Tweedsmuir Park Lodge Honoured as a Highly Rated Accommodation Property (Wilderness Lodge) as Reviewed by Travelers on the World’s Largest Travel SiteBella Coola, BC, Canada (PRWEB) May 28, 2012 Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, a wilderness resort in the wilds of British Columbia, today announced that it has received a TripAdvisor® Certificate of Excellence award. The accolade, which honours hospitality ...

Read more from the original source:

Tweedsmuir Park Lodge Earns Prestigious 2012 TripAdvisor "Certificate of Excellence"

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

The global economy is suffering from a prolonged downturn brought on by events ranging from fiscal crises in the West to natural disasters here in Southeast Asia. Policy debates worldwide increasingly reflect the need for economic growth and job creation. With global unemployment of 200 million and 40 million people projected to enter the labor force every year, 600 million jobs will need to be created over the next decade.

A Swiss border guard checks a passport at the Euroairport in Basel-Mulhouse February 7, 2012. REUTERS/Pascal Lauener

Theres no single solution for achieving such a daunting task, but the contributions of the Travel & Tourism industry are too often overlooked in the debate over how to create jobs. While conventional sources for employment such as manufacturing and investment get most of the attention, a joint study by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reveals that Travel & Tourism directly employs 98 million people, more than automotive manufacturing, global communications, mining or financial services. Additionally, the study shows the economic impact of Travel & Tourism in 2011 was $6.3 trillion, or 9.1 percent of the global GDP.

And Travel & Tourism is one sector in which growth does not require significant new government investment. It can be facilitated simply by removing bureaucratic restrictions already in place, in particular the antiquated processes by which most states issue visas to foreign visitors. Long wait times, the absence of local consular offices and excessive documentation requirements discourage travel, restricting visitor spending and the jobs and growth it generates. Modernizing and simplifying visa applications and approval processes, and introducing new technology such as e-visas, would go a long way to maximizing Travel & Tourisms payoff to local economies.

For the past year, the World Economic Forums Aviation, Travel and Tourism Council has been working to promote e-visas worldwide. The Council has produced a Call to Action manifesto that highlights the opportunities that e-visas provide, and has made key recommendations to improve existing visa policies as a bridge toward a liberalized e-visa regime. Through these efforts, and in conjunction the WTTC/UNWTO study, the Council hopes to persuade leaders in Southeast Asia and other regions of the world of the economic benefits of modernized visa programs.

The good news is that some Southeast Asian nations have already identified collaboration and improved technology as two of the most important means of updating their visa programs and expanding the Travel & Tourism sector. Thailand and Cambodia began offering a combined tourist visa this past February, with plans to expand the program to include Vietnam and Laos by the end of the year. Such cooperative efforts by neighboring states make travel more convenient and thus more attractive to potential visitors. At their January meeting, the ASEAN Tourism Ministers set an even higher bar for regional collaboration by pledging their support for an ASEAN common visa, with the hopes of having a plan ready for consideration by the 2015 ASEAN Summit. We applaud this effort. A common visa for the 10 ASEAN States will likely have beneficial economic effects similar to those experienced by the European States involved in the Schengen visa program.

With respect to technology, this region already has experience with accepting visa applications online. Cambodia has an e-visa and Myanmar unveiled its own e-visa in March. A region-wide e-visa system would definitely help Southeast Asia stand out as a tourist destination.

Travel & Tourism already enjoys what any industry needs to generate growth: a product in high demand. The people of Southeast Asia can take advantage by removing unnecessary barriers between that product and a potential customer base of tens of millions of 21st century travelers.

Brian Havel, Professor of Law, De Paul University, USA and member of the Global Agenda Council on Aviation, Travel and Tourism, World Economic Forum

Go here to see the original:

WEF Blog: Freedom to travel: opening markets by opening borders

25-05-2012 19:02 Kain and Dae travel around the school for their 'EHS Tour'. Here, they play Love Your Friends, Die Laughing. Oh, and it was Super Meatball Locker Cleanout Dresses Friday [with some science, cookies, and ginger ale].

See the original post:

Love Your Friends, Die Laughing [EHS 'World Tour'] - Video

26-05-2012 08:47 Video/Movie Clip recorded at the Cafe Central in Madrid, the Capital and largest city in Spain in May 2012. The clips starts with me taking a 11PM stroll around the lively streets and squares of central Madrid before walking to the Cafe Central for a Piano concert by Lluis Coloma {Spain} and Bob Seeley {USA}. On reaching the Cafe Central, I enter to see and hear Lluis "Machine Gun Fingers" Coloma in full flow playing one of his own pieces of music : "Going to Malaysia". For the 2nd piece, Bob Seeley joins Lluis in a slower ragtime/stride type of number called "Black and Blue". All in all, a great bit of 'Light and Shade' during the wonderful evenings concert?! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Travel Champion Website : ** Photos and perspectives from visits to over 100 Countries **

Here is the original post:

World Travel

In a world where a few taps on your smartphone can book a flight to Florida or a hotel in France, travel agent Elaine Osgood is used to hearing predictions of her industrys imminent demise.

But this is a woman with a large white globe next to her desk and a pair of red boxing gloves hanging from her office doorknob.

Her Milford-based travel management firm has not only weathered the rise of the Internet, its gross revenues grew $60 million in the past two years.

She has owned the agency for the past 26 years, first as a Uniglobe franchise and since 1997 as Atlas Travel International.

This is hardly the first time that Osgood has beaten the odds, boosted the bottom line and brought in acknowledgements such as being ranked No. 18 on this years national list of flourishing businesses owned by women.

The Women Presidents Organization, a nonprofit organization with 97 chapters internationally, and American Express Open, the small business division of American Express, also named her business to their Top 50 lists in 2010 and 2011.

When she was a franchise owner, we grew to be the largest Uniglobe in the United States.

What shes most proud of, however, is her companys stellar reputation. I safeguard that, she said.

Another source of pride is not having a single layoff in her 26 years as an employer.

Not even after 9/11, when the world of leisure travel came to a grinding halt.

Read the original post:

Spitz: Milford travel agency finds room to soar

The Saunders Hotel Group, a third-generation family business, has just been recognized for its worldwide leadership in sustainable tourism by the World Travel and Tourism Council. The hotel group was awarded the Community Benefit Award at this years Tourism for Tomorrow Awards during the opening ceremony of the WTTC Global Summit in Tokyo, Japan.

Gary Saunders, chairman of the Saunders Hotel Group, is from Brookline.

The awards are one of the highest, most prestigious prizes in the travel & tourism industry, and recognize companies and organizations around the world which demonstrate outstanding sustainable tourism achievements.

The Saunders Hotel Group provides scholarships based on financial need to students attending the hotel and restaurant management school at Newbury College. Leaders of the group also serve or have served on a number of boards and committees, including the Back Bay Association, Friends of Copley Square, Boston Green Tourism, and the Governors Council for Travel and Tourism.

For more information, contact Tedd Saunders at TSaunders@EcoLogical-Solutions.net.

Visit link:

Saunders Hotel Group receives 'Community Benefit Award' from international travel summit

25-05-2012 06:52 Check Us Out - We are Making A Living... Living in order to Make A Living... Giving! With our program College students and graduates are getting paid to travel the world and helping communities in 3rd world countries building bottle schools in places like Guatemala, Ecuador and others. Interact with Me Facebook - Twitter -

See more here:

College Graduates Getting Paid To Travel The World - Video

By Ian Garland

PUBLISHED: 03:35 EST, 24 May 2012 | UPDATED: 09:28 EST, 24 May 2012

A pint in Tajikistan is ten times cheaper than the average beer in Britain

It's the holy grail for beer lovers on a budget.

And researchers have found the world's cheapest pint, costing a mouthwatering 29p.

But there's a catch - it's only available in the tiny mountainous, landlocked former Soviet republic of Tajikistan, 3,000 miles away from Britain.

Researchers at pintprice.com have compiled a list of the worlds' cheapest - and most expensive - pints.

And they've discovered the most cost-effective tipple is ten times cheaper than the average pint in Britain, which now costs 2.90.

Panama, in Central America, follows hot on the heels of Tajikistan with an average cost of 31p a pint.

Communist North Korea also makes the shortlist, with an average of 38p a pint.

Original post:

The world's cheapest lager is 29p a pint....but you'll have to travel 3,000 miles to from Britain to sup on it

24-05-2012 11:19 "WONDERS" World's top Travel Destinations Book, Photographer : Prasit Chansareekorn

Continue reading here:

"WONDERS" World's top Travel Destinations Book - Video

24-05-2012 13:53 Click here to watch Where the hell is Dovahkiin? 2012 (Skyrim Machinima) Skyrim: Make Dance Not War Dovahkiin is always on an adventure but he never leaves home without his dance moves. Voice Actor Hypermunk99 Music: Skyrim Theme (Swanson Remix) Swanson Sounds DIRECTOR'S CHANNEL: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This video will show you: How to view a skyrim mod How to make Machinima How to dance like a Dovahkiin How to watch with a free cam How to play The Elder Scroll V: Skyrim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FOR MORE MACHINIMA, GO TO: FOR MORE GAMEPLAY, GO TO: FOR MORE SPORTS GAMEPLAY, GO TO: FOR MORE MMO & RPG GAMEPLAY, GO TO: FOR MORE ANIMATIONS & SHORTS, GO TO: FOR MORE TRAILERS, GO TO: Tags: yt:quality=high "Elder Scrolls V" Skyrim "5" five Bethesda Game Studios Softworks role-playing game RPG Microsoft Windows "PlayStation 3" PS3 Sony Xbox 360 Xbox360 Alduin Creation Engine open world Sandbox Dovahkiin Dragonborn Perks dual wield Radiant AI Draconic dragon shouts Dovahzaan Blades Nord Esbern Max machinima "how to" "arrow in the knee" "arrow to the knee" dancing dance where hell world travel ro4ch rooster dragonsreach dancing mod mods nexus steam workshop steamworkshop epic battle

Read more:

Skyrim: Make Dance Not War - Video

U.S. Men's National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has named a final 23-man travel roster that will compete in the upcoming five matches that include three friendlies and the start of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Initially calling 27 players into a camp at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., the team now heads to Jacksonville in advance of the match against Scotland on May 26 at 8 p.m. at EverBank Field (8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Galavision).

More than 36,000 tickets have been sold in Jacksonville, which sets a record for a U.S. Men's National Team friendly in the state of Florida. Tickets starting at $22 are still on sale at ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster centers throughout the Jacksonville area. Following Scotland, the U.S. hosts five-time World Cup champions Brazil on Wednesday, May 30, in Landover, Md.

The U.S. MNT has announced public training sessions for May 25 at EverBank Field and May 28 at Ludwig Field in College Park, Md .

"We have said from the beginning that these games are all about results, and we have chosen the 23 players who are in the best form right now and ready to get the job done," said Klinsmann. "These guys have put in a tremendous amount of hard work in the last 10 days, and they are hungry to get started with the matches. We want to thank the players who have gone back to their clubs for all of their effort here. They are knocking on the door and will be ready to go if needed."

The nearly month-long series of training and games has been designed to mimic the circumstances the team will face in a tournament format, with meticulous planning dedicated to technical aspects, travel, nutrition, logistics and the rhythm of team movement to create a performance driven environment.

U.S. TRAVEL ROSTER BY POSITION GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland) MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Jose Torres (Pachuca) FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Herculez Gomez (Santos), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

ADDITIONAL ROSTER NOTES

The team has lined up a series of friendlies for this summer in preparation for the start of World Cup qualifying. Following the match against Scotland, the U.S. continues its competition against the world's top teams when it hosts five-time World Cup champions Brazil on Wednesday, May 30, in Landover, Md. Kickoff for the USA's first-ever match at FedExField is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2, ESPN3 and TeleFutura. Fans can also follow the match live online via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker and Twitter @ussoccer.

For the last game before the start of World Cup qualifying, the United States will make a rare visit to Canada when it renews the rivalry June 3 at BMO Field in Toronto. Kickoff for the USA's first match on Canadian soil since 1997 is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network and Univision Deportes Network.

The United States will kick off the effort to qualify for its seventh-consecutive FIFA World Cup when it hosts Antigua & Barbuda on June 8 at Raymond James Stadium. The semifinal round opener begins at 7 p.m. ET live on ESPN, ESPN3 and Galavision. Four days later, the U.S. plays its first road match in group play this cycle when it visits Guatemala.

Continue reading here:

Klinsmann Trims Travel Roster

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

OpenJaw Technologies, a leading online technology partner of the worlds biggest travel brands, and Scandinavias largest airline, Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), today announced that SAS is to upgrade to the OpenJaw t-Retail Platform. This is OpenJaws first existing client to announce its migration to the new platform. Previously OpenJaw provided SAS with technology to power the dynamic packaging and component selling of ancillary products on http://www.sas.se, http://www.sas.no and http://www.sas.dk. By upgrading to the t-Retail Platform SAS will further benefit from a range of new retailing strategies across its Swedish, Norwegian and Danish websites. SAS will be taking the t-Retail Platform as a managed service, a payment by service model, which demands a closer partnership relationship between the airline and OpenJaw to ensure conversions and revenues are maximised.

The t-Retail Platform will ensure that SAS will hold onto its customers throughout the retail experience, purchasing a range of travel products in a one-stop-shop environment. As there is no hand off to a white label provider, this ensures that SAS owns the customer from start to finish in terms of user experience, revenue generation and Super PNR information for data mining.

SAS will access the t-Retail Platform technology via a Managed Service delivery model which means that OpenJaw will oversee the hosting, deployment, management and maintenance of the production platforms, and that the airline benefits from on-going platform upgrades. The OpenJaw Managed Service division will also continuously monitor service performance via Business Intelligence tools, in order to optimise the user experience and maximise conversions.

Commenting on the announcement, Magnus Eivhammar, Director Ancillary Revenue, SAS Airlines System said:

As the flag carrier of Denmark, Norway and Sweden SAS has always led the way in terms of innovation and customer engagement. By upgrading to the OpenJaw t-Retailing Platform we are taking innovation to the next level by providing a winning user experience that inspires our customer demand.

Kieron Branagan, CEO, OpenJaw added:

OpenJaw is at an exciting juncture in its relationship with SAS as we move from a provider of technology to joint partners in success. We are delighted that SAS trusts the OpenJaw team to provide its online future and that the airline believes that the future is travel retailing.

--ENDS

About OpenJaw Technologies

View post:

Scandinavian Airlines Systems Selects OpenJaw t-Retail Platform to Provide Its Online Retailing Future

}r8}['gLQ[$N3S.$eew[u8o2Or$E}{nv,@'vye9fiYur}k:=Z~/-k8=b5pr%kNgD~z5KS^~W"={F D6Xc@O-#P5x|9Nc}ttv8;9<:8>in6gPvblN;+Lh2aPvJz[qMCOGN!{~T?g^/| o: e2b/X"" "ybk>`BE.A =3p9A(|8d]~L/)@U#{Q Xg:wPjau, B+iEVo5"@:Jo!9aG~2B?9 _eSiY}4Bg UwFt3:?4w 9[r a:TUhSiqtgQvZ13{+S2?M>c?=4 C{w|;FX!Fwb z2Cu~VLuO]sFoUwUC^3>4396%:BYRqa|yDU![}&T^/?6G~8X NC5J!c?@},naqZ(bCAN_~k,=.viF(=m4v=*XQ56j@?1YxP~ue=;t|g wL:g: LWq;uaA/isW2VVj94&x'>}} )@]2MwPkfW$[WtYF \M# #mp`aAuqC{]gA7gG%sw|joPlH+1^'orMD;d/uqGD(hLM/O/^<0ZM}ZTw)TQ+7@M##{fon/d%ER3=6lPSRQwV/fa* x80`tc!hvj`^uaS!Z-2c&|Fu83[b2X;q4ZbcfOs&)!3aVr x=BGE{`Upd_R22(x@')';B^.BrS^4c+sm:t$!]n0 E`^>05lsIdnI;*ibx4s6l'd$mG0'^IQiO(M97Pr^0;t7C0)rN=cq?U)p)"D=?+i'CWiJxFUIL?NNV$!W TC1;oHmFREi l"OUazz`fFJK^H& Ev RUmU*]0Tf1`kX'TDcbiPJi2@<-_FkLJ'TD iyj@$ )mWe`oI6SsTRd/.Y0nhcUnijd]W`)_L}+O5^~N,WgO[f`IUUI,RUMaDT64:TMDHUhA`"CU. 8U;i 5`w(orW89@UN'cz3 Q^Q^(rbW81*&Gy Q^(*fib*N*0gGy%(0?+J&Fy%Q^ (:Q[(tzW9gW:5UN* Q^(qfW:=3gT:3`UN* 'Fy (orW89@UNSG}3rOMO$;x1z]Jyla$4h?5Fv89v,an,l1#V3)iDnmP8q? usGiK]f F{66:c/ Qp%@!fx8-f@S;;fs{gwN}r5u;HVc'f}l4KO"-:YyU2o|Vea]X}w6ju5$b= TDd ?~ Y(p iL3 "&BDg<+!B)- N }2A$H.tly-c>!P}.y52Xq+{G$ E|05n mcmFX]c(A0BHE^w.V1Y.|At(NXsNIT D} H*= ~&;hD!Y2 .'&oLJ518^cF-7(ZX!}6 dz2?RYGiEscJB-B->?Ev(VoXAFbgM6|aA_=_.p5v=i0S ReSZ.Trl`q:3-6aSA,itN43,M'^Cxf-M48bS_wP:b%WYa^uv,n)x4m=>wg)0ou8+*#z6[m.jZFV}]Z[$j$2_dV7R:5K@_W*_teMYMw?v2m5~50]t4N.NihOJ 3 {":vzB"8m9VmYy@_2/w:'g2BaBSE H#slK$5vq2d`shcjw;+erd|9g ~ /])*d -f/g1"1=^$9$39`5V7QW}x ="';h' 8 T+ilYd,hf ,]hO1w>ys$2">]zX3>F>dA{,Y;qMDrBgA(N`/CK0Ii(=It efA!Irg8a.>9qg4ufMm"FOFc@@}}H@:ysWD~+?dTnR*/p}ULQXu_we7wqOzMn&KQVtQwL:&b!U.r#^x*/4`bPgz~c3/c>7#q?Sa$Unb7BE|[J2w)Q?%GfvPxx;{+=x-z/o: w@L?'l+W I3v`YG4Z RAM0*>PMp D?{/5;":d5h-Rc]t)k >~Xq|}0@]F[// ?+z)vo6D@6O+r=nJ&~F6^k7(+&2}Orh>X4 7qdBGi@KxLB(w hKzRIq@ # 7%B o8 ~EFqR'VA^~^%r4c mVfWvd|XSqiY)mq8 it(@|(M urXx')M0W}?Pxd6+G*se<0$Hb}#xsyC@hD03i6:sD"nQ0DanB( 2JlxMH:sN&)/p^D@%%)Y?h~c8UjN(E+tRW,:!mC%b@"|!1pHw9uGH1$*a2?>),sW*<&:n:!_A{c&Vn+"na6NJB-z{B<#?->a!S+t < QRy +E%+ $D;VIa6pP?}Hd$C[l;+VnCFB4-0@;(vo!a 0yF6mQI5 C|x*KPLOoOkLZc.4')]'*8W[[MjqUQn?TJ2O :M[Y6HGUG}DT4L{[ZX}4PMtFR+3K}+n$jj'jYd@{4rPPsd&K]Q{)}jIW:f%L4I2Ox 3>hHBx]}kt cMj Oh<}Z'YkLlJ^!,{rm&/;Y.V3]l? .s9%nsh2%>Av oweM

See more here:

Travel Around the World with Vault Magazine

24-05-2012 02:53 Japanese knives are the finest in the world and Osaka produces the best knives in Japan. I visit tower knives to learn why Japanese knives are the best, how they are made, how much they cost and look at some fine examples. Learn more about tower knives - AROUND THE WORLD TRAVEL VIDEO ADVENTURE web: fb: twt: g+:

Read more from the original source:

Japanese Knives, the best in the world, Osaka - Video

24-05-2012 03:31 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Interview by Peace Love and Photography, Episode 4. Archbishop Desmond Tutu answers questions about Peace and the meaning of life. Ashley & Filip head to Namibia to plan the letter B with 500 children and continue their 26 Country World tour. Archbishop Desmond Tutu Peace Love and Photography Ashley and Filip Peace Love Photography inspiration motivation spiritual leader travel adventure world tour happiness charity non profit activism africa south africa namibia

Read the original here:

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Interview by Peace Love and Photography, Episode 4 NEW - Video

24-05-2012 09:26 Japan makes the best kitchen knives in the world and Osaka is the capital of knife making in Japan. I visit Tower Knives in Osaka where owner Bjorn allows me to test various knives of differing quality and price. More information about about Tower Knives visit AROUND THE WORLD TRAVEL VIDEO ADVENTURE web: fb: twt: g+:

More here:

Japanese Knives, World's Best Tested and Reviewed, Osaka - Video

HuffPost's QuickRead...

Loading...

HuffPost's QuickRead...

Read more from the original source:

Beach Travel: The World's Best Secret Beaches (VIDEO)

Enlarge Stuck on Earth

An image from a demo of the Stuck on Earth app, which Lauren Goode of All Things D calls "a photographer's dream."

An image from a demo of the Stuck on Earth app, which Lauren Goode of All Things D calls "a photographer's dream."

Mobile phones and tablets have put a world of information at our fingertips, even when we're on the go. It would seem natural, then, for smartphones to help make traveling easier and more fun.

But not all apps are created equal so Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep sought advice from Lauren Goode, a senior editor at All Things D, where she recently reviewed travel apps. Here are some of the tips Goode discussed with Steve:

Pack the Bag (iPad/iPhone) "It breaks luggage down into categories," Goode says, and includes details like sunscreen and sunglasses. "And you can set a reminder on the app that'll tell you when you're supposed to start packing," Goode says. The app also lets you email a packing list to friends or family.

TuneyFish Available for many phones, the 99-cent app provides videos and tips on repairing your car a possible savior if your vehicle breaks down. "It sounds better in theory than I actually found it to work," says Goode, who adds that the videos were sometimes hard to follow.

Google Translate (Android, iOS) Also known as "the fan favorite," Goode says Google's tool promises to help travelers understand more than 63 languages. But "once you get into more complicated or long blocks of communication," she says, some of the results "might not make that much sense to you." Instead, Goode says, stick with short phrases.

Lonely Planet (Android/iPhone) "Lonely Planet's travel apps are really, really extensive," Goode says. "These apps are really great. They offer a simpler interface than something like Frommer's." The apps include recommendations for places to eat, where to stay and what to see. They also offer audio walking tours.

Stuck on Earth (iPad) "This is a really fascinating, unique travel app I'm not even sure if I would call it a travel app, as I would call it a photographer's dream," Goode says. "It crowdsources all of these photos from Flickr that people around the world have posted to this particular area of Flickr that's designated for Stuck on Earth."

Read more from the original source:

Travel Apps That Help You Pack, Explore, And Enjoy The Scenery

On June 1, Bulgari opens London's first new-build luxury hotel in 40 years.

Link:

Travel agenda: Bulgari London hotel opens

BORA BORA, French Polynesia, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa was selected by the readers of Travel + Leisure for the magazine's prestigious "World's Best Service" list, garnering the top spot for service in French Polynesia and ranking second in service among top lodges and resorts in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.

The list recognizes city hotels, lodges, resorts, cruise lines, and airlines that have achieved top honors for service in Travel + Leisure's annual "World's Best Awards" survey. The InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa garnered an impressive score of 96.67 out of a possible 100 points. Full survey results and methodology is available at http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-best-serviceand in the June 2012 issue of Travel + Leisure.

The InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa is located along a virgin beach on the Motu Piti Aau (meaning "two hearts" in Tahitian) with breathtaking views of majestic Mount Otemanu.Not only does the resort provide exemplary service to its guests, it features a number of unique attributes, including:80 luxurious overwater villas each with a split-level terrace and sundeck for easy access to the turquoise waters of the lagoon; one of the finest culinary experiences in French Polynesia at its restaurant Reef; and the first overwater wedding chapel with glass bottom floor in French Polynesia.

The resort's acclaimed Deep Ocean Spa by Algotherm is the first spa in the world to use mineral-rich deep seawater extracted from 3,000 feet below sea level in its signature treatments. The 13,200 square-foot spa complex houses 14 treatment facilities for deep-sea water hydrotherapy, beauty treatments and gentle energy therapy. The spa offers glass-floored overwater Spa Suites where guests can admire maritime flora and fauna during treatment sessions.

InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa was also the very first resort in the world to successfully implement a "Sea-Water Air-Conditioning System" (SWAC). The SWAC system draws on an inexhaustible supply of non-fossil and completely renewable clean energy. It has zero impact on the environment, is quiet, produces no carbon dioxide or other green house gasses, and saves 90 percent of the electricity consumed by a conventional cooling system of similar capacity. This translates to a reduction of CO2 emissions that is the equivalent of approximately 2.5 million liters of fuel oil imports per year to French Polynesia.

About InterContinental Resorts French PolynesiaOwned and operated by Richard H. Bailey and his company, Pacific Beachcomber S.C., there are four InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in French Polynesia: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort, InterContinental Tahiti Resort, and InterContinental Moorea Resort & Spa. Each of the resorts has completed multimillion dollar enhancements over the course of the last five years and all have achieved "Earthcheck Silver Certification," recognizing their significant commitment towards achieving environmental and social sustainability.

For additional information, visit http://www.tahitiresorts.intercontinental.com.

Media Contact: Vanessa Bloy InterContinental Resorts French Polynesia T:425-440-6255 E: vbloy@pgcruises.com

Originally posted here:

Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa Honored On Travel + Leisure's List for World's Best Service in 2012