Sheraton on the Park named Australasia's Leading Conference Hotel in the 2009 World Travel Awards

Sheraton on the Park has been named "Australasia's Leading Conference Hotel" at the 2009 World Travel Awards, held in London on Saturday 7th November. The hotel was delighted to win the title for the third year in a row, having had success in the 2007 & 2008 Awards in the same category. Earlier this year, the hotel has also taken out the title of 'Function Venue of the Year at the AHA NSW Awards for Excellence 2009.

Sheraton on the Park has once again proven to be the hotel of choice for conference and event planners both here in Australia and Internationally.  The award recognises the hotel's commitment to providing a superior product with the flawless delivery of every function through the hard work and dedication that each of our associates bring to an event. The World Travel Awards serve to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the enormous achievements to be found in all sectors of the global travel industry; with the official voting process formulated by 167,000 registered travel agents and professionals worldwide.

With 17 flexible function rooms, meeting planners are spoilt for choice at Sheraton on the Park. The pillarless Grand Ballroom, complete with natural light, seats up to 900 guests and boasts integrated high definition audio visual equipment. The executive style 'Meetings On 5' houses luxurious boardrooms, an outdoor Terrace, innovative catering and Meeting Concierge services. The Castlereagh Room offers private access and is innovatively designed with a sleek finish, BOSE sound system and built in audio visual systems including two high definition projectors. Our newest addition to the portfolio, the Times on the Park room offers sweeping views over Hyde Park, fantastic natural light and is perfect for intimate meetings, events and weddings.

"We are delighted to win such a prestigious award," said Mr. Sean Hunt, Managing Director of Sheraton on the Park and Regional Vice President of Starwood Pacific Hotels. "This award cements Sheraton on the Park's reputation as the hotel of choice for business and leisure travelers in Sydney, and is  testament to our commitment to customer satisfaction and the professionalism of our staff at every function."

Sheraton on the Park - Featuring 557 luxury rooms and suites, Sheraton on the Park is the only five star hotel on Hyde Park and is renowned for being the benchmark of classic hotels in Sydney. The property features the Sheraton Club on Level 21, complimentary internet access in the Link@Sheraton, a Health Club with stunning rooftop pool and a variety of food and beverage outlets offering guests extensive dining options. The hotel stands in one of the city's most desirable locations in the heart of Sydney's business and premium shopping district. The Hotel was recently awarded 'Function Venue of the Year' in the 2009, 2008 & 2006 AHA (NSW) Awards for Excellence and 'Best Luxury Accommodation' at the 2007 NSW Tourism Awards and Australasia.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 982 properties in more than 100 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched Aloft®, and Element SM.  Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

Walk Parramatta - Launch of new wayfinding system

Parramatta City is the first city in Australia to develop and install a groundbreaking pedestrian wayfinding system – Walk Parramatta – to help tourists, residents and commuters better navigate the central business district, tourist hotspots and cultural and heritage sites.

Lord Mayor of Parramatta City Council, Cr Paul Garrard launched this new wayfinding system this morning. Please find attached an image.

Caption: Parramatta City's Lord Mayor Councillor Paul Garrard introducing the new world-class wayfinding system – Walk Parramatta - to visitors who alighted from the RiverCat.

Visit http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au

V Australia launches Fiji

V Australia confirms Fiji flights

The International Air Services Commission has formally granted V Australia its requested capacity between Australia and Fiji, with the carrier announcing an 18 Dec debut of its new services, as exclusively revealed in Travel Daily on 26 Oct.

The carrier's request to transfer 360 seats of capacity from Pacific Blue has also been approved, meaning V Australia will operate daily services.

The three class product includes food and beverage service and complimentary in-flight entertainment in all cabins, and launch fares lead in at $199 one way in economy, $469 one way in International Premium Economy and $649 in International Business class.

Virgin Blue ceo Brett Godfrey said "We're very pleased to be increasing our capacity and introducing V Australia to and from one of Australia's best loved international destinations".

He said the flights would utilise one of VA's existing 777-300ER aircraft, in lieu of the plane sitting idle on the tarmac at Sydney Airport between trans-Pacific flights, with the move also giving Pacific Blue the opportunity to redirect its aircraft to other new and existing routes.

The service will launch daily but reduce to six days per week from 01 Feb, departing Sydney 8.10am and arriving in Nadi 1.20pm, with the return flights leaving Fiji at 2.55pm and arriving in Sydney at 6.20pm.

Godfrey said the services would also provide convenient connections for passengers from the US coming to Australia and then onwards to Fiji.

More details in today's Travel Daily.

Tiger to fly Melbourne-Brisbane

Tiger Airways just announced its newest route, with the debut of flights between Melbourne (Tullamarine) and Brisbane early next year.

Fares are now on sale from $88 for the services which will operate up to three times a day from 28 Mar 2010.

The move follows the announcement earlier this week that Tiger would be operating double daily services on the Sydney-Gold Coast route, as well as additional flights from Melbourne to Hobart, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

More details in tomorrow's Travel Daily.

Kakadu and Uluru Voted Australia’s Top Travel Destinations

The Northern Territory's spectacular landscapes in Kakadu and Uluru have been voted Australia's top two travel destinations by National Geographic Traveler in the United States.

The sixth annual 'Places Rated' Destination Stewardship survey in conjunction with National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations ranked Kakadu in the top ten destinations in the world.

Kakadu National Park lies in the Top End of Australia offering travellers tropical waterholes, wetlands and world-renowned escarpments packed with rare species of plants and animals, that are depicted through ancient rock art, etched out by the traditional owners over 50,000 years.

The monumental site of Uluru was ranked 32nd in the world, most renowned for its incredible red desert setting, surrounded by canyons, ranges and the famous outback town of Alice Springs.

Queensland's Great Barrier Reef ranked sixty-nine and NSW's Byron Bay ninety-nine, with a total of 133 celebrated destinations from around the world and ranked according to how they have weathered the pressures of mass tourism and other threats.

Kakadu and Uluru were the only destinations in Australia to score in the top 50 with judges noting Kakadu's wonderful wildlife and unspoiled beauty, and Uluru's excellent care and sustainability programs.

With a score of 78, they praised Kakadu as "an outstanding example of the fundamental importance of long-standing traditional learning in Parks management." They also highlighted on a global scale, Uluru is "a good model for arid-zone and indigenous-tourism development."

Tourism NT Chief Executive Maree Tetlow said this is a huge accolade for the Northern Territory and for both Kakadu and Uluru.

"Australia's Northern Territory tourism industry relies heavily on its natural and cultural environments, so to receive these accolades from the highly respected National Geographic organisation is testimony to our tourism operators and our Parks management," Ms Tetlow said.

"We have been working with our industry to help them understand environmental issues such as climate change by making them relevant to tourism.

"Through our 'Going Green' program we've provided practical step by step information to help tourism businesses in the Northern Territory develop more sustainable operating practices," she said.

The National Geographic panel consisted of 437 well travelled experts in a variety of fields including historic preservation, site management, geography, sustainable tourism, ecology, indigenous cultures, travel writing and photography, and archaeology.

To view the survey and rankings visit National Geographic Traveler.

National Geographic Adventure's Global Travel Editor, Costas Christ, will be visiting Alice Springs next week to undertake his role as the key note speaker in the Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference from 9-11 November.

NOVOTEL CAIRNS OASIS RESORT NAMED MOST DELUXE IN NORTH QUEENSLAND

Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort has been named as North Queensland's most deluxe accommodation.

The award, announced at the Tropical North Queensland Tourism Awards, recognizes excellence in the hospitality industry.

More than 500 operators vied for honours in various categories at the event which were established 11 years ago.

Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Rob Giason described Cairns as one of the giants of Australia's tourism industry. 'Winning an award here is a huge achievement by any standard,' he said.

'With the prediction that the worst of the global financial crisis is over and that the recovery is beginning, the 2009 TNQ Tourism Awards were an evening of optimism in Cairns,' Mr Giason said.

Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort general manager, Greg Erwin said the award acknowledged the unstinting enthusiasm and energy of his staff in what had been a difficult year.

'We recently emerged from a major refurbishment which totally changed the look and feel of the property, and I can't thank my staff enough for their enormous dedication and hard work during this time', he said.

Image:  Left to right back row - Angelo Serafin, Greg Buzacott, Tracy Norman, Thomas Schleehahn, Kerry Kilmartin, Philip Byrne

Left to right front row - Prue Ingersole, Briohny Mutimer, Greg Erwin, Kristina Goodman, Philip Newland

Revive After Christmas in the Cook Islands

Looking for escape – come, enjoy and revive from the Christmas and New Year rush in the perfect location of Pacific Resort Rarotonga in untouched Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

Located on Rarotonga's best beach, Pacific Resort Rarotonga is a 4 star resort designed for couples, families or friends. Stunning lagoon front location, this lush tropical garden resort is the perfect place to relax, getaway and have fun in the South Pacific sun.

Dining in the Cook Islands is a highlight and Pacific Resort's Sandals restaurant is immersed in tropical green vegetation within the resort and offers a delicious menu of fresh Pacific cuisine. Feel the sand between your toes when you dine in this romantic spot on Muri beach overlooking the lagoon. The Barefoot Bar is famous for its cocktails, handsome waiters and fun beach side service offering true genuine Cook Islands hospitality.

Rarotonga is filled with great things to do or you can just take the slow lane and de-stress. Drive around the island in only 40mins with no traffic lights, two pedestrian crossings and a speed limit of 25 miles per hour.

Hire a convertible or scooter and discover historical sites, villages, interesting art galleries, black pearl outlets and great fresh produce markets. The growing coffee culture offers many outdoor cafes and there are over 60 restaurants offering a range of different cuisine styles.

Pacific Resort Rarotonga is a perfect place for those who need to revive and simply kick back, relax and have fun with the family, friends or that special someone!

Coral Seas Package including Air New Zealand economy return flights with 5 nights in a Garden Studio including breakfast daily and complimentary return airport transfers with a BONUS NZ$50.00 per room per day food and beverage credit with Coral Seas start from $1,649.00* Ex Sydney, $1,645.00 Ex Brisbane and $1,695.00 Ex Melbourne

Bookings from: 01 November – 31 March 10:
Travel: till 31 March 10.
See your local travel agent or call Coral Seas Travel on 1800 641 803

* Conditions apply

It's time to party at vibe

Looking for somewhere to hold your holiday celebrations?

Join in the festive fun - catch up with friends and tuck into your holiday celebrations at Curve Restaurant and Bar or one of our private function rooms this Christmas for a buffet, cocktail party or delicious 3 course meal. Whatever your style, we’ve got it covered!

Cocktail parties start from:

* Vibe Hotel North Sydney from $60*
* Vibe Hotel Sydney from $42*
* Vibe Hotel Rushcutters from $94*
* Vibe Savoy Melbourne from $88*
* Vibe Hotel Carlton from $35*
* Vibe Hotel Gold Coast from $25*
* Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront from $55 (Buffet)

*Prices are per person and package inclusions vary

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Dolomites Ski Season kicks off November 21st, 2009

The Dolomites stunning and affordable World Heritage skiing

Dolomites ski season kicks off on November 21st and runs though until mid April

With the Australian ski season coming to a close, the northern ski season beckons with some stunning offers and even more stunning scenery – Particularly in the recently World Heritage listed Italian Dolomites which, boasting more skiable terrain than anywhere else in the world with 1200 kilometres of groomed slopes on one ticket, also offers the best value for your ski dollar.

Australian Italian ski specialists, Skiare are offering complete holiday packages including return transfers from Bolzano to La Villa, 1 bedroom in a 3 star designer bed and breakfast for 7 nights, 6 day Dolomiti Superski pass & 6 full days of ski instruction by a professional ski instructor and guide for just $2200 per adult.

And for those travelling with non-skiers who are interested in experiencing the beauty of the World Heritage listed Dolomites, without hitting the slopes, they can organise alternative activities ranging from Farmer's Cooking Classes to museum visits.

The Dolomites ski season kicks off on November 21st and runs though until mid April.  As it has done for the past two decades, the Dolomites will also play host to this year's World Cup Skiing Event 20th & 21st December, 2009 in La Villa.

If navigating the largest interconnected ski region in the world and its 480 lifts and an extraordinary choice of runs, seems overwhelming, don't despair, the team from Skiare will customise and deliver a ski holiday that promises to be beyond expectation - Their local knowledge guarantees you a sensational Dolomites experience.  Skiare's principals ski instructor, Thomas Peintner who was born and bred on the slopes of Alta Badia and his Australian wife Debbie who boasts more than 15 years experience working in travel, personally designs every ski day for their guests, whether it be  a cruisy day skiing while exploring hidden valleys and taking in sights like spectacular frozen waterfalls or if you're up for a challenge, skiing the World Cup run or long, untouched, powder laden off-piste trails and incredible shutes.  They also deliver on unexpected surprises and unique experiences ranging from unique plough horse tows run by local farmers, reaching a 3312 metre high glazier by helicopter to take the ultimate long run all the way back to your hotel!  You can even revisit history with a day long ski tour around the WWI battlefields, discover and exploring the troops hidden mountain tunnels and getting a first hand experience of the conditions that the Austrians and Italians encountered. The ultimate day out however, is the Sellaronda, a 40 kilometre circular run which takes you through four picturesque valleys and villages.

Whatever your expertise, your Skiare guide will offer tuition and tips along the way, so you literally come away better for the experience!

While steeped in culture, the recently listed world heritage Dolomites are not lacking in technology, boasting state of the art snow making, heated gondolas and even high tech lift tickets which scan then record your every run so you can revisit your adventure on-line and see where you've been and how much territory you covered each day.

The off snow and après ski experiences are just as rewarding. With three languages and a wonderful fusion of Italian, Austrian and Ladin cultures, new experiences are around every corner.  Whether you're wanting to try local delicacies at the local's favourite eateries, fine wining and dining at a 3 Michelin Star restaurant or even visiting some exceptional local wine cellars, Skiare's knowledge of the 100 plus mountain huts, local bars, pizzerias, trattorias, Michelin Star and Gambero Rosso restaurants is second to none.

In addition to ski passes, touring and ski instruction, Skiare will also organise your transfers, ski hire and accommodation ranging from 5 star hotels or apartments to suit your budget.

 Further information is available at www.skiare.com.au

The Westin Auckland Wins Gold For Being Green

The Westin Auckland Lighter Quay has been awarded the prestigious Qualmark Enviro Gold Award, New Zealand's highest level of achievement in relation to conservation and sustainable practices in tourism.

The five key areas of responsible tourism criteria this coveted award recognises are energy, water, waste, community, conservation, programmes and monitoring by businesses. The hotel's performance within the criteria was outstanding and all areas were thoroughly tested for compliance.  The Westin's environmental responsibility is an essential component of everyday operations supported by a dedicated Green Team who meet regularly to measure environmental outcomes, stimulate discussion of initiatives and monitor all current items.  In addition, as a way to give back to the community; employees donate their time to actively participate in environmental initiatives several times a year.

'We are very proud of this achievement, the entire team has worked diligently from day one of our opening to ensure the hotel has considered the environmental impact within all of our business practices'. 'The Westin Auckland is committed to making a positive contribution and providing a sustainable environment for future generations by being globally conscious and locally active' says Marcus Reinders, General Manager.

The Westin Auckland ends the year on a winning note having also scooped Best Accommodation Hotel at the 2009 Hospitality Association of New Zealand Awards, New Zealand's best city hotel in the 2009 Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards, and Best New Zealand Hotel in the 2009 HM Awards. The Westin was also named in the Top 100 World's Best Hotels in the Expedia Insiders List.