| New program at Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa Posted: 23 Dec 2011 01:17 AM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  VIETNAM-To ring in the New Year, the Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa has put on a new program with VND4.5 million ++ for single or double occupancy. The price is inclusive of daily buffet breakfast, round trip airport transfer, complimentary daily shuttle to/from Hoi An town, Regency Club benefits for Regency and Suite, Camp Hyatt (Playground for children), 20% discount on VIE Spa treatment and 20% discount on Green House consumption.
Rates exclude 10% tax and 5% service charge. The program offers a minimum of 2 nights of stay and is valid from January 21 to 29.
For further information, contact reservation at (511) 398 1288 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The resort is at Truong Sa Street, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District, Danang City, tel: (511) 398 1234, website: www.danang.regency.hyatt.com.
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| Domestic tourism recovering in Australia Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:22 PM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  AUSTRALIA-Though concerns have been expressed over the future of domestic tourism in Australia, 2011 has seen record number in domestic overnight visits. The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, says domestic tourism is moving in the right direction, a positive result given the natural disasters and strong Australian dollar.
“While domestic travel is still below the levels we saw before the global financial crisis, domestic overnight trip numbers are at their highest since 2008,” Minister Ferguson said.
New figures released by Tourism Research Australia show domestic overnight travel saw reasonable growth January - September, with overnight trips up 4%. Queensland’s domestic tourism market continues to rebound from the natural disasters earlier in the year, however this is mainly through intrastate business travel and visiting friends and relatives rather than interstate holiday travel.
As domestic overnight trip numbers hit their highest level since 2008, authorities are looking to nurture this growth.
“Through Tourism 2020, the updated National Long-Term Tourism Strategy, we want to improve on these results by lifting innovation, quality and productivity. It sets the direction for tangible benefits from growing demand from Asia, further developing our digital capability, maximising labour and skills opportunities, and more.
“Surging business travel, especially in Queensland, is opening up opportunities that many service providers may have thought were beyond them. We are seeing some good returns for businesses that can adapt to new trends.”
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| Hanoi busily prepares for Christmas Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:05 PM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  VIETNAM-The spirit of Christmas has filled streets, shopping centres and many other places in Hanoi with striking colours, decorations and items. The most jubilant places are public amusement areas, shopping centres such as Vincom, as well as restaurants and hotels, including Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, Melia, Sheraton, Daewoo and Sofitel Plaza , which are decorated impressively, splendidly and colourfully.
In front of souvenir and fashion shops in Luong Van Can, Hang Can, Ba Trieu, Cau Giay and Hang Ma streets are pine trees which are decorated with many colourful items.
Christmas trees, Snow White, ribbons and artificial reindeer can be seen in many offices in Hanoi .
Coffee shop owners have even decorated their shops with laurel wreaths and pine trees.
Churches have been well-decorated to welcome Christmas and the 2012 New Year.
The nearer Christmas day comes, the higher the demand for seasonal services, such as Santa Claus gift delivering, pine trees and Santa Claus clothing products.
Bich Tram, owner of a souvenir shop in Ton Duc Thang street said that a Santa Claus gift delivery service at home costs 100,000 VND/time within the inner Hanoi area. In previous years, the service was available between Dec.15-25. But this year, the service started from Dec. 5. The number of customers is forecast to double or even triple numbers from last year.
Artificial pine trees are still the first choice of customers. This year, trees ranged in price from 800,000 VND-1,800,000 VND. Meanwhile, Santa Claus clothing products are 60,000-300,000 VND for a set of clothes, and a Santa Claus hat is about 30,000-60,000 VND. The prices have increased by 20 percent over the same period last year.
This year, there are more made-in-Vietnam goods on the market, however Chinese goods still dominate Christmas sales.
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| Hong Kong visitor arrivals for November 2011 Posted: 22 Dec 2011 06:58 PM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  HONG KONG-Hong Kong visitor arrivals reached 37,770,230 in the first 11 months of 2011. The impressive figure not only represents a 16.3%-increase compared to the equivalent period in 2010, but has also surpassed the yearly total of 2010. In November alone, arrivals rose by 16.4% year-on-year to 3,552,733, making it the November with the highest number of visitor arrivals in record.
In November, arrivals from Mainland China surged by 24.8% year-on-year to beyond 2.3 million, as consumers’ travel and consumption sentiments remained strong. Of these, 63.9% or around 1.5 million made their trip on the Individual Visit Scheme, a rise of 27.6% over November 2010. Cumulatively, Mainland arrivals climbed up by 23.8% to a historic high of over 25 million, surpassing the 12-month total of 2010.
Among the short-haul market regions, North Asia achieved the best performance in November, with arrivals from the region moved up by 6.9% to over 200,000. Specifically, Japanese arrivals sustained the positive trend of October as outbound travel sentiments improved, growing by 5.9% to nearly 120,000 during the month. For South Korea, the market maintained its steady upward trend, registering more than 80,000 arrivals or an 8.4%-increase year-on-year. From January-November, arrivals from North Asia grew by 4.0% to over 2 million.
Southeast Asia also saw moderate growth in November, with total arrivals rising by 7.9% year-on-year to nearly 300,000. In terms of individual markets, Singapore and the Philippines recorded double-digit growth in arrivals, whereas Thailand showed decrease of 10.7% due to the recent flooding in the country. In the first 11 months, overall Southeast Asian arrivals went up by 9.4% to exceed 2.8 million, with double-digit increase for Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
As for Taiwan, arrivals declined by 2.3% in November to slightly below 160,000. Cumulatively, arrivals from the island were similar to last year’s level at around 2 million. Among these, the higher-spending overnight visitors rose by 9.3% to surpass 710,000, taking up 36.0% of the total arrivals.
In the long-haul regions, arrivals went up by 1.4% to more than 450,000 in November. The Americas performed the best, with some 170,000 arrivals or a 6.9%-increase. In particular, arrivals from the US and Canada increased by 7.3% and 5.7% respectively as a result of increased vacation visitors. In the first 11 months of 2011, overall long-haul arrivals rose by 1.5% to more than 4.38 million.
Overnight arrivals to Hong Kong reached 1.87 million or 52.9% of all arrivals, a 13.1%-increase year-on-year. Meanwhile, same-day arrivals leaped up by 20.3% to exceed 1.67 million.
In the first 11 months of 2011, overnight arrivals increased by 11.1% to 20.12 million, accounting for 53.3% of all arrivals. As for same-day arrivals, these increased by 22.7% to some 17.64 million.
On 20 December 2011, another new milestone was achieved for Hong Kong’s tourism, as the city received its first 40-millionth visitor of a single year, Ms Nancy Ryan from the US.
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| HCM City welcomes 3.5 million foreign tourists Posted: 22 Dec 2011 01:35 AM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  VIETNAM-Since the beginning of 2011, Ho Chi Minh City has welcomed 3.5 million international visitors, fulfilling the year's plan and representing a year-on-year increase of 12.9 percent. According to the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the number of visitors to the city by air reached 2.65 million, up by 6 percent, and the US, Japan and China were the leaders in top 10 tourist markets.
HCM City's tourism revenue hit VND49 trillion (US$2.33 billion), rising 19.5 percent year-on-year, of which, VND29 trillion were generated from restaurants and hotels services and VND12 trillion from travel services.
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| Centara opens new Bali resort with traditional Hindu ceremony Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:42 PM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  INDONESIA-Centara Hotels& Resorts of Thailand has announced that the official soft opening of Centra Taum Bali, the group’s first overseas venture with its value brand Centra, took place on December 14. The traditional Balinese Hindu ceremony known as Melaspas, which is used to purify land or a new building and which had begun with prayers on the previous day, marked the opening of the resort.
Centra Taum Bali is located at Seminyak, one of Bali’s best known leisure and nightlife areas, and is within five minutes’ stroll of the beach.
The resort has a total of 90 Studios, Duplex Suites, Family Suites and Pool Suites, with several units offering private plunge pools. Each room features spacious balcony with double day-bed, and all units include a kitchenette with electric hob.
There is a swimming pool with children’s pool and sundeck, a Wellness Spa that includes tranquil treatment rooms and a relaxation area, and a fully equipped fitness centre.
The Centra brand, as the contraction of the Centara name indicates, offers affordable hotels and resorts that provide a quality experience designed to exceed expectations but not over-deliver to the point not required by guests. Centra properties therefore offer spacious accommodation with quality furnishing and fittings, at least one restaurant, a swimming pool, and a fitness centre. All are located in a convenient setting, with restaurants and shops nearby, and those in a seaside location are within an easy walk of the beach.
Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s largest operator of hotels, with 38 deluxe and first-class properties covering all the major tourist destinations in the Kingdom. A further 16 resorts in the Maldives, Philippines, Vietnam, Bali Indonesia, Srilanka and Mauritius Indian Ocean, brings the present total to 54 properties. Brands and properties within Centara ensure that specific categories such as couples, families, individuals, and meetings and incentives groups will all find a hotel or resort that is appropriate to their needs.
Centara operates 25 branches of Spa Cenvaree, one of Thailand’s most luxurious and innovative spa brands, and the company’s Kids’ Club is available at all the family-friendly resorts to ensure that the youngsters and teens are taken care of. Centara Hotels & Resorts also operates two state-of-the-art convention centres in Bangkok, and one in Udon Thani in northeastern Thailand.
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| Best Western breaks ground on new hotel in South Korea Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:17 PM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  KOREA-Best Western has broken ground on a new hotel in the city of Gunsan in South Korea. It is scheduled to open in Q3, 2013. The 183-room Best Western Gunsan Hotel will add Gunsan as a new destination to Best Western’s existing presence in South Korea, which currently comprises nine hotels.
The hotel’s facilities will include a swimming pool, restaurant and coffee shop, lobby lounge, bar, fitness area, meeting rooms, business centre and car park. The hotel itself will be connected to the city convention centre. The hotel is surrounded by major companies such as Hyundai Heavy Industry, Doosan Infracore and General Motors.
Best Western International’s Vice President International Operations – Asia & the Middle East, Glenn de Souza, said, “The addition of Best Western Gunsan Hotel reinforces Best Western’s commitment to continuously expanding our presence in South Korea, in terms of both number of hotels and locations. South Korea is a diverse destination of many tourist attractions and business opportunities and this is something in which Best Western is actively involved in presenting to the world’s travelers.”
Gunsan, in North Jeolla Province, has commenced Saemangeum development project which is a national project to build a global city as a frontrunner of green growth. It will create 283 km2 of reclaimed land and a lake as large as 118 km2 by constructing the world’s longest 33.9km sea dike connecting Gunsan and Buan on the west coast of Korea.
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| Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi opens Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:44 PM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  UAE-Hyatt Capital Gate Abu Dhabi, the first independently branded Hyatt outside the US, takes its first bookings today. Its construction was in many ways a first too, as designers grappled with reconciling its distinctive slanting design - the tower leans at 18 degress - with the practical needs of 21st century hospitality.
The five-star hotel contains 189 rooms, including 22 suites, across levels 18-33 within the Capital Gate tower, which is directly next to the 73,000sqm Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC).
Given the proximity to ADNEC, the meetings offering is fairly small, with four rooms, although they're bright with floor-to-ceiling windows. A meetings concierge is available.
Hyatt hopes some of its new F&B concepts will reach new heights.
Located on the 18th floor, 18° features three show kitchens which are designed to focus on entertaining guests while they savour speciality dishes created by Chef de Cuisine Ivan Musoni.
Rayana Spa, Abu Dhabi’s only 'sky spa', is perched on the 19th floor, offering an "elevated oasis experience" that complements the Fitness Centre, suspended outdoor pool and whirlpool.
Opening day online rates are AED1,050 for King and Twin rooms, rising to AED1,250 for Deluxe rooms.
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| Fusion Maia in Danang wins DestinAsian plaudit Posted: 20 Dec 2011 11:24 PM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  VIETNAM-Danang’s Fusion Maia Danang has been listed as one of the year’s best new hotels and resorts in the Asia-Pacific region by award-winning travel magazine DestinAsian. The new Luxe List is the publication’s eighth. Each of the selected properties was visited by one of the magazine’s contributors and then vetted by its editorial staff, who combed through dozens of candidate establishments before choosing the final list based on criteria such as design, service, location, and ambience.
Fusion Maia Danang is proud to be listed in this Luxe List, which according to DestinAsian editor-in-chief and associate publisher, Christopher Hill is “a leaner Luxe List than last year’s, with, surprisingly, no entries from Australia and New Zealand.”
“But the results are no less exciting, and certainly no less luxe—that rare convergence of style and substance that sets a place well above the rest. We have every confidence that these properties have all the makings of instant classics,” said Hill.
Other Vietnamese hotels and resorts to make the list include: An Lam Ninh Van Bay Villas, Nha Trang, Hotel del’ Opera, Hanoi, Six Senses Con Dao, Con Dao.
Michelle Ford, general manager of Fusion Maia said “Our guests never have to worry about the extras such as spa treatments, because they’re already included. Maybe that’s why Conde Nast Traveler named Fusion Maia in its Hot List of the world’s best new hotels, and Time Magazine asked, “Why didn’t anyone think of this before?”
“The announcement that we are featured on the DestinAsian Luxe List is another confirmation that guests are enjoying our surprising concept of all-inclusive spa.”
Fusion Maia’s trendsetting concept is attempting to shake up the luxury resort scene with its all-inclusive spa concept, the first of its kind in Asia. This hip new 5 star beach resort on Vietnam’s central coast and offers 80 chic suites, four spas and three beachfront villas, all with modern open-plan living and a courtyard with a private swimming pool.
Maia Spa is the first resort in Asia to offer all spa treatments included in the regular room rate.
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| Over 1.5 million visitors to Hoi An Posted: 20 Dec 2011 11:12 PM PST + Click Image to Enlarge  VIETNAM-Hoi An this year has welcomed some 1.5 million travelers, up 18.3% year-on-year, with 750,000 international tourists. The number of sightseeing travelers is about 1.13 million in total while that of visitors staying overnight is 649,000 with an average of 2.16 days per person.
“This number of visitors to Hoi An has hit a record high since the ancient town was listed into the tourism map at home and overseas,” reported Hoi An City chairman Le Van Giang. Such a good performance is believed to have resulted from the city’s efforts to launch numerous tourism promotion activities in the year.
Besides better infrastructure, the city attracts visitors with a wide range of new tours and services, including a visit to the global biosphere reserve on Cham Islet or sightseeing programs in the countryside.
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