"Dusit Dream Holiday" Winner Earns a Magnificent 5-day stay at Dusit Thani Maldives

Tokyo Mahanakorn

World renowned Thai hospitality group Dusit International has revealed the grand prize winner of its lavish “Dusit Dream Holiday” social media contest. Tatchakorn Yeenang from Thailand, currently living in Japan, won with his stunning photo entitled “Tokyo Mahanakorn,” a moving image symbolising the bond between grandmother and grandson.

Tatchakorn has won a five-night stay in a Beach Villa at the luxurious Dusit Thani Maldives, which features a private deck area and plunge pool. Daily free breakfast and round-trip seaplane tickets for two between Malé and Dusit Thani Maldives are also included.

The contest engaged Dusit International’s online community across all properties, encouraging them to submit images of their dream vacation based on three separate themes: City Extravaganza, Beach Getaway and Cultural Escapade. The group’s first social media campaign was a successful one, resulting in a significant increase in the fan base of each participating property’s social media pages. As a result, there will be four social media contests to come this year, providing captivating content for fans and the opportunity to win a variety of fantastic prizes.

More than 300 qualifying photo entries were received, with each participant hoping to win the extravagant prize. The winner was chosen by a select panel of Dusit International’s senior management, with the caption accompanying the image ultimately determining the winner.

Maldives

“Visiting Maldives and staying in a high-end resort like Dusit is like a dream for me, but it's finally become true!” says contest winner, Tatchakorn Yeenang. “I'd like to thank Dusit International for this special New Year gift. This is a big opportunity to improve my photography skills and of course, I'll share lots of beautiful photos with you all.”

Perfectly situated on the exquisite Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Dusit Thani Maldives is comprised of 100 exclusive villas and residences, along with three restaurants, two bars and the Dusit signature Devarana Spa. The resort is hedged by a vibrant coral reef, white sandy beaches and a turquoise lagoon that fosters an idyllic and relaxing retreat.

Melbourne Convention Bureau Enters a New Era

Chief Executive Officer of the Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB), Karen Bolinger, today announced a complete rebrand for the organisation.

Melbourne Convention Bureau, formerly known as the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau, now has a new brand complete with a new logo and, most significantly, a new name, removing the word ‘Visitors’ to adequately reflect its core business of attracting business events to the state.

The logo has been designed to modernise Melbourne Convention Bureau brand identity; keeping the traditional ‘M’ silhouette but refreshing it with a vibrant and energetic red, adding colour gradients to create a spotlight effect and using a new, more contemporary font.
Ms Bolinger said the rebrand signified Melbourne Convention Bureau commitment to its values of innovation, excellence and leadership.

“As part of our Strategic Business Plan launched in May last year, we decided to undergo a complete rebrand in order to form a more holistic approach to our visual identity to assist us in creating clear and increased brand awareness, both domestically and internationally,” Ms Bolinger said.

“The process started with our name; the term ‘Visitors’ was taken out to disassociate ourselves with leisure tourism, as MCB’s sole responsibility is for the procurement of business events that attract delegates to Victoria.

“Our new brand now clearly aligns us with our vision, mission and values, and reflects MCB’s status as one of the world’s premier convention bureaux.

“Further details will be revealed next week during Australia’s inaugural Business Events Week, so watch this space!”

MCB’s new branding has now been rolled out across all collateral, which will all be revealed at the official Asia-Pacific Incentives & Meetings Expo (AIME) media conference at 11:00am on Monday, 25 February in Room 103 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Free Tango Classes by Guest Country Argentina in EMITT Fair

This year the Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Fair EMITT has commenced with a difference. With Argentina as the guest country of the EMITT fair the four-day fair held at Istanbul, Turkey offers not only insights into the travel and tourism industry but also free tango dance lessons.

The tourism professionals visiting the fair and visitors who wish to get know Argentina more closely have the opportunity to get tango classes on the stage, in addition to the chance to discover the hidden treasures of Argentina, one of the liveliest countries of Latin America.

Director of Ekin Fair, Hacer Aydın states that the visitors of the EMITT Fair can attend free tango classes everyday during the fair between 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM and that the visitors will be tutored on the intricacies of tango and get the chance to put them to practice on the stage to be built specially for this occasion.

Reminding that the definition of tango comes from African rhythms and ‘tangere’ which means to touch in Latin, Mercedes Parodi, Consulate General of Argentina in Istanbul states that the attendants of EMITT 2013 will get the chance to know the tango culture more closely. Indicating that tango is both the dance and the music, Parodi expresses that this dance which came into existence in Argentina became a culture that embraced the world and underlines that this culture will be presented to the attendants personally in EMITT 2013.

New Date And Location For Tropfest

After 21 years, the world’s largest short film festival Tropfest will move to a new time of year and a new home. The 22nd Tropfest will be held on Sunday 8 December at Sydney’s Centennial Park, where the event will be staged for the next five years.

Festival Director, John Polson said he is excited about the changes. “We’ve been extremely privileged – the Domain is now an important part of our history, however, with our steady growing audience, Centennial Parklands is really the only venue that offers us the space we now need. This will be an exciting new chapter for us.”

“The change to December also reflects the growth Tropfest is expecting both locally, and internationally. Our significant increase in international guests – both regular audiences and VIP attendees – has meant we need to think more globally now. Our new date better fits in with the international film calendar including events like the Oscars. It’s also a magical time of year in Australia. What better way to kick off our glorious summer than with Tropfest in Centennial Park?”

Kim Ellis, CEO of Centennial Parklands welcomed the announcement which was made during Centennial Park’s 125th Anniversary year.

“In this, Centennial Park’s 125th Anniversary year, we are delighted that the “People’s Park” will welcome what is truly an iconic Australian event. Centennial Parklands has signed an agreement with Tropfest’s founder and Director, John Polson to become the new home of Tropfest for the next five years,” said Kim Ellis, CEO of Centennial Parklands.

“As a public parklands, one of our strategic priorities is to actively encourage a diversity of passive recreation, sporting, cultural and education opportunities for the community. This event will bring tens of thousands to the Parklands to participate in what is a high watermark for up-and-coming Australian film talent.”

“Tropfest’s move further reinforces the invaluable support that Centennial Parklands provides to the Australian film industry. We are already the home of Fox Studios, the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and Moonlight Cinema. Last year alone we hosted over 170 filming and photography shoots, including The Great Gatsby and Wolverine.”

“Not only is Centennial Parklands the heart of Sydney’s film production industry, but we now host two of the most iconic outdoor film events on the Sydney calendar.”

Visit England promotes Coastal Breaks In New marketing Campaign

VisitEngland, the national tourist board, today launched a new multi-channel marketing campaign designed to boost domestic tourism in 2013 by promoting short breaks in some of England’s most spectacular coastal locations.  The campaign is the third of six launching from January to March, covering the four key themes of countryside, coast, heritage and culture, funded in part by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.
 
The campaign focuses on the wonderful experiences on offer along England’s world-famous coastline – from exploring hidden coves and visiting historic fishing villages, to enjoying fresh local produce and beautiful sunset walks along the beach.

The destinations partnering with VisitEngland in this campaign are:

Isles of Scilly

• Cumbria
• Dorset
• Hull and East Yorkshire
• Isles of Scilly
• North Devon and Exmoor
• Suffolk

The campaign incorporates a range of national online, broadcast and print elements in partnership with network radio stations Classic FM and Gold FM, as well as The Guardian and Mail on Sunday. There is also a substantial programme of digital and social media activity, including Facebook competitions, video content, and a dedicated section on visitengland.com: www.visitengland.com/morecoastal.

James Berresford, VisitEngland’s Chief Executive, commented: “This exciting campaign is one of several launching this year with the aim of growing tourism in England. The campaign aims to inspire UK residents to ‘escape’ the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to take a short break in one of England’s most beautiful coastal destinations. This is a great example of the industry working in partnership to stimulate tourism and grow jobs throughout the country.”

Suffolk

This new marketing activity is part of VisitEngland’s three-year investment project called ‘Growing Tourism Locally’.  Funded by £19.8million from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, the project aims to generate £365million in additional tourism spend over the 2012-15 period and inspire more UK residents to take more holidays and short breaks at home.  The project aims to stimulate local employment to create jobs in the tourism sector by 9,100 over a three-year period to March 2015.

EL Questro Wilderness Park Re-Opens For the 2013 Season

El Questro

One of Australia's most spectacular destinations, El Questro Wilderness Park, will re-open its gates again from 29 March 2013 to welcome visitors to the magnificent Kimberley region in far north Western Australia. 

Re-emerging after the glorious annual wet season El Questro Homestead will re-open on 29 March, followed by The Station on 11 April and Emma Gorge Resort on 29 April.

This year guests will be able to enjoy luxury accommodation in three stylish new suites at The Homestead, be treated to stunning views from a new lookout and enjoy easier road access to El Questro. Guests can also take advantage of special offers on all three properties.

The Homestead is a stylish retreat set high, overlooking the Chamberlain River.  In 2013 guests will be able to stay in the three new Cliff Side Retreats, bringing the total number of suites to just nine at this exclusive property.  The Retreats offer uninterrupted views of the rugged scenery courtesy of the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass walls.  From the shower, guests can access either the free standing bath on the verandah or the garden rain shower surrounded by magnificent stone walls that ensure complete privacy. 

In celebration of the start of the 2013 season, guests staying at The Homestead can enjoy a 20% discount on a four-night stay, inclusive of all dining and beverages, selected touring and El Questro Wilderness Park Permit for two. Prices start from $1,559 and this special offer is available throughout the season, from 29 March through to 27 October.

The Station at El Questro is the central hub of the Wilderness Park, offering two types of accommodation.  Air-conditioned Bungalows overlook the Pentecost River and are ideal for couples or a family holiday. 

Alternatively guests can camp at the Black Cockatoo campground or at one of the 25 beautifully located private campsites.  These sit among sprawling green lawns and right near the local swimming hole.

Emma Gorge at El Questro offers safari-style tented cabins complete with en suites located right in the heart of the rugged red Cockburn Ranges at the foot of the spectacular gorge.  Set amongst gardens featuring beautiful pandanus and palm trees and looking up to the towering sandstone escarpments on either side of the Gorge, this accommodation is perfect for couples and families looking to get close to nature.

Self-drive guests can now enjoy a quicker and little less bumpy journey from Kununurra to Emma Gorge with the road having been sealed, with the journey now taking around 45 minutes. The last 2km of road off the Gibb River Road remains unsealed however this is still suitable for 2WD vehicles.

In 2013 guests staying at Emma Gorge Resort can enjoy a special rate of $279 per room, per night for a two-night stay, including free buffet breakfast for two adults, and children 12 years and under stay for free. This deal is available from 29 April through to 29 September.

Guests staying at The Station Riverside Bungalows can stay for three nights and pay for two, for $242.60 per room, per night. Children 12 years and under stay for free. This deal is subject to a minimum three-night stay and is available for travel from 11 April to 26 May and 23 September to 20 October.

Also new for this year is a tour to a new lookout called Buddy's Point in memory of local El Questro legend Buddy Tyson who passed away in 2011. Former rodeo champion, drover and tour guide at El Questro, Buddy Tyson was a larger than life cowboy who was loved for his whip cracking show and his humour.

The views from Buddy's Point take in the heart of the Chamberlain Gorge, and the Homestead, nestled amongst mahogany and frangipani trees, the Station, Saddleback Ridge and the Cockburn Ranges. Looking in the opposite direction guests can see where the Pentecost River converges with the Chamberlain River and creates the crossing that leads to Explosion Gorge. Further back, guests will be able to look towards the Gibb River Road and see parts of the Pentecost River as it continues its path to Wyndham.

Sunset tours to the new Buddy's Point lookout will cost $60pp and the lookout can also be booked for private use for the afternoon and into sunset - a fruit and cheese platter and sparkling wine are the perfect complement to the exquisite view.

El Questro Wilderness Park is a vast landscape of just under one million acres in the Kimberley comprising red rock ranges, river gorges, waterfalls and thermal springs housing a fantastic display of flora and fauna.   Each year after the wet season finishes, visitors are treated to an amazing display of Australian nature as the native flowers burst into life and the breeding season begins for many of the local bird colonies including the elegant black-necked stork or Jabiru.

Located 110km from Kununurra, El Questro is a remote and rugged destination that promises the seclusion to explore this iconic part of Australia and the amazing wildlife that exists within its boundaries.

Numerous tours are available throughout the season which runs until 31 October each year.  These allow guests to experience the area by 4WD, helicopter, horse and on foot - all led by expert guides.  Full day fishing tours for the elusive local barramundi are also available.
For reservations please contact www.elquestro.com.au or call 1300 233 432.

About El Questro:
Torrance MacMiking and Morris Marshall took up the lease on this very special parcel of land, previously called Spurling's Pocket, in 1958. They lodged a pastoral claim and named the property El Questro.  They ran cattle and also grew vegetables which they sold to Kununurra.  Marshall's son, Michael, was buried here and his grave can still be seen by a large boab tree near the station's driveway.

Several owners later, British aristocrat Will Burrell and his wife Celia bought the lease in 1991, opening Emma Gorge, the first of the three accommodation offerings on the property in May 1992.  The exclusive El Questro Homestead was opened in September and the Station Campground and Bungalows followed soon after.

The lease on El Questro Wilderness Park and the accommodation is now owned by Delaware North Australia Parks & Resorts.  The company also owns and manages Kings Canyon Resort in the Northern Territory and Heron, Wilson and Lizard islands on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland.

Australia Gets More Chinese Flights

China Southern Airlines

China Southern Airlines will fly three times a week to Cairns in Australia’s North Queensland, routed through Brisbane. Cairns joins Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney as the airline’s fifth Australian destination. The new service utilises the Australian government’s Enhanced Regional Package allowing additional access to Australia’s gateways, in this case, Brisbane, if flights operate via a regional international airport, such as Cairns. China Southern’s expansion into North Queensland follows the entry of China Eastern into the Cairns market in October 2012.

48% of Dubai’s Hotels Within 2km of a Mega Shopping Mall

276 hotels and hotel apartments just a 5 minute taxi ride away from 5 mega malls - Arabian Travel Market 2013 highlights growing trend that city hotels and urban tourists want to be close to major retail attractions

Market research conducted by Reed Travel Exhibitions the organiser of Arabian Travel Market 2013 (ATM) which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre on 6-9 May 2013, has shown that more than 276 hotels and hotel apartments are located within 2km of one of five mega shopping malls in Dubai.

“The original research was conducted to look at how urban tourism has grown exponentially over the past two decades and how the retail landscape has expanded in parallel, to mark ATM’s own twentieth anniversary celebrations,” said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director at Reed Travel Exhibitions.

“Five of the leading shopping malls in Dubai were identified and ATM researched the number of hotel and hotel apartments within a two kilometre radius of each of them, or in other words a five-minute taxi ride,” he added.

According to Alpen Capital, retail sales in the Gulf region will hit US$270 billion in 2016, which it puts down in part to an expanding tourism and hospitality industry. Nowhere is that more evident than in Dubai, which is home to five of the region’s largest shopping malls, namely Dubai Mall, (the region’s largest), Mall of the Emirates, Al Ghurair Centre, Burjuman Centre, and Deira City Centre.

Of the 387 hotels and 188 hotel apartments registered by the Dubai Government Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) at the end of 2011, 48% were within 2km of one of these five shopping malls. Proving just how well developed the relationship between retail and hospitality has become.

The actual breakdown was as follows;

• Dubai Mall: 19 hotels/hotel apartments (9 five-star hotels & 5 four-star hotels)
• Mall of the Emirates: 37 hotels/hotel apartments (9 five-star hotels & 5 four-star hotels)
• Al Ghurair Shopping Centre: 16 hotels/hotel apartments (3 five-star & 6 four-star)
• Burjuman Shopping Centre: 131 hotels/hotel apartments (6 five-star & 18 four-star hotels)
• Deira City Centre: 73 hotels/hotel apartments (8 five-star & 21 four-star hotels)
• Source: Booking.com

A number of other interesting statistics were also revealed – even if the search was reduced to within just 1km of these five malls – there are still 125 hotels and hotel apartments representing 24% of Dubai’s total hotel stock. Another interesting fact was that between 2005 and 2008 when Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai Festival City and Dubai Mall opened, the number of hotels in Dubai grew from 371 to 519 an increase of 40%. Indeed between 2007 and 2008 alone hotel stock grew by 17%.

“Since the end of the Dubai property boom, real estate has gradually begun to recover, but hotel trading performances have been more impressive. According to Alpen Capital estimates, hotels in Dubai averaged 80%, occupancy during 2012, with US$228 revenue per available room (RevPAR) one of the highest in the world,” said Walsh.

Twenty years ago, Dubai had only three major shopping malls, Al Ghurair Centre which opened in 1981, Burjuman Centre and Wafi City which both opened in 1992. Deira City Centre did not open until the end of 1995 and it would be another ten years before Mall of the Emirates would open.

“The hotels and retail destinations in Dubai complement each other very well. Rotana has 15 city hotels in Dubai which have witnessed a 25% increase in GCC guests in 2012 compared to 2011,” said Amin Dakkak, Director of Marketing & Communications of Rotana Hotel Management Corporation.

A full schedule of events and networking sessions will mark ATM’s 20th anniversary and clearly the rise of retail and urban tourism has played a significant part in the travel and tourism growth not only in Dubai and the UAE but the wider GCC.

“With all of our hotel apartments in close proximity to major shopping malls, the retail sector is very important to us. We have created permanent weekend shopping packages targeting GCC visitors,” said Mohamed Awadalla, Area Vice President of TI’ME Hotels.

This year’s show will feature sponsored floor trails guiding visitors directly to the industry sector they are looking for using sponsored floor trails, allowing them to fast track their way around the show. These floor trails include shopping, air travel, budget travel, careers, health and wellbeing, luxury, shopping, sports, and cruise and water-based travel. 

Dubai Mall

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the 2012 edition of the Middle East’s leading travel exhibition showcased 2,436 exhibitors covering over 20,000 square metres and attracted more than 23,000 attendees.

Auckland Airport Welcomes Progress on National Convention Centre

Auckland Airport

Auckland Airport welcomed the release of the Auditor General’s report into the process for developing a national convention centre, saying that the release of the report marks another milestone towards the eventual completion of a much-needed national convention centre.

Chief Executive of Auckland Airport, Adrian Littlewood, said, “We hope that this report signals the start of genuine progress. The opportunity to gain a large-scale international-quality convention centre from private investment, with the significant benefits it brings to the country, does not come along very often. Despite the tourism industry calling for such a centre for well over a decade now, and despite the various positive business cases for such a centre put forward by the public and private sector, until now a financially viable option had not been identified.”

“Because Auckland and New Zealand do not have a conference centre of sufficient scale to attract the big international conferences, we lose many opportunities each year to the cities like Melbourne and Brisbane that do. That means New Zealand misses thousands of additional visitors and millions of dollars in economic benefit each time. This has been the case for far too long now,” said Mr Littlewood.

“As New Zealand becomes increasingly connected to the rapidly growing economies of Asia, the need for an international scale convention centre will only increase.”

An international conference centre is a significant gap in the current tourism and trade infrastructure and proposition in New Zealand, and the development of such a facility will offer considerable economic benefits by attracting more, higher-value, visitors. In addition, it would enable some of the aspirational visitor economy goals contained in the new Auckland Plan and in the goals of Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development.

Mr Littlewood said, “Convention visitors are amongst the highest spending visitors per night, spending 4-5 times as much per night as the average daily visitor spend. In addition, conventions help improve shoulder and off-peak tourism, and encourage business and trade links between New Zealand and international delegates.

“As a tourism destination New Zealand is competing in an exceptionally tough global market. As a relatively small economy, New Zealand does not have the ability to fund all the investment in infrastructure needed to accommodate our national growth and living standard aspirations. Increasingly, this means that essential infrastructure investments such as this will require some level of private and public sector engagement. The tourism industry has been waiting a very long time for a national convention centre,” said Mr Littlewood, “let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture.”

Melbourne To Host Dreamtime 2013

AIME Press Conference

Melbourne is to host Tourism Australia's largest trade marketing event in December, Dreamtime 2013, helping to further grow the $12 billion plus business events sector.
                                                                                         
Announced today by the Minister for Tourism, the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, during the opening of the inaugural Business Events week in Melbourne, Dreamtime 2013 will bring together 125 international business events decision makers (buyers) with the Australian business events industry to experience the destination's capabilities for doing business.
                                                                                                                                        
Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said Dreamtime was part of a broader strategy to promote Australia as a business event destination internationally and deliver economic benefits to the sector.

"Dreamtime gives the Australian business events industry a platform to do business with well qualified international buyers from key markets such as China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, North America and the United Kingdom," Mr McEvoy said.

"The format of the event provides an opportunity for the Australian industry to demonstrate their expertise in delivering bespoke corporate incentive experiences as well as hosting large scale gala events.

"With its combination of state-of-the-art infrastructure, monumental architecture, abundance of green spaces, and a sophisticated dining scene, Melbourne has a strong offering for key business events decision makers looking to achieve real results from their corporate incentive programs," Mr McEvoy said. 

During Dreamtime 2013 international business events buyers and media will be hosted in Melbourne where they will participate in a city showcase, business sessions with Australian industry and networking dinner events.  Three days of educational visits will follow, giving buyers and media the opportunity to experience one of many Australian destinations first hand.

Melbourne Convention Bureau CEO Karen Bolinger said hosting Dreamtime 2013 was a tremendous business opportunity for the city.
 
"Being the host city for Dreamtime is a major coup for Melbourne, as it will allow us to showcase the city's corporate and incentive offering to key markets from across the globe," Ms Bolinger said.

"Melbourne has always had a collaborative approach to bidding for and securing incentive business. We worked closely with our partners to prepare the Dreamtime program which will enable us to highlight Melbourne's unique attributes as an incentive destination.

"Melbourne has an impressive track record in hosting large incentive groups, such as the Amway India Leadership Seminar for 4,000 delegates in December, 2012, which is a testament to the diverse range of activities on offer and the ability for the city to cater for groups of any size

"The city boasts a huge menu of amazing experiences, which are tailor-made to each individual or group, making the city a planner's and a delegate's dream destination," Ms Bolinger said.

Mr McEvoy said that in an intensely competitive global marketplace, Tourism Australia's business events industry partnership approach to securing international business events was delivering strong results.

"Business events is one of the key areas of the Tourism 2020 strategy to enhance growth and competitiveness in the tourism sector, with the aim to increase tourism spending to as much as A$140 billion by the end of the decade," Mr McEvoy said.

"Specifically the business events industry is looking to grow to A$16 billion annually in value by 2020 and already we are well on track to achieving this goal.

"The industry is making strong progress, with overnight expenditure by business events visitors in Australia increasing to A$12.5 billion in 2011, up from A$10.3 billion in 2010," Mr McEvoy said.