Innholdsfortegnelse for November-December 2021 i Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Edition

It’s been a long time coming, but we are now moving into a post-Covid world of travel. Restrictions remain, vaccinations are necessary, masks are obligatory on most forms of transport, and there are some testing requirements (literally) on some routes, but it’s a start. I hope you have already been on a trip or two, but if not, Smart Traveller provides a checklist for the latest challenges and obstacles you may encounter on your journeys. This issue, we look forward to the reopening of Asia-Pacific, with an overview of the countries starting to give international travel the green light. We also provide a round-up of new and upcoming bars and restaurants in the region, answer some questions about electric cars, and reveal the winners of our annual travel awards, as…

READ: Taste: My Life Through Food, Stanley Tucci The award-winning actor has followed up his recipe books The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table with this humourous culinary-packed memoir. The book explores the actor’s Italian-American upbringing in Westchester, New York, with tales from filming foodie movies Big Night and Julie and Julia, and tips on crafting the perfect Negroni. Penguin; £20 (US$28) LISTEN: You’re Dead to Me Historian and comedian Greg Jenner presents this light-hearted podcast for BBC Sounds, focusing on a different historical period or figure every week in hour-long episodes. Topics include the history and mystery of Stonehenge, prohibition in the US, and the life of a young Napoleon. Free to download. WATCH: Tick Tick… Boom! Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his directorial…

ITEM LEFT BEHIND ON LUFTHANSA FLIGHT LUGANOPIRATE Arriving in Frankfurt from Johannesburg with Lufthansa, and in Mrs LP’s hurry to get off the plane (as we expected long queues at immigration while we showed our Covid forms), I managed to leave my Samsung tablet in the seat pocket. I only realised at security but by then it was too late to go back. I asked in the lounge and was directed to a website where I had to fill in a form. To cut a long story short I just received an email saying it was found and giving me the option to collect it in person or have it couriered to me. I was astounded to see it will cost me €138.59 (US$160) with sending costs, admin fee, credit…

BACKGROUND On September 8, 2021, Singapore opened its borders to fully vaccinated travellers from Germany, although there are various stringent requirements, detailed below. The new initiative is called the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) and is a new travel corridor for vaccinated persons, which can be used by both business travellers and holidaymakers to visit Singapore without quarantine restrictions. Germany along with the Sultanate of Brunei were the first countries to be signed up to the VTL, with a further eight countries added in October, including the UK, US and Canada, and South Korea from November 15. The VTL means that the previously mandatory quarantine of at least 14 days upon arrival in the city-state has been waived, and travellers can move freely in Singapore. This is in contrast to the…

Play to win The Drone Photo Awards is ideal for those of us that enjoy views from above 10,000 metres. The annual international contest focuses on aerial photography and video, and this year saw tens of thousands of submissions from 102 countries. Dutch photographer Nando Harmsen was highly commended in the Urban category for his depiction of a football field in the fishing village of Henningsvaer in Norway, in which the green artificial grass stands out against the wintry Nordic landscape. The winning photos are on display at the Museum of Natural History of the Accademia dei Fisiocritici in Siena, Italy, until December 5, or you can view the full gallery at droneawards.photo…

CHRIS DWYER Hong Kong-based freelance food and travel writer Chris Dwyer contributes regularly to publications including CNN.com, BBC Travel and the South China Morning Post. With a particular interest in plant-based options, Chris casts his eye across the region to select the most exciting new restaurants and bars – turn to page 32. NAT BARNES Nat has been driving cars and writing about them for more than 25 years. A member of the World Car of the Year jury, for this issue he offers answers to questions regarding electric and hybrid cars, and highlights five desirable models, including the Peugeot 308 Hybrid and Audi Q4 E-Tron. See what else piques his interest on page 46. TAMSIN COCKS A former editor of Business Traveller Asia-Pacific, Tamsin has been writing about travel…

59% the air quality on a plane is dangerous 68% the risk of catching a virus on a flight is low 71% the air quality on a plane is as clean as an operating room 78% travel in general poses a great risk of catching viruses 86% aircraft are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected Source: IATA’s Air Traveler Response to Covid-19 survey, September 2021…

1 WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES As no gas is required for electric vehicles, there’s no exhaust or exhaust fumes, which makes them cleaner to run. They are also quieter, more efficient and have lower maintenance needs, with cost-savings to be had over the long run – although upfront costs tend to run a little higher. As governments are increasingly seeking to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, tax and insurance breaks are also possible. 2 SHOULD I BUY A FULLY-ELECTRIC CAR OR A PLUG-IN HYBRID? It depends on how you use your car, and the facilities in your city. The fully-charged range of electric cars is growing all the time (see next question) and many owners find that the technology isn’t the hindrance that you might…

ADRIEN MEYER is Head of Private Sales at Christie’s. WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO ART? It is animated by passion and unpredictability; no day is the same. FAVOURITE ARTIST? Picasso. DO YOU COLLECT ART YOURSELF? I buy sporadically. One of my most treasured pieces is a small sculpture by Jules de Balincourt which I bought when he was exhibiting with other students at Hunter College in New York 20 years ago. I fought in a silent bidding auction up to US$145. IS IT CHALLENGING TO MOVE FRAGILE WORKS OF ART ACROSS THE WORLD? We’re used to it and have amazing teams who make it happen seamlessly, but I do get nervous if we have to move things in a rush. You need a professional team. HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED THE AUCTION…

After a brutal 18 months for the hospitality industry, thanks to you-know-what, it’s heartening to see new restaurants and bars continue to open across Asia Pacific, as cities and countries (hopefully) begin to turn a corner. Whether it’s relaxed dining from Michelin-garlanded top chefs or Latin-inspired eats Down Under, diners have plenty of new options to consider when it comes to dining out and drinking. In line with the new normal, be sure to check local restrictions and protocols before venturing out. Bon appétit! HONG KONG – RADICAL CHIC Sitting a cool 101 floors above Hong Kong in the International Commerce Centre, Italian fine dining spot Radical Chic offers breathtaking panoramas over Victoria Harbour and beyond. The views inside are pretty spectacular, too, from contemporary art adorning the walls to…

Because of the pandemic, many pilots will not have flown a real aircraft for a considerable time. When they do, they will rely both on their initial training, and subsequent flight simulator hours. The sophistication and realism of these simulators is such that the authorities allow them to be used for both for training and keeping our skills up to date, but if you are wondering about those skills in general, it might be of interest to take you through the process of becoming a pilot and then, once qualified, what you do to stay current. There are three routes into flying a commercial aircraft: self-sponsored, airline sponsored or from the military. The licence we aspire to is an Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), and if self-funding it will set…

WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS? Before departing for your destination (or even choosing a location), you should check the requirements for entry into the country – and your re-entry home. These can change regularly, but you can usually find the most relevant up-to-date information on government websites. Airlines such as Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines have also created Covid-19 information hubs, which allow visitors to see the travel restrictions in place in each country on their network. DO I NEED TO TAKE A TEST? Many countries require proof of a negative Covid-19 test for entry, even if you have been vaccinated. Check whether you need to take a PCR test, which can take 24 to 48 hours to receive results, or if the country will accept the more rapid antigen…