Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com | 23 GLOBAL WRAP THE BEST OF TRAVEL WEEKLY ASIA'S GLOBAL WRAP e-DAILY WIT LAUNCHES INDIE EVENT TO CHAMPION CREATORS OF UNIQUE, LOCAL EXPERIENCES NEED A CURE FOR 'BORING' TRAVEL TRADE SHOWS? GO FURTHER EAST Further East, a new luxury travel trade show organised by Beyond Luxury Media Ltd, is foregoing the standard convention centre for the beaches of Seminyak, Bali. "We wanted to look beyond our competitors and distance ourselves from conventional city hubs and sterile convention centres, to create another event that is capable of truly disrupting the market and stand out as a fresh and innovative proposition," said Serge Dive, CEO & founder, Beyond Luxury Media Ltd. The show will showcase high- end Asian travel products and organisations that are "committed to elevate the Asian travel experience", Travel Weekly Asia writers and correspondents bring you the best of the news from across Asia. The first edition of WIT Indie will be held in Penang, Malaysia, on April 13, and is supported and sponsored by Penang Institute, one of Malaysia's leading think tanks. The one-day experience will gather entrepreneurs, independents and creatives from across the region who have found success through doing things differently, and by developing digital means to find and keep customers. Penang Institute will play host to boutique hotel owners, tours and activities providers, social influencers and artists. The talks, panels and brainstorming sessions will spark ideas and sharing among the 100-plus independents and creatives expected to attend. Said WIT founder Yeoh Siew Hoon, "WIT Indie offers a platform on which independents and creatives can learn, network, collaborate and share best practices – when you are small, scale can come from thinking outside your business and collaborating with like-minded people in a creative environment." WIT Indie, Penang, is being organised with a local partner, Ooi Geok Ling, the former CEO of Penang Global Tourism. Further East will be held in Bali in November. The Blue Mansion in Penang. PHOTO CREDIT: SINSEEHO/GETTY IMAGES Beginning May, the German carrier will offer those fliers the option of ordering meals served on "stylish porcelain" for between 19 and 33 euros (US$23 to $40). The carrier said it will offer seven such multi-course meals. Grilled steak, Japanese sushi and Mediterranean pasta with shrimp will be among the options. The meals will be available for purchase up to 24 hours before takeoff and will be offered on almost all of Lufthansa's intercontinental flights from Frankfurt and Munich. QANTAS HOPS BACK ON KANGAROO ROUTE WITH NEW PARTNERSHIP Qantas, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) have announced a S$5 million (US$3.82 million) partnership to promote Singapore as a destination and a connecting gateway to Asia, Europe and Australia. The three-year tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will cover a series of joint marketing campaigns in Australia, the United Kingdom and South-east Asia to promote travel on Qantas services via Singapore. Qantas' Sydney-London services via Singapore returned on March 25. PHOTO CREDIT: THAMERPIC/GETTYIMAGES PHOTO CREDIT: NICCIBEE/GETTYIMAGES PHOTO CREDIT: TIMYEE/GETTYIMAGES and in particular, unique brands rather than conventional products from hotel chains. The event will be held from November 12 to 15. INTERCONTINENTAL HONG KONG TO REVERT TO REGENT HOTEL InterContinental Hotels Group has acquired a 51% stake in Regent Hotels and Resorts, owned by Taiwan-based Formosa International Hotels Corporation, for US$39 million in cash. IHG will have the right to acquire the remaining 49% interest in a phased manner from 2026. IHG will bring Regent into its brand portfolio at the top end of the luxury segment and will accelerate its growth globally. According to IHG, their intention is to increase the brand from six hotels today to over 40 in key global gateway city and resort locations over the long term. IHG also announced that InterContinental Hong Kong will become a Regent Hotel in early 2021 after extensive refurbishments. CAN I GET AN UPGRADE WITH THAT MEAL, PLEASE? Lufthansa's long-haul economy and premium economy passengers will soon be able to upgrade their meal. THAILAND CRACKS DOWN ON OLD ENGLISH PUB GAME Thailand's military government is cracking down on the old English pub game of darts, fearing that it could be a vehicle for gambling. The ban on bars and entertainment venues allowing punters to play darts follows an earlier purge of pubs with dartboards in Pattaya. Bar owners and staff have been told that venues must now have a dartboard licence to allow customers to play the popular pastime on their premises. Sushi soon to be offered by Lufthansa. Venues now require a dartboard licence.

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