A Trip News

Jetstar believes new technology will help its customers avoid hidden commissions, writes Clive Dorman.
Jetstar has fired another shot in the battle for consumers’ hearts and minds, but it’s not Tiger Airways or Virgin Blue in its sights.
The airline is targeting online travel retailers who add commissions to fares without telling customers.
Jetstar has introduced a new website search function that enables passengers to find and book seats on the lowest fares available. The new function is (more…)

GuestLogix Inc., the world’s leading provider of onboard retail solutions to the airline industry, has introduced a new onboard merchandising service, OnTouch™ Ground Connections. The solution will allow passengers to buy ground transport fares in-flight prior to their arrival at airports, enabling carriers to capture ground transport revenue, worth an estimated US$120 billion annually. OnTouch™ Ground Connections has been successfully tested with a major US carrier on trans-Atlantic flights, (more…)

The Y-shaped Ilikai hotel that once hosted Elvis Presley and graced the Waikiki skyline for nearly five decades has closed.
The new owner has ceased operations because of mounting operating losses.
The 30-story Ilikai was considered Hawaii’s first luxury high-rise hotel when it opened in 1964.
It gained prominence in the 1970s when it was featured in the opening sequence of the hit TV series Hawaii Five-0.
The hotel has been acquired by New York-based iStar Financial Inc., but (more…)

Sun-seekers whose holidays are spoiled by bad weather could be reimbursed after French travel agencies launched insurance cover for unwanted interruptions to the sunshine.
The insurance policy, launched by holiday groups Pierre et Vacances and FranceLoc, will allow holiday-makers to claim back part of the cost of their trip if they suffer at least four days of rain in any one week.
“Aon France allows Pierre & Vacances to propose its clients with automatic reimbursement for part of their (more…)

Aircraft Singapore Airlines A380.
Route Sydney to Singapore.
Class Business, seat 19D.
Seat pitch and width 55 inches (distance between rows of seats; airlines use imperial measures) and 34 inches (between armrests); folds out to a flat bed.
Seat configuration 1-2-1 layout ensures all seats have unimpeded access to an aisle; 60 business-class seats on the top deck.
Luggage allowance 30kg checked baggage, plus two pieces of cabin baggage up to 7kg.
Scheduled flight time Eight hours. (more…)

The Great Barrier Reef and Uluru have made the final round in a global contest to select the new Seven Wonders of Nature.
The Australian natural landmarks were selected from a shortlist of 77 top spots around the world to be among the 28 finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature competition.
Only 21 finalists were expected to be announced, but the number was higher because of high levels of participation.
There were originally 441 nominees from 222 countries when the campaign began, with the (more…)

India’s plans to spend INR1 trillion rupees (US$21 billion) this financial year to build roads, with part of the investment from overseas, Bloomberg reported the country’s Road Transport Minister, Kamal Nath, as saying. The nation plans to develop 7,000km of highways a year and will set up toll companies to serve the new roads.

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A group of Chinese investors is planning to build an extravagant tribute to Michael Jackson. According to a BBC report, developers will construct a replica of the late entertainer’s Neverland ranch. The US$14.6 million project on Chongming Island, near Shanghai, will copy Neverland’s design, but with “Chinese characteristics”, offering “an alternative pilgrimage spot” for the pop king’s fans.

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The Bhima Devi Museum has opened at the famed garden resort of Pinjore, in Haryana, India. The temple complex is being developed as a world class ancient museum, with INR16 million (US$327,000) allocated for restoration work. The original temple was demolished in 1254.

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THE days of the traditional Australian family holiday have reached a peak, with the market set to remain flat for the next decade as more Australians travel further afield for their annual break, figures show.
The Tourism Forecasting Committee says that domestic tourism will record its worst year since the ’90s with the number of nights spent away from home falling to 261 million - or 16 nights per person - a drop of 13 per cent on the peak of 2002. More than $2.5 billion on accommodation, meals, (more…)