Among most popular… London

The Boutique and Lifestyle Hotels Report, due for release on 22 May at this year’s Boutique Hotel Summit in London, will reveal the most popular search terms used online for specialist accommodation in domestic, short haul and long haul destinations.

“Boutique Hotel Summit was launched because we recognised the need for an event catering to this very specific niche in the hospitality industry,” says founder Piers Brown.

“To some extent, the plethora of online marketing channels levels the playing field and allows boutique hotels to compete with the industry’s bigger players”.

Among others, popular generic search terms include ‘boutique cottages’, ‘specialist hotels’ ‘unique hotels’ and ‘small luxury hotels’.

Major cities topped the list with London, New York and Paris as well as the UK’s Lake District and Sao Paolo among the most sought after locations for boutique accommodation.

The report, produced by digital marketing agency Greenlight, analyses brands, retailers and review sites and compares organic search results with paid online ads to reveal more than 50 per cent of the most visible websites rely solely on visibility gained in the paid ad listings on Google.

The report also assesses those players who interact well on social media networks, where hotel brands are noticeable for their absence.

www.boutiquehotelsummit.com

A recent survey of the global hotel market revealed Oceania as a global leader, with the most positive sentiment of any region in the world when it comes to current levels of optimism and growth in the hotel sector.

The Horwath HTL biannual Global Hotel Market Sentiment Survey, released earlier this month, demonstrated a positive sentiment across all regions, with Oceania leading the way with the most positive sentiment for general market performance.

One of Australia’s most cherished… Hotel Windsor

The attractive market outlook in New Zealand heavily influenced the region’s top ranking as well as the particularly strong growth expectations for the Oceanic region overall.

For Hotel Windsor CEO, David Perry, the results came as no surprise.

“Globally the major change would have to be the more positive sentiment coming out of the USA which is still the world’s largest economy,” said Perry.

“We’ve just had the busiest February and the busiest March since records began throughout the hotel’s 130 year history with February seeing an occupancy rate of over 89 per cent and March seeing occupancies reach a dizzying 92 per cent.  With occupancy reaching peak levels the only thing to expect is for rates to steadily rise following what had been a relatively flat three years.”

While the Americas, Africa and the Middle East show improvement for 2013, China and Europe remain flat. Even as the UK recorded some residual positive effects from the Olympics, sentiment in the overall region remains stifled as the Euro crisis enters its fifth year with little sign of resolution.

The Middle East and Africa were most pessimistic in regards to the impact of global oil prices yet most positive about local tourism trends.

In the US there are strong indications of a recovery beginning to take root, as the first half of 2012 saw a US$17 billion increase in international travel spend by US travellers – up seven per cent from the previous year.

The Chinese hotel market remains relatively cautious and the feeling amongst hoteliers is ominous, but only for the time being. China still has one of the few rapidly growing markets in the world and in such markets new supply takes time to be absorbed.

Earlier this year Federal Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, pointed to the significant growth coming out of China stating, “A decade ago only three Chinese carriers offered just 11 services per week from China to Australia whilst none of our airlines flew here. Now there are 82 weekly flights between our two countries with both Qantas and Jetstar flying into Chinese destinations”.

www.thehotelwindsor.com.au

When I meet Ben Quilty he looks and smells exactly as I imagined. He’s dressed in a flannelette shirt, jeans and sneakers, with scruffy hair and a beard that’s fiercely thick. He smells of oil paint and I can see it still jammed under his fingernails. Sitting in a leafy courtyard at the National Art School, Quilty disarms me with his warm and welcoming presence despite the obvious emotion he displays as we start discussing his latest exhibition.

On the war path… Ben Quilty

Quilty was commissioned as an official war artist by the Australian War Memorial to document the experiences of Australian servicemen and women and spent a month in Afghanistan back in 2011. The resulting exhibition After Afghanistan has quickly become the most hotly debated of his career. Interestingly, he was officially given the Australian Defence Force (ADF) stamp of approval but, perhaps ironically so, it has stirred up quite a few emotional responses since it’s opening last month. The 21 studio paintings – in Quilty’s signature oil on linen – and 16 sketches reveal a lot more about the human face of war than the ADF is perhaps willing to admit.

We’ve been speaking for only a few minutes but I can already see the incredible effect this collection of work has had on the artist. He speaks with intense emotion, his eyes are wide and concentrated and just as captivating as his words.

“It was dark and sinister and overwhelming,” says Quilty of his time in Kandahar.

“The thing I wasn’t prepared for was the constant threat and rockets landing inside the basin, that was horrifying.”

But Quilty’s exhibition isn’t one that celebrates the war hero in a traditional sense, rather, it focuses on the intense physicality of the soldiers and the emotional and psychological consequences of war.

“They carry with them an emotional experience that is almost physical and I wanted to record that emotional weight,” says Quilty.

Emotive… Troy Park, after Afghanistan

Works like Trooper M, after Afghanistan and Air Commander John Oddie and after Afghanistan no. 2 are not portraits of the traditional heroic nude, but images imbued with the lasting experience of war. The faces in the impressive canvases are frightened and hollow and the bodies stripped bear appearing fragile and contorted without the protection of armour or a uniform.

Quilty spent 12 months creating the works in his studio in the NSW southern highlands where he invited the troopers he met in Afghanistan to sit for him upon their return from deployment.

“It was very confronting, particularly watching these guys fall apart and unravel. There’s a sense of team morale while the troops are in Afghanistan but when they return to their green, safe, first world Australia that’s when they fall apart and that’s the classic time when post-traumatic stress hits.

At work… Quilty in his studio

“They have nightmares, they become very violent, they often drag their partners out of bed and hold them on the ground and scream for cover and I’ve heard that from many young guys who are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I’ve had their wives and girlfriends in tears in my studio talking about their experience being married to these people.”

This is an overwhelming part of a largely untold story.

“Three guys have been diagnosed since I started working with them and most are going outside of the ADFA to find their own private specialists to help them and at the moment the ADFA isn’t making things easy for them.”

Quilty explains subjects like Trooper M are part of the Special Operations Task Group and are therefore classified under protected identity status.

“They are fighting a war every single day and they are engaging with enemies, risking their lives and dealing with high enemy casualities. There is constant death around them, extreme pressure and because of their status, they’re not allowed to talk about their experiences, which is doing them a big disservice.

“The stories [Trooper M] told me about Afghanistan, the triggers to his post traumatic stress, and the experiences he’s had are like nothing I’ve ever heard in my life. And most of them have these stories.”

Throughout the painting process, Quilty says he wanted to provide a vehicle for his subjects to tell their stories, confront their fears, and shed a light on the darkness so many are suffering – often in silence and with little help.

Vulnerable… Captain Kate Porter, after Afghanistan

“I found the commission so much more important than my career and in the end the work that I made is not my opinion of who they are, it’s the truth about how they feel, what they are confronting. It’s about their future and their past,” he explains.

Australian soldiers, sailors and a number of air force personnel have come to the National Art School to view the exhibition and have expressed their gratitude to the artist for telling a story that no one else would.

“The arts are crucially important to a healthy society. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, I know what I’ve achieved with this exhibition and how cathartic it has been, on a personal level, for the guys I’ve worked with,” says Quilty.

Yet, in a nation obsessed with sporting heroes and the pursuit of physical excellence, the arts seem to fall to the wayside.

“The underfunding and lack of respect for the arts in this country makes me very sad,” says Quilty, his voice raised a few decibels.

“The arts isn’t just about painting; it’s about film, theatre and literature – these are so important and make up the real fibre and substance of a community.”

In fact, his exhibition is on show at the National Art School in East Sydney because the Australian War Memorial in Canberra doesn’t have an exhibition space.

“The Australian War Memorial has one of the biggest collections in Australia containing some of the most profoundly important work about war, death, sadness and hope, and yet, no exhibition space. In the past they probably thought their collection was worth a lot of money but not really important to their audience.

“I hope I’ve proved them wrong.”

 After Afghanistan will tour New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Canberra until May 2015.

www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions

www.benquilty.com

]]> http://www.lunchmag.com/after-afghanistan-when-the-war-begins/feed/ 0 http://www.lunchmag.com/oregons-focus-on-sustainability/ http://www.lunchmag.com/oregons-focus-on-sustainability/#comments Tue, 05 Mar 2013 06:13:19 +0000 jonathan http://www.lunchmag.com/?p=8306  

Sustainable travel is on the agenda in Oregon with the recent establishment of the Oregon Travel Philanthropy Fund.

The statewide program is the first of its kind and funds raised will be used to improve the environment, support local culture and enrich the destination for future visitors.

The fund supports one project from each of Oregon’s seven tourism regions, including the creation of the Mosier Plateau Trail, a sustainable non-motorised trail with direct access to the community of Mosier; support of the Sustainable Seafood Initiative; and in Portland, the Living Highways Project will plant and maintain over 5,000 trees along I-205, as part of the Greenspace Initiative.

Kevin Gorman, Executive Director of the Friends of the Columbia Gorge, says, “The Oregon Travel Philanthropy Fund is helping us create a European-type trekking experience that allows people to love the Columbia Gorge without loving it to death”.

Sustainable Travel International, together with Travel Oregon, will donate more than $14,000 to particular projects within the OTPF program.

Kristin Dahl, Senior Manager of Destination Development at Travel Oregon says, “We chose to donate to projects that represent some of the best work being done to steward the environment, build community and showcase the food and culture that make Oregon a great destination”.

“We’re thrilled with the engagement of tourism businesses and travellers across the state of Oregon so far,” says Jeremy Sampson, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications at Sustainable Travel International, and co-manager of the OTPF.

“Giving back is a fundamental tenet of sustainable tourism, and programs like the OTPF provide an easy model for businesses to implement and a compelling story to tell,” he said.

“We are optimistic the program will continue to grow at an exponential rate, providing more funds for tourism infrastructure in Oregon’s communities.”

www.traveloregonforever.com

Lauren Arena

With piracy costing the global economy upwards of $10 billion a year it might be time to consider engaging and killing pirates on sight according to a world leading defence analyst.

Executive Director at the Australian Defence Association, Neil James says piracy was only crushed in the 19th century because pirates were killed and becoming a pirate was like signing a death sentence.

"International rights do-gooders have essentially created more pirates and recreated a very serious international problem.

Out of control... Somali pirates

James was commenting in response to maritime security company Typhon's announcement that they will attempt to tackle the spread of piracy across the Indian Ocean with the world’s first private navy in almost 200 years. 

Typhon's offering is a tailor-made navy escort service to the commercial market, allowing ship operators to safely cross the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. Armed vessels, including a 10,000-ton mother ship and high speed armoured patrol boats, will be led by a former Royal Navy commodore along with 240 former marines and sailors as part of Typhon’s integrated protection model.

James, says this modern twist on a Letter of Marque is only a quick fix. 

“It’s purely a case of the commercial market filling a vacuum because the United Nations have their arms tied,” says James.

“A private security convoy is a reactive measure, they’re operating as a guard force and can't proactively engage with pirate vessels in order to address the problem and really make a difference in the long term.”

The company’s CEO, Anthony Sharp, says, “The areas we will protect are too vast for current naval resources to monitor effectively and this will be an even bigger issue when Operation Atlanta comes to an end”.

Winding down... Operation Atlanta

“With millions paid out in ransoms to pirates and much more money lost by businesses in fuel costs avoiding pirates, it is important that businesses are granted a safer passage with their cargo through dangerous waters.”

But safe passage doesn't come cheap. A private navy escort will cost between $5000 and $10,000 dollars per day.

Under current United Nations Security Council (UNSC) laws a person engaged in piracy must be taken into custody to undergo a fair criminal trial before being charged. According to James, this is at the heart of the problem.

He suggests Somali pirates have become more flexible, adaptable and better organised and have more modern weapons and communications. Western naval analysts also say they are extending their range to the Oman sea.

“Pirates are operating across enormous distances and Somalia has become a 20th century Tortuga,” says James.

Piracy is spreading rapidly from its Somali roots across the Indian Ocean as far as the Gulf of Guinea, Bangladesh and Indonesia, yet the EU naval presence in the Gulf of Aden is due to end in 2014.James says the UNSC needs to revise its laws in order to stamp out piracy for good, but doubts whether the necessary changes will ever occur.

Humble beginnings... Typhon's fleet

“An international agreement would require a pirate atrocity to take place in order to concentrate international minds on the issue,” he says.

Typhon is set to escort its first convoy of oil tankers and bulk carriers in April, but there's still a lot of work to be done before then.

The first of Typhon’s intended fleet of 10 ships, a 130-foot container vessel, is currently being retrofitted in Abu Dhabi and the crew of ex-Royal Marines and sailors is yet to be hired.

To-date the company has acquired three container vessels, only one of which is expected to be ready in time for the inaugural voyage in April, while Sharp and his management team attempt to finalise an insurance deal with Lloyd's of London. 

On the rise... Copenhagen, Denmark

The number of travellers visiting regional areas across Europe is on the rise, with Southwest Germany, Brittany in France and Veneto in Italy among the most popular for 2013.

A number of new and improved rail services are being rolled out across Europe to meet this increase in demand as travellers seek out less-conventional holiday experiences.

Manager Australasia of Rail Europe, Richard Leonard, says more and more visitors to Europe are venturing past the most traditionally popular cities and getting to know the continent on a deeper level, while taking advantage of new offers that provide more value for their time and money.

“Getting to know a place is similar to getting to know a person,” says Leonard.

“Peeling off the layers, so to speak, while getting to know a country requires one to explore beyond the conventionally popular or commercialised places, and that is something we are seeing more and more of.”

“That, coupled with the growing trend of combining itineraries, such as a cruise, is becoming more common with the new routes on offer.”

New and enhanced rail services include Trenitalia and Italo high-speed services in Italy, a wider range of fares across Germany as well as new services between Interlarken and Paris with TGV Lyria.

www.raileuropeconnexion.com

It's possiblle with True North's West Coast Explorer, which revisits the incredible story of the Batavia, which sailed in 1628 from Holland bound for the Dutch East Indies but struck a reef when sailing off course in WA's Abrolhos Islands.  Guests will learn more of the fate of the Batavia during a 10 night journey along its ill-fated route, replete with historical tales and facts and adventurous activities on land, sea and in the air. 

The itinerary includes time to snorkel and dive in the crystal clear waters of the wreck site and discover remnants of history while swimming, diving and beachcombing around the coastline.

The trip begins in Fremantle for an adventure on Australia's only luxury adventure cruise ship.  From here you will relax with refreshments as the cruise begins to the Abrolhos Islands, renowned for its fishing including fine eating species such as Westralian jewfish, groper, snapper and coral trout all of which may end up on the ship's menu.

Highlights of the trip include a hike to Steep Point, the western-most edge of the Australian continent, part of the Shark Bay World Heritage area and widely regarded as one of the finest land-based game fishing locations in the world.  Steep Point is also surrounded by some of the most breathtaking scenery in Western Australia.

True North travels with her own helicopter affording bird's-eye views of stunning reef formations, island communities and breathtaking landscapes like Ningaloo Reef and six on-board expedition boats and an experienced crew to take you fishing or diving on demand.

World famous Ningaloo Reef, designated in 1987 as a marine park is one of West Australia's most popular tourist destinations with its brilliant white beaches, stunning fish and corals within metres of the shoreline. All that is needed is a mask and snorkel to enjoy swimming pool-like conditions. The reef is 260 km long and is Australia's largest fringing coral reef. Famed for its whale sharks, the reef is rich in coral and other marine life and is included in the migratory routes of dolphins, dugongs, manta rays and humpback whales.

Each day you wake, you find yourself to completely different surrounds including the Montebello Islands an archipelago of 174 small islands laying 130 km off the Pilbara coast.  Choose to start off the morning with early fishing, dive for giant crayfish or join the crew for bird watching in internationally recognised hotspots.

The final leg of the West Coast Explorer takes in the magnificent Dampier Archipelago formed 6000 years ago when coast plains were flooded by rising sea levels.  The area's rock formation was formed in the Archaean period and is thought to be the oldest on earth.  This is a significant place for indigenous Australians with rock art and ceremonial sites.

West Coast Explorer departs from Perth on 7 March 2013 disembarking in Dampier on 17 March. Prices start at $A9495 per person.

www.northstarcruises.com.au
 

Travel in style... The Grand Tourista Bag

As culture, business and leisure intersect in destinations as diverse as Berlin, Abu Dhabi and Bangkok, a new global traveller has emerged – multi-national and cross-generational, mobile and jet-setting. 

As this global elite begins to surface, so too does a collection of luxury goods, travel destinations and experiences.

The latest addition to is The Grand Tourista Bag by Jason Wu for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, a travel accessory inspired by today’s grand tour and designed with a new generation of luxury travellers in mind.

Sophisticated, timeless and informed by the brand’s rich heritage, The Grand Tourista Bag marks Wu’s first product created exclusively for travel.

“I am really excited to be part of a legacy that is rooted in impeccable style that can stand the test of time, and The Grand Tourista Bag reflects exactly that,” says Wu. 

The Grand Tourista Bag is a sumptuous shoulder tote designed in a subtle black and white houndstooth pattern on structured canvas with leather trimming.

The partnership between the New York designer (whose supporters include Diane Kruger, Rachel Weisz and Reese Witherspoon) and the luxury hotel brand developed organically over the course of two years, after Wu showed his collection as a breakout designer at The St. Regis New York during S/S 2010 New York Fashion Week. 

“Traveling the world to design, show and sell his collections, Jason Wu intimately understands the needs of luxury travellers today,” says Paul James, Global Brand Leader, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts.

The Grand Tourista Bag is available online for a limited time.

www.stregis.com/boutique

www.jasonwustudio.com  

On the rise... Hobart

Australia’s solitary island state Tasmania is often considered a world of its own, but it seems the island’s exclusive location and unique flora and fauna are encouraging more and more travellers, both domestic and international, to cross the Bass Strait and venture into unknown territory.

Tasmania’s capital, Hobart, was recently rated one of the world’s top ten destinations on the rise and also came in at number seven in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2013 book. 

It may be genetically and geographically isolated, but over 855,000 visitors flocked to Tasmania throughout the year ending June 2012 – an impressive figure when you consider the island has more visitors per year than its entire population.

Cutting edge... MONA

Tourism Tasmania's Acting CEO Adam Sproule says, "It appears the rest of the world is indeed becoming wise to the energy and excitement that Hobart offers as a top-class travel destination."

"Hobart has something for all travellers and with the warmer months clearly in sight, visitors from Australia and abroad are encouraged to visit Tasmania now and discover our capital city for themselves."

Tasmania is a wildlife haven with platypus, wallabies and the Tasmanian devil, ancient plants (remnants of Gondwana), over 1.38 million hectares of World Heritage listed land and the cleanest air in the world (measured at Cape Grim on the north-west coast).

In Hobart, a trip to Mount Wellington is a favourite among nature-lovers. Just a short drive from the city centre, the top of the mountain provides breathtaking views and the guided bike ride makes for a speedy way to come back down.

Natural beauty... Tasmania

However history buffs have rated the World Heritage listed Cascades Female Factory Historic Site, in South Hobart, as the top attraction. The site sits in the shadow of Mount Wellington and once served as a prison for female convicts.

For those who prefer all things contemporary, the city’s über cool arts scene is just as unique as the local wildlife, with David Walsh's highly acclaimed and controversial MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) at the forefront of the Hobart’s edgy arts precinct.

Upcoming events in Hobart:

Friendly locals... the Tasmanian devil

Taste Festival (28 December 2012 – 3 January 2013)

A celebration of Tasmanian fresh produce, boutique beer and wine.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race (26 December 2012 – 1 January 2013)

An iconic event widely considered to be one of the most difficult yacht races in the world.

MONA FOMA (16 – 20 January, 2013)

Tasmania’s largest contemporary music festival.

Ten Days on the Island (15 – 24 March 2013)

Tasmania's premier cultural event, an international arts festival.

www.discovertasmania.com

The Noosa International Food and Wine Festival is set to start the new year off with a bang, with an impressive line-up of culinary stars for their tenth anniversary event.

World's best... Mark Best

Ten illustrious chefs including Mark Best, from Sydney’s award-winning Marque Restaurant; Carlo Cracco, two- star Michelin chef from Milan's Ristorante Cracco; Peter Gilmore from Sydney’s famed Quay restaurant; Ben Shewry from Melbourne’s Attic; and Tetsuya Wakuda, with award-winning restaurants in Sydney and Singapore; will come together to entice festival-goers with a series of presentations, talks and cooking demonstrations throughout the 2013 event. 

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games, Jann Stuckey, welcomed the culinary masters to Queensland. 

“The Noosa International Food and Wine Festival continues to offer visitors to the Sunshine Coast a superior culinary experience in one of Queensland’s most iconic tourism destinations." 

“It is with great pride we welcome such an impressive selection of highly-acclaimed interstate and international chefs to Queensland.”

The festival will offer opportunities to mingle with the globally acclaimed stars, commencing with a 10th Anniversary Opening Night Celebration where all ten chefs will feature in a gala concert of ‘edible music’ and guests can eat their way through a sensory feast of gastronomic and music delights. 

Noosa International Food and Wine Festival, 16-19 May 2013

Tickets on sale from 14 January 2013.

www.noosafoodandwine.com.au