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The addition of the W Macau Studio City as the fourth hotel in the first phase Macau Studio City (MSC) integrated leisure resort property completes the four planned hotel partnerships for the Cotai district complex. When it opens in 2009 it will be the first W hotel in Macau. Other companies have joined Macau Studio City in strategic partnerships only six months after its groundbreaking ceremony are Taubman, Playboy Enterprises, and Mr. David Tang.

“Macao Studio City brings together the best hotel partners in the world and we are excited to partner with Starwood to bring the W to Macao,” said Peter Lam, co-chairman of Macao Studio City. [Read more…]

Accor’s global mid-market brand All Seasons will add three hotels in Thailand during October with the rebranding of All Seasons Gold Orchid Bangkok, All Seasons Sathorn Bangkok and All Seasons Naiharn Phuket. Accor plans to expand to over 50 hotels before the end of 2009. Although the first hotel under the brand, the All Seasons Pattaya, was only launched in December of last year, the company now operates 30 hotels in Thailand and has fourteen under development.

Accor Asia Pacific Managing Director Michael Issenberg said, “Thailand’s tourism sector recorded more than 20% growth in visitor arrivals last year, and with Bangkok becoming a major hub for low-cost air carriers, there is a clear need for additional affordable international-standard accommodation,” said Mr. Issenberg. He added that, “All Seasons is positioned above Accor’s Ibis brand, but still offers very affordable rates for an international hotel brand.” [Read more…]

Responses to Lonely Planet’s annual global Traveller’s Pulse survey show increased interest in both sustainable travel and volunteering, as well asactivity-oriented travel. The online survey had 24,500 participants from 144 countries around the world, and was conducted on the Lonely Planet website and in conjunction with 49 partner sites.

When asked about reasons for travel, the respondents showed an increased interest in participating in activities as opposed to sightseeing. As in other years, activity was chosen as the major purpose for travel. It was chosen by 32% of the respondents. The results reflect a growing interest in new experiences rather than just visiting destinations. [Read more…]

The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) recently asked its members to report some of the strangest requests they had received. The agents reported many unusual stories, starting with the extremely detailed questions, continuing through the impossible to satisfy, and ending with the outright illegal.

Extremely detailed inquiries about arrangements are common. Some clients ask for such specific information that answers can only come from the actual providers. For example, one traveler announced “I need 12 extra pillows in my hotel room.” [Read more…]

Finnair will add a daily morning flight from Helsinki to Bangkok starting December 3rd and running through March, doubling its service to Thailand’s capital. The corresponding Bangkok to Helsinki flight has a night departure with a morning arrival in Finland. The additional flights make Finnair the largest peak season scheduled carrier between Europe and Bangkok. [Read more…]

According to recent research by Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, Hong Kong and Macau hotel occupancy and room rates are both Special Administrative Regions (SARs) Despite the addition of approximately 8,000 new rooms and double-digit rate increases over the last two years, occupancy rates in Hong Kong were above 80% for 2005 and 2006.

In Macau, occupancy and room rates for January – April of 2007 are both higher than for the same period last year. In Hong Kong, occupancy rates for five-star hotels has decreased slightly to the high 70% range, while room rates have continued to increase. Hong Kong five-star hotel rates are the highest in the region. Room rate increases of 10-15% annually are predicted for the intermediate term, while occupancy rates are expected to register moderate increases. [Read more…]

Qatar Airways will add two destinations to its Indian service before the end of this year, giving India the most destinations of any country served by the airline. On September 23 the airline will begin twice-weekly service to Nagpur, in the central Indian state of Maharashtra, followed by the launch of daily service to the west Indian city of Ahmedabad, in Gujarat state, on December 12.

The new routes will use Airbus A320 aircraft configured with twelve business and 132 economy class seats. With the added destinations, Qatar will serve eight cities in India with 51 flights per week. The airline currently has seven flights per week to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin, Trivandrum and Hyderabad. [Read more…]

In November, the new Carnival Freedom will sail from Miami for the first of its winter schedule of seven-day Caribbean cruises. Eighteen Carnival Cruise Line ships will operate in the region for the 2007 season, with a record-setting 2.9 million passengers on board. Carnival has been operating in the Caribbean for 35 years. [Read more…]