Thursday, January 28, 2010

Singaporean tourist found dead in KL budget hotel


Malaysian police broke down a bathroom door to find a dead man in a budget hotel in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. He was found in a sitting position on the toilet bowl.

The hotel is in Jalan Sultan in downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Police told Bernama that the 48-year-old man, a tourist from Singapore, arrived in Malaysia on January 16.

At noon yesterday, a cleaner reported a foul smell from one of the bathrooms. Hotel staff called the police.

Officers called to the scene pried open the bathroom door, which was locked from inside.

They found a dead man in a seated posture on the toilet bowl, along with remnants of burnt charcoal.

As the windows and door were sealed, the man was suspected to have died from suffocation caused by the inhalation of the fumes emitted by the burning charcoal, said KL police.

The Singaporean was estimated to have been dead for 48 hours before he was discovered.

Police have classified the case under sudden death and the body has been sent to the Kuala Lumpur hospital for an autopsy.


Source

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Singapore's first casino set for partial opening


Singapore's first casino-resort is set to partially open Wednesday, a key part of a government plan to reduce reliance on manufacturing and brand the tightly controlled city-state as a cosmopolitan Asian capital.

Resorts World Sentosa, built by Malaysia's Genting Bhd for 6.6 billion Singapore dollars ($5 billion), will open 1,340 rooms in four hotels, including a Hard Rock hotel and a property designed by architect Michael Graves.

A Universal Studios theme park will likely open next month on the sprawling 49-hectare complex on Sentosa, an island a quarter of a mile off Singapore's coast.

The resort's casino, the city-state's first, is expected to open in March after Genting's application for a license was delayed to December from October when gambling authorities asked for more information. Officials have said it will probably take three months to process the license.

Singapore -- known for its ban on chewing gum sales and canings for crimes some countries would rule as minor -- strictly controls public speech and assembly though has become socially more liberal and allowed greater artistic freedom in recent years. The decision to allow casinos followed a rare national debate though the government's desired outcome was never in doubt.

The government expects Resorts World -- along with the expected May opening of the Marina Bay Sands casino resort -- to increase the country's gross domestic product growth growth by up to 1 percentage point, boost tourist arrivals and add 35,000 jobs.

With a well-educated population that speaks English, Chinese and Malay, Singapore is increasingly focusing on finance and tourism, said Irvin Seah, an economist with DBS Bank in Singapore.

"Services are really a green pasture going forward for Singapore," Seah said. "It's the area which we really want to fully exploit and it's where we have a comparative advantage in the region."

Manufacturing, which has long dominated the economy, has been slowly leaving the country as companies seek cheaper labor costs in regional neighbors such as China and Vietnam.

"Competitors are catching up very quickly," Seah said. "In some segments of the manufacturing sector, we are certainly fighting a losing battle."


Source

Monday, January 25, 2010

Accor Hotels in Singapore Extend Explore Singapore Promotion Due to Overwhelming Response


Take advantage of the extended period of 'Explore Singapore' promotion with free City Tour, Internet Access and Buffet Breakfast included at Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore, Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay and ibis Singapore on Bencoolen.

Singapore (PRWEB) January 14, 2010 -- Accor Hotels in Singapore - a European leader in hotels and tourism, extends the ongoing 'Explore Singapore' promotion to March, 31 2010 for stays until 30 April 2010. Starting from SGD143++ (USD105++), the promotion offers quality accommodations at great locations in Singapore and additional benefits including free buffet breakfast, 1-day unlimited open-top bus city tour, unlimited Internet access and much more.

Due to popular demand, Accor's Explore Singapore promotion has been extended. The campaign, which involves all Accor hotels in Singapore including Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore, Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay and ibis Singapore on Bencoolen, have generated significant interest among both leisure and corporate travelers visiting Singapore. Over 4,000 room nights have already been booked in less than a month promotion period and the bookings are still growing.

Visitors staying at Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore, Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay and ibis Singapore on Bencoolen under the Explore Singapore promotion will enjoy great benefits with room rate starting from SGD143++ (USD105++) a night, inclusive of free city tour, buffet breakfast and unlimited Internet access.

Incorporating a special complimentary one-day unlimited open-top bus city tour, guests taking advantage of the Explore Singapore promotion will have a chance to experience more than 20 tourist attractions at the leisure of your own pace. Visit popular places like Botanic Gardens, Chinatown, Chjimes, Merlion Park, Orchard Road, River Cruise, Singapore Flyer and etc. with accompanied tour guide who will ensure hopping on and off the bus is a delightful adventure.

EXPLORE SINGAPORE Promotion also includes:


* One night stay at your choice of hotels
* Daily buffet breakfast
* One-day unlimited city tour
* Free internet access
* Enjoy original authentic bumboat ride for only just S$8 (Usual Price: S$13)
* 10% discount for Singapore Flyer ticket
* Free drink at Hard Rock Café + discounted coupon
* Free drink at Manchester United Café Bar in Boat Quay


Select your choice of hotels:


* Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore from SGD148++ (USD109++), the hotel also provides complimentary airport transfer.
* Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay from SGD188++ (USD138++), the hotel is strategically located in the heart of the city.
* ibis Singapore on Bencoolen from SGD143++ (USD105++), the hotel is recently voted the ‘Best Budget Hotel 2009' by TTG.


This offer is valid for stays from now to 30 April 2010, perfect for both leisure and business travelers visiting Singapore for Asian Sports Hub & Tourism Conference, Singapore Air Show and experience Chinese New Year in Singapore. Take advantage of this offer and book online at "www.explore-singapore.com.sg" before 31 March 2010.

Terms and Conditions apply. Promotion offer is subject to room availability and may not be available during hotel's peak periods. Price shown may differ due to daily currency exchange rate.

About Grand Mercure Roxy Singapore
Grand Mercure Roxy is an ideal hotel for a business trip or holiday in Singapore. Amidst the heritage charms of historic Katong, the hotel enjoys easy access to the city centre, Singapore Expo, the Suntec Convention Centre and Orchard Road. Enjoy fantastic shopping at the nearby Parkway Parade or a great day out at East Coast Park with beaches, recreational facilities and renowned seafood restaurants. 15 minutes from Changi Airport with complimentary shuttle service.

About Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay
Located in the vibrant and dynamic Clarke Quay area, Novotel Clarke Quay is well known for its breath-taking view of the Singapore River. The hotel is minutes away from the Central Business District and shopping malls with easily accessible public transports reaching out to other parts of Singapore. Featuring 401 recently renovated rooms and modern amenities, this 4-star hotel is a perfect choice for both leisure and business travelers.

About ibis Singapore on Bencoolen
Easily reached by public transportation, ibis on Bencoolen is conveniently located within the cultural, shopping and business districts. Don't be misled by the price tag, the hotel is the premier choice among budget conscious travelers who still demand international service standards.

About Accor
Accor, a major global group and the European leader in hotels, as well as the global leader in services to corporate clients and public institutions, operates in nearly 100 countries with 150,000 employees. It offers to its clients over 40 years of expertise in two core businesses:

- Hotels, with the Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1 and Motel 6 brands, representing 4,000 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, such as Lenôtre;

- Services, with 30 million people in 40 countries benefiting from Accor Services products in employee and public benefits, rewards and loyalty, and expense management.


Source

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Singapore to help boost eco-tourism in Johor


SINGAPORE, Jan 8 — Singapore is lending Malaysia its expertise in developing green reserves for eco-tourism.

The tourism agencies of both countries have started a joint feasibility study to look into how an attraction like Singapore's Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in Kranji can be replicated across the Causeway.

The areas that Malaysia hopes to develop into tourism spots are all in Johor — Sungai Pulai, Tanjung Piai and Pulau Kukup.

All have been classified as Ramsar sites, a title granted by the Geneva-based Ramsar Convention Bureau to identify wetlands of international importance.

Johor's lush Sungai Pulai alone spans 9ha. Officially gazetted in 1923, it is the country's second-largest mangrove forest.

It sits at the mouth of a lowland tropical river basin, and is home to seagrass beds, intertidal mudflats and an inland freshwater riverine forest, which teem with animal life.

The joint feasibility study, expected to be completed this year, is the first such venture into the tourism sector.

It will identify appropriate activities for visitors and the kind of people likely to go there, as well as explore the adoption of a code of management practices.

The first mention of the collaboration between Singapore and Malaysia in this area came from Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan last year, when he gave an update on Singapore's involvement in Iskandar Malaysia, a project to develop southern Johor's economic corridor.

Collaborations between the two countries in this economic zone come under a joint ministerial committee.

Mah added that the two sides' environment agencies are also sharing expertise in areas such as river cleaning.

Malaysia's senior regional government officials have been quoted in the media as having said that the move to develop Sungai Pulai is in line with the plan to build a viable tourist hot spot there.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman told the New Straits Times: “Together with the rapid development in Iskandar Malaysia, the state aims to preserve its natural beauty and carry out sustainable development.”

When contacted, John Conceicao, director of strategic planning and innovation at the Singapore Tourism Board, said it was working with its Malaysian counterpart on developing joint marketing campaigns for the nature sites “to potentially increase tourism flows into and between Iskandar Malaysia and Singapore”.

Professor Leo Tan, director of special projects at the National University of Singapore, said that if the findings of the study are followed through and adopted, the area's vital eco-system could be preserved.

Pointing to Sungei Buloh here, he said that it had, with proper management, “morphed out of what was nothing more than a dilapidated prawn pond”.

He added: “The key for any country lies in optimising its resources in a rational and educated manner... to develop an appreciation and understanding of why we need to protect our biodiversity.” — The Straits Times


Source

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Seoul becoming more multi-lingual to entice tourists


SEOUL: The craze over Korean pop culture in recent years has turned Seoul into one of Asia's top travel spots.

With a better global economic outlook, the South Korean capital is expecting another bumper year in visitor numbers in 2010.

However, with competition coming from other cities, Seoul is not resting on its laurels. Instead, the city is going the extra mile to make foreigners feel at home.

The subway ticket vending machines in Seoul are mutli-lingual wonders that "speak" in four languages - English, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean.

"I find the subway is easy to get around," said a Canadian visitor. "Once you are up the subway, there're always signs pointing you to the right direction. It's really great."

Street signs with English translation are seen everywhere, while information centres in many parts of the city are manned by multi-lingual staff.

But while Seoul has come a long way in transforming itself into a global metropolis, many foreigners still find it a challenge to get around the city.

"If you go into a store and you want to ask for information, they don't really understand you, so they'll speak to you in Korean and you'll speak to them in English, so it's a bit of a problem because you don't really get what you want out of your shopping experience," said a tourist.

One of the biggest problems for foreign visitors travelling in Seoul is the language barrier. Hence, tackling this issue has become the top priority for the Seoul government.

With its hi-tech society and well-educated population, there is no surprise that officials are turning to new technology to better serve travellers in 2010.

"When (tourists) land in Incheon International Airport or Gimpo Airport, they can get a gadget free of charge," said Samuel Koo, chief executive officer of Seoul Tourism Organisation. "The device has several functions rolled into one. It's a walking navigation, so it'll show streets where ever you may go."

Beyond the official domain, many shops across the city are also doing their bit to keep up - by training their service personnel to speak in other languages.

"At Dongdaemum Market, there are a growing number of foreign customers, especially from Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and Singapore," said An Myong Hun, a sales assistant at Nalgae and Gomangi.

"In order to cater to such customers, we have one employee who can speak English, and one who can speak Japanese at this very shop. Many employees at Dongdaemum Market are learning foreign languages for the same reason."

With many Asian cities competing for the tourism dollar, officials know that Seoul must constantly update itself to attract visitors.


Source

Friday, January 22, 2010

Phuket tourism in high gear with last-minute bookings


PHUKET: For the last few weeks, a steady rise in the island’s hotel reservations indicate a strong start for the 2010 tourism season.

According to the Phuket Tourist Association, which since 1980 began monitoring information and trends for the island tourism industry, hotel bookings have increased considerably compared with the same period last year.

According to Phuket Tourist Association president Somboon Jirayut, between the last week of December 2009 and the beginning of January, vacation rentals and hotel room reservations increased, with up to 90 percent of those reservations being last-minute bookings.

“With the high season just beginning, but already breaking records, the island’s hospitality business is encouraged. Many post-tsunami factors are contributing to increased tourism and luckily, Thailand's political climate has remained stable following the 2008 anti-government protests,” Mr Somboon said.

Mr Somboon added that additional flights to Phuket from Australia, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore were a significant factor in the increase of tourists.

“Over the last year tourists’ behaviors have changed. In the past, most tourists made their vacation reservations at least one-year in advance. These days, however, most visitors book their rooms closer to their projected travel dates or even at the last minute,” he concluded.


Source

Thursday, January 7, 2010

New GM at Singapore Airlines


Singapore Airlines the world's premier airline, has appointed Mr. Melvin NG as the General Manager for Sri Lanka. Mr. Melvin NG joined Singapore Airlines in the year 2002, and was involved in the Head Office Sales and Marketing Division for a period of five years. Later he was posted to the Singapore Airlines regional office located in Beijing, where he provided his services as the Regional Marketing Manager. He later served as the Manager for Northern China also in Beijing for a short period before being posted to Singapore Airlines in Colombo as the General Manager for Sri Lanka.

When asked as to how he plans to promote Sri Lanka, through Singapore Airlines Mr. Melvin said, "Sri Lanka is still a relatively unknown and unexplored destination amongst a majority of the international general public. However Sri Lanka is well known to many of the experienced international travelers mostly due to its scenic beauty and popular destinations. We have been working on promoting inbound tourism, focusing on markets such as China, Hong Kong, Taipei, Australia."

According to Mr. Melvin the travel industry in Sri Lanka in the future will be experiencing good times ahead with peace finally dawning and the environment becoming more conducive for international travel. This will also greatly benefit and boost the country's inbound travel industry as Sri Lanka has unlimited resources that have yet been untapped with regards to tourism and Singapore Airlines is currently working closely with the Sri Lankan Tourist Board in this regard. Outbound travel too is expected to increase significantly with effect from next year and many companies which cutback on their expenses due to the economic recession and the country's ongoing war are now optimistic that major industrial improvements will take place and that the travel industry will be in the forefront of many of these developments.

Speaking on their future plans Mr. Melvin said, "With the very much anticipated boom in tourism, we plan to reinstate daily frequency between Colombo and Singapore from the current 5x weekly flights, in April next year."


Source

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Singapore tourist arrivals increase


Singapore - Visitor arrivals to Singapore in November registered their highest growth for the year, increasing by 8.4 per cent year-on-year to 830,000 visitors. Visitors from Malaysia increased by 36.8 per cent, Germany 21.7 per cent, Australia 13.8 per cent, Vietnam 12.4 per cent, the United States 11.6 per cent and the Philippines 10.5 per cent, the Singapore Tourism Board said in a statement on Monday.

Visitor days saw their first year-on-year growth for the year in November, increasing by 0.7 per cent to 3.1 million days.

The top tourist generating markets were Indonesia with 143,000 visitors, China (90,000), Malaysia (83,000), Australia (69,000), and India (50,000). These five markets accounted for 52 per cent of the total visitors in November.

The November average hotel room occupancy rate was 84.3 per cent, up by 3.8 per cent from a year ago.

The November average room rate was estimated at 198 Singapore dollars, a decline of 15.1 per cent from November 2008, it said, adding that hotel room revenue dropped by 9.8 per cent year on year to 148 million Singapore dollars for November 2009.


Source

Friday, January 1, 2010

Singapore's economy likely to be buoyed by global recovery in 2010


SINGAPORE: Singapore's economy is expected to revert to positive growth next year, thanks to the global recovery.

According to some economists, growth could even surpass the government's estimates for 2010. They are looking at GDP growth of more than 5 per cent, compared to the government's current forecast of a 3 to 5 per cent growth.

This follows 2009's roller coaster ride, where the economy took a beating in the early part of the year before recovering in the second half.

Export-dependent Singapore was among the first in Asia to fall into recession towards the end of 2008. The economy contracted by 14.6 per cent on-quarter in the first quarter of 2009, following a decline of 16.4 per cent in the previous three months. Then it took a sharp turn upwards, catching the markets by surprise.

David Cohen, director of Asian economic forecasting, Action Economics, said: "The rebound has been better than expected. The strong growth in the second and third quarter GDP in Singapore was better, at a double-digit quarter-on-quarter annualised rate.

"It was a reflection of the turnaround. It was more or less in line with the pattern around the region where many of the Asian exporting economies, after the sharp fall-off in their production and exports in the beginning of the year, rebounded as global demand started to recover."

Song Seng Wun, CEO & regional economist, CIMB-GK Research, said: "After a fairly weak start to the year in the aftermath of the collapse of global demand, we saw things improving in subsequent quarters...

"Aggressive intervention by the Singapore government and others around the world stabilised an uncertain environment. When you have heavy government intervention in the economy, it gives confidence back to businesses and consumers as well."

While the outlook for 2010 appears to be brightening, some said much depends on the United States and when global central banks will cut liquidity.

"Which is why there is much debate on whether governments should withdraw liquidity, withdraw from the economy. It's probably a bit premature. The risk really is that the number one engine, the US, continues to see patchy recovery," said Mr Song.

Sector-wise, manufacturing was the worst hit by the downturn in 2009, but it is looking up.

The manufacturing sector, which accounts for about a quarter of the country's GDP, is expected to grow by about 8 per cent in the fourth quarter this year, after a surprise rebound in the third quarter. This performance is expected to continue into 2010.

Mr Cohen said: "Assuming the global economy remains on recovery trajectory, that should support continued recovery in manufacturing sector and this, including the electronics sector globally, should turn around.

"Perhaps Singapore will still be feeling some drag from the closing of some disk drive production sites, but that should be balanced by the continued uptrend in the pharmaceutical area, where Singapore continues to enjoy an expansion in the global industry that is expected to continue into next year."

Meanwhile, all eyes will also be on the much-anticipated opening of Singapore's two integrated resorts. They are expected to add about 0.5 per cent to GDP growth next year, through a boost to tourist arrivals and retail sales.


Source

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