Author: jezzabellemente

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 — Strategic industry partnerships — linking businesses across different segments of the luxury travel, hospitality and leisure sector — are widely seen as a key component to further the recovery from the impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

New research from VistaJet, the first and only global business aviation company, in association with Barton, the high-net-worth insight consultants, demonstrates the far-ranging value placed on partnerships by leading businesses in the sector.

While private aviation has continued to see an influx of new customers, according to VistaJet’s report, The Future of Private Travel, the impact of the pandemic in 2020 has in general been severe for many international luxury travel and hospitality businesses, with over three-quarters (77.8 per cent) of businesses having seen net revenue fall by at least 60 per cent year-on-year, and around 43 per cent seeing a drop of over 90 per cent.

Despite a promising vaccine programme, many businesses are still cautious about forecasting a quick recovery in the immediate months ahead. However, 25.9 per cent are optimistic and are starting to refocus their offering onto a HNW target group, predicting a rapid recovery to pre-pandemic levels.

VistaJet itself saw an increase of 29 per cent in new Members joining in 2020, while its sister brand XO has seen new membership sales up 3x.

In a statement, VistaJet Chief Commercial Officer, Ian Moore said: “While the impact of COVID-19 has been significant on a number of luxury travel, hospitality and leisure businesses, it is clear that business aviation is leading this entire sector with a V-shaped recovery.

“Hence, we are increasing the number of partnerships to help accelerate the whole sector’s path to recovery.”

VistaJet is part of Vista Global Holding — the world’s first private aviation ecosystem, integrating a unique portfolio of companies offering asset-light solutions to cover all key aspects of business aviation.

For details, visit vistajet.com

— BERNAMA

BAISE, China, Feb. 9, 2021 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

China Central Television (CCTV)’s special program “Our Chinese Dream: 2021 Nationwide Celebration of Spring Festival” has recently been filmed in Baise, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, according to Baise Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau. The show will be premiered on CCTV-3 at 19:30 on February 10 and on CCTV-1 at 12:30 on February 11 (Chinese New Year’s Eve), followed by continuous broadcasting on the both channels during the prime time throughout the Spring Festival.

The program features Haokun Lake of Lingyun County, Baise as the main venue, Baini Village of Leye County as the sub-venue for the recording under the theme “The Road to Prosperity”, and Xiajia Town of Lingyun County as the sub-venue for “Longevity Town” themed part of the show. Covering folklore, intangible cultural heritages, songs and dances, acrobatics, magic and other art forms, the performance adds to the festivity and peace amidst joy and laughter during the Spring Festival.

Handicrafts such as colorful silk balls with local cultural features are seen everywhere on the stage. The traditional New Year delicacies, the traditional costumes of various ethnic groups in Baise, the giant Fu (Fortune) and Chun (Spring) calligraphy, and the mascots for the Year of the Ox, among others, set off a joyful and festive vibe. The program also incorporates a wide array of intangible cultural heritages such as Trombone of Lingyun County, Dragon Dance of Leye County, Malv Dance of Jingxi City, Taige Show of Debao County and Damoqiu Acrobatics of Longlin County, cultural performances with local characteristics, and local customs of celebrating the Spring Festival, bringing together excellent shows from around the city.

Ding Lihua, director of Baise Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, said that the program is an epitome of Baise’s unique folk culture, local cuisine and cultural and tourist highlights. Through the demonstration of poverty alleviation achievement in Baise, the stories and spirit of the city in poverty alleviation are promoted and Baise’s cultural and tourist brands will garner great popularity across the country and beyond.

Source: Baise Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=39280

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Hong Kong is set to welcome the Chinese New Year (CNY) festival in its own style by bridging traditional elements with innovative ideas, making the Year of the Ox a blissful and enjoyable year to remember, even though it is likely going to be a little different.

Although there will be no physical events because of the COVID-19 situation, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is turning the CNY celebrations up a notch by infusing the cherished traditions with online, innovative elements, sending festive blessings in a whole new fashion.

According to a statement, a three-week ‘Fortunes in Hong Kong’ CNY campaign will be held in ‘online+offline’ format ending Feb 26.

The campaign features a creative online market, offering CNY delicacies and specialties, alongside plentiful contents, including games, lucky feng shui tips and festive e-cards to allow participants to feel the festive vibe across boundaries.

At the creative online market, a collection of delightful crossover products, jointly created by traditional local brands and trend-setting brands, is available for those hoping to enjoy the CNY celebrations in style.

Not to be missed is a collaboration between the 73-year-old Kung Lee Sugar Cane Drink and chic candy brand Papabubble. Together, they created handmade candies with different herbal tea flavours to bring these old-fashioned, sometimes bitter drinks to a new level.

With all the festive activities in town, Hong Kong is ready to welcome the Year of the Ox with joy and blessings.

— BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — With the Spring Festival around the corner, Wu Qizhen, the hexagenarian successor of a traditional sugar-making technique included in the intangible cultural heritage list was busy instructing workers to manufacture the brown sugar for the last ‘sweet’ order before the festival.

Sixty-six-year-old Wu’s brown sugar workshop was established in Zuntan Town, the south of Haikou, Hainan province.

According to historical records, the traditional sugar-making industry has existed in Zuntan Town for over 600 years.

The local sugarcane provides the raw material for the Zuntan brown sugar, which is manufactured through such procedures as juicing, boiling and solidifying. It is known as the ‘Oriental Chocolate’ with high nutritional and medicinal value.

In a statement, Wu said his brown sugar was made with an ancestral technique, including juice extraction, filtration, boiling and crystallisation, whereby the process of turning raw sugarcane juice into syrup took between eight and 12 hours.

After the boiling, the syrup is poured into molds to get cubes after solidification and air-drying. Those sugar cubes have the attractive shape and colour of chocolate, but the taste is refreshingly sweet after it rapidly melts in the mouth.

“The locals have regarded the traditional sugar-making technique as a sweet but hard-working skill with a low yield. Now, there are only five traditional sugar technique successors in Zuntan Town, all of whom are over 50 years old,” noted Wu.

In addition to the traditional product portfolio of the ginger brown sugar, the rose brown sugar and jujube brown sugar, Wu plans to invent a new variety with Hainan characteristics, the coconut brown sugar.

— BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — Boao Super Hospital recently performed an operation of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in conjunction with the use of the TriGUARD3TM Cerebral Embolic Protection Device (TriGUARD3).

According to a statement, this is the first clinical application of TriGUARD3 in Asia, marking a milestone in the field of cardiovascular surgery.

Located in Boao Town, Hainan Province, Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (the Pilot Zone) is built with high-end medical tourism service and international cutting-edge medical science and technology achievements.

It will become an emerging destination for the Asian tourist to experience high-end medical tourism.

Since last year, the Pilot Zone has set up ‘the Never End International Innovative Medicine Equipment Exhibition’, bringing down drug costs while importing synchronously latest pharmaceutical equipment worldwide.

In addition, patients can experience traditional Chinese medicine therapy in the Pilot Zone. For thousands of years, traditional Chinese medicine has been reputed for its moderate curative effects and slight side-effects.

Last November, the first Asia Advance International Medical Centre from Singapore was opened in the Zone. Gathering international medical experts from Singapore, Korea and the UK, the Center provides diagnosis and treatment services for patients from the Chinese mainland and other neighbouring countries.

By 2030, a world-class destination for medical tourism will be built in the Pilot Zone, providing all-round services including anti-cancer, rehabilitation, and health management.

— BERNAMA