Bangalore-Mysore track doubling work to be complted by 2013

Speaking to media here, he said the project had registered significant progress and the stretch between Bangalore and Mandya would have double track by the end of the 2012. However, doubling of the tracks on the stretch between Mandya and Mysore would be completed by 2013.

"We are focusing on completing the major bridge works and once they are ready the railway tracks would also be laid," he added.

The Minister was here to participate in the 69th birthday celebrations of Sri Balagangadharnath Swamiji of Adi Chunchunagiri Math.

He said the State Government should expedite the land acquisition process and hand it over to the railways at the earliest for the speedy completion of the important project.

The railways require nearly 30 acres of land and the revenue department had been sounded off to take up the issue on a priority basis. Alongside the track doubling work, the railways has also taken up electrification of the entire stretch between the two cities and the work is expected to be completed concurrently.

The project has been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 530 crore on a cost sharing basis with the State Government contributing one-third of the amount and the Railways pitching in with the remaining one-third of the cost.

Referring to delay of the project to compelte by this year end he said the railways hit a road block in Mandya district where land acquisition process is slow while the 18th century armory belonging to the era of Tipu Sultan lays along the track alignment and hence warrants shifting. (UNI)

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Air India's new offer for web-based customers

Under the 'Get Lucky Offer', valid till March 31, every 100th ticket will win a return complimentary ticket on the domestic network of Air India, an Air India release here said.

Winners will be informed through the online Booking Confirmation page while booking an Air India Flight as well as individually by e-mail. A list of the winners would be posted on Air India website daily by 1200 hrs on the following day. The weekend winners will be notified on Monday.

Passengers can look up the list by clicking on List of winners of the 100th free ticket contest on the homepage of Air India website- www.airindia.in, the release said.

The e-mail authority for the complimentary ticket would be valid for a period of one month after the completion of at least one coupon of the originally booked international journey, the ticket on which the lucky winner is declared.

If the originally booked travel was domestic, the entire journey must be completed, it said, adding the complimentary ticket can be obtained from any Air India booking office on production of e-mail, ID proof and all boarding cards of his previous journey, based on which the ticket was granted.

The Basic Fare and Airline Fuel Charge will be absorbed by Air India and all applicable taxes will be borne by the passenger on the complimentary ticket valid for six months from the date of issue and can be availed for any direct flight on the airline's domestic (within India) network.

Hopping or connecting flights, however, would not be permitted.

The award ticket will be non-transferable and non re-routable, it said. (UNI)

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Airport Metro goes hi-tech with wi-fi connectivity

"Commuters now can surf internet, check emails sitting at the Airport Metro Express station itself. All the six stations on the line will be wi-fi enabled," said a spokesperson of Reliance Infrastructure.

According to the official, the wi-fi connectivity will be more useful for frequent air travellers.

"Many commuters check in their luggage anytime between six hours to a minimum of two and a half hours before their flight departure, so they can pass time on surfing internet," the official said.

Reliance Infrastructure has tied up with You Broadband, which will provide internet connectivity free of cost, as an inaugural offer.

Built at a cost of Rs.5,700 crore, the 23-km AMEL has six stations: New Delhi Railway Station, Shivaji Stadium, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi Aero City, Indira Gandhi International Airport and Dwarka Sector 21. (IANS)

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STR Reports on Growth in Regional Centres Across China

According to STR Global, the Chinese hotel market's performance has remained positive year-to-November, with RevPAR growing 2.8% compared with the previous year.

 Tracking more than 315,000 daily rooms across China and reporting on 22 cities, STR Global analysed the performance of the burgeoning secondary cities-cities with less than 10 million inhabitants.

Most of the reviewed cities reported higher RevPAR growth YTD than the national average. China's secondary cities, not including Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, are of more strategic importance to hotel developers and operators as governmental policies are encouraging the development of export trade centres in technology and manufacturing in those provinces.

Limited new supply and strong demand growth boosted RevPAR in the cities of Xiamen (+30.8%), in southeast China, and in Chengdu (+20.3%), located in southwest China, both of which are considered important financial and economic centres. Wuhan, located in the central province of Hubei and known for its car and steel manufacturers, experienced a shortfall in occupancy (-4.1%), whilst ADR grew 18.2% contributing to RevPAR growth (+13.4%). Destinations with a more balanced mix of visitors such as Hangzhou, a UNESCO world heritage city, saw occupancy decline 8.0% YTD compared to the previous year. The decline was the result of additional room supply (+5.6%) and increased ADR (+10.4%). Located only 45 minutes by train from Shanghai, Suzhou, also named the "Venice of the East" for its historical canals and temples, saw occupancy decrease by 4.0% whilst ADR and room supply grew by 2.0% and 5.5%, respectively.

Hotel supply growth from city to city is supported by an expanding real estate market and a growing regional economy. The pipeline until 2014 indicates that supply growth will increase across all the secondary cities with Sanya (+50.1%) and Xiamen (+25.9%) leading the market growth. Suzhou (+11.3%), Xian (+12.0%) and Hangzhou (+9.0%), despite experiencing lower growth, will remain buoyant with new hotel openings, as international brands venture farther away from larger hubs.

"Hotel development by international and regional hotel chains over recent years has focused more and more on secondary cities across China," said Elizabeth Randall, managing director for STR Global. "This development reflects the growing importance of these markets as economic centres and demand generators for inbound and outbound visitors. In 10 out of 15 cities, demand grew at higher rates than supply; however, the right balance between supply and demand will be crucial to the future success of hotels in these markets."

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STR: 3,377 New Hotel Rooms Opened in Canada in 2011

According to data from the STR/McGraw Hill Construction Dodge Pipeline Report, 34 new properties comprising 3,377 rooms opened in Canada in 2011, representing a 1% increase in new supply over last year.

Among the Chain Scale segments, the Upper Midscale segment reported the most new rooms, opening 14 properties with 1,328, followed by the Upscale segment with six properties and 884 rooms.

The Economy segment reported the largest increase (135.8%) in new rooms, compared to 2010, with 6 properties opening with 408 rooms.

In 2012, there are 46 properties expected to open in Canada with 6,206 rooms.

The Upper Midscale segment is expected to open the most rooms with 19 projects and 2,051 rooms, followed by the Unaffiliated segment (12 properties with 1,767 rooms) and the Upscale segment (8 properties with 1,369 rooms).

In December 2011, the Canadian hotel development pipeline comprised 187 projects totalling 20,957 rooms. This represents a 4% decrease in the number of rooms in the total active pipeline compared to December 2010.

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Strong Growth for India's Hotel Industry

According to date compiled by STR Global, India's hotel industry showed overall year-to-date (YTD) November 2011 growth in performance data and supply pipeline.

YTD hotel performance results showed that all major regions, with the exception of Kerala and Maharashtra, reported continuous RevPAR growth.

Looking at the hotel pipeline, India's hotel inventory is expected to increase by more than 61,000 rooms in the next three years with over 30,000 rooms currently under construction based on STR Global's pipeline database.

Regional India

The central region of Madhya Pradesh reported the largest RevPAR growth (+19%), led by a 12.7% increase in occupancy YTD. The neighbouring regions of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan saw RevPAR increase by 10.8% and 3.3%, respectively, driven by increased average daily rate in Uttar Pradesh of 2.8% to INR5,527.43, whilst occupancy rates in Rajasthan increased by 6.8% to 40.8% during the same period.

In Kerala and Maharashtra, occupancy and ADR growth declined moderately YTD when compared to the same period last year. Demand in Kerala, following strong growth between 2009 and 2010 (16.3%), remained flat at 0.7% between 2010 and 2011. In Maharashtra, demand growth jumped by 10.6% YTD compared to a negative trend between 2009 and 2010.

Main Indian Cities

RevPAR grew across most Indian cities, with the exception of Chennai (-1.1%) and Delhi (-10.6%). Chennai's demand and supply increased almost in equal measures (6.0% and 5.4%, respectively) making it more difficult to hold average room rates. Delhi reported the highest supply growth (+13.0%) of the cities for the period. Likewise, Jaipur and Bangalore experienced stronger new supply growth compared to demand and saw their occupancy decrease YTD.

Leading the best performing markets in terms of RevPAR growth, Goa reported an 8.0% RevPAR increase, led by year-on-year demand growth of 4.1%. Second was Mumbai with the highest ADR of all Indian cities sampled at INR8,450.84. This financial capital also saw demand growth reaching 9.1%.

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Westin Grande Sukhumvit Bangkok Opens New MICE Space - Altitude

Altitude is the new rooftop function space at The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok.

Altitude includes an indoor function space, a break-out room called The Library and The Terrace. The new function space is located on the 25th floor and takes advantage of dramatic views of downtown Bangkok.

Altitude provides the personalized service and amenities to make any event stand out from the crowd. With no access to the public, Altitude also benefits from total privacy and security.

At Altitude, the expansive 400-square-metre indoor room is bathed in natural daylight and is ideal for meetings, events, conferences and cocktail receptions for 80 to 300 guests. Guests can also enjoy delectable dining and refreshments from a buffet island and live cooking stations with a talented culinary team serving gourmet a la minute cuisine.

The 56-square-metre Library makes the ideal break-out room or meeting space for up to 30 guests. It includes comfortable lounge seating, a large LCD TV, and a refreshment centre stocked with your favourite beverages and snacks.

Poolside

The Westin Grande Sukhumvit has also given its swimming pool area a refreshing makeover.

Sun loungers arranged on teak decking around the pool offer the opportunity to soak up the sun while savouring tasty cuisine and refreshing drinks from the pool bar. 

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