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  • News: Final testing underway at Hamad International Airport in Qatar

    In preparation for the soft opening of Hamad International Airport (HIA) – Qatar’s present day airport on 1st April 2013 – a sequence of advanced passenger trials has been going down on the new facility.

    More than 1,000 men, women and kids have passed through the pains to check the operations of passenger facilities from check-in and immigration to aircraft boarding and arrivals.

    Over the following couple of weeks, yet another 2,500 people will pass through trials to make certain a smooth and successful transition of operations of flights from the present Doha International Airport (DIA) to Hamad International Airport.

    The advanced trials are a key milestone for HIA because it prepares for the historic opening.

    Ten airlines will begin operating from Hamad International Airport on April 1st 2013, while Qatar Airways, the key user of the ability, will switch its entire operations from DIA to HIA by the top of the year.

    Hamad International is a trendy, state-of-the-art airport, if you want to be Qatar’s new gateway to the realm.

    Flights from the 10 airlines will operate out of concourse B, and utilise the eastern runway, that’s the bigger of both runways at HIA at just below 5,000 metres. 

    Hamad International Airport

    Positioned on the fringe of the Arabian Gulf, Hamad International Airport’s tranquil waterside setting provides an excellent backdrop for its stylish architectural elements, underpinned by advanced airport systems.

    Featuring two runways, the various longest on earth, a state-of-the-art air traffic control tower, a shocking passenger terminal with a design capacity of 28 million passengers per year, over 25,000 square metres of retail and food & beverage facilities and a uniquely shaped public mosque, these are some key aspects of the trendy airport complex.

  • Frasers Hospitality prepares for Glasgow opening following World Travel Awards win

    Frasers Hospitality, parent company to Fraser Suites Glasgow, has won the coveted World Leading Serviced Apartment accolade on the prestigious World Travel Awards.

    The acclaimed company, which has 46 properties worldwide, looks forward to delivering world class, award-winning service on the newly refurbished four star Glasgow property.

    The World Travel Awards is designed to recognise and reward excellence and Frasers Hospitality fought off stiff competition from Oakwood, Pierre & Vacances and The Ascott.

    Heather McNamee, regional general manager commented: “We were delighted to win the sector Travel Award’s World Leading Serviced Apartments accolade.

    “Delivering consistent, world class customer support is essential to our success providing good quality self-service accommodation, and this award is testament to the labor that goes into making this happen across all 46 teams.

    “We anticipate unveiling the substantial refurbishment project at Fraser Suites Glasgow, and to making sure guests benefit from the luxury home from home experience available and exceptional customer support courtesy of our team.”

    The refurbishment is scheduled for completion by the tip of March 2013 and could see all 98 suites and public areas in the choice of contemporary serviced apartments upgraded to supply luxury surroundings and state-of-the-art appliances.

    Guests will take pleasure in Duravit bathrooms, free Wi-Fi and iPod docking stations in addition to bespoke kitchenettes areas by TMS Direct.

    Set within a beautifully renovated 1850s building that used to be the town bank, Fraser Suites Glasgow has combined the building’s heritage with the newest in modern comfort. Working with Maxwell Green Design and Baxter Studio Architects the award winning serviced apartments has seen its accommodation transformed.

  • News: Brand USA teams with ESPN to advertise American sports

    Brand USA, the tourism marketing body for the usa of America, has teamed up with ESPN to supply a web-based sports calendar that is now survive the patron website, DiscoverAmerica.com.

    Housed on a brand new specific sports page, the calendar gives users the chance to appreciate which cities are hosting which US physical games and teams for you to plan their holidays accordingly and experience the various unique and passionate US sporting culture.

    The easy-to-use tool provides background information at the teams, in addition to detail about each game and offers relevant news, training and scouting updates.

    Brand USA aims to teach and encourage more international visitors to the us by showcasing the precise that American sport and recreation ought to offer.

    The campaign highlights the variety of sporting experiences available inside the United states in a fresh and unexpected light, inviting visitors to “Discover this land, like never before”.

    Kristin Nichols, associate director, advertising sales, ESPN – Europe, Middle East & Africa said: “Sport is both a worldwide and native institution.

    “The competition and cultural bond of sport is shared around the globe, but individual sports, games, traditions
    and teams make up different parts of every country’s cultural fabric.

    “This campaign highlights for the world’s fans the truly distinctive sporting culture of america, and the launch of this calendar lets them create one-of-a-kind trips to experience and share in that.”

  • WTM Latin America prompts Europeans to make Brazilian debut

    A variety of high-profile European travel organisations and businesses will exhibit in Brazil for the inaugural World Travel Market Latin America, occurring in São Paulo this April.

    World Travel Market Latin America, the leading global event for the Latin American travel industry, reveals that interest from European exhibitors started following the choice of the German National Tourist Board to become an official country partner for the development.

    The importance of Brazil as an outbound marketplace for Europe has prompted the eu Travel Commission to take a stand at a Brazilian travel show for the primary time in its 65-year history.

    The ETC is a not-for-profit organisation which promotes Europe to the realm, and is funded by its 33 National Tourism Organisation members.

    ETC will host a variety of events at World Travel Market Latin America, including a sequence of think-tanks with a view to explain the appeal of Europe as an extended-haul destination for Brazilian travellers under the tagline “Discover Europe”.

    ETC is inviting senior speakers from key European travel associations, tourist boards and the non-public sector.

    ETC members include France, Spain and Germany in addition to emerging destinations comparable to Montenegro, Latvia and Estonia.

    Furthermore, Eurowelcome, a UK and Ireland inbound specialist with offices in London and Edinburgh, is exhibiting.

    It provides services to leisure and MICE individuals and groups, with a expert team for pro football teams coming to the united kingdom.

    Elsewhere, Russia is definitely represented, with St Petersburg Tourism and GrandRus Tours highlighting the attractions of Russia’s second-largest city to the Brazilian market.

    Austria Trend Hotels & Resorts is another first-time exhibitor.

    It has thirty properties in Austria, including family-run properties, romantic palaces or designer city hotels. 

    Santa’s Resort Kakslauttanen in Lapland, Finland, may be targeting Brazilian fans of dad Christmas.

    The year-round resort includes several attractions like Santa’s own house, where Santa receives visitors in the course of the winter time.

    In summer-time the visitors can exercise in Santa’s resort gold panning with Santa’s Elves.

    Another advocate of Scandinavia exhibiting for the primary time is Trans Nordic Tours.

    Based in Denmark, it provides inbound services in ten countries within the region, including Greenland, Iceland and Lithuania.

    Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia will join forces under the ‘European Quartet, One Melody, Central Europe Four’ slogan, promoting the delights of Central Europe.

    Italy will enjoy a powerful presence on the show with both the regions of Veneto and Toscana taking their very own pavilions alongside ENIT – the Italian Ministry of Tourism.

    Reed Travel Exhibitions director WTM Latin America Lawrence Reinisch said: “Interest within the first World Travel Market Latin America was outstanding.

    “We are especially pleased to bring a few European exhibitors to Brazil for the primary time.

    “This high level of first time interest demonstrates the facility a Reed Travel Exhibitions event has to endorse and enhance a market in addition the worldwide power of the area Travel Market brand.

    “The new exhibitors and buyers dropped at the region by WTM Latin America will see a considerable amount of extra business conducted benefiting both the Brazilian inbound and outbound markets.”

    WTM Latin America will host some 1,000 exhibiting companies from all over the world, and is predicted to draw greater than 7,000 visitors over the 3 days of the show; April 23rd-25th 2013.

    For Leisure, MICE and Business Travel, WTM Latin America would be the platform for the Latin American travel industry to conduct business and become probably the most important regions within the global travel and tourism industry.

  • News: Boeing signs six plane manage SWISS

    Boeing, the Lufthansa Group and Swiss International Air Lines have announced a commitment today for 6 777-300ER (Extended Range) airplanes.

    The airplanes, worth $1.9 billion at list prices, were selected for the airline’s long-haul fleet renewal.

    “The Boeing 777-300ER is the best size and range to fulfill our Swiss market needs,” said Harry Hohmeister, chief executive officer of SWISS.

    “We have made a landmark decision to further put money into a complicated aircraft fleet to retain our competitive edge over lots of our competitors who’re operating aircraft with greater than 300 seats on similar routes.”

    The Boeing 777-300ER is the most important long-range twin-engine commercial airplane on the earth, seating as much as 386 passengers in a 3-class configuration and has a maximum range of seven,825 nautical miles.

    “The 777-300ER is a fave a few of the world’s leading airlines, bringing unrivaled twin-engine efficiency and reliability to the long-range market,” said Todd Nelp, vp of European Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

    “We are honoured by SWISS’s decision to place the 777-300ER on the forefront of its fleet renewal and sit up for playing a key role in its future success.”

    SWISS is a part of the Lufthansa Group and currently serves 69 destinations across 37 countries worldwide from Zurich, Basel and Geneva international airports with a fleet of greater than 90 narrow and wide-body airplanes.