SRI LANKA: 57th Board of Directors Meeting of the Pacific Asia Travial Association

SINGAPORE: Pan Pacific Singapore

AUSTRALIA: Melbourne’s Hilton on the Park

INDIA: Westin Sohna Resort Opens

THAILAND: Dusit Laguna Villas at the Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket

INDONESIA: Four Seasons Resort Bali Opens New Multi-Function Meeting Room

If you’re going green, think Oz. Tourism Australia touted its green credentials at the annual G’Day USA events held at Conde Nast’s headquarters in NYC. Australian tourism partners specializing in nature-based and eco-tourism showcased their products at the event entitled Planet Oz.  Tourism Australia Managing Director Geoff Buckley said, “Australia is one of the world’s top green and nature destinations. We have a good story to tell and it’s important we tell it… We lead the world in developing green tourism and we have consistently recognized the importance of protecting our unique environment. Tourism has, by and large, been a very powerful force for good by ensuring people and governments value our natural assets and work to protect them. Tourism will have an even greater role to play in the future.”
The Planet Oz program included presentations on green and cultural tourism by Australian Tourism Ambassador Terri Irwin and Indigenous Tourism Australia Executive Chairman Aden Ridgeway.

Until next time
Best

Helena Miele, CITE
Editor electronic newsletters

The award-winning Pan Pacific Singapore hotel recently renovated all of its 778 guest rooms. The hotel is linked via a sky bridge to three of Singapore’s large shopping malls including the mall at the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The hotel has the tallest atrium in South East Asia and was acknowledged as the World’s Leading Business Hotel by World Travel Awards 2007. Pan Pacific Singapore was also recognized as one of Singapore’s Top 10 Hotels and as one of the Top 75 Asian Hotels by Condé Nast Traveler. 
Meeting and conference facilities include 24 meeting rooms in 2,970 sqm (31,969 sqft) of meeting floor space featuring a large pillarless ballroom that accommodates 800 attendees for a reception. The hotel’s meeting facilities have the largest in-house installation of ADSL lines for a hotel making for excellent high-speed and wireless Internet connection for meetings. The Pan Pacific’s meeting facilities are outfitted with a comprehensive range of audio-visual equipment that is supported by a team of technology specialists. The hotel provides MeetingOne service, which includes a dedicated butler present throughout the event to ensure that all goes well. Plus, the Executive Business Centre on Level 22 offers an additional 350 sqm (3,767 sqft) of meeting space with floor-to-ceiling windows and skyline views. The Executive Centre is open 24 hours and provides many extras such as mobile phone rental, office equipment rental, courier services, business card printing, translation and interpretation services, book binding, gift wrapping, scanning and more.
The hotel has a multitude of award-winning dining and entertainment options. The recreational facilities include a gymnasium, spa, swimming pool and tennis courts.

Email: catering.sin@panpacific.com
Website: www.panpacific.com/Singapore

The Hilton on the Park in Melbourne is completing a $40m refurbishment project that will transform the hotel’s conference and events floor and all guest rooms. Newly designed and renovated Business Rooms, Executive Floors and Relaxation Suites are now available, conference facilities open next month and the project will be totally completed by mid-year. The properties 420 spacious guest rooms and suites are newly decorated in rich warm tones. The special Relaxation Suites have three separate zones to promote a balance between work, enjoyment and relaxation and the Business Rooms and Executive Floor Rooms on the top levels of the hotel have excellent views and allow access to the Executive Lounge.
The state-of-the-art conference and events floor on level 1 will have flexible space for 5 to 900 attendees and will be suitable for everything from board meetings to exhibitions to gala dinners. The hotel’s famous Grand Ballroom, which has played host to world class cabaret acts such as Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Liberace and James Brown, is being redecorated and outfitted with the latest technology to provide the perfect mood and setting for any event. Dining and beverage options include the Gallery Restaurant for international cuisine and the Park Lounge. For relaxation, the Hilton Day Spa, 24-hour fitness center and heated outdoor pool are available.
The Hilton on the Park Melbourne is located opposite the Melbourne Cricket Grounds and just 10 minutes from the business district.

Website: www.hilton.com

The 5-Star Westin Sohna Resort recently opened in India. The resort hotel, which is 90 minutes from New Delhi International Airport, is well suited for meetings, conferences and incentive travel programs.
Situated in a rural setting of lush landscaped gardens and farmlands, the Sohna’s 97 guest rooms and suites are set in one and two bedroom villas on hotel grounds. Each guest room and suite is outfitted with contemporary furnishings, state-of-the-art amenities, LCD flat-screen televisions, high-speed Internet access and a private balcony with patio.
The hotel offers over 70,000 sqft (6,503 sqm) of meeting and banqueting space with an additional 6,500 sqft (604 sqm) of covered outdoor space. All meeting rooms have natural light. The ballroom, which seats 300 theatre style and 160 for a banquet, is divisible into three separate rooms. All three meeting rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art AV and WiFi technology.
For dining, the Westin Sohna has an authentic Chinese restaurant, Xiao Chi; an all-day dining restaurant, The Living Room; and a poolside restaurant, Splash. The hotel’s Heavenly Spa by Westin combines modern spa treatments with ancient Ayurveda-inspired treatments to create treatments designed to cast off fatigue and promote well being.

Website: www.starwood.com

The 5-Star Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket is adding three story villas that will open in July 2008. The villas will have one or two bedrooms with either a sea or garden view. The bedrooms and en suite bathrooms are on the first floor, the kitchen, dining and living room and extended terrace are an the second floor of the villa and a roof-top pool, outdoor shower and private sun-deck are on the top floor. Villa guests will receive special services such as private daily American breakfast at La Trattoria restaurant, daily fresh fruit platter, private check-in and welcome drinks upon arrival, complimentary soft-drinks from the minibar, 24-hour butler service, flight booking and confirmation, taxi/limousine calling service, laptop and high-speed Internet service, sun loungers in a private area on the beach, bicycles upon request and 10% discount on spa and other hotel facilities.
The resort is just 20-minutes from Phuket International Airport.

E-mail: dusit@lagunaphuket.com
Website: http://lagunaphuket.com

The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay opened a new, multi-function meeting room, Jepun Sari. According to the resort, the room is "the largest private room in Bali with an ocean view."
The new meeting room is a separate facility built in a traditional Balinese architectural style with emphasis on space and light. The Jepun Sari is complete with soaring, alang alang thatched roof and wrap-around terrace. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls maximize the spectacular views and the windows are equipped with specially designed blinds, which when needed blackout the room for presentations. The room is equipped with a full range of audio-visual, business, presentation and PA equipment, including a hi-tech built-in screen. There is an open-sided pre-function space with a service area and bathroom facilities that works well for small receptions and refreshment breaks. Jepun Sari is completely air-conditioned, accommodates 150 attendees in theatre style and 90 for a banquet and is divisible into two rooms.
The opening of the Jepun Sari reflects the growing importance of meetings, conferences and incentives to all segments of Bali’s tourism industry.

Website: www.fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay