Dusit Thani’s Benjarong restaurant receives a global award from the Thai Government Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi takes great pride in announcing that its Benjarong restaurant has received a global recognition. The city’s favourite Thai restaurant has been accorded the seal of approval for inclusion in the esteemed “Thai Select” premium program. The prestigious certification is issued by the Royal Thai Government and Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce to certify and promote authentic Thai cuisine outside Thailand. It is a seal of approval granted to Thai restaurants overseas that serve authentic Thai food. The objective is to increase the recognition of Thai restaurants in pursuit of raising their quality while maintaining authenticity at an international level. On this moment of pride, Mr. Desmond Hatton, General Manager, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi said “We are immensely thrilled to have received this international recognition for our Benjarong restaurant. Definitely, it fortifies the positioning of our Thai restaurant in Abu Dhabi and beyond in the GCC region. I would like to congratulate each and every team member of Benjarong team for this milestone achievement. Dusit’s signature award-winning Thai restaurant, Benjarong, serves authentic Thai cuisine in a unique space that fuses contemporary […]

Diethelm Travel Group Expands its Reach with New Partner Representatives Diethelm Travel Group, an award-winning inbound tour operator servicing Asia, today announced partnering with two companies in France and Turkey which will serve as Diethelm Travel representatives in the respective markets. France-based mN’Organisation will be responsible for supporting the French-speaking markets across France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Clients can now contact representatives Murielle Nouchy and Camille Champenois via email at mno@diethelmtravel.com. With a long, intermingled history, Southeast Asia remains a popular region for French market travellers. Today, with increasingly convenient flight connections and Diethelm Travel’s 13 country destinations across the region, Diethelm Travel Group is uniquely positioned to provide guests with a variety of exclusive tours and multi-country journey combinations through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines and beyond. The company also has plans to further enhance its French-language capacity within operation and reservations levels to even better connect with and serve this crucial market. In Turkey, Opus Travel has been named the new Diethelm Travel Group representative. The relationship marks a move into the region which holds a number of high-value accounts and MICE opportunities. Oya Mumcuoglu, owner of Opus Travel and Diethelm Travel’s direct contact, can now be reached at turkey@diethelmtravel.com. The […]

Singapore Airlines joins PATA UK & Ireland   We are delighted to announce that for the first time, Singapore Airlines have joined the PATA UK & Ireland Chapter, and will be joining a number of our events this year including Taste of PATA and PATA Exchange. A premium full service carrier and the world’s most awarded airline, Singapore Airlines is one of the best options for UK travellers flying to the Asia-Pacific region. The airline is known for its superior yet friendly inflight service, providing customers with a home in the sky each time they fly. With its hub being the multi-award-winning Changi Airport, flight sector lengths are optimised for UK travellers getting rest on connecting flights to their final destination. This region is the airline’s heartland, with Singapore Airlines and its partner airlines, SilkAir and Scoot, currently operating a network spanning 138 destinations in 37 countries; many of which are Asia-Pacific destinations. For more information please visit www.singaporeair.com  

Adventure Tourism with Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea is gaining a fine reputation as the ‘must visit’ destination for travellers looking for activity breaks. Once limited to gap year students, adventure tourism is becoming almost mainstream.   Sun, sea and sand, ingredients formerly craved by tourists, are gradually being replaced by hikes, wildlife treks and culture.   The Coastal areas of PNG offer superb opportunities for a myriad of water sports; while on land there’s a nirvana for trekkers with a vast variety of coastal, jungle and mountain trails. PNG Trekking Adventures – one of PNG’s leading ground handlers – recently added two new adventures to their itineraries.   Bouganville Island, a treasure trove of WW2 history and Cycling New Ireland, see full details in their on-line brochures. The acclaimed Kokoda Trail is now becoming a firm favourite although not for the faint hearted, it takes a strenuous 6-9 days to complete the entire trek, only recommended for the super-fit.  A stimulating alternative is to climb Mount Wilhelm – PNG’s highest peak. See www.pngtrekkingadventures.com.au www.papuanewguinea.travel

Royal Caribbean organises fam trip in conjunction with Hong Kong Tourism Board Royal Caribbean recently organised an incredible nine-day FAM trip with 11 trade agent partners in conjunction with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to promote the destination. The first three days of the trip were spent in Hong Kong where the group explored different areas of the destination, including Aberdeen and Stanley, and enjoyed dinner at The Peak, all of which were organised and supported by the HKTB. This was followed by a five-night sailing on Ovation of the Seas to promote cruise holidays from Hong Kong and showcase Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class ships, before the group returned to Hong Kong and visited The Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island. Royal Caribbean partnered with Dorsett Hotels, which provided accommodation in the Dorsett Wanchai Hotel in Hong Kong, and Cathay Pacific Airways which provided return flights from London and Manchester. It was an extraordinary trip, enjoyed by all!  

Win a Fam trip with Tourism Thailand and Thai Airways Tourism Thailand and Thai Airways are giving you the opportunity to win a fam trip to Thailand. Be spoiled with relaxing Thai massages, delicious Thai food, luxurious hotels, dreamy beaches and gorgeous sunsets in the Land of Smiles. In a small group, you will be taken to Thailand’s most famous destinations, and also get to experience some of the lesser known untouched regions. To enter, all you need to do is complete all modules of the Amazing Thailand Online Training Programme. The training programme gives you loads of information and there is a brand new module focusing on community based tourism in Thailand. There is also an agent’s offers section, the latest travel events, and plenty more! Visit tourismthailand.co.uk and complete your training for your chance to win. Draw closes 29 July.    

Summer Fun in Hong Kong The Hong Kong Tourism Board has launched the ultimate guide to exploring Old Town Central this summer. From the most instagrammable spots hidden within the city, to exploring Hong Kong’s culture and history, here is a few notes on what not to miss this summer. Instagram a piece of street art on Graham Street, or record a timelapse of yourself riding the world’s longest outdoor escalator system. Hong Kong’s Central-Midlevels Escalator is the quickest way to get between Queens Road and SoHo, and offers a scenic route along the way. Discover a 1950’s speakeasy, or sip on tea at a traditional tea house. Just like here in Britain, tea is an important part of Hong Kong culture. The Kung Lee Herbal Tea Shop is the perfect place to experience tea time like locals do. Founded in the 1940s, this teahouse is still loved by locals, and among its menu of herbal tonics, the sugarcane juice is the best seller. Dine at a traditional dai pai dong. Dai pai dongs are Hong Kong’s traditional open air food stalls and Sing Heung Yuen on Mee Lun Street is a humble yet popular eatery with an impressively loyal […]

Tourism Thailand and Thai Airways are giving you the chance to win a fam trip, departing in October! Tourism Thailand and Thai Airways are giving you the chance to win a fam trip, departing in October! Complete the Amazing Thailand Online Training Programme for the opportunity to win the trip of a lifetime! Visit training.tourismthailand.co.uk and complete all modules of the course by 30 June for your chance to see Thailand’s beautiful beaches, stunning scenery and unique culture!  

Take to the skies in North Korea in the ‘Grand Aviation Tour’ with Juche Travel Services Juche Travel Services is proud to announce that it is ‘Back in the DPRK’ to take part in the Grand Aviation Tour from the 16th – 20th October 2018! Flying on Ilyushin Il-18, Il-62, Il-76, Tupolev Tu-134, Tu-154, Tu-204, Antonov An-24, An-148, Mil-17, and Microlites Whilst also visiting Pyongyang / Kaesong & DMZ / Mount Myohyang! We are delighted to be offering aviation enthusiasts a very special tour of the DPRK in 2018. Learning from our 6 years of experience, we have refined the itinerary to create a time-efficient package that maximises flying opportunities. Condensed into only 4 nights (with an optional 3 night sightseeing extension), it features flights on the entire Air Koryo fleet of aircraft – 9 types in total – several of which can now only be flown commercially in the DPRK. Combining a mix of point to point flying, circular joyrides and low-level panoramic city sightseeing, this really is a tour not to be missed for classic aviation enthusiasts, not least due to the rarity of the aircraft types involved – one never quite knows when they will cease flying in the […]

Audley Travel clinch title at second annual Great Australian Challenge The Great Australian Challenge, Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Tourism Australia’s annual agent event, took place on Tuesday 1st May at London’s Hippodrome in Leicester Square. Now in its second year running, the event tested over 70 agents on their Aussie trivia for the chance to win free flights to Australia, which were won by top scoring team Audley Travel. David Cochrane, Country Manager for Philippine Airlines UK & Ireland, said “With daily service to Sydney, increased frequency to Melbourne and non-stop services to Brisbane on our new A321neo, PAL’s Australian routes continue to be some of our strongest. We were delighted to host our agent at this year’s Great Australian Challenge and appreciate the continued support from the trade.” Denise von Wald, Tourism Australia Regional General Manager for the United Kingdom and Northern Europe, said: “The Great Australian Challenge, together with Tourism Australia’s award-winning Aussie Specialist Program, demonstrates our commitment to working with trade to help agents continually update their knowledge about Australia, so that they can sell the destination most effectively.”       Contact Philippine Airlines: MEDIA CONTACT Carl Ellis, Philippine Airlines: carl_ellis@pal.com.ph +44 (0) 207 734 9355

Kurtz-Ahlers UK & Ireland announce representation partnership with Resplendent Ceylon, Sri Lanka Representation and consulting experts Kurtz-Ahlers UK & Ireland have recently announced their latest partnership with Resplendent Ceylon, a collection of stunning properties in Sri Lanka offering a journey of tea, sea and safari. Conceived by the Fernando family, Sri Lanka tea producers and founders of Dilmah Ceylon Tea, Resplendent Ceylon’s collection of small, luxury resorts offer the discriminating traveller a remarkable circuit across Sri Lanka, with a range of authentic experiences, while contributing towards local communities and the environment through the MJF Foundation and Dilmah Conservation.  The collection comprises Ceylon Tea Trails – the world’s first tea bungalow resort; Cape Weligama – a gorgeous cliff top resort on Sri Lanka’s southern coast and the luxurious camp Wild Coast Tented Lodge. For more details on the collection please contact Kurtzahlers by jo@kurtzahlers.com or visit www.resplendentceylon.com  

Celebrating Balinese Traditions at the Samaya Seminyak The Samaya Seminyak recently held the anniversary ceremony of its temple on May 12th. One of the Balinese Hindu’s most important annual events, the “Odalan” or “Piodalan” that is celebrated based on the Balinese calendar, every six months of 210 days. Odalan has a great philosophical sense to remind us of where we came from and the balance of the universe and the meaning of life itself. The ceremony also believed to bring protection and bring back the balance between positive and negative energies. The Samaya Seminyak preserves the traditional values of Bali through various cultural activities and showcase them to the guests whenever possible. Guests are encouraged to take part in these lively events to experience the Balinese traditions and take a glimpse on the traditions, culture, and philosophies of the paradise island. Among unique events such as the ceremonies, The Samaya Seminyak also features cultural activities such as temple visit, sarong demonstration and more.