Jetsettersblog

The 60-room Rockwall Inn and Suites in Rockwall, Texas, 25 minutes from Dallas, has joined the Best Western hotel chain. Hotel amenities include an indoor swimming pool, a hot tub, a fitness center and a complimentary hot breakfast. Each guestroom features a microwave oven, a refrigerator and a 32-inch, flat-screen television. The hotel’s mini-suite guest rooms feature sofa-sleepers and whirlpool tubs.

For the business traveler, the hotel offers 1,050 square feet of banquet space to accommodate up to 75 people, as well as a business center and complimentary, wireless, high-speed Internet access in all public areas. Nightly room rates start at $89.99.

Outside Magazine’s Adventure Towns Issue hit newsstands this week. Boise, ID was named the Best Overall Adventure Town in the US.

They have been selected for this honor by National Geographic Adventure Magazine in the past.

The criteria used by editors to select this year’s winners included:

the number of population with bachelor’s degrees;

cost of living,

access to trails, rivers, skiing and livability.

Boise was cited for their greenway, the Payette and Salmon Rivers, skiing, hiking, biking trails, cost of housing and cultural activities.

Outside Magazine bills itself as America’s leading active-lifestyle and adventure-travel magazine dedicated to covering the people, activities, gear, art, and politics of the outdoors.

For more information about Outside Magazines’ article, please click here:

http://outside.away.com/index.html

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected New Mexico State University (NMSU), in Las Cruces, N.M., to lead a new Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation.

The center is a partnership of academia, industry and government, developed for the purpose of creating a world-class consortium that will address current and future challenges for commercial space transportation.

The Obama Administration recently released its new National Space Policy, which recognizes opportunities and advancements in commercial space transportation and lays out specific ways to use commercial capabilities.

NMSU Las Cruces will lead a team of colleges and universities throughout the country, including Stanford University in California, the University of Florida at Tallahassee, the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, the Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion based in Tallahassee, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Congress authorized Air Transportation Centers of Excellence under the Federal Aviation Administration Research, Engineering and Development Authorization Act of 1990.

This legislation enables the FAA to work with universities and their industry partners to conduct research in environment and aviation safety, and other activities to assure a safe and efficient air transportation system.

With the establishment of this center, research will extend to cutting-edge technologies and infrastructure for private human spaceflight and orbital debris mitigation.

The United States’ space program has three sectors — civil, military and commercial. The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation is responsible for licensing, regulating and promoting the commercial sector space industry.

Since the office was created in 1984, the FAA has issued licenses for more than 200 launches, has licensed the operation of eight FAA-approved launch sites known as spaceports, and has helped ensure that no loss of life or serious injury has been associated with these efforts.

For more information, visit www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/news_story.cfm?newsId=11559

For more information on the FAA, visit www.faa.gov

To make Virginia’s iconic tourist destinations more easily accessible, a major investment by the innovative public-private partnership, Amtrak Virginia, has completed improvements to the service on two routes to the historic visitor regions of Lynchburg and Richmond in the heartland of Virginia.

During the first six months since its launch in October last year, the Amtrak Virginia service on the Lynchburg route, stopping at Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Burke Centre (Fairfax) and Alexandria, achieved annual passenger targets in the first six months of operation, proving train travel is a popular alternative to driving and an easy way to enjoy the passing rural scenery and pretty towns with colonial homes and rocking chairs on porches, as the train travels through the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

In July this year the second improved Amtrak Virginia service was launched on the route to the state capitol, Richmond, with stops at Staples Mill, Ashland, Fredericksburg, Quantico, Woodbridge, and Alexandria.

The new enhanced Lynchburg and Richmond routes make it more convenient for visitors to travel to and from central Virginia, while helping to promote the local economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In total Amtrak Virginia offers rail services to more than 21 stations throughout the state and seamless routes to the Northeast Corridor including Washington, DC, Philadelphia, New York and as far north as Boston.

The on-board experience provides comfortable seating, ample storage for luggage and café cars providing refreshments.

Prices for a round-trip from Washington, DC to Lynchburg start at $29 and a round-trip to Richmond starts at $23.

Go to www.AmtrakVirginia.com  for the latest information on all Virginia routes and tourist destinations.

The Dominican Republic is the place to be if you are thinking of organising that special meeting or incentive trip. From lavish resorts and stunning hotels to well-equipped convention centres and matchless historic venues, the Dominican Republic offers unique opportunities for meetings in paradise. Delegates will also enjoy an array of sandy beaches, dazzling landscapes, lush green forests, exotic cuisine and a remarkable variety of art and entertainment options.

As an example of the sort of facilities on offer, three luxury boutique hotels in the Dominican Republic have recently been certified by the Elite International Meeting organization as being excellent facilities to hold meetings and conventions for senior executives or small groups – the “Casa Colonial” in Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata; the “Sivory” and “Tortuga Bay” in Punta Cana.

The “Casa Colonial” Beach and Spa Resort sits right on the beach, has 50 spacious suites and meeting facilities covering a 2,723 square foot area.

It is ideal for executive meetings of up to 50 people.

It is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of The World organization and offers a modern conference hall with seating for 75 guests. The facility is situated near a Robert Trent Jones golf course and features a spa.

The “Sivory Punta Cana” is also on the beach and offers an intimate and secluded ambience.

The facility offers 55 luxurious suites and a 2,200 square foot meeting area.

Additional facilities include the Aquarea Spa and Wellness Center, three restaurants and a sophisticated wine cellar offering eight thousand bottles representing 250 brands.

It is the ideal meeting place for groups of 25, but it can easily accommodate meetings of up to 50 people.

“Tortuga Bay” is located in the exclusive Punta Cana Resort & Club compound.

It has fifteen villas, all situated along the majestic Caribbean Sea and decorated by famed Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta, feature 30 rooms, a business center and a 1,200 square foot meeting hall.

The resort offers two golf courses and a worldclass Six Senses Spa.

Other amenities: a fitness center, kids club, ecology walking trail, horses, water sports, fishing and a nearby shopping center.

Dominican Republic has over 1,000 miles of stunning coastline and beaches which are widely celebrated as being among the world’s best.

Also a favourite golfing destination, the Dominican Republic is fast becoming the golf mecca of the Caribbean, with courses offering dramatic coastal views and year-round warm weather.

The Dominican Republic was recently named “Golf Destination of the Year for the Caribbean and Latin America” by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) at its annual award ceremony for the golf tourism industry.

From the north to the south, meeting delegates will find exciting sports, effervescent nightlife and festivals, magnificent national parks and world-class accommodations. In addition to golf, other outdoor activities like snorkelling, kite boarding, boating or cascading down waterfalls are other thrilling ways to experience the natural beauty of the island.

Exceptional value is another plus. The Dominican Republic’s world-class resorts and hotels offer expansive meeting venues and restaurants that are very affordable compared to rates in the U.S., Canada and other Caribbean countries.

Dominican Republic’s lush tropical country offers a fantastic combination of environments to capture your group’s imagination and refresh the soul. And with eight international airports, paradise has never been easier to explore.

So bring your group to this breathtaking island sanctuary and create meetings that will be remembered for a lifetime.

For further information on the destination please contact:

ESP: esp@esthersmith.biz or esp-bobby@hotmail.com

Tel/fax: 01962 711239 –Mobile: 07768 901197
Website: www.godominicanrepublic.com

Carey International, Inc., a leader in chauffeured transportation and value-added logistics management, announced at the 42nd annual National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International Convention and Exposition the international launch of its new subsidiary, Embarque.

Embarque is the new affordable option for safe, reliable and environmentally responsible chauffeured transportation. It features a 100 percent Carbon Balanced fleet of U.S. EPA SmartWay certified vehicles, a dedicated team of certified professional drivers, and affordable, transparent pricing.

“The international launch of Embarque marks a substantial shift in Carey International’s portfolio of services, but not the way Carey does business,” said Gary Kessler, president and CEO of Carey International, Inc. “Embarque is the end result of Carey, once again, listening to the needs and challenges of the travel marketplace and reacting with a tangible solution that meaningfully addresses the concerns of our customers.”

Embarque was developed and refined over the past year through a series of trial launches in multiple cities across the U.S. and the U.K., beginning with Chicago in 2009.

“Carey International began testing the Embarque product in Chicago last year, and based upon overwhelmingly positive customer feedback, we began to slowly introduce the product in other cities,” said Sally Snead, senior vice president of operations for Carey International.

“As the product rolled out slowly throughout the testing phase, we were able to make certain adjustments and improvements before we launched in subsequent markets — the result of this past year of research and testing is simply a great final product.”

Embarque service is currently available in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Orange County, San Francisco, Stamford, and Washington, D.C., with more cities to be added throughout 2011.

“With Embarque service up and running in 12 major markets, we are now able to provide travel buyers with a low-cost and environmentally responsible service option to complement our premium Carey services,” said Matthew Tolan, senior vice president of global sales, “Embarque’s presence in most prime domestic travel corridors will result in greater value for our existing customers while at the same time creating a greater incentive for new customers to come aboard.”

For more information, visit www.embarque.com  and www.carey.com

Korea’s list of UNESCO heritages continues to grow with the ‘Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong’ being the 10th site to be inscribed on the world cultural heritage list.

Their location is ideal to combine with a trip to Gyeongju historic area known as the ‘museum without walls’. Gyeongju is now being offered as a ‘City tour on the KTX’ (high speed rail service from Seoul) through US Travel based in Korea www.koreatour.us

Founded in the 14th-15th centuries, Hahoe and Yangdong are seen as the two most representative historic clan villages in the Republic of Korea.

Their layout and location – sheltered by forested mountains and facing out onto a river and open agricultural fields – reflect the distinctive aristocratic Confucian culture of the early part of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

The villages were located to provide both physical and spiritual nourishment from their surrounding landscapes.

They include residences of the head families, together with substantial timber framed houses of other clan members, also pavilions, study halls, Confucian academies for learning, and clusters of one story mud-walled, thatched-roofed houses, formerly for commoners.

The landscapes of mountains, trees and water around the village, framed in views from pavilions and retreats, were celebrated for their beauty by 17th and 18th century poets.

Tasmania’s compelling and extraordinary convict heritage has been officially recognised by UNESCO. It was announced early on Sunday 1 August that 11 Australian convict sites, five of which are located in the southernmost state of Tasmania, are to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Tasmanian sites are Port Arthur and the Coal Mines Historic Site on the Tasman Peninsula; the Cascades Female Factory in South Hobart; Darlington Probation Station on Maria Island; and Woolmers and Brickendon Estates near Longford. The other six sites are in New South Wales, Western Australia and Norfolk Island.

Thousands of penal sites were established in Australia in the 18th and 19th centuries.
They housed tens of thousands of men, women and children condemned by British justice, often for petty crimes such as stealing a loaf of bread, to transportation to the convict colonies. Each of the sites had a specific purpose, in terms both of punitive imprisonment and of rehabilitation through forced labour to help build the colony. The properties that now form part of the World Heritage List present the best surviving examples of large-scale convict transportation and the colonial expansion of European powers through the presence and labour of convicts.

Tasmania is the second oldest state in the country and was first settled in 1803 when it was known as Van Diemen’s Land. From 1812 until 1853, convict ships were sent direct here rather than stopping in Sydney and during the fifty years of transportation about 67,000 convicts arrived in Tasmania, around 22% of them Irish. Today, the close proximity of the convict sites in south and eastern Tasmania and the ease of access to some of the best-kept and most complete records of convict history anywhere in the world today give Tasmania an opportunity to develop its ‘Convictourism’ product. Visitors to Tasmania, especially those from the UK and Ireland, many of whom have close links to the convict history, will be able to follow the convict trail and trace their ancestors back in time.

Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsula is perhaps Australia’s most famous convict site. It operated as a penal station for secondary offenders until 1877, by which time it had been developed into a major industrial complex and had turned from flogging, using the dreaded ‘Cat O’ Nine tails’ to a form of psychological punishment based on the system used at Pentonville Prison in London. Port Arthur’s 60 or so buildings and picturesque landscape, joined to the mainland by Eaglehawk Neck, offer visitors a challenging mix of both beauty and horror and have helped the site become one of Tasmania’s most popular tourist attractions. Port Arthur is probably the best known site of the 11 included in the listing, but Darlington on Maria Island – today a ‘Noah’s Ark’ for endangered species – predates Port Arthur.

“The listing is great news for our tourism industry, and will allow us the opportunity to build an additional dimension to our visitors’ experiences,” said Felicia Mariani, Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Tasmania.

“When you ask people what comes to mind when they think of Tasmania, the first thing they usually mention is our wilderness. This is not surprising given that over half of our state is ancient World Heritage Wilderness, national parks and forest and marine reserves. And, given our history and rich colonial heritage, it is fitting that our State has now received recognition for these five important convict heritage sites. It can only add further to our reputation as a world-class destination.”

The 34th session of the World Heritage Committee was held under the chairmanship of the Minister of Culture from Brazil, João Luiz da Silva Ferreira. The meeting opened on 25 July and continued through to 3 August. A total of 39 sites have been considered for inscription on the World Heritage List.

The inscription of the convict sites are Australia’s 18th World Heritage Listing.

For more information on Tasmania and the convict sites visit www.discovertasmania.co.uk

Please find below all 11 Australian convict sites that form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Listing:
Port Arthur Historic Site, Tasman Peninsula TAS
Port Arthur was established in the 1830s as a penal settlement. It remains a physical chronicle of a dramatic part of Australia’s history. Its 60 or so buildings and picturesque landscape offer visitors a challenging mix of both beauty and horror and have helped the site to become Tasmania’s most popular tourist destination.
Coal Mines Historic Site, Tasman Peninsula, TAS
The Coal Mines Historic Site is outstanding for its insight into Australia’s convict history and the use of convicts as a cheap source of labour for the exploitation of local resources. Today the mine shafts are evident as circular depressions in the landscape, and 18 damp dark alternating solitary cells convey the grim harshness of Australia’s convict history.
Cascades Female Factory, South Hobart TAS
The Cascades Female Factory was a self-contained, purpose-built institution intended to reform female convicts, where the inmates did laundry and needlework services, offsetting some of the colony’s penal costs.
Darlington Probation Station, Maria Island TAS
Darlington Precinct, located on Maria Island off the east coast of Tasmania, offers a glimpse into the island’s convict past and the probation system that was unique to Tasmania.
Brickendon and Woolmers Estate, Longford TAS
Brickendon and Woolmers Estates were private farms that utilised assigned convicts, both male and female, who worked largely in agricultural jobs and contributed to the development of Tasmania’s pastoral industry.
Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area, Norfolk Island
The Kingston and Arthurs Vale Historic Area (KAVHA), on Norfolk Island, is of significance to the nation as a convict settlement spanning the era of transportation to eastern Australia between 1788-1855.
Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney NSW
Hyde Park Barracks is Australia’s first government-built convict barracks, and the only remaining barracks building and complex from the Macquarie era of convict administration.
Old Government House, Parramatta NSW
Old Government House is Australia’s oldest intact former vice-regal residence and was the residence and offices of 12 prominent governors of New South Wales, from 1788-1856.
Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour NSW
Cockatoo Island is significant as a site that includes the only remaining dry dock in Australia built using convict labour, as well as buildings and fabric related to the administration, incarceration and working conditions of convicts.
Old Great North Road, near Wisemans Ferry NSW
The Old Great North Road is a nationally significant example of major public infrastructure developed using convict labour.
Fremantle Prison, Fremantle, WA
A striking landmark on a small hill, Fremantle Prison is a physical reminder of the contribution made by Australia’s convicts to building the nation.

YTL Hotel Group’s multi-billion Yen master plan is redefining alpine luxury in Niseko, Japan.

The award-winning New York based firm Champalimaud Design is orchestrating the renovation of the 200-room Green Leaf Niseko Village, slated for completion in time for the ski season end of 2010, and to be unveiled as ‘The Green Leaf Niseko Village, a YTL Lifestyle Resort’.

The renovation of the ski-in, ski-out Green Leaf is the first of YTL’s multi-phased redevelopment plan for Niseko Village and will re-open its doors to guests on 1st December, 2010.

Renowned for creating distinctive interiors that reflect their unique setting, Champalimaud Design has worked its style magic on some of the world’s leading hotels including London’s Berkeley and Dorchester hotels to the highly acclaimed redesign of the suites at The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, in Manhattan.

‘Niseko is now recognized as a highly desirable international destination’, says President and Principal Designer Alexandra Champalimaud, ‘and this is a wonderful opportunity to transform a property with an unparalleled location, therapeutic natural onsen and Mt. Yotei views into a modern social space attractive to a youthful and global clientele.’

The Green Leaf Niseko Village proudly houses an extensive collection of original artwork by celebrated Japanese artist Soichiro Tomioka (1922-1994).

Tomioka’s life long study and portrayal of crisp forested winter landscapes is broadly represented in the collection with each guestroom, boasting an original work of its own.

Paying homage to his aesthetic, Champalimaud Design has created guestrooms which communicate serenely with the surrounding environment.

Traditional elements of European mountain chic are made more contemporary and overlaid with elements of Japanese aesthetic.

Unobstructed views of Hokkaido’s majestic Mt. Yotei can be seen from the elegant corner suites and guestrooms.

The Green Leaf Niseko Village will reopen with eight Corner Suites comprised of a parlor room, 40″ flat panel television, wet bar, powder room, and accommodation for a family of four.

In addition, 25 deluxe guestrooms will offer king beds, 32″ flat panel television and accommodation for three.

For families traveling with children, these deluxe guestrooms have been designed to connect to triple rooms for added space.

All 200 rooms will include plush bedding, fine linens, quality amenities, multi-language television programming and wireless Internet.

Sharing in the YTL belief that wellbeing is the principal ingredient in a balanced contemporary accommodation; each room is at its core a practical, restful and peaceful place. Throughout the hotel, whether seated in front of the fireplaces in the living room lobby lounge, or at a fireside dinner enjoying the diverse menu in the completely redesigned main restaurant, the Green Leaf Niseko Village is designed to meet the needs and expectations of a cosmopolitan and discerning clientele.

Furthermore, the hotel is a prime year-round mountain lodge with an array of seasonally changing landscapes for activities ranging from powder skiing to two 18-hole championship golf courses, one of which was designed by Arnold Palmer.

The Green Leaf Niseko Village can cater to every fitness level and to every desired extreme sensation in a myriad of activities; paragliding, trekking, trails for horseback riding, kayaking and river rafting, tennis and much more.

This multi-faceted destination promises unrivalled accessibility to the benefits of the finest resort destination in Japan.

No matter which pursuit occupies your day, the intimate forested onsen – a therapeutic natural volcanic hot spring, is the perfect place to soak away tension and time. A vast menu of different traditional therapeutic massages, manicures and pedicures are offered in the adjacent spa.

During the White Season, begin your day in our purpose designed skier services building which features a full equipment rental counter, fireplace and multi-purpose lounge with cinema display screen.

On the roof of the skier services building, and unlike any other accommodation in Niseko, guests may enjoy a scenic moment, lunch and mugs of beer on our open air rooftop Beer Garden and Grill, accessible directly from the ski slopes.

The sophisticated facilities and contemporary comforts of the Green Leaf Niseko Village are accessible through Sapporo’s International Chitose Airport – Niseko’s getaway to greater Asia, with direct flights from Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul and Singapore, to name a few.

Bookabee Tours Australia (www.bookabee.com.au ), an Aboriginal-owned and operated company based in Adelaide, South Australia (www.southaustralia.com ), offers a range of tours giving visitors the opportunity to achieve a greater understanding of Aboriginal life, hear about the impact made by European settlers, learn which bush foods can be eaten, which make great bush medicines and much more.

Award winning Bookabee Tours Australia only recruits native Adnyamathanha people as guides seeing as they have lived in the region for thousands of years and are proud to show visitors their homeland and explain their culture and Creation Stories.

Tours take place in varied locations such as Wilpena Pound, Hawker, Quorn Parachilna, Arkaroola and Port Augusta, as well as in Adelaide and are all-inclusive 4WD tours including accommodation on longer tours, all meals and entry fees.

Tour options for 2010 include:

• Adelaide Full Day Tour (read more)
• Wilpena Art & Culture Tour (read more)
• 2, 3 & 5 day Flinders Ranges Trips (read more)
• Self-designed tours (read more)

- Adelaide Full Day Tour– this new tour explains traditional Aboriginal life, looks at the impact of European settlement and the role of Aboriginal people in the development of the city. Highlights include the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, the Aboriginal Cultures Gallery in the South Australian Museum, Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute and lunch in Adelaide’s East End.

- Wilpena Art & Culture Tour – this new half day tour from Wilpena Pound Resort visits Arkaroo Rock and includes the Adnyamathanha interpretation of the ancient paintings at this site and the creation story associated with it, plus a bush walk observing the plants and animals on route.

- 2, 3 & 5 day Flinders Ranges Trips – three different length tours that let visitors really get to the grips with this region including the landscape, Aboriginal culture and wildlife. Accommodation is at the Wilpena Pound Resort and on the extended five-day tour guests stay at either the Leigh Creek Township, a coal mining town on the edge of the desert or the Nepabunna Aboriginal Community that offers a fascinating cultural experience.

- Self-designed tours – holidaymakers can also opt to have a tour specially designed for them from as little as AUD$530 per person per day for an all-inclusive guided tour, based on a minimum of two people.

Background on Bookabee

Bookabee is an Aboriginal family owned and operated business that was established in 2005 and specialises in providing authentic Aboriginal experiences in Adelaide and the Outback in South Australia. Central to their philosophy is the sharing of their stories of creation that have been passed down through the centuries.

Visiting 30,000 year old cave painting sites and rock engravings dated back over 40,000 years, gives visitors an insight into pre-European life. Symbols depicting native animals, birds and elements of Adnyamathanha traditional ceremony provide a unique glimpse of the traditions and culture.

They have combined this with the telling of the creation stories to provide an award winning mix of experiences that take guests deep into Adnyamathanha life and culture in the Flinders Ranges.

The company also has two other business arms, one that advises on Aboriginal issues to government and non-government bodies and the other selling native bush foods.