News in Brief: Friday August 22

Etihad Airways has announced changes to its schedule between Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg effective October 26, which includes new daily departure options from Abu Dhabi to Johannesburg and return, to provide travellers with improved opportunity to connect onwards to regional networks.

The new schedule will also provide travellers with a significant increase in weekly connections between Johannesburg and a number of key Asian business and leisure destinations on the airline’s fast growing global network including Chengdu (China), Singapore and Phuket (Thailand).

General manager, South Africa, Xenia Adamou said “The new schedule means that we are now able to provide daily departures, ensuring that our business and leisure travellers benefit from greater connectivity and flexibility when flying between South Africa and the UAE.”

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The Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne has completed its latest Refurbishment by Evolution program, which featured new glass panels in the lobby, 184 rooms, bathrooms and lifts.

General manager Steve Finlayson said the work was undertaken quietly over several months without impacting on the hotel’s 90% occupancy rate, with the upgrade program to continue enhancing the property.

The program included some ‘invisible’ works too, including high speed wifi internet capability, new rooftop air-conditioning cooler unit and new lifts.

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Malaysia Airlines has announced its premium guests travelling on Domestic will soon enjoy a newly improved lounge experience when the Domestic Golden Lounge KLIA reopens tomorrow.

The lounge will offer guests enhanced seating capacity, new look food and beverage counters, new service offerings including a spa, refurbished restrooms and international socket plugs for convenience of guests.

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Park Hyatt Melbourne has announced the appointment of Edwina San to the position of director of sales and marketing, following seven years as general manager of commercial partnerships with Melbourne Convention Bureau.

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APT and Travelmarvel have each announced they will be expanding operations in Asia, with the addition of two new river ships in Myanmar, Burma, one for each brand.

APT’s new ship, RV Samatha, is a high end luxury vessel with 30 suites, while Travelmarvel’s ship, RV Princess Panhwar, will be feature 36 suites, with both vessels including fine dining, spas, sundecks and massage facilities.

Both riverships will operate 15-day itineraries between Yangon and Mandalay from January 2016.

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Sunshine Coast Destination Ltd (SCDL) and Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) have commissioned advertising agency Mojo and Taxi Film Productions to film the natural icons of the region for a new campaign with the theme ‘Naturally Refreshing’.

Attractions such as Glass House Mountains, Noose National Park and the historic Hinterland town of Montville will be filmed to showcase the region’s diverse magnetisms, with the campaign to be launched later this year.

Footage from the shoot will be used extensively on TV and through other traditional and online media as well as across Sunshine Coast Destination’s online and social media channels in a bid to encourage markets of Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand to visit the destination.

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