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THE SLOW ROAD TO THE FRENCH ALPS

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“Be patient, slow down,” I reminded myself as we neared the summit of the Col de la Colombiere in the French Alps, a climb that’s been ridden 23 times in the Tour de France. And, trust me, they don’t include it so regularly in the world’s most famous race because it’s easy. The Colombiere is a 17.6-km. challenge with an average gradient of 6.5%. (There’s a sign every kilometer that lets you know the gradient for the upcoming kilometer.)

I’m not a professional cyclist and was struggling. Up ahead was Mike Booth, my new cycling companion. Booth, a charming and chatty Brit who lives near the base of Mont Blanc, has ridden the Colombiere more than 50 times and wasn’t even breathing hard.

“Let him go,” I told myself. “It’s not a race.”

Over the past week, I’d ridden several other nearby cols (mountain-pass roads) by myself and had devised a simple but hard-to-maintain strategy: patience. “Take your time,” I had to remind myself once or twice a kilometer. “Relax and enjoy these amazing Alpine views… Hey look, cows!”

Booth was one of the reasons I was in the Haute Savoie (northern) region of the French Alps, based first in Annecy and now Cluses.

I’ve cycled in several French regions over the years and was struggling to decide where to go for my first post-COVID adventure. Alsace Lorrain was tempting, maybe the French Riviera. Then, I discovered Booth’s breathebike.com website and the videos of him climbing the area’s most famous cols, including the Colombiere. The scenery was stunning, and Booth made climbing look so darn easy.

I emailed him a few rounds of questions, he answered. “The Alps it is,” I said, and booked a flight to Paris, made hotel reservations in Annecy and Cluses, and rented an all-carbon bike from Annecy Bike Rentals. Then I made arrangements to meet Booth outside my hotel in Cluses, and off we went to the nearby base of the Colombiere.

Booth first climbed this mountain in 2007, soon after he and his wife, Judith, moved here from England. They initially ran a bed-and-breakfast chalet in Les Houches, at the base of Mont Blanc, a romantic-sounding notion that turns out to be more work than romance.

“I suffered the first time,” Booth, 54, said of the initial ascent. He’d done a little racing in his younger days, but hadn’t ridden in several years and had put on some weight. “I was hopelessly unfit and completely in the wrong gear,” he said.

He’s now extremely fit and in the right gear.

Since they sold their bed-and-breakfast in 2017, Booth has become a bike-tour organizer, including rides around Mont Blanc, and a trek from Geneva to Nice.

Annecy, which sits picturesquely on the northern edge of Lake Annecy, is a popular tourist destination. It has scores of hotels for every price range.

Col de la Colombiere in the French Alps

Cluses? Not so much. It’s a much smaller, less visited town, but with a surprising number of cafés and restaurants, and it’s surrounded by mountains. My room at the Hotel National, in the centre of town, had mountain views out the window.

Then again, every town, village and city in the Haute Savoie is surrounded by the Alps. They’re everywhere, beckoning cyclists to test their ability to climb the cols made famous in the Tour de France.

The first half the Colombiere climb is mostly through forests, with a few views through the trees down to the towns that line the valley. Then, you emerge from the woods into the town of Le Reposoir, and the Alpine view you’ve traveled and climbed so far to see.

Le Reposoir means “resting place,” and this is the perfect spot to stop at a café or restaurant for a well-deserved break and some nourishment before the second, more difficult half of the climb. The valley is spread out before you, with timbered chalets edging their way up the slopes in neat rows.

This is where the real climbing begins, starting with a series of S-turns you can see from Le Reposoir. Then, you ride along a steep ridge of the Colombiere.

And then, the final kilometer, the steepest of the ride at 11%. “Uh oh,” I told myself. “Slow down, you’re almost there.”

Any slower though and I might tip over.

To my left was a valley with mountains covered in triangle-shaped pine trees on the other side. Up and to my right were the craggy, steep slopes of the Colombiere.

It took a while, but I made it to the top, and just sort of stopped and stared at everything all around me. The pain of the effort was instantly gone, replaced by a sense of accomplishment, enhanced by the view.

We weren’t alone. A lot of people had made their way up the Colombiere, in cars, on motorcycles and on bicycles.

If you’re not a cyclist, there’s still a lot to do in this region. There’s hiking trails and skiing everywhere. Albertville, the host city of the 1992 Winter Olympics, is near Annecy. The area also claims to be the birthplace of paragliding, and I saw several up above.

I took the mandatory selfie with the summit sign in the background. Then we headed back down the way we had just climbed, to Cluses. I’m not an especially brave descender, but it sure was fun flying down the mountain.

“I still can’t believe I live here and get to wake up every morning with a view of Mont Blanc,” Booth said before he pedaled home. I stood there, outside my hotel, surrounded by the Alps, thinking how lucky I was just to be here.

Three days later, my final one in Cluses, I climbed the Colombiere again. Slowly.

 

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

LISTENING IN: Gordon the great

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It was only a stray line in the paper recently, but it hit like hammer: Gordon Lightfoot was performing at a small venue in Oakville, Ont. on the weekend. To be sure, the iconic Canadian singer-songwriter hasn’t been entirely out of the news in recent years, but the about-to-be 84-year-old (Nov. 17) is still going strong filled me with delight.

Indeed, Lightfoot was once declared dead in an infamous 2010 hoax perpetrated on Twitter.

Considered by many to be Canada’s greatest songwriter, Orillia, Ontario-born Lightfoot helped define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and ‘70s, also scoring on the country charts.

Countless hits like the heart-rending “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” “That’s What You Get for Loving Me,” “Carefree Highway,” “Rainy Day People,” and, of course, the incomparable “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” – The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down/ Of the big lake they call ‘Gitche Gumee’/ The lake it is said, never gives up her dead/ When the skies of November turn gloomy – read like a quintessential Canadian playbook.

No wonder then that Gordon the Great has been inducted into the Canadian Music and Country halls of fames and into Canada’s Walk of Fame, received the Order of Canada, and even put on a stamp (along with Anne Murray, Paul Anka, and Joni Mitchell).

South of the border, he has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in a New York City and a movement exists to have him recognized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

If you’re wondering, I haven’t forgotten his sensational No. 1 hit “Sundown” – the first song Lightfoot song I remember hearing – which we present here (from 1974, the year it was released):

Lyrics

I can see her lyin’ back in her satin dress
In a room where ya do what ya don’t confess
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin’ ’round my back stairs
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin’ ’round my back stairs
She’s been lookin’ like a queen in a sailor’s dream
And she don’t always say what she really means
Sometimes I think it’s a shame
When I get feelin’ better when I’m feelin’ no pain
Sometimes I think it’s a shame
When I get feelin’ better when I’m feelin’ no pain

I can picture every move that a man could make
Getting lost in her lovin’ is your first mistake
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin’ ’round my back stairs
Sometimes I think it’s a sin
When I feel like I’m winnin’ when I’m losin again

I can see her lookin’ fast in her faded jeans
She’s a hard lovin’ woman, got me feelin’ mean
Sometimes I think it’s a shame
When I get feelin’ better when I’m feelin’ no pain
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin’ ’round my back stairs
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin’ ’round my back stairs
Sometimes I think it’s a sin
When I feel like I’m winnin’ when I’m losin’ again

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

RELAX. BREATHE OUT: Spirit to widen seats

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At time when it seems every inch of cabin space is precious, Spirit Airlines in the US is introducing a new wider seat. The ultra low-fare airline unveiled its latest state-of-the-art Vector Light seat at the recent Apex Expo 2022 event in Long Beach, Ca.

Designed to be wider and offer extra cushion and other comfortable features to enhance the guest experience, the redesigned interior will be installed on Spirit’s new aircraft deliveries starting in late January 2023. In total, 33 new A320 Family aircraft are planned for delivery throughout 2023.

Among the features:

More Room: Each seat will gain a half-inch of width. The new seat technology unlocks previously unused space with a design that fits closer to the wall of the aircraft, creating an opportunity to increase seat width. This innovation also supports the optimization of cabin operations by adding the extra room without removing space from the aisle to ensure fast boarding and deplaning for Guests. Spirit’s middle seats will continue to be an inch wider than aisle and window seats.

Spirit also continues to champion innovative curved seatback designs that unlock space at the knee level. This additional space amounts to about two more inches of knee space compared to flatback seats on legacy airlines with the same pitch. These extra pockets of space are omitted in the standard industry “pitch” metric, which is focused on flatback seats. So, Guests have more personal space than what the “pitch” measurement indicates.

Vector 1 prototypes

More Comfort: All seats will now have more cushion and newly added headrests. Big Front Seats are seeing changes in design to include more cushion, nearly an inch more pre-recline, easier to reach tray tables and a wider seatback.

More Fuel-Efficient: The new seats come with an incremental environmental benefit as well. Even with the new features, the weight of each new Vector Light seat will amount to a decrease of nearly 11 ounces per seat thanks to advances in seat frame technology. These small changes have outsized effects in a large-scale operation, resulting in sizable reductions of fuel burn across the fleet.

“Our cabin refresh in 2019 was a significant enhancement in the guest experience, and these new seats are another great step forward in increasing value for our guests,” says Spirit VP Lania Rittenhouse.

Spirit has 33 new planes projected for delivery in 2023.

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Michelin-star Restaurant Savelberg Launches New Experience Menu

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Michelin-star Restaurant Savelberg Launches New Experience Menu - TOP25RESTAURANTS.com - TRAVELINDEXBangkok, Thailand, November 8, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Savelberg restaurant Bangkok launching a new menu, “Savelberg Experience”, and with prices starting at THB 2,800, it’s a relatively inexpensive introduction to modern French fine dining gastronomy in Bangkok.

Created by Michelin-star chef Henk Savelberg, the “Savelberg Experience” course menu is designed to reflect Chef Henk’s culinary mastery.

The experience journey includes:
– the signature Faberge Egg, in which he uses “Veal Tenderloin” to make the classic “Veal Tartare” mixed with “Granny Smith Green apples” and “Tomatsu Soy Sauce” from Netherland. The Chef use the combination of “Crème Fraiche” and “Royal Oscietar caviar” which give it more refreshing, then lush buttery, long aftertaste, and crisp with aroma to complete the dish.
– Scallop with pumpkin, pumpkin seed vinaigrette,apricot:
Pan fried Scallop paired with pumpkin beurre noisette purée. The chef top the scallop up with pumpkin seed and truffle vinaigrette to give more texture , nutty, crunchies and more fragrance on the truffle side then finish with the sweet taste of grilled apricot to get more complexity.
– Turbot with fennel, finger lime, veronique, grape, salicornia, trout roe:
Poached Turbot with grilled and fresh fennel goes well with “Veronique sauce” French White wine base sauce that go together with seafood , The Chef add finger lime and trout roe to balance out the flavors.
– Quail Roulade with foie gras, cranberry jam, cabbage roll, truffle jus:
Quail roulade with foie gras and Australian winter black truffle that go together with sweet and sour cranberry jam to balance out the taste also Chef finish up by add cabbage roll and truffle jus to make the dish even more flavorful.
– Hitachiwagyu Beef A5, Jerusalem artichoke, pearl onion, broccolini, beef jus:
Charcoal grilled Hitachiwagyu A5 beef from Ibaraki, Japan. Served with grilled Jerusalem artichoke, pearl onion confit and finish with beef jus that we put “Tomasu” soya sauce from Holland to give more sweet and salty.
– Mango:
Fresh Local Mango “Nam Dok Mai” one of the best Thai Mango with the sweetest taste, Madagascar vanilla mousse, passion fruit crèmeux, jasmine tea foam, mango sheet, caramel macadamia for a special crunch.

Savelberg restaurant Bangkok is one of the top restaurants and award winner at TOP25 Restaurants Bangkok.

Savelberg Bangkok, 136/1 Yen Akat 2, Chong Nonsi, Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120
Phone: +66 2252 8001, Email: reservation@savelbergth.com, Web: www.savelbergth.com

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Pattern Insurance Welcomes Ido Hertz as VP of Products

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The former Agoda Head of International Travel Recovery Products will accelerate product innovation at the insurtech. Global Insurtech MGA, Pattern, is delighted to announce Ido Hertz has joined the Tel Aviv office as VP of Products, as it continues its rapid growth in the global embedded insurance market.

Ido Hertz brings more than 20 years of experience in the tech industry to the role, where he will oversee the company’s product vision, strategy, and execution.

Most recently, Ido was based in Asia as the Head of International Travel Recovery Products for Agoda, where he spearheaded company-wide initiatives and addressed the changing needs of travelers during the pandemic.

“My breadth of product experience from telecom, consumer goods and IT, as well as travel, means I can bring real innovation to Pattern as VP of Products. ,” shares Hertz. “I have closely followed Pattern’s impressive growth as a comprehensive embedded insurance solution. I look forward to working with the team to reshape the future of insurance and travel in a new exciting way.”

Meitav Harpaz, CEO and Co-Founder of Pattern, adds, “Ido is a fantastic addition to our growing team. His expertise in product management makes him the perfect fit to drive our next phase of innovation. Pattern’s vision is to protect consumers’ purchases and co-create personalized insurance offerings, seamlessly integrating into the customer journey. I know Ido can help us achieve this on an even larger scale.”

Pattern Insurance is a fast-growing global InsurTech MGA that empowers online travel, recreation, and events companies to design, build and distribute innovative insurance offerings seamlessly in their customer journey. Pattern leverages emerging technology and data to create an amazing customer experience. Pattern works to eliminate all the reasons insurance gets a bad reputation. Pattern operates globally with offices in Silicon Valley, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv. Their products are integrated into leading brands, including Amadeus, Lastminute.com, Liknoss, Gulliver, Invia, Issta and Variety Cruises.

Pattern
Pattern is a global InsurTech MGA that empowers online travel, recreation, and events companies to design, build and distribute innovative insurance offerings seamlessly in their customer journey. Pattern protections address risks associated with a change of plans, travel disruption, inclement weather and medical assistance, amongst others, to build consumer confidence and boost revenues. Patterns parametric protections dispense customer compensation automatically when an event is triggered.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Alma Resort Unveils Giant Gingerbread House for Christmas

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Cam Ranh, Vietnam , November 8, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / A giant gingerbread house and glittering winter wonderland display, a Christmas choir performance involving youngsters from a local orphanage, and an artists-in-residence program will be among an array of festivities to usher in Alma’s upcoming season to be jolly.

The 30-hectare beachfront resort will host events including Christmas and New Year’s Eve cocktail parties and dinners, as well as champagne breakfast, wine and cheese tasting and buffets from Dec. 15, 2022 until Jan. 1, 2023. The festive season program’s activities for children will range from baking, singing, dancing and piano classes to face painting, Christmas craft-making and a kite-flying competition, topped off with Christmas movies at Alma Cinema and visits by a gift-toting Santa Claus, colorful clowns and Alma’s teddy bear mascot.

“We won’t be welcoming Jack Frost here on balmy Cam Ranh peninsula, where it’s sunny more than 300 days annually, but we are pulling out all the stops to make this festive season extra special,” said the resort’s managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler. “Our team can’t help but cherish Christmas and New Year’s Eve all the more following Vietnam’s COVID-19 flare-up last year that forced Alma to temporarily close during this wonderful time of the year.”

The program begins on Dec. 15 with the unveiling of the gingerbread house and winter wonderland decorations at Alma Food Court, affording photo opportunities for guests throughout the festive season. Christmas desserts such as stollen, cakes, cookies and, of course, gingerbread will be on offer.

The house will be built from 232 kilograms of gingerbread – 800 wall tiles that each weigh 155 grams and 1200 roof tiles each 90 grams – and decorated in 40 kilograms of merengue. Director of culinary and F&B operations Ingo Stöneberg’s team started baking the gingerbread for the house from the first week of October. It will take roughly two months to prepare the dough, and shape, bake and dry all of the bricks before the house is assembled in about 48 hours.

Young singers from nearby Nha Trang’s Thien Tam orphanage will join forces with Alma’s resident pianist Ben and singers Rain and Engie to perform Christmas songs as part of a Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 18 and a Christmas Eve cocktail party on Dec. 24 at Alma Lounge.

In addition to breakfast buffets to mark Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, an Instagram-worthy champagne breakfast on a floating tray will be on offer in the guests’ private pavilion pools or at one of the 12 resort pools that cascade down to Long Beach.

Santa will hand out gifts to children at Alma Lounge during a performance by Alma’s resident musicians on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. In the evening with colourful clowns in tow he will make the rounds of Alma’s various dining establishments, including beachfront Atlantis restaurant that specializes in fresh, local seafood and will serve a special festive set menu. Upon request, Santa will also bring Christmas gifts to kids purchased by their parents in their suite or pavilion.

Alma’s Italian fine dining trattoria La Casa will host exquisite five-course dinners on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve to an accompaniment of the resident musicians’ live piano and singing.

During cheese and wine tasting at The American Lounge and Bar on Christmas Day and Dec. 30, guests will learn interesting tidbits about a variety of wines and cheeses from around the globe as they sample them.

Talented artists from across Vietnam will descend on Alma to create artwork before the guests’ eyes from Dec. 29-31 at Alma Lounge as part of the resort’s artists-in-residence program. The artwork will be hung throughout the lounge and make for a gallery backdrop to a New Year’s Eve cocktail party underscored by a performance by the resident musicians.

The merriment will continue with a New Year’s Eve buffet complemented by a live Vietnamese band at Alma Garden before the American Lounge and Bar rings in the new year with a countdown party and DJ spinning the decks.

A host of children’s activities throughout the festive program include blowing rainbow bubbles, making Christmas cards, snowflakes, gift boxes, bells and trees, painting by numbers and playing Vietnamese Parcheesi. The young and young at heart will don aprons and decorate a gingerbread house and cupcakes as part of ‘Become a Pastry Chef’ workshops at the resort’s Pastry Kitchen, and rummage through Alma’s new 1000sqm fruit and vegetable garden, 260sqm chicken farm and 180sqm herb garden as part of a ‘Garden Discovery’ afternoon and learn more about chickens.

Alma’s Le Spa’s promotions during the festive season include a 90-minute ‘Sensory Spa Journey’ with a signature massage featuring hot stone therapy on the back and a pressure point massage on the face, and a two-hour ‘Festive Glow’ package with a body wrap and a sublime deep tissue massage.  Both offers are rounded out with a healthy drink after the treatment.

For further information or to book a suite or pavilion, contact Alma on +84 258 399 1666

Some activities such as, for example, the champagne breakfast on a floating tray, cheese and wine tasting and ‘Become a Pastry Chef’ incur additional charges and other activities such as, for example, face painting, the kite flying competition, and ‘Garden Discovery’ are complimentary. The American Lounge and Bar will offer promotions on beverages through the festive program.

About Alma
Situated on Vietnam’s emerging Cam Ranh peninsula fronting Long Beach, Alma resort commands some 30 hectares of inspiring ground. Emblematic of Vietnam’s maturation as a destination, the bold and spacious integrated resort offers 580 oversized suites and pavilions that all afford sweeping vistas of the ocean, including contemporary three bedroom oceanfront pavilions each totalling 224sqm with a living room, four bathrooms and a private pool. Alma features a broad spectrum of restaurants helmed by top chefs, a food court with an array of local and international cuisine, as well as a sports bar, pool bar and beach bar. Other highlights include 12 swimming pools cascading down to the beach, a waterpark, 13-treatment room spa, 70-seat cinema, convention centre, amphitheater, art gallery, science museum, gymnasium and yoga room, 18-hole mini golf course, a youth centre with virtual reality games, a kid’s club, water sports centre and even an ‘Alma Mart’ mini supermarket.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Meliá Chiang Mai Celebrates First Christmas with Merry Events

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Chiang Mai, Thailand, November 8, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Festive afternoon tea and lavish buffets on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are among an array of festivities with a Mediterranean flair ushering in Meliá Chiang Mai’s first season to be merry.

After an April debut in the heart of Chiang Mai, the hotel will host buffets on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

On site, the hotel’s holiday line-up looks as follows:

  • Spanish mulled wine, priced at THB 320 (USD 8.45) per glass will be served daily at Ruen Kaew Lounge from 5pm to 10pm from 1 December 2022 – 31 January 2023.
  • The ‘Festive Sparkling Afternoon Tea’ for two, held at Ruen Kaew Lounge daily between 2pm-5pm from 1 December until 31 January, comprises sweet and savoury Spanish favourites, a choice of either two glasses of Sangria or two glasses of Spanish Cava, as well as tea and coffee. Priced at THB 1,499 (USD 39.60) nett per set.
  • To be staged at all-day-dining restaurant Laan Na Kitchen on 24 December from 6pm – 10pm, the ‘Spanish Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet’ will feature a wide selection of quintessential Spanish dishes and desserts. Barbecued meats and seafood will be on offer at the show kitchen. Paella, tapas and pinchos will be complemented by a fresh and healthy Mediterranean salad bar. Santa Claus will delight the kids with Christmas gifts. A strolling live saxophonist will serenade diners. The price is THB 2,023 (USD 53.45) nett per person. Children from six to 12 years of age will receive a 50% discount and children aged under five years are free of charge. An additional THB 1,499 (USD 39.60) nett per person applies for two-hour free flow soft drinks, chilled juice, draught beer, house wine and sparkling wine.
  • On Christmas Day, 25 December, from 6pm – 10pm, on the 21st floor of the hotel, signature restaurant Mai Restaurant & Bar will offer a delectable four-course set Northern Thai dinner created by executive chef Suksant Chutinthratip (Billy) and sous chef Karn Phojun. The dinner will start with a Christmas platter followed by a creamy hot and sour soup with locally raised turkey and farm produce. The main course is a choice between slow and tender roasted beef fillet steak with spicy toasted rice gravy, root vegetables and potatoes or wok-fried Andaman tiger prawns, New Zealand mussels, squid and lotus stems with salted egg rice. To wish diners a Merry Christmas, the festive menu ends with a Christmas treasure box of desserts. The dinner is priced at THB 1,999 (USD 52.80) nett per person and includes a glass of house wine.
  • On the last evening of 2022, 31 December, the ‘New Year’s Eve Lavish Buffet’ from 6pm – 10pm at Laan Na Kitchen will brim with Mediterranean delicacies as a live bossa nova band performs. Live cooking stations include a grill station with tender cuts of steak and tiger prawns. Other highlights include craft roasted prime ribs, Moroccan spiced lamb, a ‘Khao Soi’ station and healthy Mediterranean salad bar. A magician will entertain the youngsters who will all have free access to KIDSDOM, the hotel’s kids club on the 2nd The buffet is THB 2,566 (USD 67.80) nett per person. Children from six to 12 years old receive 50% discount and children aged under five years are free of charge. An additional THB 1,499 (USD 39.60) nett per person applies for two-hour free flow soft drinks, chilled juice, draught beer, house wine and sparkling wine.
  • On 1 January, the New Year’s Day ‘Delicious Temptation’ set menu will be served at Mai Restaurant & Bar from 6pm – 10pm. The menu starts with a New Year’s Day Platter that includes green rice crusted shrimp cake, Northern style pork salad and galloping horses followed by tom kha soup with crabmeat, young coconut and fresh turmeric. The main course is a choice between grilled sirloin steak with scented gravy and tamarind glazed vegetables or grilled Andaman yellow curry tiger prawns with crab roe brown rice. Finished with a new year’s treasure box of desserts, the four-course set menu is THB 2,300 (USD 60.80) nett per person and includes a glass of house wine.

A 15% early bird discount applies to Spanish Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet and New Year’s Eve Lavish Buffet if booked by 30 November 2022. A 50% deposit is required at the time of reservation.

With a selection of function venues ideal for gatherings of up to 350 guests, Meliá Chiang Mai is offering its ‘Party Package’ for private year-end parties and corporate functions. Priced at THB 1,999 (USD 52.85) nett per person for a buffet, the package includes complimentary venue usage with stage setup, standard audio visuals, wi-fi internet access, flower decorations on every table and a complimentary bottle of house wine for every 10 paying guests.

For more details or to make a booking, please contact +66 52 090 699

Prices are inclusive of 10% service charge and 7% government tax.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

THE BEST PERFORMING TRAVEL DESTINATIONS OF 2022

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International travel industry analysts have revealed the performance of top global destinations of 2022 in an extensive review of the year. The best performing country list is headed by the Dominican Republic, the best performing city list by Antalya in Turkey.

According to the latest available air ticketing data (combining arrivals up to October 18 with bookings to the end of the year), the Dominican Republic is set to welcome 5% more visitors than it did in 2019. It is followed by Turkey, Costa Rica and Mexico, which will each welcome the same number of visitors.

They are followed by Jamaica and Pakistan, 5% down, then Bangladesh, 8% down, Greece, 12% down, Egypt, 15% down, Portugal, 16% down, and the UAE, 17% down.

The strong representation of Central American and Caribbean destinations towards the top of the list reflects the relative strength of the US outbound market and the approach taken by many highly tourism-dependent countries in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, which, throughout the pandemic, imposed less severe COVID-19 travel restrictions than elsewhere, and in doing so maintained their visitor economies. As the year has progressed, they have consolidated their leadership position and begun to exceed pre-pandemic volumes.

Alongside the ranking, the experts identified several major trends that have characterized travel in 2022.

The strongest is recovery, as pandemic related travel restrictions have been progressively relaxed and pent-up demand to travel has been released, helped by a recent revival in business travel and major global events such as the World Expo in Dubai and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. However, the recovery has not been smooth. Initially, the highly virulent Omicron variant caused a great deal of concern and the reimposition of travel restrictions at the start of the year.

Another factor stalling recovery was staff shortages, which resulted in chaotic scenes in airports before the start of the summer season.

Although Russia’s unprovoked brutal invasion of Ukraine massively impacted travel to and from Russia, with numerous countries imposing bans on direct flights, it has not caused long-haul travel to Europe to decline as much as one might have expected prior to the pandemic.

Travel to Southern Europe, especially to Greece, down 12%, Portugal, down 16%, and Turkey, flat, and to Iceland, down 14%, are set to hold up well.

However, the industry experts worry that second-order consequences of the war, such as rising fuel prices and inflation, will have a delaying effect on travel recovery.

The Asia Pacific region, which has been characterised by stiffer travel restrictions, most notably in China with its “Zero COVID” policy, has, at last, started to recover. There, people traveling to visit friends and relatives has been the driver, with Pakistan and Bangladesh just 5% and 8% down on 2019 levels. Leisure travel to the Maldives, down 7%, and Fiji, down 22%, both tropical island paradises, are set to hold up well.

Consumer demand for beach holidays has led the revival, with business travel and city tourism lagging until the start of the autumn. There has also been a trend towards travel in premium cabins, partly fuelled by so-called “revenge travel”, which has seen consumers spending more on value-added travel services. That syndrome, plus the increasing cost of fuel has driven a strong increase in fares.

Among top destination cities, the best performer is Antalya, the largest city on the Turkish Riviera, which is set to welcome 66% more visitors than it did in the equivalent period in in 2019. It is followed by San Jose Cabo (MX), up 21%, Puerto Vallarta (MX), up 13%, Punta Cana (DO), up 12%, San Salvador (SV), up 10%, Cancun (MX), up 9%, Lahore (PK), up 4%, Aruba (AW), up 3%, Montego Bay (JM), flat, and Islamabad (PK), down 1%.

The extraordinary performance of Antalya has been helped by a few factors, most notably the weakness of the Turkish lira and the policy of the Turkish government to remain relatively open to tourism during the pandemic and to continue welcoming Russian visitors.

The experts noted, that looking at the world on a regional basis, one must admire Caribbean countries for their early efforts to sustain visitor arrivals in the face of the pandemic and their continued growth in an increasingly competitive travel landscape. The Middle East also stands out, as it has helped to accelerate its recovery by hosting major global events such as the Dubai World Expo, Formula One grand prix in various Gulf locations and, above all, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Gulf has also seen a relatively robust comeback in business travel, a segment

First published at Travel Industry Today

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

The Pavilions Phuket Announces ALTO By Don Vito

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The Pavilions Phuket Announces ALTO By Don Vito - TOP25RESTAURANTS.com - TRAVELINDEXPhuket, Thailand, November 7, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / The Pavilions Phuket announced The Plantation Club will transform into ALTO By Don Vito on 01 December 2022. ALTO By Don Vito will serve the finest southern Italian cuisine in beautiful trattoria form and a modern yet rustic ambience.

ALTO, is an award-winning restaurant in located at The First Roma, Musica, a sister brand to The Pavilions. ALTO’s glamorous and very modern Italian experience focuses on contemporary and international touches that enhance the simplicity of traditional recipes.

The Pavilions Phuket
Perched dramatically atop one of Phuket’s highest points, each of our private villas and 81 m2 suites is a haven of tranquility. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or looking to relax and reconnect, we’ll deliver everything you need to enjoy all that island life has to offer.

Let us treat your tastebuds with two award-winning restaurants and bars serving exceptional gourmet cuisine. Unwind with state-of-the-art amenities, including a spa and wellness centre, a lap pool and a fully-equipped fitness centre. Now, the only thing missing is you.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News

Faern a New Collection of Lifestyle Resorts in the Swiss Alps Launched

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Faern a New Collection of Lifestyle Resorts in the Swiss Alps Launched - TOURISMSWITZERLAND.org - TRAVELINDEXCrans-Montana, Valais, Switzerland, November 7, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Faern, a collection of lifestyle alpine resorts in Switzerland are set to open two new properties; Faern Arosa Altein and Faern Crans-Montana Valaisia this December. Every guest will have the chance to explore both of the properties’ various captivating elements including a variety of wellness concepts, destination food & beverage outlets and ski-in-ski-out access to the unparalleled Swiss slopes.

The brand name Faern has evolved from the German ‘Feiern’, meaning “to celebrate”, and the English “fern”, an icon of mountain flora. Faern seeks to make every encounter a celebration; a joyful fellowship through the design, service, and familiarity. Built to craft caring encounters, whilst also inspiring and stirring the senses, travellers will experience a playful rebellion where spaces have been harmoniously curated to offer creativity and quality time.

Both properties will be home to many communal areas, encouraging a community and celebratory atmosphere throughout. Break out spaces will include the likes of various games rooms, where guests can play board games, cards and use the pool tables. Guests will also have access to the cinema room, where you can indulge in bags of popcorn whilst watching a selection of classic films.

Faern will offer curated experiences for hotel guests, prompting exploration and memorable moments. These will range from picnics for the slopes, Strava-curated running and skiing routes, kite-making and flying workshops, and a variety of holistic wellness routines. Guests staying at Faern Arosa and Faern Crans-Montana, along with visitors will also have the opportunity to celebrate the season with Apres Ski DJ sets, paired with craft beers and cheese boards, as well as the chance to revel in the selection of homemade cakes and herbal teas.

Faern Crans-Montana Valaisia is an idyllic ski-in-ski-out resort, which can be found in unbeatable proximity to the ski lifts, boasting 140 kilometres of ski slopes on the doorstep. Located just two hours away from Geneva, the resort will offer a wide range of activities throughout the year. During the winter season (December – April) guests will have access to an on site ski storage room with heated boot racks to make the process of getting onto the slopes even easier. Guests will be able to take advantage of the renowned ski and snowboarding routes, enjoy the sledging, snowshoeing and cross-country trails and those who dare, the snow parks. Throughout the summer season (June – October) guests will be able to experience the likes of hiking, mountain biking, parachuting and golfing, notably hosting the PGA Tour, all amongst the scenic mountain landscapes.

Offering postcard-perfection, Faern Crans-Montana Valaisia will be home to 134 rooms and suites, many of which with balconies overlooking the Swiss mountains. Those travelling with children below 6 years old will be able to stay for free and those travelling with dogs are actively invited to reside at the resort too with specific dog focused packages. The hotel’s facilities will also include an all day dining half board and à la carte restaurant, Eteila Brasserie specialising in local cuisine helmed by Executive Chef, Lionel Mathier. Guests will also be encouraged to explore the speakeasy Sewi Bar & Social Club – Sewi derived from ‘Cave’ is where visitors and guests can sip on bespoke cocktails and enjoy the extensive wine menu and a selection of artisan snacks. For the summer season, the Sewi Pool Kitchen will also be available for guests, serving poolside drinks and snacks for those residing on the pool deck.

The resort was designed by award-winning interior design studio Run For The Hills, whose previous projects include design for Hilton Worldwide, Kricket, and Bondi. With Faern, they have collaboratively envisioned and expertly created a hotel showcasing a modern mountainous charm. With accents of urban vintage, the pantones were inspired by the seasons of the Swiss mountains with autumnal ochres, forest greens and knotted timbers, stylishly paired with retro artwork to create an environment for contemporary lifestyle living. The property also houses the town’s largest spa destination, offering a heated indoor pool, steam room, sauna, relaxation room, and access to massages and other treatments needed after a tiresome day on the slopes.

Faern Arosa Altein is a charming resort home to 126 rooms and suites located in Switzerland’s natural paradise, preserved in the national park of Graubünden. The property is ideally located to access the 225 kilometres of ski slopes through the winter, as well as hundreds of biking and hiking trails in the summer. Faern Arosa Altein will also be home to a signature rooftop bar and restaurant boasting of the unparalleled views of the Swiss Alps, and a luxury spa destination; all of which will be available to non-hotel guests.

Similarly to Faern Crans-Montana Valaisia, this property will also be open all year round. During the winter season guests will be able to take up skiing, snowboarding, sledging, cross country skiing and take on the snow parks too. Whereas the summer season guests will have access to a range of outdoor facilities, including two tennis courts, an outdoor pool, mini golf, table tennis and e-bike rentals for those keen to explore the impressive Swiss Alps landscapes.

The property’s rooms and suites vary from double rooms to family suites, offering either unobstructed mountain or village views; ideal for both couples, groups and families looking as well as those travelling with dogs. Also designed by Run For The Hills, these spaces will showcase a sense of ‘grandeur’, showcasing the high altitude location with characterful curves inspired by boutique hotel concepts. Mindful to be in keeping with nature’s surroundings, the design is minimalist and understated, yet celebratory and bespoke. The decorative palette is organic and rich with timeless tones accentuated by the cosy, fresh and textural upholstery and Swiss designed throws and rugs. In collaboration with the founders, Romain Semmel and Thibault Catala, and the Runs For The Hills design specialists, a design language was created for the suites which will enable them to effortlessly flow into the spaces of the hotel to maximise guest comfort in every sized room.

Set within a pristine alpine haven, the hotel is also set to unveil their half-board restaurant, Zus Brasserie serving breakfast and dinner presenting hearty and healthy dishes, along with their cosy library cocktail bar, Alchemilla Parlour where you will be able to try their creative drinks and delicious small plates menu. Arosa Altein will also be home to their signature Alpensand Panoramic Social Club, overseen by Executive Chef Daniel Manzoni, boasting of uninterrupted views and unrivalled sunsets dotted with artwork by Aaron Slims vintage collection. The top floor hangout will serve an a la carte menu which will present a selection of daily specials and sharing plates inspired by traditional Swiss dishes with a modern twist. Whilst dining, guests will also be able to listen to the beats from curated DJ sets . There will also be the opportunity for guests to dine in the private dining room upon specific requests.

For those seeking tranquillity and wellness, Faern Arosa Altein will house a dedicated wellness area, featuring a heated indoor pool with water rapids, massage, and neck showers, as well as a steam room, a flow river, two saunas, a relaxation room, infra-red cabin, and a fitness room. Various spa treatments such as massages will also be available to experience.

About Faern
Faern is a new collection of striking lifestyle resorts in the Swiss Alps where celebrations big and small make every encounter meaningful. Debuting with two hotels; Faern Arosa Altein and Faern Crans-Montana Valaisia, Faern is approaching each alpine destination with a fresh, new take inspired by the scenic sights and unforgettable vistas.

The brand name Faern has evolved from the German ‘Feiern’, meaning “to celebrate” and the English “fern”, an icon of mountain flora. Guests of Faern will experience a playful rebellion where spaces have been harmoniously created to offer creativity and quality time. Holistic health and wellbeing and also mountainous enjoyment is pivotal to the brand’s ethos, where people come together to celebrate alpine living in a home away from home.

First published at TravelNewsHub.com – Global Travel News