The following weekly summary of news for business travellers in Asia and the Pacific was prepared by Asia Pulse and focuses on press releases and news in the region.

MANDARIN ORIENTAL, TOKYO OPENS FOR BUSINESS

TOKYO - The Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, situated in the heart of the city’s historic Nihonbashi district, officially opened its doors on December 2. This is the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group’s first hotel in Japan. The hotel occupies the top nine floors of Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower, housing 179 guestrooms and suites and seven new restaurants and bars. Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo offers a range of meeting and banquet venues for receptions and business conferences.

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/tokyo

ACCOR TO MANAGE NEW HOTEL IN HONG KONG

HONG KONG - Accor has signed a management agreement for a new 440-room Novotel Citygate Hong Kong, located in the city’s new Tung Chung business centre, near Hong Kong International Airport. Four Biz Executive Floors (from 20 to 23) will meet the needs of corporate clientele and conference delegates, served by an exclusive Biz Lounge on the 21st floor. The hotel is slated to open early next year.

http://www.accorhotels.com/

JW MARRIOTT BANGKOK LAUNCHES LOOK NO FURTHER MEETING PACKAGE AND BONUS

BANGKOK - The JW Marriott Bangkok has launched a Look No Further offer and bonus on meetings that are booked and held before March 31 next year. The offer applies to group meetings of 15 rooms and above that include a full day meeting. A single or twin basis room is US$135 per room per night, plus applicable government tax and service charge.

http://marriott.com/

SYDNEY HARBOUR MARRIOTT CIRCULAR QUAY LAUNCHES DEC/JAN WEEKEND PROMOTION

SYDNEY - Located in the Rocks area, Sydney Harbour Marriott Circular Quay is offering a December and January Escape Package which starts from A$279 (US$210.39) per night. The package, available during December this year and January next year on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, includes full buffet breakfast for two, a De Bortoli Wine pack (2 bottles), a Bvlgari bath pack, parking and late checkout until 4 p.m.

http://marriott.com/

IHG TO ESTABLISH CROWNE PLAZA BRAND IN MELBOURNE

MELBOURNE - InterContinental Hotels Group is set to open in March next year its first Crowne Plaza hotel in Melbourne with the re-branding of Holiday Inn Melbourne. The 384-room hotel is already managed by InterContinental Hotels Group, which has refurbished the property over the last 18 months. Crowne Plaza Melbourne will offer Meeting Success, a suite of services and products catering to meeting planners such as a Two Hour Response promise, a dedicated Crowne Meetings Director in every hotel. The hotel is situated near the World Trade and Exhibition centre and opposite the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, close to the central business district and Southbank.

http://www.intercontinental.com/

DUSIT SPRINTER PROVIDES COMFORTABLE TRAVEL BETWEEN DUSIT PROPERTIES

BANGKOK - Dusit Hotels & Resorts has launched a shuttle service, the Dusit Sprinter, transporting guests between Bangkok and Hua Hin or Bangkok and Pattaya daily. Customers using the Dusit Sprinter can avail themselves of the customized packages offered at The Dusit Thani, Bangkok. Special rates or packages at Dusit Resort, Hua Hin and Dusit Resort, Pattaya are also available for The Dusit Thani’s guests traveling on the Dusit Sprinter. The Dusit Sprinter leaves Dusit Resort, Pattaya to The Dusit Thani, Bangkok at 10.30 a.m.. It returns leaving Bangkok at 2 p.m. Another Sprinter leaves Dusit Resort, Hua Hin at 11.15 a.m. It returns leaving The Dusit Thani at 3 pm.

http://www.dusit.com/

TIGER AIRWAYS OFFERS 800,000 LOW FARE SEATS IN SUMMER SCHEDULE PROMOTION

SINGAPORE - Singapore-based budget carrier Tiger Airways will offer 800,000 low fare seats on sale from today, starting with the launch of its 2006 (Northern) Summer Schedules for travel to all its destinations between March 26 and October 28 next year. Fares start from S$24.98 one way (excluding taxes). Tiger Airways will start a four times per week service to Australia’s Darwin on December 19 this year and one to Vietnam’s Danang on January 10 next year. The airline is offering low fares from Singapore to Australia, with seats to Darwin priced at S$1 one way (excluding taxes). The fare will be offered from until December 16 for departures from December 19 to December 30 this year. It is only available for flights from Singapore to Darwin and not for flights originating from Darwin, and only for online purchases.

http://www.tigerairways.com/

SINGAPORE AIRLINES TO BOOST FLIGHTS DURING YEAR END PEAK PERIOD

 
SINGAPORE - Singapore Airlines is hiking capacity to India and Australia. The carrier will this month launch an extra flight to Delhi on Saturdays. This will increase in January next year, with two more flights added on Tuesday and Thursday. Singapore Airlines is also offering two additional services flights to Perth, on Wednesday and Friday, until the end of January next year.

http://www.singaporeair.com.sg/

JETSTAR ASIA AND VALUAIR TO LAUNCH FLIGHTS TO BANGALORE AND BALI IN JANUARY

SINGAPORE - Jetstar Asia and Valuair will start a five times per week Singapore- Bangalore service and a three times per week Singapore-Bali service next month. Fares of S$98 for one-way travel to Bangalore and S$99 for a return ticket to Bali will be available for bookings made between December 13 and 19, for travel completed by March 25 next year. Jetstar Asia will fly to Bangalore on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday starting from January 23 next year. Valuair will service Bali on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday from January 27 next year.

http://www.jetstarasia.com/ http://www.valuair.com.sg/

QATAR AIRWAYS INCREASES CAPACITY TO INDIA

 
DOHA - Qatar Airways is boosting its number of flights to India by 50 per cent. The carrier has increased its number of scheduled flights from its Doha hub to five Indian cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Cochin and Trivandrum - from 30 to 45 a week, as of December 1. The increased capacity lasts until either January 31 or March 25, 2006 depending on the destination.

http://www.qatarairways.com/

BMI TO INCREASE FLIGHTS TO MUMBAI AND LAUNCH SERVICES TO JEDDAH AND DOHA

 
MUMBAI - British carrier bmi will start a three times per week service to Jeddah from Heathrow on April 23 next year. The airline will also boost to daily its service from Heathrow to Mumbai on April 22 next year. bmi will also start a daily service to Doha from Heathrow on March 26 next year.

http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/splash.aspx
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