White exhibition colours Everglades, Leura

Celebrate the simplicity, subtlety and emptiness of ``white'' when the richly designed and furnished Everglades Historic House & Gardens, Leura, holds a luminous twilight soiree to launch the White Exhibition on November 11.

Featuring three Blue Mountains artists (James Gordon, Julie Martin and Helen Sturgess), exhibition curator and art consultant Louise Abbott of iArt has based the exhibition around the White book by Japanese designer and curator Kenya Hara, the art director of Muji since 2001 who designed the opening and closing ceremony programs of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games 1998.

In his book Designing Design, Hara elaborates on the importance of ``emptiness'' in the visual and philosophical traditions of Japan and its application to design.

``In summary, `white' symbolises simplicity and subtlety,'' Abbott said.

``Hara attempts to explore the essence of `white', which he sees as being closely related to the origin of Japanese aesthetics. The central concepts discussed by Hara are emptiness and the absolute void. He also sees his work as a designer as a form of communication. Good communication has the distinction of being able to listen to each other, rather than to press one's opinion onto the opponent.''

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Hara compares that form of communication with an empty container.

``In visual communication there are equally signals whose signification is limited as well as signals or symbols such as the cross or the red circle on the Japanese flag which, like an empty container, permit every signification and do not limit imagination,'' Abbott said.

``The Japanese character for white also forms a radical of the character for emptiness. Therefore, we can closely associate the colour white with emptiness.''

Launched with a White soiree, the exhibition will be held in the magnificent 1930s art deco Everglades House set amid spectacular gardens, formal terraces and overlooking sweeping views of the Jamison Valley.

Dressed in white, guests will be served a selection of canapes and locally-produced drinks sponsored by Dryridge Estate, while floral arrangements will be provided by Floral Ink and musical duo Rachel Hannan and John Stuart will set the tone with smooth grooves.

All the artworks will be white-themed.

Everglades manager Guy McIlrath said: ``With its progressive ideas and stark philosophies, the White exhibition is as avant garde as the property itself.

``The soiree event will be a reminder of Everglades in its heyday when you can imagine beautiful people floating around the gardens in beautiful clothes on summer evenings.

``In November the evenings are balmy, cool breezes and summer scents float through the trees and the formal ponds help cool the air, so it will be a very dreamy atmosphere.''

The White exhibition official opening soiree event will be held at Everglades Historic House & Gardens, 37 Everglades Ave, Leura, from 5pm to 8pm on Saturday, November 11. Tickets: $55pp, $50pp National Trust members. Bookings essential: 0467 332 591 or 0410 312 827 or email friendsofeverglades@gmail.com (please dress in white).

The exhibition will be displayed in the main house for a month thereafter. Everglades is open from 10am to 5pm daily during daylight savings and from 10am to 4pm during autumn and winter. Entry: $13 adults, $8 concessions, $4 children, National Trust members free.

Contact: (02) 4784 1938 or email everglades@nationaltrust.com.au.

Photos: David Hill, Deep Hill Media

Luxperience luxury travel expo sold

#luxperience2017

Luxperience Founder, Helen Logas has sold the successful, global travel trade institution

After six years guiding Luxperience to an overwhelming success, Founder Helen Logas has sold the renowned luxury travel trade forum to US owned company Diversified Communications Australia, as of 04 October 2017, for an undisclosed sum.

Spying a niche in the marketplace, Ms Logas was inspired to create Luxperience in 2012 as a high end business to business event based in the Southern Hemisphere. The annual event continues to raise the profile of some of the world's unique travel experiences and products and connect these to elite travel buyers and corporate meeting organisers from around the globe.

'The trend toward more experiential products and activities demanded by the high end traveller also reinforced the need for a global travel trade event offered by Luxperience,' says Ms Logas, Founder of Luxperience. 'With Australia and New Zealand's highly desired and unique  experiences leading the way in attracting this type of traveller to the region, the development of the event continually attracts both exhibitors and buyers from around the world seeking to make quality business relationships. As a result we quickly acquired market share from amongst other luxury travel trade events around the world.'

'We are very pleased to announce the acquisition of Luxperience. Helen and her team have done excellent work to develop a strong brand and successful event since its launch in 2012,' says David Longman, General Manager Diversified Communications Australasia.

The tourism industry is an exciting and vibrant one in Australia and is estimated to contribute $47.5 billion to the nation's economy annually. The luxury end of the travel market in Australia is expected to grow sharply over the next ten years.

'As a premium event Luxperience – which features an invitation only hosted buyer model, awards and networking opportunities – is in a great position to understand and service the needs of this growing community. It's an industry we're excited to be part of,' continues Mr Longman. 'Since the launch of Luxperience in 2012 the events have been built on similar principles to Diversified where inspiring meaningful connections are at the heart of what the event is all about. We are excited to be able to work with the team and continue the good work, delivering a world class event for the luxury and experiential travel sector.'  

A true influencer and innovator in the travel industry, building a multi-million dollar business is not new to Ms Logas. In 1994, she established corporate travel agency, Travelcorp Australia with one office then sold it 17 years later as an award winning national agency group with a turnover of $85m and 65 staff to CTM.

Under Ms Logas' guidance Travelcorp was either a finalist or winner of the best corporate agency from 2003 to 2010. She was personally recognised as a finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the Year and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2011. This travel industry experience and dedication enabled Ms Logas to establish and grow Luxperience to be an exceptional, unmissable event.

'I'm quite emotional about selling Luxperience as it has been a major part of my life for the past six years,' says Ms Logas. 'I'm so proud of my team's efforts in establishing it as a must attend event in the calendars of the global visionaries of the travel industry. I know I am handing the baton on to a worthy company in Diversified Communications.'

Diversified Communications is pleased to announce that the majority of the current Luxperience team will transition to Diversified, moving into a new home in our Kent Street offices in Sydney. Retaining the experience, industry knowledge and relationships that the team have built up, will ensure that Diversified Communications is in the best possible position to continue to deliver Luxperience for the industry, and further build on the success of this unique and fantastic event.

 

You do not want to see this on your boarding pass

BBC Persian correspendent, Bahman Kalbasi, tweeted:

"I’m SSSS on EVERY flight. Special treatment includes @TSA feeling & squeezing you & every single item in the luggage"

If you see this code on any USA boarding pass, get ready for some extra attention from airport security.

According to the TSA, this code denotes 'special screening' procedures called 'Secure Flight'.

“Secure Flight is a risk-based passenger pre-screening program that enhances security by identifying low and high-risk passengers before they arrive at the airport by matching their names against trusted traveler lists and watchlists,” a TSA spokesman said.

Another passenger, Dr. Maryam Ahmad, a self-proclaimed 'proud American-Muslim and Civil Rights Activist' also noted:

"Again I've been "randomly" selected for secondary security screening SSSS printed on JFK boarding pass. Funny, not ONE white person selected."

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour unveiled

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour was officially launched on 3 October 2017 by The Hon. Adam Marshall MP, Minister for Tourism and Major Events making it the first new build, international luxury hotel to debut in Sydney's CBD this millennium.  It is also the first new Sofitel property to be built in Australia.

The launch of the Sofitel has broken a 5-star accommodation drought that stretches back before the Sydney Olympics, with the last internationally-branded luxury hotel opened in 1999.

The opening of the Sofitel heralds a renaissance of new hotel development in Sydney, with over 40 hotels scheduled to open over the next five years to support the city's record breaking tourism growth.

For such an auspicious launch, the hotel's owner, Dr Jerry Schwartz, and Chief Operating Officer of AccorHotels Pacific, Simon McGrath decided to offer the whole hotel to 33 charities to support in their fundraising. As a result, $508,000 was raised by the charities supporting a range of causes including medical research, disadvantaged children and families, education, Indigenous development and homelessness.

"Being the most important hotel opening since the Olympics, we wanted to once again involve the whole of Sydney by supporting charities that do so much for communities across the city and the State," said Dr Schwartz.

"This hotel launch will also help cement Darling Harbour as one of the world's most dynamic tourism and events precincts, and power future international and domestic demand for the city."

Simon McGrath said, "Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour will be a landmark hotel for Sydney and with its proximity to the International Convention Centre, the hotel will help bring major conferences and events to the city and will be a significant contributor to the tourism sector.

"Sofitel is now the largest luxury hotel brand in the Pacific and coupled with the strength of AccorHotels' distribution and loyalty platform we are confident Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is going to lead the luxury hotel market in Australia."

The Hon. Adam Marshall said, "Since 2011, the NSW Government has overseen record growth for the State's visitor economy and this has led to huge investment in Sydney's accommodation sector.

"The accommodation sector plays a key part in our visitor economy and I congratulate AccorHotels on this wonderful new asset, and with another 4,800 new Sydney hotel beds in the pipeline between now and 2024 I look forward to seeing even more investment in our city."

Centrally located in the vibrant, newly transformed city precinct, opposite the International Convention Centre, the $500 million Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour offers 590 guestrooms including the hotel's 35 coveted suites, boasting some of the best views in Sydney.

For more information, head to www.accorhotels.com

Azamara Club Cruises Announces Expansion Of Boutique Fleet

#cruise

Boutique cruise line Azamara Club Cruises has announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase a sister ship to Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, with delivery taking place in March 2018.

"We are pleased to expand our portfolio by 50%, allowing us to visit even more regions of the world through the acquisition of this sister ship," said Larry Pimentel, President and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises. "Our loyal guests and travel partners have asked for this expansion for a long time; we are very pleased to deliver this to them."

The new addition, Azamara Pursuit, is comparable in size to Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest. As such, it will also allow visits to unique ports that larger ships are unable to reach. Together, the three ships will support the brand's commitment to enrich destination immersion around the world, by staying longer in port to allow guests to experience more.

The ship's décor will be updated to match the brand's upmarket position. These updates will be similar to the renovations recently introduced on the Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest, bringing guests the experience of a boutique hotel at sea.

Information about deployment and itineraries for Azamara Pursuit will be available in October. For additional information please visit www.azamara.com/pursuit.

North American Airports' Construction, Capacity Challenges

J.D. Power has just released its 2017 North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

This year's study found that passenger satisfaction has reached an all-time high, since airports are effectively managing the challenges of ongoing construction and increased capacity through tech investment and creative outreach initiatives.

More specifically:

·         Overall satisfaction reaches all-time high: Overall customer satisfaction scores have reached an all-time high of 749 (on a 1,000-point scale), which is up 18 points from last year's all-time high. Improvement is driven primarily by a 25-point increase in satisfaction with security check, thanks largely to fewer TSA staffing issues this year, and gains in two factors: check-in/baggage check (+19 points) and food, beverage, and retail (+15 points). Self-service bag-check kiosks and other bag-tagging technologies have played a significant role in improving the baggage check process.

·         Tech investment helps overcome logistical hurdles: With nearly every airport in the country dealing with challenges of high passenger capacity and ongoing construction projects to address increased demand, technology is helping to directly address these issues. For example, Sacramento International Airport has developed a smartphone app that tells travelers where they can find a parking spot, and virtually every airport in the country has invested heavily in improving phone-charging stations and internet access in their terminals.

LiLou the pig is the newest member of San Francisco International Airport's Wag Brigade. 

·         Dogs, horses and pigs! Oh, my!: Many airports have also found success in improving customer satisfaction through creative use of high-touch traveler outreach initiatives. Phoenix Sky Harbor, for example, deploys a team of therapy dogs for passengers to pet while they wait to board; San Francisco International features a pet therapy pig that roams the terminal looking for pets and selfies; and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport has more than 30 stress-relieving ponies on staff with which travelers can interact.

·         Big city construction projects remain obstacle to satisfaction: Despite the most creative efforts to address traveler frustration, major city airports that are in the thick of massive construction efforts—notably Newark Liberty, LaGuardia, Los Angeles International and Chicago O'Hare—are still fighting the headwinds of traveler disruption and access challenges that are handicapping their overall satisfaction scores.

Orlando International, John Wayne, and Sacramento rank the highest in the Mega, Large, and Medium airport categories.

AITTC Event: Know India Better - River Cruising in India

To inspire further growth of travel to India , almost all attendees at the Australia India Travel & Tourism Council (AITTC) organised Round Table Conference, held last month, recommended inititives to increase destination knowledge and make the market aware of products beyond the traditional offerings. Responding to this , AITTC in partnership with India Tourism and Taj Hotels relaunced their highly successful "Know India Better" program on 25 September introducing River Cruising in India.

"India is a large and diverse country with unlimited choices for travellers. This collaboration with AITTC is one of many initiatives of India tourism Sydney office, with the objective to provide more and more information on  Indian destinations to  Australia" , said Kanchan K Kukreja, Head of india Tourism in Australia

Over 60 guests comprising of tour operators travel agents, airlines, hotelliers, media and industry personalities dominating the India- Australia tourism attened the evening event at the waterfront Indian restaurant, Manjits @ The Wharf.

In the recent times, cruising along mighty rivers has emerged as a popular style of holidaying. While in Europe voyaging along the Danube or Rhine is well known for quite some time, journeying along other key rivers of the world from the Nile and Amazon to Yangtze, Irrawaddy and the Mekong are also gaining momentum. In India, river cruise holidays are relatively new. Entrepreneurs have started offering lengths of the holy Ganges and backwaters of Kerala in luxury boats. "But drawing global attention is the one along the legendary Brahmaputra River in North-East India, aboard luxury vessel MV Mahabaahu", said Sandip Hor Chairman of AITTC in his opening remarks. " While this voyage can match up with any European river cruise in terms of accomodation and onboard facilities, the great Indian hospitality comes in as a lucrative bonus" added Hor who ventured this journey earier  this year.

Sanjay Basu, Chairman of Far Horizons group of companies talked more about MV Mahabaahu which is India's first luxury river boat cruising the mighty Brahmaputra since 2012. Owned and operated by Adventure Resorts & Cruises, one of Far Horizon's subsidiary company this vessel has 23 centrally air-conditioned staterooms, its elegant décor and hospitality bequeathing guests flavours of North East India. This journey introduces guests with all flavours of Assam from history , culture , cuisine and lifestyle to one horned rhinos at the world famous Kaziranga National Park.

Earlier Chandru Appar Deputy Consul General, Indian Consulate in Sydney and Kanchan Kukreja spoke about India's current standing as a tourist destination from Australia and Thushara Liyanarachchi, Director Global Sales - Australia & New Zealand Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris about premium accommodation choices , while travel writer Roderick Eime and Maria Visconti shared their wonderful travel experiences in India.

MC of the evening ,Phillip Boniface, Co Chairman & Trasurer AITTC presented the vote of thanks at the end.

Contact: Sandip Hor- sandip.hor@aittc.net.au