Indulgence at Sutera Harbour Resorts begins with the inviting and luxurious rooms to pamper traveling business individuals, families, friends and couples on their romantic getaway.

2009 promises to be an exciting year ahead for Sutera Harbour Resort with scheduled refurbishment across both The Pacific Sutera and The Mangellan Sutera hotels to enhance and improve the quality of rooms in order to complement the fast-moving lifestyle and expectations of the well-traveled guest.

Providing the tourism sector with the necessary tools to help overcome the current economic situation is among UNWTO’s increased response efforts. Short-term economic goals must be aligned with long-term commitments to sustainable development, poverty alleviation and climate change response. This will be the focus of the four major UNWTO events and other activities at FITUR 2009 (28 January – 01 February, Madrid, Spain).

by Volker Hasse

On February 10, 1209, Berlin’s „Green Lung“ was first mentioned in records under the name of COPANIC. In the 800 years leading to this year’s town jubilee, Köpenick developed from a „hill site“ at the junction of Dahme and Spree into a popular tourism destination, rich in lakes and in the greenest environment of Berlin. After the fusion of Berlin & Treptow in 2001, it became an international location for science and media.

The Minister of Tourism, YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Dato’ Othman Said, outlined the details of the establishment of the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) at a press conference held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

This followed the announcement made on 3 December by Deputy Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Abdul Razak to strengthen Malaysia’s tourism industry by targeting the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) market.

by editorial office, itb

Rapid increase in travel bookings via internet – travelers are increasingly counting on recommendations by friends. For the first time ever, the internet is dominating in regards to the planning and booking of trips in Europe.
In 2008, the number of travelers who used the internet in their travel planning passed the number of those who passed on on the World Wide Web for travel information or booking. This is the conclusion of the ITB World Travel Trends Report, produced by the consultancy IPK International on behalf of the ITB Berlin.

The new tourism minister of Thailand, Mr. Chumpol Silpa-acha, is pushing for a tourism revival package to aid tourism enterprises hard hit by the global financial slowdown and the impact of the country’s political instability.

The plan is expected to involve a 3.8 billion baht (US$110 million) aid package to assist Thai tourism operators severely affected by the eight-day closure of Suvarnabhumi Airport in late November last year.