit-showing recognition of the importance of aviation safety at the very highest levels of government in the continent. IATA is focusing its efforts on getting more airlines onto the IOSA registry. “All of our members -including those in Africa- are already on the registry. But of course, safety is not only about IATA’s members or those of AFRAA. It is an industry issue,” said Tyler. In addition to a series of IOSA familiarization workshops with regulators and airlines, IATA announced sponsored in-house IOSA training for ten African airlines Tyler also reiterated IATA’s longstanding criticism of the European Union Air Safety List of banned airlines. “The European Union’s approach is wrong. It lacks transparency. And it does not improve safety” said Tyler. There are no transparent criteria for removing airlines from the banned list. “But, the overall safety improvements that we can expect from the commitment to mandate IOSA registration for all carriers will be a very strong argument for Europe to re-think its position,” said Tyler. Costs “The African industry cannot fulfill its potential if it continues to be weighed down by high costs,” said Tyler. IATA highlighted the need for governments to rein in the high costs of fuel and burdensome taxes and charges. Fuel taxes: Buying aviation fuel in Africa is about 21% more expensive than the global average as a result of heavy taxes, many of which are in contravention of ICAO principles. IATA is working with airlines in Africa on a campaign for compliance with global standards. Improvements have been realized in Angola, Uganda and Ghana. Tyler challenged Ethiopian officials to rectify excise taxes and required contributions to stabilization funds (subsidization of other fuel users) which are levied in contravention of ICAO principles. Taxation: Africa also suffers the impact of onerous direct taxes on tickets. “We see a combination of ‘solidarity’ taxes, tourism taxes, VAT, and infrastructure development fees, each of which reduces the ability of aviation to drive economic benefits and generate jobs. Governments must carefully weigh the income generated against lost economic opportunities. There should be a joined-up policy framework that is focused on the benefits of connectivity which would grow in a more favorable tax environment,” said Tyler. Liberalization “In Africa, connectivity is an issue. Getting around the continent is not easy. Aviation connectivity is a catalyst for economic growth. But those ties must be enabled by agreements among governments. There is outstanding potential for greater aviation connectivity among African states to drive development. The African Union’s objectives center on unity, and development—both economic and social. Aviation can be a key driver in achieving those goals. As the African Union celebrates its first half-century of success, there is no better way to look towards the future than with a vision for a continent that is connected and working together with safe, efficient, and abundant air links,” said Tyler. African issues will be debated in the full spotlight of the global aviation industry when the IATA Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit is held in Cape Town, South Africa from 2 to 4 June. Journalists are encouraged to register.

اخر الاخبار

UK is the emirate's best performing international guest market

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:22:00 +0000

Figures show 196,518 guests stayed in the emirate in February 2013, an increase of 7% on the same month in 2012, and delivered 676,445 guest nights - a 23% rise on the previous year. Figures released by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) show that the UK is the emirate's best performing international guest market. During February 2013 some 12,595 UK guests stayed in the emirate's 141 hotels and hotel apartments - a 10% rise on the same month in 2012. They accounted for 61,309 guest nights, an increase of 20% on the previous year. UK travellers visiting Abu Dhabi are also staying longer, with the average length of stay of UK visitors in February 2013 increasing by 9% to 4.45 nights. Overall, Abu Dhabi generated double digit growth in total guest nights, revenue, occupancy and average length of stay in February 2013. Figures show 196,518 guests stayed in the emirate in February 2013, an increase of 7% on the same month in 2012, and delivered 676,445 guest nights - a 23% rise on the previous year. The average length of stay climbed 15% during the month-on-month comparison to stand at 3.44 nights. February's performance means that in the first two months of 2013, Abu Dhabi is riding a 5% upturn in guest arrivals on year-to-date comparisons with 2012. Major events helped drive February's performance with the emirate hosting its annual Gourmet Abu Dhabi; a gastronomic extravaganza featuring a star-studded cast of Michelin-star chefs and special guests. The event includes master classes, industry insights from hospitality experts, and Chateau and gourmet dinners hosted by a range of the UAE capital's finest hotels. "The fundamentals show that people are staying longer in the emirate which demonstrates that our message of there now being so much more to see and do thanks to expanded resort, attractions and business events offerings is resonating well," said HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, TCA Abu Dhabi. "We are well placed to make a lasting and positive impression among the many industry leaders who will join us in Abu Dhabi this April for the World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit 2013. We will use this pre-eminent forum to make clear our ambitions and persuade these influencers that our time as a balanced leisure/business destination has come."

اخر الاخبار

Aviation is a catalyst for economic

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:49:00 +0000

Airlines from the Pacific along with some Asian carriers will lead the world in profit hikes in 2013, the global International Air Transport Association (IATA) revised forecast shows. Profit potential of Pacific-based airlines like Australia’s Virgin Blue and the Qantas group, Air New Zealand are unrivalled in the world when you merge the bottom lines for such Asian giants as Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Malaysian Airlines, Air China, China Southern, China Eastern and Japan Airlines. Together, the region will generate US$4.2 billion this year—surpassing the initial projected figure of US$3.2 billion and that of last year. Net profits, however, for the 240-member airlines of IATA could have been significantly higher this year if it were not for government impediments and soaring fuel prices. Speaking for 240 airlines in 115 countries, IATA member companies which carry 84% of the world’s air traffic, its chief executive anticipates profit levels for airlines in 2013 to be third largest since 2000. “It’s a small step in the right direction,” IATA’s Tony Tyler outlined in his latest figures. This year’s promising Pacific and Asian results will set the global airline industry’s net profit margin to 1.6%. “That tells you something about how difficult the airline business is.” It expects airlines globally to rake in US$10.6 billion in net profit, up from an earlier forecast of US$8.4 billion and substantially better than the US$7.6 billion achieved in 2012. Founded in 1945 by 57 member airlines, IATA now represents air passenger and cargo movements worth nearly $2.2 trillion annually. From the South Pacific region, Air Pacific, Air Vanuatu, Air Niugini, Air Tahiti Nui, AirCalin, Air Tahiti and Guam’s Continental Micronesia are avid members of IATA—responsible for connecting around 3 billion people every year. “The fortunes of the industry rise and fall with the global economic cycle,” said Tyler. Europe’s ongoing recession, slow recovery in the United States and natural disasters in Japan have led to slowdown in world travels. But some astute strategic planning by airlines in the region will ensure a huge rebound to rising profitability in 2013. Airlines deliver tremendous value “Aviation is a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity...and an industry that can generate sustainable returns can do that more effectively.” While recent mergers and new code-sharing between Australian regional carriers like Virgin with Etihad and Qantas with Emirates will ignite new rivalry for passenger travels between the two regions of the Pacific and Middle East, it can only add revenue to the regional airlines. Middle Eastern airline profits are expected to rise by more than half this year to US$1.4 billion as they extend their routes around the globe. IATA anticipates that about a third of the world’s trade by value dollars is with goods shipped by air—moving a bumper 50 million tons of cargo every year. Tyler reckons that once the atrocities and economic slowdown around Europe, America, Africa and the Middle East subside, the regional Pacific and other airlines will be able to reap greater profits. “Efficiency gains have seen the airlines making some money in very difficult (high oil prices and weak economic growth),” he said. “A few years ago, that would have been impossible. But we still are nowhere near approaching what would be considered a normal return in other industries.” Returning a margin of 5.3%, the airlines from Asia Pacific are world beaters when it comes to contributing to the industry’s profits. It is followed by North America at 4.1% ($3.6 billion in profits) and the Middle East at 3.4%, Europe $800 million, Latin America $600 million, Africa $100 million. Tyler pointed out that improvements in the industry’s profitability were encouraging, but must be kept in perspective. “Chronic anaemic profitability is characteristic across most of the aviation value chain when compared to other sectors. “It will require more than improving economic conditions to fix. Neither the challenges nor the benefits of doing so should be underestimated.” Government gate access He said governments around the world and especially in Europe and the United States were deterring airlines from cashing in on further opportunities in the aviation industry. Airlines have capacity to increase traffic flow from developing countries in Asia and the Pacific to Europe but government regulations like the new UK passenger duty from this month and a move towards a single European sky were inhibiting carrier companies from expanding operations in that region. “Many governments don’t seem to understand. Just look at the knocks that the industry is taking,” cautioned Tyler. Governments with open deregulation policies have found that airlines are contributing to their country’s growth by way of employment, tourism, air cargo and increasing access to the outside world. “That is why we will continue to remind governments to engage the industry in a partnership to create a joined-up policy framework that enables a sustainable aviation industry and encourages the benefits it brings.” Tyler said IATA has observed that restrictive government regulations and taxes only suffocate airlines from doing their business in a much greater profitable manner. “There is a long list of government-generated impediments to providing the connectivity that could have a very powerful and positive impact on generating economic growth that is so desperately needed.” He said the relationship with governments goes far beyond safety, security, and sustainability. As aviation is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, it needs government backing to prosper. “A perfect world would have open markets and a level playing field. That is not the case today.”

اخر الاخبار

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

The blasts in Boston Marathon bombing put police on alert in major cities across the United States, including in Washington, D.C., and New York City, sites of the September 11 attacks. Two bombs struck near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday, turning a celebration into a bloody scene of destruction. Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said Monday night that the death toll had risen to three. Scores were injured at the scene. One of the dead was an 8-year-old boy, according to a state law enforcement source. Hospitals reported at least 144 people are being treated, with at least 17 of them in critical condition and 25 in serious condition. At least eight of the patients are children. According to Reuters, investigators searched today for the person or group responsible for planting two bombs at the Boston Marathon. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation led a battery of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies on the case, while critically wounded victims of Monday's blasts fought for their lives and others contemplated a new life as amputees. The bombs ripped through the crowd at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, shattering the annual civic celebration on the Patriots' Day state holiday while tens of thousands of people packed the street to cheer on the runners. The two devices using gunpowder as the explosive were packed with ball bearings and other shrapnel to maximize injuries, said a senior law enforcement official briefed on the investigation who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the information. No one has been arrested in the bombing. A White House official said the case would be treated as an act of terrorism but it had yet to be determined whether the attack came from a foreign or domestic source. "It is a criminal investigation that is a potential terrorist investigation," said Richard DesLauriers, the FBI special agent in charge for Boston. Many runners were heading for the finish when a fireball and smoke rose from behind cheering spectators and a row of flags representing the countries of participants, video from the scene showed. The two explosions came moments apart some four hours and nine minutes into the race, long after the world-class runners had finished but around the time average contestants were arriving. Many of the victims were gravely injured, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said. Some suffered shrapnel wounds and amputations and will require repeat operations in the coming days, said Peter Fagenholz, a trauma surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital. Doctors treated 29 patients including eight who were in critical condition, Fagenholz said. Many of the seriously injured patients had suffered bone, soft tissue and vascular damage to their legs, he said. "We're seeing a lot of shrapnel injuries" from small metal debris, Fagenholz told reporters outside the hospital. There had been "several" amputations, he said. "A number of patients will require repeat operations tomorrow and serial operations over the next couple of days," Fagenholz said. The blasts put police on alert in major cities across the United States, including in Washington, D.C., and New York City, sites of the September 11 attacks. The annual Boston Marathon, held since 1897, attracts an estimated half-million spectators and some 20,000 participants every year.

اخر الاخبار

tourism comes with risks, for both the continent and the tourists

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:41:00 +0000

In a remote, frozen, almost pristine land where the only human residents are involved in research, that tourism comes with risks, for both the continent and the tourists. Boats pollute water and air, and create the potential for more devastating environmental damage. When something goes wrong, help can be an exceptionally long way off. Tourism in the Antarctica is rebounding five years after the financial crisis stifled what had been a burgeoning industry. And it's not just retirees watching penguins from the deck of a ship. Visitors are taking tours inland and even engaging in "adventure tourism" like skydiving and scuba diving under the ever-sunlit skies of a Southern Hemisphere summer. Across most of Earth, a tourist attraction that sees 35,000 visitors a year can safely be labeled sleepy. But when it's Antarctica, every footstep matters. The downturn triggered by the economic meltdown created an opportunity for the 50 countries that share responsibility through the Antarctic Treaty to set rules to manage tourism, but little has been done. An international committee on Antarctica has produced just two mandatory rules since it was formed, and neither of those is yet in force. "I think there's been a foot off the pedal in recent years," said Alan Hemmings, an environmental consultant on polar regions. "If it takes five years, 10 years to bring even what you agree into force, it's very difficult to micromanage these sorts of developments." Antarctic tourism has grown from fewer than 2,000 visitors a year in the 1980s to more than 46,000 in 2007-08. Then the numbers plummeted, bottoming out at fewer than 27,000 in 2011-12. The Rhode Island-based International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators doesn't have its final 2012-13 figures yet but estimates close to 35,000 visitors this season, which runs from November through March. The industry group expects slightly more tourists next summer. It's not just the numbers of tourists but the activities that are changing, said Hemmings, who has been part of a delegation representing New Zealand in some Antarctic Treaty discussions. "What used to be Antarctic tourism in the late '80s through the '90s was generally people of middle age or older going on cruises and small ships where they went ashore at a few locations and they looked at wildlife, historic sites and maybe visited one current station," he said. "But there's an increasing diversification of the activities now so it's much more action orientated. Now people want to go paragliding, waterskiing, diving or a variety of other things." Visitors can also skydive over the frigid landscape, and London-based Henry Cookson Adventures took two and three-man submarines to Antarctica in the latest summer. Hemmings said he was once asked to advise on a Germany company's plan to fly gliders over the colossal Transantarctic Mountains to the South Pole, but that project was never carried out. On Ross Island, a stark black-and-white outcrop of ice on porous, volcanic rock, the active volcano Mt. Erebus stands as a warning of the dangers of tourism in this remote and hostile environment. In 1979, an Air New Zealand airliner on a sightseeing tour from Auckland slammed into the mountain in whiteout conditions, killing all 257 people aboard. After that disaster, sightseeing flights over Antarctica did not resume until the mid-1990s. Some of the earliest attempts at skydiving in Antarctica also ended in tragedy. Two Americans and an Austrian died in the same jump in 1997 near the U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station at the geographic South Pole. Hypoxia - a lack of oxygen - is a suspected reason why the skydivers failed to deploy their parachutes in time. Antarctica is not only the world's coldest, driest and windiest continent, but also the highest. The South Pole is on an icy plateau 2,835 meters 9,301 feet above sea level and the air is relatively thin. The last fatalities at sea near the continent were in February 2011, when a Norwegian-flagged, steel-hulled yacht with three crew vanished during wild weather in the Ross Sea. It's not only tourists who get into trouble. Searchers will wait until at least October to recover the bodies of three Canadians involved in scientific research who died in a plane crash in January near a summit in the Queen Alexandra range. A fire aboard a Japanese whaling ship in the Ross Sea killed a crew member in 2007. And anti-whaling activists lost a boat that collided with a whaler in 2010. No one was injured. Hemmings said tourist ships have been involved in several mishaps in Antarctica in the past five years. "Misadventure can befall anybody," he said, but he added that the number of tourist ships coming to Antarctica's busiest areas was a concern. While Antarctica is as big as the United States and Mexico combined, tourists and scientists for the most part keep to areas that aren't permanently frozen and where wildlife can be found. Those account for less than 2% of the continent. It's a land of many hazards, not all of them obvious. The dry air makes static electricity a constant threat to electronics and a fire risk when refueling vehicles. Residents quickly get into the habit of touching metal fixtures as they pass, and metal discharge plates are set beside all telephones and computer keyboards. Most tourists arrive on the Antarctic Peninsula, which is easily accessible from Argentina and Chile. The next most popular destination is the Ross Sea on the opposite side of the continent, a 10-day sail from New Zealand or Australia. Both landscapes are intensely bright and profoundly silent during the 17 weeks between sunrise and sunset in the summer. The peninsula is a milder environment and has a wider variety of fauna and flora. The Ross Sea, where the Royal Society Range soars 13,200 feet above the ice-clogged waters of McMurdo Sound, demonstrates the colossal grandeur for which Antarctica is renowned. It was also the starting point of British expeditions to the South Pole during the so-called heroic era of Antarctic exploration from 1895 to 1915. The early explorers' wooden huts still dot the coast. The Ross Ice Shelf, the world's largest mass of floating ice covering an area almost as big as Spain, rises as steep, gleaming cliffs 200 feet from the sea. Two cruise ships visited the sea's Ross Island, connected to the continent by ice, last summer. Summer temperatures average minus 21 Fahrenheit but often seem colder due to wind chill. Passengers visited the largest settlement in Antarctica, the sprawling U.S. McMurdo Station, which can accommodate more than 1,200 people, as well as New Zealand's neighboring Scott Base, which sleeps fewer than 90. Many also visited a drafty hut built by doomed British explorer Capt. Robert Falcon Scott in 1902 as an expedition base a few hundred yards from McMurdo Station. The two bases, separated by a 2-mile ice road, don't facilitate tourism, but tourists are generally welcomed. Both have well-stocked gift shops. Antarctic New Zealand's environment manager Neil Gilbert said more robust monitoring is needed to track impacts of tourism. "The Antarctic Peninsula ... is one of if not the most rapidly warming part of the globe," Gilbert said. "We really don't know what additional impact that those tourism numbers ... are having on what is already a very significantly changing environment." There are fears that habitat will be trampled, that tourists will introduce exotic species or microbes or will transfer native flora and fauna to parts of the continent where they never before existed. A major fear is that a large cruise ship carrying thousands of passengers will run into trouble in these ice-clogged, storm-prone and poorly charted waters, creating an environmentally disastrous oil spill and a humanitarian crisis for the sparsely resourced Antarctic research stations and distant nations to respond to. To reduce the risk of spills, the United Nations' shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization, barred the use of heavy fuel oil below 60 degrees latitude south in 2011. That was a blow to operators of large cruise ships. Steve Wellmeier, administrative director of the tour operators group, said the ban initially slashed cruise passenger numbers by two-thirds. But it was only a temporary obstacle to industry growth; large ocean liners can comply with the ban by using lighter distillate fuels in Antarctic waters. About 9,900 passengers are believed to have visited Antarctica on large cruise ships is the season now ending, double the total from 2011-12. The fuel-oil ban is a rare thing for Antarctic tourism: a binding rule. The 28 countries that comprise the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Committee have made 27 non-binding recommendations on tourism since 1966, but just two mandatory rules - and neither of those are yet in force. A 2004 agreement requiring tourism operators to be insured to cover possible rescue operations or medical evacuations has been ratified by only 11 of the 28 countries. A 2009 agreement barring ships carrying more than 500 passengers from landing tourists - a measure to protect trampled sites - has the legal backing of just two countries, Japan and Uruguay. The United States, by far the biggest source of tourists and tourism operators, has not signed either measure. The International Maritime Organization intends to enforce a Polar Code, detailing safety standards for ships entering both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. It was supposed to be force by 2013, but the IMO now says it won't be adopted before 2014, and after that it will take another 18 months for the code to be implemented. Hemmings said the current lack of standards is a problem because increasing numbers of cruise ships are negotiating the poorly charted and storm-prone seas without ice-strengthened hulls as Antarctic legs are added to South American, South Pacific and around-the-world cruises. Those ships "are not necessarily ice-strengthened, or if they are ice-strengthened, are not ice-strengthened to a high standard because at other times of the year they're doing something different," Hemmings said. Wellmeier, the industry group official, said the impending rules could knock some currently operating vessels out of Antarctica. In any case, he said he doesn't think tourism there will return to the explosive growth rates of the years before the financial crisis, simply because the ships needed for such expansion are not available. Tourists far outnumber the scientists and support staff at national scientific research stations in Antarctica during the peak summer season, though the researchers make more of an impact because they stay longer. The summer population at the 39 stations across the continent peaked at about 4,400 in the 2011-12 year. Wellmeier believes tourists should not be considered separately from the question of overall human impact on the Antarctic environment. He said too often it is research-station personnel who flout the rules. "We hear horror stories every season," he said. "A group will come ashore from a national program and they're on their day off ... and they're breaking the rules, right and left, smoking and getting too close to the animals." The United States has been criticized on environmental grounds for building a 995-mile ice road from McMurdo Station to the South Pole on which tractors drag fuel and supplies on sleds. The road provides a more reliable alternative to frequently grounded air services. Australia-based adventurer Tim Jarvis sees Antarctic tourists not as a problem, but as part of the solution for a frozen continent where the ice is rapidly retreating. If more tourists see its wonders and the impacts of climate change, particularly on the Antarctic Peninsula, Jarvis said, the world will become more inclined to protect the continent. "It's a pity we live in a world that's a little bit overregulated in many respects," he said of the prospect of greater controls on tourism. Jarvis led a party of six in January and February on a 19-day reenactment of British explorer Ernest Shackleton's desperate sea and land journey to a South Georgia Island whaling station in the southern Atlantic Ocean in 1916. After his ship was crushed by sea ice, Shackleton left 22 of his crew at on a remote island, then set sail in a lifeboat on an 800-nautical-mile voyage to get help. Jarvis's party encountered 26-foot waves, then repeatedly fell through crevasses as they trekked across the snow-covered mountains of South Georgia. Jarvis suffered frostbite to one of his feet but completed the journey. Three members of his party couldn't complete the climb because of trench foot, a condition caused by prolonged exposure to cold and wet conditions. While the journey seems death-defying, it was the product of tremendous planning. Jarvis and his party spent more than a year applying for five permits from various treaty countries accompanied by detailed risk assessments and environmental impact statements. They paid for their own backup boat to rescue them in case anything went wrong. "My broader message to people is that we all have the potential to do far more in our lives than we feel we're capable of doing and we should go and explore that ... but do it responsibly," Jarvis said. GLOBAL ISSUES

اخر الاخبار

Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:41:00 +0000

Hilton announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi, the service brand’s first property in Southeast Asia. Located in Hanoi, Vietnam, the 11-storey hotel with 86 rooms and well-equipped facilities lies right in the heart of Hanoi, and is the second Hilton Worldwide property in Vietnam. “Today’s announcement not only celebrates the first Hilton Garden Inn property in Southeast Asia but also the expansion of our footprint in Vietnam,” said Martin Rinck, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton Worldwide. “Backed by our strong owner, Hoan Kiem Tourism & Trading Company Limited, and our 93 years of international hospitality experience, we are confident that Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi will be a preferred choice for local and international travelers looking for quality yet affordable accommodation in Hanoi.” “We are excited to have Hilton Garden Inn break into a new Southeast Asian city, especially one as vibrant as Hanoi. Our focused service brand is tailored towards providing the signature features and services that meet the demands of value conscious travelers who are always on the move,” said Adrian Kurre, global head, Hilton Garden Inn. Located near the intersection of Phan Chu Trinh and Tran Hung Dao streets, Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi occupies a premium location in the business, cultural, and leisure center of the city. It is within a short distance of Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ministry of Finance, numerous embassies, government organizations and institutions, museums, shopping centers, and is only 40 kilometers from Noi Bai International Airport. The hotel is equipped to ensure that each and every guest can sleep deep, stay fit, eat well, work smart and treat themselves while on the road. Each Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi room is furnished with the brand's signature Garden Sleep System® bed (Serta bed) - a revolutionary bed that’s designed to provide ultimate comfort for a deep sleep. Each room also features an ergonomic Mirra® desk chair by Herman Miller which is good for the back with an ergonomic design offering 11 points to guarantee comfort and improve posture. The Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi Business Center is open 24 hours and guests will have access to the Internet, computer(s) and a printer, and a photocopy machine featuring Print Spots remote printing – allowing for wireless printing from any laptop or PDA. Complimentary wired and wireless Internet access in guestrooms and public spaces will help guests stay productive anywhere in the hotel. Guests can choose to relax at the Lounge with a cocktail or burn some calories to stay fit at the hotel’s fully equipped fitness center. Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi’s Garden Grill restaurant satisfies guests from a healthy nutritious breakfast to dinner. Guests can choose from different European and Asian cuisines at the restaurant or order room service. The Pavilion Pantry, a 24-hour on-site retail store, provides guests with a selection of microwaveable packaged, refrigerated and frozen food items, an assortment of beverages, snacks and sundries. The Hilton Garden Inn brand was founded in 1990. This award-winning, focused service hotel brand continually strives to ensure today’s busy travelers have everything they need to be productive on the road. The brand now has approximately 560 hotels in operation all over the world—Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, South America and the Middle East, with another 160 hotels in the development pipeline. In 2012, to strongly affirm the brand’s quality service, Hilton Garden Inn launched its satisfaction promise that guarantees “We promise to do whatever it takes to ensure you’re satisfied, or you don’t pay. You can count on us. GUARANTEED™”

اخر الاخبار

Marriott continues European expansion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:05:00 +0000

. Marriott has continued the expansion of its joint venture with AC Hotels with the opening of two new properties – the AC Hotel Nice on the French Riviera and the AC Hotel Sant Cugat in Catalonia, Barcelona. The two new hotels will be welcome additions to the AC Hotels by Marriott brand, which launched in 2011 and now offers over 80 hotels across Europe. After an extensive renovation, the AC Hotel Nice opened on 1 April 2013. The 143-room downtown hotel overlooks the Mediterranean Sea just steps from Promenade des Anglais. Standout hotel features include a panoramic terrace with heated swimming pool and a relaxing hotel Zen garden. In addition to 22 suites, the hotel has three conference and banqueting rooms, accommodating up to 100 guests. The Acropolis Congress Centre is only a short distance away making it ideally appointed accommodation for business as well as leisure travellers. The AC Hotel Nice is the second AC Hotel by Marriott hotel to open in France joining the AC Hotel Ambassadeur Antibes-Juan Les Pins, which opened last summer. Another French property, AC Hotel Paris Porte Maillot, was announced in September 2012 and is set to open in early 2014. The newly opened AC Hotel Sant Cugat is conveniently located in the business area of Sant Joan. The hotel has 152-rooms and several function rooms for meetings and events. The hotel’s AC Lounge is an attractive, multi-purpose space open 24 hours where guests can relax with free wi-fi. The affluent suburb of Sant Cugat del Valles is abundant with beauty and heritage and has convenient connections to central Barcelona. Local attractions include the Benedictine monastery of Sant Cugat and the medieval castle Castell de Canals. “We are delighted to be developing the presence of AC Hotels by Marriott in France and across Europe with these two exciting new openings in such current locations,” said Amy McPherson, president and managing director for Marriott International in Europe. “Nice and Sant Cugat del Valles are popular destinations for both business and leisure travellers and fit perfectly with the brand’s associated modern comfort and urban style.” The new hotels join over 80 existing AC Hotels by Marriott throughout France, Spain, Italy and Portugal. AC Hotels by Marriott is part of Marriott Rewards, one of the world’s largest hospitality loyalty programmes with over 37 million members.

اخر الاخبار

America's most pet-friendly cities

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 17:01:00 +0000

Priceline.com ranks America's most pet-friendly cities for travelers. Albuquerque, Portland, and Tucson top the list. NORWALK, CONN. - America's best cities for people traveling with pets have been ranked and compiled in a list released today by priceline.com. The cities were ranked according to their number of pet-friendly hotels, off-leash dog parks and walkability. The top ten cities on the list are: Albuquerque, NM Portland, OR Tucson, AZ Tampa, FL Indianapolis, IN Salt Lake City, UT Austin, TX Tulsa, OK Louisville, KY San Francisco, CA "People love their pets and many can't imagine traveling without them. But not all cities and hotels are created equal when it comes to accommodating four-legged friends," said priceline.com's Chief Marketing Officer Brett Keller. "We've created this list as a guide to help travelers find the best experiences no matter who's along for the ride." Rankings were based on the number of hotels within Priceline.com's network of Express Deals hotels that are listed as "pet friendly," the number of off-leash dog parks per hundred thousand residents (source: The Trust for Public Land), and the walkability as measured by Walk Score of each city.