Leura Harvest Festival speakers share secrets about sustainable living

Learn how to become part of the quiet revolution slowing down the world, design a garden around bees, and find out how historic sites are joining the 21st century from expert speakers at this year’s Leura Harvest Festival, on Sunday 1 May 2016.

Darleys head chef Lee Kwiez
@ Chef Table

This dedicated celebration of regional products, produce and experiences within a 100-mile radius of the Blue Mountains features a series of conversational chat sessions with specialists representing headline fine dining restaurants, food preserving, clean energy, subsistent farming, aquaculture, beekeeping, micro-brewing and heritage preservation.

Presented by the Leura Village Association, this free annual event is designed for those who already live sustainably and individuals and communities wanting to explore natural lifestyle opportunities. The festival will have more than 60 stalls with a strong focus on regional food and wine, along with competitions and the guest speakers program.

Sponsored by Quidditas Creative Arts Gallery, the Speakers’ Program will be held in The Extra Room (upstairs at 169 Leura Mall), with topics up for discussion including:

• Paddock to Plate practices at The Escarpment Group’s Parklands Estate to service its restaurants, Darleys at Lilianfels and The Hydro Majestic Hotel, Echoes Boutique Hotel and Parklands Estate – head chefs Lee Kweiz, Mate Herceg, and General Manager Ralf Bruegger
• How to design a garden around bees – Lyle Clinton, Woodford Honey and Horticulturist & Garden Designer, Helen Caughey.
• Breathing life back into the oldest complex of colonial buildings in the Blue Mountains, a shining example of making museums relevant – The Woodford Academy
• Becoming part of the quiet revolution, slowing down the world and identifying quality over quantity - Cittaslow Katoomba
• Seeing Green: health-promoting urban design and how it is building strong and intergrated communities – Dr Ursula King
• The story of the Katoomba Brewing Company and the nectar that’s now flowing from The Carrington’s smokestack – Carrington Hotel Licensee Michael Brischetto.
• Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School Experience - more than a Degree – Director Campus Operations, Jane Adams. 

The Leura Harvest Festival will also showcase everything from delicious food, preserves and wines to cool-climate plants, artisan soaps, clean energy, handpoured candles, local fashion and jewellery, and art made from recycled components.

The festival blends the latest in sustainability with fabulous traditional country fair events. Show off your baking skills by entering the inaugural Great Australian Chocolate Cake Competition, presented by Josophan’s Fine Chocolates, or enter the Birches of Leura Scarecrow Competition – another first for the Festival and open to all ages.

The RA Lawrence Jam-Making Competition is open to all ages for Best Single Fruit Jam, Magnificent Marmalade, Best Kid's Creation and Most Delicious Relish/Chutney, and locals are invited to enter their feathered friends in the Belle Property Leura Pet Chook Show, with the grand prize of a hand-made chook pen available for overall winner.

For more information on the Leura Harvest Festival visit: www.leuravillage.com.au

Flight Bookings Plummet After Brussels Attacks

The bomb attacks in Brussels have severely affected flight bookings to the Belgium capital, according to the latest data from ForwardKeys, which monitors future travel patterns by analysing 14 million reservation transactions each day,

In the days following the attacks on 22 March, net bookings – new bookings minus cancellations - fell by 136% when compared with last year.





Olivier Jager, ForwardKeys Co-founder and CEO, said: "Our analysis confirms what many must have suspected, that once again terrorism is having a fundamental impact on international travel.

"The immediate effect of the Brussels bombings has been greater than the aftermath of the attacks on Paris in November last year when net bookings fell by 101%. This can be explained by the fact that the Brussels attacks led to the full closure of the city's airport."

After the initial wave of cancellations immediately following the Brussels attacks, cancellations have begun to return to last year's levels. The coming days will reveal whether this improvement is sustained. But new bookings remain very low, down 32% on the previous year, following the bomb attacks.

Olivier Jager said: "The recovery in new bookings is what will drive Brussels' arrival performance for the coming six months. It will require a fully functional airport and regained confidence from bookers, especially when arranging group trips. It's possible that the summer holidays might see more last-minute bookings as a result."

The segment hardest hit was group travel to Brussels, down 214%, together with the leisure segment (-150%). But all sectors have been badly affected. Those planning immediate travel accounted for the biggest drop in net bookings.





Cancellations combined with the deficit in new bookings are negatively impacting future arrivals, until the summer where demand remains quite similar to last year.

The difference becomes narrower for the summer holidays and new or last-minute bookings could have a positive impact on this trend.




Looking ahead, from 14 April to 31 August, the biggest fall in flight bookings to Brussels is from within Europe, down 29% on the previous year. Asia Pacific is down 20% and the Americas are down 17%. By country, only China (up 38%) and Israel (up 23%) saw an increase in bookings. China is seeing resilient group bookings from provincial cities for arrivals in July and August. The figures for Israel can be accounted for by a shift in the Passover vacation, although there may still be cancellations to come.



Europe as a destination suffered from the attacks in Belgium with fewer overall arrivals than before the bombings – specifically for Istanbul (down 36%) Brussels itself (down 24%) and Paris (down 13%). This fall might be due to delayed bookings that could materialise when the situation is back to normal.



See the full data at:

http://forwardkeys.com/revenue-management/article/brusselsmarchbombings.html

The R.M Williams Weekend at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley

A QUINTESSENTIALLY AUSTRALIAN LUXURY ESCAPE

R.M.WILLIAMS WEEKEND AT EMIRATES ONE&ONLY WOLGAN VALLEY

This May, Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley and R.M.Williams will curate the ultimate Australian luxury weekend, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Greater Blue Mountains.

Guests will experience unforgettable bushland adventures, stunning local cuisine and wines, campfire tales under starry skies and the spectacular surrounds of Australia’s ultra-luxury eco-resort. They will also gain a unique insight into the world of a truly iconic Australian brand and take home as a memento of their stay; a pair of personally fitted R.M.Williams boots.

Highlights of the weekend include a horse trail riding experience led by Terry Goodear, Head of Heritage and Heartland at R.M.Williams, exploring the magnificent Wolgan Valley landscape, accompanied by his bush tales and folklore. Following an ‘Australian-Inspired’ five-course degustation dinner featuring the finest of local produce paired with award-winning wines, guests will join Mark Muller, Editor in Chief of OUTBACK Magazine, to explore the spectacular night sky via telescope, whilst Mark shares stories of life in the Australian bushland in a truly memorable campfire setting. With the launch of ‘R.M.Williams Bespoke’ in April, guests will have the opportunity to visit the Heritage Boutique and learn about the new service, led by the R.M.Williams team, guests will learn about the custom boot making process, the hundreds of combinations and the different types of exotic and treated leathers you can use to build your own boot including your own sign off. Guests will also have the chance to be fitted for their own pair of Craftsman or Adelaide Boots, included in the weekend package.

The R.M Williams Weekend at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley will take place from Friday 6 May until Sunday 8 May, and includes a two-night stay in an ultra-luxury Heritage Villa with private pool; a horse trail ride and morning tea led by Terry Goodear; an ‘Australian Inspired’ degustation dinner; a campfire and stargazing experience hosted by Mark Muller; a morning learning about the R.M.Williams Bespoke program at the Heritage Boutique; gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner daily including a select range of local wines and beers; two on-site nature-based activities per day and two pairs of R.M Williams boots.

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley is a unique, ultra-luxury conservation-based resort a scenic 2.5 hour drive from Sydney and located within the World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains region. Set on its own private 7,000-acre carbon-neutral wildlife reserve, the resort combines One&Only ultra-luxury style with a quintessentially Australian bush experience and with conservation at its heart.

General Manager of Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley James Wyndham says: “We’re inviting our guests to discover what makes Australia truly remarkable over the course of one unforgettable weekend. Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley and R.M Williams both share a love of nature, heritage and the environment, and the weekend is a chance to share those passions with our guests.”

CEO of R.M Williams Raju Vuppalapati adds, “Escaping inland to explore and appreciate the beauty of Australia has always been at the heart of R.M.Williams. We are so pleased to work with Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley to present this unique experience for people to enjoy, and to share insight into R.M.Williams, one of Australia’s oldest and most loved brands.”

The R.M Williams Experience is priced at $2,480 per villa per night twin-share*



For further information and exclusive bookings for The R.M Williams Weekend Experience please contact Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley on + 61 2 9308 0500 or email reservations@oneandonlywolganvalley.com

Local expertise, produce and celebrities on display at Fine Food Queensland - state's largest food event

Fine Food Queensland, one of the country's largest food events and the sister show of Fine Food Australia, will take place in Brisbane in just under a fortnight, bringing with it a display of some of the country's great producers and talents.

From sustainable packaging to baking secrets, and from large-scale catering to new products such as edible insects and little known bush tucker, this year's show promises to bring the best of the state's producers and businesses to the fore of the food and hospitality industries.

The Talking Food Stage is packed with experts and topics that affect every aspect of the industry, including sustainability, food trends, technology and social media, as well as expert advice on staffing and management. Similarly the baking and pastry stages, and the barista competition, showcase the best of their categories in exciting sessions and contests.




Local and regional Producers and products are also a focus of the event, and Fresh Produce Lane is a showcase of the state's regional fare. This year the area includes the incredible Aqua Botanical made from the freshest produce, straight off the land, making it the first water in the world sourced entirely from fruit and vegetables.

How? Australian farmers grow copious amounts of fresh produce to guarantee a daily supply that feeds families all over the country, and some harvests are more generous than others, meaning not all fruit and vegetables can be sold in the fresh produce market.

Being aware of how much it takes to grow this perfectly fine food, many Australian farmers choose to bring their overabundance of produce to juice manufacturers. When fruit and vegetables are pressed to extract their juices, they produce a large volume of water in parallel as they naturally contain water.

In a drought stricken country like Australia every drop is valued, but until recently the aqueous liquid from juice was not re-useable. AquaBotanical found a way to help the world tap into this unique new water source - by filtering and mineralising the aqueous liquid from juice concentrate.

The end result is a clear and clean tasting water free of sugars, toxins and additives, and has helped fresh produce growers minimise food and water wastage - and garnered the attention of global awards as a result.

Another lovely example is Ugly Duck Preserves which is a boutique food business creating preserves from ugly fruit - that which cannot otherwise be sold due to cosmetic imperfections or oversupply. Working directly with farmers and growers, currently, 80% of the products are also made from spray-free produce with an aim to be 100% spray free within the next few months. No colours or preservatives are ever used.

On stage, local talents such as those of Urbane Restaurant's Andy and Alejandro will share their insights on how to make business sustainable, and reality TV stars are also lining up to take part, with MKR winners Dan and Steph who run a Hervey Bay cafe will be taking part, as will Puerto Taco owners John and Justine who featured on last year's Restaurant Revolution who will discuss the ongoing trend of food trucks, pop-ups, and taking food from the kitchen to the street.

Nanuku’s High Quality Food & Beverage Honoured at Fiji Excellence In Tourism Awards

Nanuku Auberge Resort Fiji has beaten off strong opposition from several of Fiji’s top hotels and resorts to claim the prestigious ‘Dining Experience Award’ at the 2016 ANZ Fiji Excellence In Tourism Awards .

The award, viewed by many in the industry as one of the ‘jewels in the crown’ at the annual awards, is major recognition of the very high standards the Pacific Harbour resort has achieved since opening less than two years ago.

The accolade serves as a major entrée for recently-installed General Manager, Mark Stanford who payed tribute to the resort’s Food and Beverage Director, Logan Miller, consulting chef Jacques Raymond and staff.

“We are extremely proud to accept this award,” Mr Stanford said.

“Not only does it reflect both the highest standard of quality and service that our guests have come to expect when staying at Nanuku, it also underlines the F&B department’s dedication and commitment to providing a product that is playing a major role in establishing Fiji as the culinary capital of the South Pacific.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, the resort’s now award-winning Kanavata Restaurant And Lounge features world-class cuisine inspired by local ingredients.

Presented with the hallmark passion and authenticity behind every Auberge culinary experience, Nanuku’s all-inclusive guest dining experience ranges from inventively crafted cuisine to familiar comforts with menus inspired by the highest quality and locally sourced ingredients,

Garden fresh, organically grown produce and fresh caught seafood and the finest of imported meats all blend to create a fabulous fusion of both international and Fijian dishes.

Guests even have the option to join staff in visiting local markets, a mud crab farm and catch freshwater prawns as part of the resort’s unique ‘Nanuku Food Safari’ and have those very ingredients prepared by the resort’s culinary team and served for dinner.

Adding an extra layer to a Nanuku epicurean experience, guests can also opt for a private in-villa dining experience complete with personal chef and wait staff.

For more information about Nanuku Auberge Resort Fiji, visit http://nanuku.aubergeresorts.com F: www.facebook.com/Nanuku-Auberge-Resort.

pictured (from left to right) Nanuku Auberge resort Fiji’s award winning team – Executive Chef, Pranil Prasad, Food & Beverage Director, Logan Miller and Chef Consultant, Jacques Reymond.

Be Embraced by Mana In New Tahiti Tourisme Campaign

Tahiti Tourisme has launched its latest global campaign and it all comes down to one word – Mana.

The emotive Embraced by Mana campaign hones in on Mana – the lifeforce and spirit of Polynesians – as a single word that evokes the people, culture and lifestyle of Tahiti.

Highlighting the diversity of the destination, from its crystal-clear lagoons to its friendly people and vibrant culture, the new slogan builds on the destination’s brand that positions Tahiti as the world’s preeminent island destination while highlighting the attributes which distinguish it from other popular holiday locations.

Tahiti Tourisme Director Australia New Zealand Robert Thompson said Mana was unique to the Polynesian way of life and a big part of what made Tahiti special.

“Whether visitors want to connect or disconnect, relax or get active, hide or seek, explore underwater or on land, there are many sides to the Islands of Tahiti. But at the core of it all is Mana, which encapsulates all that is remarkable about the destination,” Mr Thompson said.

“Mana is ever-present in Tahiti and whether they know it or not, everyone who visits Tahiti is touched by it. It’s the special aura, energy and power that embraces the Islands of Tahiti and leaves visitors feeling richer and more connected.”

The Embraced by Mana campaign has started rolling out across Tahiti Tourisme websites and social media around the world. The first installment of the campaign can be viewed here.

Follow Tahiti Tourisme on Twitter www.twitter.com/TahitiTourismAU

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tahititourismeaunz/

and Facebook www.facebook.com/TahitiTourismAU or visit www.tahitinow.com.au

Be DISCOVERED at Marble Bar

Following the resounding success of previous events, DISCOVERED at Marble returns in 2016 to find Sydney's best live music act. For the fourth year running, Sydney's best musicians will battle for a much-coveted two-month slot as Marble Bar's resident performer.
DISCOVERED at Marble is a social media driven competition where aspiring live bands and performers are encouraged to upload their demos through Marble Bar's Facebook page from Thursday 24 March. The general public will rule over the contestants' submissions and by their vote select the top five finalists. Voting for DISCOVERED is easy – music fans can simply head to Marble Bar's Facebook page and support their favourite performers online.
The top five acts will then grab their guitars and pull out the drum sticks for a once in a lifetime opportunity performing head to head at Marble Bar in front of an expert jury, VIP stakeholders, media and the MC on Wednesday 4 May. The winner will be discovered by the public's vote in conjunction with that of our team of judges.
The winning act will be rewarded with a two-month residency playing every Wednesday night at Marble Bar from May 2016, valued at $10,000.
Hilton Sydney, General Manager, Ronald van Weezel said:
"Marble Bar and its resident live performances are iconic; there is no other bar like it in the city. DISCOVERED at Marble is aimed at engaging with Sydney's music community and fostering the development of the city's dynamic music scene. In the past four years, we have scouted amazing talent and are already excited to discover what Sydney has on offer this year".
DISCOVERED at Marble competition details:

• Competition entry opens: 24 March 2016 (upload video to Marble Bar's Facebook)
• Competition closes: 18 April 2016
• Voting: 19 – 26 April 2016 (via Marble Bar Facebook page)
• Top 5 announcement: 27 April 2016
• Grand Finale: 4 May 2016

Entrants can enter via the Marble Bar Facebook page www.facebook.com/marblebarsydney
*For full competition terms and conditions visit www.facebook.com/marblebarsydney or www.marblebarsydney.com.au
DISCOVERED at Marble presented by Hilton Sydney follows Hilton Hotels & Resorts involvement in some of history's most pivotal music moments. These memories have included Keith Richards and Mick Jagger performing on the 45th floor of Hilton New York (1965), Jimi Hendrix in 1968 performed two sell out concerts at Washington Hilton (located in Washington, D.C.), John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their 'Bed-in for Peace' at Hilton Amsterdam (1969) and the words to the famous 'Imagine' were penned on Hilton New York Stationary in 1971. In 2013 Hilton hits a high note with its involvement in supporting the globes music community including a 25 year partnership as the Official Hotel Partner of the GRAMMY® Awards.