Malaysian Airports launch “Next Generation Hub”
Posted September 24, 2009 , comments closed- AirAsia's grand terminal plans fly into storm clouds
- Stop and steal: Thieves prey on tourists in Malaysia
- Only 'genuine' Malaysians to greet tourists, government says
- First All-in-One Day Pass and hotel room key card for Bangkok subway
- Asian airlines should take cue from US carriers on ancillary revenue strategies
- JAL may be split into two distinct parts
- China International Travel IPO to raise $381 Million
- World Tourism Day
By
Luc Citrinot, eTN Staff Writer |
Sep 24, 2009
Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) has announced that Kuala Lumpur International Airport will introduce new measures to make the airport the first “Next Generation Hub.”
Despite its growing success as Southeast Asia third largest international gateway with over 27 million passengers per year, Kuala Lumpur suffers from the disadvantage to have its passengers flow separated by two distinctive air terminal: on one side, the KLIA main terminal welcomes legacy carriers including Malaysia’s flag carrier MAS; 20 km away, on the other side of the runway, the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) welcomes all low cost carriers, most of them being AirAsia operations. It already welcomes over 10 million passengers a year.
With AirAsia offering more and more connections to unserved destinations in Asia and the Pacific, more passengers look also to connect in the most simple and effective manner.
A KL airport’s feasibility study revealed that the existing landside bus transfer service between the two terminals sees at least 500 “self connect” passengers per day (or 1,000 passenger movements), representing an annual market of over 180,000 passengers.
According to Sallauddin Mat Sah, general manager of Malaysia Airports, the challenge is now to enable passengers to connect seamlessly between all types of carrier and between different types of terminals. “Passengers are presented with numerous options from full service carriers, low cost carriers, various routings, various prices and types of services. The best option could be a combination of a full service carrier and a low cost carrier.”
However, selecting the best combination of carriers is not easy for KL airport’s users as there is not one single portal combining all possibilities under one roof.
“Next Generation Hub,” developed by ASM Consultancy company, will be a new effective tool to plan an itinerary that best suits passengers’ needs. A new website –flyklia.net- was launched a week ago and is able to generate an itinerary that integrates all airlines’ schedules and fares.
In the future, it will also help to simplify transfer and connections between KLIA main terminal and the LCCT. Sallauddin added: “The portal is free to use and search results include links to airlines and travel agent websites where travelers can book flights directly. This portal will continue to be extensively enhanced over the coming months with other initiatives added such as an airport loyalty scheme for frequent flyers.”
A number of operational initiatives are also underway; such as the introduction of an enhanced passenger and baggage transfer flow between the main terminal building and low cost carrier terminal. Malaysia Airports is hoping to launch this inter-terminal transfer product in late 2009.
According to Mat Sah, the “Next Generation Hub” initiative at KLIA will translate into a sharp rise in transferring passengers between terminals over the next few years.
Malaysia Airports is also seeking all airlines cooperation to work at improving network coordination and schedule synchronization to facilitate the development of the “Next Generation Hub.”
Meanwhile, a major step will be achieved in 2011 when a new permanent low cost terminal with a total capacity of 30 million passengers will open in the close vicinity of KLIA’s main terminal.
Northern Territory. Best Place in the World. Ever.
Posted July 22, 2009 , add a commentThis may be an unashamedly biased overview of an already generalised topic. However, Australia’s Northern Territory is clearly and obviously the best place in the world, anyone could tell you that.
Before it was discovered by a couple of kangaroos a few years back, there was little more than an empty can of Fosters up here and the occasional pandanus palm. Territorians have since made the mighty NT what it is through hard work and a lot of die-hard bragging. So, unlike some other Viator bloggers, I intend to give you a completely one-eyed account with limited reasoning on why the NT really is the best place in the world.
Cos basically, I feel for you, yes, deep down Jack really has a heart, and in my caring ways I figure why have people spend loads of time and money just to find out that other places aren’t as good when you can hear the truth – I’ll send you straight to the best places rather than this usual beat-around-the-bush style that has you just inhabiting the usual tourist haunts and hanging out with other tourists.
That’s right, my reputation is at stake here, so take it from a local.
Fishing, NT-style
Fishing
First up, one of the best things about the NT is that you can fish just about anywhere, as long as there is water nearby. And if you can’t fish, then you can buy fish in shop, but more about that one later.
As far as fishing goes, you’ve got vegetarian and non-vegetarian options – basically, do you want to be eaten by croc while you do it, or would you rather get home in one piece? Cos there’s plenty of options both ways - places like Shady Camp and the Mary River are great if you fancy a bit of a chomp while you’re dangling your lure. And if you do fancy a croc steak then why not make like a real local and put a side of beef on the hook on the end of your 4WD winch, chuck it in the river and then haul the bugger in when you get a bite. Easy. Just have something ready to cut the steel cable when the clever little bugger hauls you in… it happened before.
4WDs
Speaking of which, there’s only two kinds of vehicle in the NT – Troopie and Hilux – which makes shopping for a car easier, and they both come in white so that takes most of the hassle out already. A Hilux rolls easier than a Troopie, and you don’t have to listen to the kids when you chuck ‘em in the back cos it’s a ute and they can scream out in the tray.
But a Troopie - short for Troop Carrier by those mighty guys in-the-know, The Australian Army – is better for keeping the beer cold cos when you chuck it in the back its still inside and not stuck out in the blazing sun. They are also a good way of getting around anywhere, including a fast exit from a difficult car park, and ideal for getting to the shops and back. Especially on a Sunday.
Trees
As Germans would say, the NT is full of “the nature”, so as you’d expect there’s plenty of trees. In the bit up north, we Territorians call the Top End, the trees are often quite big due to their tropical nature. The leaves are broad and the coconuts are big, just like the mangoes, rambutans and my personal favourite, the black sapote. In the desert bits there’s trees too, and they are the best form of shade against the hot sun. The sun also rises and sets in the Territory, like no where else.
Corrugated Iron
Corrugated iron grows naturally in the NT, so why not see it in its native environment? It can grow to enormously long lengths where it forms fences, or the horizontal variety is great for roofs, which in themselves are also great for keeping out of the sun, but do present some problems with retaining the heat. But a cool beer can fix that.
Markets
For the uninitiated there are loads of markets on in the NT – more than just Mindil and Parap, and more than you stick a drunken poke at. If you fancy getting outta Darwin, there’s Coolalinga on Saturday mornings, one in Humpty Doo too, I think; Alice Springs has one once a month on Sundays; Katherine has one at least once a year, probably August round festival time, And in Darwin there’s a couple of other markets secreted around the place on Sundays… just grab your singlet, Thai fisherman’s pants, Crocs shoes and ask a local…
Space
One thing you get if there’s not so many people and lots of empty open areas is Space. Matter of fact it’s the NT’s biggest export. Hard to get across the border in your hand luggage, but if you’ve broken the law, your mind or just your bank balance, there’s plenty of Space to get out in until things sort themselves out.
Security
Breaking news, NT-style
It doesn’t matter if you go out and get drunk and lose your keys in the Top End, cos most of the houses don’t lock thanks to the unique louvre design that sees them cool in summer/Wet season, and breezy and possible to see if you’re neighbors are home or just shagging in the Dry season.
Simplicity
None of that complicated four seasons stuff up north – there’s just the Dry and the Wet season in the tropics. In the desert it’s either hot or not, and round Katherine it’s usually just time to get out of town all year round.
Food
Given that the NT is so close to South-East Asia there’s plenty of great tucker on offer, like Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Malaysian, Halal anything or just Singapore style noodles. So why not bugger all that fancy stuff and have barramundi and chips or a fried something-or-other instead. Too beaut.
Shops
One of the amazing things about the NT is that if you want to buy something, you can usually get it in a shop - as long as its for sale that is, and they have it in stock. T-shirts are popular, often bearing great slogans like “My other car is a beer esky” and “Where the hell is Noonamah?” are great ideas for the kids or family.
Beer cozies are another great thing they have in the Territory and if you want one, you just have to buy it, put it on your wrist and then take it off and wrap it around a cold beer when it gets to after 11am. And shops are a great place to find crocs after a flood too – just cast your mind back to the saltie they found in a meat-fridge in the Woolworths shopping centre in Katherine after the great floodwaters went down in the Australia Day 1988 floods when the Katherine River hit 21metres deep. Even the rivers are bigger up there (see fishing). Too right.
Beer
Now it just wouldn’t be cricket without that one syllable that stands alone as a word. Its’ well known that the average Territorian drinks a six-pack a day, and given the kids and not all of the women drink, then that’s a lot of extra help that some of the blokes are willing to put out.
NT invented beer, didn’t you know?
Just the same as coffee was invented in Melbourne, beer was invented in the Territory, and in return it’s our gift to the world. That’s right soccer hooligans, teenage delinquency and unsociable behavior as well as friendliness toward strangers, sudden personal disclosures and bad breath all have the NT to thank for its innovation and foresight. Where would we be without it?
Hotter, thinner and thirstier that’s for sure.
If that isn’t reason alone enough for believing the NT is the greatest place in the world then you should probably go back and read this blog again after two or three and you’ll be one hundred precent bloody convincitated. No bloody worries about that.
-Jack Brown
Planning a trip? Browse all of Viator’s Darwin tours, things to do in Alice Springs, and tours in the Northern Territory.
Thailand travel
Posted July 15, 2009 , add a commentThailand Travel:
This popular country is located in southeast Asia in the north of Malaysia, bordered by Laos and Cambodia on the east. In the recent years, Thailand
tourism has become a very activity in the world, securing a position among the
top 25 most popular tourism places of the world and among the top 5 in Asia. There are several reasons for the increasing popularity of Thailand tourism, the most important one is the friendly and peace loving nature of the Thai
people. Thailand tourism offers a wealth of exotic and culturally distinctive destinations spread throughout its 76 provinces. The Majestic city of Bangkok is the capital of Thailand.
Topics:
? Thailand Tourism Overview
? Getting There
? Transportation And Car Rental
? Climate / Weather
? Visa
? Golf
? Shopping
? Top Hotels
? Nightlife
? Local Tourist Office
? Currency
? Recommendation and Safety
THAILAND TOURISM AND TRAVEL OVERVIEW:
Thailand tourism is an irresistible combination of breathtaking natural
beauty, inspiring temples, renowned hospitality, robust cuisine and ruins of
fabulous ancient kingdoms. It offers everything from crowded markets and bazaars
to ancient temples, to busy nightlife all set against some of the best scenery
in the region. Thailand tourism is mainly divided into four regions - The Central Plain,
The Peninsular South, The Mountainous North and The High Northeast Plateau.
Thailand is a popular travel destination, and tourist facilities and services
are available throughout the country. You will find great food, a tropical
climate, national parks, fascinating culture and, great beaches, its diverse
attractions make it popular with tourists and travelers of all types and ages. Thailand
tourism has been heavily promoted by the Tourism Authority Thailand
(TAT).
GETTING
TO THAILAND:
Since Bangkok is Thailand’s main tourist attraction,
most tourists arrive at Bangkok’s Don Muang International Airport which has
connecting flights to almost all the major cities around the world.
TRANSPORTATION AND CAR RENTAL:
Thailand has many buses and taxi services that are fast, comfortable and very
easily available. Thailand also has a efficient rail system along with domestic
flights, connecting to all the major cities of the country, therefore getting
around the country is very easy and the tourists have several options including
domestic flights, buses, taxis and rail system. The roads are modern and there
are several Air-conditioned buses offering maximum comfort at a low price.
Car Rental:
Many companies like Avis, Hertz, National and Budget operate rental car
operations in Thailand.
In Thailand you drive on the left hand side of the road. Speed limits signs are
posted in English.
It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with driving conditions and
local laws before renting a car in this popular tourism destination.
Most rental car companies apply the following rules, but do check with your
company for full requirements.
- Minimum driver age is 21 years.
- Driver must hold a valid driving license or International Driving Permit
- Customer must have an international credit card.
- A copy of customers’ ID Card or Passport is required.
CLIMATE - WHEN TO GO:
Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with 3 distinct seasons summer from March
through May, rainy season with plenty of sunshine from June to September and
winters from October through February. Since Thailand can get very hot in the
summer season, the best time for Thailand tourism is December to February.
TOURIST VISA:
It is required to have a return ticket and passport ready
before visiting Thailand. The validity of passport should be at least 6 months
beyond intended length. When this article was written in 2007 the citizens of
USA, Canada, Australia, and Britain were exempted from visa for up to 30 days of
stay. Citizens of Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland,
Slovak Republic and Slovenia are granted a 15 day visa on arrival. Citizens of
other countries need a visa in advance.
Visit these official sites for more tourism information:
Thailand Tourism office- USA
61 Broadway, Suite 2810, New York, NY 10006, USA
Website: www.tourismthailand.org
Thailand Tourism office-UK
3rd Floor, Brook House, 98-99 Jermyn Street, London SW1Y 6EE, UK
Website: www.thaismile.co.uk
Embassy websites:
www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk
www.thaiembdc.org
GOLF:
Thailand tourism offers great golf clubs to its tourists .Popular 18-hole golf clubs are the Pok-Ta-Pok along the coast of
Caribbean and Hilton Park Golf Club near the El Rey ruins.
The 9-hole golf course located at the Hotel Melia is relatively cheaper.
Golf has been a popular Thailand attraction for centuries where world’s top
designers have come and left their marks and so have several world class
players. There are Golf Courses within easy reach of all the major cities. For
Golf lovers, the best time to visit is the winter season, from November to
March. Even rainy season is not a bad time since the rain comes down mostly in
the afternoon that too only for a few minutes and most of the Golf courses have
a good drainage system. However, it is highly recommended to get your booking
done in advance, especially over the weekends and peak travel season.
SHOPPING IN THAILAND:
Shopping has always been a the major Thailand tourism attraction where a wealth of
shopping opportunities await the visitors. Thailand is popular for its
traditional handicrafts, textiles, gems, finished jewellery, antiques, ceramics, Nielloware, silk, silverware, pottery and much more, all at a bargain prices.
Thailand is truly a shoppers paradise ranging from modern malls to street
vendors. The biggest market of all, and the most fascinating, is the Chatuchak
Weekend Market, held on Saturday and Sunday at Chatuchak Park in Bangkok, not
far from the Central Plaza Hotel. Chiang Mai is another popular shopping place
where some of the factories have demonstrations of how these goods (silk, paper,
silver etc.) are made. The Night Bazaar, is a good place to sample the full
range of local products such as cotton, lacquer ware, silver, hill tribe
clothing, Burmese tapestries, painted umbrellas, and woodcarvings. Other than
the big malls that have a fixed price, bargaining is very popular at most of the
other tourism places in order to get the best prices.
TOP HOTELS:
Thailand tourism offers a vide range of luxury hotels and resorts, some of the
popular ones are - The Peninsula, Lebua at state tower, The Metropolitan, and
Intercontinental in Bangkok; Amanpuri, Aleena resort and spa, and JW Marriott in
Phuket; Four Seasons Chiang Mai in Chiang Mai.
You will also find several budget accommodations and inns in Thailand.
NIGHTLIFE:
Nightlife is another popular attraction of Thailand tourism, the evening entertainment
is both plentiful and inexpensive. The bars, discos and pubs are open till late
at night and some of the clubs play live music all night. The important
nightlife locations in Thailand include the cinemas that offer excellent value
for money, ticket prices are much cheaper than in many other parts of the world
and most of the country?s cinemas are top of the range. The other locations
include the beaches that are the most sought after nightlife locations. Here one
would find bars, pubs and go-go bars that are very popular. Thailand’s nightlife
has something for all its visitors and offers a wide variety of night
entertainment, it is truly a nightlife paradise.
Thailand tourism has some problems too, prostitution in Thailand is a big
in-famous industry and the Thai red-light branch turns billions of dollars every
year.
LOCAL TOURIST OFFICE :
Thailand Tourism Office:
1600 New Phetburi Road, Makkasan, Rajatevee, Bangkok 10310.
+66 (0)2 250 5500 (Bangkok) or www.tourismthailand.org
CURRENCY:
1 USD = 32.125 Thai Baht
For latest exchange rates go to -
http://finance.yahoo.com/currency/convert?amt=1&from=USD&to=THB
RECOMMENDATION & SAFETY:
Solo women travelers should avoid beaches at night. Thailand is overall safe
country to visit from both the health and personal safety aspects. Consult with
your doctor with any immunizations he may recommend. Tourists should also
exercise caution in remote areas along the border with Myanmar. Visit
travel.state.gov for latest safety guidelines.
Karma Goes Social
Posted July 14, 2009 , add a comment) The Karma Group’s Creative Director, Clinton Albuquerque states, “Traditional marketing and PR weren’t providing the immediacy and specific target marketing that we required. We wanted to engage our audience on a regular basis and increase our brand awareness through the latest online channels.”
Social media marketing has become recognized as a key driver of brand affinity and brand awareness in the travel industry. Through increasingly popular channels such as TripAdvisor, companies are finding that they can make a personal connection with someone who has expressed an interest in their brand. These connections are two-way dialogues rather than a one-way marketing “push.” Mr. Albuquerque adds, “social media is a breakthrough marketing channel. We can now listen and interact with people, not just broadcast to them. It allows us to tailor our content to match their individual interests. Moreover, the feedback we obtain from these conversations helps us make our product better and more responsive to our target markets.”
Many industry insiders believe that social media is the future for the travel industry. Ric Shreves of water&stone notes, “the travel industry, more than any other I know of, benefits from word of mouth and viral marketing. Travellers trust what other travellers tell them, and photo and video sharing sites tap right into human nature, where seeing is believing.”
Karma Resorts is expanding rapidly. The Group currently operates two oceanfront luxury resorts on Bali’s dramatic southern peninsula and another in Koh Samui, Thailand, all of them earning industry accolades, including membership of the Leading Small Hotels of the World. Development is now underway on two new luxury villa resorts. Karma Margaret River celebrates the idyllic charms of this famous winemaking region in Western Australia, while Karma Agung, named after the sacred volcano that rears skyward behind it, spills down a hillside on Bali’s magical eastern coast. Exquisite new luxury villa resorts will soon unfold in Palawan (Philippines), Langkawi (Malaysia), Lombok (Indonesia), Fiji, Goa & Kerala (India) and Mykonos (Greece), putting Karma Resorts at the vanguard of 21st century global luxury living.
By creating a custom social media marketing campaign, the Group hopes to continue to engage their target markets and keep them more in tune with the rapid changes that happening within the resorts. To manage and execute their social media marketing efforts, Karma Resorts retained water&stone and ClearWhiteSpace. It was water&stone and ClearWhiteSpace who launched Bali’s first social media marketing services in May of this year. Clinton adds “The team at water&stone and ClearWhiteSpace have the technical expertise and the market experience to interpret and deliver our message in a fashion we trust. We also liked the idea that they are a local firm with whom we can work to tailor our social media marketing campaign and be proactive in reaching our target audience.”
About Karma Resorts
The Karma Resorts Group owns and operates luxury resorts.
About water&stone (the publisher)
water&stone is a boutique web design and online marketing agency. The firm specializes in the implementation of open source technologies and search marketing.
About ClearWhiteSpace:
ClearWhiteSpace is a creative marketing agency based in Bali.
For More Information:
Karma Resorts: http://www.karmaresorts.com
For more information about Karma Resorts, including links to the various resorts operated worldwide.
water&stone: http://www.waterandstone.com
For more information about water&stone, including company profile, portfolio and client list.
ClearWhiteSpace: http://www.clearwhitespace.com
For more information about CWS, including company profile, portfolio and client list.
Evergreen Laurel Hotel Bangkok Joins Utell
Posted , add a commentThe Evergreen Laurel Hotel Bangkok has chosen
Utell Hotels & Resorts for its dedicated international sales,
marketing and distribution.
Its sister property, the Evergreen Laurel
Hotel Penang in Malaysia has also extended its decade-long
relationship with Utell for another two years.
Ric Leutwyler, president of Utell said, “We
are delighted to welcome Evergreen’s distinguished Bangkok
property into the Utell family and of course to continue providing
our services to the Penang property. This is indeed testament to
the faith that the group has in Utell’s ability to provide
international hotel sales, marketing and distribution services,
essential to enabling hotels and small independent group hotels to
compete on a global level.”
In honor of the switch to Utell, the
160-room Evergreen
Laurel Hotel Bangkok is offering a special rate of $89 per night
throughout July and August, with no minimum stay. The Bangkok property
is
located on Sathorn Road.