StarCite Destination Solutions Travel BLOG

News From Peru!

SUMAQ MACHU PICCHU HOTEL RECEIVED THE 5-STARS CATEGORY From september 23th, Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel holds the 5-stars category, granted by the Dircetur Department of Cusco. Therefore, Sumaq becomes the first 5-stars hotel of Machu Picchu. The Sumaqs are proud and satisfied about the award after a year of operations and satisfactory accomplishment of the trial concerning infraestructure, security and health conditions to obtain the category.

THE CHAIN OF ACQUA HOTEL RESORT SPA CHANGES ITS NAME AND EXPECTS TO OPEN A HOTEL IN LIMA The chain, which first hotel will start operations in Sacred Valley in Sacred Valley in next december will change of name to ARANWA HOTELS & WELLNESS. The aim of this renaming points towards a better identification with the areas to be operated, and thus to strengthen the offer to local and foreign market. Likewise, the chain of hotels ACQUA RESORT HOTEL SPA expects to open a hotel in Lima , as declared by the vice-president of operations of the company: "This way we will close our tour, as the passenger arriving in Lima will also be able to remain in one of our hotels". The executive stated that the location of the new hotel is still to be confirmed, however is expected to be located near the airport or in the financial center of the capital city.

CARETAS MAGAZINE STANDS OUT AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TO MACHU PICCHU Caretas Magazine shows an interesting option: it is about a new Inca Trail, through a different path, less traveled and hence fantastic. The travelers can arrive in Machu Picchu staying in special lodges on the way, instead of tents. It is an alternative to the saturated Inca Trail operated by Mountain Lodges of Perú.

CUSCO NEW LUXURIOUS HOTEL WOULD SET IN THE URUBAMBA VALLEY If deals are settled between the Indonesian Hotel Chain AMAN RESORTS (A.R.) and the owners of ranch Huayocari Urubamba, the Urubamba Valley would have a new luxurious hotel for visitors to enjoy. Apparently local negotiations to start operations in the near future are already set off. The hotel would operate in the facilities of the ranch, considered one of the most representative of the valley due its architecture, decoration and geographical location.

Dear Fabiola and Monica : I shall congratulate you for the excellent service offered to us during our stay in Peru . The truth is that we do not have anything to complain of, quite the contrary, we were surprised in repeated times at your kindness, attentions and services. Everything was splendid ! We are very satisfied with the tours chosen, the guides provided to us, the hotels reserved, LAN, the Vistadome, etc, etc. Everything 10 points and even more. Really if I have an opportunity to recomend a tourism agency, it will be you definetly. We got the same opinion about you when asking for references and actually they did not fail. Thanks you very much for everything. Regards,

ROCK OUT AT ICELAND AIRWAVES...

BRING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND SAVE!
Icelandair is offering special incentives for groups of 10 or more (traveling on the same itinerary) attending the 10th annual Iceland Airwaves music festival in Reykjavik, Iceland, October 15-19, 2008. More than 245 bands, DJs and solo artists will perform at more than 10 venues over the five-day concert series, making this Airwaves event sure to surpass the expectations of even the most skeptical concert-goer.

We offer many options on how to rock out with your favorite bunch of people - become a group leader, organize a VIP party, or just join in the festivities!

Unite with alternative music fans from around the globe for a weekend filled with concerts, parties and special events or just mingle with some of the hottest acts in the industry, along with up-and-coming musicians from both sides of the Atlantic.

While your group is in Iceland, be sure to explore the beautiful and surreal landscapes of snow-capped mountains, glacial waterfalls, spouting geysers and geothermal hot springs. We offer a multitude of add-ons that can make this the trip of a lifetime. See why Iceland's unique scenery has inspired and cultivated countless innovative artists, filmmakers and musicians, and makes Iceland the preferred setting for numerous Hollywood films and exceptional concert experiences.

Icelandair's specially-priced group packages for the event are available from Boston, New York-JFK, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Orlando Sanford. Packages include round-trip airfare, hotel, transfers, Scandinavian breakfast buffet and a festival pass that allows you entrance to all venues for Airwaves.

For additional information on Icelandair Airwaves, please visit www.icelandair.com/airwaves or www.icelandairwaves.com.

Seating is very limited and this is always a sold-out event so don't delay. Please contact Icelandair for further assistance on pricing and how to secure your group space today!

Dubai's new low cost airline to be called "Fly Dubai"

Set to launch in mid 2009, Dubai's new airline to concentrate on regional flights, moving to support corporate and vacation travel. The brand identity and livery for FlyDubai will be unveiled in the coming months.

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has approved the name FlyDubai from a shortlist presented by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman of the new low-cost airline.

Sheikh Ahmed said "FlyDubai is a simple, yet powerful call to action. It makes an immediate link to our core business, which is providing no-frills flights to bring people to and from Dubai. The name also carries a strong association with the city of Dubai, itself a brand synonymous with excellence, reliability and an international, pro-business approach.

FlyDubai's operations will potentially cover an area of some two billion inhabitants. It will support Dubai's commercial and tourism sectors by serving a new set of travelers, and providing them with affordable air links to popular, high-demand destinations.

A lot of ground work has been done thus far, and I'm pleased to note that FlyDubai is on track to launch its first flights by mid-2009.

FlyDubai will initially focus on regional flights within the GCC area and surrounding countries.

Its operations will be entirely separate from Emirates Airline and Group.

Ghaith al Ghaith, Chief Executive, FlyDubai said 'Since the government announced the formation of Dubai's new low cost airline in March, it has been all systems go.

We are recruiting for key positions, evaluating aircraft options and routes, working out our pricing and distribution strategy, and putting in place the structure and operational resources for the business.

'Efficiency is the pillar of our business model. In terms of our customer proposition, we will focus on keeping things simple and flexible. We want to make it easy for our customers to interact with us, and to have more control in how they book, purchase and select value-added services to their basic flight experience.

'It has been a busy time, but everything is going to plan. The selection of a name for the airline is only the first of many milestones to come, and we look forward to announcing more details over the coming months.'

Join Bjork and Sigur Ros at a Free outdoor concert in Iceland - June 28th

Come one, come all - To Iceland! |
Join Björk and Sigur Rós at a free outdoor concert in Reykjavik on June 28!

This momentous event will focus on awareness of the environment in Iceland. Ólöf Arnalds and other performers are to appear. The concert will be held at Laugardalur, with the venue opening at 5 p.m. and the performances beginning at 7 p.m. More details will be released shortly.

Björk and Sigur Rós will also be teaming up to create an Iceland-centric environmental website, with hopes of moving Iceland to the forefront of conservation initiatives.

Remember, this concert in Reykjavik is free so arrive at the concert venue (outdoors) early to get a good view.

Make your plans for travel to Iceland now... this is sure to be a packed event, and one you don't want to miss!

For more information about Icelandair please visit the StarCite Marketplace.

Chip Stockman
StarCite

StarCite Global Meetings Showcase visits Toronto, Boston and Atlanta June, 2008 - Register Now

StarCite is again taking to the road to bring global representatives from Destination Management Companies, Hotels, Airlines and Cruise Ships for the East Coast StarCite Global Meeting Solutions Showcase June 16-18, 2008.

If you are a meeting planner near Toronto, Boston or Atlanta you'll want to plan on registering for one of these great events where you will be able to discuss actual travel needs with representatives from around the world. Regions already scheduled to appear include: Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States.

Meet face-to-face with destination representatives.
Get information about emerging destinations for events.
Great food and beverage will be served.
Exciting trips and regional prizes will be awarded.

Register today for this amazing opportunity to meet a great deal of valuable resources in a convenient event format near you.

Thank You
Chip Stockman
StarCite Destination Solutions Team

Iceland - Enter to Win The Kelty Adventure

This just in from our friends at Icelandair a sponsor of the Kelty Adventure:

ENTER TO WIN THE KELTY ADVENTURE

SWEEPSTAKES 2008. DESTINATION: ICELAND

Imagine hopping on a flight to Iceland, compliments of Icelandair, with your best friend to soak in geothermal pools and explore some of the world's most beautiful terrain. No worries about scrambling to pack the right gear. Your luggage, packs, tents and Light Year XP sleeping bags are all provided by Kelty. Oh, and don't forget to thank Vasque for your footwear.

Once on the ground, the adventure begins. Deluxe accommodations and expert guiding from Alaska Mountain Guides. Read on to find out how this could be your adventure...

Click here to enter.

+ Plus - we have a one of a kind Kelty backpack that we will be giving away to one of our Icelandair Lucky Fares members.  This will be a random drawing, so stay tuned to see who won!

........................................

Be sure to see more about Iceland in the StarCite photo album at right, and more about Iceland on our Destination Iceland web page or watch a recorded webinar about Iceland.

Good Luck!
Chip Stockman
StarCite Destination Solutions Team

Icelandair to Halifax and Toronto, Canada!

Icelandair's new flights from Canada begin April 21, 2008, from Halifax and May 2, 2008 from Toronto.

Find a convenient flight schedule offering the shortest flying times to Iceland and the same easy connections to European destinations.

For more information about Icelandair visit the StarCite Online Marketplace.

Iceland best place to live (Reuters)

Reuters today (Nov. 27, 2207) reported that Iceland has overtaken Norway as the world's most desireable country to live in, according to an annual U.N. table.

Read the full article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21989185/?GT1=10547

It's no surprise to me, Iceland is not just a great place to live it's an amazing place to visit and hold incentive travel events. With an abundance of natural resoruces, superior hotels, a convenient flight time from the USA and Europe, an established incentive infrastructure and some of the nicest people you would ever want to meet, Iceland is the perfect choice for corporate events.

Iceland even sports an award winning airline, Icelandair. Icelandair, the flag carrier of Iceland, founded in 1937 is commited to quality, service and safety and is well known throught the industry for some of the best customer service and food in the skies.

Want to learn more? Visit StarCite's Destination Iceland page and learn about hospitality suppliers standing by to serve your events.

Keep Traveling
Chip Stockman
StarCite

LAN Airlines announces future incorporation of 32 Boeing 787 aircraft into its fleet

Santiago, Chile, July 12, 2007 - LAN Airlines S.A. and its related companies, ("LAN" or "the Company") (NYSE: LFL / IPSA: LAN), one of the leading airline groups in Latin America, announced today that at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Board of Directors held this week, the Board agreed to incorporate 32 Boeing 787 Dreamliner long-haul aircraft to the Company´s fleet between 2011 and 2016.

LAN will purchase 26 aircraft, and acquire 6 more via leasing contracts. The total investment will reach approximately US$ 3.2 billion. Additionally, the Board approved 10 purchase options of the same aircraft model for 2017 and 2018. This is the largest investment in the Company´s history and assures LAN´s future growth, as well as operating one of the world's most modern fleets.

The 787 Dreamliner model is estimated to commence commercial operations by year-end 2008 and will revolutionize the air industry as it incorporates the latest technology. Customers will enjoy a more pleasant in-flight experience due to the technological advances featured inside the passenger cabin. In addition, the Dreamliner is fuel efficient, emitting 25% less emissions, and is considered an ecologically friendly airplane. The aircraft has the capacity to seat between 250 and 300 passengers, in two classes, depending on model type (787-8 and 787-9).

These new aircraft are aimed to replace and grow the Company´s long - haul fleet, and will allow LAN to operate new international routes that will be added to LAN Airline´s current network along with its affiliates LAN Peru, LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador.

Enrique Cueto, LAN´s Chief Executive Officer, stated: "This historic investment assures the future growth of the Company, thereby confirming LAN´s commitment to expand commercial aviation development, as well as the economic and social growth within

Latin America

. We are incorporating a new generation of aircraft designed with the industry´s most advanced systems and state - of - the - art technologies in order to provide the best travel experience to our passengers. Our customers will be served by one of world´s most modern fleets, in addition to the excellent service that has traditionally distinguished LAN within the international markets.

This is the largest fleet order in LAN´s history and is in addition to LAN´s previously announced fleet orders which include the incorporation of 52 new passenger and cargo aircraft for short and long - haul routes, scheduled to be received between this 2007 and 2011.

Renata Carin │ Corporate Sales Manager, USA│ LAN Airlines │ 

1960 East Grand Avenue, suite 530, El Segundo, CA 92045

 │ 1 (949) 635.9063│ renata.carin@lan.com│ www.lan.com

Icelandair to Expand Canadian Service with Open Skies Agreement

 From our friends at Icelandair:

Effective immediately, the governments of Iceland and Canada have signed an Open Skies Agreement to permit scheduled air services for passenger and all-cargo traffic between Canada and Iceland. The new agreement replaces the Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services that has allowed operations to Canada by Icelandair, the flag carrier of Iceland, since 1995.

Icelandair will offer 5-7 flights per week from Toronto , starting spring of 2008, with a flying time of approximately five hours to Iceland. Flights will connect in Iceland to other European cities, including Copenhagen, Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Manchester and Glasgow. Today Icelandair operates 160 flights per week to 25 cities in North America and Europe via its hub in Reykjavik.

Additional Canadian gateways are under consideration for future development.

For more information about Icelandair and our other Iceland travel suppliers please visit the StarCite Destination Iceland web page.

Chip Stockman
StarCite.com