Wednesday, September 21, 2011
EK flies high with WGC-HSBC Champions
New London Vacation Guide Helps Keep Your Travel Budget Under Control
Gareth Owen, the creator of London Vacation Guide (http://www.londonvacationguide.com), built the site after listening to the woes of overseas visitors at his bar in London, ”They told me how much they were paying for their accommodation and sightseeing trips and I knew there were much cheaper and better ways to see London if you knew where to find them
The site includes information, articles, and recommendations written in the style of a helpful friend, or barman, as well as online booking facilities and links to other useful websites. The team of researchers and writers provide insider tips on anything from how to get into sold out theatre shows and members only bars, to booking &163;20 hotel rooms and where Londoners head for their discount shopping.
It took more than six months to research and compile the information before building the site that Owen says, “is aimed at both first time visitors who want to enjoy the major London tourist attractions, and people who have previously visited and are now looking for experiences away from the crowds.
Along with general London travel advice; there are specific sections relating to accommodation, entertainment, eating and drinking, sightseeing, shopping, family travel, gay and lesbian attractions, disabled traveller advice, sporting events and outdoor activities. London Vacation Guide also offers a monthly newsletter to keep visitors informed of the latest openings, special offers and travel news updates before they arrive.
There is also a discussion forum so visitors past and present can post their questions or recommendations to help new or returning visitors on their London vacation.
The site is always growing and keeping up to date with present and future activity in London and ofcourse always advising on how to save money at every opportunity.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Passenger number dropped in February
“We can see that the negative trend experienced over the past few months is continuing. The fall in traffic volume by 18.7% was primarily due to the economic downturn and the resulting fall in travel activity caused by the financial crisis. Moreover, traffic was extraordinarily high in February 2008, one of the reasons being that it was a leap year, said Carsten Nørland, Director of Aviation, Copenhagen Airports A/S. The leap year alone meant that there were approximately 3% more passengers than during a normal February of 28 days.
2009 will be a difficult year
1,307,868 passengers travelled through Copenhagen Airport in February, which was 299,846 fewer than in February last year. International traffic fell by 19.2% to 1,171,006 passengers, and domestic traffic fell by 13.4% to 136,862 passengers.
“We are still not prepared to speculate as to when traffic growth at Copenhagen Airport will pick up again, but we expect that 2009 will generally be a difficult with overall fall in traffic, said Nørland.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
NexClub 86 The only event where people from all areas of the industry can meet, network and have fun.
Hong Kong &194;– Club 86 is back and the event in Hong Kong on March 6 was first of the many meetings planned worldwide, with new city
added each month.
NexC, the global hospitality network, has revived this relaxed and informal gathering of hospitality industry professionals, much needed in
today&194;’s hectic business environment. &194;“86&194;” is an American slang used in the hospitality industry that means &194;“out of order&194;” or &194;“unavailable.&194;”
More than 100 professionals in Hong Kong from all industry sectors in the restaurant, hotel, travel trade and tourism met on Tuesday night
for a few drinks, snacks and relaxed conversation at 1/5, Elite Concepts&194;’ new stylish bar in Wanchai.
This networking event is the brainchild of Josef Paier, NexC and Paul Hsu, Elite Concepts that met first time in 1986 for the opening of
Shanghai Hilton. Before the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, they had organized networking events behind hotels and
restaurants. With the movements of people in the industry, the get-together faded gradually &194;– much to the regrets of many participants
who valued the friendships and the free exchange of ideas they have made in every event.
In response to numerous requests, NexC has led the revival of this &194;“evening network&194;” in the industry now named &194;“NexClub 86.&194;” The
schedule of succeeding meetings in Hong Kong is every first Tuesday of the month. This will bring together a cross section of personalities
from the hospitality industry, academe and trade organizations.
The gathering will soon include guest speaker or a short presentation, as well as raffle draw to make sure it becomes a winning event. The
April 2 meeting will be held again at 1/5, followed on May 7 in Cyrano at Island Shangri-La, June 4 in Club97 at Lan Kwai Fong, and July 2
at Caf&195;&169; Deco Bar.
But NexC won&194;’t stop there as it plans to lead the creation of similar get-together events in cities throughout the world with the NexClub 86
first kick-off in Manila on April 2.
For the latest updates on upcoming NexClub 86 events around the globe, check out the Web site at http://www.nexc.com/club86 or e-mail the
following addresses at josef.paier@nexc-corp.com and ph@elite-concepts.com.
Related Links:
http://www.elite-concepts.com/
http://www.shangri-la.com/eng/hotel/index.aspid=18
http://www.cafedeco.com/
http://www.nexc.com/club86>.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Emirates airlines provides access to full content through Amadeus for five years
Four new European routes
”Copenhagen has fast become an important base for Norwegian, and we have received a very warm welcome from Danish as well as Swedish passengers departing from Copenhagen. Despite the financial crisis, we are experiencing strong demand and an increasing number of passengers. Passengers have become more price-conscious, and more and more are choosing Norwegian and our low prices, explains Daniel Skjeldam, Commercial Director, Norwegian.
The four new routes will open on 17 August with three weekly flights from Kastrup to Vienna, Rome and Dublin, respectively, and six weekly flights to Warsaw.
New Sichuan Museum to open in May
The new Sichuan Museum will be open to visitors for free on May 9.
Located in South Huanhua Road in western Chengdu, the museum will be the largest province-level museum that houses historical and cultural items in western China. It combines the functions of exhibition, souvenir sales, tourist service, relic protection and cultural exchange.
The museum boasts some 260,000 collections and has 10 theme halls, including the hall of Han Dynasty (206 BC24 AD) pottery, the hall of bronze articles of ancient Sichuan, the hall of ceramic articles and the hall of Zhang Daqians art works.
The museum offers free admission to visitors, who are asked to obtain tickets at the gate of the museum. The number of visitors will be limited to 4,000 per day.
Hi - tech a strong support to foreign trade growth
Friday, September 9, 2011
Beijings New Traffic Plan to Hit Car Owners|beijing travel
Private car owners might have to accept higher charges as the city's traffic authority plans to further improve public transport and reduce the use of vehicles to ease traffic congestion.
Liu Xiaoming, director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport, suggested in a report to the Beijing Municipal People's Congress that the city adopt "both economic and administrative measures" to further reduce the use of private cars and divert private car owners to public transport.
Liu said this should be the city's "primary policy target" in solving traffic congestion.
Although Liu has suggested that charges for private cars will be increased, neither he nor the commission have specified what measures will follow the raising of parking fees in April.
Meanwhile, Liu said that constructing a denser underground transport system in downtown areas will be another key component in reducing congestion on the roads.
"Eighty percent of new rail transit lines will be built in downtown areas," he said.
According to Liu, the commission estimates the public transport system will take up 42 percent of the daily transport volume in Beijing.
The city's traffic woes have been slightly eased since a series of measures were put into effect in the first half of this year, he said.
The average driving speed during rush hour reached 24 km/h in the first six months of the year, a 10 percent increase over the speed during the same period last year.
"It is a good sign that the comprehensive measures have taken effect," Liu said. "But tackling gridlock is still a challenging, long-term task."
He said the reforms had yielded a measurable effect, even though the number of vehicles on the city's roads in July jumped by more than 600,000 compared to last July's figure.
Experts said a more comfortable and convenient public transport system is the key to solving the city's long-standing traffic congestion problems.
However, they did admit that it has a long way to go to attract private car owners.
Zhang Zhuting, an expert on public transport at the Ministry of Transport, believes comfort and convenience levels on the city's buses and trains must be improved. "A low-price strategy is not a long-term solution," Zhang said. "We need to rate the public transport system through comprehensive indexes, such as comfort, convenience and safety," Zhang said.
Experts also said the lack of coordination between buses and the subway remained a problem.
Zhang Changqing, an expert on public transport law at Beijing Jiaotong University, pointed out that usually the city's subway stations and bus stations are not located near each other due to uncoordinated planning.
"If the bus and rail systems could be linked, it would be a cutting-edge advantage," he said.
Statistics from the commission show that the public transport system had already recorded a daily volume of 19.43 million individual journeys in the first quarter of 2011, a figure close to Beijing's population of 19.61 million residents.
The commission's report was widely regarded as a half-year summary of the city's intensified efforts to reduce traffic problems. Measures such as a license plate lottery system, increases in parking fees and restrictions on non-local cars entering the city during rush hours were introduced earlier this year.
Pressure mounted on the bureau earlier this month when a poll on its website showed only 47 percent of residents believed the traffic situation was improving, which raised doubts about the effectiveness of the city's new measures.
The report noted a sharp reduction in the number of cars in parking lots due to the rise in parking fees, with a 12 and 19 percent drop in the number of cars in parking lots and off-street garages.
The Ministry of Public Security said that Beijing had 4.64 million vehicles by June, but only 2.5 million parking spaces.
I Spa|beijing travel
The first Thai spa in Beijing, I Spa is designed in the traditional Thai style and features a decor, ambience, and service steeped in the traditional Thai concepts of harmony and balance.
In an effort to provide professional and personalized spa service to all of our distinguished guests, each branch is comprised exclusively of self-contained suites equipped with changing areas, shower and wash rooms, saunas, baths and lounge seating. I Spa gives you the personal space and timelessness to indulge your senses, soothe your body, renew your spirit, and finally rediscover yourself. All of I Spa’s therapists hail from Thailand and China, and are trained in basic English for easy communication. Their exquisite massage skills, paired with essential oils and herbal remedies, help to restore vigor and balance in an environment that is synonymous with peace. Services include body massages, scrubs and wraps, aromatherapy baths, facials, and more, each of which is the unique result of evolving techniques passed on through the hands of many generations. Needless to say, despite the endless flow of visitors, guests all share an interest in high-quality care and it is at I Spa that they are able to find it. "I think of life as a path of discovery, says I Spa co-founder, Ms. Sirirat Fungkhajon, “The frantic pace of life in a large city leaves us with no time to reflect deeply upon our lives, and leaves us with little time to care for ourselves and those we love. I Spa is more than just a haven where our guests can regain balance of the body, mind, and soul, it is also a place where you can rediscover and renew yourself so that you radiate with elegance. We chose the name ‘I Spa to convey this idea of personalized treatment and service. This spa is yours. Discover a sanctum of tranquility and slip into the calm of I Spa. Experience the exotic sights, relaxing sounds, and rich scents, and see for yourself why our guests keep coming back. About our branches: I Spa Sanlitun, located between the CBD and the Yansha Business Area, is a 10-minute drive from Beijing's major diplomatic area and is quickly turning into an oasis within the busiest part of the city. I Spa Napa Valley, located in the countryside of Beijing, lies 30-minutes north of the National Stadium. A place of ultimate tranquility with natural hot spring water, it is the perfect choice for a romantic weekend escape from the city. I Spa Xuanwu, located near Financial Street, is steeped in Thai decoration and is one of the best spas in the west Beijing. I Spa Gulou, located in the 2008 Beijing International Media Center, is an ideal place to relax for the reporters all over the world. I Spa Upper East, located in Traders Hotel Upper East, managed by Shangri-la, can hold a party of more than 20 people. It’s a very convenient place for the guests from Lido, Sanyuanqiao, Wangjing, and even Guomao. Location:
UnitName="F" SourceValue="5"
>5F, Tower 2, Taiyue Suites, 16 Nan Sanlitun Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China Telephone: +86-10-65071517 Website: http://www.ispa.cn
Typhoon Muifa Weakens as It Moves Along Chinas East Coast|beijing travel
Typhoon Muifa, the ninth typhoon to hit China this year, is weakening as it moves towards the country's key northeastern ports after forcing the evacuation of 610,000 residents on its course along the affluent and densely-populated east coast, authorities said Sunday.
Muifa, bringing gusts up to 178 km per hour, is moving at 25 km per hour towards the Shandong Peninsula where it is expected to make landfall Monday morning near the port of Weihai before heading to the port of Dalian and nearby areas, national and local meteorological centers said.
Crews working on the off-shore platforms of Shengli Oilfield, China's key oil production base located near Weihai, started to evacuate Sunday.
The oilfield, operated by China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group), has 102 off-shore platforms which extract oil from 524 wells with a daily output of 8,000 tonnes, according to the Shengli Oilfield Administration.
If the rainfall brought by Muifa exceeds 100 millimeters, water in 50 out of about 140 large and medium-sized reservoirs in Shandong may overflow, said Du Changwen, head of the provincial water resources bureau.
In Qingdao, a famous coastal resort in Shangdong, all off-shore scenic spots and beaches will be closed and all water sports will be suspended from Sunday evening to Tuesday, according to the city's tourism authorities.
Muifa is expected to bring torrential downpours to Qingdao and gales up to 133 km per hour to nearby sea area on Monday, said the city's meteorological bureau.
Disaster relief teams were also called to standby in Dalian, a key industrial port in northeastern Liaoning Province.
In Beijing, an emergency meeting chaired by Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei, also deputy head of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, was held Sunday to arrange prevention measures.
The headquarters ordered two more provinces -- Jilin and Heilongjiang in the northeast, to beef up disaster relief efforts as the typhoon heads towards them. The province of Hebei, which is near Beijing, has reported rainfall caused by the typhoon.
More than 610,000 people were evacuated from dangerous areas in Shanghai and the provinces of Fujian, Zhejiang and Shandong, the country's disaster relief agency said. More than 62,700 vessels were ordered to dock.
In Shandong, the local weather forecast bureau said the typhoon might further weaken into a tropical storm when it lands, even so authorities continued to order about 20,000 fishing boats to lay anchor in harbors.
Maritime authorities on Sunday also requested vessels to either leave or stay clear from those parts of Shandong's coast most likely to be hit hardest by the typhoon.
Also in Shandong, 18 flights departing or arriving at Qingdao airport on the coast were canceled Sunday. Most of the canceled flights were headed for southern cities, such as Shanghai or Hangzhou.
Subway Safety Blitz in Beijing after a Train Crash Accident|beijing travel
Beijing has strengthened safety procedures on the city's subway network in the wake of a fatal train crash in east China, the Beijing Times reported Monday.
After the train crash in east China on July 23, the State Council has required local governments to strengthen procedures to ensure transportation networks are running safely.
The capital's deputy mayor, Gou Zhongwen, stressed in an emergency meeting on the issue of safety that the city should strictly carry out the four requirements for safe subway operation: Carriages should not be overloaded, platforms not overcrowded, passages not over-congested, and escalators not operating at full capacity.
Measures should be strengthened to prevent a rear-end collision, as occurred in June 23's train crash, from happening on the city’s subway lines, said the deputy mayor at the meeting.
Statistics published on Friday by Beijing Subway, the operator of 12 subway lines, showed more than 6.2 million journeys were made on its 12 lines on July 15, 2011, creating a new record. Presently, the subway’s passenger capacity has reached its utmost limit.
The operator has taken measures to secure safe operation, including setting up guardrails outside the subway stations, splitting the passenger flows and allowing trains to skip stations if necessary.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
2010 top 10 hangout spots in Beijing|china travel
Whether it's sharing a pint with a long lost pal or simply sitting and watching the people of Beijing bustle by, the capital is overflowing with relaxing, or invigorating, places to spend the day "hanging out".
A man sells fruits covered in sugar (Tang hulu) in Nanluoguxiang. Photos Provided to China DailyNanluoguxiang:Rocking the retro
For the young arty types looking to fill their wardrobe and their shelves with a blast from Beijing's past, Nanluoguxiang is a hot pot of hip stores with retro styles and inebriated smiles.
Though there is a mix of more than 100 stylish shops offering iconic imagery, like the shirts found at the street's first shop, Plastered 8, and abstract artistry like the streetwear found at NLGX, the 700-year-old street also has a hint of the historic.
If shopping works up a thirst, there's a long list of coffee shops and bars available, from one of the street's original expat bars, Pass By bar, to the cozy, grab-a-couch-and-watch-a-movie style cafe, 16 MM.
The towering peaks of Jianwai SOHO.Wudaokou: Embrace your youthful side
Students and professionals experiencing a tinge of nostalgia from their university days can head to Wudaokou for a taste of Beijing's higher learning.
Housing most of Beijing's major universities, this area contains as much merrymaking as it does studying. With a range of international bars and restaurants like Lush, D-22 and Pyro Pizza, Wudaokou is perfect for cracking open the books or cracking a beer.
Ideal for sunny days, strolling across the historic campuses of Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) or Tsinghua University makes for a perfect place to hang out and watch students as they bustle by.
Jianwai SOHO: Metropolitan monster mashWhite-collar workers looking to dig into the hustle of Beijing's busiest business district can travel to the heart of the capital and check out Jianwai SOHO.
With hundreds of shops geared toward one-hour lunch shopping sprees, commercial offices, scenic landscaped plazas and trendy restaurants, Jianwai SOHO is almost a city within itself.
Some of the area's highlights include Twilight Whiskey Bar, which serves up a decent dish of pizza as well, and Vegan Hut, one of Beijing's hippest vegetarian restaurants. For a lush business lunch, there is also Cafe Europa.
On a boat at Houhai Lake.Houhai: Lakeside lounging
The ultimate waterside hangouts, the shores of Houhai Lake are stuffed with bars, boutiques and activities to keep visitors occupied year-round.
For winter, sipping on a hot drink next to the fireplace in No Name Bar, to watch people ice skate, is a perfect way of hanging inside and fighting the cold.
During the summer, renting a boat and cruising the lake before getting a good meal at one of the many restaurants in the area is a fantastic way to pass the day.
Fangjia Hutong: Art meets cultureSurreptitiously slotted between Yonghegong Street and Andingmen, Fangjia Hutong is one of Beijing's yet-to-be-discovered cultural pockets.
At its mouth, the street gives the appearance of just another residential alley, but venturing down reveals a small pocket of homely restaurants like Hot Cat Club and Caihuoche Salon, plus bars catering to the local expat crowd such as El Nido and El Nido 2.
Add into the mix the Ruby Theater, a chic dance theater built from an old China National Machine Tools Corp production plant, and it's easy to understand why this has been dubbed the "creative neighborhood".
Preparation key to coping with cold|china travel
"Just take enough warm clothing," was the refrain from sports and fitness experts I consulted on how to prepare for a trip to "China's North Pole".
They were right. It was four to five layers of clothing that allowed me to survive temperatures of -30 C to -45 C.
Underneath my green down coat was a red woolen turtleneck, which covered a brown cotton turtleneck, which hid violet polyester long underwear and the base layer of black cotton long underwear.
Concealed by my bright pink ski pants was a pair of shiny black down pants and a pair of black polyester long underwear. I also wore a beige woolen scarf, purple ski gloves and two layers of woolen socks inside snowshoes.
"Make sure there's enough room for air to circulate between layers," Dong Hexin, 32, a Mohe cab driver, said when I told him what was in my luggage.
The only reason I didn't wear a cotton mask over my nose and mouth - like most locals did - was that it would have worsened the frost on my glasses. I decided to forgo contact lenses after consulting an eye doctor.
"The trouble with glasses is they fog," said Dr Jesse Caguioa, chief optometrist at the Asian Eye Institute in Manila, but "our biggest concern with contact lenses in such negative temperatures is that they'd dry out".
I was terrified by the possibility of the contacts freezing into fish scale-like discs - and cracking - while on my eyeballs.
I also found useful advice online: Get adequate sleep before and during the trip, and keep yourself hydrated. A bottle of hot water, I discovered, can double as a hand warmer between jaunts outdoors or as a "hot water bag" while in bed at night.
I brought disposable heating pads for my cold feet, but I barely felt their effect. After 20 minutes outdoors I began experiencing a throbbing pain on my forehead and it became difficult to think or speak.
My toes and my fingers would feel painfully frozen and heavy, and I'd get nightmarish visions of frostbite. While in a panic rush back to a heated car or room, I'd question the sanity of my winter expedition to Mohe.
But I survived Mohe's dreadfully cold winter. I think I've now earned the right to see it in summer.
China Daily
(China Daily 01/06/2011 page19)
Qianlongs secret garden for his old age|china travel
Even before he abdicated the throne, the Emperor Qianlong was already preparing for retirement. He had a two-acre private courtyard built and filled it with his favorite books, art and a wall mural that brought his garden inside even when he could not go out to enjoy it.
This was the emperor's personal retreat, Juanqinzhai, more known to antiquities experts as the Qianlong Garden. Its name, which alludes to "rest after a lifetime of work", reflected Qianlong's love of scholarship and the arts. He prided himself as an accomplished calligrapher and he is known for his huge collection of art and antiques.
Much of this has been lost, plundered by the turbulent times that China went through before it finally emerged, cleansed and ready for new beginnings. But there is enough left within the courtyard to make it very interesting to the experts.
Built in the 1770s, Juanqinzhai fell into disrepair after China's last emperor, Puyi, was expelled from the Forbidden City in 1924. For decades, it suffered the fate of being forgotten, a decrepit storage space.
The World Monuments Fund (WMF) from the US has played a key role in its restoration with not only funds but also expertise, according to Nancy Berliner, curator of Chinese art at the Peabody Essex Museum.
The $3-million project can be seen as a good example of international cooperation in cultural relics conservation, says Li Ji, deputy director of the Palace Museum. "The cooperation with the WMF was the first major collaboration between a US conservation group and the Palace Museum."
The WMF starting working with the Palace Museum in 2002 to restore the Qianlong Garden and helped train Chinese conservators as they faced the many complex challenges posed by the fragile historic interior and its unusual mix of materials and techniques.
One such was the wall mural that stretched over the ceiling of the room where a miniature stage was built for opera performances, one of Qianlong's loves. It is a detailed depiction of the palace gardens complete with lilacs and trailing purple wisteria. Craftsmen spent much time and money matching the unusual pigments used for the trompe l'oeil, and this was where the expertise from the WMF came in most useful.
This joint conservation exercise has proved so successful that the WMF, a New York-based non-profit organization, signed a broader agreement to restore all 24 buildings and the elaborate outdoor courtyards of the entire Qianlong Garden.
The expected date of completion will be in 2019, a year before the Forbidden City marks 600 years of existence.
Monday, September 5, 2011
New SAS route to Wroclaw, Poland
“Poland is an important trading partner for Denmark and the ninth-biggest Danish export market. It is essential to Danish companies to have good and frequent flight connections to Poland. As Wroclaw is an important industrial city, Danish business people will benefit greatly from the new service, which concurrently strengthens Copenhagen Airport’s position as a northern European hub, said Ole Wieth Christensen, Director of Airline Sales & Route Development for Copenhagen Airports.
A number of international companies have production, development and other activities in Wroclaw, including Volvo, Toyota, Bosch, LG Electronics, 3M, HP and Whirlpool, and the city’s technology park is also home to a large number of IT, biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
One of the host cities of the European soccer championship
The historic city attracts many tourists, and the opening of the new service is also good news to soccer devotees, as Wroclaw will be one of the host cities of the European soccer championship.
“We are pleased to offer a non-stop service to one of the fastest growing cities in central Europe. Wroclaw features both high technology and beautiful architecture, and we look forward to welcoming passengers on our flights to this new destination, said Per Møller Jensen, Vice President, Brand, Marketing & EuroBonus for SAS.
Forty-two weekly flights to Poland
SAS flies to Wroclaw four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, leaving Copenhagen at 11:15 a.m. and Wrocław at 1:00 p.m. The flying time to Wroclaw is one hour and 20 minutes, and SAS uses CRJ200 flights seating 50 passengers on the service.
SAS now operates a total of 42 weekly flights to Poland out of Copenhagen Airport. In addition to the service to Wrocław, SAS also offers services to Warsaw, Gdansk and Poznan out of Copenhagen.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Emirates connects Costa Cruise ships to passengers from all over the world
Italian home styling popular among locals|china travel
When architect and home designer Fabrizo De Leva came to China seven years ago, he didn't expect Chinese people would be so interested in Italian style.
Yet today 99 percent of De Leva's clients at FdL in Beijing are Chinese. The appeal is due to "a combination of simplicity, functionality and luxury", De Leva said.
Italians are known worldwide for their style in leather and luxury brands such as Prada and Lamborghini. And that's exactly what newly affluent Chinese want in their homes - Italian luxury, according to De Leva.
He said there are two types of Chinese interested in his professional services.
One type, who have a humble background and make it big, want to show off their new money - they like their homes designed in an ostentatious way.
De Leva said one client had his whole bathroom plated in gold at a cost of 1 million yuan.
The other type are more confident of their wealth and "want real style", he said.
De Leva said an Italian home is not about a golden bathroom, but mixing aesthetics and function. Every item in a room should be useful, easy to operate and move around.
He said the No 1 rule is to avoid a so-called "U-turn" in a home, meaning that you can only get in or out of a room the same way. An entrance should allow people to navigate the house, he said.
Italian style is also not just about marble floors. It's the way of working with the space in a home that distinguishes it, that is new in China, he said.
"Some people don't understand that design and style is not about dressing up an empty space, it's about creating an empty space," he said.
"Some Chinese are too sophisticated. They will have the furniture along the walls in a traditional style. We will put some furniture in the middle of the room."
Furniture is the exuberance that achieves that luxury Italian look, but it can raise costs dramatically, especially if the customers are looking for genuine leather furniture and designs.
"You can get good copies of Italian furniture here in China but many Chinese are willing to pay much more to get the original," De Leva said.
"They are concerned about the quality and would rather fly to Italy and choose the furniture they like and have it shipped over to China."
For many Italians the kitchen is the heart of the home, but for the Chinese it's the opposite.
De Leva said the dominant colors of an Italian-style home are pastel, which reminds him of Mediterranean islands such as Sicily. Few, if any, are red.
As he designs more homes in China, he said he hoped more Italian designers will come to China.
"Chinese people have a keen eye for Italian style," he said. "But Italian designers are slow to come and be a part of this great opportunity."
Citys First Solar Power Station Starts Operation
A solar power station, located in Shuangliu County of Chengdu, began to generate electricity on Tuesday. It is the first solar power station built in the city, which makes Shuangliu the pilot area of new energy using.
The solar power station was designed and built by Sichuan Apollo Solar T&D Inc., a high-tech company of solar power development.
Noah headquaters settle in Chengdu
Chinas leading provider of electronic learning products Noah Education Holdings Limited (Noah) announced on Wednesday that the company had moved its headquarters from Shenzhen to Chengdu.
Chairman of Noah Tang Benguo said the decision had strategic importance since Chengdu possesses the advantages in highstandard human resources, completed industrial capacity and lower cost.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Guilin never ceases to amaze|china travel
The most enchanting sights in China are said to be Shanghai at night, Beijing in autumn, Chongqing in fog and Guilin in the rain. I headed to Guilin, which means forest of sweet osmanthus, two weeks ago and was awed by the rain and mist-shrouded peaks in this world-famous site in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
Photo taken on August 2, 2009 shows the sunrise in Lijiang River in Guilin city, southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The red sail boat used to be the freight vessel before the 1970s, now it has become a special scenery to attract tourists. [Xinhua]
I could appreciate the sentiments of Wang Zhengong, a poet in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) who carved on the Solitary Beauty Peak: "No landscape on Earth equals Guilin in beauty."
The flight from Shanghai takes around two and a half hours and when arriving I immediately smelled the sweet osmanthus trees that grow everywhere in the city. The red lanterns from the Chinese Lunar New Year are still hanging in the trees.
The famous boat cruise on the winding Lijiang River passes the many karst mountains and peaks, some with bizarre shapes that resemble an elephant sipping water, a walking camel and an old man lost in thought.
The rain and fog above the river lend an air of mystery. When the river takes a big turn at Xingping Old Town, I saw the familiar and heart-stopping beauty that is engraved on the 20-yuan Chinese bank notes. Fishermen float by on bamboo rafts with their "leashed" cormorants that dive for fish. Every morning they sell fish, shrimp and crabs to cruise boats.
In addition to natural scenery, the slow-paced city is rich in history and culture. The Sun and Moon pagodas on Banyan Lake reflect a balance of yin and yang, two fundamentals of Chinese philosophy.
The nine-story shining Sun Pagoda is covered in copper and is the world's tallest copper pagoda. The silvery Moon Pagoda is a seven-story tower of glass. They complement each other and suggest that the interaction of yin and yang gives rise to everything in the universe.
Royal compound
The Jingjiang Prince's Palace is considered the most auspicious place in Guilin. Built from 1372 to 1392 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the royal complex was the official residence of Zhu Shouqian, great-nephew of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
In the 257 years from construction to the end of the Ming Dynasty, 14 princes from 12 generations lived there. It was also the base camp for revolutionary and political leader Sun Yat-sen during the Northern Expedition in 1921.
Xiang yun or "auspicious clouds" are carved on the entrance gate and delicately carved balustrades and marble steps are well preserved.
The building satisfies the basic requirements of feng shui - it is south of a hill (Solitary Beauty Peak) and north of a river (Lijiang River). In the garden, tree branches take the shape of a dragon's claw. On the southern stone face of the mountain is a giant inscription of the Chinese character shou (longevity) written by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Empress Dowager Cixi.
Inside Peace Cave at the foot of the peak, the wall is carved with the images of 60 Chinese gods of the zodiac. According to the zodiac, 60 gods take their turns to be Tai Sui (Grand Duke of Jupiter) every year and each has characteristics that astrologers compare with people's zodiac animals.
In the Qing Dynasty, some pavilions were converted into an Examination House where scholars took the ancient imperial exams that could ensure their futures. Visitors took their own simple exams about city facts, filling in the answer sheet with an ink brush; the best performers received local delicacies.
Around 65 kilometers southeast of Guilin, Yangshuo is 2,000-year-old town famous for its breathtaking views of hills and rivers - and bustling bar streets.
A bamboo raft ride on the picturesque Yulong River, a tributary of the Lijiang River, takes visitors past peaceful fields and terraced mountains. The river has a series of small dams and there's a bit of a bump and adventure as the boatman uses the pole to move downstream.
Along the way are many waterside cafes and beer houses offering visitors a chance to rest and enjoy roast fish, chicken and snacks. During peak holidays, the river and the cafes are crowded and noisy; there are hundreds of rafts. A bicycle ride along the river is more peaceful.
Lively West Street lies in the center of Yangshuo, a few kilometers from the Yulong River, and the 1,400-year-old road is packed with tourists who enjoy its East-West ambience.
It's also known as "Foreigners' Street." There are a variety of cafes, restaurants, bars and little shops selling locally made souvenirs. Every year around 100,000 foreigner visit Yangshuo, some for pleasure, some for business.
Bicycles and motorbikes are for rent. Nearby are strawberry fields where visitors can pick their own fruit. Gear for camping and rock climbing is sold and rented.
A dozen kilometers away from Yangshuo is the karst Silver Cave, which is famous for its stalactites forming spectacular curtains, flowers and pillars. They are dramatized by colorful spotlights. It's awesome and mysterious.
There are still other nearby attractions, such as magnificent rice terraces in the mountainous village of the Longji minority.
Emirates ramps up preparations for Dubai-Prague bridge
Gateway to the life of Rabindranath Tagore|china travel
At the crossing of Chittaranjan Avenue - one of the main arteries cutting vertically across central Calcutta - and Dwarakanth Tagore Lane, a typically untidy and constricted tributary, stands a tacky terracotta arch. This is the gateway to Jorasanko Thakurbari (the house of Tagores of Jorasanko).
The bust of a long-haired, bearded man perched on top looks away indifferently, turning his gaze from the white smoke, spewed non-stop by heavy vehicles, and the mesh of electric cables, running horizontally, on all sides, splitting up the landscape in thin strips.
This is Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) - poet, artist, educationist and visionary, commonly recognized as the voice of the East in the early 20th century. And the lane beneath his gaze leads to the "red house", where he was born and raised, and returned to from his trips abroad and indeed from where he was sent off on his last journey.
The sprawling mansion, branching out into several wings, cradling a largish courtyard illuminated by its dazzling white walls, is still pillar-box red in most parts, contrasting dramatically with the forest green on the foliage, and the wooden rails holding the ornamental grills, girdling the never-ending balconies.
The thin poles of this barrier, between home and the outside, would often double as the boy Tagore's students. The mute, inanimate things would even take a beating or two from him, in response to the oppressive rote learning and corporal punishment that Tagore was subjected to, as he writes in Jibansmriti (Reminiscences).
The poet's first photograph on display was taken when Tagore was 13 - a tall, gaunt boy with slightly equestrian features and huge, incisive eyes. That penetrating look seemed to grow more intense with age and is very apparent, in the images taken only days before his death, now displayed in the cool, marble-floored room with huge French windows, where he spent his last days.
The image in which he looks his hottest is probably that of him as a 20-year-old, playing the dacoit king Valmiki in the first opera he wrote. The glow of subdued creative genius - for the dacoit will soon abandon the spoils of loot and discover the poet within - a soft, almost feminine, jaw line and half-moist eyes make a lethal combination.
One of his closest women friends was Kadambari, the wife of an older brother, Jyotirindranath. Married into the Tagore family as a pre-pubescent girl, Kadambari was Rabi's playmate and often the first person who got to hear his latest piece of writing. She committed suicide, a few days after Rabindranath was married off to child bride Mrinalini, sparking speculation of an illicit romance. Kadambari's room in the attic is off-limits to visitors.
The room dedicated to Tagore's wife Mrinalini has the kind of Victorian-Edwardian furniture - ornate marble-topped dressing tables with Belgian glass, framed with dark wooden curlicues - that one reads about in many of his novels, like Laboratory, Banshari (The Flute) and Sesher Kobita (The Last Poem), peopled by the Western-educated nouveau riche.
Mrinalini came from a humbler background but adapted fast, tutored by her husband, a rich, evolved aesthete, informed by extensive reading and travels around the world. The letters he wrote to his young wife, addressing her as Chhuti, meaning "youngest wife" (Rabindranath was the youngest among 13 siblings, hence, so was his wife) but also punning on the word "holiday" - displayed in the room in magnified facsimiles - are intimate, purposeful and funny, all at the same time.
Be it the Bengal Renaissance, the coming of age of the Bengal school of painting in the 1920s-30s, or Tagore's travels abroad and meetings with great minds, such as Albert Einstein, the Tagore Museum has it all, facts compiled and illustrated in meticulous detail.
I like the quirky elements about the house, like the shaded little porch where the maidservants would sit in the evenings, rolling wicks in a dull sliver of moonlight, like spirits, instilling fear in the tender heart of young Rabi.
I also like the fact that the giant, cantilevered bridge that Tagore wrote about in one of his fantasy poems - in it, he has a dream in which the city of Calcutta shakes off its inertia and starts moving like a juggernaut - is visible from the terrace. It's now named after him.
China Daily
(China Daily 03/10/2011 page19)
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Thursday, July 28, 2011
Air China Cargo flights from Dalian to Frankfurt
Air China's hub in Shanghai will provide transportation of cargo throughout the rest of the world by building a fast and convenient air corridor for the rapid shipment of goods to and from Dalian. Furthermore, the introduction of the route plays an important role in promoting Dalian as both an international shipping center and an international logistics center in Northeast Asia, as well as the region's financial center.
With Air China Cargo's network, cargo in Dalian can also be effectively transported to North America, Japan, the Asia Pacific and other locations. Prior to the plane taking off, representatives from Air China and the Dalian government held a brief ceremony to commemorate the route's first flight.
Through positive communication and close partnership between Air China Cargo and the Dalian municipal government, as well as strong support from Dalian Airport, Customs, and Commodity Inspections, the freight capacity shortage problem between Dalian and Europe was able to be resolved through the opening of Air China Cargo's Dalian-Shanghai-Frankfurt freighter route. The route is to be flown three times a week by B747-400 cargo planes that fly out every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Located at the intersection of the Northeast Asian Economic Circle and Bohai Economic Circle, Dalian is an important industrial base in northern China, and also an important foreign trade port and the northeast region's largest shipment transportation hub. Europe and Japan account for a large proportion of Dalian's air cargo market. However, due to the lack of local wide-body freighter capacity, much of the cargo bound for the Americas and Europe have to first be transported by truck to Beijing or Tianjin; or be shipped to South Korea before being loaded onto planes. That method of cargo transportation not only wastes time but is also very risky and decreases the shipping efficiency of local goods. As such, the successful opening of the route will help resolve the shortage of cargo flights between Dalian and Europe.
Air China Cargo currently owns nine Boeing 747-400 aircraft---the largest fleet of Boeing 747 freighter planes of any airline operating in China's civil aviation industry. The airline has opened cargo flights to Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Paris,
Milan, Vienna, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Chinese Taipei, Tokyo, and Osaka (in chronological order) that depart from Shanghai. Moreover, the airline has exclusive rights to use the belly space in 280 of Air China's passenger aircraft. By utilizing Air China's global network, Air China Cargo ships to 138 destinations in 29 countries on nearly 300 routes. Additionally, the passenger aircraft and freighter's belly space network is backed up by 622 truck routes so as to ensure the rapid transportation of goods around the world.
Air Canada flights Athens to Montreal
The Boeing 767-300 with flight number ΑC 828, arriving from Montreal, landed in the morning at Athens International Airport, to be greeted by the traditional fireman's water cannon welcome salute, followed by an official inaugural ceremony, which included ribbon-bonding and welcome speeches by business and government officials. The ceremony was attended by a delegation of Air Canada executives, the Chargé d' Affaires at the Canadian Embassy in Athens, Mr Denys Tessier, as well as Lufthansa representatives and media representatives.
Air Canada has chosen Lufthansa as its General Sales Agent in Greece. On behalf of Lufthansa German Airlines, Mr Paulo Yoshikawa, General Manager Greece and Cyprus, stated: “Lufthansa is proud to be selected as Air Canada’s General Sales Agent in Greece and welcomes this esteemed and well – established Canadian carrier on this new venture. We look forward to the best results and we wish only success and positive results”.
On behalf of Athens International Airport S.A., Mrs. Ioanna Papadopoulou – Director Communication and Marketing welcomed the new airline. “We are very pleased to welcome Air Canada, Canada’s largest full-service airline and the largest provider of scheduled passenger services in the Canadian market, the Canada-U.S. transborder market and in the international market to and from Canada,”she stated. “ We wish all the best for this well- targeted itinerary, which will bring the two countries even closer, and link them in a seamless and convenient itinerary, enabling Greeks from the large Greek colony in Canada to visit us even more often and vice versa. Good luck to Air Canada on this new venture”.
Hong Kong to finland get more flight frequency
The additional flights to Hong Kong will start and the daily Singapore route will open on May 30. Finnair operates a total of 74 flights per week to Asia. Singapore will be Finnair’s tenth scheduled flight destination in Asia.
Hong Kong in China is one of the world’s most important economic centers, the airline notes. Finland’s geographical location and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport’s fast connecting times enable Finnair to offer its customers one-stop flying times that are compeitive with non-stop schedule times for flights between Asia and other European cities.
“Finnair’s position in traffic between Asia and Europe is strengthening continually. Our Asian strategy is working really well, and demand has grown strongly,” says Christer Haglund, Finnair’s senior vice president of communications. “In addition to the extra flights to Hong Kong, we recently announced that Finnair will open a new route to Singapore in May 2011.”
Sharjah, UAE to Athens, Greece low-cost airlines
The LCC fly to Athens on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, departing Sharjah at 18:55 and arriving in Athens at 22:45. Return flights will depart Athens at 23:30 and arrive in Sharjah at 05:20.
Roundtrip flights operate three times per week between Athens “Eleftherios Venizelos” International Airport in the capital of Greece, and Air Arabia’s hub in Sharjah, UAE. Air Arabia is the first LCC in the Middle East commencing operations to Athens.
Air Arabia’s first destination in Greece is also the carrier’s first destination in a European Union country and the 3rd destination on the European continent. In total, Air Arabia now serves 46 destinations across the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, Central Asia and Southern Europe.
AK Nizar, Head of Commercial Department, Air Arabia, said: “Greece is one of the fastest growing economies in the EU, and there is considerable passenger traffic between the country and the Middle East, particularly for tourism and business. We are delighted to now offer non-stop service between Sharjah, the cultural capital of the UAE, and Athens, one of the great cultural cities of Europe. We are confident that Athens will serve as a great holiday, personal travel and business destination for our passengers.”
Air Arabia (PJSC), listed on the Dubai Financial Market, is the Middle East and North Africa’s leading low-cost carrier (LCC). Air Arabia commenced operations in October 2003 and currently operates a fleet of 16 new Airbus A320 aircraft, serving 45 destinations across the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia and Central Asia through its main hub in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
flights Athens to Madrid Barajas airport
Vueling flies from Athens International Airport to Madrid, Barajas, every Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
From Athens to Barcelona, El Prat, Vueling will fly every Monday, Thursday and Saturday, while, as of July 10, three flights will be added, every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Flight schedules (local time)
Athens - Madrid 04.35- 07.15 (Monday, Thursday, Saturday)
Madrid - Athens 23.25- 03.55(Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)
flights from Madrid depart from the brand new terminal 4 (T4) in the Madrid Barajas International Airport.
How to Get There
- Metro: Line 8, Airport stop T-4.
- By Bus: Service 204 from Avda. de América to T4. Special bus service from the Barajas Metro station to T4.
Air China's Athens Munich Beijing route
Air China's Beijing-Munich-Athens route has flights every Wednesday and Saturday on flight numbers CA961 and CA962. The outbound flight will depart PEK at 00:40 and arrive in Munich at 05:30. The departing flight from Munich is at 06:55 and arrives in Athens at 10:30.The return flight will depart from Athens at 11:30, arriving in Munich at 12:55, depart at 14:25 and arrive in Beijing the following day at 06:10. Trip duration is 13 hours and 25 minutes. The number of Chinese tourists to Greece is on the rise, and the introduction of this new route is expected to stimulate even more Chinese tourism to Greece.
The new Beijing Athens route will serve travelers who seek ancient temples and culture of Greece. Passengers can now book tickets on the Air China website (www.airchina.com) or through the Air China ticketing hotline.
SAS partner With ANA on japan flights
customers will be able to book ANA operated flights between Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Sapporo, Osaka and Fukuoka, which will operate with an SK flight code. ANA will also add
its NH code to SAS' Tokyo to Copenhagen flights. Furthermore, ANA will at a later stage also add its NH code to SAS flights from: London to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm; Frankfurt to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm; and from Munich to Copenhagen and Oslo.
"It is almost to the day 60 years since we established the first route between Scandinavia and Tokyo. Tokyo is now one of our most popular long-haul destinations, and this agreement with ANA signifies the importance of Japan in the SAS network and the possibility to transport our customers to other important destinations in Japan," says Rickard Gustafson, President and CEO, Scandinavian Airlines.
Shinichiro Ito, ANA President and CEO, said, "We are pleased to welcome Scandinavian Airlines and as our code-share partner and be able to cooperate each other network intra continent, Europe and Japan. Our customers will be able to enjoy a wider network to Europe by this cooperation."
KE082/KE081 jfk to seoul a380 flights
Operation in the early second A380 aircraft of Korean Air will operate three flights a week, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday to fly the route between Incheon and New York; from September, will be encrypted to operate seven flights a week . The initial operation, flight number KE081 flight at ICN, South Korea took off from 11:00 am, 11:55 am that day arrived in New York's Kennedy International . The return flight KE082 starting at 14:00 pm U.S. time, the next day arrived at seoul Incheon International Airport at 17:20.
Korean Air A380 aircraft has spacious cabin design. Cabin with a total of 407 seats in three classes, in addition to the 12 first class seats statue Te (KosmoSuites) and 301 new Economy Class seats, the cabin floor business class for the whole second floor, equipped with 94 180-degree fully flat seats of the Malibu special (Prestige Class) seats, so as to bring the most spacious and comfortable passenger air experience. At the same time, the second A380 aircraft is also equipped with the industry's first display area inside the duty free (DFS), and mini-bar inside the lounge, to provide passengers with new high-end luxury leisure services, and can enjoy the air shopping experience.
Korean Air A380 aircraft will be gradually operating seoul Incheon to major cities in Europe and North America routes, including the end of this year will operate from Paris Incheon, Incheon flights from Los Angeles.
nonstop flights Boston to asia on japan airlines
Boston will become the fifth continental U.S. gateway served by JAL on top of the airline’s current daily operations between Tokyo and New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The airline also announced its plans to operate the highly-anticipated Boeing 787-8 configured with business and economy class cabins on this route, making Boston the first destination named by JAL to utilize the Dreamliner.
Tokyo(Narita) = Boston Flight Schedule
Flight Number
Route Dep. Time Arr. Time
JL008 NRT BOS
AA5922 11:30 11:20 Daily
Operating 4 times a week on Mo, We, Fr, Su until May 31, 2012
JL007 BOS NRT
AA5921 13:20 16:00 + 1
Daily
787-8
The above flight and fleet schedule is subject to government approval and change.
JAL will become the only carrier to directly link Asia and Boston, one of the largest U.S. metropolitan cities, with nonstop service that will be available four times a week initially and later increased to once daily from June 1, 2012. This route will facilitate travel to and from cities throughout the New England region as well as add greater convenience for business and leisure travelers connecting to and from key Asian cities through JAL’s extensive international network at Narita.
“I am pleased to announce the addition of Boston to our international network- our first new gateway in North America in 13 years,” said Masaru Onishi, President of Japan Airlines. “By making full use of the efficiencies of the revolutionary 787 as well as capitalizing on our closer relationship with American Airlines, we are confident this new route will prove to be another valuable link for commercial and cultural exchanges between both regions, and more significantly, the onset of JAL’s growth strategies going forward.”
"This new flight further demonstrates the benefits of our joint business agreement and will strengthen our relationship with Japan Airlines even more," said Tom Horton, President - American Airlines. "The Boston=Narita service is one of the many new customer benefits of our increased cooperation between North America and Asia with our long-standing and valued partner."
“I am thrilled that Japan Airlines has agreed to begin nonstop service between Tokyo and Boston, and I applaud them for choosing Massachusetts as a destination,” said Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. “I also want to commend Massport for their efforts to make this a reality. Our counterparts in Tokyo understand the value of a direct flight that will connect them to our growing health care, biotechnology, telecommunications, and advance technologies industries, and to our prestigious colleges and research universities. This is an invaluable economic partnership for the Commonwealth, and we look forward to the increased tourism, commerce, and economic development with Japan that it will bring."
“This new service will connect New England and Asia as never before,’’ said Thomas J. Kinton Jr., Massport’s CEO & Executive Director. “Asia is a priority for Governor Patrick’s administration to further enhance the economic competitiveness of the Commonwealth and nonstop flights to Asia are the number one service target among the Boston-area’s business, academic and tourism communities. We are thrilled with the route and thankful that the work of our Asia Task Force with Boston business leaders helped clinch the deal.’’
Hawaiian Air Oakland to HNL direct flights
Hawaiian is launching these flights in response to the sudden closure of Aloha and ATA airlines, both of which provided direct daily service between Oakland and Hawaii.
Hawaiian's Flight HA 47 will depart Oakland daily at 9:00 a.m. and arrive in HNL at 11:05 a.m. Return Flight 48 will depart HNL daily at 1:30 p.m. and arrive in Oakland at 9:25 p.m.
Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian's president and CEO, said, "The East Bay market has a strong affinity for Hawaii and we wanted to make sure its travelers would continue to enjoy convenient, nonstop service. Hawaiian has been the Oakland Raiders carrier of choice the past eight years and we will bring that same level of satisfaction to all residents of the East Bay."
"We are thrilled to have Hawaiian Airlines coming to the Oakland International Airport and ensuring continued daily, nonstop service to Hawaii for our airport customers," said Steven Grossman, airport director for the Oakland International Airport.
Tickets go on sale Friday, April 4, with the best fares offered online at HawaiianAirlines.com. HawaiianMiles members can take advantage of additional fare savings and other special offers.
Hawaiian will service the route using its Boeing 767-300 wide-body, twin-aisle aircraft, which seats an average of 260 passengers, 18 in First Class and 242 in Coach Class.
Hawaiian's B767 aircraft will provide nearly 95,000 seats annually to the Honolulu-Oakland route. Customers will enjoy Hawaiian's award-winning "Hawaii Starts Here" inflight service showcasing the islands' culture, beauty and people, along with a choice of complimentary hot meals in Coach Class and the industry's only tasting menu for First Class passengers.
Oakland will be Hawaiian's tenth gateway in the western U.S., and sixth in California.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
flights Honolulu to Manila on Hawaiian Air
Manila is Hawaiian's first gateway city into Asia. The route also makes Hawaiian the only U.S. carrier providing nonstop service between Manila and Honolulu, and will more than double capacity on the route.
Hawaiian will operate the nonstop route using its wide-body, twin-aisle Boeing 767-300ER aircraft that seat up to 264 passengers. The comfort and convenience of Hawaiian's 2-3-2 seating configuration provides either window or aisle seating to 86 percent of the passengers. The flight time is more than 10 hours.
Hawaiian's Flight HA455 will depart Honolulu International Airport on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 12:30 p.m. and arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila the following day at 5:15 p.m. Return Flight HA456 will depart Manila on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. and arrive in Honolulu the same day at 11:15 a.m. (Manila is 18 hours ahead of Honolulu and the flight crosses the International Dateline.)
In celebration of its new service, Hawaiian is offering a special introductory roundtrip fare between Honolulu and Manila of $499, plus taxes and fees, for Coach Class seating that is good for travel purchases through May 31, 2008. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.HawaiianAirlines.com or by calling Hawaiian toll-free at 1-800-367-5320, or in the Philippines at 02-860-2300.
Customers will enjoy Hawaiian's award-winning "Hawaii Starts Here" inflight service showcasing the islands' culture, beauty and people, along with a choice of complimentary hot meals in Coach Class and the industry's only tasting menu for First Class passengers. Hawaiian has given its Manila inflight menu a distinctive Filipino flair.
Hawaiian Air add flight Las Vegas to Honolulu
“Las Vegas is our most popular route and we are providing more seats where our customers want it most,” said Glenn Taniguchi, Hawaiian’s senior vice president of marketing and sales. “Plus, Vegas regulars will find our new flight is a convenient compliment to our existing schedule.”
Flight HA6 will depart Honolulu on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 8:00 a.m. and arrive in Las Vegas at 3:35 p.m. Return Flight HA5 will depart Las Vegas the same days at 5:05 p.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 9:15 p.m.
Tickets are available for purchase at HawaiianAirlines.com.
The new Honolulu-Las Vegas service is in addition to the two daily flights that Hawaiian currently operates for the route.
Flight HA8 departs Honolulu daily at 10:55 p.m. and arrives in Las Vegas the next morning at 6:30 a.m., with return Flight HA7 departing Las Vegas daily at 10:30 a.m. and arriving in Honolulu at 2:40 p.m.
In addition, Flight HA18 departs Honolulu daily at 4:00 p.m. and arrives in Las Vegas at 11:35 p.m., with Hawaiian’s ‘Midnight Madness’ Flight HA17 departing Las Vegas daily at 2:30 a.m. and arriving in Honolulu at 6:40 a.m.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Aruba Marriott hotel All-Inclusive package
Budget Travelers - Aruba Marriott Resort has just completed a $50 million renovation and the hotel has been remodeled from top to bottom, inside and out. To celebrate, it's offering a Relaunch Rate, which provides a savings of 30%. Rates start at just $188/night. Request promotion code NEW.
All-Inclusive Travelers - Aruba Marriott has just announced lowered rates on their Escape! Inclusive package. This package offers room accommodations, breakfast, lunch and dinner at resort restaurants, premium brand liquor, local beer, house wine by the glass and non-alcoholic beverages, complimentary use of health club and tennis courts, non-motorized hotel sponsored water sports, Kids' Club activities and discounts for golf, massages and merchandise. Save almost 20% with rates now starting at $449/night (inclusive of tax/service charge) based on double occupancy, plus, kids under 12 stay free. Five-night minimum stay. Request promotion code NCL.
Savvy Travelers - Savvy travelers are willing to spend, but want value for their money. Look no further than the Tradewinds Club, Aruba Marriott's hotel-within-a-hotel. Perks, privileges and personalization is the name of the game at this boutique hotel in a resort atmosphere. In the spirit of savvy traveling, the Relaunch Rates for the Tradewinds Club have been reduced and now start at just $338/night. Request promotion code NEW. Or, better yet, save a few more dollars by booking the Tradewinds Indulgence package, which starts at $469/night but offers the 4th night free and a $100 resort credit. (Not to mention all the extras that Tradewinds provides including private check in, plush robes and deluxe bath amenities, free internet access, private lounge with five complimentary food & beverage services daily, evening open-bar, packing and unpacking services, a pillow menu, reserved beach area and more.) Request promotion code P51.
To book any of the above listed packages, visit www.arubamarriott.com and enter the corresponding promotion code or request it by calling 800.223.6388.
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino boasts 411 guestrooms -- the most spacious on the island -- each with large, private balconies overlooking lush landscape and the sparkling waters of the Caribbean Sea. On property, seven restaurants and cafes provide fare from light to elegant, while the largest casino in Aruba, a 6,500 square-foot spa, free-form swimming pool with cascading waterfalls and high-energy health club offer entertaining diversions. To obtain more information call the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino at 888-PARADISE or visit www.arubamarriott.com / www.tradewinds.arubamarriott.com.
Funjet Air and hotel vacation packages to Mexico
Cancun
3 nights from $399.99* 3 nights from $499.99*
Dos Playas, 2 stars Riu Caribe, 4 stars
All-inclusive! All-inclusive! Kids 12 and
under stay free!
Use promotion code MEXICO50.
Puerto Vallarta
3 nights from $379.99* 3 nights from $399.99*
Embarcadero Pacifico Hotel & Villas, Riu Jalisco, 4 stars
2.5 stars All-inclusive!
All-inclusive! Use promotion code MEXICO50.
Use promotion code MEXICO100.
Cozumel
3 nights from $429.99* 5 nights from $629.99*
Hotel Cozumel & Resort, 3 stars Wyndham Cozumel Resort & Spa,
All-inclusive! Kids 12 and 4 stars
under stay free! All-inclusive!
Use promotion code MEXICO50.
Los Cabos
3 nights from $429.99* 3 nights from $579.99*
TESORO Los Cabos, 3 stars Royal Solaris Los Cabos
Kids 17 and under stay free! Resort & Spa, 4 stars
Honeymoon inclusions! All-inclusive! Kids 5 and
under stay free!
Save at the hotels above, plus these other popular resorts:
Cancun: Flamingo Cancun Resort & Plaza, Great Parnassus Resort and Spa and Park Royal Cancun
Puerto Vallarta: Golden Crown Paradise Resort Puerto Vallarta
To purchase, travelers should contact a local travel agent, visit www.Funjet.com or call 1-888-558-6654.
Funjet Vacations St. Louis to Cancun charter flights
Travelers can snag a deal from as little as $349.99* per person for an all-inclusive getaway for three nights at the Oasis Palm Beach in Cancun which includes nonstop airfare from San Antonio on AeroMexico at a savings of over 45% off the original price.
These flights will operate seasonally for departures as early as December 24, 2011 on various dates through August 4, 2012 nonstop from St. Louis with convenient morning departures and afternoon returns available. Travelers who fly this new nonstop service will also receive two free checked bags, complimentary meal and beverage service and an in-flight movie. Travelers can also reserve their space with as little as a $50 deposit and will have access to exclusive inventory and pricing to provide the most value on flights from St. Louis to these destinations.
Established in 1994, Vision Airlines began taking vacationers from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon and has expanded to be one of the most trusted names in the Charter Airline business. Vision’s charters have flown for various sports teams, resorts and casinos, and the U.S. Government. In January 2011, Vision expanded service to include 23 cities in 14 states. It was the largest expansion of service by a U.S. carrier in more than 10 years. On June 3, 2011 Vision will begin its service from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.
For more details or to book a Funjet Vacation, contact a recommended travel agent at 1-800-FUNJET-1 or visit www.funjet.com.
increase in tourism from Texas to Mexico
Expedia, Inc., the world's largest online travel company, today released booking data from its global websites showing rising demand for travel into Mexico. Travel bookings to Mexico made on the more than 90 Expedia® and Hotels.com® travel sites worldwide have risen nearly 25 percent over the past 12 months, with the majority of international demand coming from travelers in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
The number of Mexico hotels that have partnered with Expedia has grown more than 30 percent over the past year. For these hotels, becoming a part of Expedia's global online travel marketplace means exposure to over 50 million travelers that visit Expedia and Hotels.com sites each month, including Expedia.com.mx and Hoteles.com in Mexico – a number that is expected to increase as a growing population of domestic and international consumers choose to use the internet to research and book their travel.
"The number of people flying out of Texas cities into Mexico is up 12 percent from last year, and December saw the most travelers for that month in a decade," said Mike Going, president of Funjet Vacations. "Year-after-year Mexico remains a top travel destination for both Funjet Vacations and the Texas market and we are optimistic about the forecast for 2011. We believe properly informed consumers will continue to desire the unique vacation experiences that only Mexico can offer."
The increase in tourism from Texas has been seen most prominently in top beach destinations and resort areas, including Cancun, Cozumel, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Maya, which are located in the southeast and southwest regions of the country.
"We are working closely with tour operators from Texas and throughout the U.S. and are pleased to have their continued support," said Alfonso Sumano, Director for the Americas of the Mexican Tourism Board. "Travel agents serve as experts in not only flights and accommodations, but provide important information about regional activities which is why we work so closely with companies such as Funjet Vacations to educate and train travel agents on the activities taking place in our country."
Known for its warm culture and hospitality, Mexico offers an incredible value for any travel budget. Unique historic sites, pristine beaches and an array of water activities from scuba diving to jet skiing are the perfect backdrop for family vacations, honeymoons, spring breaks and more.
Travel statistics provided by the Mexican Tourism Board measure the number of passengers arriving on flights each month. Additional information can be found at www.siimt.com.