Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2015 i Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition

The explosion of the Russian Metrojet aircraft carrying holidaymakers back from Sharm el-Sheikh and the massacres in Paris have made all of us feel vulnerable, but perhaps particularly travellers. We are experienced enough to know when we are heading for a destination that requires special care, but Red Sea resorts and cafés and theatres in the French capital wouldn’t previously have been on that list. If we live and work in major cities, use public transport and fly around the world, once again we have to accept that we are in a new situation and we have to adapt our behaviour. Vigilance is necessary, of course, but we can’t all be heroes like the servicemen who foiled an attack on a Thalys train earlier in 2015. Instead, I think we…

BUSINESS TRAVELLER has five fabulous prizes up for grabs this month, exclusively available to our readers. For a chance to win, visit www.businesstraveller.asia/competitions • Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel is welcoming three lucky readers to stay in the newly renovated Deluxe Seaview Room for two nights. Only 35 minutes from Central, the hotel is a seaside oasis with lush tropical gardens and a range of facilities that sets the stage for a relaxing holiday. The revamped 24 sqm room offers comfortable furniture, wifi, minibar, bathtub and spectacular sea and marina views. • Villa Zolitude Resort and Spa in Phuket is offering two lucky readers the chance to win a three-night stay in a Treetop Duplex Pool Villa, including breakfast for two. This romantic resort feels a…

If the story of long-haul travel in the last two decades has been the rise of the Middle Eastern carriers – Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways – the headlines for short-haul have been made by low-cost carriers (LCCs). These budget-friendly airlines have changed the landscape of short-haul markets around the world; they now account for one-third of Southeast Asia’s total fleet and control 60 per cent of seat capacity for flights in the region, according to a February 2015 report by the Centre for Aviation (CAPA). Yet for all their rapid growth, LCCs have been slower to pick up business travellers. In part this is testament to the excellence of the full-service carriers in the region, with the Asian market home to six out of the seven five-star Skytraxrated…

CHINA TOP PICK New World Shanghai Hotel is offering a Suite Escape Upgrade for an extra RMB1 for guests booking a Superior Room. The one-bedroom suite upgrade includes the full Residence Club Living Room benefits such as complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, all-day refreshments, evening cocktails and express check-in. The rate starts from RMB770 (US$121) and is available until February 29, 2016. newworldhotels.com SINGAPORE TOP PICK The Westin Singapore is offering a year-round Live The Suite Life package. The benefits include suite accommodation, access to the Westin Executive Club Lounge, complimentary daily buffet breakfast or weekend champagne breakfast, all-day beverages, evening cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, high-speed internet and free minibar (excluding wine and liquor). Rates from S$800 (US$563). thewestinsingapore.com Sheraton Zhuhai has an opening offer, which includes…

Non-stop from Singapore to Fiji FROM April 5, 2016, Fiji Airways will operate a twice-weekly service between Nadi and Singapore, marking Changi Airport’s first direct air link to the South Pacific Islands. Famous for its white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, coral diving and luxurious resorts, the new service presents new tourism opportunities for passengers throughout Europe and Asia. The ten-hour flight will save travellers at least three hours compared to current flight options that require a transfer in Australia or New Zealand. Onward connections to other Pacific Islands such as Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu will also be facilitated by this air link. Flights will be served by a 273-seat A330 in a two-class configuration. Book now at fijiairways.com TECH Elevated dining experience DINNER in the Sky, one of the…

HALLIE CAMPBELL is a travel and lifestyle writer who has written extensively about the Middle East for Condé Nast Traveller, The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and The Independent. She is the author of Dubai Chic and A Hedonist’s Guide to Dubai. Here she rounds up ways to enjoy Abu Dhabi on the water – from paddleboarding through its mandroves to kayaking under the stars (see p62). NEHA GUPTA is the editor of Business Traveller India. Throw her on a plane and she is happy. She has grown up travelling the world, but is lately more inclined to explore the interiors of India. In this issue, she tells us why Bengaluru is an incubator for entrepreneurs (see page 44).…

Your letters and posts Star letter UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE? As a loyal Diamond Marco Polo Club member, may I express my utter disappointment in the Marco Polo Club (MPC) and Cathay Pacific (CX). CX claims it is making the scheme flexible but it seems to be attempting to get rid of non-profitable economy passengers and prevent them from enjoying the benefits of being a frequent flyer. To become a diamond member in the new system, one has to fly seven extra sectors in economy from LHR to HKG to achieve the target. This means you need to fly six more sectors in economy (LHR-HKG) to achieve equivalent Oneworld Emerald status in the new MPC when compared with the BA executive Club. Compared with other Oneworld alliance members, CX is the…

Macau is well known as the biggest, most over-the-top gaming capital of the world. Where else could you enjoy an indoor gondola ride followed by the world’s tallest bungee jump? But its latest attempt at reinvention might be its biggest gamble yet. Stunned by plunging revenues as a result of the Chinese leadership combating corruption and prolific spending, venues are scrambling to diversify their casino-led offerings, creating more family-friendly spaces, entertainment options and enhancing meetings and incentive travel. As a result, Macau’s glittering Cotai strip now offers a Batman-inspired digital ride, a house of magic, a giant Ferris wheel and a 40,000 square foot Warner Bros-themed fun zone – and that’s just Studio City... HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR Melco Crown’s Macau Studio City, the city’s first cinematic-themed integrated resort, opened this October.…

Skyteam opens dedicated Hong Kong lounge The first Skyteam Exclusive Lounge in Hong Kong International Airport has officially opened for business. Located near gate 15, the new lounge can seat up to 230 passengers and is open daily from 0530 until 0100. Facilities include a VIP room; six “productivity” booths within the main seating area; four shower suites; a workstation area with three iMac terminals; free wifi; a yoga room; noodle bar and a botanical wall with more than 50 different plant species. The lounge is open to first and business class passengers travelling with any Skyteam member carrier and Skyteam Elite Plus members. skyteam.com Hotels.com  partners with Asia Miles Online accommodation booking platform Hotels.com  has partnered with Asia Miles, providing more options for members of…

ASIA-PACIFIC Osaka, Japan December 23 Laughter Ritual According to an old Japanese proverb, “fortune smiles on a merry home”, so give your household good luck for the New Year by joining the “laughing ritual”. Held at the Hiraoka Shrine in Osaka, this unique event sees priests lead the crowd in a 20-minute laugh-out-loud session. If a good belly laugh isn’t enough to put you in a good mood, there will also be a laughing contest, comedy performances and a lecture on mythological origins of this ritual. Free admission. osaka-info.jp/en Hong Kong December 24-28 Hong Kong Food Festival The Hong Kong Food Festival is ready to take you on a gastronomic journey this Christmas. More than 550 exhibitors from over 10 countries are expected to come to the Hong…

With 16 Michelin stars for a population of 200,000 people, San Sebastian has one of the highest Michelin stars per capita, beaten only by Kyoto. Of the seven restaurants with three Michelin stars in Spain, you will find three of them in San Sebastian: Arzak, Akelarre, and Martin Berasategui. There are also a number of two- and one-starred establishments, lauded by listings such as the World’s 50 Best restaurants. While in San Sebastian, it is imperative to experience Michelin Star dining. I zero in on two of the local favourites: Arzak (three stars) and Mugaritz (two stars). ARZAK Spanning four generations of chefs and currently helmed by Juan Mari and his daughter Elena (World’s Best Female Chef 2012), legendary dining institution Arzak is still housed in the same building as…

American Airlines to connect LA with Auckland AMERICAN Airlines (AA) will begin offering a daily, non-stop service between its hub at Los Angeles International Airport and Auckland from June 2016. Flight numbers have yet to be decided, but the 13-hour outbound service will depart Los Angeles at 2245 and arrive in Auckland at 0635 – two days later. Meanwhile, the flight out of Auckland will take off at 1320 and touch down in Los Angeles at 0630 the same day. The daily service will be operated by the B787-8 Dreamliner, which has been configured with a two-class configuration, including 28 fully-flat seats in business and 198 in the main cabin (economy), 55 of which have been designated as main cabin extra seating with up to six inches of additional legroom.…

1. 8½ OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA Chef Umberto Bombana again pays homage to Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini’s masterpiece 8½ following the three Michelin-starred success of his restaurant of the same name in Hong Kong. That film is a celebration of life and here inside Galaxy Macau that’s exactly what diners will find and experience. What’s it like? Bombana’s success has been built on the attention to detail in the cuisine and in the service – and in Macau he matches that winning formula. The décor is all discreet elegance, designed to transport diners away from the hustle and bustle outside, while the menu showcases Bombana’s signatures, such as the Greffeuille AAA lamb rack and loin. Bombana’s motto is“simple but refined”and the great charm is a relaxed atmosphere that allows diners…

Richa Kar is the founder and CEO of online lingerie store zivame.com. She grew up in Jamshedpur, studied engineering at Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) in Pilani, and got a management degree from Mumbai. In 2011, she set up an office in her one bedroom rented apartment in Bengaluru (formerly known as Bangalore). When asked why she chose to launch in the southern state capital, Kar explains:“Bengaluru has one of the most exciting startup environments globally in terms of the sheer energy, passion and volume of startup activity. “Apart from that, the cost of real estate here is cheaper than in Delhi and Mumbai. Also, talent is much more easily accessible here than in any other Indian metro.” Today, her single-man operation has grown to a company of…

Abu Dhabi has emerged as a favourite watersports destination, thanks to its crystal-clear mild waters, abundant marine life, more than 400km of coastline and 200 islands. Add to that some of the world’s most exciting water parks, luxurious resorts and stunning marinas and it’s easy to see why business travellers want to get out of the boardroom and on to the beach. Whether your idea of fun is a hedonistic champagne-fuelled yacht cruise, zooming along on a wakeboard or kayaking in search of rare humpbacked dolphins, here are ten ways to enjoy Abu Dhabi on the water. 1. SNORKELLING SAFARI The Arabian Gulf has a rainbow assortment of more than 700 species of fish, many of which live among the emirates’ coral reefs. Conditions are ideal for snorkelling thanks to…

Champagne, brandy, wine... each has its own glass. Yet whisky, the world’s most complex spirit, can be found served in anything from hi-ball tumblers to Paris goblets. It’s a bit like pouring your vintage champagne into a pint tumbler or your XO brandy into a shot glass! Whisky is a drink to be savoured: the flavours on the nose are equally important as those on the palate. Raymond Davidson, the founder of Glencairn, finally decided it was about time someone designed a proper whisky glass and got to work creating the perfect receptacle. This prototype was then left to mature for some twenty years at the bottom of a filing cabinet! After adequate maturation, his sons Paul and Scott decided to take his design to the people who know best…