ITB Asia News 2019 Preview Edition

14 SPECIAL FEATURE

14 SPECIAL FEATURE WELLNESS MESASTILA RESORT & SPA BLENDS HISTORY, CULTURE AND WELLNESS Previously known as Losari Coffee Plantation, MesaStila Resort and Spa is a unique luxury five-star resort and spa. Its uniqueness comes from its location in Magelan. The resort is surrounded by volcanoes and rice paddies, a few kilometres away from one of Indonesia’s most iconic monuments, Borobudur temple. Auriga spa, Body Massage A rich offering of spa resorts at ITB Asia The resort has been developed within a former coffee plantation perched on a hill. Most of the buildings are in fact historical constructions. There is the villa of the Dutch plantation owner which dominates the resort while the check-in for the guests is done in a former rail station which has been rebuilt at the resort. All the rooms are located in historic Joglo-villas, typical Javanese style houses made of wood which were mostly erected in the 19th century. Numerous exhibitors with spa products will be present at ITB Asia this year, many located in Asia, where the art of massage is part of the culture. From Onsen spas in Japan to Indonesian herbal massage, from Indian Ayurvedic spas to centuries-old traditional Thai massages in temples, Asia is a continent where the spa industry has turned into one of the most sophisticated in the world. According to the Global Wellness Trends Report, eight countries in the top 20 wellness destinations around the world are in Asia. The largest number of wellness trips were recorded in 2017 in China with a total of 70.2 million, followed by India with 56 million wellness trips, followed by Japan with 40.5 million. Many hotel chains in Asia even built their reputation thanks to their spas. And virtually all resorts present at ITB Asia from the Maldives are equipped with fabulous facilities and services. Today, all luxury international luxury chains in Asia Pacific have dedicated facilities. Bali also has its share of resorts equipped with spas. There are the Bali Mandira Resort & Spa, the Jayakarta Bali Beach Resort & Spa, the Nandini Jungle Resort and Spa, Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, the Senetan Villas & Spa Resort and the Ubud Village Resort & Spa. Also in Indonesia, but located in Central Java, is the MesaStila Resort and Spa in the vicinity of the famed temple of Borobudur. Thailand’s spa resorts include the Phuket Graceland Resort & Spa, Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach, the Renaissance Pattaya Resort & Spa as well as the Kee Resort & Spa Phuket. From Malaysia, exhibitors such as Sutera Harbour Resort in Kota Kinabalu and Nexus Resort & Spa Karambunai offer exceptional services. Both are in the state of Sabah on the island of Borneo. Another property is the Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa in Penang. Japan is represented with the Okinawa Marriott Resort & Spa which overlooks the East China Sea. Vietnam is home to the Hoi-An Resort & Spa in the vicinity of the old historical town while the Maldives presents the Furaveri Island Resort & Spa The spa also has a historical background. Spa therapy at MesaStila takes its inspiration from the cultural blend brought by traders from the Arabic peninsula, China, India and Java. This translates into the traditional jamu – a medicine made from local herbs that can be used for massage but also drunk. With its origins in Turkey, MesaStila is proud to house an authentic hammam, where steam bathing combines functionality with cleansing rituals STAND G05 - BASEMENT 2 The infinity pool of the MesaStila Resort and Spa ITB ASIA NEWS • Thursday 10 October 2019 www.itb-asia-news.com

SPECIAL FEATURE CITY BREAKS 15 LUXEMBOURG CITY IS ALSO A PERFECT CHRISTMAS DESTINATION Why not to travel to Luxembourg between 22 November and 5 January to discover the “Winterlights” festival which celebrates the Christmas time? Jakarta spruces up its image The Indonesian capital Jakarta is more visitors-friendly than ever. The opening of the first MRT line and the renovation of the old town are bringing renewed interest to discover the Indonesian metropolis. If Bali is the largest tourism destination for Indonesia by welcoming over six million visitors per year, Jakarta is coming second. According to data from the Central Office of Statistics for the Jakarta Region, the capital welcomed 2.81 million tourist visits last year from overseas, representing a market share of 15% of all arrivals. Jakarta is indeed turning into a more attractive than ever destination. In the last decade, Jakarta has seen massive investments in its infrastructure. The brand-new Terminal 3 at Jakarta International Airport, the opening of the airport rail link to town and the opening of a 50-km section of the Jakarta Outer Ring Road 2 are some recent examples of the government’s commitment to improve the city’s mobility. First mulled out some 25 years ago, Jakarta’s first MRT line opened last March. It links the commercial city centre where most shopping malls and hotels are located along the brand new 13 stations on the way to South Jakarta. In a second phase due to be completed in 2024, the MRT will go up to the old town of Jakarta, one of the main attractions for visitors to the capital. Mentioning the old town of Jakarta (named Kota by locals), a lot of improvement happened over the last two years. For a long time, the cradle of the city- created over 350 years by the Dutch under the name of Bataviahas been a huge construction site with the renovation of the canals and of many historical houses. The result was worth the wait. The canal area has been totally cleaned and transformed into a river walk. Museums have been modernized while renovated Dutch-style houses have been converted into trendy coffee shops, eateries as well as art galleries. A welcomed transformation for visitors! STAND G23 - BASEMENT 2 The Jakarta old town along the Kasi Besar canal Luxembourg is an excellent alternative for travellers looking to enjoy a traditional European Christmas. The small capital city is actually an attractive destination during the festive season with its atmospheric old town living to the rhythm of the “Winterlights” festival. Luxemburg City is invaded by giant Christmas trees, a Ferris wheel, various carrousels as well as Christmas markets that smell of mulled wine and cinnamon biscuits. The highlight of the festive season is a giant iceskating rink in front of Luxembourg old city hall. Hosted for a couple of years, the “Winterlights” festival turns the city into a magical and wonderful setting with thousands of lights along the streets and avenues of the city centre. The event is organized by the Luxembourg City Tourist Office in close collaboration with the City of Luxembourg. Winterlights is not only about lighting Luxembourg squares and streets. They are more than 200 concerts and events in the heart of the Christmas markets of Luxembourg City. A good motivation to visit Luxembourg Winterlights Festival is the commitment of authorities for an environment-friendly event. The lights that illuminate the city during the Christmas period consists exclusively of low-energy bulbs. The LEDs manage to reduce the electricity consumption by 97% while the remaining 3% is supplied by so-called “green” electricity. The City is stepping up its efforts to promote and maintain a clean environment by setting up rules to reduce the amount of waste produced. Thanks to the commitment of the festival’s organisers and associations that occupy Christmas markets booths, meals and drinks offered at the Christmas market will be served in containers made of reusable materials, such as glass or porcelain. Visitors will be able to collect their deposit by returning them to the stands STAND L27 - BASEMENT 2 The ‘Winterlights’ festival in Luxembourg City ITB ASIA NEWS • Thursday 10 October 2019