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TRAVEL DAILY INDIA TRAVEL DAILY UK TRAVEL DAILY ME CRUISE NEWS UKwww.traveldailymedia.com/asia4 Sep 2013 ▶ P 1GREENBeehives in Hong Kong andmore responsible tourism news...READ MORE EYE ON LATIN AMERICAHoliday Inn has announced a newproperty in Lima...READ MORE TRAVEL RAVEResponding to the changingdemands of businesstravellers...READ MORE RESPONDING TO THE CHANGINGDEMANDS OF BUSINESS TRAVELLERSRISE OF THE NEW ASIAN TRAVELLERAsia shows signs of weakness–IATAInternational Air Transport Association puts Europe up and China downThe Trade Show for the Asian Travel MarketThe A-B-C ...... of ITB Asia… in Asia… for Buyers… new ConferencesAwaits you!23–25 October 2013, itb-asia.comSuntec SingaporeThe deceleration of theChinese economy could beresponsible for Asia losingthe spotlight in July’s air trafficnumbers, claims the CEO anddirector general of IATA.The body, which representsaround 240 airlines and 84%of global air traffic, made theannouncement after Europemanaged to pull itself out ofrecession, providing the biggestsurprise to global traffic numbers.Globally, revenue perpassenger kilometres (RPK) wasup 5% year-on-year (y-o-y) whilecapacity increased 5.5% y-o-y, allof which has delivered a positivemonth, the group’s boss said.“Passenger demand continuesto be strong,” said Tony Tyler,IATA’s director general & CEO.“But the story of emerging marketsdriving growth as developedeconomies stagnate could beshifting. We are still expectinggrowth of 5% this year. How thatgrowth is achieved, however,appears to be at a turning point.”Regionally, the carriers of AsiaPacific reported a 6.3% y-o-y risein traffic. However, the support forgrowth at this rate is weakening,says IATA. China’s economyreached a plateau, affectingits second quarter figures as itcontinued to decelerate. This hadconsequences for trade partnersthroughout the continent and isexpected to affect flight traffic.There are also serious worries forIndia, amidst the current crisis it isundergoing. IATA has scaled backperformance for the year to 4.1%–meaning a significantly moresobering second half of the year.Europe on the other hand,has seen a real boost, recordinga 3.7% y-o-y increase and anemergence from recessionsignificantly raising confidencearound performance for the rest ofthe year.“The emergence of theeurozone from an 18-monthrecession provided the biggestboost to traffic over recent months.In contrast, the deceleration ofthe Chinese economy has beena dampener on air travel, withweakness showing up throughoutemerging Asian markets. The priceof oil, a huge cost item for airlines,is tracking political tensions inthe Middle East. Along with theglobal cost impact of this, at theregional level there is the potentialfor disruption for one of aviation’sstrongest and most consistentgrowth markets,” explained Tyler.JAL boss becomes LinkedIn InfluencerThe president of Japan AirlinesYoshiharu Ueki has acceptedan invitation from LinkedIn to join its‘Influencer’ programme.The programme has businessleaders including Richard Bransoncontributing thought leadershiparticles to the business-centred socialmedia network.Ueki’s first post is now online titled‘Whether you are a pilot or a businessleader, it’s all about the destination’.He will submit one article eachmonth.“Aviation is about growingconnectivity and all the economicand social benefits it enables.Sustainability is a core part ofthis vision. We are doing all wecan to support fully the successof governments in agreeing anaviation solution for sustainabilitythat is global and which willunderpin the future development ofour important industry.”Norwegian adds transatlantic flightsLow cost carrier NorwegianAir has launched new routesbetween Los Angeles, Oakland-San Francisco, Orlando andScandinavia.The routes, which will be operatedusing the company’s Boeing 787Dreamliner, have been announcedat the same time as Norwegianlaunches a new route between NewYork and Copenhagen.“I’m very happy to announce thelaunch of three new intercontinentaldestinations. The major trafficstreams currently go between theUS and Europe and there’s greatdemand for high quality flights at alow fare between the two continents,”said Norwegian’s CEO Bjørn Kjos.The airline is to be the only oneoffering non-stop flights from Oslo toLos Angeles“So far the response to our NewYork, Bangkok and Fort Lauderdaleroutes has been tremendous.Most of our flights have been fullybooked over the summer. Our offerhas not only been well received byScandinavian passengers travellingto the U.S. or Asia, but also Asiansand Americans going to Scandinaviaand beyond,” Kjos added.Advertise with TDA today! Email us atManaging Editor: Gary Marshall * | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Elliott *advertising@traveldailymedia.com 101A Upper Cross Street, #11-16 People’s Park Centre, Singapore, 058358

TRAVEL DAILY INDIA TRAVEL DAILY UK TRAVEL DAILY ME CRUISE NEWS UKwww.traveldailymedia.com/asia 4 Sep 2013 ▶ P 2Best Westernin theMiddle EastDownload your guide now Centara moves in to AfricaThai hotelier announces move for Ethiopia resortWe makebusinesstravelbetter.Thai hotel operator CentaraHotels & Resorts is to openits fi rst property in Africa: theCentara Grand Addis Ababa HotelEthiopia.The announcement, whichfollows an agreement which wassigned with developer YencomadConstruction, currently puts thehotel’s opening date as December2017.“We are very proud to beannouncing our fi rst hotel on theAfrican continent, and believe thisrefl ects the growing reputationof the Centara brand overseas,”said Thirayuth Chirathivat, chiefexecutive officer of Centara Hotels& Resorts.Chirathivat was joined atthe signing by Yemeru Nega,Mekdes Ayele and AsamnewBarega Birgane who representedYencomad.“Our Thai-style hospitalityand our proven track record inhotel and resort management arenow increasingly accepted byinternational investors who knowthey can rely upon Centara to attractguests from around the world totheir properties,” added Chirathivat.The announcement is part ofCentara’s strategic growth planfor the Indian Ocean region, afteropening its first Mauritian resortearlier this year and another on theway for December.“We fi rmly believe that ourtrack record as both an owner andmanagement company places usin a very advantageous position forexpansion in Africa, where thereis enormous potential,” continuedChris Bailey, senior vice presidentof sales & marketing for CentaraHotels & Resorts.“Ethiopia is an excitingdestination and we believe thatour reputation and our Thaimanagement style will combinewith our growing customer basearound the world, generatingglobal business for what will bean outstanding new hotel in AddisAbaba.”Discover ourunrivalled travelmanagementsolutions.Qatar launches Chengdu flightAir crisis management discussedat Bangkok conferenceStrategy into how best to handleaviation crises was discussedat the AAPA Emergency Responseconference, which is currently takingplace in Bangkok.The event, which is now in its fi fthyear, had over 100 industry expertspresent and was organised by theAssociation of Asia Pacifi c Airlineswith Thai Airways and BangkokAirways acting as co-hosts.Andrew Herdman, AAPA directorgeneral, used his keynote speechto welcome delegates: "Crisismanagement and emergencyresponse preparedness are closelylinked. Aircraft accidents are rareevents, but airlines also have toput in place contingency plans forother potential crises or eventsthat may signifi cantly affect airlineoperations. In this region, we havealready learnt some importantlessons from past crises, such asSARS and avian fl u outbreaks,as well as typhoons, volcanic ashclouds and a number of othernatural disasters."Herdman added, "Managinglarge-scale disruptions requiresclose cooperation betweenregulators, airlines, airports andother stakeholders, sharing ofdata and best practices, as well aseffective consultation processesand communications. Aside fromthe procedural aspects, there isalso a human and social dimensionto managing crises that affect thetravelling public. AAPA is committedto playing a critical role in promotingthe highest standards in emergencyresponse preparedness amongstairlines in the region."Sorajak Kasemsuvan, president,Thai Airways International said:"Airlines are committed to thehighest standards in customerservice and the well-being ofpassengers. In emergencysituations, airlines cannot resolveemergencies alone and relyon professional support andexpertise provided by local andinternational organisations inemergency response efforts.Through the sharing of lessonsamongst international and localexperts, this conference is animportant opportunity to furtherimprove aviation crisis managementskills and emergency responsepreparedness within the region."Thavatvong Thanasumitra,executive vice president CorporatePlanning and Member of the Board,Bangkok Airways said, "On adaily basis, 3 million passengers,representing 34% of global airpassenger traffic, travel safely inAsia. Although disruptions areinfrequent, our industry is committedto delivering the highest standardsof care to the travelling public."Middle East carrier QatarAirways began its Chengduroute today, the company’s sixthdestination in China.The Airbus A330 was welcomedby a traditional waterhose saluteafter completing the journey fromthe carrier’s Doha hub.The service will now operatethree times a week.“Qatar Airways saw animmense potential to operateKempinski opens hotel in TaiyuanLuxury hotel brandKempinski hasopened its latest hotel inTaiyuan, Shanxi Province,China – the fi rst luxuryhotel to open in the city.The 363-room hotelhas been built to a briefof blending European fl airwith Chinese traditionand is located close tothe city’s retail areas andexhibition centre.“As a landmarkbuilding in town,Kempinski Hotel Taiyuan will bethe fi rst choice of major companiesand government offices foraccommodation, business meetingsand exhibitions”, said Mr CarstenWiegandt, General Managerof Kempinski Hotel Taiyuan.“Everything has been consideredin Chengdu, which is set toplay a critical role in the nextwave of economic developmentin Western China,” said QatarAirways chief executive officer,Akbar Al Baker.“It’s hardly a surprise, therefore,that nearly half of the world’s Fortune500 companies have opened officesin the city, and that Chengdu isaiming to become China’s fastestgrowing aviation hub.”down to the fi nest details toallow us to bring our customersa personalised European luxuryexperience.”Kempinski currently operates 19hotels in China, with an additionalproperty scheduled to open inBeijing in 2014.Advertise with TDA today! Email us atManaging Editor: Gary Marshall * | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Elliott *advertising@traveldailymedia.com 101A Upper Cross Street, #11-16 People’s Park Centre, Singapore, 058358

TRAVEL DAILY INDIATRAVEL DAILY UKTRAVEL DAILY MECRUISE NEWS UKwww.traveldailymedia.com/asiaRESPONDING TO THE CHANGING DEMANDSOF BUSINESS TRAVELLERSIt is little wonder that Asia has attractedincreasing attention from the internationalbusiness community when you consider thegrowth opportunities and relatively strongeconomies in the region.As more businesses focus on Asia, this presentsvaluable opportunities for the business traveland meetings, incentives, conventions andexhibitions (BTMICE) industry.And it is this growth that is driving demand forrelevant business events that enable businesstravellers to gain new knowledge, forge valuablecontacts and networks as well as to understandand to tap on the opportunities in Asia.Research is certainly backing the fundamentalsof this developing trend. According to the 2013American Express/CFO Research GlobalBusiness & Spending Monitor, the majorityare expecting to increase their spending onbusiness travel over the next year.The report also noted that one of the key driversof business travel is to “meet with current andprospective customers”, with 52% of the CFOsin Asia and Australia likely to spend more ontravelling year-on-year to meet customers.In particular, the potential of business travelin China cannot be ignored. According to theinaugural Global Business Travel Association(GBTA) BTI Outlook – China, business travelspending in China is forecasted to increase by21% in 2013, to US $245 billion.The report noted that while China is currentlyranked second in the business travel market, it isforecast to surpass the US by as early as 2015.For Singapore, the BTMICE sector is a keycontributor of tourism receipts. From January toSeptember 2012, BTMICE visitor arrivals stoodat 2.5 million, representing a 6% year-on-yeargrowth. Expenditure by these business visitorsrose 7% year-on-year to an estimated S $4.29billion.On average, business visitors contribute a thirdof Singapore’s overall visitor arrivals and tourismreceipts. They also spend more. SingaporeTourism Board’s data shows that the per capitaexpenditure of a business visitor is almost twicethat of a leisure tourist.Delivering greater value to businesstravellersDespite the uptrend in overall business travel,purse strings are still being pulled fairly tight asorganisations become increasingly cautiouswith their travel spending.Business travellers have to justify their tripsand are seeking greater value from theirinvestments.Executive director of travel tradeshow ITB Asia,Nino Gruettke, says corporate travellers havebecome more demanding over the past decade,“looking for hotels and service providers that“Today’s business travellers are well-travelled,discerning and savvy, looking for a holisticexperience,” he continues.and enjoyable travel experience, not just a roomfor the night or a way to get from point A to B.”To increase the value for today’s businesstraveller, ITB Asia has been adding newconference content each year aimed atenhancing attendees’ understanding of thechanging corporate travel segment.The array of conference and event topicssurrounding each year’s show addresses thetrends and needs of the fast-growing travelindustry and provides participants with muchneededinsights and business knowledge tobetter anticipate today’s travellers’ needs.Beyond content, the BTMICE industry also needsto continuously innovate to provide enhancedexperiences for delegates to keep pace with theirrising expectations and evolving needs.For example, the growing demand for spaceto stage conferences alongside exhibitions or‘Confex’ events, has led to the development ofa new convention wing MAX Atria @ Singaporefor a variety of purposes, including meetings,exhibitions, product launches and banquets.Director, Exhibitions and Conferences ofSingapore Tourism Board, Andrew Phua,asserts that business travellers are becomingmore sophisticated and the industry “will need toprogress to a higher level to deliver more valueto our international partners”.“Decisions are no longer made based just onsuperior meeting infrastructure and service,but an entire value proposition surroundingintellectual property and in-depth content,” hesays.“Together with the industry, we will continueto collaborate and strengthen Singapore’sposition as a knowledge exchange hub andthe ever-evolving needs of global businessprofessionals.”Driving cross-event synergiesAs event attendees are looking to optimise theirbusiness trips for greater returns, they have alsobecome more selective towards the types ofevents they attend.that enrich their perspectives and lead toproductive outcomes.One way to deliver greater value to eventattendees is to cluster complementary eventsevent synergies in ‘industry focus’ weeks.Such an approach also allows time-strappeddelegates to optimise their business trips andevents within the same eco-system.One example of an ‘industry focus’ week isTravelRave, created by the Singapore TourismBoard. Held annually in October, the travel tradefestival provides a unique platform for thoughtleaders in the travel and tourism industry tocome together, exchange insights and explorein Asia.Into its fourth edition this year, TravelRave hastrade festival. Last year’s festival concluded witha record 10,700 attendees (representing a 12%increase over 2011), from the entire spectrum ofthe Asian travel and tourism industry to network,exchange knowledge and share experiencesover eight events.TravelRave 2013 returns from 21 to 25October with new content on top of insightfuldiscussions that have become an integral partof the travel trade festival and will continueto harness collective Asian insights from theTravelRave is a prime example of an 'industry week'which drives cross-event synergiesindustry’s top leaders.For Messe Berlin (Singapore), the organiserof ITB Asia, the launch of TravelRave hascontributed to the growth of the show.The clamour for exhibitor space highlights theimportance of the show – it was completely soldout four months ahead of the event.Gruettke says part of the success is theconvergence of travel trade events and“unique and valuable synergies”.“It helps to draw together a wide range of highleveldelegates and participants from all aroundthe world, making ITB Asia a strategic gatewayfor the global travel trade to reach out to thisregion,” he adds.Delegates can also look forward to enjoyingthemselves at complementary networkingsessions. For instance, TravelRave’s crosseventnetworking event, Rave On! TravelRaveParty, which will take place on 23 October,aims to bring the industry closer to forgingmore contacts and facilitating exchanges in aninformal setting.TravelRave attendee Marc Steinmeyer,president director and founder of TAUZIAHotel Management, says as a platform thatamalgamates the best of Asia’s travel andtourism industry in a single week, “TravelRaveprovides invaluable opportunities for me tomeet and network with industry leaders acrossTravelRave: Unlocking invaluableopportunities and insightTravelRave comprises multiple complementaryevents that cut across the travel and tourismindustry, from hospitality and tourism investment- to aviation (Aviation Out- and technology .on business travel, ITB Asia’s GBTA BusinessTravel Forum segment delve into the latest economicforecasts on business travel spend in theregion and provide new insights and ideas thatwill help business travel professionals to successfullyplan for the future.Similarly, during the , ArunMadhok, CEO, Suntec Singapore Convention &Exhibition Centre and Datuk Peter Brokenshire,general manager, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre,will be speaking on the topic of investmentoutlook for MICE destinations in Asia. To meetthe need for new and Asian-focus insights for theassociation community, UIA is also launching itsinaugural Asian edition of UIA AssociationsRoundtable 2013 in Singapore.line up of eight quality events under theTravelRave umbrella. TravelRave will take placefrom 21 to 25 October 2013 providing a dynamicplatform for business leaders and industryprofessionals to share knowledge and insights,explore business opportunities, and celebrateAsian tourism at its best.Get connected with the best travel minds aheadtrade festival in Asia. Follow us @TravelRaveSGor visit www.travelrave.sg for the latest industryupdates.Advertise with TDA today! Email us atadvertising@traveldailymedia.comManaging Editor: Gary Marshall | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Elliott 101A Upper Cross Street, #11-16 People’s Park Centre, Singapore, 058358

TRAVEL DAILY INDIA TRAVEL DAILY UK TRAVEL DAILY ME CRUISE NEWS UKwww.traveldailymedia.com/asia 4 Sep 2013 ▶ P 4Your guide to thelatest technologiesmaking businesstravel betterCLICK HEREto read the guideTune Hotels opens in IndonesiaFast growing budgethotel operator TuneHotels has opened itslatest property in Solo,a region of CentralJava.The 159-room hotelis the brand’s fi fthproperty in Indonesiaafter openings inLegian, Bali, PasarBaru and Pekanbaru.Tune Hotels GroupCEO Mark Lankestersaid: “Tune Hotel Solorepresents the fi rsthotel in Central Java, acity steeped in historywith a fast growingtourism industry aswell as a boomingmiddle class offeringa huge potential forrapid growth. The hotelwill offer internationalstandards of serviceexcellence to the citywith the intention toserve both tourists andbusiness travellers.With four hotelscurrently operatingin Indonesia, there will be anaggressive expansion of six moreTune Hotels in development whichare scheduled to open over the next18 months including Makassar,Bekasi, Surabaya, Bandung,Jakarta and Palembang.”The fi rm, which owned by TonyFernandes and Kamarudin Meranun– the group CEO and deputy groupCEO of AirAsia now has fi ve hotelsin the UK, 11 in Malaysia, four inThailand, fi ve in the Philippines, onein India and one in Japan.The company currently has plansto open hotels in Australia, theMiddle East, Europe and Africa.“This rapid development ofTune Hotels in Indonesia refl ectsthe growing demand for valuestay accommodation for bothleisure and business travel. Theconcept of Tune Hotels catersto the demand of providing topquality accommodation and basicnecessities of comfort, cleanliness,safety and convenience with anaffordable price.”“In the coming months, theaggressive expansion plans of TuneHotels into other top destinations inIndonesia will refl ect a milestone forthe hotel brand and we hope thatTune Hotels will become a householdname across the archipelago,”added Lankester.Travel Daily Media is growing!Travel Daily Media, the travel industry’s favourite e-magazine,needs talented sales professionals to join our fast-expandingteam. We are seeking young, motivated, sales-driven people todrive our expansion across Asia.Vacancies:Regional Sales Director – based in Hong KongSales Managers (x3) – based in Indonesia, China, Singapore/MalaysiaRole:• Advertising sales for online travel trade publications;• Developing key advertising contracts within the airline, hotel andother travel/tourism sectors;• Developing network of contacts within the travel & tourism industry;• Representing company at travel trade shows and other industry events.GREENConsiderate Hoteliers partnersEarthCheckResponsible hoteliers association Considerate Hoteliers (CH) hasannounced a new partnership with the EarthCheck accreditationscheme.Under the partnership CH’s members will be encouraged tomeasure their impact on the environment using EarthCheckmetrics which will also address risks and customer service.CH members will have access to resources, case studies and factsheets with the option to sign up to the EarthCheck software.“CH has a long history of working with hotel operators in theUnited Kingdom to support them with business developmentand advice on operational systems and processes includingsustainability and CSR. This alliance is between two marketleaders, who both recognise the need for performance basedoutcomes which can be underpinned by practical, scientifi cmetrics,” said Stewart Moore, CEO of EC3 Global and theEarthCheck programme.More than 1,300 hotel groups currently use EarthCheck worldwide,with its international reach an appeal for CH as it looks to increasemembership outside the UK.Fairmont starts communityprogrammeLuxury hotel brand Fairmont has started a worldwidecommunity programme across its entire suite of properties.The Community Connections Month initiative will get staff tosupport local causes from bee conservation in Vancouver tohelping the homeless in Boston.“At Fairmont, we are continually seeking out innovative ways tosupport and give back to our local communities; a pledge thatour hotel colleagues value and actively play a part in,” said thebrand’s president Jennifer Fox. “It's simply part of our ongoingcommitment to good corporate citizenship.”There will also be programmes to help street children in Manila,dinners for the elderly in Singapore and a beach clean-up inBermuda.InterContinental Hong Kong setsup roof top beehivehelping the plight of the struggling bee.The InterContinentalHong Kong hasinstalled a beehiveas part of its ongoingenvironmentalinitiatives, it hasconfi rmed.The hotel will now startproducing its ownhoney while the hotelhopes it will lessen itscarbon footprint whileThe hotel’s executive assistant manager Bryan Chiu explained: “Weare adding more rooftop beehives this fall and hope to thereforeincrease the bee population and our honey production. In a smallway, we want to contribute to the overall environment in HongKong.”Guests will be able to sample the homegrown honey in cocktails thisAutumn.Requirements:• Excellent English speaker;• Minimum 12 months experience in a media sales environment• Proven sales record and a genuine passion for sales;• Must possess excellent communication skills and have the ability tobuild client relationships;• Ability to self-manage;• Ability and willingness to travel.Reward:Home based. Salary dependent on experience + generous commissionstructureSend your resume to ian@traveldailymedia.comAlitalia hires debt advisorItalian airline Alitalia has hiredGruppo Banca Leonardo to helpraise funds before the end of theyear and close down its operatinglosses in 2014.The airline, which confi rmedthe move yesterday, also said thatLeonardo was due to report back onits preliminary meetings with banksat a board meeting scheduled laterthis month, reported Bloomberg.The struggling airline hasidentifi ed a need to raise morecapital and aims to have US$395before the end of the year. Thisamount will be supplemented byconvertible loans from investors.The company’s new strategyfocuses on long-haul routes afterits regional operator, Air One,absorbed assets after the old AirItalia went into bankruptcy in 2008.Advertise with TDA today! Email us atManaging Editor: Gary Marshall * | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Elliott *advertising@traveldailymedia.com 101A Upper Cross Street, #11-16 People’s Park Centre, Singapore, 058358

TRAVEL DAILY INDIA TRAVEL DAILY UK TRAVEL DAILY ME CRUISE NEWS UKwww.traveldailymedia.com/asia 4 Sep 2013 ▶ P 5SellingMICE in AsiaCLICK CK HERE to read the guideMandarin Oriental Macau packagesfor fireworks contest٭Holiday Inn signs Lima property IHG brand Holiday Inn ha signed an agreement, which sawconstruction begin on the 179-room Holiday Inn Lima Airport Hotel.Building and management will be overseen by Pinasco familyunder the Operaciones Turisticas Peruanas fi rm, the companywhich operates IHG’s Crowne Plaza Lima hotel.“We are honored to expand our relationship with OperacionesTuristicas Peruanas S.A.C and the Pinasco family,” said AlvaroDiago, chief operating officer, Latin America & Caribbean, IHG.Luxury hotel Mandarin OrientalMacau has announced apackage to complement the 25thMacau International FireworksDisplay Contest.The package – which runs on14, 19, 21, 28, September and 1October – includes one night stay,views of the fireworks,six-course degustation dinnerwith glass of Moet and a buffetbreakfast.The package starts fromUS511.78 but is subject to a10% service charge and 5%government tax.“APAC knowledge in agents is down”Region urged to still target luxuryUK marketUK travel agents’ knowledge inthe Asia Pacifi c region has seenan “alarming decrease” as a resultof consolidation and failures,the owner of a travel marketingconsultancy has said.Sandra Leach, owner of SandraLeach Company told APACtravel buyers and sellers at theLuxperience Thought Leaders forumin Sydney that knowledge about theregion has lowered in recent years.She said the drop had come frommore consolidation and failuresin the UK travel industry, whichsome say has reduced specialistknowledge. However as more of theregion opens up to tourism, othersmay argue the scale of developmenthas been difficult to keep track of.She urged delegates not toignore the UK for luxury traveldespite the economic situation,encouraging them to target“recession-proof” markets such asthe 50-69 age group and visitingfriends and family (VFR) audience.As customers look for morevalue for money, Leach encourageddelegates to consider businesspartnerships; tour operator visibility;B2C marketing and package valueto draw in tourists. Click here forfull story ٭Paraguay plane crash kills six A plane crash in Paraguay has killed six people, it has beenreported.The incident, which took place, about 280km outside the country’scapital city of Asuncion, killed two Brazilians and a Spaniard,The accident happened about an hour after the plane left the city.٭Belize resort damaged by fire Ramon’s Village Resort in San Pedro, Belize has been heavilydamaged by fi re.The incident, which took place last week, reportedly saw two-thirdsof the property on fi re.While there have been no fatalities, 33 of the 61 thatched roof‘cabana’ units were destroyed, as well as the restaurant and bar.The cause of the fi re is as yet unknown.Malaysia visa tourist spend rises6.5%The total amount spent inMalaysia on foreign Visa cardsrose 6.5% last year, a study by thecompany has found.The fi gure, which was aroundUS$1.58 billion 2012 represented asignifi cant rise.Visa country manager forMalaysia Stuart Tomlinson toldBernama, the national news agencythat the rise was down to increasingcard usage among foreign travellers,meaning that the country wasbecoming more mature as anelectronic payments market.“More consumers are nowrealising the benefi ts andconvenience of payment cardswhen making transactions abroad,”he said.QUOTEOF THE DAYIn emergencysituations, airlinescannot resolveemergenciesalone and relyon professionalsupport andexpertise providedby local andinternationalorganisationsin emergencyresponse efforts.Sorajak Kasemsuvan,president, ThaiAirways InternationalImpiana Hotels to manage Splash ParkTanco Holdings, the owner ofSplash Park Serviced Suites,has hired Impiana Hotels & ResortsManagement to operate its propertyin Palm Springs Resort City,Malaysia.The resort, which sits inPort Dickson, consists of 830serviced units on a 23 acre mixedcommercial development thatincludes an eight acre water themepark.There are also restaurants,entertainment sites, retail stores anda hotel with MICE facilities.“We see this appointment asstrategic. IHRM has the extensiveexperience and expertise inmanaging and operating resorthotels in Malaysia and the region.Moreover, the IMPIANA brand whichis an award winning 4-star andluxury hospitality brand that is highlyrated for its guests experiences byinternational travelers would be anideal partner to manage and operateSplash Park Suites,” said Mr ChanChee Meng, Executive Director,Tanco Holdings Berhad.“With its vast experience inits hospitality and managementcapabilities, we are confi dentImpiana shall not only help in liftingthe Splash Park Suites’ standard butin consistently maintain the Suitesin top rentable condition for yearsto come. The strength of Impianacoupled with the guaranteed rentalyields up to 72% in value, theiconic eight acre dedicated watertheme park and the long standingreputation of Port Dickson as thenearest and most popular getawaydestination will surely furtherspur investor confi dence in thisdevelopment.“The joint effort will creategreat synergy for all parties,providing world class hotel andhospitality standards at a keytourist destination like Port Dickson.Moreover, the development will bethe fi rst of various strategic andiconic developments planned forPSRC and will be the catalyst tofurther enhance the tourism sectorand boost up the property market inNegeri Sembilan.”Advertise with TDA today! Email us atManaging Editor: Gary Marshall * | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Elliott *advertising@traveldailymedia.com 101A Upper Cross Street, #11-16 People’s Park Centre, Singapore, 058358

TRAVEL DAILY INDIA TRAVEL DAILY UK TRAVEL DAILY ME CRUISE NEWS UKwww.traveldailymedia.com/asia 4 Sep 2013 ▶ P 6Movenpick opens first Chinese hotelMovenpick Hotels andResorts has openedits fi rst hotel in China andmarked its territory as thefi rst international fi ve-starproperty to be opened in thecity of Enshi.The company, whichplans to hold several Chineseopenings over the comingmonths, has launched its240 room Movenpick HotelEnshi complete with grandballroom, banquet hall,private club lounge and MICEfacilities.“We are proud to becomethe fi rst fi ve-star hotel inthe city of Enshi, said JeanGabriel Pérès, president andchief executive officer of MövenpickHotels & Resorts.“By 2020, China is poised tobecome the world’s most visitedSingaporeattraction awardedworld recordThe iFly Singapore has beengiven a Guinness WorldRecord for being the world’s largestindoor skydiving wind tunnel.The attraction has a height of56.5 feet and a diameter of 16.5feet meaning it can handle up to 20professional fl yers at one time.The tunnel has attracted morethan 96,000 visitors since it openedin 2011 – almost half of which havebeen Singaporeans.Lawrence Koh, founder &managing director of iFly Singaporesaid: “We are thrilled to berecognised by the Guinness WorldRecords as the World’s LargestIndoor Skydiving Wind Tunnel. Weare very proud of all the milestonesthat we have achieved over thepast 2 years, but this is particularlysatisfying and really puts iFlySingapore on the map.”tourism destination and the largestoutbound travel market, and we areexcited to be growing our presencehere. Establishing a new fi vestarhotel in Enshi is a signifi cantstep forward for showcasingthe Mövenpick brand to a newgeneration of Chinese travellers.”Emirates resume Tripoli flightsEmirates has resumedpassenger fl ights to Tripoli. Theairline connects Tripoli three timesa week with a quick stop in Malta,utilizing a Boeing 777-200ER with athree class confi guration.“We are now connecting Tripolinot only to Dubai, but also to ourworldwide network of more than130 destinations. Solid earlybookings have demonstrateddemand, opening up new marketsfor passengers to and from Libya,”said Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates’ vicepresident commercial operationsNorthern and Western Africa. “Libyais showing healthy economic growthand the re-launch of our fl ights toTripoli will help to support business,international trade and from Tripoli tothe rest of world.”EK745 leaves Dubai everySunday, Tuesday, and Thursdayat 0930hrs arriving in Malta at1325hrs. The service departs Maltaat 1455hrs arriving in Tripoli at1555hrs. The return fl ight leavesTripoli International Airport at1725hrs and lands in Dubai at0100hrs the next day.THE DAYIN NUMBERS5.5The percentageglobal air traffi cincreased accordingto IATA2017The year Centara willopen its fi rst Africanproperty6.5The percentage risein Malaysia touristspend for Visa cardholdersDID YOUKNOW??That almost half theworld’s Fortune 500companies haveopened an office inChengduAdvertise with TDA today! Email us atadvertising@traveldailymedia.comManaging Editor: Gary Marshall * | Editor-in-Chief: Mark Elliott *101A Upper Cross Street, #11-16 People’s Park Centre, Singapore, 058358Travel Daily Asia is a publication of Travel Daily Asia Limited (Singapore). All content is fully protected by copyright law. Written permission from the Editor-in-Chief Mark Elliott (mark@traveldailymedia.com) is required to reproduce any material.While every care has been taken in the preparation of Travel Daily Asia no liability can be accepted for errors or omissions. Content is published in good faith. Responsibility for editorial comment is taken by Mark Elliott.