Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) has added one of Australia’s premium wine regions to its AIME 2010 Pre Touring Program for hosted buyers.

The Yarra Valley, located just one hour’s drive from Melbourne, is a world renowned wine region reminiscent of Tuscany in Italy or the beautiful Burgundy region of France. Also known for its five star resorts and conference facilities, nature based experiences and gourmet food, it is sure to be a one of AIME’s most popular pre-tours.

Sheraton Hanoi Hotel, managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced the arrival of Audra Arul as Director of Sales & Marketing.

Prior to her new appointment, Audra Arul, who hails from Malaysia worked at Le Meridien Nirwana Golf & Spa Resort in Bali and successfully opened Le Meridien Shimei Bay Beach Resort & Spa in China. Audra is a Hospitality Administration graduate of Centre International de Glion, Switzerland. She is also a graduate of the Oxford Business School which she attended, after completing her A Levels in Canterbury, England.

by Joachim Fischer, Bangkok

Dusit Thani Seeks to Benefit from the Summit

The Dusit Thani Hua Hin expects its designation as official conference hotel for the 15th ASEAN Summit, to take place from October 21 to 25, to have a positive impact on bookings during the winter season and in the upcoming year. Dusit International has invested 200 million baht in upgrading its five-star hotel in Hua Hin, renovating the dining facilities and the Dusit Club and Lounge, among others.

Ilja Pankow, Bangkok

After the success of the first LUXX in Bangkok in 2006, the philosophy, design and culture-of-small, hip and chic hotels outlined a new era in Bangkok’s boutique hotel industry. LUXX is reinventing itself three years later with the opening of the new LUXX XL, a 7-storey design building that converged function, space and style, featuring a 12 meter infinity edge and slate stone-finished salt-system swimming pool.

Ralf Teckentrup was re-elected president of the German Airline Association (BDF) by a general meeting in Berlin which unanimously confirmed the 51-year old in the association’s highest position for another two years.

Teckentrup had first been elected president of the BDF in 2007. Under his presidency, the BDF has developed into a leading voice of the industry over the course of the past two years.

by Joachim Fischer, Bangkok

76 of Asia-Pacific’s finest travel trade organisations were recognised in style at the 20th TTG Travel Awards 2009 Ceremony & Gala Dinner. For the 3rd year running, the awards and gala event was held at Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld as readers of TTG Asia, TTG China, TTGmice and TTG-BTmice China, acknowledged the crème de la crème of the industry.