Asia Vacations - Travel, Tourism - Info & Review

Dynamic and rich in opportunities, south-east Asia is a fantastic place to do business. However, before you step off your Singapore Airlines flight and kick off a round of meetings in the region, do your homework: if you want to succeed, it's vital you have an understanding of the area's business etiquette. 1. Be prepared for plenty of return trips Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, business relationships generally take longer to build in Asia than in the West. It is a 'meet and greet' region and many Asians prefer to build personal friendship and trust through a number of face-to-face meetings before making any commitments. Therefore, if you want to strike that all-important deal, it's vital you're prepared for frequent travel. 2. Understand the importance of cultural sensitivity One of the golden rules of doing business in Asia is to grasp the importance of showing consideration. This means avoiding any action or situation that w

SriLankan Airlines says it expects to earn profits through the launch of 11 new destinations focussing on the Asia-Middle East region. The airline said the launching of the new destinations reflects the airline's further commitment in strengthening its presence in the region and beyond. SriLankan will operate direct flights from Colombo to 11 new destinations namely Lahore, Pakistan, Jakarta, Indonesia, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Muscat, Oman, Kolkata, Madurai, Varanasi and Bodh Gaya India, Bahrain, Seychelles and Gan, Maldives. Commenting on the network expansion, Ajith Dias, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, said: "We have realigned our strategic focus to Asia, from the Middle East to the Far East, as we see excellent opportunities in this high-growth region. We are confident that the linking of so many Asian cities will produce a travel network which will be extremely convenient for our passengers and profitable for the airline." The Asia-Middle East region gen

Today we have a guest post from Michael at Nomad Lifestyle. He has a Tokyo based food and travel blog and writes about his adventures in Tokyo and around the world. We've been obsessing over modern Japanese culture as of late and Michael's foray into the famous world of themed Tokyo cafés gives us one more reason to visit the land of the rising sun. Ever wanted to pet an owl while sipping on chai tea? How about cuddle with a kitten before having a slice of cake? Ever imagined eating in a restaurant while a robot battle plays out before you? Yup, he talks about all of them. Enjoy! This past month I had the chance to visit three very cool themed cafes in Tokyo: an Owl Café, a Robot Café, and a Cat Café. If you are visiting Tokyo, I highly recommend a visit to these three themed cafés. I guarantee it will definitely make for a fun, alternative tour! Fukuro No Mise Owl Café Photo by Nomad Lifestyle Let's start with my first recommendation, visiting an owl café.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Thursday that it will hear, after the Diwali vacation, a plea by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) seeking to expedite hearing of its petition challenging the grant of licence to Tata-Air Asia in violation of DGCA rules. A bench headed by Justice Anil R. Dave said that matter would be heard after top court opens after Diwali vacation on November 7 after senior counsel Dushyant Dave, appearing for FIA, told the bench that the hearing before the High Court has been adjourned 17 times in last two years. The court was told that the agreement was in breach of the aviation policy as it places the effective control of the Tata-Air Asia in the hands of the foreign party. Dushyant Dave said that the matter is to be listed before a special bench which had earlier directed the Delhi High Court in 2014 to expeditiously decide the matter. "The Delhi High Court has granted 17 adjournments in the matter, therefore some direction b e passed for

What's This? C.A.M.P. is open 24/7. Image: instagram By Deborah TanSingapore2016-10-27 09:16:48 UTC If fluorescent-lit cubicles suck your soul dry, these coworking spaces in Asia will make working a joyful experience again. Hell, they may just make you skip out of your own vacation so you can bask in the glory of their designer interiors. The Great Room, Singapore Thanks to design studio Hassell, The Great Room feels less like a coworking space, and more like a lobby of a plush hotel.  Members are treated to "turn-down services" at the end of each day, where those working late are given cookies. And if that's not enough to get the creative juices running, there's even free breakfast with the Monday Breakfast Club. Dojo, Bali Bali isn't just the dream destination for holidaymakers. It is now also the place for entrepreneurs who want to run their businesses a few steps away from a beach.  Dojo Bali, located in Canggu, has a swimming po

Romesh Ranganathan returns with his unique style of travel and heritage discovery. The new season of Asian Provocateur sees Romesh travel to the US with his mother Shanthi, to meet his family living across the pond and to experience North American culture. His style takes a little getting used to, but his talents as a stand-up comedian are not lost in this documentation of Romesh and his mum's trip across the states. Starting in Tampa, California, Romesh and his mum hire a yellow mustang, take part in an eating contest and go monster truck driving, amongst other ludicrously American pastimes. This programme is one of the stranger things I have watched recently, but I got weirdly into it. Romesh and Shanthi's mother-son dynamic puts a new spin on an otherwise quite average format: slightly awkward British comedian tries out typical things to do as a tourist in America. However, in the first episode, Romesh ships Shanthi off to an old peoples' home. This is presumably

Tourism   It apparently grew 746 percent Indonesia garnered record-breaking transactions of $20.15 million in the recent Asia travel trade show event, landslide higher than $2.3 million it recorded in the same event last year. An official at Indonesia's tourism ministry said that the accomplishment was exceptional as the ministry initially targeted to see a 30 percent transactions growth, or $3 million, in the event. READ MORE Sweden looking for investments opportunities in Indonesia "It apparently grew 746 percent from it was in 2015. Wonderful Indonesia grows stronger as favored destinations," Assistant Deputy for Foreign Market Development section at the ministry Rizky Handayani Mustafa said in a statement released on Monday. She added that those transactions came up from 1,578 appointments, involving 71,553 passengers. The enormous achievement figure was reaped in B to B (Business to Business) forum of Internationale Tourismus Borse (ITB) Asia that ran

FCM Travel Solutions, part of Australia - headquartered Flight Centre Travel Group has been named "Asia's Leading Travel Management Company" by the World Travel Awards 2016. The company had won this coveted award last year, as well as successively from 2011-13, and in 2007, previously. The prestigious award was announced at the 2016 World Travel Awards Asia & Australia Gala Ceremony held at the Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam. The World Travel Awards are voted for by travel and tourism professionals worldwide. This award is a testimony to FCM's commitment to excellence that it has demonstrated over the past 12 months. Commenting on the win, General Manager of FCM Asia Network Caroline Kerr said, "Winning the award again in 2016 was a testament to the hard work by FCM to deliver on their promise to customers in the region." She added "We are truly grateful to accept this award – we are very proud of our teams in this region

Southern Laos wins PATA CEO Challenge top destination 2016 award Southern Laos has won the top tourism destination 2016 award presented by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), recognising the region as a top emerging tourist destination displaying a unique and diverse culture and heritage. In addition to bringing more attention to Southern Laos through the prestige of winning the award, the region will be provided with a digital marketing campaign worth US$500,000 courtesy of TripAdvisor - putting the destination right in front of potential new visitors. The award will be handed over during the Travel Mart Exhibition in London on November 7 and will further boost the region's tourism potential, according to the Swisscontact Laos Office on Friday. Looking to bring Southern Laos to the wider world and to increase income and employment opportunities for less advantaged people, Swisscontact, an independent Swiss based foundation for international development, started a

Cape Town - The World Travel Awards Asia and Australasia was held in Vietnam recently to recognise the best in Asia Travel from luxury and boutique hotels, to beach destinations and some of the best airlines. Asia is a popular destination for travellers from all over the world; it's an easily accessible and affordable destination that offers something for every type of traveller from the backpacker sourcing budget deals to the luxury traveller looking for world-class service and privacy. Whether you are after whiskey buckets, the serenity of nature, a variety of diverse cultures, traditions and religions, adrenalin-filled adventures or gastronomic feasts, Asia is the one. Here are some of the winners of the prestigious World Travel Awards which acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all key sectors of the tourism and hospitality industry.  In the Australasia category, Queenstown with its mountainous backdrop in New Zealand came out as the region's top des

HONG KONG -- Asian aircraft leasing companies are in the midst of an investment spree, snapping up rivals -- and their planes -- to cater to surging demand for air travel. Behind the growing travel bug is the rise of both the region's middle class and budget carriers in emerging markets. Irish aircraft leasing company Avolon Holdings, a unit of Chinese conglomerate HNA Group, said earlier this month it will buy the aircraft leasing business of U.S. financial group CIT Group for $10 billion. The Dublin-based company currently owns and manages about 430 aircraft, including those yet to be delivered. The combined entity will be the world's third-largest airlcraft leasing company, with a fleet of 910 planes, more than double Avolon's current number. The merged company will do business with more than 150 airlines. HNA in January acquired Avolon through its Bohai Leasing unit for $7.6 billion. Its string of large acquisitions underscores the company's strategy of

Hi,It's my first post on Fodors forum, I look for vacation destinations for one or two times a year, usually. And this year I decided it has to be SEAsia. I and my husband found Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar very interesting, especially with some activities which are related to Buddhism and spiritual practices.The fact is that we will be travelling the fist time to these countries, so I'm looking for a reliable travel company of SEA travel. I'd be thankful if anyone could share with me real experiences and trusted agency to choose.Thanks in advance. Source: Real Experiences and Travel Agency in Southeast Asia to choose

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts is undertaking a major expansion in Asia, with plans to more than triple its regional portfolio from nine to 30 properties by 2020. Speaking to Travel Daily at ITB Asia on Wednesday, Holger Jakobs, Mövenpick's vice president of sales & marketing for Asia, revealed that Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia would account for a large part of this growth, with multiple new hotels either signed or under negotiation in these countries. "There is a lot of focus on our region," said Jakobs. "We just signed a triple deal in Thailand, which will take us to seven hotels in the country. These will be quite quick turnarounds." Indeed, the triple Thai deal, which was reported in Travel Daily Asia last week, will see the launch of the Mövenpick Residences Ekkamai in Bangkok before the end of 2016, and Mövenpick Resort Khao Yai, in a mountainous region northeast of Bangkok, in January 2017. Mövenpick Resort Mai Khao Phuket has also be en signed a

Deadline: January 5, 2017 | Views: 42 Location: Singapore.Funding Option:Partially Funded. AYLTLC aims to bring student leaders worldwide, through engaging activities, to enhance their abilities in cross-cultural interaction and cooperation, which will further equip them to be effective leaders. In addition, participants will be able to understand more about Singapore – a multiracial, multilingual and multicultural society from various perspectives. Nevertheless, what they will learn here may not only be unique to Singapore, but also applicable to their home countries as well as the increasingly interconnected and interdependent world. AYLTLC is an annual gathering for student leaders from Top Universities around the world. The said camp provides our participants an exceptional opportunity: To Network with student leaders from Top Universities; To Learn about the Key Success which shaped one of Asia's most progressive nations, Singapore – a multiracial, multilingual

Etihad Airways Melbourne premium lounge named Australia's bestEtihad Airways' General Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Sarah Built, accepts the award for Australasia's Leading Airport Lounge from event hosts Greg Ohan (left) and Mai Anh Du (right). Etihad Airways Melbourne premium lounge named Australia's best The announcement was made at the 23rd Annual World Travel Awards Asia and Australasia Ceremony in Danang, Vietnam on 15 October. Etihad Airways' Chief Executive Officer, Peter Baumgartner, expressed delight at the win, the airline's first ever at an Asia and Australasia World Travel Awards ceremony. "This award is a powerful endorsement of the superior quality of our Premium Lounge at Melbourne Airport and the hard work and commitment to excellence of the team. "It attests to the competitive benchmark we have set in Melbourne and the high level of guest satisfaction with the world-class hospitality experience we deliver. &q

Air Canada has announced that as result of new regulations in Canada and the U.S., it will not permit Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices aboard its aircraft, effective immediately.  Travellers are not permitted to board Air Canada or Air Canada Express aircraft with this device or in their checked luggage. For those who arrive at the airport with a Samsung Galaxy Note 7, Air Canada has put in place a goodwill policy to enable customers to travel at another time without penalty to allow them to make alternative arrangements for their device. See also: U.S. Bans All Samsung Galaxy Note7 Phones from Aircraft and AirAsia Bans All Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Devices. See other recent news regarding: Interviews, Pictures, Videos, Samsung, Mobile, Technology, Air Canada, Canada Source: Air Canada Bans Samsung Galaxy Note 7 from Aircraft

But the longitudes of the world I had never traveled across, east of Kunduz, Afghanistan, and west of Bangkok, I would experience tucked inside the fuselage of a Lufthansa jet. The only suffering would be endured by Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Revenant," playing on the tiny screen embedded in the headrest of the seat in front of me. Photo Boats by Lake Kawaguchi in Japan. Credit Nicholas Kulish I did not brave the crush of people in Mumbai nor ride the trans-Siberian Railway as I had dreamed of doing since I was a child reading about the freshwater seals of Lake Baikal in an old National Geographic. The clouds and snatches of land I could see through the tiny window of the 747 were indistinguishable from other flights. What significance, if any, would this loop I was making have in an age of inexpensive air travel? To find answers I sought out the experts of the Circumnavigators Cl

Genting Hong Kong has officially taken delivery of Genting Dream, the first high-end cruise ship to be operated by an Asian company and designed specifically for the Asian market. The new vessel, which is the first ship in the fleet of Dream Cruises, was handed over to Genting in a ceremony at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany. The occasion included a traditional flag-raising ceremony to mark the official transfer of the ship to its new owner. KT Lim, chairman & CEO of Genting Hong Kong, and Bernard Meyer, managing partner of Meyer Werft, at the handover ceremony Dream Cruises is the upscale sister brand to Hong Kong's Star Cruises, and will cater specifically for the needs of th e Asian – and mainly Chinese – market. It says it is targeting the "emerging generation of confident, independently-minded and affluent Asian travellers". The majority of the 2,000 crew members on Genting Dream will speak Chinese, and more than 100 of the cabins will be inter-connecting,

Global Travel Wholesaler Continues Its Rapid Expansion in Asia ORLANDO, Fla.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--Tourico Holidays, a global leader in wholesale travel brokerage, today reported it has increased its hotel inventory in Asia by 20 percent in 2016, as the company continues to focus on increasing its influence in the region. In the last five years, Tourico has more than doubled its hotel partnerships in the market, amassing a total of over 5,000 hotels in the region. "Our rapid growth and continued expansion into the Asia-Pacific region should indicate to our supplier partners and distribution clients that we intend to play a major role in this travel ecosystem today and in the years to come" "Asia is a region demonstrating incredible travel growth, punctuated recently by a very strong first half to 2016, so our primary goal now is to double our hotel inventory again in the next five years," said Steve Skidgel, Executive Vice President of Global P

ENCINITAS, Calif., Oct. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies are focusing on boosting employee benefit programs to attract and retain talent in workforces. In order to offset the costs and to be able to offer these benefits, companies are forming partnerships with insurance professionals and are offering employees different choices such as the option to purchase supplemental life insurance for themselves and their dependents along with other choices in insurance such as home, vehicle, and travel insurance. Companies are looking for creative and innovative ways to help offer a wider range of supplemental insurance products due to growing expectations of additional and varied choices of employee benefits. Offering a wide variety of choices of benefits has helped increase the growth of voluntary employee benefits. As a matter of fact, as companies have shifted more premium costs onto employees it makes sense to consider tailoring benefits towards their individual needs. Tiger-Consulti

This year, where are your Asian vacation? Charismatic Cambodia or sizzling Singapore? Well, there are 48 countries in Asia and each with a beauty of its own. And zeroing down one of them would be a tad difficult task. So to make your work a little easy, review site TripAdvisor has found out Asia's best attractions, which are currently the most praiseworthy. After slicing and dicing millions of users review, Travel website, TripAdvisor has finally come up with the top 25 travel destinations in Asia for its Travelers' Choice Award 2016. So let's have a look at what excitement these places are offering. And what takes them to this list. 1. Siem Reap – Epicenter of Cambodia Angkor Wat | Photo: http://bit.ly/1LlZJPg Siem Reap in Cambodia is the top travel destinations in Asia by TripAdvisor. And it deserves every bit of it. Not only the city is known for its World Heritage-listed complex – Angkor ruins, which has more than 400 ancient temples with the magnificent An