World Race 2011

Ride or Drive from Beijing to Paris As Part of World Race 2011 Staged by MIR Corporation

This 'round-the-world' adventure rally may be right up there with being a civilian on a space shuttle. MIR Corporation http://www.mircorp.com/, a US-based specialist in active and cultural travel to Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, is offering John Q Public a chance to ride or drive from Beijing to Paris as part of World Race 2011 – New York to Paris. http://www.world-race.net/.

"This is a modern re-creation of the epic and grueling 1908 New York to Paris Race," explains Douglas Grimes, MIR Founder and President. "Not since then has such a monumental overland journey been attempted."

Participants can sign up a team consisting of driver and navigator for the entire journey from New York to Paris, or enter just the U.S. portion or just the international leg from Beijing to Paris separately. An individual can participate as a passenger in one of a few spots available in a support vehicle.

If driving the Beijing to Paris segment, participants would ship and then meet their cars in Beijing with time to visit the classic sites of Beijing while the cars are clearing customs. Comfortable hotel rooms wait ahead across China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Europe, with race support vehicles following along. From Beijing all the way to Paris, the World Race 2011 Tour Operator MIR Corporation takes care of the details.

Following is a snapshot of the Beijing to Paris tour:

Days 1-20: China

The longest driving day is only 350 miles, with extra time built in to appreciate the sights of Xi'an, home of the Terra Cotta Warriors; Lanzhou and Dunhuang along the ancient Silk Road; and Urumqi, where nomads of Mongolian, Kazakh and Uighur extraction have roamed for thousands of years.

Days 21-27: Kazakhstan

Land-locked Kazakhstan is the world's ninth largest country. Stops include Almaty, the country's largest and most cosmopolitan city; Lake Balkhash, one of the largest lakes in Asia; and the capital-by-decree, Astana, surrounded by the windy steppe of north central Kazakhstan.

Days 28-38: Russia

Russia is accessed at the western end of Siberia where the roads are more frequented than along the country's midsection. Stops include Ekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains where the last czar met his end; Izhevsk, capital of the Republic of Udmurtia; Kazan, a beautiful Tatar city on the Volga River; and Nizhny Novgorod, Maxim Gorky's hometown. In Moscow, capital of all Russia, visit Red Square and the mighty Kremlin.

Days 39-49: Europe

This is a Grand Tour through Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland and finally France. Most of these driving days are short, giving time to admire the landscapes beyond the motorways, as well as the art, architecture and ambience of Old Europe. The finish line is in Paris with a farewell dinner celebration.

The land tour cost for a driver and navigator is $26,695 per person twin/double (single supplement $4,350). To travel as a passenger in a support vehicle for a leg of the journey, per person rates start at $5,895. The Beijing to Paris leg departs the U.S. on June 3 and concludes in Paris on July 23.

MIR Corporation, www.mircorp.com is a tour operator celebrating 25 years of logistical experience in the region. Contact MIR or visit http://www.world-race.net for the details.

About MIR Corporation

MIR Corporation, whose name means "peace" and "world" in Russian, has been specialized in Russia (and neighboring countries) since 1986. Offering scheduled and custom journeys to Russia, along the Trans-Siberian and across the Silk Route, MIR's Seattle-based experts design imaginative trips that take travelers far from the familiar and work closely with local affiliates in Western Russia, Siberia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan to carry them out. MIR has twice been named one of National Geographic Adventure's "Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth," and is a preferred operator for museum, alumni and special interest organizations across the country.

Pullman launches five star international brand Hotel in Bali

Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana has this week launched as the only five star, resort style hotel, linking the prime entertainment and shopping areas of Kuta and Legian.

Pullman today announced its entry into the Indonesian market with Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana opening the doors to guests for its first 140 of 353 rooms on February 24, 2011. The balance will open over the next few months.

It is strategically located opposite the white sands of Legian Beach, and within easy access to many of the area's retail, dining and entertainment options. Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana offers numerous guest rooms overlooking both Kuta and Legian beaches, or lush courtyard gardens and pool views.

The design of Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana is inspired by the frangipani flower which is native to the island, invoking a sense of urban living with exotic accents and a design-form that will have guests wanting to explore all corners of the hotel's confines and resort's facilities.

Discover the meaning of hospitality

Spreading its iconic message of 'Check in - Chill out', this full service resort style hotel offers 353 well appointed rooms and suites, restaurants and bars, premium conference spaces, full fitness facilities and the latest mobile technologies enabling guests to stay connected.

All accommodation is designed with attention to detail, from the deluxe Pullman bedding, iPod dock, LCD flat screen, WiFi hotspot and broadband internet connection, right through to a personal yoga mat in every room. The guest rooms at the Pullman Hotel are a genuine oasis of comfort, with connectivity, where travelers can relax and recharge their batteries.

Ultimate Relaxation at Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana

Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana will open its spa in late February 2011 and offers traditional spa services including Balinese massage, Tjakra art movement, warm stone massage, purifying Swedish massage, reflexology, and foot massage. Starting on April 1st, 2011, the spa services will be extended to a wellbeing concept, where - among other innovative offer based on bio energy – there will be a vitality pool and hydrothermal therapies, and non-invasive holistic treatments.

Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana has both a garden swimming pool with a spacious sun deck as well as a roof top infinity pool, and sun deck, providing an ideal spot to take in breath-taking sunsets.

Philippe Battle, General Manager, Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana comments on the hotel. "We are delighted to be opening the Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana and bringing a new generation of hotel for visitors to Bali.  The Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana like hotels of the brand around the world, is designed with today's modern traveler in mind with smart use of technologies, reinvented services that focus on indulgent yet efficient stays, and facilities that will appeal to leisure travelers from all parts of the globe as well as events participants and their organisers.

Creativity and contemporary dining at its finest

Step within, for a privileged moment in "Deli @ Pullman", where the guests will be embraced by the charm of a paradise smile, a dedicated instant – from the heart of a spiritual influence. It is a distinguished Brasserie style restaurant, offering a delightful "a la carte" menu, reflecting French culinary heritage, inspiration from centuries of fine cuisine made for today's delivery. Hotel guests can also enjoy a large selection of fine wines, antipasti and tapas at IP, the trendy roof top bar.

Impeccable facilities for meetings and events

The hotel offers a perfect setting for high impact, medium sized, meetings and events. The hotel has facilities to cater for up to 350 guests in facilities and services specifically designed for incentive and retreat style meetings. The complimentary 'Chill-out' space is designed cleverly for such opportunities - to relax and socialise before, after, or during events. A dedicated Pullman Event Manager is ready to handle every detail with creativity and precision, while the IT Solutions Manager is on hand to deliver all the multimedia and technology requirements needed.

Gerard Guillouet, Vice President for Accor in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, said, "Tourism in Indonesia and in Bali in particular, is enjoying a period of extraordinary demand, driven by strong growth from the domestic market as well as short haul destinations in Asia Pacific.  This strong demand factor when combined with opportunities in the affordable five star segment in the central tourist areas, made a compelling reason to launch the Pullman brand first in Bali. Accor is the largest international operator of hotels in Indonesia and now has comprehensive brand presence on the island of Bali with hotels covering all segments, and with six hotels operating."

Bali has continued to become a primary destination for foreign and domestic tourists. Data from Statistics of Bali Province (BPS Bali) revealed that the number of foreign tourists coming to Bali during January to December 2010 has reached around 2,600,000 foreign visitors, increasing by around 8 percent compared to the same period in 2009.  Meanwhile, an estimated 3 million domestic tourists came to Bali in 2009 (data from Bali Tourism Authority, 2010). The increase shows that the Balinese tourism sector development has an impact on hotel establishment in the province of Bali. To accommodate visitors – business travellers and tourists - developments of hotels are continuously taking place.

Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana is located only 20 minutes from the Ngurah Rai airport. It is set in a natural, green, tranquil and tropical oasis across from the Legian beach-front and close to the heart-beat of Bali's shopping and night life areas. Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana room rates start from USD116++ per night.

To book at the Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana in Australia please visit www.accorhotels.com or call 1300 65 65 65


About Pullman

Pullman is Accor's upscale hotel brand, designed with the requirements of business women and men in mind.  Located in the main regional and international cities, Pullman hotels provide an extensive range of tailored services, access to groundbreaking technologies, and "Co-Meeting", a new approach to organizing meetings, seminars and high-end incentives. At Pullman hotels, business travelers can choose between being independent or choosing help from staff available around the clock.

Further information  -  www.pullmanhotels.com

About Accor - the world's leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, is present in 90 countries with 4,100 hotels and close to 500,000 rooms.

Accor's broad portfolio of hotel brands - Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1, hotelF1 and Motel 6, and its related activities, Thalassa sea & spa and Lenôtre - provide an extensive offer from luxury to budget. With 145,000 employees worldwide, the Group offers to its clients and partners nearly 45 years of know-how and expertise

Uniworld Raises the Bar in River Cruising with Their New S.S. Antoinette

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises' official season will kick off in late March, and the countdown has begun as Uniworld will unveil its new Super Ship, S.S. Antoinette, sailing along the Rhine River. Newly built at the De Hoop shipyard in The Netherlands, the S.S. Antoinette will be Uniworld's largest ship length-wise at 443 ft. and width-wise at 37.5 ft. The public space per passenger, along with the staterooms and suites, will be significantly higher than on comparable vessels.

De Hoop, who has been building ships for over 120 years, has partnered closely with Uniworld, and their sister company, Red Carnation Hotels - a collection of four- and five-star boutique hotels - to set a new standard in river cruise ships. According to Patrick Janssens, owner of De Hoop, "The S.S. Antoinette is a highly customized vessel, more so than any other vessel, and we have used new techniques to optimize it and to make sure that it really is the next generation of vessels for the luxury cruise market."

Several unique features will make the S.S. Antoinette the most innovative, efficient, and luxurious river cruise ship in the marketplace today. All top deck suites and staterooms offer full open-air private balconies that, with a touch of a switch, will raise the glass to create a completely enclosed conservatory. All staterooms throughout the ship will have their own LCD flat-screen infotainment center, including movies-on-demand, music, news, sports, hotel services, and more. And each suite has an extra TV located on the balcony.

For those who wish to view movies in a more traditional venue, the S.S. Antoinette features the first movie theater on a river cruise ship. Equipped with a 20-seat movie theater, guests can view a range of movies on a state-of-the-art flat screen with Dolby surround sound.

Surround sound is also a feature that can be found as guests swim in the inviting, blue-tiled mosaic, heated swimming pool. With a water depth of five feet, guests can listen to underwater music being piped in as they swim. The swimming pool together with the Serenity River Spa™ and fitness center, provide a host of options for guests to maintain their overall well-being throughout their trip.

The S.S. Antoinette has impressive green credentials as well with a waste-management system consisting of a food macerator and tank, and glass-crunching and compactor machines. Further, she will be powered by a newly developed noise and vibration reduction feature consisting of double-resilient mounted frames for the engine and thruster. And De Hoop has designed the S.S. Antoinette for the highest degree of safety—beyond existing rules and regulations.

"Our goal is to make the S.S. Antoinette set a really new standard in luxury river cruising. Together with Uniworld and the Red Carnation Hotel team, we are going to make this happen, and we are going to be even more proud when the vessel sets sail," furthers Janssens.

About Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Los Angeles-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the world's only authentic boutique cruise line, is recognized in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Top Small Ship Cruise Lines; Condé Nast Traveler's prestigious Gold List and their Readers' Poll for Top 25 Small Ships, and their Readers' Choice Awards for World's Top Small Ship Cruise Lines and Best River Cruise Ships; Cruise Critic's Editors' Pick for Best River Cruise Line and Best New River Ship for the River Beatrice; and Top 3 cruise line ranking in Zagat Survey® in the categories of Top Cabins and Top Dining, and is the only river cruise line represented in their cruise survey with the best of the best in the cruise industry. Uniworld features luxuriously appointed boutique cruise ships with an average capacity of 130 guests; expertly planned itineraries with custom-blended, included shore excursions; world-class, gourmet cuisine; and award-winning hospitality from an all-English speaking staff. The company offers over 500 departures on 39 itineraries sailing on 12 rivers in 20 countries throughout Europe, Egypt, Russia and China.

For more information, please contact your Preferred Travel Professional, Call Uniworld at 800-733-7820 or visit www.uniworld.com.

Uniworld is a member of CLIA, Cruise Lines International Association

Burma poised as Asia’s next tourism hotspot

Burma has been on the travel no-go list for decades, but after its first democratic elections in 20 years and growing international support calling for an end to the travel boycott, the nation’s tourism economy is set for a boom.

Last year alone, Burma enjoyed a 30 percent year-on-year increase in international tourism arrivals to 300,000 according to the Pacific-Asia Travel Association.

The contribution of the travel and tourism to employment is expected to rise from 1,228,000 jobs in 2010, 5.2 percent of total employment or 1 in every 19.1 jobs to 1,612,000 jobs, 5.6 percent of total employment or 1 in every 17.8 jobs by 2020, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Although these numbers are tiny compared to neighbouring Thailand (15 million arrivals annually), Burma, also referred to as Mekong, is a land of mystical pagodas, pristine beaches and ancient cities that will appeal to travellers looking for authentic experiences.

The release last November of the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is seen as another crucial step in Burma’s return from the cold. Suu Kyi had previously called for a tourism boycott, saying that visiting her country would merely fuel the military dictatorship.

As leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, she responded to the official “Visit Mekong” tourism campaign by highlighting the use of forced labour to build new airports and luxury hotels. The suppression of the Burmese monks’ protests in 2007 served to highlight the brutality of the regime.

This political stigma has led to key source markets such as the UK shunning Burma in favour of Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.

Suu Kyi told the Associated Press that while she discouraged large
scale package tourism, “individuals coming in to see,
to study the situation in the country might be a good idea”.

Win Tin, a senior member of the NLD, and a former political prisoner, recently repeated his view that tourists were welcome to travel to Burma.

Tourism would provide the country with a desperately needed economic stimulus. In 2009, tourism revenue is estimated to have reached $200m, a figure twice what it was in 2002.

The government is becoming less involved in tourism, with state-owned services being sold to private investors. Using privately owned hotels and other tourism services is a way of financially supporting the people of Burma without money being absorbed by the state.

One travel company operating within Burma claimed that tourism is now the largest private-sector employer, indirectly benefiting thousands of small suppliers and contractors.

A spokesman said: “As we witnessed after the cyclone in 2008, the junta would rather tourists stay away than contribute to the opening of the economy and the country. The hundreds of small tourism enterprises played a key role in rushing vital aid and supplies to the delta, in spite of the government’s efforts. They were able to do this more effectively because of their overseas networks and client bases.”


Snapshot:
Population: 52 million
Capital City: Naypyitaw (population 200,000). Major Centre of Population: Rangoon (population 5.8 million).
Languages: Burmese is the official language. There are numerous other ethnic minority languages.
Religion(s): Buddhism is the predominant religion. The other main religions are Christianity, Islam and Animism.
Currency: Kyat
Major political parties: Burma is ruled by a military junta known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The main democratic opposition party was the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi, but the party was dissolved in May 2010 after deciding not to participate in general elections.
Government: Military junta.
Head of State: Senior General Than Shwe
Prime Minister/Premier: General Thein Sein

Travel behaviour trends surveyed

According to HostelBookers survey,‘Sightseeing and culture’ (80.7%) is the main reason customers choose to travel followed by ‘city break’ (47.0%) and ‘visiting friends and family’ (44.6%).

Travellers have upped their accommodation budget: In 2009, 28% of them spent over $/GBP/EUR30 compared to 40% spending the same in 2010, but it also appeared people are feeling the pinch as the number of them taking ‘no trips’ increased from 2.4% in 2009 to 5.4% in 2010.

It also emerged that the Internet remains the number one resource for our customers, whether booking hostels (http://www.hostelbookers.com/) online or keeping in touch with friends and family. Over 86% of those surveyed check the Internet at least twice a week on holiday. To respond to this demand for Web access, many of our hostels now supply guests with Wi-Fi and Internet kiosks.

The survey results show that the English (8.3%) followed by Australian (8.2%) and Italians (7.8%) make the best lovers. Bottom of the list for the second year in a row are the Irish.

More travellers are enjoying nookie in dorms, 16% in 2010 up from 14% in 2009. The results also show an increase in the number of people taking precautions and having protected sex on their travels: 92% practiced safe sex on holiday in 2009 but last year this figure rose to 94%.

David Smith, COO at HostelBookers, said: “Last year we carried out the biggest ever travel survey to find out more about our customers and their needs in order to maintain the great service we deliver. It is interesting to see that people consider hostels the best choice for atmosphere, unbeatable prices and that they offer better city centre locations than many hotels.”

IATA: Aircraft accident rate is lowest in history

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the aviation safety performance for 2010 showing that the year’s accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft as the lowest in aviation history.

The 2010 global accident rate (measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jet aircraft) was 0.61. That is equal to one accident for every 1.6 million flights. This is a significant improvement of the 0.71 rate recorded in 2009 (one accident for 1.4 million flights). The 2010 rate was the lowest in aviation history, just below the 2006 rate of 0.65. Compared to 10 years ago, the accident rate has been cut 42% from the rate recorded in 2001. A hull loss is an accident in which the aircraft is destroyed or substantially damaged and is not subsequently repaired.

“Safety is the number one priority. Achieving the lowest accident rate in the history of aviation shows that this commitment is bearing results. Flying is safe. But every fatality is a human tragedy that reminds us of the ultimate goal of zero accidents and zero fatalities. We must remain focused and determined to move closer to this goal year by year,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

In absolute numbers, 2010 saw the following results:

*2.4 billion people flew safely on 36.8 million flights (28.4 million jet, 8.4 million turboprop)
*17 hull loss accidents involving western-built jet aircraft compared to 19 in 2009
*94 accidents (all aircraft types, Eastern and Western built) compared to 90 in 2009
*23 fatal accidents (all aircraft types) compared to 18 in 2009
*786 fatalities compared to 685 in 2009

IATA member airlines outperformed the industry average with a Western-built jet hull loss rate of 0.25. That rate is equal to one accident for every 4 million flights. The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) became a condition of IATA membership from 1 April 2009. All 234 IATA member airlines are now on the IOSA registry. The IOSA registry is open to all airlines and it currently consists of over 350 airlines.

“The numbers tell the story. In the first full year after the IOSA became a condition of IATA membership, the accident rate for IATA carriers has never been so low. The data confirms that IOSA is helping to drive safety improvements around the world. It is an important part of a comprehensive safety strategy involving governments and industry working together to further reduce the number of accidents and fatalities,” said Bisignani.

There are significant regional differences in the Western built jet hull loss accident rate:

*North America (0.10), Europe (0.45), North Asia (0.34) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (0.0) performed better than the global average of 0.61
*Asia-Pacific was higher than the global average at 0.80 in 2010 and about the same from the previous year (0.86)
*The Middle East and North Africa region saw its accident rate fall significantly to 0.72 (compared to 3.32 in 2009) with only one accident involving a carrier from the region
*Latin America & the Caribbean reported a higher accident rate of 1.87 with four airlines from the region involved in accidents, compared with a zero accident rate in 2009
*Africa had an accident rate of 7.41, which was lower than the 2009 rate of 9.94. While showing improvement, Africa once again has the worst rate in the world. There were four Western-built jet hull losses with African carriers in 2010. African carriers are 2% of global traffic, but 23% of global western-built jet hull losses.

Safety in Africa

In 2010, the accident rate of IOSA carriers in Africa (for all aircraft types) was more than 50% better than non-IOSA airlines. Among IATA’s efforts in Africa, it established the IATA Program for Safe Operations in Africa (IPSOA). IPSOA ensured that flight data analysis tools are available to all IATA carriers in Africa, and as of the last quarter of 2010, all IATA carriers have this essential safety tool in place. IPSOA will provide IATA with the data needed to develop safety programs targeted at specific challenges in the region.

“Flying must be equally safe in all parts of the world. An accident rate in Africa that is over 12 times the global average is not acceptable. Improvements can happen. IATA’s African carriers performed significantly better than non-IATA airlines in the region. I encourage all governments in the region to make use of the IOSA tool to boost the region’s performance,” said Bisignani.

An analysis of the causes of the 2010 accidents focuses on several areas:

Runway excursions, which are instances when an aircraft departs the runway during takeoff or landing, were once again the most common cause of accidents, accounting for 21% of all accidents in 2010 (vs. 26% in 2009). The number of industry runway excursions accidents dropped by 13% (20 vs. 23 in 2009) and IATA members have reduced their runway excursion accidents by 43% since 2008 (4 vs. 7 in 2008).

IATA analysis shows about 35% of runway excursions on landing occurred on wet runways. Another leading cause of runway excursions on landing is an “unstable approach,” where the aircraft is approaching too fast, too high, or touches down beyond the desired runway touchdown point. IATA is working with industry and regulators to address this safety challenge.

In 2009, IATA released the Runway Excursion Risk Reduction (RERR) toolkit which provides high-level reference material as well as an in-depth analysis of runway excursion accident data and a compilation of significant risk factors. The toolkit also provides recommendations for operators, pilots, airports, air traffic management, and regulators. A major update to the RERR toolkit is planned for the spring of 2011 and will bring together all major international safety organizations in a collaborative effort to eliminate these types of accidents.

Ground damage accounted for 11% of all accidents in 2010, improved from 17% in 2008 when IATA launched the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) to address this challenge. ISAGO is the industry’s first global standard for the oversight and auditing of ground handling companies. The program, containing over 400 standards, was launched in February 2008 and the first audits took place in May of the same year. To date, a total of 288 audits have been conducted and 56 providers operating at 81 different locations are already on the ISAGO registry. The program has gained broad support from several aviation authorities and airports and has been mandated in Lebanon and Turkey.

Data Driving Further Improvements

Further improvements to the industry’s safety performance will be guided by data that can assist airlines in identifying trends and initiate preventive measures. IATA established the Global Safety Information Center (GSIC) in 2010. This interactive website is a one-stop resource combining safety data from sources such as IOSA and ISAGO audits, flight data analysis, pilot reports and accident investigations without compromising commercial privacy.

“Safety is a constant challenge. Industry and governments need to accelerate their efforts on data sharing. In 2010, IATA launched GSIC providing its members with unprecedented access to safety information. More than 430 different organizations are already submitting safety data into the GSIC, and over 50% of IATA member carriers are participating. Substantial GSIC expansion is planned over the next few years and the industry will reap the benefits,” said Bisignani.

In September 2010, IATA signed an historic agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the US Department of Transportation and the Commission of the European Union to launch the Global Safety Information Exchange. This first global private/public partnership will exchange safety information aimed at improving safety by reducing risk.

“Safety is not a competitive issue—among carriers or governments. Improvement is in everybody’s interest. By sharing data and best practices we will continue to drive improvements to make a safe industry even safer,” said Bisignani.

Accommodation solution in the palm of your hand

click to enlarge

Rooms4You: South Oz                   

The key to finding where to stay and play in South Australia has just been handed to anyone who owns an iPhone, iPad or an iPod Touch.

It's not your ordinary key, though. It's an app called Rooms4You: South Oz.

Rooms4You has reviewed hotels, B&Bs, apartments and holiday homes all over the State and categorised them according to the style or mood they offer, their location, price and the special facilities they feature.

There are 63 properties featured - so far - in 17 categories: Beachside, Bed & Breakfast, Boutique, Business, Families/Groups, Getaways, Heritage, Holiday Homes, Luxury, Nature Escapes, Nightlife, Pubs, Romance, Room with a View, Unique/Quirky, Wine Stays and Island Escapes.

Each entry has photos of the property, a map and details of how far away it is, how to get there and how much a taxi will cost to get there.

There are also suggestions on where to eat and what to see and do while you're there, with hyperlinks to websites for even more information.

For those looking for a room, the app is valuable tool. Want a romantic getaway in the heart of a wine region that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Rooms4You can help find it.

For property owners and managers, the app is a priceless marketing tool – it doesn't cost anything to be listed. If app users like the look of the property, they can call direct to make a booking or link to their website.

Look for the pink keyhole icon in the App Store. Rooms4You: Sydney and Melbourne will be on-line soon.

For a sneak preview of Rooms4You, go to
http://sutromedia.com/apps/Rooms4You_South_Oz

Carolyne Jasinski is the creator. Ph 0423 024472 or email jasinskic@optusnet.com.au