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Volume 2, Issue 22, May 29, 2009 |
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On May 19, Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapakse declared to parliament that the island had been “liberated from terrorism” and that the killing of the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran had ended more than 25 years of armed conflict in the island nation. Thousands celebrated on the streets of the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, and as hopes for a lasting peace grow in Sri Lanka, the national tourism body has announced that it is ready to roll out its post-conflict strategy.
Despite the slumps in visitor arrivals during the conflict, tourism has remained an important revenue earner for Sri Lanka’s struggling economy, along with the garment industry, agriculture and tea exports.
Dileep Mudadenya, managing director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau told Global Traveller Asia, “The mood in Sri Lanka is that of relief and hope. After 30 years of conflict, Sri Lankans can finally enjoy freedom and development. Sri Lankans are eager to embrace a new dawn where Singhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and all races, religions and creeds unite as one around an undivided island.”
Sri Lanka Tourism’s new brand “Sri Lanka: A Small Miracle” will be launched in major markets in the next few months. The new tourism strategy will focus on the development of the island’s tourist potential including the battle-weary north and east of the country. 
From June 1, Japan Airlines and Qantas will operate new codeshare flights that will connect three more Australian cities – Adelaide (ADL), Melbourne (MLB) and Perth (PER) – with Japan via Singapore (SIN). JAL currently operates two daily flights connecting Tokyo (NRT) and Singapore. In addition JALways, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the JAL Group, provides one daily flight between Tokyo and both Sydney (SYD) and Brisbane (BNE). JAL also has codeshare flights with Qantas subsidiary, Jetstar Airways, which flies daily between Tokyo and Cairns (CNS) and Osaka (KIX) and the Gold Coast (OOL), and on the five-times-a-week connecting service between the Gold Coast and Sydney.
InterContinental Hotel Group has signed a management contract with Taiwan’s E United Group, and will open its first Crowne Plaza in Taiwan by the end of the year. The hotel will open in Kaohsiung within E-Da World, an extensive mixed-use development project that includes hotels, shopping malls, a theme park, a university and residential areas. Also slated to open in late 2009, E-Da World is expected to become a major tourist destination. IHG says the 650-room Crowne Plaza Kaohsiung E-Da World will be a full-service hotel with five restaurants and extensive meeting facilities. The deal has made IHG the largest international hotel group in Taiwan with a total of more than 1,200 rooms.
Singapore Airlines can now offer daily flights to Cairo (CAI) thanks to an expanded codeshare agreement with Star Alliance partner EgyptAir. Singapore Airlines flies four times a week from Singapore (SIN) to Cairo, via Dubai (DXB). Passengers will also have the option of travelling on any of Singapore Airlines’ daily flights to Dubai and connecting on EgyptAir’s services between Dubai to Cairo, on the three days when Singapore Airlines does not operate flights to Cairo. Passengers on Singapore Airlines will also be able to connect with EgyptAir’s network to destinations such as Luxor (LXR) and Sharm el-Sheikh (SSH) via Cairo. The agreement also enables EgyptAir’s customers to make use of codeshare flights on Singapore Airlines from Singapore onwards to Bangkok (BKK), Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MLB).
Accor has launched its new upscale lifestyle label MGallery in China with the opening of the Songstam Retreat at Shangri-La in Yunnan province. The hotel is located in the area formerly called Zhongdian, now renamed Shangri-La. The area is said to be the inspiration for the mountainous utopia named Shangri-la in James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon. Set in a valley overlooking the Songstam Lama Monastery, which is the largest Tibetan monastery outside Tibet, the 75-room resort follows traditional Tibetan design and is made up of 24 stone buildings on the hillside. Guestrooms and suites feature wood floors and paneling, Tibetan rugs, wooden tubs, private fireplaces and balconies where guests can enjoy the amazing valley and mountain views.
Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair have both enhanced connectivity between Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) and the Pearl River Delta region. Passengers can now check in for Cathay or Dragonair flights in downtown Shenzhen at the Shenzhen Kingkey Banner Center. Once boarding passes have been issued, passengers can take cross-border land transportation to Hong Kong. Upon arrival at HKIA, passengers with only carry-on baggage can go straight to immigration; those with bags can deposit them at the Cathay or Dragonair self check-in bag drop counters. Passengers must arrive at the Shenzhen Kingkey Banner Center check-in counter at least 150 minutes before the scheduled departure time of their flight.
Book with Marriott before June 2 and enjoy 20 per cent discount on weekend stays before Sept. 7 at more than 2,500 participating properties around the world.
The Global Rate Break from Marriott is available at 10 of the company’s brands: JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard by Marriott, Spring Hill Suites by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Fairfield Inn by Marriott, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Marriott Vacation Club and Grand Residences by Marriott. “We’ve offered some great ways for you to save over the years, but this is one of the best and truly global values ever,” said J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and CEO, Marriott International, Inc. For more details or to book, visit Global Rate Break.
Evergreen Club members travelling on qualifying Eva Air and Uni Air international flights can earn double or triple frequent-flyer segment calculations applicable towards card-status upgrades and programme membership renewal. Upon completing flights on qualifying segments, Premium Laurel or business class frequent flyers can earn triple calculations, an increase from one and a half, and those in Elite premium economy and economy cabins can accumulate double account credits, up from one. For example, Evergreen Club members who fly Premium Laurel and business class (booking code C) from Taipei (TPE) to Los Angeles (LAX) have been earning 8,806 qualifying miles and 1.5 qualifying segments. With this promotion, members on the same flight can earn 8,806 qualifying miles and three qualifying segments. Valid for travel completed before May 15, 2010.
Members of Carslon Hotels loyalty programme, Goldpoints Plus, can earn 1,000 extra goldpoints at Carlson Hotels for every night, when staying more than three nights at any of Carlson’s 1,000 participating properties. Stays for five nights or more earn an extra 5,000 goldpoints. Enroll in Goldpoints Plus, before making reservations at any of its participating brands, which include Regent Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson and Park Inn. This promotion runs from June 1 to Aug. 31.
Hong Kong’s boutique business hotel, The Fleming is offering two nights for the price of one until Aug. 31 for bookings made 14 days in advance. Located in Wan Chai, close to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, the 66-room hotel’s standard extras include free Internet access and complimentary access to the nearby California Fitness gym. Rates for the two nights include breakfast and start at HKD1,880 for a superior room, HKD2,180 for a deluxe room package and HKD2,680 for executive accommodations. Additional nights in the three room categories are respectively, HKD 838, HKD 1,038 and HKD 1,238. The Fleming is a member of Preferred Hotel’s Sterling Hotels. To book this package, call 852 3607 2225.
Booking a Club Med holiday in Asia during June could save you up to HKD 5,000 dollars. Club Med is offering one free flight when two adults fly together from Hong Kong to its resorts in Bali and Bintan Island in Indonesia, Cherating Beach, Malaysia, Phuket, Thailand, Kani, Maldives, Kabira, Okinawa and Sahoro, Hokkaido in Japan and La Plantation d'Albion or La Pointe aux Canonniers, Mauritius. Travel must take place before Oct. 31 and minimum stay requirements vary at each resort, see Club Med for details. Bookings must be made before June 30.
