South West Pacific Investments Ltd has appointed InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) to assume management of its 155-room hotel currently trading as Le Meridien Port Vila, Vanuatu, signing a 15-year agreement commencing March 1, 2010. IHG will manage the property as Palms Resort and Casino Vanuatu while it undergoes a major refurbishment, due for completion in [...]
Etihad Airways is set to expand its presence down under over the next twelve months, after the Abu Dhabi-based airline secured up to 14 additional weekly frequencies to Australia. The additional flights were awarded following bilateral negotiations between the UAE and Australian Government in Canberra this week and seven of the flights can be operated [...]
By James Wilkinson A growing number of hotels have signed up to broadcast upcoming Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, meaning business travellers, conference delegates and leisure guests won’t miss a minute of the sporting action. The Four Seasons Hotel was the first Sydney property to sign up for the four-channel package through Foxtel Business and [...]
The Australian tourism and hospitality sectors should prepare for shortages in skilled vocational labour, as the Federal Government reviews which occupations receive preference for immigration, according to leading education, training and recruitment company Hostec International. Earlier this week, the Department of Immigration announced the revision of the Skill Occupations List (SOL), which identifies specific job [...]
Capping off an unprecedented six month period of growth which saw all previous Australian visitor arrival records for the July-December period fall by the wayside, Fiji has seen out 2009 just 0.5 per cent down on its record breaking 2008 performance. Figures released this week (Feb 7) by Tourism Fiji for the 12 month period [...]
Iconic resort brand Club Med is turning 60 in 2010 and to celebrate, deals are currently on offer up to 60 per cent off. For the next 60 days only, Club Med is offering a fantastic deal of 60 per cent off the second person’s booking, which means prices are now closer to what was [...]
Holidays and conferences in Thailand will take a hip twist from June 2010, when the W Retreat Koh Samui opens for business. The 75-villa property will be the second W Retreat to open in Asia-Pacific after the Maldives and comes ahead of the highly-anticipated W Retreat and Spa Bali in Seminyak, scheduled to be completed in late 2010. An [...]
By James Wilkinson Etihad Airways has released a series of combo airfares, perfect for leisure, conference and incentive travellers heading for Europe. Priced from $5602 return, the offer means travellers can fly in Etihad’s pearl business class cabin to Abu Dhabi and economy onto Europe. On the way back, it is economy from Europe, then [...]
Marriott to open 355-metre high JW Marriott Marquis Dubai
Aloft makes South East Asian debut with Bangkok opening
Doubletree by Hilton set for Indonesian debut
Accor rebrands Hotel Nikko Jakarta under Pullman flag
The charm of Saigon's Caravelle
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Shangri-La’s Michael Cottan confident about 2012
Special Report: Inside New York’s hip and grand hotels