PATA Exchange in London offers key platform for Asia Pacific

Grand Hyatt Shenzhen Opens in
Southern China – A New Hotel
Beacon Shines in Shenzen
HONG KONG (December 1, 2009) – Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has
announced the opening of Grand Hyatt Shenzhen, the newest
addition to its world class Grand Hyatt portfolio. A part of
the prestigious City Crossing complex, Grand Hyatt Shenzhen is
the only luxury hotel in Shenzhen in a mixed-used commercial
development. It is located alongside MixC, the city’s largest
shopping mall, which houses the greatest number of
international luxury brand retailers in China, an Olympicsized skating rink, and Park Lane Manor, the most exclusive
residential property in Shenzhen.
Located in Luohu District – Shenzhen’s financial and trading
centre – Grand Hyatt Shenzhen is only a five-minute drive from
the Hong Kong border and Luohu Station, 10 minutes from the
Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center, 20 minutes from
Huanggang Port, and approximately 40 minutes from Shenzhen
International Airport.
The hotel is housed in a distinctive 38-storey crested
building, where the top seven glass-encased floors create an
illuminated ‘lantern’ at nightfall, offering magnificent,
panoramic views of Shenzhen, the CRC Building, the iconic 384metre-high Diwang Building, one of the tallest buildings in
China, and the green mountains of northern Hong Kong. With
mezzanine floors creating multi-storey open shafts, the
lantern is a dynamic entertainment hub at the building’s
summit, housing the contemporary art-filled Sky Lobby, the
only sky lobby in Shenzhen, as well as many of the hotel’s
innovative dining destinations.
Restaurants and Bars
At the very top of Grand Hyatt Shenzhen, on the 38th floor,
The Penthouse is a sophisticated 109-seat venue comprised of
multiple residence-inspired areas offering myriad experiences
in a single setting. These experience-focused areas include a
Living Area with a DJ booth, a Kitchen featuring a teppan hot
plate, a Balcony, a Terrace, and an illuminated Bar serving
premium spirits, wines, champagne and cocktails as well as
imported cheese and charcuterie. Also available is a glasswalled, temperature-controlled cellar, featuring a large wine
and single malt selection, which can be booked as a private
room. Directly below on the 37th floor, Belle-Vue is a
European restaurant where classic Western cuisine is prepared
à la minute on 10 tableside cooking stations. Guests can opt
to dine in the Library, the Oval Room or in one of two private
rooms.
China Lodge, located on floors 35 and 36, is comprised of 14
premium private dining suites, which cater to parties between
eight and 22 guests. Menus are customised using the freshest
seasonal ingredients, prepared in traditional Cantonese and
Northern Chinese style, and complemented by an extensive wine
and tea selection.
On the 33th floor, adjacent to the Sky Lobby, The Lounge is
Grand Hyatt Shenzhen’s main gathering space and will offer
refreshments, light snacks and evening cocktails throughout
the day. One floor below, The Show Kitchen offers four
distinctive open kitchens – Asian, Japanese, Western and
Seafood – allowing guests to dine among the live culinary
action, creating an interactive restaurant experience. The
venue seats 226 and includes a 10-seat private room.
1881,located on the ground floor is a contemporary, but
casual, 169-seat venue with four private dining rooms.
Equipped with wood-fired duck ovens, 1881 offers a unique
‘dining in the kitchen’ atmosphere with its Northern Chinese
cuisine, serving dishes such as Peking duck, beggar’s chicken
and dumplings. Nearby, La Terrazza is a stylish 158-seat
trattoria featuring an outdoor terrace and a rustic wood-fired
pizza oven, serving made-to-order pizza as well as handmade
pasta and traditional Italian antipasti. Adjacent is Sugar
Box, a patisserie with alfresco seating, offering homemade
chocolates, cakes, pastries and light meals.
Meetings and Events
Grand Hyatt Shenzhen’s dedicated event space spans 2,769
square metres (29,805 sq ft) over three floors and offers a
variety of venue options, and can cater from eight to 1,410
guests. The 1,000 square metre (10,764 sq ft) pillar-less
Grand Ballroom on the 2nd floor features a colossal nine-metre
high ceiling, and can be divided into three soundproof
sections, each with its own sound and lighting control rooms.
Salon du Theatre, translating to ‘show kitchen’, is one of the
first event space of its kind. Measuring 468 square metres
(5,038 sq ft), the pillar-less ballroom incorporates an open
show kitchen where up to 16 chefs can perform live culinary
action in view of guests, for a unique banqueting experience.
Salon du Theatre can cater up to 645 guests, theatre-style, or
360 guests for a banquet. With both ballrooms, pre-event
cocktails can be taken on private outdoor terraces.
For organisers of more intimate, exclusive events, The Mansion
on the ground floor and 1st floor is a unique, split-level
venue covering 1,000 square metres (10,764 sq ft) that has
been designed to resemble a stately home. Events can also be
held in any of the six private rooms or in the loft kitchen,
which all benefit from natural light.
Recreation
After a productive day of meetings, guests may wish to work
off the stresses of the day or the calories consumed in the
Fitness Centre. Located on the 3rd floor, the gym is equipped
with the latest exercise machines from the United States,
which feature individual touch-screen consoles where you can
watch TV or connect an iPod for music and movies. The consoles
feature a Virtual Trainer or private trainers are available on
request. Nearby is a 25-metre heated outdoor pool, alongside a
sun deck and poolside bar. Also available are locker rooms
featuring hydrotherapy areas with whirlpools and steam rooms.
Those who enjoy a more leisurely approach to unwinding may
prefer Shui Xiang, a Hyatt Pure spa, also on the 3rd floor.
Shui Xiang translates as ‘water village’ and the expansive
3,132 square metre (33,713 sq ft) spa has been created in
traditional open-air hutong (Chinese courtyard residences
separated by narrow alleyways) style, with 13 individual spa
‘houses’ circling a central water feature. The majority of the
houses feature private outdoor terraces. Each spa suite
contains a private lounge area, bathroom, shower room and
therapist’s pantry. Nine of the suites feature private steam
rooms with a heated treatment bed and four have outdoor
bathtubs. There is also a foot reflexology area with three
private rooms.
Accommodation
After a relaxing treatment, guests will be more than ready to
retire to one of the hotel’s 491 contemporary guestrooms
(including 53 suites and 48 long-stay serviced apartments),
decorated in plush, rich-toned fabrics and carpeting. Ranging
in size from 46 to 328 square the views of Hong Kong’s lush
mountains or the hustle and bustle of downtown Shenzhen.
The highlight of the guestroom is the spacious, spa-style
marble bathroom, housing an over-sized rain-shower and
separate bathtub. When privacy is desired, the bathroom’s
glass sliding doors frost over, automatically, when closed.
Equally hi-tech is the main room, which is equipped with
automatic time-controlled curtains, a self-contained
workstation with wireless, high-speed Internet access, a
multi-channel 40-inch LED television and DVD player, an iPod
docking station, and dual phone-lines with voicemail.
Those travelers who require more exclusive accommodation may
opt for one of the hotel’s Grand Club rooms spanning floors 22
to 31, which allow access to the Grand Club Lounge on the 25th
floor. Grand Club guests are offered complimentary continental
breakfast, all-day refreshments, evening canapés, and
cocktails, as well as one hour’s use of a private boardroom.
“We are very pleased to introduce the Grand Hyatt brand to
this vibrant city,” says general manager Peter Chau. “With our
advantageous location and eight innovative and exciting
restaurants and bars, we hope to redefine the art of dining
and entertainment in Shenzhen, while establishing our hotel as
the favoured gathering point for local residents and
international guests alike.” We hope to attract discerning
guests who have an appreciation for authentic cuisine offered
in a dramatic, but comfortable, setting, and Grand Hyatt’s
level of sincere and friendly service, provided by a team of
passionate employees.”
Hotel Information
Grand Hyatt Shenzen
1881 Baoan Nan Road, Luohu District
Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China 518001
Tel: +86 755 8266 1234,
Email: [email protected]
JAL Changes Airport Lounge in
London Heathrow Airport
Passengers traveling with Japan Airlines (JAL) departing from
Terminal 3 at London’s Heathrow Airport, will from December
14, 2009, be able to use the “Galleries First” and “Galleries
Club” lounges of oneworld partner airline, British Airways
(BA).
Based on the same concept as the exclusive BA lounges in the
newly opened Terminal 5, “Galleries First” and “Galleries
Club” in Terminal 3 are also conveniently located near the
shopping area and departure gates, and offer many amenities
such as shower rooms, a well-equipped business center, and the
use of wireless internet connection. JAL Global Club members,
eligible passengers and eligible traveling companions
departing on Japan Airlines that day, can look forward to a
relaxing time in the lounges before boarding.
Japan Airlines code shares with British Airways to link Japan,
via London Heathrow, to 5 cities in the United Kingdom such as
Manchester and Edinburgh, as well as 5 other cities – Hamburg,
Lisbon, Stuttgart, Vienna and Zurich, in Europe.
Passengers can expect smoother transfers now that operations
of all oneworld alliance members serving London Heathrow,
including JAL, have been consolidated to Terminals 3 and 5 –
the airport’s latest passenger terminal that is used
exclusively by BA. Terminal 3 is the closest in proximity to 5
and will be connected by the latest baggage system, which
allows for speedier and more efficient transfers of baggage,
providing enhanced convenience for all valued customers of
oneworld.
JAL will cease operations of its First Class Lounge and
executive class Sakura Lounge at London Heathrow from December
14, 2009, after which passengers can continue to enjoy quality
services at the BA lounges. Changes have also been made to
airport lounges used in other European destinations, namely
Milan, Moscow and Paris, and in Frankfurt where the JAL lounge
was renovated to emulate the revamped lounge in Tokyo’s Narita
International Airport.
About Japan Airlines
The JAL Group, Asia’s largest airline group by operating
revenue, connects Japan to over 30 cities in Europe together
with its code share partners.
JAL First Class offers fully reclining Skysleeper or
Skysleeper Solo seats while JAL Executive Class – Seasons,
introduces the concept of “quality time” spent on board and
features the award-winning JAL Shell Flat Seat that reclines
to almost the horizontal and provides a high degree of
personal privacy. From December 2007 JAL started offering JAL
Premium Economy, now available on key Europe routes, and from
August 2008 started introducing on US routes a luxurious new
JAL First Class Suite and the JAL Shell Flat NEO in executive
class.
Top quality in-flight service has always been the hallmark of
JAL’s reputation. Cuisine offered in all classes is a
combination of Western and Japanese food. JAL carries a fine
selection of award-winning wines and sake in First Class and
JAL Executive Class – Seasons, JAL’s business class. Quality
in-flight entertainment systems are a feature of JAL’s
international fleet aircraft.
A member of the oneworld global alliance since April 2007, JAL
offers customers many benefits, such as the JAL Mileage Bank
frequent flier program.
Sofitel Metropole Hanoi
première adresse “LEGEND”
–
Novembre 2009 – Cet été le célèbre hôtel Métropole d’Hanoï
(Vietnam) a rejoint la collection d’adresses mythiques créée
par Sofitel : Sofitel Legend. Le 1er juillet dernier, la
plaque a été officiellement posée sur la façade datée 1901 de
l’hôtel.
Sofitel comptait dans son réseau un certain nombre de
« joyaux », des hôtels mythiques au passé centenaire, une
collection d’adresses d’exception réunies par la marque sous
un même nom, une même exigence, comme on compose une
bibliothèque d’œuvres rares. Sofitel Legend est aujourd’hui la
seule marque légitime à proposer des adresses de légende, des
établissements historiques centenaires, des hôtels qui sont
des destinations à eux seuls.
Au cœur de Hanoi, près du lac Hoan Kiem et à deux pas du
magnifique Opéra, le Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi s’est
offert d’importantes rénovations durant quatre années, des
rénovations qui ont su sublimer son style colonial français.
Les 364 chambres sont réparties en deux ailes : l’historique
appelée Métropole comporte 110 chambres et suites, et l’Opéra
en propose 254.
L’aile historique dévoile sa splendeur avec ses parquets en
bois naturel, ses hauts plafonds, ses intemporels ventilateurs
suspendus au plafond…Tout rappelle le passé, l’histoire de
cette adresse mythique. L’aile Opéra a été entièrement rénovée
dans un style néoclassique unissant harmonieusement les deux
bâtiments.
Ouvert depuis plus de 100 ans, le restaurant Le Beaulieu
propose le meilleur de la cuisine française. Le Spices Garden
demeure quant à lui une référence en matière de cuisine
vietnamienne. Enfin, le Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi propose
désormais une nouvelle alternative en matière de
restauration : L’Angelina, un bar à vins italien très
contemporain, rythmé au son d’un DJ, déjà devenu un lieu
incontournable de la ville.
Côté bars, les voyageurs ont le choix entre le « Club Bar »
pour déguster les meilleurs vins ou cocktails sur un air de
jazz, le typique « Bamboo Bar » avec son toit en bambou idéal
pour se relaxer près de la piscine ou encore « La Terrasse »,
inspirée des cafés parisiens.
Enfin, le Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi s’est pourvu d’un
luxueux spa, antidote unique contre l’agitation quotidienne ou
le jet-lag. Sur 400 m2, le spa dispose de 2 salles de soins, 2
suites spa duo, 3 suite spa individuelle, 1 salle de massage
pour les pieds, une zone humide avec bain de vapeur, un sauna,
des douches et un salon de détente.
Depuis plus de cent ans, le Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi a
traversé l’histoire, évoluant au fil des années. On ne compte
plus les célébrités y ayant séjourné : des ambassadeurs aux
Présidents en visite officielle, de Sir Roger Moore à Mike
Jaegger, sans oublier ceux qui donnèrent leur nom aux trois
suites historiques de l’hôtel : les deux écrivains, Somerset
Maugham et Graham Greene, et l’homme de cinéma Charlie
Chaplin.
D’autres adresses viendront compléter cette collection Sofitel
Legend : le Sofitel Grand Amsterdam au Pays Bas (actuellement
en rénovation et prévu pour le printemps 2010), le Sofitel Old
Cataract en Egypte (fermé pour rénovation pour une réouverture
début 2011), le Sofitel Santa Clara en Colombie, le Sofitel
Palais Jamaï au Maroc…
Taiwan
resumes
positive
economic growth in the 4th
quarter of 2009
The Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics
(DGBAS) released its latest economic forecast on November 26
that Taiwan’s economy—after resuming positive growth in the
fourth quarter of this year following a downturn of 15
months—is expected to achieve 6.89-percent growth in the last
quarter of this year and 8.96-percent in the first quarter of
next year. The DGBAS has revised up Taiwan’s projected
economic growth for 2010 to 4.39 percent, with nominal GDP
exceeding NT$13 trillion for the first time ever and GDP per
capita estimated at US$17,458.
DGBAS statistics indicate an upturn in private consumer
spending that is projected to increase by 3.86 percent in this
last quarter of 2009, bringing the total to 0.86 percent for
the entire year, with food accounting for 1.49 percent and
non-food items 0.77 percent. Following steady economic
recovery both at home and abroad, consumer confidence is
expected to grow further in 2010, expanding consumer spending
by a moderate rate of 1.77 percent.
Due to stronger external demand in 2010, exports are
forecasted to register a huge increase of 15.36 percent in
contrast to the 20.33-percent negative growth for this year.
World economic recovery has spurred the supply of new
electronic products and resulted in rising OEM demand from
major international businesses. Private investment is
projected to increase 8.94 percent in the fourth quarter of
this year and 6.85 percent next year.
On November 27, the Council for Economic Planning and
Development released its economic monitoring data for October
2009, showing that strong performances by the stock market,
wholesale and retail sectors and food services resulted in the
highest monthly increase in industrial production index since
May 2006. The monitoring indicator composite score increased
from 20 points in September to 28 points in October, flashing
for the first time a green indication instead of yellow-blue,
and ending 17 straight months of blue indications going back
to April 2008.
On November 23, the DGBAS also released unemployment figures
for October. The unemployment rate was 5.96 percent (6.04
percent after adjusting for seasonal factors), with the number
of unemployed totaling 653,000, marking the first time the
figure fell below 6 percent since July 2009. According to an
optimistic projection by the DGBAS, the seasonally adjusted
unemployment rate could fall below 6 percent by the end of
2009 or early 2010, and pay levels could see positive growth
next year.
Continental Airlines To Begin
Cashless Cabin
HOUSTON, Dec. 1, 2009 – Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL)
announced that its flight crews will begin accepting credit
and debit cards exclusively for onboard purchases (except
Duty-free) on Dec. 1, 2009, utilizing new hand held devices
that are more convenient for customers.
Continental is making the change in response to feedback from
customers and flight crews who expressed interest in using
card readers for on-board purchases to eliminate the hassle of
fumbling for money and making correct change. The hand-held
devices read cards for purchases of alcoholic beverages and
headsets during flight in addition to providing valuable sales
information to help better manage product inventory. Cash is
still being accepted for Duty-free purchases. Testing of the
hand-held devices began in the summer of 2009.
The new cashless system will be available on all Continental
Airlines mainline flights, except for service to and from
China, as the company continues to develop its process for
accepting that country’s predominant credit card, The China
Union Pay card. Cash is still being accepted on Continental
Express, Continental Connection and Continental Micronesia
flights. Continental is on track to switch to a cashless cabin
on those flights in the first quarter of 2010.
Continental Airlines (continental.com), celebrating its 75th
anniversary this year, is the world’s fifth largest airline.
Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental
Connection, has more than 2,400 daily departures throughout
the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 130 domestic and 132
international destinations. Continental is a member of Star
Alliance, which provides access to more than 900 additional
points in 169 countries via 24 other member airlines. Across
the Atlantic, Continental operates up to 308 departures weekly
from 29 airports in 16 countries to its U.S. gateway hubs at
New York, Houston and Cleveland, with onward connections to
more than 200 cities throughout North America, Latin America
and the Caribbean.
In Belgium, Continental operates a daily non-stop service
between Brussels and New York Liberty. Fortune magazine ranked
Continental as the top airline in its World’s Most Admired
Companies 2009, for the sixth consecutive year. At the OAG
Airline Industry Awards 2009, based on voting by frequent
flyers around the world, Continental won the Best
Executive/Business Class award and the Best Airline Based in
North America award, the latter for the sixth year in a row.
Continental’s alliance carriers in Europe, the Middle East and
India include, in addition to Star Alliance carriers,
Emirates, Kingfisher Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways.
Hainan Airlines : dagelijks
Brussel-Beijing vanaf het
zomerseizoen
Brussels Airport, 27 november 2009 – Hainan Airlines, de
grootste privé luchtvaartmaatschappij in China, kondigt
dagelijkse vluchten aan tussen Brussels Airport en Beijing
vanaf 27 april 2010.
Hainan Airlines startte in 2006 met vluchten tussen Brussel en
Beijing, en biedt momenteel drie wekelijkse vluchten tijdens
het winterseizoen en vier tijdens de zomer. Sedert de opstart
van deze rechtstreekse route tussen Brussel en China kent ze
een toenemende belangstelling van zowel vakantiereizigers als
zakenpassagiers.
De vluchten zullen uitgevoerd worden met Airbus 330-200
toestellen, met 36 180° flat bed stoelen in business class en
177 plaatsen in economy. Alle stoelen zijn uitgerust met een
geavanceerd inflight-intertainmant system met persoonlijke
touch-screens.
De vluchten bieden een gemakkelijke aansluitende verbinding
naar Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei en een groot aantal andere
bestemmingen in China en Noord Oost Azië. Hainan Airlines
heeft een vloot van 210 toestellen.
“Het aanbod van een dagelijkse rechtstreekse is zeer welkom
voor zakenpassagiers”, onderstreept Jos Stroobants, Director
Aviation Development bij Brussels Airport. “Deze aankondiging
gaat gepaard met de toenemende zakenrelatie tussen onze beide
landen, en de toenemende belangstelling van Europese
vakantiereizigers voor deze indrukwekkende bestemming, maar er
is ook een snel toenemende belangstelling vanwege Chinese
bezoekers voor ons eigen cultureel erfgoed”.
Ondanks het moeilijke economische klimaat in de luchtvaart
konden recent verscheidene nieuwe langeafstandsverbindingen
aangekondigd worden. Vanaf het komende zomerseizoen start
Icelandair rechtstreekse vluchten naar Reykjavik. Air Canada
start vanaf de zomer met rechtstreekse dagelijkse vluchten
naar Montreal en United Airlines voegt dagelijkse vluchten
naar Chicago toe aan haar aanbod vanaf Brussels Airport.
ETOA welcomes EC
reform
Package
Directive
move to
Travel
Meglena Kuneva, the EC’s Commissioner for consumer affairs,
today announced an overhaul of the Package Travel Directive.
Together with industry partners, ETOA is assisting the EC in
developing policy options. Indeed, ETOA has lobbied for a
number of years for a reform of the PTD, and as such we
welcome Ms Kuneva’s announcement.
Ms Kuneva stated that she wanted to deliver legal certainty
for business and protection for the consumer while ensuring
that the market remains competitive and continues to deliver
value for money. She has recognised the importance of a
dialogue with the tourism industry and as such ETOA looks
forward to playing a central role in this important process.
We have set up a dedicated email address, [email protected], where
we look forward to receiving views from the European tourism
industry.
Tim Fairhurst
Head of Group Tourism
ETOA
www.etoa.org
Ystad,
Zwedens
bestemming van 2009
beste
De KRO brengt hem op tv, de Volkskrant biedt lezers korting op
zijn dvd’s en menig boekwinkel heeft hem in gebonden vorm:
Kurt Wallander. De wat humeurige politiecommissaris is bedacht
door schrijver Henning Mankell, maar het decor van zijn werk
is levensecht: Ystad – Zwedens beste toeristische bestemming
van 2009.
Ystad (provincie Skåne, Zuidwest-Zweden) kreeg dit jaar
vanwege zijn investeringen in het filmtoerisme de Grote
Toerismeprijs van Zweden. ‘De voortdurende en op de lange
termijn gerichte investeringen in de stad als filmdecor hebben
van Ystad een handelsmerk gemaakt, waar de hele provincie
trots op is’, zegt de directeur van Tourism in Skåne Pia
Jönsson. ‘De betrokkenheid van de inwoners van Ystad is
indrukwekkend. De stad heeft een internationale uitstraling
gekregen.’ Als winnaar krijgt de charmante kustplaats eeuwige
roem en 100.000 kronen (circa 10.000 euro) aan zakgeld.
Ystad was tijdens de Grote Toerismeprijs van 2009 te sterk
voor de 131 andere genomineerden uit het hele land, waaronder
het filmfestival van Göteborg, Skånes Whisky Mekka en Hven
Backafallsbyn. Dat laatste is een dorp op het eiland Ven in de
Sont (Öresund) tussen Zweden en Denemarken. Ook het
cultuurcentrum Astrid Lindgrens Näs was een tegenspeler voor
Ystad. Het centrum is gevestigd in het huis waar de
schrijfster en bedenkster van Pippi Langkous tijdens haar
jeugd woonde.
Verfilmingen en boekenserie
De Zweedse verfilmingen van de Wallanderboeken laten Rolf
Lassgård en Krister Henriksson in de hoofdrol zien. De Britse
omroep BBC erkende het sterke, melancholische karakter van de
boeken en bracht er vorig jaar drie uit op het witte doek, met
Kenneth Branagh als Wallander.
Van Mankells serie zijn inmiddels meer dan 25 miljoen boeken
in 37 talen verkocht. Ook in Nederland zijn ze populair, net
als de Millenniumtrilogie van weer een andere Zweedse auteur:
de in 2004 overleden Stieg Larsson. De verfilmingen van zijn
werk zijn eveneens een grote hit in Europa.
Ystad
Het centrum van Ystad (17.200 inw.) is een mooie verzameling
straten met klinkerstraatjes en honderden vakwerkhuizen. De
Sankta Maria Kyrka (kerk) staat er al sinds 1250 en
traditiegetrouw blaast de nachtwaker hier iedere 15 minuten op
zijn hoorn.
Ystad was ooit een van de belangrijkste havens van het Deense
rijk, toen de Denen heer en meester in Zuid-Zweden waren.
Vanuit de regionale hoofdstad Malmö ben je in ongeveer 45 tot
55 minuten met trein, auto of motor in Ystad, maar Skåne leent
zich ook voor lange fietstochten. Langs de routes vind je
fraaie, typisch Zweedse restaurants en andere pleisterplaatsen
waar je een traditionele maaltijd kunt nuttigen.
Tot de topbezienswaardigheden rond Ystad behoren de stenen van
Ale en Glimmingehus. Ales Stenar is Zwedens grootste
schipvormige kring van kwartszandstenen van millennia geleden.
Glimmingehus bij Simrishamn is de oudste burcht (1499) van
Scandinavië die nog in goede staat is.
Bezoekers van Ystad kunnen een wandeling in de voetsporen van
Wallander maken. Met een echte gids of op eigen gelegenheid
met de Wallander Guide die via www.skane.com te downloaden is.
Meer info
www.skane.com, kies Engels, See & do.
www.visitsweden.com, kies Regio´s en steden, Zuid-Zweden,
Culturele bezienswaardigheden, Kurt Wallanders stad of
Government to launch e-book
industry development program
The Executive Yuan Council will formally announce at its
December 3 meeting the launching of a government program to
promote the development of the electronic publications
industry in Taiwan. According to the plan, the Industrial
Development Bureau (IDB) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs
(MOEA) will invest over NT$2 billion (US$66 million) on
related projects over the next five years. The IDB estimates
that by the end of the first quarter of 2010, five to six
local electronics manufacturers will be producing e-book
readers. Further, the MOEA will subsidize research and
development to set up an online Chinese-language digital
publications service similar to that of Amazon.com,
shouldering up to 40 percent of the expense therefor.
With its marriage of high technology, the Internet and digital
content, and with e-book readers taking the place of notebook
and desktop computers in accessing a variety of online
services, the up-and-coming e-book industry is beginning to
flourish globally. The MOEA stated that it will provide
subsidies to developers and producers of various technologies,
products and services with the aim of expediting integration
of a strong e-book industry chain.
Far EasTone Telecommunications has already applied to the MOEA
for financial assistance in its bid to become Taiwan’s first
provider of e-book content to mobile readers using WIMAX
(Worldwide
Interoperability
for
Microwave
Access)
communications technology in coordination with publishers,
software developers and hardware manufacturers.
IDB Director-General Woody T. J. Duh indicated that unlike the
closed business platform of the U.S.-based Amazon.com, Taiwan
plans to establish an open platform that will allow for crossindustry and transnational cooperation, offering digital
publications in many languages in addition to Chinese that are
readable using any kind of e-book reader.
With
keen
interest
in
technical
and
content-related
cooperation between businesses in Taiwan and mainland China,
authorities on each side of the Taiwan Strait have already in
principle agreed to adopt the free and open EPUB digital
standard.
The MOEA plans to engage in further talks with its mainland
counterpart on information exchange standards in June of next
year, paving the way for e-book content providers to create a
platform for cross-strait collaboration in developing the
Chinese-language market.
Taiwan can expect lowered
business
income
tax
to
encourage
corporate
innovation
With the Statute for Upgrading Industries set to expire at the
end of 2009, Republic of China (Taiwan) Premier Wu Den-yih
said to members of the business community at the Tenth
Industrial Excellence Award Conference on November 24 that the
executive and legislative branches of government had reached
consensus that, starting in 2010, the business tax will be
reduced from 25 percent to 20 percent to encourage corporate
innovation. And if large-scale enterprises result from
industry innovation and integration and establish corporate
headquarters in Taiwan, the government will provide greater
incentives.
The premier also affirmed the track record of domestic
industries standing firmly by Taiwan through good and bad
economic times. He encouraged the industrial sector to invest
in businesses on the island and to engage in research and
development so as to boost Taiwan’s competitiveness and keep
it forever among the strongest of competitors in the global
arena.