MALAYSIA: Tanjung Aru Resort Gets Renovation and CHI Spa

CHINA: Swissôtel Grand, Shanghai

VIETNAM: Ho Tram Strip - Over the Top in Vietnam

Jetstar Asia Daily Singapore/Phnom Penh

JAL to Manchester

AUSTRALIA: The MCEC’s New Green Accolades

THAILAND: Amari Hotels and Resorts Baht for a Better Life

The Vietnamese government approved a VND13.74 trillion dong (USD$857 million) project to expand the Noi Bai International Airport that is located 45 km north of Hanoi. A third terminal will be added to the airport. This will give Noi Bai International the ability to accommodate 25 million passengers a year by 2020. Noi Bai is the country’s second largest airport.
Thai Airways is helping victims of May 12, 2008 earthquake in the Chengdu region of China. Thai is transporting relief goods such as blankets, tableware to the devastated area and Thai employees have donated food, water and medicine to help the survivors. These items are transported on THAI's flights to Chengdu and will continue for as long as humanitarian assistance is necessary. Thai local employees in the region help to distribute relief goods.

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Helena Miele, CITE
Editor electronic newsletters

The 5-Star Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort and Spa is situated on 25 acres of lush greenery, just 10 minutes from Kota Kinabalu International Airport and the city center.  Facilities include 495 guest rooms, 16 meeting and event rooms accommodating 10-1,200 attendees and 7 restaurants and bars.
The hotel has recently undergone a RM25 million (US$7.58 million) renovation of the Kinabalu Wing including 242 guest rooms and the creation of a new Shangri-La CHI Spa, set on the private island of Pulau Bayu.
Every room is now bathed in natural light with views of the South China Sea or Mt. Kinabalu, each with private balcony. Suites have extra large windows for viewing the ocean and glorious sunsets. The Kinabalu Club, located on the top 5th and 6th floors of the Kinabalu Wing features a lounge with concierge service, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and an open-air rooftop garden.
The new CHI Spa at Tanjung Aru is extra special. It offers an extensive treatment menu featuring Himalayan Healing Stone Massage and a Mountain Tsampa Rub based on the ancient healing traditions of the Himalayan region. CHI Spa offers eight island villas with Shangri-La’s “spa within a spa” concept of private treatment rooms, lounging areas, steam rooms, outdoor gardens and bathing facilities. The yoga pavilion has full views of the South China Sea and lush, private meditation gardens.
Website: www.shangri-la.com   

Swissôtel recently opened its third property in China, the Swissôtel Grand, Shanghai. The hotel features 467 guest rooms and suites, all with views of the Shanghai skyline and an executive floor with executive Club Lounge.
Meeting facilities comprise a Grand Ballroom 575 sqm/6,189 sqft, Junior Ballrooms at 390 sqm/4,198 sqft and 6 additional function rooms. All rooms are equipped with wireless Internet access and the latest technology.
Swissôtel Grand is designed for both business and leisure travelers, located in Shanghai’s Jing’An district and close to many elegant shops and attractions such as the Jing’An Temple, Shanghai Grand Theatre and the Shanghai Museum.
The property’s four restaurants and bars offer an array of international cuisines. For relaxation, Spa & Fitness, the hotel’s wellness center, offers a range of body treatments and the heated indoor swimming pool and the Energia health bar are available to guests.
Website: www.swissotel.com

A US$4.2 billion, 9,000 room luxury resort and entertainment center named Ho Tram Strip is planned for Ba Ria Beach in the Vung Tau Province of southern Vietnam.
Phase 1 of the project, which is scheduled to open in 2010, will have a 5-Star resort with 1,100 rooms, a championship golf course designed by Greg Norman and a Las Vegas style casino. Phase 2, scheduled for completion in 2011, will have a luxury resort with 1,300 rooms, casino, 10 restaurants and nightclubs. When the entire complex is completed in ten years, it will feature five Las Vegas-style integrated resorts, an international conference center and spas, performance venues, luxury shops and restaurants.
The Ho Tram Strip is located 80 km/50 miles southwest of Ho Chi Minh City on the South China Sea.
Website: www.hotramstrip.com

Jetstar Asia is launching daily service between Singapore and Phnom Penh in Cambodia beginning 28 July 2008. Jetstar will have four non-stop flights a week to Phnom Penh and three weekly services to Phnom Penh via Siem Reap.
Special group rates, accessibility and a dedicated group consultant who manages the booking from beginning to end are available for groups of 10 or more.
E-mail: groups@jetststarasia.com.
Website: http://jetstarasia.com

Japan Airlines (JAL) began offering twice-daily service from Manchester to London Heathrow this month through its code share with British Airways. The Manchester/Heathrow flights help to make smooth connections from Manchester to JAL’s daily London Heathrow services. JAL flies to both Tokyo Narita and Osaka Kansai from Heathrow.
JAL flies from 26 cities in Europe on 38 routes (JAL routes and code shares) to Japan.

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has had a high level of environmental awareness and solid green credentials, well before it became the cry of the moment in the States. And now the MECC set an environmental benchmark for the industry as the only convention and exhibition venue in Australia with both Green Globe and Waste Wise accreditation.
Green Globe, a worldwide environmental benchmarking certification and performance assessment program, reviews organizations’ environmental output and measures the venues’ performance in energy and water consumption, waste recycling and paper and chemical use, comparing it against established baseline and best practice levels. In congratulating the MCEC on its achievement, Green Globe said the MCEC’s water consumption, waste sent to landfill, waste recycling and use of cleaning products are all above best practice level.
Waste Wise certification, which is managed by Sustainability Victoria, identifies environmental leaders in minimizing waste and maximizing efficient use of resources. MCEC chief executive Leigh Harry said the accreditations reflected the Centre’s commitment to an environmentally sustainable business and industry and that clients are also encouraged to conduct their events in a similar manner and are offered a number of environmental initiatives including ‘green power’ where equivalent power usage is purchased from a renewable energy source.  
The new Melbourne Convention Centre, which will open in 2009, recently received a leading environmental accolade as well. The Melbourne Convention Centre was awarded a ‘6 Star Green Star’ environmental rating, the first in the world for a convention center. The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) awarded the 6 Green Star rating.