singapore hotel: tháng 9 2013

Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 9, 2013

Meritus Hotels & Resorts Advances Service Levels to Singapore MICE Market ... - Virtual

Hotel group to use online toolset to deliver exceptional service and responsiveness to its meeting planners and delegates.

Waltham, MA, USA and Singapore (PRWEB) September 30, 2013

Singapore-based hospitality group Meritus Hotels Resorts now has the most technologically advanced meetings and group management solution available for its planners and guests.

The adoption of Passkey’s award-winning hotel booking solution, GroupMAX, will allow Meritus to offer meeting planners not only a personalized booking experience for every event, but will allow its guests to book their stay for any event at Meritus using any web connected device. Both Meritus’ flagship hotel, the Mandarin Orchard Singapore, and its Marina Mandarin Singapore property are deploying the GroupMAX toolset as of this Fall.

The implementation of GroupMAX by Meritus adds to the momentum Passkey is experiencing in international markets, where over 50 major hotel properties in Europe and Asia have added GroupMAX to their arsenal over the past 12 months.

At Meritus, every planner will have the opportunity to enjoy a custom designed website for their event and every attendees will be able to browse a wide range of accommodation options and make their hotel bookings online. Moreover, planners will have access to a live dashboard to track their room block from any web connection.

“There certainly is a lot for us to gain,” remarked Paul Stocker, regional vice president of sales at Meritus Hotels Resorts. “But the driving force in our decision to deploy GroupMAX is what it allows us to offer our MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) clientele. We will not just be fulfilling meeting planner requests; we will be consistently exceeding their expectations and enabling new levels of their success.” Specifically, planners hosting events at the two Meritus properties will enjoy:

Increased block pickup: The ability for attendees to book their rooms online has been proven to consistently increase booking pace and room block pickup.

Visibility into event performance: Advanced dashboards and reporting make it easy for planners and hotel staff to view up-to-date information and make timely decisions.

Secure, automated room lists: GroupMAX’s room list tool ensure that all attendee data is PCI (Payment Card Industry) secure. In addition, planners can make their own changes online, avoiding the often tiresome back and forth with hotels.

A rich attendee booking experience: Attendees can now book their event accommodations from any connected device using event-branded, visually rich booking websites. In addition they’ll be able to browse a wide variety of room upgrades and hotel add-on options such as Wi-Fi, spa services, late checkout, etc., all in a simple and fun booking experience.

“For hotels, having the right tools to serve this growing and highly competitive market is often the difference between mere survival and major success,” commented Passkey’s president and CEO, Greg Pesik. “We are delighted with Meritus’ decision to deploy our technology and are looking forward to its impact on the local event landscape.”

About Meritus Hotels Resorts

Meritus Hotels Resorts (http://www.meritushotels.com) is part of the hospitality division of Overseas Union Enterprise Limited, which is amongst the key property players in Asia, and one of the few integrated developers in Singapore boasting a complete portfolio of prime assets across the retail, commercial, residential, and hospitality sectors.

Meritus is an award-winning hospitality brand inspired by the richness of its Asian heritage, providing guests its signature Asian grace, warmth and care through hotels and resorts strategically located in key cities and idyllic resort destinations in Singapore, Malaysia, Mainland China, and Indonesia. Its growing portfolio currently includes the flagship Mandarin Orchard Singapore, Marina Mandarin Singapore, Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort Spa Langkawi, Meritus Mandarin Haikou, Meritus Shantou China, and Meritus Surabaya City Centre.

Meritus Hotels Resorts was conferred the Heritage Brand Award at the Singapore Prestige Brand Awards 2012. The Group was also cited Global Winner for Luxury Hotel Chain at the World Luxury Travel Awards 2012, and Most Admired Enterprise in the categories of Growth and Innovation at the 2012 ASEAN Business Awards.

Meritus Hotels & Resorts Advances Service Levels to Singapore MICE Market ... - Virtual

THE ISRAELI SHEKEL (ILS): A "Conflict Currency" No More - 4

Many see the Israeli shekel (ILS) as a barometer of Middle East tension, but with newly discovered natural gas fields coming online, Israel’s economy and its currency are making great strides.

Historically, the Israeli economy has been mostly at the mercy of Middle East political friction. The Jewish country’s economy has weathered all sorts of crises, including several wars and other conflicts, a banking system collapse in the 1980s, brutal inflation, population explosions, boycotts, painful recessions, and severe financial mismanagement.

Still, the Israeli economy should be considered a success story by all measures. Its tech industry is a role model for all emerging economies, exports continue to grow annually, and GDP is expected to grow 3.5% this year, a similar result to 2012, which is phenomenal considering its strong association with the markets of Europe.

In fact, Israel possesses one of the few economies in the Western world that actually grew during the global financial crisis. On top of that, the relatively recent discovery of large amounts of natural gas off its coast in the Mediterranean is estimated to add an extra 1% or more to GDP over the coming years.

Guest Commentary: Israel’s Newly Discovered Gas Fields

16aac The Israeli Shekel A Conflict Currency No More body GuestCommentary JoshBrown September30A

Israel’s list of accomplishments and growth opportunities goes on and on, but the underlying idea is the same: the Israeli shekel (ILS) is a compelling story.

The Perennial Event Risk for Israel

For all the great sentiment Israel attracts, Middle East watchers have always had the feeling that its success story is tenuous. Israel continues to be threatened on several fronts, and the internationally perceived occupation of Palestine breeds fears that a new intifada, or uprising, might break out at any moment.

The latest panic in Israel caused throngs of citizens to rush towards the gas mask distribution centers after Syria threatened to fire scuds tipped with deadly chemicals if the US and its allies attack the Assad regime as punishment for using chemical weapons on their own people. The situation has since calmed in favor of a diplomatic solution, but concern was reflected in the shekel and the USDILS rose to over 3.67 during those uneasy days.

USDILS generally tends to rise in times of conflict due to anticipation of decreasing export revenue, and the larger the threat, the larger the move. For example, the 2006 Lebanon War saw the shekel rise as the fighting began. The shekel then returned to a more baseline level as the conflict wore on and once the level of escalation had been capped. The rise was not dramatic, as Hezbollah’s rocket campaign was not believed to be capable of causing long-term damage. Stocks, however, did plummet as hostilities commenced.

Even during times of relative peace, there have always been threats, both open and latent, be it background calls for violence by Islamists or the ever-present potential for a new war to break out any time due to an unforseen event.

Israel is constantly on guard, absolutely fearful that the next war could be its last. However, this low-level anxiety concerning Israel’s existence is felt by the global community, and it’s interesting to see how this is factored into the price of the shekel.

Israel’s Newfound Growth Catalyst

Looking forward, and assuming we can put aside the risk of confrontation, the real driver affecting the Israeli shekel is positive export growth, particularly from natural gas. Since the first major gas field production came online, we have witnessed a major appreciation in the Israeli currency.

The Leviathan gas field discovery in 2010 was the largest in a decade. The energy triangle between Israel and Cyprus (containing the Tamar, Leviathan, and other gas fields) is estimated to contain roughly 33 trillion cubic feet of gas, which is enough to supply Israel’s needs for 150 years.

New gas discoveries in the area are still being consistently announced, with the latest discovery of 0.7 trillion cubic feet revealed on August 21. There is also talk about extracting oil in the area if it is found to be economically feasible.

As new discoveries are made, and new production facilities come online, the shekel continues to appreciate despite the best efforts of the Reserve Bank of Israel. For a while now, it has been a policy of the central bank to be active in buying foreign exchange to keep the shekel low and combat its appreciation, although it currently seems to be losing the battle.

Many wonder if Israel will experience Dutch disease: the effect of exploiting natural resources which causes a decline in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors due to a skyrocketing national currency. The high value of the currency makes exports more expensive, negating the benefit of the yield from the new resource. When the Tamar gas field production started earlier this year, the shekel dropped sharply, and many asked how low the shekel could go once the other major fields come online.

Guest Commentary: Historical Price Action for USD/ILS

16aac The Israeli Shekel A Conflict Currency No More body GuestCommentary JoshBrown September30B

Should peace “break out” between Israel, its neighbors, and the Palestinians, and once all gas production facilities are operating, we could compare the Israeli economy and the shekel to Singapore and the Singapore dollar (SGD).

The SGDUSD exchange rate is traditionally about 0.80, and Singapore’s economy is closely associated to the energy sector, but it’s also an export economy. As it is, there are many similarities between the two tiny countries, both of which are surrounded by historical foes, and the similarities should increase over time.

The USDILS could easily surpass 2.00 in the coming years, but this depends entirely on peace in the Middle East, or at the very least, a solid road map towards that objective. Once Israel’s borders are firmly set and secured, boycotts will be dropped, military spending will decrease, and the Arab world will be opened up, the combination of which will cause Israeli exports to explode.

Optimists could buy the shekel for a great long-term trade, and even pessimists can do the same, but of course will need to be prepared to get out on short notice.

By Joshua Brown, Guest Contributor, DailyFX.com

original source

THE ISRAELI SHEKEL (ILS): A "Conflict Currency" No More - 4

Japan"s Ruling Parties Give Green Light to Corporate Tax Cut

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Japan"s Ruling Parties Give Green Light to Corporate Tax Cut

Singapore Tourism Board Gelar Kontes Media Sosial

Foto Terkait

Harlow dan Sage, Duo Anjing Superstar di Instagram

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta–Lembaga pariwisata Singapore Tourism Board (STB) menggandeng aktor Christian Sugiono menggelar kontes media sosial Singapore Travel Buddy. Kontes mengajak peserta untuk merancang rencana perjalanan 3 hari 2 malam. Perencanaan perjalanan itu bisa dibuat berdasarkan pengetahuan mereka tentang Singapura.

Regional Director ASEAN (I) and Oceania Kenneth Lim mengatakan Singapura masih menjadi destinasi yang populer bagi masyarakat Indonesia. “Karena sangat mudah dieksplorasi, banyak masyarakat Indonesia yang merasa telah mengenal Singapura dengan baik,” katanya di Ocha Bella, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat, Senin 30 September 2013.

Kenneth mengatakan kontes ini akan menjadi ajang seru untuk mengajak masyarakat Indonesia mengkaji kembali seberapa jauh mereka mengenal Singapura.

Untuk mengikuti kontes ini peserta harus memiliki akun Pinterest. Singapore Travel Buddy dibuka untuk umum bagi masyarkat Indonesia yang berumur minimal 18 tahun. Selain itu peserta juga harus memiliki passport dengan masa berlaku sekurang-kurangnya sampai Juni 2014. Kontes ini dibuka dari 1 Oktober 2013 sampai 20 Oktober 2013 di akun Pinterest dengan nama “Christian Sugiono.”

Dalam kontes ini akan dipilih 2 pemenang dan akan mendapat kesempatan jalan-jalan ke Singapura bersama Christian Sugiono. Lokasi jalan-jalan itu sesuai dengan rencana perjalanan yang diikutkan dalam kontes Singapore Travel Buddy.

APRILIANI GITA FITRIA

Terhangat:
Edsus Lekra | Senjata Penembak Polisi | Mobil Murah

Singapore Tourism Board Gelar Kontes Media Sosial

Singapore Airlines about to partly revive Athens flights

Malay language and the communists

THE MALAYSIA PLAN: Indigenous concept of ‘togetherness’ was to silence the communists

THE spectre of the “Killing Fields” in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979 was unspeakably gruesome for comfort. Pol Pot’s Communist Party of Kampuchea, known as the Khmer Rouge, turned the country into a mess, perhaps worst than the Gulag. Their means was genocide.

The Domino Theory, had it been realised, would have overturned the narrative on Malaysia and Southeast Asia. But it never happened.

In Malaysia, the communist militancy officially ended in 1989. But its ideology lingers on.

The Malaysia Plan, conceived in the 1950s, was to silence communists. One of the methods used by its architect, Tan Sri Muhammad Ghazali Shafie, was to induce indigenous concepts and cultural attitudes during the formative years.

Ghazali recalled this in his memoirs (published 1998) during a meeting in December 1959 between Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and the Indonesian Language Implementation Committee in Jakarta to work out a new spelling system for both countries.

Tunku Abdul Rahman, in the late 1950s, encouraged by the good relationship among the newly independent countries of Southeast Asia, had begun to think of development opportunities, growth and stability.

But Ghazali’s approach resonated language and thought. He was thinking of the word “kampung”, which means a village. Another word is “desa”, denoting a collection of dwellings in the interior.

Malays have been a pesisir (coastal) people for more than 2,000 years of recorded history in the Malay world, except in Madagascar, where they are found in the mountainous interior. They were sea-faring folk who had evolved into a riverine people.

Ghazali asserts that no matter how remote the desa is, there is always a river or a stream. The word “desa”, through usage, has been equated with kampung and this translated into “village”, which a desa is.

Often, the root word kampung has been used in derogatory terms, such as balik kampung or kampungan, to express class differences between urban folk and the people in the desa. However, the spirit of a desa is berkampung, that is, to be gathered together.

For example, one should not translate “kita berkampung dirumah Pak Ali” to mean to turn Pak Ali’s house into a desa or a village. What it means is that we assemble at Pak Ali’s house. The root word “kampung” had the original meaning of getting people together, not mere houses.

While promoting the Malaysia Plan, Ghazali noticed the cultural habit of togetherness from the word “rumpun”. In English, this would mean a clump or a cluster.

“Rumpun”is the word to express a cluster of bamboo and the Malay sages of yore had decided only Malays should be berumpun. He argues that rumpun Melayu would denote the cluster of ethnic Malays in the Malay archipelago.

Even Diosdado Macapagal, the ninth Philippine president, saw the “togetherness” of the Malay peoples as the way of the future.

Ghazali then proceeded to structure the Malaysia concept. If “togetherness” is postulated as a feature in Malay society, then there has to be a ketua, or elder, to keep the sense of “togetherness”.

The root word “tua” denotes age and experience. The leader among the elders would be the one with age, experience and intellectual capacity. Hence, a penghulu, where the word “hulu” means head, referring to cerebral capacity.

The choice of a penghulu or ketua depends on the adat (customary law) and not mere “custom”, as practised in the peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo.

In the Philippines, the president is a pangulo, the same word and meaning as penghulu.

The penghulu is to lead, to pimpin, hence kepimpinan. The nearest translation in English would be “leadership”. The Malay pemimpin is from “pimpin”, meaning “holding hands and walking together”, not walking alone and by himself.

The kepimpinan, according to Ghazali, seeks to establish a sense of direction. The demand on integrity would be high. There can be no relationship based on coercion and militancy.

The very nature of pimpin, implies human relations in constructing society, not otherwise.

The ketua or penghulu or pangulo, as the pemimpin may be called, is expected to develop close interaction through dialogue based on the principles and practice of mushawarah and muafakat (consultations leading to consensus).

The moment the pemimpin walks alone in front, he ceases to be one. In the Malay world, the concept applies to all levels in the hierarchy of kepimpinan.

In the same vein, Tunku’s proposal for the Association for Southeast Asia (ASA), resisted by Sukarno but welcomed by the Philippines, the predecessor for Asean (Association of South-East Asian Nations), was based on the Malay cultural impulse.

Ghazali had warned the Tunku that communist elements would use all means to prevent it from being actualised. ASA was to have been a competition with the communist concept of internationalism (Comintern). ASA was based on togetherness (berkampung) to obviate communist subversive plots.

Ghazali anticipated that the most violent resistance to the idea would come from the Soviet-inspired Partai Komunis Indonesia and Communist China.

It was the same impulse before that formed the United Malay National Organisation (Umno), transcending loyalties and sultanates. This in turn initiated the Alliance Party, which brought Merdeka for Malaya. The idea forming and sustaining the federation is “Bersatu Bertambah Mutu.” It is the same for Asean.

The Malaysian federation entity was to thwart the influence of Communist China over mainland Asia. As a young diplomat in the 1950s, Ghazali, who later served as home affairs and foreign minister until 1984, had seen a map drawn by Communist China.

Indonesia was excluded from China’s hegemony. But the peninsula and Singapore were part of that entity.

Malay language and the communists

Airlines promise a return to civility, for a fee

NEW YORK — Airlines are introducing a new bevy of fees, but this time passengers might actually like them.

Unlike the first generation of charges which dinged fliers for once-free services like checking a bag, these new fees promise a taste of the good life, or at least a more civil flight.

Extra legroom, early boarding and access to quiet lounges were just the beginning. Airlines are now renting Apple iPads preloaded with movies, selling hot first class meals in coach and letting passengers pay to have an empty seat next to them. Once on the ground, they can skip baggage claim, having their luggage delivered directly to their home or office.

ALSO ONLINE: JetBlue launches premium brand called Mint

Soon, airlines plan to go one step further, using massive amounts of personal data to customize new offers for each flier.

“We’ve moved from takeaways to enhancements,” says John F. Thomas of L.E.K. Consulting. “It’s all about personalizing the travel experience.”

Carriers have struggled to raise airfares enough to cover costs. Fees bring in more than $15 billion a year and are the reason the airlines are profitable. But the amount of money coming in from older charges like baggage and reservation change fees has tapered off. Revenue from bag fees in April, May and June fell 7 percent compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by the government Monday.

So now the airlines are selling new extras and copying marketing methods honed by retailers.

PHOTOS: Singapore Airlines shows off luxurious new plane

Technological upgrades allow airlines to sell products directly to passengers at booking, in follow-up emails as trips approach, at check-in and on mobile phones minutes before boarding. Delta Air Lines recently gave its flight attendants wireless devices, allowing them to sell passengers last-second upgrades to seats with more legroom.

And just like Amazon.com offers suggested readings based on each buyer’s past purchases, airlines soon will be able to use past behavior to target fliers.

“We have massive amounts of data,” says Delta CEO Richard Anderson. “We know who you are. We know what your history has been on the airline. We can customize our offerings.”

Other airlines are experimenting with tracking passengers throughout the airport. In the future, if somebody clears security hours before their flight, they might be offered a discounted day pass to the airline’s lounge on their phone.

Airlines have yet to find the right balance between being helpful and being creepy. So, for now, most of the data is being used to win back passengers after their flight is delayed or luggage is lost.

“We want to get back to a point where people feel like travel isn’t something to endure, but something they can enjoy,” says Bob Kupbens, a former Target executive and Delta’s current vice president of marketing and digital commerce.

Most passengers select flights based on the lowest base fare. The online travel industry plays up that price sensitivity with sites named CheapOair.com, CheapTickets.com and InsanelyCheapFlights.com.

When airlines try to raise fares, they are met with resistance.

“Customers are very quick to either change travel plans, or use another carrier or not travel at all,” says Jim Corridore, an airline analyst with Standard Poor’s Capital IQ.

In the past three years, airlines have tried to hike fares 48 times, according to FareCompare.com. During 29 of those attempts, bookings fell enough that airlines abandoned the increase.

Most fares today don’t cover the cost of flying. While the average domestic roundtrip base fare has climbed 3 percent over the past decade to $361.95, when adjusted for inflation, the price of jet fuel has nearly tripled.

When oil prices spiked in 2008, airlines added checked baggage fees. Passengers still bought tickets on the base price and didn’t think about the extra expense until the day of travel.

Now airlines are recasting fees as trip enhancements.

Travelers like Nadine Angress, of Mansfield, Mass., see the value. Her recent late-night US Airways flight home landed past six-year-old son’s bedtime. She had to work early the next morning. So, for $30 she bypassed the baggage carousel and had the suitcase delivered.

“That was a very reasonable price to pay,” Angress says. “It’s making your life easier.”

U.S. airlines collect more than $6 billion a year in baggage and reservation change fees. They also collect $9 billion more from selling extras like frequent flier miles, early boarding and seat upgrades. Together, the fees account for 10 percent U.S. airlines’ revenue.

Fees provide airlines with another advantage: The Internal Revenue Service has said since they aren’t directly related to transporting passengers, they aren’t subject to the 7.5 percent excise tax travelers pay on base fares. Taxing fees would give the government an extra $1.1 billion a year to fund the Federal Aviation Administration, runway upgrades and air traffic control improvements.

Without the fees, experts say fares would be 15 percent higher.

“You’re either going to go out of business or find a way to cover” your costs, says Robert E. Jordan, Southwest Airlines’ executive vice president and chief commercial officer.

Southwest has held off charging for most checked bags. But it sells plenty of other add-ons.

Recently, it introduced a way for people at the back of the boarding line on some flights to cut to the front for $40. It’s not a blockbuster seller – one person pays up every two flights – but with 3,600 daily flights, that nets $70,000 in extra daily revenue or $25 million a year.

Airlines now alter fees based on demand. United Airlines used to sell its Economy Plus extra legroom seats for one price per route. Today, aisle seats cost more than middle seats; prices are higher on popular flights.

That change in thinking has helped United increase fee revenue by 13 percent this year to more than $20 per one-way passenger.

Airlines are also starting to bundle items. Passengers purchase items they might not necessarily buy alone; it also simplifies the dizzying array of offers.

“I don’t want you to have to do the math every time,” says Rick Elieson, managing director of digital marketing at American Airlines.

American offers a package for $68 roundtrip that includes no change fees, one checked bag and early boarding. Delta is experimenting with a $199 subscription that includes a checked bag, early boarding, access to exit row seats and extra frequent flier miles on all flights a passenger takes between now and Jan. 5.

Airlines say the fees bring a sense of fairness to the system. Why should a passenger with a small carry-on subsidize a family of four, checking suitcases?

Jamie Baker, an airline analyst with JP Morgan Chase, likens it to a meal at a restaurant.

“The sides are not included in the price of a steak,” he says. “Airline ticket prices should reflect the costs incurred by the individual passenger.”

Scott Mayerowitz can be reached at http://twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott.

Airlines promise a return to civility, for a fee

Rupee fall: No major impact on tourist flow to Singapore

To encourage MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) tourism further, the board has announced special package offer – Inspire – for corporates.

The rupee depreciation has not impacted the flow of Indian tourists into Singapore but they probably skimped on their spending, according to Chang Chee Pey, Executive Director, Singapore Tourism Director.

He said, “We are yet to get the numbers for the last six months.

“However, we can say that there were not many cancellations so far.

“What might have happened is that tourists calibrated their budget, must have gone in for cheaper accommodation and reduced their shopping budget.”

To encourage MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) tourism further, the board has announced special package offer – Inspire – for corporates.

It has tied up with Changi Airport Group, Gardens by the Bay, Resorts World Sentosa, Sentosa Leisure Group, Singapore Airlines, Singapore Turf Club and Wildlife Reserves Singapore to throw in complimentary services. Incentive groups travelling before December 31, 2014 and staying at least 1,000 visitor nights will be eligible to apply for the Inspire programme.

Quoting Euromonitor, Chee Pey said around 1.8 million Indians travel abroad solely for MICE purposes.

“We indeed witness a chunk of this number landing up in Singapore,” he said.

Besides, the Singapore Tourism Board has tied up with major tour operators in India, including Thomas Cook, Cox and Kings, Kuoni Travels and Yatra.com, to offer value-added travel packages to attract individual leisure travellers.

Commenting on the joint venture between the Tatas and Singapore Airlines, G.B. Srithar, Area Director (South Asia), Singapore Tourism Board, said it would help greater tourism traffic between India and Singapore, as it is expected to connect more cities in India.

ravikumar.r@thehindu.co.in

Rupee fall: No major impact on tourist flow to Singapore

Korean Grand Prix: Singapore disappointment still fresh for di Resta

Force India pilot Paul di Resta has admitted the disappointment from Singapore is still ‘fresh’ heading to Korea this weekend.

The Scot looked set for a good result at the Marina Bay Street Circuit and was running in the points until he crashed out with just seven laps to go.

It was a bitter blow, especially as it means he has now gone five races without finishing in the top-ten, his last points coming at his home race at Silverstone back at the end of June.

“The disappointment still feels quite fresh,” di Resta confirmed when quizzed on his feelings about Singapore in the countdown to the 14th round in the 2013 F1 World Championship in Yeongam. “When you have a race like that you just want to get back in the car as soon as possible.

“[But] after the race I went back to Europe for some training and to get myself ready for the final push of the season. October will be the busiest month of the year so it was good to have some quality time at home before we spend the next couple of months travelling.”

“The Korea International Circuit is an unusual track, but definitely a place that I enjoy driving,” he continued. “The three sectors are all very different with long straights linked by hairpins, some high-speed corners and a slower technical part of the lap. The tyre choices are the same as in Singapore so it will be interesting to see how they perform. We’ve always gone well on the supersofts, but struggled more on the medium compound so hopefully we can switch it on this weekend.”

Team-mate Adrian Sutil meanwhile will be looking for his third points finish from the last four races this Sunday – and his first in Korea after retiring in 2010 and only finishing eleventh in 2011.

“Singapore was a lot of work for one point, that’s for sure! In the race I started on the mediums to do something different with the strategy and that worked out quite well. In the closing laps I was right on the back of the train of cars fighting for points. My tyres were so worn that it was hard to push, so getting a point was a good feeling after a long race,” he stated.

“I’m now looking forward to Korea and I quite like the track. I haven’t been so successful there yet, but I want to make up for that this year,” added the German.

“The circuit has a nice layout and a nice flow in the second part of the lap with some high-speed corners. Let’s see how the supersoft performs because the corners are very hard on the tyres. That could open up some interesting strategies.”

Korean Grand Prix: Singapore disappointment still fresh for di Resta

Aiming to be top of the league

But this will remain a dream without financial and non-financial investment. AOT Vice-Chairman Pongsak Semson is right in saying that the staff’s language proficiency is a weakness. But improving this requires the staff’s awareness that they must improve, plus financial investment for specifically designed tutorial courses.

Within Asean, Suvarnabhumi will find it hard to beat Singapore’s Changi Airport. With English as its official language, Singapore has an English-speaking workforce. The flexibility of migrant workers also fills any shortages in certain areas. In Thailand, parents have to invest savings to improve their children’s language proficiency, as the normal curriculum is not good enough.

International passengers often grumble about the shortage of English-speaking staff at the airport, as seen in their reviews gathered by Skytrax – an airline and airport ranking agency.

Another area that Suvarnabhumi Airport director Rawewan Netrakavesna wants to improve is the baggage transfer service. To draw more connecting flights, service time must be shortened, by May next year, from the current 75 minutes to 60 minutes. Rawewan, whose retirement comes next year, is right to focus on something she can do first, as the airport needs improvement in many areas to become No.1 in the Airports Council International’s (ACI) ranking among airports annually handling over 40 million passengers.

In the passenger category, Suvarnabhumi – now at No.6 – trails behind Changi, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Seoul Incheon Airport is currently ranked the best airport in the Asia-Pacific region, followed by Changi, Beijing, New Delhi and Hong Kong.

If No.1 remains Suvarnabhumi’s objective after Rawewan’s departure, her successor will have to ponder many details. Comments from passengers can be a good guide (www.airlinequality.com), but can also be biased. Passengers have complained about restrooms, shops not accepting foreign currencies, shops having their own exchange rates, lack of signage, and long distances to walk.

In the latest Skytrax ranking, Suvarnabhumi failed to achieve five stars in any category. On the contrary, Changi was awarded five stars in many categories. One was for direction signage. Inside the terminal, it won five stars for seat availability (I vote for this too, as I can find a seat whenever I want to without having to go to a restaurant or food kiosk). It also won five stars for WiFi access (although for this I veto, as I unsuccessfully spent minutes trying to access it.) Five stars also went to air temperature, something that Suvarnabhumi has received a lot of complaints about since its opening in 2006.

Changi has never stopped enhancing its competitiveness. Despite winning five stars for leisure facilities and shopping, the airport recently unveiled “Project Jewel”, which will connect all five of its terminals. The car park in front of Terminal 1 will become a world-class shopping complex in a move to capture tourists’ attention and boost the country’s appeal as a stopover point for global travellers. The complex will offer a wide range of retail outlets as well as unique leisure attractions.

According to The Straits Times, the latest master-plan for Changi involves creating a huge new air terminal, possibly with its own subway station; building a third runway at Changi East, fed by 40 kilometres of taxiways – the length of the Pan Island Expressway from Tuas to Tampines; and diverting Changi Coast Road and a 60-metre-wide canal. The effort, cost and upheaval will be enormous, but there are good reasons for supporting this sky-high ambition.

Singapore realises that Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok have a geographic edge in linking travellers from Europe to Asia. Former Singaporean leader Lee Kuan Yew pointedly warned in 2004 that “Changi will be bypassed and we will lose our air-hub status” if key strategies are misguided.

That explains why the Singapore government puts Changi in its national development plan and is ready to spend on it.

And what are Thailand’s strategies? Well, AOT has ambitions but all actions are now financed by its own budget. Can we expect national strategies that will support its ambitions?

Aiming to be top of the league

Asian Stocks Swing on U.S. Budget Stalemate, Japan Tankan

Asian stocks swung between gains and

losses as investors awaited a potential shutdown of the U.S.

government and after a report showed confidence among large

Japanese manufacturers increased before Prime Minister Shinzo

Abe unveils plans for an economic-support package.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 0.1 percent to 138.40 as

of 9:39 a.m. in Tokyo, having swung between a again of 0.1

percent and a loss of 0.2 percent. Just hours before a midnight

deadline to keep the U.S. government open, President Barack

Obama urged lawmakers to pass a funding bill not tied to his

health-care legislation for the sake of the economy. Even if

Congress resolves the budget fight by the midnight deadline,

U.S. lawmakers would move to the next fiscal dispute over

raising the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling.

“Even if politicians do allow a U.S. government shutdown,

it will only be temporary,” Angus Gluskie, chief investment

officer who helps oversee about $500 million at White Funds

Management in Sydney, said by telephone. “People want this

issue resolved. Economic data in Asia has been better. That’s

giving investors some amount of optimism.”

Japan’s Topix index advanced 0.2 percent. The nation’s

jobless rate rose to 4.1 percent in August, while the Bank of

Japan’s quarterly Tankan survey of sentiment among large

manufacturers beat estimates. Prime Minister Abe may announce

today a 6 trillion ($61 billion) economic package that includes

tax cuts, according to Kyodo News Agency.

Regional Gauges

South Korea’s Kospi index gained 0.3 percent. New Zealand’s

NZX 50 Index lost 0.2 percent and Australia’s SP/ASX 200 Index

decreased 0.3 percent. Financial markets in Hong Kong and China

are closed today.

China’s official gauge of manufacturing, the Purchasing

Managers’ Index, may deliver a reading of 51.6 for September, up

from 51 in August, according to the median estimate in a

Bloomberg survey of 30 economists. Fifty is the threshold

between expansion and contraction. A HSBC Holdings Plc and

Markit Economics PMI rose to 50.2, from 50.1 in August, below a

preliminary estimate of 51.2, according to data released

yesterday.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in a speech yesterday that

the world’s second-largest economy can meet its main targets for

this year. The economy is “stabilizing in a good trend” Li

said, as cited by China National Radio. The economy probably

grew 7.7 percent in the third quarter, according to the median

forecast in a Bloomberg survey last month, up from an estimate

of 7.5 percent in August.

Relative Value

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced 6.4 percent in

September, pushing valuations on the regional gauge to 13.5

times estimated earnings from 12.7 in August, according to data

compiled by Bloomberg. That compares with 15.3 for the Standard

Poor’s 500 Index and 14.2 for the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, the

data show.

Futures on the SP 500 Index added 0.2 percent today. The

gauge declined 0.6 percent yesterday as a stalemate over the
federal budget sent the government toward a potential shutdown

at midnight.

“Politicians seem to believe that there’s political

capital to be gained from causing the government to shut down,

and that they’ll be able to gain more when it comes to the debt-ceiling debate,” John Baur, Boston-based portfolio manager at

Eaton Vance Management, which oversees $261 billion globally,

said in an interview in Singapore. “The debt-ceiling debate is

the real deal that we need to be worried about.”

Republicans and Democrats remained at odds over whether to

tie any changes to the 2010 Affordable Care Act to a short-term

extension of government funding as the shutdown deadline

approached. The Senate voted 54-46 yesterday to reject the House

of Representative’s latest plan, in a party-line move that puts

the pressure back on House Republicans.

Senate Republicans floated the idea to extend by one week

the funding deadline to avert a shutdown. Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid said no. Democrats urged House Speaker John Boehner

to allow a vote on a spending bill without conditions.

To contact the reporter on this story:

Jonathan Burgos in Singapore at

jburgos4@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story:

Sarah McDonald at

smcdonald23@bloomberg.net

Asian Stocks Swing on U.S. Budget Stalemate, Japan Tankan

Tata Group, Singapore Airlines entry good news for passengers

The announcement of the proposed Tata-Singapore Airlines venture was a big surprise and is great newsfirst for the passengers, second for the aviation community, and then, for the country.

Passengers first, because competition will bring down sky-high fares by breaking the kind of cosy cartel that seems to exist, and simultaneously improve quality of service and product offerings. It is good news for the gloomy aviation sector. It will create more direct and indirect employment where thousands of trained pilots, aviation engineers and technicians are languishing without jobs and this will give a fillip to the ancillary industries like maintenance, repair overhaul (MRO), ground handling, catering, etc, across the country. Finally, it is going to give a boost to the economy. When new airlines get launched, frequencies improve, new city-pairs are discovered and connected, and cities and towns in remote areas are brought into the aviation network. This will give an impetus to tourism and also push investments to the backward areas in the hinterland. And it is also fitting that, viewed against a historic backdrop, Tatas are back in aviationwho can forget that JRD Tata, a great aviator, pioneered civil aviation in this country and founded Air India.

But the announcement, while it cheered the public but may not have gladdened the competitors, has brought to the fore a few important issues that must be debated and addressed.

Tata-SIA first attempted a foray into aviation 15 years ago. The government, or the party at the helm of affairs, then had torpedoed the proposal. Given that it was a Tata-backed venture, it was sacrilege. Ratan Tata went on record that he was asked to bribe someone in the civil aviation ministry to get a licence even though the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) had cleared it. While the government and politicians of the day bore the ignominy of preventing the very company that pioneered aviation in India to form a new venture, what is tragic and ironic and glossed over is that a private airline, which today is running helter-skelter to stitch together its own FDI with a Middle East carrier,

Tata Group, Singapore Airlines entry good news for passengers

East Bengal breathe easy after players granted visas for gargantuan Kuwait SC ...

Club officials, however, remain displeased at the lack of basic amenities and an air of nonchalance towards the visiting team by the hosts…

East Bengal’s players and staff alike breathed a huge sigh of relief after it was revealed that the three players, Mehtab Hussain, Arnab Mondal and Gurwinder Singh, who were denied a visa to fly to Kuwait initially, had finally received the green light after due organization of documents. They were accompanied by four East Bengal officials, who faced similar predicaments.

The trio weren’t allowed to board the flight due to issues related to their visa. This ensued in a lacklustre trainings session for East Bengal in Kuwait on Sunday, with coach Marcos Falopa unable to finalize certain defensive strategies due to the absence of Mondal.

East Bengal are in Kuwait to play their first leg of the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Cup on October 1^st.

What’s more needling is the lack of assistance or amenities provided to the player in the visiting camp by the hosts. Refusing to reveal his identity, a senior player on the East Bengal roster elucidated to The Telegraph, “There’s no drinking water… The hosts had promised sufficient supply of drinking water but that didn’t happen. The hotel authorities have only provided two bottles of water for each member. This is ridiculous.”

He added, “We are in for trouble… With no Arnab and Mehtab, we could not practice the way the coach would have liked us to.”

Another example of the unprofessionalism shown by Kuwait SC officials was when the East Bengal team landed in Kuwait City in the early hours of Sunday. When the team had to pass through immigration and receive due clearances, it was realized that the respectable officials had forgotten the Visa-on-arrival papers of Robert Lalthlamuana.

“The players had to go to the hotel and get the document. Robert was made to wait at the immigration counter for two-and-half hours,” complained Alvito D’Cunha, whose mood reflected that of the rest of the camp as well.

The Red and Gold officials were also reportedly seething on hearing the treatment meted out to their personnel. They reportedly complained to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and tried to postpone the match, but that request came to no avail as it was struck down immediately.

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East Bengal breathe easy after players granted visas for gargantuan Kuwait SC ...

Natural attractions of Taiwan

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Natural attractions of Taiwan

12 Must-Try Street Foods Around the World

“Street food, I believe, is the salvation of the human race.”

So proclaimed Anthony Bourdain, passionate street food advocate and consumer, at the inaugural World Street Food Congress in Singapore.

Held in the Southeast Asian street food Mecca, the WSFC featured extensive panels and discussions about international street food culture, from the USA’s food trucks to Singapore’s own prolific “hawker” centers, and a 10-day “Jamboree” of 37 street food vendors from around the world serving up their respective regional specialties.

“Street food makes travel interesting,” Bourdain explained. “It’s very easy to travel around the world and look out the window and not know where you are. You see the same businesses. Go to the best restaurant in town in Houston, New York, or Berlin, and they’re not going to be that different. That’s not the case with street food. In Mexico, you’ll know if you’re in Puebla or Mexico City—you’ll smell, see, and taste the difference.”

Indeed, here are a dozen must-try street foods that offer us a truly unique, local flavor.

-Lawrence Ferber

Sarawak Laksa: Kuching, Malaysia

The noodle soup known as laksa is, to Malaysia, what barbecue is to the USA: many states have their own distinctive version. Sarawak, located on Borneo, is home to a perfectly sour-savory-creamy variation—a tamarind-infused coconut milk base with vermicelli noodles, plump shrimp, crisp bean sprouts, shredded chicken and omelet, cilantro, and a tangy citrus spritz from Southeast Asia’s cherry-sized, orange-hued Calamansi limes.

Where to Get it: In Sarawak’s capital city of Kuching, the open-faced Green Hill Corner coffee shop/restaurant. In Singapore, you can experience it at the Bedok Hakwer Center’s Red Hornbill stall (205 Bedok North St. 1).

Chicken Rice: Singapore

Chicken Rice is the hamburger of Singapore, a ubiquitous comfort food traditionally comprised of broth and ginger-infused rice, steamed white meat (or, in some venues, roasted and brown-skinned), and a side of cucumber slices and garlic chili sauce. It’s served at hundreds of open-air hawker stalls, air conditioned food courts and restaurants, and rarely will you find two Singaporeans that agree on where to find the best.

Where to Get it: Here are three to try: Wee Nam Kee at 275 Thompson Road, Tian Tian at Maxwell Hawker Center, and Sergeant Hainanese Chicken Rice at ION Orchard shopping center’s artfully-designed basement food court.

Bao Luo Fen: Sanya, China

A Hainanese specialty, the Chinese name which means “hugging a beauty,” is both sweet and savory. Soft, translucent rice noodles are tossed in a beef and corn gravy and topped with sliced, lean pork, beef jerky, and roasted peanuts.

Where to Get it: In the Hainan region’s coastal Sanya town, at Qiong Yuan.

Nasi Ulam: Malacca, Malaysia

Malaysia’s state of Malacca is home to a large Peranakan community, and their ethnic Nynonya cuisine—a fusion of Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, and Malay ingredients and techniques—birthed this rice and seafood delight. The recipe of local celebrity/chef Kenny Chan, of Malacca’s Big Nyonya, includes steamed white rice with chopped lemongrass, kaffir lime leaf, wild ginger flower, birds eye chili, lightly fried Spanish mackerel, prawns, coconut, cilantro, cucumber, and Calamansi lime and chili paste on the side.

Where To Get It: Malacca’s Big Nonya (33 Jalan Merdeka, Taman Melaka Raya).

Chicken 65: India

Nobody’s really saying where the “65″ comes from—possibilities include the number of spices used, how many days the chicken has been alive, its place on the original menu, etc—but all are in agreement that this spicy, deep fried, red-colored chicken dish, served with minty raita, is frickin’ bucket list-worthy.

Where to Get it: It started at Chennai’s Buhari Hotel Restaurant chain, but you’ll find this treat all over India.

Seafood Tostada: Ensenada Baja California, Mexico

This is quite possibly the highest-profile item at the WSFC Jamboree. It is a gorgeous union of fresh squid, scallop, and crab with crackly, thin tostada bread is complemented by citrusy salsa and avocado.

Where to Get it: At the coastal city of Ensenada’s La Guerrerense. Anthony Bourdain goes cuckoo for jovial chef Sabina Bandera Gonzalez’s take on the dish—it’s the salvation of the human race, after all!

Currywurst: Berlin, Germany

Second only to the doner kebab in its Berlin omnipresence, this is a chopped-up pork sausage doused liberally in a ketchup-curry sauce and dusted with curry powder. Go whole-hog, so to speak, with a side order of fries and mayonnaise. Just don’t eat while in motion, it’s a guaranteed stain. (Trust us.)

Where to Get it: Kreuzberg’s Curry 36 stand, which is open until 4 am from Monday-Saturday. Perfect for post-bar hunger pangs.

Corn in a Cup: Malaysia

Exactly what it sounds like. Corn niblets in an eight-ounce styrofoam cup, this is delicious, buttery, fresh-tasting, crisp, and sweet. You may mock the name at first, but you’ll soon be eating your words…and more of this corn.

Where to Get it: Nelson’s, a chain with locations throughout Kuala Lumpur including KL International Airport’s arrival hall. Try one of their icy corn smoothies while you’re at it!

Fried Milk: Taipei, Taiwan

Proving yet again that if you can deep-fry something, it’s going to taste awesome, this simple yet ingenious creation entails a skewer of three condensed milk cubes dipped in batter and fried. The resulting crispy-chewy interior contains a melty, sweet center.

Where to Get it: On the lower level of Shilin Night Market’s food court at the tiny “Frying Milk” stand—look for the cartoon cow on its front.

Fried Tarantulas: Cambodia

Cambodians learned to eat some funky things during the horrible Pol Pot Khmer Rouge era, including plenty of insects. Compared by some to soft-shelled crabs, except “more gooey,” fried tarantulas are a favorite in the market town of Skuon. Admittedly, this pick’s more about earning street cred and Facebook comments than flavor. But we say, go for it!

Where to Get It: Street vendors all over Skuon—typically a rest stop if taking a bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap—but if you want a sit-down restaurant tarantula experience, visit Phnom Penh’s Romdeng, part of the Friends International/Mith Samlanh NGO and run by former street kids.

Lamb Kebab Burger: Tel Aviv, Israel

Tel Aviv’s Carmel Market features some of the most photogenic produce you’ll ever see—bright red pomegranates, plump dates—plus delicious prepared food. One you’ll want to go back for is a kebab burger sandwich: flavorful small patties of ground lamb, beef, and mint stuffed into a chewy pita bread pocket with a slather of tahini sauce, parsley, and dash of cilantro.

Where to Get It: A maroon-colored stand dubbed Shmulik’s Kebab (21 Carmel Street).

Soft-Shelled Crab Burger: Portland, Oregon

Portland’s “food pod” scene is the mothership of still-spreading food truck culture, with hundreds of amazing port-a-kitchens serving everything from Chinese dumplings to salmon chowder. An “Americanized spin on European street food,” the EuroTrash cart is beloved for its fried Spanish anchovies (aka Fishy Chips), fresh potato chips with chorizo, cilantro, and curry aioli, and their signature Soft Shell Crab Burger, an addictive tempura-battered creation on a toasted bun with a dollop of spicy mayo-yogurt.

Where to Get it: EuroTrash at Downtown’s SW 10th Washington or the Good Food Here pod on SE 43rd Belmont.

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12 Must-Try Street Foods Around the World

JET AIRWAYS (INDIA) LIMITED : Jet Airways guests can now book & pay for ... - 4

Jet Airways guests can now book pay for their JetEscapes holidays on jetairways.com

Mumbai, September 30, 2013

Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, has now introduced a convenient option for guests to book and pay for their favourite JetEscapes Holidays, on www.jetairways.com. Booking holidays through the online platform will provide guests with a complete and seamless travel experience.

Jet Airways with a focus on providing exceptional value has crafted theme based holidays for its discerning guests. Guests can select their preferred holidays from an array of popular themes like Beach, Pilgrim, Historical, Wildlife, Family and Corporate holidays.

These attractive holidays include return air travel on Jet Airways, airport transfers, hotel stay with breakfast in budget to luxury hotels, sightseeing, travel insurance, besides offering guests the opportunity to earn 5 JP Miles for every INR 100 spent.

Guests seeking a break can avail an attractive 4N/5D holiday to Golden Triangle starting at INR 28,173. Similarly, guests planning a vacation in Hills may book a 7N/8D Great Escape holiday (Nainital, Ranikhet, Corbett, Mussoorie) at INR 34,344. Alternately, guests may experience ‘Hill Tours’ package to Himachal Pradesh and Eastern India. Additionally, guests have exciting 5N/6D options to Exotic Kerala and Southern Delight at INR 22,356 and INR 27,096 respectively.

Guests interested in visiting popular Pilgrim destinations may avail 2N/3D JetEscapes Holidays to Amritsar and Tirupati starting at INR 13,493 and INR 18,293 respectively. Guests with a love for the outdoors may plan to experience a nature trail and can enjoy Wildlife holidays to Sasan Gir, Bandhavgarh and Corbett. Additionally, guests wanting to experience Historical holidays may avail 3N/4D and 2N/3D holidays to Agra and Jaipur starting at INR 21,155 and INR 12,844 respectively. Alternately guests may also avail fun filled extended duration Family holidays to Goa, Gangtok, Darjeeling and other exciting destinations in India and abroad.

On Jet Airways’ international network, the airline offers 2N/3D family holidays to Bangkok and Singapore starting from INR 15,355 and INR 37,944 respectively. Similarly, 3N/4D holidays to Singapore, Dubai and London are attractively priced starting at INR 52,425, INR 29,576 and INR 93,902 respectively.

Jet Airways’ Jet Escapes offers 4N/5D stay at Bangkok and Pataya starting at INR 20,557. A 6N/7D holiday to Kathmandu and Pokhara in Nepal start at INR 29,172. Additionally, guests have exciting 5N/6D holiday travel options to Colombo, Kandy and Bentota in Sri Lanka starting at INR 46,143.

Mr. Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commercial Officer, Jet Airways, said, “Jet Airways’ customer-centric approach, with a clear focus on providing enhanced travel experience, a high standard of service offering with consistent delivery, has enabled us to become the airline of choice. The introduction of our maiden JetEscapes Holidays direct to guests gives us the unique opportunity to offer our discerning guests a refreshing end-to-end travel experience. Through these attractive JetEscapes Holidays, we aim to make travel for our guests truly memorable, while providing multiple opportunities to explore destinations in India and abroad. At Jet Airways, we have constantly endeavored to offer our guests exceptional value and an enhanced flying experience through innovative products and services. We are confident that our holidays to these destinations will prove to be extremely popular with travelers.”

For more information, guests may contact the JetEscapes Service Centre at 022 424 95 999 or 1800 209 6101 or e-mail us at jetescapes@jetairways.com.

About Jet Airways

Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 113 aircraft, which include 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 10 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 4 Airbus A330-300 aircraft, 72 next generation Boeing 737-700/800/900/900 ER aircraft and 15 ATR 72-500 and 2 ATR72-600. With an average fleet age of 5.17 years, the airline has one of the youngest fleet of aircraft in the world. Flights to 75 destinations span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Bangkok, Brussels, Colombo, Dammam, Dhaka, Doha, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jeddah, Kathmandu, Kuwait, London (Heathrow), Muscat, New York (Newark), Riyadh, Sharjah, Singapore and Toronto.

About JetKonnect

JetKonnect is a dedicated product designed to meet the needs of the low fare segment. JetKonnect will also offer guests a Premiere service on nearly all domestic routes. With its mixed fleet of Boeings and ATR aircraft with nearly 290 daily flights connecting 51 destinations across India, JetKonnect provides more flexibility and choice to its guests. JetKonnect’s convenient schedules, reliable service and low fares, promise to bring greater value and a seamless flying experience to our customers.

Jet Airways and JetKonnect together operate nearly 550 daily flights, both domestic and international.

JET AIRWAYS (INDIA) LIMITED : Jet Airways guests can now book & pay for ... - 4

Singapore retains charm amidst Indian visitors despite depreciating rupee

“The impact of depreciating rupee against the Singapore dollar is not much and Singapore continues to attract visitors from India,” said G.B. Srithar, Area Director, South Asia, Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

Talking to The Hindu, he said: “In the last few weeks, we have not heard about any big cancellations from the corporate regarding conferences or group meetings or from travel agents. Some Indian visitors might have either shortened their tours or stayed in less expensive hotels. Singapore hotels still continue to have healthy bookings. Singapore and Malaysia are not negatively impacted. The revival of Indian economy in the last few days is a healthy sign.”

According to him, India was the fifth largest country in terms of arrivals for 2011 and third largest in tourism receipts. For the first three quarters of 2012, one-third of 6.07 lakh Indians tourists were businessmen.

Indians spent nearly 33 per cent on accommodation and their average stay was about three to four days.

Disclosing that the tourists’ arrival for January-February 2013 had grown by 10 per cent, he said, “India is regarded as the number one source market for Singapore and it will continue to be so in the coming years. Each year, about 75 per cent of Indians are on leisure trips and 25 per cent on business. The business community accounted for 40 per cent of tourism receipts.”

Special rewards

Keeping this in mind, the STB announced the launch of ‘In SingaporeIncentives Rewards (INSPIRE)’, a rewards programme catering to the Indian Meetings, Incentives,Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE) outbound segment, particularly incentive travel groups and cruise tourism.

Chang Chee Pey, Executive Director, South Asia, Middle East and Africa, STB, said in the last five years Singapore had created lot of tourist attractions by investing over $10 billion.

Some of them such as boat ride on River Safari and the new indoor stadium would be up and running soon.

Changi Airport was developing its fourth terminal.

“India is one of our top five source markets for cruise. We conducted focus group study in 2012 to understand Indian consumers’ travel motivations, behaviour, their awareness and receptivity to cruising. A private firm is planning to start cruise tourism from South East Asia connecting India. The announcement will happen soon,” he said.

Singapore retains charm amidst Indian visitors despite depreciating rupee

Two men jailed for paid sex with minors

Two men who had paid sex with underage girls from two separate online vice rings were jailed 12 and 13 weeks respectively by a district court on Monday.

PHOTOS

SINGAPORE: Two men who had paid sex with underage girls from two separate online vice rings were jailed 12 and 13 weeks respectively by a district court on Monday.

Foo Kim Meng, 47, became the 22nd man in the high profile online vice ring case involving 51 men, to be convicted and sentenced. He was jailed 13 weeks.

Foo had pleaded guilty to having sex with the minor — who was then 17 years old — on four occasions between October 2010 and January 2011. He paid her S$500 each time.

The prosecution proceeded on two charges, with the remaining two being taken into consideration for sentencing.

The court had heard that the minor was listed as one of the escorts on a website operated by pimp Tang Boon Thiew.

Foo had come across the website and booked the minor for sexual services via text messages to Tang, who would then confirm the minor’s availability. After that, Foo would book a room at a budget hotel and would inform Tang of the hotel name and room number, and would meet the minor there.

In the second case, 33-year-old Babu Suppiah was jailed 12 weeks for having paid sex with another minor — who was only 16 years old at the time of the offences.

She had been tricked into prostitution by her pimps Malcolm Graham Head and his girlfriend Veronica Patricia Rio. At times when the girl did not want to serve clients, they would drug her to keep her awake or assault her.

Babu, a driver, is the fifth man to be jailed in this online vice ring which involved 10 men.

The court heard that he sent a text message to Head in February, asking if the girl was available.

He later paid the girl S$400 for her sexual services after meeting her at a hotel in Geylang. He did not ask her age nor to see her identity card.

Both men could have been jailed up to seven years and fined.

- CNA/ac

Two men jailed for paid sex with minors

Gangsterism abounds at Vietnam metro airport, "crackdowns" for naught

Despite a backlash in the press and lots of loud lip-service from authorities, thieves and dishonest cabbies continue to prey on passengers at Vietnam’s main international airport

Passengers checking out at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. The airport security agency has reported a rash of crimes targeting passengers recently. Photo by Diep Duc Minh

Tran Thi Hang saw two men in fancy outfits staring at her when she arrived at Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport after a recent flight from Singapore.

She saw them again in the parking lot as she walked to her motorbike. But this time they were on a bike and speeding straight for her. Next thing she knew, they had snatched her bag and were speeding away.

“They must have followed me as I checked out,” said the 28-year-old woman. She lost 1,000 Singapore dollars, 300 US dollars, a cell phone and her cosmetics.

Many similar cases have been reported around the airport, highlighting a spate of robbery, extortion and swindling targeting passengers arriving at Ho Chi Minh City’s only airport, the most bustling transit point in the nation.

In another case, a local man, identified only as K, arrived at the airport on September 12 and walked out along nearby Truong Son Street when five men robbed his watch and US$15,000.

The victim said it was likely that his watch, which he said was worth about $100,000, that attracted the robbers who probably followed him from the airport.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Pham Cong Nghia, chief of police in Tan Binh District’s Ward 2, where the airport terminal is located, said many robbers have begun operating in and around the airport because they believe airplane passengers carry lots of money and valuables.

Easy infiltration

Nghia said criminal gangs from northern provinces have migrated to HCMC recently and are using new ploys to make off with people’s money and property. Add that to the fact that local criminals have also stepped up operations, and things at the airport look pretty bad.

The Tan Binh District police are currently filing robbery charges against 32-year-old Le Hoang Chanh for stealing luggage at Tan Son Nhat in May.

According to police, Chanh, who is serving a one-year probation sentence for a previous robbery conviction, came to the airport’s international arrival section and took a bag of luggage from the carousel.

Wearing smart clothes to impersonate a passenger, he put the stolen luggage in a trolley and easily pushed it out of the terminal. Police said he used the elevator, instead of passing through the gate like most other passengers, to avoid the check-out process.

He was arrested while stealing another bag with the same ploy. Chanh even claimed that he had taken someone’s bag by mistake before confessing to the crime, police said.

Earlier, airport security detected Nguyen Thi My, 41, via security camera tapes, which showed her stealing the purse of a Taiwanese passenger.

My admitted that she came to the airport to steal. After seeing the Taiwanese passenger put her wallet on a pile of luggage, My cleverly stole it while hiding the act with a coat over her arm.

Swindling

Besides outright robberies, police and airport security have also caught con men and swindlers operating at the airport.

Captain Mai Trong Hanh of the District 10 Police Department said officers recently arrested groups of thieves who have confessed to luring airport passengers to hotels for “massages” before stealing their property.

Among the gangs was one led by Nguyen Van Tung and Nguyen Thi Ha, who were arrested and investigated on swindling charges.

Investigators said the duo came to the airport and found Japanese passenger Mayata Yuki waiting for a delayed flight.

They offered a massage package at a hotel in District 10 and after the service, Yuki found that her iPad and money, valuing more than $1,000 in different currencies, were gone.

According to the police, many criminals tend to target foreigners, assuming that they have valuable property and are not watchful enough.

“Criminals even buy a ticket like other passengers but only to be allowed to enter limited areas, like the waiting rooms, to steal properties,” Nghia, the police chief of Tan Binh District’s Ward 2, said.

Unsolved taxi problems

According to the airport’s Aviation Security Center, last week, a South Korean passenger taking a taxi from the airport to a hotel in the city was extorted by a cabbie who charged more than ten times the real fee.

The driver, who was later identified as a Saigon Tourist taxi driver, charged the Korean passenger VND1.5 million while the meter displayed only VND140,000.

After reporting the case, the security agency coordinated with police and identified the driver, who later confessed to the scam and returned the money.

Do Xuan Toan, the agency’s director, said such taxi problems have been persistent for years and are difficult to deal with for several reasons.

“Many passengers only stay for a few days while investigations often take longer,” he said.

“After arresting the criminals, police only issue an administrative fine instead of criminal charges because the victim is not present as required in criminal procedures in order to press charges against the culprits,” he told Vietweek.

He said many criminals, including taxi drivers, have abused this loophole to commit crimes.

He also used the excuse that when scams or robberies happen to tourists in taxis that have left the airport, jurisdiction becomes an issue because even victims who report the crimes do not know the city well enough to pinpoint the location of the crime.

Meanwhile, many taxi firms do not require a deposit from drivers to ensure their honesty at work, he said.

“The strictest measure a driver can face is dismissal. So they are not deterred against violations like appropriating property or stealing money from passengers,” he said.

He admitted that the fact that criminals were now operating inside the terminal was a serious problem.

He said many airlines sell electronic ticket, making it difficulty for security to check their tickets.

“The ticket can be a number code in their phone,” he said. “Previously, we checked paper tickets before passengers entered the luggage check section. It used to be safer for the passenger’s luggage because the criminals, who do not have tickets, could not enter this area.”

He said his agency has coordinated with local police but the airport is located on the border of different wards, which makes the security situation more “complicated”.

“The aviation security agency has tried their best. But it requires actions from other relevant agencies like the police and city authorities to maintain the safety of passengers and to handle violations thoroughly as a deterrent.”

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Gangsterism abounds at Vietnam metro airport, "crackdowns" for naught

Chủ Nhật, 29 tháng 9, 2013

Otel.com Has Launched Monthly Singapore Hotel Deals - Virtual

For those who wonder about Asian culture, otel.com announces its monthly offers on Singapore hotels. The deals can be seen on the website of the company here: otel.com.

(PRWEB) September 24, 2013

Singapore is an islands state that includes 63 islands. Singapore Island is the most popular of them. The timing of a vacation in Singapore is important, because it is too hot during April and May, and it is monsoon season between November to January.

The island is the meeting point of many cultures. There are so many holidays and festivals on the island that one may want to stay all year to attend them all. The biggest and most crowded event is the Chinese New Year. It may also be called Lunar New Year, which is celebrated during the month of February. There are also other festivals attracting the tourists, such as the Singapore Sun Festival, Singapore Food Festival and Singapore Jewel Festival, all offering different entertainment. One may explore lots of cultures just by visiting Chinatown, Little India and Kampong Glam. There are countless local items to buy, local food to eat and various cultures to discover. Families with children may also enjoy some attractions in the city, including Sentosa Island, Singapore Zoo, Orchard Road, Marina Bay and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Metin Altun, CEO of otel.com, has made a speech about their monthly deals for hotels in Singapore: “The population in Singapore is already high, so tourists may find it difficult to find available rooms. Booking way before the holiday could be a solution to this. We are offering some of the best city hotels in Singapore this month. We have chosen important destinations for autumn, and Singapore is one of them. People may find cheap Singapore hotels in our system.”

Metin Altun adds that there are especially two top hotels in Singapore, which they put a special discount on. One of them is Grand Hyatt Singapore Hotel. The hotel offers luxurious accommodations with a spa center with sauna, steam rooms, spa pools and plunge pools. One can dine at the restaurant, which serves both Asian and Western cuisine. The other hotel is Holiday Inn Atrium Hotel which is located along the Singapore River. The location of the hotel is very central and it is close to almost all activities and attractions.

About Otel.com

Being the branch office of Met Global, a global tourism company, otel.com offers monthly deals on specific destinations. The website has a well-developed filtering system providing more than 20 languages and currencies.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/9/prweb11149974.htm

Otel.com Has Launched Monthly Singapore Hotel Deals - Virtual

Nigerians" goodwill leaves lasting impression - Winston

A few days into my two-week stay in Nigeria, I was asked by the hostess of a party what had surprised me most.

“That I haven’t been kidnapped or robbed at knifepoint,” I said.

The Nigerians in attendance laughed heartily at this comment, which was mostly sarcastic.

Mostly.

I had immediately accepted the opportunity to spend two weeks in Nigeria as a fellow with International Center for Journalists — an organization based in Washington, D.C., that promotes a free and independent media — with little thought given to things like, you know, my personal safety.

Not long after, I told someone I was going to Nigeria, boasting maybe, half-expecting a “Wow. That’s so cool.” Instead, I got something more along the line of, “Are you mad?”

And so for the next several weeks, I toed the line between wondering if this was going to be the dumbest thing I had ever done — displacing the time I rode a moped with my eyes closed — or if I were overreacting, buying into western paranoia about a misunderstood country.

My fears were not quelled on the eve of my flight to Nigeria when a private security consultant talked to those of us who were fanning out across sub-Saharan Africa. He gave some general tips for those traveling to Kenya, Uganda and Ghana.

“And for those of you going to Nigeria… .”

We should be cautious. Very cautious.

What finally erased those fears?

Being in Nigeria.

Being with Nigerians.

Yes, there were high walls topped with barbed wire, windows with bars and a security checkpoint — and that was just at the newspaper where I was stationed — as well as car bomb detectors and policemen toting AK-47s.

But that’s life in the big city in Nigeria, and these sorts of safety precautions quickly became routine and actually made me less afraid that I would be snatched off the street and held for ransom, something that is a real danger in the countryside, an area that we were, sadly, dissuaded from visiting.

So while I didn’t get to experience rural life or see anything remotely pastoral, I discovered a different kind of beauty — the warmth and generosity of the Nigerian people, many of whom took a personal interest in my safety, escorting me through areas where I might raise an eyebrow or two and reassuring me time and time again, “You are safe here.”

It would be foolish to sum up such a rich and diverse country as Nigeria after two weeks, especially since I only saw Abuja, the capital, and Lagos, a glorious mess of a city that seems to be wheezing one minute, dancing the next.

Unquestionably, Nigeria has an image problem. But I witnessed several beams of light penetrating the dark cloud that hangs over the country. For instance:

The country is unimaginably poor, with nearly 70 percent of its people living below the poverty line. This is visibly apparent on roadsides rimmed with people during work hours, some just hanging out, others hoping to pick up whatever meager work they can, such as the young boys who sit on their wheelbarrows all day, eager to cart some groceries or other goods for what amounts to a few quarters.

There are sprawling, maze-like slums teeming with people living on the fringes; crumbling roads and sidewalks; half-finished, long-forgotten building projects; a power grid with the stamina of an octogenarian, flickering on and off several times a day.

Yet within this country resides a generosity the likes of which I had never experienced.

Try to pay for your own meal and you are hastily brushed off. After I and a few other Americans wolfed down plates of grilled catfish and croaker and washed it down with Gulder, Nigeria’s tasty lager, we reached into our pockets to pay our share.

“We don’t do Dutch in Nigeria,” one of our hosts said dismissively.

Another time, a Nigerian journalist led me through a street market. I stopped at a snack stand, intending to order a Coke, and asked if she wanted one as well.

She declined, ordered for me and gave me that familiar brush off when I attempted to pay.

“You’re a guest here,” she said with a laugh, as if my gesture to pay was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.

A small gesture, to be sure, but I got the sense that Nigerians are true “the-shirt-off-my-back” people, demonstrating a genuine graciousness with no hidden agenda.

Other sad facts: The average life expectancy in Nigeria is 52 years, a sad statistic for a country rich in resources, most notably oil, and a relatively stable democratic government.

People in neighboring Benin and Niger, countries that are much more poor and undeveloped than Nigeria, live longer than Nigerians.

This rankles a few Nigerians with whom I visited. They are dismayed that their quality of life hasn’t improved as rapidly as it has for those who live in Malaysia and Singapore, both of which gained their independence from Great Britain around the same time as Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organization, the average life expectancy is 72 in Malaysia and 80 in Singapore.

Cultural barriers are partly to blame.

There remains a healthy distrust of vaccinations, particularly in the more Muslim-dominated north, where some Nigerians see it as a nefarious weapon of the West used to sterilize its young girls.

Cholera, measles and malaria remain killers. Polio, which has been eradicated throughout much of the world, with the exception of Afghanistan and Pakistan, continues to plague Nigeria.

But Americans could learn something from the Nigerian diet, which is heavy on fruits, vegetables and fish. Dishes laden with cheese, butter and creamy sauces are rare. So are desserts.

In the two weeks I was in Nigeria, I saw maybe a few dozen overweight people and not one morbidly obese person.

Nigerians like their beer and wine, but I saw few smokers.

Corruption is rampant in Nigeria, no one questions that. But Nigerians are Godly people with so many mega-churches it makes the Bible Belt look like Berkeley.

Every Sunday, the streets are empty as people flock to churches with such names as Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministry, House on the Rock and Holy Fire Overflow Ministry.

The services have a Nigerian spin but there are some overlapping similarities, which I observed while attending a memorial service for the mother of a well-known editor. After a long sermon, the preacher implored us to stand and sing a classic from the Baptist hymnal, “Shall We Gather at the River” or “Ree-vah” as it were.

Nigerians asked me time and again what lessons I will take back with me. I usually gave some sort of lame beauty-pageant answer about building bridges but upon reflection, I think I have it.

Nigeria matters.

Maybe a lot of Americans can’t find Nigeria on a map. Maybe we can’t name its president (the wonderfully named Goodluck Jonathan) or confuse it with Niger (vastly different).

But if oil prices, world peace and climate change concern you, you should care about Nigeria.

This country of 170 million, about twice the size of California, is poised to become a major global player in the coming decades, right up there with China, India and Russia.

According to the United Nations Population Division, Nigeria is targeted to have a population of nearly 1 billion people by 2100.

In an examination of those numbers, Max Fisher, a reporter for the Washington Post, wrote that Nigeria may experience the most rapid population growth ever.

If a government that does a less-than adequate job serving its people now can’t meet the demands of such a large population, there could be massive chaos with far-reaching implications.

Consider how poverty fuels terrorism (see Somalia and Afghanistan). Consider how Nigeria is already home to one Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, which has shown itself to be every bit as diabolic and maniacal as Al-Shabab, the group that left a river of blood at a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya.

If the Nigerian government can finally rid itself of corruption and move the country forward, Fisher argues that Nigeria could be a global economic power, along the lines of China, by the dawn of the 22nd century.

However Nigeria’s future unravels, Americans would do well to extend their hand.

lodonnell@wsjournal.com

(336) 727-7420