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Hawaii Vacation Accommodation and Lodging

Incorporated as the 50th state in the United States of America on 21st August 1959, Hawaii is an archipelago of Hawaiian Islands lying in the central Pacific Ocean and is also known as the Aloha state. Hawaii is the southernmost part of the USA, lying 2500 miles from the mainland. They were known as the Sandwich Islands (named by the British explorer, Captain James Cook) and became U.S. territory in 1900. The Hawaii includes eight major islands – Kahoolawe, Lanai, Hawaii, Maui, Nihau, Oahu, Kauai and Molokai in addition to many islets. These islands were united under a ruler King Kamehameha the Great. With its capital at Honolulu, Hawaiian and English languages are widely spoken. The biggest industry in the Hawaii is tourism, contributing to more than 75% of its economy. The main attraction of the Hawaiian islands are its coral beaches, cloud shrouded volcanic peaks, lush green vegetation contributing to its apt name “paradise of the Pacific” with palm trees in abundant sunshine dotting the beauty line. A vacation to Hawaii can be truly memorable and highly cost saving if planned well in advance and with proper care. Hotels in Hawaii can be expensive and one could spend a fortune on them. There are other options that can provide a family or a group with better accommodation and good facilities if properly researched. Vacation accommodation in Hawaii can be arranged by looking for Hawaii discount vacation rentals, vacation rental homes in Hawaii or condos for vacation rental in Hawaii. Each and every one of the Hawaiian Islands are unique in their own way. Oahu, home of the Waikiki beach, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor and the capital city Honolulu has big wave surfing. It is the most inhabited and most modern of the Hawaiian Islands and has great nightlife to offer. Kauai, the garden isle on the other hand is the oldest tropical island with scenic surroundings and marvelous nature. It houses the Mount Wai'ale'ale, the wettest spot on earth, Bali Hai and Hanalei. Maui also known as the valley isle has glamorous golf courses, is known for whale watching and the huge and famous Haleakala Crater. Hawaii, the big island boasts of big game fishing, lava fields, black sand beaches, tropical rain forests, volcanoes and waterfalls. The major attractions in the Hawaiian Islands are The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail The Haleakala National Park and the Haleakala Wilderness The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary The James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge The Kalaupapa National Historical Park The Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park The Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge The Kona Historical Society The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve The Oahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge The Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge The Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site The USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor The Akaka Falls etc. For those whoa re just planning the vacation, vacation rentals in Hawaii are usually comprised of stand-alone houses, apartments or condominiums equipped with full amenities and functional kitchens. In Hawaii, most condo rentals and other kind of vacation rentals are located right on the beaches and many also boast of private swimming pools, Jacuzzis and tennis courts. A normal staying period at a vacation rental is a minimum of one week. Vacation rentals work out to be cheaper if the number in the group is higher especially with the use of kitchen for meals. Vacation rentals facilitate staying in Hawaii, the way the rich and the famous do. Vacation rentals enable the tourists to stay in luxurious beach home rentals or condo rentals for a fraction of the cost of a staying in a hotel. Book early and enjoy the Hawaiian Islands in style.

IATA Reports September 2011 Airline Traffic

IATA member traffic results for September 2011 show diverging trends for cargo and passenger traffic.

Passenger traffic was 5.6% higher than the same month last year and stronger than the 4.6% year-on-year growth recorded in August. Air freight on the other hand posted a 2.7% contraction for September compared to September 2010. This is a further deterioration from the 2.4% decline recorded in August.

Tony Tyler, IATA?s Director General and CEO, said, ?September?s strength in passenger demand was a pleasant surprise. Freight demand contracted for a fifth consecutive month and this trend is in line with falling business and consumer confidence. We are still expecting a general weakening in passenger traffic as we head towards the year-end.?

International Passenger Markets

International air travel volumes rebounded to levels reached in July, following a dip in August. The sharp decline in business confidence in most economies, and the weakness in US and European consumer confidence, suggest reluctance for both business and leisure travel. Continuing strong air travel markets may reflect the robust conditions in emerging markets and travel booked earlier in the year when there was more economic optimism.

Passenger load factors stood at 79.5% in September, slightly below the 80.1% recorded for the same month last year. Highest load factors were recorded in North America (82.6%) and Europe (82.4%). The load factor for Asia Pacific airlines slipped to 76% as the region absorbs the largest number of new aircraft deliveries.

Latin America carriers reported the largest increase in demand at 10.6% (up from a 6.4% increase in August), supported by robust economic conditions.

European carriers saw a 9.2% increase, slightly behind the 9.5% increase in capacity. This comes despite the continuing Eurozone crisis. The weak Euro is enhancing Europe?s attractiveness to tourists and creating export opportunities for business.

Traffic carried by Middle East carriers rose by 9.1%, ahead of a capacity increase of 8.5%--a step change from the 15% capacity increases seen in recent years.

 Asia Pacific carriers saw a 4.3% increase in demand, well below the 6.3% increase in capacity. Despite strong domestic growth in India and China, growth rates for international markets slowed.

North American carriers recorded a 1.2% increase in demand, the weakest among the regions. It lagged behind a 2.9% increase in capacity.

African carriers experienced a 5% increase in demand, closely matching the 5.2% increase in capacity.

Domestic Passenger Markets

 Domestic markets rose strongly in September at 3.8% (up from 2.2% in August). This was also significantly stronger than the 2.8% increase in domestic capacity.

India led the way with 18.4% growth, although slightly below the 20.1% increase in capacity. This was followed by China at 9.7% (more robust than the 8.1% increase in capacity) and Brazil where a 7.5% increase in demand was well below the 14.6% increase in capacity.

The recovery in Japan?s domestic market following March?s earthquake and tsunami stalled in September with traffic 14.5% below previous year levels. This is a step back from the 12.3% decline recorded in August.

Carriers in the US domestic market cut capacity by 0.7% but recorded an increase in demand of 1.6%.

Air Freight (Domestic + International)

 Freight volumes have fallen significantly during the third quarter. By September, freight volumes were 5% below those carried at the end of the first quarter. This represents a deterioration in trade and economic conditions. Inventory to expected sales ratios have risen and shipments by air are being cut.

Asia Pacific carriers are the largest players in air cargo and have been the hardest hit with a 6.3% decline in demand compared to September 2010. This is despite robust economic growth in many countries in the region. The disruptions to supply chains as a result of the Japanese tsunami and earthquake continue to dampen air freight in the region.

European carriers also recorded a contraction in demand of 2.4% while North American carriers reported that September freight traffic was flat compared to the previous year.

Bottom Line

Despite stronger than expected growth in passenger markets during September, the industry is bracing for more difficult times ahead. IATA?s recent Airline Business Confidence survey reported a significant decline in profitability expectations over the next 12 months. More worrying is the expectation that unit costs will increase with little optimism for yields. The majority expected no change in passenger yields while 90% of respondents were split equally among those expecting cargo yields to remain the same or decline. IATA is expecting profitability to decline from $6.9 billion in 2011 to $4.9 billion in 2012 for a margin of just 0.8%.

Airlines play a key role in connecting global business. At this time of economic uncertainty in many parts of the world, US plans to raise an additional $36 billion in aviation taxes over the next decade could not be more misguided. Last month the UK recognized the harm that its GBP2.5 billion Air Passenger Duty was doing in Northern Ireland and announced a major cut. It?s time to apply that lesson at a more global level. Increasing the cost of doing business by making air transport more expensive destroys competitiveness. Governments should protect the 33 million jobs and $3.5 trillion in economic activity supported by aviation with a sound policy framework?not by suffocating the industry with taxes,? said Tyler.

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Europe Travelling Plan

Human beings are always curious to acquire new information by reading books, newspapers and magazines, watching television, browsing through Internet, traveling to various parts of the world and socializing with other people. But, making extensive travels to different locations has its own attraction and is a popular mean of acquiring new information as well as relaxation. Spending some memorable moments with your near and dear ones at picturesque locations far away from your busy life is a burning desire for every human being.

But, before embarking upon your journey, you must have some important travel information and guidelines about the place of your visit so that you and your companions can enjoy the travel to the fullest.

Europe is the hub of world economy. But, it is equally famous for its tourist centers. Located in the Central Europe, Germany occupies a special place in the world travel map. It has a perfect mix of rich cultural heritage and modern architectures. It has left its past political, social and financial turbulences far behind to induce a new lease of life. Berlin, the capital of Germany, has everything you look for in a particular tourist spot. It has nicely transformed itself from an ancient city to a modern city full of clubs, bars, restaurants and art galleries. The best time to visit Germany is between May and September.

The rich diversity of Greece makes it one of the most popular places to visit in Europe. Greece is famous for its ancient Greek civilization and mythology. Greek Gods and Goddess like Zeus, Nike and Athena are very popular worldwide. Athens, the capital of Greece is the birthplace of Olympic Games. It is a favorite holiday destination for young travelers due to its diverse culture, clean and beautiful beaches and resorts.

Like Greece, Italy is well-known for its cities full of hustle and bustle like Rome, Milan and Florence and its world famous cuisines containing lots of chicken, vegetables, seafood and of course, pasta. The friendly and colorful nature of Italian people makes outside tourists feel like at home.

Tourists have now started thinking beyond European countries. Of late, continents like Asia and Africa are drawing the attention of people. Many multi national companies have their operations in countries like India, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and China. As their economy is growing, they are now more aggressively marketing their unique cultures, historical monuments and structures, food, dance and scenic locations.

Accor Expands ibis Brand to Japan

Accor has expanded its portfolio of ibis hotels in Asia with the ibis Tokyo Shinjuku, the first ibis hotel in Japan.

The rebranded hotel is located right in the heart of Tokyo's Shinjuku centre and only three minutes away from the world's busiest train station.

Ibis Tokyo Shinjuku will bring in a fresh sensation to the economy hotel industry in the country's capital. As Accor's leading economy hotel brand, ibis has earned a worldwide reputation for excellent services at very competitive prices, said Patrick Basset, Accor's Vice President for Vietnam, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan. This hotel is the first ibis hotel brand to set foot in Japan, but it will be the 10th hotel in Accor?s Japan network.

The 206-room ibis Tokyo Shinjuku will begin an extensive refurbishment over the following months. Once complete, the hotel will become a key addition to the Ibis network, accumulating the numbers to almost 100 hotels and over 17,340 rooms in Asia Pacific region. 

Shinjuku is a major commercial and administrative centre of Tokyo and one of the 23 special wards in the Capital. Shinjuku train station is the busiest train station in the world, with over 3.5 million passengers passing through each day. The hotel is 1.5 hour away by train from Tokyo Narita International Airport and 45 minutes away by train from Tokyo Haneda International Airport.

Abu Dhabi Airport Completes Terminal 1 Refurbishment

The refurbishment and upgrading works of Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which expands its passenger handling capacity has been completed.

The project won ADAC 'the GCC Commercial Project of the Year' from the Construction Week Awards held on Monday 31 October at the Westin Hotel in Dubai.

The refurbishment project included an increase in the number of check-in and immigration counters, and the expansion and development of the retail and F&B space.

The project was carried out over 10 months as part of the programme to expand the airport capacity and meet the anticipated traffic growth, whilst completing the longer term expansion plans of the capital?s airport through building new terminals and facilities.

The completed project was also designed to deliver a high quality facility and upgraded services in Terminal 1 in line with the Terminal 3 offerings.

The terminal's refurbishment focuses on delivering to travelers a rejuvenated travel experience from start to end. Upon arrival to the airport, passengers are greeted through new entry gates, leading to passport control area, where the number of counters has increased by 40% to ensure a more speedy processing of travel documents. A designated area has also been especially allocated for First and Business Class passengers, with brand new security screening facilities.

The number of Immigrations Department in the departure area has been increased as well, as has the number of designated counters and E-Gates for travelers with special needs.

Additionally, passengers now enjoy an enhanced shopping and dining experience through the new developed layout of the retail and food & beverage space, which has been enhanced to offer 27 outlets.

The airport hotel and hospitality lounges have also undergone a thorough makeover.

At Abu Dhabi Airports Company, we are constantly striving to elevate the travel experience and ensure clients, whether passengers or airlines, enjoy a unique journey. Driven from this ambition, T1 underwent a thorough and carefully designed upgrade plan to bring it in line with Terminal 3, and ensure that customers using any part of Abu Dhabi International Airport will have a refreshing and efficient start or end to their journey, said Eng. Ahmed Al Haddabi, Chief Operating Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports Company. The refurbishment works were carried out in phases, taking into consideration the peak hours to ensure travelers? safety, convenience  and comfort over the last 10 months, and to provide ADAC with a short-term solution to cater for the expected traffic growth at the Capital's airport in the coming few years.

Air Astana to Increase Asian Services; Launch HK and HCM Flights

Kazakhstan'sAir Astana is planning to boost frequencies on existing long haul scheduled services from Almaty to Bangkok, Dehli and Kuala Lumpur from December, as well as launch a new scheduled service to Hong Kong in early 2012 and initiate a winter season only service to Ho Chi Minch city, Vietnam in late 2012.

All long-haul services will be operated by Boeing 757 / 767 aircraft, with the Business class cabin featuring lie-flat beds and KCTV personal inflight entertainment system.

Services from Almaty to Bangkok will increase to five frequencies a week, Almaty to Dehli will increase to four times a week and Almaty to Kuala Lumpur will increase to three times a week.

A twice weekly service from Almaty to Hong Kong will be launched in February 2012 and a winter season only service from Almaty to Ho Chi Minh city will commence in October 2012.

Expanding political, business and tourism links between Kazakhstan and Asia continue to drive strong traffic growth on services to the region, with increased feed from Central Asia into the expanding Almaty hub also making a significant contribution, said Peter Foster, President of Air Astana. Immediate frequency increases on existing services and the launch of new services to Hong Kong Kong and Ho Chi Minh city in 2012, reflect the fact that Asia is playing an increasingly important part in the strategic long-term development of Air Astana.

Air Astana currently operates a fleet of 25 aircraft comprising two Boeing 767-300, four Boeing 757-200, ten Airbus A321/A320/A319, three Embraer E190 and six Fokker 50. A fifth Boeing 757 will join the fleet in December 2011. The airline serves 23 domestic and 31 international destinations.

Ayada Maldives Resort Opens

Ayada Maldives, a new resort in the Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll in the Maldives, is now open and welcoming its first guests.

Located amidst a pristine reef within the southern rim of the Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll in the southern Maldives, 268 miles south of the capital Male, the island based resort occupies 150,000 square metres of undisturbed and indigenous vegetation and offers uninterrupted views of the breathtaking Maldivian landscape.

The 112-villa resort comprises 33 Beach Villas, 4 Beach Suites, 14 Sunset Beach Suites, 33 Ocean Villas, 11 Sunset Lagoon Suites, 16 Sunset Ocean Suites and a duplex Ayada Royal Ocean Suite.

Guests can enjoy a variety of dining experiences found in the seven restaurants, an extensive 3500 sqm AySpa & Health Club managed by ESPA, a dive and watersports centre and a kid?s club.

Mr. Firat Aydeniz, member of the board of directors of the Aydeniz Group, said, Our vision for Ayada Maldives was to provide a sanctuary for visitors whereby we offer luxurious accommodation and diverse dining options complemented by genuine warmth and hospitality from our employees. It was of paramount importance to us to showcase the beauty and tranquility of the location and thus, the design features large open spaces whereby the natural elements play an integral part of the guest experience with every villa offering plunge pools with large outdoor terraces and either direct lagoon or beach access and some villas with glass floor panels. We also wanted to infuse elements of the Ottoman culture into Ayada Maldives and as such subtle influences can be found in the decorative design of the villas, the Turkish Hammam in the spa and the Ottoman Lounge.