Post-Morakot reconstruction campaign continues strong,Taiwan to

Taiwan continues to promote
measures
for
energy
conservation
and
carbon
dioxide reduction
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) will be
held in Copenhagen, Denmark from December 7 to December 18, at
which time Environmental Protection Administration (EPA)
Minister Stephen Shen will meet with European nations’
environment ministers to exchange views and share proposals.
President Ma Ying-jeou has expressed that only if Taiwan’s
officials are able to attend the conference can the
international community learn more about Taiwan’s efforts to
reduce energy use and curb carbon dioxide emissions. Our
participation would help the world better understand that
Taiwan looks forward to serving as a constructive member of
the international community.
On November 24, the EPA released the results of its first
survey of greenhouse gases emanating from the residential,
commercial and transport sectors. Taiwan is now in line with
international moves to inspect, report on and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. The survey showed an annual increase
in emissions of 3.8 percent. Of this increase, the
transportation sector accounted for 4 percent, while emissions
from residential and commercial sectors accounted for 8.6
percent and saw the greatest growth. However, in 2008, Taiwan
reduced total electricity consumption by 4 billion kilowatthours, helping to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 4.4 percent,
the first time the nation has ever witnessed negative
emissions growth.
To further minimize air pollutant and carbon dioxide
emissions, on November 25 the Executive Yuan approved the
Ministry of Finance’s suggested amendments to the Commodity
Tax Act. Within five years of these amendments’ taking effect,
individuals purchasing a liquid-petroleum-gas-powered hybrid
vehicle and completing a new license plate registration will
be eligible for a NT$25,000 (US$777) deduction in the
commodity tax charged in connection with the car’s purchase.
Moreover, in order to promote “green” businesses, Taiwan will
add electric automobiles to the list of newly emerging
industries it is supporting. Since producing electric vehicles
involves both upstream and downstream components, the Ministry
of Economic Affairs will propose two sets of incentives to the
Executive Yuan, the first being the elimination of commodity
taxes on electric vehicles and the second a NT$100,000
(US$3107) to NT$500,000 (US$15,535) subsidy to be provided to
each purchaser of a new electric vehicle. It is conjectured
that such measures will lead to increased sales.
Gulf
Air
Strategy
Announces
New
Gulf Air today announced its strategy to turn the company into
a commercially sustainable business by 2012.
The new strategy will create:
A targeted, more focussed international network:
– Gulf Air will re-align its international network to reflect
its customers’ needs and aspirations
– It will expand its operations into over twenty new
destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe
– It will suspend up to fifteen other routes and close a
number of overseas stations that are not profitable and no
longer reflect customer needs. This will include our current
operations to Shanghai, Hyderabad and Bangalore
A superior, more consistent product:
– Gulf Air will improve the customer experience by introducing
a number of attractive new product innovations, seating
arrangements, in-flight entertainment and other on-board
amenities to create more consistency particularly across
Middle East region
A modern, more efficient fleet that will optimize value:
– Gulf Air will continue to improve its operational efficiency
and reliability by investing in aircraft that will be
optimized for the new network and flight schedule, providing
maximum convenience and value for the customer
– The fleet composition will focus primarily on narrow-body
aircraft and regional jets, including a number of long-range
narrow-body aircraft which will connect Bahrain to key
financial centres in Europe and Asia
– The strategic plan will necessitate a substantial increase
in our current requirement for narrow-body aircraft beyond the
fifteen ordered A320s, three of which have already been
delivered, whilst reducing our requirement for wide-body
aircraft
– Gulf Air is engaging our aircraft manufacturing partners in
order to align our current order book with our new strategy
– The company is also considering the introduction of regional
jet aircraft on the short range routes from Bahrain as early
as next year
– Gulf Air is exploring the possibility of selling five of its
A340s and the disposal of certain other aircraft that have
become surplus to requirements
This programme of change will be rolled out as part of a
targeted three year transition programme, split into two main
parts. Phase 1 will be undertaken over the next six to twelve
months and will focus on re-aligning the existing network to
match market demand. Phase 2 will be undertaken in the second
and third years and will focus on growing into new markets
where there is identified growth potential, supported by the
introduction of a compelling new range of products and
services.
Relais & Châteaux, enfin un
retour à Bruges!
Cela a pris du temps mais la prestigieuse chaîne hôtelière
Relais & Châteaux a enfin décidé de retourner à la ville la
plus visitée de Belgique: Bruges!
A partir du mois de Novembre 2009, l’hôtel Heritage de Bruges
peut se présenter comme le nouveau membre Belge de Relais &
Châteaux.
Une ville extraordinaire mérite un hôtel extraordinaire: Hôtel
Heritage!
L’ Hôtel
Ce petit bijou de 24 chambres et suites toutes
individuellement décorées, est parfaitement bien situé dans le
cœur de la ville et de ce fait il est le point de départ idéal
pour une découverte approfondie de Bruges.
La maison d’origine fut construite en 1869 en tant que maison
privée; elle fut transformée en 1922 par la banque le Crédit
Général Liégeois et transformée en filiale. En 1992 le lieu
qui était en mauvais état fût racheté par Johan & Isabelle
Creytens qui décidaient d’en faire un hôtel de charme qui a
ouvert ses portes en 1993 sous le nom Hansa Hotel.
Sous la maison se trouve encore une partie des caves du 14ème
siècle. Cette cave fut rénovée en 1999 et installée comme lieu
de fitness avec sauna et hammam.
En 2000 l’étage se trouvant
sous le toit, qui était l’appartement privé des propriétaires,
fut transformé en 4 suites confortables. Suite à la
rénovation totale de toutes les chambres en 2003 il fut décidé
de changer le nom de l’hôtel en “Hotel Heritage” car depuis
quelques années déjà, aussi bien Johan et Isabelle que les
clients trouvaient que le nom Hansa Hôtel ne donnait pas la
juste représentation à l’hôtel. Les années qui suivaient ont
prouvé que ce fut une bonne décision.
Les rénovations continuent à ce jour, récemment toutes les
chambres ont été équipées de téléviseurs LCD avec écran 40’.
L’hôtel dispose également d’une petite salle de réunion.
L’hôtel offre évidemment tout confort moderne et dispose d’une
connexion internet dans chaque chambre ainsi que du Wifi dans
tout l’hôtel. L’hôtel dispose également d’un garage privé mais
les places sont limitées donc nous suggérons de bien réserver
à l’avance.
Elu vainqueur en 2009 du trophée Travelers Choice by
Tripadvisor, nous ne nous arrêtons pas… l’Hotel Heritage
Brugge est en vainqueur et vous allez sûrement encore entendre
parler de nous dans les mois et années qui suivent !
Le Restaurant ‘Le Mystique’
Depuis peu l’hôtel a ouvert son restaurant :‘Le Mystique’. Le
Mystique vous étonnera dès l’entrée: un cadre historique et
authentique de 1869 crée immédiatement une ambiance unique et
cossue qui met le ton pour le reste de votre visite.
Classique mais avec des touches contemporaines et surtout
locales est comment Chef Jérôme Papin décrit sa cuisine. Tous
ses mets, préparés avec beaucoup d’amour, sont naturellement
préparés avec les ingrédients les plus frais et suivent donc
les saisons. Bien que originaire du Mans, Chef Papin aime bien
d’ajouter une touche méditerranéenne à ses préparations,
question de nous rendre de bonne humeur avec une petite touche
de soleil dans notre nord parfois un peu gris! Le restaurant
est ouvert tous les jours pour déjeuner et dîner ; jours de
fermeture dimanche et lundi.
Après une longue promenade à travers Bruges ou avant le
déjeuner ou dîner le salon cosy du bar Le Magnum ou le coin
bibliothèque sont des endroits où il fait bien se reposer.
La ville :Bruges
Bruges connaît son origine au 9ème siècle au bout d’un petit
cour d’eau intérieure, le Zwin, ce qui faisait de Bruges un
port naturel. Par le commerce du textile, Bruges se transforme
au cours des siècles en un centre de commerce mondiale. Du
14ème au 16ème siècle elle fut une des villes les plus
importantes d’Europe. Pendant cette période faste les riches
bourgeois et commerçants de Bruges ont financé les superbes
maisons de maître, églises et bâtiments publics que nous
pouvons encore toujours admirer aujourd’hui.
Le centre de Bruges a au fond connu très peu de changements
jusqu’à ce jour ce qui souligne le côté authentique de la
ville et fait que Bruges n’est pas pour rien la destination
touristique la plus populaire du pays.
Au passé la ville a souvent été décrite comme ‘Bruges la
Belle’ ou ‘ Le Venise du Nord’, elle reste une ville
romantique et belle avec un soupçon de mystère que l’on
découvre au mieux à pied.
Hôtel Heritage
Niklaas Desparsstraat 11
8000 Brugge – Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)50 444 444
Fax: +32 (0)50 444 440
[email protected]
www.hotel-heritage.com
À la veille de Noël, British
Airways
constate
une
augmentation des demandes de
voyages à destination de
Londres, la livre sterling
restant faible
British Airways annonce une augmentation de 20%₁ des demandes
de renseignements en ligne des clients européens désireux de
se rendre à Londres à la veille de Noël. Traditionnellement
considérée comme une ville chère, la chute de la valeur de la
livre fait qu’une visite à Londres – en avant-goût des
vacances de Noël – est maintenant une option plus abordable.
En Belgique, £1 vaut actuellement 1,10972€. Et avec le
principal « think tank » du Centre pour la recherche
économique et commerciale, qui prédit que la devise risque de
perdre encore davantage pour atteindre éventuellement la
parité avec l’euro, il y a rarement eu une période plus
propice pour visiter Londres.
Commentant cet intérêt grandissant, Jean-Pierre Martin, le
directeur commercial régional de British Airways pour la
Belgique et le Luxembourg a déclaré : « Rien que ce mois-ci,
nous avons enregistré une moyenne de 65.000 visites par
semaine sur notre site Internet ba.com pour les réservations
de vols et d’hôtels, soit une augmentation de près de 10% par
rapport à l’année dernière et nous nous attendons à ce que ces
chiffres fassent encore un bond en avant. »
De
nouvelles
informations
de
British
Airways
montrent
qu’aujourd’hui, les personnes qui voyagent à Londres en ont
vraiment pour leur argent !
À la veille de Noël 2008, deux adultes de passage à Londres
pour un week-end de deux nuits devaient prévoir de dépenser
près de €700 – y compris l’hébergement, l’entrée à la Tour de
Londres et à la Roue du Millénium (London Eye), un dîner pour
deux soirs, des billets pour les transports publics pendant
deux jours et deux billets pour un spectacle.
Comme l’euro est fort par rapport à la £, les visiteurs de la
Belgique peuvent maintenant s’attendre à économiser plus de
€80 pour le même programme, qui ne coûte aujourd’hui que €618.
bmi
restructures
network
route
Brussels, 25 November, 2009 – bmi, Britain’s second largest
airline at London Heathrow has today announced a restructuring
programme that will see it suspend a number of routes as a
result of unprecedented market conditions.
The route suspensions are as follows:
Brussels – London Heathrow. Last flights 9 January 2010.
Amsterdam – London Heathrow. Last flights 27 March 2010
London Heathrow-Tel Aviv. Last flight ex Heathrow 9 January
2010, last flight ex Tel Aviv 10 January 2010.
London Heathrow-Kiev. Last flights 10 January 2010.
London Heathrow-Aleppo. Last flight ex Heathrow 9 January
2010, last flight ex Aleppo 10 January 2010.
From April 2010 bmi will end its lease agreement on two Airbus
330 aircraft which will mean that its London Heathrow to Cairo
route will be operated using an Airbus 321.
Routes are being suspended to improve the profitability of bmi
which is now 100% owned by Lufthansa who are committed to
helping bmi restructure the airline to return it to
profitability. Going forward, the airline will focus on routes
serving oil, energy and emerging markets with a particular
focus on Business Class customers and those visiting friends
and relatives. The airline will maintain its current UK and
Ireland network providing frequency for business travellers
and feeder connections for its own network and that of Star
Alliance.
Dominic Paul, bmi’s Managing Director, said: “We sincerely
apologise for the inconvenience the route suspensions cause
our customers and travel agents and would like to take this
opportunity to thank those who have supported us on these
routes for their loyalty and business. Agents holding bmi
bookings on affected routes need to ticket by 1 December to be
eligible for reprotection. Agents will be contacted from 2
December with reprotection options”
For more information, contact:
Eva Wouters
Weber Shandwick
t: +32 (0)2 894 90 41
f: +32 (0)2 894 90 69
e: [email protected]
Aan de vooravond van Kerstmis
noteert British Airways een
stijging
van
het
aantal
reisaanvragen naar Londen
dankzij het zwakke Britse
pond
British Airways kondigt een stijging van het aantal online
reisaanvragen naar Londen aan met 20 procent1. Londen,
traditioneel gekend als een dure stad, is sinds de val van het
Britse pond een héél aantrekkelijke bestemming geworden voor
een uitgebreide kerstshopping.
Met één pond dat 1,10972 euro waard is en met de belangrijkste
‘think tank’ van het Centrum voor Economisch en Zakelijk
Onderzoek die voorspelt dat de koers nog zou kunnen zakken, om
zo eventueel gelijk te komen met de Euro, is er zelden eerder
een betere periode geweest om Londen te bezoeken.
Jean-Pierre Martin, Sales Manager British Airways België en
Luxemburg: « Deze maand alleen al zien we een gemiddeld van
65.000 bezoekers per week op ba.com, onze site voor het boeken
van vluchten en hotels. Dit is een stijging van bijna 10
percent in vergelijking met vorig jaar en we verwachten dat
deze cijfers nog zullen stijgen.”
Nieuwe cijfers van British Airways tonen aan dat reizigers
waar krijgen voor hun geld in Londen!
Tijdens de kerstperiode 2008 betaalden twee volwassenen voor
een weekend met drie overnachtingen in Londen 700€.
Inbegrepen: overnachting, ingang voor de Tower of Londen en
het Londen Eye, een diner voor twee avonden, tickets voor het
openbaar vervoer voor twee dagen en een ticket voor een show.
Door de sterkte van de Euro in vergelijking met het Pond,
kunnen Belgische toeristen nu meer dan 80€ voor dezelfde trip
uitsparen, en betalen ongeveer 618€.
Des stewards sur le marché de
Noël de Mulhouse
Cette année, l’Office de Tourisme et des Congrès de Mulhouse
et sa région propose un service personnalisé pendant le marché
de Noël.
En effet, des stewards sillonneront le centre ville afin
d’accueillir, orienter et informer les visiteurs pendant les
week-ends, jours de grande affluence et de forte animation.
Ils assureront un accueil convivial et chaleureux. Ils ont
également pour mission d’informer le public sur les nombreuses
animations qui se déroulent pendant la période de l’Avent, que
ce soit pour les adultes ou pour les enfants ainsi que sur
leur localisation. Les touristes qui éprouvent des difficultés
à s’orienter dans la ville pourront aussi obtenir des plans et
autre documentation auprès de ces stewards.
Ils seront, en quelque sorte, les « Anges Gardiens du marché
de Noël » de Mulhouse qui trouveront une réponse à toutes les
questions, aussi bien sur le plan touristique, que sur le plan
des animations, ou encore des questions d’ordre pratique.
Les stewards seront présents sur le marché de Noël les samedis
et dimanches de 13h à 18h et seront reconnaissables à leur
cape et leur haut-de-forme blancs.
Ce service a été mis en place afin de permettre à nos nombreux
visiteurs de profiter pleinement du marché de Noël et de ses
multiples animations dans une ambiance agréable et dans une
véritable magie de Noël.
Cette offre est proposée en partenariat avec le lycée
professionnel du Rebberg où des élèves en cours
d’apprentissage ont été recrutés et formés par l’Office de
Tourisme.
German
Convention
Bureau
helps you plan Green Meetings
Frankfurt/Main, 25. November 2009. The German Convention
Bureau (GCB) is a pioneer in the field of “Green Meetings”:
Two years ago the marketing organisation for the German
convention and meetings industry already started making its
annual convention sustainable. Further initiatives confirm the
GCB’s good reputation as a “green” organisation.
Web area “Green Meetings” on www.germany-meetings.com
The “Green Meetings” area is an important pillar of the
website www.germany-meetings.com. There the GCB offers
comprehensive advice on planning green events. Apart from the
CO2 Calculator, you will find a “Mobility” section with
information on travelling to and from your meeting location
and transport facilities there, “Best Practices” with examples
of outstanding green initiatives of GCB members, and a
“Standards” section explaining the most common environmental
protection certificates. In addition, the “Guidelines” section
offers advice on how to “green” your event.
Reducing emissions with the GCB’s CO2 Calculator
The GCB launched together with CO2OL, the solutions provider
for climate-friendly meetings and events, an online CO2
Calculator this September. Meeting and event planners can use
it to identify the climate impacts and carbon footprint of
their event and receive detailed advice on how to reduce the
greenhouse gas. Unavoidable remaining emissions can be offset
by certified climate protection projects in order to make your
event “climate-neutral”. The project meets with great
interest: In the first four weeks the GCB already posted more
than 500 visits.
GCB and members support “Green Meetings” work group
The GCB also makes an active contribution to the “Green
Meetings” work group of the meetings and conventions industry
and supports its 2010 Green Meetings Conference. This project
aims to develop detailed and feasible recommendations that
help improve the ecological framework conditions for event
venues and destinations. In this way the partners in the work
group want to demonstrably diminish the environmental impacts
caused by the event industry. The partners of the project
under the auspices of the WorldCCBonn are the European
Association of Event Centres (EVVC), the GCB, and the Centre
for Environment Communication of the German Environment
Foundation (DBU).
Internal GCB events go green and IMEX sustainable
In the field of environment-friendly event planning the GCB
sets a good example: At internal events such as its annual
general assembly, it takes care that delegates travel on the
Deutsche Bahn Event Ticket and by public transport, where
possible, instead of using individual taxi transfer shuttle
services. For catering the GCB team prefers solutions that do
without superfluous packaging and favours regionally produced
foodstuffs. Online registration and doing without printed
documents saves paper and benefits the environment. And in its
choice of give-aways the marketing organisation also focuses
on ecological aspects of production and transport.
Moreover, as the strategic partner the GCB has supported “IMEX
– incorporating Meetings made in Germany – the worldwide
exhibition for incentive travel, meetings and events” for
several years in its efforts for sustainability. Since its
launch seven years ago IMEX has shown its green commitment:
For example, every year the fair presents a large number of
coveted green awards to international MICE suppliers
(meetings, incentives, conventions and events) and event
planners. Backed by its close partnership with the GCB, IMEX
has further green initiatives that make “green meetings” a
topic of major importance in the global MICE industry.
The GCB German Convention Bureau e.V. markets Germany as a
destination for conventions, meetings, events and incentives
both on a national and international level, and is the place
to contact for anybody planning an event in Germany.
Its 257 members include leading hotels, convention centres and
destinations, car hire firms, event agencies and service
providers of the German meetings and conventions industry.
Maritim Hotels, Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH and
darmstadtium science and convention centre are Preferred
Partners of the GCB. As Strategic Partners, Deutsche
Lufthansa, Deutsche Bahn and the German National Tourist Board
(GNTB) support the work of the GCB
The GCB is an interface between organisers of meetings and
conventions and suppliers of the German meetings market,
offers advice and support for planning and organising events,
and provides contacts and addresses. Its website
www.germany-meetings.com features an online search facility
for meeting venues, newsletter, Germany guide and a lot more.
Positive 2010
Irish Tourism
Outlook
For
Leading UK Tourism Operator Bucks Trend By Predicting Growth
In
Irish Market For 2010
Pictured at the
launch of Imagine
Ireland’s 2010
Self-Catering
Holiday Programme
are (from l-r)
Jose Herrero, Key
Account Manager,
P&O Ferries;
Astrid Nitzsche,
Stregic Director,
Imagine Ireland;
Colin Faircus,
Regional Sales
Manager, DFDS
Seaways; Karl
McCay, Marketing
Services
Executive, Tourism
Ireland; Andy
Greenslade, Area
Sales Manager,
Carlton Hotel
Group; Dave
Ashcroft, Key
Account Manager,
P&O North Sea
Ferries; and
Annette Collins,
Operations
Director, Imagine
Ireland
UK based self-catering holiday operator, Imagine Ireland, is
confidently predicting growth in the Irish tourism market in
2010.
Established in 2003 by Annette Collins and Astrid Nitzsche,
Imagine Ireland is one of the UK’s largest self-catering
companies and offers over 1000 individually vetted properties
throughout Ireland. And although the company saw a 25% drop in
holiday bookings during 2009, Imagine Ireland expects volumes
to return to 2008 levels of 11,000 holidays by the end of
2010.
Speaking at the launch of Imagine Ireland’s new holiday
programme for 2010, Astrid Nitzsche stated: “Clearly our
outlook is at odds with even the more optimistic commentators
in the industry. However, our predictions are predicated on
three factors: the increasing value for money for UK tourists
in Ireland, the UK general election and the bottoming out of
the UK’s recession.”
“There is an ongoing adjustment within the cost base of the
Irish economy which combined with salary cuts and declining
domestic demand will see a 10% fall in products and services
over the course of 2010 countering the recent rises in the
value of the Euro versus Sterling. This makes Ireland a value
for money destination for our clients. Secondly we expect the
market will react positively to a change of government in the
UK which is likely on foot of the 2010 general election which
in turn will positively impact on people’s perceptions of
their own prospects and in turn perceived prosperity”, she
added.
Ms Nitzshe continued: “if people are optimistic, they spend
more and comes on foot of tremendous uncertainty and pessimism
amongst UK consumers. Thirdly although not exclusively, there
are green shoots beginning to emerge within the UK economy as
the banks are stabilized and the economic upheaval of the past
12 months settles. This in turn will encourage banks to start
lending, companies to start investing and companies to start
employing in turn putting more spending power back into the UK
economy as consumers recover the confidence to spend.”
Co-Director Annette Collins added: “Our business is wellestablished thanks to our relationship with our owners and our
holidaymakers. That said we take nothing for granted
particularly as the tourism market has become global due
to the internet while the self-catering market in particular
has seen an upsurge in competition from non-traditional
sectors such as hotels and serviced apartments. We have for
example invested this year in our brand while our marketing
activity is being repositioned to target our predicted lift in
tourists’ propensity to travel hence our recent re-launch of
Imagine Ireland against the backdrop of the world’s largest
trade fair, World Travel Market, which took place in London
earlier this month”.
Imagine Ireland, however, has cautioned the Irish tourism
industry against complacency as other worldwide destinations
similarly would be actively targeting any resurgence in
demand.
“The need to constantly drive value for money throughout pubs,
shops, transport providers and attractions, combined for
example with Tourism Ireland’s efforts at maintaining a
prevalent brand presence across key markets particularly the
UK, Ireland’s closest and largest overseas market, was further
underlined as critical to Ireland’s emergence from its current
tourism downturn”, concluded Ms. Collins.
PATA
Exchange
in
London
offers key platform for Asia
Pacific Sellers
A second PATA Exchange is scheduled in London for 15 March
2010. Organised by the UK Chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel
Association, the PATA Exchange takes place immediately after
ITB Berlin – when large numbers of delegates route through
London on their way home.
This year’s inaugural event saw over 50 top Asia Pacific
travel and tourism brands meet more than 120 UK agents and
sellers. It attracted product, contract and reservations
managers, hotel groups, destination management companies and
national tourist organisations from across Asia, Australia and
the Pacific. A similar delegate profile is expected next
March.
The one-day Exchange will again operate on an appointments
system, giving UK-based agents and buyers the opportunity to
meet key sellers from the Asia Pacific region in one
manageable forum.
Ian Hawkes, executive director of the PATA UK Chapter, says:
“Everyone associated with the inaugural PATA Exchange felt it
marked an important initiative in bringing together tourist
boards, hotel chains, tour operators and ground agents with
the UK travel trade. The challenge now is to build on that
success and address the needs of exhibitors and visitors as
our industry faces on-going challenges as well as many new
opportunities.”
Ian Mills, of Langham Hotels International, said: “The timing
of the PATA Exchange – straight after ITB – is key and a large
part of the event’s success. This is an excellent initiative
for those unable to attend ITB and we will definitely be there
again in 2010.”
Entry for PATA members and non-members attending in a buying
capacity is free. The cost for sellers is UK pounds 310.00 per
company for PATA members and UK pounds 350.00 per company for
non-PATA members.
PATA Exchange takes place at Australia House in London on
Monday March 15. For further information and to register visit
www.pataexchange.com