MAJOR DESTINATION: Tokyo–Sapporo is the world's busiest air route.  © Testuya Yamada

According to the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation, the world's busiest air route is in Japan. Between Aug. 29 and Sept 4, CAPA reports 269,000 passengers flew between Tokyo Haneda (HND) to Sapporo Chitose (CTS). And it's not even the ski season.

The airline intelligence specialists say the Top 10 busiest air routes in the world are all in Asia Pacific. Most of the region's busiest routes are in the established markets of Japan and Australia but routes to destinations in China, India and Indonesia all operate heavier flight loads than the United States and Europe. CAPA points out that among the airports represented as destinations in the Top 10 routes, 10 of the airports fail to rank in the world's Top 30 airports.

Top 10 Busiest Routes (based on seats sold Aug. 29 –Sept. 4, 2011)

Join Leaders Club today and earn free nights at the world’s finest hotels! Plus, enjoy special benefits such as complimentary breakfast, when you book through The Leading Hotels of the World and stay at any of our over 430 hotels. Join Now.

Tokyo's Narita Airport (NRT) will welcome All Nippon Airways' first Boeing 787 Dreamliner on Sept. 28. ANA is also the launch customer for the Dreamliner. A live webcast will mark the aircraft's arrival in Tokyo. The world's first Dreamliner passenger flight will be a charter between Tokyo and Hong Kong (HKG) on Oct. 26. From mid-September, ANA will be auctioning premium packages for seats onboard the inaugural passenger flight. Visit the ANA website for details.

Cathay Pacific announced plans to introduce a premium-economy product into its fleet in the second quarter of next year. Cathay CEO John Slosar promised passengers the premium economy product would be "a real upgrade over economy". The new product will be introduced on all of Cathay Pacific's long-haul routes, its ultra-long-haul flights to Europe and North America and its medium-haul routes to Australia and the Middle East and other destinations during 2012. Slosar said Cathay's premium-economy seat will be more like a regional business-class seat, with a "great recline", more leg space and improved service.

Passengers of Singapore Airlines can now make advance selection of economy-class seats on SIA-operated flights through all booking channels. Previously, only passengers who booked their flights via the Singapore Airlines' website could select their own seats. This service is already in place for SIA's first- and business-class customers. Certain seat types, such as those with bassinet facilities or emergency exit row seats, will only be available on request.

Carlson has opened the 107-room Park Plaza Coimbatore in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadhu. With a population of just under a million, Coimbatore is the second largest city in Tamil Nadhu and a major commercial centre. The 107-room hotel is Carlson's sixth Park Plaza and its 40th hotel in India. Park Plaza Coimbatore is close to the city centre, trade fair and exhibition centre and Coimbatore International Airport (CJB).

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has launched Sheraton Fitness Programmed by Core Performance in Asia Pacific. Sheraton Hotels and its owners in the region are investing USD 120 million in the brand's new health and fitness programme that lets guests use the strategies developed by the leading experts in pro-athlete training to become the ultimate road warrior. Based on surveys and guest feedback, Sheraton says fitness is a priority for guests from Greater China and Asia.

Cirque du Soleil has made a few artistic tweaks to its popular Zaia show at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. A 90-minute production, Zaia is the first permanent show in Asia by Cirque du Soleil and is based in a dedicated 1,800-seat theatre at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. The show brings together 75 performers from around the world. Starting Sept. 1, Zaia features more diverse performances including new Asian elements such as a lion dance. To celebrate, The Venetian is offering a Gold Package that includes one night in a Venetian Macao Royale Suite with breakfast, two tickets to Zaia, an MOP 100 Zaia boutique credit and a one-way CotaiJet ticket from Macau to Hong Kong. Prices Start from HKD 1,898.

Grand Park Kunming is teaming up with leading golf clubs in the Yunnan capital to offer the Great Golf package. Guests can play golf at both the 72-par Lake View Golf Course overlooking Dianchi Lake and the Sunshine Golf Club in the north of Kunming. The package includes two nights' accommodation in a deluxe lake-view room with breakfast, round-trip transfers from the airport and golf courses to the hotel; one 18-hole round of golf at both the Lake View Golf Course and the Sunshine Golf Club; a caddy, a golf cart, greens fees and lunch at each golf course's clubhouse. Available through Dec. 31, the Great Golf Package starts at RMB 5,000.

Time to recharge? Kiridara - a 24-room boutique hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos - is running an Autumn Yoga Retreat Oct. 28-31. The retreat will be hosted by Malaysian-born Shiang Ying, whose classes are accessible to yoga students with different levels of experience. The Kiridara Yoga Autumn Retreat package includes airport transfers; three nights' accommodation in a deluxe room with full board (excluding alcoholic drinks); yoga and meditation twice a day; a complimentary massage treatment and herbal steam bath; a visit to a local temple, a waterfall and a weaving centre; and alms for the monks. The package costs USD 990 for single occupancy or USD 675 per person based on double occupancy.

SkyMiles members flying Delta Air Lines flights from Hong Kong (HKG) to any city in the United States and Canada can earn double miles. To qualify, Delta Sky Miles members must register for the promotion and complete travel by Nov. 30. Delta operates non-stop flights from Hong Kong via Detroit (DTW) or Tokyo (NRT) to more than 250 cities in the United States.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary this month, InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong is offering selected cocktails and dishes for a special anniversary price of HKD 30. The promotional items include cocktails at Tiffany's New York Bar, The Mistral and Café on M plus dim sum and other Cantonese dishes at the Michelin-starred Hoi King Heen restaurant. For full details of all the anniversary promotions, visit IntercContinental Grand Stanford.