Two Argentine pilots survived when their light aircraft crash landed Friday in a heavily populated area of the capital of Costa Rica, officials said.
The pilots climbed out of the wreckage of the plane after it came down in the Pavas neighborhood of San Jose, in an area full of homes and schools, witnesses and officials said.
The pilots are well, they managed to get out of the plane on their own, said the head of Costa Rica's civil aviation authority, Guillermo Hoppe, speaking at the scene.
It was a complicated situation, the plane lost all power, said Damian Barreira, one of the two pilots, in a video clip shot on a local resident's cell phone and broadcast on news channels.
Hoppe said Argentine authorities had informed him that the men had bought the plane in the United States and were flying it back to their home country in short-distance flights, a journey that had been expected to take a month.
Shortly after taking off from an airfield in San Jose, the plane lost power and the pilots looked for an open space in the residential district to make an emergency landing.
As it came down, the plane hit a large tree which cushioned the impact of the crash.
Tourism Observer
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Showing posts with label Costa Rica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Costa Rica. Show all posts
Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Thursday, 23 August 2018
USA: Spirit Airlines Started Major International Routes
In an unprecedented expansion, starting October 4, 2018, Spirit will begin offering international service from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to 11 new destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as 3 more domestic routes rolling out through the fall.
The announcement marks one of the largest expansions in the airline’s history and includes service to the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
With this announcement, Spirit will now provide additional service from Orlando to eight countries and two U.S. territories.
It comes just days after the airline announced new routes from Orlando to Asheville and Greensboro, North Carolina, as well as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Spirit will now provide the Orlando region with nonstop service to and from 38 destinations, with up to 49 daily flights across the U.S., the Caribbean, and Latin America.
We have been proud to serve Orlando for 25 years, and after more than doubling service last year, we are so proud to be expanding there yet again, said Bob Fornaro, Spirit’s Chief Executive Officer.
Orlando is now one of our largest markets, and we have no plans on stopping our growth. The region is not only a wonderful, family-friendly destination, but it is well-positioned to now serve as a gateway to the Carribean and Latin America.
Spirit Airlines has a long history here at Orlando International Airport, and today’s announced plans for more investment into this market are a direct reflection of that long-time business partnership, said Stan Thornton, Chief Operating Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.
Orlando to/from Starts: Frequency:
- Aguadilla, Puerto Rico (BQN) October 4 Daily
- Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA)* October 4 4x weekly
- Panama City, Panama (PTY)* October 4 4x weekly
- Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (SDQ)* October 4 4x weekly until Nov. 7
Daily from Nov. 8
- San Pedro Sula, Honduras (SAP)* October 5 2x weekly
- San José, Costa Rica (SJO)* October 5 4x weekly until Nov. 7
- San Salvador, El Salvador (SAL)* October 6 2x weekly
- Bogota, Colombia (BOG)*ǂ November 8 Daily
- St. Thomas, USVI (STT) November 8 3x weekly
- Medellin, Colombia (MDE)* November 9 2x weekly
- Cartagena, Colombia (CTG)* November 10 2x weekly
- Asheville, North Carolina (AVL) September 7 3x weekly until Nov. 7
4x weekly from Nov. 8
- Greensboro, North Carolina (GSO) September 7 3x weekly until Nov. 7
4x weekly from Nov. 8
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (MYR) November 10 2x weekly
Subject to government approval.
- Based on data from the Department of Transportation and verified by an independent service.
- Sales of nonstop flights between Orlando and Bogota will commence at a date to be announced in the near future.
Tourism Observer
Wednesday, 5 July 2017
COSTA RICA: SITA To Implement Control Center Technology At Juan Santamaria International Airport
Costa Rica’s busiest airport, the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in Alajuela, 20 minutes northwest of San José, has selected SITA to implement its ground-breaking control center technology solution.
SITA, a global information technology provider to the air transport industry, will operate its ControlBridge which will provide Aeris Holdings, the airport operator, with a centralized and integrated view of everything happening at the airport, from security to boarding gates, and from ground handling to facilities management.
The system also provides an important communication component of enabling collaborative decision making between all stakeholders.
SJO is one of the top airports in Central and Latin America, and Aeris has an intensive investment program to deliver innovation and technology to strengthen its position.
SITA ControlBridge plays an integral role in providing the technology that enables the airport to coordinate, monitor and control all airport operations centrally.
Rafael Mencia, CEO of Aeris, said: “ControlBridge enables us to integrate and optimize operations across the entire airport into a single command center.
It incorporates data from every stakeholder operating at the airport, providing a complete view of everything, all the time.
This will give us much more flexibility in managing day-to-day airport operations, optimized resource management, quicker decision making and enhanced emergency response capabilities.
Ultimately, it means we’ll be able to provide a better passenger experience.
SITA was the obvious choice for this project because of its global expertise not only in the technology but also the operations and processes at an airport.
As we implement ControlBridge, SITA’s broad and practical experience will be invaluable.
As part of the project, SITA will also update the airport’s closed caption TV infrastructure and integrate it into the control center, along with radio communications.
SITA’s will procure, install, configure, and test the ControlBridge components before the system goes live in October.
Elbson Quadros, SITA Vice President for Latin America, said: “The implementation of SITA ControlBridge will provide SJO an integrated command and control capability across what are traditionally stand-alone functions.
This includes airport operations, physical security, engineering and facilities management, baggage handling, emergency response, the airport IT service desk, and more.
It is a significant move by AERIS to provide Costa Rica with a modern airport that helps improve the country’s competitiveness.
SITA’s ControlBridge solution provides fit-for-purpose airport control center technology that facilitates enhanced functionality for airports of any size and with nearly any budget.
To keep both implementation and maintenance costs to a minimum, SITA uses common off-the-shelf hardware where possible.
Combined with SITA’s unique in-depth knowledge of integrating data from diverse sources, SITA ControlBridge is the most comprehensive and cost-effective airport integrated control center technology solution available today.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
SITA, a global information technology provider to the air transport industry, will operate its ControlBridge which will provide Aeris Holdings, the airport operator, with a centralized and integrated view of everything happening at the airport, from security to boarding gates, and from ground handling to facilities management.
The system also provides an important communication component of enabling collaborative decision making between all stakeholders.
SJO is one of the top airports in Central and Latin America, and Aeris has an intensive investment program to deliver innovation and technology to strengthen its position.
SITA ControlBridge plays an integral role in providing the technology that enables the airport to coordinate, monitor and control all airport operations centrally.
Rafael Mencia, CEO of Aeris, said: “ControlBridge enables us to integrate and optimize operations across the entire airport into a single command center.
It incorporates data from every stakeholder operating at the airport, providing a complete view of everything, all the time.
This will give us much more flexibility in managing day-to-day airport operations, optimized resource management, quicker decision making and enhanced emergency response capabilities.
Ultimately, it means we’ll be able to provide a better passenger experience.
SITA was the obvious choice for this project because of its global expertise not only in the technology but also the operations and processes at an airport.
As we implement ControlBridge, SITA’s broad and practical experience will be invaluable.
As part of the project, SITA will also update the airport’s closed caption TV infrastructure and integrate it into the control center, along with radio communications.
SITA’s will procure, install, configure, and test the ControlBridge components before the system goes live in October.
Elbson Quadros, SITA Vice President for Latin America, said: “The implementation of SITA ControlBridge will provide SJO an integrated command and control capability across what are traditionally stand-alone functions.
This includes airport operations, physical security, engineering and facilities management, baggage handling, emergency response, the airport IT service desk, and more.
It is a significant move by AERIS to provide Costa Rica with a modern airport that helps improve the country’s competitiveness.
SITA’s ControlBridge solution provides fit-for-purpose airport control center technology that facilitates enhanced functionality for airports of any size and with nearly any budget.
To keep both implementation and maintenance costs to a minimum, SITA uses common off-the-shelf hardware where possible.
Combined with SITA’s unique in-depth knowledge of integrating data from diverse sources, SITA ControlBridge is the most comprehensive and cost-effective airport integrated control center technology solution available today.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
Tuesday, 23 May 2017
ST. MARTIN: Donald Trump’s St. Martin Villa Listed For Sale
U.S. President Donald Trump’s villa in French St. Martin has been listed for sale.
Le Chateau des Palmiers, which Trump reportedly first purchased in 2013, has been listed with Sotheby’s International Realty. It is now held by a trust established by Trump, in an effort to isolate him from potential conflicts of interest.
The home, located in the beautiful Les Terres Basses neighborhood on Plum Bay, had been used as a rental property marketed by top villa firms.
It boasts 11 bedrooms, 12 full bathrooms and three partial bathrooms on a 4.8-acre direct beachfront lot on Plum Bay.
Other amenities include a large pool, a tennis court, an outdoor covered bar across a two-villa complex.
The home also includes a two-bedroom manager’s area.
The home does not have a listing price, although the home had been listed for $19.7 million when he purchased it in 2013.
Southwest Airlines is continuing its rapid expansion push in the Caribbean with a trio of new Caribbean routes.
The company, which is rolling out a wave of new flights on June 4, has announced plans to launch new daily nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, beginning in November.
Southwest is also launching new weekly Saturday flights to Cancun, Mexico out of both Nashville and St. Louis, with the new service set to launch on Nov. 11.
Southwest’s Fort Lauderdale expansion, which will also include new daily service to San Jose, Costa Rica, will mean the carrier will fly to a tlta of 10 destinations out of that hub.
Starting rates on the Punta Cana flights start at $129 one way, with introductory rates for the Cancun flights at $149 one way.
Southwest is also expected to launch flights from Fort Lauderdale to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, beginning on Nov. 5.
Our position as hometown carrier both here in Nashville and in St. Louis with more than a 100 flights a day this summer from both airports makes this weekly shortcut to Cancun a natural addition for our loyal Customers to hit another popular beach destination, said Dave Harvey, who oversees International Planning as Southwest Airlines’ Managing Director of Business Development.
At the same time, we’re adding daily service in our established gateway in Fort Lauderdale as part of a larger effort to bring meaningful international service to Customers coast-to-coast who have made us America’s largest carrier.
Heading to these destinations? Check out the top all inclusive Punta Cana resorts and the best Cancun hotels.
Le Chateau des Palmiers, which Trump reportedly first purchased in 2013, has been listed with Sotheby’s International Realty. It is now held by a trust established by Trump, in an effort to isolate him from potential conflicts of interest.
The home, located in the beautiful Les Terres Basses neighborhood on Plum Bay, had been used as a rental property marketed by top villa firms.
It boasts 11 bedrooms, 12 full bathrooms and three partial bathrooms on a 4.8-acre direct beachfront lot on Plum Bay.
Other amenities include a large pool, a tennis court, an outdoor covered bar across a two-villa complex.
The home also includes a two-bedroom manager’s area.
The home does not have a listing price, although the home had been listed for $19.7 million when he purchased it in 2013.
Southwest Airlines is continuing its rapid expansion push in the Caribbean with a trio of new Caribbean routes.
The company, which is rolling out a wave of new flights on June 4, has announced plans to launch new daily nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, beginning in November.
Southwest is also launching new weekly Saturday flights to Cancun, Mexico out of both Nashville and St. Louis, with the new service set to launch on Nov. 11.
Southwest’s Fort Lauderdale expansion, which will also include new daily service to San Jose, Costa Rica, will mean the carrier will fly to a tlta of 10 destinations out of that hub.
Starting rates on the Punta Cana flights start at $129 one way, with introductory rates for the Cancun flights at $149 one way.
Southwest is also expected to launch flights from Fort Lauderdale to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, beginning on Nov. 5.
Our position as hometown carrier both here in Nashville and in St. Louis with more than a 100 flights a day this summer from both airports makes this weekly shortcut to Cancun a natural addition for our loyal Customers to hit another popular beach destination, said Dave Harvey, who oversees International Planning as Southwest Airlines’ Managing Director of Business Development.
At the same time, we’re adding daily service in our established gateway in Fort Lauderdale as part of a larger effort to bring meaningful international service to Customers coast-to-coast who have made us America’s largest carrier.
Heading to these destinations? Check out the top all inclusive Punta Cana resorts and the best Cancun hotels.
Wednesday, 17 May 2017
COSTA RICA: Costa Rica Attracting European Tourists
Increasing numbers of Europeans are boosting Costa Rica's thriving tourism industry, but lagging infrastructure and regional connectivity are crimping its potential, an investment conference in San Jose heard on Friday.
The country stands head and shoulders over the rest of Central America in tourism numbers, receiving 2.9 million visitors a year, many attracted by its eco-friendly image, Tourism Minister Mauricio Ventura told a seminar of French foreign trade advisers from across the region.
Americans account for around 40%. Europeans represent a quarter, but their numbers are rapidly growing following the introduction over the past year of direct flights Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland.
Europeans also spend more time in the country, an average of 18 nights compared to 12 for Americans meaning more tourism revenue.
Other countries in Central America have a great deal to do to improve their images to achieve Costa Rica's level of success, said Thierry de Pierrefeu, former Honduran tourism minister.
He noted that the reputation for violence in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras scares off most tourists.
Pia Lackman, the manager for Air France-KLM in Central America, said her airline had found its new direct flights to Costa Rica to be very successful.
But she pointed out that airlines need a mix of tourism and business travelers on their long-haul flights, and that there were few of the latter flying to Costa Rica.
There was also a lack of connectivity, she said, explaining that the region's flight hub was neighboring Panama, which received far more Air France flights.
The seminar also presented investment round-table discussions, including on public-private partnerships (PPP) to get big infrastructure projects built.
They were needed in Costa Rica because it must be recognized we're a poor country, we're not a country that generates wealth,for instance from oil, said Guiselle Alfaro Bogantes, deputy minister for infrastructure and concessions.
But the attendees were reminded that a PPP to modernise San Jose's airport 17 years ago got bogged down in a costly legal fight between the government and the firm chosen to run it, causing the parent company to go bankrupt.
Round-table participants, among them representatives from France's Treasury and the bank Societe Generale, said the key to prevent such fiascos was to balance risk and the need for private firms to make profit, while clearly defining the policy, legal and technical framework of a project.
The country stands head and shoulders over the rest of Central America in tourism numbers, receiving 2.9 million visitors a year, many attracted by its eco-friendly image, Tourism Minister Mauricio Ventura told a seminar of French foreign trade advisers from across the region.
Americans account for around 40%. Europeans represent a quarter, but their numbers are rapidly growing following the introduction over the past year of direct flights Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland.
Europeans also spend more time in the country, an average of 18 nights compared to 12 for Americans meaning more tourism revenue.
Other countries in Central America have a great deal to do to improve their images to achieve Costa Rica's level of success, said Thierry de Pierrefeu, former Honduran tourism minister.
He noted that the reputation for violence in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras scares off most tourists.
Pia Lackman, the manager for Air France-KLM in Central America, said her airline had found its new direct flights to Costa Rica to be very successful.
But she pointed out that airlines need a mix of tourism and business travelers on their long-haul flights, and that there were few of the latter flying to Costa Rica.
There was also a lack of connectivity, she said, explaining that the region's flight hub was neighboring Panama, which received far more Air France flights.
The seminar also presented investment round-table discussions, including on public-private partnerships (PPP) to get big infrastructure projects built.
They were needed in Costa Rica because it must be recognized we're a poor country, we're not a country that generates wealth,for instance from oil, said Guiselle Alfaro Bogantes, deputy minister for infrastructure and concessions.
But the attendees were reminded that a PPP to modernise San Jose's airport 17 years ago got bogged down in a costly legal fight between the government and the firm chosen to run it, causing the parent company to go bankrupt.
Round-table participants, among them representatives from France's Treasury and the bank Societe Generale, said the key to prevent such fiascos was to balance risk and the need for private firms to make profit, while clearly defining the policy, legal and technical framework of a project.
Saturday, 13 May 2017
MALDIVES: Maldives Has Become An Increasingly Popular Honeymoon Destination
Whether it’s for a honeymoon or an amorous escape, the Maldives with its 26 atolls, almost 1,200 islands, and over 120 luxury escapes to choose from, it comes as no surprise that the Maldives has become an increasingly popular honeymoon destination.
Brides magazine by leading travel company Condé Nast – host to some of the biggest publications such as Vogue and The New Yorker – has published winners of the Brides 2017 Honeymoon Awards. The Maldives was ranked in the fourth spot from an extravagant list that included 20 of the most romantic honeymoon destinations in the world.
“The lush, picture-perfect islands that make up this Indian Ocean archipelago are light-years beyond your average beach destination,” described Brides magazine.
Naming some of the private-island resorts in the Maldives – the likes of Soneva Jani, St. Regis Maldives Vommuli, and Four Seasons Maldives Private Island at Voavah – the magazine described the islands as being “ringed by colorful coral reefs teeming with fish and the occasional shark.”
It suggested travellers, especially those seeking the perfect honeymoon destinations, to visit the Maldives and “spend your days snorkelling, scuba diving, and lounging on the deck of your overwater villa; by night, dine by candlelight on freshly caught fish and organic veggies, then follow that with a stargazing sesh with a NASA-worthy telescope.”
Winners of the 2017 Brides Honeymoon Awards showcase a wide diversity of destinations that have made the list including French Polynesia, Italy, The Hawaiian Islands, Greece, Bali, Mexico, Thailand, Fiji, South Africa, France, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos, Costa Rica, Seychelles, Australia, New Zealand, St. Barth, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
In its pursuit of discovering the most romantic hot spots of the world, Brides teamed up with A-list agents at Virtuoso, a global network of more than 15,000 luxury-travel specialists. Given the endless romantic destinations, countless hotel options paired with limited vacation time, Brides magazine explained that “picking the perfect honeymoon is no easy feat.”
Sun Siyam Resorts has unveiled ‘Uncover Asia’ – offering travellers 5% off on all room types when a Sun Siyam Resort in Maldives is booked together with Sun Aqua Pasikudah in Sri Lanka. The Uncover Asia package is valid for guests travelling anytime between May 9 and November 1.
In addition, guests booking with the Sun Siyam Irufushi Maldives from May 9 to September 30 are eligible for another special offer; free dining plan upgrades where guests benefit from a complimentary upgrade to the next dining plan.
According to the resort, guests booking bed and breakfast can indulge themselves in free dinner, while guests booking half-board are upgraded and provided with free lunch. Guests booking full-board get a free upgrade to the all-inclusive package, the resort said.
The Sun Siyam brand currently operates boutique luxury resorts in the Maldives and Sri Lanka; Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives, Olhuveli Beach & Spa Maldives, Sun Aqua Vilu Reef Maldives and Sun Aqua Pasikudah, Sri Lanka.
Lily Beach Resort and Spa has appointed Patrice Aira as the new Resort Manager. A French national from Toulouse, Patrice joined the Lily Beach team in March.
Patrice started his career as a busboy in the dining room of Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle and worked up the ladder in the food and beverages division of several hotels before he was appointed the Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort in Mauritius.
“The Maldives is the epitome of paradise. In addition to the natural allure, I wanted to experience the Maldives’ hospitality industry first hand,” he said about the Maldives.
“Plus, the proximity of Sri Lanka and India brings about a nice mix of cultures that I was curious to discover.”
Patrice also worked as a Consultant for Richey International Ltd. and an Auditor for MKG QUALITING before his latest appointment at Lily Beach.
“When I arrived at the resort, I was amazed by the shades of blue that were surrounding the island. Also, the friendly faces that you see right upon the arrival… it’s a truly welcoming feeling,” he said.
“Everyone is loyal and focused on providing personalised service from the bottom of their heart. I’ve never seen anything like that before. What also reveals that Lily Beach stands head over shoulders above several other holiday destinations is the fact that so many of our guests feel like at home here and keep returning to the resort year after year, he said, explaining what makes Lily Beach a fascinating island.
“It’s especially inspiring to hear that even those guests who pride themselves in never spending their holiday at the same place twice make an exception with Lily!”
Patrice has an astounding fascination for diving, He said: “I devote the majority of my spare time on the island to diving the astounding coral reefs of South Ari Atoll.” He completed his Master of Business Administration at the Ecole Supérieure Internationale de Savignac in France.
Rewind back a couple of years and for most holiday-makers, the concept of wellness rarely went beyond spas. From carefully curated massages and scrubs offered in luxurious facilities, to the occasional yoga session in the morning, the definition of wellness remained very confined and vague.
But today, the scene has shifted to more travelers looking for a true escape, not just to relax a tired body, but to calm an overly stressed mind. This is where the hospitality industry comes to play.
With lifestyles becoming more hectic day by day, people have been prioritising personal wellbeing and integrating aspects of it into their holidays. The hospitality industry, especially within tropical destinations, has been observing a shift from party-centric holidays, to soothing escapes.
Last year, the wellness industry raked in a whopping US$3.7 trillion (2016, Global Wellness Summit) within the global economy. Beyond the spas, holiday makers have been putting their trust in different ends of the wellness spectrum to embrace healthier habits.
As a word, it might be modern. But as a concept, wellness dates back to the ancient times of the Roman baths. Over the years, “spa” has created an identity for itself while “wellness” is still trying to find its true place. WHO’s definition of health, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, is what laid the groundwork for wellness in the mid-20th century.
An estimated breakdown of the wellness industry cluster shows surprising results. While the component of “spa” contributes to the industry, other elements of the cluster have overtaken it. The cluster has separated elements that are wellness-oriented approaches and conventional medical-oriented approaches.
Beauty and anti-ageing tops the wellness cluster, with healthy eating and nutrition contributing the second largest chunk, and the spa industry ranking number 8 out of the 10 sectors.
Several institutes have predicted select wellness trends that travelers are moving towards this year, with the Global Wellness Summit identifying 8 trends for 2017 and beyond. Together with trends identified by other institutes, below are some of the key trends with huge potential for hoteliers to tap into.
The origins of spa saw men being very inclusive in the scene, yet overtime, spa and wellness became an approach that had more of a feminine touch to it. However, recent trends are showing the evolution from the “macho man” to the “modern man”, who is more accepting of escaping to a wellness holiday, with properties branding packages just for men.
A “Gentleman’s retreat” may include a more active itinerary with activities such as boxing, aqua fitness and winding down with a massage or even a skin care routine.
For more and more people, ageing gracefully is becoming a personal target in life. The mass appeal has provided a rise in preventative health care, with holiday makers seeking anti-ageing options to slow down the biological clock. A rising popularity for this is also coupled with travelers seeking stop-smoking retreats to help break bad habits and build the first steps to a healthier lifestyle. It is time for hoteliers to embrace the trend of ageing gracefully.
Long gone are the days when you see every single guest load up daily on sausages and fried eggs at the buffet breakfast! This is the age of detox, proportioning nutritious meals, ridding the body of toxins, keeping away from certain proteins such as gluten not by need, but by choice.
Holiday-makers are starting to explore more holistic resorts where dining and wellness are integrated. Fasting and ridiculously small-sized diet portions are not in the picture anymore, replaced with organic and filling meals that provide an overall satisfying experience.
Many of the predicted trends are already in play, with more resorts and retreats planning to cater to these travelers with different experiences. In September 2017, the Wellness Summit by Hotelier Maldives will bring together all the movers and shakers within the Maldivian hospitality industry, in an attempt to explore the potential to fuel the trends for the wellness industry in the Maldives, and imagine innovative directions to move forward.
The next article in the series will look into the current state of the wellness industry within the hospitality scene in Maldives, exploring the minds of key innovative leaders.
Brides magazine by leading travel company Condé Nast – host to some of the biggest publications such as Vogue and The New Yorker – has published winners of the Brides 2017 Honeymoon Awards. The Maldives was ranked in the fourth spot from an extravagant list that included 20 of the most romantic honeymoon destinations in the world.
“The lush, picture-perfect islands that make up this Indian Ocean archipelago are light-years beyond your average beach destination,” described Brides magazine.
Naming some of the private-island resorts in the Maldives – the likes of Soneva Jani, St. Regis Maldives Vommuli, and Four Seasons Maldives Private Island at Voavah – the magazine described the islands as being “ringed by colorful coral reefs teeming with fish and the occasional shark.”
It suggested travellers, especially those seeking the perfect honeymoon destinations, to visit the Maldives and “spend your days snorkelling, scuba diving, and lounging on the deck of your overwater villa; by night, dine by candlelight on freshly caught fish and organic veggies, then follow that with a stargazing sesh with a NASA-worthy telescope.”
Winners of the 2017 Brides Honeymoon Awards showcase a wide diversity of destinations that have made the list including French Polynesia, Italy, The Hawaiian Islands, Greece, Bali, Mexico, Thailand, Fiji, South Africa, France, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos, Costa Rica, Seychelles, Australia, New Zealand, St. Barth, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
In its pursuit of discovering the most romantic hot spots of the world, Brides teamed up with A-list agents at Virtuoso, a global network of more than 15,000 luxury-travel specialists. Given the endless romantic destinations, countless hotel options paired with limited vacation time, Brides magazine explained that “picking the perfect honeymoon is no easy feat.”
Sun Siyam Resorts has unveiled ‘Uncover Asia’ – offering travellers 5% off on all room types when a Sun Siyam Resort in Maldives is booked together with Sun Aqua Pasikudah in Sri Lanka. The Uncover Asia package is valid for guests travelling anytime between May 9 and November 1.
In addition, guests booking with the Sun Siyam Irufushi Maldives from May 9 to September 30 are eligible for another special offer; free dining plan upgrades where guests benefit from a complimentary upgrade to the next dining plan.
According to the resort, guests booking bed and breakfast can indulge themselves in free dinner, while guests booking half-board are upgraded and provided with free lunch. Guests booking full-board get a free upgrade to the all-inclusive package, the resort said.
The Sun Siyam brand currently operates boutique luxury resorts in the Maldives and Sri Lanka; Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives, Olhuveli Beach & Spa Maldives, Sun Aqua Vilu Reef Maldives and Sun Aqua Pasikudah, Sri Lanka.
Lily Beach Resort and Spa has appointed Patrice Aira as the new Resort Manager. A French national from Toulouse, Patrice joined the Lily Beach team in March.
Patrice started his career as a busboy in the dining room of Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle and worked up the ladder in the food and beverages division of several hotels before he was appointed the Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort in Mauritius.
“The Maldives is the epitome of paradise. In addition to the natural allure, I wanted to experience the Maldives’ hospitality industry first hand,” he said about the Maldives.
“Plus, the proximity of Sri Lanka and India brings about a nice mix of cultures that I was curious to discover.”
Patrice also worked as a Consultant for Richey International Ltd. and an Auditor for MKG QUALITING before his latest appointment at Lily Beach.
“When I arrived at the resort, I was amazed by the shades of blue that were surrounding the island. Also, the friendly faces that you see right upon the arrival… it’s a truly welcoming feeling,” he said.
“Everyone is loyal and focused on providing personalised service from the bottom of their heart. I’ve never seen anything like that before. What also reveals that Lily Beach stands head over shoulders above several other holiday destinations is the fact that so many of our guests feel like at home here and keep returning to the resort year after year, he said, explaining what makes Lily Beach a fascinating island.
“It’s especially inspiring to hear that even those guests who pride themselves in never spending their holiday at the same place twice make an exception with Lily!”
Patrice has an astounding fascination for diving, He said: “I devote the majority of my spare time on the island to diving the astounding coral reefs of South Ari Atoll.” He completed his Master of Business Administration at the Ecole Supérieure Internationale de Savignac in France.
Rewind back a couple of years and for most holiday-makers, the concept of wellness rarely went beyond spas. From carefully curated massages and scrubs offered in luxurious facilities, to the occasional yoga session in the morning, the definition of wellness remained very confined and vague.
But today, the scene has shifted to more travelers looking for a true escape, not just to relax a tired body, but to calm an overly stressed mind. This is where the hospitality industry comes to play.
With lifestyles becoming more hectic day by day, people have been prioritising personal wellbeing and integrating aspects of it into their holidays. The hospitality industry, especially within tropical destinations, has been observing a shift from party-centric holidays, to soothing escapes.
Last year, the wellness industry raked in a whopping US$3.7 trillion (2016, Global Wellness Summit) within the global economy. Beyond the spas, holiday makers have been putting their trust in different ends of the wellness spectrum to embrace healthier habits.
As a word, it might be modern. But as a concept, wellness dates back to the ancient times of the Roman baths. Over the years, “spa” has created an identity for itself while “wellness” is still trying to find its true place. WHO’s definition of health, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, is what laid the groundwork for wellness in the mid-20th century.
An estimated breakdown of the wellness industry cluster shows surprising results. While the component of “spa” contributes to the industry, other elements of the cluster have overtaken it. The cluster has separated elements that are wellness-oriented approaches and conventional medical-oriented approaches.
Beauty and anti-ageing tops the wellness cluster, with healthy eating and nutrition contributing the second largest chunk, and the spa industry ranking number 8 out of the 10 sectors.
Several institutes have predicted select wellness trends that travelers are moving towards this year, with the Global Wellness Summit identifying 8 trends for 2017 and beyond. Together with trends identified by other institutes, below are some of the key trends with huge potential for hoteliers to tap into.
The origins of spa saw men being very inclusive in the scene, yet overtime, spa and wellness became an approach that had more of a feminine touch to it. However, recent trends are showing the evolution from the “macho man” to the “modern man”, who is more accepting of escaping to a wellness holiday, with properties branding packages just for men.
A “Gentleman’s retreat” may include a more active itinerary with activities such as boxing, aqua fitness and winding down with a massage or even a skin care routine.
For more and more people, ageing gracefully is becoming a personal target in life. The mass appeal has provided a rise in preventative health care, with holiday makers seeking anti-ageing options to slow down the biological clock. A rising popularity for this is also coupled with travelers seeking stop-smoking retreats to help break bad habits and build the first steps to a healthier lifestyle. It is time for hoteliers to embrace the trend of ageing gracefully.
Long gone are the days when you see every single guest load up daily on sausages and fried eggs at the buffet breakfast! This is the age of detox, proportioning nutritious meals, ridding the body of toxins, keeping away from certain proteins such as gluten not by need, but by choice.
Holiday-makers are starting to explore more holistic resorts where dining and wellness are integrated. Fasting and ridiculously small-sized diet portions are not in the picture anymore, replaced with organic and filling meals that provide an overall satisfying experience.
Many of the predicted trends are already in play, with more resorts and retreats planning to cater to these travelers with different experiences. In September 2017, the Wellness Summit by Hotelier Maldives will bring together all the movers and shakers within the Maldivian hospitality industry, in an attempt to explore the potential to fuel the trends for the wellness industry in the Maldives, and imagine innovative directions to move forward.
The next article in the series will look into the current state of the wellness industry within the hospitality scene in Maldives, exploring the minds of key innovative leaders.
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
COSTA RICA: Nicoya A Tectonic Destination
April of 1997, the Nicoya Peninsula became one of the most important places in the world to study plate subduction. That year, the Costa Rican seismologist Marino Protti attended a forum in Hawaii where participants defined places around the world that showed the best characteristics. The Nicoya Peninsula ended up in first place.
In this extract, the seismologist explains how research in the peninsula has come along, why it’s so important for the rest of the planet, and what his interest is in revealing the science without caring if there are politicians or business owners against him.
Five years after the Sámara earthquake, you continue to study the Nicoya Peninsula. Why?
The Nicoya Peninsula is a laboratory. It’s a great place to study subduction processes because, unfortunately, it sits atop the fault. The vast majority of subduction zones in the world are located off shore and cannot be studied. In Nicoya we have it exposed, so it’s an excellent laboratory.
What does it mean to be exposed?
A subduction zone is where a plate slips underneath a continent. In the vast majority of countries, this area is off the coast. In Nicaragua, for example, it’s 60 kilometers off shore. In Costa Rica, this coupling zone is under the Nicoya Peninsula. There are few places on Earth where this occurs. This allows us to place instruments on the fault and see all of the deformations that occur during the process of two plates crashing together. That’s why Nicoya is a worldwide tectonic attraction.
You have said in previous interviews that this peninsula has pent up energy that was not released in the 2012 earthquake. What’s new with this energy?
Before the earthquake we had identified two strong patches along the fault. The one that didn’t move is the one that’s off shore and is a bit shallower. At some point this energy will need to be released. It could be a 7.0 earthquake, but it is definitely smaller in terms of potential damage and magnitude than the 2012 quake because the seismic waves are going to diminish when they hit the peninsula.
Is there any more precise information about when this will happen?
No. What we thought was that the two patches would slide at the same time. As this didn’t happen, the pattern changed because that patch remains and we don’t know how long it will stay. It’s probable that it will close during the next seismic cycle (50 to 60 years), but it also could happen tomorrow or in ten years. We don’t have any control over this, which is why we are very transparent in saying that it is something that we don’t know.
How is it that you can know that the Osa Peninsula it will be within five or ten years, but not when the next one in Nicoya will be?
They are large margins. Nicoya had a pattern of earthquakes every 50 years, and the last one happened 62 years ago. That’s a huge period of time. That’s why we cannot make predictions. What we do make is anticipations. In the last quake in Nicoya we anticipated where the earthquake would be, but we couldn’t predict it. In Osa we also can’t do that, but the rupture zone is much smaller, with shorter 40-year cycles.
In research and seismic predictions, there is always a problem locally with the mayor and some groups in the tourism industry, not all of them, that have censured me for this.
The seismologist considers the Nicoya Peninsula a laboratory: an excellent place to study subduction processes.
Did this censuring (that the previous council did due to the scientist’s imprecision) affect your research in any way?
I say this with pride: Nicoya is talked about at all international meetings as the example of how people should prepare for an earthquake. The Nicoya quake was big and it didn’t kill anyone. In other places around the world, much smaller quakes have killed a huge number of people. This pays for the investment that we make in preparation.
How can we be so well prepared?
Before 2002, Nicoya wasn’t considered a high-risk seismic zone in the Construction Code. Starting that year, the code became much stricter than before. Because of this, starting in 2002 many new buildings were made according to much stricter standards.
Additionally, the National Emergency Commission (in Spanish, CNE) started working with local committees, the MOPT (Transportation Ministry) reinforced important bridges, the MEP (Public Education Ministry) trained teachers and children. So there was a response before an event that was coming and not after an event happened.
How was this preparation achieved on a scientific level?
Instruments were installed. Seismographs that detect the smallest movements. Also accelerometers that only respond to strong earthquakes and don’t get saturated like the others when it’s quaking hard.
The other crucial instrument in identifying these ruptures are the continuous GPS structures that are precise to millimeters. We have placed these instruments in different places around the peninsula and we can see from day to day how each sector of the peninsula is sliding as a consequence of the crash between the Cocos and Caribbean plates.
Along with instruments there is fieldwork that involves observing beaches raised by previous quakes, sea levels, and the impact these have on the coast.
Can it be said that the scientific work that is being performed in Nicoya will be emulated in other countries?
Yes. And they started to emulate it, to use an example, even before the Nicoya earthquake. Costa Rica has a big advantage in the world and it’s that [the country] has built networks and has had a response when there’s been an earthquake. The National Volcanic and Seismic Observatory (in Spanish, OVISCORI) started putting together a Costa Rican seismological network in the beginning of the 80s - not as a reaction to an earthquake. In other countries it’s the other way around: there’s an earthquake, the country gets going and afterward it doesn’t invest in this and they don’t prepare any further.
Does your research in Antarctica have anything to do with what is being done on the peninsula right now?
During the Nicoya earthquake the peninsula moved 60 centimeters out to sea. In Antarctica, where we’re doing our research, you get a quake similar to the Nicoya one twice a day. In other words, there is a 60-centimeter movement in the fault two times a day in a much smaller area. Of course, they aren’t quakes that you can feel much, but they have the same characteristics so we wanted to register many seismic cycles in Antarctica so we can learn about the process of accumulating and releasing energy.
And are there any results?
We’re still systemizing everything that we’ve learned. After that there will be time for interpretation.
In this extract, the seismologist explains how research in the peninsula has come along, why it’s so important for the rest of the planet, and what his interest is in revealing the science without caring if there are politicians or business owners against him.
Five years after the Sámara earthquake, you continue to study the Nicoya Peninsula. Why?
The Nicoya Peninsula is a laboratory. It’s a great place to study subduction processes because, unfortunately, it sits atop the fault. The vast majority of subduction zones in the world are located off shore and cannot be studied. In Nicoya we have it exposed, so it’s an excellent laboratory.
What does it mean to be exposed?
A subduction zone is where a plate slips underneath a continent. In the vast majority of countries, this area is off the coast. In Nicaragua, for example, it’s 60 kilometers off shore. In Costa Rica, this coupling zone is under the Nicoya Peninsula. There are few places on Earth where this occurs. This allows us to place instruments on the fault and see all of the deformations that occur during the process of two plates crashing together. That’s why Nicoya is a worldwide tectonic attraction.
You have said in previous interviews that this peninsula has pent up energy that was not released in the 2012 earthquake. What’s new with this energy?
Before the earthquake we had identified two strong patches along the fault. The one that didn’t move is the one that’s off shore and is a bit shallower. At some point this energy will need to be released. It could be a 7.0 earthquake, but it is definitely smaller in terms of potential damage and magnitude than the 2012 quake because the seismic waves are going to diminish when they hit the peninsula.
Is there any more precise information about when this will happen?
No. What we thought was that the two patches would slide at the same time. As this didn’t happen, the pattern changed because that patch remains and we don’t know how long it will stay. It’s probable that it will close during the next seismic cycle (50 to 60 years), but it also could happen tomorrow or in ten years. We don’t have any control over this, which is why we are very transparent in saying that it is something that we don’t know.
How is it that you can know that the Osa Peninsula it will be within five or ten years, but not when the next one in Nicoya will be?
They are large margins. Nicoya had a pattern of earthquakes every 50 years, and the last one happened 62 years ago. That’s a huge period of time. That’s why we cannot make predictions. What we do make is anticipations. In the last quake in Nicoya we anticipated where the earthquake would be, but we couldn’t predict it. In Osa we also can’t do that, but the rupture zone is much smaller, with shorter 40-year cycles.
In research and seismic predictions, there is always a problem locally with the mayor and some groups in the tourism industry, not all of them, that have censured me for this.
The seismologist considers the Nicoya Peninsula a laboratory: an excellent place to study subduction processes.
Did this censuring (that the previous council did due to the scientist’s imprecision) affect your research in any way?
I say this with pride: Nicoya is talked about at all international meetings as the example of how people should prepare for an earthquake. The Nicoya quake was big and it didn’t kill anyone. In other places around the world, much smaller quakes have killed a huge number of people. This pays for the investment that we make in preparation.
How can we be so well prepared?
Before 2002, Nicoya wasn’t considered a high-risk seismic zone in the Construction Code. Starting that year, the code became much stricter than before. Because of this, starting in 2002 many new buildings were made according to much stricter standards.
Additionally, the National Emergency Commission (in Spanish, CNE) started working with local committees, the MOPT (Transportation Ministry) reinforced important bridges, the MEP (Public Education Ministry) trained teachers and children. So there was a response before an event that was coming and not after an event happened.
How was this preparation achieved on a scientific level?
Instruments were installed. Seismographs that detect the smallest movements. Also accelerometers that only respond to strong earthquakes and don’t get saturated like the others when it’s quaking hard.
The other crucial instrument in identifying these ruptures are the continuous GPS structures that are precise to millimeters. We have placed these instruments in different places around the peninsula and we can see from day to day how each sector of the peninsula is sliding as a consequence of the crash between the Cocos and Caribbean plates.
Along with instruments there is fieldwork that involves observing beaches raised by previous quakes, sea levels, and the impact these have on the coast.
Can it be said that the scientific work that is being performed in Nicoya will be emulated in other countries?
Yes. And they started to emulate it, to use an example, even before the Nicoya earthquake. Costa Rica has a big advantage in the world and it’s that [the country] has built networks and has had a response when there’s been an earthquake. The National Volcanic and Seismic Observatory (in Spanish, OVISCORI) started putting together a Costa Rican seismological network in the beginning of the 80s - not as a reaction to an earthquake. In other countries it’s the other way around: there’s an earthquake, the country gets going and afterward it doesn’t invest in this and they don’t prepare any further.
Does your research in Antarctica have anything to do with what is being done on the peninsula right now?
During the Nicoya earthquake the peninsula moved 60 centimeters out to sea. In Antarctica, where we’re doing our research, you get a quake similar to the Nicoya one twice a day. In other words, there is a 60-centimeter movement in the fault two times a day in a much smaller area. Of course, they aren’t quakes that you can feel much, but they have the same characteristics so we wanted to register many seismic cycles in Antarctica so we can learn about the process of accumulating and releasing energy.
And are there any results?
We’re still systemizing everything that we’ve learned. After that there will be time for interpretation.
Thursday, 2 March 2017
Health Benefits Of Coconut Water And Milk
Long before the coconut water craze, we"agua de pipa" on Tortugero Island in Costa Rica, fresh from the nut. We were taught to simply poke a hole into the shell with a sharp knife, stick in a plastic straw, and voilà, a mildly sweet, refreshing beverage that's very healthy. That was years ago, and we were actually surprised and slightly disappointed at the taste. Until that time, we only knew the creamy white coconut milk found in Thai dishes, and we were expecting something milky and opaque.
Clear Water
Coconut water is clear and found in young coconuts, whereas the mature fruit offers the rich, high-caloric milk and meat most people are accustomed to. In the Caribbean, South Asia and Southeast Asia, coconut water has been popular long before it started appearing in U.S. markets packaged in tetra paks. These days, you cannot enter a Whole Foods or health food store without stumbling upon a stack of packaged coconut water, ranging in flavors from plain to passion fruit. It tastes really good, but why is it so popular?
All-Natural
That's simple: it's full of health benefits. Coconut water is the only natural substance that can be injected into the human blood stream as an intravenous fluid. In fact, it is even used in some developing countries in lieu of medical saline. A cup-full is low in calories, contains more electrolytes than most sports drinks and has more potassium than a banana.
Full of Potassium
Besides athletes, why do people need all that potassium? Aside from preventing muscle cramps, potassium has a slew of other health benefits for the body and mind. The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center for Optimum Health cites several studies that associate increased potassium intake with decreased risk of stroke, higher bone density in premenopausal, perimenopausal, postmenopausal women and elderly men, the prevention of kidney stones and the lowering of blood pressure.
Other recent studies explore the relationship of potassium and the brain. Can potassium compete with Prozac? Yes, potassium has been shown to help with PMS and mood disorders with symptoms such as irritability, fatigue and confusion. Depression, for instance, can result in potassium deficiency and acute anxiety. So, is a serving of coconut juice the answer to all of our ailments? Certainly not, and, as with most natural remedies, the FDA is far from supporting any health claims.
Best Fresh
So try for yourself, next time you have a tension headache or worked out really hard or are feeling cranky from PMS. The water fresh from a just-cracked coconut tastes sweeter, richer and denser, but the available packed choices from ZICO and Vita Coco are really good. We are definitely nuts for coconuts.
Clear Water
Coconut water is clear and found in young coconuts, whereas the mature fruit offers the rich, high-caloric milk and meat most people are accustomed to. In the Caribbean, South Asia and Southeast Asia, coconut water has been popular long before it started appearing in U.S. markets packaged in tetra paks. These days, you cannot enter a Whole Foods or health food store without stumbling upon a stack of packaged coconut water, ranging in flavors from plain to passion fruit. It tastes really good, but why is it so popular?
All-Natural
That's simple: it's full of health benefits. Coconut water is the only natural substance that can be injected into the human blood stream as an intravenous fluid. In fact, it is even used in some developing countries in lieu of medical saline. A cup-full is low in calories, contains more electrolytes than most sports drinks and has more potassium than a banana.
Full of Potassium
Besides athletes, why do people need all that potassium? Aside from preventing muscle cramps, potassium has a slew of other health benefits for the body and mind. The Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center for Optimum Health cites several studies that associate increased potassium intake with decreased risk of stroke, higher bone density in premenopausal, perimenopausal, postmenopausal women and elderly men, the prevention of kidney stones and the lowering of blood pressure.
Other recent studies explore the relationship of potassium and the brain. Can potassium compete with Prozac? Yes, potassium has been shown to help with PMS and mood disorders with symptoms such as irritability, fatigue and confusion. Depression, for instance, can result in potassium deficiency and acute anxiety. So, is a serving of coconut juice the answer to all of our ailments? Certainly not, and, as with most natural remedies, the FDA is far from supporting any health claims.
Best Fresh
So try for yourself, next time you have a tension headache or worked out really hard or are feeling cranky from PMS. The water fresh from a just-cracked coconut tastes sweeter, richer and denser, but the available packed choices from ZICO and Vita Coco are really good. We are definitely nuts for coconuts.
Monday, 16 January 2017
INDONESIA: Kenya Among Indonesia’s Visa-free Partners In Travel Targeting 20 Million Tourists
Kenyans are free to travel to Indonesia without tourist visas, according to the latest directive issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Indonesian government has offered visa-free travel for a group of countries including Kenya, hoping to pull in more numbers and boost its faltering tourism sector.
So far, tourists from 174 countries no longer need visas to enter the Asian nation. The latest group of countries offered the facility include Australia, Brazil, Ukraine, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Palestine, Honduras, and Pakistan.
Others are Mongolia, Sierra Leone, Uruguay, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Albania, Mozambique, Macedonia, El Salvador, Zambia, Moldova, Madagascar, Georgia, Namibia, Kiribati, Armenia, Bolivia, Bhutan, Guatemala, Mauritania, and Paraguay.
“Offering visa-free travel is one of the easiest ways to boost tourist numbers,” Indonesian Tourism minister Arief Yahya was quoted as saying by the country’s local media.
Indonesia is known for its volcanic islands and scenic beaches. The country hopes to chalk up 20 million foreign tourists in 2019, doubling the 2015 record.
Visa-free travel will only be available through five international airports in Jakarta, Medan, Batam, Bali and Surabaya, and would come with tighter monitoring to minimise misuse of the facility, an Indonesian government official has said, adding foreign tourists found smuggling illegal goods, such as drugs, would face serious penalties.
The country’s President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has repeatedly said the visa-free travel is offered to boost the country’s tourism industry.
Kenya and Indonesia enjoy cordial relations and have had diplomatic ties since 1982. Diplomatic ties between the two countries began in July 1979, and in April 1982 Indonesia opened an Embassy in Nairobi.
The Kenyan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is accredited to Indonesia and In April, 2015 the Government of Kenya appointed Mr Bilal Asif as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kenya to Indonesia.
Foreign Affairs secretary Amina Mohamed said recently Kenya is seeking to forge a strong partnership with the two countries.
“Kenya considers Indonesia an important partner and has identified and expressed interest in opening a mission in your country. In the meantime, Mr Bilal Asif was appointed as the Honorary Consul of Kenya early last year and we hope that the Government of Indonesia is granting him the necessary support to carry out his mandate,” said Ms Mohamed.
She spoke in Nairobi during the farewell lunch in honour of Mr Sunu Soemarno, who was the outgoing Indonesian ambassador in early 2016. She said: “Kenya, like Indonesia, is outward looking to have a diversified and growing economy that creates a lot of opportunities. We look forward to the review of the JCC that was signed on 3rd December, 2008. I believe this will bring on board new areas for co-operation between Kenya and your great country.”
The countries have signed bilateral agreements for co-operation in various fields, notable among them the agreement on economic, scientific, technical and cultural co-operation signed in Nairobi on September 2, 1992, an MOU on establishment of Joint Commission signed on June 19, 2008.
The two nations also signed Agreed Minutes for Joint Commission for Co-operation signed on 3rd December, 2008 besides Bilateral Air Services Agreement signed in 2007 and an MoU on Fisheries Co-operation signed in 2009.
According to the Export Promotion Council, the bi-lateral trade between Kenya and Indonesia is heavily in favour of Indonesia, with the trade balance rising from $272.6 million in 2007 to $327.3 million in 2009 and $491.4 million in 2011.
Kenya’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $24.9 million and accounted for only 0.4 per cent of Kenya’s total exports in 2011.
The exports to Indonesia fluctuated over the period between 2007 and 2011 and the export products included soda ash, black tea, tobacco and products, sheep skin leather and dried leguminous vegetables. Imports from Indonesia amounted to $516.3 million in 2011 and accounted for 3.4 per cent of Kenya’s total imports.
The main import products include crude palm oil, industrial chemicals, refrigerator, yarns, natural rubber and paper and paperboard.
The Indonesian government has offered visa-free travel for a group of countries including Kenya, hoping to pull in more numbers and boost its faltering tourism sector.
So far, tourists from 174 countries no longer need visas to enter the Asian nation. The latest group of countries offered the facility include Australia, Brazil, Ukraine, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Palestine, Honduras, and Pakistan.
Others are Mongolia, Sierra Leone, Uruguay, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Albania, Mozambique, Macedonia, El Salvador, Zambia, Moldova, Madagascar, Georgia, Namibia, Kiribati, Armenia, Bolivia, Bhutan, Guatemala, Mauritania, and Paraguay.
“Offering visa-free travel is one of the easiest ways to boost tourist numbers,” Indonesian Tourism minister Arief Yahya was quoted as saying by the country’s local media.
Indonesia is known for its volcanic islands and scenic beaches. The country hopes to chalk up 20 million foreign tourists in 2019, doubling the 2015 record.
Visa-free travel will only be available through five international airports in Jakarta, Medan, Batam, Bali and Surabaya, and would come with tighter monitoring to minimise misuse of the facility, an Indonesian government official has said, adding foreign tourists found smuggling illegal goods, such as drugs, would face serious penalties.
The country’s President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has repeatedly said the visa-free travel is offered to boost the country’s tourism industry.
Kenya and Indonesia enjoy cordial relations and have had diplomatic ties since 1982. Diplomatic ties between the two countries began in July 1979, and in April 1982 Indonesia opened an Embassy in Nairobi.
The Kenyan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is accredited to Indonesia and In April, 2015 the Government of Kenya appointed Mr Bilal Asif as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Kenya to Indonesia.
Foreign Affairs secretary Amina Mohamed said recently Kenya is seeking to forge a strong partnership with the two countries.
“Kenya considers Indonesia an important partner and has identified and expressed interest in opening a mission in your country. In the meantime, Mr Bilal Asif was appointed as the Honorary Consul of Kenya early last year and we hope that the Government of Indonesia is granting him the necessary support to carry out his mandate,” said Ms Mohamed.
She spoke in Nairobi during the farewell lunch in honour of Mr Sunu Soemarno, who was the outgoing Indonesian ambassador in early 2016. She said: “Kenya, like Indonesia, is outward looking to have a diversified and growing economy that creates a lot of opportunities. We look forward to the review of the JCC that was signed on 3rd December, 2008. I believe this will bring on board new areas for co-operation between Kenya and your great country.”
The countries have signed bilateral agreements for co-operation in various fields, notable among them the agreement on economic, scientific, technical and cultural co-operation signed in Nairobi on September 2, 1992, an MOU on establishment of Joint Commission signed on June 19, 2008.
The two nations also signed Agreed Minutes for Joint Commission for Co-operation signed on 3rd December, 2008 besides Bilateral Air Services Agreement signed in 2007 and an MoU on Fisheries Co-operation signed in 2009.
According to the Export Promotion Council, the bi-lateral trade between Kenya and Indonesia is heavily in favour of Indonesia, with the trade balance rising from $272.6 million in 2007 to $327.3 million in 2009 and $491.4 million in 2011.
Kenya’s exports to Indonesia amounted to $24.9 million and accounted for only 0.4 per cent of Kenya’s total exports in 2011.
The exports to Indonesia fluctuated over the period between 2007 and 2011 and the export products included soda ash, black tea, tobacco and products, sheep skin leather and dried leguminous vegetables. Imports from Indonesia amounted to $516.3 million in 2011 and accounted for 3.4 per cent of Kenya’s total imports.
The main import products include crude palm oil, industrial chemicals, refrigerator, yarns, natural rubber and paper and paperboard.
Monday, 25 July 2016
COSTA RICA: Large Crocodile Attacks Surfer At Popular Tourist Beach
An American surfer was in serious but stable condition after he was attacked by a large crocodile at a popular tourist beach in Costa Rica on Friday, according to an emergency responder, who credited the man’s friend for fighting off the reptile with his bare hands.
Pat McNulty, who works as a consultant and is a certified trained lifeguard in Tamarindo, a northwestern town favored by surfers and eco-tourists, said the man was crossing a river with the friend when the crocodile struck.
“It was a vicious attack and he was bitten several times in the leg as well as the head,” McNulty said. “They were able to get him free, swim him to safety and then trained lifeguards responded and we administered first aid and called an ambulance.”
McNulty said he accompanied the victim, who remained lucid after the attack, to the provincial capital, Liberia, where he underwent surgery. He declined to give specifics about the man’s injuries other than to say he suffered lower leg trauma and his condition was serious, but stable.
“His friend saved his life and then we the lifeguards helped keep him alive,” McNulty said. “It was a very traumatic scene and all individuals attending him did a tremendous job.”
The victim suffered partial amputation of his right ankle and most of his calf muscle was stripped.
McNulty said he was familiar with the man before the attack, because Tamarindo is a small town where everyone knows everyone else. He declined to identify him publicly by name, but described him as a surfer from Colorado who maintains a residence in the village. Family members were traveling to be with him, McNulty added.
The US Embassy in Costa Rica said in a statement that it was aware of the case and that consular officers help US citizens when they are injured overseas, but declined to comment further citing privacy considerations.
Earlier, Costa Rican media reports had said the man was from Arizona.
Community, wildlife and tourism officials met after Friday’s attack to consider strategies for relocating crocodiles and making sure there is proper signage to keep people safe.
“We live in a country where there are large crocodiles.People take for granted that when you go into a river that you are safe, but the fact of the matter is that you need to be aware of your environment.We are in their world,” he added.
Pat McNulty, who works as a consultant and is a certified trained lifeguard in Tamarindo, a northwestern town favored by surfers and eco-tourists, said the man was crossing a river with the friend when the crocodile struck.
“It was a vicious attack and he was bitten several times in the leg as well as the head,” McNulty said. “They were able to get him free, swim him to safety and then trained lifeguards responded and we administered first aid and called an ambulance.”
McNulty said he accompanied the victim, who remained lucid after the attack, to the provincial capital, Liberia, where he underwent surgery. He declined to give specifics about the man’s injuries other than to say he suffered lower leg trauma and his condition was serious, but stable.
“His friend saved his life and then we the lifeguards helped keep him alive,” McNulty said. “It was a very traumatic scene and all individuals attending him did a tremendous job.”
The victim suffered partial amputation of his right ankle and most of his calf muscle was stripped.
McNulty said he was familiar with the man before the attack, because Tamarindo is a small town where everyone knows everyone else. He declined to identify him publicly by name, but described him as a surfer from Colorado who maintains a residence in the village. Family members were traveling to be with him, McNulty added.
The US Embassy in Costa Rica said in a statement that it was aware of the case and that consular officers help US citizens when they are injured overseas, but declined to comment further citing privacy considerations.
Earlier, Costa Rican media reports had said the man was from Arizona.
Community, wildlife and tourism officials met after Friday’s attack to consider strategies for relocating crocodiles and making sure there is proper signage to keep people safe.
“We live in a country where there are large crocodiles.People take for granted that when you go into a river that you are safe, but the fact of the matter is that you need to be aware of your environment.We are in their world,” he added.
Saturday, 12 March 2016
USA: Alaska Airlines Unveils Brand Change
Alaska Airlines has unveiled its first major identity change in over 25 years. The news broke in a moment in which the carrier remains independent, turning profits and ranking in the top of best on-time performance in the U.S. as the first 737-800 (N563AS, MSN 35180 / LN 2090) was repainted and shared with about 2,000 employees on hand for a company event held in Seattle. Heavily rumored for some time, Alaska endeavored to keep the new look a surprise by flying the plane into Sea-Tac last night in the cover of darkness.
“Our company has a unique personality and a vibrant spirit that our Eskimo has personified for almost half a century,” said Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden. “We believe our refreshed look reflects the warm relationships our employees have built with our customers, and makes us stand out in a compelling and consistent way as we expand into new markets, build loyalty and attract new customers.”
For the most part, the plane is similar to in the past. The tail got the biggest upgrade, going from just white to a nice dark blue background that we had seen in past years on the inverse AlaskaAir.com plane, N548AS before it was repainted in standard livery. A smiling Eskimo survived to see another plane while the carrier decided to take some lessons on its university planes, running blue and green stripes up the tail while leaving the nose all white.
Finally, on the front of the plane the carrier updated its logo for the second time in two years, this time going for more of a flat and bold standard font and no longer using the rough edges on the letters.
Employees were excited to see the new standard scheme get unveiled as this is the first time since 1991 that a totally new livery new has adorned an Alaska Airlines jet. This is the eighth standard livery for the carrier who launched all the way back in 1932 as McGee Airways and began offering flights out of Anchorage Alaska.
According to the airline, the brand change will also tell the story of the iconic Eskimo face that has been featured on its plane’s tail for 43 years. That iconic logo is an illustration of a real person, Chester Seveck, a reindeer herder and a Eskimo dancer who greeted deplaning tourists at Kotzebue (OTZ) for years. When first introduced, Chester’s expression was more of a frown, but this was quickly changed to a more cheerful smile. Back in 1988, the airline explored replacing the face of Chester with a new insignia. At the end, those plans were shelved after the outcry of Alaskans and customers as well.
“When I see that face, I feel proud. I feel like I’m home,” says Sallee Baltierra, a concierge in Alaska’s Anchorage Board Room airport lounge. “I love to see that Eskimo on the tail in other cities that we fly to, from Liberia, Costa Rica to Nashville, Tennessee. It makes me feel like there’s a little piece of home there waiting for me.”
Today the carrier offers flights to 111 destinations across the US, Mexico, Canada and new daily flights to Costa Rica. We don’t have any word yet on when the first Horizon Air Q400 will come out of the paint shop in the new livery but certainly can’t wait to see it. In addition to the newly painted plane, starting tomorrow travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will see a more welcoming lobby and 41 newly branded gates.
“Our refreshed brand really is an evolution, not a revolution, of Alaska Airlines,” said Sangita Woerner, the airline’s vice president of marketing. “Our goal was to reflect the soul of our company, which is known for its genuine, caring service and top-notch performance. It’s now time to show up to our customers in a bigger, brighter way.”
Alaska Airlines will take delivery of four new 737-900ER’s in the new livery, in total 40 of the airlines 147 planes will be in the new scheme by the end of 2016. The first Q400 will also be expected to rollout later this year in the new colors.
“Our company has a unique personality and a vibrant spirit that our Eskimo has personified for almost half a century,” said Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden. “We believe our refreshed look reflects the warm relationships our employees have built with our customers, and makes us stand out in a compelling and consistent way as we expand into new markets, build loyalty and attract new customers.”
For the most part, the plane is similar to in the past. The tail got the biggest upgrade, going from just white to a nice dark blue background that we had seen in past years on the inverse AlaskaAir.com plane, N548AS before it was repainted in standard livery. A smiling Eskimo survived to see another plane while the carrier decided to take some lessons on its university planes, running blue and green stripes up the tail while leaving the nose all white.
Employees were excited to see the new standard scheme get unveiled as this is the first time since 1991 that a totally new livery new has adorned an Alaska Airlines jet. This is the eighth standard livery for the carrier who launched all the way back in 1932 as McGee Airways and began offering flights out of Anchorage Alaska.
According to the airline, the brand change will also tell the story of the iconic Eskimo face that has been featured on its plane’s tail for 43 years. That iconic logo is an illustration of a real person, Chester Seveck, a reindeer herder and a Eskimo dancer who greeted deplaning tourists at Kotzebue (OTZ) for years. When first introduced, Chester’s expression was more of a frown, but this was quickly changed to a more cheerful smile. Back in 1988, the airline explored replacing the face of Chester with a new insignia. At the end, those plans were shelved after the outcry of Alaskans and customers as well.
“When I see that face, I feel proud. I feel like I’m home,” says Sallee Baltierra, a concierge in Alaska’s Anchorage Board Room airport lounge. “I love to see that Eskimo on the tail in other cities that we fly to, from Liberia, Costa Rica to Nashville, Tennessee. It makes me feel like there’s a little piece of home there waiting for me.”
Today the carrier offers flights to 111 destinations across the US, Mexico, Canada and new daily flights to Costa Rica. We don’t have any word yet on when the first Horizon Air Q400 will come out of the paint shop in the new livery but certainly can’t wait to see it. In addition to the newly painted plane, starting tomorrow travelers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will see a more welcoming lobby and 41 newly branded gates.
“Our refreshed brand really is an evolution, not a revolution, of Alaska Airlines,” said Sangita Woerner, the airline’s vice president of marketing. “Our goal was to reflect the soul of our company, which is known for its genuine, caring service and top-notch performance. It’s now time to show up to our customers in a bigger, brighter way.”
Alaska Airlines will take delivery of four new 737-900ER’s in the new livery, in total 40 of the airlines 147 planes will be in the new scheme by the end of 2016. The first Q400 will also be expected to rollout later this year in the new colors.
Sunday, 7 February 2016
UNITED KINGDOM: British Airways To Fly Direct From London To Iran
British Airways will operate a six-times weekly service during the summer before moving to daily flights towards the end of the year, beginning July 14.
British Airways’ Tehran flights will be operated by a four-class Boeing 777 aircraft and depart from Heathrow Airport Terminal 5.
British Airways CEO Willie Walsh has previously hinted at a recent conference in Dublin that the London-Tehran route would return:
“We are very interested in flying to Tehran and we are hopeful that it will form part of BA’s network in the very near future. We are actively looking at it as a destination.”
The move came a few weeks after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a lasting nuclear deal between Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany), came into force.
Based on the nuclear deal, reached in July 2015, all nuclear-related anti-Iran sanctions have been removed.
A British Airways spokeswoman said the company’s route network was regularly reviewed “to ensure that we operate to destinations with a strong demand from our customers”.
If the flights are introduced, it is thought that other Heathrow slots will be dropped to make way for the service, which was stopped in 2012.
British Airways head of network planning Neil Cottrell, said:
“Iran is a large and growing economy and Tehran is a brilliant business city so we are incredibly excited to be adding another gateway to the Middle East for our customers.
According to a British Airways spokesperson, the airline suspended flights in October 2012 when British Midland International (BMI) became part of British Airways and the route was “no longer commercially viable”.
British Airways has a long history of flying to the city and offered the first scheduled flights between London and Tehran in 1946.
Tehran is one of 14 new routes British Airways will be launching this year, which include San Jose, Costa Rica, San Jose, California and Lima in Peru.
Sunday, 17 January 2016
CUBA: Desperate Cubans To Part With $555 For Air Ticket Out Of Central America
The Cuban migrant crisis in Central America is about to get a lot more stressful. The Costa Rican government is asking 7,802 Cubans stuck on the northern border to form a single-file line and pay $555 each to catch a short flight to El Salvador then a connecting bus trip up to Mexico’s southern border.
Those who don’t have the money will have to beg, borrow or steal.
Costa Rica says the first 180-passenger charter flight is scheduled to depart Jan. 12. for San Salvador. From there, the Cubans will be put on buses and driven north through El Salvador and Guatemala and dropped on the Mexican border. Then they’re on their own.
The Tico government said it will have the first passenger list ready by Friday, prioritizing Cubans who have been stuck in Costa Rica the longest and have cash in hand. The government says the extraordinary measure will be limited to the 7,802 Cubans who currently have temporary visas to be in Costa Rica; every Cuban who shows up after that is on their own, which raises the possibility of another border pileup in the months ahead.
The package price for safe passage to Mexico is $555 or adults, and $350 for kids, and includes airfare to El Salvador, buses, food and exit taxes. Cubans traveling from Costa Rica’s southern border will have to pay $570 each. It will take at least 43 charter flights to get all the Cubans out of the country and on their way.
With a total estimated cost of nearly $4 million to get all the Cubans out of Central America, the Costa Rican government says it can’t afford to pay anyone’s passage out of the country. Those who have the money can go. Those who don’t have the money, need to figure out a way to get it.
“We are just establishing the logistics of the operation and developing the mechanism [for the Cubans to leave]. We hope it works and we can’t do more,” said Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez, who called for Cubans to remain calm and orderly during the process.
Gonzalez admits he doesn’t know what will happen to the Cubans once they arrive in Mexico, but says Costa Rica is doing as much as it can given very difficult circumstances.
The Cuban migrants have been stuck in Costa Rica since Nov. 14, when the Nicaraguan government militarized its southern border to prevent a group of 1,500 islanders from continuing their 5,000-mile overland journey to the United States. Since then, the number of Cubans piling up in Costa Rica has swelled to nearly 8,000, creating a humanitarian crisis.
Nicaraguan intransigence led to a quick proliferation of human trafficking networks, forcing Costa Rica to go to extraordinary lengths to negotiate a solution with other countries. On Dec. 28, a secret airlift deal was announced without details. The first details, including pricing, processing and the initial flight date, was announced this afternoon in San José, but how the operation will work remains to be seen.
Costa Rica insists the special airlift deal will be extended only to the 7,802 Cubans currently in Costa legally, and not to immigrants from other countries.
The Costa Rican authorities admit the airlift is not a sustainable solution to the problem, but say it’s the best they can do given “the current rules of the game”—in reference to the U.S.’ refusal to eliminate the wet-foot/dry-foot immigration policy.
Those who don’t have the money will have to beg, borrow or steal.
Costa Rica says the first 180-passenger charter flight is scheduled to depart Jan. 12. for San Salvador. From there, the Cubans will be put on buses and driven north through El Salvador and Guatemala and dropped on the Mexican border. Then they’re on their own.
The Tico government said it will have the first passenger list ready by Friday, prioritizing Cubans who have been stuck in Costa Rica the longest and have cash in hand. The government says the extraordinary measure will be limited to the 7,802 Cubans who currently have temporary visas to be in Costa Rica; every Cuban who shows up after that is on their own, which raises the possibility of another border pileup in the months ahead.
The package price for safe passage to Mexico is $555 or adults, and $350 for kids, and includes airfare to El Salvador, buses, food and exit taxes. Cubans traveling from Costa Rica’s southern border will have to pay $570 each. It will take at least 43 charter flights to get all the Cubans out of the country and on their way.
With a total estimated cost of nearly $4 million to get all the Cubans out of Central America, the Costa Rican government says it can’t afford to pay anyone’s passage out of the country. Those who have the money can go. Those who don’t have the money, need to figure out a way to get it.
“We are just establishing the logistics of the operation and developing the mechanism [for the Cubans to leave]. We hope it works and we can’t do more,” said Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Manuel Gonzalez, who called for Cubans to remain calm and orderly during the process.
Gonzalez admits he doesn’t know what will happen to the Cubans once they arrive in Mexico, but says Costa Rica is doing as much as it can given very difficult circumstances.
The Cuban migrants have been stuck in Costa Rica since Nov. 14, when the Nicaraguan government militarized its southern border to prevent a group of 1,500 islanders from continuing their 5,000-mile overland journey to the United States. Since then, the number of Cubans piling up in Costa Rica has swelled to nearly 8,000, creating a humanitarian crisis.
Nicaraguan intransigence led to a quick proliferation of human trafficking networks, forcing Costa Rica to go to extraordinary lengths to negotiate a solution with other countries. On Dec. 28, a secret airlift deal was announced without details. The first details, including pricing, processing and the initial flight date, was announced this afternoon in San José, but how the operation will work remains to be seen.
Costa Rica insists the special airlift deal will be extended only to the 7,802 Cubans currently in Costa legally, and not to immigrants from other countries.
The Costa Rican authorities admit the airlift is not a sustainable solution to the problem, but say it’s the best they can do given “the current rules of the game”—in reference to the U.S.’ refusal to eliminate the wet-foot/dry-foot immigration policy.
ECUADOR: Ecuador Imposes New Visa Requirements In Attempt To Stop Floods Of Cuban Migrants
Panamanian border guard reads from list of Cubans whose passports have been processed in Puerto Obaldia
In what appears to be another example of Cuban backchanneling, Ecuador on Thursday announced it will start requiring visas for all Cubans who have been using the South American country as a springboard to emigrate to the United States. The new visa requirements are expected to take effect by the end of next week.
Ecuador’s announcement comes on the heels of Nicaragua’s decision to close its border to northbound Cubans. The move has created a humanitarian and political crisis on Costa Rica’s northern border, where more than 3,000 Cubans are stuck in migratory limbo. And thousands more are on their way.
Since Havana and Washington announced a thawing of diplomatic relations last December, a flood tide of Cubans has left the island in an desperate attempt to make it to U.S. soil before improving ties bring an end to the Cuban Adjustment Act. Most of the Cubans emigrating to the U.S. come by land via Ecuador, whose visa-free immigration policy made it one of the only countries in the hemisphere that allowed Cubans to enter with no questions asked.
As a result, tens of thousands of Cubans saved their remittances and sold their homes to buy a roundtrip ticket to Ecuador to start the long journey to “La Yuma,” as Cubans call the United States.
“I used to fly to Ecuador several times a year to buy clothes to sell in Cuba. The flights from Havana to Quito were always full, but on the return flights I could sit anywhere on the plane I wanted; I could even take a whole row to myself,” a Cuban man I met in the Panamanian jungle told me, as he made his way north after taking his last flight to Ecuador.
Cuba was aware of the embarrassing situation and has apparently tried to backchannel a solution with its leftist allies. First it got Nicaragua to twist the garden hose at the border, and now it’s getting Ecuador to close the spigot at its source. Ironically, Cuba, which has long complained that the U.S. treats Cubans differently than other foreigners, is apparently now asking Ecuador to do the same thing by making an exception to its visa-free policy for Cubans.
Ecuador’s deputy foreign minister Xavier Lasso insists his country is not closing its doors to Cubans. But the new visa requirements will make it harder for them to enter the country in ways that are still not clear.
The move also leaves unknown thousands of Cubans stuck in transit between Ecuador and Nicaragua. There are some 3,600 Cubans currently stuck in Costa Rica, and potentially thousands more still making their way through Panama, Colombia and Ecuador.
For the time being, the Costa Rica border crisis will remain an ever-worsening situation as more Cubans continue to pile up against Nicaraguan soldiers. And with the Sandinista government refusing to negotiate a solution with its neighbors, it remains anyone’s guess what will happen next.
Ecuador’s announcement comes on the heels of Nicaragua’s decision to close its border to northbound Cubans. The move has created a humanitarian and political crisis on Costa Rica’s northern border, where more than 3,000 Cubans are stuck in migratory limbo. And thousands more are on their way.
Since Havana and Washington announced a thawing of diplomatic relations last December, a flood tide of Cubans has left the island in an desperate attempt to make it to U.S. soil before improving ties bring an end to the Cuban Adjustment Act. Most of the Cubans emigrating to the U.S. come by land via Ecuador, whose visa-free immigration policy made it one of the only countries in the hemisphere that allowed Cubans to enter with no questions asked.
As a result, tens of thousands of Cubans saved their remittances and sold their homes to buy a roundtrip ticket to Ecuador to start the long journey to “La Yuma,” as Cubans call the United States.
“I used to fly to Ecuador several times a year to buy clothes to sell in Cuba. The flights from Havana to Quito were always full, but on the return flights I could sit anywhere on the plane I wanted; I could even take a whole row to myself,” a Cuban man I met in the Panamanian jungle told me, as he made his way north after taking his last flight to Ecuador.
Cuba was aware of the embarrassing situation and has apparently tried to backchannel a solution with its leftist allies. First it got Nicaragua to twist the garden hose at the border, and now it’s getting Ecuador to close the spigot at its source. Ironically, Cuba, which has long complained that the U.S. treats Cubans differently than other foreigners, is apparently now asking Ecuador to do the same thing by making an exception to its visa-free policy for Cubans.
Ecuador’s deputy foreign minister Xavier Lasso insists his country is not closing its doors to Cubans. But the new visa requirements will make it harder for them to enter the country in ways that are still not clear.
The move also leaves unknown thousands of Cubans stuck in transit between Ecuador and Nicaragua. There are some 3,600 Cubans currently stuck in Costa Rica, and potentially thousands more still making their way through Panama, Colombia and Ecuador.
For the time being, the Costa Rica border crisis will remain an ever-worsening situation as more Cubans continue to pile up against Nicaraguan soldiers. And with the Sandinista government refusing to negotiate a solution with its neighbors, it remains anyone’s guess what will happen next.
Friday, 18 December 2015
MEXICO: Aeromexico Announces New Route For 2016, Amsterdam
This new route will be operated using Boeing 787 aircraft with 243 seat capacity, including 32 seats in Clase Premier, Aeromexico's Business Class Cabin. The Dreamliner is considered one of the most advanced commercial aircraft in the skies, offering benefits that include extra legroom, more storage space for carry-on bags, bigger windows that can be dimmed at the touch of a button, personal entertainment system, Sky Interiors LED lighting, and new in-flight menu services.
Anko van der Werff, Aeromexico's Chief Revenue Officer, said, "Aeromexico is extremely proud to add Amsterdam to its European route network. The Netherlands is the fourth largest Mexico's trading partner in the European Union, and nowadays, an average of 200,000 annual passengers travel between both capital cities".
"With this flight, Aeromexico will be able to offer a quality service to all of its customers traveling from the Netherlands on board our Boeing 787 aircraft with greater connectivity options to the main cities in Mexico, such as Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Puerto Vallarta, and in Central and South America, including San Jose, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama.", he added.
One of the key factors in establishing this new route is Amsterdam's status as a major SkyTeam hub where KLM offers a significant number of flights within Europe. Aeromexico is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance.
Aeromexico is proud to crown the year 2015 by announcing the addition of a new route, just as it did at the beginning of this year, thus allowing the airline to increase the economic, commercial and tourist exchange between the two nations, as well as the number of passengers carried between Mexico and Europe.
About Grupo Aeromexico
Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. is a holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in commercial aviation in Mexico and the promotion of passenger loyalty programs. Aeromexico, Mexico's global airline, operates more than 600 daily flights and its main hub is in Terminal 2 at the Mexico City International Airport. Its destinations network features more than 80 cities on three continents, including 46 destinations in Mexico, 16 in the United States, 16 in Latin America, three in Canada, three in Europe and two in Asia.
The Group's fleet of about 130 aircraft is comprised of Boeing 787, 777 and 737 jet airliners and next generation Embraer 145, 170, 175 and 190 models. In 2012, the airline announced the most significant investment strategy in aviation history in Mexico, to purchase 100 Boeing aircraft including 90 MAX B737 jet airliners and 10 B787-9 Dreamliners.
As a founding member of SkyTeam, the airline alliance which this year celebrates its 15th anniversary, Aeromexico offers customers more than 1,000 destinations in 179 countries served by the 20 SkyTeam airline partners rewarding passengers with benefits including access to 636 premium airport lounges around the world. Aeromexico also offers travel on its codeshare partner flights with Delta Air Lines, Alaska Airlines, Avianca, Copa Airlines and Westjet with extensive connectivity in countries like the United States, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia and Peru
Friday, 27 November 2015
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa Voted Top Adventure Destination For 2016
South Africa has been named the top adventure travel destination in the world for 2016, pipping hot contenders Costa Rica and the Galapagos Islands to the post in Virtuoso International Luxury Travel’s annual rankings.
Virtuoso gives credit to southern Africa’s rise as tourism destination by including South Africa on two of its most important lists in its 2016 Virtuoso Luxe Report, which named the top global destinations for 2016, along with other destination categories.
The listings come at the same time that the Rainbow Nation country also slipped onto Virtuoso’s list of top five luxury travel destinations for next year, only being beaten by Italy and France.
Virtuoso is considered the travel industry’s leading luxury network consisting of both travel advisors and travel partners who specialise in creating travel itineraries you would not find online or plan yourself.
The achievement follows the recent announcement that Botswana has topped Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2016 list, followed by Japan and the USA. South Africa’s land-locked neighbour, which will be celebrating its 50th year of independence next year, is known for its rare combination of desert and delta, as well as its vast array of wildlife. A total of 17 per cent of the country is dedicated to national parks and in 2014 the Okavango Delta became Unesco’s 1,000th World Heritage Site.
Virtuoso’s results are based on the responses of elite advisors credited for being trend forecasters. While some may not be surprised that South Africa made it to the top in the adventure category, many are surprised about its ranking in the luxury category. Yet, Virtuoso says in a statement South Africa is far from short on luxury. Eight SA hotels were named in the world’s top 50 in the recent Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards. South Africa also dominated the list of the best African hotels.
The top global destinations according to Virtuoso are:
1. Italy
2. France
3. South Africa
4. Mexico
5. Australia
The top adventure destinations are:
1. South Africa
2. Costa Rica
3. Galapagos Islands
4. New Zealand
5. Peru
Virtuoso gives credit to southern Africa’s rise as tourism destination by including South Africa on two of its most important lists in its 2016 Virtuoso Luxe Report, which named the top global destinations for 2016, along with other destination categories.
The listings come at the same time that the Rainbow Nation country also slipped onto Virtuoso’s list of top five luxury travel destinations for next year, only being beaten by Italy and France.
Virtuoso is considered the travel industry’s leading luxury network consisting of both travel advisors and travel partners who specialise in creating travel itineraries you would not find online or plan yourself.
The achievement follows the recent announcement that Botswana has topped Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2016 list, followed by Japan and the USA. South Africa’s land-locked neighbour, which will be celebrating its 50th year of independence next year, is known for its rare combination of desert and delta, as well as its vast array of wildlife. A total of 17 per cent of the country is dedicated to national parks and in 2014 the Okavango Delta became Unesco’s 1,000th World Heritage Site.
Virtuoso’s results are based on the responses of elite advisors credited for being trend forecasters. While some may not be surprised that South Africa made it to the top in the adventure category, many are surprised about its ranking in the luxury category. Yet, Virtuoso says in a statement South Africa is far from short on luxury. Eight SA hotels were named in the world’s top 50 in the recent Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards. South Africa also dominated the list of the best African hotels.
The top global destinations according to Virtuoso are:
1. Italy
2. France
3. South Africa
4. Mexico
5. Australia
The top adventure destinations are:
1. South Africa
2. Costa Rica
3. Galapagos Islands
4. New Zealand
5. Peru
Monday, 9 November 2015
USA: Alaska Airlines Flys To Costa Rica
New route celebrations were held at both ends of Alaska Airlines’ new route from Los Angeles to San José in Costa Rica. This four times weekly service was started the day before another destination in the country, namely Liberia, was served and again operated from the Californian airport.
Alaska Airlines started its first flights into Costa Rica, with four times weekly services from Los Angeles (LAX) to both Liberia (LIR) and San José (SJO). The former 4,228-kilometre sector began on 1 November, while 4,379-kilometre services to the Costa Rican capital began the day before.
Delta Air Lines is the incumbent on both sectors, flying daily to San José and thrice-weekly to Liberia from the Californian airport. Both routes are operated by the airline’s 737-700 fleet.
“As the most popular Central American tourist destination for US travellers, Costa Rica is one of the best places in the Western Hemisphere for adventure tourism,” said John Kirby, Alaska Airlines’ VP of Capacity Planning.
“With the addition of Costa Rica, Alaska offers up to 80 peak season weekly departures from Southern California to Latin America, more than any other airline.” Vote for Los Angeles Airport’s route launch cake.
Thursday, 8 October 2015
BANGLADESH: Medical Tourism Booms In Asia
THE lines snaking into Bangladesh's overwhelmed hospitals are often so long, says Nusrat Hussein Kiwan, that they extend into the street outside -- too many patients seeking too few quality doctors.
So, through a Google search, the wife of a Bangladeshi construction executive chose a Malaysian hospital for her heart bypass surgery.
"It's peaceful here, and my doctors are good," Kiwan, 65, said during a post-op check-up at a Kuala Lumpur private hospital, looking full of life in an orange headscarf and sparkling gold bracelets.
"I didn't expect to be as good as before. But I'm better."
Kiwan spent RM20,000 on the procedure earlier this year, joining a booming global medical tourism market that is seeing particularly rapid growth in Southeast Asia.
US-based industry resource Patients Beyond Borders estimates the world market is expanding by 25 percent per year -- it reached US$55 billion with 11 million medical tourists in 2013.
International medical tourism began to gain ground in the 1980s as Latin American countries such as Costa Rica and Brazil offered relatively cheap dental, cosmetic and other procedures to US and European patients driven south by high costs.
But the onetime niche market has developed into a multi-billion-dollar industry as developing-world health systems improve, global aviation links spread, and the Internet broadens patients' horizons.
Procedures vary widely from fertility treatments in Barbados, to cosmetic surgery in Brazil, heart and eye operations in Malaysia, and gender-reassignment in Thailand.
Perfect storm
The sector benefits from a "perfect storm of an ageing global population, rising affluence and greater choice in quality hospitals," said Josef Woodman, CEO of Patients Beyond Borders.
"This is particularly true in Asia, where disparities in quality of care are driving millions of patients to countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan -- and even the US and UK -- in search of medical treatment not yet available in their homelands."
"The near-term growth potential is significant," he said.
Increasingly, major Asian players like India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand are aggressively promoting treatments at up to 80% savings compared to developed nations, with some companies arranging package trips that combine a nose job with a little beach time.
Southeast Asia, in particular, is considered a medical-tourism "sweet spot," with decades of solid economic growth creating high-quality medical systems that remain competitively priced.
Patients come from both rich and poor nations, the former driven by high costs at home, and the latter seeking better-quality care.
Malaysia's market has nearly doubled since 2010, reaching 770,000 patients and RM200 million in revenue last year, according to government figures.
"We are behind Thailand for sure, but we are giving Singapore a good fight," said T. Mahadevan, head of the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia.
Thailand says it attracted 2.53 million medical tourists in 2012. Though its figures include spa tourists, that's a one-third increase in just two years, a period in which revenues nearly doubled to around US$4.2 billion.
In Singapore, medical tourists spent US$630 million last year, a figure likely inflated by the modern city-state's relatively higher costs. Patients Beyond Borders estimates Singapore draws more than a half-million treatment-seekers annually, mostly from neighbouring Indonesia, where health systems lag.
Malaysia set up a special body in 2009 to streamline and organise industry players.
Patients Without Borders calls Malaysia "medical travel's best-kept secret", noting the widely spoken fluent English and far cheaper medical costs compared to Japan, the United States, Europe and other key clientele sources.
"I would come back here again. I would definitely recommend it," Alexandria Garvie, 61, said from her hospital bed in Kuala Lumpur after a tummy tuck.
The RM5,000 procedure -- around one-quarter of what she would have paid at home in Australia -- was performed at the Beverly Wilshire Medical Centre.
The company also recently opened a new branch near the border with Singapore to entice patients from the more affluent city-state.
Most medical tourists to Malaysia, however, are well-heeled visitors from less-developed Indonesia, followed by Indians, Japanese and Chinese. Future growth is expected from the wealthy Middle East.
Sun and silicone
Ancillary businesses have sprouted.
Beautiful Holidays, based on the northern Malaysian island of Penang, connects overseas clients with local cosmetic surgeons, arranges their accommodations, and shepherds them to pre- and post-op check-ups.
But it also arranges drinks, dining and sightseeing in Penang, know for its historical sites, beaches and cultural melange.
"The idea is to have people come here for holidays -- sun and silicone, that kind of thing," said Tony Leong, the company's programme director.
Ashley Higgins, a 30-year-old American, has used the company twice, first for a breast augmentation, then a nose job.
She was initially wary of going under the knife on the other side of the globe, but price concerns won out.
"The hard part is trusting people when you are 1,000 miles from home. I felt comfortable coming here," she said.
Wednesday, 7 October 2015
Why Is Fast Food An Attraction
Ordering fried chicken at a fast-food restaurant in Colombia’s capital, Paola Flores is one of millions of Latin Americans struggling with obesity, an epidemic hitting this region harder than others in the developing world.
More than 56 percent of Latin American adults are overweight or obese, compared to a global average of 34 percent, according to a report by the Overseas Development Institute last year.
The growing problem often affects the poorest in society, and threatens to overwhelm Latin America’s public health systems and curtail economic gains in the long run, experts say.
“Buying a family combo of fried chicken, chips and a soft drink can feed me and my three children at a price I can afford,” Flores, a secretary, said as she stood in line.
Since 1991, the number of hungry people in Latin America has nearly halved to 37 million in December from 68.5 million. While the region is the only one that is on track to meet U.N. goals on reducing hunger by 2015, far less attention has been paid to combating obesity.
In the past decade, fast-growing economies buoyed by a commodities boom, includingMexico, Colombia and Brazil, have seen a rising middle class with a taste for more processed food that are high in salt, sugar and fat.
Aid in the form of cash transfers, pioneered by some of the region’s left-leaning governments, particularly Brazil, mean people have more money to spend on food.
Governments and nutrition programs now need to focus on ensuring people buy more foods high in fiber and protein, such as fruits and vegetables, U.N. officials said.
“In the past, the main problem we had in Latin America was under-nutrition. We tried to spend efforts on school feeding programs and supplements for families,” said Yenory Hernandez-Garbanzo from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Now, we have to look at the bigger picture. We were feeding these families with a lot of energy but we weren’t teaching them how to be balanced in their diets.
Obesity is the fastest-growing chronic disease, killing 2.8 million adults every year. Obesity-related conditions, including diabetes and heart disease, now cause more deaths than hunger, according to the World Economic Forum.
“Rapidly rising rates of obesity in Latin America and worldwide bring huge social challenges and places a tremendous burden on the individuals affected, as well as the global economy and public healthcare systems,” said Florencia Vasta, a specialist at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.
Mexico faces the region’s most acute obesity crisis, with 70 percent of adults overweight or obese, according to Mexico’s National Institute for Public Health (INSP).
Obesity in some countries in Latin America, like Mexico, is an epidemic where extreme measures need to be taken,” Juan Rivera, head of INSP’s health and nutrition research center.
Obesity cost the Mexican economy an estimated $5.5 billion in 2008, he said, and if the problem is not addressed, the figure is expected to hit $12.5 billion by 2017.
To combat obesity, which Mexico has declared a public health priority, lawmakers have introduced measures to promote exercise and healthy eating, such as free subway rides if passengers perform 10 squats and a 2014 tax on sugary drinks and junk food.
Other measures include banning unhealthy food from school cafeterias and require all schools to provide water fountains to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks.
Costa Rica, Uruguay and Colombia have also introduced similar initiatives to promote healthy food in schools, while Ecuador has introduced controls on food labeling.
“Mexico has taken good steps in its fight against obesity during this and the previous administration but there’s still much ground to cover,” Rivera said.
Experts say one reason why obesity is such a problem in Latin America stems from the power of multinational food and beverage firms, particularly those from the United States.
“One of the biggest issues here is the influence of the food industry,” FAO nutrition expert Melissa Vargas said. “They have … a lot of political influence and money for advertising.”
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
COSTA RICA: British Airways Launching Flights to Costa Rica
British Airways is adding flights to Costa Rica.
The carrier announced plans to launch nonstop flights between London Gatwick and San Jose, Costa Rica beginning May 4, 2016.
The flights will initially operate twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday), rising to three times a week in the winter (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).
British Airways will be operating the flights on Boeing 777 aircraft.
“With everything from its incredible wildlife, rugged rainforests and volcanic peaks, as well as stunning beaches and – of course – world-famous coffee – Costa Rica offers an incredible array of places to visit and experience,” said Colm Lacy, British Airways’ head of commercial Gatwick. “Adding Costa Rica to our wide range of flights from Gatwick boosts our network and gives customers an even greater choice of diverse destinations. We’re very excited to have the opportunity to fly nonstop between London and San Jose and we’re sure this route will prove very popular with those looking for a holiday that’s definitely out of the ordinary.”
In a statement, Costa Rica Tourism Minister Mauricio Ventura said the new service “demonstrates the success of our strategy to attract premium airlines to our country.”
Costa Rica has seen a 12.9 percent increase in tourists from the UK in the last year, averaging two weeks per visit, he said.
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