Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2017 i Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition

Standing calmly in a shuffling queue at Incheon Airport, the words “emergency status” hardly jump to mind. Yet for Seoul’s primary airport, these are precisely the words used by its president and CEO, Il-Young Chung, as the airport attempts to process millions more passengers than it has the capacity to handle. While provocative, Chung’s words are a fair assessment of the current status of the airport. In the 16 years since it opened, Incheon has managed to hit its 54 million-passenger capacity and then some. Last year it processed a total of 57.7 million travellers, and this year’s figure looks set to be even higher. It’s little wonder that the development of the airport’s new Terminal 2 building (scheduled to open before the end of the year) is at the…

Let’s be honest: even at the most stimulating conferences, we all breathe a sigh of relief when it’s time for a coffee break. A tasty nibble and a hit of caffeine can do wonders to stave off jet lag and help us recharge for round two. But aside from providing sustenance, food can make all the difference between a show-stopper and a snooze-fest. Which are you most likely to remember in a year’s time: the keynote address on ROI, or the edible light bulbs during a coffee break...? Keeping business delegates engaged during and after an event is a constant battle, and increasingly, it’s a fight that’s being won with culinary innovation. Here we round up some quirky F&B themes spotted in hotels around the region. PLAYFUL PRESENTATION Haute couture…

1 THREE GORGES MUSEUM Located in the centre of the city opposite Chongqing People’s Hall, the Three Gorges Museum opened in 2005. There are several floors of exhibits offering a fascinating insight into the region’s past, from ancient folk customs and artworks to the impact of heavy bombing during the Sino-Japanese war. A highlight is the main Three Gorges Dam exhibit, providing a detailed look at the construction of the dam and preserved culture from the flooded areas. Entry is free; opening hours 9am-5pm, closed on Mondays. Access via Zengjiayan subway station. 2 PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY HALL This huge building houses a 4,000-capacity auditorium that plays host to a range of concerts and events, but it’s the striking exterior that really draws the crowds. Built in the 1950s, with reference taken…

In the early 20th century, Boeing dominated the aviation industry. But in 1967, the seeds were sown for a European rival. At a meeting in July, 1967, ministers from France, Germany and Britain agreed “for the purpose of strengthening European cooperation in the field of aviation technology and thereby promoting economic and technological progress in Europe, to take appropriate measures for the joint development and production of an airbus.” Following the meeting, the “fathers” of Airbus were formed. They were French engineer Roger Béteille, who was appointed technical director of the A300 programme; Henri Ziegler, president of Sud Aviation, named general manager of Airbus Industrie; and German politician Franz-Josef Strauss, as the chairman of the supervisory board. Two years later at Le Bourget airshow, the French transport minister sat down…

Dubai Airports plans “smart tunnel” passport checks DUBAI Airports plans to introduce biometric “smart tunnels” that will enable travellers to complete immigration checks in just 15 seconds. The smart tunnel will conduct a two-step iris and facial recognition scan, eliminating the need for travellers to show their passports. It is expected to be operational in Dubai International Airport's (DXB) Terminal 3 by next summer. Officials also revealed the new system will be accompanied by the introduction of Tesla car airport transfers. dubaiairports.com Thai Airways receives its first B787-9 Dreamliner THAI Airways has taken delivery of its first B787-9 Dreamliner, which will operate the airline’s Singapore route until its deployment to Auckland and Taipei on November 16. November 16. The aircraft is an improvement on Thai Airways’ existing six B787-8 Dreamliners,…

Hyatt Regency Xian BACKGROUND Following the closure of the Hyatt Xian in 2011, the hospitality group returned to the ancient Chinese city in July 2016 with a new Hyatt Regency property. WHERE IS IT? The hotel is located in Qujiang District, a fast-developing industrial and tech hub in the southeastern part of Xian, about a 45-minute drive from Xian Xianyang International Airport. The area is also an important cultural district, home to the Great Tang All Day Mall, Xian Concert Hall and Xian Art Museum. WHAT’S IT LIKE? Unusually low-rise: the hotel is only five storeys due to building restrictions that dictate no structure can be taller than the nearby Unesco-listed Wild Goose Pagoda. The architectural style echoes Xian’s rich history and the palatial grandeur of the Tang dynasty. This…

There are many places to see a breathtaking sunset, and I’ve been lucky enough to experience my fair share – almost to the point of indifference. Almost. Here in Okinawa, the largest of Japan’s subtropical Ryukyu island chain, surrounded by pollution-free sky and the deep, clear waters of the Pacific, I am treated to a truly memorable ten minutes on aptly named Sunset Beach, a short stroll or free electric buggy ride from the plush surroundings of my lodgings at the Hilton Okinawa Chatan Resort. This particular sunset has me mesmerised, my gaze fixed – like the hundred plus people around me – on a horizon comprised of low, purple-black storm clouds (which drenched us earlier in the day); a thin strip of bright-blue sky; and an ocean of deep-blue…

MERCEDES AMG GT ROADSTER PRICE: est from US$135,000 With all the sharp edges of a ten-minute-old sherbet lemon, the curvy Mercedes AMG GT Coupé might not be to everyone’s liking, but this new Roadster version is nothing short of gorgeous. Losing the roof gives the AMG GT an entirely different look, which we actually prefer to its coupé sister. Under the bonnet is the same twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine, available in standard 476bhp or full-on bonkers 557bhp form. The latter is capable of the 0 to 60mph sprint in an eye-watering 3.7 seconds and on to a toupée-tugging 196mph top speed. The faint-hearted needn’t apply. LAND ROVER DISCOVERY PRICE: from US$56,000 More than 1.2 million sales and 28 years after it first arrived, it’s fair to say that the Land…

The lobby lounge of the new hotel in Washington DC is filled with people seated on blue velvet couches under glittering chandeliers that would look at home in the Palace of Versailles. A bell rings, and, to a ripple of applause, a waiter slices the top off a bottle of champagne with a sabre. The glass-encased cork flies across the room and skids across the polished marble floor. Opened in September 2016, two months before Donald Trump’s election as the 45th president of the United States, the hotel occupies the prestigious Old Post Office on Pennsylvania Avenue. The location is prime, being on the street that connects the White House at one end to the US Capitol, home of Congress, at the other. Constructed in 1899, the building’s pièce de…

PHASE 1 PACKAGE (NOVEMBER 2017) AIRLINE A-01 Etihad Airways 2 round-trip Economy Class tickets from Hong Kong to Abu Dhabi Package worth: US$1,620 Minimum bid: US$480 OTELS CHINA A-02 Beijing: JW Marriott Hotel Beijing Central 3 nights’ stay in a Deluxe King Bed Room Package worth: US$960 Minimum bid: US$290 A-03 Beijing: Rosewood Beijing 2 nights’ stay in a Premier Room Package worth: US$840 Minimum bid: US$250 A-04 Beijing: Sheraton Grand Beijing Dongcheng Hotel 2 nights’ stay in a Superior Suite Package worth: US$1,000 Minimum bid: US$300 A-05 Hainan Sanya: The Sanya EDITION 3 nights’ stay in a One-bedroom Villa Package worth: US$3,180 Minimum bid: US$950 A-06 Hangzhou: The Azure Qiantang, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Hangzhou 2 nights’ stay in a Deluxe Room Package worth: US$456 Minimum bid: US$135 A-07…

British Airways launches double Avios deal British Airways Executive Club members can now earn double Avios on all flights until December 31. The offer applies to all routes and cabins (for a maximum of eight sectors), as well as services with a BA flight number operated by partner airlines American Airlines, Finnair and Iberia. The double earning offer has plenty of potential. For example, booking a return business class flight from London to New York JFK would earn enough Avios for a return economy trip from London to Cape Town. The offer is open to existing Executive Club members and new members who sign up online, excluding those residing in the US, Canada, Mexico and South Africa. Registration must be completed before booking flights at ba.com/double-avios Marco Polo Club adds…

In Ubud’s Sacred Monkey Forest, there are signs warning people not to touch, feed or make eye contact with the animals, but no one takes any notice. There are bananas for sale and staff hand out fistfuls of peanuts to tourists. It doesn’t take much to attract the monkeys – I see one tear open a shopping bag, and another peel fruit while sat on a child’s shoulder. They especially like glittery earrings – on the stone steps of an amphitheatre, one leaps on to a woman and snatches at her jewelled lobe, making her scream, before running off with his prize. Tentatively making our way through the jungle, keeping an eye on the squabbling macaques in the trees, we pass ancient, moss-covered temples, statues of grinning apes, and ornate…

1 NANJING ROAD China’s most famous shopping street is a five-kilometre stretch of retail heaven with hundreds of outlets to peruse. Start near the iconic Fairmont Peace Hotel that sits on the Bund (Ok, we said “beyond the Bund”, but really it would be madness to visit Shanghai without drinking in the sights at least once!), and from there work your way west. You’ll find fashionable local boutiques, high-end brands from Tiffany to Mont Blanc, as well as plenty of cafés, restaurants and bars. The section from the Bund to People’s Park can get extremely crowded – sometimes it feels like the whole city is on one street. 2 PEOPLE’S PARK After giving your wallet a work out, leave Nanjing Road and enter People’s Park. This green oasis is a…