Category: News

  • Quickbeds.com joins Travelport’s Rooms and More™

    Travelport, a number one provider of critical transaction processing solutions and information for the worldwide travel industry, today announces that Quickbeds.com has joined its industry-leading hotel booking engine, Travelport Rooms and More™. The implementation of hotel content from Quickbeds.com will provide an extra 4,200 Australian-based hotel offerings to the already extensive Travelport Rooms and More database.

    Quickbeds.com (a division of Flight Centre Ltd) is the 21st supplier to be implemented in Travelport Rooms and More for the reason that engine was launched in 2011. The engine was introduced by Travelport to assist travel agents improve the efficiency of looking for hotel content across numerous websites and aggregators. It searches multiple sources on behalf of the user and returns a straightforward-to-read list of accommodation choices that optimises content choice and potential commission revenue earned. The commission on Travelport Rooms and More is on par or better than current solutions and is paid directly via Travelport as a single consolidated payment, simplifying the reconciliation process.

    Niklas Andréen, GVP Hospitality and Partner Marketing, Travelport, says, “Enhancing our hospitality offering is one among Travelport’s core strategic focuses. We’re delighted to welcome Quickbeds.com on board as a partner, adding extensive Australian hotel offerings that are often difficult to locate. This partnership is an exhilarating development inside the growth of Travelport Rooms and More as we continue to expand.”

    Quickbeds.com Wholesale Brand Leader, John Feenaghty, says “Distributing our hotel content through Travelport Rooms and More is a vital move for the B2B area of Quickbeds.com, because it significantly extends access to our portal for travel agents worldwide to look and fasten with our large network of Australian hotels, motels and serviced apartments.”

    Travelport Rooms and More is now available to travel agencies in over 70 countries. The portal has undergone significant enhancements since its launch and may continue to take action throughout 2013. It’s currently available in six languages, including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and varnish.

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  • Singapore’s Changi Airport

    Changi Airport in Singapore is one of the busiest airports in south-east Asia. In 2014, Changi handled more than 54 million passengers and nearly 2 million tonnes of cargo and was voted the world’s best airport by airport users.

    With three terminals and a fourth due to open sometime in 2017, people must wonder what is special about Changi, marking it out as different from other airports.

    Terminal 1 includes a roof top swimming pool which overlooks the runway. If you are not prepared for a swim, then you can have a drink at the poolside bar. Other attractions at the terminal include a cactus garden with more than a hundred different species of cactus and desert plants, a craft room for passengers with a creative streak and an exciting children’s playground.

    For families in transit, Terminal 2 has a family room, with baby change and bottle warming facilities, and play areas with TV screens showing cartoons to keep older children amused. Terminal 2’s Entertainment Deck offers all passengers the chance to pass waiting time by playing interactive games.

    The Butterfly Garden, home to more than a 1000 butterflies, is a “must” for transit passengers in Terminal 3. Alternatively, if you have the time, you could sample reflexology in the Wellness Spa.

    All terminals at Changi have lounges, shopping areas, restaurants and cafes, business centres and pharmacies and clinics and all the usual facilities that a large airport anywhere will offer. Some facilities are only available to transit passengers.

  • News: WTTC confirms Korea as host for Asia Summit

    World Travel & Tourism Council has confirmed it could hold its regional Asia Summit in Korea in September, in recognition of the hot acceleration of tourism within the region.

    WTTC Asia Summit will occur in Seoul from September 10th-11th.

    The public sector and leading private sector organisations in Korea are hosting the Summit, that will bring tourism leaders together from all over the world to have interaction in lively debate around current issues and future trends.

    Speakers will include chief executives from regional and global hotel companies, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, travel management and online agencies; ministers of tourism; high level representatives from the NGO sector and opinion formers from the arena of finance, academia and the media. 

    WTTC president David Scowsill said: “The Summit can have a pan-Asian focus and address economic and travel related issues, that are of significant importance to at least one of the world’s most necessary tourism regions.

    “Leaders within the region are really keen to remain prior to tomorrow, and notice how countries can find innovative methods to help increase tourism benefits and interact to facilitate sustainable growth.”

    The continuous increasing demand for travel in Asia is due to the healthy emerging economies across lots of the region. 

    Figures released by WTTC today show that Asia has led tourism growth in 2012, with 7.3 per cent total tourism year-on-year growth in contribution to GDP in south-east Asia, 6.3 per cent in north-east Asia and 4 per cent in south Asia, compared with a growth contribution to GDP of only 0.4 per cent in Europe.

  • News: President Bill Clinton to keynote WTTC Global Summit

    President Bill Clinton, founding father of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd president of america, will deliver the keynote address on the World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit 2013.

    The event opens in Abu Dhabi today.

    Other Summit speakers include greater than 40 leading public figures, including Sir David Frost, British journalist and media personality, Daryl Hannah, American actress and activist, Sir Jonathon Porritt, environmentalist, David de Rothschild, adventurer and environmentalist, David Scowsill, WTTC president, and James Hogan, chief executive, Etihad Airways.

    Co-hosted by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and Etihad Airways, the worldwide Summit could be held in Abu Dhabi’s five-star Jumeirah at Etihad Towers with a Gala Dinner going on on the magical Emirates Palace hotel.

    Scowsill said: “The 2013 WTTC Global Summit will explore the results of our dramatically changing world economy and growing population at the tourism industry. 

    “Four months after the sector celebrated its one billionth international traveller, it’ll examine what we have to do collectively to arrange for a higher billion.”

  • W Hotels to go into Israel with W Tel Aviv

    Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc today announced that it’s going to debut the W brand in Israel in 2015 with the outlet of W Tel Aviv – Jaffa and The Residences at W Tel Aviv – Jaffa. Owned by Manhattan-based RFR Holding, the hotel could be set inside a historic 19th century heritage building within the revitalised ancient port neighbourhood of Jaffa. W Tel Aviv – Jaffa is being designed by acclaimed British architect John Pawson together with Ramy Gill Architects and concrete Designers, who has also designed the brand new Jaffa port.

    “We are delighted to expand our relationship with RFR Holding, who also owns W South Beach Hotels & Residences, as we open the 1st W Hotel in Israel,” commented Roeland Vos, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “Tel Aviv is among the most fashionable and cosmopolitan cities at the Mediterranean and we’re excited to expand our footprint into Israel.”

    “We are proud and excited to be working with Starwood in this expansion in Tel Aviv with this prestigious project,” added Aby Rosen, Co-Founder and Principal of RFR Holding. “We believe that the W brand, with its exceptional reputation, will further cement Jaffa’s reputation as a distinct world-class destination.”

    W Tel Aviv – Jaffa will provide a cutting-edge lifestyle experience, featuring 125 stylish guest rooms and suites, including one Extreme WOW Suite (W’s interpretation of the Presidential Suite), in addition to panoramic views of the Mediterranean coast.

    The hotel will offer a signature restaurant, a destination bar and W Front room (W’s tackle the conventional hotel lobby). Other luxury leisure facilities include an Away Spa, SWEAT® state-of-the-art fitness, and a glamorous outdoor WET pool deck. Guests might also expect the W brand’s signature Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy, providing guests whatever they wish, whenever they would like it. The hotel may even offer a whole-service, 24-hour WIRED business centre.

    This project may even feature 38 W-branded Residences at W Tel Aviv – Jaffa, that allows you to include an individual entrance. Featuring luxurious apartments starting from 70 to 400 square metres, the six-storey Residences at W Tel Aviv – Jaffa may be built alongside the heritage building during which the hotel is housed. Residents will enjoy access to the facilities at W Tel Aviv – Jaffa, including signature W offerings and services.

    With greater than 4,000 years of history, Jaffa is south of the primary city centre of Tel Aviv and is undergoing a meticulous revitalisation project, including multi-million dollar investments in infrastructure and a longer sea promenade. W Tel Aviv – Jaffa and The Residences at W Tel Aviv – Jaffa will function the centrepiece of the redevelopment of the traditional port city. Spanning over 20,000 square metres, this landmark project is found within close proximity to the newly renovated Jaffa port, the pristine beach, in addition to fashionable boutiques, charming sidewalk cafes and chic nightlife destinations.

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