SINGAPORE AIRLINES WELCOMES ACCC DRAFT APPROVAL OF ALLIANCE WITH VIRGIN AUSTRALIA

Singapore Airlines today welcomed the ACCC's draft approval of its proposed alliance with Virgin Australia. Regulatory approval will enable Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia to build an integrated alliance, an expanded network and seamless service offerings for travellers in Australia.

The alliance will connect Singapore Airlines' global network with Virgin Australia's wide range of Australian and Pacific destinations, offering customers seamless connections, convenient flight schedules, access to more airport lounges and greater opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles.

Singapore Airlines Regional Vice-President South West Pacific Subhas Menon said: "We are pleased with the ACCC's draft approval. We pride ourselves on setting the benchmark for service excellence, product innovation and network connectivity in line with our customers' needs and our partnership with Virgin Australia will enable us to deliver a best-in-class travel experience across Australia. Today's announcement will be welcome news to leisure and corporate travellers alike who will benefit from the more attractive and competitive travel options this alliance will provide."

Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia lodged an application with the ACCC in June under which the airlines propose to:

- Codeshare on each other's international and domestic flights;

- Offer reciprocal frequent flyer programme benefits and lounge access;

- Coordinate schedules between Singapore and Australia and beyond to provide seamless connections; and

- Engage in joint sales, marketing and distribution activities.


The proposed alliance is subject to regulatory approvals in Australia and Singapore.

King of the Outback - Tales from an off-road adventurer

Bill King

The life of the legendary pioneer of outback travel - the man who opened up Australia to adventure travel.

A modern-day explorer who took everyday Australians along for the ride.

Bill King is the pioneer who put the Australian outback on the map for both local and international tourists. Through an enterprise founded on hope and grit-now operating as AAT Kings-he opened up a completely new branch of Australian tourism. Thousands of Australians have experienced the adventure of a lifetime in Bill's capable hands, often walking in the footsteps of explorers such as Burke and Wills, Leichhardt, Sturt and Stuart.

Eccentric drivers, mad passengers and sticky situations abound against the backdrop of the glorious Australian outback. Bill and his tour groups sometimes got lost, bogged or stranded-sometimes even scared out of their wits-but there was always a fierce determination to bring the show back home. Bill never lost a passenger or brought one to harm, though by heck they did sometimes try his monumental patience.

Bill King is a living treasure of the Australian travel industry who spent thirty years experiencing everything under the sun. There are few Australians who could match his incredible fund of real-life yarns.

ISBN: 9781742376950
Australian Pub.: October 2011
Edition: 1
Publisher: ALLEN & UNWIN
Imprint: ALLEN & UNWIN
Subject: Memoirs
Edition Number: 1

Branson says fossil fuel addiction will lead to the mother of all recessions

Virgin founder says much more needs to be done to encourage green energy

by Valere Tjolle

Sir Richard Branson, the founder and Chairman of the Virgin Group, has said that the world faces “the mother of all recessions” unless much more is done to encourage the development of renewable energy.

See also: http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1149740.php

Addressing delegates at the third annual Six Senses SLOW LIFE Symposium at Soneva Fushi in the Maldives, Sir Richard said that governments had to provide additional incentives to support the adoption of alternative fuel sources.

He said: “If we don’t have alternative fuels we are going to have the mother of all recessions. The way to kick-start the revolution is to have no tax on all clean energy while slowly increasing tax on dirty energy.”

“We have been diverting our profit from airlines into developing fuel for aircraft that won’t damage the environment.”

Sir Richard called on European aviation authorities and airports to do more to reduce the aviation industry’s energy emissions and said that the climate change battle is the “biggest entrepreneurial opportunity of our lifetime”.

He added: “Every single ecosystem is in decline. We must revalue how we value our natural assets and how we reduce our consumption patterns. But it is important for all of us to stay positive. Martin Luther King did not get his message across by saying “I have a nightmare”.”

Other speakers at the Six Senses SLOW LIFE Symposium included President Nasheed of the Maldives and Hollywood actors and renowned environmental campaigners Edward Norton and Daryl Hannah.

Mark Lynas, the Climate Change Advisor to President Nasheed of the Maldives, said that the island state is the perfect test-bed for cutting edge environmental technologies.

“What has really struck me is that this is a country that intends to be master of its own destiny. The phrase is “victim to victor”,” he said.

“What the Maldives has managed to do is to say that going carbon neutral is good for the economy – it is the engine for growth.”

It was a theme picked up by Jakob von Uexkull of the World Future Council.

He said: “Climate change is the only threat that the media downplays rather than exaggerates. Natural laws can not be changed. Nature provides no bail out packages and you can’t negotiate with melting glaciers.”

Valere Tjolle
Valere edits and publishes the authoritative Sustainable Tourism Report Suite

Noosa Food And Wine Festival Goes Global

The Noosa Food & Wine Festival has a new name - The Noosa International Food & Wine Festival.  The name change heralds a new focus on both Australian and International chefs and cooking identities as well as a global interest in the festival itself.
Expect four action-packed days from May 17 to May 20 in 2012 when two hundred of the world's most prominent chefs, winemakers, media and food personalities descend upon Noosa and the Sunshine Coast.

The final details of the full program are being locked in but it has been confirmed we can announce that molecular gastronomist and 'Demon Chef', Alvin Leung of Bo Innovation in Hong Kong and Davide Scabin of Combal Zero in Turin Italy will both participate in the Qantas 'Best Dinner in the World' event.  Each course of the degustation meal will be created by a different chef from the prestigious S.Pellegrino World's Best Restaurant List. The list is created from The World's Best Restaurants Academy, an influential group of over 800 international leaders in the restaurant industry, each selected for their expert opinion of the international restaurant scene.

Local restaurateur and Festival Director, Jim Berardo, is thrilled with the international focus of the 2012 festival. "We are proud to have built this event over eight years to something truly world class" says Mr Berardo. "The Festival originated to acknowledge and promote Australian produce, wine and talent. Now Australia has a real presence in the world of food and wine and we want to recognise this by including overseas talent. "

Watch this space as more International and Australian names for the festival are announced: http://www.facebook.com/NoosaFoodWineFestival

Or for further information on the Festival check out: www.noosafoodandwine.com.au

Sifawy Marina Boutique Hotel opens in Oman

 

Sifawy Marina Boutique Hotel launched in Jebel Sifah

The Sifawy Boutique Hotel marks Muriya Tourism Development's* foray into the hospitality industry.  The hotel  is ideally located in the heart of the picturesque Marina Town of Jebel Sifah, which will be the resort's main entertainment hub with a range of restaurants, cafés, shopping avenues and nightlife activities. It is all set to welcome guests at its 55 elegantly appointed guestrooms – 25 standard rooms, 30 fully furnished suites and 3 suites equipped for physically challenged guests. All rooms have private balconies with comfortable seating, overlooking the beautiful marina or the swimming pool. Marina Suite guests may also avail the services of a private butler

Expressing delight at the launch of the Hotel, Daniel Fanselow, General Manager of Sifawy Boutique Hotel said, "We are very excited to launch our first hotel in Jebel Sifah. It exudes a sense of intimacy and reflects all the charm nature has bestowed it with. It takes Jebel Sifah to an all new level, offering visitors and tourists a very unique opportunity to experience the splendour of the land in an ambience that is truly special. Jebel Sifah's ideal location, just 45 km away from downtown Muscat, fringed by the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Oman and the majestic Hajjar Mountain range, adds to the distinctive appeal of Sifawy Boutique Hotel."

The Hotel, designed by renowned Italian architect Alfredo Freda, is equipped with all the essential amenities and services, catering to even the most discerning guests. It has on offer a wide range of activities and excursions, including a large swimming pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, fitness centre and treatment room. The ambience within the Hotel is warm and friendly, reflecting Oman's typical hospitality. It is all set to welcome guests to an experience that is a contemporary blend of European design with a strong essence of traditional Omani influence – in concept as well as service.

Guests can look forward to authentic regional and international dining experiences at 'Al Sabla', the all-day dining restaurant serving buffet breakfast and dinner in addition to an a la carte lunch menu. There  is also  'The Captain's Lounge & Bar', which is situated on the Jebel Sifah Marina, offering gourmet coffee or cool drinks with music and entertainment in the evenings. Closer to the Hotel's swimming pool is the Breeze Bar, which caters to guests seeking refreshing poolside snacks, fresh juices and cool drinks.  Other facilities offered at the Hotel include wireless internet access in all rooms, LCD television with satellite channels, pillow menu, 24-hour in-room dining, and much more.

For guests and visitors looking for a slice of serenity in a nature created haven, Jebel Sifah is the place to be.  Spread over an area of 6.2 million square meters with luxurious residences of diverse and distinct styles, a 100-berth marina and marina town, an 18-hole Golf Course, other retail venues and various food outlets.

For more information and details visit www.jebelsifah.com l  www.sifawyhotel.com


*Muriya Tourism Development is a leading developer of fully integrated towns that includes hotels, private villas and apartments, leisure facilities such as golf courses, marinas and supporting infrastructure. Established as a joint venture between Orascom Hotels and Development with 70 per cent, and Omran 30 percent, a government owned company, Muriya is committed to taking the lead in promoting environmental and social responsible tourism, while offering unique opportunities such as non-resident ownership in its integrate tourism complex (ITC).

Two of the ongoing projects are integrated tourism complexes (ITCs) offering freehold properties – 'Jebel Sifah' and 'Salalah Beach'. In addition, Muriya also has extensive plans to develop a 'City Walk' in Muscat and is ongoing on the boutique hotel on 'As Sodah Island'

 

Japan offers free flights to boost tourism

Japan will offer 10,000 foreigners free plane trips to the country next year to try to kick-start the tourism industry.

The country's tourism agency announced the plan to counter the slump in visitor numbers since the March tsunami and nuclear disasters.

In the three months since the disasters, the number of foreign tourists visiting Japan has crashed by more than 50 per cent.

The sharp drop began to ease somewhat in the summer.

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Beautiful Hotel Fort Canning Singapore wins Architectural Heritage Award 2011

My client is the Hotel Fort Canning, a beautiful boutique heritage hotel in Singapore which is independently owned and was recently reopened after an extensive renovation by award-winning DP architects.  I am pleased to share this good news regarding its winning one of the Architectural Heritage Awards for 2011 from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore.

Having formerly housed the British Far East Command and set amidst the lush green gardens of Fort Canning Park, this former colonial building was built in 1926 and unlike most other hotels in the region, maintains much of its heritage and character, including the multi-columned fascade and a grand staircase, while combining it with a sympathetic contemporary makeover that makes it unique in one of the world's busiest cities and most popular stopover destinations.

The Hotel Fort Canning perfectly combines the best of modern amenities with timeless elegance and character.

www.hfcsingapore.com