devoted to the “business” of business travel · conferma announces enhancements to online...

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July 5, 2010Published by Odyssey Media Group

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DEVOTED TO THE “BUSINESS” OF BUSINESS TRAVEL

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Pan Pacific Appoints Dean Schreiber As Senior VP, OperationsPan Pacific Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Dean Schreiber as Senior Vice President of Operations. Based in Singapore, Dean will lead the Operations Team in operational systems management and development while also overseeing re-flagging and opening activities...

Vueling Set For New Edinburgh-Barcelona RouteVueling is gearing up for its first flights connecting Scotland and Spain with the start of its new direct route between Edinburgh and Barcelona on 24th June. The three times weekly flights will complement the airline’s existing UK operations from London Heathrow to Bilbao, La Coruna and Seville.

“We are delighted to include Scotland in Vueling’s route network and forward bookings on the service look extremely promising,” said CEO, Alex Cruz. “Edinburgh is a great addition to our existing UK services...

Rendezvous Hospitality “Business Benefits”Rendezvous Hospitality Group has announced the introduction of Business Benefits. This new hassle-free package is designed to deliver extras for hotel guests. “In line with our focus on being the business hotel group of choice, the Business Benefits package has been designed for discerning guests who are on-the-go and appreciate the value-added innovative initiatives that RHG is now offering. It is no longer business as usual at RHG hotels,” said Iqbal Jumabhoy, RHG Chief Executive Officer...

Hard Days Night Hotel For Unique Meetings The concept of a Beatles inspired hotel in Liverpool, England has been prevalent amongst Beatles enthusiasts in the city since the late 1980’s. The choice of a suitable location and the finances to make the vision a reality only came together in 2004 when hotel plans were finalised. From the early stages the objective was to create a unique environment that offered high quality hotel facilities with an exciting and interesting ‘twist’ in the clever...

Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an To Open In 2011Scheduled to open in 2011, Sofitel Luxury Hotels has recently signed for a new flagship in Shanghai - Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an. This will be the fourth Sofitel in Shanghai. Located in the center of the city, Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an will stand at the intersection of Beijing Road and Jiangning Road, a mere step away from the famous Nanjing Road. Near the former French concession, museums and the Shanghai convention center, the building also has a number of floors with the most advanced office space, which offer the perfect solutions for local enterprises or multi-national corporations...

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Publisher & Managing Editor: Colin J. Holden - [email protected] Editor: Brian Menzies - [email protected] Editor: Edward Lambert - [email protected]

Technology Editor: Marten Streifel - [email protected]. Editor: Deborah Ibsen - [email protected]

Vancouver, Canada - San Francisco, USATelephone: (604) 543-7375

CONTENTSCompuPay Selects Certify & Travelocity Business page 3Conferma Announces Enhancements To Online Booking ToolITP Annual Meeting Draws Partners From 17 Countries

Enhancements To GetThere’s Ticket Manager Exchange Now Available page 4Survey: 94% Leave Phone On After Work Day Concludes

Amadeus-Taj Hotel Partnership Yields Increase In Bookings page 5NBTA Welcomes 1,100 Government Travel ProfessionalsNBTA Applauds Confirmation of New TSA Leader

Austrian Airlines Offers Customers Hi-Tech Check-In page 6Aegean Airlines Accepted Into Star Alliance NetworkContinental & TAM To Implement Codeshare Flights

Frankfurt’s Renovated Lufthansa Business Lounge Offers More page 7TAROM Airlines Joins SkyTeamVueling Gets Set For New Edinburgh-Barcelona Route

Delta Expanding International Reach From Minneapolis-St. Paul page 8Porter Now Flying Non-Stop Between Montreal & HalifaxEtihad’s Loyalty Program & Marriott Vacation Club PartnerWestJet Introduces Everyday Value Fares

Air Canada Now Flying Non-Stop Toronto-Copenhagen page 910.3% Service Tax Takes Effect On India FlightsAlaska & Horizon Promises Bags Five Minutes Sooner

Kempinski To Open Two Siam Properties In July page 10Conrad Hotels To Debut New Property In Manhattan

Pullman To Open Saigon Centre page 11Hard Days Night Hotel, Liverpool For Unique Meetings

Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an Scheduled To Open in 2011 page 12Fairmont Guests To Receive Exclusive Rates On Avis RentalsWyndham Completes TRYP Acquisition From Sol MeliáDoubletree Panama City On Track For Q4 Opening

Rendezvous Hospitality Introduces “Business Benefits” page 13Park Hyatt Aviara Opens In Southern California

Pan Pacific Appoints Dean Schreiber As Senior VP, Operation page 14Amadeus Promotes Gallego & Taubmann To Vice PresidentVisitBritain Names Eastham Head of Global Corporate CommunicationsChoice Hotels Europe Makes Three UK AppointmentsHalliday Named Managing Director of Rosewood Hotel GeorgiaCindy Tien Joins RADIUS As Director, Asia PacificAscott Appoints Richard Tan Country GM For Vietnam


TRAVEL MANAGEMENT

CompuPay has selected Certify and Travelocity Business to provide its clients with integrated online travel and expense management. The three companies will work together to provide CompuPay clients a solution for online travel booking, electronic receipt capture, expense management and employee reimbursement.

The combined Certify and Travelocity Business solution will eliminate the hassles of trip planning and expense reporting for CompuPay clients. It offers companies both automated and traditional travel management services and speeds up the expense payment process by making it easy for travelers to visually capture receipt information and create reports that can be channeled into the CompuPay payroll system for timely reimbursement.

“At CompuPay, we strive to provide tools and systems that improve our clients’ business,” said Tom Heinzmann, executive vice president, CompuPay. “Joining forces with Certify and Travelocity Business, we are offering a solution to improve their overall travel and expense management process, making it simpler and more efficient.”

“We are pleased to team up with Certify and CompuPay to deliver an effective, one-stop solution for researching, booking and managing travel and expenses,” said Blake Goodwin, vice president of product development at Travelocity Business.

“We are truly excited to offer our integrated solution to CompuPay’s wide range of business clients from the small business owners to larger enterprises,” said Robert Neveu, founder and president of Certify. “The Certify travel and expense management solution eliminates the traditional hassles of business travel and expense reporting and will dramatically improve the process for business travelers from planning to reimbursement.”

ITP Annual Meeting Draws Partners From 17 CountriesFor the first time in its 25 year history, the ITP Annual Meeting was held in Windsor, UK. The three day event took place from 20th to 22nd May having been postponed from April owing to the recent Icelandic dust cloud. Despite the last minute date change, it was attended by ITP partners from 17 countries from all five continents.

The broad agenda included presentations from recently-joined ITP partners from Bulgaria and Togo and an outline of plans for web development and further enhancements to the sales development process. Guest suppliers included Amadeus, Truvle, and eGlobalfares covering a range of product and solutions. Cornerstone presented developments with their iBank data suite and Maxwell Lucas summarised the importance of corporate social responsibility for employers, suppliers and travellers.

Moderator, Peter Dennis of Time Communications Group, facilitated a general discussion on the current challenges facing the Travel Industry and future trends. Most ITP partners said that 2010 volumes were returning to 2008 levels and Pat O’Neill, Deputy Managing Director of UK partner, Ian Allan Travel, said, “Recent disruption caused by the Icelandic volcanic ash and the BA strikes really demonstrated the value of using a TMC”.

Chris Goddard, Managing Director of Australian partner, Maxim’s travel, added that “Reciprocal assistance within the ITP network proved to be indispensable in re-routing and co-ordinating travel for passengers’ repatriation”.

www.itptravel.net

CompuPay Selects Certify & Travelocity Business

Conferma Announces Enhancements To Online Booking ToolConferma has announced enhancements to Hotel Booker, its supplier-independent, intuitive online hotel booking platform, enabling both TMCs and their corporate clients to benefit from increased adherence to

corporate policy and improved speed and search functionality.

Hotel Booker displays in a single portal GDS, non-GDS, low-cost and direct connect wholesale internet rates for over 150,000 hotels globally. The new enhancement offers users the ability to create new bookings based on past selections including last booked traveller, contact or hotel details enabling bookers to now choose, book and confirm a room booking in three clicks.

Other new benefits include the ability to amend bookings online and to add bookings made through Hotel Booker to previously created GDS bookings. As a result TMCs using Hotel Booker can now integrate all traveler details into a single booking record and produce a single confirmation for their clients. 70,000 photographic images have also been added to further enhance the user experience.

Hotel Booker can be used by TMCs and corporates alike. Corporate bookers can either complete their bookings or start the booking and then ask the TMC to finish. It seamlessly integrates to the

PNR and agency back-office system avoiding the need for duplication or re-keying of information. Expensive manual processes like fax, telephone and email are also replaced by automated confirmations.

Corporate and negotiated rates can be loaded into the system, which enforces corporate travel policies by visibly highlighting preferred hotels and reminding users when they stray from policy. TMCs can self-brand Hotel Booker and offer it to clients as an invaluable added-value self booking tool. Rebecca Bothamley, On-Line Team Leader at FCM, commented: “We really like the fact that we can now manage multi travellers in a single booking and can conduct searches either by hotel, traveller name or contact details. The new hotel images, details of facilities and locations are also very useful in enhancing the service we provide to our customers.”Simon Barker, Conferma’s Chief Executive, added: “We believe Hotel Booker, with its database in excess of 150,000 hotels worldwide, is a valuable tool for both TMCs and Corporates giving travellers a wide range of properties at every possible price point.”


Enhancements To GetThere’s Ticket Manager Exchange Now AvailableSabre Travel Network has introduced enhancements to GetThere’s airline ticket exchange capability. GetThere’s annual benchmark survey reports business travelers exchange between 20 and 50 percent of all tickets. GetThere’s new Ticket Manager Exchange allows these travelers to easily exchange a ticketed reservation online, saving corporations the cost of manual intervention and ensuring policy-compliant re-booking. Enhancements include exchanges on partially-flown trips, as well as clear, automatic exchange cost calculations.

Early adopting GetThere corporate customers using the new Ticket Manager Exchange have seen 55 percent average savings on transaction fees for the touchless exchange booking and an additional 14 percent on average in airfare savings. Similarly, an early adopting travel management company (TMC) estimates that online exchanges have increased by as much as 50 percent since the rollout of the new GetThere capabilities. The TMC cites automation efficiency wins within their own operations as a result of the product capabilities and the successful adoption by corporate online users.

“With the rollout of Ticket Manager Exchange, my company, Wyndham Worldwide, has seen online exchanges increase by 30 percent,” said Joanne McNellis, travel manager. “Since my TMC automates all of the processing with no manual intervention, and we combine that with the use of sophisticated mid-office exchange business rules, we’ve recorded savings exceeding 70 percent off the typical service fee we used to incur for standard exchange processing.”

“We developed Ticket Manager

Hotel Booker can also be integrated with the Conferma Settlement Plan and deliver the payment and settlement solution as well. Conferma announced last month an agreement with AirPlus International to offer travel management companies and hotel booking agencies an automated payment solution for hotel direct billing, enabling them to offer an automated bill back solution to their customers, whilst at the same time eliminating the need to arrange for hotel credit arrangements or assume additional credit risk. Similar agreements are already in place with Barclaycard and American Express.

Survey: 94% Leave Phone On After Work Day ConcludesResearch by Business Travel Market (BTM) and the Association of Travel Executives (ACTE) revealed that just 6.2% of people switch off their company phone after work hours. The survey questioned representatives from large multi-national companies on how the developments in mobile technology were being adopted by the business travel community. Just 30% of respondents said they made themselves available because they wanted to and 40% were available because their client or employee expected them to be.

Paul Robin, event director of Business Travel Market 2010, taking place this Wednesday and Thursday at ExCeL, London said: ‘Our survey revealed that employees seem a very dedicated bunch as employers and clients have come to expect them to be ‘on call’ at all times. It’s astonishing to think that only 6.2% switch their mobile off out of office hours aside from when they are in-flight!’

Of the companies surveyed, 96% provide blackberries and smart phones at their business, indicating a desire for additional functionality than just texting or calling. Most notably however, the results showed how reliant people were on mobile applications and software in a crisis. Conducting the survey post-ash crisis it revealed that 85% said that mobile technology was helpful in an emergency, with over 48% using it to source alternative travel options, 66% keeping abreast of general news updates and most importantly, 73% who used the email and web applications to keep in contact with their family and company.

In everyday use, checking the times of flights and trains whilst on the smart phone / blackberry was very popular, with over 70% of those surveyed using mobile applications to do this. Checking in from the mobile is also surprisingly high with over 40% of those surveyed using this technology before they get to the airport. However, there seems to be a trend of looking and not booking as only 11% of those surveyed have booked a train or flight through mobile app’s.

Barcodes and tickets on mobile phones also seem very popular with over 45% having used one - the majority of these (69%) for a ‘plane journey.

The survey also indicated that when arriving at a destination nearly two thirds (63%) use their mobile device to research their new location - however, it seems that the mapping function is still not overly popular, with over 60% of people not utilising this. This may be attributable to the fact that fewer people travelling on business explore a destination independently.

The high usage of Skype whilst travelling on business (32.6%) could be to stay in touch with both colleagues, and also loved ones back home. Over 70% said they used conference call facilities on their mobile device such as Skype, Webex and other VOIP services. In the business travel community, social networking sites seem ever popular with nearly 90% of respondees using Linked-In to stay in touch with business colleagues.

Paul Robin, Business Travel Market’s event director said: ‘The growth of mobile technology has empowered the end user to find out information from almost any location. Traveller’s can now be more informed and therefore more decisive at the touch of button or slide of a screen. Smart phones and blackberries, have proven to be indispensable to the business traveller and recent situations have really highlighted they can be in an emergency. It would be good to see more companies take note of their versatile uses.’

Caroline Allen, regional director of ACTE said: ‘It’s very encouraging to see from the survey that 68% of businesses have guidelines for mobile technology, whilst many of those that don’t are looking into one for the future. The survey results affirm our belief that there is a fundamental shift occurring in how corporates align their travel and mobile phone policies.’ Allen continued: ‘Mobile cost control is essential for modern business and, increasingly important, is the extent of mobile functionality and guidelines on how smart phones should be utilised for business. Whether it’s HR, IT or the travel department that have responsibility for mobile usage, companies need to align and update their policies, so they can enhance the end user’s capabilities - especially when the user is regularly out of office; travelling or in the field. Today we are at the tipping point in the way technology is used to deliver company travel policy compliance and therefore there is a greater need for collaboration between the end user and those responsible for procuring, setting and managing the travel and mobile policies.’


ASSOCIATIONSNBTA Welcomes 1,100 Government Travel ProfessionalsThe National Business Travel Association’s (NBTA) Government Travel Group (GTG) opened the largest conference for professionals working in the government travel sector - the National Travel Forum. The 2010 National Travel Forum (NTF) has drawn nearly 1,100 attendees to Orlando for three days of networking, education, and speakers designed to give attendees the tools and resources they need to help their agencies effectively manage travel on behalf of the taxpayers.

Speaking at the opening session, NBTA President & CEO Craig Banikowski, CCTE, C.P.M., CMM, told attendees why their jobs are so important. He said:

“As we climb out of the recession, the economy is still on rocky ground. With unemployment and underemployment still high, state, local, and federal governments are in a particularly tough spot as tax revenues stay low. That is why your jobs are more important than ever! So on behalf of ‘us’ - the rest of the country - I want to say ‘thank you’ for everything you do. And of course, that is why you are here at NTF 2010 - because you know that smart, cost-effective government travel is more important than ever, and you are here to get the latest tools and knowledge to deliver on that promise.”

Recognized as the largest and most important event for the government travel community, the National Travel Forum draws participants from all the major Federal agencies, as well as several state governments, and features educational sessions presented by agencies including the General Services Administration (GSA), the Department

NBTA Applauds Confirmation of New TSA LeaderThe National Business Travel Association (NBTA) is pleased the Senate confirmed John Pistole, former deputy director of the FBI, as Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The executive position has been empty for more than a year, and NBTA is encouraged to know this vital government agency will now have the necessary leadership to protect the U.S. transportation infrastructure.

NBTA Executive Director & COO Michael W. McCormick said: “After a lengthy process to find a TSA leader, NBTA the Senate has confirmed former FBI Deputy Director John Pistole as head of the agency. Security must be the highest priority in any transportation system, and our nation needs strong leadership to ensure proper safety precautions are taken and regulations are strengthened and enforced. Mr Pistole’s extensive experience in law enforcement, specializing in addressing security and vulnerability issues, will complement the agency’s mission well. We look forward to working with him to implement measures to accurately and precisely pre-screen business travelers to make air travel safer and more efficient.”

www.nbta.org

Exchange to provide a touchless and simple solution for the many travelers needing to exchange tickets,” said Paul Wiley, director of product marketing at GetThere. “This tool is easy to use as it automatically calculates change fees and fare differences for the traveler during the online exchange process, saving everyone time and money.”

GetThere was one of the first corporate travel solutions to deliver online ticket exchange and refund capabilities back in 2004.

The new Ticket Manager solution, powered in part by ITA Software, provides fare rule calculations with automated charge penalties for dozens of on-screen options, all in an easy-to-use, self-service online interface for the traveler.

www.getthere.com

Amadeus-Taj Hotel Partnership Yields Increase In BookingsAmadeus detailed the results of a partnership program with Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.

The Programme has helped Taj Hotels to generate a 30% increase in hotel bookings by travel agents within India, and a 12% increase by travel agents from five markets across Asia Pacific. This is despite the challenging operating environment in 2009, with a decline in travel as a result of the global economic crisis.

Taj recognizes that travel agencies play a critical role in the traveller’s hotel selection process. With intense competition in the hospitality sector, Amadeus’ Programme activities have led Taj to reach out to the wider travel agency base, highlighting the features of a diverse collection of hotels globally.

The Amadeus Partnership Programme complements hoteliers’ own marketing strategies and sales efforts, allowing them to reach out to Amadeus’ extensive travel agency network through educational events and special promotions that will encourage room bookings. This helps the hotel group to access new customers both domestically and internationally, showcasing the best hotel properties on offer for visitors.

Naren Nautiyal, Chief Operating Officer, FCm Travel Solutions India, said: “The economic crisis has prompted travelers in both leisure and corporate segments to look for more competitive offers from their travel agent. The unique

deals from Taj Hotels and Amadeus have come at an opportune moment and helped service providers like us to deliver a better selection of products and services to our customers. Moving

forward, we will continue to promote and explore “value added” offerings to our customers using Amadeus as our preferred channel.”

of Defense (DoD), and the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO).

www.nationaltravelforum.orgwww.nbta.org/gtg

NBTA Houston 2010International Convention

& ExpositionAugust 8-10, 2010

www.nbta.org


AIRLINES & AIRPORTS

Aegean Airlines Accepted Into Star Alliance NetworkAt a ceremony held in Athens, Aegean Airlines was accepted into the Star Alliance network as the 28th member. Theodore Vassilakis, Chairman of Aegean Airlines said: “Joining Star Alliance is an honour and a great opportunity for Aegean. As of today our customers will enjoy recognition, loyalty benefits and end-on-end global service that Star Alliance is renowned for. At the same time, there will be a ‘star’ on the map, showing that services and access to Greece have been significantly upgraded.”

Aegean Airlines completed the integration and systems upgrade process in a short 12 months, following its acceptance as future member in May 2009.

Jaan Albrecht, CEO Star Alliance said: “AEGEAN brings a wealth of experience and an extensive domestic and international route network to the alliance family. For alliance members, Greece is an important travel market where Athens can be built into a major hub airport with growing connection traffic. It has already become an important player in the Southeast European area and we fully expect entry into Star Alliance will support its further development.”Connecting Greece to the WorldGreece is of strategic importance due to its geographic position in the eastern Mediterranean, acting as the main southeastern access point into the European Union. With AEGEAN, the Star Alliance network to/from/within Greece now covers more than 1,500 weekly flights to 69 destinations in 27 countries.Moreover, the large Greek communities spread across more than 100 countries - such as the U.S, the U.K., Australia, Germany and Canada - now enjoy the advantages provided by an airline alliance when visiting friends and families.

Also, the business community in Greece will now be able to make use of Star Alliance Frequent Flyer benefits both on domestic flights, as well as on multiple carrier itineraries when travelling across Europe and overseas.

Greece is also an important meetings and conventions market. Hence, the inclusion of AEGEAN into both Star Alliance Convention Plus and Meetings Plus will provide for new business opportunities.

Publicly listed Aegean Airlines began operations some 11 years ago and now operates a fleet of 30 aircraft covering a total of 54 domestic and international routes on more than 150 daily flights. Specifically, 26 routes in Greece are covered, as well as another 28 international routes. Since 2008, AEGEAN has become the largest Greek airline in terms of passengers.

Continental & TAM To Implement Codeshare FlightsContinental Airlines announced codeshare cooperation with TAM Airlines on routes within Brazil and between Brazil and the U.S. beginning

Customer analyses and actual usage patterns indicate that customers desire modern and time-saving check-in options worldwide. Austrian Airlines offers its passengers a wide selection of modern check-in options: the web check-in, mobile check-in and SMS check-in.

An ever-increasing number of passengers use the especially modern, digital check-in options: Internet and mobile phone. An estimated 13 percent of Austrian Airlines passengers checked in via Internet and mobile phone in 2009. The trend is quickly expanding: this will presumably be 45 percent in 2011, meaning almost every second passenger will be using this innovative technology. It is predicted that this number will increase to 60 percent by 2015.

Austrian Airlines offers the following check-in technologies:

- Web Check-in: This takes place in four simple steps - passengers enter their booking code, select the flight, choose their seat and receive their boarding pass. They can print this out at home and bring it with them or send it to their mobile phone and use their mobile phone as a mobile boarding pass.- Mobile Check-in: The passenger can book flights using mobile services, change their booking, check-in, see the current status of their flight in real time and enter their passport information if this is required for entry at their travel destination.- SMS Check-in: The passenger is a member of Miles & More and conducts a one-time registration for SMS Check-in. They will automatically receive an invitation to check-in via SMS 23 hours before the departure of their flight. The passenger answers this SMS with a simple A for aisle or a W for window. They are now checked-in and have reserved their preferred seating. The boarding pass can either be delivered to the mobile phone or the passenger can pick it up at the airport.

Digital technologies will also make their way into other areas of aviation: modern technologies such as automatic boarding gates, RFID and biometry will continue to simplify travel. This

Austrian Airlines Offers Customers Hi-Tech Check-In

will mean shorter wait times for the passengers at the airport, allowing them to save additional time.

www.austrian.com

July 1, 2010.

This cooperation builds on the reciprocal frequent flyer program agreement signed on April 6 between Continental Airlines and TAM and supports Continental’s growth in the Brazilian market. Both airlines are members of Star Alliance, the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveler.

“Codesharing between Continental and TAM Airlines improves the link we


Frankfurt’s Renovated Lufthansa Business Lounge Offers MoreSpacious, more comfortable and new amenities - this and more add to the attraction of the Lufthansa Business Lounge in Departure Area B at Frankfurt Airport after extensive renovation. Reopened in time for the high-volume summer season, the 15,000-sq. ft. lounge provides passengers at the Terminal with an innovative feature called “Jet Friends”, a lounge area dedicated to children. “Jet Friends” sits alongside the lounge’s customary comfort, bistro and work areas, allowing families and business travelers to satisfy their varied needs.

The lounge’s refurbished comfort area is equipped with leather armchairs and TVs. The updated bistro serves hot and cold drinks, snacks, fruit and meals that vary with the time of day. In a separate relaxation room, guests can unwind and relax in peace and quiet or complete their work in preparation for a business appointment at their destination. They can also freshen up in one of the five shower rooms in the bathroom area.

The biggest Lufthansa lounge in the airline’s global route network has a surprise in store for children on the move. The youngest among the Airline’s clientele now have a dedicated area for play. A kids’ corner and playpen will keep toddlers quietly occupied, while drawing tables, beanbag chairs, a PC with Internet access, and game consoles are available for older children. The lounge is also equipped with a children’s movie theater and comfortable leather benches for their entertainment. To celebrate the opening of the new “JetFriends” children’s lounge, Lufthansa has organized a “My Best Travel Experience” painting competition for youngsters to draw and paint their “journey of a

Vueling Gets Set For New Edinburgh-Barcelona RouteVueling is gearing up for its first flights connecting Scotland and Spain with the start of its new direct route between Edinburgh and Barcelona on 24th June. The three times weekly flights will complement the airline’s existing UK operations from London Heathrow to Bilbao, La Coruna and Seville.

“We are delighted to include Scotland in Vueling’s route network and forward bookings on the service look extremely promising,” said CEO, Alex Cruz. “Edinburgh is a great addition to our existing UK services, as well as

TAROM Airlines Joins SkyTeamTAROM Romanian Air Transport officially joined the SkyTeam global airline alliance at a ceremony held in Bucharest. By welcoming TAROM into SkyTeam, the alliance further strengthens its network reach in Central and Eastern Europe. TAROM becomes the 13th carrier to join SkyTeam, which marked its 10th anniversary on 22 June.

The SkyTeam alliance brings TAROM important opportunities for its future growth by bringing access to a global network offering 898 destinations in 169 countries. Effective today, TAROM passengers can earn and redeem frequent flyer miles when flying on all services operated by SkyTeam member airlines. Members of other SkyTeam airlines’ frequent flyer programs can also earn and redeem miles when travelling on TAROM-operated flights.

TAROM’s joining into the SkyTeam Alliance was officially announced in Bucharest, by Mr. Radu Berceanu, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure from Romania, Mrs. Ruxandra Brutaru, President and CEO of TAROM Airlines, Mr. Leo van Wijk, Chairman of the SkyTeam Governing Board, Mr. Marie-Joseph Malé, Managing Director of SkyTeam and Mr. Dominique Patry, Vice President International and Alliances at Air France.

Over the past two years, TAROM has worked intensively to fulfill the alliances’ membership requirements, ranging from customer service elements such as the recognition of frequent flyer programs, lounge access and priority baggage handling, to establishing codeshare agreements with SkyTeam members.

“By joining the SkyTeam Alliance, TAROM opens a new page in its 55 years of history,” said Mrs. Brutaru. “Implementing the joining process was quite challenging, because we had to concentrate, in 2009 - a year defined by the global economic crisis - on regaining our market share and obtaining an increase in passenger numbers of up to 20%. It is indeed a historical event, acknowledging our staff’s professionalism and high quality service.”

“As we continue to expand our network around the globe, Europe remains a key strategic market for our alliance. We are proud to welcome Romania’s national carrier into our alliance today, further underling SkyTeam’s commitment to Central and Eastern Europe. TAROM firmly contributes to this promise, by adding 11 new destinations to the SkyTeam network,” said Leo van Wijk.

“SkyTeam now comprises seven European airlines, offering a comprehensive network throughout the continent, as well as hundreds of nonstop intercontinental flights to Asia, Africa, North and Latin America each day,” said Marie-Joseph Malé. “A number of SkyTeam carriers already serve TAROM’s hub in Bucharest and SkyTeam corporate customers will benefit from the inclusion of TAROM in all the global deals we offer clients, helping to facilitate trade and commerce between Romania and the rest of the world.”

established between the two airlines before TAM joined Star Alliance,” said John Slater, Continental’s staff vice president Latin America and the Caribbean. “We look forward to growing our relationship with TAM in the near future.”

“We are expanding our international network through this new stage of our partnership with Continental. Through the agreement, we are able to offer more convenience and better services to our customers,” stated TAM Airlines commercial and planning vice president, Paulo Castello Branco.

www.continental.comwww.tamairlines.com.br

lifetime”. Through the competition, children are invited to paint pictures of their most exciting and memorable moments from previous travels. The closing date for entries is August 17. The prizes include an upscale children’s luggage set consisting of a suitcase and backpack, or a Nintendo DS. Entry forms and coloring sheets can be picked up in the lounge or downloaded at www.lufthansa.com/paintingcompetition.

Frequent flyer members traveling with family this summer may also take advantage of a special offer available at all Lufthansa Business Lounges in the United States and Germany. Now through August 31, frequent flyer members can bring spouses, partners and children up to the age of 18 into a Business Lounge for a fee of 40 Euros (approx. 50 US dollars) making their

journey more pleasant and relaxing.


Delta Expanding International Reach From Minneapolis-St. PaulDelta Air Lines is growing its international presence at its Minneapolis-St. Paul hub, with enhanced offerings to Latin America and Europe. The expansion includes new nonstop service between Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and Mexico City International Airport, subject to foreign government approval. The flight will mark the first nonstop service operated by any airline between the two cities.

“We are excited to expand our worldwide offerings at Minneapolis-St. Paul, an important gateway for Delta,” said Bill Lentsch, Delta’s senior vice president of Minnesota operations. “Our new service to Mexico City marks an important expansion into Latin America from a major Midwestern hub, providing more travel opportunities to customers in Minneapolis-St. Paul.”

In addition to the new Mexico City service, Delta offers nonstop seasonal flights between Minneapolis-St. Paul and six Mexican cities: Cancun, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa and Cozumel. Delta also provides nonstop seasonal service from Minneapolis-St. Paul to three Caribbean destinations: Grand Cayman; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

“Delta’s decision to offer new and expanded international air service from Minneapolis-St. Paul is great news for businesses and leisure travelers throughout the region,” said Jeff Hamiel, executive director of the

Etihad’s Loyalty Program & Marriott Vacation Club PartnerEtihad Guest, the loyalty program from Etihad Airways, has announced a new partnership with Marriott Vacation Club (MVC), adding to the extensive range of benefits already available to its 850,000-plus members.

Etihad Guest members attending MVC group presentations to learn about Marriott properties during 2010, which are being held at a variety of locations across the Middle East and Europe, will earn 10,000 guest miles. Members will earn an additional guest mile for each dollar they spend on holiday ownership purchases from MVC.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer, said: “This is the first time Etihad Guest has entered into an arrangement of this nature, so this partnership is adding a new dimension to our Etihad Guest program.”

Over 400,000 families already enjoy Marriott Vacation Club ownership worldwide. Marriott Vacation Club owns 53 properties in some of the world’s most beautiful destinations from tropical islands and golf resorts to European hot spots and theme park destinations.

About Etihad Guest: Etihad Guest was launched in August 2006 and has quickly established itself as one of airline industry’s fastest-growing and most innovative loyalty programs. Etihad Guest now boasts more than 850,000 members.

The program offers members the opportunity to accumulate Etihad Guest Miles which can be redeemed against a wide selection of up to 1,800 flight and non-flight rewards from more than 200 partners, ranging from hotel accommodation and car rental to retail discounts and exciting products on Etihad Guest’s online Reward Shop.

www.etihadguest.com

to Vueling’s expanding route network. Barcelona and Edinburgh have strong social similarities, with both cities being renowned for the arts. The Vueling service will provide the perfect reason for a Spanish/Scottish cultural exchange.”

Edinburgh-originating passengers will also be able to make through connections on to other destinations in the Vueling network from July 5th, when the airline’s connections programme, centred on its Barcelona hub, launches. Passengers travelling from Edinburgh to Barcelona will be able to book onward flights from Edinburgh (with the convenience of through checking their bags to their ultimate destination) to Alicante, Asturias, Bilbao, Grenada, Ibiza, Malaga, Mallorca, Menorca, Santiago and Seville.

www.vueling.com

WestJet Introduces Everyday Value FaresWestJet has introduced everyday value fares with an enhanced pricing structure that reduces the volatility that has been present in the airline industry by providing lower fares across

Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. “International air service is extremely important to the area economy, and today’s announcement is a welcome indication that Delta aims to maintain a strong international as well as domestic presence at its Minnesota hub.”

The new daily flight to Mexico City, which begins Dec. 18, will be operated with 124-seat Airbus A319 aircraft, which are equipped with 16 First class and 108 Economy seats.

“In addition, our Paris and London service this winter means more options for customers traveling between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Europe,” Lentsch said.

Delta’s service between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Paris will be operated with a Boeing 767-300ER, which offers 36 BusinessElite seats and 180 seats in Economy. Delta’s service to London-Heathrow will be operated with a Boeing 767-400ER, which features 40 full flat BusinessElite seats and 205 seats in Economy.

www.delta.com

Porter Now Flying Non-Stop Between Montreal & HalifaxPorter Airlines introduced non-stop service between Montreal and Halifax, with connecting flights to St. John’s via Halifax. The service features two daily roundtrips.

“There is a lot of potential in linking two of Porter’s leading markets,” said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines.

“We have strong passenger bases in Montreal and Halifax, as well as St. John’s, who now have new ways to travel with us.”

A schedule of two daily roundtrips is available for the summer season until September 6. Following this date, the frequency adjusts to four weekly roundtrips in the fall.

This service features one roundtrip flight on Thursday and Friday, as well as two on Sunday.

The new routing also makes available up to six daily flights between Halifax and Toronto via Ottawa or Montreal.

www.flyporter.com


their entire schedule (330 days ahead of departure). Guests can purchase when they’re ready to book rather than have to wait for a seat sale to get a low price.

In addition, WestJet has taken the extraordinary step of reducing its full price fares by an average of 25 per cent for all flights across its entire 68-city North American and Caribbean network.

“Since the launch of our airline in 1996, WestJet has been the leader in driving prices down and providing value to millions of Canadians,” said Hugh Dunleavy, WestJet Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Planning. “This move reasserts our value leadership position to our guests.

“Feedback from our guests shows that they are frustrated at the unpredictability of fares with seat sales only available up to a few months in advance,” continued Hugh Dunleavy. “WestJet is listening and has responded by providing guests the opportunity to book great prices across the entire schedule. As part of this new strategy, fares at the higher end of the spectrum will be reduced. For those guests who, for one reason or another, have to travel at the last minute or at peak travel times like Christmas, we’ve significantly reduced those fares to make them more affordable. This is what our WestJet care-antee is all about - offering great low prices and high value, and most of all, always caring for our guests.”

Alaska & Horizon Promises Bags Five Minutes SoonerAlaska Airlines and Horizon Air customers checking bags can expect to retrieve their luggage five minutes sooner through an enhanced baggage service guarantee. Introduced in July 2009 as a 25-minute guarantee, the airlines’ new offer gives customers their choice of 2,000 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles or $20 off a future flight if their luggage is not at baggage claim within 20 minutes after their flight parks at the gate.

“Alaska and Horizon continue to have lower baggage service fees than most other airlines and are the only U.S. carriers to offer a baggage service guarantee,” said Joe Sprague, Alaska’s vice president of marketing. “Our enhanced guarantee is a commitment to hold up our end of the bargain by delivering customers’ bags on time.”

Air Canada Now Flying Non-Stop Toronto-CopenhagenAir Canada is launching non-stop service between Toronto and Copenhagen. It is the fourth new European city to be served from Air Canada’s Toronto hub this year as the carrier expands its international flying to offer customers a wider choice of routes and destinations.

“Air Canada is building its Toronto hub and this year we have launched long-haul service to four new, major European destinations. The addition of Copenhagen is important strategically as passengers and cargo will be able to conveniently connect with our Star Alliance partner Scandinavian Airlines to reach such cities as Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Warsaw. For connecting customers travelling between Copenhagen and U.S. cities, this new route will offer the fastest elapsed travel time,” said Ben Smith, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. “Toronto’s geographic position

10.3% Service Tax Takes Effect On India FlightsA service tax of 10.3 per cent on the gross value of tickets for all classes on domestic flights and economy class on international flights will be levied on tickets sold, issued or re-issued, effective July 1, 2010, as per the directive of the Government of India, Ministry of Finance.

All domestic travellers would thus have to bear a service tax of 10.3% on the gross value of the ticket or Rs. 103, whichever is lower. For economy class tickets for international travel, a service tax of 10.3% on the gross value of the ticket or Rs. 515, whichever is less, will be levied.

The service tax is only applicable on journeys originating in India. This service tax as collected will be credited to the Government of India Service Tax account. The gross value of the ticket for the calculation of the service tax will include the base price and fuel surcharge in addition to the congestion fee. Passenger service fee and airport charges (UDF/ADF) will not be covered for determining the gross value of the ticket.

Jet Airways, India’s premiere international airline, and its all economy subsidiary JetLite, will collect this service tax under the tax code “JN”. This is in addition to the already existing collection of service tax for international air travel for both Première and First Class passengers. However, airline crew travelling on duty and United Nations staff are exempted from paying this service tax.

This exemption will also include those embarking on a journey originating or terminating in an airport located in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Bagdogra in West Bengal.

Payment of service tax will also be exempted for journeys originating in the state of Jammu and Kashmir from the airports of Srinagar, Leh and Jammu.

and the consolidation of our operations under one roof, where customers enjoy easy in-transit customs clearance and amenities such as our Maple Leaf Lounges, are enabling us to establish Lester B. Pearson International Airport as a major North American and global hub for the Star Alliance. Earlier this month, Air Canada launched new non-stop service to Athens and Barcelona from Toronto and to Brussels, via Montreal. At the same time, in conjunction with our international growth we have expanded our transborder network out of Toronto with seven new U.S. routes this spring.”

“We’re once again pleased to see Air Canada’s continued growth and their dedication to their Toronto hub,” said Pamela Griffith-Jones, Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer for the GTAA. “Having this link to Copenhagen enhances the already excellent roster of international destinations available from Toronto.”

Air Canada will begin non-stop flights five days a week between Toronto and Copenhagen on June 24, 2010. The only non-stop service to Scandinavia from Canada will be operated with a 211-seat Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft featuring 24 lie flat bed suites in Executive First and a personal digital in-flight video system,

a USB port and a power plug available at every seat throughout the aircraft. Flights will be timed to conveniently connect with Star Alliance partner Scandinavian Airlines, which offers more than 120 flights per day from Copenhagen to 52 destinations.


HOTELS & RESORTS

In addition, customers checking bags will be charged $20 for each of the first three checked bags. This represents a $5 increase for the first checked bag, a $5 decrease for the second, and a $30 decrease for the third. Passengers checking two bags will continue to pay the same amount as they did before,

while passengers checking three bags will pay $30 less. However, the airlines cut the cost of the fourth through 10th checked bag from $100 per bag to $50.

Charges for the first two bags are waived for customers confirmed in first class at the time of check-in, Mileage

Plan MVP and MVP Gold members, and passengers traveling to or from Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico. Customers traveling solely within the state of Alaska and military personnel on active duty are not charged for their first three checked bags.

The Kempinski Residences Siam Bangkok will open 22 July at the same time as the Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok. The 98 boutique serviced apartments of the Residences adjoin the new 303-room luxury hotel in the centre of the Thai capital. Guests at Kempinski Residences Siam will have unlimited access to all hotel facilities such as the ultra modern gym, the free-form pool in the tropical gardens, the European-Thai spa, a fully appointed kids’ club and five exceptional restaurants.

Siam Kempinski management believe the location in the very centre of Bangkok at Siam, adjacent to the Siam Paragon lifestyle mall, BTS skytrain interchange station and numerous office towers is ideal for business travellers and families staying in the Thai capital for anything from a month to a year.

“Extended business trips to Bangkok, family relocations and city living can now be highly pleasurable experiences when staying at the Kempinski Residences Siam,” said Thomas Klippstein, General Manager of both the Residences and the hotel. “Every room has a garden view. The Kempinski Residences Siam are a haven of calm in the heart of the city. It is built around a spacious interior garden with pools and water features,” he said.

The Kempinski Residences Siam offer 59 studio, 26 one-bedroom, 13 two-bedroom accommodations and one exclusive 260 sqm penthouse for the ultimate in inner city luxury living. All units have been designed for comfortable long-stay living based on the principles of digital connectivity, in-room comfort, access to the hotel’s luxury amenities, and Kempinski’s globally acclaimed hospitality standards.

Four weeks before opening, 35% of the units have been contracted.

Each Residence unit offers free internet access, two phone lines with voicemail, a 105cm (42 inch) flat screen LED TV with multiple international channels,

Kempinski To Open Two Siam Properties In JulyConrad Hotels To Debut New Property In ManhattanConrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide’s global luxury brand, will raise its flag in New York’s Financial District in the fourth quarter of 2011. The Conrad New York will be the brand’s fifth property to open in the United States and the first Conrad hotel in New York City.

Located at the current site of the Embassy Suites New York, situated at 102 North End Avenue (at Vesey Street), the hotel will house 463 luxury rooms in a prime location in the heart of New York City’s Financial District, adjacent to the Hudson River to the west and the new Freedom Tower (One World Trade) to the east.

The hotel will be situated within a short distance of downtown Manhattan’s historic landmarks and popular attractions, such as the New York Stock Exchange, City Hall, Trinity Church, South Street Seaport, Battery Park, and the trendy neighborhoods of Tribeca, SoHo and Greenwich Village.

“The Conrad New York marks the brand’s entry into Manhattan and is an important strategic milestone for us as we continue to grow this brand,” said John T. A. Vanderslice, global head of luxury & lifestyle brands for Hilton Worldwide.

“The Conrad New York will provide an impeccable luxury experience to the most discerning business and leisure travelers. As we continue to strategically grow the Conrad brand, we seek only the world’s most desirable locations, and New York City is certainly one of the most desirable. The Conrad New York is a great addition to the brand’s philosophy, ‘The Luxury of Being Yourself.’

The soaring, sunlit 15-story atrium lobby features a dramatic Sol LeWitt art piece rising 13 floors above the check-in desk. Each luxuriously appointed guestroom will feature an average of more than 550 square feet, a minimum of two flat panel televisions and a full complement of contemporary electronic features. Conrad New York will also feature upscale dining and beverage outlets that are consistent with Conrad’s global definition of luxury. Interior design is being styled by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, Office dA and Remedios Studios.

In addition, more than 17,000 square feet of flexible meeting space will ensure that guests can stay connected and meet in comfort, supported by state-of-the-art technology and meeting facilities. A 6,000 square foot Grand Ballroom is designed to accommodate conferences and social gatherings for more than 600 participants.

www.conradhotels.com

DVD player, and docking portals for I-pods, USB, and HDMI devices (high definition multimedia interfaces).

All units offer a well equipped kitchen, daily food delivery service, a balcony overlooking the hotel gardens, access to a private outdoor rooftop pool, a gym, and a business centre with secretarial services.

The Bistro in the Residence offers all-day casual dining including a generous buffet breakfast..

The opening of the Kempinski Residences Siam adds the Thai capital to Kempinski’s existing Residence portfolio which includes seven properties in China, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Turkey and Doha.


Pullman To Open Saigon CentrePullman Saigon Centre will be a 300-room newly built upscale hotel, with contemporary architecture and chic interiors. Located in the city centre in District One on Tran Hung Dao, Pullman Saigon Centre will be oriented towards welcoming business and leisure travelers from around the world and will help fill the continuing demand for upscale accommodation in the city.

“Accor is very excited to introduce our contemporary business brand to Ho Chi Minh City. The addition of the Pullman brand in Ho Chi Minh City compliments the existing Accor hotels under development in the city and throughout the country, where Accor is Vietnam’s leading hotel operator with 14 hotels.” says Patrick Basset, Vice President of Operations for Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.

Accor recently announced that it would double the number of rooms under management throughout Vietnam with 12 additional hotels committed to development. When completed in 2013, Pullman Saigon Centre will comprise of 1,500 sqm of ballroom and meeting facilities, two restaurants, a bar, as well as an outdoor swimming pool and fitness centre.

Hard Days Night Hotel, Liverpool For Unique Meetings The concept of a Beatles inspired hotel in Liverpool, England has been prevalent amongst Beatles enthusiasts in the city since the late 1980’s. The choice of a suitable location and the finances to make the vision a reality only came together in 2004 when hotel plans were finalised.

From the early stages the objective was to create a unique environment that offered high quality hotel facilities with an exciting and interesting ‘twist’ in the clever presentation of a theme that would be both subtle yet challenging in the way that the incredible story of the Beatles was told.

The hotel is a ‘Grade II’ listed building dating back to 1884. Designed by Thomas C Clarke, what was known as Central Buildings was constructed in a classic design with imposing marble columns a feature of the front elevation and the internal staircase. Situated within what was the original business district of the city, the building will have housed a number of merchant interests at a time when Liverpool, as one of the world’s major seaports, had a prominent international trading role.

Central Buildings could well have been a tourist destination of a different kind as, during the Second World War, it was designated the backup location for the allied command head quarters in the city during the Battle of the Atlantic.

As the Hard Days Night Hotel this landmark building will now play a key role in sustaining the city’s burgeoning reputation as a major tourist destination within the UK.

The hotel is now operating as a 4 star independent hotel, within the Classic British Hotel Group. Classic British Hotels is selection of refreshingly different independent hotels operating within the 3, 4 and 5 star market. With hotels in key city centre locations along with magnificent country house hotels, the hotel will now become even more accessible to new customers who are current customers of the Classic British Group.

www.classicbritishhotels.com

Meetings and conferences are a speciality at the Hard Days Night Hotel Liverpool. The uniquely designed function space provides a creative and inspirational environment for up to 130 delegates in a theatre style.

The hotel’s function rooms can be hired on a room hire basis or can be included in one of the hotels delegate packages as outlined below.

Day Delegate Package - £50.00 per person

Arrival Tea, Coffee and Biscuits; Mid-Morning Tea, Coffee and Biscuits; Buffet Lunch in the Room; Stationery; LCD Projector and Screen; Flipchart; Mineral Water; Wi-Fi; Room Hire

24hr Delegate Package - £215.00 per person

Day Delegate Package; 3 Course Dinner; Overnight Accommodation in a Luxury Room; Full English Breakfast

Package prices are negotiable and can be designed to include day trips to local attractions, creating a unique experience just for your delegates.

Three Function Rooms Available- Zygmant Suite- Hard Days Night Suite- Two of Us Suite

Dedicated Events Co-OrdinatorMaximum Capacity Dinner x 120Maximum Capacity Dinner Dance x 100

Events Catered For- Conferences- Product Launches- Weddings including Civil Ceremonies- Training Courses- Networking Events- Parties (Engagement, Birthday, Anniversary & Retirement etc)- Fashion Shows


DoubletreePanama City On Track For Q4 OpeningA major, multi-million-dollar building refurbishment project for what will quickly become the Doubletree by Hilton, Panama City is moving along successfully, with a scheduled

Wyndham Completes TRYP Acquisition From Sol MeliáWyndham Hotel Group has completed the previously announced acquisition of the TRYP hotel brand from Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts, including franchise agreements with 92 TRYP hotels in Europe and South America.

The newly renamed TRYP by Wyndham brand joins Wyndham Hotel Group’s 11 other brands, which encompass nearly 7,100 hotels and approximately 593,300 rooms in 65 countries.

TRYP, a select-service, midpriced brand representing approximately 13,000 rooms, caters to business and leisure travelers in cosmopolitan cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo and Montevideo. Last month, the brand opened its third hotel in Barcelona, the Tryp Hotel Condal Mar, and anticipates additional openings this year in Lisbon, Berlin, Madrid and Medellin, Colombia.

Wyndham Hotel Group President and Chief Executive Officer Eric Danziger said the TRYP by Wyndham brand “significantly increases the company’s global presence in Europe and Latin America.”

“We acquired the TRYP brand because of its strategic presence in major international cities and the significant growth opportunities it presents to our business,” said Danziger. “Our immediate focus is to grow the TRYP by Wyndham brand across Europe and the Americas. The latest hotel opening in Barcelona demonstrates the brand’s accelerating growth and increasing interest from developers and hotel owners.”

As previously announced, Wyndham Hotel Group and Sol Meliá will work together to develop the TRYP by Wyndham brand globally and expect to market the hotels cooperatively through their central reservations systems and loyalty programs as part of a strategic alliance between the two companies.

“This marks the beginning of a promising relationship between two complementary hospitality companies that will foster growth in a vast diversity of regions,” said Gabriel Escarrer Jaume, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Sol Meliá.

In connection with the closing, Danziger announced the appointment of Daniel del Olmo, as brand senior vice president, TRYP by Wyndham, responsible for its overall business strategy, brand integration, performance, customer relations, service culture, operations and sales and marketing. He will report to Jeff Wagoner, who will continue to serve the company as president of its Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand and affiliated Wingate by Wyndham and Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham brands.

Del Olmo most recently served Wyndham Hotel Group as chief performance officer, leading the development of the company’s long-term strategic plan including the development of business strategy and integration plans for the TRYP brand. Since joining the company in 2003, he has served in a variety of roles in marketing, strategy and innovation. He began his career in hospitality in the Americas Division of Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts where he held various marketing and e-commerce positions.

Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an Scheduled To Open in 2011Scheduled to open in 2011, Sofitel Luxury Hotels has recently signed for a new flagship in Shanghai - Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an. This will be the fourth Sofitel in Shanghai.

Located in the center of the city, Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an will stand at the intersection of Beijing Road and Jiangning Road, a mere step away from the famous Nanjing Road. Near the former French concession, museums and the Shanghai convention center, the building also has a number of floors with the most advanced office space, which offer the perfect solutions for local enterprises or multi-national corporations.

“We are particularly excited to welcome this genuine flagship to the Sofitel Luxury Hotels network. Sofitel Shanghai Jing’an, with its excellent location, will be a valuable asset for our brand both in China and abroad. After recent additions including the Sofitel Wanda Beijing, this will be one more jewel in a country where Sofitel Luxury Hotels already has a strong presence,” says Markland Blaiklock, Senior Vice President, Sofitel Luxury Hotels Asia Pacific.

Fairmont Guests To Receive Exclusive Rates On Avis RentalsMaking it easier for travelers to get out and explore destinations, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has named Avis Rent A Car the preferred provider for its distinctive collection of luxury hotels and resorts worldwide.

With the new alliance, guests of Fairmont can save up to 25 percent when renting a car at participating Avis locations worldwide. Additionally, exclusive benefits and other special offers will be extended to members of Fairmont’s guest loyalty program, Fairmont President’s Club, with these additional incentives to launch later in the year. Guests can learn more about the new rental benefit or make a reservation by visiting www.fairmont.com.

“We’re excited to team up with a leading rental brand like Avis and look forward to providing our guests with a greater range of options to explore and discover the striking and dynamic locations that our hotels call home,” said Brian Richardson, Fairmont’s vice president, brand marketing &

communications.

“We’re happy to collaborate with Fairmont and have their guests as well as Fairmont President’s Club members experience the high-quality car rental services that we have to offer,” said Kaye Ceille, senior vice president of travel and partnerships for Avis Budget Group, parent company of Avis. “They will surely enjoy the benefits of renting with Avis, including our guaranteed smoke-free vehicles, the ‘Cool Car’ collection and the world-renowned

Avis ‘We try harder’ service.”

www.fairmont.com


Rendezvous Hospitality Introduces “Business Benefits”Rendezvous Hospitality Group announced the introduction of Business Benefits. This new hassle-free package is designed to deliver extras for hotel guests.

The Business Benefits package includes:

- Full breakfast for one- Newspaper of choice- The option of either a laundered/ pressed shirt, OR a drink at the bar- Free, unlimited internet access throughout the hotel for the entire day

“In line with our focus on being the business hotel group of choice, the Business Benefits package has been designed for discerning guests who are on-the-go and appreciate the value-added innovative initiatives that RHG is now offering. It is no longer business as usual at RHG hotels,” said Iqbal Jumabhoy, RHG Chief Executive Officer.

“We envision Business Benefits will change the way our guests travel, stay and do business. At present, Business Benefits is unmatched in the corporate accommodation sector, particularly when it comes to the cost of conducting business via internet and phone.

“As part of our brand strategy for both the Rendezvous and The Marque Hotel brands, we committed significant time and research to understand the needs of our guests, and are now setting a new industry benchmark with the introduction of Business Benefits,” added Mr Jumabhoy.

In addition to Business Benefits, RHG also recently made a “Value Promise” in all Rendezvous and The Marque Hotels that set a unique benchmark for the business accommodation sector in terms of style and convenience. Available free-of-charge, it is a standard service offered to all guests at both hotel brands and will include three hours of daily free Internet access, free local calls, mini-bar item prices that are comparable to convenience store prices and laundry prices comparable to local laundry rates.

The Rendezvous Hotel Singapore also opened Southeast Asia’s first public Telepresence suite in a hotel. Leveraging on state-of-the-art technology providing participants with lifelike meeting experiences, the Telepresence suite is an example of a superior innovation aimed at being a major business tool to both hotel guests as well as external parties, who may not be staying at the hotel, but require the use of such facilities.

www.RendezvousHG.com

completion and opening in Q4, 2010.

The Doubletree by Hilton, Panama City (formerly the Hotel Costa del Sol) will be operated by Blue Star Hospitality, S.A., under a franchise license agreement with a subsidiary of Hilton Worldwide. Additional Panamanian hotel development projects by Hilton Worldwide that are opening in the near future include the Hilton Panama, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Panama City and the Hilton Garden Inn Panama.

“Hilton Worldwide is truly excited about our current hotel developments in Panama City and being back in such a great city,” commented Daniel Hughes, senior vice president of operations - Caribbean, Mexico, and Latin America for Hilton Worldwide. “These newest additions, including the Doubletree by Hilton, Panama City, reinforce our commitment to add a number of properties to our Central America portfolio and to have a presence in one of the region’s fastest growing destinations. We’re looking forward to being part of a thriving city that continues to offer some of the best tourist attractions in the region.”

The eight-story Doubletree by Hilton, Panama City is strategically located at one of the city’s most important intersections in the business district - Via España and Avenida Federico Boyd - and is connected to Multicentro, Central America’s largest shopping centre and casino. Inside Multicentro, hotel guests can gamble at the Majestic Casino, see movies or browse any of the malls numerous shops and dining and entertainment outlets.

The Doubletree by Hilton, Panama City will offer 213 modern and spacious guestrooms, a rooftop pool, a spa and fitness centre; 2,000 square feet of meeting space, and a full-service restaurant.

Rob Palleschi, global head for Doubletree by Hilton hotels, commented, “This latest Doubletree by Hilton development in Panama City proudly represents another positive step in our brand’s growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. This fine hotel will join Doubletree by Hilton hotels and resorts that are now operating in Peru, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. With further development plans confirmed in Mexico and additional interest in other Latin American countries, the potential benefits for owners and developers of current and new-build hotels to become affiliated with Hilton Worldwide and the Doubletree by Hilton brand have never been greater.”

www.doubletree.com

Park Hyatt Aviara Opens In Southern CaliforniaHyatt Hotels & Resorts has opened the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., just north of San Diego. Park Hyatt now has 25 properties worldwide. A true California retreat, designed in the Spanish colonial style, Park Hyatt Aviara is set off by palm trees, expansive gardens, rolling hills, and views of the Pacific Coast. First opened in 1997, the resort spans 205 acres set on the northern shore of the Batiquitos Lagoon, which is one of California’s most precious, untouched wetlands with more than 130 species of birds and 24 varieties of flowering plants.

“We are thrilled to be managing one of California’s most beautiful resorts,” said Chuck Floyd, chief operating officer, North America, Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “Park Hyatt Aviara Resort will be a wonderful addition to our luxury Park Hyatt portfolio and Hyatt Resort properties worldwide.”

Four restaurants, ranging from a poolside café, an airy bistro, a contemporary steakhouse, and an elegant dining room serving a regional Italian menu offer guests exceptional cuisine. All guestrooms are beautifully appointed and feature a marble bathroom with a commodious bathtub. Of the 329 rooms, 44 are suites and all rooms have a private balcony or a landscaped terrace.


PEOPLE

Ascott Appoints Richard Tan Country GM For VietnamCapitaLand’s wholly-owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited (Ascott), has appointed Mr Richard Tan as Country General Manager for Vietnam, where he will be responsible for managing the company’s operations and growing its serviced residence business in the country.

Cindy Tien Joins RADIUS As Director, Asia PacificRADIUS announced that Cindy Tien has joined the company as Director Asia Pacific, Global Sales and Service. Ms. Tien will lead the end-to-end process for multinational corporate sales and provide direct sales support to all RADIUS agencies in the Asia Pacific region.

Ms. Tien has significant leisure and corporate travel sales experience in the Asia Pacific region. Ms. Tien, based in Singapore, joins RADIUS from American Express Business Travel, where she held a Sales Management position c responsible for identifying new business opportunities and acquiring new corporate accounts. Prior to American Express, Cindy worked in a regional role for Corporate Travel Services (formerly known as TQ3 Travel Solutions) where she successfully sold travel solutions to SMEs and MNCs.

Pan Pacific Appoints Dean Schreiber As Senior VP, OperationsPan Pacific Hotels Group has announced the appointment of Dean Schreiber as Senior Vice President of Operations.

Based in Singapore, Dean will lead the Operations Team in operational systems management and development while also overseeing re-flagging and opening activities. In addition, he will be responsible for the establishment and measurement of service quality standards throughout all operational aspects in line with the overall company branding strategy.

With 24 years of hospitality management spanning nine countries and five continents, Dean is also no stranger to the Pan Pacific brand, having previously served with Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts as Group Operations Leader from 2004 to 2007 before moving to Dubai as Vice President Operations with luxury hospitality group Essque. In that role, he was fully responsible for all of the group’s activities including development, marketing, spa, food and beverage divisions and all pre and post-opening hotel operations.

Choice Hotels Europe Makes Three UK AppointmentsChoice Hotels Europe has made new appointments to its UK-based organisation in order to grow its business and provide additional support to the franchisees who operate Choice-branded hotel properties in the UK.

Karen Wade joins as Operations Manager with responsibility for supporting all UK-based Choice-branded properties in areas such as business planning, quality assurance, property improvements and enhancements that ensure a strong guest experience. Ms Wade has worked within the hotel industry for over 20 years and has held a number of operations and management roles. Most recently she was Group Operations Manager for Zola Hotels, responsible for overseeing a number of property acquisitions.

Monique Marnach joins as Franchise Services Manager with responsibility for maximising revenue opportunities at all Choice-branded properties. She will work with franchisees to set revenue generating targets, forecasting and key performance indicators to maximise revenue opportunities. She previously was Revenue Development Manager at Ramada London Ealing and Ramada Hatfield.

Andrius Remeikis has also joined as Account Manager, UK Sales, responsible for developing Choice’s corporate business and relationships with the UK Travel Management Community. He previously worked for Guoman Thistle and Strand Palace Hotel.

VisitBritain Names Eastham Head of Global Corporate CommunicationsVisitBritain, the national tourism agency, has appointed Paul Eastham as Head of Global Corporate Communications.

Amadeus Promotes Gallego & Taubmann To Vice PresidentAmadeus has announced the promotion of both Angel Gallego and Holger Taubmann to Vice President, with the two positions reporting to Philippe Chéréque, Amadeus Executive Vice President, Commercial.

The appointments mark the strengthening and further commitment of Amadeus to the EMEA region by dividing the area into two sub-regions, both of which will be headed by senior and experienced Amadeus executives. To this end, Western Europe, Middle East and Africa will be led by Gallego while Northern, Central and Eastern Europe will be headed by Taubmann. Halliday Named

Managing Director of Rosewood Hotel GeorgiaRosewood Hotels has appointed Steve Halliday as Managing Director of Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The hotel, currently undergoing a full restoration and

Paul will be working with the tourism industry and the media to ensure the economic strength of tourism - its ability to deliver jobs and growth out of the recession - is understood and to create a climate that fosters the industry’s growth and international competitiveness.

scheduled to open in early 2011, originally opened in 1927. Mr. Halliday will oversee all areas of the hotel, which is being developed by Hotel Georgia Development Ltd, which is part of the Delta Group.

With four decades of experience and success in the management of luxury hotel operations, Halliday joins Rosewood Hotels & Resorts following his most recent position as founder and president of Halliday Hospitality Group, which worked directly with Pan Pacific Hotels Group to develop new hotels for the company. Prior to that, he spent 26 years in senior positions within Pan Pacific Hotels Group, most notably as Vice President and General Manager of Pan Pacific Vancouver for more than 10 years, first opening the hotel in 1986 for the World’s Fair.

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